Q + A: Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan (@glitzandshadows, @wednesdaybooks )

UFI welcomes Author Emily A. Duncan. Thanks for Joining us!!

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

I have a dark fantasy that I poured 11 years and half a million words into and then scattered other drafts: A space opera about technomagic, a contemporary fantasy about demons, scattered interconnected short stories about a vaguely Soviet Russian world. A lot of my effort was spent on that original dark fantasy, though.

How do you select the names of your characters?

Name generators and google! It sounds haphazard but I have an instinct for names that Feel Right for a character and fit the setting I’m working with; I know them when I see them. Sometimes I end up with something that might be a little unwieldy (Malachiasz, alas), but once it’s set on the character there is no changing it for me.

Do you recall the first ever book you read?

Ever? Lord, no, I have the memory of a goldfish, I can’t remember anything. But I deeply loved Brian Jacque’s Redwall series as a child, it is definitely what sparked my lifelong fascination with monasteries.

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EMILY A. DUNCAN works as a youth services librarian. She received a Master’s degree in library science from Kent State University, which mostly taught her how to find obscure Slavic folklore texts through interlibrary loan systems. When not reading or writing, she enjoys playing copious amounts of video games and dungeons and dragons. Wicked Saints is her first book. She lives in Ohio.

Find Emily and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter

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Wicked Saints
Something Dark and Holy #1
BUY

“Prepare for a snow-frosted, blood-drenched fairy tale where the monsters steal your heart and love ends up being the nightmare.” - Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen

A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.

A prince in danger must decide who to trust.

A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings.

Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.

In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan’s devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy.

“This book destroyed me and I adored it.”- Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Caraval

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Promo: Unbearable Failure by ML Guida (@mlguida2, @RoxanneRhoads)

Unbearable Failure
Bears of Aria #2
Amazon

He’s on a mission that could destroy his family, but he has to learn the truth. Only his mate is willing to stand by his side.

Vaughn: I won’t rest until I find out the truth.
No matter what––even if it disgraces my father.

Rumors are floating around that my father a decorated captain abandoned his crew on the cruel planet Sutois to save his own skin.

I can’t believe it’s true. He isn’t a selfish coward. Or is he?

But I have another problem. Our women are dying on Aria and we don’t know why.

An Earth woman may have the cure, but she won’t hand it over.

I don’t like kidnapping, but she leaves me no choice.

And she’s my mate.

Sandra Rotella: Everyone thinks I’m a failure. I’m here to prove them wrong.

My mom and stepfather are respected scientists and so far, none of my experiments have worked.

But one.

This is my chance to prove I’m as good as my parents.

An alien is desperate for the formula, desperate enough to kidnap me.

And he tells me we’re fated to be together.

That isn’t logical. He can’t take away my only chance for success.

I’ll fight to get back home.

Excerpt:

Vaughn, the Intrepid’s science officer, reviewed documents on the ship’s computer of his father’s mission on Sutois and there wasn’t a shred of evidence that his father had abandoned his crew on that cruel planet.
The screen turned blurry. He rubbed his tired eyes and exhaled a frustrated breath. He hadn’t had a good night sleep since that day Nucl had accused his father of being a coward.
The door to his quarters buzzed open. Dread crawled up Vaughn’s dry throat.
His older brother and captain, Tash, stormed inside with a scowl. His green eyes were dark and the scar on his throbbing cheek was white. “Why do you have your damn intercom turned off? I’ve been trying to reach you.” His voice was less than pleased, meaning Vaughn was at the bottom of the food chain.
Heat burned on Vaughn’s cheeks and his ears. He immediately turned off his computer. “I’ve been doing research.”
Tash crossed his arms over his chest. “Still trying to prove that Dad was a yellow-bellied coward?”
 His gut tightened. “No. Not at all.”
“Then why do you insist on believing Nucl?” He spun his computer and turned on the screen to reveal the last page Vaughn had been reviewing.
Vaughn winced and avoided his brother’s accusing gaze.
“Dad was a well-respected star ship captain for the United Planet Confederation.” He pounded his fist on the table. “He’s an admiral, for Shade’s sake.”
“I realize that Tash, but I need to know. I can’t stop thinking about it.”
 His brother’s eyes clouded over, and he turned away. “Then, you’re a fool. Nucl was completely mad. He betrayed his own people on Sutois. Feeding our people to the Gogs.”
Nucl’s betrayal had ripped his brother apart, making him doubt his ability to be captain.
Vaughn wanted to believe him, but the hair on the back of his neck itched and cold chills crept down his back. Insanity was just too easy to accept. “Tash, there was nothing you could do.” Vaughn could still remember the screams, the horror, the constant death, and he shuddered.
Tash cast him a lost look, then hung his head. “Dad would have a found a way. I was the captain. I should have way to save my crew.”
Tash never thought he could live up to their dad’s reputation, but he was a better captain than their father had been. “You did everything you could do.”

