2018 Book Buzz: Hero at the Fall by Alwyn Hamilton

Have you read Rebel of the Sands series? If not, then you have almost a year to catch up. Book 3 name  has been revealed: Hero at the Fall! Who is excited? WE ARE! So go on and catch up. If you have any questions of doubt, read Bri's reviews for book 1 and book 2.

Hero at the Fall

The breathless finale to the New York Times bestselling Rebel of the Sands series will have you on the edge of your seat until the dust from the final battle clears!

When gunslinging Amani Al'Hiza escaped her dead-end town, she never imagined she'd join a revolution, let alone lead one. But after the bloodthirsty Sultan of Miraji imprisoned the Rebel Prince Ahmed in the mythical city of Eremot, she doesn't have a choice. Armed with only her revolver, her wits, and her untameable Demdji powers, Amani must rally her skeleton crew of rebels for a rescue mission through the unforgiving desert to a place that, according to maps, doesn't exist. As she watches those she loves most lay their lives on the line against ghouls and enemy soldiers, Amani questions whether she can be the leader they need or if she is leading them all to their deaths.

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Alwyn Hamilton was born in Toronto and spent her childhood bouncing between Europe and Canada until her parents settled in France. She grew up in a small town there, which might have compelled her to burst randomly into the opening song from Beauty and the Beast were it not for her total tone-deafness. She instead attempted to read and write her way to new places and developed a weakness for fantasy and cross-dressing heroines. She left France for Cambridge University to study History of Art at King’s College, and then to London where she became indentured to an auction house. She has a bad habit of acquiring more hardcovers than is smart for someone who moves house quite so often.

Blog Tour: Once and for All by Sarah Dessen + Giveaway

Welcome to our stop on Once and for All tour for Sarah Dessen. This tour is hosted by PenguinTeen.

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Once and for All
Author: Sarah Dessen
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: June 6th 2017
Review Source: Viking Books for Young Readers
 

Louna has spent her high school years working at her mother's successful wedding planning business. She's seen every sort of wedding: big and lavish, small and intimate, at country clubs or on the beach. She's dealt with every crisis that can bedevil a wedding—as well as scene-stealing bridesmaids, controlling grooms, bossy mothers-of-the-bride, and even the occasional AWOL bride. Her view of the non-everlasting nature of love has been colored by the cynicism of her mother, who enjoys laying odds on how long each marriage will last. And Louna's own experience has made her wary: her blissful first love, seen in intermittent flashbacks, ended in tragic loss. When handsome, charming, scatterbrained Ambrose comes to work for her mother, Louna is indignant at the number of women he juggles; he is appalled by her refusal to socialize at all. They make a bet: Louna will go on a series of dates while Ambrose will attempt a long-term relationship with one woman. But in the end, it is Ambrose himself that Louna falls for—exactly what Ambrose intended!

Sarah Dessen is an instant favorite. Every book I read I fall more in love with her work and just wish I could absorb all of them right away, but then on the other hand I don’t want to read them all at once because then waiting for a new one will be pure torture. Pace yourself Shannon, pace yourself. Once and for All follows a young girl, Louna, who works with her mother as a wedding planner, she runs into crying brides questioning true love, serial daters who are holding up their mother's wedding to flirt, avoiding dancing with guests, and just about everything else inbetween. So how does one who helps plan a day that is meant to say we’re in this together forever not believe in true love?

Louna from the very beginning questions the reality of true love and throughout this story you get pieces of her past that help put in perspective why she may question this. Her past was hard, I cried when we got the final piece, and can totally understand why this girl has a hard time letting it go. Then she meets Ambrose, our serial dater, who was holding up his own mother’s wedding to flirt with a girl, maybe not the best first impression but we all are due a second chance. Ambrose actually begins to question his morals after meeting Louna, but it takes awhile for Louna to see what’s in front of her all this time.

