Enter to Win Leanna Renee Hieber’s DARKER STILL!

Our love for author Leanna Renee Hieber is no secret. Her Miss Percy Parker books are a fixture on our list of suggested reading and we’re prone to waxing poetic about the series at the drop of an elegant Victorian hat. As we eagerly await book 4 in the series, and the Miss Percy musical (!!!!), Leanna has a brand new entry into her expanding oeuvre, and we think you’re going to love it.

[easyazon-link asin=”1402260520″]Darker Still: A Novel of Magic Most Foul[/easyazon-link] is the first in a planned trilogy of Young Adult novels. In this first book, Leanna uses Oscar Wilde’s eternally creepy The Picture of Dorian Gray as her inspiration for a gothic tale of youth, romance, humor, and horror.

Set in New York, circa 1882, [easyazon-link asin=”1402260520″]Darker Still[/easyazon-link] is the diary of 17-year-old mute (but not deaf, thank you very much) Natalie Stewart. The daughter of an art enthusiast who works at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Natalie has grown up surrounded by masterworks. When she encounters the portrait of gorgeous British Lord Denbury, she becomes obsessed with him, feeling a connection that defies his two-dimensional status. Anyone who has ever swooned over a boy band poster or Teen Beat magazine ought to be able to relate to Natalie. Unlike with that photo of Legolas, however, Natalie actually stands a chance at having her feelings returned.

Lord Denbury, Jonathan, is in fact trapped in his painting. His spirit is incarcerated there, thanks to some magic most foul, while an evil spirit inhabits his corporeal form and commits unspeakable acts in the streets of New York. Natalie is the one person who can crossover from the real world into the painting, a dimension where her voice is restored and her feelings for Jonathan surge as the two get to know each other. It’s a race against time as Natalie and her new friend, Mrs. Northe, try to solve the mystery surrounding Jonathan’s state and free him from the painting before the evil spirit can destroy him entirely.

[easyazon-link asin=”1402260520″]Darker Still[/easyazon-link] is written in a very different style than the Miss Percy novels, and I’ll admit that it took me a little while to adjust to Natalie’s voice. Once we became better acquainted, Natalie’s outlook on her world, her curiosity about the world of magic she is just beginning to discover, and her increasing passion for Jonathan endeared her to me. Leanna was writing for younger readers, and that shows in her style and tone, but she still employs that vast vocabulary that was a large part of why I fell in love with Miss Percy. If you have a teen or pre-teen in your life who is interested in stories about magic and the supernatural, skip the latest YA vampire novel and give them [easyazon-link asin=”1402260520″]Darker Still[/easyazon-link] instead. Consider it a “gateway book” to appreciating good storytelling.

[easyazon-link asin=”1402260520″]Darker Still[/easyazon-link] lands on bookshelves Tuesday, November 1. Be sure to check out Leanna’s website for the list of cities she’s visiting on her book tour, and if you happen to be in Brooklyn, stop by WORD for an autographed copy. WORD is the site of Leanna’s book launch and they’re taking pre-orders of the book, signed and personalized by Leanna. Wouldn’t that make a great Christmas gift? Pre-order here.

P.S. It’s completely appropriate for an adult to read [easyazon-link asin=”1402260520″]Darker Still[/easyazon-link]. We’re all young at heart, right?

Win Darker Still!

We’re spreading the love and giving away a copy of [easyazon-link asin=”1402260520″]Darker Still[/easyazon-link] to one lucky winner. But wait, there’s more! Not only with the winner receive a copy of the book, we’ll have it signed and personalized, just for you! To enter, follow the steps below:

• Fill out the form and Submit;
• Be sure to use a valid email address;
• ONE ENTRY PER PERSON – duplicates will be deleted;
• Entries must be received by 11:59PM Pacific on Thursday, November 3, 2011, to be eligible;
• One (1) winner will be drawn randomly from eligible entries and notified via email.

Good luck!

**This contest has ended. Congratulations to our winner, Gryvon!**