[Blog Tour] Destiny's Fire by Trisha Wolfe -- Review + Guest Post + Giveaway!

Today it is my pleasure to share a review of Destiny's Fire, a guest post from author Trisha Wolfe, and a giveaway of an ebook copy and a bookmark. Many thanks to A Tale of Many Reviews Book Tours for having me as part of this tour. I've had a lot of fun with this one!

The Plot: (Summary from GoodReads)

It’s the year 2040, and sixteen-year-old Dez Harkly is one of the last of her kind—part of a nearly extinct race of shape-shifters descended from guardians to the Egyptian pharaohs. Her home and her secret are threatened when the Council lowers the barrier, allowing the enemy race to enter the Shythe haven.

As the Narcolym airships approach, Dez and her friends rebel against their Council and secretly train for battle. Not only is Dez wary of war and her growing affection for her best friend Jace, but she fears the change her birthday will bring. When Dez’s newfound power rockets out of control, it’s a Narcolym who could change her fate… if she can trust him.

Dez’s guarded world crumbles when she discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, and she's forced to choose between the race who raised her and the enemy she's feared her whole life.

Something that immediately grabbed me about Destiny's Fire, and that I truly appreciated and loved, is that Trisha Wolfe is very good at blending the "normal" part of her characters' lives with the more "holy crap what's happening" moments. This is something that I feel is extremely important and that I am always pleased to see in paranormal / urban fantasy / dystopian etc. fiction. Why? Because it shows us what the characters are trying to save; that there is a world worth fighting for. It is the human element that makes the fantastical conflict of a novel of this nature matter. Without this, it can all get very pointless. So, loud and emphatic bravo.

The next bit of praise that I'm going to give? Great world building and species design. You don't see many books that work with Egyptian mythology, to begin with, since it can be really complicated and confusing. And even less start with that as a basis and create something fresh and original -- yet easy for the reader to follow and connect with -- as the Kythan are. There are many people who will complain about the importance of the characters' eyes in this book. But eyes are a window to the soul, they are something we all understand, they are expressive, and that is why they are so often utilized in this fashion. (Or perhaps this is slightly a bias since I've done it in my own work? I'll leave that to people's opinions. But I really do feel it depends on how its used, and that it is well used here.)

I liked the balance between description and dialogue. It made for a well balanced pacing that had no trouble holding my interest. I'll admit -- I'm always a little nervous when I sign up for a tour if it's not a book I was already following; one that "looked interesting" so I signed up. I can tell you without hesitation that Destiny's Fire grabbed me from word go and didn't let go until the end. While this kind of 500 mph reading experience can be a bit dizzying in its intense focus, I personally find it thrilling. The more quickly I am getting through a book, the more eager I generally am to see what is happening. Especially since I read first and foremost for fun. It works sort of how food does for me, I suppose. *laughs* And if we're going to compare to food, this is a peanut butter cup. It blends a lot of individually great elements together and succeeds in creating an ultimately better whole.

The Characters: 

Dez rocks. She is strong yet vulnerable. I love how Trisha introduced her to us and showed her strength, her friendships and then her world, before finally showing us what she is struggling with -- and has been struggling with long before we ever knew her. Which succeeds in allowing us to see the 'soft underbelly' of the character, while not suddenly weakening her unintentionally. I liked how she tended to keep her spirits up and how she could be reasonable *or* fierce and passionate as the situation required. She is truly a fully constructed character and the kind of heroine I always enjoy seeing more of in books within this genre.

Jace and Reese are both worthy love interests and they make great foils to each other. The tension between them, as well as between each of them and Dez, adds a lot to the story outside of the 'normal' and the 'oh my gosh everything is going insane'. I like the fact that Trisha left both characters as being viable to root for and worth rooting for, too. I get very annoyed when only one of the guys in a love triangle is even remotely interesting and there is no fear of that here.

Lana and Nick rounded things out, providing friendships for Dez that were free of romantic (or romantic interest) complications. I like how well Trisha made them stand out and how interesting the friendships were shown to be, especially in light of Dez's situation.

