Silver Dagger Book Tours
  • Welcome!
  • Current Tours
    • Book Tours
  • Book a Tour
  • Open Sign Ups
  • Contact
  • About
  • Win a Book Tour!
  • Welcome!
  • Current Tours
    • Book Tours
  • Book a Tour
  • Open Sign Ups
  • Contact
  • About
  • Win a Book Tour!

The Beautiful Ones - Book Tour and Giveaway

7/16/2019

32 Comments

 
Picture
Picture

The Beautiful Ones
The Beautiful Ones Trilogy Book 1
by Kody Boye
Genre: YA Scifi Romance 

Picture
My mother once said that only the Beautiful Ones survive. This is because, in the war-torn Great South, beauty is a currency, and to have it means you will never have to worry about a thing.
​The only problem is: beauty is judged by our capital’s Gentlewomen, and there is no guarantee that we will past their test.
​Every year, the Gentlewomen of the capital leave the Glittering City to oversee the annual Procession. They travel settlement to settlement selecting girls, aged sixteen and older, to become Beautiful Ones. If chosen, we will be lifted into a life of luxury, but the cost is our free will.


**Get it FREE!!**
Add to Goodreads
Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo

​

Picture
​My mother once said that only the Beautiful Ones survive. This is because, in the Great South, beauty is a currency, and to have it means that you will never have to worry about a thing. You will never be alone. You will never go hungry. You will never have to worry about being homeless. The people will love you—and most importantly: you will never have to worry about being persecuted for being less than.
“Remember,” my mother says on the day that my life may truly begin. “Chin up. Back straight. Eyes forward. Never look back.”
I look at her in the reflection of the mirror and nod regardless of the nerves fluttering about my stomach.
“All right, then,” she says. “Let’s go.”
She takes my hand and leads me from the small bedroom of our simple dwelling and into the kitchenette. There, she gathers up everything that will be necessary to lead me through town and, eventually, into the square. The first item is a hood, which will cover my head to shield my face from the sun, the next a pair of tinted glasses that will protect my eyes from the bright light and the blowing sand. Finally, she retrieves a simple handbag, which I already know contains within it a tin of fat, to keep my lips moist; a locket, to remind me of the family I may soon be leaving behind; and finally: currency, which are simply dirty bills stained with sweat and tears. My mother has slaved for hours in the sweatshops for this money—all to ensure that, should I happen to pass the Gentlewoman’s test, I will be able to eat on the train that will take me to the Glittering City.
If I pass.
The idea is daunting, the reality even more so. My red-and-yellow sun dress feels heavy upon my shoulders—not only from the weight of the fabric, but also its importance as a family heirloom. It has always been meant for me--always--yet at the same time, it feels wrong to wear it, especially in front of my mother, who is dressed in old clothes of her own.
“Mom,” I say, looking toward the clock. “It’s time to go.”
“Kelendra,” she says, taking a step toward me. I see myself in her features at this moment—her slender nose, her high cheekbones, her plump lips, her green eyes—and realize now how lucky I am to have had her as my mother. Her genetics, and those of my father who is off at war, will hopefully carry me beyond the life of poverty I have always known.
“Yes, Mom?” I ask when finally the reality of the situation begins to settle in.
She doesn’t say anything. Instead, she leans forward, takes hold of my arms, and squeezes. The whole while she is careful not to wrinkle the sun dress. “Good luck,” she says.
We both know this is an empty statement. Luck only plays a small role in what happens once we arrive at the annual Procession. The rest comes down to my appearance and how well I’ve taken care of myself for the past sixteen years.
With that in mind, I reach up to brush my mother’s hands away from my shirt and turn toward the doorway.
It isn’t long before we’re stepping outside. I immediately pull the hood over my head and push the tinted glasses over my eyes to prevent my hair from parting and my meticulously-curled eyelashes from being disturbed by the slight wind that skirts along the streets. Nervous, now more than ever, about the dangers the outside world holds for me, I cross my arms over my chest and wait for my mother to secure our modest dwelling behind us before starting down the street.
“Are you nervous?” she asks.
“Why should I be?” I reply, determined not to let my emotions get the best of me, lest I start crying and risk ruining what little homemade makeup I have on my face. “It’s not like anything will change if I don’t get accepted.”
My mother doesn’t say anything. Rather, she reaches down, takes hold of my hand, and squeezes it for a moment before relinquishing her hold.
As we make our way up the street, careful to make sure that we don’t stray toward the mounds of sand that the neighboring women have swept from the cobblestones, I try not to look at the houses of those neighbors who live alongside us and wonder just what it is they might be thinking. Already I can imagine their thoughts at hand—their doubts, their worries, their insecurities. My mother’s oldest friend, Mrs. Garret, waves at me as we pass, and I wave back to ensure that she is noticed. She is an elderly woman, crippled beyond compare from what Witch Doctor Emery describes as arthritis of the back, and was the one kind enough to supply the spices that my mother used to create the makeup I now wear on my face.
“Let’s stop for a moment,” my mother says.
“But,” I start.
“Her blessings will do you good, Kelendra.”
I am anxious beyond compare to get to the town square before the rest of the girls arrive, but know that I can’t refuse my mother this luxury. Mrs. Garret has always been one for prayer, and it would be wrong to deny her the chance to offer some spiritual guidance for me on this monumental day.
With that in mind, we turn and approach the woman’s front door.
“Well hello dear,” Mrs. Garret says, centering her old eyes on me. “Aren’t you looking beautiful today.”
“You can’t even see my eyes,” I say.
“It doesn’t matter. I can tell from your posture. The way you hold yourself is very regal.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Garret.”
“Now then,” the old woman says, turning her eyes on my mother. “Shall we pray?”
“We shall,” my mother says.
I reach out and take hold of my mother’s hand, then extend my palm to grace Mrs. Garret’s. I tremble as the hot sun beats down upon my shoulders and as the woman begins her prayer, calling upon a kind God who has ensured that we have always had food on the table and good health for both my mother and I.
“Hear me,” Mrs. Garret says, “as I pray for Wynnona Byron, and for her daughter, Kelendra—who, on this day, is to be tested by forces beyond her control, and her beauty witnessed by the masses.”
I raise my head from prayer to find both Mrs. Garret’s and my mother’s eyes closed and look toward the road, where other girls and their mothers are making their way down the road. I take note of Ashlynn, who is pretty but not exceptionally beautiful, then Sondra, who bears a disfiguring birthmark across her face, and nod at each of them—feeling, deep down, in the fibers of my being, that neither of them will make it regardless of their merits or characters. Most girls are picked based on what is traditionally beautiful—first being their eyes, clear and radiant in color; then their skin, smooth and clear as water. Their features must not be marred by scar or acne, blemish or disability, neither of which these girls are blessed with. I am, fortunately, and therefore have a better shot at being picked by one of the Gentlewomen during the Procession, but just because I am beautiful does not mean that will determine my fate.
No.
There are rules that no one knows—boundaries that no Unfortunate Individual can understand—and for that reason, I will take all the blessings I can get.
Mrs. Garret says, “Amen” and lifts her head to look at me, a sad expression on her face as she realizes that I have dismissed the prayer in lieu of my own thoughts and feelings. “Kelendra,” she says.
“Yessum?” I ask.
“You will do well.”
“Thank you,” I say.
“I am fortunate to have known many fine young women throughout my life,” Mrs. Garret continues, “and though I realize that not all of you will make it through, those who do will do many great things. I know, if you are picked, you will do the same.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” I say.
“Now—don’t stand around on account of me. Go, and know that I will be praying for you.”
With a nod, I turn, guide my mother back toward the street, and begin to mentally prepare myself for what is to come.
Above all, I understand three things:
I am kind.
I am smart.
And, without a doubt: I am beautiful.


