{Story Diary} City of Fae by Pippa DaCosta

Jul 18, 2016

cofCity of Fae by Pippa DaCosta
New Adult Urban Fantasy
May 7, 2015 from Bloomsbury Spark



Days to live. Hours to love. Seconds to kill.

From the moment Alina touches London's hottest fae superstar, breaking one of the laws founded to protect all of her kind, her fate – and the fae – close in.

Below ground, the fae High Queen plots to claim the city as her own and places her pawns, ready for the battle to come. A battle she cannot lose, but for one small problem – Alina. There are four ancient keepers powerful enough to keep the queen in her prison. Three are dead. One remains … And to fight back, Alina risks sacrificing everything she has come to love.


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Setting

London, England




"London, with her web of ancient streets and forgotten avenues, embraces lost souls."
--Pippa DaCosta, City of Fae



The Trinity Law



The Trinity Law was very clear when dealing with the fae. Three levels of protection. If you failed those safeguards, one could essentially wave goodbye to free will and throw themselves at the feet of their new fae master.


Look, but don't touch.
Touch, but don't feel.
Feel, but don't love.


Creatures



Fae. Faerie.

The Harpy. Also known as the Nightmare Queen.

Cu Sith. A phantom hound. It is said that they are owned by the Fae, and haunted the Scottish Highlands. He would cross the realm of the Faery to ours to seek out mortal victims. The Cu Sith would come and steal mortal women to use their milk for Faery children. The beast was normally the size of a cow or calf and was dark green or black.

Fenrir. A monstrous wolf.

Spiders. A swarm of spiders can band together and transform into an entity that can tower over others and...talk. They have a spider queen that sucks the life out of people, and can tap into humans minds. Individual spider sizes can vary from small to the size of a hand.



Fae Facts



  • The Fae have pointy tipped ears, walk with catwalk grace and acute control.
  • Could appear and disappear at will and are twice as strong and fast.
  • They are not to be trusted, self-centered, manipulative only after one thing; the truth.
  • They need Draiocht (the aura of energy) to live.
  • Weapon of choice: Fae daggers and short swords and faeblades as lethal as their wielders. Only the elite Fae Authority were permitted to carry blades in public.





"A weak fae was a dangerous thing."
--Pippa DaCosta, City of Fae



"Fate's a bitch that'll bite you whether your choices are right or wrong."
--Pippa DaCosta, City of Fae



Reign hooked a finger under my chin, urging me to face him.
"You don't ever need to hide the truth of you, not from me."
--Pippa DaCosta, City of Fae



I whispered, "I don't want to be alone."
"We're all alone, Alina. But you and I can be alone together."
--Pippa DaCosta, City of Fae



"I can't for the life of me stop thinking about you. That touch. We've touched before--I don't know how many times. Too many. You took part of me, my draiocht. I can't close my eyes without seeing you. I'm caught, Alina, whether you meant it or not."
--Pippa DaCosta, City of Fae





Pippa DaCosta is a hybrid author. Before securing a traditional publisher, she published the Veil Series (a x5 book urban fantasy series) independently in 2014. She has also published two science fiction books, with more planned for 2016. Pippa is traditionally published with Bloomsbury, and Random House Germany. Her work has been featured in the Galaxy Chronicles anthology, part of the Future Chronicles series. Pippa continues to independently and traditionally publish her work.

She lives in Cornwall, UK.








{Story Diary} Summer in the Invisible City by Juliana Romano

Jul 10, 2016

summerSummer In the Invisible City by Juliana Romano
Young Adult Contemporary
June 21, 2016 from Dial Books



A sparkling coming-of-age story about self-discovery, first love, and the true meaning of family, perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen.

Seventeen-year-old Sadie Bell has this summer all figured out: She’s going to befriend the cool girls at her school. She’s going to bond with her absentee father, a famous artist, and impress him with her photography skills. And she’s finally going to get over Noah, the swoony older guy who was her very first mistake.

Sadie wasn’t counting on meeting Sam, a funny and free-thinking boy who makes her question all of her goals. But even after a summer of talking, touching, and sharing secrets, Sam says he just wants to be friends. And when those Sadie cares about most hurt her, Sam’s friendship may not be enough. Sadie can see the world through her camera, but can she see the people who have loved and supported her all along?

