ramblings in times of a pandemic

Hi!

It's been a while, hasn't it? I'd love to claim it's because I've been so busy, so productive, that I just didn't have the time to post anything. But that would basically mean lying, and I'm not really fond of that. The sad truth is, ever since C*VID arrived, my productivity, creativity and motivation have steadily been reaching new all time lows, over and over and over. 

Despite trying many things, I haven't yet figured out how to get myself out of this funk. Which is a shame since a time where we're all advised to stay at home and away from other people sounds like a great one for writing and doing creative things, but alas...I can't seem to do it. 

Anyone have tips they'd be willing to share? Some advice?

Of course not everything has been bad. After all, on June 2nd FRACTURES was released. I wish it could've been the way it was with ECHOES, as in having the possibility of going to a bookstore and signing copies, hang out with friends to celebrate, share some pictures of the day with you on IG. But alas, that day was nothing like that.

Due to C*VID FRACTURES currently only exists as digital version, so ebook, kindle, and nook, while the paperback is only print-on-demand. That means none of us have a physical copy to match the ECHOES paperback, not even me. Which is a shame, but I hope once C*VID passes and we'll settle into whatever out new normal will look like, the possibility of having a paperback will be a thing again.

Either way, I'm still super happy (and a little sad) that this duology is now over. ECHOES and FRACTURES have been with me for a long time, just like Miles and Fiona, who went through several changes (personality and plot wise) over the years but I'm so happy with how everything turned out in the end. It's so much better than what I imagined many, many years ago, and I'm even more overjoyed by the positive reception both books have received. Thank you so, so much for that! I never expected my writing to be so liked and that so many people would read it. It really is a dream come true.

In other news, because what would an Alice ramblings post be without them being mentioned, BTS are having a new single called DYNAMITE out on August 21st completely in English and I, just like all other ARMY, am very excited and curious. The fandom energy for this song, the hype and happiness, is honestly unreal making this such a fun time despite everything. Maybe there's a story to be writing somewhere in there, something about people in fandom in their mid twenties and how that's like as opposed to fandom in YA about teens. Based on my own experience, it certainly is very different.

Perhaps one day when my creative energy returns, I'll think about it.

But, all in all, that is really everything that's noteworthy when it comes to the last couple of months of my life. I kind of wish there was more to share, but there really isn't. How have you guys been in recent months? Are you doing okay? I hope so.

Until next time! Take care, stay healthy, be careful!

Review: Malice by Pintip Dunn

Malice by Pintip Dunn

Expected Publication: February 4th 2020 by Entangled: Teen

Number of Pages: 400 Pages (Hardcover)

Series: No

   What I know: a boy in my school will one day wipe out two-thirds of the population with a virus.
   What I don’t know: who he is.
   In a race against the clock, I not only have to figure out his identity, but I’ll have to outwit a voice from the future telling me to kill him. Because I’m starting to realize no one is telling the truth. But how can I play chess with someone who already knows the outcome of my every move? Someone so filled with malice they’ve lost all hope in humanity? Well, I’ll just have to find a way—because now they’ve drawn a target on the only boy I’ve ever loved...  (Goodreads.com)

* Thank you to Entangled TEEN for providing me with

an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion *

   You know me, I see Pintip's name on a book, I have to read it. Easy as that. And once more I wasn't disappointed! Perhaps this wasn't my fave--admittedly it's very hard to beat her Forget Tomorrow Trilogy--but it was still really, really good.

   Pintip Dunn has a knack for dystopian worlds, as well as a way with words that simply grabs and pulls you in and won't let you go until the end. Alice was an interesting main character (we also happen to share a name which made it extra funny at times) and I really enjoyed reading her thoughts and seeing her emotions evolve and change, the way she handled certain situations and events.

   The basic idea of a deadly virus threatening to eradicate most of the population isn't anything new, and yet Pintip found a way to make it different and fresh in her own style. This idea of basically having to make certain choices and sacrifices which ideally you wouldn't want to make yet it's either that or the end of the world, it was very interesting and makes you wonder what you'd do in her place. The suspense and mystery were really well done overall and there was only a bit of romance.

