Pages

▼

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Review: January Black by Wendy S Russo + an Awesome Giveaway!

Tour Schedule

 
January Black Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn has never fit in on The Hill, an ordered place seriously lacking a sense of humor. After his school’s headmaster expels him for a small act of mischief, Matty’s future looks grim until King Hadrian comes to his rescue with a challenge: answer a question for a master’s diploma. More than a second chance, this means freedom. Masters can choose where they work, a rarity among Regents, and the question is simple. What was January Black? It’s a ship. Everyone knows that. Hadrian rejects that answer, though, and Matty becomes compelled by curiosity and pride to solve the puzzle. When his search for an answer turns up long-buried state secrets, Matty’s journey becomes a collision course with a deadly royal decree. He's been set up to fail, which forces him to choose. Run for his life with the challenge lost...or call the king’s bluff.  

Praise Refreshingly intelligent and loads of fun! I lost a few hours as I read this book. It's a Young Adult novel that is refreshingly and astonishingly intelligent, and the love story is perfectly played out. ~Christine Ashworth, Amazon Review The mystery was intriguing - I loved how Wendy Russo weaved in all her secrets throughout the book, how she incorporated just enough to keep you reading, while never actually divulging much of anything. I was guessing for most of it and that's pretty hard to make me do. ~Julie, Clean Teen Reads Wendy Russo has created a masterpiece. ~Ivan Amberlake, Author





Author Wendy S. Russo Wendy S. Russo got her start writing in the sixth grade. That story involved a talisman with crystals that had to be found and assembled before bad things happened, and dialog that read like classroom roll call. Since then, she’s majored in journalism (for one semester), published poetry, taken a course on short novels, and watched most everything ever filmed by Quentin Tarantino. A Wyoming native transplanted in Baton Rouge, Wendy works for Louisiana State University as an IT analyst. She’s a wife, a mom, a Tiger, a Who Dat, and she falls asleep on her couch at 8:30 on weeknights.  


 
REVIEW
 
I just recently finished reading January Black, received from the author for an honest review, and my head is still spinning.  So much to wrap my mind around and I'm loving every moment just thinking about it.  I haven't read such a thought provoking book of fiction in a long time.
 
Strong characters, strange gadgets, leaders, secrets, betrayals, love, hope, disappointment, intrigue, leading up to the answer of what was January Black and proceeding to a whole other story of who is Matty Ducayn.
 
I really enjoyed this story but I found myself a little confused on the imagery of the story.  What I thought things looked like at first turned out to be totally different and than when I switched my thinking, things took even another turn.  This took a little from the story from me, but not enough to distract me from the story as a whole.  I wanted to know more about what was going on, whenever I had a spare moment I was picking it up and reading.  Sometimes this got me as far as a page, but that brought me one page closer to answers.
 
I loved Iris.  Spunky, spirited, head strong, loving and knowing what she wanted out from life.  When you hear the saying that behind every good man is a good woman, this is Iris.  Matty, well, he started off with some issues and quirkiness but as his relationship with Iris grew he seemed to grow in his own maturity and a bumpy road became smoother for him.  The King has you scratching your head every once in awhile trying to figure him out. 
 
Now Wendy Russo really threw me for a loop.  Some of the things she did with her characters really felt like a punch in the gut, but you eventually find out why they did what they did.  Not saying you still don't feel like taking out some personal revenge on them if you had the chance, but the emotional stronghold eventually becomes peaceful.  There was even a place, which I wasn't expecting, that made me a bit watery eyed.  The emotional rollercoaster than Ms. Russo put me on was well played.
 
Do I recommend this book?  Yes I do.  I give it 4 1/2 stars, and if I wasn't trying to figure out some of the clothing, structures, etc, I would have given it 5.  This isn't an action packed story, but it moves like one.  There is never a dull moment and your brain is constantly on the go with it. 
 
Well done Ms. Russo, well done.  You did not let me down and I look forward to reading more books from you in the future.
 
 

january black promo
More Information:
 
 
  Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/8/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.  a Rafflecopter giveaway  
at

1 comment: