ARC Review: Valkyrie Rising

Title:  Valkyrie Rising
Author:  Ingrid Paulson
Pages:  352
Genre:  Young Adult Mythology
Publisher:  HarperTeen
Obtained:  Southern Book Bloggers ARC Tour
Purchase:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Summary:  Nothing ever happens in Norway. But at least Ellie knows what to expect when she visits her grandmother: a tranquil fishing village and long, slow summer days. And maybe she'll finally get out from under the shadow of her way-too-perfect big brother, Graham, while she's there.

What Ellie doesn't anticipate is Graham's infuriating best friend, Tuck, tagging along for the trip. Nor did she imagine boys going missing amid rumors of impossible kidnappings. Least of all does she expect something powerful and ancient to awaken in her and that strange whispers would urge Ellie to claim her place among mythological warriors. Instead of peace and quiet, there's suddenly a lot for a girl from L.A. to handle on a summer sojourn in Norway! And when Graham vanishes, it's up to Ellie--and the ever-sarcastic, if undeniably alluring Tuck--to uncover the truth about all the disappearances and thwart the nefarious plan behind them.

Deadly legends, hidden identities, and tentative romance swirl together in one girl's unexpectedly-epic coming of age.

The Dish:  I was thrilled when I found out I was getting the chance to read Ingrid Paulson's debut, Valkyrie Rising, and Ms. Paulson did not fail to reel me into the story.  With Norse mythology not being used as much in contemporary literature, it was refreshing and exciting to see just what was in store.  While the figures of Odin and Loki do play a role in the book, it is the strength and bond of the warrior women known as Valkyries that is the main focus, especially regarding Ellie's journey.

Ellie took a bit of warming up to in the beginning of the story, mostly because I did feel sorry for her having to stand in the massive shadow of Graham, her older brother.  I don't have siblings, so I can't really relate to that idea, but it was good to see that Ellie was indeed wanting to get out of that overbearing shadow.  When she gets the chance to go out with an older boy while visiting her grandmother, Hilda, in Norway, I wasn't surprised when she just went for it.  Then again, that might have also been the rebellious part of her rearing itself that she is strong enough to take care of herself without the need of Graham.

Following the incidents of young men being taken by the Valkyries, Ellie showed remarkable growth and strength, especially after Hilda revealed the truth behind her background.  While Ellie also showed the rashness of youth, she also was able to overcome that with the help of both trust in her grandmother and from her brother's best friend, Tuck.  I have to admit, Tucker was a bit of an enigma for me, and I could totally understand why Ellie would be confused by his erratic behavior.  When one is teased and on the bring of being bullied and then shown gentle attention, it's easy to get mixed signals.  Luckily, Ellie could handle herself in any given situation.

I really enjoyed reading Valkyrie Rising though the pace was a bit on the slow side within the first few chapters.  It did pick up once Ellie was in Norway and definitely following the kidnappings.  I think readers who enjoy mythology or just kick-butt heroines would enjoy Ms. Paulson's take on the Valkyrie myth.  This is one I'll definitely want to get for my library.

Top Ten Tuesday (51): Bookish Secrets

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new Top Ten list will be posted by one of the bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish. Everyone is welcome to join, just make sure to link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so everyone can check out other blogger lists. Have fun!

Top Ten Bookish Secrets

1)  While this isn't really a secret, I always take bloggers' opinions into account when ordering books for my library. (Thank you all for doing such a great job in reviewing and sharing books. ^_^)

2)  If all the books in a series have been released, I typically want to read them all in one fell swoop. This becomes harder to do when all of the books haven't been released.

3)  I will give up on a book series if it's too lengthy. There are so many books on my shelves and in my library, I want to make time for all of those I want to read.

4)  If a book has been made into a film, I will view the film before reading the book. Usually when I read the book first, I'm disappointed in the film's rendition.

