Tag Archives: Giveaway

Review and Giveaway: The Swan Riders by Erin Bow

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

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I’m today’s stop on the Swan Riders Blog Tour with Irish Banana Blog Tours. Yay! Check out my review of The Swan Riders, learn about author Erin Bow and stick around for the giveaway information so you can enter to win one of three copies of the book!

The Swan Riders
Erin Bow
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Available September 20,2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About The Swan Riders

Greta Stuart had always known her future: die young. She was her country’s crown princess, and also its hostage, destined to be the first casualty in an inevitable war. But when the war came it broke all the rules, and Greta forged a different path.

She is no longer princess. No longer hostage. No longer human. Greta Stuart has become an AI.

If she can survive the transition, Greta will earn a place alongside Talis, the AI who rules the world. Talis is a big believer in peace through superior firepower. But some problems are too personal to obliterate from orbit, and for those there are the Swan Riders: a small band of humans who serve the AIs as part army, part cult.

Now two of the Swan Riders are escorting Talis and Greta across post-apocalyptic Saskatchewan. But Greta’s fate has stirred her nation into open rebellion, and the dry grassland may hide insurgents who want to rescue her – or see her killed. Including Elian, the boy she saved—the boy who wants to change the world, with a knife if necessary. Even the infinitely loyal Swan Riders may not be everything they seem.

Greta’s fate—and the fate of her world—are balanced on the edge of a knife in this smart, sly, electrifying adventure.

My Review

As soon as I finished The Scorpion Rules (book one in the series) I wanted to read this book. I loved the sweeping view of the world and its complex politics and advanced science. Totally different spin on what-if-AI-ruled-the-world? I loved it.

In the first book, the Swan Riders are these terrifying warriors-slash-messengers. Now that Greta has become AI, the Swan Riders are her soldiers, too. The fact that she had such a complex past with them made her journey with them really intense, too. This is definitely one of those books with lots of layers, and with such tight storytelling that every time I thought I knew how things were going to go, some new conflict entered the picture, ratcheting the stakes up even higher.

Just as in the first book, the writing is deep and often poetic. Love is often star-crossed at best. The story explores the question of what makes us human, and are those qualities assets or liabilities? As one character faces death, others rally to show love and support. It’s such a powerful, human moment. What is more human than to gather with a loved one and do what you can to ease their transition into death and grieve for them? Powerful stuff, and well-incorporated into the story.

The technology elements are well-developed, too, and play an important role in the story. I wouldn’t call this light sci-fi. But it has vibrant characters and a lot of action as well, so I’d venture to say even readers who aren’t super keen on sci-fi would still find plenty about it to enjoy.

If you haven’t read the first book, you’ll want to start there. So much is already in play by the beginning of the second story, I think it’d be hard to catch up. You can find my review of The Scorpion Rules with my notes on content here.

Cultural Elements
Characters represent diverse backgrounds. Greta herself is white. Her lover, Xie, is Asian. Greta and her lover are lesbians. She has African and Asian companions.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild, used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Greta dreams about her experiences with Xie, a girl she left behind in her old life. The dreams are vague but sexual. It’s clear she’s still in love with her. There’s a girl/girl kiss later in the story. Two of the Swan Riders have been in a relationship. One, a girl named Rachel, spends the bulk of the story being controlled by Talis, an AI who was once a man. So some of the pronouns get a little confusing there. Usually the pronoun represents who’s speaking, without regard to the gender of the vessel or body that the AI is using.

Spiritual Content
Xie is considered a goddess by her people.

Violent Content
Brief battle scenes. A boy stabs a Swan Rider. Greta remembers being tortured with an apple press. There are other threats of torture. At one point, a Rider who is terminally ill asks another Rider to end her life in a ceremonial way.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

About Erin Bow

Web Site | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr

Hi! My name is Erin Bow — physicist turned poet turned author of young adult novels that will make you cry on the bus. I’m a white girl, forty-something, feminist, geeky enough to do the Vulcan salute with both hands — in public. I live in Canada. I love to cook, hate to clean, and yes, I do own a cat.

In the beginning, I was a city girl from farm country—born in Des Moines and raised in Omaha—where I was fond of tromping through wood lots and reading books by flashlight. In high school I captained the debate team, founded the math club, and didn’t date much.

