Blog Tour: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard | Excerpt | Giveaway

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Red Queen
Red Queen #1
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre:  Fantasy, Dystopian, Romance
Release Date: February 10, 2015
Review Source: Harper Teen
 

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers. To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change. Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control. But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?

The setting of a novel is one of the most important elements of a story. Your characters can be the best ever. However, if the reader can not visualize the land or world that the author created, then the sense of being in the midst of everything going on, is never established and slowly forgotten. In Red Queen you are immediately immersed  into two very live worlds. The world of Reds and the world of Silvers. A setting that is clearly defined in the authors description of both worlds.  The color of your blood determines your ultimate status in life, forever. Mare is a daughter, a sister, a provider and a protector. Her deep crimson blood signifies that she’ll always live a life of despair, ultimate need, and the feeling of never having enough to live on. Cal is the reflection of royalty. His blood runs like molten lava the color of shiny grey, as he is a Silver. A reflection of all things great. All things good. Unstoppable. All powerful.

Their worlds are like oil and vinegar. Shaken with war and destruction, however never mixed with kindness or equality. Separate, always. Reading Red Queen gave me the feeling of "de ja vu." it almost felt as if I had already entered this world of super powers, social status, fighting for causes, secrets unsolved and undiscovered before. This storyline has several love interest embedded throughout with Mare and Cal, and Maven and maybe even another,  which always kept me wondering.

Lastly, as I pushed through to see how the events of Mare’s life would unfold with all the struggles set upon her, my original feeling was that this novel just hadn't reached the ultimate happy place that I like to be at.  But then within the last quarter of the novel, Ms. Aveyard brought it home with excitement, twists and bunch of other things that I just didn't expect.  I wish I could go back and tell my students that the whole concept of never judge a book by its cover is somewhat false.  This cover spoke to me.   My interest for Red Queen was peeked with the cover. The crown. Upside down, dripping of crimson blood. It tells a story. One of power, one of love, one of life. I look forward to what the author has to bring in her next novel of this series, as Mare’s life just may depend on it.

Excerpt 

 I blame my rapidly beating heart on the melody, the music that brims with so much life. Somehow this night reminds me of Julian’s lessons, his histories of the world before our own. That was a world of empires, of corruption, of war—and more freedom than I’ve ever known. But the people of that time are gone, their dreams in ruin, existing only in smoke and ash. It’s our nature, Julian would say. We destroy. It’s the constant of our kind. No matter the color of blood, man will always fall. I didn’t understand that lesson a few days ago, but now, with his hands in mine, guiding me with the lightest touch, I’m beginning to see what he meant. I can feel myself falling.

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Victoria Aveyard is a screenwriter/YA author who likes books and lists. This site is the nexus of my universe. Her book RED QUEEN will be published Winter 2015 from HarperTeen at HarperCollins. She’s repped by the incomparable Suzie Townsend at New Leaf Literary & Media, Inc.
The genres she’s into include YA, Fantasy, Historical, Adventure, Apocalyptic - if people are dying, she’s buying.

One Winner will get Finished Copies of: RED QUEEN by Victoria Aveyard, THE LAST TIME WE SAY GOODBYE by Cynthia Hand and MY HEART AND OTHER BLACK HOLES by Jasmine Warga Ships in US only | Must be 13+ To enter.

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