5)  What's in a name? A character's name can make or break my decision to read/purchase a book. ("Missy" is the name of a 9-year-old girl named Melissa or a faithful family pet... not a paranormal heroine.)

6)  I'm always looking for characters that I can make into a costume. (So far I've only been able to do Grace from Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, and that's only because I have a stuffed wolf. lol)

7)  Sometimes, I'll read the graphic novel edition of a book to "test the waters" for the actual novel. (There are times you just want more of a visual story.)

8)  When in the library, I have to "fix" dog-earred pages in the books I'm shelving. It's just this need to correct the books for the next patron. 

9)  As a book-shopper, I will go through each and every copy of a book to find the "best possible one." You might think they're all the same, but there's always minor differences between copies.

10)  If an author has a playlist for their book, I try to listen to that playlist while reading the book. It's always fascinating to see how the author was influenced by the music when writing or how the music relates to the story.

Teaser Tuesday: Valkyrie Rising

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading.  Anyone can play along!  Just do the following:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
• Share the title & author, too, so that others can add the book to their TBR lists!

This week's teaser comes from Ingrid Paulson's debut, Valkyrie Rising.

"The ringleader looked at me, and the anger drained from his face.  His pupils had that filmy, distant quality I was beginning to know far too well.  He took a step back, and his friends and Margit followed suit." ~pg. 153

Banned Books Week Giveaway

Hosted by the ever-amazing I Read Banned Books & I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

September 28th through October 6th

Banned Books Week is a yearly event celebrating the freedom to read.  This event is usually held during the last week of September and highlights the value of free and open access to information.  Banned Books Week brings together librarians, teachers, booksellers, publishers, and readers to show their support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, though they might be considered unorthodox or unpopular.

The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted with removal or restrictions in libraries and schools.  It's amazing at how these books have been criticized and scorned yet they still remain available to the public thanks to the work of librarians, teachers, students, and members of the community who support the freedom to read. 

Below are three of my favorite banned/challenged books:

To find out more frequently challenged titles, please go here.

While I own these three (and others that have been challenged or banned), I'd like to give my readers the chance to select their own banned or challenged book with a $15 Barnes & Noble gift card!

Fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wordless Wednesday: Wolf Creek Pass, CO

Review: Anew + Giveaway!

Title:  Anew (Archers of Avalon #1)
Author:  Chelsea Fine
Pages:  378
Genre:  Paranormal Young Adult
Publisher:  Acacia Publishing
Obtained:  From Publisher for Blog Tour
Summary:  Two years ago, Scarlet awoke in the forest alone, afraid, and unable to remember anything. Lost and confused, her life was a mystery... until she met a boy with a familiar voice.

Gabriel Archer has a voice from her past, and Scarlet's determined to remember why. She immerses herself in his life only to discover he has a brother he's kept hidden from her: Tristan Archer.

Upon meeting Tristan, Scarlet's world becomes even more muddled. While she's instinctively drawn to Gabriel, she's impossibly drawn to Tristan--and confused out her her mind. As she tries to piece together her history Scarlet realizes her past... might just be the death of her.

The Dish:  Oh my... I want more!  That's how I felt while reading Chelsea Fine's Anew.  I'll admit I had a completely different story in mind when I first read the summary, and Fine definitely delivered a heart-pounding story.  And when I say "heart-pounding" I mean literally in our heroine's case.

After waking up two years prior with no recollection of any memories, Scarlet has been living as normal a life as she can manage in Avalon, Georgia.  She has a guardian who provides for her every need, a best friend who brings her happiness, and she has just started seeing one of the most gorgeous of guys.  Despite these things, Scarlet wants to know about her past, about who she is and why she would have been left in the forest alone without anyone coming to look for her in the past two years.

Scarlet is an amazing character.  With all that she has been through in first trying to figure out who she is and then in dealing with the fact that she is living with a curse that forces her to die, I would have freaked out a lot sooner than her.  She's a strong person and an admirable girl.  What confused me was after she found out about Gabriel and Tristan and how she couldn't understand why she was so drawn to one brother.  Granted, with the way one treated her versus how the other treated her, her confusion was rather justified.

