Saturday, November 16, 2013

Chasing Flames--Review, Author Interview + Giveaway

Hello and Welcome to Chasing Flames' stop on my blog!

Title: Chasing Flames
Author: Emily Fogle

Aydah Bell was happy in her normalcy; she was never the class clown or the sports hero, never the beauty queen or little Ms. Honor Student. One day, after a pointless family mini-vacation, Aydah returns to school and finds that her sheltered little world has turned upside-down. Besides the fact that she is beginning to crave raw meat, people are also disappearing.

Suddenly, an alarming disappearance in the quiet and serene city she calls home puts the whole town into high-alert. One of Aydah’s schoolmates vanishes during the weekend and is conveniently replaced by a newcomer. To Aydah’s surprise, the new boy is the completely beautiful and oh-so mysterious Liam Bailey.

Aydah finds herself drawn to Liam. He consumes her thoughts and she aches to be with him. In the mix of passion, jealousy, and hatred that follows, Aydah is too distracted to see the horrible fate headed straight for her.

***
I have a confession to make: I find it hard to like new fantasy novels mainly because I grew up reading Harry Potter and I'm a devoted Potterhead. So when I figured out that this was a fantasy novel, I couldn't help but have qualms.

Anyway, as I read this novel, I realized that it's actually pretty likeable. The good kind of characterization and imagery is there and though it kinda reminded me of the Twilight series, I'd say what sets is apart is the fact that it's not all about sex and it has the feel of an old-time, classic YA fantasy read.

I also really liked the fact that this book can make you imagine what's going on in the world of this story and how things pan out for the characters. The ending was kind of a cliffhanger, though, but that's good because it will make you look forward to the next installment.

P.S. I also, really, really like this cover! 
***
AN INTERVIEW WITH EMILY FOGLE, the AUTHOR

1.       1Why "Chasing Flames" as a title? Actually, this book started out as a longer novel called Dawning Moon. When I split it in two, I decided to name the second book Dawning Moon and needed a new title for the first half. I played with a few different titles. However, Chasing Flames seemed to fit the best for the feel of the book and what my main character, Aydah, is experiencing. She is torn between two aspects of her life.

2. What's the most tempting thing you ever found yourself entangled in? We all remember our first loves and the excitement that we felt, the rush of adrenaline and the pounding in our hearts. When I met my husband I knew he was someone I could get lost with and give in to.

3. The best thing about writing adult romance is ______________?  I don’t have to hold back as much. When writing children’s stories or Middle Grade, I find myself thinking about my son’s and putting on my ‘mom hat’. With YA, I didn’t have to worry about the violence or romance levels.

4. Any message to your readers? With any author, I just hope that I gain a few fans and rope them into a world they like being a part of. Putting work out there is like exposing a part of your heart and a fraction of the inner, bizarre workings of your mind. In doing so, I hope that I touch and amuse some readers! 
***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emily Fogle was born and raised in Southern California. Her dream and ultimate goal was to get her Masters degree in English and become a teacher with enough time to write, as well. However, she soon found out that the best dreams often come true when they aren’t planned. Instead of fulfilling her teaching goal, real life took over and she married the man of her dreams. She now has an amazing 7 year old son and a beautiful newborn son.
She dedicates the majority of her time taking care of her family, volunteering at her son’s school, and being a Cub Scout Den leader. And though she loves every minute of it, the thought of being a writer still tugs at her heart. So, after the busy days are done and everyone is finally sleeping quietly, she squeezes in time for all the other loves in her life: the characters running wild inside her head.

Now, incredibly, her writing dream is also coming true. Her first novel, Dragon Wars, is being published by Anchor Group. Emily feels sincerely blessed to have been given so much in life and can’t wait to start the next chapter.

***
GIVEAWAY TIME




a Rafflecopter giveaway

2 comments: