Archive by Author | Meredith

Author Spotlight: Finding Erin Campbell by Kathy Cunningham (Interview + Giveaway)

Hey everyone! I’m really excited to have Kathy Cunningham, author of Finding Erin Campbell (May 25th 2015), here for an interview. First, here’s more about the book:

Erin Campbell is lucky – she’s popular, she’s been accepted at Berkeley, she’s got the perfect boyfriend, a great car, parents with plenty of money, and a future that’s going to be even better than her dreams. Lucky, right?

But then one Tuesday afternoon, Erin’s luck runs out. She’s in her car, driving on a deserted country road, and she reads a text from her boyfriend. It’s only a few words, no big deal. What could happen in ten seconds, anyway? But she doesn’t see the boy on the blue bicycle. Not until it’s too late. Not until he’s lying in the road, broken and bleeding, and she’s standing there staring down at him, her cell phone in her hand.

Things get worse when another girl – Macy Wilkes, an outsider at Erin’s school – is charged with the hit-and-run. Macy is black, she doesn’t live in Erin’s upscale neighborhood, and it would be so easy for Erin to just let Macy take the rap. Or would it?

This is a novel about what it means to do the right thing in a world that isn’t always fair. Confessing could cost Erin everything – college, her boyfriend, her parents’ respect . . . even her freedom. But not confessing could cost her even more.

Sometimes the world can fall apart in the time it takes to read a text message. Erin Campbell lost herself on a Tuesday afternoon; finding herself again will mean looking at who she really is. Warts and all. And there’s nothing harder than that.

Goodreads | Amazon

And now here’s the interview. Enjoy!

Question: Your debut novel, Finding Erin Campbell, has been out for over three months. When you began the process of self-publishing, did you ever think you’d get to this point? How does it feel?
Answer: It actually took me quite a while to come around to the idea of self-publishing. It used to be called “vanity publishing,” and there was a stigma attached to it. Things have changed over the last few years; the Internet has made it easier (and much less expensive) for authors to get their work out there. I’ve read a lot of self-published books, and some of them have been fabulous. That’s what convinced me. I realized that if I wanted this to happen, I was going to have to do it on my own.

And it was scary! It really was! While I love the idea that one of my books is actually for sale on Amazon (wow, that’s a cool feeling!), it’s hard facing the fact that writing a book and selling it are two very different things.

Question: What has the process/journey been like? What was the hardest part? The easiest part?
Answer: The easiest part of this process for me has always been the writing. I love writing – I have stories in my head all the time. And getting them down on paper (or on the computer screen!) has always been great fun.

The hardest part is definitely marketing. The whole “selling” thing is totally alien to me. I don’t do twitter or Instagram, and while I do have a Facebook page, I don’t have anywhere near the number of “friends” you need to start a marketing campaign. It takes a ton of self-promotion to get your book into the hands of readers. And for someone like me, with little marketing background and no fondness for social media, it’s very, very hard.

Question: Finding Erin Campbell discusses an important and timely topic. What inspired you to write this story?
Answer: The accident part of the story (Erin hitting the boy on the bike) was probably inspired by a movie I saw back in 1999 called “Hit and Run” (about a wealthy middle-aged woman who accidentally runs over a child during a rain storm and flees the scene). But what happens to Erin (including her texting, her collaboration with her friend Annie, and the legal consequences) is all my invention. As for the racial justice aspect of the story (and what happens when Macy, a black girl from Erin’s school, is charged with the hit and run), that came from my years of teaching black and white teens at a Maryland high school. Prince George’s County is one of the few areas in the country where the majority of people – including the majority of wealthy, successful people – are black. Many of my students experienced a rude awakening when they went off to college and we talked about that. The world we live in isn’t fair. And it won’t ever be until we can talk about these things openly.

Question: What do you hope readers will gain/learn from reading your book?
Answer: The novel is really about personal responsibility. The most important thing for Erin is coming to terms with herself and what she can and can’t live with. She regrets the texting, yes, but I think she regrets leaving the scene of the accident and letting someone else take the blame even more. And that’s what I want my readers to think about. It’s one thing to say, “I’ll never text while driving,” but that isn’t really what Erin learns in the novel (she knew that all along). What she learns is more about taking responsibility, and about being courageous enough to tell the truth, even if it might cost her everything. She learns that she and Macy have more in common than she thought, and that people are people, no matter what color their skin is (or how much money their parents make). And she learns that life isn’t fair – that’s something I want my readers to think about, too.

Question: Did you do a lot of research for this story? What was the most interesting/disturbing thing you learned?
Answer: The research I did was mainly about the legal aspects of the story – what exactly is the charge for killing someone accidentally in a car accident and then running away? What are the potential penalties? I read a lot about plea bargains and how they work, and about the different levels of murder and manslaughter. I read about bail and what it means to use a bail bondsman. These aren’t things I’ve ever had to deal with myself, and I wanted the story to be as true-to-life as possible.

Probably the most disturbing thing I discovered was how different the sentences are in this country for people of color, as opposed to whites. There are assumptions made about white people – especially affluent white people – that are not made about black people. And that means it’s harder for a black person to get fair treatment in many parts of this country.

Question: You have four books listed as “coming soon” on your website. Which book are you planning to publish next? Which one are you most excited for readers to enjoy?
Answer: That’s a hard question! The other four books I’ve written are very different from Finding Erin Campbell, and from each other. Beautiful Lies is a mystery set in rural Pennsylvania, Now is post-apocalyptic, Mirror Vision has an element of science fiction, and Peanut Butter Effect is Middle Grade fantasy. Right now, I’m focusing on Beautiful Lies, mainly because it is the closest in style and content to Erin. But I have to admit I’m excited about all of them! I’m looking at getting the next book up on Amazon sometime this fall, so I’ll be making the decision very soon.