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Award Winning Author M.L. Guida loves science fiction and the paranormal. From Star Trek to Dark Shadows to Supernatural, she fell in love with things that go bump in the night. But it was the heroes, she loved the best. Whether it's a shape shifter from outer space or a vampire from the past, her wounded heroes always find a way to win the heart of the heroine.

Sign up for M.L. Guida's Supernatural Scroll  Newsletter:  http://eepurl.com/6ICXv

Find ML and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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New Releases: 3/24-3/30

Tue. Mar. 26th

 A Phoenix Is Forever (Phoenix Brothers #3) by Ashlyn Chase
 Forever Wolf (The Legend of All Wolves #3) by Maria Vale
 Sky Without Stars (System Divine #1) by Jessica Brody, Joanne Rendell
 The Warrior (The Immortal Dealers #3) by Sarah Fine

Happy Reading!!

Promo: Forever Wolf by Maria Vale (@MariaValeAuthor, @SourcebooksCasa)

Forever Wolf
The Legend of All Wolves #3
Amazon  BN  Apple  IndieBound

Born with one blue eye and one green, Eyulf was abandoned as an infant and has never understood why, or what he is...Varya is fiercely loyal to the Great North Pack, which took her in when she was a teenager. While out on patrol, Varya finds Eyulf wounded and starving and saves his life, at great risk to her own.

Legend says his eyes portend the end of the world...or perhaps, the beginning...

With old and new enemies threatening the Great North, Varya knows as soon as she sees his eyes that she must keep Eyulf hidden away from the superstitious wolves who would doom them both. Until the day they must fight to the death for the Pack's survival, side by side and heart to heart...

The Legend of All Wolves Series:
The Last Wolf (Book 1)
A Wolf Apart (Book 2)
Forever Wolf (Book 3)

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Photo by Eva Qin

Maria Vale is a logophile and a bibliovore and a worrier about the world. Trained as a medievalist, she tries to shoehorn the language of Beowulf into things that don't really need it. She currently lives in New York with her husband, two sons and a long line of dead plants. No one will let her have a pet.


Find Maria and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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Week in Review: 3/17-3/23

Books Received for Review

Shadow Frost by Coco Ma
 Ruins of Fate by Jamie A. Waters

Books I've Read

Vital Found by Kaydence Snow
Devil Forget Me by Karilyn Bentley
Curses and Crowns by L. Danvers
The Devil's Own by K.A. Fox

Reviews Posted

Boundary Broken by Melissa F. Olson (@MelissaFOlson)

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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Monday- Interview + Giveaway: Immerse by Tobie Easton (@TobieEaston, @RoxanneRhoads)

* Wednesday- Promo + Giveaway: A Phoenix Is Forever by Ashlyn Chase (@GoddessAsh, @SourcebooksCasa)

* Friday- Cover Reveal: Neliem by Clare Di Liscia (@diliclare, @RoxanneRhoads )

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* Did you know you can follow UFI on these other sites?

BlogLovin

Networked Blogs

Facebook
Pinterest Board
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You can also add me (as in Stacy) to your friends on these sites if you're on them.

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 * I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.

Cover Reveal: Neliem by Clare Di Liscia (@diliclare, @RoxanneRhoads )

Neliem
Amazon

Half the population of the island of Madera are dead, killed by an unforgiving and indiscriminate plague. Oriana dreams of escaping her life of ruthless cruelty from the people who now rule over those who remain. No telling whom the plague will strike next, Oriana means to find freedom for herself and her people. Drawing strength from ancient tales of her enemy, young Oriana transforms herself from victim to warrior with the help of a mysterious and powerful dagger given to her by a kind and dying boy.  
   
