ARC Review: The Ruins Beneath Us by Sasha E. Sloan

This first book in a romantasy duology by TikTok star Sasha E. Sloan combines a compelling love triangle, luscious worldbuilding, and spellbinding magic to deliver a debut with everything romantasy readers crave.Young elf Lyria has spent her life in hiding while a dangerous war brews between the elven kingdom and human world. Now eighteen, she has grown restless hiding on the outskirts of the forest that surrounds the human world. One day, while her mother is away, Lyria hears a boy in the forest calling for help and rescues him from certain death. Unbeknownst to her, the boy, Finn, is the crowned Prince, and he wants Lyria to become the kingdom's royal apothecary!Terrified that Finn is going to discover she's an elf and she used magic to heal him while he was unconscious, Lyria struggles to fit in with the human kingdom while also hiding her identity. At court, she meets the jaded Head Healer, Cygnus, who is cold, highly suspicious of her, and constantly questions her abilities. But earth-shattering secrets can't lay dormant forever, and after Lyria and Cygnus discover a dark and sinister world hidden underneath the palace, Lyria must decide once and for all who—if anyone—she should trust.This slow-burn YA romantasy will be written by BookTok sensation Sasha Sloan and will appeal to fans of other successful TikTok hits like Lightlark and Assistant to the Villain.

Title: The Ruins Beneath Us

Author: Sasha E. Sloan

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Expected Publication Date: February 3, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Disney Publishing Worldwide/Disney Hyperion and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I'm in my find a new fantasy phase and this one was sure to scratch that itch. I saw the cover and totally judged the book and had to see what it was all about. I don't know Sasha E. Sloan (I'm not much of an influencer follower or TikTok user) so I went into this simply because the blurb sounded super interesting to me.

I'll start by saying this book is definitely YA. There is some alluding to encounters that are sexual but nothing specific, very closed door and fade to black. I'm ok with that. I don't need spice to enjoy a book. But I will say the lines were a bit blurred. I don't read a ton of YA anymore so I'm sure this is totally normal for this age group.

I also want to say there is a lot of potential in this book. The world is interesting and I liked the idea of the magic system. That being said, it just didn't go where it needed to go. There was so much telling rather than showing and many areas where information was dumped to the reader rather than slowly revealed and trickled in to make the story cohesive. I really didn't understand the world politics. There was not enough background for me to see the huge divide I was being told was there. And the lines for that were so blurred it didn't even make sense when everything was revealed in the end. This book reads like it was rushed through the editor to get it out to print. There's not much depth to the world or even the magic system, which I only partially understand.

I enjoyed the FMC and MMC enough. Though there seemed to be two MMCs to be honest. What I didn't understand were any of the other characters. There is truly no development to them at all. They just show up and there they are but we never get to know them. The FMC tells us all about them but it's hard to believe she knows them since we never see her interact with them. No one stood out. The villain wasn't someone we get to know at all, for the entire book! We're just told about him until he suddenly appears in the last 1`0% of the book? How can I even understand his motivations? On top of that, while the main characters were enjoyable enough, they weren't truly likeable. I didn't really care what happened to them or between them. As a matter of fact, I was rooting for the "other guy" who I enjoyed the most. It's hard to like a book when you have zero connection to the characters.

The romance between the FMC and MMC and not built up at all. Once again, we are told about feelings and such but when the declarations come, it doesn't make any sense to me. I didn't see the characters getting to know one another or having a build up in their chemistry at all. And. while there is somewhat of a love triangle, it's not truly there. You can't just say it's there, you have to show it to the reader!

I really wanted to love this one and the bones are truly there. But it's not a fantastic debut. I contemplated DNFing a few times but forced myself to push through. While it's slated as YA, the writing is more on the juvenile side of middle grade. But given the more adult scenes that occur, it definitely leans towards upper YA to NA. The ending shows me there's a thought of having more books in the future, only because things are not totally resolved by that time. I'm not sure if I will dive into the next book or not. I'd like to say perhaps the editing while be better and the author will hone her craft a bit more but I'm not sure if that will happen. I'm am happy to see so many are enjoying this read but I do fear the ratings may be pumped a bit given the background of the author. 

2.5/5 stars

Author:

Sasha E. Sloan is the author of The Ruins Beneath Us, her debut YA fantasy novel and the first in a highly anticipated duology published by Disney Hyperion. Her writing blends breakneck action, political intrigue, and lush worldbuilding to invite readers into stories that feel as epic as they are intimately human.

 

A Whole New World (Twisted Tales) by Liz Braswell

 

What if Jafar was the first one to summon the Genie?

When Jafar steals the Genie’s lamp, he uses his first two wishes to become sultan and the most powerful sorcerer in the world. Agrabah lives in fear, waiting for his third and final wish.

