Ruby's Fire: Blog tour review and author giveaway!

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Title: Ruby's Fire 
Author: Catherine Stine 

Series: Fireseed, #2 (however, can be read as a stand-alone)

Publication date:  June 26, 2013
Genre: YA Sci-Fi

Synopsis:

If everything about you changes, what remains?

Seventeen year-old Ruby, long-pledged to the much older Stiles from the Fireseed desert cult, escapes with only a change of clothes, a pouch of Oblivion Powder and her mute little brother, Thorn. Arriving at The Greening, a boarding school for orphaned teens, she can finally stop running. Or can she? The Greening is not what it seems. Students are rampaging out of control and as she cares for the secret Fireseed crop, she experiences frightening physical changes. She’s ashamed of her attraction to burly, hard-talking Blane, the resident bodyguard, and wonders why she can’t be happy with the gentler Armonk. She’s long considered her great beauty a liability, a thing she’s misused in order to survive. And how is she to stop her dependence on Oblivion to find a real beauty within, using her talent as a maker of salves, when she has nightmares of Stiles without it?

When George Axiom, wealthy mogul of Vegas-by-the-Sea offers a huge cash prize for the winner of a student contest, Ruby is hopeful she might collect the prize to rescue her family and friends from what she now knows is a dangerous cult. But when Stiles comes to reclaim her, and Thorn sickens after creating the most astonishing contest project of all, the world Ruby knows is changed forever. This romantic fantasy set in 2099 on earth has a crafty heroine in Ruby, and a swoonworthy cast, which will surely appeal to the YA and new adult audience.

Purchase:

Amazon illustrated paperback:
Amazon Kindle 

MY THOUGHTS
So what first caught my eye about the book, the cover! It looks so cool! But there was so much more to the book than the awesome cover!! (Obviously!)

To get this out of the  way: I read this book as a stand alone. (Because let's face it this book sounds really good...) BUT in retrospect I think that I should have read the first book before I read this one. Simply because there was so much information and the book referred to the main characters of the first book often without giving much background information.  

And now that I have read this companion novel I'm not sure I would want to go back and read the first purely because I hate going into a book knowing how it will end. 

Moving past that this was a really good book. Within the first few pages I knew I was going to like Ruby. I didn't really like how she went on about how her beauty was terrible and how she didn't know how to act around people without acting like a flirt. That part bothered me, but beyond that I loved her character. She dealt with so much and was till so strong. She was great. 

I also really liked her little brother Thorn. He was such an interesting and mysterious character and I wanted to know more about him. My one thing about Thorn that bugged me was Ruby's lack of concern about him. I mean I know she cared and tried to always make sure she was there for him. But a lot of times he was wandering around getting into trouble and she had no idea. As an older sister I would definitely want to keep a close eye on my brother especially if we were surrounded by people who might potentially try to kill us or at least try to hurt us....

I was a little lost at first about Ruby's love life. I thought for sure there was going to be this huge love triangle that was totally stab worthy. BUT thankfully that was so not the case. I would be hesitant to call it a love triangle. I think that she thought she liked two guys but in reality she didn't understand her feelings. I also at first hated the main love interest and I was not happy about their relationship. Shockingly though he grew on me. (Which is a good thing! I can be extremely picky about my love interests!!) 

And then there was Bea. Once again I was under the false impression that I would hate her.... I really need to reserve judgment because once again I was proven wrong. Bea was a great character and friend!!! :) 

On that note the illustrations were great!! Even on my small little screen on my kindle they were beautifully done and I am a sucker for great pictures! They made me really want to buy the actual physical copy!!!

I have to say that the ending felt rushed but at the same time really exciting. Still I would have liked a bit more foreclosure. 

I have to say that this book was really enjoyable!!! I happily give it a solid FOUR STARS!!! I can't wait to read more by this author!!! =D And with any luck she'll write even more about the Fireseed world!!

WOUKD I READ THIS BOOK: YES!!!

WOULD I BUY THIS BOOK: YES! Definitely considering a physical copy!

WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK: YES! Ruby's world was so fun to read about this and so unique!!

WILL I READ MORE BY THIS AUTHOR: YES!!!

WILL I READ THE NEXT BOOK: if there's another I'll definitely check it out!!  

Catherine Stine writes YA, New Adult and middle grade fiction. Her YA futuristic thriller, Fireseed One, illustrated by the author won finalist spots in both YA and Science Fiction in the 2013 USA Book News International Book Awards. It was also granted a 2013 Bronze Wishing Shelf Book Award and a 2013 Indie Reader Approved notable stamp. Her YA Refugees, earned a New York Public Library Best Book. Middle grade novels include A Girl’s Best Friend.

Fireseed One sequel, Ruby’s Fire is earning advance praise from reviewers and authors:
“Ruby's Fire, returns to the sun-scorched earth of Fireseed One. In this long-awaited sequel, Stine delivers a thrilling adventure led by a new and exciting cast of characters. Ruby, Armonk, Thorn and Blane are memorable, and the romance is really well handled. Favorite quote: " It feels wrong to lean on Armonk right now with Blane staring at me, a hungry, lonely look in his eye. It’s as if he’s never been hugged, never been fed, never been loved..." ”  -YAs the Word

More and more, Catherine enjoys writing speculative tales where her imagination has wild and free reign. She has taught creative writing workshops at the Philadelphia Writing Conference, Missouri University Summer Abroad, The New School and in her own ongoing NYC writing workshop. She loves her readers, and enjoys blogging.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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