Review of On the Come Up (The Hate U Give #2) by Angie Thomas

The YA love letter to hip-hop—streaming on Paramount+ September 23, 2022! Starring Sanaa Lathan (in her directorial debut), Jamila C. Gray, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Lil Yachty, Method Man, Mike Epps, GaTa (Davionte Ganter), Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Titus Makin Jr., and Michael Anthony Cooper Jr.

#1 New York Times bestseller · Seven starred reviews · Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book

The digital edition contains a letter from the author, deleted scenes, a picture of the author as a teen rapper, an annotated playlist, Angie’s top 5 MCs, an annotated rap, illustrated quotes from the book, and an excerpt from Concrete Rose, Angie's return to Garden Heights.

The Signs We Missed by Lena S. May with Playlist

 

Here's another contemporary YA to get your brain working and to really get you in the feels. Read an excerpt from The Signs We Missed by Lena S. May and then download your own copy. Be sure to leave questions and comments as you follow the tour. Best of luck entering the giveaway!

Review of Ugly by Kelly Vincent

 

Kelly Vincent is back on the blog today! We have an excerpt and review of Ugly. Be sure to get more opinions as you follow the tour and then leave your own thoughts along the way! Best of luck entering the great giveaway.

Review of Always the New Girl by Kelly Vincent

 

Welcome to the review tour for Always the New Girl by Kelly Vincent. Today you get to read an excerpt and my thoughts on this coming of age YA novel. Be sure to follow the tour for even more after you download your own copy to read. Best of luck entering the giveaway!

Review of The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

 

Goodreads * Amazon

(affiliate link included)

**My thoughts**

I read this book over two sittings. When I finished, I was absolutely speechless. I pretty much sat for over an hour trying to process it all. That is the mark of a good book – one that keeps you thinking after it is over. And it stuck with me for several days. It also inspired a lot of reflection and some of my own writing – another indication of an excellent book.

They say that you can’t understand someone else’s story until you have walked in their shoes. Reading Starr’s story is the closest I’ll ever get to being a teenage Black girl. You really feel that you are right there with her because the descriptions of what she sees and feels are so articulate and vivid. A lot echoed stories I have heard from friends and other Black people I have met. It was all so real.

But of course, while Starr is a fictional character, what she experiences really is real right now and has been for a while. You would almost think that this had just been written because of events that have transpired over the past year-plus (e.g. George Floyd). But it was published back in 2017.

I am also highly impressed that this is a debut novel, because it is so well written. I admit this gives me very high hopes for Angie Thomas’s other two books, which I believe are a prequel and a sequel to this one.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who works with youth or has any interest in the current social justice climate. I also think those wo do not understand the current climate need to read this, though they will be harder to convince to do so. You’ll come away with a different perspective and hopefully feel pulled to reflect and to do something.

Shattered: A Story of Betrayal and Courage by C. Lee McKenzie

 

Welcome to the book blast for Shattered: A Story of Betrayal and Courage by C. Lee McKenzie! This one looks like a heartbreaker and yet empowering all at the same time. Read an excerpt and then download your copy. Be sure to follow the tour for more. Best of luck in the giveaway!

Courage put Libby Brown into the final selection for the Olympics, but betrayal crushed her spine and her chance at the Gold. Now she has two choices, use her courage to put her life back together, or remain shattered forever.

Read an excerpt:

I knew hearts didn’t stop beating until you died, yet I was certain mine had just stuttered to a halt. I couldn’t breathe. My lungs refused to expand. My throat went dry. I’d planned most of my life for this one year. I’d worked out, built my strength, gone to ski camps, kept at it until I’d made it through the selection process—until I’d almost made the US Olympic slalom team. I had my passport. I’d packed my bags weeks ago. Now, my mother was telling me I couldn’t do what I’d lived for all these years?

My heart kicked in and air filled my chest. “Shut up! Shut up!” In my mind, I screamed, but that’s not the way I heard my voice. Shut up sounded like a whimper.

“Libby, stop.” Dad was back, his hand on my shoulder, his face filled with pain. “Please, stop.”

His calm presence and the terrible sound of his plea brought me up short.

I gulped back the ragged clutch that filled my throat. “Why? Why can’t I ski with my team?” Then I glanced down. Mom was lying across the foot of the bed. She was lying across my legs, and I didn’t feel the weight of my mother’s body.

Buy Links

Amazon * BN

(affiliate link included) 

I’m someone in love with the English language...well, any language for that matter. How did we decided to use words, intonation, structures to communicate? Does our language come from our culture or does our culture come from our language? I love to drive people nuts with questions like this.