In university I studied particle physics, and worked briefly at the European Centre for Nuclear Research (CERN) near Geneva, Switzerland. Physics was awesome, but graduate school kind of sucked, and at some point I remembered that I wanted to write books.

Books: I have six of them — three novels, and two volumes of poetry and a memoir (the poetry under my maiden name, Erin Noteboom). My poetry has won the CBC Canadian Literary Award, and several other awards. My two novels, Plain Kate and Sorrow’s Knot, also have a fistful of awards, including Canada’s top award for children’s literature, the TD. The third novel, The Scorpion Rules, still faces its award season. No one read the memoir.

Right now I’m looking forward to the publication of my fourth novel, a companion piece to The Scorpion Rules called The Swan Riders, which will be out September 20 from Simon & Schuster. I’m at work on an new an entirely different novel, and a book of poetry about science.

Did you notice I got to Canada in there somewhere? Yeah, that was true love. I’m married to a Canadian boy, James Bow, who also writes young adult novels. We have two small daughters, both of whom want to be scientists.

Visit the Other Stops on the Swan Riders Tour

Week 1:

9/12: Fangs and Fur Fantasy Book Review – Review
9/13: The Cover Contessa – Guest Post
9/14: Live to Read – Review
9/15: Such A Novel Idea – Q&A
9/16: Intellectual Recreation – Review

Week 2:

9/19: Novel Ink – Q&A
9/20: The Story Sanctuary – Review – You are here!
9/21: Book Stacks Amber – Playlist
9/22: Lisa Loves Literature – Review
9/23: A Backwards Story – Q&A

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Author Interview and Giveaway with Monica Lee Kennedy

Author Interview, Fantasy, New Adult 18up, News and Fun, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

The amazing Monica Lee Kennedy joins me today to talk about her series The Parting Breath in which the land itself is sentient. Check out what inspired the story and its characters here in the interview and don’t miss out on your chance to win a copy of the series opener, The Land’s Whisper! Giveaway details will be at the end of this post.

Interview with Author Monica Lee Kennedy

I find that a story was often inspired by a question. Was there a question that inspired you to write The Parting Breath series?

It wasn’t a question that drew me to write this story, but more of a sense of dissatisfaction. I was displeased by all the novels laden with sex and unappealing heroes. I wanted to create something that could be fun for both adults and young adults, but without scandalizing.

That’s a great motivator, and I think you definitely succeeded. Do you have a favorite character from the series? Were there things about your favorite character which couldn’t be included in the books?

That is a tough question. I love so many of the characters. I think in the end though that Arman is my favorite. He is the guide, the mentor. He loves so tremendously, while remaining such a stoic and stable character. Arman is not perfect, but he is the perfect friend—especially to the person in a tight spot.

The main things I could not include in the series were stories from his long-held friendship with Arista. It just didn’t seem to work with driving the plot forward. Perhaps someday I will write about one of their adventures in a separate novel.

Arman was awesome! I loved him, too. I love the idea of learning more about his friendship with Arista. Might even make a great series of short stories maybe?? Is there a scene or moment in your novels that really sticks with you? Can you tell us a little bit about it?

The scene that sticks with me is a recurring one in the series. The characters come to the river and speak, letting out all their burdens. And because of the power of the water in Massada, they find healing. I think the reason why this resonates with me so much is that I find it truthful of so many wounds of the heart. When I bury my grief and pain, I end up losing myself. But when I grieve and speak about the difficulties I am facing, I find healing and freedom.

Yes! I’ve only read the first book in the series, but I found those images really powerful, and as a Christian, they definitely spoke to things from faith as well. Speaking of all the burdens characters carry, where did your ideas for your antagonist come from?

I have three major antagonists—Fingers (the memory-stealer), Jerome (the kidnapper and murderer), and Chaul (the demon). The ideas behind them stem from things that legitimately terrify me. Losing mental capacities, abduction, evil spirits, possession… these make for some nightmarish scenarios.

Makes a lot of sense! I found Fingers especially creepy– which he needed to be in the story. You created such a vivid world. One of the things I really enjoyed about The Land’s Whisper was the imaginative setting. Can you share a little about how you created the setting and incorporated it into the story?

Thanks! I got the inspiration—of a land that had traits and was alive—one night during a bout of insomnia. I had never heard of anything like it before, and the idea just seemed to grow and morph the longer I pondered it. I created a laughable map that looked like a toddler’s sketch and separately listed out the various traits of each land area so I could keep them straight. In the end, Robert Altbauer, a professional map maker drew up Massada for me.

