Check out my stop on the blog tour for Where There Be Humans by Rebekah L. Purdy from Entangled Teen!
by Rebekah L. Purdy
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: June 1st 2020
Entangled Teen
Summary:
Sixteen-year-old Ivy Archer is arguably the best warrior-in-training Gob Hollow has ever seen. Yet everyone—except her best friend she suddenly has other feelings for—looks down on her because she's only half goblin, with no idea what the other half is. She’s always suspected it might be human.
But humans, she’s been told, aren’t real. They’re only creatures of myth.
When the prince of their kingdom is taken for ransom, it’s Ivy's big chance to prove her worth. And when she learns his captors are human, the rescue mission becomes personal. The stories were clearly wrong, and now she has a chance to find the truth about her lineage, as well. If she survives…
With a small band of warriors at her command, including her best friend turned crush that’s getting harder to hide, Ivy sets out to find the prince and her human family. But the answers lie within secrets and conspiracies that run far deeper than she ever imagined.
But humans, she’s been told, aren’t real. They’re only creatures of myth.
When the prince of their kingdom is taken for ransom, it’s Ivy's big chance to prove her worth. And when she learns his captors are human, the rescue mission becomes personal. The stories were clearly wrong, and now she has a chance to find the truth about her lineage, as well. If she survives…
With a small band of warriors at her command, including her best friend turned crush that’s getting harder to hide, Ivy sets out to find the prince and her human family. But the answers lie within secrets and conspiracies that run far deeper than she ever imagined.
Purchase links can be found HERE!
EXCERPT:
I veered
away from the palace and headed down a hidden path. Hedges lined either side of
the walk, and statues holding lanterns stood every few feet. Tree branches hung
over the path like a roof made of greenery.
away from the palace and headed down a hidden path. Hedges lined either side of
the walk, and statues holding lanterns stood every few feet. Tree branches hung
over the path like a roof made of greenery.
My heart
thudded in my chest as I approached the granite archway leading into the yard
of the Gob Archives…and I gasped. The structure was built of white marble;
twelve columns surrounded the whole thing, and lanterns hung from the ceiling,
twinkling like stars. In front of each column sat a bench and a statue
representing each of the Twelve Hag virtues: Strength, Power, Kindness, Purity,
Wisdom, Stealth, Charity, Bravery, Dependability, Faith, Honor, and Loyalty.
thudded in my chest as I approached the granite archway leading into the yard
of the Gob Archives…and I gasped. The structure was built of white marble;
twelve columns surrounded the whole thing, and lanterns hung from the ceiling,
twinkling like stars. In front of each column sat a bench and a statue
representing each of the Twelve Hag virtues: Strength, Power, Kindness, Purity,
Wisdom, Stealth, Charity, Bravery, Dependability, Faith, Honor, and Loyalty.
The Goblin
Hag was a goddess witch of sorts. It was said that when goblins first came to
be, she’d bless them with certain virtues. She was the strongest being, but one
day the darkness had tricked her, killing her and sending her soul to the
stars. Goblins still prayed to her, as she supposedly would give favor to
certain goblins or even punish others.
Hag was a goddess witch of sorts. It was said that when goblins first came to
be, she’d bless them with certain virtues. She was the strongest being, but one
day the darkness had tricked her, killing her and sending her soul to the
stars. Goblins still prayed to her, as she supposedly would give favor to
certain goblins or even punish others.
I shivered
at the last thought. When I glanced back to the statues, I noticed the one
wielding a sword seemed to stare right through me, as though questioning my strength
and courage. My blood thrummed in my ears. Then the statue’s eyes opened, and I
felt the flesh on my back burn.
at the last thought. When I glanced back to the statues, I noticed the one
wielding a sword seemed to stare right through me, as though questioning my strength
and courage. My blood thrummed in my ears. Then the statue’s eyes opened, and I
felt the flesh on my back burn.
Pain
dropped me to my knees, the impact forcing the air from my lungs. “Oof!”
dropped me to my knees, the impact forcing the air from my lungs. “Oof!”
What was
going on? Frantic, I searched the
courtyard. When I looked at the statue again, its eyes were shut. “I must be
imagining things,” I whispered.
going on? Frantic, I searched the
courtyard. When I looked at the statue again, its eyes were shut. “I must be
imagining things,” I whispered.
I climbed
to my feet, the skin between my shoulder blades stinging like I’d just been
flogged with Kimblay’s switch. As I neared the Archives, I searched for Pudge,
who was still nowhere to be found. He’d better not have bailed on me.
to my feet, the skin between my shoulder blades stinging like I’d just been
flogged with Kimblay’s switch. As I neared the Archives, I searched for Pudge,
who was still nowhere to be found. He’d better not have bailed on me.
