5 Reasons to Pick Up Wicked Fox by Kat Cho

Title: Wicked Fox
Author: Kat Cho
Pages: 432 pages
Release Date: June 25th, 2019
Source: ARC from Publisher
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mythology

A fresh and addictive fantasy-romance set in modern-day Seoul.

Eighteen-year-old Gu Miyoung has a secret--she's a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox who must devour the energy of men in order to survive. Because so few believe in the old tales anymore, and with so many evil men no one will miss, the modern city of Seoul is the perfect place to hide and hunt.

But after feeding one full moon, Miyoung crosses paths with Jihoon, a human boy, being attacked by a goblin deep in the forest. Against her better judgment, she violates the rules of survival to rescue the boy, losing her fox bead--her gumiho soul--in the process.

Jihoon knows Miyoung is more than just a beautiful girl--he saw her nine tails the night she saved his life. His grandmother used to tell him stories of the gumiho, of their power and the danger they pose to humans. He's drawn to her anyway.

With murderous forces lurking in the background, Miyoung and Jihoon develop a tenuous friendship that blossoms into something more. But when a young shaman tries to reunite Miyoung with her bead, the consequences are disastrous . . . forcing Miyoung to choose between her immortal life and Jihoon's.

Buy it now! 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Welcome to my stop on the #WickedFox blog tour! I'm honored to be a part of this tour and to share this awesome book with you guys, which will be hitting shelves on June 25th. I know sometimes choosing new books to read can be difficult, especially when your TBR is towering over. So I'm here to make your life easier, by providing you with 5 simple reasons why you should read Wicked Fox by Kat Cho, laden with GIFs from your favorite Kdramas and Kpop artists! 

1. Korean Culture

With her new book, Kat Cho wanted to incorporate much of her Korean heritage into this fantastical story. She definitely succeeded. The book takes place in modern day Seoul and gives you a glimpse into what it's like to live in the hustling and bustling metropolis. From the familiar Kdrama and Kpop references to the inclusion of classic and cultural Korean dishes, this book is sure to warm the hearts of many Asian readers as well as become a heartwarming introduction to Korean culture to non-Asian readers. I won't spoil the references, but I'll just say that I squealed with recognition every time I came across a reference! 

2. Like watching a Kdrama

What's better than being able to read a Kdrama? This book has all the addictive elements that you love from your favorite Kdramas- a great conflict, hate-to-love romance, cute and steamy scenes that make you root for the two characters and some good old humor. It's also a plus that it's fantasy and there's some Korean mythology weaved into the story. 

3. Dark and Dangerous

The cover may look all fluttery and light-hearted, but this book is actually quite dark. I mean our main protagonist consumes the energy of men to survive, how could it be darker than that? Kat Cho's writing is exceptional, filled with dark humor and even darker characters. Cho creates a creepy atmosphere, where our beloved character's lives could be at stake at any moment. 

4. Fast-paced and Entertaining

This book is a real page turner, and I found myself absorbed in the stories of the characters. Bear with me it is quite a chunker, but the story itself is fast-paced and addicting. I found the constant witty banter between Miyoung and Jihoon to be so addicting because I was always interested in seeing what the other person said next. You'll likely find yourself staying up past your bedtime to finish just one more chapter. 

5. It's got BALL - Bad Ass Leading Ladies

Okay. OKAY. We love a book that is modern feminism with a paranormal fantasy twist. All the women in this book are absolutely FIREE and stole the whole show from the romance. After all, the book starts off with Miyoung saving Jihoon's life! My favorite character in the entire book was actually Jihoon's halmeoni (grandmother). She is a caring and fiercely independent women, who isn't afraid of anything. Be prepared to read about these women kicking ass, both figuratively and literally! 

Kat Cho

Kat Cho used to hide books under the bathroom sink and then sneak in there to read after bedtime. Her parents pretended not to know. This helped when she decided to write a dinosaur time-travel novel at the tender age of nine. Sadly, that book was not published. She currently lives and works in NYC and spends her free time trying to figure out what kind of puppy to adopt.