To stop the power-mad ruler, Aladdin and the deposed Princess Jasmine must unite the people of Agrabah in rebellion. But soon their fight for freedom threatens to tear the kingdom apart in a costly civil war.

What happens next? A Street Rat becomes a leader. A princess becomes a revolutionary. And readers will never look at the story of Aladdin in the same way again.

Title: A Whole New World (Twisted Tales)

Author: Liz Braswell

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Publication Date: 9/1/2015

Review:

Thank you NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing me with a copy of this egalley to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own. 

You'd be hard pressed to find someone who didn't know the story of Aladdin. Especially the Disney version with its knock your socks off funny Genie. I will not be shy in saying I loved this movie so had high expectations of a retelling where the villain gets to have his story told. I'm a sucker for finding out why the villain acts as they do. Unfortunately, I just did not love this story. At least the part of it I got through.

The first 25% or so of the book is an exact retelling of Aladdin. Almost word for word what you get in the movie. And, while I'm all for rehashing some of what I know as a reminder, it's just not what I was expecting. I was expecting a different tale from the start. But I didn't get that.

I found the characters childish, which, given it's a Disney inspired retelling, I kind of get. But the characters are definitely supposed to be YA in this story and I was expecting more of that aspect. I was expecting more maturity. But the book reads as a middle grade. And how the characters are portrayed didn't make me feel warm and fuzzy, or have any connection to them at all. They had no passion; they had no umph. Their dialogue literally felt flat, like a piece of cardboard. And let's not talk about the insta-love, which I get for a movie, but for a book there can be so much more.

The plot line lacked in keeping me interested. There was no hook from the start. Just the story I know very well.

This was definitely not the epic fantasy retelling of a beloved story I know well at all. Unfortunately, it was a DNF at 40% for me.

After the sort of introverted childhood you would expect from a writer, Liz earned a degree in Egyptology at Brown University and then promptly spent the next ten years producing video games. Finally she caved into fate and wrote Snow and Rx under the name Tracy Lynn, followed by The Nine Lives of Chloe King series under her real name, because by then the assassins hunting her were all dead. She also has short stories in Geektastic and Who Done It and a new series of reimagined fairy tales coming out, starting with A Whole New World—a retelling of Aladdin.
She lives in Brooklyn with a husband, two children, a cat, a part-time dog, three fish and five coffee trees she insists will start producing beans any day. You can email her at me@lizbraswell.com. 

ARC Review: Lumara by Melissa Landers

The answers lie within.
Boarding school student Talia Morris has no idea her boyfriend, Nathaniel, is a Mystic, let alone second in line to the throne of a secretive, aspirational magical community―one no mortal has ever been allowed to step inside. Until now. Nathanial’s cousin is about to be married in the biggest wedding the magical world has ever seen, and Nathaniel is allowed to bring a date. Talia is the lucky recipient of the golden ticket every Mystic wannabe in the world would kill for―only she doesn’t want it. Talia thinks Mystic worship is lame and stupid and unnecessarily aggrandizes people for being born a certain way. When she finds out Nathaniel is “one of them,” she almost jumps ship. But Nathaniel loves her, and she loves him. So when he begs her to give his family and their community a shot, she reluctantly agrees.
Enter the most fantastical world any mortal has ever seen, and the coolest magical wedding ever. After a few days of bonding with Nathaniel’s family on the island, of seeing how beautiful their magic is and how peaceful their community, Talia’s about to be won over―until the entire wedding party suddenly falls into an unexplainable coma and the community goes on lockdown. Talia, the outsider, is pegged as the culprit and has to do everything in her meager non-power to prove her innocence. As she embarks on a journey to find the truth, Talia soon discovers reality is not all it seems, and her past may put her in more danger than she ever imagined.
In this captivating YA fantasy, Talia must solve a multigenerational mystery and break a curse, all the while being torn between making her family proud and regaining the trust of the boy she loves.

Title: Lumara
Author: Melissa Landers
Expected Publication Date: 12/6/2022

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

REVIEW:

I want to thank NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing me with an eARC of this book to read and give my honest review. 

What drew me in: BOARDING SCHOOL! Every time I see a book with a boarding school I think Harry Potter and I want to read it. BUT I always have to go in with lower expectations because nothing ever lives up to it for me. But I'm always hopeful someone will hit the mark. SCI-FI! I love me some sci-fi. Unfortunately, the book is not quite as sci-fi as it seems it should be,. So if you're going in thinking you're going to be floored by that aspect, turn your expectations down. Also, MELISSA LANDERS: Because I've really liked her previous books I've read, so why not keep reading what she writes! And the COVER I mean it's gorgeous. I'm a sucker for a good cover.