I have a background in Linguistics and Inter-Cultural Communication, but these days my greatest passion is writing for young readers. My young adult novels are Sliding on the Edge, The Princess of Las Pulgas, Double Negative, Sudden Secrets, and now Shattered, A Story of Betrayal and Courage. Sometimes I write Middle Grade Fantasy and have four of those stories published.

When I’m not writing I’m hiking or traveling or practicing yoga or asking a lot questions about things I still don’t understand--like what is language anyway?
Podcast: https://pod.co/lit-with-lloyd-podcast/c-lee-mckenzie

C. Lee McKenzie will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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The Krome Kids by Chloe Tew

Elephant by Natalie Rodriguez

Review of Finding Frances by Kelly Vincent

Welcome to the review tour for Finding Frances by Kelly Vincent. This is not your typical contemporary YA novel, but I quite enjoyed it. Stay tuned for more of my thoughts. You're also going to get a sneak peek inside with an excerpt. Please share your thoughts with the author! And then follow the tour to find out what other people thought of the book. Best of luck entering the giveaway!

Retta Brooks thinks her life is on track after convincing her overprotective mom to stop home-schooling her and allow her go to Buckley High. She comes home from a night out with friends to find that her whole world has changed, and she has extremely hard decisions to make. Not to mention finding the answers to questions some people would rather she not know. Is she strong enough for what lies ahead?

Read an excerpt:

I Googled everything I knew about the crash. I had the rough date, so I searched for news records of wrecks then. But there were tons, and the old newspaper records required payment. I found a few sites that would let me search accident reports by state, which made me realize I didn’t even know for certain where the crash had happened.

I did know that right after it happened, Mom had moved us to Buckley and rented this house. I’d been born in Lincoln, Nebraska, so maybe it had happened in Nebraska. Yet I’d always assumed we had already been living somewhere in Iowa. Maybe it was Mom’s family who was from Nebraska. But where else in Iowa had we lived? Des Moines, since that was the newspaper I’d found?

Also, it occurred to me that it was weird we didn’t have much money. If all those people had died, surely Mom inherited money or got insurance money. It made no sense.

Googling everybody who had died brought up records of long-dead people with similar names and nothing more. What if it was all made up? What if those weren’t their names at all? What if I was adopted—or worse, kidnapped? That would be crazy. But it also would explain why Mom was so paranoid.

Could that really be it?

Book Links

Amazon * B&N * iBooks * Goodreads 

(affiliate links included)

**My thoughts**

I was completely engrossed in this book pretty much from the start. It isn't your typical YA contemporary novel. 

Retta has lived a pretty sheltered life. Her mother insisted that she be homeschooled for years. She isn't allowed to go out on her own. She has no friends. And she suspects that her mom has been lying to her for quite some time about their past. She has finally won the battle to be allowed to attend the local high school and her mom says she'll eventually reveal more of their past. But her mom continues to be highly overprotective and drags her feet about saying much of anything.

Still a typical teenager in many ways, Retta rebels and tries out for the track team, because she loves running, and ends up making friends. She finds ways to spend time with them, even though she really isn't supposed to, until finally something horrific happens and Retta's life changes forever.

As all of this is going on, she dives deeper into her mother's past, desperate to find out the truth about her mother and subsequently herself. And she is having a hard time trusting people, which makes perfect sense, especially as more is revealed throughout the book. It's completely riveting watching her go on this quest for the truth. A bonus is that her mom was a Pearl Jam-loving grunge girl, and therefore follows my own heart.

And a side note thank you to those women who run the underground and save so many lives. 

Thank you to the author and Goddess Fish for providing me a review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read my review of Always the New Girl.

Read my review of Ugly.

Kelly Vincent wrangles data weekdays and spends the rest of her time playing with words. She grew up in Oklahoma but has moved around quite a bit, with Glasgow, Scotland being her favorite stop. She now lives near Seattle with three cats who definitely help her write her stories. She’s also working toward the Red Earth Master of Fine Arts in creative writing at Oklahoma City University.

Website: www.kellyvincent.net

Blog: www.kellyvincent.net/blog

Twitter and Instagram: @kvbooks

Kelly Vincent will be awarding a $40 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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Gods of Merlin by Priya Ardis

Welcome to the blurb blitz tour for Gods of Merlin by Pirya Ardis! This one is for fans of contemporary fantasy/paranormal stories. Please enjoy the excerpt and then follow the tour for even more. Let the author know your thoughts and questions in the comments section. And of course, enter the great giveaway at the end!

Gods of Merlin

GREAT GREEK GODS. THEY ARE COMING.

Foster kid and occasional shoplifter Eowlyn Patience just wants to fit into her Boston high school. When the Sword In The Stone falls out of the sky like a meteor into the middle of London’s Trafalgar Square, everything changes. Then, an enigmatic golden-eyed man arranges for her to attend a school for the gifted in England, and the irritatingly perfect Matt Emrys from science class turns out to be Merlin—the Merlin, King Arthur’s greatest wizard.

Frozen in a cave for fifteen hundred years, Merlin has woken to find the next Arthur. Eowlyn Patience’s mysterious admittance to Avalon Preparatory was not something he foresaw…a disturbing aberration when his most powerful gift happens to be visions of the future.

The race to find the rightful heir rages between deadly gargoyles, wizards, and Regulars, but figuring out the troubled Eowlyn might be by-the-book Merlin’s hardest job yet. She’s altogether the wrong girl. Torn between what is right and what saves lives, will Eowlyn do what it takes to win—even if it means sacrificing Merlin to a god?

Read an excerpt:

“You are my Gwenhwyfar,” he said. “Or how do you say her name in your time? Guinevere.”

I stood, wanting to run but knowing it would do no good. Because I was not in reality. I was in a dream. I played along. “Wasn’t Guinevere King Arthur’s wife? I’m a little young. I belong to no one.”

“I did not come seeking a wife. My former love is the reason we are in this mess. I have chosen you to be my champion, my right hand. You will go where I cannot.”

I growled in disbelief. “What makes you think I would do anything for you?”

Golden eyes glowed as he considered me. Power radiated from his gaze. The power burned so bright, like the sun, that I would be burned if I looked too long. Then, golden eyes blinked. The light dimmed and I could breathe again.

He peered at me. I dropped to my knees on the ground.

He touched my cheek. “You will do it, Eowlyn Patience, because you crave what I do. You would do anything to leave this small life behind. You would do anything for a bit of power.” His thumb traced the line of my jaw. “Seize the day, my champion.”

Available on Amazon

About Priya Ardis:

Priya Ardis loves books of all kinds--but especially the ones which make your nose leak and let your chai go cold. Her novels come from a childhood of playing too much She-Ra and watching too much Spock. Her bestselling series, My Boyfriend Merlin, about Merlin going to high school is a YA contemporary fantasy and romance for those like road trips, wizards, Greek gods, and gender-bent quests.

Talk to me!


My website (http://www.priyaardis.com).

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/author/priyaardis

Also find me on Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, and Google Play

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/priyaardis

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/priyaardis

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/priyaardis

Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/priyaardis

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/priyaardis

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/priyaardis

Priya Ardis will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner, and an autographed copy of the book (US only) to a second winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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Read an excerpt from The Heart of Aleppo by Ammar Habib

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Welcome to the book tour for The Heart of Aleppo! I have an exclusive excerpt from the book for you to enjoy today. Please be sure to follow the tour for even more. And of course, enter the great giveaway at the end!

The Heart of Aleppo:A Story of the Syrian Civil War

By Ammar Habib
YA Contemporary

Paperback & ebook, 252 Pages
July 26th 2018

Winner of the 2019 Independent Press Award
#1 Bestseller in "Coming-Of-Age" Fiction
#1 Bestseller in "Asian-American" Literature

From the ashes of the Syrian Civil War comes this story of hope, love, and courage...

After standing for over 7,000 years, Aleppo's ruin came overnight. Separated from his family during the night the rebels attacked the city, thirteen-year-old Zaid Kadir is lost in the middle of a war zone. Alongside his friends, he is forced to survive the dangers of a civil war he does not even fully understand. Zaid witnesses the destruction of the brutal Syrian Civil War as it grows more deadly by the day and rips his city apart. However, as he braves this destruction, as he desperately tries to survive this catastrophe, he discovers something. Zaid realizes that it is in the darkest hours when humanity's spirit of hope burns brightest.

(Affiliate link included.)

Goodreads | Amazon

Read an excerpt:

He takes a deep breath and glances down at my feet. His eyes look like he’s weighing something, wondering if he should say it or not. When he does speak, his voice is different. It’s no longer speaking to me as his younger brother but as his friend. “You know, Zaid, Zakariah was joking about what we were talking about.” 

“Really?” 

He nods before his gaze focuses back on me. “Not even a few weeks ago, my soldiers and I were in a bit of a… well, situation.” 

