Royal Bastards by Andrew Shvarts

Royal Bastards by Andrew Shvarts

Release Date: May 30, 2017
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Source: Publisher

Summary

Being a bastard blows. Tilla would know. Her father, Lord Kent of the Western Province, loved her as a child, but cast her aside as soon as he had trueborn children.

At sixteen, Tilla spends her days exploring long-forgotten tunnels beneath the castle with her stablehand half brother, Jax, and her nights drinking with the servants, passing out on Jax’s floor while her castle bedroom collects dust. Tilla secretly longs to sit by her father’s side, resplendent in a sparkling gown, enjoying feasts with the rest of the family. Instead, she sits with the other bastards, like Miles of House Hampstedt, an awkward scholar who’s been in love with Tilla since they were children.

Then, at a feast honoring the visiting princess Lyriana, the royal shocks everyone by choosing to sit at the Bastards’ Table. Before she knows it, Tilla is leading the sheltered princess on a late-night escapade. Along with Jax, Miles, and fellow bastard Zell, a Zitochi warrior from the north, they stumble upon a crime they were never meant to witness.

Rebellion is brewing in the west, and a brutal coup leaves Lyriana’s uncle, the Royal Archmagus, dead—with Lyriana next on the list. The group flees for their lives, relentlessly pursued by murderous mercenaries; their own parents have put a price on their heads to prevent the king and his powerful Royal Mages from discovering their treachery.

The bastards band together, realizing they alone have the power to prevent a civil war that will tear their kingdom apart—if they can warn the king in time. And if they can survive the journey . . . (courtesy of Goodreads)

Feature and Follow Friday

The Feature & Follow is back with a few changes. 

The Feature & Follow is back after a two-month hiatus! I know you missed it. I've missed it too! But we wanted to make it bigger and better - and I hope we have accomplished that.

THE CHANGES:

• Weekly Features will be chosen from LIKES on the linkylist and not as random.
• Bloggers and Authors will get to have ONE spot a quarter (90 days) as the feature. But, you can still participate.
• The reason we are switching to this method is because we had issues with contacting people. This way we just choose them.
• We have also switched to THUMBNAIL link list – use a graphic that you want us to use when we showcase you as the feature.
• Weekly questions have been changed to Post Prompts. Very similar just a little more open ended.
• We are asking for ideas submitted by participants.
• We will have the post schedule available so you can schedule in advance.

HOW DOES THE #FF WORK?

• The goal is to increase blog followers, make friends and have something to post.
• You create your own post using the post prompt.
• You leave your link and thumbnail in the linky list that links back to your post prompt.
• Once you have your post up and linked, visit other posts and tell them hi. The point is to FOLLOW them not just comment.
• If you see a post that just hit it to the moon, or just want to show appreciation to a fellow blogger friend, like their name on the linky list to show some appreciation.
• The person with the most likes gets chosen as the next Feature (you can be chosen every 90 days unless we are in need of features)
• It is required that if you participate that you have to follow the FEATURE. It is a big no-no to participate and ignore the feature. They are the special snowflake in this little blizzard.
• As a participant it is up to your discretion on how you want people to follow. Please post RSS, GFC etc if you have a follow of choice.

Specific RULES

• Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followedFollow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers

THE WEEKLY FEATURE:

• A GREAT Read!! 

THE POST PROMPT:

What was the first book that moved you? Scared you, made you cry, disturbed your view of the world?

MY ANSWER

*Sorry that my blog has been so lackluster the past few months. I'm having a super busy time in life, mostly because I'm in the process of moving several states away. I'm hoping to get back to active blogging in a few weeks. ---- We successfully moved, but now I'm in Colorado for 2 weeks (not for a fun trip unfortunately). So hopefully the blog will get back going soon.

There was a Ann M. Martin book called With You and Without You (I think that's it) published in the late 1980s that always made me cry. Also Judy Blume's Just As Long As We're Together.

I was also profoundly moved by The Giver, which I first read in 8th grade. There's another book that I read in 8th grade that really disturbed me. And I can't remember the title. It's going to bother me all night - I'll update the post if I can remember it. Something about a boy riding a bike and having all these awful memories and it turns out that he's been in a psychiatric hospital the whole time and only imagining all the things he's done.

POSTING PROMPT SCHEDULE

Click on this link

THE LINKY

An InLinkz Link-up

Up Late! Feature and Follow Fridays

The Feature & Follow is back with a few changes. 

The Feature & Follow is back after a two-month hiatus! I know you missed it. I've missed it too! But we wanted to make it bigger and better - and I hope we have accomplished that.

THE CHANGES:

• Weekly Features will be chosen from LIKES on the linkylist and not as random.
• Bloggers and Authors will get to have ONE spot a quarter (90 days) as the feature. But, you can still participate.
• The reason we are switching to this method is because we had issues with contacting people. This way we just choose them.
• We have also switched to THUMBNAIL link list – use a graphic that you want us to use when we showcase you as the feature.
• Weekly questions have been changed to Post Prompts. Very similar just a little more open ended.
• We are asking for ideas submitted by participants.
• We will have the post schedule available so you can schedule in advance.