Set against a glamorous New York City backdrop, this coming-of-age romance is a gorgeous summer read—one whose characters will stay with you long into the fall.


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Setting


NYC, New York



nyc
[Image Source]





sum
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"You don't need your father's approval to be an artist. . .They don't understand what I do. . .I've always had to look outside my family for role models. And that can be disappointing. But it's also brought a lot of really great people into my life."
-- Juliana Romano, Summer In the Invisible City


Fanmix



Fanmix by me




julianaJuliana was born in 1982 in New York, New York and grew up in Santa Monica, California. She received a B.A. from Wesleyan University in 2004 and an M.F.A. in Painting from U.C.L.A. in 2008. In 2009, Juliana began writing fiction in addition to painting. She is the author of two Young Adult novels: "First There Was Forever" and "Summer in the Invisible City," (Dial Books for Young Readers, Penguin-Randhomhouse). She currently lives and works in Los Angeles.









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And I Darken by Kiersten White | Lit Meme

Jun 28, 2016





I was fortunate enough to read an advanced review copy of Kiersten White's upcoming book And I Darken, which releases today, and you guys, this book is so fantastic and ruthless y'all will absolutely enjoy it!


“Heads will roll, bodies will be impaled…and hearts will be broken.”


Title: And I Darken
Series: The Conquerer's Saga #1
Author: Kiersten White
Publication Date: June 28, 2016
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Genre: Young Adult Historical Fantasy

{Story Diary} Zenith: Part 1 by Sasha Alsberg + Lindsay Cummings

Jun 21, 2016

zenith Zenith Part 1 by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings
Young Adult Science Fiction Fantasy
June 21, 2016 from Mirabel Inc.



There is darkness sweeping across the stars.

Most know her as the Bloody Baroness, the captain of a fearsome glass starship called The Marauder. Androma and her crew strike terror in the hearts of those who cross them amongst the many corners of the Mirabel Galaxy.

When a routine mission goes rogue, the all-female crew is captured by a bounty hunter from Andi’s past and forced into a job that could, quite literally, start a war that will devour worlds.

Meanwhile, on the far side of the galaxy, the ruthless ruler Nor waits in the shadows of the planet Xen Ptera, biding her time. The final pieces are about to fall into place, liberating a plan that will tear Mirabel in two.

As the Marauder hurtles toward the unknown, there is one lesson that proves to be true: No one can be trusted in a galaxy that runs on lies and illusion.

From internet sensation Sasha Alsberg and multi-genre author Lindsay Cummings comes a new serialized space opera, full of action, intrigue, and steamy star-crossed romance.

ZENITH: THE ANDROMA SAGA will be released in small sections at a time.
The adventure begins June 21st, 2016, wherever ebooks are sold.


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The Mirabel Galaxy



map
[Map created by J.D. Netto | Image Source]


 Arcardius: The hub of Mirabel's government.

Tenebris: The planet where the military is based.

Solera: Minor planet that focuses on education and science.

Adhira: Terraformed farming planet.

Xen Ptera: The oldest planet in the galaxy that separated itself from the others in rebellion.


The Marauders



The Marauder is a sleek, beautiful, deadly and delicious beast of a starship that looked to be made of the stars in which it swam, that is led by the Bloody Baroness herself Captain Androma Racella (aka Andi), and run by a group of girls that had run from every hellish corner of the galaxy. And they were as sharp as Andi's blades. They are the Marauders.


Androma Racella (aka Andi): Captain of The Marauder.

Lira Mette: Pilot of The Marauder.

Breck Niles: Main gunner of The Marauder.

Gilly Ferris: Second gunner of The Marauder.

Dex: Bounty hunter, works for Mirabel.


Terminologies



Krevs (n.): currency; payment.
Holoscreen (n.): a holographic screen, projecting maps and radars and such.
Fike (adj.): swear word.
Godstars (adj.): a curse word of sorts.
Starshine (adj.): another colorful curse word.


"Her nightmares were like bloodstains. . .
On the darkest nights, they clung to her like a second skin."
--Sasha Aslberg and Lindsay Cummings, Zenith (Loc 54)

"We will see where the stars lead us."
--Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings, Zenith (Loc 113)

"A female captain was one thing. But a whole rutting ship full of girls?
They flew like demons sprung from a pit of fire."
--Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings, Zenith (Loc 225)

Hell yeah -- GO LADIES!!! Show 'em who runs the galaxy.

