Revival (The Variant Series, #1)
Author: Jena Leigh
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About the Book:
"Possessing the uncanny ability to fry a television set from twenty paces can really wreck a girl’s social life.
If you’re looking for proof, just ask sixteen-year-old Alexandra Parker. After catching her boyfriend in the arms of the prettiest girl in school, she made the journey from social elite to social pariah in a haze of electricity and exploding electronics. But finding herself at the bottom of Bay View High’s social hierarchy was nothing compared to the shock of discovering who—and what—she really is.
After being zapped out of a burning bookstore by the mysterious Declan—a hero nearly as handsome as he is infuriating—Alex finds herself under the protection of the powerful Grayson family. It’s through them that she learns the truth: that the world she’s always known is nothing like it appears to be... and that she has far more in common with them than she might want to believe.
Now, on the run from a fire-wielding hit man and a secretive government organization, Alex must navigate a strange and treacherous new world filled with superhuman mutants known as Variants. As she begins to unravel the many secrets of her family’s past, she uncovers the real reason for her parents’ death twelve years earlier—and finds out that the threat to her family, and to everyone she cares about, is still dangerously real."
Sneak Peak:
"After everything that had just happened, Alex couldn’t believe her ears, at first, when Connor had told her that it was their relationship he was hoping to discuss.
But that was Connor, for you.
She sighed. He wasn’t all bad. He was just a little self-centered at times. That didn’t mean he didn’t care.
Alex had said as much to Cassie the day before. Her friend had only sighed and said, “I swear, Alex, if you tried hard enough, you could find the bright side of a black hole. Just promise me you won’t spend so much time looking for the good in people that you ignore all the bad, okay? I’m sick of watching people walk all over you. And that little toad has done nothing but take advantage of your kindness since the first day you met.”
Only… Alex was finding it difficult to take Cassie’s advice this time.
Every lick of common sense she possessed was telling her to send Connor packing, but her heart was having none of it.
She was torn. And it was written all over her face.
Which was probably why Connor had cornered her after she’d finished her slice of pizza, once again eager to discuss where they stood.
She couldn’t figure out how to answer him.
Instead, she’d snagged the only coat hanging on the coatrack—Declan’s—and jumped… all the way to the patio. Let Connor think she was in Bora Bora somewhere. Just so long as she didn’t have to look into those big brown eyes again tonight.
Just so long as she didn’t have to be strong enough to say “no” for a little while longer.
She climbed up to sit on the railing. “Never did get that tour.”
“First thing in the morning,” Nathaniel smiled. “I promise.”
Something in the pocket of her borrowed jacket began to vibrate. Alex reached inside and pulled out Declan’s cell phone.
“It’s ringing,” she said.
Nate took the phone from her, checked the caller ID, and answered it.
“Monty,” he said. “It’s Nate.”
Monty’s Brooklyn accent reached her loud and clear through the stillness of the night.
“Hey, kid,” he sounded angry. “You know I don’t mind flying the old girl back solo, but the next time you decide to have Declan pick up Grayson, you’ve got to give me a heads up. I’ve been waiting on the tarmac for almost an hour.”
“Woah, Monty,” Nate pushed away from the railing and offered Alex a hand. She took it and hopped down. “What are you talking about?”
Still holding her hand, Nate led Alex around the left side of the house. They came to a stop at the end of the flagstone path and Nate fixed his attention on one of the darkened upstairs windows. If Alex had to guess, it was probably one of the two in Declan’s bedroom.
“This afternoon Grayson called and told me to prep the jet and we’d leave for New York at ten,” he said. “Then he never showed. I just figured you’d come and got him.”
The window they’d been looking at shuddered open. It took Alex a second to realize that Nate had been the one to raise it and not Declan.
“Yo, Decks!” Nate shouted.
“Ack!” Alex could hear Monty grumbling on the other end of the line. “Christ, kid, cover the mouthpiece when you do that. My hearing’s bad enough as it is.”
Nate pulled the phone away from his ear. “Decks!” he shouted again.
“What is it?” asked Alex. Nate seemed to have forgotten that he was still holding her hand.
“Something’s wrong,” he replied, and then shouted again. “Dammit, Declan, get your ass out of bed!”
A light flicked on and Declan stumbled into view through the open window. He looked to be only half awake and was missing his shirt.
Alex, on the other hand, was not missing that shirt in the slightest.
“What?” Declan snapped. His voice held that same low, rumbling quality that it had carried that morning. He squinted down at them, first zeroing in on their joined hands, and then on Alex. “Hey. Is that my jacket?”