HOW DOES THE #FF WORK?

• The goal is to increase blog followers, make friends and have something to post.
• You create your own post using the post prompt.
• You leave your link and thumbnail in the linky list that links back to your post prompt.
• Once you have your post up and linked, visit other posts and tell them hi. The point is to FOLLOW them not just comment.
• If you see a post that just hit it to the moon, or just want to show appreciation to a fellow blogger friend, like their name on the linky list to show some appreciation.
• The person with the most likes gets chosen as the next Feature (you can be chosen every 90 days unless we are in need of features)
• It is required that if you participate that you have to follow the FEATURE. It is a big no-no to participate and ignore the feature. They are the special snowflake in this little blizzard.
• As a participant it is up to your discretion on how you want people to follow. Please post RSS, GFC etc if you have a follow of choice.

Specific RULES

• Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followedFollow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers

THE WEEKLY FEATURE:

• The Caramel Files!! 

THE POST PROMPT:

What book do you reread the most? (For people who don't reread, what books have you considered rereading?)

MY ANSWER

*Sorry for the late post! My blog got screwed up this week - my fault because I forgot to back some stuff up... I had to reset it to a basic layout. That distracted me for awhile. Plus, I'm in the middle of unpacking. Crazy times.

Super easy one for me! Although the hard part is narrowing it to one book, which I can't really do. I re-read the entire Harry Potter series every fall and I also re-read Pride and Prejudice after that. It usually takes me from October through December or early January to read all of them since I often take breaks with other books in between.

Back when I was a kid, I re-read all the Babysitters Club books 1000s of times. I'd say those books more than any other.

POSTING PROMPT SCHEDULE

Click on this link

THE LINKY    

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

Feature and Follow Friday

The Feature & Follow is back with a few changes. 

The Feature & Follow is back after a two-month hiatus! I know you missed it. I've missed it too! But we wanted to make it bigger and better - and I hope we have accomplished that.

THE CHANGES:

• Weekly Features will be chosen from LIKES on the linkylist and not as random.
• Bloggers and Authors will get to have ONE spot a quarter (90 days) as the feature. But, you can still participate.
• The reason we are switching to this method is because we had issues with contacting people. This way we just choose them.
• We have also switched to THUMBNAIL link list – use a graphic that you want us to use when we showcase you as the feature.
• Weekly questions have been changed to Post Prompts. Very similar just a little more open ended.
• We are asking for ideas submitted by participants.
• We will have the post schedule available so you can schedule in advance.

HOW DOES THE #FF WORK?

• The goal is to increase blog followers, make friends and have something to post.
• You create your own post using the post prompt.
• You leave your link and thumbnail in the linky list that links back to your post prompt.
• Once you have your post up and linked, visit other posts and tell them hi. The point is to FOLLOW them not just comment.
• If you see a post that just hit it to the moon, or just want to show appreciation to a fellow blogger friend, like their name on the linky list to show some appreciation.
• The person with the most likes gets chosen as the next Feature (you can be chosen every 90 days unless we are in need of features)
• It is required that if you participate that you have to follow the FEATURE. It is a big no-no to participate and ignore the feature. They are the special snowflake in this little blizzard.
• As a participant it is up to your discretion on how you want people to follow. Please post RSS, GFC etc if you have a follow of choice.

Specific RULES

• Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followedFollow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers

THE WEEKLY FEATURE:

• Romance Lover Anonymous!! 

THE POST PROMPT:

Groundhog Day! What book or scene from a book could you live in and have it on "repeat?"

MY ANSWER

*Sorry that my blog has been so lackluster the past few months. I'm having a super busy time in life, mostly because I'm in the process of moving several states away. I'm hoping to get back to active blogging in a few weeks. ---- We successfully moved, but we're staying in a hotel since our stuff won't be here for a few weeks. And as soon as our stuff gets here, I have to go to Colorado for 2 weeks (not for a fun trip unfortunately). So hopefully the blog will get back going soon.

That's a tough one. Maybe the proposal scene from Pride and Prejudice (the one Elizabeth actually said yes to).

I'd love to live in the Christmas Day feasts at Hogwarts. Or go to the End of Year Feasts. Basically I'd love to live in the entire Harry Potter world (except for Voldemort of course)

POSTING PROMPT SCHEDULE

Click on this link

THE LINKY    

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

Feature and Follow Friday

The Feature & Follow is back with a few changes. 

The Feature & Follow is back after a two-month hiatus! I know you missed it. I've missed it too! But we wanted to make it bigger and better - and I hope we have accomplished that.

