Mundie Moms

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

THE GIRL AT MIDNIGHT by Melissa Grey; Blog Tour: Book Review & Giveaway



Hello & welcome to today's blog tour stop for THE GIRL AT MIDNIGHT by Melissa Grey. Check out my review for Melissa's book, and don't forget to enter to win!!

ABOUT THE BOOK


By: Melissa Grey
Published by: Delacorte Books
Released on: April 28th, 2015
Source: book from publisher to review in exchange for my honest review
Purchase it from: AmazonBarnes & NobleKobo, Indiebound, Powell’s
Add it to: Goodreads
ORDER A SIGNED COPY FROM BOOKS OF WONDER
For readers of Cassandra Clare’s City of Bones and Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone, The Girl at Midnight is the story of a modern girl caught in an ancient war.
Beneath the streets of New York City live the Avicen, an ancient race of people with feathers for hair and magic running through their veins. Age-old enchantments keep them hidden from humans. All but one. Echo is a runaway pickpocket who survives by selling stolen treasures on the black market, and the Avicen are the only family she’s ever known.
Echo is clever and daring, and at times she can be brash, but above all else she’s fiercely loyal. So when a centuries-old war crests on the borders of her home, she decides it’s time to act.
Legend has it that there is a way to end the conflict once and for all: find the Firebird, a mythical entity believed to possess power the likes of which the world has never seen. It will be no easy task, but if life as a thief has taught Echo anything, it’s how to hunt down what she wants … and how to take it.
But some jobs aren’t as straightforward as they seem. And this one might just set the world on fire.
An epic debut! Melissa Grey's writing is awesome. She delivered on everything I look for in an epic fantasy. A strong, witty protagnoist who has the right amount of snark, secondary characters whom I loved just as much as the main character, a rich mythology and equally rich legend, a great character quest, action mixed with the right amount of romance, and a world that along with it's characters, is so beautifully and vividly described, it felt like I was part of their story.

The characters
These characters are so well written. I love it when characters within a story, no matter how big or little their role is, have a purpose for being in the story. Each of the characters in this story, both good and bad, where so well described and developed. They all brought so much to the story itself. I felt like I got to know each character individually. I really enjoyed getting to know our main character Echo. She is one fiery character. I admired her strength, I loved her snark, and I really enjoyed watching her growth on her journey. She is one heck of protagonist. She's right up there with a few of my favorites.

The world. 
This world is so well crafted. I love reading books that include a world that exists within our own world. The Girl of Midnight's world is just that. The characters are able to move about their world, as well as ours. I love the element of magic that is within this story that allows that happen. This leads me to my next favorite thing about this book, the legend and mythology. Normally I'm not a fan when a book is marketed and compared to other hugely popular books, like Cassandra Clare, and Leigh Barudgo's books. These are two authors I absolutely love. Now I can see why The Girl at Midnight is compared to their books. Melissa Grey's writing is similar to theirs, and her story telling is very much in the same league as the these two powerhouse story tellers.

The Writing, Legend & the Mythology
I love how rich and enticing Grey's writing is. Her mythology and legend in this book are richly crafted. Here's the thing, when it comes to a fantasy story, if you've failed to create a mythology and legend that make up the heart of your story, which this one does, than you've lost me with your story. Grey not only created a legend and mythology that drove her story, it was one of my favorite things about the story. It tells of the history of the two groups of characters who make up the story. It's the heart of what the story is about for these characters. I really enjoyed getting to understand the two sides of the story, and the troubled history between the two races. There are the Avicen, Echo's people whom are birds, and the Drakhairn, the dragons.

Read This Book. Finally, The Girl At Midnight surpassed my reading expectations. It was everything I had hoped it would have been and so much. This is one fantastic fantasy that just very well may end up on my top ten list at the end of this year. Yes, it was that good. At that cover, it is such a perfect match for the story. If you're looking for an epic read with incredible story telling, awesome characters, and a beautifully written, hard to put down read, pick this one up! It's a story you'll want to read more of. I can not wait for it's sequel!

Praise for THE GIRL AT MIDNIGHT:
"Grey’s energetic debut offers a strong protagonist…[and the] well-built world, vivid characters, and perfect blend of action and amour should have readers eagerly seeking the sequel." — Kirkus Reviews, Starred
 "Sparks fly...This first novel will please fans of Cassandra Clare and Game of Thrones watchers with its remarkable world building; richly developed characters...[and] a breathtaking climax that...cannot come soon enough!""—Booklist starred review
"Inventive, gorgeous, and epic—Grey dazzles in her debut." — Danielle Paige, New York Times bestselling author of Dorothy Must Die
“A stunning debut. Equal parts atmosphere and adventure … positively divine.” – Victoria Schwab, author of A Darker Shade of Magic


About Melissa
Melissa Grey was born and raised in New York City. She wrote her first short story at the age of twelve and hasn't stopped writing since. After earning a degree in fine arts at Yale University, she traveled the world, then returned to New York City where she currently works as a freelance journalist. To learn more about Melissa, visit melissa-grey.com and follow @meligrey on Twitter.

Enter to Win
1 winner will receive a signed Hardcover of THE GIRL AT MIDNIGHT! US Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tour Schedule
Week One
4/20/2015- Novel SoundsGuest Post
4/21/2015- CuddlebuggeryReview
4/22/2015- ParajunkeeInterview
4/23/2015- FiktshunReview
4/24/2015- Dahlia AdlerGuest Post
Week Two
4/27/2015- Paperback PrincessReview
4/28/2015- Bookish BroadsInterview
4/29/2015- Mundie MomsReview
4/30/2015- Two Chicks on BooksGuest Post
5/1/2015- Icey BooksReview

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