Cardboard Castles by K. L. Young | Book Blitz + Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the book blitz for Cardboard Castles by K. L. Young! Even though I don't normally participate in book blitzes, I couldn't pass on the chance to share about this introspectively dark fantasy debut. The premise reminds me a little bit of the dangerous whimsy of Alice in Wonderland, with the promise of transport to a magical world, but also with the added complexity of real life. I am super interested to see how Young combines reality and fantasy, and the very real dangers of both, in her first book!

Cardboard Castles

By K. L. Young
Published on May 17, 2018
404 pages
Graye Castle Press
Young Adult, Fantasy

"I am my father's daughter, and I am terrified of that fact." 
Seventeen-year-old Josilyn is the city’s rumored Cardboard Princess. 
Living in a crumbling cardboard castle under the park bridge and struggling to care for her mentally ill father, Josilyn’s life has been anything but regal since her mother’s death. 
But when a former friend discovers Josilyn's secret and leads Child Protective Services directly to her, her father’s visions of dragons and dark knights become the least of Josilyn’s problems. 
Now separated from her father and terrified for his safety, Josilyn begins to see the world of his imagination for the first time, forcing her to consider the possibility that he’s not insane, and that someone may be desperate to see her father dead—and her in chains. 
In a stunning twist of reality, survival may not be a matter of sanity, but who to trust, and who to kill.

Amazon * Barnes and Noble * Books-a-Million

There are two special deals going on right now with Cardboard Castles:

1. The ebook is on sale for only $2.99 through July.
2. A portion of all sales from the book are being donated to Chattanooga's Community Kitchen, which serves the author’s city homeless population.

Celebrating October | Book Heist Giveaway

There is no better way to kick off the season of pumpkins, fuzzy sweater, hot chocolate, and candy than with a huge giveaway. Thanks to YA Bound Book Tours, I am bringing you the Book Heist giveaway, featuring 19 YA authors and their stunning novels. 

Without further ado, I am going to turn you over to the authors of the Book Heist Giveaway.

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Young Adult books come in all shapes and sizes. Some star werewolves or vampires. Some feature magic. Sometimes the world is new. Sometimes it’s a twist on everything you know. There is family. Friendship shows up in spades. Most of the time, you can be sure you’ll fall in love.

It’s a world of literature that so many miss out on because they think the name describes the reader’s age. In reality, YA books are for those who appreciate the wonders of youth. They strive for the optimism and the courage in the face of danger. Yes, teens read these stories in droves, but they aren’t the only ones who can learn from the perpetual hope these characters see. To see the world through the eyes of someone who wants to make it better is an astounding thing.

Nineteen young adult authors have banded together to show their little corners of the world, their hope and courage and optimism. It is shown through the actions of teenagers who are ever changing. They love with the same fierceness that they hate and forgive easily. They believe they can do anything. Who doesn’t want a piece of that?

The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout | Release Blitz

The Problem with Forever

By Jennifer L. Arementrout

Released on May 17, 2016

480 pages

Published by Harlequin Teen

Young Adult, Contemporary

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes a riveting new story about friendship, survival, and finding your voice.

For some people, silence is a weapon.
For Mallory “Mouse” Dodge, it’s a shield.
Growing up, she learned that the best way to survive was to say nothing. And even though it’s been four years since her nightmare ended, she’s beginning to worry that the fear that holds her back will last a lifetime.
Now, after years of homeschooling with loving adoptive parents, Mallory must face a new milestone—spending her senior year at public high school. But of all the terrifying and exhilarating scenarios she’s imagined, there’s one she never dreamed of—that she’d run into Rider Stark, the friend and protector she hasn’t seen since childhood, on her very first day.It doesn’t take long for Mallory to realize that the connection she shared with Rider never really faded. Yet the deeper their bond grows, the more it becomes apparent that she’s not the only one grappling with lingering scars from the past. And as she watches Rider’s life spiral out of control, Mallory must make a choice between staying silent and speaking out—for the people she loves, the life she wants, and the truths that need to be heard.

