For those participating, how is NaNoWriMo going so far? We’re now 17 days in, and I’m fairly satisfied with my progress so far. I like what I’ve put down, and am emotionally attached to my characters, so I’m excited to finish and get to editing.
I’ve been feeling under the weather these last couple of days, so I haven’t gotten as much work done as I would’ve liked, but I’m sure I’ll make up for that lost time eventually. I love creating mood boards, playlists and doing sketches of my characters while I’m writing. I find it helps me capture the characters personality, and see them as more fleshed out. I could honestly spend hours just creating characters, I think that’s why I spend so much time in Create-A-Sim when I’m playing Sims4. I like to imagine the story of their life, what sort of careers they might have, who they’ll love…if they’ll love at all? I love to think about the types of clothes they wear, what they eat, what they listen to, what their favourite genres are. That’s why I had so much fun doing OCtober last year. I wish I did it again this year, but I didn’t have time unfortunately.
For the novel I’m working on right now, I’ve got a playlist going with an array of songs that I find really fit the theme and characters…or just the overall vibe. Heaven, California is one of the songs that just fits the vibe.
Sometimes I just have this playing faintly in the background while writing. I also listen to a bunch of other songs like Greenroom, My Girlfriend is a Witch and Girl With One Eye.
The images above are all outfit inspiration that I draw from for some of the character’s in the novel. Some character’s, at least in my mind, have a signature colour scheme. Occasionally I’ll sketch a series of outfits that I want to describe for key scenes in my novels. This can be helpful when I go back and edit, in case I want to add some more visuals. Sometimes I do this just for fun. With Vermin, I have a lot of outfit sketches and things, especially for Rose. She has a few signature looks that she wears throughout the series.
I’m very excited about this new novel, and of course I will keep you all posted on the next two books in The Vermin Series, and when those will be released once I have more information on that.
As promised, yesterday the EP Songs from Vermin released onto streaming platforms, along with the single Loneliness. I had so much fun recording all of…
Well, seeing as how I get free ARCs every week or so, I thought I’d share how this works, as well as giveaway contests, book fairies, and free libraries.
ARCS
Now, I’d like to start off by clarifying what an ARC is, because not everyone is aware, especially if they’re new to the world of reviews. An ARC is an Advanced Review Copy or Advanced Reader Copy. These can either be eBooks, or print proof versions of of books that are coming out in the near future. They are not final versions, and are sent out in order for books to gain reviews and generate discussion prior to their release.
I get eBook ARCs through websites such as Netgalley, and ARC Reviewers.
With Netgalley, the more reviews you share on your blog, booktok, goodreads etc…the more likely you are to be approved for the most anticipated upcoming releases. It’s also a good idea to make sure that you fill out your Netgalley profile completely, so that publishers know exactly what type of books you are looking for. I often get approved for manga review requests, because I read, and review them frequently on my blog and Goodread’s account. The same goes for children’s literature. With Netgalley, there is also a time limit for completing these books. Most ARCs expire by the books release date, or the week of, and depending on the demand, it can be hard to get approved for popular requests without prior reviews on your chosen platforms.
ARC Reviewers has a smaller selection of books available, but it is much easier to get access to new releases. Usually there are 3-5 eBooks to choose from, with a limit of 20 copies for each book. There is anything from romance, to sci-fi on the website, and it is a great way to build your review roster so that you can get approved for ARCs from larger, more competitive websites like Netgalley. ARC Reviewers also does not have a request system in place, so anyone can download an ARC. This is perfect for people starting out, as these ARCs do not expire after a specific time period, and reviewers can add these books to their reviews on Goodread’s, and other platforms to build a following.
Now onto physical ARCs. Physical ARCs have become much harder to come by in recent years, especially with the pandemic. The most common way to get them, is to work for bookstores like Indigo or Barnes & Noble. Publishers will often reach out to these stores directly when they are are looking for avid readers, to review ARCs because it helps to boost sales upon release. If employees at your local bookstore always seem to have read the latest releases, it is because publishers like Harper Collins, Penguin and Scholastic are reaching out to them with free copies of books, sometimes months in advance. By working at a bookstore, book lovers can get access to great programs, giveaways and much, much more.
