Author Interview + Giveaway: Cicada by Belle Whittington (Blog Tour Stop)

Today I'm really happy to be welcoming the lovely Belle Whittington, author of the Young Adult science fiction novel Cicada on my blog again. You can read my review for her really well written story here or read a Christmas short story set in its world here. Also don't forget to check the end of this post for two very awesome giveaways.

This post is part of Cicada's blog tour,

hosted by AToMR Book Blog Tours.

Cicada is labeled as paranormal/sci-fi/mystery/romance. That’s a unique combination! Can you tell readers a bit more about the genre mash-up?

It is a unique combination, that’s for sure! But I think that’s what makes it so compelling and gives it a taste of authenticity. After all, in real life we are often faced with a combination of challenges, and so it is with the characters in Cicada. To begin with, I wanted readers to be able to step into the story … to feel compelled to enter the world in which Blair and her friends live. So there’s a bit of mystery, something to give the readers a longing for more. The paranormal/sci-fi part goes hand-in-hand. After all, there are aliens in Cicada. But this part of the combination does not overwhelm the story. It merely flavors it, sprinkling it with that bit of spice without chasing off readers. In regards to the paranormal part, I hope readers pick up on the hint that there’s something different about some of the characters … something not quite human. The romance part … well I’ll have to leave that for the readers to discover. I don’t want to give away too many spoilers. However, I will say that there is a bit of romance, a splash of sugar to the recipe to sweeten it a little. Voila! What’s left is a story to appease every taste!

What books have most influenced your life?

I’m not even sure I can answer this question, because I don’t have any one favorite! Of course I love Jane Austen! Who doesn’t? Getting past that, there are so many others! For instance, Suzanne Collins rocked my world with her Hunger Games trilogy! After I finished Mocking Jay, the characters stayed with me night and day until I picked the trilogy up and reread it!

Then there’s Beth Revis and her awesome Across the Universe series! I was completely engrossed with the first two books, and I cannot wait for the next one! Not only are her characters compelling, but the world she created aboard Godspeed is unique and fresh.

Likewise, Amy Kathleen Ryan’s Glow was enthralling. The twist in her story literally caused me to gasp out loud when I read it! I’m looking forward to reading the sequel to her novel!

It goes without saying that I love J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series! I still wish I could have gone to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!

As you can see, I could go on and on… so many terrific authors, so little time! And, just about with every book I read, I add another favorite author to my list! For instance, I’m reading Once by Anne Carey, so you can imagine that I’ll be adding it to my favorites soon!

What are you reading right now?

I’m currently reading Once by Anna Carey. It’s the sequel to Eve. I’m really enjoying it! I’d suggest anyone who likes dystopian books to give it a read … especially those readers who enjoyed Matched, Glow, and Hunger Games. Ms. Carey is a terrific storyteller.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

My favorite thing to do when I’m not writing is promoting Cicada. I think the reason that it’s my favorite thing to do is that I’m meeting so many fabulous people along the way and have made so many new friends. First and foremost would be all those lovely book bloggers who have been so kind and have helped me promote my book! I adore each and every one of them! Plus, I’m getting to meet my readers, and that is an awesome experience! For every reader who contacts me, I’m reminded of why I write! For the pure love of it!

Is there anything in Cicada that readers may not pick up that you would like to point out?

I would like for readers to think about why the book is titled Cicada as they are reading the book. What do cicadas do when they come of age? They come out of their shells and transform into a different part of themselves so that they can survive the world into which they are entering.

Giveaway 1

This giveaway is international - there are 12 eBook copies of Cicada available for 12 lucky winners. Don't miss your chance to read this imaginative novel.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway 2

This giveaway is US only - Belle is giving away an electronic firefly in a jar in honor of the series' second novel Firefly. You can see a video of the jar here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Christmas Guest Post: Cicada Holiday Companion Short Story by Belle Whittington

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone one of you will have awesome holidays with your loved ones, give away lovely presents and receive some in return. I love you! ♥

Huge thanks to Belle Whittington for this lovely Holiday Companion Short Story for her novel Cicada. If you haven't read Cicada yet, go ahead and check out my review here. I really love this short story, because it creates a really great christmassy mood. Enjoy!

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Cicada Holiday Companion Story
by Belle Whittington

   Christmas in our small, inconsequential, southeast Texas town is usually a cold and rainy time of the year. In retrospect, the snow and sleet that covered everything, including the haunted forest, in a blanket of white must have been a harbinger that everything was about to change. However, at the time we thought it was a good omen. At the time we thought that all the sadness of losing our father and brother would finally disappear and we could recall the memories of Christmases past without shedding tears or hiding the pain under a pillow at night when all the rest of the world had fallen asleep, dreaming of sugar-plums and Santa Clause.
   And so we filled Sprinkles with the spicy, sweet aromas of Christmas, drawing in customers with candy canes painted on the front windows and strings of twinkling lights swirling around the shrubs in front of Mom’s bakery. Giant gingerbread men dangled from the branches of the Norfolk pine tree that Andrew had bought at the Willis Boy Scout Christmas tree lot, and strands of popcorn and gumdrops adorned the tree, forming giant Ws from the blinking star on the top to the piles of the deceptively-wrapped empty boxes stacked beneath the decorated boughs.
   Mom closed the bakery early on Christmas Eve. Most of the regular customers had already picked up their boxes of decorated, spicy gingerbread men or bags of sugar-sprinkled Christmas cookies, so there was no reason to stay open when we had a party to prepare for at home.
   I’ll always remember how weird Everett had behaved the days leading up to Christmas. Well…weirder than usual, I should say. But it was a good kind of weird, just like all of his weirdness was. When Mom and I arrived at home from the bakery, he was already there, attempting to shovel the newly-fallen snow from the driveway and sidewalk. Mom tooted the horn on the van, and he spun around, raising a hand to wave at us. He slipped on the ice and tumbled off the top step onto the snowman he and Andrew had made earlier.
   “Bug Boy, you’ve killed the snowman!” I giggled, bounding out of the van and offering to give him a hand.
   “I’ll build a new one…just for you,” He pulled me down into the snow with him. Tumbling off the mound that had formed the base of the snowman, I landed on my back and Everett on his elbow above me. “I’d do anything for you,” his blue eyes blinked behind his foggy, snow-covered glasses.
   I caught myself stroking the side of his face with my gloved hand and a strange sensation sprang to life inside of my stomach, twirling and growing rapidly. “Everett…” I whispered, my breath hanging in the air around us like a mysterious fog.
   Before I could say anything else, a snowball thrown by Andrew plastered across the side of Everett’s head. He was immediately on his feet pulling me up with him. The snowball fight that followed was epic!
   By the time we were frozen to the bone, Mom was calling us to come inside for hot chocolate topped with fluffs of whipped cream and crushed candy cane bits. A fire burned brightly in the fireplace, and the twinkling Christmas tree lights reflected blurred, colorful dots across the walls and ceiling.
   “The guests will arrive soon,” Mom said as she plopped a platter of cookies on the coffee table in front of us. “Better grab a cookie while you can. They are fresh out of the oven!”
   Everett shoved a chocolate chip cookie in his mouth and mumbled something that sounded like, “omnomnomnom…”
   “I better go clean up before everyone gets here,” Andrew said, looking down at his sweatshirt smudged with motor oil from working on his pickup truck.
   After he left the living room, Everett rushed to the stack of presents under the tree and plucked a small one from behind a very large green-foil-wrapped gift that was in the obvious shape of a guitar. The tag on the larger present proved what I was thinking. It was to Andrew from Everett. I giggled and shook my head as he made his way back to the couch and sat down next to me.
   “This is for you,” he pushed his glasses up with his index finger and handed me the small present that had been concealed behind the large, foil-wrapped guitar. “Open it.”
   “Now?” I looked at the square present bundled in striped paper and bound with a bundle of ribbons way too big for a box that size.
   “Yes!” He nodded, smiling. “While we’re alone.”
   I untangled the ribbon that had been wrapped around the package multiple times and ripped the paper off. Before I could register what it was, Everett blurted out, “It’s an iPod! You said you wanted one, remember? A few months ago…we were at the mall and someone walked by with headphones in, and you said you wanted one.”
   “Oh, my gosh! Everett! But it cost so much! You didn’t have to do this!” I said while opening the box to reveal the shiny mp3 player.
   “Turn it over,” he said, while guiding my hand. “I had it engraved. See? It says ‘To Blair. From Bug Boy. And I just had that little heart put on there. It’s no big deal. Just a little heart.” He pushed his glasses up again and smiled.
   That weird sensation swirled again in my stomach, like fireflies fluttering around a glowing candle. “It’s so pretty, Everett!” I turned it over in my hand once more, stroking the engraving and the little heart. “It’s perfect. Thank you.” Those last two words were almost a whisper.
   I meant to turn my face back toward him and hug him. But he was quicker. He placed one hand on my right cheek and his lips found their way to my left one, kissing me once…twice…moving closer to my lips…when…Andrew walked in and cleared his throat, completely ruining the moment.
   “Uh…it’s snowing again and David and Natalie just pulled in,” he ran his hand through his ruffled brown hair and stammered awkwardly. “Just thought you’d want to know.”
   “Oh, okay,” I blushed, looking anywhere but at my big brother. Andrew walked out, leaving Everett and me alone once more.
   “You have to wait to open my present,” I smiled, looking up into Everett’s bright eyes.
   A wide smile blazed across his face, speaking more than I could discern. It contained a double-meaning that I couldn’t figure out. So I did the safe thing and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and turned to go to the kitchen where the guests were beginning to congregate.
   David’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hargrave, arrived shortly after he and Natalie. Mrs. Hargrave was carrying a large, red poinsettia, and Mr. Hargrave had a bottle of wine in one hand and a box of cigars in the other. They were Grandpa’s favorite cigars, and he slapped Mr. Hargrave on the back while inviting him into the living room for a smoke.
   Grandma, dressed in a Christmas sweater and jingle bell earrings, poured more hot chocolate into mugs while shaking her head. She’d been trying to get Grandpa to stop smoking for years, and she had recently gotten him to cut way back on the cigars. He’d usually chewed on a short cigar without ever lighting up. But judging by how quickly he retrieved a lighter from his shirt pocket, it looked like he planned on lighting one up.
   Natalie was carrying a brightly-decorageddecorated gift bag stuffed with tissue paper and a small stack of Christmas cards, each decorated with a candy cane. She hugged me and stuffed the handles of the gift bag into my hand telling me that it was for me. Then, the excitement got the best of her, and she blurted out that she’d gotten me a manicure kit and some holiday-scented bubble bath. I hugged her and thanked her, knowing that I must appear to be a complete heathen compared to her perfectly-manicured self.
   Everett’s dad, Mr. Forster, arrived just as Mom was getting the ham out of the oven. He exclaimed how he was starving and was glad that he’d arrived just in time and plopped a tattered paper bag on the counter just before the bottom ripped open. He reached into the bag and pulled out a vegetable tray, a fruit tray, and a bottle of apple cider. He’d just made a stop by Kroger on his way to our house from the university where he taught history.
   As Mom was crumpling the tattered paper bag to toss it into the kitchen trash, Mr. Forster reached into his coat and quickly produced a leather-bound book. He slipped it into Mom’s apron pocket as if to keep from calling attention from the others in the room. Too late. Even though no one else noticed, I did. And I also noticed how Mom nodded and left the room, with her hand stuffed into her apron pocket, and headed for Dad’s study. I made a mental note to search for that little book as soon as I got the chance.
   Andrew began singing Deck the Halls really loud and snapped me back into the moment. Before I knew it, David had joined in and Mom, Grandpa, and Mr. Hargrave had returned to the kitchen, singing along. So I had no choice but to add my voice to the chorus, however out of tune it was. I glanced behind me to see that Everett was still wearing that same broad, goofy smile on his face while singing.
   I giggled, knowing there would be a time when I would hold onto that memory. Knowing that one memory, surrounded by loved ones in the kitchen on Christmas Eve, with that smile on Everett’s face would get me through a tough time…
   Little did I know that it wouldn’t be that far in the future that I would grasp onto that one memory to keep me in the present and give me hope. Little did I know on that snowy, wintry Christmas Eve, that one day, a year from now, I would find myself lying bloody and broken on the jungle floor in South America, grappling with whether I should give up or try to fight for my life.
   Little did I know that one memory would make me choose to fight…