I won’t lie to you though my favorite part, or parts, was getting to see the small things and people from previous Sarah Dessen novels pop up here and there. And then have them be the ones I literally just read, it was the best, almost fate, if you believe in that kind of stuff. Then we have Ambrose, my dog saver, who just couldn’t leave a dog in the hands of an awful owner, I know theft is bad, but when you’re saving a dog from an abusive owner I am all game for you to steal it, or what I would say, rescue it. I fell for Ambrose that instant. There’s one thing you can always count on when you read a Dessen novel and that’s authentic characters, authentic flaws, and real growth. In Once and for All you saw growth with every character in it, Ambrose, her mother Natalie, her business partner William, Louna’s best friend, and then Louna herself. And that’s what I just love about reading a Dessen book, it all feels so real, I get so emerged in the story I can’t look away. I can’t wait to know more about our characters and dive further into their lives and their stories.

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Sarah Dessen is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen novels for teens, which have received numerous awards and rave reviews, and have sold millions of copies worldwide. She is the recipient of the 2017 Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association.  Sarah lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with her husband, Jay, and their daughter, Sasha Clementine. Visit her online at sarahdessen.com.

GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win one (1) of five (5) copies of Once and for All by Sarah Dessen (ARV: $19.99 each).

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on May 29, 2017 and 12:00 AM on June 26, 2017.  Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about June 30, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow The Tour!

Week Three:

June 12 – The Fandom

June 13 – Booksthetics

June 14 – Once Upon a Twilight – Review 

June 15 – Bibliophile Gathering – Review 

June 16 – Dark Faerie Tales – OAFA Inspired Photoshoot 

Week Four: 

June 19 – A Page With A View – Quiz: Which Dessen Character Are You? 

June 20 – Bookworm Everlasting – Review & Photograph 

June 21 – Fiction Fare – Favorite Quotes from OAFA 

June 22 – ButterMyBooks – Review 

June 23 – YA Bibliophile – Character Easter Eggs in OAFA

Book Review: Traitor To The Throne by Alwyn Hamilton

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Traitor To The Throne
Rebel Of The Sands #2

Author: Alwyn Hamilton
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: March 7 2017
Review Source: Viking Books for Young Readers

The sizzling, un-put-downable sequel to the bestselling Rebel of the Sands!

Mere months ago, gunslinger Amani al'Hiza fled her dead-end hometown on the back of a mythical horse with the mysterious foreigner Jin, seeking only her own freedom. Now she's fighting to liberate the entire desert nation of Miraji from a bloodthirsty sultan who slew his own father to capture the throne.

When Amani finds herself thrust into the epicenter of the regime—the Sultan's palace—she's determined to bring the tyrant down. Desperate to uncover the Sultan's secrets by spying on his court, she tries to forget that Jin disappeared just as she was getting closest to him, and that she's a prisoner of the enemy. But the longer she remains, the more she questions whether the Sultan is really the villain she's been told he is, and who’s the real traitor to her sun-bleached, magic-filled homeland.

Forget everything you thought you knew about Miraji, about the rebellion, about djinni and Jin and the Blue-Eyed Bandit. In Traitor to the Throne, the only certainty is that everything will change.

Amani has been with the rebels for a little bit now. While she's still getting use to being a part of this war that had only been a story she then gets trapped in the Sultan's territory. While becoming something of his pet she has to figure out a way to get back to the rebels without causing alarm and giving away the fact that she is working with the rebel prince.

Alwyn has done it again. I am absolutely in love with this book, and this book is a fantastic continuation of the series. It's more mature than Rebel was, yet it still holds the same tone that Rebel did. While Rebel was about Amani becoming a part of the rebels and finding them Traitor is more about the war, and what happens once you become a rebel.

JIN...as always..I am swooning for the love interest. And Jin is one of my favorite characters and this book proves that. While he's barely in it seeing as Amani has been captured and isn't with the rebels, he's still a presence to behold. And the fact that you can FEEL Jin's presence says something about Hamilton's writing and the fact that while a character isn't there she is still able to bring his character to the forefront. And that's not just with Jin. This is basically how it is with all of the Rebels within this book. The ones that you have grown to love because of Rebel, you now have to figure out what characters to love in Traitor because we are thrown amongst a group of new people. Yet we're able to sense their presence.