This year, I became a Children’s and Middle Grade ARC Ambassador for Scholastic. As an ARC Ambassador, Scholastic sends me physical copies of books to read and review for these specific age groups. On occasion I will also receive books in other genres I enjoy, outside of young readers, such as Science Fiction. I get around 2-6 books to read every few weeks and usually these books are sent to me a few months before the actual release date, but sometimes I will get a recent release to review as well. These reviews I post here on my blog, as well as on Goodreads. I will also share my reviews with my team members, highlighting which customers I feel would enjoy reading that specific book. I always aim to add a personal touch to my reviews, especially when I connect well with a book, as I want my review to attract readers to their next favourite book.
ARC Review Etiquette
One thing to keep in mind is ARC Review Etiquette.
What do we do with DNF’d books or low ratings, if the book hasn’t hit the shelves yet?
My rule as a reviewer is, when it comes to Netgalley, send a direct message to the publisher with my concerns about an unreleased book. In these cases I will choose not to leave a public review, because I don’t feel it is fair to the author, and their team to publically slam an unreleased book. I contact them directly out of respect for the people behind the book, in hopes that any concerns I had with the book would be addressed and corrected before the final version was released. The last time I did this, was to address the descriptions of POC in a debut novel I’d gotten an ARC for. I had been extremely excited to read the book, but once the POC character’s were introduced, I noticed a lot of problematic descriptions, that I don’t believe the author or publisher even noticed as potentially harmful. Unfortunately these issues were not addressed, and the book received poor reviews and ratings. As you might notice, I’m not sharing the title of this book out of respect for the author and publisher. I’ve never posted my review either. To me, if I didn’t even finish the book (DNF) I don’t feel it is fair to post that review publically until after the marketing campaign is over. Although this book has been out for over a year now, I feel there are enough reviews on it, which address the thoughts I expressed in my direct message to the editor and publisher before the release. All I’ll say about that situation is, that there are certain tropes, stereotypes and descriptions that definitely need to be retired, and hopefully the author’s next book is a success. As a reviewer I like to be mindful and will always spend time determining whether or not a public review is necessary. If I do leave a public review, for a book I didn’t enjoy, I like to be as polite as possible. You can still be kind, while providing criticism or sharing your opinion. I don’t like chocolate ice cream, but I would never say “this is trash!” to my sister, who absolutely loves it. Just because I don’t enjoy something, doesn’t mean someone else won’t. Sometimes, it just isn’t for you, which brings me to my next point: with low ratings, it is proper review etiquette to provide readers with an explanation, as it’s unhelpful to those who rely on reviews to simply see a 2 star rating, without any reasoning behind it.
Now, everything I mentioned above in terms of Review Etiquette is something that reviewers often debate when it comes to ARCs and book tours. I always reevaluate this whenever I read a book I wasn’t fond of, and try to take into consideration the people behind the book, the amount of work they did, and whether or not what I have to say is thoughtful and worth contributing to the conversation. To completely trash a book during it’s release month or even worse, on the release date is just seen as poor review etiquette, at least amongst reviewers I follow and admire. This is why at times, you’ll see videos made say, three to six months after a book releases titled, “books I DNF’d.” Everyone however, has their own approach to this, but I do encourage people to really reflect before posting a review.
Giveaways
Now onto giveaways.
How does one find book giveaways?
Well, there are many places to look. A lot of giveaways are hosted by authors, publishers, bookstores and even reviewers. I follow the newsletters of several of my favourite authors, and they will announce giveaways a couple times a year, especially for new releases or special editions of books. These can be incredibly cool, and it’s always nice to win free stuff. It’s also beneficial to follow author newsletters because closer to the holidays, they might offer neat treats to their fans. One author I follow gave away Halloween themed goodies, designed by an artist friend of theirs since their novel took place in a haunted mansion!
Author Kami Garcia recently did a giveaway on Instagram for bundles of her novels, and the DC graphic novel series she’s been writing based on the Teen Titan’s characters.
Publisher giveaways tend to be hosted on a variety of social media platforms. Sometimes they’re done in collaboration with specific booksellers, or authors. Other times, it’s just a fun campaign for bookish peeps to check out. Some publishers will also give away tote bags with book related goodies, and exclusive content. I usually see these giveaways on Instagram, but have stumbled across a handful on Goodreads and Twitter over the years. I recently saw a very cool giveaway for Heartstopper to celebrate the film adaptation!
You can also type in #giveaways or #freebooks in the search bars of your favourite social media apps to find some neat stuff, however always be sure to read the details and guidelines of these contests carefully, and make sure that the host isn’t asking for anything sketchy in return. You should never be asked to pay a fee to enter a giveaway (unless it’s a raffle to raise money), or provide information such as your credit card.
