Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh

Welcome to the blog tour for The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh! I'm thrilled and honored to be a part of this wonderful promotion! Check out my interview with Renée below - and be sure to come back to my blog on October 4th for a huge giveaway!

Meet Renée!

(I have, in person, twice. She's amazing!)

(Image from Goodreads)

Alyssa: Arjun Desai" is an Indian name (represent!). Was there a specific inspiration for the name?

Renée: One of my closest friends from college is originally from Mumbai, and my husband and I have visited him four times since we graduated. His name is not Arjun, but so much of Arjun’s character is informed by these amazing experiences we got to share with his family in his world. I chose “Arjun” for this character’s names because it means “bright, shining,” and I think this word most aptly describes his personality. He is often a light in the darkness.

Alyssa: What was something about Arjun that you struggled to write or come up with?

Renée: Arjun was a character that came to mind almost fully formed, which is such a rare treat for me as a writer. I think it was because I channeled so many of my own experiences with our close friend, as well as understanding what Arjun wanted and needed early on in the story.

Alyssa: What is a quality or trait or Arjun that you also share?

Renée: This is a bit of a spoiler for later, as it’s not immediately apparent in The Beautiful, but Arjun loves to cook. He’s also a vegetarian, and his passion for the cuisine of his country will become much more obvious in subsequent books.

Alyssa: What is one message or truth that Arjun would want everyone to know?

Renée: Arjun is a character with a lot of anger in his family, and it taught him at an early age how destructive anger can be, especially with those to whom you are closest.

Alyssa: What would Arjun's favorite Bollywood movie be?

Renée: Arjun is both a softie and a lover of good comedy, so either "Devdas" or "Dostana"! But he also enjoys a good cricket match, so perhaps even "Lagaan"? There are too many to choose from!

Alyssa: Excellent choices. Thanks so much, Renée! I'll see you in D.C. in a few weeks!

About the Author:

Renée Ahdieh is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling The Wrath and the Dawn and The Rose and the Dagger. In her spare time, she likes to dance salsa and collect shoes. She is passionate about all kinds of curry, rescue dogs, and college basketball. The first few years of her life were spent in a high-rise in South Korea; consequently, Renée enjoys having her head in the clouds. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband and their tiny overlord of a dog.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

About the Book:

The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh

Book One of The Beautiful series

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: October 8, 2019

Summary (from Goodreads):

New York Times bestselling author Renée Ahdieh returns with a sumptuous, sultry and romantic new series set in 19th century New Orleans where vampires hide in plain sight.

In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans provides her a refuge after she's forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent along with six other girls, Celine quickly becomes enamored with the vibrant city from the music to the food to the soirées and—especially—to the danger. She soon becomes embroiled in the city's glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group's leader, the enigmatic Sébastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in the lair of La Cour des Lions, Celine battles her attraction to him and suspicions about Sébastien's guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret.

When more bodies are discovered, each crime more gruesome than the last, Celine and New Orleans become gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose—one Celine is sure has set her in his sights . . . and who may even be the young man who has stolen her heart. As the murders continue to go unsolved, Celine takes matters into her own hands and soon uncovers something even more shocking: an age-old feud from the darkest creatures of the underworld reveals a truth about Celine she always suspected simmered just beneath the surface.

At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository | The Ivy Bookshop

Are you excited about Renée's new book? How about vampires making a comeback? What is something you hope to see Renée write in the future?

Be sure to stop by on October 4th to enter a very cool giveaway related to The Beautiful! Right now, you can enter to win one of five ARCs of The Beautiful!

Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Antidote by Shelley Sackier

Happy Sunday! Welcome to the blog tour for The Antidote by Shelley Sackier. I'm so excited to interview the author and share more about the book!

Check out the tour schedule HERE!

Meet Shelley Sackier!

Alyssa: Hi Shelley! Let me start by saying that I am very excited about your book. Tell me how this book's idea came to be!  

