Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Coming Soon to Vise Library: Burning Glass by Kathryn Purdie





The Vise Library is introducing books (in separate blog posts) that will be available in our catalog soon.  We were given the opportunity to read Burning Glass prior to its release in March.  Read below to find out what this book is about and to see what the Vise Library thought about it!





About the book:

Red Queen meets Shadow and Bone in a debut fantasy about a girl forced to use her gift for sensing—and absorbing—other people’s feelings to protect the empire from assassins. Steeped in intrigue and betrayal, Burning Glass captivates with heartrending romance, dangerous magic, and one girl’s quest for redemption. 
In Riaznin, it’s considered an honor for Auraseers like Sonya—girls with a rare form of synesthesia—to serve as the emperor’s personal protector, constantly scanning for feelings of malice and bloodlust in the court. But Sonya would rather be free.
After the queen’s murder and a tragic accident, Sonya is hauled off to the palace to guard a charming yet volatile new ruler. But Sonya’s power is reckless and hard to control. She’s often carried away by the intense passion of others.
And when a growing rebellion forces Sonya to side with either the emperor who trusts her or his mysterious brother, the crown prince, Sonya realizes she may be the key to saving the empire—or its greatest threat.
Before we get to the insides of this book, can we please discuss how gorgeous the outside of it is?  It does have significance to the story, but again, STUNNING.  Anyways, to the actual story...Sonya has the power to feel people's moods and intentions.  However, she is not very good at this in the beginning, like at all.  However a great tragedy happens where she is the oldest auraseer in the empire and is called to serve the emperor with her gift.  She has a hard time meandering through court life and trying to hone her powers.  One mess up from her can mean the death of the emperor - or hers.  Meanwhile there is something mysterious going on with the emperor's brother, Anton, that she is determined to get to the bottom of the plot.  I will say at first I did have some difficulty understanding Sonya and her powers (that could totally be my fault) but I did thoroughly enjoy her journey of not only understanding other people's feelings but her own.  Sometimes she struggled with that fact that if her feelings were her own or if they belonged to someone else.  She eventually learns that she is capable of so much more than she ever realized and that empathy has a lot to do with that.  This book was a wonderful journey of watching Sonya become stronger and more aware of her growth.  I think this book is very relatable through Sonya's struggle.  You will keep guessing about certain characters and be heartbroken for others.  I loved this debut novel and loved the teaser for the next book (can I read that now, please).  Seriously, the story couldn't be more perfect!  Make sure you give this book a shot when it releases next week and it will be available in our Popular Collection!

Buy the book:






About the author:

My love of storytelling began as a young girl when my dad told me, in his own words, the story of To Kill a Mockingbird while we listened to the film score together. Enchanted, I began my own attempts at storytelling, which usually led to home video productions featuring my younger sister as the nerd or maid, while I reserved the role of the glamorous movie star or princess.
In high school, I focused on acting and won first place in monologues at a prestigious statewide Shakespearean competition. When I wasn’t on the stage, I spent my time composing sappy poetry and completing at least ten pages in my journal every night. My author dad edited my school papers and taught me the art of writing. I went on to study acting in college and at The Oxford School of Drama in England. (All that character analysis transferred nicely to writing!)
The writing bug bit me when I was in recovery from donating a kidney to my older brother. I found my old stash of short stories, and the inspiration for my first novel struck. I’ve been writing ever since.
A lover of art in all forms, I also enjoy singing and playing the guitar. My husband is equally artistic. We keep busy raising three rambunctious and creative children. (Taken from author's website)
Connect with the author:

No comments:

Post a Comment