One of the best ways to constantly find giveaway’s for books is Goodreads. I’ve entered lots of giveaways through the site, and recently hosted one for Vermin. It’s very easy for people to enter, and it’s also fun to scroll through and see what books are available. All that is required is a Goodread’s account, and Goodreads will of course send you a reminder to leave a review of the book once you’ve finished it.
Book Fairies and Free Mini Libraries
Earlier in this post I mentioned book fairies. Book fairies are very special, magical beings, who leave books around in public places for people to keep and take home. They are more common in the UK, and I’ve yet to catch a book fairy in action, however when I was little one often frequented my local Starbucks. Sometimes a book fairy will leave little notes or wrap the books to keep the contents inside a surprise for the reader! I heard a rumour that Emma Watson is actually a book fairy! Shh…it’s a secret though. The main goal of a book fairy is to provide books to those who may not have access to new books, but to also spread joy and the love of ones beloved stories to others. Perhaps one day I’ll meet one? Or…maybe I’ll find out I was one all along?
Lastly, free mini libraries. There are so many of these in my neighbourhood, and they’re absolutely adorable! The purpose of these is similar to that of the book fairies. Neighbours can take a book to borrow or keep, and can also leave books inside to share with others. It always makes me happy to see what books are in these tiny libraries, and it’s a lovely way to give back to your community. For those like myself, who are avid readers and constantly running out of space, it is also a wonderful place to donate gently used books to those who might not have access. I highly recommend visiting one if you get the chance, and if you have the means to do so, perhaps donate some children’s, middle grade and teen books to mini libraries located near under funded school districts. Some new parents, and young families may also appreciate seeing baby board books, and books for early readers as well! In my neighbourhood, people always donate children’s books, and the free mini libraries are close to the park. This is great because not everyone has access to transportation, but these are within walking distance of their house.
Another thing to keep in mind is that with book fairies, and free mini libraries, reviews are not a requirement. The goal is to merely share books with fellow bibliophiles, and to spread joy. I think that once I have a place of my own, I would love to set up a free mini library…perhaps book fairies will visit me? I’d love it if they did.
I hope that through my reviews you find stories that you absolutely adore, and that this post will also lead you to other ways to not only get your hands on a free book for yourself, but also introduced you to new ways to share books with your community as well.
I’ve been following up on the current book discussions, via articles, videos, etc., and I’m saddened that so many wonderful books are being wrongfully removed,…
I’ve been following up on the current book discussions, via articles, videos, etc., and I’m saddened that so many wonderful books are being wrongfully removed, without proper review due to misinformation. There is already a lack of representation for these books as it is.
Over the last few years I’ve watched so many debuts come up, featuring diverse characters and stories, directed at a multitude of age groups, from toddlers all the way through to adult fiction. It’s been lovely seeing this reflected in literature…and now that boom in representation is being threatened, due to a lack of research.
Many fantastic, talented authors, who’s books have touched readers hearts are having their work removed from libraries and schools, or inappropriately relocated…and although this isn’t happening where I live, I feel deeply disturbed by this, as both a reader and author.
To give some background, where I live once you are of the age 13, your parents and or guardians are unable to request knowledge of what you’ve checked out of the library. It is your responsibility at that age to return the books on time, and to choose appropriate books for yourself. This is to protect a child’s privacy. My friends mom was our local librarian, and made it very clear when children were old enough to get their own library card, that the information on what they checked out would remain private. This is not just about a child’s privacy, but also their safety. Not everyone comes from a good home…although this is a fictional example, think of how Matilda’s father reacted to her, when she was reading “Moby Dick”?
It’s baffling to me that the privacy and safety of children, especially young adult/teens is being violated in such a way, where there is a discussion on whether their parents should be notified of every book their child is checking out at the library. This obsession to control what sort of literature your children are consuming is bizarre and unsettling.
I completely understand wanting to protect your child, but there comes a time when you need to honour, and value the importance of trust. Trust that your child is capable of choosing what literature they’re ready to consume. Just an ounce of trust, will gain you more respect from someone than not even allowing them to make decisions for themselves…or stripping them of the right to do so.
When I was younger, if I found a book I had purchased or borrowed was too much for me, I stopped reading it. Simple as that. As did all of my peers. it’s no different than quitting on a book you’re not enjoying.
If we were assigned a “difficult” book, that dealt with unsettling content, we were told by some teachers (as providing trigger warnings was fairly new when I entered high school and university), which pages or chapters to skip, and depending on our teacher those sections were discussed in a way that was respectful, versus exploitive.