“What happened?” 

“We were in Homs. The people we were fighting—the rebels—had heavy control of some neighborhoods. We were trying to take them back. It was…” 

A silence ensues as he searches for the word.

“Difficult.” Nabeel pauses. “Some soldiers were pinned. The army tried an airstrike to break the rebel lines. It was a heavy bombardment that leveled entire streets. The cost was high. But we couldn’t break their lines.”

I don’t interrupt him.

“Our intelligence said it was a lost cause. We were ordered to abandon the soldiers. They said we would lose more men than we would save. But even the army’s ‘intelligence’ doesn’t know everything.” He looks away. “Zakariah and I disobeyed our commanding officer. As did our men. Those soldiers that were pinned weren’t just men. They were my friends… my brothers. And I would never abandon them, even if it led to…” 

For a moment, his eyes again display that same gleam, but it disappears as quickly as it came. 

His gaze again meets mine. It’s firmer this time, stronger. “It doesn’t matter what people say, Zaid. It doesn’t matter what the facts say. All that matters is what you say. And, maybe more importantly, what you do.” 

I hang on his words, unable to say anything.

“Why do you want to be a doctor, Zaid?” 

“I’ve always wanted to.” 

“But why?” 

“Because… I don’t want to see people suffer. I… I want to be the one to help others. I want to save lives, make a difference and put others before myself. I want to make this world a better place. Just like the Imam always talks about.” 

Nabeel smiles. “Never forget that. And never go back on your word. No matter what happens. Please never forget one thing, Zaid: I love you. No matter the circumstance—no matter if I’m so far from you that you may never see me again, know that I’m with you.” He presses his finger against my heart. “I believe in you, Zaid.” 

About the Author

Ammar Habib is a bestselling and award-winning author who was born in Lake Jackson, Texas in 1993. Ammar enjoys crafting stories that are not only entertaining but will also stay with the reader for a long time. Ammar presently resides in his hometown with his family, all of whom are his biggest fans. He draws his inspiration from his family, imagination, and the world around him.

Website│Blog│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Instagram

Tour Schedule

Tour Giveaway

One winner will receive a signed copy of Habib's national award-winning novel, Memories of My Future (US only). Memories of My Future is an historical/inspirational novel that was published in 2016. It received several accolades after its release, including the Independent Press Award in May 2017.

Ends November 13, 2019

ENTER HERE

Sentenced to Shakespeare by Iris Dorbian

Read an excerpt from High School Queens by Zachary Ryan

Move over, Mean Girls, the High School Queens are in town! Check out an excerpt from the debut book in this new series by Zachary Ryan. And then be sure to follow the tour with YA Bound for even more excerpts and book reviews.

High School Queens

They all thought they did a masterful job of keeping their secrets close to their chest. These stupid fools thought they were the high court of this kingdom, but they had no clue who was really pulling the strings. You might wonder to yourself, who would be that heartless to make them backstab their friends, expose other's secrets, and lose their morals? You don’t need to know who I am, but you better remember my name, The Marked Queen. Danielle, Andrew, Delilah, Aman, and Jasmine all are now faced with a mysterious villain whose one goal is to ruin each of their lives. They must protect their secrets at all cost, or they'll be the next victim on Marked Day. They know what’s at stake, and they’ll stop at nothing to continue being: the rich spoiled girl, the normal teenager, the girl who isn’t banging the principle, the straight vlogger, and the girl who isn’t her dad’s punching bag.What happens when The Marked Queen changes up the game just in time for prom? Will each of our favorite puppets survive? Or are they willing to backstab each other just to keep up their personas? The only thing lost at this prom wasn’t going to be their virginity. Sex, Lies, and High School Queens explores the major theme of self-acceptance. Can they learn to accept all their flaws or pray victim to The Marked Queen? Each chapter continues to fill your sweet tooth until the climactic moment at the prom where you get to have that final bite of the bitch cake you’ve been dying to consume.

Read an excerpt:

Susan looked up. “Are you threatening me?”

Jasmine smiled. “I never threaten anyone.” Jasmine pulled her in for a hug. “I’ll talk to you soon.” She winked and walked out of the bathroom. She needed to get to class, and she wasn’t going to let the help get to her.

She opened her locker and saw a red envelope. She knew damn well who this was going to be from. She opened the envelope to see a letter from the bitch herself.

