Wednesday, December 13, 2023

[Review] — "BLADESTAY" is a Fascinating YA Western

Find it on Goodreads and Books2Read.

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the BLADESTAY by Jackie Johnson Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

 


About the Book


Be Careful Who You Root For


When a violent, decades-long feud between two powerful men comes to a head in the small settlement of Bladestay, Colorado, cunning resident Theo Creed must use her wits to stay alive. Disguising herself as a young boy, seventeen-year-old Theo bluffs her way into the inner circle of August Gaines, the magnetic leader of the ruthless gang that has descended on her town. But the deeper Theo gets into the con, the more she starts to question her loyalties. Complicating her subterfuge is a mysterious outlaw whose small moments of kindness contradict the blood he has on his hands, making Theo wonder who, exactly, is conning who. To save her town, Theo must parse façade from reality and choose between the barefaced malevolence she’s infiltrated and an evil she didn’t know lurked at home.



My Review


When I opened BLADESTAY, I had no clue what to expect; for some reason, I assumed it would be "Hunger Games" in style, but I couldn't have been more mistaken. I knew the storyline beforehand, but I had no idea it would have an old-school Wild West feel. No, it's hardly a Zane Grey masterpiece, but I could find echoes of Matt Braun's writing style in the prose.

The protagonist, Theo, is a seventeen-year-old Theodora, so obviously, the story is for a young adult audience, but the prose doesn't feel like your typical young adult novel; it reads more like an adult Western. August Gaines, the leader of a vicious gang, is the main antagonist and has a more complex past than others. Theo is smart and spunky, so I liked her right away. When I first met August, I had the opposite reaction—I detested him from the start.

BLADESTAY is a well-written western with a fascinating plot and interesting characters you'll either love or loathe. I highly recommend reading it. ╌★★★★★

 

 

About Jackie Johnson



Jackie Johnson is a San Diego born poet and novelist. Her background as a journalist, BA in history, and education in armed defense gives her a uniquely authentic voice within the historical genre. She’s been riding horses for over twenty years and had her own real-life cowboy love story when she fell in love with and married a horse trainer. Together, they established a ranch in Southern California where she spends her days writing, riding, and chasing after their dreams, their two children, four horses, six cats, and two dogs. Bladestay is her first novel.


Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 


Giveaway Details


1 winner will receive a finished copy of BLADESTAY, US Only.

Ends December 19th, midnight EST.



Tour Schedule


Week One:

11/20/2023

#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog

Spotlight Post/IG Post

11/21/2023

Writer of Wrongs

Guest Post

11/22/2023

Two Chicks on Books

Guest Post/IG Post

11/23/2023

YA Books Central

Interview/IG Post

11/24/2023

A Backwards Story

Guest Post

11/25/2023

Rockstar Book Tours

Excerpt

Week Two:

11/26/2023

Rajiv's Reviews

Review/IG Post

11/27/2023

Locks, Hooks and Books

Review

11/28/2023

Country Mamas With Kids

Review/IG Post

11/29/2023

A Blue Box Full of Books

IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post

11/30/2023

Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's

Review/IG Post

12/1/2023

The Litt Librarian

Review/IG Post

12/2/2023

Callisto’s calling

IG Review

Week Three:

12/3/2023

@dreaminginpages

IG Review

12/4/2023

jlreadstoperpetuity

IG Review/TikTok Post

12/5/2023

@evergirl200

IG Review

12/6/2023

@allyluvsbooksalatte

IG Review

12/7/2023

The Momma Spot

Review

12/8/2023

Confessions of the Perfect Mom

Review/IG Post

12/9/2023

@enjoyingbooksagain

IG Review

Week Four:

12/10/2023

Lifestyle of Me

Review

12/11/2023

@froggyreadteach

IG Review

12/12/2023

One More Exclamation

Review/IG Post/LFL Drop Pic

12/13/2023

Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer

Review/IG Post

12/14/2023

Jaime_of_gryffindor

IG Review

12/15/2023

More Books Please blog

Review/IG Post


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