Blog Tour/Giveaway and Character Interview: Of Neptune by Anna Banks + Toraf Interview!!!

Today we have the pleasure of hosting the Blog Tour for Of Neptune by Anna Banks.  We love this series so much, and we were so excited to get to interview Toraf, our favorite comedic merman!

Emma and Galen’s kingdom and their love is threatened by long-lost Syrena in the brilliant conclusion to Anna Banks bestselling trilogy.

Emma, half human and half Syrena, and her Syrena love, Galen, need time together alone. Away from the kingdoms of Poseidon and Triton. Emma’s grandfather, the Poseidon king, suggests the two visit a small town called Neptune.

Neptune is home to both Syrena and Half-Breeds alike. But Emma and Galen didn’t sign up to be peacemakers between the ocean and the land-dwelling, freshwater Syrena. They didn’t bargain for meeting a charming Half-Breed named Reed, who can barely disguise his feelings for Emma. And they especially didn’t expect to find themselves in the middle of a power struggle that threatens not only their love but their ocean kingdoms.

In this stunning conclusion to her bestselling Syrena Legacy, Anna Banks thrills fans with more action and romance than ever

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And now.....let's get to that interview!!!!

1.)  Toraf, we at the YA Sisterhood love your sense of humor.  How has it helped you with a certain mermaid girl (who we are all jealous of)?

Mermaid girl? Oh you mean Rayna. I don’t know. Sometimes she calls me immature and she never laughs at my jokes unless I’m making fun of Galen. Mostly she doesn’t like me. Sometimes she does.

2.)  If you could go anywhere on land, where would you go?

I would go where the real Tartessos used to be so that I can imagine the huge waves that pulled it into the sea. Plus, there’s got to be some keepsakes still hiding under the sand there that Rayna would like for her human treasure collection. Or something valuable Galen could sell for me so I can get one of those car things that he has. When I learn how to drive.

3.) Tell us a secret no one else knows about you. :)

Okay look. I’ve been teaching myself how to drive while Galen’s asleep. I’ve only hit three things so far and one of them wasn’t even alive.

4.) What's your greatest fear?

I always have nightmares that Rayna will unseal us. And there’s this one lionfish that I tormented when I was just a fingerling. I always have dreams that he found me again only he’s bigger and…I don’t want to talk about it anymore.

5.)  Ok, last quick question...to make us swoon.  What's the most romantic thing you've ever done?

One time Rayna was looking for some pretty shells to put on her…on her…I think you call them breasts…She searched for days and days and couldn’t find any that fit quite right and then I found some. I knew they would fit right away because of the way they felt in my hand—uh, they seemed to the perfect shape, I meant. So I brought them to her. She was really surprised at first—she actually didn’t say anything. Then she got mad for some reason and snatched them out of my hand. But I knew she liked them because she wore them the next day. 

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Author Links/Info

• Learn more about Of Poseidon.
• Learn more about Of Triton.
• Learn more about Girls Day Out.
• Join in on social media with #OfNeptune.
• Add Of Neptune to your to-read list on Goodreads.
• See Anna Banks on the Spring 2014 Fierce Reads tour!
• Visit Anna’s website, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Of Triton by Anna Banks

Of Triton by Anna Banks

ARC received  from Macmillan

On Shelves Now

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  Good story, but kind of a let down after the first book

In this sequel to OF POSEIDON, Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm below. Syrena law states that all Half- Breeds should be put to death.

As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance among the Syrena turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known?

I was so excited to read Of Triton because I was completely blown away by Of Poseidon.  I was so blown away that I did a special Top Ten review of it!  Sadly, this sequel did not live up to my expectations.  That doesn’t mean it was bad, I actually enjoyed it.  However, the things that were so good in Of Poseidon were missing if Of Triton.

I’ll start with what I liked:  the plot.  Anna started the story up right where the last book left off, and there was little time for boredom.  The pacing was well done, and I never felt like I needed to put the book down to get some distance, even when I was disappointed in parts.  I do wish the book would have been a little longer, spending more time in the ocean because I love seeing beneath the surface! 

The thing I really missed the most was the humor.  In Of Poseidon, I found myself laughing out loud over and over again.  Emma’s voice was much more flat in the sequel, and I felt like we just didn’t see her originality flow from the dialogue.  Furthermore, I didn’t see the humor from Toraf, either, and he was one of my favorite characters from the first book.  I’m hoping we see the humor come back in the final book.

I also missed the romance aspect.  It was there, but it just wasn’t prevalent like it was in the first book.  There was always something in the way, and I wanted Emma and Galen just to say “Screw it,” to the world and let go in an amazing kiss.  But that never happened.  The romance was a kiss here, a hug there; but there was no immediacy to it—no passion.

The final thing that bugged me was the switch from Emma’s first person to Galen’s third person—drove me nuts!!!!!  It might be because I was an English teacher, but I just couldn’t get past the fact that we could see inside Emma’s thoughts, but not Galen’s.  I think it needed to be first person from both of them or third person from both.  I just felt disconnected from Galen.

Overall, it was a good storyline, and I’m happy with the progression of the gifts and the tension.  It just fell flat in the little details that made the first book so unique and impressive.

OF TRITON by Anna Banks Cover Reveal and Giveaway!

Hey everyone!!!!  We were so excited to be asked to host the cover reveal for Of Triton because we LOVED Of Poseidon! 

How excited were we?  This excited...

It was the first mermaid book I had ever read, and it remains, to this day, the best!  And I have read quite a few since Of Poseidon kind of made me obsessed!

What made this even better is that Macmillan Kids is offering a galley copy for Of Triton to 2 lucky winners!  So be sure to enter the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post!

Drum Roll Please!!!!

 

What do you think?  We love it!  I love the shimmery blue--makes it look like someone threw a box of diamonds into the ocean around them.  Plus, that kiss!!!  Whew!

 

Now, we just have to relax (if possible) and wait for the blurb!!

 

You can check out my review for Of Poseidon here

 

Need more Of Poseidon?  Check out our interview with GALEN here

 

 

 

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