GUEST POST and GIVEAWAY
The Winter People
by Rebekah L. Purdy
The Winter People is currently on tour with YA Bound Book Tours. The tour stops here today for a guest post by the author and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.
Description
An engrossing, complex, romantic fantasy perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore or Maggie Stiefvater, set in a wholly unique world.
Salome Montgomery fears winter - the cold, the snow, the ice, but most of all, the frozen pond she fell through as a child. Haunted by the voices and images of the strange beings that pulled her to safety, she hasn't forgotten their warning to "stay away." For eleven years, she has avoided the winter woods, the pond, and the darkness that lurks nearby. But when failing health takes her grandparents to Arizona, she is left in charge of maintaining their estate. This includes the "special gifts" that must be left at the back of the property
Salome discovers she’s a key player in a world she’s tried for years to avoid. At the center of this world is the strange and beautiful Nevin, who she finds trespassing on her family’s property. Cursed with dark secrets and knowledge of the creatures in the woods, his interactions with Salome take her life in a new direction. A direction where she'll have to decide between her longtime crush Colton, who could cure her fear of winter. Or Nevin who, along with an appointed bodyguard, Gareth, protects her from the darkness that swirls in the snowy backdrop. An evil that, given the chance, will kill her.
Featured Review
The Winter People is a touching story of friendship and true love. Salome has a massive fear of Winter. Ever since she almost drowned the winter she was six years old and began hearing whispers in the woods, she's kept inside and become panicked if caught out in a storm. Her parents have taken her to therapy to no avail. Because of her fear, she's alienated among her peers, all except for her boy crazy best friend Kadie. This winter her grandparents have tasked her with taking care of their home while they are away. That's when she meets the captivating Nevin, handsome and mysterious. She learns of a family curse and races against time to figure out the answer, while a sinister being continually taunts her and threaten her life. Her eyes are open to a whole other world, one where fairies are at war. Who can she trust?
This was a fantastic urban fantasy, one that drew me in right from the beginning. I loved the way the boys were tied into the story in unexpected ways. It was amazing how courageous Salome became over time. I think Gareth brought out the best in her and I loved the fact that he was completely honest with her, warning her about getting hurt. All in all, this was a beautiful love story, one I'm sure I'll read again.
Guest Post by the Author
Ten Fun Winter Related Date Ideas
In The Winter People, my main character/heroine, Salome is deathly afraid of winter. However, she gets asked on her first date(s) during this time. One of the other characters is trying to break her fear of winter and wants to show her that not everything about this cold, frigid season is bad. I thought it’d be fun to come up with 10 winter date ideas (being from Michigan, I’ve actually done all but one of the things on this list). Some of these, I know even Salome couldn’t hate, while others she’d likely want to stay away from.
1. Go sledding
2. Go on a sleigh ride
3. Sip hot cocoa in front of a warm fire and cuddle
4. Go skiing (cross country or downhill)
5. Go snowmobiling
6. Drive around and look at Christmas lights
7. Go ice skating
8. Soak in an outdoor hot tub and watch the snow fall around you
9. Visit an ice sculpture contest
10. Build snow forts and have a snowball fight
About the Author
Rebekah Purdy grew up in Michigan, where she spent many late nights armed with a good book and a flashlight. When not hiding at her computer and getting lost in her stories, she enjoys reading, singing, soccer, swimming, football, camping, playing video games and hanging out with her kids. She loves the unexplainable like Bigfoot, the Dogman, and the Loch Ness Monster (lots of good story material)! She admits to still having all the books she bought throughout her childhood and teen years, and she may or may not have an obsession with anything chocolate …
Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win some great prizes.
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