Winner of the September Reading Challenge Giveaway!!

It's the last day of September, and I'm up to 55 books for the year. Not too bad, even if it's not as much as I'd like. :)

Anyway, it's time to announce the winner of this month's giveaway.

Veronica!

Congratulations!! I'll get your books out to you asap.

I've got more great ARCs to give away. Stop by tomorrow to see what they are!

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.
When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Wow! This is such an amazing book. And set in Prague? Too cool. I've never been there, but I sure want to visit. Especially after reading this book!

Karou is awesome, and so is her friend, Zuzana. It’s refreshing to see such a good friendship. And the petty eyebrows thing! It made me laugh out loud. :) Actually, I loved all the little things Karou did. She's a master of subtlety, and she's so good at using it to her advantage.

The way Karou dealt with her ex-boyfriend felt authentic. She discovered he was a sleaze bag and left him, refusing to go back even though she's still attracted to him. I loved that! Huge thanks to the author for not turning him into a love triangle. I'm so sick of them.

The plot is solid, with plenty of mystery. I loved discovering everything right alongside Karou. I'm not usually one for flashbacks, but this story is built on them. And they were expertly woven in, giving us the necessary information at exactly the right time. There were a couple flashbacks toward the end that I got impatient with because I wanted find out what was happening in the present, but still. I don't think I've ever seen flashbacks handled so well.

The interaction between Akiva and Karou is interesting and done well. The build-up between them is gradual, and the twist at the end is truly painful. I cannot wait until the next book comes out!

Winner of the September Book Giveaway!

I'm terribly sorry for not posting this earlier. I got my weeks mixed up and thought the contest ended this saturday instead of last saturday.

Anyway, I've chosen a winner via Random.org, and that person is...

Jane!

Congratulations! I'll get your books out to you asap.

This saturday (and I won't forget this time), I'll announce the contest for next month--ARCs of more fabulous books. Stop by to enter!

How To Get The Most Out Of A Critique, Part Three

Last week, I talked about how to give an effective critique. This week, I want to go over how to incorporate feedback into your own work after you’ve gotten a critique.
Remember the critique I told you about last week? The one with this underlying message: Nothing about your story is good, and my way is the only way to make it better. Even though the critiquer never said this outright, her statements and observations were made with such confidence and assurance that it’s easy to believe she knows what she’s talking about—which makes that underlying message even stronger, and puts an incredible amount of pressure on the author to follow her advice.

In my opinion, this kind of critique is far more dangerous than one that rants. The arguments appear sound, and the lack of emotion makes it difficult to dismiss. But does that mean it’s valid? Not at all.

This was just one person’s opinion, and she didn’t have the same insight into my story that I did. Fortunately for me, I knew the heart of my story and recognized right away that she didn’t see it, so I actually stopped reading and set her critique aside. But what if I hadn’t been so sure of my story? This critique was so compelling and sure of itself that it could have led me in the wrong direction, and then I’d have been struggling to write a story that’s half mine and half someone else’s. That never works.

Which leads me to another point: if you don’t know the heart of your story, you are not ready for feedback. Let me say that again. If you don’t know the heart of your story, you are not ready for feedback. Here’s why.

If you don’t know what your story is about, then how can you improve it? So many new writers pound out a first draft and then send it off to a critiquer, eager for ideas to make it better. That’s admirable, but it’s also dangerous. If you don’t know the heart of your story and you get a critique like I did, you could find yourself in a whole mess of trouble. You might end up abandoning your story down the road. But if you know what your story is about and where it needs to go, then feedback is a good thing.

And now, finally, we get to the real question. How do you incorporate feedback into your story?

The very first thing to do is read through the comments, then set them aside for a few days. This will allow your brain to process the information, as well give your emotions time to settle. When you come back, you’ll be more open to the idea of change.

For the suggestions that you know won’t work, simply move on. Or, take a closer look at what’s behind the comment and see if the critiquer misunderstood a part of your story, which you could make clearer. Make a note of this. Also, make a note of the things you like, agree with, or ring true to you. If you’re not sure, then add it to the list.

