Hiya book lovers With Christmas being just around the corner, I thought I’d highlight some South African reads that should go on your TBR pile. We have so many phenomenal SA authors that deserve to be celebrated , and because this list will be an extensive one, I am splitting this post and making it a series. I know it won’t be possible to include every single South African author, but I am going to try to highlight books from every genre and make it as diverse as possible (so, with respect, please don’t ask me why so and so isn’t on the list – there’s more to come). First up: 1. Sing Down the Stars by Nerine Dorman A book I recently received for review ( thanks you NB publishers ) and am super excited about diving into is Sing Down the Stars. I was first introduced to Nerine’s writing years ago, when I read one of her first books, What Sweet Music They Make (Would 100% still love to see more of that). Over the years, I ’ve come to know Nerine as well and she’s not ...
Today I’m thrilled to be part of the Sarah J Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses SA book blog tour.
Thanks to the publishers, I, along with a few other South African bloggers will be spotlighting A Court of Thorns and Roses throughout the week.
With Queen of Shadows just a few weeks away from being released, we thought that there’s no better time to remind you about her latest book, which is a departure from the Throne of Glass series, and ventures into the age old world of fairy tales and folklore.
And trust me, it’s all as wonderful as it sounds.
There’ll be giveaways (yay!), reviews and top 10 lists, to mention but a few.
In today’s first two stops though, I get a chance to chat to Sarah, and the awesome Nerine reviews the book on her blog. Nerine has also kindly agreed to donate her signed copy for the purpose of one of our giveaways, so look out for more details on that to come.
In the meantime, here’s my interview with the lovely Sarah, followed by information about the book, and the rest of the tour schedule.
Thanks for joining me on the blog today Sarah!
A Court of Thorns and Roses has been described as a combination of Tam Lin (which just so happens to be one of my favourites), Beauty and the Beast and East of the Sun, West of the Moon. How did your story evolve into one that draws inspiration from these specific tales?
To start off, I feel like I should confess that I’ve been a fan of fairytales for as long as I can remember.
My parents read me fairytales and folklore from around the world when I was young, and when I got older, I read any/all fairytale retellings I could get my hands on.
I’d always wanted to write a retelling of my own (The Throne of Glass series actually started off as a Cinderella retelling, and grew into something original instead), but when I got the initial kernel of inspiration for ACOTAR, there were no fairytales involved whatsoever.
I merely saw this snowy, bleak wood, heard the voice of this young huntress as she stalks through it for game, desperate to feed her near-starving family.
But when I asked myself who she was, who her family was, why they were near-starving, how they’d become poor…I recalled the original Beauty and the Beast legend, in which Beauty’s family was actually a merchant-class family, who had fallen into poverty after the father’s investments had gone poorly.
As soon as I made that link, I realized I had the perfect set-up for the retelling I’d always wanted to write! But rather than do just one retelling, I decided I wanted to blend some of my other favorite folktales—East of the Sun, West of the Moon and Tam Lin.
All three have similar elements, actually—though the latter two also have go-getter heroines who ultimately save their love interests from the clutches of powerful, wicked queens.
East of the Sun, West of the Moon probably provided more structure to the book than the other two—the first half is a love story/mystery, the second half pure adventure and action.
It’s from that folktale that I drew the most heavily, but in all honesty, despite this book starting off as a retelling, I still think of it as more of an original fantasy novel with nods to all three of those fairytales if you know where to look.
How different did you find the writing process with this novel in comparison to the books in your Throne of Glass series? What changed for you?
Honestly? Not much. Writing every book is a different journey and requires a slightly different process, no matter what series I’m writing in, but the core elements of how I write remain the same.
The only big difference for me was writing in first person—having to limit myself to only Feyre’s point of view and knowledge of things.
It required me to get creative about how she learned secrets/information that other characters knew and she didn’t (in third person, I can just switch perspectives to convey information the reader needs to know but some characters might not).
But in some ways, having two series with different styles of narration actually keeps things fresh/exciting. When I get sick of one, I can go work on the other. I never get bored. :)
What can readers who’ve read your previous books expect to encounter in A Court of Thorns and Roses? What do you think will surprise them most?
Oh, definitely expect another fierce, interesting, kick-ass heroine—and some pretty hot dudes! And there’s magic, and violence, and cool/creepy creatures.
