Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Upcoming Release & Giveaway: The Revolution of Ivy (The Book of Ivy #2) by Amy Engel

Expected Publication: November 3, 2015
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Purchase Links: Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble
Ivy Westfall is beyond the fence and she is alone. Abandoned by her family and separated from Bishop Lattimer, Ivy must find a way to survive on her own in a land filled with countless dangers, both human and natural. She has traded a more civilized type of cruelty--forced marriages and murder plots--for the bare-knuckled brutality required to survive outside Westfall's borders.

But there is hope beyond the fence, as well. And when Bishop reappears in Ivy's life, she must decide if returning to Westfall to take a final stand for what she believes is right is worth losing everything she's fought for.
My Thoughts
5+++ STARS!! Loved it!! 
"…no revolutions are won without sacrifices… I've lost so much, but I've gained something, too. Life beyond the fence is transforming me. Not into a new person, but back into the girl I've always been underneath all the layers… built on top of me. Slowly, I am finding myself. I am becoming Ivy again." taken from an uncorrected proof…

Amazing conclusion to The Book of Ivy!! I knew Amy Engel was going to deliver an explosive ending to this series with her second and final installment The Revolution of Ivy. Her skillful storytelling had the characters flying off the page making this feel so real and exciting.

The Revolution of Ivy takes place right where the first installment left off. Ivy Westfall finds herself exiled beyond the fences of her secure town. Unceasing danger, hunger and thirst are becoming her constant companion until she stumbles upon Ash and Caleb who accept her into their community and teach her how to survive beyond the fence.

When Bishop Lattimer reappears in Ivy’s life, she’s forced to face the lies and secrets she kept from him back in Westfall. As Bishop begins to break down Ivy’s walls of defense, together they final find a way back to each other.

It’s no secret… I absolutely loved this series! Amy Engel really proved her talent with her seamless ability to pace her story and create moments of chaos, hints of security, and later explosive events that kept the momentum going with little downtime.

Ivy and Bishop have become two of my favorite fictional couples. I appreciated their struggles and how they handled the conflict in their lives. Bishop is the absolute perfect hero in my book. He was patient, unassuming, decisive and loyal all in one punch! I fell for this character HARD! Ivy was the perfect balance to his perfection. Her decisions and reactions were sometimes flawed, but never wholly off the mark, and it was nice to see Bishop helped her through her moments of struggle and conflict. I wanted so much for these two and a happy ending of any sort would have been greatly deserved!

Overall, at a time when it’s hard to find a powerful and meaningful YA Dystopia novel that feels realistic, The Book of Ivy proves that there are still authors out there that can remind us how enjoyable this genre can be. The Revolution of Ivy is now one of my favorite YA Dystopic books of 2015! Absolute winner here!
5 Snowflakes

If you haven't had a chance to read the first installment The Book of Ivy, be sure to check out my review HERE.  Also, check out this amazing trailer to get a glimpse of what the book is about. 

About the Author
I was born in Kansas and after a childhood spent bouncing between countries (Iran, Taiwan) and states (Kansas, California, Missouri, Washington, D.C.), I settled in Kansas City, Missouri where I live with my husband and two kids. Before devoting myself full time to motherhood and writing, I was a criminal defense attorney, which is not quite as exciting as it looks on TV. When I have a free moment, I can usually be found reading, running, or shoe shopping.

Social Media Links
Website  |  Blog  |  Goodreads  |  Twitter


Author Interview
And now for the fun part!  Amy Engel was gracious enough to answer a few questions about her series and upcoming projects. Check it out!

What inspired you to write The Book of Ivy series?
The honest truth is I'm not really sure. A vision of Ivy just popped into my head, along with the idea of a girl forced into marrying a boy she's been coached to kill. The whole book was born from there.

Do you have a favorite line or scene in the series?
I have some favorite lines in the sequel, but they might give too much away. I think my favorite line from the first book is: "I don't know how to let him touch me without welcoming the heat of his hand." I just like the way it flows and how it captures Ivy's conflicted feelings in only a few words.

What do you hope readers will come to appreciate about your main character Ivy?
I hope readers appreciate Ivy's growth over time as she learns to trust and think for herself. Sometimes in YA fiction, it's easy to forget that the main characters are teenagers. Although Ivy's faced a lot, she is still very young and sometimes her action and reactions reflect that. But she's also someone who learns from her mistakes and never allows bitterness or anger to completely control her.

Now that you’ve completed The Book of Ivy series, what current projects are you working on?
After I finished writing the IVY series, I signed with an agent for an adult novel ("The Roanoke Girls") and it sold to the Crown imprint of Penguin Random House a few months ago, so I've been busy working on edits for that book.

Would you consider writing a novel in a different genre? If so, which one?
Yes, actually, I already have. My adult novel is gothic suspense and I really enjoyed writing something with a darker theme.

What is the biggest influence in your writing?
I'm not entirely sure. I think I gravitate towards character driven stories and I like writing about family dynamics. As a reader, I tend to like darker, grittier books and I'm sure some of that filters into my own writing. I love beautiful language and the flow of words, but it's important to me that the characters really resonate as well.

Thank you Amy Engel for visiting WinterHaven Books! 
If this sounds like a book you'd enjoy, I am giving away an ARC edition of The Revolution of Ivy by Amy Engel.  Simply fill out the rafflecopter and share a thoughtful comment below. 

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10 comments:

  1. The Book of Ivy was such a great book! More people need to read it, I can't wait for The Revolution of Ivy!

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  2. I loved the first book and reading the post now, I am soo excited for the sequel and I can't wait for it to come out!!

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  3. I was really surprised by the first book. Really looking forward to reading this sequel!!

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  4. Really excited to read this! Thank you!

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  5. She wrote a gothic suspense! I must read this :D

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  6. I can't wait to see what the adult novel the author is working on is all about. Darker, gothic you say? Right up my alley.

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  7. I can't wait to see what the adult novel the author is working on is all about. Darker, gothic you say? Right up my alley.

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  8. I am so very excited for this sequel! Thanks so much for the giveaway! =]

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  9. thanks for the giveaway and the chance ^^

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