   Overall I would certainly recommend Malice if you're looking for a suspenseful and thrilling read with a great main character and premise. And also if you're looking for this type of read that's a standalone instead of part of a trilogy or series.

I give Malice by Pintip Dunn 4 out of 5 stars.

FRACTURES cover and synopsis!

Hey everyone!

   It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm sorry. But, today I'm dropping by to show you the cover and synopsis of the ECHOES sequel, FRACTURES, coming next year. I'm so excited for you to read it!

   In the comments below, let me know what you think!

Fractures by Alice Reeds

Expected publication: June 2nd 2020 by Entangled Teen

   They survived a plane crash.

   They survived life on a deserted island.

   They survived being hunted.

   Now they must survive the truth—they are not who they think they are.

   One minute they’re in Poland, subjected to gruesome tests they keep failing. No friends to support them. No family to claim them. No hope of ever living a normal life again.

   Then suddenly, they’re trapped on an abandoned freighter in the middle of the ocean and forced to fight for survival. No food. No drinkable water. No way to get home. And strange memories of another life they don’t understand.

   But how can they be living two separate lives, trapped in two separate places, at the same time? They’ll have to find the connection and uncover secrets that someone went to great lengths to keep hidden...if they’re going to survive long enough to find out who is behind it all.

Add it on GoodReads now! :)

Hello 2019!

Who's totally late to post something for the start of the new year? Me, of course. I'm sorry.

So, this is it, 2019, a new year with new possibilities, changes, opportunities, and lessons to be learned. I don't know about you, but I didn't do anything special for New Year's Eve, just watched a movie on Netflix (I finally got it after missing out on so much, took me long enough, huh?) and trying to calm down my dog. As for new years resolutions, I have a few, but I've decided against having big ones that count for the entire year--let's be real, most of them we'll abandon after two weeks anyway--and instead I split them into quarterly goals.

I don't think I'll tell you about them, well, maybe I will but only once I'll actually manage to meet them and have something fun to share. Otherwise, should I fail, it'll just make me feel worse and that's not a good self-care choice, is it?

But, 2019 is off to quite the exciting start for me. If you follow me on twitter and/or Instagram you might've already seen me talk about this, but if you haven't, Echoes became a #1 Best Seller on Amazon. I honestly didn't think I'd ever get to see that orange banner next to it and yet, there it was. I was excitedly texting all my friends feeling overwhelmed and just so happy. It actually remained #1 for over 24h which made it even more insane to me. My book above Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo? I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. I was sure I'd wake up the next day and the banner would be gone, but it wasn't.

Thank you, to all of you, for your support and for giving my book a chance. I know it's a bit different, and not necessarily as straight forward as some would wish it'd be, but I love that story, and I'm beyond happy that so many of you do too, and I honestly cannot wait for you to read the sequel. You thought Echoes was wild? Just you wait and see. 

On a somewhat related note, I haven't read a single book in 2019 yet, and we're already two weeks into the year. Who even am I? But, I totally have a plan (reading all the books in February). For now my top priority is finishing up my draft of Fissures and making my deadline, and after that, I'll set my plan into motion. I'm looking forward to it so much!

I don't know what 2019 will have in store for me, but I'm curious to find out, write new stories, work on WIPs, explore new possibilities, listen to all the K-Pop I can find, and just hope it'll be a better year than 2018. I'm not complaining though, don't get me wrong, Echoes was released last year and that was amazing and I'm so grateful for all the support and love it received, but besides that, it was a hard year, draining both mentally and physically, so hopefully 2019 will be a bit easier. 

What about you? What are your plans, goals, hopes for 2019? Tell me in the comments below or on social media. I always try my best to respond to all the tweets and DMs I get. :)

Thank you so much for reading and cheers to a new year! 

Big News!

Happy Saturday everyone!

   Today I'm coming to you with big news in regards to my writing. Ever since Echoes came out in August, and even before that, people have been asking me if I was planning on writing more. Will there be a sequel? Please write more. I saw it in kind messages sent to me personally, and was told about these requests and wishes being voices in reviews. 

