An Insight Of The Characters' World: Guest Post + Giveaway by Kelly Hashway

This is a feature where I ask authors to do a guest post discussing about the background of their books and share their experiences in creating the world in which the characters are portrayed.For more info on this feature,click HERE.

Today,Kelly Hashway stops by at my blog to share her experiences in creating the characters' world for her debut YA novel,TOUCH OF DEATH,which comes out on January 15th.Here's a bit of info on herself and TOUCH OF DEATH.

TOUCH OF DEATH by KELLY HASHWAY

 Jodi Marshall isn't sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she's in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she's being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.
After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he's not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she's part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendants of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.
Jodi's deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn't difficult enough, Jodi discovers she's the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can't figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I write for children of all ages from picture books up to young adult. I am proudly represented by Lauren Hammond of ADA Management. My debut YA, TOUCH OF DEATH, releases January 15, 2013 through Spencer Hill Press. Also look for my other upcoming YA novels: STALKED BY DEATH (Spencer Hill Press, July 23, 2013), THE MONSTER WITHIN (Spencer Hill Press, April 2014), THE DARKNESS WITHIN (Spencer Hill Press, TBA), and INTO THE FIRE (Month9Books, spring 2014). My debut MG series CURSE OF THE GRANVILLE FORTUNE releases in 2016 through Month9Books.



Contact Info:
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Now here's everything you need to know about how Touch Of Death came in existence.

I guess you can say I stumbled on the idea for Touch of Death. I was researching Greek mythology for another book at the time and came across a lesser-known myth about Medusa and the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. First, let me say I didn’t make up the 13th sign of the zodiac. I’ve seen several reviews that question whether or not it’s a real thing. It is. I can’t take credit for it, no matter how much I’d like to. According to myth, Ophiuchus was a healer. His power came from the Gorgon Medusa’s blood, which the goddess Athena gave to him in two vials. One vial contained the blood from the left side of her body, which was poisonous. The other vial contained the blood from the right side of her body, which could restore life. Ophiuchus never used the poisonous blood, but it made me wonder what would have happened if he had.
    

Since I wanted a cast of characters with both abilities, to kill and to restore life, I realized I was working with necromancers, but a different breed of them. I decided that they’d need to be born under the sign of Ophiuchus, so they are all born between November 29 and December 17. But I didn’t want to leave Medusa out of the story. I read many myths about her and realized that she got a bad reputation for no reason. According to some myths, Medusa was cursed by the goddess Athena because Athena was jealous that Poseidon wanted Medusa and not her. I thought this was really unfair and I wanted to portray Medusa as the beautiful and caring Gorgon I now see her as. So my necromancers are descendants of Medusa. Jodi and her friends call themselves Ophi, and Medusa is like a mother to all of them. 

The Ophi live in the world we all know. The difference is that the Greek gods are still around. The Ophi have safe houses to keep them away from humans, since their Gorgon blood is poisonous to humans. And because they are constantly raising souls from the underworld, they are on Hades’ list (and no not his Christmas list). He wants them all dead so he can take their souls and their powers. Like all groups, some Ophi are good and some abuse their powers. Jodi, my main character, questions a lot of the Ophi and how they use their abilities.
 

And that’s how Touch of Death came to be. Did I mention I’m born under the sign of Ophiuchus? 

 

Thank you so much for this awesome insight, Kelly!

And today's post also comes along with a giveaway!Enter below to win a signed copy of Touch Of Death.For terms and conditions please check the rafflecopter widget.Good Luck!
 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Touch Of Death by Kelly Hashway

Touch Of Death by Kelly Hashway

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars


Publication Date: January 15th 2013 by Spencer Hill Press

Blurb:  Jodi Marshall isn't sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she's in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she's being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.
After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he's not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she's part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendants of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.
Jodi's deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn't difficult enough, Jodi discovers she's the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can't figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.