If you haven't started this series please do. This is a couple of books that you don't want to miss!

Blog Tour: Well, That Was Awkward by Rachel Vail + Guest Post

Welcome to our stop on Well, That Was Awkward tour for Rachel Vail. This tour is hosted by PenguinTeen.

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Well, That Was Awkward
Author: Rachel Vail
Reading Level: Middle Grade
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Released: February 28th 2017
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

Gracie has never felt like this before. One day, she suddenly can't breathe, can't walk, can't anything and the reason is standing right there in front of her, all tall and weirdly good-looking: A.J.

It turns out A.J. likes not Gracie but Gracie's beautiful best friend, Sienna. Obviously Gracie is happy for Sienna. Super happy! She helps Sienna compose the best texts, responding to A.J. s surprisingly funny and appealing texts, just as if she were Sienna. Because Gracie is fine. Always! She's had lots of practice being the sidekick, second-best.

It’s all good. Well, almost all. She's trying.

TOP 5 WAYS TO DEAL WITH YOUR 

FIRST CRUSH

1. Name it. WOW what just happened? Do you feel a tingly different way about somebody? Like you can’t stop noticing that person, thinking about him or her, trying to make eye contact, and feeling full-on wobbly if you do? Admit to yourself that YIKES you have a crush. Maybe the feeling welled up suddenly inside you, or maybe it’s been growing for a while. Either way: such fun! And a little scary. Also? Definitely weird. It doesn’t make YOU weird. But it does feel like a shift in who you are, and that’s exciting. Nothing has to happen with the crush for this to be a big deal – because something has happened within you.

2. To tell or not to tell? The first one you should tell about your crush is your journal! (It’s okay if you don’t have one yet. This is the perfect time to start one.) Writing down your feelings helps you sort through them. There are so many feelings all spinning around like socks in a dryer, it’s hard at first to catch hold of a single one and figure out even what it is, never mind what to do about it. But writing out your private notes (can even be at the back of a notebook, shhhh) about all your feelings, in your own messy handwriting and imperfect spelling/grammar/emotions, gives you a better feeling of control over them and understanding of your own thoughts. But how do you know when you’re ready to tell friends? Or THE CRUSH? Part of the fun of a crush is talking it out with people who care about you – which could mean family, friends, or even, eventually, the crushed one! Just remember: once anybody knows, there’s a chance everybody will know. Are you ready to deal with that? Be sure before you share your news! Then try telling one trusted person, who will help you enjoy it and think it through.

3. Enjoy it. Having a crush is a kind of bananas feeling. You might feel all filled with bubbles or buzz. It’s romantic and exciting and scary – what if your crush isn’t feeling the same way? What if your crush IS feeling the same way??? Here’s the thing: part of the excitement is the risk. Sometimes, going forward in life, your heart will get broken. That will stink, when it happens. But hearts are made to be vulnerable and strong all at once. It’s normal to have a crush, to fall in love – and also not to (NO RUSH!), normal to get your heart broken, normal to recover. It’s a breathtaking ride. Buckle up! 

4. Don’t be weird! Don’t make it into a bigger romance than it is, or obsess about it. Your friends will be bored out of their skulls if you do, and you need your pals! Don’t lose track of all the other great stuff in your life and only focus on your crush. And whatever happens, being both considerate and honest will allow you to remain true to your best self.

5. Be kind. Be kind to yourself – if your feelings aren’t reciprocated, it doesn’t mean you’re worthless. It just means this one isn’t for you. Be sad for a day and then tell yourself, their loss; on I go! Even if you don’t fully believe it yet. Remember that you’ve now had your first crush! That’s pretty cool, a big moment in your life, something to feel proud about having experienced. Also, be kind to your crush. If he or she doesn’t feel crushy toward you, doesn’t mean the person is awful. (Just missing out!) It is tough stuff to navigate. We all have to try to act a little kinder than we even feel, getting through this stuff. If your feelings are reciprocated, STILL: be kind to yourself, and to your crush. Take it slow, don’t rush things, don’t get ahead of yourself. Enjoy the moment. 

