Today, the Happy Book Reviewer welcomes acclaimed author
Leah Cypress to talk about Death Sworn,
the first book of her new young adult series. Teen Vogue says it is "impossible not to fall deep into the dark yet alluring world of sorcery and secret assassins."
In Death Sworn, Ileni
is a young sorceress losing her magic. And that means she's losing everything:
her position as the rising star of her people, her purpose in life, and even
the young man she loves. Sent to the assassins' cave, hidden deep within the
mountains, she expects no one will ever hear from her again. The last two
sorcerers sent died within weeks of each other. As Ileni navigates the dangers—both
natural and human—of the caves, she'll discover secrets that have been kept for
decades. And she'll find an ally in Sorin, the deadly young man who could be
the assassins' next leader. With Sorin determined to protect her,
sparks—magical and romantic—will fly. But will even he understand the choice
she must make in the end?
So, what inspired this magical, mysterious tale?
Leah Cypress: I was reading the first book in the Elenium, a trilogy by David Eddings,
in which a pacifist sorceress has to tutor the soldiers of a religious military
order. In Eddings' book, this worked out well and they were all one big happy
family. But I started to wonder: what if there was a similar scenario in which
this didn't work out well? What if the sorceress and her students not only
hated each other, but were hiding dangerous secrets from each other?
I actually just finished David Eddings' Belgariad series, but I've never read the Elenium. I love that it sparked Ileni's tale.
What were you like when you were
Ileni’s age? Did you draw on your experiences as a teenager as you wrote of
Ileni’s (by that I mean, how she perceives and interacts with the world, not
her experiences as a sorceress!)?
Leah Cypress: Like
Ileni, I grew up thinking I was destined for great things -- without quite as
much support from the rest of the world, of course. But I had dreams of
various destinies awaiting me, and spent a lot of time wondering whether it
would be better for me to cure cancer or be an Olympic gymnast or design
fabulous houses with interior water slides. Eventually, I had to realize that
my talents in some areas did not live up to my dreams. (I.e. I couldn't get
bacteria to grow on a petri dish, so there went my career as a scientist.)
But before
this gets too pessimistic -- one of my most constant dreams was to be a
published author, and there were times when I thought that was a dream that
would never be realized for me. But hope is not always wishful thinking. Ileni
will discover that, too.
If you've always dreamed of being an author, then you must have always been an avid reader; they sort of go hand-in-hand. What book are you reading at present?
Leah Cypress: Well, I'm currently reading The Nature of Horses by Stephen Budiansky, but
that's for research (though it is also fascinating). In terms of fiction, I
just finished Sleep No More by Aprilynne Pike, and next on my TBR list is
Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor and/or Skin Game by Jim Butcher.
(I have a hard time making up my mind, sometimes!)
And is there a book you wish you had
written?
Leah Cypress: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge. I am so blown away by how awesome that
book is.
I know that feeling! What was the first creative piece you
ever wrote? Do you still have a copy of it?
Leah Cypress: When I
was in first grade, I wrote a story from the point of view of an ice cream cone
being eaten. (But it was a happy story. Really. The ice cream cone wanted to be
eaten!) I believe my parents still have a copy of it.
That's so cute!
Are you working on the next book in the Death Sworn series? Do you have a title yet? Can you give us a hint on what it is about?
Leah Cypress: I just finished the copyedits for the next (and final) book in this
duology. It will be called Death Marked, and in it, Ileni will find out a
lot more about the Empire -- and have to make a very difficult choice that will
test not only her loyalty and her love, but her sense of who she is.
How exciting! I'll be watching for it! One last thing: I collect book quotes,
so add to my collection! What is your favorite quote from Death Sworn?
Leah Cypress: “How can you know what your life is worth if you
don’t know what you would trade it for?”
Thank you so much, Leah, for chatting with me today! Readers can find Death Sworn at:
And don't forget to check out my latest Young Adult adventure/romance too, Deep Green, available in Print & e-Book!
*25% off with the promo code 20EPdb14
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She's broken with guilt.