My Review:

**ARC Received from Spencer Hill Press in exchange for an honest review.**

Confession time!!!This ARC had been collecting dust on my shelf for more than a month.A sign that I really need to make a clean schedule for all my review copies.**Sigh** 

But anyway,it's not everyday you find a book that exceeds your expectations.Most of the time I find the exact opposite happening with me.Touch Of Death is quite a wonderful read if you're into Greek mythology.I liked how the author used a little known myth about Medusa and Ophiuchus as the highlight of the story.I for one,am a HUGE fan of Greek mythology and this myth got me really interested.So you can already see why I liked the world building so much.The characters were okay.I wish I could have liked the main character Jodi more,but I guess she wasn't exactly the type of character I usually like.But Alex,on the other hand,was a lot more fun to read about.The other characters were also fit perfectly into their roles,so I did not have any problems with them at all.Though the zombies did give me the creeps,but in a good way,if that even makes sense!

The story itself picks off fast,so you do not have to bother yourself with chapters of boring introductions,but I felt that it wavered a bit in the middle but then picked up its pace again towards the end.

Touch Of Death is what I would call a good quickie read.Highly recommended for fans of Greek mythology,paranormal fiction and zombie apocalypses.Definitely grabbing the sequel!

Check out my blog tomorrow for an awesome guest post by Kelly Hashway and a chance to win a signed copy of Touch Of Death!Don't miss out! :)

Cover Reveal+ Sneak Peek Uprising by Jessica Therrien

Cover reveal!Cover reveal!Yes people,another one.This time I'm revealing the cover of Uprising on behalf of Jessica Therrien.Oh yes,if you've already read Oppression,then you're bound to be anticipating this one. XD

Gorgeous!!!!!I really love the orange-ish tint.Now let's see how it looks compared to the Oppression cover:

 

Which one's better?I really can't decide since they both look so good!!!What about you?Which one do you guys like better?Uprising will be out in stores on February 19th,2013 by ZOVA books in both paperback and ebook.And also,along with this cover reveal comes an exclusive sneak-peek/teaser of Uprising.

TEASER:

We left everything but the weapons. Clothes, food, toothpaste. There wasn’t time for things that weren’t essential to escape. The five of us went on foot in a direction that was meaningless to me. I had never seen what was outside of the edges of the safe haven, not since I’d been here.

When Mac stopped abruptly after our fifteen-minute trek into the woods, we all froze at once, bodies poised and ready to attack, eyes searching for threats.

“We’re here,” Mac announced. “What should we expect Marcus?”

I had never heard Dr. Nickel called by his first name, and it made me realize he wasn’t as untouchable as I had imagined. Just because he was here, didn’t mean we were safe.

            “I don’t know,” he answered. “Maybe an army, maybe nothing. Depends on where they are.”

            “Everyone best get down on the ground just in case,” Mac decided with a nod. “Weapons ready.”

            As I lay belly down in the dirt, I noticed Dr. Nickel pull a gun from his belt, and my stomach gave a heave.

“When I remove the haven walls, there will be a van. Everyone get in back. If anything goes wrong…” Mac paused, uncomfortable at the thought. “It’s been nice knowin' ya."  

Haven't heard of Oppression before?Here's some info to get you started.

 

Elyse knows what it means to keep a secret. She's been keeping secrets her whole life. Two, actually. First, that she ages five times slower than the average person, so that while she looks eighteen years old, she's closer to eighty. Second, that her blood has a mysterious power to heal. For Elyse, these things don't make her special. They make life dangerous. After the death of her parents, she's been careful to keep her secret as closely guarded as possible. Now, only one other person in the world knows about her age and ability. Or so she thinks. Elyse is not the only one keeping secrets. There are others like her all over the world, descendants of the very people the Greeks considered gods. She is one of them, and they have been waiting for her for a long time. Among so many of her kind, she should not be very remarkable--except for the prophecy. Some believe she will put an end to traditions, safeguarded by violence, which have oppressed her people for centuries. Others are determined to keep her from doing just that. But for Elyse, the game is just beginning--and she's not entirely willing to play by their rules.                                                                                                                         

 

Links : GoodReads / Facebook

   

Also,some info on the lovely author who made this cover reveal possible. :)

 

Jessica Therrien is the author of the young adult paranormal fiction series Children of the Gods. Book one in the series, Oppression, was published by ZOVA Books in February of 2012 and became a Barnes & Noble best-seller shortly after its release. The second book in the series, Uprising, will be available in    February of 2013.

