Blog Tour: Weaving Destiny Review + Giveaway

Today, I'm happy to be hosting a tour stop for the "Weaving Destiny Blog Tour," in honor of the release of G.P. Ching's sequel to The Soulkeepers, Weaving Destiny. I have a full review of the book ready below, but first there's an opportunity for readers to enter a giveaway hosted by G.P. on her blog for a chance to win your choice of a Kindle, or Nook e-reader!

Just hop on over to her blog (here) and answers the questions in the form and you'll be entered. The giveaway is open to everyone until Monday, September 26th. Good luck to you all, and enjoy  The Soulkeepers series!

Weaving Destiny (The Soulkeepers, #2)

by G.P. Ching

Genre: Fantasy

Reading Grade: Young Adult

Publishing Type: self-published

Publication Date: September 6, 2011

Source: eARC from author

Age Rating: 15+ (for some profanity)

Amazon.com

Malini Gupta thought Jacob Lau was her destiny. But after months of failing to decipher how she fits into the Soulkeepers, frustration threatens to tear their relationship apart. And it doesn't help that a new Soulkeeper named Mara is ready to stop time itself to earn Jacob's love.

When Malini faces her worst fears, and even death, she learns a funny thing about destiny. Fate is a tapestry of choices, and she has the power to weave hers.

My Review

First off, if you haven't already read my review for the first The Soulkeepers book in this series, feel free to do so now (by clicking here). Compared to the first book, Weaving Destiny is definitely an evolution. I always felt like there was one unidentifiable, gnawing thing missing from the first, but it is rectified in Weaving Destiny. The writing is much better, the story-telling even more intricate and clever, and the characters seem even more realistic and likable.

This volume focuses on Malini Gupta, the title character, Jacob Lau's, girlfriend. I always liked Malini from book one, but I really didn't get the chance to come to love her as much as I do now, after getting inside her head and heart. What a neat girl she is! She has so much thrust upon her and simply doesn't feel like all the other Soulkeepers, that she's ready to do battle. She's not. It's a feeling so easy to relate to because, who would feel ready for that kind of life, being a normal person?

One of the pervasive themes of the story, I suppose for the entire series—but here it's really upfront—is the concept of 'destiny.' Obviously, its title is appropriate, because Malini begins the story believing, like so many young people do (I know I did!), that destiny is made for you by some cosmic force in the universe, and no one can do anything about it. We have to hope for the best and that's that.

But, what inevitably comes with age, maturity, and life experience is what Malini discovers through her trials: that she is, in fact, subject to destiny, but she is, in fact, the weaver of that destiny. I love how this theme is interwoven throughout, and her understanding of this concept is gradually obtained. She realizes she always had the power to shape her own future, and that pertains to everyone who's reading about her, too.

Read this if you want a sophisticated story with complex, real-world themes wrapped up in beautiful fantasy elements that is sure to entertain you. Think of it as the most delicious, wholesome, home-cooked meal prepared for you by a seasoned expert: savory, satisfying, and nourishing all at the same time.

I received this title from the author in exchange for an honest review.

My score: 5 out of 5 stars.

Download The Soulkeepers for Free!

One of the best indie YA fantasy titles I reviewed on my blog this year was The Soulkeepers by G.P. Ching. (Read my review of it here. 4.5 stars!) Now, anyone who wants an e-book copy of the first book in the series can get one for free on Smashwords.com. Go get your copy today!

The Soulkeepers (The Soulkeepers, #1)

by G.P. Ching

Smashwords link (free!)

Synopsis

When fifteen-year-old Jacob Lau is pulled from the crumpled remains of his mother's car, no one can explain why he was driving or why the police can't find his mother's body. Made a ward of his uncle and thousands of miles from home, a beautiful and mysterious neighbor, Dr. Abigail Silva, offers to use her unique abilities to help him find his mom. In exchange, she requires Jacob to train as a Soulkeeper, a biologically gifted warrior charged with protecting human souls. He agrees to her demands, desperate for any clue to the mystery of his mother's disappearance. But soon Jacob finds himself trapped in a web of half-truths, and questions Dr. Silva's motives for helping him.

*****

Out now, the sequel to The Soulkeepers, Weaving Destiny, which I'll be reviewing here on my blog as part of the "Weaving Destiny" Book Blog Tour. My date is slated for Wednesday, September 21st. Participants in the giveaway hosted on G.P. Ching's blog will be eligible to win either a Kindle, or a Nook. Stay tuned for more details...