“Did you pick up Grayson?” Nate asked before Alex could attempt an answer.
“What?” he asked. “No. Why?”
“Monty, when did you last hear from Grayson?” Nate asked into the phone.
“Around four,” he said. “I’ve been trying his cell since he didn’t show at ten. Tried his hotel, too. They said he checked out a couple hours ago. If he ain’t at the cabin, where’d he go? ”
“I don’t know,” said Nate. “Listen, stay in DC another night, just in case.”
“Alright, kid,” he said.
“And Monty?”
“Yeah, kid?”
“Call me if you hear anything.”
“Sure thing.”
Nate ended the call.
“What’s going on?” asked Declan.
“Put a shirt on and round up the others,” said Nate. “We’re going to DC.”"
Sound Track:
I have two obsessions in my life: the written word and music. When I'm writing, I have music playing in the background almost constantly. Putting on a pair of headphones and cuing up a character-specific playlist always helps draw me into the world of my novel and capture the emotions of a particular scene.
While I was writing Revival I played dozens of different songs on repeat, searching for inspiration. Here are just a few of the tunes I listened to during those long nights spent hunting for words!
1. Florence + the Machine — Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up)
At the beginning of the novel, Alexandra Parker is a sweet—if somewhat quiet—high school junior that is more than happy to let others take center stage while she observes life safely from the sidelines. That all changes when she discovers who she is and what she's capable of. With the help of her new friends—Declan, in particular—Alex discovers that she's not as weak as she once assumed... And that when it comes to protecting the people she cares about, she's stronger than she ever would have imagined.
Key Lyrics
This is a gift, it comes with a price
Who is the lamb and who is the knife
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
And turns me to gold in the sunlight
I look around, but I can't find you (raise it up)
If only I could see your face (raise it up)
Instead of rushing towards the skyline (raise it up)
I wish that I could just be brave
I must become a lion hearted girl
Ready for a fight
Before I make the final sacrifice
2. Burn Halo — Threw it All Away
Recently, I was asked what I thought Declan's theme song might be. At the time, I picked "I Stand Alone" by Theophilus London, but the more I thought about my choice, the more it bugged me.
Don't get me wrong, it's a great song—and the vibe is perfect for Declan. But another song that might have worked a little better would have been Burn Halo’s "Threw it All Away.”
It's one of those brooding rock ballads filled with wailing guitars and angst-ridden lyrics. And while Declan has taken to using sarcasm and humor as a shield to keep others from getting too close, on the inside he's struggling with a sea of anger, regret, and pain that he can't quite let go of. When Alex shows up on the scene, old emotions he'd worked hard to bury are brought back to the surface. And as Alex starts to slip past his carefully crafted defenses, Declan finds himself falling for her in spite of himself.
Key Lyrics
Come close and you'll see every little imperfection
Because my scars still bear a shame that I can't hide
Come close and you'll see I'm headed in the wrong direction
Always getting lost but I'm not hard to find
What if heaven could hear me screaming?
What if heaven could hear me now?
Lord knows I've tried to change
(I’ve sacrificed)
But keep falling everyday
(I keep falling)
I was taking every chance
I was living too fast
I was throwing it all away
…And I threw it all away
Come close and you'll see it was never my intention
But I know that I have wronged so many rights
Come close and you'll see that I fight to seek redemption
All the wounds will heal but I know it will take time
I know heaven can hear me screaming
I know heaven can hear me now
3. Snow Patrol — In the End
There's one other character deserving of a song in this list, and that's Nathaniel. In the novel, it's obvious that Nathaniel is keeping a large number of secrets from the others—secrets that involve his memories of Alex and a past he doesn't want her to know about. More about Nathaniel and Alex's history is brought to light in book two of The Variant Series, but their past proved crucial to the way I wrote Nathaniel's character in Revival. Keeping that in mind, this Snow Patrol song is perfect for Nate!
Key Lyrics
It's the price I guess
For the lies I've told
That the truth it no longer thrills me
In the end, In the end
There's nothing more to life than love is there?
In the end, In the end
It's time for us to lose our weary minds
Will you dance with me
Like we used to dance
And remember how to move together
You are the torch
And it all makes sense
I've waited here for you forever
I've waited here for you forever
4. Snow Patrol — The Lightning Strike (What If This Storm Ends?)
And since you stuck with me this long, here's the song that I'm currently listening to (on repeat) while I write book three in the Variant series! It offers up some clues about the ending of Resistance, the second book in the series, but that's all the spoilers you'll be getting from me for now…
Sneak Peak:
"After everything that had just happened, Alex couldn’t believe her ears, at first, when Connor had told her that it was their relationship he was hoping to discuss.
