COVER REVEAL: Hear the Wolves

Get ready world - Victoria Scott is releasing a new book in March 2017! HEAR THE WOLVES will be released by Scholastic, and I'm so excited for this one. Victoria is masterful at writing books about animals and the relationship they have with special humans. If you don't believe me, then you obviously haven't read Fire & Flood, Salt & Stone or Titans.

So, do you want to see the cover for HEAR THE WOLVES? Check it out and enter to win an ARC!

Hear the Wolves, by Victoria Scott
Publish Date: March 28, 2017
Publisher: Scholastic
Genre: middle-grade

(Synopsis) It's survival of the strongest in a contemporary, girl-versus-wild middle-grade debut from Fire & Flood author Victoria Scott! 

Sloan is a hunter.

So she shouldn't be afraid of anything. But ever since her mom left the family and she lost hearing in one ear in a blizzard, it's been hard to talk to people, and near-impossible to go anywhere or do anything without her dad or big sister within eyesight -- it makes her too scared to be on her own.

When they leave her home alone for what should only be two nights, she's already panicked. Then the snow starts falling and doesn't stop. One of her neighbors is hurt in an accident. And the few people still left in Rusic need to make it to the river and the boat that's tied there -- their only way to get to a doctor from their isolated Alaska town.

But the woods are icy cold, and the wolves are hungry. Sloan and her group are running out of food, out of energy, and out of time. That's when the wolves start hunting them . . .

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BLOG TOUR REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Titans

I am so excited to participate in the TITANS tour, organized by Rockstar Book Tours. Thanks for checking out my review and entering the giveaway to win a copy of Titans (5 winners - US only). Don't forget to visit all the stops on the tour for excerpts and other information.

Titans, by Victoria Scott
Publish Date: February 23, 2016
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Format: ARC, provided by the author
Genre: young adult contemporary/fantasy/sci-fi
To Buy:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Ever since the Titans first appeared in her Detroit neighborhood, Astrid Sullivan’s world has revolved around the mechanical horses. She and her best friend have spent countless hours watching them and their jockeys practice on the track. It’s not just the thrill of the race. It’s the engineering of the horses and the way they’re programmed to seem so lifelike. The Titans are everything that fascinates Astrid, and nothing she’ll ever touch.

She hates them a little, too. Her dad lost everything betting on the Titans. And the races are a reminder of the gap between the rich jockeys who can afford the expensive machines to ride, and the working class friends and neighbors of Astrid’s who wager on them.

But when Astrid’s offered a chance to enter an early model Titan in this year’s derby, well, she decides to risk it all. Because for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, it’s more than a chance at fame or money. Betting on herself is the only way she can see to hang on to everyone in the world she cares about.

The wind tears through my hair the way I always imagined, whispering for me to close my eyes, but I won't. I don't want to miss a single second of this. I've never felt so free. So fast. So bold. So beautiful.

Titans isn't my usual fare - there's no kissing, no great romance, no relationship angst. But there IS love - the love a girl has for her family, her friends, and for her horse. Victoria Scott is absolutely at her best when she's writing about the very special bonds that humans have with their animals - if you've read her Fire & Flood series, then you know what I'm talking about. Titans recaptures that magic and lends its own unique fantasy and sci-fi aspect when you consider the fact that Astrid's horse isn't actually... alive.

Astrid is a character that all girls can rally behind. She might only be 17, but she's willing to make hard choices and make big decisions, all to help pull her family out of the crushing debt that is threatening them. Astrid defies her parents in order to ride a mechanical horse in a series of races - races that grown people have died in in the past. This girl is very nearly fearless. 

I say "nearly" because Astrid is most definitely afraid of some things - losing and letting her family down, for one. Trusting her horse, which she names Padlock, is another. Astrid trusts precious few people in this world. She knows it's something that must be earned, and she's convinced that there's no way a hunk of metal can do that. 

But, come on. This is VICTORIA FREAKING SCOTT. Which means, this horse is special with a capital 'S'. Padlock might be an old model, but he has something no other horse on that track has. He has a bond with Astrid that flies in the face of science. And THAT is truly the best part of this whole book. 

"Padlock, I want to tell you something." My voice is barely a whisper, and already my throat is thick with lingering emotion. "I'd never be disappointed in you. No matter what happens this season, I'm proud to call you my Titan."

There are a host of colorful side characters - there's Astrid's artistic BFF Magnolia, her manager Rags and his work partner Barney, her sponsor Lottie, and her biggest competition Hart. I developed an affection for each of these characters as they help Astrid and Padlock in their own unique ways. And then there's the deliciously awful villain Arvin Gambini. I promise, you will burn with the desire to see him pay in the most humiliating way possible. 

