Jill at Breaking the Spine started this and I believe that it's awesome" This blog post is to alert those that visit about "the" book that we cannot wait to get our hands on.

Since I am always on the lookout for a read that is a bit grittier with an edge that I cannot forget I was intrigued by this upcoming trilogy from Tonya Hurley. My godchild adored the Ghost Girl series so I am eager to see what Tonya is going to present this time. Now you know my WoW, share with me yours.

09/25/12
BLESSED
Blessed Trilogy, Book One
by Tonya Hurley
ISBN-13: 978-1442429512
S&S BYR, 400 pages.
Amazon, B&N, Goodreads

"...The trilogy—a contemporary, supernatural romance that is a reimagining of the martyrdom legends of three saints—will be edited by executive editor Zareen Jaffery; the inaugural novel will be published in July 2012.

Hurley says that her inspiration for the trilogy grew out of her fascination with martyr stories. To create The Blessed, she drew from the legends of St. Lucy, St. Cecelia, and St. Agnes, who were martyred at a relatively young age. “The legends of these martyrs are among the first real YA stories that we have, and I thought it would be interesting to reimagine them in a modern, romantic context,” she says. “These are infamous tales that are so gruesome and so profoundly beautiful at the same time—and so empowering.”

The author views The Blessed, which centers on three teenage girls in Brooklyn who must determine who is good and who is evil in the battle for love and for their own souls, as a “natural next step” for her as a writer. “The story deals with some of the themes in ghostgirl, but it is grittier, more grown up, and probably more Quentin Tarantino-esque—which I’m very excited about.”..." -- from Tanya Hurley's Website.

Read an excerpt:

"One by one they arrived at the church and evening fell. In the order in which they’d originally come.
Lucy.
Cecilia.
Agnes.
All out of breath, and filled with foreboding. Looking over their shoulders. They met only a little unexpectedly in the vestibule and smiled empathetically at each other. No hugs or air kisses. No words. None were necessary.
“You felt it too, right?” Lucy said to them.
They knew what she meant. It was a pull at the center of their being. A sense of purpose beyond themselves.
Agnes explained to them about their namesakes. The legends of their saints and the influential role they played. Their martyrdom.
“I told you, I’m not religious.” Lucy said.
“Virgin?” Cecilia said. “That let’s me out.”
“That’s not the point. It was a different time.” Agnes rebuffed. “It’s about realizing what’s most important, what you are meant to be, meant to do. And what you are willing to sacrifice for it. They gave all they had for what they believed in. Gladly. A love, a duty, a calling beyond themselves.”
“Oh, yeah, and what is our calling?” CeCe asked.
“I don’t know, but whatever it is, I believe it’s something we can’t do alone.” Agnes insisted." -- Excerpt from Hollywood Crush.