Website | Instagram | Twitter 

BLOG TOUR: Circle of Shadows by Evelyn Skye | Transforming Into a Taiga

Title: Circle of Shadows
Author: Evelyn Skye
Pages: 400 pages
Release Date: January 22nd, 2019
Source: Hardcover from the publisher
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Sora can move as silently as a ghost and hurl throwing stars with lethal accuracy. Her gemina, Daemon, can win any physical fight blindfolded and with an arm tied behind his back. They are apprentice warriors of the Society of Taigas—marked by the gods to be trained in magic and the fighting arts to protect the kingdom of Kichona.

As their graduation approaches, Sora and Daemon look forward to proving themselves worthy of belonging to the elite group—but in a kingdom free of violence since the Blood Rift Rebellion many years ago, it’s been difficult to make their mark. So when Sora and Daemon encounter a strange camp of mysterious soldiers while on a standard scouting mission, they decide the only thing to do to help their kingdom is to infiltrate the group.Taking this risk will change Sora’s life forever—and lead her on a mission of deception that may fool everyone she’s ever loved.

Get it now! 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Welcome to the last stop of the Circle of Shadows blog tour!! In a new fantasy world crafted by Evelyn Skye, there are gifted individuals known as Taigas who were blessed with magic from the gods and swore an oath to protect Kichona. The magic system of this book is really what gives it flare. I enjoyed reading about the magic and how it manifested throughout the story depending on who wielded it. In this world, your magic is a reflection of your personality. Taigas are assigned a name when they become taiga's apprentice. I found these names to be super unique to each character. Our main characters Sora and Daemon are named Spirit and Wolf. Sora named Spirit for her untamed and reckless spirit. She has a knack for not listening to authority and causing trouble. Daemon is named Wolf because of how his brute physical fighting skills outweigh his ability to perform magic. After immersing myself into this world for a good few days, it got me thinking...

What if I was a taiga in this world? 

If I was a taiga, my name would probably be Sea. My taiga name is supposed to be a reflection of myself, and I believe like the sea, I am free and also it's related to my love for marine biology and the ocean. If I could only conjure up one word to describe me, it would be Sea.

As for powers, Katara's water-bending skills immediately come to mind. I've always wanted the power to control water and possibly transform myself into marine creatures. Some people want to fly and some want to read minds, but I would like to have the ability to shape water and throw it at people. I would also totally love the ability to breathe underwater for hours on one breath. 

Now for the giveaway... 

The giveaway is opened internationally: one winner will get a hardcover of the book along with the designed tote bag (below). 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BLOG TOUR | Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson + My Undead Girl Gang

Title: Undead Girl Gang
Author: Lily Anderson
Pages: 272 pages
Release Date: May 8th, 2018
Source: ARC from Penguin Teen
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mystery

Mila Flores and her best friend Riley have always been inseparable. There's not much excitement in their small town of Cross Creek, so Mila and Riley make their own fun, devoting most of their time to Riley's favorite activity: amateur witchcraft.

So when Riley and two Fairmont Academy mean girls die under suspicious circumstances, Mila refuses to believe everyone's explanation that her BFF was involved in a suicide pact. Instead, armed with a tube of lip gloss and an ancient grimoire, Mila does the unthinkable to uncover the truth: she brings the girls back to life.

Unfortunately, Riley, June, and Dayton have no recollection of their murders, but they do have unfinished business to attend to. Now, with only seven days until the spell wears off and the girls return to their graves, Mila must wrangle the distracted group of undead teens and work fast to discover their murderer...before the killer strikes again.

Preorder now! 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Lily Anderson's newest novel follows a story of friendship, mystery and... the undead? Yep, that's right. The main character Mila Flores brings her friends back from the dead to uncover the truth behind their murders. This got me thinking: Who would I bring back from the dead if I had a mystery in need of solving? In today's post, you're going to be reading about the three women from history that I would bring back from the dead to be apart of my Undead Girl Gang. I took this opportunity not only to choose women that I thought would be successful to this mission, but I also chose women from history that I admire.

MY UNDEAD GIRL GANG!