Shelley: It’s a true pleasure to be here, Alyssa! And book idea-wise? Well, for as long as I can recall, I have been surrounded by witches. Not the wand casting, I’ll turn you into a toad type, rather hedge witches, soothsayers, astrologers, and herbalists. 

Whether family members or friends, there has always been a well-knit thread of strong women that tethered me to a past filled with their magical aptitudes, each of them working to convince me that I was like them: capable, potent, touched, but perhaps my own artful proficiency was still invisible to myself. 

I was drawn to their sorcerous personalities, curious about what they did—labeling the color of my aura, creating a star chart to portend the future, or prescribing a panacea of herbs and foods to heal, stimulate, or strengthen. 

But learning their ways was paradoxically forbidden by my mother. She rarely wished to speak about the strange practices of the women we steeped within, yet she went to them for aid. I was forced to find magic myself. Or it found me.

And as a writer, when ideas find you, they insist they become a story.

Alyssa: Were there specific reasons why you chose the character names that you did?

Shelley:  I am a total nut when it comes to names. In every single book I’ve ever written, it is probably one detail I dive into so deeply that I can find myself in a fathomless rabbit hole—and thoroughly enjoying every minute of it. 

Names are hugely important—their sounds, the meanings, their pronunciations (or worse, mispronunciations!), and most relevant, their power. They are a recipe for influence and for impressions, and oftentimes permission. By knowing someone’s name, you have accrued something vital about that individual. It is a weighty thing which also hold momentum. 

Within my stories, a name is as crucial as a painter having a full palette of pigments and a plethora of brushes. The names tell a story within my stories.

Alyssa: Which character did you not expect to fall in love with but ended up really loving?

Shelley: Spending the day with Kizzy would be one of the most memorable days ever. She’s a young witch of the realm, but a minor character. That girl stole my heart, as she is the kind of eclectic people I am magnetized toward and encourage all kids to be like. There is not one spot of “regular” on her, and that makes her so so interesting. Doesn’t care about conforming, but she’s filled with wonder and curiosity that simply spills right out of her unchecked.

Alyssa: What was something challenging about writing The Antidote?

Shelley:  The hardest part about writing any book is always muscle aches and loss of sleep. When right in the thick of a story, when the faucet head is fully opened and the narration just doesn’t seem to slow, you find yourself hunched over your keyboard, muscles seizing from inactivity—or just the activity of the tapity tap tapping—and when too physically exhausted to stay at your desk any longer, you finally give up the ghost and fall to bed. Except your brain says, Nuh uh. There’s way too much goin on up here. We’re going to keep churning.

And The Antidote provided this difficulty with the speed and weight of a freight train, as normally I can take years to write a book, but this one was quick—as in like the amount of time it takes to make a sandwich.

Alyssa: What’s your favorite line or scene from this book? With as little spoiler-y content as possible, of course!  

Shelley: The battle scene! As many a great story is want to have one of those. And as a writer, whose primary focus is choosing the most precise and perfect words to direct the narrative arc and allow the story to blossom in its unfolding, this scene was all about action. 

It begged the necessity to create sentences that would drive the story forward with anxiety and passion, with dread and with turmoil. Words that hold fervor, that create a sense of frenzied need in the reader. I cannot tell you how much fun it was to try to manipulate (in a good way, of course!) a reader’s emotions to reach a peak of rousing engagement and then slide them back to a place of satiated comfort.

One usually only gets one good solid battle scene, and therefore, you’ve got to give it your all.

Alyssa: Do you have plans for writing more books in this world? Direct sequel, or maybe a companion novel?

Shelley: I’d give my left lung to write either, as the world of The Antidote is just spinning with tales that are bouncing around within the walls of my head. And they just won’t be quiet. I’m starting to jot down all the bits and pieces, as otherwise, I get no peace, no sleep, and can’t even string a sentence together after an extended period of time with all his happening. Best to just let all those characters have their way and speak their minds. And then … you are ready, should you be asked to the task!

