{Blog Tour: Review + Playlist + Dream Cast + GIVEAWAY} Smoke and Key - By Kelsey Sutton

 

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Smoke and Key - By Kelsey Sutton
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release Date: April 2nd 2019

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Mystery, Historical, Fiction, Paranormal, Magic, Horror
 

A sound awakens her. There's darkness all around. And then she's falling...

She has no idea who or where she is. Or why she's dead. The only clue to her identity hangs around her neck: a single rusted key. This is how she and the others receive their names—from whatever belongings they had when they fell out of their graves. Under is a place of dirt and secrets, and Key is determined to discover the truth of her past in order to escape it.

She needs help, but who can she trust? Ribbon seems content in Under, uninterested in finding answers. Doll’s silence hints at deep sorrow, which could be why she doesn't utter a word. There's Smoke, the boy with a fierceness that rivals even the living. And Journal, who stays apart from everyone else. Key's instincts tell her there is something remarkable about each of them, even if she can't remember why.

Then the murders start; bodies that are burnt to a crisp. After being burned, the dead stay dead. Key is running out of time to discover who she was—and what secret someone is willing to kill to keep hidden—before she becomes the next victim…

 

 

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Review

 

 

Everything.....

 

This book is everything....

 

When you fall into Under you don't know where you are, who you are, and are simply given a name based on what you bring with you. A ribbon, doll, or a Key...

 

Too many questions, that is a constant for Key, she wants answers to her questions, but she can never seem to remember completely. She can always feel that she is getting close, but it's almost as if something is pushing her away from it. The reason for this ties itself so well into the end of the novel it'll have you like....

 

 

 

Throughout the entire book I appreciated the journey that Key went on, there were a couple of times I wanted more, but then it was like the author heard me and suddenly that growth, or plot twist was there like, BAM! The author did an amazing job of finding the find line between morbid and the after, which is extremely hard to do. Death is already emotional, but giving those who are in this state of limbo purpose, emotion and a reason to "live", was such a breath of fresh air.

 

As this novel came to an end, I totally thought (and hoped) there would be an entire series centered around these characters, sadly it is a stand along...for now...

Though I don't want to give too much away, because I feel as though spoilers could happen with every page, I will say that there are a million plus reasons to pick this novel up and here are a few; Journal, Smoke, Ribbon, Key...

 

 

4/5

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Playlist

 

 Moonlight Sonata - Beethoven

 

Can't Help Falling in Love (Elvis) - Piano Guys

 

End of Me - Apocalyptica ft. Gavin Rosdale

 

Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin

 

Within You - David Bowie

 

I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz

 

Highway to Hell - AC/DC

 

Human - Christina Perri

 

A Thousand Years - Christina Perri

 

 

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Dream Cast

 

Key

 

 

Smoke

 

 

Ribbon

 

 

Journal

(yes, Clint Eastwood, he just FITS)

 

 

 

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About the Author

 

 

Kelsey Sutton is a young adult and middle grade author. She lives in Minnesota, where she received a dual bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Bemidji State University. She will soon have a master's degree from Hamline University. Her work has received an Independent Publisher Book Award, an IndieFab Award, and was selected as a Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of 2013. When not writing, Kelsey can be found watching too much Netflix, ordering a mocha at the nearest coffee shop, napping with her rescue dogs, or browsing a bookstore.

 

You can visit her online at www.kelseysuttonbooks.com, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter or Instagram. 

 

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Tour Schedule

 

 

April 10th

The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club - Welcome Post

April 11th

TheSecret Reader - Review + Favourite Quotes

Moonlight Rendezvous - Review + Favourite Quotes

Some Books & Ramblings - Review

April 12th

Feed Your Fiction Addiction - Review

The Clever Reader - Promotional Post

April 13th

Confessions of a YA Reader - Review

A Dream Within A Dream - Review

The Reading Corner for All - Review + Favourite Quotes

April 14th

The YA Obsessed - Review

Bookwyrming Thoughts - Review

Absolute Bookishness - Review

April 15th

 

Book Rambler Blog - Review + Favourite Quotes

Young Adult Media Consumer - Review

Mahkjchi's Not-so-secret Books - Review + Favourite Quotes

April 16th

Taking It One Book at a Time - Review + Playlist + Dream Cast

Reads Like Supernovae - Review + Favourite Quotes

Book Swoon - Review

 

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Giveaway

 

 

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{Book Blitz + Giveaway} Banished - By Kimberley Griffiths Little

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Banished - By Kimberley Griffiths Little
(Forbidden #2)
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication date: February 2nd 2016
Genres: Historical, Romance, Young Adult

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 & Noble / Kobo / iTunes

Sequel to:

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Booklist Review:
“This sequel to Forbidden (2014) picks up with desert girl Jayden, distraught that the young man she loves, Kadesh, might have died. But, of course, he hasn’t. Scarred and missing an eye, yes, but he’s escaped the clutches of Horeb, Jayden’s malicious betrothed. Traveling bravely through the desert, Jayden finds him. But that perilous trip is only the first of the dangers to come. Gathering an army, Kadesh is determined to return to his faraway home, where the valuable frankincense grows, and introduce Jayden as his future bride. First, however, they must face betrayal, danger, and a waiting evil. Jayden achieves almost superhero status here, moving from adventure to adventure—not even a near-death stoning can stop her. Little’s descriptions of the landscape are evocative in both desolation and in beauty. Just as good is her pacing, which gets the blood pumping for both characters and readers. Far more than a bridge book, this will heighten anticipation for a no-doubt exciting conclusion.“

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EXCERPT:

A dirty, callused hand slapped down over my mouth and the stale breath of a man hissed in my ear. “Don’t move or I’ll slit your pretty, little neck.”

I clawed at the stranger’s cloak, trying to push him off, but he was too heavy. A moment later, I realized my ankles were tied together. I couldn’t run, couldn’t even move. Shrieks gurgled in my throat as if I was drowning, his hand cutting off my air.

Only one day into my journey to find Kadesh and I was already dead.

The sharp tip of a blade pressed against my neck, and I whimpered.

“Give me the frankincense of the stranger we killed.” The man’s foul breath dragged across my face. He was referring to Kadesh, the boy I loved, who’d been murdered by Horeb, the prince of my tribe.
With myself as a witness, I’d watched Horeb plunge his sword into Kadesh and then order his soldiers to drag his body off.

Shock flooded me when I realized who my attacker was. I wrenched his fingers away from my mouth and with a raw voice, said, “Gad? What are you doing lurking about the cliffs of Mari?”
This man was a childhood friend of Horeb’s and one of my own tribesmen. His body pressed against mine, and I writhed in disgust.

There was only one reason Gad was in the foothills of Mari, far from the oasis of Tadmur where my tribe camped for the summer. He was a member of Horeb’s army.

Horeb, my betrothed. The man who’d attacked and scarred me. Blackmailed me for the murder of his father to hide the fact that he’d killed his own father so he could steal the tribal crown.

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About the Author: 

 

When I was a kid I read a book a day, scribbled stories, and dreamed about having my very own book on the library shelf. I grew up in San Francisco, but now live in an adobe house on the banks of the Rio Grande with my husband and sons. I think I've drunk so much Land of Enchantment water that some of that ancient magic got into my blood and now spurts out my pencil--I mean ergonomic keyboard. I adore anything old and musty with a secret story to tell. 

I'm the author of 10 award-winning middle-grade and Young Adult novels with Scholastic and Harpercollins and I make way too many cookies when I'm writing - and I've got the best book trailers in the universe - for reals! Check them out here: www.kimberleygriffithslittle.com. Please find me on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Youtube. 

Awards: Southwest Book Award, Whitney Award for Best Youth Novel, Whitney Award Finalist and Association of Mormon Letters of Art Award, Bank Street College Best Books of 2011, 2013, and 2015, a Crystal Kite Finalist, and New Mexico Book Award Finalist. 

Website / Goodreads / Twitter

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GIVEAWAY!
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{Book Blitz + Giveaway} Choices - By Alexander F. Patterson

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Choices - By Alexander Patterson
Publication date: December 8th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Young Adult

Richard Örlendr died over a thousand years ago. He lived in Norway during the Germanic Iron Age and trusted in the judgement of the gods. That is not to say he did not question them when they gave him a dragon, nor did he blindly follow their orders when they told him to go to war. But, when one god told him to kill another, Richard was unable to rely on their wisdom.  

He had to turn to the Norns.

The Norns guide fate.  

They shape it past, present, and future; however, it is not set in stone. A hero can change his fate. A hero can chose his destiny. The Norns can weave a new life, but what happens if the Norns are dead? Do heroes have greater freedom? Or are they locked into their destiny since there is no one left to weave?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Are you a reviewer? Request a review copy of Choices here!

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AUTHOR Q&A:

What made you want to write this?

I had been tinkering with the idea of a story revolving around a hatchling for about a year when I had the first of many surreal dreams. I walked out of a subway station, it was dark and the streets were deserted. Within half a dozen steps, I was attacked by a man. He demanded my money and as I fumbled for my wallet, the gun went off. I collapsed to the ground and experienced an Assassin’s Creed-esque conversation. Everything melted away save me and a small, blue dragon. He whimpered and begged me not to die. He told me if I died, then he would die with me. All my doodles, little scratches on math notes, everything that he was would disappear. No one would read about him. It would be as if he never existed. Then, I woke up and immediately went to my computer. It has been three years since that first dream, and I am relieved to say if I die now, at least my blue dragon will have the chance to live in the imagination of others.

What inspired you?