My little piggy Queen. You weren’t fooling anyone with your new diet. I think it’s actually having the opposite effect on you. I shouldn’t have marked you, because the bitch is supposed to make the red dress sexy, not kill the boners of the American boy. Don’t worry my fatty Jazzy, I’ll make sure you gain the weight you were desperately trying to get rid of. Maybe then, someone might actually notice you. It won’t work out for you, though, because I hear cats are in your future, but this Queen always needs a good sob story to laugh at. -The Marked Queen. 

Jasmine crumbled up the letter and tried to keep the tears back. She wouldn’t let The Marked Queen get to her. Jasmine, you already let her get inside your head. How did you think you acquired this new hobby of yours? You thought the girls looking for dates were desperate, but what about the girl trying to be head bitch? We hoped you kept believing in your confidence, because it was going to be so delicious to see it all burndown.

Book links

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes and Noble 

Should you make a purchase through my affiliate link, I may earn a few pennies at no additional cost to you.

About Zachary Ryan

Zachary Ryan grew up in a black-and-white box in Maryland, before moving to Chicago to start a new life. There, he found that he was accepted for his misfit status—and learned that it’s perfectly normal to spend your twenties feeling lost and confused.

After a disastrous sexual encounter, Ryan stumbled on a group of true friends, or “soul cluster,” that he connected with. Through his writing, he hopes to help other broken souls out there find comfort amid the chaos.

Social Media Links:

Instagram handle: Zacharyryanbooks

Facebook page: zacharyryanbooks

Piracy by L.P. Maxa

Welcome to the book blast for Piracy, a contemporary YA book in the Riffraff Records series from L.P. Maxa! Please enjoy an excerpt and then leave a question or a comment for the author after you download your copy. Follow the tour and have even more chances to enter to win the giveaway.

Piracy

No one has more fun than Jett Matthews, and he intends to keep it that way, but he has to convince the girl of his dreams, Devin King, that Jett's brand of fun means forever.

Read an excerpt:

My plan for this upcoming takedown was to wait in the dark until I saw her stumble into the building. And then, I’d follow her stealthily into the classroom. Stalking probably wasn’t the number one way to get a girl, but it was all I had at the moment. I didn’t know her name, which was my bad, so I couldn’t look her up on social media. And I hadn’t seen her around campus that morning, so I hadn’t been able to accidentally “bump” into her.

Thus, the shadows.

I chuckled quietly when I saw her enter the building, instantly dropping her cell phone on the hard laminate flooring. This chick. I shook my head and left my hiding place, falling in step behind her and trailing her into the classroom. Then down the steps and across five people to sit smack-dab in the middle of the row. I had to make people move down so I could get a seat right next to her. And through it all, she never turned and noticed that I was behind her. Not once did she glance over her shoulder. She was completely unaware of her surroundings.

I pulled out my table and then watched as she once again set up her desk with more supplies than she’d need for the whole semester. I waited patiently, hiding my smirk behind my hand while she fumbled a pen and sent it sailing two levels down.

“Hi.” I spoke close to her ear, but not so close that it would be considered “rude.”

She jerked away from my lips in surprise and turned to glare at me. “What are you doing here?” I found that I enjoyed the flare of irritation in her eyes as much as I’d enjoyed the blush on her neck the first class we’d shared.

I raised an eyebrow, pointing to my tablet. “I’m in this class.”

Her eyes narrowed even further, and her lips made that straight line for a moment. “Yeah, but why are you here, next to me?”

BUY LINKS

Boroughs Publishing * Barnes and Noble * iTunes * Amazon * Kobo * Smashwords

About LP Maxa

L.P. lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, daughter, three rescue dogs, four chickens, two dwarf goats, and one adopted cat. The fish died. She is a full-time writer, and part time business owner. L.P. says she loves to read as much as she loves to write, and reading a good book is her reward after writing one. In her spare time, she fosters puppies for a rescue organization based in Austin.

Connect with L.P. –

lpmaxa.wordpress.com

facebook.com/pages/LP-Maxa/1442560722667127

twitter.com/lpmaxa

instagram.com/lpmaxa

L. P. Maxa will be awarding a copy of Royalty + Legacy to 2 randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour.

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Meet Enrique Rosado, Author of Shore

Shore is a new YA contemporary fantasy by Enrique Rosado. He took some time out of his regular writing schedule to spend some time writing out answers to a bunch of interview questions about this book. So please enjoy and then download your copy of the book. It's on sale for 99 cents through 11/16! And of course, there's a great giveaway at the end, with five winners!

***************************

What kind of research did you have to do for this book?