Alyssa: Thank you so much for joining me, Shelley! Best of luck with future projects. =) 

Shelley: It’s been an absolute pleasure, Alyssa. I hope your readers note just how rich and dense your website is—there’s so much to feast on here! Cheers!

About the Author:

Shelley Sackier grew up in a small farming community in Northern Wisconsin continually searching for ways to grow warm. Realizing she would never be able to enjoy ice cream like real people should, she left the state and lived the blissful life of a traveling musician. Discovering her stories needed more space than two verses a bridge and a chorus could provide, she began storytelling in earnest. And then in Virginia. Which is where she lives now and continues to write.

Her first novel, DEAR OPL (Sourcebooks 2015), is a tale about a snarky, overweight thirteen-year-old, who suffers from loss everywhere in her life except on her body.

Her next novel, The Freemason's Daughter (HarperCollins, 2017) is a story about a 16 yr old Scottish girl living in 1715 who's raised entirely by six burly Scotsman--and they're all smugglers. The Antidote (HarperCollins February 2019) is a YA novel about magic and medicine, and the witches who wield them both.

To learn more about Shelley, visit shelleysackier.com where she blogs weekly about living on a small farm atop a mountain in the Blue Ridge and how it’s easiest to handle most of it with homegrown food, a breathless adoration for tractors, and a large dose of single malt scotch.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

About the Book:

The Antidote by Shelley Sackier

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: February 5, 2019

Official Summary:

Magic is not allowed, under any circumstances — even if it could save someone’s life. Instead, there are herbal remedies and traditional techniques that have been painstakingly recorded in lieu of using the mystical arts. Fee knows this, so she keeps her magic a secret.

Except her best friend, Xavi, is deathly ill. He’s also the crown prince. Saving him is important, not only for her, but for the entire kingdom.

Fee’s desperation to save her friend means she can barely contain the magic inside her. And after the tiniest of slips, Fee is thrust into a dark and secretive world that is as alluring as it is dangerous.

If she gives in, it could mean she can save Xavi. But it also means that those who wish to snuff out magic might just snuff her out in the process.

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The Giveaway:

Win (1) physical copy of The Antidote by Shelley Sackier (US Only)

Giveaway Starts:January 28th, 2019

Giveaway Ends:February 11th, 2019

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Blog Tour and Giveaway: Surviving Adam Meade by Shannon Klare

Happy Friday! Welcome to the blog tour for Surviving Adam Meade, one of my favorite books of 2018. Today I'm interviewing the author, and I've got a giveaway for you at the bottom of the post!

Be sure to check out the full tour schedule, posted HERE!

Meet Shannon Klare!

Alyssa: Hi Shannon! Let me start by saying that I am huge fan of your book! I'm actually rereading it now. Tell me how this book's idea came to be!  

Shannon:  Yay!!!  So glad you liked it. 😊 Surviving Adam Meade was inspired by my high school, family, and life experiences. Growing up, my dad worked a job where he was transferred quite a bit. When I was a teenager, he was transferred to a small town near Lubbock, TX. The town was exactly like Pader. Tiny. Everyone was born and raised there. Football was huge.

After making great friends, I grew to love the town and the people. So, when I started writing Surviving Adam Meade, I knew I wanted to incorporate those elements and I knew I wanted Claire to have the same experiences. The story developed from there, but I added events from my college years as well. It’s kind of a modge-podge of life experiences.

Alyssa: Were there specific reasons why you chose the character names that you did? Claire Collins, Adam Meade, etc.

Shannon:  Claire’s name was actually the easiest name I’ve ever chose!  Claire comes from my last name, Klare. Collins was just a random name I found online under common last names.  When I was naming Adam, I knew I wanted his name to start with an A because my husband’s name starts with an A.  I was also watching The Voice a lot at the time, so Adam’s name came about from Adam Lavigne.  

Alyssa: What was something challenging about writing Surviving Adam Meade?

Shannon:  Creating the characters and writing the actual story was pretty simple.  The challenging part came in the editing process when I realized the characters I thought I knew were actually more complicated than I realized.  Making sure I got their complexity across, in a way that did them justice, was challenging.  

