{Blog Tour} {Review in a GIFfy} Of Dreams and Rust by Sarah Fine & Giveaway

I have, like, the biggest author crush on Sarah Fine, and I was elated to be invited to the tour for her newest book. Of Dreams and Rust, which released on Tuesday, is the much-anticipated follow-up to her gorgeous Phantom of the Opera retelling, and I gotta tell ya, it is beyond amazing.

On my stop of the tour, I've got a Review in a GIFfy for you. It was actually the previous book in this duology that inspired this feature, so it only felt fitting to review this book in the same manner. Huge thanks to Gaby Salpeter of Bookish Broads for putting this amazing tour together. Make sure you check out the rest of the tour and enter below to win one of two sets of this duology!


Title: Of Dreams and Rust
Author: Sarah Fine
Series: Of Metal and Wishes, book #2
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: August 4, 2015
Source: ARC provided by publisher for review
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound

War erupts in this bittersweet sequel to Of Metal and Wishes, inspired by The Phantom of the Opera and called “relentlessly engrossing” by The Romantic Times.

In the year since the collapse of the slaughterhouse where Wen worked as her father’s medical assistant, she’s held all her secrets close. She works in the clinic at the weapons factory and sneaks away to nurse Bo, once the Ghost, now a boy determined to transform himself into a living machine. Their strange, fragile friendship soothes some of the ache of missing Melik, the strong-willed Noor who walked away from Wen all those months ago—but it can’t quell her fears for him.

The Noor are waging a rebellion in the west. When she overhears plans to crush Melik’s people with the powerful war machines created at the factory, Wen makes the painful decision to leave behind all she has known—including Bo—to warn them. But the farther she journeys into the warzone, the more confusing things become. A year of brutality seems to have changed Melik, and Wen has a decision to make about him and his people: How much is she willing to sacrifice to save them from complete annihilation?

I am such a huge fan of Sarah's writing. I fall for her characters every. Single. Time. And this series is no different. And boy did she bring her A-game with Of Dreams and Rust. She also must be doing some serious sacrificing to the Cover Gods because HOLY WOW. My eyes will never recover for the beauty that is the full cover jacket.

But you care about what's under that, don't you? Well, fine.

I have a lot of them, obviously. Firstly, it's been a whole freaking year since the events of the first book?

How can this be? Oh, my poor lovelies. How awful this must have been for you.

And then to find out that Wen's worst fears have come to fruition.

War is on the horizon, and Wen must warn Melik before it's too late. So, while everyone else is hunkering down, our girl does the only thing she can.

On the double, Mr. Conductor! (Okay, not really.) But this is the point where everything goes to hell.

Don't say I didn't warn you. From here on out, it's pretty much:

.....

.....

Until finally, finally, we get what we've all been waiting for...

And, of course, this is when Iron Man decides to make an appearance. (No, I'm not joking.)

Things are a little tense, to say the least.

But the war is being brought to their doorstep. And it looks like this:

Everyone has to put their feelings aside and pretend that their differences don't matter. Because here comes the boom.

And then, of course, there's more of this:

If you haven't figured it out yet, this book is not a happy one. This is probably a more accurate descriptor.

Pick one. Or all of them. They are all relevant.

But that doesn't mean I didn't love this book. I did. With every fiber of my being. I want a book that can make me feel all the things, circle back, and feel them all over again. Sarah has the uncanny ability to make me want to open myself up to pain and grief, bring it out into the light and explore it further.

Her characters are beautiful and diverse and genuine. Their pain and joy and fears are real. I loved Of Metal and Wishes, but I think I loved Of Dreams and Rust even more because it pushed these characters to their limits. It tested them. It broke them. And it made me love them that much more.

I can't wait to see what Sarah Fine comes up with next!

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Sarah Fine is the author of several books for teens, including Of Metal and Wishes and its sequel, Of Dreams and Rust, and the Guards of the Shadowlands YA urban fantasy series. She is also the co-author (with Walter Jury) of two YA sci-fi thrillers: Scan and its sequel Burn. Sarah is also the author of the adult urban fantasy series, Servants of Fate, with the third book in the series, Fated, releasing September 2015. When Sarah’s not writing, she’s psychologizing. Sometimes she does both at the same time. The results are unpredictable.