GOOD LUCK AND CONGRATULATIONS!

Bonus tip:

Read about first crushes! May as well benefit from the inside scoop of characters who are going through it! Some favorite suggestions:

Here’s to You, Rachel Robinson by Judy Blume

Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman

Eleanor and Park, by Rainbow Rowell

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 ¾ by Sue Townsend

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Rachel Vail is the award-winning author of more than 30 books for young people. As a theater lover, Rachel sees and reads as many plays as she can. Well, That Was Awkward was in part inspired by her love of the play Cyrano – another tale of secrets, wit, self-confidence, self-loathing, friendship, identity-hiding, and romance that blossoms between all the wrong people. Or does it?

Rachel lives in New York City with her husband, their two sons, and (like Gracie) a tortoise named Lightning.

You can visit her online at www.RachelVail.com or on Twitter: @rachelvailbooks

Follow the Tour

Week One
2/27 – Here’s to Happy Endings – Bookish Recipe
2/28 – YA Book Central – Excerpt
3/1 – Margie’s Must Reads – Author Guest Post
3/2 – Crafty Moms Share – Review
3/3 – Once Upon a Twilight – Guest Post

Week Two
3/6 – The Reading Nook Reviews – Author Guest Post
3/7 – ButterMyBooks – Quote Graphics
3/8 – Stories & Sweeties – Spotlight
3/9 – Brittany’s Book Rambles – Author Guest Post
3/10 – My Friends Are Fiction – Spotlight

Trailer Thursday: Kids of Appetite by David Arnold

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Kids of Appetite

Author: David Arnold

Published: September 20, 2016

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

The critically acclaimed author of Mosquitoland brings us another batch of unforgettable characters in this New York Times bestselling tragicomedy about first love and devastating loss.

Victor Benucci and Madeline Falco have a story to tell.
It begins with the death of Vic’s father.
It ends with the murder of Mad’s uncle.
The Hackensack Police Department would very much like to hear it.
But in order to tell their story, Vic and Mad must focus on all the chapters in between.

This is a story about:

1. A coded mission to scatter ashes across New Jersey.
2. The momentous nature of the Palisades in winter.
3. One dormant submarine.
4. Two songs about flowers.
5. Being cool in the traditional sense.
6. Sunsets & ice cream & orchards & graveyards.
7. Simultaneous extreme opposites.
8. A narrow escape from a war-torn country.
9. A story collector.
10. How to listen to someone who does not talk.
11. Falling in love with a painting.
12. Falling in love with a song.
13. Falling in love.

"A gorgeous, insightful, big-hearted joy of a book." —Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything, Everything 

Book Review: Never Ever by Sara Saedi

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Never Ever
Author: Sara Saedi
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: June 21st 2016
Review Source: Viking Books for Young Readers

Wylie Dalton didn’t believe in fairy tales or love at first sight.

Then she met a real-life Peter Pan.

When Wylie encounters Phinn—confident, mature, and devastatingly handsome—at a party the night before her brother goes to juvie, she can’t believe how fast she falls for him. And that’s before he shows her how to fly.

Soon Wylie and her brothers find themselves whisked away to a mysterious tropical island off the coast of New York City where nobody ages beyond seventeen and life is a constant party. Wylie’s in heaven: now her brother won’t go to jail and she can escape her over-scheduled life with all its woes and responsibilities—permanently.

But the deeper Wylie falls for Phinn, the more she begins to discover has been kept from her and her brothers. Somebody on the island has been lying to her, but the truth can’t stay hidden forever.

Never Ever was refreshing and full mystery that had me staying up past my bedtime to finish this story.

The thing that attracted me most to Never Ever was that it was a modern day retelling. Usually the retellings I've read in the past have sticked close to the original versions and they didn't stand out to me. Now I can say that Never Ever surpassed all of my expectations and then some.

Never Ever starts off with Wylie and her brothers heading to a party to celebrate her birthday as well her as brother, Joshua's, last night with them since he'll be going to juvie for two years. Once they arrive at a party they meet a mysterious guy named Phinn and the adventures for the Dalton siblings start. 