I highly recommend reading the article from BookRiot’s Danika Ellis on this subject, as it goes into further details on the 414 books that have been placed on this list, and the reasoning behind it.
My main intention with writing this blog post is to bring awareness to this situation, as removing books that could potentially cause “an individual [to] feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of the individual’s race or sex” or that covers topics such as “human sexuality” is wrong, and there are books being placed on this list that make no sense. This is merely being used to shut down and reverse the progress the literary community has made over these last few years.
Think about this for a moment, a book that features a South Asian character as the lead who enters a school talent show with their band shouldn’t be considered “uncomfortable” or cause “guilt.” Yet these are the types of books that have ended up on the list, despite not even mentioning racism as a topic, and merely having a POC as the lead.
I would never put a novel like The Boy in the Striped Pyjama’s on this list, just because it made me cry when I was 13. It is a novel, that is written not to make one feel anguish, but to make you think about how differently children view the world around them, and how as children we value kindness and friendship, over race and religion. Why would this lesson be considered a bad thing? Should this book be banned because it has a sad ending, and fictionalizes historic events in a way that is more accessible for young readers to understand? Absolutely not. We need books like this, so that we can educate ourselves, and grow…to truly understand why we cannot and should not repeat history and go back on our progress.
I also wouldn’t put S.E Hinton’s, The Outsider’s on this list because it deals with gang violence, abuse, and opens up discussions about class. This novel deals with heavy subject matter, and yet it’s assigned to student’s as young as 13. To this day it is one of my favourite books, and films. It talks about friendship, the bond of brothers and how we can lean on our friends and community in times of tragedy. How there is nothing wrong with caring about other’s, and expressing ourselves through art, and finding healing in that after loss. Why would you want to take away a book like that? A book that makes you think hard about the type of person you want to be in your community? A book like this can help you navigate difficult subjects amongst your peers, such as bullying, poverty, growing up and how to be there for a friend who comes from a rough home. again, this is a novel that should never be removed.
Both of these examples, are of books that I read and adored. they bring up things like race, violence, prejudice based on class, religion etc…and yet, I would never put them on a list like this.
In fact, I would never think to put them or novels like Catcher in the Rye, and the perks of being a wallflower on a banned book list. It doesn’t make any sense. We’ve learned so much from these books, not only about the characters but about ourselves. If reading something like The Outsider’s makes you uncomfortable, then it is a good time to ask yourself why. If reading a book featuring a character of a race, religion or social background that differs from yours, makes you uncomfortable then it is a good chance to look inward and reflect on those feelings.
This deliberate effort to eliminate all of the progress that’s been made, is worth discussing among all literature communities. Whether it is effecting you or not…the point is, that this is being done to squander the efforts of marginalized communities, communities that have fought to get their work published…only to have it wrongfully investigated and removed under the guise of “protecting children.”
I highly encourage those of you reading my post to look into this topic, and to think about the novels you read when you were in school (or if you’re currently in school, the novels you’re reading right now). What was the impact it had on you, and do you feel that these books could be wrongfully pulled and placed on a banned book list if the subject matter and character’s were taken out of context?
As YA week comes to a close, I’ve found myself reminiscing over some of my old favourite books that I read during my teenage years. Although I still read YA, there are certain books that just stayed with me over the years, ones that I often return too.
The Outsiders and That Was Then, This is Now by S.E Hinton.
S.E Hinton is still one of my favourite YA authors. I actually own an anniversary copy of The Outsiders, and adored the book so much as a kid that I nicknamed one of my own character’s Ponyboy. If you’ve read Vermin, you’ll also notice one of my character’s is named Kurtis, with a K. Ponyboy Curtis. Although the character’s have nothing in common, I couldn’t help it. I’d also be lying if I said that Kurtis was the only character in my work over the years to be named after a favourite character of mine.
Sometimes I also shout, “Do it for Johnny!” when I need to motivate myself to finish chores. Adulting, am I right?
House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer.
This book was so good! Honestly, Mateo was one of my favourite characters of all time. I really wish Netflix or somebody would adapt this series into a show because trust me, it would be absolutely fantastic. I highly, highly recommend if you’re into sci-fi, thrillers and crime stories.
Dawn of the Arcana by Rei Toma.
This manga is one that you have to read twice, because once you reach the end there’s this HUGE reveal…and that is all I will say about that. You should read. It’s really good. I’m surprised not that many people have heard about it. I loved Rei Toma’s work so much, that I do have a character named after them in one of my stories that I wrote in high school.
