Blog Tour: Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova

   Hello and welcome to the Labyrinth Lost Blog Tour! I'm so excited to be apart of this blog tour, Labyrinth Lost has been one of my most anticipated books for 2016, and I couldn't have been happier to have been picked for the tour. Today I have for you, a brief interview with Zoraida Córdova, as well as my review of the book. I hope you guys enjoy!

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova

Release Date: September 6th, 2016

Read: August 10th-16th, 2016

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Series: Brooklyn Brujas, #1

Format: ARC, 336 pages

Source: BEA 2016/Publisher in Exchange for Honest Review

Description from GoodReads:

   Nothing says Happy Birthday like summoning the spirits of your dead relatives.

   Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation...and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo boy she can't trust. A boy whose intentions are as dark as the strange marks on his skin.

  The only way to get her family back is to travel with Nova to Los Lagos, a land in-between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland...

Review:

   Some of us die afraid.
   I have a slight obsession with the Day of the Dead, it got to the point where in High School I would literally bug my Spanish teacher to do a huge unit when October came around. I couldn't get enough of the idea of La Dia de Los Muertos. I had read The Vicious Deep Trilogy by Zoraida Córdova back in 2013 right before the final book in the series was released. I followed her on almost everything social media, imagine my excitement when one day I came across a tweet mentioning an up coming YA novel based off of the Day of the Dead...
   I loved Los Lagos, it was bright and colourful, just like I imagined the underworld for the Mexican Culture. (In class I learned about the Mexican Spanish Culture, I know other countries also celebrate the Day of the Day.) If not for the evil roaming the lands, I think I would have been very satisfied with living down there for the rest of eternity. I also loved the not so perfect areas in Los Lagos, things can't be perfect without somethings being the opposite, so things have something to be compared too.
   Alex's family also reminded me a lot of mine, we're a very tight knit family. From being close to both sides of my parent's families, as well as my close family with my sisters and parents. Seeing Alex, Lula and Rose argue with each other as a morning routine, or just do whatever together, I would constantly picture my sisters and I doing the exact same things together. Thus I sort of ended up picturing the three characters as my sisters and I for a good chunk of the book.
   With YA novels, I've found that I don't know what to expect for romance anymore. YA romance isn't always the same thing anymore, we don't have as many love triangles or instant love anymore. Now a days we have a lot of budding love, LGBTQ making more of an appearance, no romance at all and a bunch of other newer things. Labyrinth Lost fit itself in one or two of the new categories, and I love to say that the romance almost took me completely by surprise.
   Labyrinth Lost was an adventurous, magically and new experience for the YA world, I look forward to seeing what is in store for us with the rest of the series. I also hope that we are to expect more diverse books for the future! (Specially Day of the Dead themed, to help with my obsession!)

Rating:

Favourite Quote:

"Sometimes they're perfectly normal humans. Sometimes they're so beautiful, you would never suspect."

"Death is the most sure but unexpected part about life. It's almost up there with love. It's bound to happen, but how and when- now that's the tricky part."

"You won't believe how much it hurts to be dead."

Recommend to People Who Enjoy:

Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Witches, Day of the Day, Mexican Legend/Folklore 

 

   Labyrinth Lost has many creatures that haven't really been seen in YA fiction before,

knowing that the book is inspired by the Day of the Dead, what made you pick the

creatures that you did, and what made you pick the particular stories to retell?

   The book actually isn’t inspired by The Day of the Dead. It was my quinceañera that

inspired part of this story. I didn’t want to have one. I’ve never been one for

tradition and I thought it was a huge waste of money. I give Alex some of those feelings

regarding her Deathday. Alex’s Deathday is a big deal. The Deathday is a magical coming

of age ceremony of my own creation. Like a Bat Mitzvah or a Sweet 16, but for brujas and

brujos. It is a time when a family gets together and wakes the dead spirits of their

ancestors. The ancestors then give their blessing to the bruja/o. With the blessing, the

magic can grow and reach full potential. Without the blessing, well, bad things can

happen. Like many traditions, they grow and become modernized. In Alex’s time, Brooklyn

circa now, Deathdays are lined up with birthdays for extra festivities. Even though the

Deathday ceremony was created for the world of Labyrinth Lost, aspects of it are inspired

by the Day of the Dead and Santeria.

   El Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday that celebrates and

honors deceased family members through food and festivities. Altars are filled with

photographs, flowers, food, and candles. The celebrations are then taken to the

cemeteries where people play games, sing, and even leave shots of mezcal for the adult

spirits. The unity of death and family is what drew me to it, and one of the things I

wanted to include in Alex’s life. One of the best books I’ve read on the subject was

The Skeleton at the Feast: The Day of the Dead in Mexico by Elizabeth Carmichael.

