Hey there, Readers! Today I am participating in the Prisoner of Ice and Snow blog tour to celebrate the release of this amazing new debut middle-grade fantasy novel. You can read an excerpt below!
About the Book
In a thrilling fantasy that's equal parts Prison Break and Frozen, Valor attempts the impossible--breaking her sister out of prison.
When Valor is arrested, she couldn't be happier. Demidova's prison for criminal children is exactly where she wants to be. Valor's sister Sasha is already serving a life sentence for stealing from the royal family and Valor is going to help her escape...from the inside.
Never mind that no one has escaped in three hundred years. Valor has a plan and resources most could only dream about. But she didn't count on having to outsmart both the guards and her fellow prisoners. If Valor's plan is to succeed, she'll need to make unlikely allies. And if the plan fails, she and Sasha could end up with fates worse than prison.
This fresh and exciting middle-grade debut effortlessly melds an unforgettable protagonist, a breathless plot, and stunning world-building--and is impossible to put down.
Amazon | Goodreads
Ruth Lauren lives in the West Midlands in England with her family and lots of cats. She likes chocolate, walking in the woods, cheese, orchids, going to the movies, and reading as many books as she can. She's been a teacher and working in lots of different offices, but she likes writing best. Prisoner of Ice and Snow is her debut novel.
Excerpt:
"I'm not going to Tyur'ma," says Feliks. "It was just food I took. But I'll go back to being an apprentice and never steal anything again. I'll go back. I swear. Valor, if we go into that place, we don't come out again. I don't think--"
The Peacekeeper steps towards Feliks, shockingly fast for such a big man, and Feliks rushes forward, the whites of his eyes showing as he twists his head toward the stone steps. He's going to try to escape. And I know what Peacekeepers do to children who try to escape.
I lurch forward and snag Feliks with the chains between my wrists, holding on to him for everything I'm worth while he twists and buscks his thin body. It takes every bit of strength I have to stay on my feet. I can feel my shoulder bruising in the Peacekeeper's grip.
"What are you doing?" Feliks hisses at me. Straw slips under my boots, but I don't let go.
"We're ready to go," I say to the Peacekeeper. Not that he needs my approval or permission. He stares at me, still completely impassive. I didn't expect him to be silent. But what is there to say, after all? We're going with him whether we like it or not, and if Feliks gets out of my grasp and tries to run, he'll be dead.
The Peacekeeper lets go of me suddenly, spins around and clamps iron onto Feliks's wrists, holding both of us by lengths of chain. Feliks wrenches himself away from me and says in a furious whisper, "I could have made it. Now I'm stuck, and it's all your fault." He's breathing hard, his clothes bunched around him.
I don't know what to say. He couldn't have made it. I don't think he could have, anyway. The Peacekeeper moves too fas; he's too strong. Feliks would be lying in the straw now, and I'd be leaving the palace dungeon alone.
He's right, though--if he had any chance, it's gone, and it's my fault. I don't know why I grabbed him. I'm doing this for Sasha. I had it all planned, and I told myself a thousand times to stick to the plan.
I stare at Feliks, who just stands there now, looking sullen. We're both wearing thick iron cuffs around our wrists. There's a longer chain between us that links us together, and yet another chain that connects to a spiked belt around the Peacekeeper's middle. I have no idea how he moved so fluidly, so fast. The chains ripple between us, heavy and cold.
"You will call me Peacekeeper Rurik," he says, and he walks forward swiftly, dragging both of us along behind him while the depth of his voice reverberates in my head. Feliks scowls at me as we're led up the stone steps. The Guards who lit the torches before are waiting. They surround us as we march so we see nothing of the palace, only feeling its warmth until the great doors open again before us.
We stand on the threshold, looking out on the deserted square. Outside it's dark, and it surprises me at first, but of course it's nighttime. Of course hours have been passing for everyone else while my whole life changed. I can never change it back now.
I'm standing on the palace steps thinking about that, chained and surrounded by the Guards, when, through the gaps between the black uniforms around me, I catch a flash of blue and gold. Prince Anatol stands in front of the glass doors of the hothouse, staring at me.