Question: Craziest thing you’ve had to Google for a work in progress?
Answer: I don’t know if it’s crazy, but I had to Google a bunch of stuff about horses for Beautiful Lies – I needed to know how long horses live, and what towns in Pennsylvania had horse ranches. I’ve also used Google maps for several of my books, since I had to figure out how characters could get from one place to another. I’ve also Googled bus fares and train schedules, parking options in Brooklyn, NY, and whether or not a can of tuna would be edible after ten years!

Question: What advice do you have for other writers who hope to self-publish?
Answer: Here’s my best advice: If you’ve written a book, publish it! These days, writers really are in control of their own work. That means you don’t have to wait for someone else to tell you your book is good. You know if it’s good, and if it is, it deserves to be read! So do it! Just make sure your manuscript is as close to perfect as it can be before you put it up for sale (proofread it over and over again, get editorial advice, and spend the time to make the formatting right, even if it drives you crazy!). The point is to make your book look as good as the books on the shelves at Barnes & Noble. But the most important thing is to go ahead and put yourself out there. It hasn’t been easy for me – it’s been downright scary! – but I’m glad I did it. Even if my book never sells more than a few dozen copies, I’m still glad. Because it’s something I can be proud of.

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And now for the giveaway! Four winners will receive digital copies (.mobi files) of Finding Erin Campbell! To enter, leave a blog comment on this post, telling me what you’d do if you were in Erin’s shoes. Also, leave some love for Kathy! Winners will be randomly selected on September 25th, 2015 at 11pm EST. Good luck!

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About the Author:

My name is Kathy Cunningham. I’ve been a lot of things in my life — paralegal, newspaper reporter, religious educator, teacher, wife, mother. And I’ve been writing forever. According to my mother, I started writing when I was two years old; I would dictate stories to her, and she would write them down on my father’s yellow legal pads. She saved those stories. I still have a few of them. And they are pretty damned exciting — one is about a duckling named “Yellowy” who talks his mother into getting a merry-go-round for their backyard (good stuff, those stories from my youth!).

Now, I’m publishing my own novels. It’s very scary, this self-publishing thing. It means putting yourself out there without a net. It means saying to the world, “I think this book I’ve written is good enough to expect people to pay money to read it.” And after trying for three years to find an agent willing to agree with me — and failing — I feel very much on my own. You’ll find info about my books — including where to buy them — on the My Books page.

I’m also an Amazon VINE reviewer — you can read my reviews HERE. A lot of them are book reviews, including some for other self-published writers who have contacted me about reading and reviewing their books. It was actually that experience — reading other writers’ self-published work — that gave me the courage to do this myself. I owe them a lot.

I’m excited about what this website will bring to my life. I’m not a techie (as I’m sure is abundantly obvious!), but so far it’s been fun putting this together. I hope you’ll read my blog, post comments, and check out the books I’ll be releasing over the next few weeks and months. And who knows where things will go from here?

Website

Review: Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

Sep14

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
Published by Balzer + Bray on September 15th 2015
Pages: 384
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-half-stars

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . . until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine— Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

When I first heard about Dumplin’, I was really excited to read it. I’ve been hearing nothing but good things about it (based on early reviews) and how deeply it effected some people. Sadly, though, this book ended up being completely underwhelming for me.

I loved how unapologetic Willlowdean (Will) was about her fatness. She cares what people think, but only to a certain extent. She’s got that “I’m fat. Don’t like it? Don’t look” attitude that I wish I had. I could really relate to a number of things she dealt with, like not wanting to get out of the pool when a lot of people were around and not wanting to go shopping, especially at a store where you knew you’d never fit into anything. And don’t even get me started on trying to pick out Halloween costumes…

Yet, despite the fact that I could relate to a lot of what Will was going through, I still found myself disconnected from her. Her character growth had this weird up-and-down progress – sometimes, it seemed like she was growing and maturing and then, out of nowhere, she would take a huge step back. I didn’t completely mind this, because it felt very realistic – in life, we all have our ups and downs! But otherwise, her character just felt flat.

To be honest, I felt disconnected from all the characters. I couldn’t tell Amanda and Hannah apart for much of the story. Ellen was a pretty crappy friend to Will (though Will wasn’t much better to Ellen). Bo had some epic moments where I adored him, but otherwise I didn’t really care one way or another about him – and I’m not convinced of the chemistry between him and Will. I just didn’t see any sparks fly. I could see them as friends and, maybe over time, they could become more. But I just didn’t see that instant connection that most YA couples have. Same with Mitch. I sort of liked Millie, but I feel like we didn’t get to know her enough.

Will’s mom really annoyed me, though, I’ll definitely say that. I wish I didn’t know what it felt like to have a fat-shaming family member, but I do. So her words stung and I really wanted to slap her. Also, Callie. She reminded me of all the bullies who taunted me all throughout elementary, middle and high school.

Basically, what I mean when I say I felt “disconnected” from the characters is that.. I could relate to a lot of what they were going through, but I never felt like I was being pulled into the story. I liked some of the characters, but I never really cared what happened to them.

The ending was very underwhelming and felt very open-ended. I felt like a lot of the storylines were left dangling, like there was no sense of finality to the book. Honestly, I was shocked when I reached the last page – I kept trying to swipe my iPad, thinking there HAD to be another few pages.

Overall, I definitely love the body positivity message this book sends and I had so many moments where I could relate to Will. The pacing was perfect – I read 80% of the book in just a matter of hours. And it wasn’t necessarily a bad read… I just didn’t connect with the story as I’d hoped to. But I seem to be in the minority when it comes to this book – the majority of my friends and fellow bloggers LOVED it. So I still definitely recommend it! I’m still excited to read Murphy’s other book, Side Effects May Vary, and I’m excited to see what her third book will be about, as well.

Cover Reveal: The Fallen Prince by Amalie Howard (Giveaway)

Sep14

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to share with you the cover for The Fallen Prince by Amalie Howard (April 5th 2016, Sky Pony Press)! I absolutely adore Amalie! She’s an amazing writer and I can’t wait for The Fallen Prince to be out in the world so everyone can read it!!!

So, are you ready to see the cover??

Are you sure?

It’s gorgeous!

Okay, ready?

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Here it is!

Isn’t it gorgeous?!?!?!?! I LOVE it!!! And now here’s the official synopsis!

Riven has fought for a hard-won peace in her world, and has come to shaky terms with who and what she is—a human with cyborg DNA. Now that the rightful ruler of Neospes has been reinstated, Riven is on the hunt for her father in the Otherworld to bring him to justice for his crimes against her people.

But when she receives an unwelcome visit from two former allies, she knows that trouble is brewing once again in Neospes. The army has been decimated and there are precious few left to fight this mysterious new threat.

To muster a first line of defense, her people need help from the one person Riven loathes most—her father. But what he wants in return is her complete surrender.

And now Riven must choose: save Neospes or save herself.

Goodreads
Amazon | B&N

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And now for the giveaway! To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About the Author:

Seventeen Magazine Summer Club author Amalie Howard grew up on a small Caribbean island where she spent most of her childhood with her nose buried in a book or being a tomboy running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees and dreaming of adventure. 22 countries, surfing with sharks and several tattoos later, she has traded in bungee jumping in China for writing the adventures she imagines instead. She isn’t entirely convinced which takes more guts. She currently resides in New York with her husband and three children.

She is the author of The Aquarathi series from Harlequin TEEN (Waterfell and Oceanborn), The Almost Girl from Strange Chemistry, Alpha Goddess from Sky Pony Press, and Bloodspell from Langdon Street Press. She is represented by the Liza Royce Agency. Visit her at www.amaliehoward.com or on Twitter (@AmalieHoward).

Website | Twitter | Facebook | GoodReads

Review: The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead

Sep12

The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead
Series: Bloodlines #6
Published by Razorbill on February 10, 2015
Pages: 348
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-half-stars

THEY WILL BE TESTED

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives.

Their forbidden romance exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s bestselling Bloodlines series.

When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, she and Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world and alter their lives forever.

Don't miss their unforgettable final chapter...

LOVE WILL CONQUER ALL

Fair Warning: If you haven’t read the Bloodlines series, this review does contain mild (or major, depending on how you feel about it) spoilers. Don’t read on if you don’t want to be spoiled. You have been warned!

As a huge, huge, HUGE Richelle Mead fan, it pains me to say that this was my least favorite book in the Bloodlines series. So many questions were left unanswered and so many things were open-ended. I also didn’t feel the sense of closure I usually feel with Mead’s books. Someone said that Mead hinted at another potential spin-off… If I knew for sure that was happening, I don’t think I’d mind the ending of The Ruby Circle as much. But since it’s still unknown whether another spin-off will actually happen, I’ve got to base this review off the assumption that this is the end. And this was a pretty disappointing end.

Between the six Vampire Academy books and the six Bloodlines book, these characters have done a lot of growing and maturing. But in this final book, it felt like their character growth became stagnant. Sure, they had to “grow up” and take on immense responsibility. They still had to do some self-reflection and make tough decisions. But I didn’t feel like they developed much beyond that. Some of them even seemed to regress a little, which was disappointing. Some of them even seemed to act out of character at times, which was even more disappointing.

I expected there to be more psychological consequences for Sydney in this book, after everything she went through in Silver Shadows. There were some, but not as many as I thought there would be. She was still fierce and badass and, if I compared her present self with how she was in book one, she’s truly changed in remarkable ways. Even thinking back to her role in Vampire Academy, she’s changed so much. But still, something feels… incomplete… with her. And I can’t quite put my finger on what.

I’ve been rooting for Adrian since Vampire Academy, since I adored him and felt bad for him, but couldn’t help but still ship Rose and Dimitri. His character felt a bit disconnected in this book and he did a lot of sitting around or talking to the voice in his head. I just expected him to play a bigger role in this book. He’s one of the characters that I felt regressed a little bit.

Despite all that, I still had some Sydrian feels – not as many as in the previous books, but I still totally ship them like crazy.

I loved seeing Rose and Dimitri in this book, but I felt this weird disconnect from them for some reason. They didn’t feel like the characters I had grown to know and love from Vampire Academy. I’m very pleased with how their story, ended, though.

I wanted more of Lissa, Jill and Eddie. Their stories, more than some of the other characters, REALLY felt incomplete. Crystal and I were discussing it, and we’re wondering if Jill and Eddie will be the focus of the next potential spin-off, if it happens. I’d definitely be interested in that and I feel like, from their story, we would see more closure for them, Lissa and many others (Sonya, Rose, Dimitri, etc).

I also wanted more with Ms. Terwilliger. She kind of just dropped off the face of the earth after her and her coven helped with Alicia. I wanted to see some kind of closure-conversation with her and Sydney. Something, anything!

Considering this was the last book, I felt like many of the secondary plots were unnecessary and took away precious pages that could have gone towards taking care of the “unfinished business” I mentioned above. A lot of things felt like they were not relevant to the end game. The epilogue sort of made up for the rest of the book. There were some intriguing developments and fun character revelations. But I’m still a little disappointed in all the extra, seemingly unnecessary plots. I can’t stress this enough – I wanted more closure.

Overall, if I look back at all six books and think about how it began and how it ended, I’m pretty pleased with the series as a whole. As I mentioned earlier, all of the characters have come a long way. We’ve seen tremendous character growth in them and I’m mostly happy with where their stories ended in The Ruby Circle. I would definitely like to see another spin-off, though, and see some of that closure that The Ruby Circle was lacking. If you’re a Richelle Mead/Vampire Academy fan, you’ll likely love this book and you’ll be begging the Book Gods for more!

Review: Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Sep11

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #4
Published by Bloomsbury Children's on September 1, 2015
Pages: 656
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past . . .

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

Celaena’s epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena’s story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.