Find Sarah:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr | Pinterest

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to follow the rest of the tour below:

August 4: My Friends Are Fiction
August 5: Reading Teen
August 6: Rainy Day Ramblings
August 7: The Starry-Eyed Revue

August 10: There Were Books Involved
August 11: Writer of Wrong
August 12: Love is Not a Triangle
August 13: The Quiet Concert
August 14: Nick's Book Blog


Thanks for stopping by & happy reading!

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Labels: beautiful covers, blog tour, diversity, favorite authors, favorites, giveaways, historical fiction, of metal and wishes, retellings, review in a giffy, sarah fine, simon schuster

Waiting on Wednesday: Confess & Of Dreams and Rust

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selections are...








's Pick:

Title: Confess
Author: Colleen Hoover
Series: n/a
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: March 10th, 2015

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a new novel about risking everything for love—and finding your heart somewhere between the truth and lies.

Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…

If it's a Colleen Hoover book, then I'm guaranteed to be waiting for it. Not just on Wednesdays. On every other day of the week too! And it's funny, because I'll read the descriptions and think, "meh", but then I pick up the book and it sucks me right in. I will for sure be grabbing this one as soon as it comes out. :)

And I just love this cover. I didn't notice it as first, but there is a girl in the lettering. So cool.





's Pick:





Title: Of Dreams and Rust
Author: Sarah Fine
Series: Of Metal and Wishes, book #2
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: August 4, 2015

War erupts in this bittersweet sequel to Of Metal and Wishes, inspired by The Phantom of the Opera and called “relentlessly engrossing” by The Romantic Times.

In the year since the collapse of the slaughterhouse where Wen worked as her father’s medical assistant, she’s held all her secrets close. She works in the clinic at the weapons factory and sneaks away to nurse Bo, once the Ghost, now a boy determined to transform himself into a living machine. Their strange, fragile friendship soothes some of the ache of missing Melik, the strong-willed Noor who walked away from Wen all those months ago—but it can’t quell her fears for him.

The Noor are waging a rebellion in the west. When she overhears plans to crush Melik’s people with the powerful war machines created at the factory, Wen makes the painful decision to leave behind all she has known—including Bo—to warn them. But the farther she journeys into the warzone, the more confusing things become. A year of brutality seems to have changed Melik, and Wen has a decision to make about him and his people: How much is she willing to sacrifice to save them from complete annihilation?

I know, I know...I'm featuring a book with a release date almost a year away?!? But I got to help Sarah Fine reveal the cover for this sequel last week, and ever since I first saw it, I've been unable to stop thinking about it. I covet this book like no other! Of course, the cover is gorgeous and just as stunning -- if not more so -- than the first book in this duology, but it's what's between the covers that I'm particularly interested in. Especially after reading that summary! My heart hurts just thinking about it!

What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!

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Labels: alternate history, atria books, beautiful covers, colleen hoover, confess, fantasy, favorite authors, favorites, of metal and wishes, sarah fine, simon schuster, waiting on wednesday (wow)

{Cover Reveal} Of Dreams and Rust by Sarah Fine + Giveaway

So, remember when I had a special announcement to help author Sarah Fine share awhile back? Yep, there's a sequel to the stunning Of Metal and Wishes...and as of today, it has a cover!!! And. It. Is. Gorgeous. And it so beautifully matches the first book in this duology. I can't wait for it to grace the shelves with the rest of my Sarah Fine collection. =)

Without further ado, I give you the cover for the forthcoming sequel to Sarah Fine's phenomenal Of Metal and Wishes:

OF DREAMS AND RUST

By Sarah Fine

In stores August 4, 2015

Purchase Of Metal and Wishes while you wait for this sequel: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound | The Book Depository
Here's the blurb for Of Dreams and Rust, but beware...there are major spoilers for Of Metal and Wishes in this summary for the second installment:

War erupts in this bittersweet sequel to Of Metal and Wishes, inspired by The Phantom of the Opera and called “relentlessly engrossing” by The Romantic Times.

