Promised by Caragh O'Brien

Promised by Caragh O'Brien
(The third book in the Birthmarked series)

Gaia Stone is now the leader of the people of Sylum and she has made the important decision to lead her people to the Promised land.  Sylum is dying because girl's are rarely born into this society.  Gaia Stone believes traveling back to the Enclave and appealing to the rational sensibilities of the Protectorat, also known as Leon's father, will grant them refuge outside the wall.  Gaia believes that here her people will thrive and grow.  Except the Protectorat is not rational or sensible and Gaia has led her people to a place where they will have to fight for their right to live and have fresh drinking water.

Leon and Gaia are in love and have been through a lot as a couple.  They have made plans to wed but first they must wait until the people of Sylum are accepted and are safe.  When they reach the wall of the Enclave, Gaia is immediately arrested.  There is a lot at stake and Gaia has much to lose and thus begins the battle of wills between Gaia, who will do anything for her people, and the Protectorat, who want the children of the Enclave free of hemophilia.

Promised is the third book in the Birthmarked series and it does not disappoint.  It is full of unexpected twists and turns and just when you think you have the story figured out, O'Brien mixes it up.  This series is amazing and it is equally as riveting at The Hunger Games.

O'Brien takes modern day issues like water rights, environmentalism, birth defects, pollution and places them in a science fiction context that is sure to get you thinking.  The books take place in Minnesota near the dried up Lake Superior, called the un-lake in the book.  Gaia is a strong, young, female protagonist.  She heralds women's rights, she's a strong leader, she's a feisty teenager and she's in love with her enemy's son, Leon.  All combine to create a thrilling, page turning, creative work of science fiction.  I love it and you will too!

I can't wait to read what Caragh O'Brien writes next!

Tortured by Caragh O'Brien

Tortured by Caragh O'Brien

Tortured is a bridge story in the Birthmarked series.  It falls between Birthmarked and Prized and explains what happened to Leon.  Do not read this book first as it will spoil the ending of Birthmarked. 
This story comes in Ebook format only and its FREE.

Tortured is told from the point of view of Leon and it details his escape and his determination to find Gaia in the wasteland.  It also explains some of Leon's family dynamics and the torture he suffered under the direction of his father.

Tortured is short at 16 pages but if you are a fan of the series it is an entertaining quick read to keep you involved in the story.  I wish more authors would do this.  Sometimes it is nice to read the story told by a different narrator with a different perspective.

Tortured will forever hold the distinction of being the first ebook I have ever read.  It was a fun way to introduce myself to the world of digital books.  Did I mention that it's free?

Prized Contest Winners

Prized by Caragh O'Brien contest winners!

I am happy to announce the three winners of a hardcover copy of Hometown Track's Minnesota Author in the Spotlight, Caragh O'Brien's new young adult novel, Prized.

1.  Melora from West Virginia
2.  Jessica from Minnesota (http://jessicagriffith.com/)
3.  Carol from Pennslyvania

All of you have been e-mailed and the books should be mailed out shortly.

Congratulations Everyone and thanks for being a loyal Booksnob follower.

If you didn't win, you can order a copy of Caragh's book from Amazon.  It would make an excellent gift for the teenager in your life.   You can check out Caragh's website at http://www.caraghobrien.com
 

December- Author in the Spotlight Wrap-up + Giveaway.

December- Author in the Spotlight Wrap-up + Giveaway.

PRIZED Giveaway ends tonight at Midnight!!

December is coming to an end and so is the year of 2011.   So it is time for me to wrap-up the special month of December with a treat by highlighting Minnesota author Caragh O'Brien and her young adult novels.

Today is the last day to enter the contest to win a copy of Prized.  The contest ends at midnight tonight.  The contest is open to people living in the U.S. that are current Booksnob followers.  Good Luck and as always thanks for following Booksnob!

Click here to enter:  Prized Contest

Please check out my book reviews of Birthmarked and Prized below.  They are the beginning of a young adult dystopian trilogy and the third novel Promised is set to be released in the fall of 2012.  I heartily enjoyed living in the inventive, alternative world that O'Brien creates.  The lead character is Gaia, a strong, 16 year old midwife who faces many trials and tribulations in the unequal societies she lives in.  I highly recommend these two books and am excited to add them to my classroom bookshelf for my students to borrow.

Birthmarked Book Review
Prized Book Review

I was also lucky to be able to interview Caragh.  Caragh grew up in St. Paul and eventually became a high school English teacher.  She has since quit her teaching job to keep up with her writing schedule.  Caragh currently lives in Connecticut with her immediate family.  Check out the interview for more specific information on her books.