Find Belle online:

Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr

Buy paperback (CreateSpace) | Buy paperback (Amazon)

Buy e-book (Smashwords) | Buy e-book (Amazon)

Merry Christmas! ♥

Carina

Review: Cicada by Belle Whittington

Cicada by Belle Whittington
Publisher: Self-Published
First published: July 14th, 2011
Source: Received from author
Pages: 235

Goodreads Summary:
Summertime had always been carefree and fun for Blair Reynolds and her friends--until they came upon something that was not human. As the group of friends band together in a fight for their lives, Blair's true love becomes something more than human...something unnatural. And their existence relies on their ability to keep a secret.

My Rating: 3.0 / 5

First thoughts:

Please let me point out how much I love this cover and how the novel reflects the mystery that we're already presented in this picture. For me it's a unique story, unlike anything I've read before and I definitely need to find out more about the story Belle Whittington has created. If you're looking for something else than your usual paranormal novels, pick up Cicada.

More detailed:

When I first started Cicada, I didn't expect it to be a story about aliens. I was surprised and completely unsure whether I would like this - after all, I haven't read any alien stories before and didn't know what to expect. But Belle Whittington's beautiful style of writing made me want to continue reading and I've definitely not regretted continuing this.

One evening in summer, Blair and her friends discover something that is both intriguing and scary at the same time. This discovery is followed by many questions, some of which have not been answered yet and make me want to have the second book already. Their world is turned upside down and I can only imagine what I would feel like if I were in their situation.

I have to admit that the first half of the book was a little bit slow, but I think this might be a subjective feeling since I was missing a few more romantic elements. Not everyone needs too much romance in their story, so it might be completely different for you. But I also have to say that the pace picked up during the second half and made it almost impossible to put down Cicada.

