THE YOUNG ELITES GIVEAWAY

Happy Monday Everyone! Hope you're having a great start to the week. I am so very sorry that I did not visit all your blogs last week. But with work, applying for jobs, and a busy swim captain mom week, I ran out of time. This weekend was the swim championships and it was so much fun watching all the girls drop time. Some of them who still had slower times dropped 10 seconds. And Anna Li has a fantastic weekend. She dropped time in her individuals both days and both relays she was on came in 2nd! She's on the state team and in two more weeks she'll finish her swimming career. We're enjoying everything now, but both of us are ready for her to move on.

FOLLOWER NEWS

Sharon Mayhew has started a manuscript editing service. Stop by her blog to learn more and to enter for a chance to win a critique.

I have a few winners to announce.


The winner of The Heir Chronicles is Abby!

And the winner of COMPULSION is C. Lee McKenzie!

Congrats! E-mail me your address so I can send your books to you. Please e-mail me by the end of Wednesday or I'll have to pick another winner.

Today I'm thrilled to share THE YOUNG ELITES, the first book in Marie Lu's new series. Here's a blurb from Goodreads:

I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

Wow! I already loved Marie Lu as an author and now I'm even more of a fan. Marie has branched out into fantasy in this story and does not disappoint.

I loved the world building where the Young Elites have special magical powers caused by an illness and are persecuted for it. I'm always pulled into stories where the characters are fighting discrimination. And the Young Elites all have different, very interesting powers, which I enjoyed.

Adelina is a dark, but sympathetic character. I read that Marie Lu was trying to create a Darth Vader type character in Adelina. She's suffered a terrible life so we can understand where her darkness comes from. And it's tempered by her devotion to her sister who she is trying to save.

This is a fast paced story. I don't seem to be reading as fast these days so it's saying even more when I find a book that hooks me. I read this in a few days. And there were plot twists and revelations I didn't see coming.

Marie Lu's publisher, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers generously donated an ARC of THE YOUNG ELITES for a giveaway. 
To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment through November 29th. I’ll announce the winner on December 1st. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, please leave it in the comments.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. This is for US and Canada.

Here’s what’s coming up:

On Friday I’m participating in the Gratitude Giveaway Blog Hop.

And the following Monday I’ll have a guest post by debut author Jennifer Torres and giveaway of THE DISAPPEARING, her MG sci-fi mystery.

I’ll be off the Monday after that. I know it’ll be quiet with the Thanksgiving holiday coming up.

The following Monday (Dec 1st) I have a guest post by debut author Jaye Robin Brown and a giveaway of NO PLACE TO FALL, her YA Contemporary.

Hope to see you on Friday!