But one thing readers might find surprising is that even though Feyre is physically capable (though definitely not as strong as Celaena), she is a quieter sort of heroine—she thinks before she speaks, is more emotionally-closed off, has massive trust issues, and still has yet to learn who she is and what she wants.
Another thing that might surprise them is that the book is a bit more steamy than my TOG series (i.e. no fade-to-black!). ;)
Can you give us a quick introduction to some of the characters we’ll get to meet in A Court of Thorns And Roses?
Well, Feyre I’ve spoken about already. But I feel like the three hot Fae men deserve *some* mention, so…
There’s Tamlin, the shape-shifting Faerie lord, who is very broody and snarly and has lots of secrets.
There’s Lucien, Tamlin’s second-in-command, who likes nothing more than to piss off Feyre and be endessly snarky.
And then there’s Rhysand, who….I won’t spoil who/what he is. ;)
I’ve read that you absolutely adore fairy tales. Does this mean that we’ll get to see more books inspired by fairy tales written by you? If so, which underrated fairy tale would you love to give your own spin on and why?
I certainly hope so! I have a feel other retellings floating around in the back of my mind (some already written, some just ideas), and I’d love to get the chance to tell them one day! As for which one… my lips are sealed. ;)
Thank you so much for your time! We hope you’ll come visit us in South Africa some day!
Thanks SO MUCH for having me!! I’d be honored to visit!
Thanks to the publishers, I, along with a few other South African bloggers will be spotlighting A Court of Thorns and Roses throughout the week.
With Queen of Shadows just a few weeks away from being released, we thought that there’s no better time to remind you about her latest book, which is a departure from the Throne of Glass series, and ventures into the age old world of fairy tales and folklore.
And trust me, it’s all as wonderful as it sounds.
There’ll be giveaways (yay!), reviews and top 10 lists, to mention but a few.
In today’s first two stops though, I get a chance to chat to Sarah, and the awesome Nerine reviews the book on her blog. Nerine has also kindly agreed to donate her signed copy for the purpose of one of our giveaways, so look out for more details on that to come.
In the meantime, here’s my interview with the lovely Sarah, followed by information about the book, and the rest of the tour schedule.
Thanks for joining me on the blog today Sarah!
A Court of Thorns and Roses has been described as a combination of Tam Lin (which just so happens to be one of my favourites), Beauty and the Beast and East of the Sun, West of the Moon. How did your story evolve into one that draws inspiration from these specific tales?
To start off, I feel like I should confess that I’ve been a fan of fairytales for as long as I can remember.
My parents read me fairytales and folklore from around the world when I was young, and when I got older, I read any/all fairytale retellings I could get my hands on.
I’d always wanted to write a retelling of my own (The Throne of Glass series actually started off as a Cinderella retelling, and grew into something original instead), but when I got the initial kernel of inspiration for ACOTAR, there were no fairytales involved whatsoever.
I merely saw this snowy, bleak wood, heard the voice of this young huntress as she stalks through it for game, desperate to feed her near-starving family.
But when I asked myself who she was, who her family was, why they were near-starving, how they’d become poor…I recalled the original Beauty and the Beast legend, in which Beauty’s family was actually a merchant-class family, who had fallen into poverty after the father’s investments had gone poorly.
As soon as I made that link, I realized I had the perfect set-up for the retelling I’d always wanted to write! But rather than do just one retelling, I decided I wanted to blend some of my other favorite folktales—East of the Sun, West of the Moon and Tam Lin.
All three have similar elements, actually—though the latter two also have go-getter heroines who ultimately save their love interests from the clutches of powerful, wicked queens.
East of the Sun, West of the Moon probably provided more structure to the book than the other two—the first half is a love story/mystery, the second half pure adventure and action.
It’s from that folktale that I drew the most heavily, but in all honesty, despite this book starting off as a retelling, I still think of it as more of an original fantasy novel with nods to all three of those fairytales if you know where to look.
How different did you find the writing process with this novel in comparison to the books in your Throne of Glass series? What changed for you?
Honestly? Not much. Writing every book is a different journey and requires a slightly different process, no matter what series I’m writing in, but the core elements of how I write remain the same.
The only big difference for me was writing in first person—having to limit myself to only Feyre’s point of view and knowledge of things.
It required me to get creative about how she learned secrets/information that other characters knew and she didn’t (in third person, I can just switch perspectives to convey information the reader needs to know but some characters might not).
