Book Boyfriends: Favorite Literary Romances

I love a good romance. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a book that is just a romance, but I love it when there is a romantic storyline in my books. It's time to talk in depth about some recent men in fiction that we love.

Some of my favorite book boyfriends are:

• Laslo and Sarai (from Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor) – if you love them too, LitJoy has a notebook that is to-die-for and some amazing trading cards featuring this lovely couple.
• Kai and Cinder (from Cinder in the Lunar Chronicles series)
• Rowen and Calaena/Aelin (from Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas) – For fans, check out these fae warrior leggings!
• Rose and Dimitri (from the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead)
• Jamie and Claire (from Outlander by Diana Gabaldon)

So sit back and swoon with me as Alix and Ali give us all the goods on our literary lovers in this LitJoy Live:

If you love boys in fiction, particularly Mr. Darcy, Rysand (from A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas), Edward (from the Twilight series by Stefanie Meyer), and Jace (from the Shadow Hunter series by Cassandra Clare) then you will love taking a bath with them. Now you can get dirty while getting clean with our Litjoy Exclusive Book Boyfriend Bath Bombs!

You might also be interested in our Magical Men Tote (hello Rysand and the Darkling!).

Catwoman Cosplay

“Cat-woman was a good way to describe her. The ears on the dark helmet, the oversized lenses, the claws that she’d just retracted after that spectacular jump… Even her steps toward him oozed feline grace.”  ― Sarah J. Maas, Catwoman: Soul Stealer ― 

I loved this new young adult novel! Sarah J. Maas has to be one of my favorite authors. Her series, Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses are some of my favorite books. So it made sense that Litjoy Crate pounced on her newest book in the DC Icons books: Catwoman: Soul Stealer for their August Crate.

Since Halloween is coming up and we all love a good costume idea, we thought we would ask our beautiful friend Jen (@classycozmetics) to help us out. Guys, she really did amazing on this one! LitJoy did an Instagram Live with Jen and she chatted with us while she transformed into the famous antihero. Jen’s personality is way too cute to actually be the rebellious Catwoman, but her cosplay and makeup is spot on!

You can also check out this quick video with more info on her transformation. Make sure to watch to the very end where she shows off some of her other amazing cosplay, including Jack Sparrow and Lucille Ball!

If you love Catwoman as much as I do, LitJoy's Catwoman Crate was amazing. Even though it is now sold you, you can still get a copy of Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas at your favorite retailer.

Maaorrao! Sorry, that was my attempt at a cat noise . . .

Books=Love

XoXo,

Robin

About the Author: Robin M. King is the author of three young adult novels (Remembrandt Series), devourer of books, and lover of brownie batter.

Author Stalker: Django Wexler

This week, I lucked out and got to be a part of LitJoy Crate's interview Django Wexler, author of Ship of Smoke and Steel (which they included in their January 2019 crate). 

Django Wexler graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with degrees in creative writing and computer science, worked in artificial intelligence research and as a programmer/writer for Microsoft, and is now a full-time fantasy writer. Django is the author of The Shadow Campaigns, a flintlock fantasy series for adults, and The Forbidden Library, a classic fantasy series for middle-grade readers.

I LOVED Django’s new YA book! Ship of Smoke and Steel is about a young protagonist who is forced into the adventure of a lifetime aboard a ship so magical and mysterious, it may lead to her ending! But to protect her family and conquer her foes, she will risk everything! We fell in love with the incredible world-building, appreciated the LGBTQIA and diversity represented, and couldn’t put this book down!

Now to the geniuses behind LitJoy Crate, Kelly and Alix (Django joins us at 11 minutes):

If you missed it, Django Wexler was named after Django Reinhardt, the Jazz guitarist and composer. I think that is so cool! If you want to read the book, and don’t have it yet, you can still get a LitJoy exclusive copy of the book with a custom dust jacket with art by Diana Dworak and signed by the Django! It also comes with two LitJoy trading cards. 

Get a copy here of Ship of Smoke and Steel by Django Wexler with this beautiful interior dust jacket.

Why Sarah J. Maas Makes the Perfect Catwoman

If you are a young adult reader or love DC Comics, chances are you’ve probably heard about the DC Icons young adults books that have been sweeping across the world like a speeding bullet. I got to work with the amazing Marie Lu and her book, Batman: Nightwalker, which was included in the LitJoy January 2018 crate (which is sold out, but you can still get the book here). This is one of those books that you will be willing to hang upside down for. Cough, cough. **crickets**

Anyway, all Batman humor aside, another book in the DC Icons series is Catwoman! Who better to write such a book, than our very own author-extraordinaire . . .

SARAH J. MAAS!

Yes, I claim her. Ok, not really, but I’ve read all her books and can’t think of anyone better to represent sexy Catwoman. Sarah could probably be Catwoman herself! Did you know she wrote the first drafts of the Throne of Glass series when she was sixteen?!? It was a New York Times Bestseller and has now sold in thirty-five languages. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Hamilton College in 2008 with a degree in Creative Writing and a minor in Religious Studies. Sarah is a New York native, which I think is another reason she will show Gotham well, though she currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and dog. But no cat. We’ll forgive her for that. Also, if you didn’t know it yet, her Throne of Glass series is being made into a TV show by Hulu (check out details here). The film rights for her A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) have been optioned by Tempo Productions (see the announcement here).  I’ve scoured the internet for more details, but all I could find was that both are still being developed and no one has been chosen as the main stars yet. 