The research was tricky at points. One was reallocating myself with the beach. My father has always loved the ocean. When we lived in Puerto Rico, we would always go to the beach, and he even went as far as sighing my brother and me up for classes the second he could (which was YOUNG to me) 

The other is how surgeries are done. Let's say there is a scene where some “magical medical science” is applied. Even though its magic, I wanted to make sure it sounded plausible, to an extent.

Which character was your favorite to write?

Oh, this is a good one. It’s a toss-up between Lahar and Void. Lahar is the protagonist of the story, and I tried to create a change she must go through in her journey back home and constantly challenge her. Void, on the other hand, is the “villain” who doesn’t see himself as that. He was the most fun to write.
With Lahar, I got to push her to her limits and, where Void I had fun creating his layers that readers would want to try to peel back.

To which character did you relate the most?

Man, I didn’t think this would be the question to stump me. I try to put a bit of me in every character I write. Well the more I think about it, the more I come back to Lahar. She has this hunger to better herself. A want to stand on her own and not to be reliant on anyone but become that person people can rely on in her own way.

What was one of your favorite scenes?

I don’t know if this is cheating because its technically three chapters, but I see it as one scene. I won't give too much away, but it’s a moment where Lahar must confront the problems she feels responsible for all alone. During this scene, she is pushed to do something she never thought she would have to do and that will leave an impact that will be felt throughout the story. Plus, we a chapter I still remember writing today because it ended up being my favorite. I'll say the three names of the chapters so those who read it will get where I mean. “Deeper You Go” “Lullaby for a Puppet” and “Flight or Fight?”

Will we see these characters again?

Definitely, let's say you won't have to wait long for the sequel.

What do you hope people will get out of your book? How do you make yourself stand out in this genre?

Entertainment. Of course, want the readers to peel back the layers, symbols, themes and more I painstakingly put in this book, but at the end still say, "that was cool." 

What makes myself different in the genre is what I choose to focus on. Many stories in my genre want to tell a grand epic, showing the world with vast history and world ending problems where the balance of all good and evil rely on this person. In no way am I saying that’s bad. Many stories I love are written like this, but I choose to pinpoint character and focus on the characters.

This book isn't on the fate of a nation or the world, but about a woman wanting to go back home. I want the characters to have problems that feel real. Fear of inadequacy, they want to teach someone new and make a friend, the haunting sensation of being watched. 

I feel what connects us all to the stories we love are the people. A communal feeling, it is the same feeling that drives us to talk to the people we care about. I like to think I use fantasy elements and adventures not to dress up these interactions or to add flair, but to emphasizes the connection with the character and maybe with the people around us or just to ourselves. In a way, I want to tell small stories in a big way.

What are you currently reading? Up next on your TBR?

It’s called “The Other One” by Hasanthinka Sirisena. It’s a fantastic collection of short stories either set in Sri Lanka and America. Each one is powerful with some going to the dark places in humanity and even showing some light in those dark areas.

When not writing, what can we find you doing?

Is it cliché to say I’m always writing? I know it is but it’s true, I write a collection of short stories I post on my blog (erosado.com/blog) and on Tapas ( https://tapas.io/series/Internet-24) with more novels and other projects on the way. If not that I’m either cooking something new. I love to try to prepare meals from scratch. I also get on my ps4 to play Overwatch or whatever my brother and friends want to do. Currently, it’s the new Call of Duty Zombies. Lastly, I explore New York City as I just recently moved here.

Shore

by Enrique Rosado
Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy
Release date: November 2017

Summary:

Lahar’s life was regular- college, work, then binge watch whatever was in her queue. That was until she woke up in a new land. She meets a young wizard named Arena, who has made a home on the beach. With the help of his massive dog and mystical creatures called wisps, she must find a way back home while she fights the forces of a monster who lives among them. Join this Fantasy adventure, with new creatures to see and adventures to be had.

"4.5/5 Stars ... a truly quirky and unique read that will be a new favorite for fantasy lovers." - San Francisco Book Review 

"A parade of whimsical elements reminiscent of early, dreamlike video games" - Kirkus Review

Add to Goodreads

The kindle edition is on sale for only $0.99 through November 16th. If you have Kindle Unlimited you will be able to read the book free anytime you want! 

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About Enrique Rosado

I'm Enrique Rosado, a Puerto Rican who grew up on the island for a bit before landing in Killeen, Texas, a town that cultivated me and made me who I am today. Now I find myself in New York City writing any chance I get.

Social links:
Website: erosado.com
Instagram: @thisonefellow

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