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GIVEAWAY!! Blog Tour: 2:32 A.M. (The Djinn Master’s Legacy #1) by Emily Ford with a guest post by the author and an excerpt from the book
2:32 A.M. (The Djinn Master’s Legacy #1)
written by Emily Ford
published by Emily Ford
find it here: Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Goodreads
Why did I pick this book: I participated in the blog tour hosted by JKS Communications. (I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)
Did I enjoy this book: I did enjoy this book. It is the first book about Djinn (genies) that I have read…with the exception of Aladdin. At first, this book was slow. However, at about the halfway mark, it started to move. The last fourth of the book was exciting and had me glued to my Kindle.
Cat is a strong protagonist. For 17, she is very mature. I really liked that she resisted having sex with Todd despite his pressure, repeated advances, and shows of frustration when she denied him. That showed good character. She was strong and willing but did not go into anything completely blind. Cat questioned and reasoned and learned to trust her instinct as Finnegan instructed her to do.
Todd was a typical teenage boy. But he seemed to really care for Cat despite not always showing it, especially when she denied him sex. Hayden was a wonderful older brother and obvious best friend. Their close relationship was nice. Rolf left me a bit uneasy. I know he is meant to be her life partner but there’s something not quite right about him. Red flags kept popping up in my mind as I read this story.
The action was pretty good. Cat’s rival, Valentine, was an interesting enemy. It was unusual to have an antagonist follow the rules. Valentine knew she couldn’t touch Cat while she was underage. She didn’t try to but she found ways to terrorize her without violating that genie law.
A few things that fell short for me…
In the beginning the southern drawl was spelled out phonetically. That made it almost impossible to read the dialogue. For me, describing that a character has a deep southern drawl is sufficient enough. Also, there was an awful lot of swearing in the beginning by the teens. I know teens swear but it wasn’t necessary and didn’t help the plot or the dialogue move. Thankfully, these two issues were only in the beginning of the book.
What was the significance of 2:32 a.m.? Will we find this out in later books? I hope so because it kept showing up and it seems like there should be something really special or magical about it.
Would I recommend it: I would recommend this book.
Will I read it again: I will not read this book again. However, I would be interested in reading the next book in The Djinn Master’s Legacy series.
About the book: AND THE STORY BEGINS…
In the early morning hours nearing her 17th birthday, Cat Townsend woke to the sudden blur of a mysterious unknown man sitting on the edge of her bed. She did not feel fear – rather a strange calmness overtook her. In an instant their eyes locked, he lightly touched her hand, and then he disappeared into the nothingness of night.
Caught in that undefined place between asleep and awake, the moment felt hazy and surreal. A chill ran down Cat’s spine as she glances at the time – it’s 2:32 a.m.
What unfolds in the first book of The Djinn Master’s Legacy trilogy, is young Cat’s personal struggle with the overwhelming choice to accept a destiny of magic. As she contemplates the merits of unparalleled power, her new and ordinary world in Savannah, Georgia is understandably shaken. The closer her decision gets, the more twisted her life with family, friends and boyfriend becomes. Will she choose to give up everything she cherishes?
Find out, in 2:32 A.M. The time everything happens.
Every Free Chance Book Reviews is pleased to welcome Emily Ford, author of 2:32 A.M., to the blog today! She has written a guest post about how she chose the locales for specific scenes in 2:32 A.M.
People wonder how authors select locales for scenes in their book. For me, all the locations in The Djinn Master’s Legacy trilogy have been places I’ve visited and loved. (Never been anywhere I haven’t liked yet!) While traveling incessantly for my “real job,” I always took pictures and notes about places that would provide interesting settings for my scenes.
I chose Savannah, Georgia as protagonist Cat Townsend’s hometown not only because of its historic southern charm and stunning beauty, but it had all the elements I needed for her story. It’s a nice-sized city with a small town feel, I had to have water and a nearby beach, (The Savannah River run through town and empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Tybee Island.). And of course there had to be a rich, bustling music scene for Hayden!
For the camp locale, there’s a plethora of stunning settings to choose from in this country. From Minnesota to Michigan, Wisconsin to the Eastern Seaboard, and anywhere West, the options are endless.
However, in my heart, there’s no place like Harrison, Maine! I, myself spent seven summers swimming in the frigid water, and have never forgotten the sights, sounds, and smells there. To all those kids lucky enough to go to summer camp somewhere, you know what I’m talking about! To those of you who will experience camp for the first time through 2:32 A.M., I hope I do justice to the natural beauty and bring the experience to you.