   For weeks and weeks I didn’t have an answer, and even when I said something, it was just some vague, wishy-washy deflection along the line of ‘there’s potential but I don’t know’. The truth is, a sequel was in discussion for a while. Once Echoes came out, I started working on a synopsis and everything for what the sequel could potentially be. But things weren’t set in stone for a while, until they were.

   Three days ago the following announcement went live — 

   FISSURES, the sequel to ECHOES, is coming winter 2020!

   I know, 2020 is still a while away, but I hope the wait will be worth it. Thank you to each and every one of you kind readers who got interested in Echoes and decided to buy it, read it, and sometimes even review it. Thank you also to everyone who reached out to me on IG (@alicereedsbooks) or twitter (@Alice_Reeds) to let me know how much you enjoyed the story and fallen in love with Miles and Fiona. Your support means so much to me, and certainly helped to make the sequel happen. Thank you for giving my book a chance, and thank you to my amazing publisher, Entangled Teen, and brilliant editor, Lydia Sharp, for giving me the opportunity and support to write the sequel.

   I can't wait for you to read FISSURES, even if the wait seems long now. 

Thank you and have a lovely weekend!

ECHOES IS OUT NOW

   On March 21st 2017 I announced that I signed with Entangled Teen and after more than a year of rewriting, outlining, brainstorming, and waiting, the day has finally come! My YA mystery Thriller, Echoes, is finally out today and you can get it online or in stores (if you're in the US or Berlin, Germany). All the links will me at the bottom of this post.

   For a very long time I've dreamed of seeing this very story on shelves and being read by people, receiving positive reviews and just pulling readers into its spell. I'm so happy I didn't shelf this manuscript and instead gave it another chance and that it's finally here. It took over 3 years, but it was more than worth all the hours of 'lost' sleep, anxiety, nerves, and creative elation. 

   Yesterday I actually went to Dussmann / The English Bookshop in Berlin, Germany, to sign the copies of Echoes they had in stock. It was a surreal experience that I can barely put into words properly. Seeing something you worked so hard on in a bookstore just waiting for someone to pick it up and buy it, it's amazing and mind blowing. I couldn't stop smiling while I signed book after book, though I was also worrying that I might spell my name wrong or my signature might turn out ugly haha. 

   This entire experience was simultaneously everything I wanted it to be, so exciting and fun, but also extremely scary and downright terrifying. Launching a book, waiting for the release day to come, it's something I still can't properly put into words. My feelings were torn, all over the place, a wild cocktail of simultaneously wanting for the day to just finally be there while also hoping to have just a little more time, to prepare some more. But then, the day is finally here, and it feels like I signed the contract just yesterday.

   But, at the end of the day, this book wouldn't be a book without a number of people helping me along the way and making this dream a reality, and this experience so much fun despite also being endlessly terrifying, so I think it would only be appropriate if I'd say thank you:

   Thank you to my brilliant team at Entangled Teen. Everyone did an amazing job at answering all my questions (no matter how silly or long my emails), setting up interviews and guest posts, blog tours and getting ARCs into people's hands. THANK YOU for everything you've done for me and I can't tell you just how happy I am that I got to work with all of you.

   I couldn't have done this without my mom and her endless support in form of words of encouragements, an infinite supply of coffee, brainstorming with me, or just letting me talk at her until I found whatever solution I was looking for. I love you so much!

   A big thank you also goes to my CP, Mia, for her marvelous feedback and help while I was trying to get Echoes up to speed, for all her encouragements and DMs. Thank you for being a wonderful friend and making me feel like I can do it even when I wasn't so sure. The same also goes to you, Judi. You're amazing and a kickass friend and mentor. Thank you for being there for me.

   And finally, my friends (y'all know who you are you amazing beings) who didn't give up on me despite how much time I spent writing and working instead of answering texts or getting with them. Y'all are amazing and I am grateful for everything you've done for me. Cheers to more years of friendship!

   They wake on a deserted island. Fiona and Miles, high school enemies now stranded together. No memory of how they got there. No plan to follow, no hope to hold on to.