Aside from her Children of the Gods series, Jessica’s work can also be found in a published collection of flash fiction stories called Campaigner Challenges 2011.Out of over 350 submissions her story, The Soulless, won first place for people’s choice and fourth place in the judging round of Rachael Harrie’s Writing Campaign Challenge. Her story, Saved, is also available as part of the anthology.

Jessica spent most of her life in the small town of Chilcoot, California, high up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In this town of nearly 100 residents, with no street lights or grocery stores, there was little to do but find ways to be creative. Her mother, the local English teacher, inspired her to do all things artistic, and ultimately instilled in her a love for language.

In 2003, Jessica attended California State University Long Beach where her passion for language found her studying Chinese, and in 2005 she moved to Taiwan to study abroad. From 2005 to 2006 Jessica was fully immersed in the Chinese language as she attended National Taiwan University, and in 2008 she graduated from San Diego State University magna cum laude.

Jessica currently lives in Chula Vista with her husband and is working on book three in her Children of the Gods series.

 

You can find Jessica Therrien on GoodReads ,Facebook , Twitter , Pinterest ,Tumblr or visit her Website.So enjoy the cover and that little teaser for now and keep your eyes out for February 19th.Until then! :)

Book Review: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Published:  September 20th 2011 by Bloomsbury Publishing
Blurb:  Greece in the age of Heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia. Here he is nobody, just another unwanted boy living in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles.

Achilles, 'best of all the Greeks', is everything Patroclus is not — strong, beautiful, the child of a goddess — and by all rights their paths should never cross. Yet one day, Achilles takes the shamed prince under his wing and soon their tentative companionship gives way to a steadfast friendship. As they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something far deeper — despite the displeasure of Achilles's mother Thetis, a cruel and deathly pale sea goddess with a hatred of mortals.

Fate is never far from the heels of Achilles. When word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, the men of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows Achilles into war, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they have learned, everything they hold dear. And that, before he is ready, he will be forced to surrender his friend to the hands of Fate.

Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart.

My Review: 

To tell you the truth,I would have rated this book a million stars if there was such an option.The Song of Achilles is supposed to be a different version of Homer's ballad Iliad,told from Patroclus' point of view.But sadly,I have not had the opportunity to find out for myself.We did not read about this one at school.We only read about the Trojan War.So,unlike many others,I was not able to predict the storyline.For me,the experience was like reading a brand new book which I knew nothing about.At first I didn't think that I'd be able to get into it,but slowly,bit by bit,I found myself digging deeper and deeper.Every emotion of mine reacted to Patroclus' own.And let's not forget the fact that the ending broke my heart.I don't know if this counts as a spoiler since most people already know the story,but I still gave a heads up just in case.It was really painful,reading about Patroclus watching Achilles' actions after his death.I had tears pricking at my eyes when I got to that part.And while the ending was a heartbreaking,it was also a happy ending in a way since Patroclus and Achilles do get united, even though it may be in the afterlife.I officially hate Thetis,since if it weren't for her Patroclus and Achilles would have been a whole lot better.Even though Achilles is the good guy,I feel that he's a total jerk.Like Briseis said,Patroclus deserved a lot better.Actually,when it comes to Achilles,my feelings are mixed.There are times when I feel like I could hug him,while at other times,I feel like punching him in the face.Patroclus should've totally left Achilles for Briseis,but then again if that happened,there would'nt be a story.I'd recommend this to anyone who simply loves reading,though a bit more to fans of Greek mythology and romance.

Favourite quote from the book:
In the darkness, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk.Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood, like a hundred golden urns pouring out the sun.

(P.S. You'll understand the significance of this quote once you've read the story.)

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Book Review:Underworld (Abandon Trilogy #2) by Meg Cabot

Underworld by Meg Cabot
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Number of pages: 256 pages
Published: May 8th 2012 by Point
Blurb:  Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn’t dead.

Not this time.

But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.

Her captor, John Hayden, claims it’s for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they’ve come back as Furies, intent on vengeance…on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.

But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there…and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies.

And unless Pierce is careful, this time there’ll be no escape.

MY REVIEW:

I was really reluctant to post this review here but I felt that you guys needed to know the truth and think twice before picking up a copy at the bookstore.