The Irish countryside was the perfect landscape for an all out “genie” war between the “very old guard and the rookie” in 2:32 A.M. In fact, as the series unfolds, you will discover what role genies played in the history of these ancient lands now called the United Kingdom. It necessitated quite a bit of research to find the right tie-in for all these earliest genies.
As a writer, choosing the locale for a scene might be my favorite part. And yes, I have tried one on for size, then changed my mind when the feel wasn’t completely right. Alas, I must keep traveling to keep up with the Genie world. Poor, poor me!
About the author: Debut novelist Emily Ford has always been a storyteller. As a kid at summer camp in Maine, she’d make up ghost stories at bedtime for her fellow bunkmates.
Her Djinn Master’s Legacy trilogy also began as a simple bedtime story, intended for Ford’s then adolescent children to have in writing and use to tell their own kids one day. By the time she finished writing, she had three very full books.
2:32 a.m., Ford’s first installment of her young adult series, caught early readers’ attention as a fiction book minus the typical vampire and werewolf characters.
The Texas writer interned each summer with KHOU-TV in Houston while gaining her bachelor’s degree in radio and television at The University of Arizona. She worked on the copy desk at The Dallas Morning News, and eventually started the marketing company KapsMark, Inc.
Find Ms. Ford here: web, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads
And now, Emily Ford and JKS Communications are giving you a chance to win a $20 iTunes gift card!! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below for your chance to win! (US only)
Please enjoy the following excerpt from 2:32 A.M.
Chapter 1: Reality
Sixteen-year-old Cat moaned as she opened her bleary eyes and glanced around the unfamiliar bedroom.
“What a dream,” she grimaced. She was remembering the unsettling images of the black man, the scary woman and the handsome Todd Wilkinson. However, it was the powerful sense of being out of her body, astral projection — that made her skin crawl. Sitting up abruptly in bed, Cat attempted to shake off an icy feeling. Something had happened to her last night. She didn’t know how she knew this or what it meant, but she was certain it was true.
Her thoughts wandered to Todd. She hadn’t seen or heard from him in ten years, since her family moved from Florida to Colorado. As of yesterday, that was officially two moves back. She pulled the covers tightly under her chin and sighed; that felt like a lifetime ago.
So why dream of him now? She couldn’t answer that. But, knowing he was real made her wonder if the hideous lady was too. And, what about the black man, was it possible he had actually been here?
She shook her head trying to rid herself of the image and glanced at the piles of unpacked boxes cluttering her room. She thought perhaps she dreamt of Todd because they’d moved again. “Another night in a new bed, a new town, a new life….”
“Cat, get up!” Hayden bellowed from downstairs. Hayden was her eighteen-year-old brother. His voice jolted her back to reality. She flew from bed as he again hollered, “Cat, get down here, quick!”
She glanced at the clock. 11:43 a.m. “Just a minute!” she called and jumped out of bed. She pulled out fresh shorts and a t-shirt from a nearby box and, quickly, detoured to her bathroom before bolting down the stairs. “Easy Hay, what’s up?”
He just smirked.
“Uh-oh, you’re up to something, I can tell.”
“I’m not sayin. But, you have to come with me right now!”
“Where the…?” She mumbled and followed him to the car. She shrugged. “We might as well get a look at Savannah. I haven’t been out of this house since we rolled up.”
Her brother said nothing as his smile turned to an all-out grin. It wasn’t like him to keep her in suspense; secrets just weren’t his thing.
Just seventeen months apart they were practically twins and the best of friends. As he drove down the driveway, Cat pulled down the sun guard and glanced in the mirror. She frowned. Her long, chestnut-brown hair was a mess so she pulled it up in a ponytail.
In the mirror, she glanced back at their new house. She liked the regal, two-story white Colonial with black shutters and trim. The porch was an expansive wrap-around with a nice swing. The front yard was large with lush green grass. And, majestic oak trees stood in a line as if protecting a slice of southern history.
There were five additional houses on their street. Each one set back on its own lot. It was difficult to see some of the homes, especially, the house next door at the end of the cul-de-sac. It looked like something out of Gone With The Wind.
“Feels like a sauna here,” Cat said. She wiped her brow. “I’m literally soaked.”
“Yep…” Hayden agreed, “It’s a far cry from the cool summers of Colorado. But I like it here. The music scene is amazing.”
“Really, already…? We’ve been here less than twenty-four hours and you’ve had time to check out the music?”
