My pick for august, is paranormal, YA, and is the first book in a series – woo! Touch of Frost is a new YA series from author Jennifer Estep, and I thought it was spiffy.
Here’s the synopsis: Gwen Frost is an outsider at Mythos Academy, a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody’s head with a sword. Gwen is an outsider both to the students of the Academy and the rest of the world. But when her gift of psychometry – the ability to know an object’s history just by touching it reveals dark undercurrents and danger afoot, she has no choice but to get involved.
One thing I liked about the book was that it was very frank about its inspirations: there’s a little bit of Buffy, Veronica Mars, and all different sorts of mythological creatures at Mythos.
As usual, if you use SBTBARE at checkout, you will get a 50% eBook Bucks Rebate at AllRomance.com, the official sponsor of the Sizzling Book Club. The 50% rebate at AllRomance will be valid from August 1-15, 2011. You can also buy a paperback copy at Amazon, Book Depository, or wherever you like to go book shopping.
And, I have a date for the book club chat! Mark your calendars for Wednesday, Aug. 24 at 8:30 EDT. We’ll chat live about the book in our ever-quickly-scrolling live chatroom, and Jennifer will join us at 9:30 EDT to answer questions and enjoy the mayhem. Want to make sure you don’t forget? Here, have a spiffy button to add it to your Google calendar: (ETA: fixed the time error! Sorry!)
BUT WAIT THERE IS MORE. Jennifer has offered five print copies to readers who are interested in the book club selection this month. Just leave a comment and tell us your favorite mythological creature or character, and you’re entered to win. Standard disclaimers apply: if you have snake hair, you are not eligible. Void where prohibited. I am not being compensated for this giveaway, unless these magic powers to combat dust bunnies count. Measure twice, cut once. Use only in well-ventilated area. Keep away from fire or flame.
I hope your summer is going splendidly, and that this book grabs your interest. I cannot wait to hear what you think about it.
ETA: The winners of the five print copies are:
Chelsea @ 4:58am
Hannah @ 6:58 am
Jen B. @ 4:50 pm
Tina C. @ 7:01am
SaraC @ 8:18 pm
Please email me at sarahATsmartbitchestrashybooksDOTcom with your mailing address and put “Estep book” in the subject line, please please!
My favorite mythological creature is the Barack Obama for whom people voted in 2008.
Oh, wait, you mean myth myth, as in Spiderman or Spider’s Bite? Cupid and Psyche from The Golden Ass have to be contenders, but, really, who could live without Arachne (not only able to compete with the G-ds but better than them) or Cassandra (didn’t Hecuba suffer enough?) or Macha from the Tain, who outruns the King’s horses and gives birth to twins?
Come to think of it, why do the women all get to be spunky, when the best the men can do is travel around committing adultery for seven to ten years?
Which is why I probably end up voting for Calypso, who at the end of her time with Odysseus is just about qualified for a common-law marriage when she gets “Cruised.” And then the author(s) wonder(s) why she gets angry.
Ares, God of War. I picture him as a serious bad ass and like most of the Greek gods, I envision him as one who enjoys his job of wreaking havoc with mankind. They always did see as us pawns for mere amusement didn’t they?
But as for one of the coolest names when it comers to mythical creatures, hands down it is the Chupacabra.
I don’t know if this counts as a creature, but my favorite is Yggdrasil, the world tree from Nordic mythology. I love the idea of the world as a living organism, bound up with history and mysticism and a body of lore that comprises the future as well as the past. Then I remember that I’m an atheist.
I loved, loved, LOVED Greek myths when I was young. It’s hard to pick just one favorite, but I did always love Athena. She’s smart, cool and sprang from her dad Zeus’s head fully grown. How cool is that?
This looks cool, I’ll have to pick up a copy. However, fav mythological creature/character? That’s really tough, but I’d probably have to go with Morgan le Fey.
And I wanna give a shout out to coyote cause he’s hilarious!
I’ve always liked Celtic myths, and kelpies are a particular favorite! So creepy. 🙂
So hard to pick a favorite, but I’ll say brownies or hobs – one of those fey that secretly clean a place. Charles de Lint has a bookstore hob in one of his short stories and I just love the idea.
I always liked dragons too. They somehow manage to be both badass and gracefully beautiful. I liked them so much that as a teenager, reading the Anne McCaffrey Harper Hall series, I always wanted a fire lizard for a pet (think dragon, but large cat sized).
I’ve always been very fond of the fae. Not the pure-blood fae, who are Not Nice At All, but like a half-breed – enough to get some really cool powers, but also enough humanity so they aren’t raging jerks.