Grab your copy of THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER:

Amazon * Barnes and Noble * iBooks * Kobo * Indiebound  

YA Author Rendzvous Guest Post + Giveaway with Bethany Wicker

Let us introduce YA Author Rendezvous – a group of independent Young Adult, Middle Grade and Children’s Book authors who have banded together to bring their stories to as wide an audience as possible. Visit them online and find some great reads!

Website / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram / Facebook

Giveaway | Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne

I do not announce book deals very often, but today I have a couple of announcement for you, my wonderful readers. 1. Midnight Thief, Livia Blackburne's haunting debut novel, is on sale for 99 cents  as an ebook. 2. Daughter of Dusk, the second installment of the series, has recently been released. 3. I have a giveaway for you to win some of these amazing goodies.

Growing up on Forge’s streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that’s not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs.
But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she’s not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he’s persistent—and darkly attractive—and Kyra can’t quite resist his pull.
Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with uncanny ease.
When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival—and vengeance—might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra’s past that threatens to reshape both their lives.
In her arresting debut novel, Livia Blackburne creates a captivating world where intrigue prowls around every corner—and danger is a way of life.

Until September 13th, The Midnight Thief ebook is only 99 cents!

Release Day Blitz | The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

I am so excited that THE WRATH AND THE DAWN by Renée Ahdieh releases today and that I get to share the news, along with a special introduction from Renée herself!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author Renée Ahdieh, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a signed copies of the book and some beautiful book inspired scarves, courtesy of Renée, Penguin Teen, and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

Book Blitz | In A World Just Right by Jen Brooks

In a World Just Right

by Jen Brooks 

Release Date: 04/28/15
Simon & Schuster Book for Your Readers

432 pages

Summary from Goodreads: Imagination takes on new meaning for a uniquely talented teen in this debut novel that is a breathtaking blend of contemporary, fantasy, and romance.

Sometimes Jonathan Aubrey wishes he could just disappear. And as luck—or fate—would have it, he can. Ever since coming out of a coma as a kid, he has been able to create alternate worlds. Worlds where he is a superhero, or a ladies’ man, or simply a better version of himself. That’s the world he’s been escaping to most since sophomore year, a world where he has everything he doesn’t have in real life: friends, a place of honor on the track team, passing grades, and most importantly, Kylie Simms as his girlfriend.

But when Jonathan confuses his worlds senior year and tries to kiss the real Kylie Simms, everything unravels. The real Kylie actually notices Jonathan…and begins obsessing over him. The fantasy version of Kylie struggles to love Jonathan as she was created to do, and the consequences are disastrous. As his worlds collide, Jonathan must confront the truth of his power and figure out where he actually belongs—before he loses both Kylies forever.

Buy Links:

Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Indie Bound│iTunes

Release Day Blitz | An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

I am so excited that AN EMBER IN THE ASHES by Sabaa Tahir releases today. This lovely book has been dominating my TBR list for the last six months, and I cannot wait to finally get my hands on it. I also get to share the news, along with a special introduction from Sabaa with all of you!

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a signed copies of the book and some of those awesome sword letter openers we’ve seen around courtesy of Sabaa, Penguin Teen, and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter giveaway!

YA Spring Fling Giveaway Blitz

Spring is officially on its way! Nothing is better than finally being able to see the grass after three months of relentless snow!

And there is no better way to experience the new spring weather than with a new book!

Lucky for you, today we are part of the YA Spring Fling Blitz. Over 70 authors are participating and over 100 ebooks, paperbacks, and swag are up for grabs!

From March 20th to April 3rd, over 70 authors come together to give away hundreds of books. The YA Spring Fling is an opportunity for readers to find new books, new authors and take part in something very special. Here is a sneak peek of some of the books involved in the giveaway. 

All are featured in the YA Spring Fling giveaway. Click here to win free books!

Last List Blog Hop | Strange Skies by Kristi Helvig

Today, I am glad to be a part of the Last List Blog Hop to get the word out about the wonderful authors who are on Egmont's Last List. 

Sadly, Egmont USA, a popular publisher, has closed its doors. This has left its authors in a bad position. They will not have a marketing team to help get the word out about their books. So, Cuddlebuggery organized this blog hop to help these wonderful authors publicize their books. 

The book I am spotlighting is Strange Skies by Kristi Helvig, the second book in the Burn Out series. 