The world building in Titans was done beautifully. We're given the picture of this downtrodden Detroit neighborhood, beaten back by layoffs and a sluggish economy. There's a very definitive line drawn between the haves and the have-nots. Astrid is the poster child for the have-nots, and her efforts to beat back the rich people who taunt and oppress her and her family will have you cheering for her along with everyone else in the book. She is most definitely the underdog in this race, so every victory is super special, and every defeat will squeeze your heart. 

"Strength is forgetting everything I've taught you and becoming a machine. It's reaching inside yourself and finding you are not someone to be toyed with. It's taking every doubt you have and crushing it beneath your heel."

Victoria Scott is a teen fiction writer represented by Sara Crowe of the Harvey-Klinger Literary  gency. She’s the author of the FIRE & FLOOD series, and TITANS published by Scholastic, and the DANTE WALKER trilogy published by Entangled Teen. Her books have been bought and translated in eleven foreign markets including the UK, Turkey, China, Poland, Israel, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Taiwan, New Zealand, and the Netherlands.

Victoria lives in Dallas with her husband and hearts cotton candy something fierce.

Find Victoria: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook |Instagram | Goodreads

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BOOK NEWS & GIVEAWAY: Titans

Get ready world, because Victoria Scott has a new book coming in the winter of 2016, and it sounds AMAZING.

Titans, by Victoria Scott
Publish Date: February 23, 2016
Publisher: Scholastic
Genre: young adult fantasy

(From Goodreads) In a heart-stopping new novel from Fire & Flood author Victoria Scott, one girl bets her entire future on a race that she has no hope of winning.

How much can you rely on the family you're born into? What can't you accomplish with the family you make?

Astrid Sullivan's family can't catch a break. Her grandfather played cards and her dad bet on the Titans--half-horse, half-car that race around impossible tracks. They've lost their home, their savings, and each other.

So when Astrid makes some new friends who give her the chance to participate in this year's Titan races, she wonders if it's worth risking everything. She never thought she'd even touch a Titan, and this one is first gen when the models racing are Titan 3.0s. There's no way for her to win...but with her family slipping away and her dad without work, Astrid can't help but feel like the only person she can bet on is herself.

Titans delivers Victoria Scott's signature blend of incredible action and impossible odds, and will leave readers' hearts racing.

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REVIEW: Salt & Stone (Fire & Flood #2)

Salt & Stone (Fire & Flood #2), by Victoria Scott
Published February 24, 2015
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Format: hardback, purchased
Genre: young adult adventure/fantasy
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) In Fire & Flood, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't quit--she has to win the race, save Cody, and then fight to make sure the race stops before it can claim any more lives. In the next legs of the race, across the ocean and over mountains, Tella will face frostbite, sharks, avalanche, and twisted new rules in the race.

But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you'd relied on most suddenly isn't there for support? How do you weigh one life against another?

The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the start of the race there were one hundred twenty-two Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the final part of the race, just forty-one are left--and only one can win.

Victoria Scott’s Fire & Flood series continues to surprise me at every turn. I love how it gets you thinking beyond the words on the page. There is an overarching theme in both Fire & Flood and in SALT & STONE of integrity and principles and loyalty and how high of a value you place on those things when faced with tough choices. Not easy questions for anyone, much less teenagers.

In Salt & Stone, Tella, Guy and the members of their alliance are facing the last two legs of the Brimstone Bleed, knowing that each leg will get harder and harder as they get closer and closer to the single cure available to save a loved one. Tella is particularly struggling. She has strong feelings for Guy, but he doesn’t seem to have much confidence in her abilities. This makes Tella determined to prove her worth and think for herself. Meanwhile, she is also struggling to maintain her integrity as the contenders are constantly faced with choices designed to break you. Does she stay true to her friends and the pandoras, or does she look out for number one and do everything she can to save her brother’s life?

Gah, Tella – this girl constantly amazes me. This girlie girl who loves glitter and chocolate and shoes is also the girl who made it through the jungle and the desert alive. This experience has changed her, though. How could it not? She has seen friends and enemies alike die. She has fallen in love, and is now faced with the possibility of it being unrequited. All these things have hardened Tella in some ways.

“I used to be the girl who catalogued sandwich shops by which had the best oatmeal cookies. Now, I’m the girl who catalogs death and the girl who vows revenge. “

The pandoras play a much bigger role in Salt & Stone than they did in Fire & Flood. It’s obvious they have feelings and thoughts just like the humans, which made them so much more important to me as the reader. To the race organizers, they are just as expendable as the humans are, which is absolutely infuriating. That they’ve made this race and created these creatures specifically for it, and are then able to dispose of them without a thought when their apparent usefulness has worn out is frustrating and just so… WRONG.

