March 31, 2015

Gods of Chaos Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

http://www.chapter-by-chapter.com/tour-schedule-gods-of-chaos-by-jen-mcconnel-presented-by-month9books/

Welcome to my stop on the Gods of Chaos blog tour! Today I have my review of the book to share with you, and don't forget to enter the awesome giveaway! To follow the rest of the tour, click on the banner above.


Gods of Chaos (Red Magic #2)
Author: Jen McConnel
Genre: YA Fantasy/Paranormal
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

Description:

The gods of chaos cannot be trusted.

Since battling her best friend, Darlena’s grip on Red Magic has been shaky. She heads to Scotland after the Winter Solstice in search of another Red Witch.

On a sightseeing excursion with girls from her hostel, Darlena arrives at The Vaults, a mysterious underground city beneath Edinburgh. But there is something there that make Darlena’s instincts go haywire, as she lets loose a defensive burst of Red Magic, putting everyone around her in danger.

If there was ever a time when Darlena needed the help of another Red witch, it was now. But beware the witch who wields Red Magic.
 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23344352-gods-of-chaos?ac=1
Gods of Chaos is the phenomenal second installment in a young adult paranormal series. It continues to follow our main character - Darlena - as she tries to contain and control her Red Magic. After a battle against her best friend, Darlena's grasp on her magic is incredibly fragile. Without any other ideas, Darlena decides that she needs to find another Red witch to help her understand and wield her magic. After the Winter Solstice, Darlena goes to Scotland on her search for another Red witch. When she goes on a trip to The Vaults -  an underground city beneath Edinburgh. Something doesn't feel right to her and it triggers a burst of Red Magic that puts everyone near her in danger. Darlena doesn't know what to do and her magic continues to get more out of hand - she desperately needs the advice and teachings of another Red Witch. But the very witch Darlena thinks can help her, might actually end up harming her.

I have a deep love for all books that deal with witches, and after reading the first book in the series - this was a definite must read for me. I had pretty high expectations and hopes for the book after loving the first installment, and I'm so happy to say that I wasn't disappointed in the least. Darlena continues to be a fantastic main character and we get to see great character growth in her during the book. She's smart, a loving and devoted daughter and friend, determined, and doesn't go by anyone else's rules. She isn't perfect though - she tends to give the gods and goddesses serious attitude and she can't seem to gain control of her magic no matter what she tries. The other characters in the book were distinct and well written with their own quirks, flaws, and unique personalities. They all worked well in the story together - with each other as well as with Darlena, and the plot in general.

The plot itself was fantastic - the author was once again able to blend so many different genres together to make a wholly original story. Just like in the first book, we are able to get to know different witches, their powers, and history. We also get to encounter more gods and goddesses from several different religions and cultures. I adored reading about all of the mythology, stories, history, and their various characteristics. The author continued to  incorporate gods and goddesses with witchcraft - and I was again impressed by the effortless merging of the two subjects and how it took the story to a whole new depth that wouldn't have occurred otherwise. Along with the mythology and paranormal aspects of the plot, there's also tons of action, adventure, romance, and contemporary teen issues. All of the various aspects of the plot were blended together in a natural and effortless way that had me mesmerized from the beginning of the story until the very last sentence. This is definitely a book/series that fans of paranormal fiction will want to get their hands on. I hate having to wait so long for the release of the next installment. Also recommended for fans of all genres, as it has a bit of something for everyone to enjoy.

Jen McConnel first began writing poetry as a child. Since then, her words have appeared in a variety of magazines and journals, including Sagewoman, PanGaia, and The Storyteller (where she won the people’s choice 3rd place award for her poem, “Luna”).



She is also a former reviewer for Voices of Youth Advocates (VOYA), and a proud member of SCBWI, NCWN, and SCWW.



A Michigander by birth, she now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. She's a graduate of Western Michigan University, and she also earned her MS in Library Science at Clarion University of Pennsylvania.



When she isn't crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches writing composition at a community college. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time.



Follow Jen on Twitter @Jen_McConnel, and visit www.jenmcconnel.com to learn more.

Author Links:  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks
Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Gods of Chaos by Jen McConnel (INT)










 

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