   I don’t want to take credit for the creatures in Labyrinth Lost. The maloscuros are

mine. They’re shadow creatures that hunt for power. They’re the scariest things I

came up with. The saberskins are mine as well. I wanted something that was a cross

between a sabertooth tiger and a snake. Duendes are evil elves that they use to scare

kids into going to bed. I decided to change the rules and give them different attributes.

Each one represents a different vice, sin, or emotion-- like greed or fear. The Avianas

were inspired by harpies. They’re bird women that have been banished to Los Lagos. The

Devourer is the big bad, but you’ll find out how they came to be ;) 

   Zoraida Córdova was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where she learned to speak English by watching

Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker on repeat. Her favorite things are sparkly like merdudes, Christmas, and New York City at night.

   Thank you so much for stopping by for my part of the tour! Don't forget check out the rest of the stops on the tour!

September 12:

Ambur @ Burning Impossibly Bright

Christine @ Padfoot's Library

Connie @ Hoot Reads Books

September 13:

Alexis @ Inside the Pages Book Reviews

Brittany @ This is the Story of My (Reading) Life

Shelly @ Read.Sleep.Repeat

September 14:

Sam @ Cherry Blossoms and Maple Syrup

Stephanie @ Ohana Reads

Wendy @ A Cupcake and a Latte

September 15:

Lindsay @ Me on Books

Yash @ The Book Wars

Sarena and Sasha @ The Writing Duo

September 16:

Eileen @ BookCatPin

Lisa @ Little Miss Trainwreck

Liz @ Midnight Bloom Reads

Ohana Talks: Top Ten Anticipated Releases of Fall 2016

   With the end of August slowly approaching, in my mind that automatically means it's time for the fall. So today I'm going to be showing you my top 10 anticipated releases of Fall 2016. Most of the time my most anticipated reads release in the fall, so expect some pretty amazing books on this list! 

   The list will slowly graduate to my most anticipated!

Stalking Jack the Ripper

Kerri Maniscalco

Jimmy Patterson

Expected: September 20th, 2016

Description from GoodReads:

   Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

   Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

   My friend Kristie from Lost in Ever After was the one who got me pumped for Stalking Jack the Ripper, originally I was a little excited when I saw it's reveal but it wasn't until her freak out when I was at BEA 2016 that I slowly started anticipating this fall release. 

Dead Girl Society

Michelle Krys

Delacorte Press

Expected: November 8th, 2016

Description from GoodReads:

   You are cordially invited to participate in a game of thrills and dares. Tell no one, and come alone. If you dare.

   Hope is sick of everyone treating her like she’s breakable. Sure, she has cystic fibrosis (basically really bad lungs), but she’s tired of being babied by her mom and her overprotective best friend, Ethan, not to mention worrying about paying for her expensive medication and how she’s going to afford college.And she’s bored with life in her run-down New Orleans suburb. 

   When an invitation arrives from a mysterious group that calls itself the Society, Hope jumps at the chance for some excitement. This could be her ticket out. All she has to do is complete a few dares and she just might win some real money. 

But the Society isn’t all that it seems . . . and soon Hope finds that playing the game isn’t a choice—it’s a requirement. 

   When Michelle Krys' Witch Hunter series was first published I was super excited, who doesn't love witches, especially coming from another Canadian like myself? I have yet to pick up the series, but either way I still can't wait for this particular read to release!

Labyrinth Lost

Zoraida Córdova

Brooklyn Brujas, #1

Sourcebooks Fire

Expected: September 16th, 2016

Description from GoodReads:

   Nothing says Happy Birthday like summoning the spirits of your dead relatives.

   Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation...and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo boy she can't trust. A boy whose intentions are as dark as the strange marks on his skin.

   The only way to get her family back is to travel with Nova to Los Lagos, a land in-between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland...

   Back in the beginning of the year I was super excited to get my hands on this book, Day of the Dead is a low key obsession of mine. Raincoat Publishing was the magical being that gifted me an ARC to review, and at this point I've read it already so I won't say anymore about it but you can definitely expect a very magical adventure in this book.

Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy

Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, & Robin Wasserman

Margaret K. McElderry 

Expected: November 15th, 2016

Description from GoodReads:

   Simon Lewis has been a human and a vampire, and now he is becoming a Shadowhunter. The events of City of Heavenly Fire left him stripped of his memories, and Simon isn’t sure who he is anymore. So when the Shadowhunter Academy reopens, Simon throws himself into this new world of demon-hunting, determined to find himself again. Whomever this new Simon might be.

