Monday, August 19, 2013

Just Another...Book Crush (#7): The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson (Blog Tour, Guest Post, and Giveaway)

 
We are switching up this month's "Just Another...Book Crush!" post a little. I contacted Rae Carson last month, requesting her to be part of this feature, and she graciously accepting...only, could I be part of the blog tour for her book too? And, of course, I couldn't resist. The Bitter Kingdom has been one of my favorite books of the year (you can read my review HERE), so I am all for promoting this one! Without further ado, I welcome...*drum roll*...Rae Carson!
Just Another...Book Crush! is a monthly feature where I invite an author whose book I've recently reviewed and loved to write a guest post and share their three latest book crushes. It's a feature I'm starting mostly because I'm often very shy to approach authors, especially ones I admire, and also because I love reading guest posts since, more often than not, they convince me to pick up a book even when the reviewer cannot. 

Title: The Bitter Kingdom (Girl of Fire and Thorns #)
Author: Rae Carson
Pub. Date: August 27, 2013
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Pages: 448
The epic conclusion to Rae Carson's Fire and Thorns trilogy. The seventeen-year-old sorcerer-queen will travel into the unknown realm of the enemy to win back her true love, save her country, and uncover the final secrets of her destiny. Elisa is a fugitive in her own country. Her enemies have stolen the man she loves in order to lure her to the gate of darkness. As she and her daring companions take one last quest into unknown enemy territory to save Hector, Elisa will face hardships she's never imagined. And she will discover secrets about herself and her world that could change the course of history. She must rise up as champion-a champion to those who have hated her most.
Just Another...Book Crush! 

I admit it: I don't often crush on book boys. I’m a middle-aged woman after all, and crushing on boys who are the same age as my stepsons would be CREEPY AS HECK. I do, however, occasionally fall for a book MAN. And here are a few who have recently won my heart. Well, sort-of.

Sturmhond from Leigh Bardugo's Siege and Storm. I have a weakness for witty banter. And there's something inherently sexy about pirates. (The Hollywood version, I mean. You know, the hot ones in possession of all their teeth and good personal hygiene.) Sturmhond is almost a bad boy—mysterious, ruthless, manipulative. I usually have no patience for such douchenozzles, but my man Sturm (can I call you Sturm, darling?) is a man with a cause, and looking back at his actions, you see that he's not a privateer so much as a man at war. War is not sexy. But the men who are willing to fight for a cause greater than themselves definitely are.

Christian Grey from E.L. James' Fifty Shades of Grey. Okay, I'm cheating here, because Christian is actually my anti-crush. I'll explain.
Once upon a time, I met a guy. This guy was hot. He was also successful and had lots of money. Our first conversation was interesting, but also awkward, because this guy was a little too intense. Maybe a little too interested. Yeah, I was intrigued, but my stalker-sense was pinging like whoa. When we parted, I was relieved to get away. You can imagine my shock when, a few weeks later, the hot guy tracked me down and showed up at my work. I gave him the finger and told him to f*%#! off.
Years later, I tried to embrace the worldwide Fifty Shades phenomenon. And in the very first pages, rich, hot guy Christian shows up unannounced to Anastasia's place of employment to begin pursuing her. Since that actually happened to me, I can tell you straight up it was the OPPOSITE OF SEXY. And Christian got worse from there. If a guy ever tried to do to me some of the things Christian does to Anastasia, he would lose a testicle. So yeah, Christian Grey has won the coveted spot in my heart for #1 Jerkwad.

Jon Snow from George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones. Ah, Jon, my love, why haven't you texted me? Jon is smart, loyal, and earnest. He is proof that you can have a mysterious past, an epic destiny, and a soulful gaze and still be…that's right, GOOD. I love good boys even more than I love the bad ones. Sturmhond is the kind of guy you want to have a non-committal makeout with. But Jon? Everything about him says "relationship."

What about you? Any book boys/men you are crushing or anti-crushing on? Tell me in the comments!    

Rae Carson is the award-winning author of The Girl of Fire and Thorns Trilogy. She was named a Publishers Weekly Flying Start author for Fall 2011 and was a finalist for the Morris, Cybils, and Andre Norton Awards. Her first novel was named to ALA's Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults list.
Rae lives in Ohio with her husband, novelist C.C. Finlay, two stepsons, and two very naughty kitties. She is hard at work on her next trilogy.

Thanks for stopping by, Rae! Gosh, this is such a fun post and I love the idea of an anti-crush! Also, just to make things clear, you can have Sturmhond - just give me Mal and we're even!(; 

Giveaway!
A signed set of the complete trilogy. US Only
a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you're a fan of this trilogy, be sure to check out the other tour stops as well!
Tour Schedule:
8/19/2013- Ivy Book Bindings- Guest Post
8/20/2013- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads- Interview
8/21/2013- Refracted Light Reviews- Review
8/22/2013- A Backwards Story- Review
8/23/2013- The Starry-Eyed Revue- Interview
8/26/2013- Candace's Book Blog- Review
8/27/2013- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post
8/28/2013- Citrus Reads- Review
8/29/2013- Hobbitsies- Interview
8/30/2013- Fiktshun- Guest Post

26 comments:

  1. I agree with Sturmhond! Sexy pirates yum!

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  2. I think just about every girl on the planet pines for Jon Snow at this point... or Christian Grey... or both.
    I feel ridiculous developing book crushes on teen characters more often than not, but sometimes I just can't help it.
    No such trouble with Hector, though. He is many things, our Hector, but a boy he is not.

