Happy Release Day, FIRELIGHT...And A Celebratory Giveaway!!!

You know it. I know it. Today's the day FIRELIGHT by Sophie Jordan hits stores!

And to celebrate, I have not one, but two fabulous surprises...

First, a guest post by the author herself. And, second, I'm giving away a gorgeous ARC of FIRELIGHT!!!

So, let's just get to it. Here she is, Sophie Jordan (talking about romance in YA...hurray!):


When Kimberly Derting asked if I wanted to blog at her site, I went into total fan girl mode. You see, I luuuuuved The Body Finder. It just hit all the right notes for me. Suspense. Mystery. Adventure. Romance. Um, romance … Truly it’s one of the best young adult novels I’ve ever read . And one of the yummiest romances I’ve read, too. To honor that, I thought it only made sense to talk about the subject of romance in YA.

While not a requisite, romance and YA … well, it’s like peanut butter and jelly. They just go together. And there’s a reason for this. What teenager isn’t worked up over someone at least some of the time … er, if not all the time? It’s almost unnatural to not have those feelings at some stage of life -- but when you’re a teenager? C’mon. It’s as natural as breathing. And this is what I hoped I captured in Firelight. The butterflies in your belly, the exquisite torture, the longing ... I don’t feel any of that is melodrama. It’s real. I taught high school. I was in high school not so long ago that I can still remember what it felt like to crush on a guy(s). I think I liked a different guy every few weeks. Um, I might have even liked more than one guy at the same time (gasp). And I was the mature-nose-in-the-book type, too – not at all your wild party girl. Which leads me into …

The love triangle. Yeah. I’m going to talk about it. It’s another natural by-product of adolescence. There can never be an over-abundance of love triangles in young adult novels for me. It just makes the book all the more realistic for me. I much prefer reading about a sixteen-year-old girl conflicted in her feelings for a boy because there’s another tempting boy who happens to be interested in her, too. Seems normal. Seems healthy. I don’t really want to read about a girl so convinced she’s met the love of her life that she excludes the possibility of anyone else. Ugh. I like questions. I like doubts. I like ambiguity. It’s less boring that way. Conflict just gravitates to the love-triangle scenario. And face it, where would a book be without conflict?

In case you have guessed, there is a love triangle in Firelight (and of course a lot of steamy, steamy romance). Well, just a little bit of a triangle. It’s just touched on in the first book, but I’ll go ahead and admit this triangle is explored more in the second book of the Firelight series. To be honest, if you ask me which guy is better for Jacinda – Will or Cassian, I can only say they both have their good points. Neither is perfect, but both are good at the core. We’ll just have to see how the series plays out and who Jacinda picks. Rest assured, the romance will always be there.

So I guess the fated question is this: how do you like your romance “served”? I’m hoping for steamy!

Thanks, Kimberly for having me here!



Now, here's all you have to do to enter:

Just leave a comment here before midnight tomorrow, Wednesday September 8th. That's it! I'll choose one random winner for the copy of FIRELIGHT!

Good luck, everyone.

And happy release day, Sophie!!!

Comments

Anonymous said…
yay first one to post!!!
I hope I win :) congrats to Sophie on her release!!
Okie said…
Hi, Sophie. I've been looking forward to reading Firelight! Can't wait :)Happy Release Day!
yea! Congrats Sphie! Happy Release Day!!!
twimom101@yahoo.com
Precious said…
Congrats Sophie! I agree about the love triangle thing. Believe it or not, it happens a lot in real life. Sometimes...there are more than three persons involved. I've heard so many great things about Firelight!
Maidenveil said…
Happy release day, Sophie!! :D Can't wait to read Firelight!
Yay, congrats to her! Please count me in for the giveaway!
Misha said…
I would love to enter if the contest is International.Thank you!

Misha
mishamary@gmail.com
Robin Reul said…
Sounds like my kind of book! Happy release day!
Kulsuma said…
count me in please:)

k_anon[at]hotmail[dot]co[dot]uk
Judit said…
I prefer rather slow developement in romance. I don't mind just a hint of romance in the first book as soon as there is more of it in second :)

Thank you for the great blog post and giveaway.
count me in if it's international
Oh, and happy release day to Sophie!

judittten at gmail dot com
Llehn said…
Happy release day Sophie!

lesly7ch(at)yahoo(dot)com
Liz. R said…
Ooh, happy release day! And I must admit I do like a good love triangle :P. I'd love to read Firelight - it looks awesome!

planetprint8(at)gmail(dot)com
Congrats, Sophie! I really want to read Firelight! :)
Congrats, Sophie! I agree with you. I love a good triangle ;o) I know I liked a different guy at least every month in high school. Sometimes I miss that feeling; I'll admit it ;o) Maybe that's why I love reading about it!