   But the Academy is a Shadowhunter institution, which means it has some problems. Like the fact that non-Shadowhunter students have to live in the basement. At least Simon’s trained in weaponry—even if it’s only from hours of playing D&D.

   Join Simon on his journey to become a Shadowhunter, and learn about the Academy’s illustrious history along the way, through guest lecturers such as Jace Herondale, Tessa Gray, and Magnus Bane. Written by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, and Robin Wasserman, these moving and hilarious short stories are perfect for the fan who just can’t get enough of the Shadowhunters.

   Honestly at this point Cassandra Clare is a auto buy for me, so you really shouldn't be surprised that I want this book. 

The Black Key

Amy Ewing

The Lone City, #3

HarperTeen

Expected: October 4th, 2016

Description from GoodReads:

   For too long, Violet and the people of the outer circles of the Lone City have lived in service to the royalty of the Jewel. But now the secret society known as the Black Key is preparing to seize power.

   And while Violet knows she is at the center of this rebellion, she has a more personal stake in it—her sister, Hazel, has been taken by the Duchess of the Lake. Now, after fighting so hard to escape the Jewel, Violet must do everything in her power to return to save not only Hazel, but the future of the Lone City.

   After receiving the first two books in this series, and binging them in a week, I just could not wait for The Black Key. The series is coming to its conclusion and I can't wait to see what Amy has ins tore for us!

Heartless

Marissa Meyer

Feiwel and Friends

Expected: Novemeber 8th, 2016

Description from GoodReads:

   Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the yet-unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend and supply the Kingdom of Hearts with delectable pastries and confections. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next Queen.

   At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the king's marriage proposal, she meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the King and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship.

   Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

   Marissa is another auto buy of mine, her Lunar Chronicles is phenomenal. As much as I'm anticipating this read, I actually have a signed ARC. So the wait for this one isn't that bad!

Hardcover Editions of the Night World Series

L.J.Smith

Night World, #1-3

Simon Pulse

Expected: December 6th, 2016

Description from GoodReads:

   The pain was something Poppy couldn’t ignore. The diagnosis was death. There was no hope—until James appeared in the darkened hospital room.

   James, her best friend and secret love, the most handsome boy in El Camino High. But this was a James she didn’t know, menacing yet irresistible as he offered Poppy the gift of eternal life.

   Only he could open the door to the Night World, and spirit her into its lonely, secret universe.

   One dizzying kiss and she can see into his soul. She finds that he has always loved her. They’re soul mates—but can she follow him into death and beyond? It’s a desperate choice, and Poppy’s time is running out...

   There’s something strange about the new girls in town. Briar Creek, Oregon, has never seen anything like the supernatural grace of Rowan, Kestrel, and Jade, three sisters who move into the dilapidated old house next to Mark and Mary-Lynnette Carter.

   Mark is obsessed with Jade—but she and her sisters have a secret. And when Mark and Mary-Lynnette follow them into the woods one night, they are plunged into a nightmare beyond their imagination.

   Because the sisters are fugitives from the Night World, and their brother Ash is hot on the trail behind them. He’s ruthless, gorgeous, and he has orders to bring the girls back at all costs. And when he sees Mary-Lynette, he decides to take her too…

   Her name is Blaise and she’s irresistible to boys. Her dark, smoldering beauty is an invitation to jealousy and madness. And now she’s ready for the kill. Eric Ross is the perfect catch, a star athlete who wants to be a vet. But her cousin Thea, is determined to protect this particular human boy from the girl who was born to destroy men.

   Blaise’s black magic is powerful. The only way Thea can fight back is to use her own white magic, to bewitch Eric herself as a bluff. But soon Thea finds herself getting too close to Eric, feeling forbidden emotions, breaking Night World laws. Falling in love. As Halloween and the Night of the Witch draw closer, can Thea save Eric—and herself—from Blaise’s vengeance?

   The Night World series is an absolute favourite of mine, I'd say in the top 5. I own so many editions of this series including the original editions. With the series getting hardcovers, and new covers, I'm in desperate hope that they plan on finishing the series finally after 18 years of waiting.

Blood for Blood

Ryan Graudin

Wolf by Wolf, #2

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Expected: November 1st, 2016

Description from GoodReads;

   There would be blood.

   Blood for blood.

   Blood to pay.

   An entire world of it.

   For the resistance in 1950s Germany, the war may be over, but the fight has just begun.

