Marie Lavender's Writing in the Modern Age Blog
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog Policy
  • Guest Schedule
  • Contact Us
  • Blog Posts

Writing in the Modern Age


Writing & Guest Author Blog

Book Feature: A Look at YA Fantasy Novel FAIREST by Sophia Zaccaria

9/13/2021

0 Comments

 

Hi, readers! We have a real treat in store for you today, a spotlight on a book by Sophia Zaccaria, quite a talented author!    
    
We wish you lots of success on your young adult fantasy novel! 
   
Let's check out the details, shall we?

book cover for Fairest a YA fantasy novel by Sophia Zaccaria depicting a mysterious witchy woman who also looks like a princess

About the Book

Here is the book blurb for Fairest.  

Flirting with evil will be the ruination of her soul.

Goodness is much easier to corrupt than it is to hold on to. And for Natasha, a woman reeling from the pain of losing a loved one, evil is all the more tempting. Luck or misfortune spirits Natasha away to the foreign Court of Velaris in a quest for a suitor but instead secures her a place among Velarian royalty. Craving revenge, Natasha makes use of this opportunity to enact her plans as she navigates the lush court where aristocracy is a double-edged blade. But when she befriends her soon-to-be husband Mikhail, the Beloved Prince, Natasha makes a deadly mistake. She captures the attention of the debonair Darkling Prince; a villainous man meant to ascend the Velarian throne.

Enamored, the Darkling Prince charms Natasha, and soon the two feel a forbidden emotion captivate their stoic, scabrous hearts. But with the existence of a violent rebel group capable of cataclysmic damage, there is little time for love. With war brewing amidst the enigmatic kingdom, the royals must become all the more cunning and devious if they wish to triumph over their adversaries. What draws the insidious line between right and wrong when it comes to a battle of survival? For Natasha, nothing is too far, too light, too bloody, too evil.

Soon, the only reflection Natasha sees in her mirror's beveled glass is that of an Evil Queen. Often, the cost of survival is more frightening than the beasts of death. But that's what gives the Queen of Shadow's beauty an edge: she wears her darkness adorned about her throat like the grandest of all diamonds, ebony, and bloodred in shade.

Release Date:  July 18, 2021

Genre:  YA Fantasy, Some Romance Elements

 

Sounds like an intriguing read here!

 

Purchase Links:

Goodreads     Amazon

Universal Reader link:  https://books2read.com/u/4Xreo9

 

Sophia is also giving us a peek at this book today!

Readers, here’s an excerpt...

Danilo’s blood drips mockingly from his mouth, a terrifying scarlet smile. “I think you know just how this has to end, my scarlet queen.”

Crimson blood slid down my alabaster skin as I innocently said, “With your heart on a platter for me to feast upon?” I tilted my head in consideration. “Or shall you prefer I maul your heart first, bathe in your blood, then feast upon your heart like the delicacy it is not?”

In a pique of rage, he snarls and lashes forward, his sword slicing into my left arm, reopening an old wound.

Attack. Attack!

In urgent, coaxing shouts like whispers and tears had become lovers and found their voices together, the alluring phantom’s voice said, Evil is to show mercy when death is inevitable. Instantly enraged with some ancient chaotic fervor, the adrenaline of the brawl masked my pain, and I lunged forward. Kill! Like before, I listened to the enigmatic voice. And now, I became a predator—lethality incarnate bent on only one goal: to kill.

I’d been depriving myself of revenge. I would do so no longer.

Ice exploded through my veins, heralding the darkness.

Drawing on a modicum of power, I summoned my darkness and turned the air around me to shadows of obsidian. Danilo deserves no mercy. At this thought, the shadows around me grew until I felt its edges touch the netherworld itself. My magic surged forward, and I twisted it into an imitation of the Velarian dungeons. Horrified, Danilo watched in morbid fascination as shadows reminiscent of a cell’s smothering walls surrounded him. “Don’t.” His voice was sharp with emotion, and a slow smile lifted my mouth.

“Don’t what? I mean you no harm.” No physical harm. The shadows merely created a mirage, a general impression of shades from dull greys to dried-out reds turned burgundy. Paired with chains and imposing spiked bars that seemed to asphyxiate its prisoner, my mirage was perfect. But not inescapable. If he had enough sense of mind, he could swipe his hand through the shadows, and the nightmare would disappear. But fear is the mind’s warden, and now it is Danilo’s prison. Danilo’s face contorted in a grave expression of pain. “S—stop.” I laughed caustically in the wake of his fear, remembering that a few hours ago, Danilo had stabbed me.