Alyssa: What’s your favorite line or scene from this book? With as little spoiler-y content as possible, of course!  

Shannon: My favorite scene would either be the one in Tate’s barn or the paint race.  I’m inclined to say the barn scene because we really did that in high school.  I might have added and adjusted the events to accommodate the story, but the people who were there with me will recognize that scene.

Alyssa: I loooved the scene in Tate's barn. What are some other swoony YA contemporary romance novels that you would recommend to readers of Surviving Adam Meade?

Shannon:  A Walk to Remember (even if you’ve seen the movie), To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Dumplin’, I Believe In A Thing Called Love.

Alyssa: Do you have plans for writing more books in this world? Direct sequel, or maybe a companion novel?

Shannon: Not currently, but I would love to one day write a story for Riley and Tate.  I think their love story would be fun to tell!

Alyssa: I'd be down. Thank you so much for joining me, Shannon! Best of luck with future projects. =)  

Shannon: Thank you!

About the Author:

Shannon Klare is a southern housewife, born and raised in Texas. When she isn’t writing or daydreaming new plots, Shannon is a reality TV fanatic and movie connoisseur. Surviving Adam Meade is her debut novel.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

About the Book:

Surviving Adam Meade by Shannon Klare

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Publication Date: August 14, 2018

Summary (from Goodreads):

Seventeen-year-old Claire Collins has a plan: get into college and leave North Carolina behind. What she doesn’t have is an idea for how to get rid of the local football star and womanizer extraordinaire—Adam Meade, who she can’t even avoid (despite many efforts), because Claire’s dad is the high school football coach.

Seventeen-year-old Adam Meade never fails. He always gets what he wants… until he meets Claire, the new girl who leaves him unnerved, pissed off, and confused. But there’s something about her that he just can’t resist…

With the bite of lemon meringue pie and the sugar of sweet tea, Surviving Adam Meade is a sexy and compelling young adult novel about two strong-willed people who think they know what they want but have no idea what they need.

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The Giveaway:

Win a print copy of Surviving Adam Meade!

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Blog Tour and Giveaway: Bound to You by Alyssa Brandon

Welcome to the blog tour for Bound to You by Alyssa Brandon! I absolutely LOVED this debut novel, and I hope you will too. Check out my interview with the author, and enter the giveaway!

My review | Swoon Thursday | Tour Schedule

The Interview:

Alyssa S.: Hi Alyssa! I love your name. ;) Welcome to The Eater of Books! I’ll start with cover talk! What was your reaction to seeing the cover of Bound to You?

Alyssa B.: Hi! I like your name too :D As for the cover, I was really happy when it won the cover voting. It’s simple yet super pretty and works really great with the story. 

Alyssa S.: Pitch the book to readers!  For fans of ____; if you liked____ try the Bound to You; ____ meets ____, etc.

Alyssa B.: Oh no, I’m terrible at these. Possibly “the NA/YA version of the Black Dagger Brotherhood (J.R. Ward) only with werewolves instead of vampires”? Or for everyone that loved urban fantasy books as a teen and now have grown up a little and want something a little more adult?

Alyssa S.: You did great! I love J.R. Ward. What are some books/movies/plays that influenced Bound to You?

Alyssa B.: The idea of normal werewolves, werewolf warriors + an evil race for them to fight (so basically the world) was mostly inspired by a number of vampire books. But while I really like vampires, one of my all time favorite book series is Mercy Thompson, which heavily features shapeshifters and werewolves and I think that’s why I decided to go with werewolves instead of vampires. 

Alyssa S.: Do you have a favorite deleted/cut scene from Bound to You that you can share or describe to us (as spoiler-free as possible!)?

Alyssa B.: In the original draft one of the members of the pack died and there was a werewolf funeral. I really liked writing it, because it showcased how different werewolf society was and it was pretty emotional for all the characters.

Alyssa S.: Who was your favorite character to write?

Alyssa B.: Lucy is my favorite, or possibly Markus. Both of them have a lot of backstory I loved teasing in their scenes.