   Death camp survivor Yael, who has the power to skinshift, is on the run: the world has just seen her shoot and kill Hitler. But the truth of what happened is far more complicated, and its consequences are deadly. Yael and her unlikely comrades dive into enemy territory to try to turn the tide against the New Order, and there is no alternative but to see their mission through to the end, whatever the cost.

   But dark secrets reveal dark truths, and one question hangs over them all: how far can you go for the ones you love?

   I finished Wolf by Wolf last fall, in I think it was one night. Ever since I made it my mission to get my hands on the ARC of Blood for Blood. Now i'm just waiting for my friend to finally have a chance to read her copy so we can read it together. 

Like a River Glorious

Rae Carson

The Gold Seer Trilogy, #2

Greenwillow Books

Expected: September 27th, 2016

Description from GoodReads:

   After a harrowing journey across the country, Leah Westfall and her friends have finally arrived in California and are ready to make their fortunes in the Gold Rush. Lee has a special advantage over the other new arrivals in California—she has the ability to sense gold, a secret known only by her handsome best friend Jefferson and her murdering uncle Hiram.

   Lee and her friends have the chance to be the most prosperous settlers in California, but Hiram hasn’t given up trying to control Lee and her power. Sabotage and kidnapping are the least of what he’ll do to make sure Lee is his own. His mine is the deepest and darkest in the territory, and there Lee learns the full extent of her magical gift, the worst of her uncle, and the true strength of her friendships. To save everyone, she vows to destroy her uncle and the empire he is building—even at the cost of her own freedom.

   Most of you probably saw my Waiting on Wednesday a little while ago of this one, so I won't say much. But I will say, MAGIC, ADVENTURE, AND HISTORICAL FICTION.

Empire of Storms

Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass, #5

Bloomsbury USA Children's

Expected: September 6th, 2016

Description from GoodReads:

   The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those don't.

   As the kingdoms of Erilea fracture around her, enemies must become allies if Aelin is to keep those she loves from falling to the dark forces poised to claim her world. With war looming on all horizons, the only chance for salvation lies in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

   Aelin's journey from assassin to queen has entranced millions across the globe, and this fifth installment will leave fans breathless. Will Aelin succeed in keeping her world from splintering, or will it all come crashing down?

   At this point if you still haven't read Throne of Glass then I don't know what you're doing with your life. But otherwise for everyone else that has read the series, you know why I'm dying to get my hands on it! No words are needed from here on that front!

   Those are my most anticipated reads for the Fall 2016, what about you guys? What are you excited for? 

Blog Tour: The Vast and Brutal Sea by Zoraida Cordova

Hello!

   Welcome to The Vast and Brutal Sea Blog Tour! I will be your host for today!(: Today I have for you Ohana Reads book review of The Vast and Brutal Sea and an interview with the author, Zoraida Cordova, let's check them out!

The Vast and Brutal Sea by Zoraida Cordova

Release Date: July 1st, 2014

Read: July 2nd - 3rd, 2014

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Series: The Vicious Deep #3

Format: ARC Kindle edition, 416 pages

Source: Author in exchange for an honest review/ blog tour

Description from GoodReads:

In two days, the race for the Sea Court throne will be over-but all the rules have changed. The sea witch, Nieve, has kidnapped Layla and is raising an army of mutant sea creatures to overthrow the crown. Kurt, the one person Tristan could depend on in the battle for the Sea King's throne, has betrayed him. Now Kurt wants the throne for himself. Tristan has the Scepter of the Earth, but it's not enough. He'll have to travel to the mysterious, lost Isle of Tears and unleash the magic that first created the king's powerful scepter. It's a brutal race to the finish, and there can only be one winner

Review:

I will save my people, Father. But who will save you?
   I had first read The Vicious Deep last summer and adored it! But I was deeply disappointed when I learnt that my library isn't have the sequel, The Savage Blue. Unfortunately I forgotten about the sequel until recently when Zoraida was looking for bloggers to participate in the third books blog tour. It was then that I knew I had to finish the series! I'm so glad I did.
   After the agonizing cliffhanger in The Savage Blue, I just hand to get The Vast and Brutal Sea immediately! The book started right after where Savage Blue left off, I hate when they leave a gap between books. It tends to leave me disappointed with how the book begins again. So in this case it was perfect.
   Tristan was my favourite out of all the characters for many different reasons. One being his character development, in the first book Tristan had your typical teenage male personality. I could definitely picture him in my high school, Zoraida totally nailed the representation on that one. Through out the books Tristan went from the ' I can do what I want attitude' to a serious personality where he would be willing to sacrifice himself for the people he cares about. A second reason being that this average high school kid had a secret of being a half merman thrown in his face, then was given the responsibility of going into battle of trying to win the throne of his merman king of grandfather. I would definitely had a panic attack somewhere along the way, but Tristan was able to handle it all even the challenges and betrayals he encountered along the way.
   This was an breath taking series and I'm happy to have had the opportunity of being on the blog tour. I can't wait to read Zoraida's next book/series, Luck on the Line which is expected to be released November 10th, 2014 by Diversion Books. 

