Excerpt + Giveaway: Jennifer Estep

Today, I’d like to welcome Jennifer Estep back to the blog. She’s stopping by of the blog tour for the third book in her Mythos Academy series, Dark Frost, which came out yesterday. You can read my review of Touch of Frost here and Kiss of Frost here. Today, Jennifer has been kind enough to give a sneak peak of Dark Frost with an excerpt and offer up a copy to giveaway.

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DARK FROST EXCERPT:

We scrambled up onto the dais and around to the far side. Daphne took up a position between the knight and the centurion, looking like another proud figure standing there, the golden arrow nocked and ready in the onyx bow. Carson moved to her left, while I stood on her right, the two of us flanking and protecting our archer, just like Coach Ajax had taught us to during all the mock fights we’d had in gym class. Across the room, Logan slid behind the wax Viking.

“We’ll be okay, right?” Carson said, fear making his eyes seem more black than brown behind his glasses.

“Of course, we will,” I said, trying to make my voice light. “Just think how jealous all the other kids will be when they hear that we took on a group of Reapers—and won.”

Carson tried to smile at my lame pep talk, but his lips twisted into a grimace instead. I knew how he felt. After what I’d just seen, I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to smile again. There would be no winning. Not today. Not with the other kids outside injured.

Not with so many dead.

Beside us, Daphne remained silent, although pink sparks snapped all around her now, cracking like fireworks, letting Carson and me know she was just as scared as we were. The Valkyrie stared at me a moment, then at the band geek, before turning her attention to the open doorway. Carson gripped his staff and pushed his glasses up his nose, while I tightened my hold on Vic.

I looked at Logan. Even from across the room, I could see the anticipation in his face. The emotion made his eyes glitter like ice. The Spartan was ready for the Reapers, ready to put his fighting skills to the test. Logan gave me a thumbs-up. His certainty in himself, in us and in what we were about to do, made my stomach unclench the tiniest bit.

We hunkered down and waited for the Reapers to come.

WHY I WROTE THIS SCENE:
This scene takes place fairly early on in Dark Frost, when Gwen and her friends find themselves having to battle some Reapers of Chaos, the bad guys in my books. I love writing action and fight scenes, but in this case, Gwen and the other characters are scrambling to get ready for the fight. I think –- or at least hope –- that it adds some tension and will make the reader keep turning to pages to see what happens in the battle.

BIO INFO:
Jennifer Estep is a New York Times bestselling author. Jennifer writes the Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series for Kensington. Dark Frost, the third book, was released on May 29. Touch of Frost and Kiss of Frost are the other books in the series. Visit www.jenniferestep.com for excerpts and more information about her books.

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Thanks again for stopping by! Now for the giveaway. Jennifer has generously offered up one (1) print copy of Dark Frost to one (1) lucky reader. To be entered, just answer the following question:
If you went to Mythos Academy, what type of warrior whiz kid would you be?

Giveaway Rules:
1. Open to US only.
2. Must answer question and leave valid e-mail address.
3. Giveaway ends at 11:59PM Saturday June 9th.
4. Winner will be announced on Sunday June 10th

Title: Dark Frost
Author: Jennifer Estep
Series: Mythos Academy #3
Summary:

I've seen so many freaky things since I started attending Mythos Academy last fall. I know I'm supposed to be a fearless warrior, but most of the time, I feel like I'm just waiting for the next Bad, Bad Thing to happen. Like someone trying to kill me -- again.

Everyone at Mythos Academy knows me as Gwen Frost, the Gypsy girl who uses her psychometry magic to find lost objects -- and who just may be dating Logan Quinn, the hottest guy in school. But I'm also the girl the Reapers of Chaos want dead in the worst way. The Reapers are the baddest of the bad, the people who murdered my mom. So why do they have it in for me? It turns out my mom hid a powerful artifact called the Helheim Dagger before she died. Now, the Reapers will do anything to get it back. They think I know where the dagger is hidden, but this is one thing I can't use my magic to find. All I do know is that the Reapers are coming for me -- and I'm in for the fight of my life.