 

I really should have listened to my dad when he warned me about buying such a *cheesy* book.I knew better than to give this series a chance.But nooo,I just had to see more of John Hayden and started drooling over the cover(AGAIN).Honestly,when will I learn?I got tricked by the cover of the previous book as well,and yet I was actually stupid enough to buy this one.Miss Cabot,what the hell happened to you?I basically started my journey into the world of YA novels with your books.And now you end up writing such low quality crap?No offense,but the truth IS the truth,and no one can deny it.This one is even worse than Abandon . The plot was very short and uninteresting as well,and don't even get me started on Pierce and John.I mean,where's all the action?The publishers have finally gone crazy.First The Selection, and now this.As one of your(soon to be ex if you keep on writing such books)huge fans,I've got to say,I'm extremely disappointed.You might as well refrain from writing Awaken if you're going to turn it into another crappy book.

View all my reviews

Cover Reveal:The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus #3)

Name of the book : The Mark of Athena

Author: Rick Riordan
 
Number of Pages:  384 

Expected Publication: October 2nd 2012 by Hyperion Book CH

Blurb: In The Son of Neptune, Percy, Hazel, and Frank met in Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of Camp Halfblood, and traveled to the land beyond the gods to complete a dangerous quest. The third book in the Heroes of Olympus series will unite them with Jason, Piper, and Leo. But they number only six—who will complete the Prophecy of Seven?

The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land—Greece itself—to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophesy remains a mystery...

With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvelous ship, fearsome foes, and an exotic setting, The Mark of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan.


My Thoughts:
I have been waiting for months just to get a glimpse of this cover,let alone read the book.And the wait was definitely worth it.Honestly, is there even one book by Rick Riordan which doesn't have an awesome cover!?Half of the time I get deceived by awesome covers and blurbs.But that has never happened to me with any of Riordan's books.And I hope it doesn't happen this time either.Anyways,back to the cover.According to Rick,the cover represents an actual scene in the book.But he's being really sneaky about it and has decided to keep the two characters on the cover anonymous.He's released the first chapter online,though.If you want to view it, here's the link: http://disney.go.com/disneybooks/heroes-of-olympus/the-mark-of-athena/ 
You can also view Rick's blog post about this cover reveal at his blog.To make it easier for you, here's the link to his blog post: http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/06/mark-of-athena-cover-revealed.html 
Even if it's not much to satisfy the fans' craves,it does reveal a tiny bit of the story.And even if we're not satisfied, there's not much we can do about it other than sulk till the second of October.Don't get me wrong, I'm so not lecturing since I am a part of that fan group which will be sulking till the 2nd. Checking out the links might make you feel a bit better,though.So until the book comes out, sweet sulking! 

Book Review:Oppression by Jessica Therrien

Oppression by Jessica Therrien
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Blurb:
 Elyse knows what it means to keep a secret. She's been keeping secrets her whole life. Two, actually. First, that she ages five times slower than the average person, so that while she looks eighteen years old, she's closer to eighty. Second, that her blood has a mysterious power to heal. For Elyse, these things don't make her special. They make life dangerous. After the death of her parents, she's been careful to keep her secret as closely guarded as possible. Now, only one other person in the world knows about her age and ability. Or so she thinks. Elyse is not the only one keeping secrets. There are others like her all over the world, descendants of the very people the Greeks considered gods. She is one of them, and they have been waiting for her for a long time. Among so many of her kind, she should not be very remarkable--except for the prophecy. Some believe she will put an end to traditions, safeguarded by violence, which have oppressed her people for centuries. Others are determined to keep her from doing just that. But for Elyse, the game is just beginning--and she's not entirely willing to play by their rules.

My Review:

I was really excited to read this since a friend of mine really loved the book and wrote such a nice review about it. But sadly, while I thought that the book was not half bad, it didn't meet my expectations either.The good thing was that Jessica Therrien did not include forbidden love or anything similar which was quite unique,and I always like an author who has unique plots in his/her book instead of writing about the usual stuff.But my happiness was short-lived when I saw that the ending was abrupt, which is quite common nowadays.Of course leaving a reader mystified is a good thing, but leaving a story incomplete by making such an abrupt ending is not.The story also lacked much explanation and action as well, which might have made it more interesting.But I really liked the way the author showed the relationship between Elyse and William and also her relationship with Anna.But I'll still read the second book, and hopefully the author will make it more interesting.

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