Monday, February 13, 2017

NBTM + Review + #Giveaway: Stealing Magic by Alex C Vick @GoddessFish



Stealing Magic
by Alex C Vick
GENRE:   Middle Grade Fantasy


BLURB:


Shannon thought there was no such thing as real magic. Until that day. The day that changed everything.

Put yourself in her shoes. Would you open your eyes, if you were the one that heard them? Two magic-takers from another world, arguing about whether they can collect what they came for before you wake up. It sounds like a crazy dream, or a practical joke.

But what if the air around you started to vibrate with an invisible force field? What if, all at once, it felt scary, yet familiar too? You would have no way of knowing that this discovery would set you on a path no-one from our world has taken for centuries. Towards a deadly enemy, and a fight you will almost certainly lose.

All you know is that your heart is beating so fast you're worried they will hear it, and your brain is starting to buzz as the force field reaches it. Would you open your eyes?

Join Jax and Shannon as they live through the most exciting and terrifying ten days of their lives!


Excerpt:

“I knew it!” shouted the voice triumphantly.


Shannon nearly jumped out of her skin at the unexpected words. Abruptly the force field seemed to snap back inside her head, leaving her hands and the surface of the tree completely back to normal.

She scrambled to her feet to confront the owner of the voice, knowing already who it was.

“Jax, I presume?” she said, as calmly as she could manage, though her heart was still jumping from the shock, and she was already half-smiling in amazement at what was happening.

Jax, standing with his hands in his pockets, and smiling the same mischievous, slightly mocking grin that she remembered from last time, raised his eyebrows.

“You have the advantage over me, Terran,” he said. “I don’t know your name.”

“Shannon,” she answered. “And you knew what exactly?”

Jax gave a half-bow. “Pleased to meet you Shannon. And I knew you were a magician.”

Shannon’s mouth fell open. Before she could reply, he continued.

“I shouldn’t even be able to travel here on my own. You see this symbol on my shirt?”

He pointed to the star, the centre of which was spinning again just as it had the week before.

“It wasn’t until I met you that it started to spin. It’s not supposed to be able to do that until I come of age. In four years’ time.”

He paused, to make sure she understood the significance of this fact. “Who are you? Why is this happening?”

Shannon laughed. To think that Jax was the one asking questions of her! 


My Review:

Jax and Darius live in world with magic and are sent out nightly along with other teens from their world to Terra, Earth to harvest the magic from the trees. While they are on Terra one night harvesting the magic they spot a girl about their age asleep in the garden behind her home. Darius being the one that likes to follow the rules informs Jax they have to leave before this girl wakes up and sees them.

Now the reason they go to Terra at night to harvest the magic is because no one on Earth is supposed to see them if anyone does there will be terrible consequences to face. But before they can make it back to their world through the portal the girl Shannon wakes and sees them.

Jax being your typical teenager who is very mischievous does not take to well to following all the rules and likes to do his own thing. Besides the boy has a very inquisitive mind. So therefore asks lots of questions as to why they have to harvest the magic and what the reasons are behind all the rules. Once the boys break the rules and then are caught doing it the boys try to make amends.


I really enjoyed following Jax, Darius, Shannon and all the other characters on their quest of harvesting the magic and finding out all the secrets that the people on Androva have been keeping through the generations. The world building was out of this world magnificent. I can’t wait to read more about Jax, Darius and Shannon and what adventures they will take us on next. If you have not read Stealing Magic then let me suggest that you do well that is if you like reading all things magical.   



Guest Post:

Pick a favorite event in time that you would like to visit: Example: Salem Witch Trials, Civil War, The shooting of Abraham Lincoln etc…..(please pick one) 

Tell us why you would like to visit and/or would you like to visit this event just to see and know what really happened or would you like to visit as a participate in the event?

Firstly, thank you to Nancy for giving me the chance to write a guest post for her Avid Reader blog today! This suggested topic appealed to me because I had to research a certain historic event more closely for my third book, and now I really wish that I could have seen some of it for myself.

I would like to visit Pompeii in its final days, before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius encased the city in such a sinister and perfect tomb of hot ash. So much of what we know today about the Roman Empire comes from the excavations of that famous city. It’s as if that one day in 79 AD has been frozen in time forever. But what was the reality behind it all, and why did so many people stay behind?

I’ve always been intrigued by Ancient Rome. It had stunning architecture, a sophisticated culture, and real people as incredible as any you could dream up. Yet underneath this veneer of civilization, the reality could be quite brutal. It was a way of life built on slavery and lands conquered by force.

If I had the chance to visit Pompeii, I would prefer to be an observer, so that I could see as much of the city as possible from different points of view. As time would be limited, I’ve chosen three people that I am particularly curious about:

Julia Felix, a wealthy heiress and property owner, whose villa had its own baths and apartments for rent. What was her life like as a businesswoman in Pompeii?

Eutyche, a female slave owned by Aulus Scarus. His business supplied nearly one third of the fish sauce that Pompeiians served with everything they ate. I have read that Eutyche was important enough to actually run one of the manufacturing shops. She even had her own seal. Was her position as unusual as it seems?

Aulus Vettius Restitutus, one of the Vettii brothers. They were freedmen (former slaves) who became such successful merchants that they owned one of the most luxurious villas in the city. What was the story behind their success?