What kept me reading: THE CHARACTERS! I really enjoyed them and wanted to find out more about them. They truly had unique personalities. I do feel like more back story could have happened. More fleshing out so that I could truly connect with them but overall I enjoyed them: the good, the bad, and the ugly!

What I'm not so sure about: THE STORY! I enjoyed how it started but then I just got annoyed. It just didn't seem like it kept a rhythm.  The possibility of twists. Which happened but were kind of expected. Also, while it did wrap up, I feel like there's still room for a sequel. I love a good series but am disappointed when I read a book that I feel should be a stand alone and then it doesn't seem to be that way.

Overall: It was a fun read but didn't keep me as pulled in as I would have wanted. I just expected more. Would I read more Landers, for sure. Would I read a sequel, not so sure.

Melissa Landers writes science fiction for teens and the young at heart. The Alienated trilogy (ALIENATED, INVADED, UNITED) and the Starflight duology (STARFLIGHT, STARFALL) are complete! Look for Melissa's middle grade debut BLASTAWAY, now available from Disney-Hyperion.

 

ARC Review: The Rumor Game by Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra

All it takes is one spark to start a blaze.

At Foxham Prep, a posh private school for the children of DC’s elite, a single rumor has the power to ruin a life.

Nobody knows that better than Bryn. She used to have it all—the perfect boyfriend, a bright future in politics, and even popularity, thanks to her best friend, cheer captain Cora. Then one mistake sparked a scandal that burned it all to the ground.

Now it’s the start of a new school year and the spotlight has shifted: It’s geeky Georgie, newly hot after a summer makeover, whose name is on everyone’s lips. When a rumor ignites, Georgie rockets up the school’s social hierarchy, pitting her and Cora against each other. It grants her Foxham stardom . . . but it also makes her a target.

As the rumors grow and morph, blazing like wildfire through the school’s social media, all three girls’ lives begin to unravel. But one person close to the drama has the power to stop the gossip in its tracks. The question is—do they even want to?

From Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra, authors of the Tiny Pretty Things duology (now a Netflix series), comes the edge-of-your-seat social thriller everyone will be talking about.

Publisher:
Expected Publication Date:
Author: Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley and  Disney for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review.

I love a good YA contemporary. And the premise of this book was interesting to me given the fact that I have a kid currently in high school. I also remember personally the rumors that would start at my school and how they often spun out of control. This book addresses those types of rumors. 

The authors really delve into the rumors, how they come to be, how they are perpetuated, how they can get squashed, and the huge roll social media currently takes in all of the above. I often worry about what my kids will see on social media sites like Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, Snap Chat. It's scary how things can get skewed. This book definitely shows how easy it is for that to happen. 

I loved the different points of view. How we got to see the characters experiencing the rumors and the consequences of those rumors first hand. How they make or break who you are or might be in circles in high school.

I'm happy with the areas this book covered: cheating from significant others (both adult and teen), sexual assault, child pornography. It's important for our kids to understand such consequences. Unfortunately, social media often perpetuates so much.

Overall this was an enjoyable read. I know it was an early proof. It's unfortunate that this early copy had some formatting errors which made it hard to read certain points.

I would definitely recommend it to teens so they can understand the consequences of their actions.

Dhonielle Clayton:

Born and raised in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., Dhonielle spent much of her childhood hiding beneath her grandmother's dining table with a stack of books. As an English teacher at a ballet academy, Clayton rediscovered her passion for children's and young adult literature. To ground herself in the canon, she pursued her Masters in Children's Literature from Hollins University before receiving her MFA in Writing for Children at the New School. She is a former middle school librarian, where she pestered children to read and curated a diverse collection. An avid traveler, Dhonielle's lived in several foreign countries, but she's now settled in Harlem, where you'll find her writing late into the night, lurking in libraries, and hunting for the best slice of New York pizza. She is the COO of We Need Diverse Books and the co-founder of Cake Literary. The co-author of the dance dramas Tiny Pretty Things and Shiny Broken Pieces, as well as the upcoming Rumor Game, Dhonielle is the author of the New York Times bestselling YA fantasy series The Belles. Find her on the web at DhonielleClayton.com or on Twitter @brownbookworm.D

Sona Charaipotra:

The author of the YA doc dramedy Symptoms of a Heartbreak, SONA CHARAIPOTRA is not a doctor — much to her pediatrician parents’ chagrin. They were really hoping she’d grow up to take over their practice one day.
Instead, she became a writer, working first as a celebrity reporter at People and (the dearly departed) TeenPeople magazines, and more recently contributing to publications from the New York Times to TeenVogue. She was also the editor of the Barnes & Noble Teen blog. These days, she uses her Masters in screenwriting from NYU and her MFA in creative writing from the New School to poke plot holes in her favorite teen TV shows — for work of course. She’s the co-founder of CAKE Literary, a boutique book packaging company with a decidedly diverse bent, and the co-author of the YA dance dramas Tiny Pretty Things and Shiny Broken Pieces (now a Netflix original series!), as well as the upcoming psychological thriller Rumor Game. Her follow-up to Symptoms will be the YA contemporary romp How Maya Got Fierce, which draws on her magazine world experience and is pitched as the Bold Type meets Younger. She’s a former We Need Diverse Books board member. Find her sharing pictures of her kids and her chai on Instagram @sonesone2, talking writing and books on Twitter @sona_c, or pinning gorgeous lenghas and her favorite Indian food on Pinterest. 