A rustling
in the trees had me diving for cover, and then I heard the sound of groans
coming from above.
in the trees had me diving for cover, and then I heard the sound of groans
coming from above.
“Ivy, is
that you?”
that you?”
“Pudge?”
There he was, hanging from the tree, by a net. “How in the witch’s tit did you
manage this?”
There he was, hanging from the tree, by a net. “How in the witch’s tit did you
manage this?”
“The
King’s Council has this place guarded by booby traps. I stepped into one.”
King’s Council has this place guarded by booby traps. I stepped into one.”
They’d
definitely caught a booby, all right. “Well, hang on while I cut you down,” I
said.
definitely caught a booby, all right. “Well, hang on while I cut you down,” I
said.
“I can’t
exactly go anywhere,” he snorted. “And they call you the smart one.”
exactly go anywhere,” he snorted. “And they call you the smart one.”
My eyes
narrowed. “It sounds like you’re asking me to leave you up there.”
narrowed. “It sounds like you’re asking me to leave you up there.”
“Sorry.”
Pudge squirmed like a fish caught on a line. “Can you please just get me down
before someone sees me?”
Pudge squirmed like a fish caught on a line. “Can you please just get me down
before someone sees me?”
Once I
made my way over to the tree, I searched for the rope, which was tied on a
low-hanging branch. I unsheathed my dagger and cut it. Pudge fell to the ground
with a thud and a yelp.
made my way over to the tree, I searched for the rope, which was tied on a
low-hanging branch. I unsheathed my dagger and cut it. Pudge fell to the ground
with a thud and a yelp.
“Ow,
could’ve been more careful—there are rocks down here.” He attempted to untangle
himself from the net.
could’ve been more careful—there are rocks down here.” He attempted to untangle
himself from the net.
In the
distance, I heard voices. We were going to get caught. I rushed over and tugged
Pudge behind the bushes, where he fell in a heap, bringing me with him. “I
can’t get this net off.”
distance, I heard voices. We were going to get caught. I rushed over and tugged
Pudge behind the bushes, where he fell in a heap, bringing me with him. “I
can’t get this net off.”
“Quiet,” I
hissed from on top of him, pointing to a guard making his rounds.
hissed from on top of him, pointing to a guard making his rounds.
I covered
his mouth with my hand, while I cut through the netting with the other, trying
hard to ignore the increase of my pulse as our bodies pressed together.
his mouth with my hand, while I cut through the netting with the other, trying
hard to ignore the increase of my pulse as our bodies pressed together.
Pudge
stared at me, his gaze holding mine. His arm slinked around my waist, pulling
me closer to keep me from being seen. His warm breath tickled my cheek as my
head nestled down into the crook of his neck.
stared at me, his gaze holding mine. His arm slinked around my waist, pulling
me closer to keep me from being seen. His warm breath tickled my cheek as my
head nestled down into the crook of his neck.
I shifted
slightly, my lips accidentally brushing his skin. Oh, Hag, we were so close. I
heard the sharp intake of his breath.
slightly, my lips accidentally brushing his skin. Oh, Hag, we were so close. I
heard the sharp intake of his breath.
“Ivy, uh,
you might not want to do that here. We’re friends, but even I’m not fully
immune…” He grinned at me.
you might not want to do that here. We’re friends, but even I’m not fully
immune…” He grinned at me.
Blushing,
I swatted his arm, pressing him further into the ground. “Shh…”
I swatted his arm, pressing him further into the ground. “Shh…”
“Did you
hear something?” one of the guards said.
hear something?” one of the guards said.
I was born and raised in Michigan (just look for the mitten-shaped state on the map). I’ve lived here most of my life other than the few years I spent in the U.S. Army. At which time I got a chance to experience MO, KS, SC, and CA.
I work full time for the court system and in my free time I write YA stories. Pretty much any genre within the YA realm is game for me, but my favorites are fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, thrillers, light sci-fi, and some time travel.
I also have a big family–I like to consider us the modern day Brady Bunch. When my hubby and I met and got married, he had 3 children from a previous marriage, I had 2 and we have 1 together. It’s a lot of fun though.
And I can’t forget my other family members–yep, we’ve got some pets: 4 dogs, 3 cats, and 1 turtle. Everyone in the family has one…I won’t bore you all with their names (unless you really want to know). Okay, you talked me into it! Jack, Pearl, Grr…(yes that’s my dog’s name), Leia, Callie, Mooshoo, Grouchy, and Sorbert. Other than writing some of my other hobbies include: reading (mostly YA of course), singing, swimming, football, soccer, running, camping, sledding, church, hanging with my kids, and traveling.
I belong to a fabulous writing group called YA Fiction Fantatics (YAFF) and you guessed it we all write YA!
Author Links:
Website: http://www.rebekahlpurdy.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RebekahLPurdy
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