Blog Tour: All's Fair in Vanities War

All's Fair in Vanities War
Elizabeth Marx
2011

When Missy put out a request for blog tour hosts, this one sounded interesting to me, so I 'applied' for a spot. I knew it'd be a little different of a read than normal for me, but I wasn't entirely sure what I'd find. What I discovered, upon reading, was a story that was, indeed, unlike anything I've read before - and also very intense. This is certainly an emotionally-driven story.

We see most of the action through the eyes of The Seer - a normal, human girl who was killed on Halloween night and 'reborn' as a Seer. Her new job is to watch and protect, but she's not sure who. Thinking it's her still-living boyfriend, Locke, the Seer is drawn to his family, where she watches from the safety of invisibility. Soon though, things start going awry - the people she thought she knew, even those opinions formed in her Seer-hood, are not quite as they seem. The dark secrets of Salem are being revealed, and in the process all hell is breaking loose for our 'human' characters - particularly Locke and his cousin (and love interest?) Keleigh, as well as their friends Wiz and Madi (who also happens to be the only person who can see and hear the Seer).

In case you haven't figured it out yet, Locke and Keleigh are not your average American teenagers. They are part of an ancient Order - for generations, their people have had powers and the ability to contact things and beings that live only in myth. Even trying to ignore and deny this 'inheritance' is impossible, as Keleigh discovers through a series of painful lessons. And so, in order to keep themselves safe - as well as help maintain a sense of balance and order - the young people join unlikely forces and begin researching legends and chasing down clues. The result? Well, it's impressive. It's otherworldly. But it's not over yet. While All's Fair in Vanities War isn't a huge cliff-hanger, you can definitely tell there's more to the story and this is just the beginning of a much broader story.

As I said, this was totally different from what I normally read. It's a lot darker, for one, which was a little weird for me. The characters are compelling though, and the tension and chemistry between Locke and Keleigh was my favorite part. (Although the Seer's sometimes snarky commentary was pretty good too! Oh, and Wiz! I loved Wiz!) Most of the story is told from the Seer's point of view, but sometimes the narration seemed to jump in focus, which was a little confusing. By 'reading through it,' I quickly figured out what was going on/who was speaking, but the initial shifts were a little "huh?". I think this is one of those stories that people will either love or hate, depending on what they're used to.

Digital copy provided by author for review.

Be sure to come by Tuesday, to see Elizabeth's Top 12 list featuring the characters. You will not want to miss this! Also, there'll be a giveaway...