Exclusive Cover Reveal and Giveaway: Banished by Kimberley Griffiths Little

WELCOME TO COVER REVEAL DAY, LOVELY PEOPLE!

I am honored to share the cover of Banished, the sequel to Forbidden, by Kimberley Griffiths Little, along with six other bloggers! 

I loved Forbidden! And so did other people:

*STARRED* in BOOKLIST

“At its core, this is a romance, with all the push and pull that goes along with impossible love, and Little elevates the story by creating a perilous landscape, both outward and inward, as Jayden must deal with the hardship of desert life as well as her own desires.” Little elevates the story by creating a perilous landscape, both outward and inward, as Jayden must deal with the hardship of desert life as well as her own desires."

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “A fast-paced, entertaining choice which will appeal to fans of historical fiction and romance.” 

BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S BOOKS: “Rich historical details are deftly woven into Jayden’s narration, and the dynamics of Jayden’s tribe are vividly drawn. Jayden’s story becomes as much about finding herself as it is about finding love.” 

"Lush, lyrical, romantic. Forbidden transports readers into a vividly imagined place and time." 

--Claudia Gray, New York Times bestselling author

"The beauty of the desert of ancient Mesopotamia comes to life in Forbidden . . .Your heart will break as you root for Jayden to triumph over the struggles that tear her world apart, and the ending will leave you thirsting for more!"

--Sara B. Larson, author of Defy

Ready to see the cover? Here it is!

Banished by Kimberley Griffiths Little

Book Two of the Forbidden series

Publication Date: February 2, 2016

Official Summary:

She thought she’d lost everything . . .

After spending months traveling the harsh, unforgiving Mesopotamian desert, Jayden reunites with a broken, injured Kadesh. Although everyone was convinced the violent and unpredictable Horeb, Jayden’s betrothed, killed the handsome prince, Jayden knew in her heart that her love was alive and safe. But their reunion is short-lived, as they learn Horeb is on their trail and determined to take back the girl he has claimed. Soon, the two star-crossed lovers are on the run toward Sariba, Kadesh’s homeland, where, as heir to the Kingdom, he plans to make Jayden his princess.

But the trek to Sariba is fraught with heartache and danger. After narrowly escaping being stoned to death for a crime she didn’t commit, and learning that her sister has disappeared, Jayden’s only solace is her love for Kadesh. But even he is keeping secrets from her . . . secrets that will change everything.

This gorgeous and enchanting sequel to Forbidden, is full of love, danger, and heated passion that will leave readers breathless.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

Kimberley's exclusive content on... belly dancing!

For many years I had a top secret passion for the beautiful and sensuous art form of belly-dance. Finally, I got brave and signed up for a belly dance class—and loved it. I even performed a solo—and impressed my three sons!

The history of belly dance fascinated me - and shocked me when I learned how the Goddess Temple Priestesses used the dance as part of their sexual fertility rites 4,000 years ago. That’s when I knew I had my story: A girl caught between her grandmothers’ tribal roots of the dance and the illicit rites at the Temple of Ashtoreth. A girl betrothed to the prince of her tribe whom she doesn't love caught between family duty and the secrets of her heart.

Soon I was engrossed in research about Arabic nomadic tribes, King Hammurabi of Babylon, and the hidden frankincense lands where Jayden meets a mysterious stranger who’s been wounded in a caravan raid. I took an unforgettable trip to Jordan and Petra and fell in love with its rugged beauty and the wonderful, generous tent people of the desert. 

Pictures from my trip | Gorgeous belly dancers

So go ahead and let your hips shimmy while you read Forbidden and Banished! 

HUGE thanks and many hugs to Alyssa for organizing the Cover Reveal Blog Tour for BANISHED. Thank you for the excitement and all your hard work! You’ve been so much fun to work with and I’m grateful for Young Adult book lovers and bloggers like you who make this long and often angst-filled writing journey so special and meaningful.

Check out Forbidden!

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

About the Author:

Kimberley Griffiths Little grew up in San Francisco, but now lives in an adobe house on the banks of the Rio Grande with her chaotic, messy family. She’s drunk so much Land of Enchantment water that some of that ancient magic got into her blood and now spurts out her pencil—um, ergonomic keyboard. 

Kimberley has slept in the haunted tower room at Borthwick Castle in Scotland, sailed the Seine in Paris, walked the beaches of Normandy, ridden a camel in Petra, shopped the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, and spent the night in an old Communist hotel in Bulgaria. 

P.S. She also writes award-winning middle-grade novels with Scholastic. :-)

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Forbidden's Trailer:

You might like Forbidden if you liked...

The Giveaway:

One grand prize winner (USA ONLY):

1. Signed ARC of FORBIDDEN & BANISHED when available

2. $25.00 Amazon Gift Card

3. Middle Eastern Earrings

4. Paper Blanks Magnetic Notebook

5. A set of beautiful FORBIDDEN & BANISHED Bookmark Club Cards

7 Winners will receive (USA ONLY): 

1. $10.00 Amazon Gift Card

2. Middle Eastern earrings

3. Paper Blanks Notebook

4. A set of beautiful FORBIDDEN & BANISHED Book Club Cards

EVERYBODY WHO Orders or Pre-orders copies of the books receives a set of gorgeous BOOK CLUB CARDS and an autographed book plate! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Check out the posts of the reveal!

Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!
Amber & Stacey @ Page Turners
Jaime & Erin @ Fiction Fare
Jaime @ Two Chicks on Books
Kathy @ I Am A Reader
Katie @ Mundie Moms
Martina @ Adventures in YA Publishing