#ive been to barnes and noble like three times in the past week alone (I buy tiny items when im there and just spend time reading at the caf

[belladonnafleur]

shit, it's Christmas in two days????

[krystisyaandwine]

Hello, everyone! I’m so excited that it’s First We Were IV release week and even more excited to have the wonderful author Alexandra Sirowy here on the blog today! This is certainly one of my favorite YA thrillers of 2017, so make sure to pick it up when it comes out tomorrow, 07/25!

About the Book

Title: First We Were IV

Author: Alexandra Sirowy

Release Date: July 25, 2017

Pages: 448

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Buy Links: 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

A group of friends start a secret society in this out-of-control thriller from the author of The Telling and The Creeping that examines the all-consuming love of lifelong friendship—and what someone is capable of when they’re afraid of losing it.

Izzie loves nothing more than her three best friends, Viv, Graham, and Harry, and the bond the four of them share. And she’s terrified of their friendship falling apart next year when they go off to college. To bind them together, she decides to create that will belong only to them, a special thing that they’ll always share between the four of them. And so they dream up the Order of IV, a secret society devoted to mischief that rights wrongs and pays back debts. At first, it works like a charm—but when the Order of IV’s escapades get recognition beyond their wildest expectations, other people start wanting in. And soon, what started as a game of friendship is spiraling into something dangerous and beyond their control—and before it’s over, they’ll pay the ultimate sacrifice.

Guest Post – Revenge is the Thing

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FIRST WE WERE IV is about four best friends – Izzie, Viv, Harry, and Graham – who invent a secret society and use it to play pranks on their coastal town. After their first take-down –  a pervy high school VP – they realize that the Order of IV can be an invisible hand for justice. Their secret society’s next target: the mayor and police who allowed the murder of a female teenage runaway go unsolved. Five years ago, it was Izzie and Viv who found her body, mysteriously staged in Viv’s family apple orchard. The discovery left a lasting impression on the four friends. Before it, they were carefree adventures and after, they understood that even their perfect town had monsters.

Fast forward to their senior year of high school and the invention of the Order of IV. The friends become a tempest of pranks and vigilantism, justice quickly taking a backseat to revenge. And as secrets unravel and others want into the Order, events spiral out of control, ultimately costing one of the four friends their life.

Give me a book with a revenge plot or subplot any day. I particularly love tales of teenagers rising-up and getting even, whether it’s with authority, bullies, or a broken world. Here’s a short list of my favorite revenge-y books and descriptions from their publishers.

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit—and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well. As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords—and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

Burn for Burn (Burn for Burn #1) by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Postcard-perfect Jar Island is home to charming tourist shops, pristine beaches, amazing oceanfront homes-and three girls secrets plotting revenge. KAT is sick and tired of being bullied by her former best friend. LILLIA has always looked out for her little sister, so when she discovers that one of her guy friends has been secretly hooking up with her, she’s going to put a stop to it. MARY is perpetually haunted by a traumatic event from years past, and the boy who’s responsible has yet to get what’s coming to him. None of the girls can act on their revenge fantasies alone without being suspected. But together…anything is possible.

I Am Her Revenge by Meredith Moore

She can be anyone you want her to be. Vivian was raised with one purpose in life: to exact revenge on behalf of her mother. Manipulative and cruel, Mother has deprived Vivian not only of a childhood, but of an original identity. With an endless arsenal of enticing personalities at her disposal, Vivian is a veritable weapon of deception. And she can destroy anyone. When it’s time to strike, she enrolls in a boarding school on the English moors, where she will zero in on her target: sweet and innocent Ben, the son of the man who broke Mother’s heart twenty years ago. With every secret she uncovers, Vivian comes one step closer to learning who she really is. But the more she learns about herself, the more dangerous this cat and mouse game becomes. Because Mother will stop at nothing to make sure the truth dies with her.

Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands. But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope.

What are your favorite revenge stories?

My Review

This is the first book of Sirowy’s that I’ve read, and it will definitely not be the last! This book leads off with a hint of one mystery and then quickly sweeps readers into yet another one. Watching Sirowy weave the two stories together into one seamless plot was fascinating. There’s also some incredible elements of horror sprinkled throughout that absolutely gave me the chills and kept me absolutely glued to these pages.

There’s a fantastic secret society element in this book, which is always captivating. What I love about this secret society though, is that it happens to be a society run by teenagers, who effectively call out the adult citizens of their small town on their corruption and a dark secret hidden in the town’s history.

The characters were very well-developed. Each member of the Order has their own individual personality and quirks, and the way they all interact with one another is authentic and wildly entertaining. This is one of those books that you’re sad to see come to an end, because you don’t want to say goodbye to the characters just yet.

I adore a mystery/thriller set in a small town. The idea that people you think you know everything about are capable of treacherous acts is truly terrifying and definitely increases the suspense in this novel.

The ending of this book is breathtaking and will absolutely take readers by surprise. This is one summer thriller that simply isn’t to be missed.

About the Author

Alexandra Sirowy is the author of the young adult thrillers THE CREEPING, the Bram Stoker Award® Nominated THE TELLING, and the upcoming FIRST WE WERE IV. Alexandra attended a women’s college as an undergrad and received her graduate degree in International Studies. When she isn’t writing, she loves to travel, read, eat, and get into mischief. She lives with her husband in Northern California.

Enter the Giveaway!

1 signed hard cover copy of FIRST WE WERE IV

Fujuifilm instax mini 9 Polaroid camera in smoky white (& film) like the one in the book!

Strand of gold stars

FIRST WE WERE IV swag (temporary tattoos & bookmarks)

Evie Seo Designed Tote Bags

*US entires only. No purchase necessary to enter, giveaway items provided by Alexandra Sirowy.*

Follow the Blog Tour

Thank you so much to the phenomenal Brittany from Brittany’s Book Rambles for hosting this tour! Be sure to check out her blog!

Week 1

July 10:  Bookish Lifestyles – Review + Tote Design July 11:  Brittany’s Book Rambles – Guest Post July 12:  Emily Reads Everything – Review July 13   Biscotto’s Books – Moodboard July 14:  Forever Lost in Literature – Review

Week 2

July 17:  My Friends Are Fiction – Guest Post July 18:  Literary Legionnaire – Review July 19:  The Reader and the Chef – Review July 20:  Novel Novice – Guest Post July 21:  Dark Faerie Tales – Interview

Week 3

July 24:  YA and Wine – Review + Guest Post July 25:  YA Book Central – Spotlight July 26:  Tales of the Ravenous Reader – Review July 27:  A Perfection Called Books – Guest Post

Will you be reading First We Were IV when it comes out tomorrow? What is your favorite revenge novel that you’ve read?

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Revenge is the Thing: Guest Post by FIRST WE WERE IV Author Alexandra Sirowy Hello, everyone! I'm so excited that it's First We Were IV release week and even more excited to have the wonderful author Alexandra Sirowy here on the blog today!