Cage of Dreams by Rebecca Schaeffer ~ Book Spotlight #Giveaway! CageOfDreams @rrschaeffer @GoSparkPoint @ClarionBooks

Cage of Dreams by Rebecca Schaeffer

(City of Nightmares #2)

Fantasy, Young Adult, 368 pages 

Published September 26, 2023 by Clarion Books

In this thrilling sequel and conclusion to the City of Nightmares duology, Ness is forced to make a twisted deal with the Nightmare Phantom—only to find herself embroiled in the explosive fallout of the agreement when a botched assassination attempt unleashes chaos into the City of Newham.

Nineteen-year-old Ness used to have a vehement terror of Nightmares—people who’d been turned into their worst fears while they slept. Through two assassination attempts, an explosion, and a faustian bargain with a dream demon, she’s finally working through those fears.

Unfortunately, Nightmares aren’t the only dangerous thing in Newham. Working at a speakeasy where gunfights are common and death is a regular occurrence, Ness is forced to reckon with all her other fears—including her fear of mortality. It’s easy to die in Newham, but it’s hard to live.

So when the Nightmare Phantom—the monster that turns people into Nightmares—shows up, asking her another favor, she agrees, but only if he turns her into a Nightmare. One of her own choosing, something bullet proof and strong and able to live without fear.

But when Ness’s attempt to fulfill the bargain goes wrong, things start to spiral out of control. Now, Ness is in the crosshairs of enemies old and new, and this time, she can’t run from her problems. If she wants to survive, she’s going to have to conquer the most difficult enemy of all: herself

Editorial reviews for City of Nightmares

“Rebecca Schaeffer delivers another dose of morally ambiguous, delightful chaos--this time with a refreshing examination of how we view vampires.” — #1 New York Times bestselling author Xiran Jay Zhao

“So much fun readers will stay up all night to finish it.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“A wonderfully grisly and darkly imaginative tale that will entertain its readers even as it draws them into its web of self-examination.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

"One of my favorite books of the year! Phenomenally fun, with a vivid, vicious world that's stuffed with monsters (both human and otherwise) and a heroine you'll root for. I absolutely loved it!"   — Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Queens of Renthia series

"Schaeffer’s worldbuilding is economical and inventive, and snappy dialogue, breezy first-person-present narration, and a quirky, ethnically diverse cast add levity, counterbalancing ruminations on fear." — Publishers Weekly

"Thrilling, atmospheric and wonderfully original! In a world where people become their worst nightmares, Ness has to contend with explosions, monsters, assassins – and a cute vampire boy! Rebecca Schaeffer’s City of Nightmares is a page-turning read full of twists and mysteries. I loved it!"— Vanessa Len, author of Only A Monster 

"Readers will welcome this is a series opener, as there is still far more to explore in this world that is mostly bleak but with just enough hope to make the bitter sweet." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Fascinating [and] gripping.” — Booklist Online

Find both books on Amazon

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About the author

Rebecca Schaeffer is the critically acclaimed  author of Not Even Bones, Only Ashes Remain, and When Villains Rise. The Webtoon adaptation of the trilogy has garnered over a hundred million reads and nearly 2 million subscribers. Her next book, City of Nightmares, comes out in January 2023. ~ Author website

Connect with Rebecca

Website | Goodreads | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

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New Release! Tomorrow in Shanghai by May-Lee Chai ~ My Thoughts and a #Giveaway! #TomorrowInShanghai

Congrats May-Lee

on the recent release of

Tomorrow in Shanghai!

Tomorrow in Shanghai by May-Lee Chai

Asian American Literature & Fiction, 166 pages

Published August 30th 2022 by Blair

In a vibrant and illuminating follow-up to her award-winning story collection, Useful Phrases for Immigrants, May-lee Chai explores a complex blend of cultures spanning China, the Chinese diaspora in America, and in the world at large—revealing the complex schisms in the globalized world. Her stories illuminate the divides between rural and urban, male and female, rich and poor, and those in-between—always tracking the nuanced, knotty, and intricate exchanges of interpersonal and institutional power. Chai's stories are essential reading for an increasingly globalized world.

My thoughts about Tomorrow in Shanghai ~~

I think reading short story collections by a single author is the best way to get a feel for the versatility of that author. Tomorrow in Shanghai covers several different topics and gave me insights to a culture I am not familiar with—China—as well as giving me a peek at the Chinese people living within America and what they have to deal with.

The stories are very well written and were enjoyable. Reading this definitely made me want to take a look at the author's other works to expand my knowledge of the Chinese culture. 

I received a copy of Tomorrow in Shanghai from SparkPoint Studio and this is my honest opinion of the book.

About the author

May-lee Chai is the author of eleven books, including the forthcoming (August 2022) collection of short stories, Tomorrow in Shanghai and Other Stories; three novels, My Lucky Face, Dragon Chica, and Tiger Girl; the novella, Training Days; two works of memoir, The Girl from Purple Mountain (co-authored with her father, Winberg Chai) and Hapa Girl, A Memoir; the American Book Award–winning short story collection Useful Phrases for Immigrants; Glamorous Asians, a collection of short stories and essays; a nonfiction book about the culture and history of China, China A to Z (also co-authored with Winberg Chai); and her translation into English of the Chinese author Ba Jin’s 1934 Autobiography (Ba Jin Zi Zhuan). Her own books have been translated into German, Hebrew, and Chinese.

May-lee Chai is a writer and educator. May-lee is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship; 2014 APALA (Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association) Literature Award, Young Adult category for Tiger Girl; Kiriyama Prize 2008 Notable Book for Hapa Girl: A Memoir; Honorable Mention for the 2007 Gustavus Myers Center for the Study of Bigotry and Human Rights Award for Hapa Girl: A Memoir;  and a nomination for the National Book Award in nonfiction for The Girl from Purple Mountain. Her essay “The Blue Boot” was named a Notable Essay of 2012 in Best American Essays 2013, edited by Cheryl Strayed.

In addition to her books, she has published numerous short stories in journals, magazines and anthologies as well as essays and journalism. Her work has appeared in various publications, including Entropy, The Rumpus, the Los Angeles Times, Paris Review Online, Kenyon Review Online, New England Review, Gulf Coast, North American Review, ZYZZYVA, Missouri Review, Seventeen, Many Mountains Moving, Christian Science Monitor, Dallas Morning News, Denver Post, Jakarta Post Weekender, and numerous anthologies, including Best Small Fictions.

May-lee was born in California but has lived in fourteen states in the U.S. and four countries. She received her B.A. from Grinnell College, where she majored in French and Chinese Studies. She received her first M.A. from Yale University in East Asian Studies and a second M.A. in English-Creative Writing from the University of Colorado-Boulder. She received her M.F.A. from San Francisco State University.

Connect with May-Lee

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

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