“Of course,” he laughed. Cat glanced at her oldest brother and knew he was destined to be a rock-star. He had the look, the voice, and the charisma to be great. Perhaps, he would be a superstar!
“Look Cat.” He pointed toward City Market in the historic section of downtown Savannah. It was already packed with shoppers and diners. There was also a stage set up for a band. The port town of Savannah was huge compared to the small sleepy mining town they’d come from.
“Whoa, check out that group of kids hanging out in front of that ice cream parlor.
Hayden, let’s stop! I want to get out and walk around.”
“Not yet, there’s someone I want you to see first.”
“See?” she asked. She starred at his smug expression. “Who in the world could I possibly want to see? Have you already found someone you know?”
“I’m not telling. It’s a surprise!”
He turned up the radio and music blared from the open windows.
They turned away from the river and Cat saw the entrance to Savannah Hills High School. Catherine Ann Townsend would be starting her junior year there in just days. Catherine was a name she never used.
“Here we are,” Hayden said. They pulled into the parking lot of the football stadium. Practice was in session.
Cat looked curiously at her brother. “So why exactly are we here?”
Hayden grinned, broadly, and said nothing.
“Great!” Cat muttered. She got out of the car and followed him to the bleachers.
Hayden waved at a player at mid-field. The person turned toward them.
Curiosity and nerves hit her. “Quick, so I don’t make a complete ass out of myself who is that?”
“Nope, you’ve got to guess.”
Cat peered toward the field and mumbled, “Freak.”
The guy came closer pulling at his helmet. Cat noticed his size. He was well over six feet tall, seriously sweating, and undeniably cute. He got to the bleachers, shook out his wet hair, and flashed an enormous smile. His two mammoth dimples were a dead giveaway.
Cat froze. It was–Todd Wilkinson! Although, he was much cuter in person, the uncanny resemblance to the Todd in her dream made her shiver. She wondered what he was doing here.
“Hey Kitty Cat it’s been awhile!” Todd’s deep voice rang out.
Cat blushed hard. It was impossible to keep her emotions from hijacking her confident self away. She heard her voice speak, but had no idea what she was saying. “Todd Wilkinson– who’d have thought it?”
Cat continued her internal gaping. The accuracy of her dream was unnerving. “Wow, I can’t believe it’s him and he’s here.”
Cat couldn’t tear her gaze from him. More words spewed from her mouth. “You were a kid with a geeky buzz cut, big ears, and a big mouth when I last saw you.”
“Yeah, and you were a skinny little runt with a permanent layer of dirt all over your face.”
She giggled. Goose bumps rose like mountains on her arms even in the extreme heat. Seeing Todd was shocking. It was nearly impossible to believe her family had moved halfway across the country and then landed next door to the Wilkinson’s.
Her mind could process nothing but the big brown eyes that danced in delight as he gazed at her. Todd glanced anxiously at Hayden who still looked elated. Cat couldn’t focus. Memories of the three of them came to her. They spent long lazy afternoons together at the beach, fished with string, throw sand at each other, and would dig to China and collecting shells from the beach.
Todd and Hayden had been best friends then. And, even though she was young, and Todd had teased her unmercifully, she’d had a total crush on him. It had been horrible to say goodbye when they’d moved to Colorado. Hayden talked about Todd for years after they left. Whatever she imagined happened to him, she never dreamed a kid so geeky could grow up to look so great.
She couldn’t stop from staring.
Todd laughed and said, “Take a picture it’ll last longer!”
Cat turned away her face was growing crimson again. Todd and Hayden howled in delight.
Embarrassed, she stammered, “You-you know what? You may look different but you haven’t changed a bit. You’re still a creep Todd Wilkinson!”
She looked away and her heart pumped, furiously. Todd’s laugh rang out as he put his helmet on and headed back to the field. He turned to face her and shouted, “But, you’ve changed Cat Townsend! And, you look really good all grown up. See ya, Hayden.” He waved goodbye and was off.
On the outside, Cat appeared calm, cool, and collected as she followed Hayden back to the car. But on the inside she was mush. Her legs felt wobbly. Wiping her sweaty hands on her shorts she muttered, “Can’t believe he’s here, in Savannah. What are the odds?”
“Yep, it’s pretty cool, isn’t it?” Her brother beamed.
“Really…?” She rolled her eyes. “He’s still an ass.”
Hayden burst out laughing. “No he’s not and you know it! That’s why your face is still beet red.”