To find the full list of books being sponsored and the rest of the blogs on the hop, click here.

Book Blitz | Where Dead Bodies Lie by Kat Cazanav

Where Dead Bodies Lie
(The Body Dowser Series, #1)

by Kat Cazanav 

Release Date: 12/16/14

Summary from Goodreads:

For as long as I can remember, I have been told to follow three important rules;
Always guard my ability
Never share my secret
And pretend to be normal.

However, those three little rules don’t make my life easier. I still find dead people and deal with strange visions. Not to mention, an attraction to a boy who doesn’t exist. Whenever we cross path’s he mists away like smoke on a mirror. He drives me crazy, that Kaff Cooper.

As a flock of dead crows fall from the blackened sky, Kaff becomes the only one who can see the truth straight to the dark underbelly of who I actually am.

My hands feel the pull to extract the forsaken, the lost, the forgotten. It comes as naturally as breathing and there is no stopping it. 

Excerpt

A coldness nipped at my fingertips and no matter how hard I shook my hands, the mist clung to them. I heard a cracking sound and looked up at ceiling lights as they exploded, sending  shards of glass spraying everywhere.

Students screamed, covering their heads. Another fury of wind swept in through the window. 

Papers flew, stools toppled, and lab vials burst.

The door flung open and panicked shouts filled the air as a stampede of bodies flooded out into 

the hall. I felt nothing as if I were standing in the eye of a storm, detached from the riot a few feet away.

“Let me out!”

“She’s crazy!”

“Shit, move your ass!”

“I can’t breathe. She’s killing us!”

Moments later, the door slammed shut. I was all alone and the room melted away, exposing water lapping at the legs of chairs. A flicker of shadow crawled up from the floor. I could only make out her form a few feet in front of me. She was standing in the middle of the room, her head bent down, face hidden by a mop of wet black hair hanging over her face. Her image flapped and unfurled like a flag in the wind. I climbed down from the desk and leaned against it as the girl floated toward me on a current of air. I shrank back, trying to understand what I’d done.

 What was she going to do to me?

Buy Links:

Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books

Author Links:
Website│Goodreads│Twitter

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz Organized by:

Double Cover Reveal | Greta and the Glass Kingdom & Greta and the Goblin King by Chloe Jacobs

Greta and the Goblin King

 (Mylena Chronicles #1)

by Chloe Jacobs

Release Date: 12/11/12

Entangled Teen

Summary from Goodreads:
While trying to save her brother from a witch’s fire four years ago, Greta was thrown in herself, falling through a portal to Mylena, a dangerous world where humans are the enemy and every ogre, ghoul, and goblin has a dark side that comes out with the eclipse.

To survive, Greta has hidden her humanity and taken the job of bounty hunter—and she’s good at what she does. So good, she’s caught the attention of Mylena’s young goblin king, the darkly enticing Isaac, who invades her dreams and undermines her will to escape.

But Greta’s not the only one looking to get out of Mylena. An ancient evil knows she’s the key to opening the portal, and with the next eclipse mere days away, every bloodthirsty creature in the realm is after her—including Isaac. If Greta fails, she and the lost boys of Mylena will die. If she succeeds, no world will be safe from what follows her back...

Greta and the Glass Kingdom
 (Mylena Chronicles #2)

by Chloe Jacobs 

Release Date: February 2015

Entangled Teen

Summary from Goodreads:
The sequel to the Hansel & Gretel retelling Greta and the Goblin King ups the stakes of danger and romance. As conflict surges across Mylena, the tough Greta struggles to save those she loves.

Against all odds, Greta and the Goblin King miraculously survived the battle against the evil Agramon. Greta should be happy to be alive and ready to claim her place in Mylena by Isaac's side. Yet nothing is the way she thought it would be. The battle against Agramon left a dark magick inside Greta that will eventually kill her. Isaac hasn't been the same since he almost went Lost. And there are whispers of a rebellion brewing throughout Mylena...

Determined to save Mylena from a bitter civil war, they travel to the mysterious Glass Kingdom to form an uneasy alliance with the deadly Faerie race. But when an unexpected disaster tears Greta and Isaac apart, she must make the journey on her own. Along the way, she discovers a conspiracy stretching back to events she never thought she would have to revisit, betrayal from allies whose loyalty she never questioned, and an enemy vying to control all of Mylena.