Book Blitz: Starfall by Melissa Landers @Melissa_Landers

Hi, booklovers!

I’m author Melissa Landers, and I’m so excited to launch STARFALL, the second and final book in my Starflight duology! This story picks up shortly after the first book ends, but now Cassia and Kane are the main characters, with Doran, Solara, and the rest of the Banshee crew pitching in to help take down an intergalactic mafia. (You know, just an ordinary day in space.) And while saying goodbye to characters is never easy, I think I gave the crew a proper sendoff with plenty of humor, heart, and action. I hope you love STARFALL as much as I do!

Haven’t read the first book? You’re in luck, because for a limited time, Starflight is on sale for 99 cents in all e-formats. Now you can binge read the entire duology in one sitting!

Praise for Starflight:

“Smart, action-packed and utterly addictive!” –New York Times bestselling author Amie Kaufman

“Starflight has the cinematic appeal, warp-speed action and unlikely heroes of Star Wars.” –Justine Magazine

“A lively tale of romance, space pirates, conspiracy, and made (as opposed to genetic) families.” –Booklist

“A great choice for fans of raw sci-fi action, reminiscent of the lawlessness presented in the television series Firefly.” –School Library Journal

If you love sci-fi adventure with a dash of romance, I hope you’ll pick up the Starflight duology today. Starflight and Starfall are both available in stores and online.

STARFLIGHT (book 1)

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2jmEOqA

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2kjs57n

Book Depository (free international shipping): http://bit.ly/1OoN2WD

Indie Bound: http://bit.ly/1IIMPx7

STARFALL (book 2)

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2jmNsW2

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2ddKuih

Book Depository: http://bit.ly/2k98EvN

Indie Bound: http://bit.ly/2dhMLry

To celebrate my book birthday, I’m offering one lucky winner a Starflight duology swag pack, complete with bookmarks and two signed mini posters! The giveaway is open internationally. Due to sweepstakes laws, entrants must be 18 years or older to participate.

Best of luck, and happy reading!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Melissa Landers is a former teacher who left the classroom to pursue other worlds. A proud sci-fi geek, she isn’t afraid to wear her Princess Leia costume in public—just ask her husband and three kids. She lives outside Cincinnati in the small town of Loveland, “Sweetheart of Ohio.” For more information or just to say hello, visit www.melissa-landers.com.

Blog Tour: Star Darlings by Shana Muldoon Zappa and Ahmet Zappa @DisneyHyperion @AhmetZappa @ShanaZappa @irish_banana

Leona's Unlucky Mission

Leona is very focused on her studies and is especially busy as the lead vocalist in the Star Darlings band. But when the Star-Zaps start buzzing, the girls know it’s probably time for one of them to head to Wishworld. This time it’s Leona’s turn, and she’s bursting with excitement. She can’t wait to get there and become a successful Wish-Granter. But she’ll have to challenge herself to put her own desires aside and truly understand what her Wisher needs—before her Countdown Clock runs out of time.

Vega and the Fashion Disaster

There are lots of strange things going on at Starling Academy these days: Leona is devastated about her Wish Pendant failure. Ophelia, the newest Star Darling, is completely clueless. Vega’s roommate, Piper, is getting on her last nerve. And Scarlet? Who knows? She’s nowhere to be found! So when by-the-book Vega gets sent to Wishworld on the next mission, she finds herself very distracted. Why is her Wisher so secretive? Vega needs to solve this puzzle fast. Time is running out and Starland needs every drop of wish energy it can get!

Scarlet Discovers True Strength

Scarlet has been keeping to herself. But she is convinced that her removal from the Star Darlings was a terrible mistake. With Vega’s help she starts an investigation. Meanwhile, Ophelia is chosen to go on a Wishworld mission, for which she is hopelessly unprepared. Will Scarlet be the one to rescue Ophelia and the mission?

Today we welcome the author(s) for an interview!

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer or did you want to be something else?

NO, I DID NOT ALWAYS KNOW I WANTED TO BE A WRITER BUT I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED TO WRITE. WHETHER A POEM, LYRICS, INTENTIONS, A SHORT OR LONG STORY, OR SCRIPT, WRITING HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF MY LIFE.  FOR ME, WRITING IS ABOUT INSPIRED ACTION. MAYBE THAT IS WHY I AM HERE. I DID MANY OTHER CAREERS AND PATHS WHILE WRITING WAS ALWAYS A SECRET NEED AND JOY.