The Romance:

I've already said more then I intended to about this, and I really don't want to ruin things for anyone. So I'll repeat: interesting love triangle? Check. Swoon-worthy guys? Check. Although I must say that it was Reese that had my interest, personally. Likely because I normally don't go for the 'best-friend-who-wants-to-date-the-girl'. Or it could be that the name Jace is just so heavily associated with The Mortal Instruments? I'm not 100% sure, but it was something I immediately noticed and since I've been thinking about reading those the timing might honestly have just been off for me.

I also want to say that the romance does not weaken Dez. It also doesn't make her seem cold and empty. The fact that she doesn't just instantly pick someone is covered relatively well so that the reader does not feel the need to just shake her and tell her to do something, already. While I felt she was a good match with Reese, I would be foolish to overlook the years she has had to build a friendship with Jace, regardless of anything she may have kept from him. This is always something that is a concern where a love triangle is involved, in my opinion. Glad to see it was addressed here.

In General: 

I had a lot of fun reading this book. It was a very 'smooth' experience. I didn't feel like I had to push myself through it, which is a concern when I am given a PDF for a review (my Kindle does not like them.) Reading on the computer can sometimes give me a headache if I do it for long periods.

So, should you check out Destiny's Fire? Absolutely! If you like strong heroines, great world building, interesting love triangles and books that are really hard to put down this should be a great fit.

My Writing Cave

by Trisha Wolfe

I really do have a cave. I joke about it on Twitter, but it’s a real place where I hide. My bedroom is setup so I can move from space to space if I get antsy. Which happens often. My life is just so glamorous. I’m telling you. It’s shocking how cool I am. And I’m about to let you guys into the awesome that is my writing life.

I usually start off the morning writing with my cup of coffee, propped up in my bed. This is my favorite place to write. It’s lame, but too long in a chair and I get all backache-y. (Notice how hard I work with Twitter in the background)

When I’m writing a book, I write pretty much all day. I can’t do that thing where people discipline themselves to write a certain amount, and then go on to have a life away from their writing life. The story I’m working on consumes me, and I talk to my characters. So after a while I have to get up and walk, grab a Coke, then move to my desk area. (My son got me slippers for Christmas because he said I never wear “regular” clothes. I’m always in pajamas)

After that, I try to do some housework, which fails, and I go back to writing. My characters are demanding and I don’t get to take many breaks. But I do have my little purple chair that I can cart around the house and plop on the floor so I can actually leave my cave.

But in the end, I always retreat back to the cave. It’s the place where I’m left alone to create. Especially when the husband and kids (I only have one, but it’s plural because the neighborhood kids live here, too. Yes, all of them) come in, demanding to be fed. Who do they think they are? Pfft.

About the Author

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | GoodReads

Trisha Wolfe is the author of the YA Steampunk/Paranormal Romance DESTINY'S FIRE. Her published short stories have appeared in YA literary journals and Fantasy magazines. UNVEILED is her first novelette and part of a Dystopian series releasing TBA. She’s written four books in the past two years, and is currently working on the sequel to DF and a new project. She’s represented by Lauren Hammond of ADA Management.

 So, now you've read the interview and know I think the book is great. You've read the absolutely fantastic guest post which showcases Trisha's personality and gives is a glimpse into her life. I'm sure you're totally dying to win a copy of Destiny's Fire. Right? Right? Well, here is your chance. :)

To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment with your e-mail and an answer to the following question:

Q: What is your opinion on love triangles? 

Want extra entries?
-- Become a GFC follower on Trisha's blog
-- Like Trisha's Facebook Page
-- Follow Trisha on Twitter
-- Become a fan on GoodReads
*Note: Links to all of these are listed above.

If you think that is awesome, wait til you see the grand prize. For a shot at this, make sure that you visit A Tale of Many Reviews on January 18th.

In addition to this Egyptian / steampunk styled necklace (isn't it pretty?!) the winner will also receive a print copy of Destiny's Fire, a Destiny's Fire bookmark and a signed Destiny's Fire bookplate.

Good luck, everybody!

Want to see where the tour has been and where it is headed?