Lilith Links
By J.L. Clark
Sophia Bennett's eighteenth birthday is one she'll never forget and one that will change her life forever.
Sophia's known for her scientific abilities and interests, though she'd like to be popular enough to have one boyfriend, but her high school crush Jake doesn't seem to know she exists except as a sounding board for his newest girlfriend.
Fortunately for Sophia she has her best friend Angie. And Angie is determined that Sophia's eighteenth birthday will be perfect. What starts out as an almost perfect evening (almost because Jake brings his girlfriend) quickly deteriorates when unknown people crash the party with the intent purpose of targeting Sophia.
But before Sophia can take the time to figure out what is happening she is whisked away to somewhere else. But an even bigger concern is why Sophia of all people is being targeted.
What follows is a journey of discovery - a discovery of who she truly is and why the bracelets she received from her mother are so important.
This story will appeal to fans of YA Fantasy. And the bits of romance will also appeal to teen readers.
Overall this book was attention grabbing, so much so that I'm interested to read additional books in this series. There were a couple of times that the I got bogged down in some of scenes - I think it had to do with slow moving detailing and a few tense structure issues (that may have been only in my review copy). But once I immersed myself in the story after any break (or pause in reading) I found myself drawn in, wondering what would happen next.
I was provided a review copy of this book by the author in conjunction with this PUYB blog tour in exchange for my honest review and tour participation.
About the Author:
Dr. Jennifer Yen Clark, or J.L. Clark, began her writing career in the fourth grade, when
her teacher took the detective story she wrote and turned it into a short printed book as a
gift to her. The encouragement of her teacher, as well as her love for reading and telling
stories, kept her writing about the worlds that existed in her imagination. In her young
adult years, J.L. began writing short stories, poetry, and fan-fiction starring strong and
intelligent girls and women. J.L. was recently inspired to write The Avalon Relics after
being introduced to several young adult series that depicted weak heroines and unhealthy
relationships. Recalling her own young adult reading experience and the dearth of
relatable heroines, she set out to create a series of books that would not only engage and
entertain, but offer a refreshing and empowering take on fictional heroines.
J.L. Clark resides in Houston, Texas with her family. She splits her time between
academia and private practice, specializing in child and adolescent psychiatry. She is an
assistant professor of psychiatry at UT Health Medical School, and a clinical assistant
professor at Baylor College of Medicine. Outside of work, she is continually contributing
to her body of work, posting short stories and fan-fiction on social media outlets for
enjoyment.
Her latest book is the YA fantasy, The Avalon Relics: Lilith Links.
For More Information
Visit J.L. Clark’s website.
Find out more about J.L. at Goodreads.
Visit J.L.’s blog.
More books by J.L. Clark.
Contact J.L.
About the Book:
Title: The Avalon Relics: Lilith Links (Volume 1)
Author: J.L. Clark
Publisher: Createspace
Pages: 315
Genre: YA Fantasy
Format: Paperback/Kindle/Nook
Sophia Bennett is looking forward to celebrating her eighteenth birthday with her best
friend Angie. After graduating high school and enjoying the last days of her summer
vacation the most important things on her mind are getting ready for college and catching
the eye of her high school crush Jake...at least, until the night of her birthday party.
Suddenly, Sophia is thrust into a world that she never knew existed and finds herself in
the middle of an ancient struggle between good and evil. Time is against her as she and
her new friends struggle to take possession of a powerful magic before it falls into the
wrong hands.
Can Sophia solve the mystery of the Lilith links in time to save her loved ones, or will the
enemy triumph and destroy all that she holds dear?
The Avalon Relics trilogy is a fast-paced read taking the reader into the magical world of
fairies and of good versus evil. It blends references of mythology and tales of old in a
very real way in that it takes place in two worlds simultaneously: the world that Sophia
and her friends physically live in and the fairy realm.
For More Information:
The Avalon Relics: Lilith Links is available at Amazon.
Pick up your copy at Barnes and Noble.
Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
Book Excerpt:
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“What’s wrong with it?” Angie asks as Sophia walks out of the bathroom, a dismayed
look on her face.
