Blog Tour: Ashes - Estevan Vega - Character Feature: Arson

Estevan Vega is here today with his main character, Arson, courtesy of the Teen Book Scene blog tour for his newest release, Ashes. Thank you for being here today, Estevan and Arson! You can follow along with the tour here, or by clicking through the banner. Enjoy!

Wake Me Up

by steph arson gable

Hello? I guess this is where I talk and we pretend like you hear what I’m saying. I’m supposed to tell you about myself, the who-I-am bit like you see on the back of those corny young adult books. But who’s to say you can even hear me. Come to think of it, who’s to say you wouldn’t shut off right from the get-go? Sorry. I guess I’m not so good at this honesty thing. The whole, share your emotions stuff freaks me out a bit, to be honest. Grandma’s better at this than me. Although she hasn’t really opened up to anyone since…

Forget it. I don’t want to talk about that. And don’t ask me to. Let’s just say things haven’t ever really been great in my life. Don’t worry, this isn’t a soapbox, and I’m not Emery’s dad, so you’ll get no preaching from me. Crap, that sounded a little harsher than I meant for it to. Anyway, Grandma’s got this love-hate dynamic with me. Not sure what else to call it. It’s sick in a way, but I guess I love her more than I hate her. I only got one, right? And when she’s acting…you know…normal, she’s actually kinda nice. ’Course there are some days when she’s tossing plates at me because I let out a burp “rudely” in her presence or telling me what she really thinks of me, in the dark of her, but when you choose to love somebody you make excuses for why they treat you like garbage.

If you really want to know, she’s particularly fond of a few choice words. She hasn’t ever been much for cussing, so she resorts to harsh names like demon or killer when she’s upset with me. She likes those names. I don’t.

But I s’pose she’s not far-off. Anyone who knows anything about me (which isn’t a whole lot of people) knows that my past sort of earned those ugly nicknames. No, I’m not gonna go into here. I’m not pathetic like that. This is not a diary or a neat little bio; it’s the truth. So…without any wild intro, I guess I’ll rewind a bit and try to start over: I can create fire with my mind. With my thoughts, really. Don’t freak out. After all, if you think about something long enough, chances are it can become reality. My powers work a little but like that, just more literal. The fire can come out at any time if I’m not careful. And it’s happened. I’ve been trying to keep it contained. Trying to create some kind of order from all the chaos.

But for now, things aren’t looking so great. I haven’t seen Grandma in God knows how long. I haven’t seen the cabin or the lake. I haven’t walked the halls of my high school. Well, I have, but it’s different now. Way different. It’s like a dream, but you can’t open your eyes. Not really. Is anything making sense yet?

Right. I almost forgot. You probably can’t even hear me.

Worst part of all this is that I haven’t seen Emery. Not sure she’s even alive or where they’ve taken her. She’s so real, you know? So freaking compassionate…the greatest girl. We met this past summer. She wears a mask, but she’s not some weirdo. Cross my heart. Well, she wore a mask, actually. Tell you the truth, I’m kind of okay with the mask being gone, even though I can still picture the scars on her face. Still, that mask made any possibility of making-out nearly impossible. Not that her parents would be thrilled of us doing that. Well, her mother might not possess too much of an opinion, but her father would never let it go if he caught us. I’ve already had two awkward conversations with that man, not sure I can handle a third.

No. That last part was a lie. I would. If it meant I could see her again. If it meant I could get that summer back. Get my life back. My sad, pathetic, dysfunctional, freak life. I knew how that world worked. Well, more like I was figuring it out. I hadn’t mastered the control thing like I wanted to, but I was trying like crazy.

It’s so weird; no matter how often I blink, I’m still alone. I’m talking to you with no response. I pray, but God’s delivery boy must be out sick. I’ve even called out my grandmother’s name a few times in the darkness. But the emptiness grows. It hurts even. My head’s pounding. There’s this pain, like a knife’s splitting open my chest and my forehead. It won’t quit. I keep swallowing, but I’m just sucking down dead spit. I’m ready for the nightmare to stop. I’m ready to go back. To wake up.

Help me wake up.

-arson

Thank you for introducing yourself, Arson! I hope that the nightmare ends for you soon! =( 

Thank you Estevan for being here today as well! 

Estevan Vega can be found on his website, and on twitter. 

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More than three months have passed since Arson and Emery were taken. Taken and then separated.