Warning: If you haven’t read Heir of Fire, this review contains Heir of Fire Spoilers. I tried NOT to include Queen of Shadows spoilers, but there may be some. So be cautious in reading this review, or don’t read it until you’ve read both Heir of Fire and Queen of Shadows! You’ve been warned…

Moving on! This will be my GIFiest review ever. Because after reading four Throne of Glass Books + the novellas, there are no words to describe how epic these books and Sara J. Maas are. So I required the aid of GIFs this time around. Now, on to the review! Enjoy!

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Excuse me, did I say that Heir of Fire broke my feels and stomped all over them? BECAUSE THAT WAS NOTHING COMPARED TO QUEEN OF SHADOWS! This book hit me right in the feels!

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Like… WHAT EVEN?!?!?! HOW?!?!? WHAT?!?!?! WHY?!?!?!

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But seriously, after a year-long wait – especially after the way Heir of Fire ended – Sarah J. Maas did NOT disappoint with her fourth book in the Throne of Glass series. The character development, the plot expansion (overall, from book one to book four), the world-building – I’m mind-blown by everything Maas has done and accomplished in these four books!

Celaena/Aelin is, without a doubt, my favorite female MC in all of YA history. She’s strong, brave, kick-ass and yet she’s still vulnerable and still has a lot of growing to do. Which is insane, because she’s grown SO MUCH since Throne of Glass. In Heir of Fire, she embraced/accepted her destiny and became Aelin. But in Queen of Shadows, she still had things she needed to take care of before she could completely let go of Celaena. By the end of the book, Celaena the Assassin fully and completely became Aelin, Queen of Terrasen. I’m excited to finally see her take up her throne.

Oh, Chaol… I was pretty angry with Chaol for most of the book. He had every right to be angry with Aelin, after everything they went through. But it was like he wanted to use her as his scapegoat and just blame her for everything. I hated that they constantly argued and I hated the things he said to her. But he definitely had moments where he redeemed himself. And I’m willing to cut him some slack because he was dealt some pretty tough blows between the end of Heir of Fire and throughout Queen of Shadows. In the end, I’m happy with the way his story played out. I can’t wait to see what happens for him next, especially with Nesryn. I REALLY ship them and have my fingers crossed they get their happily ever after!

As for Dorian… My goodness, I don’t even know what to say. Dorian has been through an emotional and physical ringer. My heart breaks for him! There were some EPIC revelations with him and the people who were… close… to him. There was also this crazy twist with him and a particular character and.. GAH! You know what, I can’t even discuss it because it’s too spoilery. But it was VERY intriguing…

ROWAN!!! OMFG, I love Rowan!

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For the first two books, I was one hundred percent Team Chaol. And I liked Rowan in Heir of Fire, but I wasn’t completely sold. But after Queen of Shadows??? No contest. Aelin and Rowan are my OTP of the Throne of Glass world! He’s strong, brave and loyal. He risked everything to stand by Aelin. And I loved him.

In Heir of Fire, I couldn’t stand Manon and the chapters with her and her Thirteen. At the beginning of Queen of Shadows, I felt similarly. But at some point, certain things happened and certain revelations were made and my opinion did a complete 180! I actually really love the progression of their story and the things we learned and I’m VERY excited to see where things go for Manon, Asterin and Elide in the fifth book!

Another character I really loved was Lysandra. Which… considering her past? It’s weird to like her now. But she really redeemed herself – for so many reasons and in so many ways! Also, was it just me… I totally shipped Lysandra and Aedion!!! (Well, I know I’m not alone – Stacee and I had a full discussion regarding this ship and we agreed!). Also, obviously, I adored Aedion and the moment when he and Aelin finally met again… I CAN’T EVEN!!!!!

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Maas wrapped up a LOT of storylines in Queen of Shadows. There was a great feeling of closure on a number of plots and characters. But that also meant that a lot of things from the past were brought up – including Sam – and my heart couldn’t handle it!

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The last 100 pages had me like:

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The character development, the plot twists, the revelations.. I… I… I JUST CAN”T!!!!!!!! IS IT SEPTEMBER 2016 YET?!?!?!? I NEED BOOK FIVE NOW!!!!!

*Clears throat.* So… Can you tell how much I loved this book? Can you tell how badly it broke me? Do I even need to tell you that I HIGHLY recommend this book and that you need to buy it? Or that, if you haven’t read the first three books, you NEED to? Well, I’m going to anyway… I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK! IT’S A MUST READ!! IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THIS SERIES, YOU MUST!!!!

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What are you still doing here? Go buy it! Go read it! Go!!

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Blog Tour: Entrusted by Allegra Gray (Guest Post + Giveaway)

Sep10

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to be a part of the blog tour for Entrusted by Allegra Gray (September 8, 2015, Silverthorne Entertainment). Today, I have an awesome excerpt and a fun guest post to share with you, plus a giveaway! First, here’s more about the book:

To protect her country’s future, she’ll have to commit treason…

ENTRUSTED by Allegra Gray is a stunning historical Young Adult masterpiece of suspense, hope, and determination. This story follows orphaned Audrey as she’s tasked with keeping ancient relics safe from tyrannical hands and their unholy deeds. With the help of a charming adventurer, Tobias, Aubrey must do all she can to protect the relics she’s been entrusted to guard…even if it costs her life.

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Orphan Audrey Thorndale longs for the peaceful life of a convent, but with a younger brother to care for and England’s religious houses falling one by one to Henry VIII’s Reformation, she’ll have to find another way to serve God and country. The Abbot of Glastonbury, aware of Audrey’s dilemma and loathe to see the great treasures of his abbey looted and destroyed, suggests a plan that could save Audrey, the relics, and even the future of Britain…but if she agrees to it, she’ll have to commit treason.

Second son and sometime adventurer, Tobias Seybourne has never left an opportunity unexplored. He’s won the favor of the king, and is aiming for knighthood, when Abbot Whiting offers him the chance of a lifetime—partner with Audrey, and protect England’s greatest legend. Most importantly? Do it without ever giving the king a reason to suspect more devious purposes simmer beneath Tobias’s charming façade.

