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Blue City by Charlay Marie - 4/5 ***BOOK TOUR***

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Title: The Portal Series : Blue City

Release Date: July 20, 2016

Author: Charlay Marie


Synopsis from Author's Website:

Jen Kallis never forgot the night her father vanished into a strange, white light from inside her closet. Even though no one believed her, Jen knew what she’d seen and refused to accept that her dad had abandoned her and mom. Ten years later, Jen, now 17, remains haunted by his disappearance when, without warning, her closet door bursts open and reveals a bright white light.

Stepping through the light, she time travels to the year 2222 to a world far different from her own. Everything in Blue City is strange, with buildings that soar too high in the sky, hover cars that zoom on transparent blue streets, and robots that look just like humans.

When Jen is confronted by Asher, an attractive commander with a bad attitude who warns that her life is in danger, she convinces him to help her escape and find her father. Together they embark on a wild journey where she has to battle Asher’s fierce ex-girlfriend, Rogue, for his love, and Jen discovers that there’s something far bigger than her quest to find her father: the fate of the world—past, present, and future—is in her hands.


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EXCERPT:

*taken from Instagram @bluecitynovel*


"Nope," Asher responded nonchalantly, not even bothering to meet her eyes. "I don't have a portal, and as I've already stated, the portals are off limits."

"Then let me go! Tell your people that the criminal escaped before you got here!"

Asher outright laughed and then quickly sobered.

"You're serious, aren't you?"

"Please help me. You know I'm not a criminal. I'll find my own way out of this place if I need to."

Asher sighed, looking up at the sky. The officials would be there any minute. Even if he let her go, she wouldn't be able to escape on her own, knowing nothing about Blue City. Her strange clothes would also be a giveaway, preventing her from blending in. Any officer or solider could stop her for questioning along the way, and he knew she wouldn't have the kind of answers needed to get past them.

Asher entertained the idea of helping her. He had an uncontrollable pull toward a thrill, and this little adventure would definitely satisfy that desire. If anyone could get out of the situation they were currently facing, it would be him. Asher was almost as high as authority went and having a father directly associated with the president would help him get out of this ordeal if they were caught. Asher groaned deeply, having made a decision.

Without a word, he pulled Jen by the arm and ran to a door on the side of the building. He opened it, surprised it hadn't been locked, and pulled her inside. They found themselves at the base of a stairwell that ventured to the top of the skyscraper.

"Come on," he said, pulling her up the stairs.”Quickly."


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About the Author:


Charlay Marie always knew she wanted to be an author, having gained internet rave over her fan-fiction stories as a teenager. Seeing how well she could move her readers, she continued writing and published her first poem at the age of fifteen. In 2012, she began writing her debut Christian fiction novel, Under the Peach Tree, after developing a close personal relationship with her Lord and Savior. She also writes young adult fiction, with Blue City soon to be released. Charlay has hopes to publish at least one book per year and has plans of starting her own independent film company. Her biggest inspirations is none other than God Himself, and she knows that without Him none of this would have been possible. To Him she gives all the Blessings and Glory. Charlay Marie currently lives in Columbus, Ohio.

*Over 50K reads on Wattpad & her newest story "White Fire" has ranked #1 in Fantasy!*





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My Review:


The Portal Series: Blue City by Charlay Marie


~*~ I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ~*~


As a child, Jen Kallis loses her father to a mysterious hole in her closet. Years later, as a teenager, Jen finds herself entering that very same portal into a futuristic dystopia where she takes in the Blue City and it's enormous buildings and hoverbugs that soar through the sky. In this city, Jen meets Asher, a soldier who defies his orders in order to help her on her years long search to find her father.


This book was great from the very beginning. I appreciated that Charlay sucked her readers in from the get-go instead of holding back. It forced readers to dive into the craziness right along with Jen and very successfully held my attention.


I loved that our heroine wasn't cookie-cutter. She's biracial, for starters, which is so rare in YA lit and something that we need so much more of. She's also a spitfire and very firm with her morals and values. She's Christian, which was an interesting addition to her personality because while it didn't feel like she was pushing her beliefs down any throats, she wasn't hiding it either -- and ~generally speaking~ I haven't read many books where the main characters bother giving us that kind of information about themselves.


Blue City was amazing! I love the idea of sleek futuristic cities and Marie's imagery was beautiful. From the chemically altered water to the sky-high buildings and hoverbugs, I was entranced. She didn't leave out a single detail and while I was reading, I felt like I was actually there.


One thing I try to consistently avoid when choosing books is instal-love, so I was a little disappointed that the romance in this book happened so quickly. Over a period of a few days, Jen has fallen in love and the declarations seemed to be a little over-the-top (but honestly, I'm so relieved the the got rid of the idiot boyfriend from the beginning that I can probably forgive this).


Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The imagery was strong and the world building was perfection. I can't wait to get my hands on the next installment!

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Blog Tour Organized by:

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*Hosts were provided with a copy of the book for review purposes in exchange for their honest reviews and opinions.*

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