Confessions from the Principals Chair.
I honestly can’t recall how many times I’ve read this book since I got it in the 7th grade. I read it over and over and over again. I just really enjoyed the characters. I’m curious though, if this book is actually middle grade? Probably, but I reread it all the time in high school and university.
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.
I know that this isn’t technically YA either, but I read a lot of Charles Dickens and classic literature while I was in high school and I absolutely adored all of it. These were books that I’d chosen myself, and although my Nana isn’t a big fan of Dickens (she prefers thrillers/mysteries and romances), her and my granddad got me Oliver Twist, and then let me keep my uncles copy of Great Expectation’s which I read the summer before starting university. Of course the one of the first books I was assigned was Great Expectation’s, and I chose to do my midterm paper on it. I also read A Tale of Two Cities in the twelfth grade, and again absolutely adored it. The only Dickens works that I’ve seen adapted into film however are Oliver Twist, and A Christmas Carol. Funny enough, I don’t own a copy of A Christmas Carol, but I’d very much like to.
Dengeki Daisy by Kyousuke Motomi.
This series is still one of my favourites. I recently recommended it to a few friends at work. It’s really good. It’s got mystery, romance, action, humour and suspense. Everything you want in a shojo manga directed at teen girls. In all seriousness though, this was and still is one of my top series. I cannot stress enough how much fun it was to read. I believe this was also one of the first series that I collected in entirety. Before I would borrow one or two from the library, but this series I borrowed the first 5 from the library bought the rest, and then years later bought book 1-5 to complete the set. Totally worth the money.
Two Steps Forward by Rachel Cohn
As a teenager, I think I read just about every book I could find by Rachel Cohn. Two Steps Forward was my favourite of all of them, possible because it was the first I read, not realizing it was the sequel to her book The Steps. I just loved the characters.
Naomi and Eli’s No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Speaking of Rachel Cohn, if you loved the Dash and Lily series, you have to read Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List. There are scene from this book that still resonate with me to this day. Rachel Cohn and David Levithan are such a powerhouse. I’d love it if they wrote another book together!
Happy Face by Stephen Emond
I wish more people knew about this book. I believe I read it back in the 9th grade, and it absolutely broke my heart. The emotional rollercoaster was 100% worth it.
Liked this post? Why not explore one of these from my blog.
It’s YA week on Goodreads, so I thought I would do a blog post (possibly 2?) about my favourite young adult reads and talk about how the genre has evolved since I first became a YA reader to what it is like now.
As Goodreads mentions in their article, the tropes and characters we see in YA today are vastly different from the ones we saw 10 years ago. I remember when Dystopian fiction was huge, with series like The Hunger Game and Divergent. Not only was I reading the YA in this genre, I was also writing it. Vampires and angels were also popular, at least among YA fantasy. Some examples that I can think of are The Vampire Diaries, Twilight and Fallen…and there are many, many, many more from this period.
What I’m seeing now is more of a mix of both high and urban fantasy being written not only for young adult readers, but for middle grade and adult readers as well. Personally, this is something I absolutely love. There is so much variety within the fantasy books that are out right now, and I often go to friends for recommendations.
I also noticed that, well at least when I was a teenager, a lot of the books weren’t spooky enough. Now, not everyone likes spooky, but now there are so many YA books that border along the lines of horror, mystery and thriller. I’m curious to know whether television created this initial shift, or if it happened naturally within the media. I know when my mom was a teenager, that a lot of the YA books at the time fell in line with gothic literature. I’d say, at least the ones that I can recall her mentioning, were American Gothics. As for the thrillers, the ones I read as a teenager were all about spies, and I beginning to think that those prep-school spy books may have also contributed to the ever popular dark academia vibe we’re seeing today.
Another very obvious shift in teen fiction is the variety of voices, not only are the characters from all different backgrounds, but the are authors come from all walks of life as well! Literature is beautiful like that. Although, I feel the process was slow, books have become a space where people feel seen, and I hope that it translates across all media as we move into 2022. I’m really looking forward to this period of growth.
One thing that I have noticed is that there’ve been a lot of complaints about the lack of YA fiction geared toward a male audience. I’ve also noticed that the market seems to be more favourable towards female readers at this current time, however, there are plenty of YA books and series out there for everyone! I know plenty of guys who read Twilight when it was first released, and enjoyed it. I also know plenty of guys who were (and still are) obsessed with The Hunger Games, any and every book by John Green, and who are extremely invested in all the books by Leigh Bardugo. To quote one of my friends from high school, “A good book is a good book. I don’t care if Katniss is a girl. She’s cool.”