Your book sounds great!

Thanks for the contest, Kimberly!
Onge said…
Happy release day!! I've heard great things about Firelight. Can't wait to read it.
Anonymous said…
Congrats Sophie, So excited to read Firelight! =)
AmburHostyn said…
Congrats Sophie! :D

This book looks amazing, I just read the first 7 chapters online last night, and they were fantastic! Oh love triangles ;) Cassain and Will both certainly seem dreamy that's for sure :D I'm looking forward to reading the rest and seeing how it all plays out!! :D
Thanks for giving away a copy, here's hoping I get lucky and win it! :D
Anonymous said…
Congratulations on your "Firelight" release day Sophie. I'm ecstatic to read your book but the bosses (the bosses being my parents, lol) won't give me the money to buy any more books this month. I'm gonna keep trying hard but I fear they'll ask me to re-read the many books I have in home.

Congrats!! :D Your book sounds very interesting to read.

meli_963@hotmail.com
Anna said…
This book looks like it will be really good, count me in. :D
Lucía said…
Happy release day Sophie! I love Firelight cover it looks amazing :D and I've heard great things about the book, I can't wait to read it.
throuthehaze said…
Great post! Congrats on the release Sophie!

throuthehaze at gmail dot com
Melissa said…
happy release day Sophie. I totally agree with you about your points about romance. And yeah, I totally liked a different guy every few weeks. I think when you're a teenager, you're so unsure of what you want and it's so easy to find someone "better".
Gêmeas said…
I hope I win! And congrats to sophie!
name: Monica Oliveira
email: itsanytinker@hotmail.com
brandileigh2003 said…
Happy release day!
brandileigh2003@yahoo.com
Katie said…
Great post! I can't wait to read FIRELIGHT!! It looks super good!! And I'm also a fan of the love triangle. Keeps us guessing. :)

katiemstout@gmail.com
iffath said…
Happy release day, Sophie! The post was fantastic ;)
ally said…
Woohoo! Happy book birthday Firelight :)

alannahjavier@gmail.com
Happy Release Day! :) Love the cover to this book!
Philia Libri said…
"Firelight" sounds like an awesome story!

blattgold.lesen@ymail.com
AyeMocha05 said…
Kimberly = I saw the beginnings of this post over on Goodreads, and left a comment over there before I read the entire post, so here ya go again! I just finished The Body Finder the other day (a review of which is up on the aforementioned Goodreads :P) Anyway, I'm headin' out to grab up Firelight, among others (cause, like cookies, buying just -one- book is never satisfactory :D) sometime this weekend/Monday. So I would just like to squeeeee over the fact that you're both writing a blog together :))))

Sophie = I totally agree with you about the Love Triangle thing - I'm 23, and I feel like they can happen at any age. I've read a few of your historical Victorian romances; can't wait to see what you've done with the amazing-sounding, yet so different Firelight!

xoxoxox
Fi-chan said…
Happy book birthday, Sophie! Am very happy for you! :D

and thank you for the chance!

feeyonachan at gmail dot com
Unknown said…
Thanks for the contest and congrats, Sophie!

swordsforfighting at yahoo dot com
Congratulations on the release of Firelight! Thanks for a chance to win the ARC.

I do like my YA to have romance. And love triangles, when done well, are great too.
Emma said…
I can't wait to read Firelight! Happy release day!!

Count me in to win Firelight!

emmaandbooks@gmail.com
Libby said…
I want to read Fireflight.
Happy Release Date, Sophie
hope for the best!
Sarah K said…
I don't think I've ever picked up a book for the romance aspect (although I've certainly enjoyed romantic subplots once I've gotten into a book), and don't really have much opinion about them. As long as it feels true to the story and the characters involved, bring a love dodecahedron. If it fits within the set parameters of the story, I dig it.
donnas said…
Congrats on the release!! Ive been looking forward to reading Firelight cant wait to get my hands on a copy.
Happy Release Day! I have been looking forward to Firelight and have heard so many great things about it already.
kjovus(at)gmail(dot)com
Unknown said…
I think a love story is always better when you have two competing for the love of one...
StacyUFI said…
Happy release day!!
Krispy said…
Congrats Sophie and happy release day!!!