It’s funny how sometimes the best ideas happen in the middle of the night. 🙂 It’s definitely a unique concept. I’ve never read anything like your books before. What do you most hope that readers take away from your stories?

Firstly, I want to encourage and foster a love of books because I think reading is fabulous. And secondly, I hope that readers can walk away inspired by goodness. That they can see heroic action and courage in the imperfect characters of Massada and find it all to be refreshing and moving. I remember the best books I read growing up were those that I witnessed virtue and true goodness. They made me want to live more fully and love more generously. I’d be so pleased if I could be the kind of author that inspired.

Really worthy goals. I agree with you– I think reading good books really can inspire us to live better and strive toward those heroic ideals. We need that, I think, now more than ever. Is there one question about your series you are often asked by readers?

“How did you ever have the time to write three books?”
It is true, I don’t have loads of free time. I am a stay at home mother of two small children and rarely get time to myself, but I have made a point to write daily. This usually means naptimes, but sometimes I get breaks in the evenings if my husband is on a business trip. I don’t always want to write, but even if I sit down for just twenty minutes, I find I am happier. So I keep doing it. I’ve discovered that having my own personal goals has helped me to be far more joyful and fulfilled.

Wow! Yes! Two little ones is a lot to manage. That’s awesome. I’m so glad you kept writing. Thanks so much for taking the time to share more about your books with me today.

About Monica Lee Kennedy

Web Site | Facebook | Goodreads

Monica Lee Kennedy grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as the middle child of three. She studied at Franciscan University in Ohio, where she met her husband. Since then, they have traveled across the United States and Europe, toting children on hips and scooters.

As a youngster, Kennedy dreamed of becoming an author, but it wasn’t until many years later (and much encouragement from her spouse) that she began to write in earnest. While pregnant with her first child, she daydreamed about a world where the land could speak, and Massada, the world of the Parting Breath series, surfaced.

Kennedy loves travel, wine, chocolate, siblings, and beach vacations. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading and playing board games. She greatly values her Catholic faith.

Kennedy currently resides in Germany with her husband and two children.

About the Parting Breath Series

The Land’s Whisper (The Parting Breath #1)

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

The land itself is alive. It sees, it thinks, it speaks.

For the few who can communicate with it, a phenomenal power is granted. They see as the land does, acquire abilities and skills effortlessly, and perceive unimaginable secrets. Yet this connection also consumes them—once they feel it, they would do anything to keep it.

Darse returns to his home world with his surrogate son, Brenol, to discover that the boy possesses this special union with the land. The two travel through the strange world on a mission to save a young girl in peril. But will Brenol’s newfound power destroy them all instead?

Eyes in the Water (The Parting Breath #2)

Amazon | Goodreads

Beached corpses reek upon lapping shores. The once powerful lands—while still alive—are silent, as if asleep. Temperatures dip, and the world becomes steadily colder. The black fever spreads mysteriously, claiming lives in every corner of the land. There is great need in Massada.

Brenol, grown now to full manhood, returns to the land to discover it is faltering. Fate nips at his heels, and he must race to beat a poison uncovered far too late. Sorely tried in his oath of protection, Brenol realizes he must choose honor over his own pursuit of love if Massada is to be saved.

The Forbidding Blue (The Parting Breath #3)

Amazon | Goodreads

The once green world is turning to ice, while a book of startling prophesy raises terrifying questions about what the future might hold. A princess is beset with nightmares she knows reveal truth. A malicious demon runs rampant, killing without abandon. Where can hope be found?

Brenol and Arman throw themselves into a daring hunt to destroy the murderous spirit, and Colette seeks assistance out in the desert of ice, but the future of Massada remains bleak as death and deceit thrive. All things good and true stand in peril—even love.

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Author Interview and Giveaway with Cat Clarke

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Author Cat Clarke is here today to talk about what inspired her novel The Lost and the Found, a story about a girl abducted as a child who returns home thirteen years later. Stick around for the interview and then enter the giveaway for a chance to win one of three copies of The Lost and the Found. To start us off, here’s some more about the story:

The Lost and the Found
Cat Clarke
Crown Books for Young Readers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

LOST.

When six-year-old Laurel Logan was abducted, the only witness was her younger sister. Faith’s childhood was dominated by Laurel’s disappearance – from her parents’ broken marriage and the constant media attention to dealing with so-called friends who only ever wanted to talk about her sister.