Rachel Carson is one of my favorite women in history. I've done extensive research on her and have even written a scholarship essay about her. Carson has always been one of my inspirations for pursuing a field of research and the reason for why I am so dedicated to helping the environment. In her days, the world was relatively unaware of the consequences certain chemicals had on the environment. She exposed the harmful effects of a very popular pesticide back in the early 70s, which led to a ban on the harmful substance. To be honest, I don't know how helpful Rachel Carson would be on my mission to uncover a murder mystery, but I'd sure as hell bring her back from the dead just to have a conversation over a nice cup of coffee. Plus, she's a scientist so she definitely has a scientific way of thinking. 

I'm sure we've all read about Helen Keller when we were in elementary school. She truly is a notable woman in history. Keller has a different perception of our world, as she became deaf and blind when she was young. She became the first deaf-blind person to attain a bachelor's degree and was an influential social activist for political and disability issues. Of course, I'd love to meet her! But besides that point, I'd love to have her apart of my undead girl gang because her optimism and perseverance would most likely contribute a lot to the mission.  

Mildred Benson, better known as Carolyn Keene, was the original author of the Nancy Drew mystery stories. Those were some of the best mystery stories I had ever read when I was a young adolescent girl who craved adventure. Nancy Drew is such an iconic teenage detective, and I'm sure if she was real I'd bring her back to join my girl gang. But the creator of Nancy Drew, Mildred Benson, is the next best thing. I think her extensive background in writing mystery and crime novels could be the greatest contribution to our undead girl gang alliance. 

Author Bio

Lily Anderson is a school librarian and Melvil Dewey fangirl with an ever-growing collection of musical theater tattoos and Harry Potter ephemera. She lives in Northern California. She is also the author of The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You and Now Now, Not Ever. She tweets at @ms_lilyanderson. 

BLOG TOUR | To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo + Book Review

Title: To Kill A Kingdom
Author: Alexandra Christo

Pages: 384 pages
Release Date: March 6th, 2018

Source: ARC from Macmillan
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Rating: 4.5/5 

Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?

Purchase it now!

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository 

2018 is the year of mind-blowing and spectacular Young Adult fantasy books, I just know it! First Everless by Sara Holland blew me away with its unique plot and well-executed world-building and magic system, and then To Kill A Kingdom steals the spotlight with a dark spin on the classic, The Little Mermaid. I wonder what's next...

In the short time that I've been reading avidly as a book blogger, I don't think I've ever actually read a good Young Adult mermaid book. There is a scarcity of really popular YA mermaid books, so I think that the pitch that this book has going for it- "dark Little Mermaid retelling" - is going to help this book sell really well. Not to mention, that the cover is drop dead gorgeous. And thankfully in this case, looks are not deceiving. This book is beautiful both inside and out.

With every chapter, I was enticed to read more and more even if that meant sacrificing sleep. There was no shortage of adventure and intrigue. I don't think the world was so difficult to understand that the author had to fill the reader in that much, but there were a lot of rules that were cleared up in the first 50 pages. I think the only critique is that I wasn't able to get a sense of how far or close the kingdoms were to each other. There might be a map of the world in the hardcover copy, which would really help. What I liked especially was the clear distinction the author drew between mermaids and sirens.  Although mermaids and sirens bow down to the same Sea Queen, they are very different. Our main character Lira is a siren, not a mermaid.

Anyone who is a huge fan of The Little Mermaid (me me me!) will appreciate the small things that the author kept in the novel to keep the authenticity and the classic tale alive, but with dark and deadly twists. It was really intriguing, and I was just honestly blown away by how the author was able to take the infamous classic and make it her own. I won't spoil anything, but she takes really big elements of the classic Little Mermaid story and completely turns them around. It's very unexpected and simply refreshing.

A note to make: there is a lot of verbal and physical abuse from Lira's mother, so please be cautious. Like shit, it gets really intense. Trigger warning for verbal and physical abuse! 

We've got a host of fabulous leading ladies, and of course your occasional prince charming. But Prince Charming be damned, I wanted to take all the strong females in this book and put them in a all-female singing group. Lira, the main character, is a ruthless and ambitious siren. There's Madrid, another fearless female who holds a high rank on the Prince's fleet. Let's not forget Kahlia, Lira's siren cousin.

A lot of people will read the synopsis and simply dub it as a "mermaid book". What people don't expect though, is a pirate adventure filled with mischief, mayhem and a LOTTA romance.