But in some ways, having two series with different styles of narration actually keeps things fresh/exciting. When I get sick of one, I can go work on the other. I never get bored. :)
What can readers who’ve read your previous books expect to encounter in A Court of Thorns and Roses? What do you think will surprise them most?
Oh, definitely expect another fierce, interesting, kick-ass heroine—and some pretty hot dudes! And there’s magic, and violence, and cool/creepy creatures.
But one thing readers might find surprising is that even though Feyre is physically capable (though definitely not as strong as Celaena), she is a quieter sort of heroine—she thinks before she speaks, is more emotionally-closed off, has massive trust issues, and still has yet to learn who she is and what she wants.
Another thing that might surprise them is that the book is a bit more steamy than my TOG series (i.e. no fade-to-black!). ;)
Can you give us a quick introduction to some of the characters we’ll get to meet in A Court of Thorns And Roses?
Well, Feyre I’ve spoken about already. But I feel like the three hot Fae men deserve *some* mention, so…
There’s Tamlin, the shape-shifting Faerie lord, who is very broody and snarly and has lots of secrets.
There’s Lucien, Tamlin’s second-in-command, who likes nothing more than to piss off Feyre and be endessly snarky.
And then there’s Rhysand, who….I won’t spoil who/what he is. ;)
I’ve read that you absolutely adore fairy tales. Does this mean that we’ll get to see more books inspired by fairy tales written by you? If so, which underrated fairy tale would you love to give your own spin on and why?
I certainly hope so! I have a feel other retellings floating around in the back of my mind (some already written, some just ideas), and I’d love to get the chance to tell them one day! As for which one… my lips are sealed. ;)
Thank you so much for your time! We hope you’ll come visit us in South Africa some day!
Thanks SO MUCH for having me!! I’d be honored to visit!
About the book (you can purchase a copy from Raru.co.za):
When 19-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it.
Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae.
But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
Add it to your Goodreads TBR pile.
When 19-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it.
Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae.
But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
Add it to your Goodreads TBR pile.
About Sarah:
Sarah J. Maas is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series (Queen of Shadows, Book 4, will be out in September 2015), as well as the A Court of Thorns and Roses series (out 5/5/15).
Sarah lives in Bucks County, PA, and over the years, she has developed an unhealthy appreciation for Disney movies and bad pop music.
She adores fairy tales and ballet, drinks too much tea, and watches an ungodly amount of TV.
When she's not busy writing, she can be found exploring the historic and beautiful Pennsylvania countryside with her husband and canine companion.
Tour schedule:
Monday – 17th Aug
Tammy @ The Book Fairy’s Haven: Q & A with Sarah
Nerine @ This is my world: Review
Tuesday – 18 August
Hannah @ Fully booked reviews: Top 10 list
Wednesday: 19 August
Monique @ Paranormalsphere: Review of ACOTAR
Thursday: 20th August
Kyra @ Blog of a Bookaholic - Review
Tammy @ The Book Fairy’s Haven – Review
Friday: 21 August
Hannah @ Fully Booked reviews – Review
Giveaway post: Win 3 copies of SJM - TBA
UPDATE: Due to some eye health issues, I've been unable to get around to posting my review and giveaway post. All will be resumed this week.
Sarah J. Maas is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series (Queen of Shadows, Book 4, will be out in September 2015), as well as the A Court of Thorns and Roses series (out 5/5/15).
Sarah lives in Bucks County, PA, and over the years, she has developed an unhealthy appreciation for Disney movies and bad pop music.
She adores fairy tales and ballet, drinks too much tea, and watches an ungodly amount of TV.
When she's not busy writing, she can be found exploring the historic and beautiful Pennsylvania countryside with her husband and canine companion.
Tour schedule:
Monday – 17th Aug
Tammy @ The Book Fairy’s Haven: Q & A with Sarah
Nerine @ This is my world: Review
Tuesday – 18 August
Hannah @ Fully booked reviews: Top 10 list
Wednesday: 19 August
Monique @ Paranormalsphere: Review of ACOTAR
Thursday: 20th August
Kyra @ Blog of a Bookaholic - Review
Tammy @ The Book Fairy’s Haven – Review
Friday: 21 August
Hannah @ Fully Booked reviews – Review
Giveaway post: Win 3 copies of SJM - TBA
UPDATE: Due to some eye health issues, I've been unable to get around to posting my review and giveaway post. All will be resumed this week.
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