Once that list is complete, go through it with a critical eye and compare it to the heart of your story. For the things you know will work, turn them into a Revision To-Do List, or some similar way to track the changes you intend to make in the next revision. For everything else, take a good, hard look at them. Do they really, truly mesh with your story? There might be some fantastic ideas and possibilities in this list, but that doesn’t mean they’ll work. It might be difficult, but let those things go.

Sounds good, right? Well, what if those brilliant-but-doesn’t-quite-work ideas came from an agent or editor? Then what do you do?

I’ll be talking about that next week, as well as what it means to write for yourself. :)

Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness. Elisa is the chosen one.
But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.
Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.
And he’s not the only one who needs her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.
Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.
Most of the chosen do.

I had no idea what to expect from this story. A chosen one, a handsome king, an intriguing revolutionary, sounds familiar, right? Well, not in this case. I loved this book. I loved that the author took all these familiar elements and put them together in an incredibly unfamiliar way. I mean, when has a YA book ever ended the way this story ended? I can’t think of any.

Elisa is a wonderful main character, likable even with her many flaws. She starts out so soft and sheltered, overweight, and naive. But she has an incredible mind and a strong will that take her far. She surprises everyone, including herself, regarding what she can do and how well she can do it. It was also so refreshing to read about an overweight girl who doesn't obsess about her weight. She just accepts it as a part of who she is.

She ends up making lifestyle changes that impact her weight, but only because she decides she wants more from life. Not because she's jealous of what other women look like. The jealousy is there, of course, but it doesn't define her. So very refreshing. Her transformation is all about who she is as a person. She becomes a reluctant leader, one who embraces her own power, and I love that she has such a strategizing mind. And yet, she never becomes supergirl. She retains many flaws and faults which she does her best to overcome, but her world doesn’t come to an end if she can’t. I absolutely loved her.

The pacing is quick, all the characters are interesting, and the mystery surrounding Elisa's 'chosen' status unfolds beautifully. And what happens to the love interest is so shocking! I am very curious to see where this story is going next.

The only thing I would have liked to see more of was between Cosme and Elisa toward the end. Specifically, I'd like to see exactly why Cosme disliked Elisa so much in the beginning. Their relationship progressed beautifully and realistically, and I just wanted it to come full circle. But still, it didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the story.

The religious aspects were handled well. God is a central part of the story, but in an atypical way. There are two groups who interpret God's will in different ways, not unlike some of today’s religious groups, and both think they are right. So I am very curious how this will pan out. The next book, Crown of Embers, is due to come out fall of 2012, and I’ll definitely be reading it.

To win an ARC of this book, go here.

How To Get The Most Out Of A Critique, Part Two

Last week, I talked about how to get what you need from a critique, even if it doesn’t seem helpful at first. This week, I want to talk about how to critique others’ works, because learning how to effectively critique goes a long way toward getting what you need from critiques of your own work—if you know how to deliver an effective critique, then you know what elements you need when you receive a critique of your own work.

But first, I’d like to give an example of what not to do.

I recently went through my drawer of old critiques. Some were filled with amazingly insightful comments, and a few were not-so-helpful. There was one in particular, though, that put the other unhelpful critiques to shame. When the critiquer first gave it to me, I didn’t realize just how insensitive it was. In fact, after a quick read-through, I think most people would consider it helpful. But now, years later, the harshness is glaringly obvious. To me, at least. Here’s a high-level breakdown of what it contains.

First, she had nothing positive to say about my story aside from one general comment about the potential for a compelling premise. Which, when you think about it, isn’t really positive. The rest of the critique pointed out all the flaws of the manuscript. This is part of the point of a critique, yes, but the manner in which flaws are revealed is key. This critiquer didn’t rant or shred my work harshly, instead subtly infusing it with condescension (I didn’t even notice this the first time I read it).

