Blog Tour: Review and Favorite Quotes from As If On Cue by Marisa Kanter

Title: As If on Cute
Author: Marisa Kanter
Publication date: September 21, 2021
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads / Amazon / Kindle / Barnes and Noble / IndieBound

Synopsis:

A pair of fierce foes are forced to work together to save the arts at their school in this swoony YA enemies-to-lovers romance that fans of Jenny Han and Morgan Matson are sure to adore.

Lifelong rivals Natalie and Reid have never been on the same team. So when their school’s art budget faces cutbacks, of course Natalie finds herself up against her nemesis once more. She’s fighting to direct the school’s first ever student-written play, but for her small production to get funding, the school’s award-winning band will have to lose it. Reid’s band. And he’s got no intention of letting the show go on.

But when their rivalry turns into an all-out prank war that goes too far, Natalie and Reid have to face the music, resulting in the worst compromise: writing and directing a musical. Together. At least if they deliver a sold-out show, the school board will reconsider next year’s band and theater budget. Everyone could win.

Except Natalie and Reid.

Because after spending their entire lives in competition, they have absolutely no idea how to be co-anything. And they certainly don’t know how to deal with the feelings that are inexplicably, weirdly, definitely developing between them…

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♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Review and Favorite Quotes ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Once again, I have to rave about Marisa Kanter’s unforgettable writing and characters. Kanter’s As If on Cue is angsty, emotional, and the perfect contemporary romance to curl up with. As a personal fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope, this slow-burn romance did not shy away with prank wars, banter, and complicated emotions.

As the main character, Natalie is not only dealing with high school shenanigans, but her junior year encompasses her journey to understanding complex family dynamics and friendships, and her passion for writing and theater. The angst and several aspects of miscommunication go awry throughout many of Natalie’s social circles–friends, parents, and teachers–which results in her joining forces with her childhood nemesis Reid to create a show-stopping musical. 

Kanter’s characters portray so much heart and vulnerability throughout the novel. I could not get enough of this coming-of-age story filled with banter, angst, swoons, and a heartwarming ending. Intertwined with Jewish representation, musical references, teenage angst, and familial issues, I highly recommend that you “treat yo shelf” to a copy of As If on Cue. 

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ about the author ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Marisa Kanter is a young adult author, amateur baker, and reality television enthusiast. She is the author of What I Like About You and As If On Cue. Born and raised in the suburbs of Boston, her obsession with books led her to New York City, where she worked in the publishing industry to help books find their perfect readers. She currently lives in Los Angeles, writing love stories by day and searching for the perfect slice of pizza by night. Follow her at marisakanter.com

 

Blogger Note: A huge thank to Simon Teen for inviting me on this blog tour and providing me a free copy of As If on Cue to read and review.  All fangirling, statements, and opinions in this review are my own. Please note that my favorite quotes shown in the quote graphics are from an ARC of As If on Cue and are subject to change upon publication. 

Blog Tour: Raves & Craves for Magic Dark and Strange by Kelly Powell

Synopsis:

The Bone Witch meets Sherlock Holmes in this thrilling historical fantasy about a girl with the ability to raise the dead who must delve into her city’s dangerous magical underworld to stop a series of murders.

Catherine Daly has an unusual talent. By day she works for a printer. But by night, she awakens the dead for a few precious moments with loved ones seeking a final goodbye. But this magic comes with a price: for every hour that a ghost is brought back, Catherine loses an hour from her own life.

When Catherine is given the unusual task of collecting a timepiece from an old grave, she is sure that the mysterious item must contain some kind of enchantment. So she enlists Guy Nolan, the watchmaker’s son, to help her dig it up. But instead of a timepiece, they find a surprise: the body of a teenage boy. And as they watch, he comes back to life—not as the pale imitation that Catherine can conjure, but as a living, breathing boy. A boy with no memory of his past.

This magic is more powerful than any Catherine has ever encountered, and revealing it brings dangerous enemies. Catherine and Guy must race to unravel the connection between the missing timepiece and the undead boy. For this mysterious magic could mean the difference between life and death—for all of them.