But back to what you’re really here for: CATWOMAN!!

Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas

So what has the illustrious Sarah J. Maas written for us? Here’s the book summary:

When the Bat’s away, the Cat will play. It’s time to see how many lives this cat really has.

Two years after escaping Gotham City’s slums, Selina Kyle returns as the mysterious and wealthy Holly Vanderhees. She quickly discovers that with Batman off on a vital mission, Gotham City looks ripe for the taking.

Meanwhile, Luke Fox wants to prove that as Batwing he has what it takes to help people. He targets a new thief on the prowl who has teamed up with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. Together, they are wreaking havoc. This Catwoman is clever–she may be Batwing’s undoing.

In this third DC Icons book–following Leigh Bardugo’s Wonder Woman: Warbringer and Marie Lu’s Batman: Nightwalker–Selina is playing a desperate game of cat and mouse, forming unexpected friendships and entangling herself with Batwing by night and her devilishly handsome neighbor Luke Fox by day. But with a dangerous threat from the past on her tail, will she be able to pull off the heist that’s closest to her heart?

Wow! Doesn’t that sound amazing. I couldn’t wait to get my paws on it. And you now you can too here!

Hold onto your tails . . . this book is going to be EPIC.

XoXo,

Robin

P.S. Since I posted this, the last book in the DC Icons series came out - Superman: Dawnbreaker by Matt de la Pena! I got my signed exclusive copy here in this LitJoy Crate and I LOVE IT SO MUCH:

If you get your Superman: Dawnbreaker book from LitJoy, it includes this poster!

Author Stalker: Heidi Heilig {Author of for a Muse of Fire}

Have you read For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig yet? This first book in a new trilogy from the acclaimed Heidi Heilig blends traditional storytelling with ephemera for a lush, page-turning tale of escape and rebellion. For a Muse of Fire will captivate fans of Sabaa Tahir, Leigh Bardugo, and Renée Ahdieh.

LitJoy Exclusive Edition of For A Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig (Sold out, but you can still get the regular version here)

We loved the book so much, we knew we had to talk with the author. Kelly and Alix got to interview her! Check it out:

Summary of For a Muse of Fire:  

Jetta’s family is famed as the most talented troupe of shadow players in the land. With Jetta behind the scrim, their puppets seem to move without string or stick—a trade secret, they say. In truth, Jetta can see the souls of the recently departed and bind them to the puppets with her blood.

But ever since the colonizing army conquered their country, the old ways are forbidden, so Jetta must never show, never tell. Her skill and fame are her family’s way to earn a spot aboard the royal ship to Aquitan, where shadow plays are the latest rage, and where rumor has it the Mad Emperor has a spring that cures his ills—and could cure Jetta’s, too. Because seeing spirits is not the only thing that plagues her.

But as rebellion seethes and as Jetta meets a young smuggler, she will face truths and decisions that she never imagined—and safety will never seem so far away.

Heidi Heilig creates a vivid, rich world inspired by Asian cultures and French colonialism. Her characters are equally complex and nuanced, including the bipolar heroine. Told from Jetta’s first-person point-of-view, as well as with chapters written as play scripts and ephemera such as telegrams and letters, For a Muse of Fire is an engrossing journey that weaves magic, simmering romance, and the deep bonds of family with the high stakes of epic adventure.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Heidi Heilig is the author of The Girl from Everywhere and The Ship Beyond Time. She grew up in Hawaii, where she rode horses and raised peacocks. She holds an MFA from New York University in musical theatre writing, and she’s written book and lyrics for several shows. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, her son, and their pet snake.

AUTHOR WEBSITE: You can find her online at www.heidiheilig.com

The Best YA Fantasy Books

Oh, Laini Taylor, you just seem to have a way with words. You make fantasy look good. Real good. You are one of the main reasons I love fantasy. And Leigh Bardugo. And Sarah J. Maas. And . . .

Fantasy has taken the world by storm. Honestly, it’s probably J.K. Rowling’s fault. Or maybe Brandon Sanderson. Whatever or whoever it was, fantasy books are some of my favorites, which is probably why LitJoy Crate includes many of them in their young adult and middle grade book box crates. I love the worlds that fantasy books have created that take us out of our lives of work, study, toddler tantrums (whether you are the culprit or you brought them into this world), and teen angst or drama (whether we are in our teens or have teens).

SO who are your favorite fantasy authors?

Listen to the Alix and Kelly Show (with Debra too) where LitJoy’s co-founders dish on their favorite fantasy books.

If they didn’t mention one of your favorite fantasy books, please let me know! I often put together book lists and I love to include ones from my readers!

XoXo,

Robin

About the Author: Robin M. King is the author of three young adult novels (RemembrandtSeries), devourer of books, and lover of brownie batter.