She threw out my entire story and rewrote it the way she thought it should be written. She changed the entire plot, structure, and delivery. None of this was phrased as suggestion—they were commands, as is ‘do this’ and ‘do that’—and she made no effort to discern my intentions with this story. Instead, she created her own idea of what it should be and commanded me to adhere to it. The underlying tone was this: Nothing about your story is good, and my way is the only way to make it better. I can’t think of any situation where this is acceptable.

Here’s a list of elements that I think make a good critique, which the above critiquer clearly did not follow.

DO:

• Ask the author where he is in the process. Is this a first draft? Tenth draft? The level of feedback is different for early drafts vs. later drafts.
• Ask the author if there any areas he wants you to focus on. Does he have any questions for you?
• If the author has included a list of questions with his manuscript and you don’t understand one or more, ask him to rephrase.
• Make a concerted effort to understand what the author is trying to accomplish. What is the heart of this story? If you can’t figure it out, ask. Then you can tell the author whether it’s it coming through, or if it’s obscured in places.
• Read the manuscript more than once, possibly with some time between readings. This is key, because you will make connections the second time through, and have a better understanding of what the author is trying to accomplish. This will help you to make your comments more effective.
• Point out what works. There is always something that works, even if you have to search to find it. But you need to find it and let the author know what he’s doing well. If there are many areas that work well, don’t assume the author knows this because he may not have figured out his strengths yet. Helping him to identify his strengths is just as important as identifying weaknesses.
• Keep a positive tone throughout the critique, even when pointing out areas that need work. If you sound like you believe the author can write a better book, then he will be more likely to believe it of himself. And then he’ll do it.
• Watch your phrasing. Keep your feedback in the realm of suggestion, not commands (as in ‘you need to do this’). Focus on the problems you encountered and explain why you think they’re problems. If you have a suggestion for fixing it, state it, but if you don’t then that’s okay. It’s not your job to fix the manuscript; it’s the author’s.

DON’T:

• Don’t get frustrated, angry, or upset when critiquing another person’s work. These emotions always come through in your comments, and end up sounding harsh. Sometimes disrespectful. If you get frustrated, make a point to come back and edit your comments before sending them off to the author.
• Never never never rant. If you feel the need to rant about this story, do it on your own paper. Don’t send it to the author.
• Don’t ignore any questions that the author has presented. If you don’t know how to answer a question, then tell him that. He might come back with a clarification, and then you’ll be able to answer it.
• Don’t lie. You aren’t doing anyone any favors, and can actually do some damage.
• If a story isn’t your cup of tea, recognize that and move on. Do not attempt to rewrite it. This story is not yours to do with as you will, and you're not being as helpful as you might think.
• Don’t tell the author what he has to do in order to improve her book. You don’t have the same insights that he does, and you could be completely wrong. Instead, phrase it as suggestion.

I try really hard to follow this when I give a critique, and I truly hope that the author finds the information helpful. After all, that’s the point of a critique.

Does anyone have anything else to add?

Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett

Ariadne is destined to become a goddess of the moon. She leads a lonely life, filled with hours of rigorous training by stern priestesses. Her former friends no longer dare to look at her, much less speak to her. All that she has left are her mother and her beloved, misshapen brother Asterion, who must be held captive below the palace for his own safety.

So when a ship arrives one spring day, bearing a tribute of slaves from Athens, Ariadne sneaks out to meet it. These newcomers don’t know the ways of Krete; perhaps they won’t be afraid of a girl who will someday be a powerful goddess. And indeed she meets Theseus, the son of the king of Athens. Ariadne finds herself drawn to the newcomer, and soon they form a friendship—one that could perhaps become something more.

Yet Theseus is doomed to die as an offering to the Minotaur, that monster beneath the palace—unless he can kill the beast first. And that "monster" is Ariadne’s brother . . .

After reading the above summary, I couldn’t wait to read this book. The potential for twists and turns bubbles on the surface of the story, and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s rife with conflict from beginning to end, the pacing is spot on, and the characters so absorbing that I could not put this book down.

