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Blog Blitz: Valiant by Merrie Destefano

Posted November 29, 2018 by Kaity in Book Blitz, Book Tours, Giveaways / 0 Comments

Blog Blitz: Valiant by Merrie Destefano

Hi! Today’s post contains an excerpt from Valiant by Merrie Destefano plus TWO giveaways!!!

Blog Blitz: Valiant by Merrie DestefanoValiant by Merrie Destefano
Published on December 4, 2018 by MacMillan
Genres: Futuristic, Romance, YA, Fantasy
Pages: 304
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The Valiant was supposed to save us. Instead, it triggered the end of the world.

Earth is in shambles. Everyone, even the poorest among us, invested in the Valiant’s space mining mission in the hopes we’d be saved from ourselves. But the second the ship leaves Earth’s atmosphere, our fate is sealed. The alien invasion begins. They pour into cities around the world through time portals, possessing humans, forcing us to kill one another.

And for whatever reason, my brother is their number one target.

Now the fate of the world lies in the hands of me, a seventeen-year-old girl, but with the help of my best friend, Justin―who’s suddenly starting to feel like more―maybe if we save my brother, we can save us all…

I’m participating in this book blitz through Xpresso Book Tours! Thanks for letting me be a part of this!

EXCERPT

I meet him in the park on the corner of Segerstrom and Douglas, halfway between his house and mine. The sun hovers on the horizon, turning the whole world orange and red, setting all the rusted playground equipment ablaze. The slide looks like it’s made out of rubies, the merry-go-round looks like it’s made from layers of gold, and the swing set…well, it looks like it was created for this moment when it would hold a minor god.

Justin is human perfection—literally—because he’s a Genetic, part of a military experiment that went awry more than a decade ago and had to be shut down. Before he was born, his parents won a government lottery to be part of an experimental program for Genetic Embryo In Vitro Enhancement.

Every kid in the GEIVE program got a different genetic cocktail, but all those records have either been destroyed or are top secret, so no one knows exactly what Genetics can do. Justin made it out alive when most of the other kids didn’t. And even though almost everyone else is either repulsed by or scared of him—because of his height, his bulk, his speed and intelligence—to me, he’s only Justin.

When we’re together, I’m only Sara.

He’s not a Genetic boy and I’m not a girl who’s supposed to save the world.

He’s one of my closest friends, and he hangs out with my little brother almost as often as he hangs out with me, and the sight of him takes my breath away.

I walk toward him at a normal pace even though I want to run.

He’s studying me, noting my posture, my expression. I want to tell him everything, that the last time I saw him, an army of Xua was chasing him and I couldn’t fight them off. I tried, but that was when Aerithin came back for me.

Guilt washes over me.

Everyone I care about dies.

I’m the worst friend in the world.

He could change his mind this time. He could say, “Hey, you’re like poison ivy, girl, stay away…”

But he won’t. He’s been the one constant in my life.

He’s the person who always makes me feel safe.

He flashes me one of his heart-stopping grins and holds the swing next to him for me. I know other girls get weak in the knees looking at his muscles, even though they won’t admit it, and, yes, that body of his is pretty sweet. But the thing about him that always gets me is his smile. I swear, it’s brighter than the sun and it gives off the same amount of heat.

As soon as I sit down, he knows. Not everything—there’s no way in the world he could know everything. He might be a Genetic, but he’s not psychic.

His blue eyes study me; his dark hair is tucked behind his ears, a few strands hanging loose.

“What is it?” he asks. He hasn’t let go of my swing yet.

“There’s some bad stuff going on,” I say, and I force my lips not to tremble. I don’t want to cry, not now. “And I need to tell you about it.”

“Yeah? You know I’m here for you. Doesn’t matter what it is.”

He gives me a look that’s so innocent and full of concern. He doesn’t even know what I’m going to ask and yet he’s still willing to do it.

I wish more than anything that we could talk about something else.

Instead, I give him the same speech I gave to Natalie.

He blinks and nods, quiet. He doesn’t even flinch when I tell him that I’ve seen him die. The only part that gets him is when I tell him that sometimes we get separated and I don’t know where he is. His face darkens and his brow lowers and he stares at the ground, almost as if he remembers.

“I’ve never hurt you, have I?” he asks. “Because I can’t do this if I might hurt you.”

“No, you’ve never hurt me, I promise.” I take his hand in mine. “You try to save me.”

GIVEAWAY ONE

Enter this giveaway to win a PRINT COPY of Valiant by Merrie Destefano!

GIVEAWAY TWO

Enter this giveaway to win a prize pack including:

  • Kindle Fire 7, 8 GB in black
  • Handmade Keychain with Valiant Cover
  • A Valiant Card
  • Valiant Chibi Stickers (1 set of 6 characters)
  • Valiant Chibi Bookmark
  • Valiant Bookmark
  • Signed Valiant Book Plate
  • Set of Valiant Quote Cards
    • Please note if the winner is international, a $50 Amazon gift card will be substituted in place of the prize pack.

Will you read Valiant when it comes out next week? I added it to my never ending TBR because it sounds FANTASTIC!

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