FERAL CURSE by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, 2014, 2015). Ages 14-up. Also published by Walker Australia and New Zealand.
The second installment of New York Times best-selling author Cynthia Leitich Smith’s thrilling FERAL series delivers danger, romance, and suspense in an all new action-packed adventure.
The adopted daughter of two respectable human parents, Kayla is a werecat in the closet. All she knows is the human world.
When she comes out to her boyfriend, tragedy ensues, and her determination to know and embrace her heritage grows. Help appears in the lithe form of sexy male werecat Yoshi, backed up by Aimee and Clyde, as the four set out to solve the mystery of a possessed antique carousel while fielding miscast magic, obsessive strangers, and mounting species intolerance.
Fans will go wild for this rousing second FERAL adventure.
Read an excerpt of FERAL CURSE from Candlewick Press.
Audio Edition Voice Actors: Todd Haberkorn and Cristina Panfilio (Brilliance Audio, 2014). Listen to an audio sample.
Learn more about FERAL NIGHTS (Book 1)(Candlewick, 2013) and FERAL PRIDE (Book 3)(Candlewick, 2015). The FERAL trilogy is a spin-off of the TANTALIZE series.
Three of Cynthia Leitich Smith’s short stories—“Cat Calls,” “Cupid’s Beaux” and “Haunted Love”—are also set in the TANTALIZE-FERAL universe. “Cat Calls” and “Haunted Love” are available as free ebooks.
Order FERAL CURSE by Cynthia Leitich Smith. Depending on the title, Cynthia’s books may be found from Native bookstores like Birchbark Books and Native Arts and Red Planet Books and Comics, her local independent BookPeople in Austin, other terrific Texas bookstores like Blue Willow Bookshop and Brazos Bookstore, retail sites supporting indie bookstores like BookShop (Affiliate), IndieBound and Libro.fm (audio books), brick-and-mortar chains like Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million, and online retailer Amazon.com (Author Central).
- Diverse-Owned Bookstores You Can Support Right Now by Alaina Leary from We Need Diverse Books.
- Featured Title, Texas Book Festival
“Campy humor is paired with themes of social justice in this fast-paced, clever second volume in the Feral series….A neat, smart middle novel that clearly sets the stage for an epic showdown between those who champion the rights of shifters and those blind to their humanity.” — Kirkus Reviews
“…as kooky a cast of supernatural characters as ever…but they’re all relatable in various ways and easy to root for. Debut character Kayla-level-headed, religious, but also quietly proud of her shifter nature-holds her own, nicely complementing Yoshi’s swagger, Wild Card shifter Clyde’s newfound confidence, and human Aimee’s resourcefulness.” — The Horn Book
“This well-written, action-packed story perfectly blends serious topics such as self-worth, acceptance, and tolerance with witty dialogue and humorous banter in a modern yet supernatural world. The alternating narrative between male werecat Yoshi and Kayla allows for great depth of character while keeping the plot fresh, edgy, and thoroughly entertaining. Readers will eagerly look forward to the next entry in the trilogy and the ultimate confrontation between shifters and humans. A satisfying read for fans of paranormal and the occult.” — School Library Journal
“Smith’s adept hand with her action is accented with her trademark wit.” — The Austin American-Statesman
Actors Interview: Todd Haberkorn, Amy McFadden, Cristina Panfilio & Nick Podehl of the FERAL Series from Cynsations. PEEK from Nick:
“I loved the bravery and growth that Clyde showed throughout this story. He goes from dorky and seemingly weak to strong and more sure of himself without losing who he is inside.”
TANTALIZE and FERAL Series Research Bibliographies
Shop Sanguini’s at CafePress for TANTALIZE-FERAL verse T-shirts, hats, mugs, posters & more.
Illustrator Interview: Gene Brenek on the Logo for Sanguini’s in the TANTALIZE-FERAL series from Cynsations. SEE ALSO Illustrator Interview: Gene Brenek on Images of Cynthia Leitich Smith’s ETERNAL from Cynsations. PEEK:
“Certainly what separated the dead from the undead restaurants was the vampire mythology. So I started brainstorming and writing down anything that came to mind when I thought about vampires.”
Cynthia has published short stories set in the TANTALIZE-FERAL series universe.
“Cat Calls” first appeared in SIDESHOW: TEN ORIGINAL TALES OF FREAKS, ILLUSIONISTS, AND OTHER MATTERS ODD AND MAGIC, edited by Deborah Noyes (Candlewick, 2009). It is available as a free e-book.
“Haunted Love” appears in IMMORTAL: LOVE STORIES WITH BITE, edited by P.C. Cast (BenBella, 2008). It is also available as a free e-book.
“Cupid’s Beaux” appears in THINGS I’LL NEVER SAY: STORIES OF OUR SECRET SELVES, edited by Ann Angel (Candlewick, 2015).