How long does it take you to write a book from start to finish?

IT TRULY JUST DEPENDS. I ONCE WROTE A FIRST DRAFT NOVEL OF 500 PAGES IN TEN DAYS. I LIKE TO SAY THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE PURE PLUG INTO THE ETHERS AND IT WRITES ITSELF MOMENTS. THAT WAS WHEN AHMET AND I WERE JUST DATING AND I LIVED ALONE. OBVIOUSLY LIFE HAS CHANGED ESPECIALLY BEING A MOM SO I TRY NOT TO BE TOO HARD ON MYSELF AND I ALLOW SPACE FOR WRITING TO REMAIN FUN. IT COULD BE DAYS. IT COULD BE WEEKS. BUT WITH STAR DARLINGS, I AM NOT ALONE SO IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ANSWER.

How do you come up with themes for your stories?

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO IS TO GET INSIDE A CHARACTER'S HEAD. THAT MAY BE FROM YEARS OF ACTING CLASS. SO EVERYTHING I WRITE NATURALLY COMES FROM CHARACTER FIRST. I ENJOY AND SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE OF WHAT JOURNEY THEY WOULD OR NEED TO GO ON IN ORDER TO GROW. AND OF COURSE OTHER THINGS COME INTO PLAY- I MAY GET AN IDEA IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT THAT I JOT DOWN OR INSPIRED BY SOMETHING I SEE IN THE WORLD.

Do you have a schedule of when you write? 

 I AM NOT A SCHEDULE PERSON. NEVER HAVE BEEN. I KNOW A LOT OF WRITERS SAY THAT THEY HAVE TO SET ASIDE A TIME. I GO WITH THE FLOW. AND I MAKE SURE I GET IT DONE WHEN IT NEEDS TO BE DONE. IF I HAVE A DEADLINE IT IS ALWAYS IN THE BACK OF MY MIND SO I KNOW I WILL DO IT. BUT  IF I GET TOO RIGID WITH MYSELF IT TOTALLY ZAPS THE FUN FACTOR. I RESPECT AND ENJOY MY MOMENTS THAT I GET TO SIT AND ZONE OUT....

How are you able to balance other aspects of your life with your writing?

TRICKY QUESTION. BECAUSE I AM NOT TOTALLY SURE I HAVE THE FORMULA. I PRIORITIZE. AND I KNOW MYSELF. I AM A NIGHT OWL...NOT A MORNING PERSON SO I KNOW NOT TO KID MYSELF BY SAYING I WILL WAKE UP EARLY TOMORROW BEFORE HALO AND GET IT DONE FOR EXAMPLE. IT WON'T HAPPEN. SO I AM A MOM AND WIFE FIRST. I GET HALO OFF TO SCHOOL... AHMET AND I GRAB OUT MORNING COFFEE TOGETHER MOST DAYS... AND THEN I KNOW I HAVE A GOOD SEVERAL HOURS OF ME TIME TO DIVIDE UP FOR WHAT I NEED TO GET ACCOMPLISHED. I TRY NOT TO STRESS. I MAKE SURE I CAN ENJOY. THINGS HAVE A WAY OF WORKING OUT IF YOU DON'T DRIVE YOURSELF CRAZY OVER THEM.

What elements do you think make a great story line? 

A GREAT STORY LINE? RELATABILITY FOR ONE. CONNECTION. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO FEEL MYSELF IN THE CHARACTERS. I WANT TO GO ON THEIR JOURNEY WITH THEM AND THAT JOURNEY SHOULD BE FULL OF TWISTS AND TURNS, UPS AND DOWNS, LESSONS, LAUGHTER, HEART. I ALWAYS SAY IF I CAN LAUGH, CRY AND LEARN SOMETHING IN THE SAME MOVIE OR BOOK IT WINS.

What was the hardest thing about writing a book?

THE HARDEST THING FOR ME IS REVISTING THE BOOK. I AM GREAT AT WRITING THE FIRST DRAFT. THEN MY INSTINCT IS TO PASS IT TO ANOTHER FOR A FRESH SET OF EYES. I LIKE TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT. THAT 500 PAGE NOVEL I WROTE? I HAVE YET TO GO BACK A REREAD IT...SOMEDAY WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT. IN THE MEANTIME, STAR DARLINGS WAS BORN. SO EVERYTHING HAS A TIME AND PLACE IN MY MIND. OF COURSE WHEN YOU ARE WORKING WITH A PUBLISHER, THAT ISN'T HOW THINGS WORK SO YES, THAT IS THE HARDEST FOR ME. REREADING I FIND TO BE QUITE BRUTAL.