I think one of Christo's biggest challenges with writing this book was to try and set her book apart from all the other Young Adult mermaid novels out there. And she did just that. Her writing is something that can only be experienced by reading this book. She's so descriptive, and she was really able to capture the beauty of the ocean and what it holds.

"With it comes the smell of dawn as the pink-lipped sky barely stays tucked behind the line of the ocean."

"When I open my mouth to sign, the air caramelizes on my tongue."

- quoted from an uncorrected proof of To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

For all you folks that love the trope of hate-to-love romances, you will eat this book up. It was steamy and just...

Take whatever preconceived notion you have of this book and throw it out the window! This 2018 debut is already turning heads with the promise of being a book about "mermaids", and I'm glad to say that it lived up to my expectations and more. It's already out, so don't forget to get your hands on it. 

BLOG TOUR | Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Title: Children of Blood and Bone
Author: Toni Adeyemi
Pages: 525 pages
Release Date: March 6th, 2018
Source: ARC from publisher
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Rating: 5/5 stars

Tomi Adeyemi conjures a stunning world of dark magic and danger in her West African-inspired fantasy debut, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Sabaa Tahir.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zelie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now, Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers—and her growing feelings for the enemy.

Buy it now!

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

I am so honored and thrilled to be apart of the #NowWeRise blog tour, inspired by the book Children of Blood and Bone by Toni Adeyemi. Before publication, COBB was acquired by Fox 2000 in one of the biggest YA debut publishing deals ever. And for good reason... this book is lush with beautiful writing and rich world-building that sucks you into a world filled with magic and blood. I don't remember loving YA characters this much but the cast in this book was so flawed and three-dimensional. Not to mention that this book features an all black cast of characters. This is one of the very few fantasies I've read that have done a good job in confronting race.

This book had no shortage of fast-paced fight scenes, and at times I felt like I wanted to jump into the book and throw down some punches! This book was more than 500 pages long, but I wanted more. Some moments were light-hearted, while others were tear-jerking and serious.

I highly encourage any fantasy lovers out there to give this one a go. It is very unique and diverse, as it mixes West African culture with magic to create an entirely new world and history. I hope you enjoy today's post inspired by the magic in COBB!

What's your maji power? 

The world in this book centers around a magic system composed of different clans that have different powers. Our main character Zelie is a Reaper, which means she can manipulate the spirits of the living and the dead. Look at the graphic below to find out what your maji power is. 

I am a... LIGHTER! 

My birthday is on May 23rd. 5 + 23 is 28, which means I am a Lighter! I honestly thought I was going to be a Tider because of how much I love the water, but I'm really happy to be a Lighter. As a Lighter, I can manipulate light and darkness. I think this power fits well with my personality because my emotions can either be really light and upbeat or sometimes I'll be down in the dumps. I can imagine myself as Alex Pettyfer in I Am Number Four throwing those flashing balls of light at the bad guys. 

A Line In the Dark by Malinda Lo | Book Review

Title: A Line In the Dark
Author: Malinda Lo
Pages: 288 pages
Release Date: October 17th, 2017
Source: Hardcover from publisher
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, LGBT
Rating: 4/5 stars

The line between best friend and something more is a line always crossed in the dark. Jess Wong is Angie Redmond’s best friend. And that’s the most important thing, even if Angie can’t see how Jess truly feels. Being the girl no one quite notices is OK with Jess anyway. While nobody notices her, she’s free to watch everyone else. But when Angie begins to fall for Margot Adams, a girl from the nearby boarding school, Jess can see it coming a mile away. Suddenly her powers of observation are more curse than gift.

As Angie drags Jess further into Margot’s circle, Jess discovers more than her friend’s growing crush. Secrets and cruelty lie just beneath the carefree surface of this world of wealth and privilege, and when they come out, Jess knows Angie won’t be able to handle the consequences.

When the inevitable darkness finally descends, Angie will need her best friend.

“It doesn’t even matter that she probably doesn’t understand how much she means to me. It’s purer this way. She can take whatever she wants from me, whenever she wants it, because I’m her best friend.”

A Line in the Dark is a story of love, loyalty, and murder.