Follow Greta into unexpected romance, explosive secrets, and shocking betrayals that will leave her and all of Mylena forever changed in the stunning second installment of The Mylena Chronicles.

About the Author

Chloe Jacobs is a native of nowhere and everywhere, having jumped around to practically every Province of Canada before finally settling in Ontario where she has now been living for a respectable number of years. Her husband and son are the two best people in the entire world, but they also make her wish she'd at least gotten a female cat. No such luck. And although the day job keeps her busy, she carves out as much time as possible to write. Bringing new characters to life and finding out what makes them tick and how badly she can make them suffer is one of her greatest pleasures, almost better than chocolate and fuzzy pink bunny slippers.

Author Links:

  
Facebook

Cover Reveal Organized by:

YA Bound Book Tours

Book Blitz | Renaria | Into the Adyton by J.L. Wilson

Renaria - Into the Adyton
By: J.L. Wilson
Series: Renaria #1
Published: November 7, 2014
Young Adult, High Fantasy

Synopsis

A small memento, a universal power...

It’s the year 2126, post-World War V. Leda, age seventeen, bounds through the lush forested region of the Desintor Foothills as a regal, bow-wielding, High-Elf Scout. That is, when she’s logged into her favorite MMO game: Renaria.

One crisp fall afternoon, an unseasonal storm fractures the sky of Trinton, New Texas with splinters of emerald lightning and otherworldly songs. Oddly, no one sees the storm except her brother and their guild mate Travis.

She brushes off the event as a fluke, but she can’t seem to get the song out of her mind. Suddenly, a new quest appears in her game directing her to the blue sand dunes of the Sinare Desert to meet Caleb, a legendary Elf Diviner.

Now she has a choice: Ignore the quest and turn off the game, or dive in and risk everything for a shot at an adventure.

Author Bio

J.L. Wilson's interests in Sci-Fi, Fantasy and video games grew from years of watching Star Trek, thanks to her mother. During her graduate studies in anthropology she focused primarily on humans and their interaction with technology. All kinds! Language, tools, cyborgs, etc. She reads anything she can get her hands on that involve space, wizards, or video games. In her debut fantasy novel, Renaria: Into the Adyton, she sought out to weave these interests together. 

Renaria - Into the Adyton released on Nov. 7th, 2014 and is my debut Sci-Fi fantasy novel. With elements of mythology, magic, and gaming it generally leans Young-Adult, but I think it can be enjoyed by anyone ages 9-99. Readers have compared it to Divergent, Harry Potter, Narnia, and Jumanji.

When not writing or reading you can find her in World of Warcraft, FFXIV or the latest MMORPG creating new characters or exploring new quests. She's on Facebook and Twitter and currently lives in Texas with her husband, four kids (cats) and a dog.

Author Links

Goodreads * Amazon * Facebook * Twitter

Excerpt

Galley’s Goblets … Mind Your Business.
A fireplace blazed with blue flame on the opposing wall next to the bard.
“Where’d he go?” Menaia asked.
“Not sure,” Leda answered as her eyes jumped from the round tables to each of the walls. 
“Look, there’s a couple of stairs there.” She pointed to a sunken area of the tavern next to the fireplace.
Strumming from the bard’s lute filled the air. 
They snuck forwards, trying to avoid the burly, tan-skinned, Sorien barkeep. Leda watched him out the corner of her right eye. Bending over, his head nearly grazed the glass mugs that hung low while he scrubbed the bar top with a brown stained cloth. A board creaked below her foot. She stopped breathing. His brown eyes traveled from the bar top to the girls and met her gaze. He smirked and kept scrubbing. 
His deep voice resumed humming the bard’s song.
Leda peeked down the two steps. They led to a cozy, rectangular room holding a single long 
table, with four chairs on both sides. Shadows danced on the brown, clay wall from two heavy torches that rested in unassuming iron sconces. An empty glass sat on the table before the figure in the far corner. His face was turned towards his intertwined hands. Yellow light from the candle reflected on the part of his face Leda could see: the scruff of his reddish brown and gray beard.
“Let’s sit at this far end here,” Menaia whispered as she descended the two steps. As they pulled the wooden chairs back from the table, they heard a voice issue from the man’s direction. 
“Leda, Menaia, please join me here.” 
Leda watched as he unfolded his hands. He held them out, palms up, beckoning the girls to the chairs across from him.Menaia looked at Leda who nodded and rolled her eyes to say, well we’ve come this far. Leda placed her hand on the hilt of one of her daggers. Prepared to bolt at a moment’s notice, the girls sat down across from him.
“Who are you?” she asked.