With help from the abbot, Audrey and Tobias set in motion a plan to ensure that when the abbey walls crumble, one particular treasure will be safely hidden elsewhere.

But as the abbot points out, the king’s minions keep close account of their plunder, and the contents of Glastonbury’s repository are well documented.

With the king’s men bearing down fast, someone must take the fall…

Goodreads | Amazon
Kobo | iBooks | ARe

And now for the excerpt! Enjoy!

“You are worried that Glastonbury is in peril, and the treasures it holds will end up in the king’s coffers.”

“Yes—and no.” He eyes me. “It’s more complicated than that. You must not repeat anything you are hearing right now.”

“No, Father Abbot. Never.” If there is one thing I am, it is loyal.

“When I combine what I know—what I, myself have seen and heard—with what the monks who have already lost their homes tell me, I see a future in which certain relics of Glastonbury never make it to the king’s coffers, but are destroyed instead.” He shakes his head sadly. “The idea that the holy relics would go into the king’s hands was disturbing enough, but to destroy them? Sacrilege.

“Again, I must emphasize the importance of not repeating this conversation—to anyone. Not even Sam. The Treason Act is too loosely interpreted these days to take chances.”

I gulp, cursing myself for giving in to curiosity. Now it is my hands that tremble. I should tell him to stop, that I don’t want to hear any more, but my tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth. I should never have asked what was troubling him. And yet, I have the sense we have set on an irrevocable course, and I must see it through.

Finally, I pry my tongue loose. “I appreciate your honesty, Father Abbot.”

“Should Glastonbury fall, the treasures that can be measured in gold and silver will most certainly find a new home—whether it be the royal treasury or a pilferer’s stash. It is the others that trouble me.”

He rubs his temples, as though even thinking hurts. I begin moving about the room again, straightening things, dusting surfaces…the little, normal, everyday movements that I know, somehow, provide the backdrop of comfort that Abbot Whiting needs right now.

“You remember those visitors from Walsingham? They informed me that the shrine there, the shrine to the Virgin, which the king himself has visited, has been destroyed. The statue of the Virgin removed, the shrine itself despoiled, and the buildings looted. The same happened at Roche Abbey this summer.”

Finally, it sinks in, and I know exactly which of Glastonbury’s relics—one with no value in gold, but still of immeasurable worth—is troubling him so.

I stop dusting. My tongue, now loosened, does not have the sense to stop.

“If Glastonbury falls, what will become of King Arthur?”

And now for the guest post! Enjoy!

Fiction, History, and the Tower of London

Warning / (*minor spoiler alert*): The post below does contain some references to events that happen in Entrusted, Book 1 of the Relic Guardians series. There are NO major plot reveals, but I do talk a little bit about what I envisioned was going on “behind the scenes” when I was researching and writing the book.

In Entrusted, the main character, Audrey, is held prisoner for a few weeks in the Tower of London. This is, of course, the same place where many of England’s most notable prisoners have been held—often because they posed a threat to the ruler at the time, regardless of whether proof existed that they’d committed any crime.

In the days before forensics and paper trails (or digital trails), a few whispers and rumors could constitute treason, if the monarch had reason to suspect. Prisoners could also be used as leverage…e.g., by holding an innocent wife or child, they might eke a confession out of the husband, in exchange for the promised release of his loved ones. Although it’s not explicitly used as a plot device in Entrusted, I kind of envisioned that this would be one reason they would hold Audrey—in the hopes that one of the other key characters would be arm-twisted into saying something they otherwise wouldn’t.

If you’ve had the good fortune to visit the Tower of London, you might think of creepy stone passages and torture devices. I first visited at the age of 13, and that is definitely what made an impression on me—not the crown jewels, or the impressive suits of armor (well, those were pretty cool, too). I’m not the only one… see the still below from the movie “The Tower of London” from 1962, in which “The twisted Richard III is haunted by the ghosts of those he has murdered in his attempt to become the King of England.” (https://mubi.com/films/tower-of-london)

However, the reality is that the Tower of London was not originally built to be a prison, and not all of its “prisoners” were treated equally. In fact, it was a royal residence for many years, and had buildings for a number of administrative functions. Thus, when it was used as a prison, the prisoners were accommodated wherever it was convenient to put them at the time, and also befitting their station. There was a certain prestige that came with nobility, and some prisoners had suites of rooms, family members, and even servants to join them. For these “lucky” ones, their stay was like being under a modern-day house arrest.

Of course, being of noble blood was no guarantee you wouldn’t eventually lose your head on the executioner’s block. But some, such as Henry VIII’s first wife, were eventually released and allowed to retire in the countryside. As for torture, the Privy Council had to sanction the use of torture, so it was not used indiscriminately; between 1540 and 1640, the peak of imprisonment at the Tower, there were 48 recorded cases of the use of torture. That’s not to say there weren’t some unrecorded cases…

One the most infamous and chilling tales of the Tower of London is that of the two young princes who “went missing” while there. (If you are a fan of Philippa Gregory’s books, you’ll recognize this event in The White Queen).

Shortly after the death of Edward IV in 1483, the notorious murder of the Princes in the Tower is believed to have taken place. Edward V’s uncle, Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, was declared Lord Protector because Edward was too young to rule. Traditional accounts have held that the 12-year-old Edward was confined to the Tower of London along with his younger brother Richard. The princes were last seen in public in June 1483, and many historians suspect they were murdered later that summer. At any rate, they were never seen again, and the Duke of Gloucester was proclaimed King Richard III in July. Bones thought to belong to the two princes were discovered in 1674 when the 12th-century forebuilding at the entrance to the White Tower was demolished; however, the reputed level at which the bones were found (ten feet) would put the bones at a depth similar to that of the recently discovered Roman graveyard found a few hundred yards to the north. No one can say for certain what happened. (You can find more detail at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_London)

A blog post is not the place for a full accounting of all the interesting historical events that occurred at the Tower of London, but there are many books and websites devoted to the topic for those who wish to know more. (And if you’re in the area, by all means, take a tour!).