This is the perfect example of taking a well-known tale and turning it into something new, while still remaining true to the original roots. It’s clear the author knew the myth inside and out, as well as the religious practices at that time. She took the time period surrounding that myth and turned it into a plausible ‘what if it actually happened like this’ scenario. Brilliant.

I really liked the characters, too. Ariadne is both an historical figure and a typical teen trying to figure out who she really is. She doesn’t completely fit in, the way most teens feel, and finds solace where she can. Theseus isn’t quite as compelling, but he’s still interesting and sympathetic nonetheless. His reactions to Krete’s religious practices are believable and fitting. The explanation of the minotaur also fit, especially when you take the time period and ancient customs into account. I was completely caught up in their stories.

The only thing that gave me pause was the way in which it was told. We hear from both Ariadne and Theseus, which is fine, but the timelines don’t match. I would have preferred to see their stories unfold closer together. For example, we first get several chapters of Ariadne and how she meets Theseus, and then we jump back to months before Theseus is sent to Krete. That jarred me a bit, but I was able to get over and it read on with little impact on my enjoyment of the story.

Even though I knew the way the story would end, it still kept me on the edge of my seat. I especially liked how the author addressed the poetic vs. realistic slant on the way the story was passed down through the generations. It gives us lots of interesting things to think about.

If you want to read a myth that has been turned completely on its side, this is the story for you. If you’re looking for an exact rehash of Theseus and the Minotaur, then you should look elsewhere.

To win an ARC of this book, go here and fill out the form.

How To Get The Most Out Of A Critique, Part One

I realize this is a huge topic, so I won’t even try to cover it in a single blog post. It’ll be a series of posts (just to give you fair warning :) ), and I’m going to break it down to what I see as the key elements:

1. How to get what you need from a critique.
2. How to critique others’ works.
3. How to incorporate feedback into your work.

Today, I’ll start with how to get what you need from a critique.

The serious writer knows that feedback is essential to writing a good story. But any ol’ feedback won’t do—you need usable feedback. The stuff that will push you and propel your story from pretty good to great. Right? Right. There’s a pretty big problem with that, though.

Feedback is dependent upon another person, and that brings up a host of questions. Did this person ‘get’ my story? Does she know anything about writing or the publishing world? How much experience does he have? And, the ever-popular ‘who does she think she is, anyway?’

These questions certainly have an impact in what kind of feedback we get for our stories, but you can still get what you need even if it sounds like it’s way off base. There are some things you absolutely should do, and some things you absolutely should *not* do.

DO:

• If you have concerns about certain aspects of your story, prepare a list of those areas and include specific questions with your manuscript when asking for a critique.
• If there is something in the feedback that doesn’t make sense, ask for clarification. The information might be a gem if phrased in a different way.
• If the critiquer has issues with the characters and you don’t quite understand why, see if he would be willing to look at it from alternate viewpoints to provide additional details. This way, you can to determine why the critiquer had problems. Then you can fix them.
• Take a step back and pretend to look at your work as though it’s someone else’s. This will help you to see the flaws more clearly. And, it won’t hurt as much. :)

DON’T:

• If you’ve asked for clarification on an aspect of your feedback and it still feels wrong, don’t try to convince the critiquer why his advice won’t work. Just let it go.
• Never, never, *never* go into a conversation defending your characters. This always ends badly, for both of you.
• I know this is easier said than done, but never take a critique personally. Nine times out of ten, the critiquer never intended personal harm to you. Instead, try to look at it from his perspective so you can understand what he meant to say. If he did intend personal harm, then his opinion is worth nothing because it’s likely filled with untruths.
• That said, never summarily dismiss an entire critique, even if it’s harsh and tactlessly shreds your work. There are likely a few gems hiding in there. I’ve experienced this one, and it’s hard to deal with. But it actually made me feel better that I fished at least a couple good things out of the vitriol.

Critiquing is a difficult business because, as writers, we pour our hearts and souls into our work. We need to, because that’s what makes it come alive. As a result, it’s hard to hear criticisms. But it also comes with the territory. What starts with a critique partner is just going to continue with an agent and editor, so the sooner we know how to deal with it, the better.

