Unbreathable by Hasfah Laziaf {Guest Post + Giveaway}

Unbreathable by Hafsah Laziaf
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Publication: October 29th
Publisher: Self Published
Page Count: 379
Goodreads
Amazon

One hundred and fifty years ago, Earth was destroyed, and the remaining humans fled to the dusty red planet of Jutaire, where the only oxygen is manufactured, food is scarce, and death strikes often.

When Lissa's father discovers Earth still exists, she accidentally inhales the toxic air of Jutaire, and in one breath, discovers she isn't quite human.

Her father hangs for his discovery, and Lissa knows the Chancellors will come for her, for she saw the Earth that night too. With nothing to lose, she sets out to expose the truth. It isn't long before she meets Julian, a beautiful boy who can breathe the toxic air like she can - and shows her that the Jute, the original inhabitants of the planet, are more tangled in their lives than she knows.

But the Chancellors are only pawns in a greater game - one where the Jute control everything. Worse, the Jute plan to leave Jutaire for Earth, but to get there, they need her. And they'll stop at nothing until Lissa is in their clutches, even if they kill every human in the process.

The race for Earth has begun.

Unbreathable is a tale of love, redemption, and sacrifice, and one girl's struggle to find her place in a world where she doesn't belong.

About Hafsah

Hafsah Laziaf was born on the east coast on a hot summer day in 1993, raised on the west coast and is now stuck in the middle – in Texas – with more books than she can read. She’s the designer behind IceyDesigns and the blogger behind IceyBooks. 

UNBREATHABLE is her debut novel

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I'm so glad to be a part of the tour! Today, I'll be sharing a guest post from the lovely Hafsah and a giveaway. I hope that you will pick up and enjoy this book as much as I did! Review will come sometime next week.

 Self Publishing vs. The Traditional Publishing Route

The best decision I've ever made also happens to be the one I never wanted to make.


When I first started writing, I had this weird notion that I would easily find an agent and a publisher.  Of course, I had no idea how publishing worked. I had no idea it wouldn't happen.


Fast forward three novels later, when I had just finished writing UNBREATHABLE, I had the notion again. This time, I knew I had something 'magical', as a friend likes to say. But I had accumulated hundreds of rejections for my past novels and I wasn't ready to be optimistic.


So I sent out a batch of five queries in September of 2012 and waited a few hours. Then sent another. And another.


15 queries were out for 1 week before I started getting requests. Not from any agent either - from several top agents I never dreamed of signing with.


In the end of my one-month querying period, I had gotten 15 requests. A few of them responded with rejections. A few never responded to this day. And yet another few asked for revisions.


I was ecstatic, of course. I had been writing for two years with countless rejections based on my query alone. But here were some, not one, but SOME, agents asking me to revise it? And resubmit it? That they really liked the concept and wanted this fixed and that changed?


Ecstatic.


Fast forward a few months later, January of 2013. I sent the revised manuscript in. And the rejections started trickling in. Why? They never said.


But UNBREATHABLE never left. It lingered. I loved the story so much. But I loved it even more because of the response I received from my early readers and then real, actual agents.


The rejections left me devastated. But it made me wonder WHY it happened. And the more I researched, the more I noticed how difficult and competitive the YA science fiction market had become. And how in two years, YA science fiction set in space would be a thing of the past.


At the same time, a friend had just self-published her own novel, and was encouraging me to do the same. But I was one of those people who frowned at taking that route. Who was terrified at being alone - no agent, no editor, no gigantic company backing me up.


But the more I thought about it, the more logical the idea seemed. Yet, I was terrified.
 
So before I could change my mind, I sat down and wrote an announcement post at 11PM and went to bed. The post went up at 6AM and I spent the whole night regretting it, worrying over it, and finally, stressing over the outcome.


But since 6AM that day, I haven't regretted my decision once.

And now for the giveaway! There will be two winners! The paperback will be US while the ebook will be international.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Keeper of the Black Stones Blog Tour

 

Click here for the rest of the stops on the tour! 

Publication: February 26th, 2013

Page Count: 369

Goodreads

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

The Synopsis:

Awkward in his own skin, shy around girls and worried about anything and everything, Jason Evans is just like a million other teenage boys in high school, with one very large exception: he has been given a gift that allows him to jump through time. A set of stones has fallen into his lap that gives him access to any place - and any time - that he chooses. But along with that gift comes the responsibility of stopping the man who is using those very stones to travel through time and change history for his own purposes. A man who is now holding Jason's grandfather hostage, and threatening the world's very existence. Jumping through time with his best friend and body guard, Jason must enter the world of Medieval England, learn its customs, navigate unimaginable danger, and help Henry VII win the Battle of Bosworth, in the name of finding his grandfather, rescuing a beautiful girl from the clutches of a corrupt church, and destroying the one man who pledges to turn history inside out.

