Romancing the Dark in the City of Light Blog Tour: Guest Post + Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the Romancing the Dark in the City of Light tour! I have a fantastic guest post by the author to share with you - and don't forget to enter the giveaway!

Romancing the Dark in the City of Light

Author: Ann Jacobus
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Release Date: October 6, 2015
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Synopsis:

A troubled teen, living in Paris, is torn between two boys, one of whom encourages her to embrace life, while the other—dark, dangerous, and attractive—urges her to embrace her fatal flaws.

Haunting and beautifully written, with a sharp and distinctive voice that could belong only to this character, Romancing the Dark in the City of Light is an unforgettable young adult novel.

Summer Barnes just moved to Paris to repeat her senior year of high school. After being kicked out of four boarding schools, she has to get on track or she risks losing her hefty inheritance. Summer is convinced that meeting the right guy will solve everything. She meets two. Moony, a classmate, is recovering against all odds from a serious car accident, and he encourages Summer to embrace life despite how hard it can be to make it through even one day. But when Summer meets Kurt, a hot, mysterious older man who she just can't shake, he leads her through the creepy underbelly of the city-and way out of her depth.

When Summer's behavior manages to alienate everyone, even Moony, she's forced to decide if a life so difficult is worth living. With an ending that'll surprise even the most seasoned reader, Romancing the Dark in the City of Light is an unputdownable and utterly compelling novel.

Favorite Paris Places to Hang Out

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culture, fine cuisine, and tourists from all over the world!

Here are some of my favorite places to hang out. Many of them involve food.

The Louvre (1st arrondissement)

 You could spend weeks in here without seeing everything, but the Winged Victory of Samothrace is my favorite. The Mona Lisa is cool, too, only it’s hard to navigate the crowds that are always there. I usually head for the second and third floors (1st and 2nd there) to view several centuries of European paintings. Check out The Coronation of Napoleon by Jacque Louis-David or Card Sharp With the Ace of Diamonds by Georges de la Tour.

Café Marly (also 1st)

 At the Musee du Louvre looking out at the I. M. Pei Pyramid. Perfect for lunch and a glass of wine when you’ve had enough European art. “New” French, a little overpriced, but great location and good food.

Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen (north of Paris, just the other side of the 18th)

These are the incredible, gigantic flea markets between métro stops Porte de Clignancourt and Porte Saint Ouen. Just go, start anywhere, and explore.

 Marché de Levis (the 17th on rue de levis)

 This is our old neighborhood market, essentially unknown by tourists. You can buy fresh bread and pastries from several bakeries, including my favorite, PAUL; unbelievable fresh fruit and veggies; incredible cheeses; great butchers and fish mongers; and a Monoprix (big grocery store). The real Paris. Pick up some snacks.

The Palais de Tokyo at the Trocadero. (16th)

Cool, trendy, modern art, and a outstanding view, too. Other good museums nearby like the Marine (as in sea) museum. Afterwards you can walk across the Pont d’Iéna over the Seine to…

The Eiffel Tower (7th)

Yes, it is a cliché, but for a good reason. It’s awesome! You don’t even have to go all the way to the top to enjoy it. First or second platforms are fine. Incredible views. A meet-up point for the whole world. Happily, snack bars and restaurants there abound.

Leon de Bruxelles (8th)

 Hungry again? This chain serves fast food à la Française. Steamed mussels and frites (French fries). Delicious and affordable and there’s one on the boulevard Champs Éllysées.

The Musée d’Orsay (7th)

Smaller and more manageable than the Louvre (but you’ve got to go there, too) and filled with the famous Impressionist art that we all know and love.

Pere Lachaise Cemetery (11th)

 It sits on a hillside in the northeastern 11th arrondissement and looks out over Paris. It’s great for a long, contemplative walk. The monuments and mausoleums are beautiful and ornate, and the inhabitants are a history lesson. To name but a few: Oscar Wilde (Irish writer), Moliere (French playwright) Abelard and Heloise (doomed 18th century lovers), Isadora Duncan (American modern dancer), Gertrude Stein (American writer), Marcel Proust (French writer), Frederic Chopin (musician/composer), Edith Piaf (Singer), Marcel Marceau (French Mime), and Jim Morrison (American lead singer of The Doors). 

The Catacombs (14th)

 You have to be willing to hike and go up and down lots of steps, but this is totally worth it. Millions of stacked human bones as they have been removed from other Paris cemeteries over the centuries to make room for new inhabitants. Scary good.

Restaurant Rimal (17th)

Oh, good, time to eat again? On boulevard Malesherbes, this was our neighborhood and family favorite for excellent Lebanese food.

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Ann Jacobus earned an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lived with her family for many years in the Arabian Gulf and in Paris, France. She now lives in San Francisco where she writes, reads, volunteers weekly on a suicide crisis line, and frequently resorts to crock-pot meals of canned soup, fowl and whatever's in the fridge.

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