Carrie Pilby by Caren Lissner

Carrie Pilby doesn't fit in -- and she's pretty much given up trying. A year out of college and settling in to life in the big city, this nineteen-year-old genius believes everyone she meets is immoral, sex obsessed and hypocritical, and the only person she sees on a regular basis is her therapist. When he comes up with a five-point plan to help her discover the "positive aspects of social interaction," Carrie, who would rather stay home in bed, is forced to view the world in a new light.

I really liked this book. Carrie was someone I could relate to well, even though I'm not a teen genius. :) But I was always the youngest in my class, as well as naïve--which made me feel even younger, and had a strong sense of what's right and wrong. I was far too shy to preach my beliefs and lacked the self-confidence to judge how others made their choices, but I remember feeling the way Carrie felt through much of this book.

The story is on the slower, quieter side, and it's all about Carrie's growth as a character. It wasn't difficult to figure out where the story was going or who she was going to end up with, but I thoroughly enjoyed the journey getting there. Carrie is funny in a zinging kind of way, and her observations waste no time in getting straight to the point. I loved this.

Even more so, I loved how she starts out as a judgmental, holier-than-thou loner, and gradually starts to the world through other people's eyes. This changes her perspective in ways she doesn't expect, and it's entertaining to see her genius brain try to work it out.

If you're looking for a good character-driven story where the main character goes from unlikable to likable, this is the story for you.

Side note: this book was presented to me as YA, but it's not really. It's an adult book with a teen main character, which also has crossover appeal. So, while I wouldn't classify it as YA, I can see many teen girls enjoying it immensely.

Writing a Synopsis

The synopsis. Many writers dread this as much as they dread the pitch paragraph in a query letter, sometimes more. I know I did. The very first time I wrote a synopsis, it was dreadful. I started out writing everything that happened in the story (as in, all the little things that happen as a result of the big things). It went on and on and on, and I eventually abandoned it around page five.

If you do what I did, you’ll basically have a rehash of your entire book. That kind of defeats the purpose of a synopsis. Instead, put the focus on only the big things. A synopsis should contain the major plot points, not the nuances or subplots or even too many characters.

There’s a trick to this, of course, and it’s also helpful in checking out your pacing. We’ll get to that shortly.

After I tossed my first attempt, I tried several different ways of attacking my synopsis. I finally found a system that worked pretty well.

1. Go through each chapter and write down the major plot point, plus my absolute favorite part. If the two happen to be the same, even better.
2. When I reach the last chapter, I have a list containing a high-level road map of my story. Turn that list into a narrative (present tense, third person, single spaced).
3. This is almost always too long because there are too many pieces of the story that I love and want to include. At this point, I pull out a rule of thumb: if it doesn’t change the character or his/her life in some way, internally or externally, then it’s got to go.
4. After all that, sometimes it’s still too long. Time to go through each item and prune out anything that’s not part of the story’s framework, or skeleton. I keep doing this until I’m down to a single page.
5. Tighten up word choice, review spelling and grammar/punctuation, and polish until it shines.

What you’re left with are the most important pieces. This is what an agent or editor is going to want to see. This will entice her to read all the little things in between so she can see how everything is tied together.

There’s also the practical application: checking your pacing.

If you can’t find the major piece in a chapter, or if that piece isn’t obvious, then it might be prudent to rethink that chapter. Or, if you have too many major pieces in a chapter, it might serve the story better to spread them out.

Be careful not to over-complicate things in your synopsis. If you want to wow an agent or editor with the depth and cleverness of your writing, then put that in the pitch paragraph of your query. In a synopsis, let the story speak for itself.

September Book Giveaway

Here are two more books for ya!

ARC of Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett

Ariadne is destined to become a goddess of the moon. She leads a lonely life, filled with hours of rigorous training by stern priestesses. Her former friends no longer dare to look at her, much less speak to her. All that she has left are her mother and her beloved, misshapen brother Asterion, who must be held captive below the palace for his own safety.