I was captivated by the way Sara Saedi wrote her characters. Characters that were boring to me from the films were full of life and sass in this tale. Wylie is someone who is sarcastic, fights for what she believes in and doesn't back down no matter the odds.

There was a twist at the end of the book that I did not see coming, Sara Saedi shocked the day lights out of me and I loved it. I've always felt as if there more to Peter Pan and his carefree persona. Phinn is someone who has a lot of secrets, good or bad you'll have to start this story now to find out. 

Reading this book I felt as if I was exeperminteing everything with Wylie, the different places of Minor Island and the food described made me wish the place was real so I could go visit for a day. 

Throw away everything you think you know about Peter Pan and join me on this new modern day retelling that you'll be sure to enjoy and want more. 

Book Review: The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry

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The Passion of Dolssa
Author: Julie Berry
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: April 12th 2016 
Review Source: Viking Books for Young Readers

I must write this account, and when I have finished, I will burn it. 

Buried deep within the archives of a convent in medieval France is an untold story of love, loss, and wonder and the two girls at the heart of it all.

Dolssa is an upper-crust city girl with a secret lover and an uncanny gift. Branded a heretic, she’s on the run from the friar who condemned her mother to death by fire, and wants Dolssa executed, too.

Botille is a matchmaker and a tavern-keeper, struggling to keep herself and her sisters on the right side of the law in their seaside town of Bajas.

When their lives collide by a dark riverside, Botille rescues a dying Dolssa and conceals her in the tavern, where an unlikely friendship blooms. Aided by her sisters and Symo, her surly but loyal neighbor, Botille nurses Dolssa back to health and hides her from her pursuers. But all of Botille’s tricks, tales, and cleverness can’t protect them forever, and when the full wrath of the Church bears down upon Bajas, Dolssa’s passion and Botille’s good intentions could destroy the entire village.

From the author of the award-winning All the Truth That’s in Me comes a spellbinding thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final page and make you wonder if miracles really are possible.

I picked up an ARC of Julie Berry’s All The Truth That’s In Me during my very first BEA. I can clearly remember being so intrigued by the synopsis’ little did I know that book would turn out to be the best book I read in 2013. From that moment on I knew that Berry would become an auto-buy author for me. When I first heard about The Passion of I was beyond ecstatic not only was I getting a new Berry story, but the history nerd in me was jumping in delight. Medieval France? Count me in! 

I’m still coming to terms with how I felt about the book. It’s a bit longer than I think it should be and it is targeted towards young adults, but the subject matter is a bit older than what I think some of the younger crowds would be interested in. That being said I thoroughly enjoyed it, but wasn’t expecting it to be driven so much by my beliefs. It’s hard to go into the actual story without spoiling you, but one thing I did like was that we got different accounts of what was going on during the entire story. It helped me get a better sense of all the different characters and what was going on at the time. 

One thing that can be said for sure is that Berry’s writing is truly unique. It’s hard to describe how easily I can picture everything she’s describing as if it’s all happening in real life. I was in the middle of the park getting lost in the story that I didn’t even realize three hours had gone by! When an author can do that, you know it must be a good book.  Side note: Back to me being a history nerd-- I absolutely loved the fact that Berry included many of the historical notes, Old Provencal and Latin words and additional resources in the back. I love getting to see all (or most) of the research authors go and it’s always good to include something educational.

Blog Tour: Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton + Guest Post

Welcome to the last stop on Rebel of the Sands tour for Alwyn Hamilton. This tour is hosted by PenguinTeen.

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Rebel of the Sands
Rebel Of The Sands #1
Author: Alwyn Hamilton
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: March 8 2016
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from.

Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him...or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is.

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List of 10 Favourite Things
(after eliminating the obvious like family, laptop, phone, books etc.)

Tote Bags

I live in San Jose, CA, a pleasantly geeky place with some lovely scenery hidden in among tech companies. I’m trying to figure out how I can become some sort of professional Clue player, because I’m obsessed with the game Clue and have sworn to play every version of it ever. Most recently I played the Dr. Who version, which is great because it gives you a perfectly good reason to say, “I’m taking the secret passageway to the moon.”