I don’t know if these three people escaped Pompeii before the volcano destroyed it. I don’t know if they knew what was going to happen to their city, or how it appeared to them at the time. The people that stayed behind seem reckless to us now. But maybe the people that left the city were mocked for being incredibly cautious. Despite all that we continue to learn about Pompeii, some secrets will never be uncovered.

The influence of Ancient Rome can be seen today in everything from our legal system, to the language we speak, and the way our cities are built. If you could visit somewhere in Ancient Rome, where would you go? Would you want to participate or just observe?

Thank you for reading, and thank you again to Nancy for featuring my post!




AUTHOR BIO:

Alex writes contemporary fantasy books for a middle grade audience and older. There are three (self-contained) stories in the Legacy of Androva series so far, with a fourth on the way. You can contact Alex, and find more information about Androva, including a character interview, at http://www.alexcvick.com
Alex lives in the South of England with her husband and two daughters. When she's not working, or writing about magic, she also loves reading and photography.
Stealing Magic Amazon US
Stealing Magic Amazon UK


Stealing Magic will be $0.99 during the tour.

Giveaway:

$50 Amazon or B/N GC




Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.


44 comments:

Alex C Vick said...

Just wanted to say thank you so much for featuring my book and my guest post today!

Goddess Fish Promotions said...

Thanks for hosting!

Unknown said...

Congrats on the tour and thanks for the chance to win :)

Anonymous said...

Pompeii definitely makes you think...

--Trix

Rita Wray said...

I enjoyed the guest post, thank you.

Alex C Vick said...

Thanks Lisa, best of luck with the giveaway :)

Trix, I'm so glad you found it thought provoking, thank you for taking the time to comment!

Thank you Rita, I'm really glad you enjoyed the post, that's good to hear.

Nikolina said...

I am really enjoying following this tour, thank you for all the great blog posts and excerpts!

Alex C Vick said...

Thank you so much Nikolina, I really appreciate your comment!

Victoria Alexander said...

Great post, I loved your review. I'm definitely checking this one out :)

Mary Preston said...

I can see my daughter enjoying this as well.

Nikolina said...

I just shared on G+ to help spread the word, have a great day! :)

Alex C Vick said...

Nikolina, thank you so much! I really appreciate your support for the tour. Have a great day too :)

Thank you very much to everyone who has taken the time to comment

Ally Swanson said...

Congrats on the new book and good luck on the book tour!

Alex C Vick said...

Thanks Ally, I really appreciate your visit to this guest post and the comment!

James Robert said...

Have a blessed Sunday and thanks for the opportunity to win.

James Robert said...

Hope your day is going great, rainy one here in Michigan. Thanks again for the giveaway

Alex C Vick said...

Thank you so much for visiting the tour James, and for taking the time to comment. I wish you lots of luck with the giveaway. It's been raining in the South of England today too. Best wishes

James Robert said...

Good Morning! Thanks for the opportunity to win.

James Robert said...

Thanks for the review, excerpt and giveaway.

James Robert said...

Have a fun filled Saturday and thank you for the chance at winning.

James Robert said...

Good morning! Hope your Sunday is a terrific one and thanks for offering us such great giveaways to enter.

James Robert said...

Have a great Monday and thanks for the giveaway,

James Robert said...

It's me again, stopping by to thank you once more.

James Robert said...

Hello and thanks for taking the time to bring us such great giveaways.

James Robert said...

I do appreciate all you do for us, thanks again.

James Robert said...

Happy Friday! The day many look forward to. Thanks for the chance at winning and have a great day.

Unknown said...

This book sounds fantastic! Thanks for hosting.

James Robert said...

Hope your weekend is terrific and fun. I know you put in a lot of time with so many great posts, reviews and of course, giveaways for all of us. Thanks so much!

James Robert said...

Hope your Sunday is filled with nothing but awesomeness. Thanks for the giveaways you have for all of us.

James Robert said...

Good Monday Afternoon! Have a great day and thank you once again.

James Robert said...

Visiting bright and early this morning. Have a great day and thank you for the opportunity to win.

James Robert said...

Have an awesome day and thank you for the giveaway

James Robert said...

Good Morning! Cannot believe it is Friday already. Seems the week just begun for me. Have a good one and thanks or the chance at winning.

James Robert said...

Happy Saturday! Weekends are much quieter online, especially for emails that I get SO many of each day and read. So, I will enjoy that part and hope yours is awesome. Thanks again for the giveaway!

James Robert said...

Good Morning! Have a Blessed Sunday, hope you can relax and enjoy family time together. Thanks again for all you do and offering us this giveaway.

James Robert said...

Hope your Monday is as awesome as you are! Thanks for the opportunity to win this giveaway.

James Robert said...

Thanks so much for the opportunity to win, I do appreciate it.

James Robert said...

Good Morning! Thanks for giving us the opportunity to win. Enjoy your Wednesday!

karin said...

If you could have any superpower which one would it be and why?

James Robert said...

Enjoy your Friday and thanks for the chance to win.

James Robert said...

Hope you have a fun Saturday. I appreciate all your hard work you do bringing us such great giveaways.

James Robert said...

Sunday blessings to you and your family. Thanks for all you do for all of us.

Unknown said...

The cover for this book is awesome! I love it!

James Robert said...

Been busy and not making it here daily, not good! Thanks again for this chance at winning!