Welcome to my stop on the All the Stars on Fire by Beck Medina blog tour!
by Beck Medina
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: December 20th 2019
Summary:
Natalia Morales has a secret...she's kind of a superhero. Natalia dreams of joining the Action Team, the newly banded and young heroes that protect Angel City, and just may stop at anything to make it happen.
Alyse Morales knows her sister's secret, and wants Natalia to give up on her dangerous dream. When Alyse gets hurt one night while Natalia is crime fighting, Natalia promises to end her run as a hero. But when the Sorceress appears in Angel City, and Captain Force, the leader of the Action Team, enlists in Natalia's help, she may have to break her promise in order to protect her family and friends.
Will Alyse ever forgive her? Is Natalia actually capable of saving the day? All the Stars on Fire is the story of following your dreams, what it truly takes to be a hero, and leaping into the unknown.
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Chapter Excerpt
Damnit, I overslept. I wake up to
the sun hitting my face and a text from my best friend Boston asking where I’m
at. Boston’s going out of town for two weeks to celebrate his birthday with his
dad and sister, and I was supposed to meet him in his treehouse to give him his
present and say goodbye.
the sun hitting my face and a text from my best friend Boston asking where I’m
at. Boston’s going out of town for two weeks to celebrate his birthday with his
dad and sister, and I was supposed to meet him in his treehouse to give him his
present and say goodbye.
“Be
there in ten,” I write back.
there in ten,” I write back.
“Knock, knock,” my brother Max says,
opening my bedroom door gradually until half his body is in my bedroom. “You
got a minute?”
opening my bedroom door gradually until half his body is in my bedroom. “You
got a minute?”
Still half asleep, I close my eyes
and let my head fall back on my pillow. “I’ve got ten.”
and let my head fall back on my pillow. “I’ve got ten.”
Max takes a seat on the corner of my
bed. I can feel him watching me, and my suspicions are confirmed when I pop one
eye open. He laughs.
bed. I can feel him watching me, and my suspicions are confirmed when I pop one
eye open. He laughs.
“Man, you’re a wreck,” he tells me.
“What’s keeping you up at night lately?”
“What’s keeping you up at night lately?”
I don’t know why, but I’m always so
certain that he must know about my moonlighting as Empathy. He has a good
intuition about these things. But if he did know, it would be met with so much
opposition. Max is too logical. Becoming a hero is considered reckless to him.
He didn’t shut up for months about how foolish the Action Team was for working
without the city’s consent. He finally came around to liking them as soon as
they teamed up with the Angel City Police Department.
certain that he must know about my moonlighting as Empathy. He has a good
intuition about these things. But if he did know, it would be met with so much
opposition. Max is too logical. Becoming a hero is considered reckless to him.
He didn’t shut up for months about how foolish the Action Team was for working
without the city’s consent. He finally came around to liking them as soon as
they teamed up with the Angel City Police Department.
So yeah, he’d be pissed that I’m doing
this without anybody’s consent.
this without anybody’s consent.
“What do you want to talk about?” I
yawn.
yawn.
“It’s about the Academy,” Max
starts. He adjusts himself so he’s facing me. “Natalia, something really
important is about to happen. And I need you to know what it is so that you’re
prepared.”
starts. He adjusts himself so he’s facing me. “Natalia, something really
important is about to happen. And I need you to know what it is so that you’re
prepared.”
Okay, now I’m awake. I know Max has
kept in touch with some of the researchers on Project 451, I think out of hope
that the government would give them more funding so they could continue the
project. I’ve been dreading the day that Max informs me that we’re going back
to basecamp. Please tell me today isn’t the day.
kept in touch with some of the researchers on Project 451, I think out of hope
that the government would give them more funding so they could continue the
project. I’ve been dreading the day that Max informs me that we’re going back
to basecamp. Please tell me today isn’t the day.
“I’ve been in touch with a few of
the scientists, and it looks like--”
the scientists, and it looks like--”
“There you two are.”
Max and I turn to Alyse, who’s
standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips. She hates it when we “twin
up without her,” as she refers to it. She already feels like the outcast since
she’s the only Morales sibling that didn’t get accepted into Project 451. She
was too young to apply, though. If I could go back in time, I’d gladly switch
places with her. While I’m grateful for my abilities, I hated Academy. It was
too competitive and strict. Eventually, I got the sense that we weren’t being
trained to protect our country, but rather, to control it.
standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips. She hates it when we “twin
up without her,” as she refers to it. She already feels like the outcast since
she’s the only Morales sibling that didn’t get accepted into Project 451. She
was too young to apply, though. If I could go back in time, I’d gladly switch
places with her. While I’m grateful for my abilities, I hated Academy. It was
too competitive and strict. Eventually, I got the sense that we weren’t being
trained to protect our country, but rather, to control it.