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Filled with murder, mystery, and magic, Kelly Powell’s Magic Dark and Strange is the perfect atmospheric book to add to your autumnal TBR. The story is very character driven, with a smart and fierce heroine solving the mystery of a missing timepiece with her friend Guy, who is just the sweetest cinnamon roll. I loved that the author creates a very eerie, Gothic, and Victorian-esque atmosphere throughout the pages. If you are in the mood for a quick and engaging murder mystery with a dash of romance and adorable friendships, Magic Dark and Strange is the perfect page-turner for you.

Welcome to another “Raves & Craves” post where I pair a book with a tasty snack or treat. Today we are pairing Magic Dark and Strange with a rounded-pan of enchanted graveyard brownies. Catherine and Guy spend a lot of time in local cemeteries and graveyards, using their magic to either manipulate time or death. Their sleuthing through graveyards inspired this yummy snack of brownies sprinkled with crushed Oreos (graveyard dirt), and you guys, this snack tastes so gooey and good.

Ingredients:

• Brownie mix
• Oreo cookies (remove the filling of 10 Oreos and then crush the cookie parts in a plastic bag to make edible graveyard dirt)
• Chocolate icing
• Sprinkles

Instructions:

1. Bake your brownies. Follow the instructions on your brownie mix package.
2. After your brownies have cooled, spread the chocolate icing on top of the brownies.
3. Then sprinkle your crushed Oreo pieces on top of the icing.
4. Add your favorite sprinkles. I used some Halloween themed ones.
5. I was going to use cookies to make tombstones, but by luck I found these cool RIP tombstone picks.
6. Enjoy!

Kelly Powell has a bachelor’s degree in history and book and media studies from the University of Toronto. She currently lives in Ontario. She is the author of Songs from the Deep and Magic Dark and Strange. Visit her online at PowellKelly.com or on Twitter @KellyCPowell.

Blog Tour: Review & Favorite Quotes of Recommended For You by Laura Silverman

Title: Recommended For You
Author: Laura Silverman
Publication date: September 1, 2020
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before meets You’ve Got Mail in this charming and hilarious rom-com following two teen booksellers whose rivalry is taken to the next level as they compete for the top bookseller bonus.

Shoshanna Greenberg loves working at Once Upon, her favorite local bookstore. And with her moms fighting at home and her beloved car teetering on the brink of death, the store has become a welcome escape.

When her boss announces a holiday bonus to the person who sells the most books, Shoshanna sees an opportunity to at least fix her car, if none of her other problems. The only person standing in her way? New hire Jake Kaplan.

Jake is an affront to everything Shoshanna stands for. He doesn’t even read! But somehow his sales start to rival hers. Jake may be cute (really cute), and he may be an eligible Jewish single (hard to find south of Atlanta), but he’s also the enemy, and Shoshanna is ready to take him down.

But as the competition intensifies, Jake and Shoshanna grow closer and realize they might be more on the same page than either expects…

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♦ ♦ ♦ Review and Favorite Quotes ♦ ♦ ♦ 

If you are fan of swoons, bookish shenanigans, and the holidays you are going to adore Laura Silverman’s Recommended For You. Mainly set at an independent bookstore called Once Upon, the main character, Shoshanna, uses her love and knowledge of books as the means to help her win a holiday bonus competition at the bookstore. But what Shoshanna doesn’t expect is for the new hire, Jake, a non-reader, to be her main competitor. It also does not help that she thinks he’s cute, and of course, he smells like delicious bakery goods.

As the story progresses, the banter and wordplay between these two Jewish characters creates an atmosphere of the most perfect tension-filled, but merry rom-com. In addition to the brewing but swoony rivalry, Shoshanna is taking it into her own hands to solve familial problems, while also creating a miscalculated move on her part that affects her friends. But as the pages turn, I enjoyed that direct communication and accepting responsibility become the key ingredients to help Shoshanna’s relationships. Shoshanna is a do-gooder and a straight-forward problem-solver, but I liked that the story is filled characters and realistic situations that challenge her and help her mature.

