Tag Archives: Irish Banana Blog Tour

Review and Giveaway: Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

Spindle FireSpindle Fire
Lexa Hillyer
HarperCollins
Published April 11, 2017

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About Spindle Fire
Half sisters Isabelle and Aurora are polar opposites: Isabelle is the king’s headstrong illegitimate daughter, whose sight was tithed by faeries; Aurora, beautiful and sheltered, was tithed her sense of touch and her voice on the same day. Despite their differences, the sisters have always been extremely close.

And then everything changes, with a single drop of Aurora’s blood–and a sleep so deep it cannot be broken.

As the faerie queen and her army of Vultures prepare to march, Isabelle must race to find a prince who can awaken her sister with the kiss of true love and seal their two kingdoms in an alliance against the queen.

Isabelle crosses land and sea; unearthly, thorny vines rise up the palace walls; and whispers of revolt travel in the ashes on the wind. The kingdom falls to ruin under layers of snow. Meanwhile, Aurora wakes up in a strange and enchanted world, where a mysterious hunter may be the secret to her escape . . . or the reason for her to stay.

Spindle Fire is the first book in a lush fantasy duology set in the dwindling, deliciously corrupt world of the fae and featuring two truly unforgettable heroines.

My Review
Strangely, this is the second book I’ve read lately that’s written in third person point-of-view with present-tense action. I liked the storytelling but the verb tense didn’t seem to fit as well as in Defy the Stars.

The characters were a huge win. I can’t think of a single character I didn’t like—even including the villains. I will keep on rooting for Gil because he’s awesome. I loved the scenes from his perspective, and his descriptions of how Isabella interacted with him were so deep and emotive.

As far as plot, I wasn’t sure what to expect before I started reading. I knew it had elements from Alice in Wonderland and Sleeping Beauty but was having a hard time seeing exactly how those two stories would stack together well. I thought the mash-up was a success. The villain(s) reminded me of both stories, and Aurora’s journey definitely reminded me of the 2010 film version of Alice in Wonderland in the way she had to find her true self through the adventure in the Borderlands.

This has a bit of a darker edge to it than some other fairytale-inspired stories, but I liked it a lot. I think fans of Forbidden Wish or The School for Good and Evil will find Spindle Fire to be a worthy addition to the genre. I’m so glad I had a chance to read it and can’t wait to read the sequel and find out how the rest of the story ends.

Recommended for Ages 13 up.

Cultural Elements
Both princesses have fair skin. One reference says the Aubin prince has darker skin.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
A few kisses between a boy and girl. In one scene it’s unclear what happens, if anything, beyond kissing.

One of the faeries tithes (collects) sense of touch. She is rumored to have many lovers, both men and women. Another of the fae remembers playing a card game involving stripping with this faerie who happily gave up most of her clothing. It’s kind of a brief in-passing sort of comment.

Spiritual Content
A prince and princess take refuge in a convent. They make a disparaging comment about the god the nuns serve. The nuns rebuke them. At one point Isabella wishes to pray and realizes she doesn’t know how. She admires the nuns for their courage and care for young orphaned girls, who are not especially valued in her culture.

The fae (fairies) tithe an ability from someone in exchange for what the person wants. For instance one might take luck from someone in exchange for information.

The princesses learn of a rumor about two sister fae who fought until one killed the other.

In the Borderlands, a magical place, illusions which might look like innocent children lead naïve travelers to their deaths.

Violent Content
A few brief battles with soldiers and fae opponents. The crew of a whaling ship attempt to kill a narwhal.

Drug Content
None.

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

About Lexa Hillyer

Website | Twitter | Instagram

Lexa Hillyer is the co-founder of Paper Lantern Lit, former YA editor, and author of Proof of Forever. Lexa is also an award-winning poet: Her first collection, Acquainted with the Cold, won the Melissa Lanitis Gregory Poetry Prize as well as the 2012 Book of the Year Award from ForeWord Reviews. Her poetry has been anthologized in Best New Poets 2012, and has appeared in several journals. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their daughter.

Visit the other stops on the Spindle Fire tour!

Week 1:

4/3: Lost In Lit – Bookish Inspirations
4/4: Ex Libris – Review
4/5: The Irish Banana Review – Makeup Inspirations
4/6: Reads All the Books – Review
4/7: In Wonderland – Guest Post

Week 2:

4/10: Book Scents – Review
4/11: The Fake Steph – Q&A
4/12: Swoony Boys Podcast – Review
4/13: The Bookkeeper’s Secret – Mood Board
4/14: The Story Sanctuary – Review – you are here!

