Review, Guest Post & Giveaway: Anew by Chelsea Fine

Anew

(The Archers of Avalon # 1)

By: Chelsea Fine

Pub. Date: December 7, 2011

Publisher: Acacia Publishing

Pages: 385

Source: Publisher

Two years ago, Scarlet awoke in the forest alone, afraid, and unable to remember anything. Lost and confused, her life was a mystery...until she met a boy with a familiar voice.

Gabriel Archer has a voice from her past, and Scarlet's determined to remember why. She immerses herself in his life only to discover he has a brother he's kept hidden from her: Tristan Archer.

Upon meeting Tristan, Scarlet's world becomes even more muddled. While she's instinctively drawn to Gabriel, she's impossibly drawn to Tristan--and confused out of her mind. As she tries to piece together her history Scarlet realizes her past...might just be the death of her. 

I first fell in love with Chelsea Fine's writing after I read Sophie & Carter, which ended up being one of my favorite books of 2011. When I found out she was writing a new series, I was super excited! I don't know what made we wait to long to read Anew. It was amazing!

The story starts with Scarlet waking up alone in a forest with no memories of her life. The one thing that she does know is her name and her age. Fast forward two years, and Scarlet is now living in Avalon, Georgia. She has a guardian named Laura, who treats her like a daughter and a best friend, Heather. She still has no idea where she came from, but she makes due with what she has. Every year her town throws a Kissing Festival, and it is there that she meets Gabriel, who she is instantly attracted too. The two of them begin dating, and this is when her life begins to change. When she meets Gabriel's twin brother, Tristan, who she was never supposed to meet, her life becomes even more complicated!

There isn't much to say about Anew except that it is amazing! Ms. Fine is truly a talented writer. First, she completely ripped my heart out in Sophie & Carter, then she blows my mind with Anew. The writing flowed nicely, and sometimes I think authors find it difficult to write multiple point of views, but Fine was able to write Scarlet's, Gabriel's and Tristan's view points perfectly, sucking me into the story even more! The plot was fast paced and I was not able to put it down. I read it on a flight from Texas to New York. Best flight of my life!!

The characters were absolutely terrific and you couldn't help but fall in love with every single one of them. Scarlet's been through a lot and I felt for her. I couldn't imagine how difficult it must have been for her to not know anything about her past. I really enjoyed her as a character. She wasn't annoying and took everything that she learned about herself in stride. Her best friend Heather had to have been my favorite. She was hilarious! You could tell that she really cared about Scarlet, which was nice.

Then there are the Archer brothers! Holy crap, the Archer brothers! These guys were fantastic. Cute, funny, caring, I seriously fell in love with both of them, Tristan especially. Despite coming off as an ass, he was anything but, and I really liked that. I loved the banter between the two brothers. They were so funny and quick witted. Gabriel and Tristan each have distinct personalities, but where it counted they were exactly the same. The cared so deeply for Scarlet and were willing to do anything for her.

Anew is the kind of book that you need to read over and over again. What's not to love, it has everything, including an amazing cover! The second book, Awry is out now and it is even better then the first book!  

My dream cast for my Archers of Avalon series.

I chose actors from TV shows because, well…I’m a TV whore. Haha.

Scarlet Jacobs (main character)

Bio: Two years ago, Scarlet woke up in the woods without any memories. Now? She's just trying to figure out how to balance amnesia and homework. She has a hot boyfriend who's totally perfect…except Scarlet’s pretty sure he’s hiding something from her….

Likes: pancakes, sleeping in, and drawing

Dislikes: fashion, lying boyfriends, and hot guys telling her what to do

For Scarlet, I chose Lucy Hale from Pretty Little Liars. Lucy looks all innocent and confused, but we all know she’s got some gumption. If Pretty Little Liars has taught us anything, it’s that sweet-looking teenage girls can be ruthless. And also that trying to cover up a murder for half a decade is a bad idea. Just tell a grown up, yo!

Gabriel & Tristan Archer (main male characters, TWINS)

Gabriel Bio: Gabriel is cursed. And he’s been trying to break that curse for a long time—without success. It seems fate isn’t on his side. But having Scarlet in his life might just be the key to his happiness. If only he could tell her that.

Likes: Scarlet, reality TV, and history

Dislikes: cafeteria food, bloody weapons, and Tristan’s secret agenda.

Tristan Bio: Tristan has his own curse to worry about—not to mention the fact that, if he doesn’t find a way to undo the hex, Scarlet will die. Fortunately, he’s found a new way to break the curse that’s tortured him for so long. If only murder wasn’t frowned upon.

Likes: Solitude, weapons, and Scarlet.

Dislikes: Gabriel’s incessant good moods, witches, and sleepless nights.

I chose Tyler Hoechlin from Teen Wolf for my Archer brothers. I think he’s super sexy. And he’s this badass werewolf in Teen Wolf, so I think he’d make a badass Archer brother as well. Just saying.

Heather Baxter (Scarlet’s best friend)

Bio: Heather is obsessed with fashion and determined to give Scarlet a normal life--and wardrobe--despite her amnesia. But lately Scarlet's been hanging around with Gabriel Archer and, although he's delicious, Heather has her suspicions about him.

Likes: Shoes, kissing boys, and working at the Millhouse coffee shop

Dislikes: Tiny dogs that chase her, Scarlet's taste in fashion, and hot guys who lie to her BFF.

I tried—really tried—not to use any characters from The Vampire Diaries (since my series is about two brothers in love with the same girl also) but I just couldn’t help myself. My Heather character is blond, bubbly, sometimes annoying, and always loving. She’s totally Caroline from TVD (played by Candice Accola).

Nathaniel Fletcher (Gabriel & Tristan’s best friend)

Bio: Nate's been trying to help his friends fix their curse for years--and all their drama keeps interfering with his one great passion: video games. Even still, he's determined to help undo the wretched curse before it claims Scarlet's life. Again.
Likes: Slaying virtual dragons, Lucky Charms, and Star Wars.
Dislikes: Head Ghosts, rabid forest creatures, and being unable to cure Scarlet.

Adam Brody from The O.C. is totally who I picture when I write Nate. He’s funny, charming, quirky, and has a fondness for video games. ;) (BTW, how great was the first season of The O.C.? Raise your hand if you wanted to save Ryan and tuck him into your bed forever. Only for safekeeping, of course. *raises hand and waves it around*)

There you have it, folks! Archers of Avalon, TV style! :)  

About the author:
Chelsea lives in Phoenix, AZ where she spends most of her time writing young adult fiction, painting murals, and avoiding housework at all costs.  Her obsessions include: superheroes, coffee, sleeping-in, and crazy socks.  She lives with her husband and two children, who graciously tolerate her inability to resist teenage drama on TV and her complete lack of skill in the kitchen.

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September 18-ReaderGirls-Guest Post, Giveaway & Review
September 19- In Between Reading and Writing-Review & Giveaway
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September 20-PapercutsYA-Review, Giveaway & Guest Post
September 20-Book and a Latte-Review, Giveaway & Interview
September 21-DJ Librarian Dishes-Review, Giveaway & Guest Post
September 22-Moosubi Reviews-Interview, Giveaway & Review
September 23-Captivated Reader-Guest Post, Giveaway & Review
September 24-Hypable-Interview, Giveaway & Review
September 25-Starting the Next Chapter-Review & Giveaway
September 26-Novel Thoughts Blog-Review, Giveaway & Character interview
September 27-The Readiacs-Interview, Giveaway & Review
September 28-MundieMoms-Interview, Giveaway & Review
September 29-Head Stuck in a Book-Guest Post, Giveaway & Review
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