   Each step forward reveals the mystery behind the forces that brought them here. And soon, the most chilling discovery: something else is on the island with them.

   Something that won't let them leave alive.

Add on GoodReads

Amazon (US / UK / CAN / AUS / DE) // Barnes & Noble // Book Depository

Playlist

Cover reveal: Star-Crossed by Pintip Dunn

   As you guys know I love Pintip Dunn's writing ever since I first read Forget Tomorrow. I've loved that trilogy and everything else she wrote, so when I heard she had a new book coming out later this year and that I could help reveal the cover, of course I couldn't say no. So, thanks to Entangled Teen, I am bringing you the amazing cover for Star-Crossed:

Star-Crossed by Pintip Dunn
Expected Publication: October 2nd 2018 by Entangled Teen
Number of Pages: 400 Pages (Hardcover)

   Only one can survive...

Amazon | B&N | iBooks

About the Author

   Pintip Dunn is a New York Times bestselling author of YA fiction. She graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in English Literature and Language. She received her J.D. at Yale Law School, where she was an editor of the YALE LAW JOURNAL. Pintip's debut novel, FORGET TOMORROW, won the RWA RITA® for Best First Book. In addition, it is a finalist for the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire, the Japanese Sakura Medal, and the MASL Truman Award. THE DARKEST LIE was nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award. Her other books include REMEMBER YESTERDAY, the novella BEFORE TOMORROW, and GIRL ON THE VERGE. She lives with her husband and children in Maryland. 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | Entangled Publishing

Excerpt and giveaway: True Storm by L. E. Sterling

   Today I'm bringing you a short but very exciting excerpt from L.E. Sterling's upcoming release, True Storm, which is the third and final book in the True Born trilogy and comes out May 1st 2018. Additionally, if you live in the US, check out the giveaway below for a paperback copy of True Born, the first book in this trilogy!

True Storm by L.E. Sterling

Expected Publication: May 1st 2018 by Entangled Teen

Number of pages: 400 Pages (Hardcover)

   Lucy’s twin sister, Margot, may be safely back with her—but all is not well in Plague-ravaged Dominion City. The Watchers have come out of hiding, spreading chaos and death throughout the city, and suddenly Lucy finds herself under pressure to choose her future: does it lie with her handsome new friend, Alastair; her guardian, the enigmatic True Born leader Nolan Storm; or the man who makes her heart trip, her savage True Born bodyguard Jared Price?
   But while Lucy ponders her path, fate has other plans. Betrayal is a cruel lesson, and the Fox sisters can hardly believe who is behind the plot against them. To survive this deadly game of politics, Lucy is forced to agree to a marriage of convenience. But is the DNA of her will stronger than the forces opposing her? Can she turn the tide against the oncoming storm??
   As they say in Dominion, can rogue genes ever have a happy ending? (goodreads.com)

   And now, are you ready for the excerpt...? Well, here it is:

   His hands still on my face. “I’m sorry,” I manage to say, trying to control a nervous need to giggle like a hyena. “Are we fighting? Maybe I didn’t notice because it’s all we ever seem to do.”

   A wicked grin lights his features. “That’s not all we seem to do,” he whispers, seconds before he replaces his thumb with his lips.

   It’s a soft kiss at first, tentative. Like someone asking your name. But it lights me up, sending fire shooting through my body, heat curling through my belly. I must sigh because Jared pulls back for just a moment, a question in his eyes and hunger written all over him. Then he claims my lips again, holding my face in his hands as the earth spins away from me.

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Want to read more? Pre-order your copy of True Storm by L.E. Sterling today!

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Entangled Publishing

About the Author

   L.E. Sterling had an early obsession with sci-fi, fantasy and romance to which she remained faithful even through an M.A. in Creative Writing and a PhD in English Literature – where she completed a thesis on magical representation. She is the author of two previous novels, the cult hit YA novel The Originals (under pen name L.E. Vollick), dubbed “the Catcher in the Rye of a new generation” by one reviewer, and the urban fantasy Pluto’s Gate. Originally hailing from Parry Sound, Ontario, L.E. spent most of her summers roaming across Canada in a van with her father, a hippie musician, her brothers and an occasional stray mutt – inspiring her writing career. She currently lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Entangle Publishing

Cover reveal: Echoes

   I'm beyond excited for this day, I can't even begin to describe how much I've been waiting to finally be able to reveal the cover for ECHOES. Eleven months ago I signed with Entangled and now the cover is finally here. 

