I'm thrilled and excited to take part in my first ever blog tour with Rachel McClellan's debut novel, Fractured Light. This would be released by Cedar Fort Publishing in February 2012. As I am part of this blog tour under the The Hollow Readers, do check out my fellow bloggers review as well.
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| Read from December 17 to 23, 2011 |
Publishing Date: February 8, 2012
Publisher: Cedar Fort Publishing
Number of Pages: 312
Genre/s: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy
Llona Reese is used to living on the run. After the Vykens killed her parents, she knew they would eventually come for her too. She can’t take any chances. But when she starts to make friends for the first time in her life, she gets careless and lets her guard down. Big mistake.
As an Aura, Llona can manipulate light and harness its energy. But if she wants to survive, Llona will have to defy the Auran Council and learn to use her power as a weapon against the Vyken whose sole desire is to take her light. Now she’s caught in something even bigger than she can understand, with a power she can’t wield, and no one she can trust, except, just maybe, a mysterious stranger. - From Goodreads
Excerpt: “The future is never ours alone. Without others, our destiny could never be fulfilled. Could you imagine Superman trying to fulfill his purpose if there weren’t people to save? He could never do it. And so we must be aware of those around us and never shut the door on opportunities that help us to grow and learn, no matter how difficult they seem. Only by doing this will we be able to live to our full potential.”
From the moment I read the prologue, I knew I was going to love Fractured Light. And I'm happy to say my expectations were greatly exceeded. This book was awesome! It has the right amount of love, thrill, and adventure.
Ever since Llona's parents died, something inside her died as well. She blamed her parent's death on their kindness and vowed that she would never make the same mistake. But goodness is innate in her, because like her mother, she's an Aura and an Aura's purpose is to bring light and comfort to those who need them. When she settled at Bountiful, Utah all her survival plans starts to crumble. She started making friends and opening up. But everything has a price and if she's not careful the same enemy, who had killed her parents, might claim her life as well, along with those she loves.
First, I’d like to say that Llona is amazing. If you define a heroine that kicks butt, she would definitely fit the bill. Here's why:
1) She's independent and brave to the point of foolishness but you'll love her for it because it just makes everything more exciting.
2) She knows what she wants and fights for what she believes in. It does make her seem selfish at times but that's also where she truly shines. As Auras, they were raised not to fight but she defied the rules to protect everyone she loves.
3) She's a survivor. You'd think by all the crap-ola she's been through, she would complain but nah she never whined. Plus, she's hilarious.
And there’s Christian, the endearing knight. Half of the time I love him, half of the time I want to punch him for being such a stickler to rules.
I was also engrossed by the guessing game McClellan skillfully created which is to guess who is Mr. Lurking Evil. By the time of the big reveal, I was suspecting half of the characters. Although, I have a pretty good hunch that it was that someone, I couldn't exactly pin that someone down because the guilt-o-meter is wildly pointing at different directions and everybody was equally suspicious.
And when Mr. Lurking Evil was finally revealed, it did confirm my guess but it didn't lessen the intrigue factor. What it actually did was heightened it! I think a stupendo was warranted here. So there you go, stupendo!
Another thing that's really commendable about Fractured Light is the humor. Sometimes I think authors forget about them thinking intense world-building would suffice. There’s also the suave storytelling which has the right balance of everything. From the story of Light vs. Dark, to the suspense and mystery parts, and to the love aspect. She also injected just the right amount of information to grip her readers and not bore them. And when the story grips you, it wouldn't let go. Every end of the chapter was like a mini-cliffhanger which made this book very un-putdown-able.
And the ending, oh the ending! McClellan took my heart out and squeezed it just a little. And who would have thought first kiss could ever be that sweet?? Just thinking about it makes me swoon.
One of my favorite reads this 2011, I couldn't say enough how much I adore Fractured Light. The ending left me with a silly grin on my face, but with all the seriousness I can muster, I am highly recommending this book and you MUST get a copy when it comes out on February 2012. I couldn't wait to know more about Auras and Vykens and I am definitely looking forward for more sweet kisses. Kudos to McClellan for a job well done!