But that was Connor, for you.
She sighed. He wasn’t all bad. He was just a little self-centered at times. That didn’t mean he didn’t care.
Alex had said as much to Cassie the day before. Her friend had only sighed and said, “I swear, Alex, if you tried hard enough, you could find the bright side of a black hole. Just promise me you won’t spend so much time looking for the good in people that you ignore all the bad, okay? I’m sick of watching people walk all over you. And that little toad has done nothing but take advantage of your kindness since the first day you met.”
Only… Alex was finding it difficult to take Cassie’s advice this time.
Every lick of common sense she possessed was telling her to send Connor packing, but her heart was having none of it.
She was torn. And it was written all over her face.
Which was probably why Connor had cornered her after she’d finished her slice of pizza, once again eager to discuss where they stood.
She couldn’t figure out how to answer him.
Instead, she’d snagged the only coat hanging on the coatrack—Declan’s—and jumped… all the way to the patio. Let Connor think she was in Bora Bora somewhere. Just so long as she didn’t have to look into those big brown eyes again tonight.
Just so long as she didn’t have to be strong enough to say “no” for a little while longer.
She climbed up to sit on the railing. “Never did get that tour.”
“First thing in the morning,” Nathaniel smiled. “I promise.”
Something in the pocket of her borrowed jacket began to vibrate. Alex reached inside and pulled out Declan’s cell phone.
“It’s ringing,” she said.
Nate took the phone from her, checked the caller ID, and answered it.
“Monty,” he said. “It’s Nate.”
Monty’s Brooklyn accent reached her loud and clear through the stillness of the night.
“Hey, kid,” he sounded angry. “You know I don’t mind flying the old girl back solo, but the next time you decide to have Declan pick up Grayson, you’ve got to give me a heads up. I’ve been waiting on the tarmac for almost an hour.”
“Woah, Monty,” Nate pushed away from the railing and offered Alex a hand. She took it and hopped down. “What are you talking about?”
Still holding her hand, Nate led Alex around the left side of the house. They came to a stop at the end of the flagstone path and Nate fixed his attention on one of the darkened upstairs windows. If Alex had to guess, it was probably one of the two in Declan’s bedroom.
“This afternoon Grayson called and told me to prep the jet and we’d leave for New York at ten,” he said. “Then he never showed. I just figured you’d come and got him.”
The window they’d been looking at shuddered open. It took Alex a second to realize that Nate had been the one to raise it and not Declan.
“Yo, Decks!” Nate shouted.
“Ack!” Alex could hear Monty grumbling on the other end of the line. “Christ, kid, cover the mouthpiece when you do that. My hearing’s bad enough as it is.”
Nate pulled the phone away from his ear. “Decks!” he shouted again.
“What is it?” asked Alex. Nate seemed to have forgotten that he was still holding her hand.
“Something’s wrong,” he replied, and then shouted again. “Dammit, Declan, get your ass out of bed!”
A light flicked on and Declan stumbled into view through the open window. He looked to be only half awake and was missing his shirt.
Alex, on the other hand, was not missing that shirt in the slightest.
“What?” Declan snapped. His voice held that same low, rumbling quality that it had carried that morning. He squinted down at them, first zeroing in on their joined hands, and then on Alex. “Hey. Is that my jacket?”
“Did you pick up Grayson?” Nate asked before Alex could attempt an answer.
“What?” he asked. “No. Why?”
“Monty, when did you last hear from Grayson?” Nate asked into the phone.
“Around four,” he said. “I’ve been trying his cell since he didn’t show at ten. Tried his hotel, too. They said he checked out a couple hours ago. If he ain’t at the cabin, where’d he go? ”
“I don’t know,” said Nate. “Listen, stay in DC another night, just in case.”
“Alright, kid,” he said.
“And Monty?”
“Yeah, kid?”
“Call me if you hear anything.”
“Sure thing.”
Nate ended the call.
“What’s going on?” asked Declan.
“Put a shirt on and round up the others,” said Nate. “We’re going to DC.”"
Sound Track:
I have two obsessions in my life: the written word and music. When I'm writing, I have music playing in the background almost constantly. Putting on a pair of headphones and cuing up a character-specific playlist always helps draw me into the world of my novel and capture the emotions of a particular scene.
While I was writing Revival I played dozens of different songs on repeat, searching for inspiration. Here are just a few of the tunes I listened to during those long nights spent hunting for words!