He pulled his hood down.

Book Blitz | Out of Sync by A. Bin Juran

Out of Sync
A. Bin Juran
(Out of Sync #1)
Published: October 23, 2014
Young Adult, Paranormal

Synopsis

I’m a magical misfit
I won’t let it define me
A bolt-zapping disaster magnet
But at least I’m still trying
The guy I like asked me out
I hoped my luck was changing
Then my coven trials began
…they’re harder than I expected
Now my life hangs in the balance
I don’t know what I’m doing
But I do know this:
I’m not going down without a fight.

Purchase Links

Amazon * Barnes and Noble * Smashwords * iTunes * Kobo

Book Blitz | Because You Exist by Tiffany Truitt

Because You Exist
Series: Light in the Darkness #1
By: Tiffany Truitt
Release Date: 11/11/14
Limitless Publishing

Summary from Goodreads:

Life is good for Logan Middleton. He’s quarterback of the Shepherd High football team, nephew of the town’s most successful lawyer, and boyfriend of Jenna Maples, a girl who has finally agreed to take their relationship to the next level. But nothing good lasts forever.
With only a few minutes of last period English left between him and a weekend alone with Jenna, 
Logan blacks out. When he awakens, he finds himself in a future where Shepherd High lies in 
ruins, nothing is what it seems, and everyone he loves is dead. Logan is a shifter. Chosen to travel through time, it’s up to him to figure out how to stop the terrible events that claimed his once perfect life.
Of course, all of this might be easier if he wasn’t paired with the one girl who’d rather see him dead than help him, Josephine. A girl he tormented during childhood. Strong-willed with biting wit, who lives in the shadows. Tough and dark, Jo is Shepherd High’s most notorious outcast and Logan’s opposite in every way. Together the two must overcome their many differences to figure out why they’ve been selected for such an overwhelming task, and who selected them in the first place.
Before it’s too late...

Buy Links

Amazon * Barnes and Noble * Limitless Publishing

Excerpt

“How long did it take you to find me?” Carrie asked, pulling out one of her earplugs.

“What are you listening to?” I countered. I didn’t want to answer her question. I didn’t want

to explain how it took me four hours to find someone who knew anything about Scary Carrie

besides the fact that she loved hoodies and had zero friends. It involved one of those things

where you call a friend who knows a friend who knows a friend whose mom also works at the

public library. I used the JV football team as my slew of detectives. They were always eager to

please me.

Carrie laughed quietly to herself, no doubt fully aware of the fact that I was avoiding her

question. She turned her iPod so I could read the screen.

“Sia. Hmmm. Jenna likes her.”

“Wow,” she said shaking her head. “Why do you sound so surprised there, QB1? What were you

expecting to see?”

Um. I don’t know. Maybe some screamo, emo band singing songs about death or how the world

sucks, or maybe how conforming to nonconformity is rad. I mean if she was going to wear

the hoodie and play out the loner routine, she might as well really commit to the performance.

Soundtrack and all.

It was then I noticed how her hood was off her head. Her curly, red hair was pulled into a

ponytail that lay in front of her shoulder. Her face was flushed. She almost looked like breathing

wasn’t the most painful thing asked of her. She was almost...

Gross.

Don’t go there.

“Listen. Um. Can we talk?”

She laughed again. “Sort of late to ask me that, Mr. All-American. Since you know...we’re

already talking.”

“Right.”

Carrie didn’t wait for me to continue. Instead, she pushed her cart of books further down the

aisle and began to place the books on the self.

“So, I was thinking we could talk about...you know...that thing...that happened to us.”

“You want to talk about that thing that happened to us!” Carried exclaimed in a louder than

needed voice, waggling her eyebrows.

I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. “Very funny,” I muttered.

