The
Winter People
Release
Date: 09/02/14
Entangled
Teen
An
engrossing, complex, romantic fantasy perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore or
Maggie Stiefvater, set in a wholly unique world.
Salome Montgomery fears winter—the cold, the snow, the ice, but most of all,
the frozen pond she fell through as a child. Haunted by the voices and images
of the strange beings that pulled her to safety, she hasn't forgotten their
warning to "stay away." For eleven years, she has avoided the winter
woods, the pond, and the darkness that lurks nearby. But when failing health
takes her grandparents to Arizona, she is left in charge of maintaining their
estate. This includes the "special gifts" that must be left at the
back of the property.
Salome discovers she’s a key player in a world she’s tried for years to avoid.
At the center of this world is the strange and beautiful Nevin, who she finds
trespassing on her family’s property. Cursed with dark secrets and knowledge of
the creatures in the woods, his interactions with Salome take her life in a new
direction. A direction where she'll have to decide between her longtime crush Colton,
who could cure her fear of winter. Or Nevin who, along with an appointed
bodyguard, Gareth, protects her from the darkness that swirls in the snowy
backdrop. An evil that, given the chance, will kill her.
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EXCERPT
“So,
what’ve you been up to all day?”
Nevin
watched me and chuckled. “I hope you’re not deciding on that
profession.”
“What?”
He
pointed at the pole I’d been swinging on. “Your parents really ought to
encourage you to try other things.”
In
my surprise, I released the pole and went flying down the stairs.
Nevin
moved quick, catching me in his arms before I hit the ground. He held me
suspended, like he’d dipped me back in an elegant dance
move.
His
face was inches from mine, his honey-scented breath cool against
my
face. Needle-like prickles shot threw me and my pulse quickened as we seemed
frozen in position. I got that dazed feeling, and everything blurred a little.
He
pulled me up until I stood on my own two feet. “Sorry.” I took a
step
back. “My routine obviously needs work.”
Grinning,
he reached into his coat pocket. “Here, I made something for
you.”
“What
is it?” I held out a gloved hand. “Look and see.” He handed over a beautiful
rose carved out of ice. It looked like glass, the way each petal and thorny
detail was etched into the frozen art. For a moment, I smelled the sweet nectar
of a rose wafting in the air. Then it
disappeared.
“Wow,
I’ve never seen anything like this.”
“I
have many talents.” Nevin’s voice took on an air of conceit. I rolled
my
eyes and set the ice rose on the gazebo.
“Has
anyone ever told you arrogance is not a virtue?”
His
gaze darkened. “Once. And that was one time too many.”
Whoa!
Where had that come from? Talk about brooding male. “I, for one, find arrogance
unattractive.” I lowered my voice. I knew enough guys like him at school. The
ones who’d tormented and picked on me when I’d had my last “winter” episode my
sophomore year. Which was why I was so surprised Colton had asked me out.
Nevin
sighed, tracing his finger along the snow covered railing. “Is that
so?
Then why are you here?”
Why
was I
there? But my pulse pounded so hard in my ears I couldn’t
think.
“I’m taking care of my grandma’s house while she’s gone.”
He
took hold of my arm, tugging me closer to him. “Then why did you
wait
for me?”
So
he had been watching me. “Because I told you I would. If nothing
else,
I stand by my word.”
“Does
my arrogance really bother you?” His lips twitched, his hand
stroking
my arm.
In
a way it did, but I wanted him to be different and I was certain that
deep
down he could be. “Not really, with hot guys you kind of expect
it.”
Shit! Not again. I had to think before I talked.
His
head fell back and he laughed. “I like a girl who speaks her mind,
especially
when she says nice things about me.”
“Moving
on.” I averted my gaze.
He
tugged on my sleeve until I glanced back up at him. “Sometimes it’s easier to
be an ass than it is to be kind. You never know who you can trust.”
Déjà vu. Colton had
lectured me about trust earlier. And also gave me a rose. My hair stood up on
end. Okay. Now was not the time to freak
out.
So they’d both done similar things. Who cared?
Refocusing
back on him, I said, “You can trust me.”
He
took a seat on the gazebo steps. “That’s yet to be seen.”
“I
don’t like being called a liar.” I squeezed into the spot next to him. “Besides,
you don’t even know me.”
“You’re
all the same.” Nevin stared at the pond. A strand of
dark
hair brushed his forehead.
“Okay,
I think you lost me here. All of who?”
“Huma—women.”
Rebekah Purdy grew up in Michigan,
where she spent many late nights armed with a good book and a flashlight. When
not hiding at her computer and getting lost in her stories, she enjoys reading,
singing, soccer, swimming, football, camping, playing video games and hanging
out with her kids. She loves the unexplainable like Bigfoot, the Dogman, and
the Loch Ness Monster (lots of good story material)! She admits to still having
all the books she bought throughout her childhood and teen years, and she may
or may not have an obsession with anything chocolate…
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