One other thing I’ve noticed is that YA fiction has brought back illustrated covers, which I have missed an incredible amount! I hope this carries over into other genres, because it gives the books such a personal feel to them. I’ve also noticed this with romance as well, but I’m still waiting for the illustrated covers to be the norm in horror again. I don’t read a lot of horror, but the old illustrated covers in that genre were incredible! If you haven’t gone through and looked at old horror covers, I highly recommend it…unless of course you don’t like horror, then please don’t. I don’t want you to get scared. Some are really freaky!
Lastly, I want to talk about the insane amount of fairytale retellings. I don’t mean insane as in it’s a bad thing. It’s not bad at all! I used to adore retellings when I was a kid, but they didn’t make very many for teens at the time I was getting into YA. There are so many cool ones out right now and it’s not just fairytales, it’s myths and legends and all kinds of lore being retold and reimagined for new audiences! I like this idea of taking something familiar and flipping it on its head. It’s just so much fun, revisiting a story but having it be completely new to you.
What’s your favourite shift in YA? Is there anything that you miss about older YA books that makes you feel nostalgic?
I have learned so much throughout this publishing journey and am continuing to learn. I’ve asked a lot of questions, seen fellow authors debuting, fell in love with the editing process while working with my editor, and have been given wonderful advice by others in the industry.
I’m still struggling to describe this feeling…I’m excited but excited doesn’t seem like the right word. Regardless, I’m thrilled to finally have my book out there for others to read. I’ve kept this story to myself for nearly eight years and it has become something that I am very fond of. I’ve loved sharing character mood boards here on my blog, artwork, poems and playlists inspired by the story…as well as sharing this entire process.
I’ve gotten better at talking about my work since it was accepted for publication and seeing the cover images, having ARC’s going out and having Vermin listed on Goodreads is so cool!
I think its very sweet how supportive my family has been. It means a lot to know that they’re both happy and excited for me and that despite not all of them being big fiction readers, wanting to show their support.
My sister has been fantastic in supporting me! Absolutely fantastic and I cannot wait until I can share some of the cute little things she’s been designing for me for this debut. She’s been pulling all-nighters to help me out…like seriously, I couldn’t ask for a more awesome little sister.
My editor and publisher have also been fantastic with answering all of my questions, organizing everything and helping me stay on track. They’re wonderful and I’m so happy that I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with them on this book!
If you follow me on Instagram and Twitter, you may have already seen the cover reveal updates…but if not, here’s Vermin.
If you are interested in reviewing this book, there are still some ARCs available. You can also add Vermin to your Goodreads TBR.
My novel is now listed on Goodreads! This is so cool. Now I’m even more excited for the author copies to arrive.
This also means that I’ll be doing the cover reveal later today!
ARCs are also being sent out this morning to those who signed up to do early reviews. For those who requested a copy, thank you so much for taking the time to read my book. Your enthusiasm and support is greatly appreciated and I hope you’ll enjoy reading and spending time with my characters.
If you would like to add the book to your TBR you can find it here on Goodreads.
Left for dead at the side of the road in an outlawed town, Nicholas is rescued by a human girl. Plagued by fevered dreams and a lethal illness, Nicholas doesn’t know what to make of her kindness. If she knew what he was, death would be a merciful gift.
Rose takes it upon herself to show the boy hospitality, despite her uncle Roland forbidding her from going near him. She survived the brutal sickness and knows exactly what their guest is going through—he needs a friend.
When Rose’s uncle discovers what Nicholas is, Roland stands to lose everything when he turns Nicholas into a test subject. Dire circumstances force him to coax an old flame into helping domesticate the beast, turning this supposed opportunity into a cruel experiment on himself.
As Rose and Nicholas grow closer, Roland’s decision to keep the boy’s identity a secret threatens to bring history full circle. Can Roland guard two hearts as he struggles to keep his future and the boy alive?
Now that we’ve finalized the design for the cover, I’m also excited to announce that there will be ARC’s available very soon.
I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has followed my updates and shown support during each stage of this book. Your encouragement helped me push through and I’m incredibly grateful for all of it.
Over the next week I will be releasing more information about the ARC’s, for those interested in reviewing, but for now I will be sharing that little teaser image and letting you know that the ARC’s provided will be in ebook format.
Ardin Patterson 