I cannot possibly list all of my inspirations here. Dozens of books, movies, and artists have captured my imagination and allowed me to create this work in turn. My largest inspirations, however, are songs. I followed the swells of John Powell through the crests of chapters, lay in beautiful melancholy with Ólafur Arnalds, and relieved stress with Taylor Swift and Imagine Dragons. And on top of these wonderful artists are dozens more. From Peter Hollens to Aeralie Brighton, each contribute to the world in ways I know I can never do. They create beauty from nothing but their imagination and talent. They are my inspiration.

Why are some of the names modern while the rest are Anglo-Saxon or Old Norse inspired?

Two of the characters, Richard and Aiden, have modern names. Truth be told, Richard and Aiden are not their real names, though I doubt I will ever talk about what those are. Choices is told as if it were Richard telling the story to a modern audience. Because of this, Richard is an unreliable narrator. He wants people to like him, and thinks he will be more relatable with a modern name. Everyone else can have their real name as they do not need to be likeable.

Why does Sweden not exist in your novel?

This is one of those cases where the short answer and the real answer are actually the same: the story works better without it. To be technical, Norge is a microcosm for the world if the Old Gods were real. It is a depiction of how I believe the world would work if monsters stalked the forests, and supreme deities imposed their will upon us. Thus, keeping Norge isolated from everything else helps me to create this setting. To be blunt though, Sweden simply does not have a role to play in the story and in a story where I go into enough frivolous detail it is far better to have a land simply not exist than to shoehorn in reasons for Sweden to not get involved. This decision was one of the many things which inspired me to write the Author in as a character.

Are you the Author?

Yes and no. I am the author in that I wrote Choices and in that I dreamed of the dragon ‘Aiden’ before writing Choices; however, I do not have any doubts about both the character of Richard and the falsity of the story. The Author in Choices is my way of looking into how writers develop stories. I do not mean this in a pretentious, ‘my writing is a philosophical inquiry into the nature of writing,’ sort of way –in fact Choices is far from a philosophical inquiry. What I mean is I thought it would be fun to explain my writing decisions to myself in a canonical format.

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GIVEAWAY!

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{Release Blitz + Giveaway} The Notorious Pagan Jones - By Nina Berry

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THE NORTORIOUS PAGAN JONES

Author: Nina Berry

Publisher:  Harlequin Teen

Genre: Young Adult/Historical Fiction

SYNOPSIS:

Pagan Jones went from America's sweetheart to fallen angel in one fateful night in 1960: the night a car accident killed her whole family. Pagan was behind the wheel and driving drunk. Nine months later, she's stuck in the Lighthouse Reformatory for Wayward Girls and tortured by her guilt—not to mention the sadistic Miss Edwards, who takes special delight in humiliating the once-great Pagan Jones. 

But all of that is about to change. Pagan's old agent shows up with a mysterious studio executive, Devin Black, and an offer. Pagan will be released from juvenile detention if she accepts a juicy role in a comedy directed by award-winning director Bennie Wexler. The shoot starts in West Berlin in just three days. If Pagan's going to do it, she has to decide fast—and she has to agree to a court-appointed "guardian," the handsome yet infuriating Devin, who's too young, too smooth, too sophisticated to be some studio flack. 

The offer's too good to be true, Berlin's in turmoil and Devin Black knows way too much about her—there's definitely something fishy going on. But if anyone can take on a divided city, a scheming guardian and the criticism of a world that once adored her, it's the notorious Pagan Jones. What could go wrong?

BOOK LINKS

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

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PRAISE FOR PAGAN JONES

“With a hint of Hollywood glam, mystery, and a time period unique to the YA genre, Berry treats readers to a can’t-miss story. She finds a winner in Pagan, a Marilyn Monroe-like teen actress with a tale that will appeal to younger and older fans alike.” – RT Book Reviews

“Well paced historical thriller. Scary in all the right places…” – Kirkus Reviews

“Pagan Jones, though, is nobody’s pawn. This is a well-plotted balance of Hollywood glitter and international political conspiracies during the Cold War, and the historical backdrop is meticulously set. Pagan is a smart, charismatic heroine given depth by her struggles with alcoholism.” – Booklist

“Berry’s noirish writing blends the blinding spotlight of Hollywood, the sexy world of espionage, and real-life events to create a fast-paced spy thriller” – Publisher’s Weekly

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Writer, crypt-explorer, bodysufer, Nina Berry is the author of THE NOTORIOUS PAGAN JONES and the OTHERKIN series. Born in Honolulu, she now writes books for teens from her secret lair in Hollywood.

Website

Media links:

Twitter: @Ninaberry

 Facebook

Instagram: @ninaberrybooks

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Pinterest

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GIVEAWAY

(2) Winners will each receive:

(1) signed copy of THE NOTORIOUS PAGAN JONES 

Bookmarks, pins, magnets! 

A signed sets of the entire OTHERKIN series (three books)

A $30 gift cards to Powell’s books, an indie bookstore that ships books anywhere

(Ships in US Only | Must be 13+ To Enter)

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