Enter the Giveaway for a Chance to Win One of Three Copies of Spindle Fire (US only)

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Review and Giveaway: The Blue Moon Narthex by N. J. Donner

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , ,


Today I’m sharing a review as part of an Irish Banana Blog Tour. If you’re looking for an adventure book for middle grade boys, you definitely want to check this one out. Keep reading to find my review, some content information, a bit about the author, other stops on the tour, and a chance to win a copy of the book for yourself!

The Blue Moon Narthex  (Karmanic Sovereign Legion #1)
N. J. Donner
Steel Page Press
Published February 7, 2017

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About The Blue Moon Narthex

The balance of good and evil has been left in the hands of a thirteen year old…

Since the beginning of time, Karmanic matter worked silently and unassisted keeping good and evil in balance, until growing greed in the world meant Karma couldn’t keep up. As World War I rages, the secret Karmanic Sovereign Legion works behind the scenes to help Karma.

A suspicious train accident and an odd stone-shaped object that belonged to his father thrust Cole McCarthy and two schoolmates into the middle of this battle to keep dark forces in check.

With only the powerful stone, a letter, and grandfatherly Norm to guide them, the trio must unravel clues and tap into unknown strengths to discover who Cole’s father really was and keep themselves and those they love safe.

Includes chapter 1 of book 2 in the Karmanic Sovereign Legion series!

My Review

This book definitely made me think of the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. Cole isn’t as snarky and full of attitude as Percy, which was nice. I liked the relationship Cole shared with his father through letters and the stories he learned about from his father’s associates. His friends, Sophia and Britten, rounded out his inner circle nicely. I thought Sophie was pretty much adorable.

The story contains a large cast of characters, and I sometimes found it difficult to keep everyone straight, especially when several characters had similar names. For the most part, though, this didn’t interfere with my enjoyment of the story. I thought often even minor characters had clear roles and specific goals and character traits. It felt like this story introduced me to a whole scene of characters who will probably reappear later on.

Elements of mystery and suspense kept me moving from chapter to chapter. Cole’s compassion and his determination kept me rooting for him from the first page to the last. Late elementary school readers who like adventure or suspense stories should totally get a copy of this book.

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Cultural Elements
The main character is a young wealthy white American. He joins a league whose lead council is made up of members of various races, but those adult characters play very minor roles in the story.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One instance of mild profanity. One instance of crude language (a girl refers to a rival as “the north end of a south-facing donkey.”

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
One vague reference to the creator of the universe. The premise of the story is that Karmanic energy (like karma) can be tracked and harnessed by those doing good deeds and stopping those who try to do bad deeds. Artifacts provide some characters a magical ability to travel instantly from one place to another. The villain uses henchmen that seem sort of blurred and ghostly.

Violent Content
Creepy sort of ghostly bad guys chase the good guys. Cole participates in a sporting event that’s a bit dangerous. It’s clear the bad guy’s goal is to kill Cole and anyone who tries to stop him. Cole believes his mission is to kill the traitor who killed his father. There are a couple of very brief battle scenes, no gore.

Drug Content
None.

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

About N. J. Donner

Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram

N.J. Donner is the author of the new Karmanic Sovereign Legion books. N.J. loves to explore. The world fascinates him and he wants to figure out why and how things work, including Karma.

College adventures took N.J. far from his small Nebraska hometown to the southern hemisphere and the inner city. This was the beginning of his wanderlust and today he loves to travel with his wife, Amanda, and their three children.

N.J. became the first person to graduate with a minor in international affairs from Nebraska Wesleyan University and spent the years right out of college building a successful steel company.