Buy it now! 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

**Disclaimer: The book was sent to me by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.** 

Happy Halloween, folks! I was initially hooked onto reading this when I saw that this was a Young Adult psychological thriller with Asian and LGBT rep. That combination is hard to come by these days, especially in YA, so I thought I would take this opportunity to introduce you guys to something different during this spooky time of year.

What I like most about this book is that it's not just a story you can read during the week of Halloween. It's not about ghosts or witches or vampires. It's about identity, high school and friendship. So when the spooky season officially comes to an end after today, don't feel too bad about picking up this book to read.

One of the reasons this book is so unique in its storytelling is that it touches upon representation quite a lot, while also keeping that thrilling and mysterious vibe of the story. It was like at one moment the main character would be talking to the police officer about a homicide and then next thing you know, the story gets quite personal and we get a glimpse into some of the insecurities the main character has about being an Asian-American. The representation of a Chinese main character in this book was absolutely heart-warming to read about. The author, speaking from her own life, adds a lot of relatable insecurities that all foreigners (not only Asians) have when speaking to natives. This book was hard to read in the sense that I was forced to face some of the insecurities I had with my own culture and background, yet it was entirely refreshing. We also have a variety of characters on the LGBT spectrum. I can't speak for the community, but I thought the rep was well done and informative.

I'm going to go into my only qualm with this book. It's quite slow in the beginning. Because this book was pitched as a thriller, I was hoping for there to be a lot more buildup earlier in the story. Keep in mind this is a relatively short book, at least shorter than most thrillers I've picked up before. For the first 100 pages of the book, it reads like a contemporary.

Page 150 is where the good shit starts to happens. Part two is told in a series of interviews mixed with narrative storytelling. I loved the interview aspect of the book. I thought it added a lot of suspense to the conflict that arises midway into the story. It also added a sense of sophistication that made the story all the more real and like a real murder trial yassss muahahhahah.

The main character is also a comic book artist, which gave me major Eliza and Her Monsters vibes. Her comics play a huge role in the story, so I wish we could have gotten a glimpse of her actual drawings/comic strips. It's honestly not a huge gripe I had, but just something I would have liked to see in this book. Malinda Lo was very descriptive in her explanations of the comics though, which it w these parts of the book were so easy to visualize, even without the drawings.

A Line In the Dark is one of the most unique books I've read in a long time. With a perfect balance of mystery and diverse representation, this title is a one of a kind story about navigating through identity and ethnicity, in the midst of a harrowing murder mystery. Despite its slow start, this book is sure to keep you on your toes. I highly recommend this book for readers who are looking to read more diversely, but don't want to change it up too much from what they are normally used to reading.

EDIT: I don't normally read other people's reviews before writing my own because that creates a bias for me. However, after I finished the book I went to see other people's reviews and read something interesting. I notice now that there was a POV shift from Part 1 and Part 2 of the book. I did not notice this shift at all! It seemed to bother a lot of readers, but maybe it would have bothered me more if I had noticed it! Just interjecting with this little note :D

BLOG TOUR | Satellite by Nick Lake + Field Trip Around Earth

Title: Satellite
Author: Nick Lake
Pages: 464 pages
Release Date: October 3rd, 2017
Source: ARC from publisher
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

A teenage boy born in space makes his first trip to Earth.

He’s going to a place he’s never been before: home.

Moon 2 is a space station that orbits approximately 250 miles above Earth. It travels 17,500 miles an hour, making one full orbit every ninety minutes. It’s also the only home that fifteen-year-old Leo and two other teens have ever known.

Born and raised on Moon 2, Leo and the twins, Orion and Libra, are finally old enough and strong enough to endure the dangerous trip to Earth. They’ve been “parented” by teams of astronauts since birth and have run countless drills to ready themselves for every conceivable difficulty they might face on the flight.

But has anything really prepared them for life on terra firma? Because while the planet may be home to billions of people, living there is more treacherous than Leo and his friends could ever have imagined, and their very survival will mean defying impossible odds.

Buy it now!