1. Florence + the Machine — Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up)
At the beginning of the novel, Alexandra Parker is a sweet—if somewhat quiet—high school junior that is more than happy to let others take center stage while she observes life safely from the sidelines. That all changes when she discovers who she is and what she's capable of. With the help of her new friends—Declan, in particular—Alex discovers that she's not as weak as she once assumed... And that when it comes to protecting the people she cares about, she's stronger than she ever would have imagined.
Key Lyrics
This is a gift, it comes with a price
Who is the lamb and who is the knife
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
And turns me to gold in the sunlight
I look around, but I can't find you (raise it up)
If only I could see your face (raise it up)
Instead of rushing towards the skyline (raise it up)
I wish that I could just be brave
I must become a lion hearted girl
Ready for a fight
Before I make the final sacrifice
2. Burn Halo — Threw it All Away
Recently, I was asked what I thought Declan's theme song might be. At the time, I picked "I Stand Alone" by Theophilus London, but the more I thought about my choice, the more it bugged me.
Don't get me wrong, it's a great song—and the vibe is perfect for Declan. But another song that might have worked a little better would have been Burn Halo’s "Threw it All Away.”
It's one of those brooding rock ballads filled with wailing guitars and angst-ridden lyrics. And while Declan has taken to using sarcasm and humor as a shield to keep others from getting too close, on the inside he's struggling with a sea of anger, regret, and pain that he can't quite let go of. When Alex shows up on the scene, old emotions he'd worked hard to bury are brought back to the surface. And as Alex starts to slip past his carefully crafted defenses, Declan finds himself falling for her in spite of himself.
Key Lyrics
Come close and you'll see every little imperfection
Because my scars still bear a shame that I can't hide
Come close and you'll see I'm headed in the wrong direction
Always getting lost but I'm not hard to find
What if heaven could hear me screaming?
What if heaven could hear me now?
Lord knows I've tried to change
(I’ve sacrificed)
But keep falling everyday
(I keep falling)
I was taking every chance
I was living too fast
I was throwing it all away
…And I threw it all away
Come close and you'll see it was never my intention
But I know that I have wronged so many rights
Come close and you'll see that I fight to seek redemption
All the wounds will heal but I know it will take time
I know heaven can hear me screaming
I know heaven can hear me now
3. Snow Patrol — In the End
There's one other character deserving of a song in this list, and that's Nathaniel. In the novel, it's obvious that Nathaniel is keeping a large number of secrets from the others—secrets that involve his memories of Alex and a past he doesn't want her to know about. More about Nathaniel and Alex's history is brought to light in book two of The Variant Series, but their past proved crucial to the way I wrote Nathaniel's character in Revival. Keeping that in mind, this Snow Patrol song is perfect for Nate!
Key Lyrics
It's the price I guess
For the lies I've told
That the truth it no longer thrills me
In the end, In the end
There's nothing more to life than love is there?
In the end, In the end
It's time for us to lose our weary minds
Will you dance with me
Like we used to dance
And remember how to move together
You are the torch
And it all makes sense
I've waited here for you forever
I've waited here for you forever
4. Snow Patrol — The Lightning Strike (What If This Storm Ends?)
And since you stuck with me this long, here's the song that I'm currently listening to (on repeat) while I write book three in the Variant series! It offers up some clues about the ending of Resistance, the second book in the series, but that's all the spoilers you'll be getting from me for now…
About the Author:
Born and raised in Tampa, Florida, Jena Leigh spent ten years in the mountains of North Carolina before returning home to the lightning capital of North America. A shameless geek, she loves bad sci-fi movies, Skittles, writing cracktastic e-mails to friends and taking shenanigan-filled road trips to faraway concerts. She has a degree in English from Appalachian State University. REVIVAL is her first novel.
Author's Links:
Giveaway:
-MUST be 13 or older to enter.
-Winners have 48 hours to respond before new winners are chosen.
-ONE winner will receive a SIGNED hardcopy of REVIVAL and RESISTANCE (Be aware you will have to wait for the second book until it is published in FEB).
-FIVE winners will be chosen to win e-copies of REVIVAL and RESISTANCE (Be aware you will have to wait for the second book until it is published in FEB).
Hi, Lisa! Thank you so much for participating in the Revival Blog Tour!! I really appreciate the support! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Lisa, for taking time out to host the tour and for supporting the author!! God Bless!! ~Annabell + Bridget from TeamNerd Reviews
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. I will check out this book!
ReplyDelete