Future Reads #6 (8/31/11)

Back in July, I read G.P. Ching's YA fantasy The Soulkeepers, and it was a very sophisticated, well-written story with wonderful characters. Now, it's time to promote the sequel to the first book The Soulkeepers series, Weaving Destiny, due out Thursday, September 15, 2011.

I also published a review of the first installment (4.5 stars), which you can read here. It's a wonderful YA read that features main characters of diverse cultural backgrounds and ethnicities, which really isn't all that commonly found in YA fiction. And, these characters live amongst the traditional Caucasian/White European descendents that populate the featured small town in Illinois, and consequently suffer from discrimination and learn to triumph over it in their own way.

Check out the series (The Soulkeepers, #1) if you're interested in an immersive read about adorable, charming characters that represent a different breed of heroes and heroines from the norm...

Weaving Destiny (The Soulkeepers, #2)

by G.P. Ching

Release Date: September 15, 2011

Amazon.com

Malini Gupta thought Jacob Lau was her destiny, that they were meant to be together. But after months of failing to decipher how she fits into the Soulkeepers, frustration threatens to tear their relationship apart. As does a new Soulkeeper named Mara who is ready to stop time itself to earn Jacob's love.

When Malini faces her worst fears and even death, she learns a funny thing about destiny; nobody said hers couldn't change. The future is a tapestry of choices, and she's about to weave hers.

Review: The Soulkeepers by G.P. Ching

The Soulkeepers (The Soulkeepers, #1)

by G.P. Ching

Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Reading Grade: Young Adult

Publishing Type: self-published

Publication Date: March 17, 2011

Source: Kindle store purchase

Rated: Teen (13+)

Amazon.com

The night sexy and mysterious Abigail Silva comes to Jacob Lau's bedroom window, he doesn't believe she's real let alone a supernatural force who lives just across the street. Abigail says she's his Helper sent to train him as a Soulkeeper, a gifted warrior responsible for protecting human souls. But Abigail has secrets, and as Jacob is pulled into her strange world, he learns those secrets could cost him his family, his girlfriend, and even his soul. 

My Review

What a great story! The Soulkeepers revolves around half-Chinese/half-Caucasian Jacob Lau, a teenager living alone with his mother on the island of Oahu. He suddenly wakes up in a hospital after having a near-death experience, and afterward, his mother goes missing. Now apparently orphaned, an uncle he has never met takes young Jacob home to a rural town in Illinois called Paris (ironically nothing at all like the famous city in France).

Across the street from his uncle's house lives Dr. Abigail Silva, a strange, but uber beautiful woman who eventually tells Jacob all about his true identity. He is a Soulkeeper, a descendant of God who has special abilities to manipulate the elements in order to protect the souls of mankind on Earth.

I love how cleverly the Judeo-Christian mythos is weaved into the story to explain what Soulkeepers are and how they came to be. Jacob doesn't even believe in God, as he is a sort of atheist, but that which the Old Testament claims just keeps coming to pass all throughout the story in unique ways. All of the supernatural gets explained by what is contained mostly in the book of Genesis and it's all very fascinating.

Jacob is realistically written and easy to sympathize with, as is Malini, his best friend. I liked Dr. Silva, and discovering her back-story and that of her super intelligent cat, Gideon, helped turn both of them into some riveting characters. We discover the mystery surrounding Jacob's mother, but there is also a mystery surrounding his deceased father and his family. I get the feeling what little was explained in this volume is not the true extent of it. I'm sure there's more to the Laudner family than meets the eye, so I'm looking forward to the next book to see what will be revealed.

Besides having a winning cover (Jacob is gorgeous!), The Soulkeepers casts well-developed characters in a plot that naturally and gradually unfolds its mysteries over the course of the story just perfectly, leaving the reader wanting to uncover more and more. Book 2 is planned for a September 15, 2011 release.

My score: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Cover Reveal: Weaving Destiny (Soulkeepers, #2)

Time for the cover reveal of the second book in The Soulkeepers novel series by G.P. Ching!

WOW! Gorgeous, isn't it? The Soulkeepers is one of those indie author series I'm dying to have time for because it looks so interesting and fun. I've read some of the first chapter of the first book and I could tell right away that it starts out very strong.

My plan is to, of course, have it read before I receive my ARC of the second book and have my review of it ready on release day. Until then, there are TWO gorgeous covers to completely drool over....

Weaving Destiny

Coming Fall 2011

Malini Gupta thought Jacob Lau was her destiny, that they were meant to be together. But after months of failing to decipher how she fits into the Soulkeepers, frustration threatens to tear their relationship apart. As does a new Soulkeeper named Mara who is ready to stop time itself to earn Jacob's love. 