And experimented on.

Salvation Asylum is more like a prison than a psychiatric facility. Unknowingly, Arson has become a vital instrument in a campaign set to genetically alter mankind. Enraged, confused, trapped, and unable to fully manifest his abilities, he wonders if he will ever see Emery again. His new existence is one crawling with questions. Is Grandma alive? Where does the fire come from? Can he become more than a monster?

In Ashes, book two of the ARSON series, nightmare and reality collide as Arson must embrace what he is and the haunting realization that there may be others out there, others like him.

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Ashes - Estevan Vega - Blog Tour Review

More than three months have passed since Arson and Emery were taken. Taken and then separated.

And experimented on.

Salvation Asylum is more like a prison than a psychiatric facility. Unknowingly, Arson has become a vital instrument in a campaign set to genetically alter mankind. Enraged, confused, trapped, and unable to fully manifest his abilities, he wonders if he will ever see Emery again. His new existence is one crawling with questions. Is Grandma alive? Where does the fire come from? Can he become more than a monster?

In Ashes, book two of the ARSON series, nightmare and reality collide as Arson must embrace what he is and the haunting realization that there may be others out there, others like him.

Title: Ashes (Arson #2)

Author: Estevan Vega

Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Speculative Fiction, Paranormal

Publisher: Stonegate Ink

Publication Date: September 11, 2011

Format: E-ARC

Source: Received from author courtesy of Teen Book Scene. Many thanks goes to Estevan Vega and Teen Book Scene for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. 

Blog Tour: Teen Book Scene blog tour. You can follow along with the tour here.

Look for it: Amazon

My rating: 4/5

Arson and Emery find themselves locked away, hidden from the world in a bizarre place. Left on their own, they need to find themselves, and come to terms with the events that brought them to their current residence. Everything is surreal as they learn more about themselves and their surroundings. Held captive against their will, they will need to lean on their survival instincts and come to terms with who they are, and who they are meant to be. 

While Arson brought us the story of a misplaced teenager, one who could start fires with his mind; Ashes brings us the terrifying sequel, in which Arson is held captive by those wanting to experiment on him to fulfill their own needs. Ashes is a much darker read than Arson and the psychological ramifications will have you reading long into the night. Vega is at the top of his game as he threads together both Arson's and Emery's stories, as they discover what brought them to the Asylum. Is Arson the monster he always thought he was, or is he something more? Can he achieve more? Is there a greater purpose for him? All these questions are asked as the reader partakes on a highly disturbing and dark ride through the underbelly of Salvation Asylum. 

New characters show their faces, and their pathos will leave you feeling uneasy as you press on through this volume in Arson's saga. There is a lot of new information thrown at the reader, but the flashbacks to the first novel make the transition as seamless as possible. One cannot help but root for Arson and Emery as they struggle to free themselves from their captors. Joel and Aimee's struggle for closure, and their pursuit for help after Emery's disappearance adds a much-needed dimension to the novel. Following their struggles gives the reader a reprieve from the darkness hidden within the Asylum before heading back into the depths. 

All in all, this is a compelling read. Eloquently written and darkly disturbing this one will stick with the reader as they delve further into the book. By no means is Arson's story done as Vega has left the ending open to continue in another installment. One can only hope that Arson will find the answers to his questions, and the solace that he craves. 

Blog Tour: Frost - Marianna Baer - Teenage Garage Sale

Marianna Baer is here today with a Teenage Garage Sale post courtesy of the Teen Book Scene blog tour for her book, Frost. Thank you for being here today, Marianna! You can follow along with the tour here. Enjoy! 

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Thanks for having me on your blog, Corrine! I’ll be setting up a Pay Pal account shortly to deal with the stampede of readers rushing to buy these late ‘80s items! :)

1. Two mix tapes. $10 each.

~The Frost House "nap mix,” which my roommates and I listened to when we’d sprawl around one of our rooms during breaks from classes and catch up on sleep we weren’t getting at night. The song I remember best is a melodramatic Italian love song called Te Amo.

~A mix tape that my best friend and I would listen to on our many road trips. Songs include Rocky Raccoon by the Beatles, Me and Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin, and Sympathy for the Devil by the Rolling Stones.

