In Her Shoes (23): Ariana from Shift

In Her Shoes is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Vanya at YA Story Teller. To participate, simply put yourself in the shoes of a heroine you've recently read about, and then talk about what you would do in her place, or what you've learned from her.

Featuring this week:

Ariana from Shift

Ariana is one of the secondary characters in the YA fantasy/romance (Firstborn trilogy) by Raine Thomas and a very important character in Shift which is the 2nd installment in the trilogy. She is one of the most complete heroines I have come across by in Young Adult literature because her journey has been really tough and her determination to overcome, very inspiring. In Defy the book where we originally meet Ariana, she is in a way kidnapped and forced to be a slave of sorts, to the worst type of villains that you could think of. Ariana is subjected to a lot of cruelty and put under a lot of mental strain and trauma. When we meet Ariana again in Shift she is highly hesitant to face her previous captors because of how deranged they are but it is in her necessity to face them again as part of the plot, where she becomes a heroine that is really easy to admire.

Personality wise, I would say that Ariana is a very caring person, observant to the needs of others, kind and cautious. Would I change a thing about Ariana? not really. She came across as such a realistic character in the sense that her reactions to things felt very real when it comes to a person who has been put under immense pressure and trauma. She really for a while there is just in complete refusal to face the people who caused her such harm but as Ariana makes new friends, she realizes that facing her previous captors is not only necessary to save those around her but for her piece of mind as well because if she lets her fear control her, then it's like her captors won and still have a hold of her, even though she is not in their possession anymore. 

What really made me love Ariana as a character was her bravery and seeing her realize how strong she is and how important it was that she faced her fears and moved on. Definitely a character to look up to.

Showcase Sunday (10) - Stacking the Shelves (2)

Showcase Sunday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Vicky at the Books, Biscuits and Tea blog. It is a meme inspired by Pop Culture Junkie and The Story Siren. The goal of this meme is for us bookish peeps to showcase & highlight the books that we have either bought, borrowed, won, downloaded, or received for review the past week :)

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Review to highlight the books us bloggers have gotten during the week, as well.

I like both memes, so I've decided to take part in both =)

BOUGHT

UK paperback of Stolen Night (Vampire Queen #2) - by Rebecca Maizel 

FOR REVIEW

Shift (Book # 2 in Firstborn Trilogy) - by Raine Thomas [e-book]

Sidenote: Stolen Night is the sequel to Infinite Days (my all time fave YA book). I have been waiting for this book for about 2 years. It came out in the UK at the beginning of July and I just had to get a copy. It doesn't come out in the US, however, until Jan 2013 under the title 'Stolen Nights' and I didn't want to wait that long, so I tracked down a UK copy *woot woot*... I am midway through Stolen Night already and it is AMAZING. Beautiful writing and incredible characters.

Shift is the sequel to Defy which I read in one day and I cannot wait to read it. Defy was super fun!

What book loveliness did you receive this week? :)

In Her Shoes (5): Tate from Defy

In Her Shoes is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Vanya at YA Story Teller. To participate, simply put yourself in the shoes of a heroine you've recently read about, and then talk about what you would do in her place, or what you've learned from her.

Featuring this week:

Tate from Defy

Tate is one of the main characters in the YA fantasy/romance (Firstborn trilogy) by Raine Thomas and the female lead in Defy which is the 1st installment in the trilogy. Personality wise, I would say that Tate is just bad-ass in every sense of the word. And what I loved about her is that she doesn't shove her badassery in your face like some 'badass' heroines do. No. She is badass but she doesn't talk about it, she shows it. With this girl, her kick butt attitude is very natural and because she is so fun, fearless and light hearted, you are never annoyed with her. So there is definitely nothing I would change about her and I like that she doesn't ask permission to do things. If she believes in something, she goes for it and trusts her instincts. 

Another amazing quality about Tate is that she is very good hearted and a fearless fighter, both physically and mentally. No one can get past this girl verbally or physically, she sets people straight. I really loved her fearlessness and think that she is one of the most funnest, strong, and dynamic heroines that I've read about in quite a while. And she is so lucky, she gets to hang around Zachariah who is (there are no words to describe his epicness) and yes - I know he is fictional and she is, as well. BUT I'm still jealous :D

Author Interview: Raine Thomas

Hey Guys,

I'd love to welcome you all to read my interview with author Raine Thomas as today is the launch of her new book Defy - Book One of the Firstborn trilogy.

 Thank you, Raine, for taking the time to answer our questions here at Dream Reads.