Alyssa S.: What is one message that you’d like readers to take away from this book?

Alyssa B.: Don’t give up on what you want. Also communication is important.

Alyssa S.: I love that. Can you tell us anything about your next project(s)? Anything related to Bound to You?

Alyssa B.: It’s still early days, but my next project is an alternate history. On the side I’m also working on a possible sequel for Bound To You.

Alyssa S.: YAY SEQUEL. Thank you so much for joining me today, Alyssa! Best of luck with future publications!

About the Book:

Bound to You by Alyssa Brandon

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Publication Date: April 10, 2018

Summary (from Goodreads):

A teen werewolf finally meets her destined soulmate only to discover that he's not quite what she expected in this steamy debut romance.

She's met her mate . . . and he's met his match.

Megan Ross has been waiting her whole life for her mate to come and sweep her off her feet. But the wolf she meets on the beach is NOT the sweet gentle boy she's been dreaming of. Instead, he's a warrior, one whose suffering has led him to lock his heart away in a prison as cold and hard as a diamond, who fights to resist the bond and their deep sexual attraction.

Far from home, with a soulmate who is still a stranger, Megan learns that the path to true love isn't quite as straight and easy as she thought . . .

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About the Author:

Alyssa Brandon is a recent college graduate from Sweden who enjoys reading, doing yoga, puzzles, and, of course, writing. Bound to You is her debut novel.

Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

The Giveaway:

Prize: Paperback copy of Bound to You

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Blog Tour: Everless by Sara Holland

Welcome to the blog tour for Everless by Sara Holland! This sparkling debut is now available, and you do not want to miss it. Today I've got an interview Sara herself! Check back later this week for my review of Everless. 

The Interview:

Alyssa: Hi Sara! Welcome to The Eater of Books! I’ll start with cover talk! What was your reaction to seeing the cover of Everless? US, UK, whichever?

Sara: Thank you so much for having me! I opened the cover image for the first time on my phone while I was out and about, and definitely squee'ed loud enough to attract some weird looks from the people around me!

Alyssa: Pitch the book to readers! For fans of ____; if you liked____ try Everless; ____ meets ____, etc.

Sara: Red Queen meets Downton Abbey!

Alyssa: What are some books/movies/plays that influenced Everless? 

Sara: It's hard to say--there are so many--but Red Queen, The Winner's Curse, Beauty and the Beast all come to mind. I've also never seen the sci-fi movie In Time, but lots of people have said Everless reminds them of it, so I've been meaning to check it out!

Alyssa: Do you have a favorite deleted/cut scene or line from Everless that you can share or describe to us (as spoiler-free as possible!)? 

Sara: Previous drafts of Everless included a prologue from the perspective of Jules at seven years old, when she and her father were still living at the Everless estate. It told the story of what happened the night they were banished, why Jules and Pehr had to go on the run in the years following. 

Alyssa: Who was your favorite character to write?

Sara: It might be Ina Gold, the Queen's adopted daughter. She is a pretty happy and optimistic person, so her scenes came as breaths of fresh air in what was often a dark and gloomy world.

Alyssa: Interesting... :D What is one message that you’d like readers to take away from this book?

Sara: I've never really thought about that! I guess I would hope readers see how Jules' friendships sustain her through earth-shattering times, and in turn try to both be a good friend and allow themselves to rely on others when they need support.

Alyssa: Can you tell us anything about your next project(s)? Share anything?

Sara: Everless is the first of a duology! The second volume will be coming your way in early 2019.

Alyssa: That sounds great! Thank you so much for joining me today, Sara! Best of luck with future publications. =)

About the Author:

Sara Holland grew up in small-town Minnesota among hundreds of books. She graduated from Wesleyan University and worked in a tea shop, a dentist’s office, and a state capitol building before heading to New York to work in publishing. These days, she can be found exploring the city’s bookstores or finding new ways to put caffeine in her bloodstream. EVERLESS is her debut novel.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

About the Book:

Everless by Sara Holland

Book One of the Everless series

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: January 2, 2018

Summary (from Goodreads):

In the kingdom of Sempera, time is currency—extracted from blood, bound to iron, and consumed to add time to one’s own lifespan. The rich aristocracy, like the Gerlings, tax the poor to the hilt, extending their own lives by centuries.

