Blog Tour: Antara - Marilena Mexi - Asteria Character Interview

Marilena Mexi is here today with a character interview with her main character, Asteria, courtesy of the Teen Book Scene blog tour for her book, Antara. Thank you for being here today, Marilena and Asteria. You can follow along with the tour here. Enjoy!

Hi Asteria! Thank you for being here today!

It must be quite the responsibility to be Queen, even though you share the royal title with your grandfather. What is the most difficult part of being Queen for you?

The fact that I'm a very young queen makes things much more difficult. I have to try to prove constantly that I'm worthy of my title. I'm the daughter of a great king who was an exceptional leader and the merfolk expect the best from me. I must keep a balance to remain everyone happy; I think that's the most difficult part.

How has life been for you, growing up under your grandfather's care?

When my parents disappeared, I and my sister were left alone with our grandfather. In order to make us not feel that great absence, he devoted himself totally to us and gave us plenty of love and care. He's my father and my mother to me, and the immense love I feel for him is never going to fade. Thanks to him I learned to be brave, show sympathy to everyone around me and and above all, be a good queen.

When you met Orestis for the first time, what did you think of him?

When I met Orestis, my opinion about him changed radically. All these years there was a rumor that he's like a beast, evil and merciless. But when I stared into his eyes for the first time, I saw pain and loneliness. This angelic, sorrowful gaze broke my heart. My mind filled with doubt about what actually was his character; a strange feeling deluged me, and I wanted to forgive him for everything at once.

Why is Ivi so bitter and horrible to everyone?

Frankly, I could never understand Ivi's character. She's a girl who lives alone, without friends or family. I feel that she would like to be in my place and claim Aster for herself. However I don't discern honesty in her eyes; just her interest in titles and social status. Why is she so mean with everyone? I could never explain malice, I'm just assuming that jealousy is blinding her, making her a sick person with no reasonable thinking.

Do you think the people of Aster and the mer-folk will ever be united again?

Even if it's very difficult for me, I never stop hoping or dreaming; and in my dreams I see a peaceful Aster. I believe in my dreams and I strive to make them come true.

Thank you for answering my questions, Asteria, and thank you for being here, Marilena!

Marilena Mexi can be found on her website, her blog, and on twitter.

Antara - Marilena Mexi - Blog Tour Review

Peace and tranquility on the island of Aster, home to both humans and 'merfolk', has long been broken by a devastating phenomenon, recurring every five years. A storm including gusting winds and huge waves mysteriously appeared and eradicated much of the population. The misunderstandings, suspicion and hate born of this disaster have torn the two races apart, and the peace loving merfolk are now in a never-ending struggle to prove their innocence and restore peace to the island.

On the human side, things are even worse; under the tyranny of cruel king Orestis, the people suffer and all their king cares for is vengeance against the “fish”, as he spitefully calls them, executing merfolk after merfolk for just being near his lands.

Secrets, intense emotions and strange phenomena will upset their lives forever.

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Title: Antara

Author: Marilena Mexi

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Publisher: Lulu

Publication Date: March 22, 2011

Format: E-book

Source: Received from author courtesy of the Teen Book Scene. Many thanks goes to Marilena Mexi 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: 3/5

The land of Aster has been divided into two parts, one ruled by merfolk, and the other by humans. The people and merfolk of Aster were united peacefully at one time, but due to some devastating storms that return every five years, both have parted ways. The people of Aster blame the merfolk for these storms as they feel they have been brought upon them by the merfolk. Now, under the tyrannical rule of King Orestis, Aster has become a deadly place for the merfolk as they are tried and executed if captured. Asteria, Queen of the merfolk, is trying to bring about peace to both merfolk and human alike, but will have to walk a dangerous path to bring about the peace she craves. Will she be able to unite both races once again? 

Antara is probably one of the first books that I have read that has been translated from Greek to English. It does have some grammatical errors and some phrases that have been translated strangely, but overall it is an interesting and cute read. 

The world-building is intricate, and I enjoyed the history of both people and merfolk as it was related to the reader. The pictures are absolutely gorgeous and they really give us a glimpse of the world of Aster. 

