5 out of 5 Stars
The Sacrificed by Jordan Link
Emerald Hayden lives in the lower levels of Centsia. In her world, walkers are considered beneath the winged and often are abused by them. They are forced to work in factories for the winged, and live on the lower level of Centsia. Emerald is a half breed, half winged and half walker. Because of her walker side she is cast away to the lower levels at a young age and left to survive on her own.
The world of the walkers is filled with hunger and decease. But step out of line and an even worse punishment awaits you. One night Emerald finds a winged boy feeding walker children, a forbidden act. He shows her the world of the winged and that some are not as cruel as she thought. With this he shows her that there is hope.
But their friendship is forbidden and soon Emerald runs into trouble with the council and their dreaded black eagles. But Emerald finds the courage to stand up against them and try and unite both winged and walker. But with every step she takes the council is one in front of her.
Emerald starts out as a young innocent girl just trying to survive. But as the story progress she starts revealing the brave side of her. I was enthralled with her courage and determination to find the truth about her world. Soon, she is transformed into the heroine she was meant to be. Dusk had me feeling hot and cold so many times. The same goes for Zoe. I kept asking, What? Why? How could he? Their characters take major twist and turns during the story. But they both make very interesting characters that will have you digging for reasons.
Jordan Link’s writing style was impressive and well written. This is such an interesting read; I couldn’t help matching it to Romeo and Juliet. The forbidden love, struggles and the entire famous love story is found packed inside this novel, with some exciting new turns. The plot had so many turns and surprises you are glued to the pages. Zoe and Dusk made sure that the reader’s emotions is flying high, and as the story progress you are blown away when the truth about them is revealed. This was an exciting adventure, and well worth five stars.
Quote from the book: “I’m ready to die now,” Emerald muttered, more to herself than anyone else. She wanted it all to be over. She didn’t want to think about it anymore. Those thoughts only caused her more pain, pain she couldn’t afford to feel right now.
Book Info-
Title: The Sacrificed
Author: Jordan Link
Genre: YA- Fantasy Romance
Length: 180 pgs
Release Date: May 6, 2013
Imprint: Blush
ISBN: 9781301216802
Blurb-
Emerald Hayden lives in the City of Centsia, a half-winged among the other walkers. She has no family, friends, or food: only a grim future filled with tiresome labor in the upper level’s factories. But everything changes when she meets Dusk, a winged from the place that she previously scorned. He opens her eyes to a new possibility: the possibility of the unity of winged and walkers, of freedom, and of love. Together, they decide to challenge the upper level’s supreme, winged council. But when a friend betrays them, they must choose whether to sacrifice their beliefs and save their own lives, or to remain along the thin line that divides the city in two. Success could mean liberty; failure, death
Book Links-
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Jordan joins us today for an interview, lets find out more about this amazing author.
Did you always wanted to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
I’m assuming that when I was very young, I wanted to be a princess, like most other girls of a similar age. After that, though, I developed a fascination with books and their creators. I aspired to be an author, and the rest is history.
When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?
The first time I truly considered this was when I began writing my first manuscript in the 8th grade. It was titled “Dream Travel”.
How long did it take to get your first book published?
I was contracted during the month of September last year. So, the whole process took about 8 months, from receiving the cover to completing long rounds of editing.
Do you do another job except for writing and can you tell us more about it?
No: I’m looking for a summer job in retail, but as of now writing is my only occupation.
What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?
My latest, and first, published novel is The Sacrificed. Flash summary: Emerald Hayden must upset the balance between winged and walkers to find true love and freedom.
Who is your publisher? Or do you self-publish?
My publisher is Entranced Publishing, an e-book publisher that has several imprints.
How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
The Sacrificed took two to three months to complete, from start to finish. Normally, I can write a book in this amount of time.
What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?
You can expect fantasy of a different nature. My most recent manuscript is packed with magic, characters, and more YA action.
What genre would you place your books into?
I would place my books into YA Fantasy.
What made you decide to write that genre of book?
I grew up reading young adult, and I fell in love with many of the fantastic worlds that I absorbed. After reading about epic battles with love triangles at sword-point, I grew disinterested with cliché realistic fiction tales.
Do you have a favorite character from your books? And why are they your favorite?
In The Sacrificed, my favorite character is Emerald Hayden, a 16-year-old half winged. She’s straight-forward, intelligent, and knows exactly what she wants. She doesn’t wait for others to change her situation. She is, in many ways, the orchestrator of her own fate.
How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?
Surprisingly, I’ve been reading much longer than I’ve been writing: for three years. The benefits of reading are now obvious to me: maturity, writing ability, and broad imagination are among the many pros. My mother was the gatekeeper to my writing talent. Whenever I asked for the next book in a series, or help with a contest entry, she would be there by my side.
Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?
I read about authors having certain routines, so I created one. Whenever I finish a novel, I do a little dance. I normally lay on my bed while in the process, but any music or surrounding noise tends to distract me.
Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?
So far, there haven’t been many reviews of The Sacrificed. Many people seem to be interested, but their interest hasn’t yet propelled them to click the ‘Purchase’ button. I’m hoping the increased publicity will help with that.
Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?
I map out the main plot points, and then chose the title of the novel. That way, I can sneak the title in at the very last sentence, or throughout the progression of the story.
How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?
For the names of characters, I either peruse through a medieval/fantasy baby name website, invent my own on a whim, or draw inspiration from my real-life friends. For place names, I wing it. Excuse the plot-related pun.
Are character names and place names decided after their creation? Or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?
A key part of a character is their name. A name can hold meaning and hint traits about a character that will soon be revealed. I reveal the characters to the reader after I reveal their names.
Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?
In The Sacrificed, characters change when faced with certain situations. In the end, it is up to the reader to decide how they perceived the characters, and what traits they deem were prevalent by the actions of the characters.
Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")
There are a few obvious ones: stay true to yourself, be confident, stand against corruption, take reasonable risks, and make wise decisions.
Which format of book do you prefer, eBook, hardback, or paperback?
To be honest, I prefer the comfort and security offered by a paperback. I remember diving under the covers as a younger girl, book and book-light clasped in warm hands. But I do not, in any way, object to eBooks. They are amazingly convenient for when I am on-the-go.
Music is one area that I am completely open to. To this day, I can’t name a favorite singer or group. Music is always changing, evolving. So are my tastes.
I am currently contracted with Entranced Publishing for my novel, The Sacrificed, which was released as an E-book on May 6th, 2013. I was also the first place winner of the Jack L. Chalker Young Writers' Contest in 2012 for my short story "The Bubble". I was accepted into the Oh, the Stories They Tell! anthology for my short story "Demon Slayer." The anthology will soon be released on Amazon
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