When Malini faces her worst fears and even death, she learns a funny thing about destiny; nobody said hers couldn't change. The future is a tapestry of choices, and she's about to weave hers.

G.P. Ching Short Bio

G.P. Ching is an award-winning short fiction writer turned novelist and co-founder of DarkSide Publishing. She lives in Illinois with her husband, two daughters, and a very demanding guinea pig. Her first novel, The Soulkeepers, is currently the #1 top rated book in its category on Amazon.

Learn more about G.P. at www.gpching.com

Learn more about The Soulkeepers at www.TheSoulkeepersSeries.com

Learn more about DarkSide Publishing at www.DarkSidePublishing.com

About The Cover

Adam Bedore of Anjin Design creates all of the covers for The Soulkeepers series. Adam uses a special technique to build depth, emotion, and a little mystery into the art. It is truly multi-dimensional. This cover features Malini wearing the same red stone from book one. You will also notice a tapestry design shadowed in the background that plays an important role in the story.

Learn more about the artist at www.anjindesign.com

Book Haul #5

Happy 4th of July, everyone!!

It's time for this week's Book Haul blog post, although I don't know if the books I got are patriotic (that's why I added the flag. It makes up for lack of patriotism...). I got some really "revolutionary" books this past week. Well, they're just awesome.


Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1)
by Maggie Stiefvater

Amazon.com

 Grace and Sam share a kinship so close they could be lovers or siblings. But they also share a problem. When the temperature slips towards freezing, Sam reverts to his wolf identity and must retreat into the woods to protect his pack. He worries that eventually his human side will fade away and he will left howling alone at the lonely moon. A stirring supernatural teen romance.

I got this as a free audiobook from AudiobookSync.com's Summer YA audiobook program. They gave this book away for a week, so I snatched it up like a hotcakes were going out of style. I need to write my review for it, since I couldn't resist diving straight into it as soon as I got it loaded into my iPod.

The Soulkeepers (The Soulkeepers, #1)
by G.P. Ching

Amazon.com

The night sexy and mysterious Abigail Silva comes to Jacob Lau's bedroom window, he doesn't believe she's real let alone a supernatural force who lives just across the street. Abigail says she's his Helper sent to train him as a Soulkeeper, a gifted warrior responsible for protecting human souls. But Abigail has secrets, and as Jacob is pulled into her strange world, he learns those secrets could cost him his family, his girlfriend, and even his soul.

Let's just put it this way: The Soulkeepers is a rare book to have garnered many 5-star reviews at Goodreads.com. Now, that is saying something. At least, I take note of any novel that can get those reviewers to like it enough to give it as many stars as possible. I quickly bought this on my Kindle when G.P. announced it was going off sale a day or two later. Didn't want to lose such a great chance to get it cheap.  

And, this cover.... You need to bury me because my corpse is three days old. I LOVE this cover to death! Uber love. One of my favorites. Can't wait to read this one.

Things To Do in Denver When You're Un-Dead
by Mark Everett Stone

Amazon.com

For ten years Kal Hakala has been the Bureau of Supernatural Investigation's top man, the longest surviving agent in its blood-soaked history. There has been no case he couldn't crack, no monster he couldn't kill. Until a plague of zombies in Denver turns into an investigation of a vicious serial killer dubbed The Organ Donor. Fueled by rage and a hatred of all things supernatural, he dives headlong into the one mystery that could finally kill him.

I received this as an ARC from the publisher as I was asked for a review of it. Clearly, it's a comedy and I've been craving something funny to read for a little while, so this came along at just the perfect time. 

Summer's Crossing (Iron Fey, #3.5)
by Julie Kagawa

Amazon.com

A Midsummer's Nightmare? Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Summer Court prankster, King Oberon's right hand, bane of many a faery queen's existence—and secret friend to Prince Ash of the Winter Court. Until one girl's death came between them, and another girl stole both their hearts.

Now Ash has granted one favor too many and someone's come to collect, forcing the prince to a place he cannot go without Puck's help—into the heart of the Summer Court. And Puck faces the ultimate choice—betray Ash and possibly win the girl they both love, or help his former friend turned bitter enemy pull off a deception that no true faery prankster could possibly resist. 

I actually got this ebook on my Kindle a few weeks ago, or so, for free (and it still is!). I just forgot to put it in a Book Haul blog post earlier. I've read this already and my review will be going up after I put up my review for The Iron Queen, the book that just preceed's this short story. I'll just say I was very excited to get this, since it's all Puck's POV and how could that NOT be fabulous?

I love getting awesome book hauls!