I was very intrigued and smitten with both Gabriel and Tristan Archer, but at the same time, the mystery behind their curse was a factor that really pushed me through the story.  There was one brother that really caught my attention, and I'm very curious to see what will happen in the next book.

While some of the questions put forth in the story were answered, there were others that had yet to be resolved.  Readers will love the dynamic between Scarlet, Gabriel, and Tristan as well as the mystery behind their curse, though I highly recommend having Awry, the second book, on hand.

Thanks to Acacia Publishing, I have one physical copy of Anew for US residents and one ebook copy for International residents!  Enter below to win a copy of Anew by Chelsea Fine!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Anew by Chelsea Fine

I'm happy to welcome author Chelsea Fine and to participate in the blog tour for the first book in Chelsea's Archers of Avalon series, Anew.  Please give a warm welcome to Chelsea Fine as she discusses the background behind her idea for the Archers of Avalon.

The Fountain of Youth, Archers of Avalon Style

By Chelsea Fine

Nearly every culture in the world has their own legend of the Fountain of Youth, also known as the Water of Life, the Elixir of Immortality, and the Fountain of Bounty. Names for this sought-after fountain have come and gone through the years and across the world, but the desire for eternal life has yet to fade from human existence. Because with life being as fleeting and frail as it is, who doesn’t want to be immortal?

When I was first developing my Archers of Avalon series I knew I wanted to make my characters immortal, but I didn’t want them to be creatures. While vampires, fairies, and angels are intriguing subjects, they are still creatures. I wanted to write a story about human beings who happened to have eternal life. But how would a person go about becoming immortal?

 The Fountain of Youth.

 In American history, legend has it that a Spanish explorer named Ponce de Leon traveled to North America in the sixteenth century and allegedly discovered the Fountain of Youth in northern Florida.

My Archers of Avalon series is set in the small town of Avalon, Georgia—just a short distance away from the supposed location of this mythical fountain. Coincidence? I think not. J

While my interest in the Fountain of Youth started out as just research for my books, it has slowly turned into a fascination of mine. Which is ironic because, in my story, water from the Fountain of Youth is entrancing, yet dangerously addictive, stealing the life from those who consume it.

But my immortal characters (two brothers) are not trying to drink the water. They are searching for the fountain so they may undo a curse that has plagued them for centuries and threatens to kill the girl they both love. This curse was sealed by their eternal blood and can only be broken by the very thing that gave them their immortality in the first place; water from the Fountain of Youth.

And so the story begins….  ;)

Thank you, Chelsea, and it's wonderful to see your take on the Fountain of Youth as a means of creating immortal humans.

About the Author:

Chelsea lives in Phoenix, AZ where she spends most of her time writing young adult fiction, painting murals, and avoiding housework at all costs.  Her obsessions include: superheroes, coffee, sleeping-in, and crazy socks.  She lives with her husband and two children, who graciously tolerate her inability to resist teenage drama on TV and her complete lack of skill in the kitchen. 

 Find Chelsea on:

Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Website

About the Book: 

Two years ago, Scarlet awoke in a forest alone, afraid, and with no memory. Lost and confused, her past was a complete mystery... until she met Gabriel Archer. Intrigued by his voice and its familiarity, Scarlet immerses herself in his life only to stumble on a secret. Gabriel has a brother. Once Scarlet meets Tristan Archer, her life becomes even more muddled. She's instinctively drawn to both of them and confused out of her mind. She can't figure out why Gabriel feels so familiar or why she's so attracted to Tristan. But the Archer brothers have more than just one secret and they know a lot about Scarlet that she doesn't--including the fact that she's cursed. They all are. 

Find Anew at: 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Website 

Please be sure to visit other blogs on the tour linked here!