Book Blurb:
Whether she likes it or not, eighteen year old Celeste Garrett has come to terms with being the Chosen One. She knew having a “normal life” would be tricky, between intense training sessions and epic demonic battles, but she didn’t know at what cost it would come. That is, until a dear friend is harmed by the malicious forces hunting her. Now, she’d like nothing more than to retreat into a hermit lifestyle to prevent anyone else from getting hurt. But startling revelations, amazing new abilities, and mortifying moments in front of insanely hot guys won’t allow time for that. Soon, Celeste finds herself surrounded by darkness and wondering who she can trust—if anyone.
My thoughts:
I loved the first book, The Conduit. That was why I agreed to do this blog tour. However, any time I prepare to read a sequel, I always worry that it won't hold up to the first one and that I will be gravely disappointed. I didn't need to worry.
I was actually sitting in a local diner, enjoying my breakfast when I started this book. I almost embarrassed myself snickering and snorting. By the time I was home to finish reading, I was prone to actually laughing out loud. Celeste has a spunky sense of humor that Stacey captures ever so well. She knows that she is the Chosen One, but is still so self-deprecating. It helps to keep her more down-to-Earth and relateable as a character.
Back when I was just "normal" Celeste I was accustomed to embarrassing myself in front of the opposite sex on a fairly regular basis. But never like this. As the Conduit I now had supernatural ways to humiliate myself. Awesome.Add to the angst a brother who is making out with a three hundred year-old Guardian, a lion in superhero underwear, and a demon Glee club, you can understand why Celeste is going crazy and I am publicly humiliating myself.
I also do not envy Celeste in her role as The Chosen One. She never knows whom she can trust, which continues to make her dating life a disaster. The Dark Ones are on her side; her friends are really Dark Ones. Her family picks on her even more than before, because they have come to terms with their gifts.
Stacey Rourke has delivered another comical page-turner with a cliffhanger. I can't wait for the new installment to come out this fall!
[I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.]
Buy links: Kindle | Paperback | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords
Writing is something I have always done. I can remember in elementary school creating stories that I would stand up and read aloud to my classmates…whether they liked it or not. As I grew older I didn’t flaunt my writing as freely. It became something I did just for me to vent my teenage angst, or chronicle my journey to adulthood. I never thought about becoming a writer because that title prompted the visual of a grey-haired man in a tweed smoking jacket with suede elbow patches, slaving over an old fashion typewriter while puffing away on a pipe. No way was that stuffy kind of life for me. (Plus tweed is itchy.) Instead I wanted to be in the spotlight! I wanted to be–pause for dramatic effect–an actress! I gave it my best shot, too. Got about as far as any aspiring actress can get in Flint, Michigan. Which is exactly no where. But I did get two great things out of my time delving into the theatrical world; I gained the ability to act out the scenes I write to make sure they’re believable (yes, I really do that and no, you can’t watch) and I met my amazing husband.
My theater ambitions behind me, I decided to do the “mature,” “grown up” thing and went back to college. As I worked toward my Bachelor’s degree in marketing I did a lot of writing. Essays, research papers, PowerPoint presentations. All of it mandatory, none of it what I would ever call fun. Even then, becoming a writer never entered my mind. No, then I was going to be a business tycoon…or somethin’.
Truth be told, I never picked writing. It picked me. During my time as a stay at home mom I needed an outlet to give me a mental break from diapers, formula and midnight feedings. That’s when my hands found their way back to the keyboard. Story ideas began coming at such an incessant rate that my rapidly clicking fingers couldn’t keep up. Post-It notes and scrapes of paper with story ideas decorated every inch of our house. In mid-conversation with my husband I would dart off to jot down things that would come to me. Sweet guy my hubby is, he would just shake his head at my obvious rudeness and hold my place in the conversation.
My first book was completed for an entire year before I told anyone about it. I outed myself as an author and then sent out my first round of query letters to literary agents. Surely, it would be picked up immediately and become an overnight success! Yeah, not so much. For two years I got rejection, after rejection, after rejection, after rejection…you get the idea. Thankfully with the ever increasing pile of rejections came feedback. I digested all the suggestions and applied the usable ones to my manuscript. Little by little, the rough edges were chipped away and the diamond shone through. The work paid off when I received an email from a publisher offering me a contract on The Conduit.
It’s been a long road, and it ain’t over yet. But now, at thirty-mumble, mumble years old I finally know what I wanna be when I grow up–-a writer.
Follow Stacey:
Follow the tour:
August 1st http://www.delphinareadstoomuch.com/ (Review)
August 2nd http://andisyoungadult.blogspot.com/ (Review)
August 3rd http://youngadultbookaddict.blogspot.com.au/ (Author interview)
August 4th http://paranormalbooks.blogspot.com/ (Character interview)
August 5th http://www.curiositykey.blogspot.com/ (Review)
August 6th http://addicted2bookreviews.blogspot.com/ (Review)
August 7th http://jennswiger.blogspot.com/ (Character interview)
No comments:
Post a Comment