Review: Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

VESSEL
By: Sarah Beth Durst
Published By: Margaret K. McElderry
Release Date: Sept. 11, 2012
Series: None
Pages: 424
Genre: Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Publisher
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: In a desert world of sandstorms and sand-wolves, a teen girl must defy the gods to save her tribe in this mystical, atmospheric tale from the author of Drink, Slay, Love.

Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.

Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.

The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice: She must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate—or a human girl can muster some magic of her own.



Last year I read Sarah Beth Durst's book Drink Slay Love, which I really enjoyed. When I saw the gorgeous cover and synopsis for Vessel, I was sure that I would enjoy it too, and I was right. Vessel is a transportive, beautiful book with just the right mixture of drama, humor, and love.

From an early age, Liyana has known her purpose in life - she will serve as a vessel so that Bayla, the goddess of her clan, can inhabit on earth. For years Liyana trained with her clan's magician to prepare for the summoning ceremony. But when the ceremony is held, Bayla never comes. Abandoned by her clan in the hopes that they will find a worthier vessel, Liyana is left on her own in the desert. But soon she is found by Korbyn, the god of another clan, and he tells Liyana that the gods and goddesses are trapped. Together they set off on a rescue mission. Only the mission is not as straightforward as it seems. Forces outside of their control are at work, and there is only so much one girl and one god can do. But the extra time on earth only leaves Liyana wanting more. If she can find her goddess, will she really be willing to surrender her body now?

From the very first page, Vessel had me hooked. The beautiful descriptions of a desert sunrise drew me in, but the story itself was engrossing. A journey across a desert could become monotonous to read, but not in Vessel. Korbyn was always entertaining, and I loved watching the relationship between him and Liyana developing. In addition, other characters come into play, each so vivid that I felt as though I were in the desert with them. Liyana herself is a great heroine; she is strong and resourceful, willing to take risks and to do what needs to be done. There are several chapters from another point of view, and I really enjoyed seeing how the two narratives unfolded side by side. Also woven through the novel are mythological-esque stories told by Liyana and others as well as fantastical creatures, which give rich history and complexity to the world of Vessel.

Despite everything that happens in Vessel, there is one thing that I would have liked to have seen developed more. However, at the risk of spoiling anything, I will keep what that is a secret. I also have to say that Vessel is unique in a way - it's not often that there are stand-alone fantasy books due to the complex nature of the worlds. Vessel is a stand-alone, but it is neither hurried and crammed nor lacking in some aspect. Instead, the story is just what it needs to be.

Vessel is another fantastic novel from Sarah Beth Durst, guaranteed to make you feel as though you are in a desert world, to make you laugh, smile, and perhaps even put a tear in your eye. I look forward to seeing what Sarah Beth Durst writes next!

Teaser Tuesday (58)

I'm very excited to be one of the many blogs participating in Teaser Tuesdays! TT is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To participate:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"She wasn't supposed to live past yesterday. Ever since her dreamwalk, she had been the girl with no future. Others, like Ger and Esti, had made plans. Others looked ahead. She never had. She'd known her fate. Bow now...her future was as empty and terrifying as the desert that stretched around her in all directions."


p. 44 from VESSEL by Sarah Beth Durst
Please share your teasers - post them or link to your blog!

"Waiting on" Wednesday

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.



This week's selection is:

VESSEL
By: Sarah Beth Durst
Published By: Margaret K. McElderry
Release Date: Sept. 11, 2012
Preorder the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: In a desert world of sandstorms and sand-wolves, a teen girl must defy the gods to save her tribe in this mystical, atmospheric tale from the author of Drink, Slay, Love. Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana's body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana's goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.

Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god's help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god's tale.

The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice: She must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate--or a human girl can muster some magic of her own.



Why it's wanted:
I really enjoyed Sarah Beth Durst's last book, Drink Slay Love. This new story sounds very interesting and I want to know how everything plays out for Liyana!

Author Interview & Giveaway: Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst

DRINK, SLAY, LOVE by Sarah Beth Durst

Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire... fond of blood, allergic to sunlight, and mostly evil... until the night a sparkly unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops.

Her family thinks she was attacked by a vampire hunter (because, obviously, unicorns don't exist), and they're shocked she survived. They're even more shocked when Pearl discovers she can now withstand the sun. But they quickly find a way to make use of her new talent. The Vampire King of New England has chosen Pearl's family to host his feast. If Pearl enrolls in high school, she can make lots of human friends and lure them to the King's feast -- as the entrees.

The only problem? Pearl's starting to feel the twinges of a conscience. How can she serve up her new friends—especially the cute guy who makes her fangs ache—to be slaughtered? Then again, she's definitely dead if she lets down her family. What's a sunlight-loving vamp to do? (From Goodreads)

You can read my review here.



~INTERVIEW~


I'm very excited to have Sarah Beth Durst here today. I had the pleasure of interviewing Sarah last year for ENCHANTED IVY and was thrilled to have the opportunity to talk with her again about DRINK SLAY LOVE. Please take a few minutes to learn more about this amazing author!


You’ve said that the idea that unicorns would be natural vampire hunters occurred to you one day, and DRINK SLAY LOVE grew from this. How did that thought transform into a family of were-unicorns?

A lonely unicorn is a heartbreaking sight. All the sparkles fall from its hide like rain... Okay, seriously, I wanted my were-unicorn to come from a loving, functional family to contrast with Pearl's (my vampire girl) Mafia-like, spare-the-rod-but-bring-out-the-medieval-torture-devices, don't-bring-anyone-home-for-dinner-unless-you-want-him-to-be-dinner, totally dysfunctional family.

If Pearl could say anything to anyone in her family without repercussions, who would she choose and what would she say?