“Stop?” I parroted a moment later, stalking close enough to notice the tiny hairs on his neck standing straight while he trembled. “That word meant nothing to you then. It meant nothing when I begged. Nothing when I pleaded with you to show mercy.” I curled my fingers, analyzing his reaction to the prison encircling him. “Why should it matter to me now?” A mutinous smile of antipathy curled his mouth.

“I awoke you. Without me, you would still be the obedient Darkling Queen, nothing more than an antinome. I unleashed your darkness, and I will never leave you, even if I am gone.” No, it’s a lie, but . . . Danilo’s analysis is all the more poignant when I take into account the scene: Danilo, the victim, and me, the aggressor and villain. Embittered by this, I mocked, “Well, I want to know who we are without each other! I want to know if I’ll recover that broken piece of innocence you STOLE!” Collecting my magic for a finishing blow, I reared my arms back, aiming . . . Wait, whispered the feminine phantom. Against my better judgment, I did, reining in my power until it swirled in inky clouds and fulminated against the restraint. Keep him alive. Trust me, you’d rather make a wicked deal now than kill.

Intrigued by the suggestion, I scrutinized Danilo thoughtfully, my already opalescent complexion turning entirely statuesque as I stared down my enemy. Finally, I spoke, “I wish to have my curiosity satiated. To know what my temperament will be without you whispering evils in my ear.”

Intriguing!

So, what are other readers saying about this book?

☆☆☆☆☆

"Great dark fairytale!! I have a soft spot for villains. I always wonder what their backstories are and what caused them to become the bad guy. So, when I read the blurb for Fairest, I knew that I needed to read it. It is not very often where the origins of the Evil Queen from Snow White are explored!! I am glad that I did because this book had me glued to the pages.

Fairest tells the story of Alina (aka Natasha) and her rise/eventual metamorphosis to the Evil Queen. It was a sad but fascinating tale. A fantastic read.
"
– Read with Me Blog, Amazon

Wow, it sounds like quite a read!

Get your copy of this YA fantasy novel today, readers! Or, add it to your Goodreads bookshelf or BookBub!

Thanks for letting us know all about this book, Sophia! :)

About the Author:

Sophia Zaccaria is the author of her debut novel, Fairest, a retelling of Snow White, and is a massive fan of the classic Grimm fairy tales. As a young Canadian writer, Sophia is always looking to weave mystical and magical things into her stories. Sophia enjoys kickboxing, jogging, and visiting eighteenth-century Gothic scenes to appease her muse's darker side when she is not writing. You can discover her linguistic adventures by following her on Instagram @thesophiazaccaria and Inkitt.

Author Links:

Inkitt     

Instagram

Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age guest article here.
Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    WritModAge logo

    Blog Archives

    March 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    December 2020
    December 2019
    December 2018
    December 2017
    December 2016
    December 2015
    December 2014
    December 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013

    Get new posts by email:
    Powered by follow.it
    Visit our old posts on Blogger instead.

    RSS Feed

    Site Admin - Author Marie Lavender

    Picture
    Exploring worlds one page at a time...

    A glance at Marie's books

    Picture
    See more of this writer's work on her official website or Amazon author page.

    Blog Awards

    Picture

    Award

    Picture

    Award

    Picture

    Contribute

    Picture

    Cool new feature!

    Picture

    Attention

    The fact is…our policy has changed considerably, at least for a while. Starting from September 2021, I will be charging for some types of posts. There is no fee for a guest article, as long as you adhere to the blog's theme. I also will not charge for most blog tour/virtual tour features and big multi-author events which I host (these are giveaways or participation questions, and it's obvious what you're providing). If you'd like to submit a guest book review (no, I don't write book reviews, please don't ask me), I will not charge you. There WILL BE a fee for new release features, cover reveals, Author's Bookshelf features, author interviews, character interviews, and poetry spotlights. For companies that can afford a sponsored post, we'll discuss a reasonable quote. Email me at marieannlavender@gmail.com if you wish to participate in a promo or feature. Feel free to approach me with your creative ideas about a blog post. Booking for Writing in the Modern Age starts again for September 2021 at this point. Slots are always first come, first served; but if you have a specific release date, we may be able to help you with certain arrangements. So, contact us and reserve a spot! Refer to the 'guest schedule' at the top of the screen for further clarification about availability. Check out our 'Blog Policy' for more information about the types of features offered, how you can purchase a guest spot, my policy on review requests, and rules for guest writers. Thanks for understanding.