   The cover is honestly everything I ever hoped for and so much more. It fits the story perfectly, the color scheme and general aesthetic is perfect and it just mirrors the mood of the story wonderfully. The cover designers at Entangled Teen did a brilliant job and I honestly couldn't be happier.

   So, without further ado, here is the cover for ECHOES, my YA Thriller!

Echoes by Alice Reeds

Expected Publication: August 7th 2018 by Entangled: Teen

Number of Pages: 400 Pages (Paperback)

Genre: YA Thriller

Goodreads

Pre-order: 
Amazon US / DE / CA 
Book Depository
Barnes and Nobel

   "Fast-paced and thrilling. ECHOES is a heart-pounding and addictive love story." —Mia Siegert, author of Jerkbait

   They wake on a deserted island. Fiona and Miles, high school enemies now stranded together. No memory of how they got there. No plan to follow, no hope to hold on to.

   Each step forward reveals the mystery behind the forces that brought them here. And soon, the most chilling discovery: something else is on the island with them.

   Something that won't let them leave alive.

   Echoes is a thrilling adventure about confronting the impossible, discovering love in the most unexpected places, and, above all, finding hope in the face of the unknown.

   What do you think? Let me know all your thoughts about the cover in the comments below, or via twitter (@Alice_Reeds), because I'm super curious to know if you love the cover just as much as I do. I honestly can't wait for you to read the book in August!

Cover Reveal: True Storm by L.E. Sterling

   Hi everyone!

   Today I am bringing you the amazing cover for the final book in L.E. Sterling's YA Sci-Fi trilogy, True Born, called True Storm. I've been loving the trilogy so far (review book #1 and #2) so when I got the opportunity to help revealing the cover and getting word out, of course I had to do it!

   Anyway, without further ado, here is the beautiful cover for True Strom!

True Storm by L.E. Sterling
Expected Publication: May 1st 2018 by Entangled: Teen
Number of Pages: 400 Pages (Hardcover)

   If you can't beat them, change them...

Want to read more? Pre-order your copy of True Storm (True Born Trilogy, #3) by L.E. Sterling today!

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Entangled Publishing

About L.E. Sterling:

   L.E. Sterling had an early obsession with sci-fi, fantasy and romance to which she remained faithful even through an M.A. in Creative Writing and a PhD in English Literature - where she completed a thesis on magical representation. She is the author of two previous novels, the cult hit Y/A novel The Originals (under pen name L.E. Vollick), dubbed “the Catcher in the Rye of a new generation” by one reviewer, and the urban fantasy Pluto’s Gate. Originally hailing from Parry Sound, Ontario, L.E. spent most of her summers roaming across Canada in a van with her father, a hippie musician, her brothers and an occasional stray mutt - inspiring her writing career. She currently lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

Blog Tour: Review - Seize Today by Pintip Dunn

   Here we are for the grand finale of the Forget Tomorrow trilogy with my review for Seize Today. When I saw that there is a blog tour for it, I knew i had to be part of it, as well as get my hands on an ARC, the later coming before the former surprisingly. I've loved this trilogy to pieces so let's find out if Seize Today lived up to my expectations, shall we?

   Also, before I forget, thank you to Chapter by Chapter for giving me the opportunity to be part of this blog tour (and also go and check out all the other fabulous posts for it right here once you're done reading my review)!

Seize Today by Pintip Dunn

Released: October 3rd 2017 by Entangled: Teen

Number of Pages: 300 Pages (Hardcover)

Series: Yes, #3 in the Forget Tomorrow Trilogy

   The third book in the New York Times bestselling and RITA award winning Forget Tomorrow series is a thrilling conclusion to an epic trilogy.

