Title: From Brick & Darkness
Author: J. L Sullivan
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy
Book Blurb:
Bax always fantasized something remarkable would happen in his life. So when a decrepit man with glowing purple eyes offers him a ring intended for his estranged father, Bax accepts.
The ring speaks to Bax in a dream, tempting him with a vision of a powerful djinn. Desperate to make his fantasies a reality, Bax unleashes a creature called Ifrit, but soon learns this djinn isn't what the ring led him to believe. Feeding off the depths of his subconscious, the sinister demon fulfills what he thinks Bax wants by manipulating, threatening, and murdering. With everyone he loves in danger and a trail of crimes pointing back at him, Bax must scramble to solve the puzzle that will banish Ifrit forever.
Excerpt:
Neck bones popped as his head rotated toward me, his face eclipsing the rays of the streetlight. His irises were dull purple, glazed over with a foggy film, and deep-set wrinkles radiated from the corners of his eyes like arrows drawing attention to them.
A shudder caused the keys to slip from my hand and clank on the ground. My face burned with shame that the poor man’s appearance had startled me. My rudeness would have disappointed Mom.
“I’m sorry, but really—” I snagged my keys.
His hand slithered out of the brick-colored sleeve as his arm rose, trembling as he strained to hold the weight of his own limb. Gloved in loose, veiny skin, his skeleton hand had yellowed fingernails so overgrown they grew in on themselves like curly birthday ribbons. As his fingers unfurled, he revealed a ring nestled in his palm.
It was large. Too large. The ring resembled the toy jewelry Jason’s sister played with or something from a Halloween costume. Grimy gold with a single dull purplish jewel that matched his eyes.
His hand trembled under the heaviness of the ring. “Take it.”
Shifting my backpack to my other shoulder, I took it. “What is this?”
The corners of his thin lips curled into a grin as a gust of warm, dry wind cut through the chilly October night and swirled around me.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
BN.com: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/from-brick-darkness-j-l-sullivan/1141068076?ean=9781509240081
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60508978
What’s the first binge-worthy book you read and why was it a must-read?
The first binge-worthy book I read was GONE by Michael Grant. I’d never read anything like it. The story has so much crammed between the front and back covers. It’s saturated with teen drama in a LORD OF THE FLIES-type environment, and if that’s not enough, Grant piles on superpowers, mutants, and mysterious forces all working against a massive ensemble of characters, each with their own vivid backstories. I began reading it on a trip and am pretty sure I was the only passenger okay with the three-hour delay on the tarmac. By the time I reached my destination, I’d finished it, desperate to find the sequel for my return trip. I’d never devoured such a dense series (six books, each over 500 pages) in such a short amount of time.
What makes your featured book a binge-worthy read?
Bax is a relatable kid who, like many of us at some point in our lives, innocently wonders what his life would be like if something remarkable happened to him. But the magical djinn he unearths isn’t a big blue creature who sings and dances, and instead, Bax’s life spirals out of control as he finds himself in increasingly dangerous situations. With this novel, I set out to write a high-action story that drops ancient djinn mythology into the life of an average, urban-dwelling teenager to see what would happen. Unfortunately for Bax, the result isn’t the dream come true he was hoping for.
Giveaway –
One lucky reader will win a $75 Amazon (US or Canada) gift card.
Open internationally. You must have a valid Amazon US or Amazon Canada account to win.
Runs August 1 – 31
Drawing will be held on September 1.
Author Biography:
J. L. Sullivan writes young adult stories inspired by gritty urban environments and the fantastical tales that percolate within abandoned buildings and desolate alleys.
In high school, he wrote for a local newspaper before venturing into creative writing in college. He currently lives in St. Louis with his wife, two daughters, and a dog named Princess Penelope Picklesworth.
Social Media Links:
Website: www.jlsullivan.net
Twitter: @jls_author
Instagram: @JLS_author
Facebook: @jlsullivanauthor