"Hearts were pathetic things, too easily broken.
The Bloody Baroness couldn't afford such a weakness."
--Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings, Zenith (Loc 725)

There would be another tally added soon, accompanying the others on her blades.
It had Dex's name written all over it.
--Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings, Zenith (Loc 728)




[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIm1mGpljf0]




lindsayLindsay Cummings is the 24-year-old author of THE MURDER COMPLEX duology and THE BALANCE KEEPERS trilogy for HarperCollins. She lives in North Texas, where she writes full time.

Lindsay is represented by Pete Knapp at New Leaf Literary.

Find out more about Lindsay and her books, and get writing/publishing advice on www.lindsaycummingsbooks.com





sashaSasha Alsberg is currently attending Emerson College as a Writing, Literature & Publishing major.

When she is not writing short stories for class or obsessing over Scotland she is making YouTube videos on her channel Abookutopia.

Sasha is represented on YouTube by Collective Digital Studios.

For her writing, she is represented by Joanna Volpe at New Leaf Literary.







{Story Diary} The Bird and the Sword by Amy Harmon

Jun 14, 2016

tbatsThe Bird and the Sword by Amy Harmon
New Adult Fantasy
May 6, 2016 from CreateSpace




Swallow, Daughter, pull them in, those words that sit upon your lips. Lock them deep inside your soul, hide them ‘til they’ve time to grow. Close your mouth upon the power, curse not, cure not, ‘til the hour. You won’t speak and you won’t tell, you won’t call on heav’n or hell. You will learn and you will thrive. Silence, Daughter. Stay alive.

The day my mother was killed, she told my father I wouldn’t speak again, and she told him if I died, he would die too. Then she predicted the king would trade his soul and lose his son to the sky.

My father has a claim to the throne, and he is waiting in the shadows for all of my mother’s words to come to pass. He wants desperately to be king, and I just want to be free.

But freedom will require escape, and I’m a prisoner of my mother’s curse and my father’s greed. I can’t speak or make a sound, and I can’t wield a sword or beguile a king. In a land purged of enchantment, love might be the only magic left, and who could ever love . . . a bird?


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Setting



Jeru


tbats map
[Image Source]



Character + City Pronunciations


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The Gifted



The Gifted lived long and had many children of their own, but even with blessed words and magnificent abilities, life in the world was dangerous and difficult.


The Spinner spins objects into gold, but it can lead to greed and get out of control.

The Changer can transform into an animal, but one might lose control of himself to the animal side. The  Volgar are Changers.

The Healer could heal others, but not oneself.

The Teller predicts the future and breathes life to objects with words, which can lead to trouble if not careful.






"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God."
-- Amy Harmon, The Bird and the Sword




"The castle was full of secrets and schemes, full of people hungry for power and afraid of magic."
-- Amy Harmon, The Bird and the Sword


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"Suddenly yearning had a flavor. It tasted like a king, a beautiful, frightening, infuriating man who flew into my life and began to free my words." -- Amy Harmon, The Bird and the Sword


tbats 2


"Love might be the only magic left."
-- Amy Harmon, The Bird and the Sword






Amy Harmon is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and New York Times Bestselling author. Amy knew at an early age that writing was something she wanted to do, and she divided her time between writing songs and stories as she grew. Having grown up in the middle of wheat fields without a television, with only her books and her siblings to entertain her, she developed a strong sense of what made a good story. Her books are now being published in twelve countries, truly a dream come true for a little country girl from Levan, Utah.

Amy Harmon has written ten novels - the USA Today Bestsellers, Making Faces and Running Barefoot, as well as The Law of Moses, The Song of David, Infinity + One, Slow Dance in Purgatory, Prom Night in Purgatory, and the New York Times Bestseller, A Different Blue. Her newest release, The Bird and The Sword will be released in the spring of 2016. She will release From Sand and Ash in October of 2016, via Lake Union Publishing.

To receive updates on upcoming book releases, author posts and more, follow Amy on Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to her newsletter.

Amy Harmon is represented by Jane Dystel of Dystel and Goderich Literary Management.
For foreign rights inquiries contact Lauren Abramo - labramo@dystel.com.
For film rights contact Jane Dystel - jane@dystel.com.







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