Max sighs, probably upset that our
conversation has been interrupted. Despite his disappointment, he gives Alyse a
cordial smile. “What’s up, Alyse?”
conversation has been interrupted. Despite his disappointment, he gives Alyse a
cordial smile. “What’s up, Alyse?”
“Aunt Rosa’s wrangling us for
breakfast,” she says, stepping further into my bedroom and plopping herself
down on my bed beside Max. “She’s polling everyone on where we want to go.
Prima already said, ‘wherever you wanna
go is fine, Mom.’”
breakfast,” she says, stepping further into my bedroom and plopping herself
down on my bed beside Max. “She’s polling everyone on where we want to go.
Prima already said, ‘wherever you wanna
go is fine, Mom.’”
I laugh as I get out of bed. Alyse
is really good at impersonations, I feel like I should be paying her to hear
them. She used to do a flawless Mom and Dad, but we don’t do those impressions
anymore.
is really good at impersonations, I feel like I should be paying her to hear
them. She used to do a flawless Mom and Dad, but we don’t do those impressions
anymore.
She eyes the magazine on my
nightstand and says, “Oh, the new issue of Teen Pulse came in.”
nightstand and says, “Oh, the new issue of Teen Pulse came in.”
I got a yearly subscription of Teen Pulse for free when I ordered
some clothes online a couple of months ago. I should have addressed it to
Alyse, though. I’m not even the one who reads those silly things. But she
devours gossip magazines the way bookworms read novels.
some clothes online a couple of months ago. I should have addressed it to
Alyse, though. I’m not even the one who reads those silly things. But she
devours gossip magazines the way bookworms read novels.
Max, always the considerate sibling,
shifts toward Alyse to loop her into the conversation. “Ten bucks Aunt Rosa
will want to take us to that Thai place she loves so much. For the third time
this week,” he says, his eyes bulging at the thought of another night of white
rice.
shifts toward Alyse to loop her into the conversation. “Ten bucks Aunt Rosa
will want to take us to that Thai place she loves so much. For the third time
this week,” he says, his eyes bulging at the thought of another night of white
rice.
“The problem with Simply Thai is
that it is simply Thai,” Alyse says, flipping
through the advertisements in the beginning of the magazine. Every couple of
pages, she’ll pause to open the perfume flap and sniff it. “Plus, it isn’t a
breakfast spot at all. I mean, why can’t they have burgers and fries and boba
and doughnuts like Top Burger? Now that is
a restaurant.”
that it is simply Thai,” Alyse says, flipping
through the advertisements in the beginning of the magazine. Every couple of
pages, she’ll pause to open the perfume flap and sniff it. “Plus, it isn’t a
breakfast spot at all. I mean, why can’t they have burgers and fries and boba
and doughnuts like Top Burger? Now that is
a restaurant.”
“Doesn’t that place have a B health rating?” I say.
Max snorts. “That is so bougie of
you, Alyse.”
you, Alyse.”
“Conventional is boring and you know
it, Max.” Alyse gives Max a big whack on the hip with her foot. “Besides,
a B is still passing.”
it, Max.” Alyse gives Max a big whack on the hip with her foot. “Besides,
a B is still passing.”
“Tell that to Aunt Rosa,” Max
scoffs.
scoffs.
Alyse rolls her eyes, but she
remains mum. Any talk about Aunt Rosa and grades shuts her up real fast. “So
what were you guys talking about?” She looks up at us with curious, puppy dog
eyes.
remains mum. Any talk about Aunt Rosa and grades shuts her up real fast. “So
what were you guys talking about?” She looks up at us with curious, puppy dog
eyes.
“I was just briefing Natalia about
the future of Project Four-Fifty-One.” He nudges me and says, “We’ll pick up
later, okay?”
the future of Project Four-Fifty-One.” He nudges me and says, “We’ll pick up
later, okay?”
Alyse groans. “I never get to be a
part of the peace officer talk.”
part of the peace officer talk.”
“Trust me, it’s not interesting,” I
say, Heading to my dresser and pulling out some clothes. I’m sure I’ll still
have time to change before we leave for breakfast. It always takes us over an
hour to leave anyway.
say, Heading to my dresser and pulling out some clothes. I’m sure I’ll still
have time to change before we leave for breakfast. It always takes us over an
hour to leave anyway.