No one resents the Gerlings more than Jules Ember. A decade ago, she and her father were servants at Everless, the Gerlings’ palatial estate, until a fateful accident forced them to flee in the dead of night. When Jules discovers that her father is dying, she knows that she must return to Everless to earn more time for him before she loses him forever.

But going back to Everless brings more danger—and temptation—than Jules could have ever imagined. Soon she’s caught in a tangle of violent secrets and finds her heart torn between two people she thought she’d never see again. Her decisions have the power to change her fate—and the fate of time itself.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository | The Ivy Bookshop

Follow the Tour:

2017 Debut Authors Bash, Featuring Jennifer Honeybourn (and GIVEAWAY!)

Hi bibliovores! Welcome to the 2017 Debut Authors Bash. Today, I'll be hosting Jennifer Honeybourn, author of Wesley James Ruined My Life! I loved this book and I'm excited to share my interview with this amazing author.

My review | Swoon Thursday

Meet Jennifer Honeybourn!

Alyssa: Hi and welcome to The Eater of Books! So glad you could join me today. =) Congratulations on the publication of Wesley James Ruined My Life! I read this book and absolutely adored it. What was the inspiration (or inspirations!) behind this book?

Jennifer: Thanks Alyssa! The inspiration for Wesley James Ruined My Life comes from a renaissance faire I attended back in 2012. I wanted to write an enemies to lovers stories but set in a unique place, so I took the idea of the renaissance faire and transformed it into a theme restaurant. The first character that came to me was King Henry VIII, but Quinn and Wesley followed shortly after that.   

Alyssa: What made you decided to submit to Swoon Reads?

Jennifer: I first learned of Swoon Reads when I saw an announcement for Katy Upperman’s book, Kissing Max Holden, on Twitter. I looked into what Swoon Reads was all about and I really liked the crowdsourcing aspect and the fact that I could get feedback from readers on my manuscript. I felt like Wesley James Ruined My Life might be a good fit for them, so I uploaded my book the next day.  

Alyssa: I adored the medieval restaurant theme! Have you been to a themed restaurant like that?

Jennifer: I have not been to a medieval-themed restaurant, but I am DYING to go to one. It’s the kind of thing that is right up my alley (along with renaissance fairs).  

Alyssa: What was the most difficult thing about writing this book? Did you get stuck somewhere?

Jennifer: The most difficult thing for me with any book is always writing the first draft. I tend to get stuck in the weeds, trying to make a sentence or a paragraph perfect, when I really should just be worrying about the plot and character development. I can focus on smoothing out the language in a later draft, once the story itself has been nailed down. I much prefer the revision process, when I have some guidance from an editor. I like the process of working together to make the book the best it can be.  

Alyssa: How did you come up with the title of this book?

Jennifer: The title is a gift from the creative minds at Swoon Reads. I’m not great at titles, so I’m thankful that they are!

Alyssa: I adoooooooore the cover. What were your thoughts when you first saw the final design?

Jennifer: I adore the cover too! Swoon Reads does cover voting, which is really fun and a great way to engage readers, so Wesley James Ruined My Life originally had three different cover options. I was so happy when the food truck cover won because the expression on Quinn’s face perfectly captures how I think she feels about the situation she finds herself in.   

Alyssa: What’s your favorite line or scene from this book? With as little spoiler-y content as possible, of course!

Jennifer: My favorite scene comes right at the end of the book, when Wesley brings Quinn home after their shift and she lets him into the house for the first time since they were kids. I also like the scenes with Quinn and her grandmother, mostly because they remind me a little bit of me and my grandmother. 

Alyssa: What are some other swoony YA contemporary romance novels that you would recommend to readers of Wesley James Ruined My Life?