Check Out the Other Stops on the Tour

Week 1:

2/6: Swoony Boys Podcast – Review
2/7: Tales of the Ravenous Reader – Q&A
2/8: Kara the Redhead – Spotlight
2/9: The Story Sanctuary – Review
2/10: Books are Love – Top 10

Week 2:

2/13: Such A Novel Idea – Q&A
2/14: Book Stacks Amber – Excerpt
2/15: Books Buying Beauty – Review
2/16: Red House Books – Guest Post
2/17: Basic Book Blog – Review

Week 3:

2/20: The Irish Banana Review – Review
2/21: Lisa’s Loves – World Building
2/22: Pondering the Prose – Review
2/23: Who RU Blog – Novel Secrets
2/24: The Plot Bunny – Review

Enter the Giveaway for a Chance to Win The Blue Moon Narthex Swag Box! (US Only, Sorry)

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Author Interview and Giveaway with Cat Clarke

Author Interview, News and Fun, , , ,

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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Review: Gifted by H A Swain

Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Gifted
H. A. Swain
Feiwel & Friends
Available June 14, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About Gifted

In Orpheus Chanson’s world, geniuses and prodigies are no longer born or honed through hard work. Instead, procedures to induce Acquired Savant Abilities (ASAs) are now purchased by the privileged. And Orpheus’s father holds the copyright to the ASA procedure.

Zimri Robinson, a natural musical prodigy, is a “plebe”–a worker at the enormous warehouse that supplies an on-line marketplace that has supplanted all commerce. Her grueling schedule and her grandmother’s illness can’t keep her from making music–even if it is illegal.

Orpheus and Zimri are not supposed to meet. He is meant for greatness; she is not. But sometimes, rules are meant to be broken. Here is a thriller, love story, and social experiment that readers will find gripping–and terrifying.

My Review

Two things really stood out to me in this novel. First I love the way the author used musical terminology to describe the world from Zimri’s point-of-view. Because of her affinity for music, this made perfect sense and added a lot of unusual, vivid detail to the setting and characters. I loved that.

I also really enjoyed all the pop culture references tucked away within the story. Each one that I found felt like a bit of a nod to the artist or industry. I literally laughed out loud when Orhpheus’s dad says, “Isn’t it ironic, don’t you think?” And when Taylor Swift made headlines.

In some of the dystopian boy-meets-girl stories where one is the wealthy elite and the other is from the wrong side of the tracks stories I’ve read lately, I felt like the hero and heroine weren’t well-matched. I’d find myself liking one way better than the other or wondering why on earth they wanted to be together in the first place. Not so with Gifted. I loved that Orpheus had such a strong character in his own right and that he had focus and dreams outside the box his parents wanted to carve out for him. I loved that his family weren’t just cardboard characters, too. They had real conflicts with each other and with him that made the story even more complex.

I felt the same way about Zimri. I loved her musical talent, and that there was so much more to her. Her grandmother cracked me up and made me miss my grandmother.

I think fans of Feuds by Avery Hastings will find a gritty dystopian universe here that rivals the Priors and Imps society of that series. Fans of Ally Condie’s Matched series will love the struggle for art and freedom in Gifted. Music lovers will enjoy the pop culture references and imaginative description of the future of underground music. In short, Gifted is a story with a lot to offer. Definitely a great pick for any summer reading list.

Content

Cultural Elements
I love the way the author uses character names throughout the story. The hero is named Orpheus, like the poet and musician from Greek mythology. Zimri means “song” in Hebrew. Orpheus’s sister is named Alouette, or “bird” in French, and she’s compared to a caged bird because of her comatose state.

The author describes Orpheus and Alouette as having olive skin and dark hair. Zimri has curly hair and dark skin. Orpheus’s girlfriend Arabella has a surgery on her eyelids at the beginning of the story so that they look wider. Orpheus condemns the fact that her promotional team forced her to have the surgery to change her appearance.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently. Some crude words used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
A few brief kisses between a boy and girl. At one point Zimri’s boss makes her feel uncomfortable with a comment about making a good team. He places his hand on her thigh.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Zimri’s father died by suicide years before the story begins. He jumped from a bridge. Zimri identified his body later in a hospital. A boy wrecks his car and nearly hits a woman standing in the road.

If someone violates the law, enforcers punish them with a surgery that damages their brains and remove memories or abilities.

Drug Content
Orpheus and his friends drink Juse, which alters their behavior similarly to the way alcohol does. After Orpheus disappears, rumors circulate stating that he had drug problems or a Juse addiction.

A nurse sedates a girl prior to involuntary surgery.

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

About H. A. Swain

Heather Swain lives in a crooked house in Brooklyn, New York with her husband, two children, a barkless dog, and two rescue cats. She is the author of four novels for young adults, two kids craft books, two novels for grown ups, and numerous short stories, personal essays, and non-fiction articles.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Instagram

Find Out More by Following the Irish Banana Blog Tour

Week 1:

7/18: The Book Cellar – Q&A

7/19: The Story Sanctuary – Review (you are here!)

