Showing posts with label the book of ivy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the book of ivy. Show all posts

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. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Review: The Book of Ivy (The Book of Ivy #1) by Amy Engel

The Book of Ivy (The Book of Ivy #1) by Amy Engel 
Published: November 4, 2014
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
After a brutal nuclear war, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over which family would govern the new nation. The Westfalls lost. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual.

This year, it is my turn.

My name is Ivy Westfall, and my mission is simple: to kill the president’s son—my soon-to-be husband—and restore the Westfall family to power.

But Bishop Lattimer is either a very skilled actor or he’s not the cruel, heartless boy my family warned me to expect. He might even be the one person in this world who truly understands me. But there is no escape from my fate. I am the only one who can restore the Westfall legacy.

Because Bishop must die. And I must be the one to kill him…
My Thoughts
Interesting YA dystopic series debut that started off a bit shaky, but ultimately grabbed my attention!

The Book of Ivy shares a daunting tale about a war-ravaged society that fences in its people and controls free will to ensure their survival. Amy Engel draws her readers in with slow, yet deliberate character development and constant plot shifts at measured moments. By the final chapters, I was captivated and vested in the story.

The Book of Ivy takes place in the not too distant future when wars and general destruction have wiped out most of society. A small community of about ten thousand people has fenced in their society and instilled strict laws to maintain order and ensure their survival. Prior to the beginning of when the novel takes place, Westfall’s founder lost control of the society to the Lattimer family. Westfall was a more democratic system and the Lattimers believed that a controlled existence would help the community survive. After a war where the Lattimers declared victory, the president instilled an arranged marriage ceremony where the winning side would marry a son off to the losing side.

Ivy Westfall has been raised believing that her family would and should take control over the community, so when it comes time for her to enter the marriage pool, she is married off to the president’s son and her family begins a plot to have her kill her husband and begin turning the tide so her family can once again claim power.

As Ivy and Bishop Lattimer assume their roles has husband and wife, she begins to see a different side of this struggle for power. Bishop proves to be someone she can trust and confide in, but can she share her family’s plot that involves ending his life? When she begins to fall in love with him, how much will she sacrifice to protect Bishop against her family's plan for revenge?

First off, I have to say that it took me more than half of the novel to warm up to Ivy. I waited for many chapters to see an extreme character improvement on her part. For a significant portion of the story, Ivy was reckless and unnecessarily inconsiderate toward Bishop. However, the final chapters proved that she was a worthy narrator and I can’t wait to read the next installment of this book because of her final choices.

Bishop Lattimer was absolute perfection. He was patient, kind and honest with his feelings. I would have liked to experience a portion of the novel from his perspective because I feel it would have added a level of depth that I felt was missing in the early chapters. I felt he had a worthy response to Ivy’s irrational thinking especially when she complained about a system but had no alternative solution to share. His delivery was kind yet solid. I can’t wait to see what role Bishop plays in the subsequent installments.

Overall, The Book of Ivy was a pleasant surprise. It will be difficult to wait for the next installment, but I’m eager to see how Ivy fairs outside the fences and when and where she crosses paths with Bishop again. Great series debut!
4 Snowflakes