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  3. Oh Jon Snow. He is like. The perfect guy ever. With his little pouty mouth. You know he would be right behind you, holding your purse on as you shop the mall for ten hours :P

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  4. Hehe I sometimes feel a little creepy crushing on my YA book boyfriends too, but in my head I just make them all older. They're all mid to late twenties in my bubble of delusion, and I have to admit I like it that way. I so adored Sturmhond as well, witty bante is oh-so sexy (as are pirates)! And Rae talking about guys doing to her what Christian does to Ana resulting in lost testicles made me snort. Love it.

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  5. Jon Snow... OMG!!! He is the perfect guy...

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  6. Good GOD YES, Sturmhond. Pirates are absolutely sexy, Hollywood pirates, and yes I'm specifically thinking of Captain Jack Sparrow as I write that...


    Book crush boy #1- it's always, always Joe Fontaine from The Sky is Everywhere. He plays guitar. He has eyelashes a mile long. He speaks French. He has CURLS (oh man...) Yes, I do feel slightly icky because I too am a middle-aged woman and Joe is only 17 or so, but damn it it's my crush so I'll pick who I want:)

    And hey, that Hector guy isn't too shabby either...

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  7. I remember your review for this book and ever since I have it on my to-read list. I'm so glad that the author accepted your invite - they're awesome as that. Anyhow I need to read Shadow and Bone soon. I have the book and I need to dive into it. I'm not a fan of 50 Shades book, not my thing really. Great post :)

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  8. My Book crushes -- I've got to admit, Hector from your books. Definitely my most recent book crush. And I love Bran from Juliet Marillier's Son of the Shadows.

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  9. My sister and I love this series and even though I'm hoping to win I have already pre-ordered this book :)

    "And there's something inherently sexy about pirates. (The Hollywood version, I mean. You know, the hot ones in possession of all their teeth and good personal hygiene.)" --- HAHAHA!! Hilarious!

    As far as Christian Grey goes, I have to agree that he is the opposite of sexy. That book seriously creeped me out!

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  10. ohh I'm currently reading Siege and Storm...yes I totally agree with you...I swoon over Sturmhond more than Mal. Sexy pirate rock!!!

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  11. What a great giveaway. Such a perfect opportunity to get into this series. Better late than never, right? Thanks again!

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  12. I feel like the crushes on the teen boys are more for my little cousins who are more age appropriate. Like they would be good for... :) Either that or I make them older in my head and what I read was their past. LOL

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  13. I love your book crushes!!! Although, that's only based on what I have heard from other bloggers because yes, sadly, I am the only person on this planet who hasn't read Fifty Shades of Grey, A Game of Thrones or Siege and Storm. But I'm going to remedy asap! Love this post! :D

    ~ Maida
    Literary Love Affair 

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  14. I must admit that I had a lil bit of a Sturmhond crush while reading Seige & Storm.

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  15. Ahh Sturmhond. I love that pirate.

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  16. I totally agree about Christian Grey - creepy, stalkery behavior is not sexy.

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  17. I love you for these features, Keertana! Also, these choices made me smile and laugh. Sturmhond, YUM! And I laughed hysterically at the Christian Grey comment. Why do so many think these over possessive/stalker guys are hot on paper, when we know they'd freak us out in person? I'm guilty of it sometimes too. I'm not sure I'll ever read GAME OF THRONES, but lots of people rave about it!

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  18. I absolutely love this post, and this is a fabulous feature, Keertana!

    Most recently, Daniel Sheridan from Something Strange & Deadly has my devotion. Though I still need to read the sequel to that installment, it was the novella from Daniel's POV that won me over!

    But hey, Daniel better watch out, because Hector is quickly rising through the ranks. ;)

    Oh, I can't wait to read The Bitter Kingdom!

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  19. Sturmhond, YES YES and YES! The others I don't know but I'm totally with her on Sturmhond. I think I would pick Hector too. ;)
    I can't wait to read this one! I just love this series!

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  20. Ah I'm so excited for this book and I love Rae Carson's sense of humor! Appreciated how she was honest in her castigation of the character from 50 Shades. (:

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  21. I've never read Rae Carson's books, but from the moment I saw the cover of Bitter Kingdom, I've wanted to! Best of Luck to Rae Carson!!! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  22. *pushes Rae out of the way*

    STRUMHOND IS MINE, ALL MINE, ALLL MINNNNEE.

    But I do have to admire the author's taste. :D

    Wendy @ The Midnight Garden

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  23. This is an amazing post. I absolutely loved the first book and I've waited to read the last two in a row. Thanks for the great giveaway!

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  24. I loved the books. I should agree these are the best written books.
    The Movie Fifty Shades Of Grey

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  25. Just feedback, you do not have to take it :-)
    Your choice of font kills my eyes, I couldn't finish reading your post.
    Fifty Shades

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