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Hey everyone! I'm back with another blog tour to celebrate the release of Nick Lake's newest release, Satellite. This book takes follows a main character who takes his first trip to Earth! Usually science fiction books set in space are about characters born in Earth who travel to space, so I find it interesting that the author decided to write about a character born in space. In order to make Leo's trip as productive and awesome as possible, I thought I'd make a little guide to Earth for this week's post!

Field Trip Around Earth: Places To Visit

• NYC, New York 
• I might be a little biased since I live in NYC but non-residents and even some New Yorkers seem to think it's magical. The city is something that people have to experience themselves. You can't rely on a postcard of a photo on Google to give you the same feeling. 

• Paris, France 
• Paris is on my bucket list too! If there's one place in Europe that you're planning on visiting, Paris should be it. It's the capital France and houses some of the world's most famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and The Louvre museum. 

• The Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia 
• Visiting the GBR is the top activity on my bucket list. Better get a move on it because rising temperatures and the increasing acidity of the ocean threatens this massive coral reef structure and its inhabitants. Wether its scuba diving in some of the most well-known reefs or sunbathing on the white sand, there is a plethora of things to do when you arrive at one of the world's greatest wonders. 

• Antelope Canyon, Arizona 
• I personally believe that the Antelope Canyon beats The Grand Canyon. It's super underrated and most people only know about The Grand Canyon. I'm going to let the picture speak for itself... NATURE IS INCREDIBLE!  

• Dean's Blue Hole, The Bahamas
• I dreamed about going here as a little kid but now that I think about it, it looks kind of scary! I figured I would put this on the list so I could get the chance to live vicariously through you. Dean's Blue Hole is the world's second deepest known salt water blue hole. It's popular for freediving, which is a sport of competitive diving that relies on the swimmers ability to dive down as far as they can on a single breathe. When I was little, I was obsessed with learning how to freedive and often tried to see how long I could hold my breathe in the bathtub. It's a truly fascinating sport that you should try! 

• Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, China 
• Nothing you learned in space will prepare you for this! A transparent glass bridge suspended 260 meters over the ground between two mountain cliffs, how cool! It's so terrifying that some people have to be dragged across the bridge in order to cross it. 

• Highlands, Iceland
• What better way to capture the beauty of the aurora borealis than visiting Iceland's highlands. Seeing the northern lights should be something on everybody's bucket list. Bet you've seen a lot of lights up in space, but nothing like this! 

• Rice Terrace Fields in Mu Cang Chai, Vietnam 
• There's something about repeating patterns in nature that is so appealing to the eye. I know you've been living in space for your entire life, so you're probably wondering how people on Earth grow their own food. On the slopes of the mountains, the people of Mu Cang Chai have created terraced fields that are leveled enough to grow rice. 

• The Great Wall of China, China
• One of China's greatest landmarks is their Great Wall, built and improved from the 14th to the 17th century A.D. Coming down to Earth will allow you to learn not only about the wonderful sights of nature but also about the history of our world. What better place to learn about the history of China than at its most recognizable symbol. Plus, how amazing would it be to walk on a raised fortification structure stretching 5,500 miles? 

Help Leo out! Any other places that you think he should visit on his first trip to Earth that I missed? 

-->

BLOG TOUR | Scion of the Fox by S.M. Beiko + Excerpt

Title: Scion of the Fox
Author: S.M. Beiko
Release Date: October 17th, 2017
Pages: 440 pages
Source: Hardcover from the publisher
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

As the winter ice begins to thaw, the fury of a demon builds — all because one girl couldn’t stay dead . . .

Roan Harken considers herself a typical high school student — dead parents, an infected eyeball, and living in the house of her estranged, currently comatose grandmother (well, maybe not sotypical) — but she’s uncovering the depth of the secrets her family left behind. Saved from the grasp of Death itself by a powerful fox spirit named Sil, Roan must harness mysterious ancient power . . . and quickly. A snake-monster called Zabor lies in wait in the bed of the frozen Assiniboine River, hungry for the sacrifice of spirit-blood in exchange for keeping the flood waters at bay. Thrust onto an ancient battlefield, Roan soon realizes that to maintain the balance of the world, she will have to sacrifice more than her life in order to take her place as Scion of the Fox.

American Gods meets Princess Mononoke in this powerful first installment of a trilogy sure to capture readers’ imaginations everywhere.