Goodreads Summary of Defy:

Seventeen-year-old Tate is about to make her parents’ dreams come true. Unfortunately for her, their dreams foretell her death.

Eager to explore more of the Estilorian plane and prove her abilities, Tate goes against her parents’ wishes and leaves the area of protection surrounding her home. Her choice puts her on a deadly path…one that leaves her alone, severely injured and battling for her life.

Her possible savior arrives in the form of Zachariah, a male who has removed himself from Estilorian society for more than fifty years. Fighting an unexpected connection to Tate, he must decide whether saving her life is worth destroying his.

As Tate struggles to find a way home, she ends up drawn into a dark Mercesti plot involving multiple murders and a powerful ancient artifact. With the unpredictable Zachariah as her only source for aid, she’ll soon find out if her abilities are strong enough to help her defy her Fate.

 Raine Thomas

Brief bio: Raine Thomas is the author of a bestselling series of YA fantasy romance novels about the Estilorian plane, including the Daughters of Saraqael trilogy and the upcoming Firstborn trilogy. She is a proud member of Romance Writers of America and is a contributing blogger to The Writer's Voice. When she isn’t planning weddings, writing or glued to social networking sites, she can usually be found on one of Florida’s beautiful beaches with her husband and daughter or crossing the border to visit with her Canadian friends and relatives.

And now for some Q&A/interview awesomeness with Raine Thomas:

 1. Who or what inspired you to become a writer?

I’ve always loved writing! Many teachers encouraged me along the way, and my mom has always been a great cheerleader. Probably the biggest inspiration was my cousin, though. Every summer, I’d stay with her and her family, and she’d ask me to write stories. Thanks to her, I learned how to write in a way that keeps the reader turning the pages.

2. What do you love the most about writing young adult novels?

There’s a lot to enjoy about writing YA. I think my favorite thing about it is that the characters have the bulk of their lives ahead of them. There is such promise, even for characters facing incredible challenges. That suits my love of happy endings just right!

3. Do you have a favorite young adult genre?

My favorite YA genre is paranormal romance. Love it!

4. Do you have any writers or books that inspire your work?

I love Nora Roberts’ writing. If there’s one author I aspire to be like, she’s the one! In particular, I love the way she portrays her male characters. I’ve learned a lot about character voice from reading her books.

5. What has been the biggest lesson that you have learned as a self-published/indie author?

You must, must, must have a strong social media platform. Any indie author who isn’t willing to invest their time and effort into social media is missing out on connecting with millions of potential readers…not to mention making connections with other people in the writing community!

6. What advice would you like to give to aspiring writers?

Don’t ever give up! I’ve chatted with many writers who get discouraged, and some of them have bestsellers. The key is to work through your struggles and have faith in your abilities. Write a little every day, even if it’s only a sentence. You’d be surprised how quickly those small efforts come together into a complete work.

7. You often hear that a lot of authors have writing soundtracks for each of their books. Is there any music that inspired the writing of Defy?

Yes! There were a number of songs that inspired me as I wrote Defy. A few of them were “If I Die Young” by The Band Perry, “What Doesn’t Kill You” by Kelly Clarkson, “I Run to You” by Lady Antebellum and “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper.

8. Which reading format do you prefer: Paperbacks, Hardcovers or E-books?

I’ve become addicted to my Kindle. For that reason, I have to go with E-books. I love that I can store a library of books on one device!

9. How was the book cover for Defy conceptualized?

First, I have to give huge props to Devan Edwards of Nimbi Design, who has designed all of my book covers. We both agreed that the Firstborn trilogy covers needed to have a similar feel as my Daughters of Saraqael covers, since they’re companion trilogies. Thus, I found some models that I thought resembled the main female characters as I picture them and turned them over to Devan to work her magic. However…I think I made her want to run screaming into the night when I described Tate’s hair! Fortunately, Devan is an absolute genius and made it work. ☺


10. Do you have a motto that you like to live by?

I have several, but one of the top quotes I love is, “How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live” by Henry David Thoreau. Life is too short. Live it to the fullest!

11. Are you reading anything at the moment?

I’m always reading something. lol Right now, I’m reading Tiffany King’s Meant to Be as well as conducting a beta read of another author’s high fantasy novel. I’m enjoying both!

Thanks so much for having me by for the interview, Jennifer, and for checking out Defy!

 

 

 

Defy by Raine Thomas will be released April 30th 2012 by Iambe Books. Be sure to add it to your To-Be-Read pile on Goodreads!