I’ll conclude by saying that when I sat down (okay, flopped down on my office rug) to research the Tower of London for the scene(s) in Entrusted, I definitely got sucked in to the vivid history and speculation surrounding this famous landmark.

The more I read, the more I was reminded of the phrases “truth is stranger than fiction” and “you can’t make this stuff up.” Of course, being a fiction writer, I have to try… :)

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Join the Entrusted Blog Tour September 7th to 18th! One grand prize winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Enter HERE or through the form below!

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Visit any or all of the following blogs for your chance to win!

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Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!
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Mama Reads Hazel Sleeps
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About the Author:

Allegra Gray grew up with her nose in a book and her head in the clouds—that is, when she wasn’t focused on more practical things like, say, learning calculus. Perhaps all those stories inspired a spirit of adventure, because at the age of seventeen she embarked on a career journey that has (so far) included serving as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, grad school at Virginia Tech, teaching English, and managing defense contracts in the Middle East. The best thing about this breadth of experience? When she tried her hand at writing novels like the ones she’d always loved, she recognized at once that she’d found a true passion. Her forthcoming series, The Relic Guardians, is genre-bending mainstream/historical suspense, inspired by her long-held desire to unveil things obscured by the mists of time. Allegra is also the author of four historical romances, including the “Daring Damsels” trilogy of Nothing But Scandal, Nothing But Deception, and Nothing But Trouble.

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Review: The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich

Sep10

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich

The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich
Published by Little Brown Books for Young Readers on September 15, 2015
Pages: 432
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Debut author Dawn Kurtagich is dead on in this terrifying psychological thriller!

Over two decades have passed since the fire at Elmbridge High, an inferno that took the lives of three teenagers. Not much was known about the events leading up to the tragedy - only that one student, Carly Johnson, vanished without a trace...

...until a diary is found hidden in the ruins.

But the diary, badly scorched, does not belong to Carly Johnson. It belongs to Kaitlyn Johnson, a girl who shouldn't exist Who was Kaitlyn? Why did she come out only at night? What is her connection to Carly?

The case has been reopened. Police records are being reexamined: psychiatric reports, video footage, text messages, e-mails. And the diary.

The diary that paints a much more sinister version of events than was ever made publicly known.

Pardon my language, but… This book was a complete mind*ck!!! And I mean that in the most epic way possible!

The Dead House was my #1 most anticipated book that I learned about and received from BEA 2015. While attending the NOVL Brunch, we were given a preview of some titles the NOVL team were especially excited for and The Dead House was one of them. From the second I saw the cover and title, I was intrigued. And then when they explained the premise? Heart-eye emoji! I loved everything about this book – the characters, the format (it’s written in journal entries, reports, newspaper clippings, emails, transcribed video, etc), the plot, everything.

The characters in this book were epic and felt like real people. Maybe the format had something to do with that, because it wasn’t just standard dialogue and description. It felt like I was really reading someone’s diary, really snooping on private emails, really reading the transcription of a video that had actually been filmed. This is also a testament to Dawn Kurtagich’s writing style – it really sucked me in and kept me hooked.

Kaitlyn and Carly were intriguing characters for so many reasons. First of all, I love psychology. If I could, I’d go back to school and get a degree in psychology. So the whole Dissociative Identity Disorder diagnosis was intriguing. The whole book gave me major “John Carpenter’s The Ward” feels.

I actually liked Kaitlyn more than Carly, but that might be because we saw more of Kaitlyn and got to know her more. I loved the Kaitlyn and Ari dynamic, but didn’t trust it to end well at all. Also, totally pictured Munro Chambers as Ari!

I didn’t like Naida, mostly because I didn’t trust her at all, especially after we discovered something about her. She creeped me out a bit and I was always waiting for her to do something horrible – which I guess she did, if I really think about it.. Also, The Naida/Kaitlyn dynamic is creepy. I didn’t trust either of them when they were together (and I never trusted Naida, as I mentioned). It was also highly suspicious that Naida was filming their lives just for a class. It feels too convenient, like maybe she just said that so the others wouldn’t question her.

Dr. Lansing is a hard character to discuss. Since I’m not a doctor myself, just really into psychology, it’s hard to say whether she did the right thing or not. According to the book, the medicine she had Carly on could have actually caused a LOT of Carly’s problems. And some of her treatments were.. well, less than ethical. But she firmly insisted she did what was right by Carly. So it’s really hard for me to say whether she was a good person who honestly tried everything or if she was blinded by her desire to “fix” this girl who was sick, who seemed like she couldn’t be cured, and she went overboard and actually ended up being the cause of Carly’s break. Considering how the story ended, I’m going to guess she was somewhere in between the two.

I wasn’t a fan of John. Like most of the characters in this book, I was suspicious of him and didn’t fully trust him. His talk of “seeds” made me think of drugs. But the way his story ended… Wow. I didn’t expect that and it came as a big shock!

There were a lot of secondary characters in this book, but I’m not going to go into too much detail about them. Though they were integral to the story and (again, because of the format of the book) felt like real people, not just characters, they really weren’t stand-out characters for me and I don’t have much to say about them. I didn’t dislike them, necessarily, I just wasn’t focused on them throughout the story – I was more focused on Kaitlyn, Carly, Naida and Ari.

Roughly halfway through the book, the pacing slowed down. It didn’t necessarily get boring, but it was a little bit repetitive and I think it could have been shorter. But the pacing didn’t effect my enjoyment of the book because it quickly picked back up again.

The only thing that disappointed me a bit was that everyone told me this book was super creepy – like, sleep with the lights on creepy. And I was only very slightly creeped out. Now, in the book’s defense, I’m a horror buff and not easily scared. I will say, though, that the second-to-last page gave me a creepy chill, so there’s that!

And speaking of the ending, holy crap, that ending! The book didn’t end on a cliffhanger, per se, but the reader is left to decide whether the book was simply about a young girl with a very severe mental disorder or whether there were actually paranormal elements at work. Honestly, I’m still not completely sure which I think it is, though I do know which one I’m kind of leaning towards. But I’m going to keep that thought to myself and let you read it and decide for yourself!

Overall, this book was beyond epic and – though it didn’t creep me out – everything I could have hoped for! I’m already anticipating the next book this author writes – The Dead House hasn’t even released yet and I already can’t wait to find out what Kurtagich is working on next and when it’ll be out in the world! *Grabby hands!!!*

So yeah… Obviously, I HIGHLY recommend this book! It’s epic and intense and amazing and a bit creeptastic! If you love horror and psychological thrillers, then you’re in for a real thrill ride! And if you’re easily scared? Well, keep the lights on….

Spotlight Tour: Smoked by Mari Mancusi (Excerpt + Giveaway)

Sep9

Hey everyone! I’m so, so excited to be a part of the Spotlight Tour for Smoked by Mari Mancusi (September 1, 2015, Sourcebooks Fire). I’m a HUGE Mari Mancusi fan and this book sounds incredible! I’m very, very excited to read it! Today, I have an awesome excerpt and an interview with Emmy to share with you, plus a giveaway! First, here’s more about the book:

Once upon a time the world burned.
Until a girl and her dragon smothered the flame.
But the spark that ignited the apocalypse never went out.
And the scorch is about to begin…

When Team Dragon rescues Emmy from the government lab, they think the future is finally safe. But they soon discover that Emmy has a secret—a secret so dangerous it could trigger the very apocalypse Connor and Caleb were sent back in time to prevent.

As a dragon hunter, Connor has committed his life to saving the world. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do to complete his mission…even if it meant betraying his brother and losing Trinity’s heart. Even if it meant doing the unthinkable.

But a desperate choice meant to prevent The Scorch, may be the spark that sets the world aflame once more.

The epic conclusion to the genre-bending Scorched series, which Melissa de la Cruz, New York Times bestselling author of the Blue Bloods series, called “A heart-pounding, twisty, time-travel fantasy.”

Goodreads
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Here’s the interview with Emmy. Enjoy!

Full Name: Emberlyn
Nickname (if applicable): Emmy
Height: I’m growing bigger every day
Scale Color: Green
Eye Color: blue
Age: 1
Originally from: my egg was unearthed from a melting glacier.

Describe yourself in 200 words or less: I’m the world’s last dragon and I’m bonded to my Fire Kissed, Trinity Foxx, who helped me hatch from my egg. I love TV (my favorite show is the BBC’s Merlin) and scratches on my snout and behind my ears. I’m actually very loyal and loving, though many believe I am a monster that should be put down before my kind destroys the world. I also LOVE meat. All meat, but the bloodier/rawer the better. But no, I don’t eat humans so don’t worry!

What matters most to you? My Fire Kissed, Trinity. Her safety and happiness mean everything to me.

When not trying to save the world, how do you spend your time? I’m sort of limited in activities, as I have to keep out of sight. I love watching TV and eating though. Simple, satisfying pleasures.

If money was no object and you had 3 weeks of vacation from being on the run what would you do with your time? I would fly everywhere, stretching my wings and checking out the world. It would be amazing to have that freedom. Unfortunately I don’t think that’s in the cards for me. As I have learned firsthand, the world is not a place for dragons.

And now here’s the excerpt. Enjoy!

“Okay, Fire Kissed,” he said. “It’s showtime.”

Together they jumped out of the truck, slamming the doors behind them. Connor ran around the back, rolling up the door and pulling out a huge box. Trinity helped him heave it onto the loading dock.

“Are you okay in there?” she whispered to the box. “Perfect,” Nate assured her from inside. “You guys go on ahead. I should be close enough now to hack into their security cameras and get them offline.” He paused then added, “Good luck. Just don’t forget about me once you have your dragon.”

“Never,” Trinity assured him, patting the box. Then she rose to her feet and approached Connor. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

With confident, casual steps, they strode up to the guard, who was propped in a chair by the elevator, his feet up, nose in a book, completely ignoring the chaos around him. Guess deliveries weren’t in his job description. Connor gave him a small smile. “We need the elevator,” he informed him.

“Yeah, well, I need my ex-wife to get off my back,” the guard said lazily, snapping his gum. “We’ve all got problems.” Connor’s eyes zeroed in on him. “I don’t think you under- stand,” he said. “We need the elevator. We need to get upstairs. You need to let us in.”

Trinity drew in a breath, watching him work. She had to admit, Connor looked particularly hot when he was working to manipulate people’s minds. It was like he got this look in his eyes—those blue, glowing eyes of his—like he was some kind of Jedi Master or something. Truth be told, it kind of made her want to jump his bones. Not that this was the time or the place.

Pushing the inappropriate thought down, she turned back to his victim. Sure enough, the man’s face had gone slack, and he was staring up at Connor with vacant eyes. “You need the elevator,” he droned. “You need to get upstairs. You need me to let you in.”

Then, to Trinity’s excitement, he slowly rose to his feet, walked over to the elevator in question, and inserted his key. Just like that. A moment later, the doors yawned open. The guard looked at them expectantly.

Trin flashed Connor an approving look. You didn’t even need my help for that one, she teased.

Yeah, well, it’s all you from here on out, he shot back, but he looked pleased by the compliment all the same.

And now the giveaway! Two lucky winners will each win a complete set of the Scorched trilogy! To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About the Author:

Mari Mancusi is a two-time Emmy award-winning television producer and author of novels for adults and teens. A graduate of Boston University, she now lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and young daughter. When not writing or producing she enjoys traveling, snowboarding, reading fantasy novels, and her favorite guilty pleasure: video games.