How many books have you written so far? Do you have a favorite?

WE ARE CURRENTLY ON BOOK NUMBER SIX. YES I HAVE A FAVORITE SO FAR BUT I WOULD BE A SILLY GIRL TO TELL YOU:) I ACTUALLY TRULY LOVE DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT EACH BOOK. BECAUSE IN STAR DARLINGS, THE STORY IN CONTINUOUS. IT GROWS. IT EXPANDS. IT IS ONE HUGE MAGICAL JOURNEY WITH SO MANY SMALLER JOURNEYS HAPPENING SIMOUTANEOUSLY. AND THE CHARACTERS...I AM CONNECTED TO ALL IN DIFFERENT WAYS SO I GET THOSE SMIRKS, TEARY EYES, AND ZING MOMENTS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SERIES...HOPEFULLY THE READERS FEEL THE SAME.

Do you have a favorite character?

I LOVE THEM ALL. I REALLY DO. I LOVE ALL OF THE STAR DARLINGS BECAUSE THEY ARE SO UNIQUE. THEY HAVE GREAT TALENTS AND GREAT DOWNFALLS JUST LIKE WE ALL DO. SOME MAKE ME FEEL UNDERSTOOD AND OTHERS INSPIRE ME /CHALLENGE ME TO GROW OR THINK DIFFERENTLY.

Where do you write?

ON MY LAPTOP. I AM CURRENTLY SITTING ON MY SOFA WITH THE SOUND OF THE WAVES CRASHING IN ONE EAR AND MY HUSBAND AND HALO SETTING UP THE RECORD PLAYER I GOT HIM FOR CHRISTMAS IN THE OTHER. YET I AM IN MY ZONE SO FOR NOW I AM CONTENT HERE. NORMALLY I FIND A PLACE OF PEACE AND QUIET THOUGH. I AM NOT SOMEONE WHO TAKES MY COMPUTER TO A COFFEE SHOP. I'D GET WAY TOO DISTRACTED BY PEOPLE WATCHING.

When deciding on how to publish, what directed you to the route you took?

IN THIS CASE, STAR DARLINGS WAS FIRST CREATED AS A BOOKLET THAT INCLUDED A BIO OF ALL TWELVE CHARACTERS, THE OVERALL BIGGER IDEA/ CONCEPT AND BRAND INTENTION, AND THE SAMPLE OF BOOK ONE. NOT EVERY AUTHOR STARTS WITH THE FRANCHISE IN MIND SO THIS PROCESS WAS A TAD UNIQUE. IT FIRST WENT TO AN AGENCY AND WAS TALKED ABOUT WHETHER TO BE PITCHED FIRST AS A BOOK SERIES, TOY, OR SHOW/MOVIE. IT ENDED UP EXACTLY WHERE IT SHOULD BE WHICH WAS DISNEY PUBLISHING...ANCHORED IN STORY BUT IN THE BEST PLACE TO UNDERSTAND AND MANIFEST THE ENTIRE BRAND.

Have you gotten feedback from family about your book(s)? What do they think?

MY FAVORITE FEEDBACK WAS FROM MY NIECE MATHILDA WHO IS 11. SHE IS SO BEYOND HER YEARS SMART AND WISE , I KNEW IF STAR DARLINGS WON HER HEART IT WAS ALL THAT I INTENDED IT TO BE AND MORE FOR TWEENS. LESS THAN ONE DAY IN AND SHE WAS DRAWING HER OWN STAR DARLINGS CHARACTERS AND ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS. SHE SHARED WITH ME THE PARTS SHE THOUGHT WERE FUNNY AND I WAS THERE TO SEE HER TEAR UP AS WELL. SHE CONSUMED THE WISHER'S GUIDE, SAGE AND LIBBY SO FAST AND THEN WAS LIKE WELL WHEN DO I GET THE NEXT ONE?  THAT MEANT THE WORLD TO ME. THAT IS SUCCESS.

What kinds of things do you like to do outside of writing?