   Seventeen-year-old precognitive Olivia Dresden is an optimist. Since different versions of people's futures flicker before her eyes, she doesn't have to believe in human decency. She can literally see the path to goodness in each person—if only he or she would make the right decision. No one is more conflicted than her mother, Chairwoman Dresden, and Olivia is fiercely loyal to the woman her mother could be.

   But when the Chairwoman captures Ryder Russell, a boy from the rebel Underground, Olivia is forced to reevaluate her notions of love and faith. With Ryder's help, Olivia must come to terms with who her mother is in the present—and stop her before she destroys the world. (goodreads.com)

Check out my reviews for the previous books in the trilogy: 

Before Tomorrow (prequel) // Forget Tomorrow // Remember Yesterday 

* Thank you to Entangled TEEN for providing me with 

an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion *

   The Forget Tomorrow trilogy is, without a doubt, one of my favorite trilogies I've ever read. I've loved the previous two books in this trilogy, as well as the prequel, so I had impossibly high hopes and expectations for this finale. Of course, since Pintip is a brilliant author, she mangled to exceed my hopes and expectations by a tenfold with ease. Seize Today ties up all the questions that were left open, all the little plot points and facets that needed more explaining or revealing, and gave us even more intriguing visuals, more future tech, and more awesome science than the precious two books.

   Our lead in this one is Olivia Dresden, the Chairwoman's daughter, and she was an amazing POV character. Seeing the world through her eyes was fascinating, even more so because of her ability to see every single possible future path a person can go down depending on the choices they make, the good and the bad ones. The way Pintip described the visuals of Olivia looking through those paths was done incredibly well and definitely added that extra something to her narrative. Just like everyone else in this world Olivia isn't perfect so she makes mistakes, has flaws and all, but the character development she goes through across these twenty days that the book spans is amazing and incredible.

   Ryder, the love interest in this one, also has a special place in my heart. He was tough and had major trust issues, but in the end he was an amazing character and I would've loved to read more about him, and those two together. I also loved the glimpses we got into the lives of the other two couples from book one and two, where they are now and what the future holds for them.

   I still smile every time I think about the epilogue.

   Trilogies sometimes have the tendency to disappoint you with an ending that still leaves questions open, or somehow answers them in a non-satisfactory manner, but that definitely wasn't the case with Seize Today. It was a worthy part of this trilogy and even more of a worthy ending to it. Sure I wished it would've been longer so I could stay in this world just for a few more pages, enjoy Pintip's writing longer (I should mention that I devoured the entire book in under 4 hours because I simply couldn't stop reading once I started), but I am very happy nonetheless with every aspect of the story.

   All in all I can only say that I am very happy that I got the chance to read this trilogy, to receive an ARC of Seize Today, and I will literally recommend this book, and the trilogy, to everyone ever because it is amazing. Then again I will literally read anything Pintip writes so theres that.

I give Seize Today by Pintip Dunn 5 out of 5 stars.

About the Author

   Pintip Dunn is a New York Times bestselling author of YA fiction. She graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in English Literature and Language. She received her J.D. at Yale Law School.
   Pintip’s novel, FORGET TOMORROW, won the RWA RITA® for Best First Book. It is also a finalist for the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire, the Japanese Sakura Medal, the MASL Truman Award, and the Tome Society It list. In addition, THE DARKEST LIE was nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award. Her other books include REMEMBER YESTERDAY, SEIZE TODAY, and GIRL ON THE VERGE.
   She lives with her husband and children in Maryland.

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Release Day: Seize Today by Pintip Dunn (Excerpt)

   As you guys know I love Pintip Dunn's writing, and especially her Forget Tomorrow trilogy, so I am more than excited to celebrate today's release of Seize Today, the final book in the trilogy, with an amazing excerpt from the book. But before we get to that, if you want you can find my review of the prequel, as well as book one and two following those links to remind yourself what happened in the story so far. My review of Seize Today, which I am very excited to share with you, is coming October 13th as part of the blog tour for it.

   But enough of my talking, let's just move on to the book details as well as the excerpt. Enjoy!

