All's Fair in Vanities War (Guest Post+Review+Giveaway)

I was fortunate to be able to participate in this virtual blog tour. Check out the author's guest post below, followed by my review, and then a giveaway for 2 ebook copies! :)

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, what’s reflected on the page will enthrall. --The Seer

The Seer

The Sister’s Three have other ideas about what I’m supposed to be recording or watching. I’d much rather perch on the Mac counter in Macy’s and watch a Tour de Fabulous makeover than write about epic events. Ilithyia recommended as a compromise, relate make-up to the book I’m supposed to be creating, I’m not exactly enthralled about writing, but here goes.

Foundation. This is what you cover the canvas of your face with to get started. For a book its plot, All’s Fair in Vanities War’s plot is very simple: Girl (me, The Seer) loves boy (Locke). I’m sacrificed by something way scary, then reborn as The Seer. Then I find out I’m supposed to watch over Locke’s new girlfriend, Keleigh, which is kind of like striking a match against the furnace of my own personal hell. Did I mention I have ginormous wings and I need flight school? Or that I’m invisible? Or that my co-walker is really smart, but kind of a ditz?

Powder. This you brush on very lightly over the foundation, it’s usually matte, and hides any flaws. In Salem, the Order hides ExtraOrdinary people in plain sight, they don’t stand out at all, with all the witches, warlocks, and whack-jobs roaming around. Plus, if need be they dust the place with magic. ExtraOrdinaries are people born with magical abilities, people like Locke and Keleigh, who draw their power from an ancient ley line that runs through Salem. The problem is, anything trying to cross into the Ordinary world from the OtherWorld uses the same ley line.

Eye-liner.  You use it to outline the eyes to make them more noticeable or dramatic. Characters are the eyeliner of a story, you either like them or hate them, but either way, they move the story along. Of course you already know I love Locke. Keleigh’s well, Keleigh’s everything I wish I could have been to Locke. You see, I didn’t know he was some sort of a druid, I just thought he was a smoking hot guy, who had a few quirks that people whispered about. The fact that Keleigh doesn’t want to be what she was born to be, it sort of irritates me, but hey, who am I to judge, I don’t care much for who I was reborn to be either!

Eye-shadow. Eye shadow is what you brush over the eyelid to make it more striking. In relation to a book, it’s like the character motivations. You know the saying the eyes are the window of the soul. There’s a reason we’re told to look people in the eye, and that’s because we are likely to find the truth there.

Blush. You use blush to highlight the cheekbones. Romance is the blush of this book, it highlights certain parts of the story, but doesn’t overwhelm it. Even when Locke can be totally overwhelming, there’s a goal that these characters need to accomplish, otherwise, apocalypse comes to Salem.

Lip liner accentuates the perimeter of the mouth. The lip liner of the book is the secondary characters and what they bring to the tale. They help outline or frame the story.

Lip Stick is what fills in the lips and gives them life. In the book it’s the connection between the characters. Some characters are linked together by friendship, some by rivalry, some by jealously, but most are by affection for each other. What holds the strongest of the characters together is the bonds of love, even when they fight against it or wish they no longer feel it. It’s still the strongest bond, just like in the real world. 

This book was great! It was really entertaining and the plot was well-thought out. BUT...

I don't usually rate books I review, but if I was to rate this book, I'd give it a 3 even though the story was great. Why?

Despite the book's amazing characters and storyline, the writing itself was not so great. There were misspellings, incorrect grammar usage, and lack of proper punctuation. I checked, and this was a finished copy.....

Anyway, on to the review of the story itself.

In the beginning, I was absolutely confused/annoyed with the plot. There was a narrator and it keeps going back and forth from Keleigh to the narrator. I learned later that the narrator was The Seer. She was the main storyteller. I wished there was a clearer distinction of the speaker as well as a clear message that the person speaking was The Seer. I kept going back and forth to the Prologue trying to figure out who the narrator was until the character Madi found out that she could see and speak to The Seer.

Vanity was the biggest thing in Salem. Everyone wished to be beautiful. Everyone was shallow. Locke lost his girlfriend in an accident. Later on, we learned that she became the Seer. Awkwaaaaard :) It's awkward because The Seer is the one that watches over Keleigh. But before that, The Seer used to watch over Locke - she saw everything he did, including the times when he hooked up with other women after she died.

