Publication Date: February 25, 2014
Book Blurb~
A modern day thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life—and her own.
Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.
Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.
The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place.
~Excerpt~
“If you are hearing this message,
then you have successfully completed the Pandora Selection Process. It also
means you are now at the official starting line.”
Around me,
Contenders whoop with excitement. Seriously? They’re about to plunge into a
wild jungle, and that brings them happiness? Once again, I realize how out of
my league I am. I don’t even have a change of clothes, for crying out loud.
“As you may have realized, you are on
the outskirts of a rain forest. This will be the jungle part of the course. You
will have two weeks to arrive at the jungle’s base camp. You will find this
base camp by following the path of blue flags.”
Contestants
glance around, immediately looking for the first blue flag. As for me, I’m
watching the taillights of the semi and having a massive coronary.
“If you are the first to encounter a
blue flag, you may remove it, but you may not remove the stake it is attached
to. Doing so will result in immediate disqualification.”
I wonder why
anyone would want to remove the flag to begin with. No one else seems concerned
by this.
“While the Cure will be awarded to a single
winner at the end of the last ecosystem, we will bestow a smaller prize for
each leg of the race. The prize for the jungle portion will be monetary.” The
woman pauses dramatically. “I’d like to
officially welcome you to the Brimstone Bleed. May the bravest Contender win.”
That’s it?
That’s all she’s going to say? Because it seriously sounds like she’s wrapping
up. So why aren’t I running after the trucks? Why am I not chasing after my
only way out of this jungle like my life depends on it? I know the answer —
though I wish I didn’t. Cody would do this for me. I am his only hope. I have
to believe his cure exists. My only other option is to return home and watch my
brother die. If I could even get back home.
I glance
around frantically, looking for someone to tell me what to do. The Contenders
have formed a long line, the kind you see at the start of a marathon. A few
yards down from where I stand — I see him. My throat tightens when I realize
his cold blue eyes are locked on me. It’s the guy from the Pandora Selection
Process. The serial killer–looking dude who I thought was going to kidney punch
me. He glares in my direction like he might take this opportunity to finish
what he never started. I raise my hand in a small wave, hoping it says
something like: See? Look how friendly I
am!
He lifts his
own enormous hand. For a moment, I brighten. I think maybe that — even though
it looks like he hates every fiber of my being — he’s going to wave back. But
he doesn’t. He holds up two fingers — his pointer and his middle — places them
under his eyes, and then points in front of us.
Oh no, he
didn’t. I think he basically just told me to pay attention. I’m still
processing this when the woman’s voice rings in my ear.
“Go!”
Awesome isn't it??? Not long now and you too can have this in your hands!
Phew! This sounds intense!
ReplyDeletePhew! This sounds intense!
ReplyDeleteYes it does! I can't wait to read it. Sounds like it is going to be a wild ride for sure. :)
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