FOUND.

Thirteen years later, a young woman is found in the garden of the Logans’ old house, disorientated and clutching the teddy bear Laurel was last seen with. Laurel is home at last, safe and sound. Faith always dreamed of getting her sister back, without ever truly believing it would happen. But a disturbing series of events leaves Faith increasingly isolated and paranoid, and before long she begins to wonder if everything that’s lost can be found again…

Author Interview with Cat Clarke

Was there a particular case or event that inspired you to write The Lost and the Found?

The inspiration for The Lost and the Found actually came from a documentary. Unfortunately I can’t tell you the name of it as it would be a little spoiler-y! It was more of a jumping off point, really – the book isn’t based on the same case that was explored in the documentary. The subject of missing children is one that’s interested me for a long time, particularly in relation to the siblings who are left behind, and how it impacts on their childhood.

Totally understand. No spoilers allowed! Writing about the sibling perspective definitely intrigues me. Do you have a favorite character in the story? Were there things about him or her which couldn’t be included in The Lost and the Found?

I do! Michel is my absolute favourite. He is my main character’s confidante and (sort of) step-father. He’s a French veterinarian, who likes to bake and has a cat called Tonks. There’s so much more I would have liked to have included about Michel – I could probably write a whole novel about him! But I had to rein in my desire to write more about him, and just keep to what was relevant to Faith’s story.

He sounds like an incredibly fun character. Also, I have to say you have the best cat names ever, even in imaginary cats! That’s fantastic. Is there a scene or moment in your novel that really sticks with you? Can you tell us a little bit about it?

I tend to forget almost everything about my books as soon as I finish editing them. I actually have to refer back to them when I get asked even fairly basic questions! Still, there’s one section of The Lost and the Found that has stuck with me: the last couple of paragraphs. And that’s not just because of the huge (HUGE!) relief at reaching the end of the story… honestly. 🙂 It’s because I hadn’t exactly planned how the very end was going to play out, and while I was writing it, I was hit with this devastating idea that made me think differently about the whole story. So of course I went ahead and added it, and it felt like exactly the right ending for Faith’s story. It’s the kind of thing I could never plan – I just had to write my way slowly towards it, if that makes sense!

It does make sense, and it’s awesome. I think that’s my favorite part of the novel-process– all the things discovered in the writing of it. The Lost and the Found reminds me a little bit of Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride, in which a girl returns home after having been kidnapped, and her former best friend tries to reconnect with her. It also sounds like you’ve taken your novel in a different direction. Can you talk a little about what makes this story different than some of the others? (I’m thinking The Face on the Milk Carton or The Deep End of the Ocean, that sort of thing?)

This is tricky, because I haven’t read these books – but now I’m going to! When I had the idea for The Lost and the Found I deliberately avoided any fiction that might have any slight similarities. I immersed myself in non-fiction instead. I find it hard to read any type of fiction when I’m writing. Writers often worry when they realize there are other books out there on the same subject matter as theirs, but the truth is that there are no truly new ideas – just different ways of exploring them.

Ha! Sorry about that. It makes sense to avoid books with similar themes. I’ll be curious to read and compare for myself, too. What do you most hope that readers take away from The Lost and the Found?

My primary goal is always to tell a story, and to do justice to that story. If readers take something from it, that’s wonderful, but I try to steer clear of having some sort of message I want to get across. I’m always delighted to get emails from readers telling me their thoughts on my books. They are usually far more insightful than I am!
What is one question about your novel you are often asked by readers?
It’s a question about the ending of Undone, and I get asked A LOT. It’s basically ‘WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?!’ and I always feel guilty that I can’t provide a better answer than ‘I guess that’s up to you!’ It’s one of the things I love most about fiction – that characters can live on in your head long after you’ve turned the final page.

About Cat Clarke

Web Site | Twitter

Cat was born in Zambia and brought up in Edinburgh and Yorkshire, which has given her an accent that tends to confuse people.

Cat has written non-fiction books about exciting things like cowboys, sharks and pirates, and now writes YA novels. She lives in Edinburgh with a couple of cats, Jem and Scout, who spend their days plotting to spit up furballs at the most inconvenient times. She likes cheese A LOT, especially baked camembert.