“Oh, calm down, Die Hard. It’s not like any of your friends spend their Saturday afternoons at

the public library.”

“Loving the nicknames,” I replied dryly.

She didn’t respond.

“So. Um. How long have you been working here at the library?”

Why was I so nervous?

I had talked to like a million girls before. Granted, never about the end of the world though.

“Don’t,” she warned.

“Don’t what?”

“Play the I want to get to know you act.”

“I wasn’t—”

“You were.”

Count to ten.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Why does she have to be such a bit...

She lifted a book from the cart, but I grabbed it out of her hand. “Enough.”

About the Author

Tiffany Truitt received her MA in literature from Old Dominion University. Her debut Chosen

Ones, first in the Lost Souls trilogy, is a searing look at what it means to be other and how we

define humanity, as well as a celebration of the dangerously wonderful feeling of falling in love.

Author Links:

Website * Goodreads * Twitter * Facebook

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by

YA Bound Book Tours

Release Day Party for Evolution by Kate Wrath

Evolution

By: +Kate Wrath
Series: E #2
Release Date: 11/12/14

Synopsis

Outpost Three is still standing… barely. But the deadliest threat it has ever faced is on its way-- a violent force that will annihilate every man, woman, and child.

With the Sentries under his control and Grey’s army defeated, Matt is more powerful than ever. Eden is little more than his prisoner, but that line is blurring as her affection for him grows. Now, as the Outpost faces total destruction, Matt must sacrifice the possibility of attaining Eden’s love in the vague hope that her past might hold the key to saving them all.

Eden’s journey will begin to unravel the mysteries of her previous life, reveal dangerous new questions, and change not only the future of Outpost Three, but shape the course of history.

This eagerly anticipated sequel to Kate Wrath’s E begins an epic quest into the dark, dystopian landscape of Eden’s world.

Evolution, the second book in the E series, is now available! Get  Evolution and E for only 99¢ each during release week, November 12th-19th, 2014.

Get both books in the E series, E and Evolution, for 99¢ each on Kindle for a limited time only: between November 12th- 19th, 2014.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Connect with Kate:

Website * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Google+

Join Kate for the Evolution Release Day Facebook Party:

You're invited! Come hang out November 12th from 8-12 pm Eastern and celebrate the release of Evolution. Woohoo!

Make sure to use #E2Evolution to join the party on Twitter!

An excerpt from Evolution:

We run down the narrow alley and take the first turn, then another. We keep running, moving. I don't even notice my surroundings until, at last, we slow to a stop. The smell hits me first—the stench of piss, of something rotten, all condensed into a small space. Breathing hard, we stand in the street and look around us. We're in a main thoroughfare now, judging from the traffic, but it’s still narrow. I feel squashed, smothered. On all sides, a crowd throngs around us. Most of them are dressed in rags. Hollow faces huddle three or four bodies deep against both edges of the road, dirty, hopeless, and lost. Many of them are children.


I'm scanning their faces frantically before I even realize what I'm doing. "Oscar," I hear myself whisper. It hits me, and I break off before I can call out his name. Before I can start running again, sifting through the masses of them.


Apollon's hand clamps onto mine, but he says nothing. He and Jonas are focused on Jacob, who is shaking violently. Tears are pouring from widened eyes down his face. I want to help him, but all I can do is stand here trying not to break down, myself.

"We need to find somewhere to regroup," Jonas says quietly. "Get out of this mess."
I cast around for somewhere to go, but as far as I can see, it's piles upon piles. People, and people, and buildings looming over them. There's no breathing room. No space. I have to force my breath to steadiness. It's too much.
There is a commotion on the street ahead, maybe a block away. The ragged masses push away from the center, squashing and trampling each other in the process. We're caught in a wave of motion and carried backward, but still we try to look. Where the commotion started, there's a group of figures, similarly dressed in black with blue bandanas. They're moving down the street toward us.


The wave of people suddenly backlashes from the other direction, and we're pushed the opposite way from before. We manage to finally see why. On our opposite side, there's another group of people. These are dressed primarily in white. One of them, clearly a leader, wears a purple doo rag and carries what might be the biggest gun I've ever seen. He raises it toward us.

 Buy Link

Amazon