It appears that Tell has the same feelings, because as contenders die, and their pandoras are left behind, Tella brings them into her fold and cares for them. When pandoras are treated badly by their contenders, Tella offers them kindness. She’s often chastised for this practice, but this is where her principles kick in. It’s just not in her to mistreat any creature, and she’s determined to not have this race turn her into someone who does. As it turns out, Tella’s big heart and unfailing loyalty have both benefits and drawbacks throughout the book.

As in Fire & Flood, no one is safe in Salt & Stone. Characters die. Pandoras die. It wouldn’t be realistic if they didn’t. And, every time it happens, my heart broke. Seeing their deaths through Tella’s eyes was so sad. And, each time I found myself hoping that this death wouldn’t be the one to break her.

Tella’s relationship with Guy is complicated. It’s obvious they care about each other a lot. But, Guy has no faith in her or her abilities. He’s of the opinion that she’s only made it this far because of him and his help. Tella resents him for that (and rightly so), and in an effort to prove herself, she makes a few mistakes. Tella’s also frustrated because Guy refuses to talk to her about what he wants or how he feels. She thinks she’s being strung along, and it sucks for her.

I know that Victoria Scott has only been contracted by Scholastic for two books in this series. But, I am imploring the publisher to PLEASE sign her up to finish the series! Salt & Stone ends as if there will be a third book. The Brimstone Bleed comes to an end, but there are still SO. MANY . QUESTIONS. Tella’s and Guy’s story is not over, and it needs to be finished.

EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: Salt & Stone (Fire & Flood #2)

My friends, if you are even halfway as excited as I am for the release of Victoria Scott's SALT & STONE in two short weeks, then, you're already perfecting your happy dance. You really want something to dance about? I've got a super delicious excerpt from Salt & Stone and a crazy awesome giveaway for you.

Salt & Stone (Fire & Flood #2), by Victoria Scott
To Be Published February 24, 2015
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Genre: young adult contemporary romance/fantasy
To Pre-Order: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

(Synopsis) What would you do to save someone you love?

In Fire & Flood, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't quit--she has to win the race, save Cody, and then fight to make sure the race stops before it can claim any more lives. In the next legs of the race, across the ocean and over mountains, Tella will face frostbite, sharks, avalanche, and twisted new rules in the race.

But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you'd relied on most suddenly isn't there for support? How do you weigh one life against another?

The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the start of the race there were one hundred twenty-two Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the final part of the race, just forty-one are left--and only one can win.

I swallow and stare at him in the dark, my entire body itching to feel his touch. When I see the anticipation in his stance, the way he looks at me as if I’m both infuriating and appealing — it makes me feel powerful. But when he takes a step in my direction, that power plummets to some place untouchable. Now I’m a seventeen-year-old girl again, standing in the shadows with someone who feels like he’s lived three lives to my one.

“Come with me,” he orders.

There’s no room for refusal, and I don’t want there to be. He takes my hand to help me step over sleeping bodies, both human and Pandora. When I stumble, he leans over and sweeps beneath my knees. I’m brought into his arms with the same ease I may use to curl a rabbit to my chest. But I’m not such an innocent, silent creature.

I’ve got spirit and fire in spades. Though, right now, as he carries me to the single back bedroom, I have neither. I’m somebody else now. I’m Tella Holloway, Boston girl turned Montana transplant, sitting on the edge of her bed, awaiting her very first date with the boy who makes her parents uneasy. A boy who doesn’t speak nearly enough, but when he does, this girl stops and listens. In my mind’s eye, I’m wearing the silver-sequined dress that’s hibernated in my closet far too long. I feel beautiful and confident, and who cares if he said we’re going to the lake at night? I want to glimpse the look on his face when he sees me. I envision how his entire face will light up as if it’s lit from within. How his full lips will part slightly and his cold blue eyes will soften.

Guy sets me on my feet, and I gaze up at him.

Oh yes. Right there. That’s the look I imagined.

Enter below for a chance to win a signed UK edition of FIRE & FLOOD, a signed galley of SALT & STONE, and signed swag. It's open internationally.

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COVER REVEAL: Salt & Stone (Fire & Flood #2)

One of my favorite YA reads in 2014 was Victoria Scott's Fire and Flood. Since I read it, I've been anxiously awaiting the release of the second book in the series, SALT AND STONE. Today, I have the honor of showing you the brand new beautiful cover for Salt and Stone, as well as the redesigned Fire and Flood. You ready for Salt and Stone?