Rating:

Favourite Quote:

" It's sure as hell going to be cranky when it wakes up." ~ Tristin

Recommend to People Who Enjoy:

Young Adult, Fantasy, Mermaids, Mythology, Romance

Check out The Vast and Brutal Sea book trailer! 

Haven't read the first two books in the series? Check them out!

The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova

Release Date: May 1st, 2012

Publishing: Sourcebooks Fire

Series: The Vicious Deep #1

Description from GoodReads:

For Tristan Hart, everything changes with one crashing wave. 

He was gone for three days. Sucked out to sea in a tidal wave and spit back ashore at Coney Island with no memory of what happened. Now his dreams are haunted by a terrifying silver mermaid with razor-sharp teeth. 

His best friend Layla is convinced something is wrong. But how can he explain he can sense emotion like never before? How can he explain he's heir to a kingdom he never knew existed? That he's suddenly a pawn in a battle as ancient as the gods. 

Something happened to him in those three days. He was claimed by the sea...and now it wants him back.

The Savage Blue by Zoraida Cordova

Release Date: May 7th, 2013

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Series: The Vicious Deep #2

Description from GoodReads:

A storm is coming...

The ocean is a vicious place. Deeper and darker than Tristan could have imagined. Beneath its calm blue surface, an ancient battle is churning —and no one is safe.

In the quest for the Sea Throne, Tristan has already watched one good friend die. Now he must lead the rest on a dangerous voyage in search of the trident that will make him king. But while Tristan chases his destiny, the dark forces racing against him are getting stronger, and the sea witch of his nightmares is getting closer.

Battling sea dragons and savage creatures of the deep, Tristan needs his friends' support. But they each have their secrets, and a betrayal will force Tristan to choose between his crown and his best friend Layla — the only girl he's ever loved.

What book got you into reading?

I don't remember liking to read as a kid. When I was really little I loved having stories and fables read to me, but once I got to elementary school I dreaded reading. When I found The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare, it totally hooked me.

What are your favourite YA books that you've read this year so far?

I haven't read many books this year because I've been on deadline! But from what I got to read I'll say Frenzy by Robert Lettrick (science thriller for fans of R.L. Stein and Michael Chriton), and The Girl of Fire and Thorn by Rae Carson.

What made you decide to write Young Adult rather then New Adult or Adult?

I started writing when I was a teen so my characters were always my age and as I kept getting older my protagonists remained the same teens. In that sense YA chose me.
There wasn't a "New Adult" category before the way there is now. Even in college when I workshopped stories about girls my age, some of the critique was that they should either be aged way up or way down. It's like girls in their early 20s didn't have a voice.

Why Mermaids? What made you want to write about them?

I love the stories of mermaids from all over the world. I grew up on The Little Mermaid. I wanted to write my own version of they myths and explore magical worlds through writing.

Do you have any other books planned now that the Vicious Deep trilogy is over?

I am writing New Adult romance now. My first book Luck on the Line comes out November 10th from Diversion Books. Add it to your Goodreads!

Zoraida Córdova was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where she learned to speak English by watching Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker on repeat. Her favorite things are sparkly like merdudes, Christmas, and New York City at night.

Follow Zoraida:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway explanation/rules:

Here’s how the giveaway works: All you have to do it pre-order The Vast & Brutal Sea OR order a paperback copy of The Savage Blue from now until July 8th and you’re entered into the contest! After that everything else is bonus points. Just remember to save your receipt  to claim your prize! International. ( Click photo for link)
Here are some of the prizes!

Thanks for joining me for The Vast and Brutal Sea blog tour! I hope you had an AMAZING time(:

June 16th 

Doctor's Notes

June 17th 

Catching Books

June 18th 

Bo-ok Nerd Canada

June 20th

 Burning Impossibly Bright

June 21st

Seeing Double in Neverland

June 23rd 

Step Into Fiction

June 24th

In Bed with Books

Ink Bitten

June 25th

Twinja Book Reviews

June 26th

ZORAIDA'S BIRTHDAY!

June 27th 

Wake Up at 7 Blog

June 30th

Mermaids at Latinos in Kid Lit

July 1st 

LAUNCH DAY!!!

Adding more each week!