THE CHANGES:

• Weekly Features will be chosen from LIKES on the linkylist and not as random.
• Bloggers and Authors will get to have ONE spot a quarter (90 days) as the feature. But, you can still participate.
• The reason we are switching to this method is because we had issues with contacting people. This way we just choose them.
• We have also switched to THUMBNAIL link list – use a graphic that you want us to use when we showcase you as the feature.
• Weekly questions have been changed to Post Prompts. Very similar just a little more open ended.
• We are asking for ideas submitted by participants.
• We will have the post schedule available so you can schedule in advance.

HOW DOES THE #FF WORK?

• The goal is to increase blog followers, make friends and have something to post.
• You create your own post using the post prompt.
• You leave your link and thumbnail in the linky list that links back to your post prompt.
• Once you have your post up and linked, visit other posts and tell them hi. The point is to FOLLOW them not just comment.
• If you see a post that just hit it to the moon, or just want to show appreciation to a fellow blogger friend, like their name on the linky list to show some appreciation.
• The person with the most likes gets chosen as the next Feature (you can be chosen every 90 days unless we are in need of features)
• It is required that if you participate that you have to follow the FEATURE. It is a big no-no to participate and ignore the feature. They are the special snowflake in this little blizzard.
• As a participant it is up to your discretion on how you want people to follow. Please post RSS, GFC etc if you have a follow of choice.

Specific RULES

• Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followedFollow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers

THE WEEKLY FEATURE:

• Romance Lover Anonymous!! 

THE POST PROMPT:

What are some tips that help you with blogging?

MY ANSWER

*Sorry that my blog has been so lackluster the past few months. I'm having a super busy time in life, mostly because I'm in the process of moving several states away. I'm hoping to get back to active blogging in a few weeks.

So this is going to be more of a Do As I Say, Not As I Do thing since I haven't been blogging much lately.

-Post consistently. Maybe every day. Or maybe twice a week. Be reliable for your readers.
-Comment, comment, comment. Best way to build strong bonds with your readers.
-Be active on Twitter and other popular social media channels to network with other bloggers and make friends.

***Most important, just keep going! At some point, you'll hit a wall where it becomes a chore to keep blogging. This may come at 6 months, 2 years, or 7 years. Scale back when you need to - give yourself a break - but if you want to keep blogging, try to still have some involvement in your blog. I really do want to keep blogging, but things are so busy at the moment. I'm moving this week, which is quite a distraction. But I still care about blogging and still want to do it.

POSTING PROMPT SCHEDULE

Click on this link

THE LINKY

An InLinkz Link-up

Feature and Follow Friday

The Feature & Follow is back with a few changes. 

The Feature & Follow is back after a two-month hiatus! I know you missed it. I've missed it too! But we wanted to make it bigger and better - and I hope we have accomplished that.

THE CHANGES:

• Weekly Features will be chosen from LIKES on the linkylist and not as random.
• Bloggers and Authors will get to have ONE spot a quarter (90 days) as the feature. But, you can still participate.
• The reason we are switching to this method is because we had issues with contacting people. This way we just choose them.
• We have also switched to THUMBNAIL link list – use a graphic that you want us to use when we showcase you as the feature.
• Weekly questions have been changed to Post Prompts. Very similar just a little more open ended.
• We are asking for ideas submitted by participants.
• We will have the post schedule available so you can schedule in advance.

HOW DOES THE #FF WORK?

• The goal is to increase blog followers, make friends and have something to post.
• You create your own post using the post prompt.
• You leave your link and thumbnail in the linky list that links back to your post prompt.
• Once you have your post up and linked, visit other posts and tell them hi. The point is to FOLLOW them not just comment.
• If you see a post that just hit it to the moon, or just want to show appreciation to a fellow blogger friend, like their name on the linky list to show some appreciation.
• The person with the most likes gets chosen as the next Feature (you can be chosen every 90 days unless we are in need of features)
• It is required that if you participate that you have to follow the FEATURE. It is a big no-no to participate and ignore the feature. They are the special snowflake in this little blizzard.
• As a participant it is up to your discretion on how you want people to follow. Please post RSS, GFC etc if you have a follow of choice.

Specific RULES

• Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followedFollow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers

THE WEEKLY FEATURE:

• Whole Latte Books!! 

THE POST PROMPT:

What Movie from Book coming out in 2017 are you most excited about?

MY ANSWER

*Sorry that my blog has been so lackluster the past few months. I'm having a super busy time in life, both with traveling and other stuff. I'm hoping to get back to posting more than once or twice a week in the New Year.

HIDDEN FIGURES!!!!

I've already seen this one and it was wonderful! I want to see it again and again. Go see it right away if you haven't already.

I'm also looking forward to The Zookeeper's Wife and Lost City of Z.

Plus, Beauty and the Beast which technically is a book of sorts.

POSTING PROMPT SCHEDULE

Click on this link

THE LINKY

An InLinkz Link-up