 Jason!  He was such a great character.  At first, he was introduced as this shy, meek kind of guy.  You know the kind.  Quiet.  Awkward.  Perceptive.  And suddenly, he morphs into this selfless, brave, and strong character.  He stood up for what he believed in and wouldn't back down.  His determination was so great to read about.  He's not a character I've ever come across often in YA and this sweet--yet strong--protagonist made this book that much more original.

Speaking of original, there was time travel!  Also, they happen to travel to one of my favorite time periods in history.  It was fantastic.  The historical accuracy of the novel made the book that much enjoyable for me and McHugh's take on time travel with these stones was interesting.  There was plenty of swords and armor and battle and all that great stuff that comes along with time travel and epic adventures.  

However, I would have preferred more of a flow to the reading--a consistency.  Also, it was a little awkward here and there, but not in the good way.  It was a little rough around the edges for me, but other than that, it was a great read.  

Keeper's original take on time travel that brings readers to Medieval Europe makes for an epic adventure that had me turning pages as fast as I could.  Being that I enjoy reading historical fiction of any kind, I enjoyed the book and can't wait to see what will happen next!  Fans of time travel, sci-fi, and rich history may possibly enjoy this book.

About the Author:                                   PT McHugh didn’t start out as a storyteller. He was, however, born into a family of that encouraged imagination. He became a fan of history in school and then went to college to become a construction engineer, to build a world of straight lines, angles, and equations.

He was just as surprised as everyone else when he realized that he believed in magic, and might just know the secret of how to jump through time. Since then, he’s been researching the possibility and learning everything he can about history. Just in case the opportunity arises.

PT was born and raised in New Hampshire and currently lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife, two daughters, and a dog named Bob, daring to dream of alternate worlds and cheering for his beloved New England Patriots.                                             Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website

Crown of Embers by Rae Carson ARC Tour

The Synopsis:
In the sequel to the acclaimed The Girl of Fire and Thorns, a seventeen-year-old princess turned war queen faces sorcery, adventure, untold power, and romance as she fulfills her epic destiny.
Elisa is the hero of her country. She led her people to victory against a terrifying enemy, and now she is their queen. But she is only seventeen years old. Her rivals may have simply retreated, choosing stealth over battle. And no one within her court trusts her-except Hector, the commander of the royal guard, and her companions. As the country begins to crumble beneath her and her enemies emerge from the shadows, Elisa will take another journey. With a one-eyed warrior, a loyal friend, an enemy defector, and the man she is falling in love with, Elisa crosses the ocean in search of the perilous, uncharted, and mythical source of the Godstone's power. That is not all she finds. A breathtaking, romantic, and dangerous second volume in the Fire and Thorns trilogy.
My Thoughts:
Though she may not think herself completely ready for the role of being queen, life moves on and there's an entire kingdom waiting for her to order around.  However, her destiny isn't ready to let her go just yet.  And this time, there's more at stake.  This time around, she travels far with friends and strangers in search of her Godstone's main power source in hopes of it helping save her crumbling kingdom.  Except, destiny has its own idea as to what  Elisa should do.

I wasn't all that crazy about The Girl of Fire and Thorns.  I loved all the adventure included in it and all of the action.  It was awesome.  Many things happened and I was glued to the book.  However, I wasn't all too thrilled with the religious aspect of it.  But religious aspect aside, I thought the book was pretty cool.  And there was a lot of death.

Maybe I should have reread TGoFT because for some strange reason, I could barely remember a single thing about it other than the Invernos and animagi and Humberto dying.  (I was devastated when he bit the dirt.)  I'm usually good at remembering the names of the people and everything, but when I first opened up The Crown of Embers, I was stumped.  Big time.  However, I might add that I enjoyed the sequel much more than first. 

Elisa is one character I really admired.  Her kidnapping in the first book really changed her into a strong and keen.  She was observant and very smart.  Elisa was totally badass and I loved getting into her mind again in this book.

Fantasy will always be one of my favorite genres in fiction.  It is made of awesome and sparkles.  They're the epics to the Greeks in my mind.  The Crown of Embers is full of deadly adventure, sweet and teasing romance, and unsolved mystery.  It was gripping and magical, everything and more I could have wanted from Carson's writing.  The writing itself was beautiful and poetic with enchanting imagery.  To sum everything up, I immensely enjoyed this book.

Something Strange and Deadly ARC Tour

I can't begin to tell you how excited I was to read this book.  For months I had kept my eyes on the book, just waiting for its release date.  I mean, when zombies and steampunk mix together I knew I couldn't miss out on it. 