Seize Today by Pintip Dunn

Released: October 3rd 2017 by Entangled: Teen

Number of Pages: 300 Pages (Hardcover)

Series: Yes, #3 in the Forget Tomorrow Trilogy

   The third book in the New York Times bestselling and RITA award winning Forget Tomorrow series is a thrilling conclusion to an epic trilogy.

   Seventeen-year-old precognitive Olivia Dresden is an optimist. Since different versions of people's futures flicker before her eyes, she doesn't have to believe in human decency. She can literally see the path to goodness in each person—if only he or she would make the right decision. No one is more conflicted than her mother, Chairwoman Dresden, and Olivia is fiercely loyal to the woman her mother could be.

   But when the Chairwoman captures Ryder Russell, a boy from the rebel Underground, Olivia is forced to reevaluate her notions of love and faith. With Ryder's help, Olivia must come to terms with who her mother is in the present—and stop her before she destroys the world. (goodreads.com)

Excerpt

   "Are you sifting through my possible pathways?" he asks, his voice husky.

   I freeze. But if I'm a block of ice, his fingers do their job, tracing my lips again and again until I melt. "How…how do you know?"

   "Your eyes," he says. "They dilate when you're reaching into the future. I'm starting to learn when you're not here."

   I blink. Nobody's ever told me that before.

   "You…noticed?" I ask.

   "I notice everything about you," he says easily. "So, tell me. What did you see in our possible futures?" His voice is low and liquid, and it reaches inside me and caresses parts I didn't know existed. "What did I do? More importantly, what did you like?"

   Heat floods my face. "What, exactly, are we talking about?"

   "I don't know." His eyes gleam wickedly. "What do you think we're talking about?"

   "Future pathways," I snap. If I have to electro-whip my attention back on track, I'll do it, damn the Fates. "I see everything from me slapping you to…" I trail off, and my cheeks flame even hotter. Oh my. I can't possibly put into words the images flying through my head like a hailstorm.

    "Now I'm really intrigued." He moves his hand to my hair, tugging slightly. I feel the tension all the way to my toes. "Are you really not going to tell me? Because, you know, then I'll have to guess."

   "I'm not going to tell you," I whisper.

    His lips curve in a mischievous grin that makes me want to tuck him in my pocket and keep him forever. And then, while I'm still reeling from his cuteness, he leans in.

   I'm not ready. My mouth is partway open, and I'm in the middle of a breath. He kisses me anyway. I shut my mouth in a hurry. Lips, so soft. His back and shoulders, so hard. Holy Fates, that was his tongue. His tongue, slipping between my teeth. Sparks. So many sparks, igniting in the air around us.

   "How's this?" he whispers against my mouth. "Did you see this in our future?"

   I nod helplessly.

   He moves closer, scooping me up and shifting me on the mattress so that he can lie next to me. Our foreheads touch; so do our knees. "And this? Was this in some of our pathways?"

   I nod again, but that doesn't seem to satisfy him anymore. His eyes intent on mine, he catches my lower lip between his teeth. "Do you like it?"

   Do I like it? What kind of question is that?

   I've tasted every emotion in our world. I know the sorrow a mother feels when she clasps her deceased baby to her chest. I know the pride of a gold-star athlete when he stands on a podium and accepts North Amerie's highest honor. I know the rage that silences the heart of a murderer as he cuts short another's life.

   I even know kisses—hot, frenzied, passionate, fumbling, sweet, aching, innocent kisses. I've seen them all in other people’s futures, thousands of kisses, millions of kisses, as varied as the pathways themselves.

   And yet…and yet…I've felt nothing like kissing Ryder. Even the vision of this moment itself.

   So, yeah, I like it. It scares me how much I like it.

About the Author

   Pintip Dunn is a New York Times bestselling author of YA fiction. She graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in English Literature and Language. She received her J.D. at Yale Law School.
   Pintip’s novel, FORGET TOMORROW, won the RWA RITA® for Best First Book. It is also a finalist for the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire, the Japanese Sakura Medal, the MASL Truman Award, and the Tome Society It list. In addition, THE DARKEST LIE was nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award. Her other books include REMEMBER YESTERDAY, SEIZE TODAY, and GIRL ON THE VERGE.
   She lives with her husband and children in Maryland.