    Disclaimer

    Thoughts and opinions by guest authors do not necessarily represent any thoughts and opinions by this website's administrator, nor are they directly endorsed. All writings on the blog are subject to review and editing. Please visit our blog policy to understand the site's theme a little better.

    Use our hashtag #WritModAge when you mention us!

    bit.ly/1ONs85B

    Should you edit your own work? Definitely! - The Ultimate Guide to Editing a Book

    Picture

    Are you a technical writer? Look no further for some tools of the trade!

    Picture

    Love physical books like me? Check out this cool DIY link!

    Picture

    Sign up for Marie's author newsletter! Get on her mailing list @

    bit.ly/1g3wO13

    Blog Categories

    All
    2013
    2014
    2015
    2016
    2017
    2018
    2019
    2020
    2021
    99 Cents
    Accidental Marriage
    Achievements
    Adult
    Advice
    Amazon Gift Card
    Angela Terry
    Annual
    Anthology
    Article
    Articles
    Author Interview
    Authors
    Authors Helping Authors
    Authors Helping Writers
    Author Website
    Avoiding Burnout
    BDSM
    Behind The Scenes
    Blog
    Blog Tour
    Book
    Book Interview
    Book Lovers
    Book Review
    Books
    Bookshelf
    Challenges
    Characterization
    Chick Lit
    Children's Books
    Coming Soon
    Contemporary
    Cozy Mystery
    Creative Solutions
    Creativity
    Crime
    Dark Fantasy
    Dave Chesson
    Day In The Life
    Deadly Deceit
    Description
    Discount
    DJ Swykert
    Drama
    Drinking
    Editing
    Emilia Ares
    Erotica
    Erotic Romance
    Evelyn Sola
    Event
    Fantasy
    Feature
    Features
    Fiction
    Fiona Tarr
    Forever
    Francis H. Powell
    Freelance
    Friday Abumere
    Genre
    Genres
    Gentle Sensuality
    Giveaway
    Guest Authors
    Guest List
    Guest Post
    Guest Writer
    Helpful
    Hope
    Horror
    Human Condition
    Humorous Fiction
    Inspirational
    Interview
    Interviews
    Ivy Nelson
    Jaime Martinez-Tolentino
    Journaling
    KateMarie Collins
    Laura Graham
    Lessons
    Literary Fiction
    Love
    Love And Other Sins
    Marketing
    Mary Maddox
    Memoir
    Message
    Michael Aronovitz
    Morality
    Multicultural Fiction
    Multicultural Romance
    Mystery
    New Author Tips
    New Book
    New Release
    New Year
    Non-fiction
    Novella
    Novels
    Optimism
    Paranormal
    Poems
    Poetry
    POV
    Promo
    Promotion
    Psychological
    PTSD
    Publishing
    Readers
    Reality
    Recommended Reads
    Reference
    Reposted Book Review
    Resources
    Review
    Reviews
    Romance
    Romance Novel
    Romance Writing
    Romantic
    Romantic Comedy
    Romantic Drama
    Romantic Fiction
    Romantic Suspense
    Sale
    Science Fiction
    Self Help
    Self-help
    Sensitive Topics
    Serial Killer
    Service
    Sexy
    Social Media
    Sophia Zaccaria
    Spotlight
    Steamy Romance
    Story Elements
    Structure
    Style
    Subscribers
    Subscription
    Takedown
    Teaser
    Techniques
    Teen Issues
    The Indie Pen PR
    Theme
    The Trials Of Adeline Turner
    Thriller
    Time Travel
    T.J. Banks
    Travel Fiction
    Truth In Fiction
    Tuscany
    Update
    Urban Fantasy
    Womens Fiction
    Writers
    Writer's Block
    Writer's Life
    Writing
    Writing In The Modern Age
    Writing Process
    Writing Rules
    Writing Tips
    #WritModAge
    Xpresso Book Tours
    YA Romance
    Young Adult

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog Policy
  • Guest Schedule
  • Contact Us
  • Blog Posts