Facial Masks

I know.  It’d a gorgeous selfie. Try not to fall in love with me. I’m not usually the type to spend masses on expensive products. But there is one which as best I can tell, is made of mud and pure magic. I stock up every time I see it in a store.

A Clothes Dryer

I have no patience and no iron so if I didn’t have a clothes dryer I would literally always be vaguely damp and rumpled. I decided within a month of moving to London I wouldn’t be able to survive with the English habit of hanging clothes. I bought a Tumble Dryer and I have stubbornly found a place for it in every flat since. It has lived in my closet, on a precarious shelf by the boiler, and now in my bathroom balanced on top of some box files. Because adulthood.

Coffee

Coffee is my multi purpose tool. I write in cafes, almost entirely, and so I have to order a coffee to sit there. When I had a 9 to 5 it was a procrastination tool (making a coffee or going out to buy one is a great way to waste 15 minutes) as well as a good crutch in meetings (I never went to a meeting without a coffee, it gave my hands something to do other than sit on the boardroom table looking prim or having my arms crossed looking judgemental or sullen). It’s a hand warmer in winter. And I mean, the kick in the system when I need to get going isn’t bad either.

Wireless Headphones

I work best in crowded cafés. But I also don’t work that well with noise and distractions. I have a set of wireless headphones which are particularly good at blocking out the world. So much so that I once had a barrista apologize to me for the crying baby in the café for the last hour. I hadn’t heard, instead spending the past hour writing a kissing scene.

Disney’s Mulan

Hands down my favourite Disney Movie. I was 9 when Mulan came out in Cinemas and I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve seen it since. But first times matter, they stick with you. And Mulan was the first time I got to see a girl kick some butt on screen and the first time I can think of that gender equality as an issue was put in front of me quite so clearly.  Also, “I’ll Make a Man out of You” is the best Disney song ever.

Notebooks

I write in MS word but I plot on paper. Something about doing it in ink by hand helps me work through a problem. When I was back in my teen bedroom recently I found stacks and stacks of notebooks scribbled with story ideas and half written scenes and plots and rambling stream of consciousness. Even now on my bookshelf there are about 8 notebooks on the go, squeezed between books.

Duvet

Like the dryer, one of few large items I actually own. Somehow when I moved to London I got packed off with a light summer duvet. I was constantly cold and too broke to think about a new one. Finally my parents came to visit and took pity on me and bought me one. It is my favourite thing in the world and has contributed to more than a few Sundays spent in bed with a book. And I actually CAN change a duvet cover on my own…now.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine 

Somewhen in the Princess Bride, William Goldman says of the (fictional) S. Morgenstern Epic that it’s “my favorite book in all the world, though I have never read it.” Ella Enchanted is that for me. I had Ella Enchanted on Audio Cassette when I was a kid. I listened to it more times than I can count. It was the thing I listened to when I was trying to fall sleep, when I was cleaning my bedroom, when I was sick. It was my go to comfort read. I know it so well, when I finally did get a paperback in my 20’s and sit down to read it, I read it all in the voices of the audiocassette.

Taylor Swift 

I have a well documented Taylor Swift Love. I loved Taylor Swift before it was cool to love Taylor Swift. I usually buy songs not whole albums. T-Swizzle is the exception. I cannot even figure out how to sync my iPhone with my writing playlists but you’d better believe I’ve got all my Tay-Tay onto that phone.

Read Bri's review on Rebel of the Sands

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Alwyn Hamilton was born in Toronto and spent her childhood bouncing between Europe and Canada until her parents settled in France. She grew up in a small town there, which might have compelled her to burst randomly into the opening song from Beauty and the Beast were it not for her total tone-deafness. She instead attempted to read and write her way to new places and developed a weakness for fantasy and cross-dressing heroines. She left France for Cambridge University to study History of Art at King’s College, and then to London where she became indentured to an auction house. She has a bad habit of acquiring more hardcovers than is smart for someone who moves house quite so often.