OUTSIDE OF WRITING I LOVE TO DO YOGA (WHEN I HAVE TIME.) I ABSOLUTELY TREASURE MEDITATION BUT I DON'T ALWAYS GET TO IT TRUTH BE TOLD. I LOVE TO DECORATE JUST LIKE I LOVE FASHION. PLAYING WITH A ROOM IS VERY SATISFYING FOR ME...JUST LIKE PLAYING WITH OUTFITS WHETHER MY OWN OR HALOS. I ENJOY READING ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH GROWTH AND BECOMING A BETTER PERSON...POSITIVE THINKING...EVOLVING AS A HUMAN AND AS A WORLD. I ALSO HAVE A THIRST FOR POLITICS ALTHOUGH I HAVE STOPPED MYSELF FROM HAVING CNN AS BACKGROUND MUSIC THANKS TO MY HUSBAND. I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT ANIMAL RIGHTS....ESPECIALLY ENDANGERED ANIMALS. I HAVE TO ADMIT I LOVE PINTEREST. I AM A HUGE BELIEVER IN VISION BOARDS. I HAVE CREATED THEM FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER. PINTEREST IS ABSOLUTELY GENIUS. I HAVE MANY SECRET BOARDS THAT HELP ME CREATE EVERYTHING FROM STORY TO BRAINSTORMING NEW IDEAS AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC BOARDS THAT ARE SO FUN FOR FASHION, LIFESTYLE, ETC. WHAT A BRILLIANT TOOL! AND OF COURSE, NONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT MY QUALITY FAMILY TIME AND TIME WITH FRIENDS. IT IS FROM ALLLL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS AND MORE THAT I DRAW MY INSPIRATION TO CREATE.

What kinds of advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing?

JUST START WRITING! DON'T OVER THINK IT. OVERTHINKING WRITING FOR ME IS A NON STARTER. DO THE ACTION AND ALLOW THE UNIVERSE TO MEET YOU. FIRST ONE MUST CREATE. THAT IS THE BIRTH OF YOUR CREATION. THAT IS WHAT I BELIEVE AND HAVE EXPERIENCED.

What is your favorite book? favorite author? Do you have an author that inspired/inspires you to write?

MY FAVORITE BOOK AND AUTHOR IS THE ALCHEMIST BY PAULO COELHO. IRONICALLY I HAVE NEVER BEEN ONE TO READ FICTIONAL BOOKS. I KNOW THAT SOUNDS BIZARRE SINCE I WRITE THEM. BUT I LIKE TO CONSUME DIFFERENT PEOPLE'S PERSPECTIVE ON REALITY AND THEN GET INSPIRED TO USE MY OWN IMAGINATION. I DON'T OFTEN ENJOY STEPPING INTO OTHER PEOPLE'S IMAGINATION AS SOMEHOW I FEEL LIKE IT WILL INFLUENCE MY OWN. DOES THAT EVEN MAKE SENSE? HMM. ANYHOW- SO THE ALCHEMIST BEING FICTIONAL AND HAVING SUCH A PROFOUND AFFECT ON ME...IT'S UNIQUE. I HAVE READ IT AT DIFFERENT TIMES IN MY LIFE AND FOUND DIFFERENT MEANINGS. THE JOURNEY. I LOVE THE JOURNEY.

Do you have any go to people when writing a book that help you with your story lines as well as editing, beta reading and such?

YES!! DISNEY PUBLISHING! AND MY BRILLIANT ADORABLE HUSBAND OF COURSE. AND SOMETIMES BOUNCING AN IDEA ON A FRIEND JUST TO GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD AND TAKE IT FOR A TEST RUN.

Are you working on anything now?

YES...STAR DARLINGS...THERE IS MORE TO COME. AND IT ONLY GETS BETTER FROM HERE. TRUST ME. BEYOND THAT I HAVE SEVERAL SEEDS PERCOLATING. BUT FOR THE MOMENT STAR DARLINGS IS CENTER STAGE AND DESERVEDLY SO. I AM SO EXCITED FOR ALL THAT IS TO COME....

Thanks so much for being with us today! Good luck on the series!

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ARC Review: Passenger by Alexandra Bracken @alexbracken @DisneyHyperion

passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are play­ing, treacherous forces threaten to sep­arate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever

Title: Passenger (Passenger #1)

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Expected Publication Date: January 5, 2016

Brooke's Review:

I want to thank Disney Hyperion for approving me for an early copy of this book to read and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has in no way altered my opinion or review.

I'm pretty sure this is one of the most anticipated books to be coming out in 2016. I don't know anyone who wasn't a fan of Bracken's Darkest Minds series. Her writing is just fantastic and she can tell quite a story. So, given the opportunity to read this, and the rave reviews of my fellow bloggers, I jumped in with both feet. I don't even think I read past the first line of the review. I didn't care because I was convinced it would be fantastic. And, while in the end I did enjoy it, I will say it was harder for me to get to that point than I would have liked.

I will say this review will be hard to write without spoilers. And I really don't want to go in that direction. So I'll give the bare bones of characters and background to try and put it in perspective.

Etta is a musical prodigy. She's spent her life learning to play and be an expert at the violin, though she has yet to have a debut. I found Etta to be easily relatable in this book. She certainly had much of the teen angst you expect, but at the same time she was mature beyond her peers. I think this is due to the fact that she has put all her focus on her violin career and not allowed any other distractions in her life: friends, boys, other activities.