Enter to Win a Copy of The Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke (US Only)

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Check out the Other Stops on the Tour

Week 1:
9/12: Such A Novel Idea – Review
9/13: The Story Sanctuary – Q&A (you are here!)
9/14: Avid Reader – Review
9/15: Who RU Blog – Novel Secrets
9/16: Novel Ink – Review

Week 2:
9/19: Here’s the Happy Endings – Guest Post
9/20: Blue Books and Butterflies – Review
9/21: Take Me Away to a Great Read – Mood Board
9/22: Quest Reviews – Review
9/23: Curling Up With A Good Book – Top 10

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Interview with Author Melanie McFarlane

Author Interview, News and Fun, , , ,

When I was in eighth grade, my friend and I talked about a story in which a girl living inside a biodome meets/falls for someone from the outside. We were both pretty captured by the idea of a story like that, but of course, never wrote anything. Then one day, I saw an email about this book, There Once Were Stars by Melanie McFarlane, and I was like hey! How awesome! I knew I had to contact my friend Julie and get myself a copy of this book.

About There Once Were Stars

Peace. Love. Order. Dome. That’s the motto that the Order has given the residents of Dome 1618 to live by. Natalia Greyes is a resident of Dome 1618, a covered city protected from the deadly radiation that has poisoned the world outside for four generations. Nat never questioned the Order, until one day she sees a stranger on the outside of her dome. Now Nat wants answers. What else might her government be hiding from the good and loyal people of Dome 1618?

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

Author Interview: Melanie McFarlane talks inspiration, makes me wildly jealous, and teases us about the rest of her series.

Here today, the author of There Once Were Stars has graciously joined us to answer a few of my burning questions about the book. Let’s see what she has to say…

A story is often inspired by a question. Was there a question that inspired you to write this novel?
Why do people only question their governments for the duration the question lasts in the media?

That’s a great question, and really worthy of exploring. I get the feeling our heroine, Natalia, will explore past that point. Were there things about Natalia which couldn’t be included in There Once Were Stars? Can you tell us a little bit about something you know about the story that the reader may not know?
We think Nat is strong, standing up against her grandmother, Jak, the Director, and the Order. But is she? Why did she fall for Evan so easily? Will he be her greatest weakness? She survived all those years building up walls…but will letting them down be her downfall? Can she survive loss again? All of the above will be answered in the sequel, A STAR SHINES DARKLY.

Nat sounds really complex. I love that. She’s definitely lived a different life than we live. Is there a scene or moment in There Once Were Stars that really sticks with you? Can you tell us a little bit about it?
This scene is near and dear to my heart because it’s the moment Nat realizes the outsiders can see her. The scene gives you a bit of setting and the powerful emotion of fear.

I gasp out loud as his partner turns toward me. There’s no way they can see me; a foot of shock-proof glass, spotted in dust, stands between us. I’m on the inside, under the broad cover of the dome, protected behind the tinted façade, while they stand on the outside, open to the harsh world that was destroyed long before my time. But still, against all odds, our eyes connect. A smile breaks at the side of the man’s mouth as another gasp escapes my lips. My hands jump to my mouth to hold my screams inside.

They see me.

I get chills reading that scene. It would be so strange and terrifying to realize you’re inside this contained space, and there are others watching from outside your contained world. If you had to give up our world to live in Natalia’s dome, what would you miss most?
I would miss being outside, no matter how well the artificial one has been engineered inside the dome. You will see more of this in Book 3, when the outside is taken away from Nat again…but that’s all I can say!

Wow. You’re leaving us all kinds of great teasers for later stories. I’m getting excited for the whole series! What was the most difficult part to write in There Once Were Stars? What made it so challenging?
The story came to me so quickly, I found it challenging to find the time to write it. I literally spent every waking moment working on it outside of my day job, and time with my children in the evenings and weekends. It was all-consuming.

Okay, now I’m actually just plain jealous! Haha. How awesome, though, to be so filled with the story that you just have to write it. What do you most hope that readers take away from your novel?
Never be afraid to question things and always try fight to protect the weak. A world without compassion isn’t a world worth fighting for.

Those are great life lessons, especially today. Compassion, especially. Let’s switch gears and talk about reading. Is there an up-and-coming author you’re following with interest right now? Can you tell us about an author or novel you think deserves a greater spotlight?
I absolutely LOVE Elisa Dane’s ABANDONED and IN THE AFTER. Two amazing, gut-wrenching YA contemporaries that put this fantastic author on my radar.

