*~Contest is closed.~*
Today I’m lucky enough to be the last stop on the Moonshine Blog Tour! So please, get to know Alaya Johnson, read about Moonshine, read my review, and why not leave a comment and enter to win your own copy of Moonshine while you’re at it!
Book Synopsis
Imagining vampires at the heart of the social struggles of 1920s, Moonshine blends a tempestuous romance with dramatic historical fiction, populated by a lively mythology inhabiting the gritty New York City streets Zephyr Hollis is an underfed, overzealous social activist who teaches night school to the underprivileged of the Lower East Side. Strapped for cash, Zephyr agrees to help a student, the mysterious Amir, who proposes she use her charity worker cover to bring down a notorious vampire mob boss. What he doesn’t tell her is why. Soon enough she’s tutoring a child criminal with an angelic voice, dodging vampires high on a new blood-based street drug, and trying to determine the real reason behind Amir’s request—not to mention attempting to resist his dark, inhuman charm.
My Review
Moonshine transported me back to the 1920s Prohibition era right from the start. This isn’t your normal history class Prohibition era, though, because in this one vampires, and all Others, are out in the open and just another part of life. Zephyr Hollis, also known as the “singing vampire suffragette”, is a teacher at a night school for Others. She is also a major activist in most issues involving the rights of Others. She has no idea how involved she’s about to become though.
A mysterious and beautiful man named Amir asks for her help tracking down Rinaldo, the local mob boss who is also a vampire and reeking havoc on lives of so many in the city. Why? That would be a great thing to know, but finding out more about Rinaldo would benefit many, and Zephyr always has been one to help those in need. Amir also helps her out when she finds a young boy that has been attacked by vampires, so she must keep that in mind.
This hunt for the mob boss leads to the tutoring of a vampire child criminal, strange drugs that start effecting the city’s vampires in bad ways, and Zephyr getting closer to Amir who is some type of Other, but what? Amir’s character was so fascinating to me. Both he and Zephyr drew me in and wouldn’t let go. It wasn’t just them either. Zephyr’s friends, fellow activists, and a certain nosey reporter, were all wonderful characters. Even bad guys held me entranced. Alaya Johnson has built a fabulous world and uses language beautifully to reflect the time period without distracting from the story! I can’t wait for more!
*review copy was provided by Books And… Virtual Tour Coordinator*
About the Author
ALAYA JOHNSON is a recent Columbia graduate, and denizen of New York City.
Find out more at www.alayadawnjohnson.com
Moonshine Tour Stops
Monday, May 24 Books And... Chat
Tuesday, May 25 Parajunkee
Wednesday, May 26 Fang-tastic Books
Thursday, May 27 BrownGirl BookSpeak
Friday, May 28 Not-Really-Southern Vamp Chick
And today you get a chance to win your own copy of Moonshine! All you need to do to enter is comment on this post, and leave your email in the comments. Sorry, this is only open to US residents ages 18 and up. It’s not required that you be a follower of mine, but I’d love it if you were! Contest ends June 11th.
What do you think of books where history is changed, like this one where in the 1920s Others are suddenly real and part of the public? Do you like books with supernatural beings out in the open, or do you like them hidden in the shadows?
*~Contest is closed.~*