Years later, during her enemy’s betrothal ritual, Ezra, a boy she has never before seen, selects her as his mate. With servitude her only option, Oriana accepts the offer. Whisked away to a seemingly perfect world, Oriana discovers sinister secrets at every turn, including the identity of Tristan, a boy with whom she shares an undeniable but impossible connection.

Why would a boy she doesn’t know wish her to be his betrothed? Why does she feel such a strong pull toward a stranger? Someone in Ezra’s family not only knows the answer to both those questions, but also about the dagger Oriana possesses. He will do anything to stop the union. Now, with everything on the line, Oriana turns inward to find the strength she needs to seize the full power of the dagger so that she may protect herself and save her people.

Excerpt:

Before I clear the field, I realize too late that it’s a trap. I have been herded like a sheep, far from the few scattered homes, toward the deserted cliffside where no one will hear my screams for help. Another boy with flaming red hair stands behind a tree waiting for me; I recognize him from the market. I can smell him, sweaty with a tangy sweetness that can only mean one thing. He’s been eating apples and waiting for some starving girl foolish enough to think she could steal some fruit.
I reach for my dagger, strength pulsating so deeply that I nearly drop it from my sweaty palm. Then, the voice of the boy of my dreams, whispers, “Hold it steady, Oriana. You can do this.”
I tuck all fear down deep within me. Later, I tell myself; later I will worry.

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Born in Queens, New York, Clare Di Liscia moved to California as a small child and grew up in the hills by Dodger Stadium. Constantly roaming the woods, she took to embellishing on the stories of Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddle Duck to fill her imagination. To her horror she soon realized there was no way to fit a miniature tuxedo on a frog. Fortunately in sixth grade, Clare won a short story contest with the grand prize of fifteen happy meals. She would like to point out that two of those meal tickets were missing by the time her mother handed over her prize. After traveling extensively throughout South America and the Caribbean, Clare attended KU Leuven, in Belgium for University where she studied Dutch and French. Clare graduated from Cal State Northridge Film School, earning Dean’s List recognition with a BA in TV/Film. In 2006 she placed in the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting beating out 4700 other applicants. After joining SCBWI, Clare won 1st place HM in the Sue Alexander for her YA novel, now titled NELIEM.

Find Clare and her books

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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Review: Boundary Broken by Melissa F. Olson (@MelissaFOlson)

Boundary Broken

Author: Melissa F. Olson

Release Date: March 19, 2019

Publisher: 47North

Boundary Magic Book #4

ASIN:  B07J6HZC65

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Review Copy Source: NetGalley

Years ago, boundary witch Allison “Lex” Luther made a promise to an alpha werewolf. Now, just when the supernatural community in Colorado is enjoying a period of hard-won peace, the alpha turns up at Lex’s door to call in his marker. Two of his pack members have disappeared in the Colorado sand dunes, and he needs safe passage to hunt for them.
With her friend Simon Pellar along for backup, Lex ventures into the dunes to search for the missing couple…but what they find is only the opening move in an ambitious assault against those who hold power in the Colorado Old World. An old enemy has returned to tear their peace apart, and Lex is soon embroiled in politics she doesn’t understand, from a time before she had magic.
To save her friends and her way of life, Lex will have to cross every line she’s drawn since learning what she is—and it may still be too late.

I loved getting back to Lex in BOUNDARY BROKEN.

I enjoyed the storyline in BOUNDARY BROKEN. A lot of things are changing in Colorado and BOUNDARY BROKEN seems to be the beginning of those changes. The wolves play a big role in things and I enjoyed seeing them stick up for their pack and help Lex in finding out who was targeting them. 

It's fun to see Charlie a little older. She can talk and interact now and it adds some new aspects to her character and the story. I continue to love Simon and Lily. I always enjoy their involvement in each mystery/event. Quinn didn't do much for me in BOUNDARY BROKEN. Maybe because he wasn't really involved a lot? I wish he was more able to be on Lex's side in situations. You can definitely feel the tension through the pages when he has to distance himself from things. 

I love the whole world that Olson has created with all the series that make up the Old World. I always look forward to each book and I consider them must reads at this point. I will look out for the next book.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review