YA Book Spotlight: NIGHTINGALE

As an official participant in the NIGHTINGALE Blog Tour, I posted a Q&A a few weeks ago. I was, however, also supposed to release a book review. But with life as it can be sometimes, I didn't receive the book in time. So I'm releasing it now.

Title: NIGHTINGALE
Author: NYT Bestseller David Farland
Genre: Paranormal
Publisher: East India Press
Released: December 2011
Pages: 496

I'd like to thank the publisher for providing me with a hardcopy for review.

Favorite Line/Passage: But it wasn't like pages flashing before his eyes. It was more like little explosions in his head, as if landmines in his brain were going off, and these dark thoughts were just bits of shrapnel. Hundreds of them blossomed like mushroom clouds by the second. Bron was shocked and disgusted by the enormous quantity of them.

Description: Bron Jones was abandoned at birth. Because thats what his people do. Raised in foster care, hes kicked from home to home, for being too strange. Because thats how his people are. At age 16, hes the ultimate loner, until hes sent to a new foster home and meets Olivia, a marvelous teacher. She recognizes that Bron is something special, something her people can a Nightingale, a creature that is not quite human. Steel yourself. Youre about to meet Brons people. Suddenly epic forces combine to claim Bron, and he must fight to keep from getting ripped away from the only home, family, and girlfriend that he has ever known. He must risk his life to learn the answers to the mystery of his birth: What am I? Where did I come from?

NIGHTSTAND WORTHY

My Splats: a world within a world and a boy striving to do what was right despite the odds.

Bron was immediately easy to fall for. A victim of the System, he'd been bounced from one foster home to the next with no advocate really watching out for him and his best interests. The story opened with him in one of those less-than-fortunate situations, which sent the images of a male Cinderella to my mind. Emotionally battered, yet a strong will to survive, his plight was one many can connect with. Like most teens, Bron felt different. And he really was.

The mystery of Bron's tale soon took him to yet another 'foster' situation. However, this time was a move of fortune - a window into his real identity and a provided him with a guide to show him the way. The setting was interesting: a school focused on kids with creative talents such as artists or musicians. From this world building, Farland thrust the reader into Bron's first of many threats that could cost him his new found home - which he actually liked.

Another race living among the human race was clean and probable. Good verses Evil bled through the hidden race as well as between that race and humans. Basically, there was plenty of 'bad.' The concept of implanting memories and/or erasing them was intriguing. I won't say that I bought every explanation of the process throughout the book, but it was thought-provoking.  

At one point, the story took a turn, refreshing the reader with a loving and self-examining tone. With all this memory swapping, implanting, and altering, it had to be difficult to figure out what one believed and who could be trusted - just as in real life: What really makes a person behave the way they do? Could more hope, love, or courage change their behavior?

At the climax, Bron was wedged between good and evil again, but more than that, he was forced to confront the inner battle of right and wrong within him. 

As expected, the writing flowed and engaged me. Crumbs of information lay scattered amid the words with each turn of the page. Strategic places, teasing the reader. There was no doubt - Farland could tell a story. Though Bron was surely the main character, I enjoyed seeing his development through Olivia's (his new step-mom) eyes.

I'd have to say my only frown upon the book was the pacing. At times, the story lagged, almost seeming like information dumps, even during a few sections of dialog; felt too convenient. But in Farland's defense, he definitely had a ton of information to feed to the reader. 

I would recommend this book to any tween/teen/adult with a passion for reading longer novels consisting of strong world building and characters. Check it out.

ALLEYWAY ALERT! Something majorly exciting is happening today for me as well as some other amazing writers. The Best of Vine Leaves Anthology 2012 launches today!!! I'm thrilled to be included in such a wonderful collection of work. It would make a fantastic Christmas present for someone in your life. Or why not you?? I'd be forever grateful if you'd check it out and/or spread the word about it's release today. 

Look, I even have a pre-written tweet for you to use, courtesy of Jessica Bell!! 

Out today! @VineLeavesLJ Best of #Anthology, #NewRelease Awesome vignettes, incredible talent. Great 4 #xmasstocking!http://bit.ly/VdvIKj

Scarlet Woods Blog Tour!

Past, future, and love all exist in the door through time.

Modern and independent seventeen year old Morgan Westbrook thought she had seen all there was to her home town of Scarlet, Georgia, but one day while walking in the woods behind her house she discovers a
mysterious door masked behind the trees. After admiring the door’s timeless beauty she walks through its entrance to venture into more woods, but what she doesn’t know is that the door is a gateway through
time that takes her back to the year 1863 during the days of the Civil War in Scarlet.

Without knowing that she had traveled back in time, she stumbles upon Danny Carson, an attractive young man who is appalled to see that Morgan is wearing skimpy modern clothes instead of a nineteenth
century dress. Although they find each other completely different than anyone they’ve ever known, they cannot help but feel drawn to one another. After spending time in another century, she discovers that
she's time traveled back to the year 1863 and that the door took her there. For months she and Danny journey back and forth through the door to experience the joys of traveling to both of their centuries.
When dilemmas of unwanted marriage, slavery, and war are thrown at them, they must face the perils that time travel has delivered them in both the future and the past.