7/20: The Cover Contessa – Guest Post

7/21: The Plot Bunny – Review

7/22: Readwritelove28 – Top 10

Week 2:

7/25: Mundie Moms – Review

7/26: Here’s to Happy Endings – Q&A

7/27: Books and Ladders – Review

7/28: Bookwyrming Thoughts – Top 10

7/29: One Way or An Author – Review

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Spotlight: Wolf Road by Beth Lewis

Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, News and Fun, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

The Wolf Road
Beth Lewis
Crown Publishers
Available July 5, 2016

Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | iBooks | The Book Depository

One of the books I’m really anticipating this summer is a debut novel called Wolf Road by Beth Lewis. I love books where the protagonist is forced to reevaluate things he or she took for granted as absolute truth. Something about this book reminds me of All the Truth That’s In Me by Julie Berry, which I LOVED. So today, I wanted to share a bit more about this great book as a part of an Irish Banana Blog Tour.

In her debut novel THE WOLF ROAD (July 5, 2016; Crown), author and managing editor at London’s Titan Books Beth Lewis introduces us to a world decimated by an unnamed, apocalyptic event and inhabited by desperate people accustomed to hunting, tracking, and killing to survive. Among them is Elka, the young heroine whose unmistakable voice guides us through the untamed landscape of the area formerly known as British Columbia on her journey to escape the horrors of her own past.

About The Wolf Road

Everything Elka knows of the world she learned from the man she calls Trapper, a solitary hunter who took her under his wing when she was just seven years old. He has taught her how to shoot, track, set snares, and start fires—all the skills necessary to survive in a wild, lawless land where men are at the mercy of the elements and one another. But when wanted posters begin appearing in town, Elka realizes that the man she thinks she knows so well is harboring terrible secrets. The more Elka finds out about him, the less sure she becomes about her own identity—especially as she begins to recover some of the painful memories she’s kept at bay throughout her childhood.

As the horrific facts emerge, Elka makes her escape, armed with nothing but her knife and the survival skills he’s taught her. She sets out in the hope of finding her true parents, who traveled to the frozen north years earlier in pursuit of gold, but Elka can tell by the shadows that follow her that Trapper’s on her trail—and he won’t be letting his little girl go without a fight. As she encounters physical hardships, violence, and loneliness that at times test her sanity, she also strains to distinguish between fact and fiction in her own recollections. Ultimately, she will have to turn and confront not just Trapper but the dark reality of her past.

THE WOLF ROAD is a tautly suspenseful cat-and-mouse tale of justice and revenge, played out against a vast, unforgiving landscape—told by an unforgettable, tough-as-nails young heroine fighting desperately to escape the terrors of her childhood and rejoin humanity.

About Beth Lewis

Beth Lewis was raised in the wilds of Cornwall and split her childhood between books and the beach. She has traveled extensively throughout the world and has had close encounters with black bears, killer whales, and great white sharks. She has been, at turns, a bank cashier, a fire performer, and a juggler, and she is currently a managing editor at Titan Books in London. The Wolf Road is her first novel.

Beth’s Website | Twitter | Facebook

Praise for The Wolf Road

“Arresting…[an] odyssey that highlights the striking wilderness landscape and Elka’s grit.”

—Publishers Weekly on The Wolf Road

“An unrelenting psychological thriller of wilderness survival wrapped in a terrifying hide-and-seek game of trying to escape an unspeakable past. … Fans of suspense with a touch of horror will be pulled into Elka’s intense struggle to find peace and redemption as the whole truth is finally revealed.”

—Booklist on The Wolf Road

Irish Banana Blog Tours The Wolf Road Tour Schedule

Swing by some of the other tour stops for more information, including sneak peeks, author interviews, and book reviews!

7/11: The Story Sanctuary – Spotlight (you are here!)

7/13: Dizneeee’s World of Books – Excerpt

7/15: Storybook Slayers – Spotlight

7/19: Here’s to Happy Endings – Excerpt

7/21: No BS Book Reviews – Q&A

7/25: I Turn the Pages – Mood Board

7/27: Take Me Away to a Great Read – Excerpt

7/29: A Book & A Latte – Q&A

8/2: Novel Ink – Spotlight

8/4: Life According to a Bibliophile – Review

8/8: Bookish Lifestyle – Q&A

8/10: Emily Reads Everything – Review

8/12: Reading is Better with Cupcakes – Review

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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.

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