So when a ship arrives one spring day, bearing a tribute of slaves from Athens, Ariadne sneaks out to meet it. These newcomers don’t know the ways of Krete; perhaps they won’t be afraid of a girl who will someday be a powerful goddess. And indeed she meets Theseus, the son of the king of Athens. Ariadne finds herself drawn to the newcomer, and soon they form a friendship—one that could perhaps become something more.

Yet Theseus is doomed to die as an offering to the Minotaur, that monster beneath the palace—unless he can kill the beast first. And that "monster" is Ariadne’s brother . . .

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

To enter, fill out the form below, then come back here on Saturday, September 24th to see if you've won. Good luck!

The Fox Inheritance by Mary Pearson

Once there were three. Three friends who loved each other—Jenna, Locke, and Kara. And after a terrible accident destroyed their bodies, their three minds were kept alive, spinning in a digital netherworld. Even in that disembodied nightmare, they were still together. At least at first. When Jenna disappeared, Locke and Kara had to go on without her. Decades passed, and then centuries.

Two-hundred-and-sixty years later, they have been released at last. Given new, perfect bodies, Locke and Kara awaken to a world they know nothing about, where everyone they once knew and loved is long dead.

Everyone except Jenna Fox.

I read The Adoration of Jenna Fox years ago, and loved it. Mary Pearson is a genius! Her books always have such depth, which is what I love most about her work. There is so much to love in The Fox Inheritance: forgiveness, guilt, avoidance, acceptance, change, and letting go. Pearson introduced the concept of darkness in people, and how it’s not the darkness itself that makes us bad, but how we choose to deal with it. Violence vs. mercy. Calculating, one-track minds vs. compassion and willingness to listen. Absolutely stunning.

In The Adoration of Jenna Fox, we learn that a car accident occurred, setting the whole story in motion. In The Fox Inheritance, we find out more about that accident, and we’re in the head of Jenna’s friend, Locke. Locke’s and Kara’s consciousness ends up spending 260 years in some sort of computer storage before they are given bodies and educated about the new world around them.

I absolutely loved how Pearson managed to take us back to the accident, and at the same time set the story 260 years after it happened. Locke seems simultaneously stuck back in his native time period, and yet also stuck in his new one. As a result, he has a very difficult time doing more than going through the motions of living, which isn’t how he’d lived his life before the accident.

Slowly, he learns to open his eyes to the reality of his new world and begin to deal with the things churning inside of him. In the process, he learns that some people aren’t who he thought they were, both in good ways and bad. It becomes an empowering experience for him, learning his strengths and weaknesses and setting himself on a path to discovering who he is now. Much like a normal adolescence, and yet it couldn’t be more different. Brilliant!

If you get a chance, definitely pick up a copy, and then re-read it a few times. There is plenty of fantastic subtly and subtext to explore here.

100 Book Reading Challenge: September

How's your reading going? I'm doing a bit better, now that I'm finished with revisions (for now, anyway, though that will likely change soon). I'm up to 47 books, so maybe I will catch up and make my 100 books for the year after all. It all depends, of course. :)

I've got two more books to give away for this month's reading challenge.

ARC of Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...

Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside.

ARC of The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who needs her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

 

To enter, fill out the form below. You may join this challenge at any time. Also, you must follow these rules, or your entry will be disqualified:

1. One URL per entry, and that URL must directly link to a book review. A general link to your blog or Goodreads account isn't specific enough (I simply don't have the time to go sifting through a hundred entries to figure out what everyone is reading).
2. You may enter as many times as you like, BUT you must keep to the one URL per entry rule. Otherwise your entry will only count as one.
3. You must have reviewed the book IN SEPTEMBER. Past reviews don't count.

FYI--to get to a direct link to your Goodreads reviews, click on the title of the book, and then click on the "My Review" heading just above where you type in your review. A link to your profile will render your entry invalid.

Come back here on Friday, September 30th to see if you've won. Good luck!!