Asteria is the spokesperson and Queen of her people, and she as such had a hard role to play in Antara. I didn't always agree with what she did, and had a hard time connecting with her, but she wanted what was best for the merfolk, and she was striving to bring both races together again; that I can understand. Her relationship with Orestis didn't ring completely true for me either. I thought things moved too fast between them, especially considering the secrets being kept from each other. With that said, the storyline is still a unique one, and the world is fantastical. The artistry brings an added dimension to the world of Aster, as it brings characters to life in portrait. The scenes were also beautifully rendered, and they captured the essence of Antara. 

All in all, this is still a unique reading experience, and I think tweens and younger teens will enjoy reading Antara. It has some interesting twists that will keep the reader guessing. The title is befitting of the novel as well. Asteria and Orestis' story isn't finished, and it will be interesting to find out if the merfolk and people of Aster can be united again. 

Maureen McGowan Talks Covers -- Specifically, Cinderella: Ninja Warrior, and a Giveaway.

Hi Corrine and thank you so much for inviting me to guest post on your blog about my cover for Cinderella: Ninja Warrior!

I was absolutely thrilled when I first saw the cover for Cinderella: Ninja Warrior. I knew they were going for a traditional historical feel, which isn’t exactly how I imagined the setting as I was writing, but I was very impressed by the beauty and lush look of the cover. Not to mention her beautiful dress!

I didn’t get any input on how the cover would look, but I was shown some examples of other covers that matched the look and feel they were going for, and loving those, I was excited to see what they came up with. I wasn’t disappointed.

An interesting aside... I actually had two covers for this book. The Twisted Tales books were originally planned to be released in the fall of 2010 with an entirely different publisher, with entirely different covers. That publisher shut down about six months before the books were due to come out, but anyone who’s curious can still see the covers, the first publisher was planning to use, on most online booksellers’ websites. I love the new covers, but I’d be curious to hear which versions your blog readers like better. 

My Cinderella never actually wields a sword in the book—she wishes she had access to a sword!—and my Cinderella looks somewhat different from the beautiful model playing her on the cover, but I love the cover. The image is very striking. It makes you look twice—what is she holding?—and really captures the idea conveyed in the title and story.

One of the first people to whom I showed the cover said it reminded her of an old Nancy Drew novel, one where Nancy is peering around a corner with a candle or flashlight. That classic book series was one of my favorites when I was a young reader and I figure if the cover designer captured a little bit of the intelligence and determination of Nancy Drew, it had to be a good thing. Those books have been popular with young readers for decades.

I also love the internal design of the books—how the designer separated the sections with a patterned pages that look like brocade fabric. I love how, as a result, if you bend the book slightly you can see all the sections marked off with thin gray lines. 

Authors rarely get any input into their covers and I was no exception. It’s very scary to see your cover for the first time, knowing it’s one of the main things readers use to determine whether they’ll pick up and buy the book, but I couldn’t be happier.

Maureen can be found at her website, on her blog, or on twitter.

Thank you so much for being here today, Maureen! I think the covers for both "Cinderella: Ninja Warrior" and "Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer" are absolutely gorgeous, and I LOVE the "Choose Your Own Story" element! I've added the old cover (above) and the new cover (below) if anyone wants to compare the two and voice which one they like the most. =)

Giveaway

Many thanks goes to Teddy and Maureen for this giveaway. 

I have one copy of Cinderella: Ninja Warrior up for grabs to one lucky winner.

Giveaway is open to US/Canada residents only.

Winner must be able to provide a mailing address with no P.O. Box. 

Giveaway ends May 26, 2011.

Please fill out this FORM to enter. Comments, while appreciated, will not be counted as entries. 

Thank you!

Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer - Maureen McGowan

In this thrilling story full of adventure and romance, Sleeping Beauty is more than just a lonely princess waiting for her prince—she's a brave, tenacious girl who never backs down from a challenge. With vampire-slaying talents that she practices in secret, Sleeping Beauty puts her courage to the test in the dark of night, fighting evil as she searches for a way to break the spell that has cut her off from her family. In a special twist, readers have the opportunity to make key decisions for Sleeping Beauty and decide where she goes next—but no matter the choice; the result is a story unlike any fairy tale you've ever read!

Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer is an entirely new type of fairy tale–one that will keep today's kids guessing and offer them hours of magical fun.

Synopsis taken from goodreads. 

Title: Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer

Author: Maureen McGowan

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure, Fairytale Retelling, Choose Your Own Adventure

Publisher: Silver Dolphin

Publication Date: April 1, 2011

Format: E-book

Source: Netgalley.