Nicholas lives long ago. But he's not just your ordinary boy. He is able to travel through time. And he's sent on missions to find things for the family that has taken him in. But he's never treated as an equal, because he doesn't have the same color skin as they do. I really love Nicholas. He's determined to make a life of his own, to own a ship and be it's captain despite the color of his skin. And he wants no distractions when it comes to this. So when he's sent on a mission to collect a girl and return her to those who took him in, he doesn't question it. He's loyal, strong and stubborn, but he's also more emotional than he lets on.

This book is written in third person, which was perfect for how it was presented. I haven't read many authors that can truly do this point of view justice and Bracken did a terrific job. I love that you can get a truly organic picture of the characters through her writing. There is lots of background given helping you to understand exactly who the characters are and why they are essential to the story.

I will say I was a bit disappointed that more of the book didn't take place on the ships. Just from the cover I thought it would be so. And I found it a bit slow going until about half way through. There was a ton of narrative. I don't mind this when it's world building, but that wasn't truly the case with this book. Also, there are flashbacks within flashbacks. Often times I had to re-read things to know exactly what time period I was in and figure out when I was back in the present story of the book. This distracted me. I like stories to flow easily. To be told well enough that I don't question what is going on. This is the reason for the 4 star rating.

Time travel is always a huge hit for me. But it has to be done well. And not all authors can pull it off. I have to say that Bracken did a pretty good job. I had a few areas that confused me with explanations, though. And the time travel part wasn't as prominent as I thought it would be. Most of the book takes place in the past without us even getting back to Etta's actual time.

I wasn't hugely keen on the romance and almost felt it was a bit pushed in the book. I think the story could actually have had more build up in that department. The attraction was too quick for me. I think a slow burn would have made it more believable.

In the end I really did enjoy the story/plot. There is really no predictability in this story. Well, aside from the romance that you know will bloom. And the characters were done very well, each with their own personality and way of being. I will certainly be reading the next book in this series to see what happens because with that kind of cliffhanger there is no way you could not want to read on!

THE SHORT ONE

I’m Alex. I write about telekinetic teens and floppy-haired wizards. I love Star Wars, classic rock, and 18th century gentlemen. When I’m not up at 4 AM writing, you can find me running around the DC area, where I now live and write full time.

THE LONG ONE

I was born in Phoenix, Arizona and spent all of my life there up until college–I miss it all of the time, but primarily when I’m forced to deal with ice/snow/mass transit/or some combination of the three.  I’m a middle child, which supposedly means I’m full of angsty feelings of neglect, but, in reality, it just means I’m always sandwiched between my older sister and younger brother in Christmas pictures.  On a whole, I had a pretty typical childhood, with only one big exception: my dad was a big time Star Wars collector, which means I went to more antique shows, toy stores, and Star Wars conventions then you could ever imagine! No, really, I’m up to six conventions. I will now pause to let that soak in…

I recently graduated with a degree in History and English from The College of William & Mary in Virginia. (Four years in Colonial Williamsburg is enough to give anyone a sense of humor about life, trust me.) I began writing Brightly Woven there during my sophomore year as a birthday present to my dearest, darlingest friend Carlin… and finished six months AFTER that date. The number one question I get asked is how I wrote a novel while I was still in school. There are two answers to this: sacrificing a social life and a depressingly effective will to see even the most futile projects through.  I signed with my agent on my 21st birthday, and sold it later that year.  I spent a good portion of my senior year buried under edits, and the rest of that year trying to figure out what else I was going to do with my life.

After graduating, I left my colonial bonnets behind and moved to New York City, where I attended the Columbia Publishing Course and worked in publishing for five years. I now write full time.

Waiting on Wednesday #85: Starflight by Melissa Landers @Melissa_Landers @DisneyHyperion

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly awaiting!

Title: Starflight (Starflight #1)

Author: Melissa Landers

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Expected Publication Date: February 2, 2016

Blurb:

Life in the outer realm is a lawless, dirty, hard existence, and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. She's so desperate to reach the realm that she's willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith.

When a twist of fate lands them instead on the Banshee, a vessel of dubious repute, Doran learns he's been framed on Earth for conspiracy. As he pursues a set of mysterious coordinates rumored to hold the key to clearing his name, he and Solara must get past their enmity to work together and evade those out for their arrest. Life on the Banshee may be tumultuous, but as Solara and Doran are forced to question everything they once believed about their world--and each other--the ship becomes home, and the eccentric crew family. But what Solara and Doran discover on the mysterious Planet X has the power to not only alter their lives, but the existence of everyone in the universe...

Melissa Landers writes romantic sci-fi for teens and the young at heart. ALIENATED and INVADED are now available from Disney Hyperion, and UNITED, the third book in the trilogy, will release in August, 2016. The first novel in her new series, STARFLIGHT, launches February 2, 2016.