Nerd Blast: Ruin of Stars (Mask of Shadows #2) by Linsey Miller

SYNOPSIS:

As Opal, Sal finally has the power, prestige, and most importantly the ability to hunt the lords who killed their family. But Sal has to figure out who the culprits are before putting them down. Which means trying to ignore the fact that Elise is being kept a virtual prisoner, and that the queen may have ulterior motives.

And the tales coming out of north are baffling. Talk of dark spirits, missing children, and magic abound. As Sal heads north toward their ruined homeland and the lords who destroyed everything, they learn secrets and truths that can't be ignored.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

Praise for MASK OF SHADOWS

"An intriguing world and a fantastically compelling main character make for a can't-miss debut. Miller's Mask of Shadows will make you glad you're not an assassin―and even gladder Sal is." ―Kiersten White, New York Times bestelling author of And I Darken and Now I Rise

"Compelling and relatable characters, a fascinating world with dangerous magic, and a dash of political intrigue: Mask of Shadows completely delivered. Fantasy fans will love this book." ―Jodi Meadows, New York Times bestselling coauthor of My Lady Jane

Praise for Mask of Shadows: "Miller's gritty, lightning-paced debut features a rough-and-tumble yet movingly vulnerable protagonist: Sal is uncompromising in their convictions, and doesn't hesitate to kill when necessary but wishes to be more than just a weapon of vengeance. A complex but intriguing start to this planned duology." ―Publishers Weekly
Praise for Mask of Shadows: "This is a memorable, sharply written character. While readers who identify on the GLBTQ spectrum may be easy fans as Miller handles Sal's identity with aplomb, that's certainly not the only point of note here; the impressive, intricate world building, tense action, and fierce competitors are equally strong." ―The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Praise for Mask of Shadows: "Gory, well-plotted, suspenseful on every page, and poised for the sequel." ―Kirkus

Praise for Mask of Shadows: "This fantasy's gender-fluid protagonist, Sal Leon, makes Miller's book worth picking up for diversity's sake alone. Her treatment of the gender issue is most notable in that it isn't really an issue... Violent and action-packed, this offering by first-time novelist Miller will circulate." ―School Library Journal

"Sal's strong-willed personality and rich emotions create a protagonist who continues to shine" ―Booklist

"Sal is intriguing and their genderfluidity adds depth to their personality. The narrative deals with issues of mystery, self-identity, and revenge. The ending provides a sense of closure, while leaving the door ajar for further adventures." ―VOYA Magazine

About the Author:

Originally from Arkansas, Linsey Miller has previously worked as a crime lab intern, neuroscience lab assistant, and pharmacy technician. She is currently an MFA candidate represented by Rachel Brooks of Bookends Literary. Her debut novel MASK OF SHADOWS is the first in a fantasy duology out now (8/29/17) from Sourcebooks Fire. The sequel RUIN OF STARS is coming out August of 2018. She can be found writing about science and magic anywhere there is coffee.

PHOTO CONTENT FROM LINSEY MILLER

WEBSITE: http://www.linseymiller.com/
TWITTER:  @LinseyMiller
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15194090.Linsey_Miller
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LinseyMillerAuthor/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/linsey.miller/ 

Giveaway:

--Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter

- 1 Winner will receive a signed pre-order of RUIN OF STARS by Linsey Miller

- 1 Winner will receive a $25.00 Amazon/PayPal Gift Card.

ENDS: SEPTEMBER 11, 2018

 

  

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Check out the rest of the tour HERE.  

You can check out my review of book one here:  Mask of Shadows. 

Review: Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller

Book info:

Title:  Mask of Shadows
Author:  Linsey Miller
Genre:  YA Fantasy, LGBTQ
Release Date:  August 29th, 2017
Publisher:  Sourcebooks Fire
Source:  ARC received from publisher in exchange for honest review
My rating:  3.5 stars

Synopsis:
Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class and the nobles who destroyed their home. 

When Sal Leon steals a poster announcing open auditions for the Left Hand, a powerful collection of the Queen's personal assassins named for the rings she wears -- Ruby, Emerald, Amethyst, and Opal -- their world changes. They know it's a chance for a new life.

Except the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. But Sal must survive to put their real reason for auditioning into play: revenge.

My Review:
So, this is a harder one to review.  It was definitely interesting, and the main character was very unique and kept me interested in the story all the way through.  Basically the main character, Sal, identifies as both male and female, depending on their mood.  This comes in handy for Sal in this trial to become one of the Queen's assassins.  Sal can use the different way they dress in order to keep attention off when they try to sneak and find out things to further the revenge plan.  Sal also meets and falls in love with a woman at the court.  A woman that doesn't seem to care whether Sal is male or female, and she is attracted to Sal in all different guises.  And at first, she can only call Sal 23, which is Sal's number/name for the contest.

The ideas behind the tests and the fact that the contestants are kind of encouraged to kill each other to narrow down the competition field makes for a great story. While I'm not quite sure how I feel about what happens with Four towards the very end of the competition,  the little twist at the very end of the book definitely was unexpected for me.  It leads in perfectly to there being a sequel and more to come.  I also liked having a gender fluid character as a main character.  I know this is something that there is more and more of out there, or at least it is recognized more, so I can see that it could be a big hit with many readers.

In the end I only gave it a 3.5 because while it was definitely page turning as I was reading it, occasionally I had to stop and go back to find something that I missed or read wrong, and when I put it down, it wasn't that I was dying to pick it up again.  Once I did pick it up, it was hard to put down, but I didn't need to go back to it constantly.