Disclaimer: I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks goes to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review. 

Look for it: Amazon, Book Depository

My rating: 4/5

Lucette has been coddled ever since she was a baby; so much so that she hasn't been allowed to do anything for herself, lest she prick her finger and unleash the curse that has been placed on her by the bitter vampire queen. She has to wear gloves at all times, and is not allowed to do anything that could potentially hurt her. Unfortunately, that means that her hopes of becoming a vampire slayer are pretty bleak. When the unthinkable happens, will Lucette be able to break the spell? 

McGowan has done it again. With another installment in the "Twisted Tales" series, she has created a princess who not only is beautiful, but is strong as well. Lucette isn't your typical princess. She's always revolted against her restraints, and has trained secretly to become a vampire slayer. She has always wanted to be a vampire slayer, and now, with her sixteenth birthday looming, she knows she needs to be able to protect herself, as well as her family. With elements from the original Sleeping Beauty integrated into the story, it is interesting to see the variations and liberties taken. New friends are made, and rather than wait around for a prince to come, she is willing to take up arms and patrol the castle to protect her family.

Though her father is over-protective, his heart is in the right place, and you can't fault him for that. He does go overboard, but Lucette's mother is more even-tempered and is willing to help Lucette out. 

Tweens and teens will love this fairytale retelling as they get to see Lucette turn into the strong woman that she is. Though she hasn't counted out finding true love, she isn't going to sit around waiting for it either.

All in all a fresh take on the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. With new friends, and a princess who can stand up for herself, Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer is sure to charm any reader. With two fairy tales now recreated, I'm itching to see what McGowan has in store for the rest of them. 

Cinderella: Ninja Warrior - Maureen McGowan - Blog Tour Review

In this fast-paced story full of adventure and romance, Cinderella is more than just a servant girl waiting for her prince—she's a tough, fearless girl who is capable of taking charge of a dangerous situation. Seeking to escape the clutches of her evil stepmother, Cinderella perfects her ninja skills and magic talents in secret, waiting for the day when she can break free and live happily ever after. In a special twist, readers have the opportunity to make key decisions for Cinderella and decide where she goes next—but no matter the choice; the result is a story unlike any fairy tale you've ever read!

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Title: Cinderella: Ninja Warrior

Author: Maureen McGowan

Genre: Young Adult, Fairytale Retellings, Fantasy, Adventure, Create Your Own Adventure

Publisher: Silver Dolphin

Publication Date: April 1, 2011

Format: Softcover

Source: Received from publicist. Many thanks goes to Teddy for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Tour: Premier Author Virtual Book Tours

Look for it: Amazon, Book Depository

My rating: 4/5

Cinderella's had a tough life. She's had to slave away, toiling hour after hour as her stepsisters think up cruel and unusual jobs for her to do. What's worse though, is that her stepmother not only encourages them, she also makes life miserable for Cinderella. All is not lost for Cinderella though, as she has been training and teaching herself how to be a ninja. Her stepmother would be livid if she found out, so Cinderella practices only when she knows there is no one around. One day soon she hopes that she will break the spell cast on her, and will be able to live a life free from her step-mother's constant reign. 

Cinderella: Ninja Warrior is an extremely cute and fast-paced read. Reminiscent of the tale we all know, Cinderella: Ninja Warrior carries on with the basic premise from the original fairytale. There is a prince, there is a ball, and Cinderella is at the mercy of her two step-sisters and their evil mother. There is something different in this retelling though. Cinderella is depicted as a strong character balking at her stepmother's tyrannical rule. She isn't going to wait for anyone to come sweep her off her feet, let alone a prince. She reads in secret, and trains to be a ninja warrior. Someday she will be able to free herself. Magic abounds, and Cinderella herself has talents that have gone unnoticed.

I think my favourite part of this novel is that the reader chose what Cinderella did next, making it seem like the reader was right there with Cinderella, acting out her part. She's a determined, strong young woman who wants to find a way out of the situation that she is currently in. You have to hand it to her, prince or no prince, she's bound and determined to get what she wants. 

All in all, I think this is a cute read, and I believe many tweens and teens will enjoy this read. With a message that combines strength and girl power, I think many will enjoy this retelling of the classic Cinderella. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series, and am curious to see just what McGowan has in store for the rest of the fairytale princesses.