She would tell her daddy she loves him. Hah, no! She'd be much more likely to tell her mother that she's a psycho. Or Uncle Stefan that he's an uber-psycho. Or Jeremiah that his breath stinks...

All of your stories have an element of fantasy or the paranormal. Why do you feel drawn to these genres?

I believe the old sage advice "Write what you know" should really be "Write what you love." And I love fantasy. I love the sense of optimism and empowerment that comes with a story about facing the impossible. And I love the sheer awesomeness of writing about things that don't (and can't) exist.

Out of all of the characters you’ve written, which do you connect with the most? Which did you enjoy writing the most?

I connected the most with Lily (from Enchanted Ivy). She's driven to pursue her dreams, and she really loves her family. Also, she gets to ride a dragon and I've ALWAYS wanted to ride a dragon.

The character I most enjoyed writing was Pearl (from Drink, Slay, Love). She's fearless, funny, and mostly evil. It was very freeing to write about someone who doesn't suffer fools and who is pretty much made of snark.

If you could visit a world created in a book, which book would you choose? What would you do there?

I'd visit Narnia (but only after the defeat of the Witch). I have a fondness for talking animals. In fact, it is my firmly held belief that all novels can be improved by the addition of a talking cat.

What is your favorite quote?

"If you're afraid of the dark, remember the night rainbow." -- Cooper Edens

What can you tell us about your next project?

My next novel is called Vessel. It's a standalone YA fantasy novel, and it will be out from Simon & Schuster in fall 2012. I'm really, really excited about it!

Thanks so much for interviewing me!


Thank you for stopping by! If you're curious about DRINK SLAY LOVE now (and you should be!), see below for details of how to win a copy!



~GIVEAWAY~

Because I really enjoyed this book and think others will too, you all have the chance to win a copy of DRINK, SLAY, LOVE! To enter, please fill out the form below.

This contest is open INTERNATIONALLY as long as The Book Depository ships to your country. Must be 13 to enter. Please see my Contest Policy for more information.

This contest will close on Friday, November 11 at 12 midnight CST.

This contest is closed.

Review: Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst

DRINK, SLAY, LOVE
By: Sarah Beth Durst
Published By: Margaret K. McElderry
Release Date: Sept. 13, 2011
Series: None
Pages: 320
Genre: Paranormal
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ALA
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire... fond of blood, allergic to sunlight, and mostly evil... until the night a sparkly unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops.

Her family thinks she was attacked by a vampire hunter (because, obviously, unicorns don't exist), and they're shocked she survived. They're even more shocked when Pearl discovers she can now withstand the sun. But they quickly find a way to make use of her new talent. The Vampire King of New England has chosen Pearl's family to host his feast. If Pearl enrolls in high school, she can make lots of human friends and lure them to the King's feast -- as the entrees.

The only problem? Pearl's starting to feel the twinges of a conscience. How can she serve up her new friends—especially the cute guy who makes her fangs ache—to be slaughtered? Then again, she's definitely dead if she lets down her family. What's a sunlight-loving vamp to do?



I know what you're thinking - vampires and unicorns couldn't possibly go together. But in Drink, Slay, Love, they do. I have to admit that I've always had a soft spot for unicorns (I blame Fantasia), so that and the cover were what drew me to this book. And I was not disappointed.

Pearl knows exactly who she is - a vampire, one of the youngest vampires in her Family, and a vampire with a fondness for ice cream-infused blood. And then one night, everything changes. She is stabbed by a unicorn's horn, only she doesn't die; instead, she wakes up back at her house, confronted by a family who doesn't believe her story of the attack, left wondering if her memories are true. Over the next few days, Pearl begins to discover the effects of her attack. She can walk in sunlight, and humans no longer seem to be simply a source of sustenance. This conscience only grows stronger as Pearl enrolls in high school (what could be a bountiful hunting ground for her Family) and begins to make friends. But no matter how close she becomes to Bethany, or what she might feel for Evan, she can neither abandon her hunt for the unicorn who changed her nor escape her Family. But when the two worlds collide, which one will she choose?

Though the vampires in Drink, Slay, Love may be very close to vampire canon, this book is certainly not your typical vampire story. While Pearl struggles with her family responsibilities and what she comes to believe is right, she is not afraid to stand up for herself when she needs to. I loved reading about her journey of self-discovery and how she came to realize that sometimes, you can't do things simply because your family or your boyfriend expects you to. The shift in her feelings about Evan and the fact that she finally opened up to him yielded some very sweet scenes. But despite her assimilation into the human world, Pearl still had her vampiric connections. Even though her family frustrated me at times, I really enjoyed reading their family dynamic and watching these different characters come to life. I also liked her Uncle Pascha's quotes from literature. Finally, the fact that unicorns are the antithesis to vampires in this book - pure genius.

The only thing I did have trouble believing in this book was Pearl's easy infiltration of the various high school cliques - could a new student really have reached that many people, especially after some unusual stunts? That being said, Pearl's many human activities made a nice contrast to her vampiric ones. And it was great to see her classmates work together when they needed to.

With plenty of action and a little romance, fans of the paranormal will enjoy this refreshing and creative twist of a vampire story. A fast-paced, fun read, Drink Slay Love will leave you wanting more.

Teaser Tuesday (8)

I'm very excited to be one of the many blogs participating in Teaser Tuesdays! TT is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To participate:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here is my teaser:


"He swallowed, and she held his gaze. And then she deliberately brushed past him and ran her finger through the blood on the wall. She didn't lift it to her lips, though. Instead, she turned back to Jadrien and ran her finger down his cheek, leaving a blood trail.
'Have a lovely night, Jadrien,' she said.
She walked out of the basement without looking back."


p. 154 (ARC) from DRINK, SLAY, LOVE by Sarah Beth Durst

Please share your teasers - post them or link to your blog!