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Release Day Launch: The Sleepwalker Tonic by Jason Segel & Kirsten Miller

Sep8

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to share this release day blast with you! Please join me in wishing a Happy Book Birthday to Jason Segel & Kirsten Miller and The Sleepwalker Tonic (Nightmares! book #2)!

Nightmares! The Sleepwalker Tonic is the sequel to the hilariously scary New York Times bestselling novel Nightmares! by multitalented actor Jason Segel and bestselling author Kirsten Miller. You thought the nightmares were over? You better keep the lights on!

Charlie Laird has a dream life.

1) He has a weirdo stepmom who runs an herbarium.
2) He lives in a purple mansion with a portal to the Netherworld.
3) Since they escaped from the Netherworld, he and his best friends have been sleeping like babies.

But Charlie can’t shake the feeling that something strange is afoot. Charlotte’s herbarium used to be one of the busiest stores in Cypress Creek. Now her loyal following is heading to Orville Falls for their herbal potions.

Weirder, though, Orville Falls is suddenly filled with . . . zombies? At least, they sure look like the walking dead. Rumor has it that no one’s sleeping in Orville Falls. And Charlie knows what that means.

Things are getting freaky again.

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Inspiration: Nightmares! was inspired by Segel’s own childhood experience with night terrors. Originally conceived of as a motion picture screenplay, the story has evolved into an entirely engaging novel for middle-grade readers, populated with young characters grappling with relatable struggles and fears alongside uniquely comical yet terrifying villains (brought to life in the captivating black-and-white illustrations by Karl Kwasny). Readers can further delve into the world of Nightmares! with the audiobooks from Listening Library, narrated by Segel himself.

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Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

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About Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

Among the many successful films Jason Segel has written, starred in, produced, or written and performed songs for are The Muppets; Jeff Who Lives at Home; The Five-Year Engagement; I Love You, Man; and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. He has also starred in the hit television series How I Met Your Mother and the classic Freaks and Geeks.

Jason on Goodreads

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Kirsten Miller is the author of the acclaimed Kiki Strike trilogy, as well as the New York Times bestselling The Eternal Ones.

Kirsten on Goodreads

Learn more on the Penguin Random House website!

Review: A Whole New World by Liz Braswell

Sep8

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: A Whole New World by Liz Braswell

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell
Series: Twisted Tales #1
Published by Disney Press on September 1, 2015
Pages: 384
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-stars

What if Aladdin had never found the lamp? This first book in the A Twisted Tale line will explore a dark and daring version of Disney's Aladdin.

When Jafar steals the Genie's lamp, he uses his first two wishes to become sultan and the most powerful sorcerer in the world. Agrabah lives in fear, waiting for his third and final wish.To stop the power-mad ruler, Aladdin and the deposed princess Jasmine must unite the people of Agrabah in rebellion. But soon their fight for freedom threatens to tear the kingdom apart in a costly civil war.

What happens next? A Street Rat becomes a leader. A princess becomes a revolutionary. And readers will never look at the story of Aladdin in the same way again.

When I first picked this book up, I was hesitant. Almost all of my closest blogging friends DNF’d it roughly halfway in. I was super, super excited for this book, so that worried me a LOT. But the premise sounded intriguing. I ended up reading this in roughly three sit-downs, reading 100+ pages each time. Though I struggled with certain aspects of the book and with my final rating, I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would.

If you’ve seen the Disney animated movie, then you could almost skip the first 25% of this book. That’s probably the biggest complaint I’ve seen from reading other reviews. But I didn’t mind that so much because, though it was very similar, there was a little more to it than just a word-for-word of the movie. Certain parts were more “grown up” than the Disney movie – grittier and slightly darker. And once the book veers off into the “What if” portion of things, it gets intriguing.

The characters were all a bit flat and underdeveloped. This bothered me because it made it difficult to connect with them, but I kept picturing them as the characters from the movie and that helped a little. Also, we got to learn a bit more about some of the characters. We saw Aladdin as a young kid, met his mother and learned more about his background. We learned a bit more about the Genie and his backstory. We also saw a different side of Raoul, the meanest, nastiest palace guard in the movie. We see that he knew Aladdin and his mother and he actually has a soft spot for Aladdin. I wish there had been more scenes with Jafar, since this alternate “what if” storyline was supposed to be about him and what happens when he gets his hands on the lamp.

There were a couple characters whose fates were… unsettling… Because they were so beloved in the movie. But if I take a step back from the movie and view the book as its own thing, I get it. The people of Agrabah rebel against Jafar, creating a civil war – and in war, there are casualties. Still, it stung.

The pacing in this book was odd. One the one hand, it was slow and if felt like there were huge sections of the book that didn’t have a lot of action. On the other hand, as I mentioned earlier, I read roughly 100 pages each time I sat down to read. I think the book could have been a bit shorter, honestly.

My feelings regarding the ending are VERY mixed. Initially, I was very upset with something that happened. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it was actually very fitting and it sort of (very loosely) paralleled the movie. Even though I’m still not entirely happy about it, I’ve come to terms with it.

I think the most important thing to do when reading this book is this: Push the movie out of your head. If you focus on the movie and sit there going, “Well, this is exactly like the movie” or “this deviates way too much from the movie!” then you’re going to drive yourself insane. And you won’t enjoy the book at all. If you try to treat it like its own entity, then you’ll likely enjoy it more.

Overall, though the characters were underdeveloped and the pacing was a bit slow, I found this to be a fun read. It could have been an amazing book – had the characters experienced more growth, had the pacing been a bit faster, had certain characters not suffered certain fates – but it was still an enjoyable book. As a big fan of fairy tales, it was intriguing to see the alternative events and subsequent consequences and outcome.

Despite not enjoying A Whole New World as much as I would have liked, I’m still very excited for this new series and I can’t wait to see which story gets “Twisted” next! I’m kind of hoping it will be The Little Mermaid, since that’s one of my absolute favorite Disney movies! Though Beauty and the Beat would be a fun “Twisted Tale,” as would The Lion King and Mulan.