Rainy Days and Pajamas: Excerpt & Giveaway: Ferocious by Paula Stokes

Series: Vicarious

Hardcover: 352 pages

Publisher: Tor Teen (August 15, 2017)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 076538096X

ISBN-13: 978-0765380968

Praise for VICARIOUS

"Combining elements of sci-fi and mystery, Vicarious is an expert blend from an author gifted with the ability to jump genres and stick the landing every time." ―Paste Magazine

“A total mind-bending thrill ride, with a heroine who’s as smart as she is strong. Readers will love Winter!”―Lindsay Cummings, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Zenith and The Murder Complex

"Reading Vicarious is like tiptoeing across a field of landmines. Blindfolded. Stokes delivers enough adrenaline to make readers beg for mercy.”―Victoria Scott, author of Titans and Fire & Flood

"An action-packed thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end--I couldn't put it down!"―Kristi Helvig, author of Burn Out and Strange Skies

"Vicarious by Paula Stokes is a fast-paced thriller that grabs your attention on page one and doesn't let go. The main character is a fresh take on the usual heroine in YA novels."―Julie Bond, Sales &Marketing Manager/YA Specialist, Read Booksellers

“This is the thrill ride you’ve been waiting for all summer.”―PopCrush

“Pulse-pounding adventures and high-tech blend masterfully with romance, intrigue, and current issues, making this book completely captivating for any audience."―VOYA, starred review

"Stokes delivers fans of suspense a story full of twists and turns...The author admirably handles graphic and disturbing material in a subtle way."―School Library Journal

“A powerful kick-ass girl caught up in a high-tech, twisty mystery…Buckle up, this thrill ride travels at breakneck speed.”―Justine Magazine

"Smart twists and turns...smart sci-fi worldbuilding. Complementing the mystery is a slow-burn love story between Winter and Mexican-American Jesse Ramirez, a fellow stunt artist. Their relationship is tender and complicated, with enough tension to sustain itself and enough heat to pop when things pay off."―Kirkus Reviews

Paula Stokes returns to the world of Vicarious in this sequel, a high-action psychological thriller with a protagonist out for vengeance.

When Winter Kim finds out that her sister is dead and that she has a brother she never knew about, only two things matter―finding what’s left of her family and killing the man who destroyed her life. Her mission leads her from St. Louis to Los Angeles back to South Korea, where she grew up.

Things get increasingly dangerous once Winter arrives in Seoul. Aided by her friends Jesse and Sebastian, Winter attempts to infiltrate an international corporation to get close to her target, a nefarious businessman named Kyung. But keeping her last remaining loved ones out of the line of fire proves difficult, and when all seems to be lost, Winter must face one last devastating decision: is revenge worth sacrificing everything for? Or can she find a spark of hope in the darkness that threatens to engulf her?

EXCERPT

“I said I know you’re going easy on me.” Jesse snorts. “I’m going easy on me. I’m recovering from major surgery, remember?” “No. I feel you pulling back when you make contact. Like you don’t want to hurt me.” “Um . . . that’s because I don’t want to hurt you.” He clambers back to his feet and assumes an offensive stance. “I know, but you have to actually go for takedowns. Otherwise this is pointless.” I advance on him, my fists raised. “Sorry.” His chin drops a little. “I guess it’s just hard for me to touch you. Even like this.” I stop, mid-attack. “Why?” Jesse rakes his hands through his hair. “Because fighting can be . . . intimate. Touching you makes me want you,” he says. “And that makes me feel shitty. And sad.” I’ve fought Jesse fifty times or more, and I’ve never really considered what that was like for him. “Why shitty?” I ask. “Because I’m supposed to be helping you stay strong in case we need to fight our way out of a jam while we’re here. Not getting all . . . whatever because I’m close to you.” He looks away. All . . . whatever. I remember the attraction I felt to Jesse when I was dressing his wounds, the way part of me wanted to reach for him on the plane. If it’s difficult for me to resist those urges, it must be hell for him. “Why sad?” I reach out and touch his arm. He turns back, his eyes locking onto mine. “Because I totally blew it with you.” His expression is neutral but his voice cracks open something inside of me. I think about the way Baz teased me earlier, how he wanted to know what it felt like to have someone who would do anything for me. Maybe it sounds comforting to know there is a person out there who would risk his life to protect you—a person who would back off when you asked and then come to you when you changed your mind. Especially when that person is as kind and decent as Jesse. The truth is, it’s terrifying. It’s just one more opportunity for me to be a monster. I want to tell Jesse that he didn’t blow it, that I just need time. That even if he can love me when I’m broken and full of hate, that I have to find peace with myself before I can find it with another person. But what if my feelings never grow into the same thing Jesse is feeling? Maybe I’m wasting his time. Maybe it’s hurtful to give him hope. I don’t know. I turn away from our practice area and walk toward the edge of the roof. The sky is a rainbow of grays, thick brushstrokes layered on rough canvas. The wind grabs pieces of my hair, twists them up and out, away from my face. Even without looking, I can feel Jesse approaching. I can feel him hesitating behind me. “Come here,” I say. He comes to stand next to me. For a few seconds, we both stare out at the city. I want to do the right thing, but I have no idea what that is, so I decide to do the next best thing and tell the truth. I glance over at him. His eyes threaten to drown me. Maybe it’ll be easier to say it to the sky. I turn my head upward, look for secret messages in the clouds. There is no guidance. There is only Jesse and me on a rooftop, almost seven thousand miles from home. We might as well be aliens on another planet. “I have feelings for you,” I say.

You can purchase Ferocious at the following Retailers:

Book Nerd Spotlight

Photo Content from Paula Stokes

Paula Stokes is the author of several novels, most recently Vicarious and Girl Against the Universe. Her writing has been translated into eleven foreign languages. Paula loves kayaking, hiking, reading, and seeking out new adventures in faraway lands. She also loves interacting with readers. Find her online at authorpaulastokes.com or on twitter as @pstokesbooks.

Social Media