I’m a huge fan of YA Contemporary, the more gut-wrenching, the better! I will definitely have to check these out. And I’m looking forward now not only to There Once Were Stars, but to the series as a whole! Thanks again, Melanie, for joining us today.

About Melanie McFarlane

Whether it’s uncovering the corruption of the future, or traveling to other worlds to save the universe, Melanie McFarlane jumps in with both hands on her keyboard. Though she can be found obsessing over zombies and orcs from time to time, Melanie focuses her powers on writing young adult stories to keep the rest of the world up reading all night.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Win A Copy of There Once Were Stars (US Only)

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Visit the Other Stops on the Irish Banana Blog Tour for There Once Were Stars

Week 1:

May 2016 Upcoming Reviews

Lists, News and Fun, ,

The Star-Touched Queen Roshani Choksi

Amazon | Goodreads

This novel boasts a rich fantasy world with amazing characters and breathtaking romance. I. Loved. It.

It Ain’t So Awful, Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas

Amazon | Goodreads

From the author of Funny in Farsi comes a 1970s novel about an Iranian girl struggling to find her place in a small American town while anti-Iran sentiments run high.

I Woke Up Dead at the Mall by Judy Sheehan

 Amazon | Goodreads

A quirky, fun read about a girl who discovers she’s been murdered. (Hilarious, right?) Along with other teen ghosts, Sarah has to make peace with her death and move on. Falling in love wasn’t supposed to be part of her afterlife.

Of Secrets and Sorcery by Chris Solaas

Amazon | Goodreads

The Goodreads description begins, “Middle school is the least of Kyne Goodrum’s problems. That is, it would be if he could take his dragon along.” Need I say more?

Genius: The Game by Leopoldo Gout

Amazon | Goodreads

From Feiwel & Friends (I’ve loved everything I’ve read that they’ve published, so this is usually a sure bet for me) comes a novel about 200 supersmart teens engaged in one online competition where the stakes run as high as life and death. Looks like sort of a cerebral thriller, which I’m super excited about.

The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You by Lily Anderson

Amazon | Goodreads

This smacks of Geek fandom, which I can’t get enough of, and the possibility of romance blossoming between determined rivals is another story I’m rarely tired of hearing.

Traitor’s Masque (Andari Chronicles #1) by Kenley Davidson

Amazon | Goodreads

A retelling of the story of Cinderella, with espionage, treason and deadly intrigue. Sounds incredible, right?

The Progeny by Tosca Lee

Amazon | Goodreads

I first fell in love with Tosca Lee’s writing when I read her retelling of the story of Eve in her novel Havah. I wasn’t as big a fan of the series she wrote with Ted Dekker, but Lee’s writing is really amazing, and I’m definitely looking forward to more of her rich narrative and powerful characters in this tale.

Also to come…

Watch for my review of the latest book my mom made me read, which was awesome. I’ll post it on her birthday, May 11.

Looking for some new summer reads?

This week, I’m giving away three books. Simply follow me on Twitter and RT this post for a chance to win these books:

The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten, Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer, and Feuds by Avery Hastings.

Must have US address to win. Ends at 11:59 pm EDT 5/3/16.

Blog Tour: The Door By the Staircase and Top Ten Facts About Baba Yaga

Fantasy, Lists, Middle Grade 8-12, News and Fun, , , , , ,

Irish Banana Tours Presents: The Door by the Staircase Tour

Today I’m participating in a book tour arranged by the beautiful Hannah at Irish Banana Blog Tours. Please check out the other stops on the tour (see below!) and enter the giveaway for a copy of The Door By the Staircase by Katherine Marsh. Also, check out Katherine Marsh’s top ten facts about Baba Yaga, a character from Russian folklore who inspired Madame Z in the book!

About The Door By the Staircase by Katherine Marsh

Twelve-year-old Mary Hayes can’t stand her orphanage for another night. But when an attempted escape through the stove pipe doesn’t go quite as well as she’d hoped, Mary fears she’ll be stuck in the Buffalo Asylum for Young Ladies forever.

The very next day, a mysterious woman named Madame Z appears at the orphanage requesting to adopt Mary, and the matron’s all too happy to get the girl off her hands. Soon, Mary is fed a hearty meal, dressed in a clean, new nightgown and shown to a soft bed with blankets piled high. She can hardly believe she isn’t dreaming!

