Sunday, September 9, 2012

*Born in Flames*

Welcome to my stop along the
Born in Flames
by Candace Knoebel
Mini Blog Tour

Red mirrored scales race up my arms as the haze of pain blurs my vision. My bones crack, breaking to realign. I scream. It is then that the realization of my unavoidable fate sinks in; I am of a dying race. I am dragon. 


  
Aurora Megalos, orphaned and teetering on the edge of adulthood, thought finding her past would curb the sting of being an outcast. Having no memories of the time before she awoke on her foster mother’s doorstep, she yearns for the emptiness inside her to be filled. With her fellow orphaned best friend, Fenn, by her side, she has nothing to lose and everything to gain. But something powerful stirred within her that she couldn’t explain. Something wanted out.

In the dark of night, a crazed Seer, dubbed Mr.Creepy, erases everything she’s ever known with an impending prophecy. She now faces two paths. Return to her true home to protect a dying race against a growing evil, or stay hidden in the safety of our realm with a shot at a true love. With a vengeful Arch Enemy stopping at nothing to see her dead, she’s running out of time; a decision must be made. What would you choose?

About the author
Candace Knoebel had dreamed of being a dancer ever since she could remember. With a love of all things art, she saw herself moving to New York and pursuing her passion as an artist. But all that changed on October 10th, 2002 when she met the love of her life. Her dreams diverged and after marrying her high school sweetheart and having two beautiful children, she realized she missed her creative side.

Growing up alongside the Harry Potter series, Candace found herself missing the epicosity of a story that pulls you in and won’t let you go. In 2009, she began dreaming up characters that would mold her first novel. Through lunch breaks and late nights, after putting her kids to bed, she built a world where she could escape the ever-pressing days of an eight to five Purgatory. She found her calling in life and knew this was more than dancing could’ve ever meant to her.

Once complete in 2010, she began the grueling process of finding a publisher. With relentless determination, she was finally able to realize her dream in December of 2011 when 48fourteen offered her a publishing contract. With a HUGE yes and a happy dance, she now continues her Trilogy.

Where to find more info
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/CandaceKnoebel
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Candace-Knoebel/190993824332540?ref=ts


My review
Let me start by saying I am very excited to be a part of this blog tour along side all of these amazing women and their blogs. Second can I just say how gorgeous is the cover for this book right I LOVE IT!! And third I am so happy to get of the the proverbial YA beaten path with not only a fresh story line but a GREAT story line.

 I love that the story starts off by backing up. So many times you read a story and you only find out later on the what, when, why, where and hows of the story. In Born of Flames you get it from the beginning. So from very early on in the story you can concentrate on not figuring out the past but anticipating the future and the journey you know it will take to get there. 


I really like the two main characters. Aurora and Fenn compliment each other very well. I like the way they balance each other out and keep each other grounded. They are the same in alot of ways but at the same time very opposite. For instance when Aurora's hot temper starts getting the better of her it's Fenns' level levelheadedness that brings her back to herself.


I have to say that this book is a little opposite of the YA fantasy novels that I've been reading lately. Refreshingly so. Most of the time the main character finds out she's from a different world and right away has to go to said world to find out what Her purpose is, whereas in Born in Flames she has to figure out her destiny and accept it before she can get there. 


For me the story really picks up two thirds of the way through and I knew I wouldn't be putting it down again until the story was over. (of course being a trilogy it ended at just the beginning). 

This book  has a very steady flow that picks up the pace as it progresses. I had a very challenging goal of reading it in one day to make it  in time for my stop in the blog tour. When I picked my kindle up with a sigh of defeat thinking "there's just no way I'm going to get this book read in time". Then I started reading and knew that this would be a book that I wouldn't just get through in one day but I had to get through in one day because there was no way I was going to put it down for sleep. 

So I say to everyone out there who is reading this review: This is one of my favorite books of the year and a 100% MUST READ!!  

Blog Tour Schedule:

September
8th: The Secret Sanctuary of Books - Guest Post: Introducing the Born in Flames Trilogy
9th: Terri's Book Addiction - Review
10th: Paranormal Reads - Review
11th: The Indie Bookshelf - Review
12th: Tam's Two Cents - Review + author interview
13th: Paranormal Book Club - Review + character interview with Aurora
14th: Tsk Tsk What To Read - Review



Giveaway
One lucky person will win an ecopy of Born in Flames
simply fill out the rafflecopter below

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