Jennifer: Some of my recent favorites are The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You by Lily Anderson, The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli, Alex Approximately by Jenn Bennett, It’s Not Me, It’s You by Stephanie Kate Strohm, and I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios.

Alyssa: Do you have plans for writing more books in this world? Direct sequel, or maybe a companion novel?

Jennifer: I don’t have a sequel to this story in mind, but I have thought about writing a companion novel. We’ll see how it goes! 

Alyssa: Can you give us a teaser or something ~exclusive~ about your next book, When Life Gives You Demons? (Readers, this is a standalone, unrelated to Wesley James!)

Jennifer: When Life Gives You Demons, coming July 17, 2018:

Sixteen-year-old Shelby Black has spent the past year training to be an exorcist. Her great-uncle Roy—a Catholic priest and Shelby’s guardian—believes she has a gift for expelling demons, and he’s put her through exorcist boot camp hell, but he still doesn’t trust her to do an exorcism on her own.

High school is hard enough without having to explain that you fight demons for a living, so Shelby keeps her extracurricular activity quiet, especially from Spencer, her cute math tutor. Secrets run in Shelby’s family, though: her mother has been missing ever since an exorcism went horribly wrong, and Uncle Roy is tight-lipped about it. But Shelby’s hell-bent on finding her mom, no matter what—even if what it ends up costing her soul AND a date with Spencer.

Alyssa: Thank you so much, and best of luck with everything!

About the Author:

Jennifer Honeybourn works in corporate communications in Vancouver, British Columbia. She's a fan of British accents, Broadway musicals, and epic, happily-ever-after love stories. If she could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, she'd have high tea with Walt Disney, JK Rowling, and her nana. She lives with her husband, daughter and cat in a house filled with books. WESLEY JAMES RUINED MY LIFE is her first novel.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

About the Book:

Wesley James Ruined My Life by Jennifer Honeybourn

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Publication Date: July 18, 2017

Summary (from Goodreads):

Sixteen-year-old Quinn Hardwick’s having a rough summer. Her beloved grandmother has been put into a home, her dad’s gambling addiction has flared back up and now her worst enemy is back in town: Wesley James, former childhood friend—until he ruined her life, that is.

So when Wesley is hired to work with her at Tudor Tymes, a medieval England themed restaurant, the last thing Quinn’s going to do is forgive and forget. She’s determined to remove him from her life and even the score all at once—by getting him fired.

But getting rid of Wesley isn’t as easy as she’d hoped. When Quinn finds herself falling for him, she has to decide what she wants more: to get even, or to just get over it.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository | The Ivy Bookshop

Check out When Life Gives You Demons:

(Click on the cover for more information!)

The Giveaway:

Jennifer Honeybourn has generously offered a signed copy of Wesley James for a giveaway! This prize is open to USA/CA readers only. Blog giveaway rules apply. Good luck!

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Blog Tour: A Poison Dark and Drowning by Jessica Cluess

Happy Tuesday, friends! It's publishing day! There are a ton of new YA books hitting the shelves today. I'm going to be talking about a YA book that will be publishing one week from today - A Poison Dark and Drowning, sequel to A Shadow Bright and Burning! I've got Jessica Cluess here, and I'm so excited to share this interview with you all. Be sure to check out the book below!

Meet Jessica Cluess!

Alyssa: Hi Jessica! Welcome back to The Eater of Books! I’m so happy to have you here for a second time. Like last year, I’ll start with cover talk! What was your reaction to seeing the cover of A Poison Dark and Drowning? 

Jessica: My eyes popped out, I fell down, and I rolled across the floor. It sounds like a cartoon reaction, which it was. It was also the truth. I was in love from the first second I saw it. It continues the tradition of terrible things being done to beautiful flowers, which is a tradition I want to keep alive.

Alyssa: Pitch the series to readers! For fans of ____; if you liked____ try the Kingdom on Fire series; ____ meets ____, etc.