In the car Cat felt strange. Her body trembled from the inside out. It wasn’t just her attraction to Todd getting to her. It was the awareness somewhere in the back of her mind that seeing Todd was no accident. “Listen, Hayden…I need to tell you…I had another one of those dreams last night. You know the one’s I’ve told you about where it feels 3D, like I’m a freak of nature?”
“Ye-ah,” he said with some hesitation.
“Yeah, well…last night I dreamt of Todd — twice.” She glanced sideways at her brother. His smile faded away. “One was more of a memory — we were kids again. We were playing on the beach and he was teasing me. The other was weird and horrible – impossible to describe really. Anyway, then he shows up here? I think that’s more than a coincidence, don’t you?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know Cat. These dreams of yours have always been creepy to me. They don’t make sense. It’s probably nothing.”
“It’s nothing?” Cat countered, sarcastically. She stared at her brother.
His quick glance silenced her all the way home.
They walked up the steps of the front porch and opened the door. “Hey Momma,” Cat called out. She was overly enthusiastic trying to shake off the ominous feeling she had. Both, she and Hayden, carefully made their way around their mother’s petite frame and the unpacked boxes that littered the hardwood floors.
“Where have you two been?” she asked. She was standing knee deep in Styrofoam peanuts and crumpled newspapers. She stopped flattening boxes to gaze at them with her sparkling emerald green eyes.
“Here, let me help you,” Cat offered.
“No dear, that’s alright, you know I need to do this myself. It helps me acclimate.”
At that moment, Rex Cat’s younger brother by eighteen months, walked in from the kitchen. He was holding a family-sized bag of Fritos. And Drew, her fourteen-year-old brother was just one step behind him.
“Hey where’d ya go? And, why’d you leave us here?” Rex asked. He had his mouth full. Cat glanced at Rex and marveled at the dirty blond curls that bounced across his forehead. She constantly thought how amazing it was. Rex, alone, had inherited his blond hair and brown eyes from their father, while the rest of them got their mother’s brown hair and green eyes.
Taking a few chips from the bag, Hayden grinned at Rex. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” he teased.
Cat huffed.
Her mother looked up in surprise. “Well?”
“You’re never going to guess who lives here,” Hayden blurted out.
“Who,” she asked. She stopped folding tissue.
“Todd Wilkinson!” Hayden beamed. Cat rolled her eyes again. Her father stumbled from his office to join them. His laughter filled the room.
“You’re kidding!” exclaimed her mother as she looked up. “The Wilkinson’s live here…in Savannah? I’ll have to call Susanna. I haven’t spoken with her in years. So, what’s Todd like these days?”
Cat glanced at her father; his dirty blond hair was hidden under a baseball cap and his glasses were perched on his nose.
“That’s the kid from Florida, right?” Rex interrupted. He stuffed another handful of Fritos into his mouth. “Even though I was young, I remember he was cool.”
“He’s still a jerk,” Cat said. She picked up some trash from the table and took it toward the kitchen.
“You are so full of shit Cat!” Hayden teased. “You totally think he’s hot, it’s written all over your face!” She heard his boisterous laugh behind her as she escaped into the kitchen.
“Hey- watch your language!” scolded her father. Then he returned to his office.
“Didn’t he have a sister named Allison, or something like that?” Rex asked. Putting down the Frito’s bag and licked the salt from his fingers.
“Anna,” Cat called out from inside the refrigerator. Another icy chill pierced her spine as she thought of Todd’s family living so close to them.
Happy reading wherever you are and whenever you get a free chance!!!
10 Comments
by Ryan Snyder
🙂 wow. this book sounds interesting. i will admit i have seen this cover on goodreads, but i had no idea it had genies in it. 😀 way cool.
by The Every Free Chance Reader
I wouldn’t have guessed it had genies either from the cover! Thanks for stopping by my blog, entering the giveaway, and following my blog!
by Kaci Verdun
Great giveaway, thanks for the chance to win! I haven’t heard of this book but it sounds interesting and i like the storyline of genies!
by The Every Free Chance Reader
You’re welcome! Thank you for entering and checking out my blog! I was intrigued as well by the genie storyline…it was something new for me as well. Good luck!
by Erika
Thanks for the excerpt and the chance to win such a great giveaway!
by The Every Free Chance Reader
No problem! Thanks for checking out the post and for entering the giveaway! Good Luck!
by Lesley D
Sounds interesting! Thanks for the giveaway!
by The Every Free Chance Reader
It is my pleasure, Lesley! Good luck!
by sasha payne
Good review! Thanks for the giveaway!
by The Every Free Chance Reader
Thanks and you’re welcome! Good Luck!