Ever since Llona's parents died, something inside her died as well. She blamed her parent's death on their kindness and vowed that she would never make the same mistake. But goodness is innate in her, because like her mother, she's an Aura and an Aura's purpose is to bring light and comfort to those who need them. When she settled at Bountiful, Utah all her survival plans starts to crumble. She started making friends and opening up. But everything has a price and if she's not careful the same enemy, who had killed her parents, might claim her life as well, along with those she loves.
First, I’d like to say that Llona is amazing. If you define a heroine that kicks butt, she would definitely fit the bill. Here's why:
1) She's independent and brave to the point of foolishness but you'll love her for it because it just makes everything more exciting.
2) She knows what she wants and fights for what she believes in. It does make her seem selfish at times but that's also where she truly shines. As Auras, they were raised not to fight but she defied the rules to protect everyone she loves.
3) She's a survivor. You'd think by all the crap-ola she's been through, she would complain but nah she never whined. Plus, she's hilarious.
And there’s Christian, the endearing knight. Half of the time I love him, half of the time I want to punch him for being such a stickler to rules.
I was also engrossed by the guessing game McClellan skillfully created which is to guess who is Mr. Lurking Evil. By the time of the big reveal, I was suspecting half of the characters. Although, I have a pretty good hunch that it was that someone, I couldn't exactly pin that someone down because the guilt-o-meter is wildly pointing at different directions and everybody was equally suspicious.
And when Mr. Lurking Evil was finally revealed, it did confirm my guess but it didn't lessen the intrigue factor. What it actually did was heightened it! I think a stupendo was warranted here. So there you go, stupendo!
Another thing that's really commendable about Fractured Light is the humor. Sometimes I think authors forget about them thinking intense world-building would suffice. There’s also the suave storytelling which has the right balance of everything. From the story of Light vs. Dark, to the suspense and mystery parts, and to the love aspect. She also injected just the right amount of information to grip her readers and not bore them. And when the story grips you, it wouldn't let go. Every end of the chapter was like a mini-cliffhanger which made this book very un-putdown-able.
And the ending, oh the ending! McClellan took my heart out and squeezed it just a little. And who would have thought first kiss could ever be that sweet?? Just thinking about it makes me swoon.
One of my favorite reads this 2011, I couldn't say enough how much I adore Fractured Light. The ending left me with a silly grin on my face, but with all the seriousness I can muster, I am highly recommending this book and you MUST get a copy when it comes out on February 2012. I couldn't wait to know more about Auras and Vykens and I am definitely looking forward for more sweet kisses. Kudos to McClellan for a job well done!
Cupid's Verdict:
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| 5 Cupids |
An advanced copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley at no cost.
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About the Author:
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| Rachel McClellan |
I was born and raised in Idaho, a place secretly known for its supernatural creatures. When I'm not in my writing lair, I'm partying with my husband and four small children. My love for storytelling began as a child when the moon first possessed the night. For when the lights went out, my imagination painted a whole new world. And what a scary world it was… Oh, and my debut YA novel Fractured Light will be out February 2012.
To learn more about the author and the publisher you can visit here:
Author Blog: http://www.blackbirdinmywindow.blogspot.com/
Author Website: http://www.rachelmcclellan.com/
Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRachelMcClellan
Book Poster page: http://fracturedlightbook.com/
Publisher Blog: http://www.cedarfortbooks.com/
Publisher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cedarfortbooks
Publisher Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/cedarfortbooks
Publisher Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4202252-cedar-fort
If you want to check out other stops, click here. Also, don't forget to visit The Hollow Readers. See you there! :)
I love that cover!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this YA novel. Something about Llona drew me in from the beginning. She is living with her Uncle as her parents were killed (at different times) by a Vyken. A Vyken hunts Auras because if they drink the blood of an Aura then they can walk in day light. Problem is, you don't really know who they are.
ReplyDeleteFunny blue bird you have there. I keep on scrolling up and down fast so that it won't be able to catch up. HAHAHA =)
ReplyDelete