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Blog Tour - Review: True North by L.E. Sterling

   Thank you so much to YA Reads for making me part of the blog tour for True North. When I saw the sign up post for this tour, and L.E. Sterling had tweeted me (and a few others) about it, I just knew I had to be part of it.

True North by L.E. Sterling

Published: April 4th 2017 by Entangled TEEN

Number of pages: 400 Pages (Hardcover)

Series: Yes, #2 in the True Born Trilogy

   Abandoned by her family in Plague-ridden Dominion City, eighteen-year-old Lucy Fox has no choice but to rely upon the kindness of the True Borns, a renegade group of genetically enhanced humans, to save her twin sister, Margot. But Nolan Storm, their mysterious leader, has his own agenda. When Storm backtracks on his promise to rescue Margot, Lucy takes her fate into her own hands and sets off for Russia with her True Born bodyguard and maybe-something-more, the lethal yet beautiful Jared Price. In Russia, there's been whispered rumors of Plague Cure.

   While Lucy fights her magnetic attraction to Jared, anxious that his loyalty to Storm will hurt her chances of finding her sister, they quickly discover that not all is as it appears…and discovering the secrets contained in the Fox sisters' blood before they wind up dead is just the beginning.??

   As they say in Dominion, sometimes it’s not you…it’s your DNA. (goodreads.com)

* Thank you to Entangled TEEN and NetGalley for providing me 

with an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion *

   Ever since I read True Born last year, I was anticipating book two, curious to see how the story would continue. After reading True North I can safely say that I wasn't disappointed and that the wait was definitely worth it. Now the only problem I have is that I'd like to read book three right about now.

   Since this is a second book in a trilogy I don't want to say too much so I won't spoil anything, so I'll start off by saying that I love the cover. It's just as amazing as the cover of True Born, so I can't wait to have both books on my shelves sooner or later to show them off.

   Okay, let's go into plot and character thoughts but trying to stay spoiler free, of course.

   I loved following Lucy throughout the story once more as she tries to find Margot and figure things about with Jared. They are amazing together and their tension is off the hooks. She remains an amazing and interesting character which makes following her and her thoughts a lot of fun once more. True North is full of mysteries and also a few answers, though leaving a lot of them still unanswered and thus the reader hooked and thirsty for more and more. The world building continued to amaze me in this one, adding more details to the world L.E. Sterling created. Also the fact that we go to Russia made me happy because I love books that play there in any sort of way.

   All in all True North is a worthy successor to True Born, fast paced and amazing beginning to end. I am definitely looking forward to the final book in the series and seeing how everything ends, even if saying goodbye to this trilogy will be a sad moment.

I give True North by L.E. Sterling 5 out of 5 stars.

About the Author

   I was a voracious devotee of sci-fi and fantasy novels all through my childhood, so I suppose it doesn’t come as much of a shock that I’ve returned to the genre with a vengeance.

   For a while I turned my back on the genre in favour of ‘high-brow’ literary texts. Ironically, it was my doctoral degree that saw me circling back. There’s something about the way postmodern literature plays with the arcane that had me utterly fascinated, and it wasn’t long until I fell headlong back into my old ways and haven’t looked back since.

   My first novel, which isn’t in the Urban Fantasy or Fantasy genres, isn’t high literature, mind you, even if it tangles with some serious statements about politics and the way our western world runs. My editor described it as something between Charles Dickens and The Catcher in the Rye: Serious Fun, in other words.

   My second novel, Pluto’s Gate, is where I’ve come home to myself: it’s a contemporary retelling of the Demeter-Persephone-Pluto story from Greek mythology. Folded into the mix is a Shaman-in-training, a magical book, Underworld Gods, a world covered in ice, a three-headed dog, and one lousy ex-boyfriend.

   But I’ll tell you this much: I believe in the power of words and stories to transform our inner worlds. Whether the characters be vampires or vagabonds, a good narrative sucker punches so-called reality anyhow.

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Read the first 6 chapters HERE