The characters we encounter are all very likeable and each of them has their own character traits. It's lovely to watch them interact with each other and to find out what they're thinking and dreaming about. All of them developed during the novel and I'm looking forward to see what Belle Whittington has planned for them in the future.

All in all, I'm very happy to have read Cicada. It has not only broadened my horizon since it's the first alien book I've ever read, but I'm also sure that I won't forget this story easily and will keep it with me until I can finally find out how it continues. It's a fast read and if you're looking for something different to read, you should definitely give this a chance.

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Have you read Cicada? What did you think about it?

Do you plan to read it?

Carina

Teaser Tuesday #32: Cicada by Belle Whittington

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

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My teaser:

Cicada by Belle Whittington - 57%

"I don't want to die without telling you that I love you," his voice was a faint wavering whisper, and his lips, swollen and bloodied, "I always have."

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Carina

Fictional Distractions of the Week #4

Welcome to Fictional Distractions of the Week. It is inspired by Book Journey's It's Monday! What are you reading? and Fiktshun's My Reading Pile and it will show you what I'm planning to read during the next week.

The books I plan to read this week:

I'm planning to finish Cicada by Belle Whittington at first. While I'm enjoying it so far, I totally didn't expect what it's like. Very unique!

Goodreads Summary:
Summertime had always been carefree and fun for Blair Reynolds and her friends--until they came upon something that was not human. As the group of friends band together in a fight for their lives, Blair's true love becomes something more than human...something unnatural. And their existence relies on their ability to keep a secret.

Once I'm finished, I will immediately start Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. Since so many people seem to love this I'm both, afraid and excited to start this. I really hope that I won't be let down by all the hype.

Goodreads Summary:
Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

If there's some time left at the end of the week, I'll start Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber. I've heard good things about it, so I'm looking forward to find out what it's like.

Goodreads Summary:
The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

New York City, 1882. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart's latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing...

Jonathan Denbury's soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.

What are your Fictional Distractions of the Week? 
 

Fictional Distractions of the Week #3

Welcome to Fictional Distractions of the Week. It is inspired by Book Journey's It's Monday! What are you reading? and Fiktshun's My Reading Pile and it will show you what I'm planning to read during the next week.

The books I plan to read this week:

At first I'll finish Between the Land and the Sea by Derrolyn Anderson. I got this one for review and so far I'm really enjoying it. Such a lovely style of writing!

Goodreads Summary:
Something extraordinary is lurking in the deep ocean waters off the coast of Aptos, California. Just a few weeks after moving to the beach town, sixteen year-old Marina has nearly drowned twice, enchanted the hottest guy in high school, and discovered a supernatural creature. If she can manage to survive her increasingly dangerous encounters with unpredictable mermaids, she might just be able to unlock the mystery of her past and learn how to appease the mysterious forces that seem to want something from her... and maybe even find true love along the way.

The next book I'll read will be Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally. I got this from NetGalley for review and have been looking forward to this for a while now.

Goodreads Summary:
What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.

In case I'll still have time, I'll start Cicada by Belle Whittington, a review book that I'm really looking forward to start. I've heard good things about it so far.

Goodreads Summary:
Summertime had always been carefree and fun for Blair Reynolds and her friends--until they came upon something that was not human. As the group of friends band together in a fight for their lives, Blair's true love becomes something more than human...something unnatural. And their existence relies on their ability to keep a secret.

What are your Fictional Distractions of the Week? 

In My Mailbox #25

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It gives bloggers the chance to appreciate the books they got last week and to meet new people.

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The books I was gifted this week:

If I Stay* by Gayle Forman

Touch of Frost* by Jennifer Estep

Angel Fire** by L. A. Weatherly

* Huge thanks to Lesley from My Keeper Shelf for sending me If I Stay and Touch of Frost. I'm soooo excited to read both of these.

** And huge thanks to Donna from Book Passion For Life for sending me Angel Fire. This was such a lovely surprise and I can't wait to read this series.

The books I got for review this week:

Unveiled*** by Trisha Wolfe (read my review here)

Cicada*** by Belle Whittington

The Lens and the Looker*** by Lory S. Kaufmann

*** from author

Fracture**** by Megan Miranda

Dearly, Departed**** by Lia Habel

**** thanks to NetGalley and Walker Children's Books & Random House

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I'm very excited for all of these books that I got last week. My special thanks go out to Lesley and Donna. Thanks for sending me these absolutely awesome books!
What did you get in your mailbox this week?
Carina

Last week's reviews:
Swoon by Nina Malkin
Unveiled by Trisha Wolfe
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

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Win one of 24 amazing YA novels.
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