Book info:
Author: Mallory McCartney
Series: Black Dawn #0.5
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: August 21st, 2018
Synopsis:
“The time for Kiero’s reign in prosperity is
over.”
Six years before the Black Dawn Rebellion, Adair Stratton and Emory Fae are following in their parent’s footsteps and living at The Academy, a home for those who are gifted. The pressure to uphold the future of their parent’s dream falls on them. An outcast and feared by most, Adair longs to break away from the expectations dictating his future. Even if Emory tries to make him see differently. An unexpected group of friends keep him there, but as whispers of unexplained disappearances start reaching from the capital, Adair starts to doubt The Academy is all it seems.
An unexpected visit ignites new tensions as the roguish king from across the Black Sea, Tadeas Maher of the Shattered Isles, and his heir, Marquis Maher sail to Kiero. Notorious for their pirating and wrath- for the first time in years, they demand the Fae’s listen to their proposition for a new treaty, holding the news of Nei’s father’s abrupt death over them. Caught in the middle of politics- Adair and Emory, with the help of their best friends Brokk and Memphis search for the one thing that matters most- finding out the truth.
In this gripping prequel to Black Dawn, their world is tipped upside down as unlikely alliances are made. War ravages through Kiero and is torn apart by acclaimed Kings. Through the throes of betrayal, lies, hidden magic and love, Adair is faced with a life changing decision- to fight or to bow to the darkness within him.
Six years before the Black Dawn Rebellion, Adair Stratton and Emory Fae are following in their parent’s footsteps and living at The Academy, a home for those who are gifted. The pressure to uphold the future of their parent’s dream falls on them. An outcast and feared by most, Adair longs to break away from the expectations dictating his future. Even if Emory tries to make him see differently. An unexpected group of friends keep him there, but as whispers of unexplained disappearances start reaching from the capital, Adair starts to doubt The Academy is all it seems.
An unexpected visit ignites new tensions as the roguish king from across the Black Sea, Tadeas Maher of the Shattered Isles, and his heir, Marquis Maher sail to Kiero. Notorious for their pirating and wrath- for the first time in years, they demand the Fae’s listen to their proposition for a new treaty, holding the news of Nei’s father’s abrupt death over them. Caught in the middle of politics- Adair and Emory, with the help of their best friends Brokk and Memphis search for the one thing that matters most- finding out the truth.
In this gripping prequel to Black Dawn, their world is tipped upside down as unlikely alliances are made. War ravages through Kiero and is torn apart by acclaimed Kings. Through the throes of betrayal, lies, hidden magic and love, Adair is faced with a life changing decision- to fight or to bow to the darkness within him.
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Guest Post: Dear Reader
(a note to your readers)
In
the past few years, #OwnVoices has gone from a plea for more diverse authors to
a shift in how we tell stories, especially in young adult novels. Twenty years
ago—heck, three years ago—an author could write about any topic from any
perspective, regardless of their personal experience, and the publishing world
would be fine with it. But that’s changed.
As
a white 40-something woman, I make an effort to have diverse characters, but I
have to be mindful of that blurry line where it’s no longer my story to tell.
The love interest in my latest book, The Edge Rules, is Mexican-American, so I
wrote this letter to my readers explaining why I felt the need to share
Xavier’s world.
~~~~~
I lived in Zihuatanejo, a fishing village on the Pacific
Ocean in Guerrero, Mexico, for three years and it’s exciting to finally include
snippets from that part of my life in a novel. Everything about the way I
describe the town is true—at least it was when I left in 2010:
• Lilies really are EVERYWHERE.
I had a pair of nightstands with them carved into the sides, and you could go
into almost any restaurant and see them.
• The in-home restaurants I ate
at weren’t nearly as fancy as the one Brianna and Xavier visited, but the food
was just as good.
• I ate so many tortillas when
I first moved there that the locals thought I was pregnant. Yes, I had a
tortilla baby. (I quickly cut back after that.)
• The Spanish phrases Xavier
and Fernando use are ones I said—or heard—every day. I had Xavier’s family come
from the town where I lived since so much of dialect is regional, and I wanted
it to be accurate.
Now for a story. When I first moved to Mexico in March 2007,
my ex and I were living in his parents’ house, which had no running water and
zero privacy, and no one except us spoke English. I had minored in Spanish in
college, but I hadn’t practiced much in the ten years since I’d graduated, so I
didn’t talk much those first couple months.
Tortillas were served at every meal, and were eaten in the
same way Xavier teaches Brianna: fold it in half and tear, then tear those
halves in half so you have four pieces. Then you use a piece to scoop up your
food. It’s tricky to get the hang of if you’ve only ever used utensils, and
needless to say, it took me a lot of tortillas to get through a meal (see the
earlier comment about my tortilla baby).
About three weeks after we arrived, I commented that I
didn’t want to eat as many tortillas (because people thought I was pregnant),
and my ex said, “oh, did you want a fork?” My jaw dropped and my eyes went
wide. I believe my words were, “WE HAVE FORKS?” My tortilla baby quickly went
away and I learned to limit myself to three (or five) tortillas per meal.
I’ve been gone almost nine years, and I still miss the food.
Bringing it to life for my readers—gambas con ajillo and molé con pollo are my
favorite—was a pleasure.
OTHER BOOKS IN THE
SERIES
About the Author:
Mallory McCartney currently lives in Sarnia,
Ontario with her husband and their three dachshunds Link, Lola, and Leonard.
When she isn’t working on her next novel or reading, she can be found day
dreaming about fantasy worlds and hiking. Other favorite pastimes involve
reorganizing perpetually overflowing bookshelves and seeking out new coffee and
dessert shops.
Social Media Links:
Giveaway:
· Two (2) winners will receive a signed copy of
Renegade by Mallory McCartney (INT)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Check out the rest of the tour HERE.