Now, meet Morgan Westbrook from Scarlet Woods.

Morgan, thanks for putting aside some of your time traveling to answer some questions for this interview.
I’m happy to do it, besides Danny was the one time traveling to see me in the future today so I didn’t miss out on anything really.

So, how exactly do you time travel to the year 1863?
I found out about time travel accidentally one day. I came upon this door in the woods behind my house and had no idea that walking through it would take me back to another century. It was a crazy experience and I still don’t know how that door is a portal through time, but hey it works so I take full advantage of time traveling every day.

Is there anyone who knows that you time travel?
Just Danny, no one else knows our secret. We can’t risk telling anyone about the door and have people think we’re crazy.

Now Danny Carson is the boy you met back in 1863 correct?
Yeah, he lives here in Scarlet but I live in the future while he lives in 1863. It’s weird that we both live in the same town but since we live in different centuries it’s like we live on two different planets since our time periods are so opposite.

So speaking of Danny, he is engaged right?
Yeah…

And I’m guessing that you don’t get along with his fiancée?
I would rather jump off a cliff if it meant avoiding her.

What’s the best thing about time traveling back to the nineteenth century?
Oh gosh it’s so much fun! I can’t even describe how incredible it is to be able to time travel. There are so many things I love about it that it’s so hard to choose what’s best. Even though sometimes I don’t like all the layers to the undergarments in the nineteenth century, I really do enjoy parading around in all the luxurious dresses I have. Also, men are much more gentlemanly to women during this time.

What’s the worst thing about the nineteenth century?
I freakin hate slavery. End of story. I could go on and on. Thanks to time travel, I have met this boy named Sam who is a slave and I just hate what all he has to go through at his plantation. Some slaves aren’t treated as bad as him, but still I don’t like it.

Do you have any people in your life right now that you don’t care for?
Well there’s Danny’s fiancée Evelyn Walker, who hates my guts, and then there’s her brother Roy Walker, who also hates my guts. I can’t stand the sight of him. He’s such a douche. The Walkers are the ones who own Sam. Roy is the main one who treats Sam bad. Every time I see Roy I want to punch him in the face.

Is the Civil War a big problem during this time for you and Danny?
The war hasn’t come to Scarlet yet. It will though eventually in 1864. I’ve told Danny about how the Union will come through Scarlet and practically destroy our town to the ground. He is scared of what is to happen to his home.

All this time travel sounds so interesting. It's been great chatting with you, Morgan. Let's meet your creator, Brooke Passmore.

I live in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and am a 22 year old young woman who
probably will never fully grow up. As a kid I played with Polly Pockets, swam in my swimming pool practically every day during the summer, and went on vacations to Disney World with my family (favorite days of my life). I loved telling stories as a kid by playing with my Polly’s and dressing up like princesses with my friends. Eventually everything that went on in my busy imagination I wrote down on paper
in the late hours of the night.

When I was in sixth grade I moved into a new house with woods directly
behind my backyard. I’d walk about the woods and loved trampling through the creek or getting lost in the trees. These trips through the woods gave me my inspiration for my book trilogy Scarlet Woods. My main character in my book is Morgan who lives in a house where the woods are right behind her backyard. My love for trees and anything woodsy definitely shows in my book and I hope I painted a pretty picture in readers’ heads about what Scarlet Woods looks like.

My favorite candies are Skittles and M&M’s. I put ketchup on practically anything with meat (even with chicken quesadillas). I’m a great fan of Florence and the Machine, The Beatles, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Birdie, and recently The Civil Wars. My favorite books are The Hunger Games, Shiver, and Wither. My favorite movies are Titanic and Gone with the Wind. The Vampire Diaries is the wonderful TV show I’m obsessed with (I’m a Delena lover!!). I hate ads on youtube that I repeatedly have to skip every single time I want to listen to the newest song from Glee. I love to smile, laugh, and purposefully sing loud and off key whenever my brother is around just to pester him. I have a cat named Phoebe who we named after Phoebe from Friends, a yorkie named Coco who we named because he likes to eat Cocoa Puffs, and a shih tzu maltese we named Indy after Indiana Jones. My favorite princess is Cinderella but I think my personality is a tie between Ariel and Belle so they’re all my ultimate faves. If I could choose a century to time travel to I’d probably choose the Victorian age, the roaring 20’s, the 1950’s, or the 1940’s. I think the Victorian age and the 1940’s were probably the most romantic eras in history and the 20’s and 50’s would probably the most fun! Check Brooke on her Blog, Twitter, and Goodreads.

SPLAT!! I didn't want you Alleywalkers to think I forgot about all the giveaways I've held, lately. I'll announce them all next week!