2. “The Outfit.” $100 – You know how there’s that one outfit that you wish you could wear everyday, because it makes you feel so good? Well, here’s mine from senior year: black silky rayon top, with a perfect v-neck and slight flutter cap sleeves; faded Levis with patches in various floral patterns; dark brown nubuck clogs; thick silver cuff Navajo bracelet. Sexy yet earthy.

3. Oil paintings by me. $5 each – Choose among a large, scary self-portrait; landscapes from the coast of Maine; an expressionistic nude; and several still-lifes.

4. A used but good condition girls’ field hockey stick. $10 – You too can experience the great feeling of the thwack when wooden stick hits rubber ball, the satisfaction of a cross-field wallop, the fresh smell of the grass, the pain in your thighs from running that is so bad you won’t be able to walk up the stairs to your third-floor dorm room…

5. Copy of Ichabod. $200 – My first published book. Well, okay, not really published published. But my first book! As a senior project, my friend and I wrote and illustrated a children’s book, then made hand-bound and hand-colored copies. It’s a bit derivative of William Steig, I have to admit, but it has its charms.

6. Laura Ashley prom dress. $125 – Scoop neck, fitted bodice, elbow-length fitted sleeves, knee-length, three-tiered skirt. In a cotton print, black with large-scale flowers and leaves, mostly in deep pinks and greens. Perfect for going swimming at a pond when you ditch the dance early. (Remove dress before entering the water.)

7. Big box of letters. $10,000 – As good as a box full of amazing books! I promise – my friends and family were/are so funny, it won’t matter that you don’t know the people who wrote them. Memorable letters include an episode about a surprisingly jolly flasher in the hills of England, and an entertaining (if tragic at the time) explanation of why Boy X couldn’t bring himself to go out with me.

Lots of exciting finds at your garage sale! That box of letters sounds like a blast! Thank you for being here today, Marianna! 

Marianna Baer can be found on her website, and on twitter. 

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Leena Thomas’s senior year at boarding school begins with a shock: Frost House, her cozy dorm of close friends, has been assigned an unexpected roommate: confrontational, eccentric Celeste Lazar. But while Leena’s anxiety about a threat to her sanctuary proves valid, it becomes less and less clear whether the threat lies with her new roommate, within Leena’s own mind, or within the very nature of Frost House itself. Mysterious happenings in the dorm, an intense triangle between Leena, Celeste, and Celeste’s brother, and the reawakening of childhood fears, all push Leena to take increasingly desperate measures to feel safe. Frost is the story of a haunting. As to whether the demons are supernatural or psychological . . . well, which answer would let you sleep at night?

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Revelations - Laurel Dewey - Blog Tour Review

In this third Jane Perry novel, Laurel Dewey takes Jane out of Denver to the small town of Midas where the Chief of Police is a close friend of Jane's boss. Jacob Van Gorden, the fifteen-year-old son of a prominent area businessman, has disappeared and all signs point to his abductor being Jordan Copeland, a man who committed a similar crime decades ago. Jane settles into this little community for much longer than she wants, living with a preacher and his family (including their eccentric teenage daughter who was Jacob's girlfriend). There are signs that Jacob is still alive, so the clock is ticking. And as Jane investigates Jordan Copeland, she begins to have doubts about his guilt and begins to uncover signs of devastating – and even deadly – secrets all around Midas.

Meanwhile, Jane must deal with two considerable secrets of her own. One hits her in the gut before she leaves Denver and the other creeps up on her from the most unlikely of places. And on top of this, Hank Ross, owner of a bar in Midas, has somehow managed to find a way beneath Jane's armor-plated defenses, forcing her to contend with feelings she hasn't allowed to surface for a very long time.

Revelations is the most powerful and personal Jane Perry novel yet. Teeming with the passions and ambiguities that make Laurel Dewey so compelling to read, it is a breathtaking story of mysteries revealed and withheld.

Synopsis taken from goodreads. 

Title: Revelations (Jane Perry #3)

Author: Laurel Dewey

Genre: Adult Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller

Publisher: The Story Plant

Publication Date: June 14, 2011

Format: Softcover

Source: Received from Tracee for the Pump Up Your Book blog tour. Many thanks goes to Tracee for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. 