Sophia waves her arms over her body. “All of it! I can’t wear this to the party!”
“Soph, you’ve got a great body! You need to stop hiding behind all those baggy clothes
you like to wear.”
Angie gestures for her to come over by the full length mirror. “Take a look…you look
amazing!”
Sophia reluctantly walks over and stares at the tall, thin brunette girl in front of her,
wearing a skin-tight mid-thigh length black bandage dress. She shakes her head.
“It’s too tight…and it’s too short. I can’t even sit down in this! I’m going to flash the
entire party.”
“Fine,” Angie says with a dramatic sigh. She grabs a sparkling lace dress off her bed.
“Try this one.”
Sophia looks at the dress doubtfully, but says nothing as she takes it with her into the
bathroom to change. As she slips the dress on, she feels a familiar tingle run through her
body, and finds that her bracelets seem to be shimmering once again. She blinks, but
when she looks at them again, nothing seems out of the ordinary. As she pulls the dress
into place, she calls out to her friend.
“Hey, how did the date with Jeremy go? You never did call or text me, so I assumed you
didn’t need rescuing.”
“Actually, I had a really good time,” Angie replies. “We actually have a few things in
common.”
“Are you going to go out with him again?”
“Yeah, I think I might.”
“Good for you,” Sophia encourages. She looks down at herself and gives the hem of the
dress one quick tug downwards.
“Okay, here I come,” she announces before walking out to show Angie.
“Oh. My. God. That’s it! That’s the dress!”
Angie’s excitement stirs Sophia’s curiosity, and she steps over to take a look for herself.
She is shocked at the reflection in the mirror. The dress is sleeveless, with twin
V-necklines on the front and the back. The dress itself is light, the material almost sheer in
color, with hundreds of luminescent silver sequins sewn in a floral pattern over the dress.
The dress ends right above her knees, and seems to glitter from every direction.
“Wow,” Sophia says, stunned. “This is a gorgeous dress.”
“That’s so strange,” Angie states. “I could have sworn I gave you a different dress just
now.”
“What do you mean?” Sophia replies. “I saw you hand it to me.”
“I know,” Angie says, looking confused, “but I don’t even own a dress like this.”
Sophia raises an eyebrow and meets her friend’s gaze in the mirror.
“Are you sure? You do have a lot of clothes, Ang.”
She seems to ponder that for a moment, then shrugs lightly.
“Maybe you’re right. It does look like something I would buy. I probably just haven’t
worn it in a while.”
“Oh, by the way,” Angie says suddenly, looking over at Sophia’s head. “Did you dye
your hair this week without telling me?”
“No…” Sophia answers. “What makes you say that?”
“Look,” her friend states, pointing at her hair in the mirror. “Your hair is usually a dark
brown. Now it looks almost…honey brown.”
“Honey brown?” Sophia asks, a smile on her lips.
However, the smile fades when she stares at herself hard in the mirror. Her hair
definitely looks like it has lightened several shades within the last few minutes. When she
had put on the black dress, it looked like it had always looked, a dark, unremarkable
brown, but now that she is in the sequined dress, her hair has taken on soft golden hues.
“That is so weird…” Sophia tilts her head back and forth, and then starts taking a step
back and forth away and towards the mirror, trying to make sense of it. “Maybe it’s the
lighting?”
Angie gives her a skeptical look, but still nods in agreement.
“Maybe. I have been meaning to tell Dad that the light in my room isn’t the right
wavelength for my well-being.”
Hair color forgotten, Sophia laughs out loud. “There’s a wavelength for well-being?”
“Of course there is, Sophia Bennett! You should know…I read it online…something
about how natural light helps your mood.”
“Ah, right, I forgot about that,” she replies. “That explains your…sunny personality.”
Angie groans loudly. “Don’t ever say that again. That was terrible!”
Sophia chuckles. “Okay, I promise.”
Angie walks over to her closet again, and starts rummaging through the bottom shelves.
“Now all we have to do is find you a pair of hot heels!”
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