The Skinwalker's Apprentice
Release Date: 02/24/14
Summary from Goodreads:
New York City 1984: It’s Emerald Kipp’s sixteenth birthday, and nothing has changed. She’s still the biggest loser in school, she’s still trying to find a place for herself and yeah, she’s still a witch. Her last year of high school is turning out to be the worst yet, and Emerald thinks it can’t possibly get any worse. Unfortunately for her, she’s dead wrong.
East Hampton, NY 1658: The Pennyfeathers are the black sheep of their small English settlement. As hard as they try to keep the family secrets just that, the magical bunch just can’t seem to fit in. But when a High Priestess witch chooses 16-year-old Margo Pennyfeather as an apprentice, Margo’s luck finally begins to change. What she doesn’t know, is there’s a lot more to her apprenticeship, and to being a witch, than she could ever imagine
Discover the mysterious beginnings of The Empire Witch Series in "The Skinwalker's Apprentice: An Emerald Kipp Novella."
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19250523-the-skinwalker-s-apprentice
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About the Author
Claribel Ortega is a graduate of the SUNY Purchase journalism program, and got her start writing for the school’s Independent Newspaper. There, she quickly rose the ranks from editing the student’s often times hilarious ads and ramblings on the back page of the paper to staff and feature writer.
After graduation, Claribel worked as a reporter for The Rivertowns Enterprise, a local paper in lower Westchester County, New York. As a reporter, she enjoyed going to board of education meetings and texting the town mayors about the line at Starbucks.
Today, Claribel works for The Combined Book Exhibit, a book marketing company in Westchester NY.
She lives in New York with her really awesome boyfriend, her suspiciously intelligent yorkie Pancho Villa and is surrounded by an impenetrable fort of books she gets from her job.
“The Skinwalker’s Apprentice” is her first book, and cheese is her favorite food.
Author Links:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7505050.Claribel_Ortega
***GIVEAWAY***
A signed paperback copy of The Skinwalker's Apprentice
Plus, a Forever 21 Prize Pack including:
Posh Stackable Rings
Cameo Bow Necklace
Shopper Tote (design may vary)
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MjM0OGI5ZGJmNWUwNzllYTYzNjAyYzhhZGU0MDc0OjIzMA==/
Blog Tour Organized by:
"The SkinWalker's Apprentice " a prequel to The Emerald Kipp series of Urban Fantasy written by Claribel Ortega was an interesting read.
The author introduces you to a modern day witch named Emerald Kipp who is literally trouble on two feet. Emerald Kipp is also a witch.
Starting of in the 80's in NYC on her 16th birthday you get the feeling that Emerald & her trendy, gothy, skateboarding , and partially willing partners in petty crimes are setting you up for the character that Enerald is going to grow into.
In a complete switch the alternating chapters are from Margo Pennyfeather also a 16 yr. old witch. That sadly is where the similarity ends. Margo is living in a settlement in the mid 1600's with her very poor family. The Pennyfearher's magical talents lay with the "Seeing" or Seer arts.
Margo's ancient yet brilliant grandmother had seen an image of an older Margo being inducted to train with the Coven. The highest honor (it would also guarantee a bit more financial stability for the hardworking but struggling Pennyweathers.
Claribel Ortega switches back and forth between narratives and doesn't really go into very much detail about some highly questionable activity at the Coven that I really was curious about! There is however a ton if detail about what current day Emerald Kipp is up to.
I'm looking forward to reading the first full length book in this series. It has all the ingredients to be a fantastic YA Urban Fantasy series. Claribel Ortega also has a seamless writing style. The transition from Emerald's p.o.v. in current day to Margo's p.o.v. in the past is fluid. The world building is also detailed enough to give a great idea of what the two young witches are living through with clarity.
The unusual way that Ortega chose to write the prequel before the first full length book was the hardest part for me to enjoy. Certain aspects if the story were left undescribed and I can only guess that that's because it's going to be a large part of the full length novel.I may be wrong here but I'm not sure exactly what being a Skinwalkers Apprentice actually entails or means in the long run?
I'm defiantly going to check out the upcoming books in this series . I love books about basically any supernatural or mythological entity.
I find it even more enchanting when it's mixed up with modern day life. In an age that can google anything and be told the how's and why's of just about any mystery topic it tickles me blue when an author can keep me locked in the suspension of disbelief for the entirety of their tale.
Mousehead & Tales gives this fledgling prequel 3 stars because I'm keeping my fingers crossed that with enough research, and the already apparent talent is storytelling that Ortega has proven this might end up being a quirky, exciting addition to the YA Urban Fantasy genre.
I'd like to thank YA Bound & all involved in the execution of "The Skinwalkers Apprentice " for supplying me with an ARC & including me in this virtual tour:)