Salt & Stone (Fire & Flood #2), by Victoria Scott
To Be Published February 24, 2015
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Genre: young adult suspense
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

(From Goodreads) What would you do to save someone you love?

In Fire & Flood, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't quit--she has to win the race, save Cody, and then fight to make sure the race stops before it can claim any more lives. In the next legs of the race, across the ocean and over mountains, Tella will face frostbite, sharks, avalanche, and twisted new rules in the race.

But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you'd relied on most suddenly isn't there for support? How do you weigh one life against another?

The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the start of the race there were one hundred twenty-two Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the final part of the race, just forty-one are left--and only one can win.

So, what do you think? Cool right? You want to see the new paperback cover of Fire & Flood now too? I bet you do...

I can't wait to get my hands on these books! I need more Guy in my life. And, Madox. And Tella. Gosh, I miss them all. 

Giveaway

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REVIEW: Fire & Flood (Fire & Flood #1)

Fire & Flood (Fire & Flood #1), by Victoria Scott
To Be Published February 25, 2014
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Format: ARC, obtained from the publisher
Genre: young adult sci-fi/fantasy
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

I've heard Fire & Flood described as a cross between The Hunger Games and Survivor. I, personally, feel like that's putting this incredible book in too small of a box. Certainly, there are elements of the best-selling book and the popular TV show in this story about a girl who enters an extreme race in order to save her brother's life. But, Victoria Scott has infused her unique style and some truly unique elements which make Fire & Flood something truly special.

Tella's brother is dying. There's not much hope when she receives a blue box with an earpiece that invites her to be a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. If she wins, her brother will live. Despite the fact that the mall is her temple and she never leaves home without her mascara, Tella sets out for parts unknown, determined to do what she has to. Along the way, she makes friends and enemies and experiences things that will change her forever.

Victoria Scott has an incredible ability to create complex and compelling characters, both main characters and the ones on the periphery. Tella is the main character, and the enigmatic Guy becomes the object of her affection. Harper, Caroline, Ransom, Titus - all of the members of Tella's gang in the race have distinct personalities, and I loved discovering more about them as the book went on. Tella is an amazing character. On the surface, she seems superficial and certainly not cut out for spending two weeks in the rain forest. But, it doesn't take long for her drive and determination to override the lack of flush toilets. She truly loves her brother and will put other things aside for him. 

My dad didn't think I could do this... But, maybe he doesn't know his little girl as well as he'd like to believe. Because when it comes to doing something for my family, I'm not just his daughter. I am strong. I will be strong for my brother. 

The Brimstone Bleed seems to amplify personality traits that they usually keep buried. Harper is confident, so in the Bleed, she easily becomes the leader. Titus was probably a bully in real life. In the Bleed, be becomes an outright villain. Guy was probably always the strong, silent type. In the Bleed, he was incredible, capable and mysterious.

In a race where there can only be one winner, Tella is unusually compassionate. In the beginning, she came off as superficial and materialistic. Until she got around her brother - then, she softened and seemed willing to do whatever he wanted of her. That softness really came out when she had no choice but to put aside her "stuff" and fight to survive. She was quick to form bonds with other Contenders. She also has a particularly soft spot for the Pandoras. 

Ah yes - the Pandoras. This is easily my favorite part of Fire & Flood. Each Contender starts the race with an egg. The egg hatches and the animal that comes out is genetically enhanced in unique ways to assist the Contender with winning the race. These animals are amazing. There's a lion who breaths fire, a raccoon that can produce spikes and a cheetah who can produce night lights from its eyes. But, Tella's Pandora, who she names Madox, is the most amazing of them all with some surprising abilities that make him coveted by all the other Contenders. 

These Pandoras are one of the most unique things I've seen in a book in a very long time. Let's face it - most plot devices have been done before. Many times over. I have NEVER seen anything like the Pandoras before. Bravo, Victoria Scott - you have one wicked creative mind. 

All the characters in Fire & Flood were so colorful and incredible. But, Guy - holy smokes was he cool. He wasn't drop dead gorgeous like so many boys in books. But, he had a quiet strength that more than made up for it. And, the way he cared for Tella - even from the very first moment they saw each other - was endearing. The romance between them was slow to develop, but it was perfect for the story. 

I feel like I could go on and on about all the things I loved about this book. Bottom line, this is a fantastic page-turner full of amazing characters and a uniqueness that you don't even realize you're craving. Do yourself a favor and read it as soon as you can.