In the year since the collapse of the slaughterhouse where Wen worked as her father’s medical assistant, she’s held all her secrets close. She works in the clinic at the weapons factory and sneaks away to nurse Bo, once the Ghost, now a boy determined to transform himself into a living machine. Their strange, fragile friendship soothes some of the ache of missing Melik, the strong-willed Noor who walked away from Wen all those months ago—but it can’t quell her fears for him.

The Noor are waging a rebellion in the west. When she overhears plans to crush Melik’s people with the powerful war machines created at the factory, Wen makes the painful decision to leave behind all she has known—including Bo—to warn them. But the farther she journeys into the warzone, the more confusing things become. A year of brutality seems to have changed Melik, and Wen has a decision to make about him and his people: How much is she willing to sacrifice to save them from complete annihilation?

About the author:

Sarah Fine was born on the West Coast, raised in the Midwest, and is now firmly entrenched on the East Coast, where she lives with her husband and two children. When she’s not writing, she’s working as a child psychologist. She is the author of the young adult novels Sanctum, Fractured, Chaos, Of Metal and Wishes, and Scan. Her first adult fantasy novel, Marked, releases on January 1st, 2015, from 47North.

Find Sarah:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr

Isn't it gorgeous?!? I just dare you to tell me it's not. I mean, I'm more than a little nervous about the book after reading that synopsis, but that beautiful cover goes a long way toward assuaging my fears. *bites nails*

Because Sarah is the beautiful, generous author she is, to celebrate the cover reveal, she's offering up the following prizes to one VERY lucky winner:

Prize includes:

a hardcover for Of Metal and Wishes

an ARC for Of Dreams and Rust

bookmarks

spider necklace

Rules:

• This giveaway is US only. The author is providing the prizes for the giveaway.
• One entry per household. 
• Entries will be verified. Any entry found to be falsified will result in disqualification of all entries for that participant.
• Please note that if you use your Twitter account solely for giveaway entries and you enter using the Tweet about the Giveaway entry, that entry will be disqualified. Please remember that this entry method is to spread the word about the cover reveal and giveaway, not simply increase your chances of winning.
• Winner will be notified via email. Winner will then have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be selected. Please check your SPAM folder!!! 
• We are not responsible for lost packages. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


So, what do you think of the cover? Have you read the first book yet? If not, what are you waiting for?!? If my excitement over the cover isn't enough to pique your interest, maybe my Review in a GIFfy will be? Or maybe my full review? ;0)

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Labels: alternate history, beautiful covers, fantasy, favorite authors, favorites, giveaways, of metal and wishes, official cover reveals, retellings, sarah fine, simon schuster

Review: Of Metal and Wishes by Sarah Fine

Title: Of Metal and Wishes
Author: Sarah Fine
Series: Of Metal and Wishes, book #1
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: August 5, 2014
Source: signed ARC received from author
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

There are whispers of a ghost in the slaughterhouse where sixteen-year-old Wen assists her father in his medical clinic—a ghost who grants wishes to those who need them most. When one of the Noor, men hired as cheap factory labor, humiliates Wen, she makes an impulsive wish of her own, and the Ghost grants it. Brutally.

Guilt-ridden, Wen befriends the Noor, including their outspoken leader, a young man named Melik. At the same time, she is lured by the mystery of the Ghost and learns he has been watching her … for a very long time.

As deadly accidents fuel tensions within the factory, Wen must confront her growing feelings for Melik, who is enraged at the sadistic factory bosses and the prejudice faced by his people at the hand of Wen’s, and her need to appease the Ghost, who is determined to protect her against any threat—real or imagined. She must decide whom she can trust, because as her heart is torn, the factory is exploding around her … and she might go down with it.

"I wish I could talk to him about what I've done, but I don't want him to know. I am alone in this, as I am alone in so much else. It is a crushing feeling with no corners and no edges. Endless and uncontainable. The Ghost seems to understand this feeling."

If you've seen my Review in a GIFfy feature, you know that the first book I ever reviewed in this fashion was Of Metal and Wishes by Sarah Fine. (That review can be found here.) And with good reason, since so much of the story warrants such strong reactionary GIFs. But there's also a beautiful subtlety to Fine's storytelling method, full of vivid imagery but also those small things that niggle at your subconscious until you can no longer ignore them.