Anyway, Locke was a powerful Druid. I believe he was also the youngest. He definitely had a sexy voice and despite the scar on half the side of his face, he was beautiful inside. At the end of the day, that's what mattered.

Keleigh was the daughter of a very powerful Vate. Her parents were killed in a flash flood - or so people said. She knew what really happened to them and throughout the entire story, she refused to acknowledge what she really was. She had powers people never even dreamed of. With the help (and love) of Locke and the three Sisters, she was able to harness and make use of them when needed.

As for the rest of the story, there was a fight of good and evil, a search for a witch bottle, and admittance of mutual love. Overall, the story itself was quite exquisite :)


Check out my favorite quotes/scenes:
Locke's Quotes

"This isn't a scar, it's a spell, and once I find out who cast it, I have every intention of having a supernatural face lift."

"I take my reputation among our people very seriously, and you've thoroughly insulted me."

"Okay. Take off your clothes. We'll conserve body heat the old fashioned way."

"I'm offering you my love, no magical strings attached."

"You're a Vate, a Vate with access to all the knowledge of mankind, killer of Barguests, defender against evil...And you can fly at will. With passengers!"

Locke and Keleigh Scenes:

K: "Who doesn't like Gaga?"
L: "Those of us with classical tastes."
K: "Sounds like white-boy-can't-dance-syndrome."

K: "I was saving that."
L: "Saving what?"
K: "My first kiss."
L: "Well, it's mine now, and I have no intention of giving it back."

L: "You might need a couple more lessons, before you're ready for advanced kissing, but I'll be around."
K: "I don't even like you."
L: "You used to hate me, so things are looking up."

K: "You can't act out physically when you're hurting emotionally."
L: "It's what males do."

Madi's Note:

The Seer says to tell you that "All the justice in the world ain't locked up in a courthouse!" Whatever that means. Her sayings are getting weirder and weirder. Anyway, these are my well thought out list of ways to get rid of Lynx:

1. Hang him. Like in the old days, no judge, no jury, just some rope and a tree.

2. Pressing. With big boulders, not an iron.

3. Guillotine. After careful research the nearest one I could locate was in Paris. It's awfully messy, but worth the trip.

4. Crucify. I'm talking cross and nails here, crown of thorns optional.

5. Strangle. Too close to hanging, but I think I know a hanging judge anyway.

6. Drawing and quartering. Did you know they usually display the head on a pike? His head's so large, do you think there's a pike sturdy enough?

7. Slowly eaten alive by scarabs. Can you Fed Ex scarabs?

8. Live mummification. You might need to conjure Annunbis for this one.

9. Drown him. I know your people (witches) find this offensive, but all we need to do is put a mirror in the bottom of a pool. He'll drown himself!

10. Stake through the heart. Effective for all sorts of blood sucking leeches.

Short Excerpt:

Locke lowered the lights with a flip of his wrist.
Keleigh waved her hand, and every light in the room ignited.
"You've learned a few new tricks, mochrie."
"You haven't, so turn down the Dr. Suave act."
Locke traced a path with his finger from her bottom lip that he was eyeing, to the crevice at her collarbone. "If the lights are on, we'll need something to do."
In the next instant the room blacked out. Keleigh slipped out of bed, as a roar of water raised in the room as if the tide was coming in. A torrent of water ran over the edge of her canopy drenching Locke, aquatic life danced in his sputtering.
"I'm going to sleep in your room. I suggest you don't follow me." She snagged Boudicca who was chasing a fish.
"You really need to control your temper," he grumbled.
"You should talk," Keleigh was at the doorway, she flipped on the light switch. "I didn't use thunder, I'm saving that for a rainy day." And she crossed the hall slamming his door.
"I should have taken Madi's advice never to tick her off." Locke threw himself back against the soaked pillows, "Crap! I smell like fish! Again."

Please note that there is also a grand prize of $50. Check out the rules below:
-Like "The Seer" Facebook page
-Post one of her best lines on the wall

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!