Caragh O'Brien Author Interview

As December comes to a close I would like to thank Caragh for being the December Minnesota Author in the Spotlight here on Booksnob.  She is a talented writer and I look forward to reading her next book, Promised and working with her in the near future.  Please visit Caragh's website at http://caraghobrien.com and support her by reading one of her books. 

Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien

Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien

One of the best things about science fiction is the reader gets to enter into a alternative world created just for them.  You know you have left your current state of mind when you start adapting words or phrases into your everyday vocabulary or dreaming of a time and place you can visit only while lost in a good book.  The best stories transport you and let you forget your current reality for awhile. 

Birthmarked transported me to a place called Wharfton located outside of the walled fortress called the Enclave.  The year is around A.D. 2400 and water is scarce.  Un-lake Superior is near and dried up like the wombs of many of the infertile women within the Enclave.  On the outside of the wall, lives Gaia Stone, a sixteen year old midwife whose duty is to advance the first 3 babies of the month to be adopted by the privileged families within The Enclave. 

Gaia's life begins to unravel when her parents are arrested by the very community they serve.  Gaia learns they are sentenced to death and bravely sneaks inside the wall to try and save them.  Gaia witnesses an execution of a pregnant mother and does the only thing she can, she saves the baby.  Soon Gaia is arrested but she is not your typical girl, she has a scar on her face.  The scar at once marks Gaia as an outsider as well as a fugitive but Gaia is strong, resourceful, hopeful and a smart young woman.  What ensues is a roller coaster adventure story full of twists and turns and an amazing young heroine who stands up for her parents and what she believes in.

Birthmarked touches on economic and environmental issues as well as problems of infertility and hemophilia that result from a society that closes its doors.  The wall of the Enclave reminds me of the type of walls we self-impose on ourselves as well as the walls who purpose is to keep people in their place, like the Berlin Wall.  Birthmarked is reminiscent of The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood.


Masister and Mabrother, you have provided a great service to The Enclave.  We are now raising the quota to five babies a month.


I wonder, is it time to rebel? 
Looking forward to the second book in the series PRIZED.

Prized by Caragh O'Brien Contest

Prized by Caragh O'Brien Contest

Hometown Track, Minnesota Author in the Spotlight, Caragh O'Brien and her publisher, Roaring Brook Press are giving away THREE hardcover copies of Prized to Booksnob followers.  Prized is the long awaited second book in the Birthmarked trilogy. 

Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:

Striking out into the wasteland with nothing but her baby sister, a handful of supplies, and a rumor to guide her, sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone survives only to be captured by the people of Sylum, a dystopian society where women rule the men who drastically outnumber them, and a kiss is a crime. In order to see her sister again, Gaia must submit to their strict social code, but how can she deny her sense of justice, her curiosity, and everything in her heart that makes her whole?

Prized Contest Rules:
Fill out the form
Leave a comment
Must be a Booksnob follower
Must be a U.S. resident (publisher rules)
Contest Ends 12/31 at midnight.
Good Luck!!!

December-Hometown Track Minnesota Author in the Spotlight.

December Hometown Track Minnesota Author in the Spotlight.

I discovered December's author this summer when I went to Camp Read-a-Lot and one of the participants had read her book and was raving about it.  She passed the book around and I noticed the author was from St. Paul and so I took a chance and e-mailed her and thankfully she replied.

Without further adieu, December's author is....Caragh O'Brien.  Caragh is a  well-known, young adult author as well as a high school English teacher.  I am thrilled she agreed to be the featured author this month on Booksnob.

Caragh O'Brien has written two novels, Birthmarked and Prized with the third novel on its way.   Here is the synopsis from Goodreads for each of her books.

Birthmarked

In the Enclave, your scars set you apart, and the newly born will change the future.

Sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone and her mother faithfully deliver their quota of three infants every month. But when Gaia's mother is brutally taken away by the very people she serves, Gaia must question whether the Enclave deserves such loyalty. A stunning adventure brought to life by a memorable heroine, this dystopian debut will have readers racing all the way to the dramatic finish.

Prized

Striking out into the wasteland with nothing but her baby sister, a handful of supplies, and a rumor to guide her, sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone survives only to be captured by the people of Sylum, a dystopian society where women rule the men who drastically outnumber them, and a kiss is a crime.  In order to see her sister again, Gaia must submit to their strict social code, but how can she deny her sense of justice, her curiosity, and everything in her heart that makes her whole?


This month you can expect an author interview with Caragh O'Brien,  a contest to win a hardcover copy of Prized and a book review of Birthmarked and Prized.  

December in Minnesota is cold and the snow has decided to stay, so it such a great time to curl up by the fire with a good book.  I guess any time of year is a good time to curl up with a good book so I hope you will check out Caragh O'Brien's website and her books at http://www.caraghobrien.com/ and add them to your To Be Read list.   Have a great month!