Oh, and dragons. All stories are better with a dragon. Bet Me by Crusie? Awesome book, but would have been better with a dragon.
My fav mythological creatures are the fae. I’ve always had a love for the fairies!
I like the trickster coyote from various American Indian tribes’ mythology—they enter the story and chaos and hilarity ensues. The Mercy Thompson books by Patricia Briggs are the only books that I can immediately think of that feature a coyote—thankfully it’s not the new “big thing” yet.
My favorite mythological creature is a centaur.
There’s so many I love, its hard to choose! But if forced I think I’ll with Phoenixes. I’ve always loved the idea of being reborn from ashes. Plus…they’re gorgeous.
I hope I win a copy. Oh please, pick me! Now, the mythological creature or character question? This is tough because there are so many great ones to choose from. If I could only pick one it would have to be the various God pantheons. I know it’s not one character but I always love the books that incorporate the various pantheons.
This looks like a fabulous book. I like that it apparently unabashedly gives true props to inspiration origins. I read heavily in the YA section, but admit that the explosion in supernatural oriented fic and the lack of time has kept me away from most of the new stuff & stick to the authors I know. Esteps’ premise, and a heroine with an interesting & unusual git (psychometry) makes me want to read it right away.
Its hard to pick a favorite myth or mythological creature. I’ve always been partial to dragons from Smaug to McCaffrey’s dragons & firelizards, and to those in the Potter’verse. I like how so many people can come up with a different interpretation for these creatures. Unicorns and the Pegasus are right up there with dragons, in large part because of their quiet mystery and they seem more cuddly than dragons. 🙂 (Lackey’s Companions would win though, especially if they had wings)
Nordic mythology’s The World Tree, Yggdrasil, as well as the concept of Gaia are favorites .
DreadPirate Rachel above said what I was thinking when it comes to Yggdrasil:
I’ve always loved dragons. Something about how they look like a throwback to the dinosaurs, but are crazy intelligent and chock full of the can-kill-humans-with-my-fireballs-of-death thing they’ve got going on.
My favourite mythical creature has always been the winged unicorn. When I was very young my uncle gifted me with a music box that had a woven glass unicorn with wings on it. I still have it so many decades later and it means a lot to me.
My favourite mythical character(s) are the Norns, Urdr, Verdandi and Skuld, from norse mythology. Back when I first started learning about that stuff, they were always the ones that captured my imagination the most. Also, they care for Yggdrasill, how cool is that.
I’ve always loved Cupid (not the baby) and Psyche.
I am totally excited about this book club pick. I am a huge mythology nerd. I spent a huge portion of fifth grade checking out books from the library on different myths and then reading them as bedtime stories to my then five year old sister. I wouldn’t be suprised if I have to fork over some therapy co-pays for that one someday. Anyway my fav story was always Psyche and Eros.
My favorite is the soucouyant because they tend to be feisty old ladies. I have soucouyant stories I tell my grandson if he is very good. Or very bored.
I’ve got to say Athena- if for no other reason that a few tales of her fierce prowess caused my daughter to jetison yet another fairy costume last Halloween and instead break out her own hand made (and glittery star studded of course) set of bow and arrows.
This series sounds so cool! My favorite myth is Artemis (a relic from the boys-with-cooties era). Yay for strong independent women!
I really like wyverns. 🙂 My BFF has some amazing art of them, and I’m always entranced looking at the paintings.
My favourite mythological character has always been Hades, I fell in love with the myth of Hades and Persephone. Hades was always the most interesting of the gods and his myths were so few and far between
I love me some mermaids! I must have watched the little mermaid 1000 times growing up.
My favorite mythological characters are Baucis and Philemon. I find their myth utterly romantic.
My favorite would have to be Dragons, especially of the McCaffrey ilk, but under that influence I’ll take them in any incarnation.
security word: Seem29. No I don’t! I’m only 26, and people generally take me for a lot younger than that.
My favorite mythological creature is Hercules. (preferably Disney animated Hercules!)
This book sounds really interesting and I’ve seen that cover before. Covers beackon to me quite often and this one did too!
Winner time! The winners of the five print copies are:
Chelsea @ 4:58am
Hannah @ 6:58 am
Jen B. @ 4:50 pm
Tina C. @ 7:01am
SaraC @ 8:18 pm
Please email me at sarahATsmartbitchestrashybooksDOTcom with your mailing address and put “Estep book” in the subject line, please please!
Thank you to everyone who commented. The book is still available for 50% rebate at AllRomanceeBooks through 15 August. I hope you’ll pick up a copy and join us for the chat on the 24th!