Been curious about this book since I heard there were dragons. :) Please enter me! Thanks!!!

nudging.along[at]gmail.com
Cielo Azul said…
Happy release day, Sophie! I can´t wait for read Firelight, sounds really great!

Take care,

~Yelania
Sparks of Ember said…
It's the rare book that can hold my interest without at least some romance. I don't care about love triangles so much - my favorite romances are the slowly simmering kind - tons of tension and attraction, lots of heated moments, but taking a long, drawn-out time to act on it so you keep coming back waiting for more.
Dani. said…
Happy release day Sophie! I hope it rocks as much as I've heard your book does! :) I waaaaaaaant it so bad! Thanks for the contest Kimberly! :)


lightningstreak123[at]comcast[dot]net
Unknown said…
I can't wait to read this book! Thanks for the contest :)
Anya said…
Great post and happy release day Sophie! I can't wait to read Firelight it sounds so awesome! :)
I can't wait to read Firelight!

Congrets Sophie!!!

maryflorido(at)hotmail(dot)com
April X said…
Happy release day :D I want to read Firelight so badly!!!!!!!

aprilxu2222@gmail.com
Unknown said…
Happy book birthday to Firelight!(:

maddie.mcphail@gmail.com
Becky said…
I can't wait to read this! Awesome guest post! Thanks Sophie (and Kimberly, for hosting this)!
I know some people don't like a lot of romance in their books, but I personally LOVE those butterflies fluttering around in my belly! Sophie is so right - when you're a teenager, they're there for someone!

Happy Release Day, Sophie!
Whooo Hooo, congrats on the release to Sophie! :)

As a huge romance fan, I loved this post! Awesomeness! :)
Congrats, Sophie! I can't wait to read Firelight!!
Congrats, Sophie! I can't wait to read Firelight!!
Firelight sounds amaaazing!

Thanks for the giveaway!
Shirley Shimer said…
Congrats Sophie! Firelight looks like a really interesting book. Can't wait to read it!
Anonymous said…
This book sounds AMAZING! I've heard so much about this book! Congrats Sophie!
Chloe said…
Saw Firelight at B&N today!! Can't wait to read it :D Congrats to Sophie!!
Unknown said…
Yay for release day!!!

Good luck to all....

xoxo
jennie

randomchalktalk@gmail.com
Unknown said…
Congrats on release day!!!!
Lena1xoxo said…
YAY!!! HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO SOPHIE!!! :D
Kai said…
wow! congrats sophie on the release! I just know Firelight's going to be an awesome book!
Casey said…
Congrats on your release!! It sounds like it'll be amazing :D
Corie said…
Your book sounds great. I can't wait to read it. I hope I win. Cmercord@Hotmail.com

Please enter me for sure!
buddyt said…
Hope the book does well in the shops!

If theg iveaway is open worldwide,please enter me.

Thanks

Carol T

buddytho {at} gmail DOT com
Unknown said…
Sounds like my kind of book, cant wait to read it..
Kathy Habel said…
Thanks for the giveaway. Please enter me.
bkhabel AT gmail DOT com
Anonymous said…
Congratulations Sophie! This is one of the most talked about books and I am excited to finally have the chance to read it :)
Jessy said…
Happy release day, Sophie! I can't wait to read more about the triangle going on in Firelight. Thanks for the post.
Anonymous said…
Midnight tonight? or Midnight marking the begining of today? Wait... its mostlikely the second, because then midnight would be the 9th. Darnit. I tried to enter lastnight but my computer kept screwing up on. Oh well, good luck to the others. lol.

Congrats on the release Sophie. :)
Unknown said…
Congrats on Firelight! It sounds like it will be a great book!!!
Nope, Jessica, I just didn't clarify well enough...midnight ending this day, so you're entered!

Keep 'em coming, folks, you have ALL DAY!!!!
Bwyatt said…
Ooohhh. I've been excited to read this one! Happy *slightly late* release day!!!
Vivien said…
Congratulations! I actually pre-ordered this book so it's on the way. I'm ecstatic to read it. Thanks for the contest!!
great post! i so badly want to read Firelight! ah! :'D
Sharli said…
Happy release day!! I can't wait to read Firelight ^^
ENTRIES ARE CLOSED! NOW THE FUN PART...THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER TODAY!!!!!