Preorder now! 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

I promised that I'd be back with more cool stuff, and I'm here to deliver! In the next few weeks, I'll be participating in quite a few blog tours that will introduce you to new titles that you may or may not have heard of. Today, I'm here to introduce a book that caught my radar when the publishing company, ECW Press, kindly approached me and asked me if I was interested in their book. I was immediately intrigued when this book was compared to Princess Mononoke because that's like my favorite Studio Ghibli film of all time. I myself have already gotten my hands on a copy so if your interest still hasn't been peaked, here's an excerpt that will do the trick! Also, don't forget to be following me on the gram because I have a fall-inspired giveaway featuring this gem. Follow me at @thebooksbuzz.

Excerpt from Scion of the Fox by S.M. Beiko

Oh she’s so glamorous, she’s so cool, long legs that go to heaven and lips that tell me to get outta town. Pretty lady that won’t give me the time of day — she’s a stoooone FOX!
 
That song. The song my dad used to sing at my mom on the good and the bad days. It’s my only memory of my parents. I was too young when they died, became an orphan before any other memories could stick. But this one did. 
My dad singing intentionally off-key, chasing Mom around the kitchen until she gave up being mad at him for whatever unspeakable thing hung between them, and then they’d kiss and make it better. I’d squeal and demand to be picked up, to be a part of their fun, and we’d hold each other until I fussed to be put down again. I felt their love like a fire. They loved me. I know they did. Even if it didn’t last. 
My mother was a compact creature. Very hard to crack. Sometimes she would lock herself in my dad’s little greenhouse and go quiet for days. She would let only me in (though I don’t remember my father ever trying to get through to her), and I’d give her peanut-butter-and-­banana sandwiches that my sloppy preschool hands had made, hoping it would make her remember she had to love us. It was as hot as a sauna in there, even in winter, the warmth rolling off her in angry waves. I would find her in the back by the stuff Dad called belladonna, and she would be staring out through the glass, fixated on our big yard as if imprisoned.
 
She spoke like someone else was standing over her, and she’d say something like, “A darling little stone menagerie, with the power to kill and create.” Was it a fairy tale she was telling me? Was she even speaking to me at all?
 
I never asked. I should have. 
Instead, I would put down the sandwich and jump to see over the table of plants and out at the little statue garden. Still in her trance, and without looking away, my mother would lift me as if I were a pebble in the palm of her hand. 
Then I would wind my fingers in her seemingly infinite hair. “The fox is the prettiest, Mommy, the prettiest like you.”
 
She sighed and squeezed me so tight it hurt, but I didn’t ask her to stop. 
Out in the garden, there was a pair of stone deer leaping. A stone owl midflight. A stone seal diving through a stone wave, a stone rabbit bolting, and, yes, a stone fox. It sat amongst them but apart from them, still and staring and quiet. The set had been a present from my grandma, my mother’s mother. There was no special occasion, but a truck had backed into our yard one day with men hired to move the statues into it.
 
I frolicked and cartwheeled that summer, feeling like it was Christmas in July. But my mother just stood there, still as a warrior waiting for the next onslaught.

 Take it back, she’d scream over the phone to someone I never knew. I don’t want it anywhere near this family. My dad would try to calm her, but she’d only grow angrier. She’s telling me to just accept it. To let it happen for the greater good. I won’t! I won’t let them take her!

 We’ll find another way.
 
I wish I’d been old enough to ask. I wish they could have trusted me with their secrets. 

Excerpted from Scion of the Fox by S.M. Beiko. © 2017 by S.M. Beiko. All rights reserved. Published by ECW Press Ltd. www.ecwpress.com

About the Author
S.M. Beiko has been writing and drawing strange, fantastical things since before she can remember. She currently works as a freelance editor, graphic designer, and consultant and is the co-publisher of ChiZine Publications and ChiGraphic. Her first novel, The Lake and the Library, was nominated for the Manitoba Book Award for Best First Book as well as the 2014 Aurora Award. Scion of the Fox is the first book of the Realms of Ancient trilogy. Samantha lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Website: https://www.smbeiko.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SMBeikoAuthor/
Twitter: @SMBeiko