Jessica: For fans of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell; if you liked the Jane Austen meets Lord of the Rings vibe, try the Kingdom on Fire series.

Alyssa: Do you have a favorite deleted/cut scene from A Poison Dark and Drowning that you can share or describe to us (as spoiler-free as possible!)? Or from A Shadow Bright and Burning!

Jessica: From ASBAB, there was a scene where Henrietta met with a doctor who was very concerned about her fighting monsters. Doctors in the Victorian era believed that a woman’s ovaries floated around inside her body like a balloon, so I had this well-meaning physician talking to Henrietta about how fighting monsters would interfere with baby making later on. It was delightfully cringey, and Henrietta kindly put him in his place.

Alyssa: How was writing A Poison Dark and Drowning different compared to writing A Shadow Bright and Burning?

Jessica: ASBAB came out with its skeleton intact, meaning that the structure never changed. I added or refined information and characters, but the essential beats of the story came out precisely as they were meant to. APDAD was a long, bloody struggle. I wrote a whole book that had to be chucked out, and wrote another hundred thousand words that had to go in the trash as well. When I finally had the book, it felt even better than when I finished ASBAB. APDAD proved that I could write a book on deadline and without white hot inspiration at all stages. In fact, I think the sequel is better than the first book, and that’s a huge relief.

Alyssa: Who was your favorite character to write, in this sequel?

Jessica: I love Henrietta’s journey. She’s deeply flawed, and never more so than in APDAD, but she’s also courageous and loving. As for new characters, though, I loved writing Maria. In a way, she’s the opposite of Henrietta. She’s utterly herself, and is comfortable in her own skin. That’s not to say she doesn’t have her share of secrets, though.

Alyssa: What is one message that you’d like readers to take away from this book?

Jessica: Tell the truth. The lie will come out eventually, so it’s better to live with honesty.

Alyssa: Can you give us any hints about book three? :D

Jessica: Something terrible will happen to a beautiful flower. Also, there will be character deaths.

Alyssa: Thank you so much for joining me today, Jessica! Best of luck with book three and future projects. =)

Jessica: Thank you for having me!

About the Author:

Jessica Cluess is a writer, a graduate of Northwestern University, and an unapologetic nerd. After college, she moved to Los Angeles, where she served coffee to the rich and famous while working on her first novel. When she’s not writing books, she’s an instructor at Writopia Lab, helping kids and teens tell their own stories.

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr

The Book:

A Poison Dark and Drowning by Jessica Cluess

Book Two of the Kingdom on Fire series

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: September 19, 2017

Summary (from Goodreads):

The magicians want her to lead.

The sorcerers want her to lie.

The demons want her blood.

Henrietta wants to save the one she loves.

But will his dark magic be her undoing?

In this seductive and explosive second book in the Kingdom on Fire series, Jessica Cluess delivers her signature mix of magic, passion, and teen warriors fighting for survival. Hand to fans of Victoria Aveyard, Sarah J. Maas, and Kiersten White.

Henrietta doesn’t need a prophecy to know that she’s in danger. She came to London to be named the chosen one, the first female sorcerer in centuries, the one who would defeat the Ancients. Instead, she discovered a city ruled by secrets. And the biggest secret of all: Henrietta is not the chosen one.

Still, she must play the role in order to keep herself and Rook, her best friend and childhood love, safe. But can she truly save him? The poison in Rook’s system is transforming him as he begins to master dark powers of his own. So when Henrietta finds a clue to the Ancients’ past that could turn the tide of the war, she persuades Blackwood, the mysterious Earl of Sorrow-Fell, to travel up the coast to seek out new weapons. And Magnus, the brave, reckless flirt who wants to win back her favor, is assigned to their mission. Together, they will face monsters, meet powerful new allies, and discover that some old wounds are still full of poison.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository | The Ivy Bookshop

Check out A Shadow Bright and Burning:

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository | The Ivy Bookshop

Readers: have you read A Shadow Bright and Burning? Have you read any Jane-Austen-esque YA novels recently? What's your favorite YA fantasy trilogy?