Picture
Picture

The War Outside
The Beautiful Ones Trilogy Book 2

Picture
I have accomplished the goal of my lifetime. I have become a Beautiful One.

But it is not at all what I expected. Between the glitz, the glam, the fame, fortune, and my recent wedding, it’s almost impossible to believe that a civil war rages beyond the capitol city’s walls, and that my life was nearly taken because of it. This is why, the day after the attempt on my life, I choose to designate my Purpose to the great war.

There’s no guarantee that my words will change anything. But as my presence within the Glittering City grows, it becomes quickly apparent that I am in danger… and that no one, not even my government, can save me.



Goodreads * Amazon ​

​
Picture
Picture
Born and raised in Southeastern Idaho, Kody Boye began his writing career with the publication of his story [A] Prom Queen’s Revenge at the age of fourteen. Published nearly three-dozen times before going independent at eighteen, Boye has authored numerous works—including the short story collection Amorous Things, the novella The Diary of Dakota Hammell, the zombie novel Sunrise and the epic fantasy series The Brotherhood Saga.


Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads


Picture
The Beautiful Ones takes place in a sprawling dystopian wasteland. Plagued by poverty, and stained by war, it begins in a place known as the Sandstone Hills—a desolate, seemingly-inhospitable world, situated somewhere in the deserts of the southern United States—and follows a young woman named Kelendra Byron. It is on the day of the annual Procession that her life will change forever, and her existence as she knows it will be catapulted to heights she could have never possibly imagined.

You might be wondering: how did I create this world? What inspired it? And what led me to focus on beauty as a commodity?