Tour: Pump Up Your Book

Look for it: Amazon

My rating: 4/5 

Revelations is the third book in the Jane Perry mystery series. Jane has just received some devastating news, and is on her way in to work to take a short leave of absence, when her colleague Sergeant Weyler tells her that they will be heading to the town of Midas to help out an old friend of his with a baffling case. Grudgingly, Jane goes with Weyler, but when they arrive, she finds out that she isn't wanted there. She is ready to leave, but the bizarre qualities to the case have her focused on finding out what happened to Jake Van Gorden. In a surprising twist of fate, Jake, as he attempted to commit suicide, ended up being kidnapped. The plot thickens, and secrets roil to the forefront as Jane looks into every aspect of Jake's life. Midas isn't your run of the mill town either, and everyone has secrets that they don't want stirred up. Jane will have to dig deep if she is going to find Jake alive. 

Revelations is a book that is aptly named. Secrets abound, and in the town of Midas, everyone has something to hide. When Jane starts poking around trying to uncover what happened the night Jake was kidnapped, she uncovers some interesting facts about the townspeople of Midas. She is a character that immediately evokes sympathy from the reader as they see her dealing or not dealing with her personal crisis. On top of that, she decides to quit smoking which compounds her frustrations and makes her quite irritable. She has a straightforward approach as is, but Weyler questions her as he realizes that something other than quitting smoking is bothering her. She ruffles feathers with Weyler's old friend, police chief Bo Lowry, right from the start which puts Weyler in an uncomfortable position. 

Jane is a strong character, and she is determined to see the case through. She has made a connection to the case which won't allow her to give up. Her determination and grit, coupled with her thumbing her nose at Lowry makes this an intriguing, and captivating read. The many characters from the town of Midas also make this an excellent read as we get to see their eccentricities, and secrets come to light. 

All in all, this is a thrilling, suspenseful and at times mystifying read. Laced with horror, this book calls out to the thriller junkie in all of us as we see secrets bared, and what lengths one will go to to keep everything buried. Even though this is the third novel in a series, it can easily be read as a standalone. The attention to the characters, detail, and the ominous sense of horror pervading the read will have you reading this one well into the night. This is one that I would definitely recommend to mystery and thriller lovers everywhere. 

The Shepherd - Ethan Cross - Blog Tour Review

Marcus Williams and Francis Ackerman Jr. both have a talent for hurting people. Marcus, a former New York City homicide detective, uses his abilities to protect others, while Ackerman uses his gifts to inflict pain and suffering. When both men become unwilling pawns in a conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of our government, Marcus finds himself in a deadly game of cat and mouse trapped between a twisted psychopath and a vigilante with seemingly unlimited resources. Aided by a rogue FBI agent and the vigilante's beautiful daughter--a woman with whom he's quickly falling in love--Marcus must expose the deadly political conspiracy and confront his past while hunting down one of the most cunning and ruthless killers in the world.

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Title: The Shepherd

Author: Ethan Cross

Genre: Adult Fiction, Thriller, Suspense

Publisher: The Fiction Studio

Publication Date: March 16, 2011

Format: Softcover

Source: Received from publicist for Pump Up Your Book blog tour. Many thanks goes to Tracee for sending me a copy of this book. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Tour: Pump Up Your Book

Find it: Amazon

My rating: 4/5 

Marcus Williams is not your typical man. He has a talent, one that he uses for the good of others around him. Francis Ackerman Jr. on the other hand, shares this talent and is one of the most prolific killers ever seen. Both men, are catapulted into a game of wits against each other. Conspiracy abounds at the highest levels of government as situations spiral out of control. Will Marcus survive and unveil the corruption for what it is? 
A raging, fast-paced thriller with explosive and bloody action, The Shepherd is sure to keep you up at night. With a highly prolific and cunning villain, the spotlight is thrown onto the visual aspect of Ackerman's kills. His rituals and games, make the story all the more disturbing. He has a worthy adversary in Marcus Williams. Williams, a former homicide detective, has the ability and capabilities to confront Ackerman, however all is not as it seems. 
Captivating characters will have you reading this one on the edge of your seat, as a highly engaging yet absolutely graphic story unfolds. A devious plot, and intricate storyline will also capture the reader's interest as they will wonder just what is going on. The psychological aspect also adds to the read as we see just what makes someone tick, and just how far one is willing to go to either save or torture those around them.
All in all, a gripping, shocking, thrilling, and gory read, reminiscent of Criminal Minds. The twist at the end will leave you stunned. Believe me, I did not see "that" coming. I dare you to read this one, especially if you enjoy books that will keep you up at night.