But when Mary begins to explore the strange nearby town with the help of her new friend, Jacob, she learns a terrifying secret about Madame Z’s true identity. If Mary’s not careful, her new home might just turn into a nightmare.

Top Ten Facts about Baba Yaga of Russian Folklore from Author Katherine Marshall

Baba Yaga, a witch from Russian folklore inspired some elements of Madame Z in The Door by the Staircase. Today, Katherine Marshall joins me here to describe some of the lore surrounding this mythical character and gives us some hints about what we might see from the folk tales in her novel.

1. She eats children…but she sometimes also helps them.

If you’ve heard of Baba Yaga at all, you’ve probably heard that she’s a fearsome Russian witch who eats men, women, children or anyone else who wanders into her kingdom. But this is not completely true. Every once in a while, Baba Yaga helps someone. Often that someone is a child who lacks a mother and who is brave, kind of heart, and deserving of some magical intervention. This capacity for good makes Baba Yaga unique among fairy tale witches and is one of the qualities that attracted me to her.

2. She may be the oldest European folktale witch.

Baba Yaga has her roots in the pagan beliefs of the original tribes that populated Russia. Some even believe she originated as a Paleolithic nature goddess. In some tales, Baba Yaga has the power to control the weather; in others she is a protector of the forest and the animals who populate it; in yet others, she is a weaver with the power to spin the thread of life, somewhat like the Greek Fates. (In my book, she does versions of all three).

3. She doesn’t actually live in Russia.

This one is really a surprise to most people because she is known as a Russian witch! But technically, Baba Yaga lives in a magical kingdom next to Russia. In my book, this kingdom is mobile and can be parked next to other countries—such as America—as well. This way Baba Yaga can sample some international cuisine…

4. She has a frighteningly strong sense of smell.

In the folktales, Baba Yaga can tell when a hapless soul has crossed into her forest kingdom using only her very long nose. “Fie, fie, I smell the Russian scent,” she typically says. In my book, Baba Yaga can even smell a child’s fear, which makes running away from her pretty tricky.

5. She lives in a house on chicken legs.

Imagine living in a house with a personality of its own. Baba Yaga lives in a house on chicken legs that spins around and reveals its door on her command. In some tales, the house can even move around. In my version, it does some other things that a part-chicken, part-house might naturally do.

6. She has three pairs of magic flying hands that help her in the kitchen.

Long before the Adamms Family and their disembodied hand “Thing,” Baba Yaga was assisted in her daily tasks by three pairs of bodiless hands who she sometimes called my “soul friends.” Of course, I had to work these creepy magical servants into my book as well.

7. She bakes her meals in a giant oven.

For centuries, Russians did their cooking in an enormous multipurpose oven called a pech. The pech was at the center of the house and was used to prepare food, provide warmth and even as sleeping space (peasants would sleep on top of it, especially in winter). Baba Yaga’s pech is naturally just the right size to cook up anyone she might find appetizing.

8. She would never be caught riding a broomstick.

Unlike Western witches, Baba Yaga makes her nightly journeys not on a broomstick but in a mortar, which she steers through the sky with a pestle. She is not completely adverse to brooms though—she uses a birch broom to sweep the clouds and hide traces of her passage from human eyes. Driving a mortar, as you’ll find out in my book, is an acquired skill.

9. Her servants are not always faithful to her.

In addition to her magical friends, Baba Yaga has other servants—including a talking cat, a magic horse and, for a time, the wizard Koshchey the Deathless (all of whom play a role in my book). Sometimes they disobey her and assist her victims for purposes of their own.

10. She is a mother.

Well, actually, there’s some debate over this. Some tales claim Baba Yaga has a daughter named Marynka or Marina. But even if she is not a biological mother, she is a figure that represents the wisdom and power of women, even marginalized ones. In that sense, I always felt she had potential as a mother…if just the right type of child arrived at her door.

Check out the other stops on the blog tour:

Week 1:
3/7: Who R U Blog – Novel Secrets
3/8: Books for Thought – Excerpt
3/9: Quite the Novel Idea – Guest Post
3/10: Mundie Kids – Excerpt
3/11: The Cover Contessa – Q&A
 
Week 2:
3/14: Once Upon A Twilight – Excerpt
3/15: The Story Sanctuary – Top 10
3/16: I Turn the Pages – Q&A
3/17: I Am Shelfless – Excerpt
3/18: Books Are Love – Playlist

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