The answer is: in our modern-day world, beauty is already a commodity. From celebrity makeovers, to plastic surgeries botched, to people ordinary becoming extraordinary through cosmetics or surgery, it is impossible to ignore that quote-unquote “beautiful” people are revered.

I would be the first to admit that I am fascinated by the world of plastic surgery; and on a day several years ago, was struck by a question that continues to haunt me to this day. That question was: what is beauty became a currency?

In the Great South of The Beautiful Ones, beauty is a currency; and like our first-person narrator claims: to have it means you will never have to worry about a thing. You will never be alone. You will never go hungry. You will never have to worry about being less than. The people will love you.

What our protagonist doesn’t understand is that her beauty, and her impending appearance within the greater conflict within her country, will change her world forever.

* * *
The Beautiful Ones is now available for free in eBook format, and for purchase in paperback and in Audible Audio. Its sequel, The War Outside, is available on Amazon.com and Kindle Unlimited. A third book will follow in late 2019 or early 2020.

Picture
Follow the tour HERE for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!

July 16
kickoff at Silver Dagger Book Tours
Viviana MacKade – GUEST POST
Ilovebooksandstuffblog

July 17
The Sexy Nerd 'Revue
Shannon Muir, Author - Infinite House of Books – GUEST POST
Reign of Fantasy

July 18
nanasbookreviews
Book-Lover

July 19
Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author
Readeropolis – GUEST POST

July 20
The Magic Of Wor(l)ds – GUEST POST
A Pinch of Bookdust

July 21
Rita's Reading Room
2 chicks and a book

July 22
Book Review Virginia Lee (BRVL)
Java John Z's

July 23
KayBee's Bookshelf, A Literary Blog
Literary Gold

July 24
Always Love Me Some Books Blog – GUEST POST
Reviews and Promos by Nyx– GUEST POST

July 25
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too!
Bedazzled By Books

July 26
Jazzy Book Reviews – GUEST POST
Book Corner News and Reviews

July 27
Yearwood La Novela
The Bookshelf Fairy

July 28
Triquetra Reviews

July 29
Tome Tender
The Book Dragon

July 30
My Devotional Thoughts
Teatime and Books

July 31
T's Stuff
Sylv.net

Aug 1
Word Processor, Romance, Cats, Kids and Creed
Speculative Fiction Spot

Aug 2
Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin'
Sapphyria's Book Reviews

Aug 3
❧Defining Ways❧

Aug 4
4covert2overt ☼ A Place In The Spotlight ☼
raeblake.com

Aug 5
Paranormal Romance Trance
Midnight Book Reader

Aug 6
ⒾⓃⓉⓇⓄⓈⓅⒺⒸⓉⒾⓋⒺ ⓅⓇⒺⓈⓈ– GUEST POST
Paranormal Palace of Pleasures

Aug 7
Maiden of the Pages
Luv Saving Money

Aug 8

Inside the Insanity – GUEST POST
Girl with Pen

Aug 9
The Avid Reader – REVIEW BOTH
Bookworm for Kids

Aug 10
Educated Book Freak
Dragon's Den

Aug 11
Craving Lovely Books
Books, Authors, Blogs

Aug 12
eBook Addicts
Drako's Den

Aug 13
Breanna Hayse Romance
books are love

Aug 14
Stacking My Book Shelves!
Lisa Book Blog

Aug 15
Books all things paranormal and romance
Scrupulous Dreams

Aug 16

Better Read Than Undead
Twisted Book Ramblings

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Picture
32 Comments
James Robert
7/16/2019 03:48:16 am

Another great book to discover! Thanks so much for sharing this with us. Love the cover!

Reply
Kody Boye link
7/16/2019 11:54:01 am

Thanks! I hope you like it if you read it!

Reply
Emmaline
7/16/2019 10:02:54 am

Gorgeous covers! The story reminds me of `Fifteen Million Merits` from Black Mirror, especially when I read this: "only the Beautiful Ones survive. This is because, in the war-torn Great South, beauty is a currency".

Reply
Kody Boye link
7/16/2019 11:53:38 am

I've never watched Black Mirror, so I wouldn't know. :(

Reply
Rita Wray
7/16/2019 11:10:32 am

Sounds like a good book.

Reply
SHERRY
7/16/2019 11:48:08 am

I think the books sounds really good.

Reply
Kristen
7/16/2019 01:10:52 pm

The Beautiful Ones intrigues me the most.

Reply
heather
7/16/2019 03:11:41 pm

Cool cover and it sounds like one I would enjoy.

Reply
wendy hutton
7/16/2019 03:20:05 pm

very pretty cover, the excerpt sounds pretty interesting too

Reply
Calvin
7/16/2019 03:23:14 pm

A pretty romance, I like that.

Reply
Paula
7/16/2019 03:54:56 pm

The cover art seems appropriate for the book. Good job.