The Synospis:
The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…
Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—
The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.
And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.
Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.


My Thoughts:
First off, I'll tell you that the idea, I thought, was very interesting and original.  There's not many steampunk out there (the genre is growing, which is a good thing!) to begin with, and there's not many zombie stuff out there either, and if there is, the book is usually going to be apocalyptic.  This book overall was something very unique because there really is nothing like it out there.
Eleanor isn't like your typical Victorian young lady--though when is the MC ever typical?  She is very determined to find her older brother, Elijah, and bring him home after three long years.  She's brave and unmoving with her ideas and opinions.  I liked those qualities about her, but at times I would find it a bit unnerving.  Other than that, I didn't mind her quirks.  In a way, she was a very rebellious character for one that lives in the Victorian era. 
The other character, the Spirit-Hunters, were very interesting to read about.  There's Joseph, who is Creole and very gentlemanly.  He was intelligent and the leader of the Spirit-Hunters.  Then there was Daniel, who may be very charming, but also happens to have one of the most shortest tempers I've ever witnessed.  I didn't understand his emotions, but I kept with it, seeing if it kind of was like a Will Herondale facade.  Come to think of it, it kind of was, but that's bit of a stretch.  It turns out he just has anger issues.  And finally, there was Jei, but I'm not going to say much because Jei needs to be shrouded in mystery.
The story line was kind of to be expected in the sense that Eleanor tries all she can do to find her brother, but it turns out that people aren't always who they seem to be.  There were some twists and turns that kept me glued to the book, just waiting in anticipation to see how it would all end.  I thought it was a bit slow in the beginning.  Not slow enough for me to flip ahead pages to see what will happen, but just enough for my eyes to wander a little bit.  Luckily, things picked a lot in the middle and especially in the end.  And there was plenty of action, too!
Overall, I thought this book was fantastic.  I loved how original it was and was super happy to have its setting in Victorian Pennsylvania.  I was loving reading about all the bustling skirts mixed in with just the right amount of action.  Susan definitely did her homework on the Victorian era, right down to the manners and such of the people.  It was an entertaining read that had me finishing the book in one night (if I'm thinking about this right.).  I certainly suggest that people read this book because I thought it was very good.

And always remember: Aim for the knees!

Wake by Amanda Hocking ARC Blog Tour

As a new fan to Amanda Hocking, I am thrilled to be apart of this unofficial blog tour hosted Sarah at Inklings Read, who also provided me a copy of the book.  I heard about Wake a long time ago and was excited about it, even though I hadn't read the synopsis yet.

The Synopsis:
Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.
Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.




My Thoughts:
Once I actually read the synopsis of this book, I was instantly intrigued by the idea of sirens.  I've always been a fan of Greek mythology--any mythology, actually--and eagerly delved into the book, wondering what story Amanda Hocking would tell.
Gemma is not your average girl next door.  Her life and passion is swimming and her spirit for the most part is wild and free.  She's beautiful and smart and is everything the three sisters are looking for.  What I found to be super cute was the relationship that builds between Gemma and Alex, a geeky kid that lives next door.  They were both dorky and sweet at the same time, and a relief from most of the lusty and passionate romances that are becoming increasingly common in the book world.
The writing was not what I expected it to be.  Not only was it in third person, but it was also omniscient, letting readers into the minds of more than one character's at a time.  In the beginning I found it a bit confusing, but as the story wore on, it became easier to distinguish what Amanda was writing at times.  Not that it was very confusing or anything; I just had to pay closer attention to what I was reading.  However, I must give Amanda Hocking credit for tackling this kind of writing because it is a hard one at that.
And I do not believe that the synopsis gives this book the credit it deserves.  Yes, the story is all of those mentioned, but in no way does it give you the slightest peak into the world Gemma, her sister Harper, Alex, and Daniel, that hot guy that lives on a boat, live in.  In no way would I have imagined where the story led its readers to.  It was both creative and refreshing to read.  It wasn't a tale about mermaids and it wasn't about vampires or werewolves.  It was something new that had me enjoying every page. 
Wake, although I found it a bit predictable, was entertaining and surprisingly dark.  Mystery and secrets hung around the three sisters and all over the small town.  Amanda Hocking once again had me enjoying her writing and the world she created before my eyes.  I loved the connection Gemma had with her sister Harper, and my heart warmed over the love they both had for their family and friends.  Wake was also about the growth and strength of the characters.  I enjoyed watching the characters grow and admired it, even.
Overall, Wake was a great story that rightfully earned four out of five stars from me.  Amanda did not fail me with this new tale, and I certainly will be looking out for when the next book in the series comes out.
And with that, this is the end of the first stop on the blog tour!

Also, here's an exclusive clip of the Wake audiobook! Just click here.