This book felt like so many things in one. First and foremost, it's a love story...and a doomed one at that. The setting and characters lend themselves to an Asian culture set somewhere in the somewhat recent past, but this isn't really a historical fiction novel. There are mechanical elements that are reminiscent of a steampunk novel, but that's not the focus of this story, either. One thing I do know, though, is that Of Metal and Wishes is a retelling of a timeless masterpiece, and it is beautifully told.

I loved how this story stayed with me, how even though I didn't know it was supposed to be a Phantom of the Opera retelling until I was already knee-deep in it, the hints of that familiar story were already ruminating in my brain, pushing me to read further, figure out who the Ghost was and what he wanted with Wen. And even though I did have my theories pan out, it made the story no less captivating to know what Wen was up against. In fact, knowing only urged me to plunge deeper into the story to discover the hows and whys of it all. And it all boils down to a little thing called social injustice.

A little background: Wen's family was of a nobler class before they fell on hard times. Wen's father is now the on-staff doctor at the local slaughterhouse. They live on-site in the medical quarters, and Wen's now of the age that she must consider her own occupational options. Basically, she's a sad, lonely young woman with little hope for a happier existence, and now that she's made an impulsive request of the Ghost, she's encompassed in guilt. Melik is a Noor, a group of downtrodden people who stand out as different because of their appearance but also because they are the cheap labor shipped in to work in the factory. They are not respected and they have little to no rights. As such, neither Wen nor Melik would normally have any contact with the other, save for the altercation in the cafeteria that sets off an avalanche of events that continually put them in each other's company. Their initial interactions are rocky at best, but before long, the pair begin to gradually trust one another...though not without reservations.

I usually try not to become overly infatuated with the romance in a story, instead hoping that the story can stand on its own without the love story to back it up, but for this novel, I've made an exception. Okay, maybe that's the wrong word because this story does hold its own without the romantic interludes between Wen and Melik. However, I really liked what was developing between those two, and I can't deny that it also pressed me to read on. The romance not only relies on the characters and their feelings but also on their part in society. Social injustices and peer opinions play a big role in Wen and Melik's potential relationship, and it's because of these things -- and the Ghost, can't forget him and his meddling -- that their relationship almost doesn't come to fruition. But it's everything leading up to their eventual coming together that makes their romance all the more precious: Melik defending Wen from his fellow Noor, Wen mending Melik during illness and injury, and on and on, despite their difference in class. And amidst everything they're already facing, they also have to confront their own prejudices against each other.

Just as Melik feels protective of Wen, Wen deems it necessary to stand up for the Noor, whom she grievously misjudged. She is compassionate toward the Noor when no one else is. But the Ghost, hiding in the shadows, is exacting his own brand of vengeance by way of granting wishes left for him on an altar by those in need...or those who have been wronged. He, too, feels the need to protect Wen, and it's through his wish granting and involvement in the daily lives of the factory workers that we begin to discover who or what he really is. As the mystery unravels, the Ghost's existence becomes less creepy and more sad with the realization of his existence.

And that pretty much sets the tone for the novel, which ends on a very bittersweet note. (Which is fine, since the author announced there will be a sequel.) This novel was truly exquisite: the writing was fluid, the mystery was solid, and the story itself was haunting and beautiful. I can't wait to see where the next chapter takes these characters.

"Wen always has medicine."

GIF it to me straight:

That's me to this book.

About the author:

I’m the author of the Guards of the Shadowlands urban fantasy series (Skyscape/Amazon Children’s Publishing), including Sanctum (October 2012) and Fractured (October 2013). My gothic young adult novel Of Metal and Wishes will be published by McElderry/Simon & Schuster in August 2014. In May 2014, Putnam/Penguin will publish Scan, the first of two thrillers I co-authored with Walter Jury under the name S. E. Fine. When I’m not writing, I’m psychologizing. Sometimes I do both at the same time. The results are unpredictable.

Find Sarah:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr

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Labels: all the feels, all the swoons, favorites, ghosts, gothic horror, of metal and wishes, reviews, sarah fine, simon schuster