 Want to know more about Raine Thomas and Defy (Firstborn #1)?

Contact her @

 http://www.RaineThomas.com | http://twitter.com/Raine_Thomas
http://facebook.com/RaineThomas | http://pinterest.com/RaineThomas

http://RaineThomas.com/blog/

 

 

 

 

 

Read my book review for Defy here

 

 

Thanks for reading :)

Defy (Firstborn #1) by Raine Thomas

Defy (Firstborn #1) by Raine Thomas

Publisher: Iambe Books

Release Date: April 30th, 2012

Genre: YA Fantasy/Romance

Source: Author

Format: Paperback

Goodreads Summary:

Seventeen-year-old Tate is about to make her parents’ dreams come true. Unfortunately for her, their dreams foretell her death.

Eager to explore more of the Estilorian plane and prove her abilities, Tate goes against her parents’ wishes and leaves the area of protection surrounding her home. Her choice puts her on a deadly path…one that leaves her alone, severely injured and battling for her life.

Her possible savior arrives in the form of Zachariah, a male who has removed himself from Estilorian society for more than fifty years. Fighting an unexpected connection to Tate, he must decide whether saving her life is worth destroying his.

As Tate struggles to find a way home, she ends up drawn into a dark Mercesti plot involving multiple murders and a powerful ancient artifact. With the unpredictable Zachariah as her only source for aid, she’ll soon find out if her abilities are strong enough to help her defy her Fate.

My Review: 

It is often said that when you love something it usually is hard for you to say why you love said thing because how can you explain perfection in just a few words, right? Well, this is how I felt about Defy. It was brilliant. It was such a breath of fresh air with it's unique blend of intensity and humour. It had mystery, intrigue, depth, romance, and an amazing cast of characters. Defy does not disappoint as it is the first book in the follow up series to the Daughters of Saraqael trilogy which in it's own right is such an interesting and unique YA fantasy/Romance trilogy with it's introduction to all things Estilorian. Estilorian being beings with special powers who had to remove themselves from human society and who eventually became the stuff of what myth and legends are based on. In Defy we get to learn more about Estilorian society and it was beyond intriguing.

In Defy I think that Raine Thomas does a really great job at expanding the Estilorian world for the reader and it has to be said that she truly has an imagination that is out of this world. Her twists on traditional fantastical elements never cease to amaze me. The creatures she creates, the landscapes described, and the abilities/characteristics of the beings and people in this novel really are amazing and truly transport the reader to a whole new world in their mind and really what is a better testament to excellent world-building, right?

The characterization in Defy is also pretty incredible. Every character is so well developed. They are so complex that there is not one instance in which you feel like you truly know it all about a character. New things always keep coming to light and I love it when an author can persistently keep you guessing and on your toes about what really is going on underneath the surface in a character's life. It is the mark of truly good storytelling for me and this book had that in abundance and I loved it. The secondary characters in this book are all so charming and strong and determined to try to do the right thing. I fell in love with the newly introduced cast of Estilorians, too. And the main characters in this novel are a riot. Tate and Zachariah are so much fun and it is really surprising because throughout the novel they are facing danger at every corner, from beginning to end; but their personalities always remain so strong, stubborn, willful and funny and I thought it was really great to read about. To say that I liked them doesn't even begin to express the amount of love I had for these characters by the time I finished reading this book. Which leads me to the romance in this book.

Tate and Zachariah have a chemistry that is off the charts. It really is. I thought their banter was hilarious because they are just both so slick, clever, passionate and fearless and what I loved about them is that they both have incredibly strong personalities and it truly works for them because they challenge each others perceptions at every turn and it wasn't instantaneous love either. It took them a while to get to know each other and every word of it was fun. And what is really great about this book is that there are also two other big romances brewing in this book amongst the secondary characters which were also incredibly compelling, interesting, and humorous. Raine Thomas just knows how to do romance and I think she outshines herself in Defy. Tate and Zachariah especially were flawless. They just were. No other way to put it really.

Besides the really great characterization, world-building and romance. What I loved about Defy the most had to be it's exploration of emotions with it's special emphasis on what self consciousness and arrogance can do to a person's perception of self. A lot of the characters in this book including the main characters go on an incredibly journey of self discovery and battle not only physical danger but psychological danger, as well. It was really interesting to get into these characters head and to see how they would overcome these struggles that they had with themselves and when you add to that a backdrop of an incredibly scary cast of villains/dangerous landscapes and twists at every turn, you truly have yourself a very adventured filled book in every sense of the word.

My Rating: 5/5