I try to steel myself against his stare, tell myself that soon I'll be with Sasha, but heat floods my face anyway. Something about the way he looks at me makes me suddenly glad that we're leaving the palace. Soon I'll be at Tyur'ma, away from Anatol's cold, curious eyes.
The Guards move forward as one, Peacekeeper Rurik with them, and Feliks and I are jerked out into the biting cold to Tyur'ma, where I'll be spending the next three years of my life, if I live that long. Or so they think.
The Peacekeeper steps towards Feliks, shockingly fast for such a big man, and Feliks rushes forward, the whites of his eyes showing as he twists his head toward the stone steps. He's going to try to escape. And I know what Peacekeepers do to children who try to escape.
I lurch forward and snag Feliks with the chains between my wrists, holding on to him for everything I'm worth while he twists and buscks his thin body. It takes every bit of strength I have to stay on my feet. I can feel my shoulder bruising in the Peacekeeper's grip.
"What are you doing?" Feliks hisses at me. Straw slips under my boots, but I don't let go.
"We're ready to go," I say to the Peacekeeper. Not that he needs my approval or permission. He stares at me, still completely impassive. I didn't expect him to be silent. But what is there to say, after all? We're going with him whether we like it or not, and if Feliks gets out of my grasp and tries to run, he'll be dead.
The Peacekeeper lets go of me suddenly, spins around and clamps iron onto Feliks's wrists, holding both of us by lengths of chain. Feliks wrenches himself away from me and says in a furious whisper, "I could have made it. Now I'm stuck, and it's all your fault." He's breathing hard, his clothes bunched around him.
I don't know what to say. He couldn't have made it. I don't think he could have, anyway. The Peacekeeper moves too fas; he's too strong. Feliks would be lying in the straw now, and I'd be leaving the palace dungeon alone.
He's right, though--if he had any chance, it's gone, and it's my fault. I don't know why I grabbed him. I'm doing this for Sasha. I had it all planned, and I told myself a thousand times to stick to the plan.
I stare at Feliks, who just stands there now, looking sullen. We're both wearing thick iron cuffs around our wrists. There's a longer chain between us that links us together, and yet another chain that connects to a spiked belt around the Peacekeeper's middle. I have no idea how he moved so fluidly, so fast. The chains ripple between us, heavy and cold.
"You will call me Peacekeeper Rurik," he says, and he walks forward swiftly, dragging both of us along behind him while the depth of his voice reverberates in my head. Feliks scowls at me as we're led up the stone steps. The Guards who lit the torches before are waiting. They surround us as we march so we see nothing of the palace, only feeling its warmth until the great doors open again before us.
We stand on the threshold, looking out on the deserted square. Outside it's dark, and it surprises me at first, but of course it's nighttime. Of course hours have been passing for everyone else while my whole life changed. I can never change it back now.
I'm standing on the palace steps thinking about that, chained and surrounded by the Guards, when, through the gaps between the black uniforms around me, I catch a flash of blue and gold. Prince Anatol stands in front of the glass doors of the hothouse, staring at me.
I try to steel myself against his stare, tell myself that soon I'll be with Sasha, but heat floods my face anyway. Something about the way he looks at me makes me suddenly glad that we're leaving the palace. Soon I'll be at Tyur'ma, away from Anatol's cold, curious eyes.
The Guards move forward as one, Peacekeeper Rurik with them, and Feliks and I are jerked out into the biting cold to Tyur'ma, where I'll be spending the next three years of my life, if I live that long. Or so they think.
About the Author:
Ruth Lauren lives in the West Midlands in England with her family and lots of cats. She likes chocolate, walking in the woods, cheese, orchids, going to the movies, and reading as many books as she can. She's been a teacher and working in lots of different offices, but she likes writing best. Prisoner of Ice and Snow is her debut novel.
CHECK OUT THE OTHER BLOGS ON THE TOUR FOR MORE FUN CONTENT!
The Giveaway:
Open to US/Canada residents only.
No purchase necessary.
Void where prohibited or restricted by law.
No purchase necessary.
Void where prohibited or restricted by law.
That cover is just gorgeous! I'm reading a lot of middle-grade lately so I'll check this one out :)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely do! I read a lot of MG and this was one of my favorites so far this year! :)
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