Title: Seven Deadly ShadowsBy Courtney Alameda & Valynne E. Maetani
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: January 28th 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal
Synopsis: Kira Fujikawa has always been a girl on the fringe. Bullied by her peers and ignored by her parents, the only place Kira’s ever felt at home is at her grandfather’s Shinto shrine, where she trains to be a priestess.But Kira’s life is shattered on the night her family’s shrine is attacked by a vicious band of yokai demons. With the help of Shiro—the shrine’s gorgeous half-fox, half-boy kitsune—Kira discovers that her shrine harbors an ancient artifact of great power . . . one the yokai and their demon lord, Shuten-doji, will use to bring down an everlasting darkness upon the world.
Unable to face the Shuten-doji and his minions on her own, Kira enlists the aid of seven ruthless shinigami—or death gods—to help stop the brutal destruction of humankind. But some of the death gods aren’t everything they initially seemed, nor as loyal to Kira’s cause as they first appeared.
With war drawing nearer by the day, Kira realizes that if this unlikely band of heroes is going to survive, they’re going to have to learn to work together, confront their demons, and rise as one to face an army of unimaginable evil.
Alright I’m a sucker for books mixed with mythology and this one hit the spot! The book starts off on the ground running with a huge battle at Kira’s grandfather’s shrine. That night changes her life forever. The pace of the books pretty consistent throughout the rest of it as we are given lots of action. There’s magic, creepy monsters, a wee bit of romance (slightly rushed/predictable but still good), wonderful character development, and of course, mythology! I loved how our MC went from being a timid character to a strong, badass, fighting hero. I was completely immersed in the story the whole time and did not want it to end. I will definitely be looking forward to any future books written by these two!
FAVORITE QUOTES
I am a girl surrounded by monsters and ghosts from an ancient world. Most days, they scare me less than people do.
When people know your weaknesses, they can exploit them. Or in the very least, they’ll think less of you for them.“This mutt managed to set your precious palace on fire,” I say, drawing my sword. The dying sunlight glints off its blade. “I’d be careful, Tamamo-no-Mae. Even mutts have teeth.”“I’m not ashamed of who I am,” I tell her, taking the shards of the Kusanagi no Tsurugi from my back and resting them on the altar. “Not anymore.”BOOK LINKS
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31248158-seven-deadly-shadows
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2NyyhGK
iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/seven-deadly-shadows/id1278864114?ign-mpt=uo%3D4
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seven-deadly-shadows-courtney-alameda/1131419129
Bookdepository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Seven-Deadly-Shadows-Courtney-Alameda/9780062855701?ref=grid-view&qid=1573461648412&sr=1-5
Google Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Courtney_Alameda_Seven_Deadly_Shadows?id=vdCXDwAAQBAJ
COURTNEY ALAMEDA
A veteran bookseller and librarian, Courtney Alameda now spends her days writing thriller and horror novels for young people. Her debut novel, SHUTTER, was nominated for a Bram Stoker award and hailed as a “standout in the genre” by School Library Journal. Her forthcoming novel, PITCH DARK (Spring 2017), is a genre-blending science fiction/horror novel in the vein of Ridley Scott’s 1979 film ALIEN.Courtney holds a B.A. in English literature with an emphasis in creative writing. She is represented by the talented John M. Cusick of Folio Literary. A Northern California native, she now resides in Utah with her husband, a legion of books, and a tiny five pound cat with a giant personality.VALYNNE E. MAETANI
Valynne E. Maetani (pronounced Vuh-lin Mah-eh-tah-nee) grew up in Utah and obtained a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. In a former life, she was a project manager and developed educational software for children with learning disabilities. Currently, she is a full-time writer. She is a member of the We Need Diverse Books team and is dedicated to promoting diversity in children’s literature because every child should grow up believing his or her story deserves to be told. Her debut novel, Ink and Ashes, is the winner of the New Visions Award 2013, a Junior Library Guild 2015 selection, and Best Fiction Book in Salt Lake City Weekly’s Best of Utah Arts Award for 2015. She lives in Salt Lake City.AUTHOR LINKS
COURTNEY ALAMEDA
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6983061.Courtney_Alameda
Website: http://www.courtneyalameda.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/courtalameda
Tumblr: https://courtneyalamedabooks.tumblr.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/courtneyabooks/?fref=ts
VALYNNE E. MAETANI
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8473856.Valynne_E_Maetani
Website: https://www.valynne.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/valynnemaetani
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valynne
TOUR SCHEDULE
https://fantasticflyingbookclub.blogspot.com/2019/11/tour-schedule-seven-deadly-shadows-by.html
GIVEAWAY
Grand Prize: Win a signed copy of SEVEN DEADLY SHADOWS, a signed copy of Courtney Alameda’s SHUTTER, and a signed copy of Valynne Maetani’s INK AND ASHES; anime portraits of Kira and Shiro; a stuffed fox omamori charm from the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine in Japan; an origami fox hand-folded by Valynne Maetani; a yokai mini sticker sheet; and an assortment of Japanese Kit Kats (not pictured) [INT]
Second Prize: Win (1) of (2) A signed copy of SEVEN DEADLY SHADOWS with anime portraits of Kira and Shiro (INT)
OPEN INTERNATIONALLY
Starts: 28th January 2020
Ends: 11th February 2020
Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d9681b86452/?
Shelf-Rated 