Reply
Debbie P
7/16/2019 04:16:16 pm

This book sounds like a very interesting read. Beautiful cover!

Reply
Dale Wilken
7/16/2019 07:09:58 pm

The books sound great.

Reply
Mood Reader
7/16/2019 07:44:20 pm

Love that cover! Gorgeous dress! :)

Reply
Terri Quick
7/16/2019 09:43:04 pm

Very eye catching cover

Reply
Beyond Comps
7/17/2019 04:31:02 am

Amazing cover!

Reply
Kelly Nicholson
7/17/2019 06:12:11 am



What do you think of the books or the covers?

love a lady in red thanks

Reply
DebP
7/17/2019 10:19:05 pm

Very evocative cover, and the storyline looks very interesting.

Reply
Denise Higgins
7/19/2019 06:19:12 pm

Love the cover

Reply
Bea LaRocca
7/19/2019 06:33:06 pm

Gorgeous covers and intriguing synopses. This sounds like an awesome YA Sci-Fi series. Thanks so much for sharing the info.

Reply
lydia goodman
7/21/2019 04:40:16 pm

I really like the cover of the Beautiful Ones

Reply
lynn clayton
7/22/2019 12:54:06 pm

love the cover looks like a great read

Reply
Tracie Cooper
8/2/2019 05:42:58 pm

The lady in yellow is rocking it!

Reply
Maria
8/5/2019 08:44:42 am

WOW this looks amazing, love the cover and the title.

Reply
Marcy Meyer
8/5/2019 06:24:50 pm

The cover is pretty. The excerpt sounds good.

Reply
Dave Gibb
8/5/2019 09:03:25 pm

The cover looks great

Reply
Leah
8/6/2019 11:00:13 pm

Nice covers! I like Beautiful Ones the most. :)

Reply
Corey Hutton
8/10/2019 02:55:59 am

Good luck with the book and Thanks for the giveaway.

Reply
Debra Walker
8/14/2019 12:40:16 am

Cover looks great

Reply
Linda A Gawthrop
8/15/2019 06:10:17 pm

Stunning cover - red was a great choice.

Reply
Daniel M
8/15/2019 07:24:58 pm

like the cover

Reply
Jerry Marquardt
8/16/2019 11:37:24 pm

I would like to give thanks for all your really great writings, including The Beautiful Ones, and wishing the best in keeping up the good work in the future.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Win a FREE tour here!
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Sign up for tour updates!

    New tours. All genres. All ages. All the time.

    Thank you!

    You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

    RSS Feed

    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Action
    Activity Book
    Adventure
    African American
    Alt History
    Anthology
    Apocalyptic
    Audiobook
    Australian
    Bdsm
    Billionaire Romance
    Biography
    Chick Lit
    Childrens
    Christian
    Coloring Book
    Comedy
    Coming Of Age
    Contemporary Fiction
    Contemporaryromance
    Contemporary Romance
    Cookbook
    Cozymystery
    Cozy Mystery
    Crime
    Cyberpunk
    Dark
    Dark Romance
    Drama
    Dystopian
    Educational
    Epic Fantasy
    Eroticromance
    Erotic Romance
    Fairytale
    Fantasy
    Fantasy Romance
    Financial
    Giveaway-hop
    Gothic
    Graphic-novel
    Health And Wellness
    Historical
    Historicalromance
    Historical Romance
    Holiday
    Horror
    Humorous
    Inspirational
    Legal Thriller
    Lgbtq
    Literaryfiction
    Mafiaromance
    Mafia Romance
    Magicrealism
    Magic Realism
    Mcromance
    Mc Romance
    Memoir
    Menage
    Middlegrade
    Middle Grade
    Military
    Mystery
    Mythology
    Native American
    Newadult
    New Adult
    Nonfiction
    Paranormal
    Paranormalromance
    Paranormal Romance
    Parenting
    Pets
    Poetry
    Politics
    Postapocalyptic
    Pulp-fiction
    Reverseharemromance
    Reverse Harem Romance
    Rockstarromance
    Rockstar-romance
    Romance
    Romantasy
    Romanticcomedy
    Romantic Comedy
    Romanticsuspense
    Romantic Suspense
    Satirical
    Sciencefiction
    Science Fiction
    Scifi
    Scifiromance
    Scifi Romance
    Selfhelp
    Shortstories
    Short Stories
    Special Needs
    Special-Needs
    Speculativefiction
    Speculative Fiction
    Sportsromance
    Steampunk
    Supernatural
    Suspense
    Sweetromance
    Thriller
    Timetravel
    Time Travel
    Travel
    Urban
    Urbanfantasy
    Urban Fantasy
    Western
    Womensfiction
    Womens Fiction
    Youngadult
    Young-adult
    Youngadultya
    Young Adult Ya

    Picture

    Archives

    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016