Alyse brings the magazine up to her
face, then lets out a big sigh filled with fantasy and seduction. “I’ve decided
Iron Whip is my new superhero crush.”
face, then lets out a big sigh filled with fantasy and seduction. “I’ve decided
Iron Whip is my new superhero crush.”
She holds up the page she’s on to a
spread of Iron Whip in a suit that looks new, or one the magazine had him wear
specifically for the spread. It’s black with touches of silver, and he’s got
black war paint over his eyes. His blonde hair is long and stringy, which I
personally find unattractive. I’m into clean-cut guys. Alyse has always liked
the bad boy type. They’re a lot like her.
spread of Iron Whip in a suit that looks new, or one the magazine had him wear
specifically for the spread. It’s black with touches of silver, and he’s got
black war paint over his eyes. His blonde hair is long and stringy, which I
personally find unattractive. I’m into clean-cut guys. Alyse has always liked
the bad boy type. They’re a lot like her.
“Jesus,” Max gags. It’s unsurprising
that he’s anything but impressed. Max prefers the next-door look himself.
Except he is the boy next
door. Everyone thinks so.
that he’s anything but impressed. Max prefers the next-door look himself.
Except he is the boy next
door. Everyone thinks so.
I step into my walk-in closet and
close the doors enough so I can change and still be a part of the conversation.
close the doors enough so I can change and still be a part of the conversation.
“Listen to this article,” Alyse
says, flipping a page away from the spread. She clears her throat. “Earlier this year, a team of heroes with
superhuman abilities emerged in Angel City. First, Captain Force and Iron Whip,
but they were eventually joined by two others, Inspiro and Electrona.”
Alyse pauses, staring at what must be a picture of the entire team.
“Electrona’s boobs are so freaking fake.”
says, flipping a page away from the spread. She clears her throat. “Earlier this year, a team of heroes with
superhuman abilities emerged in Angel City. First, Captain Force and Iron Whip,
but they were eventually joined by two others, Inspiro and Electrona.”
Alyse pauses, staring at what must be a picture of the entire team.
“Electrona’s boobs are so freaking fake.”
Alyse is ridiculously passionate
about the Action Team. They’re all anyone our age has talked about this year.
The band of heroes that keep our once crime-ridden city safe, also happen to be
young heartthrobs. We may not be able to see their faces under the masks they
wear, but boy, do they reek of sex appeal.
about the Action Team. They’re all anyone our age has talked about this year.
The band of heroes that keep our once crime-ridden city safe, also happen to be
young heartthrobs. We may not be able to see their faces under the masks they
wear, but boy, do they reek of sex appeal.
When I step out of the closet, Alyse
says, “Look at the beads of sweat cascading down her jugs,” and holds up the
single page where Captain Force, my personal favorite, has his arms wrapped
around Electrona in an embrace. He’s tall and not overly muscular. Just the
right amount of shredded, as
Alyse likes to call it. His jawline is gentle, but defined. He’s beautiful. In
every sense of the word.
says, “Look at the beads of sweat cascading down her jugs,” and holds up the
single page where Captain Force, my personal favorite, has his arms wrapped
around Electrona in an embrace. He’s tall and not overly muscular. Just the
right amount of shredded, as
Alyse likes to call it. His jawline is gentle, but defined. He’s beautiful. In
every sense of the word.
“Stop talking like that, Alyse,” Max
says, but his gaze is one hundred percent on Electrona’s sweat-laden rack. “You
sound like an erotic novel.”
says, but his gaze is one hundred percent on Electrona’s sweat-laden rack. “You
sound like an erotic novel.”
“If Alyse wrote a crappy romance
novel, I’d buy it.”
novel, I’d buy it.”
“Thank you,
Natalia.”
Natalia.”
About the Author
Beck Medina is a California born and raised author and podcast host. Beck's work includes 2016's A Fantastic Mess of Everything, 2017's Or Best Offer, and her highly anticipated fantasy novel All the Stars on Fire (December 2019).
When Beck isn't writing, she's the host of the My Best Life Podcast, a health, wellness, and business podcast for creative entrepreneurs. A few of Beck's favorite things include pop music, iced coffee, teen dramas, and her two cats, Olivia and Dupree.
When Beck isn't writing, she's the host of the My Best Life Podcast, a health, wellness, and business podcast for creative entrepreneurs. A few of Beck's favorite things include pop music, iced coffee, teen dramas, and her two cats, Olivia and Dupree.
Author Links:
Website - http://beckmedina.org/
Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/beckmedina
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