Title: Curse of Stars
Author: Donna Compositor
Publication Date: Feb. 19, 2017
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Sabi Perez is the last Diamond Crier, only she doesn’t know it. Not until a crazed ruler from another world comes to collect her priceless tears and won’t take no for an answer.
Living in New York, Sabi’s seen some nasty things, but the lengths to which her captor will go to keep his crown are things found only in the darkest nightmares. Afraid and alone, Sabi finds solace in her cellmate, Anya, and Cabal, a fellow Crier who also has powers, a rare combination that buys his favor from the ruler. Only it’s a favor he doesn’t want.
In a fit of rage, power erupts out of Sabi, the same power Cabal has, and a spark of hope ignites. Together they may have a chance at escape, something no other Crier has done. Except a ruler hellbent on draining them of every last diamond tear isn’t their only hurdle. If they escape they’ll be hunted to the ends of the earth, if they survive the trek to safety. If they stay the ruler will leech them dry. Sabi would rather die trying than lie down and die, even if that means running away into even more danger.
“. . . vividly imagined and deftly plotted dark fantasy . . .” BookLife Prize in Fiction
Donna has been writing since she was in the single digits when she first realized she needed to do something about all the thoughts in her head. After a stint with bad poetry she finally found her way to novels, mainly of the young adult fantasy variety. When she’s not cranking out more stories she works a regular 9 to 5, reads anywhere from 2 to 3 books a week, drinks copious amounts of tea, eats way too much, and makes her own beauty products because her skin turns into a sentient hive if she uses anything else. This is mostly because she lives in the desert where the air siphons water clean out of her. She lives with a man named Steve and several quadrupeds: three cats named Renfield, Sam, and Dean; and a MinPin named Malfoy.
“All surfaces in the cell are made to absorb tears. Jeviar collects from the pools as he needs.”
“Pools?” No way could she believe there’s a giant pool of tears somewhere in this castle.
Fenrick dug into his pocket with his free hand and jangling keys fell into his palm. He sifted through them with his fingers and jabbed one into a lock on a cell. The door opened with an echoing creak and he ushered Sabi in. Without another word he stepped out and closed the door, the lock slamming into place.
She stayed standing in the darkened cell, nothing but moonlight filtering through a small window at the top of the wall to allow her to see. Something like a bed lay to her right, anchored into the wall. The same thing sat to her left, but the large lump on the mattress told her it was occupied.
With groping hands she found the empty mattress and lowered herself onto the bed. It was thin with scratchy fabric irritating her skin. Sabi shivered and she tried to find a blanket but she couldn’t feel anything.
Papa’s bloody stomach took over her mind. Mama screaming. Matti running toward her. The child attached to that contraption. The woman on the table. Jeviar’s hits. The man with the glowing eyes. Getting tears at any cost.
Sabi slapped her hand over her mouth and turned toward the wall. The smell from the tunic paled against the thoughts in her head and what lay ahead for her. Tears streamed down her cheeks but the fabric underneath her remained dry. Everything absorbed her tears. Jeviar was going to siphon everything out of her.
She curled further into herself, pressed her forehead against the stone wall, and wept.
Thanks for hosting today, Christine! 🙂
It was my pleasure, Giselle!!