Overall, I loved that Recommended For You was filled with such a diverse cast of characters with their own issues being explored. The book is overflowing with holiday traditions from multiple backgrounds, disability representation, LGBQ+ representation, and the two main characters even have a deep conversation regarding accessibility. Meshed with funny repartee, swoony scenes, and bookish shenanigans, Recommended For You is the perfect book to give you the best and warm holiday vibes.

♦ ♦ ♦ About the Author ♦ ♦ ♦

Laura Silverman is an author and editor currently living in Brooklyn, New York. She earned her MFA in writing for children at the New School. Her books include Girl Out of Water, You Asked for Perfect, It’s a Whole Spiel, and Recommended for You. Girl Out of Water was a Junior Library Guild Selection. You can contact Laura on Twitter @LJSilverman1 or through her website LauraSilvermanWrites.com.

Blog Tour & Giveaway: What I Like About You by Marisa Kanter

Title: What I Like About You
Author: Marisa Kanter
Publication date: April 7, 2020
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

Can a love triangle have only two people in it? Online, it can…but in the real world, its more complicated. In this debut novel that’s perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Morgan Matson, Marisa Kanter hilariously and poignantly explores what happens when internet friends turn into IRL crushes.

Is it still a love triangle if there are only two people in it?

There are a million things that Halle Levitt likes about her online best friend, Nash.

He’s an incredibly talented graphic novelist. He loves books almost as much as she does. And she never has to deal with the awkwardness of seeing him in real life. They can talk about anything…

Except who she really is.

Because online, Halle isn’t Halle—she’s Kels, the enigmatically cool creator of One True Pastry, a YA book blog that pairs epic custom cupcakes with covers and reviews. Kels has everything Halle doesn’t: friends, a growing platform, tons of confidence, and Nash.

That is, until Halle arrives to spend senior year in Gramps’s small town and finds herself face-to-face with real, human, not-behind-a-screen Nash. Nash, who is somehow everywhere she goes—in her classes, at the bakery, even at synagogue.

Nash who has no idea she’s actually Kels.

If Halle tells him who she is, it will ruin the non-awkward magic of their digital friendship. Not telling him though, means it can never be anything more. Because while she starts to fall for Nash as Halle…he’s in love with Kels.

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♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ book highlight ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Marisa Kanter’s What I Like About You is the perfect contemporary novel to vicariously experience through this current quarantine. As a dedicated YA reader, the main character is a teen book blogger who pairs her reviews with cupcakes. She fangirls about YA books, fellow bloggers, authors, and even BookCon.

The novel is a whirlwind of emotions that focuses on friendships, grief, family, love, and finding a path in life that suits yourself, your personality, and your mental health. Kanter’s novel provides an exceptionally believable outlet for teens trying to find their voice through a world bombarded by dreams, future jobs, college options, alternative career paths, and the positive and negativity that comes from social media outlets. Halle’s story is constant page-turner, and although the miscommunication or the lack of communication throughout the pages causes chaos in her life, the learning steps she takes along with her family and friends will make your heart ache in the best possible way.

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ giveaway ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

You guys, I am so excited to team up with Simon & Schuster, and host a giveaway for What I Like About You. In order to win a hardcopy of What I Like About You , just click on the picture below and follow the instructions on the Tweet. 

Please note, one winner will receive a finished copy of What I Like About You courtesy of Simon & Schuster. The contest is U.S. only and ends on April 28, 2020. Good luck!

 

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ about the author ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Marisa Kanter has worked in publicity for major publishers and covered YA books for MTV. Currently, she works in sales, on the distribution side of the publishing industry. She can often be found searching for the best iced chai in NYC, or reading on the 3 train. What I Like About You is her first novel. Follow her at marisakanter.com

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ tour schedule ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Week 1
3/30/2020	Novel Novice	BookHighlight W/ Giveaway
3/31/2020	Book Bratz	Review
4/1/2020	The Novel Knight	Author Guest Post
4/2/2020	Book Princess Reviews	Review
4/3/2020	eleven thirteen pm	Author Q&A
Week 2
4/6/2020	Vicky Who Reads	Creative Post
4/7/2020	Pub Day (Marisa)	Creative Post
4/8/2020	Kayla Reads and Reviews	Author Q&A
4/9/2020	The Heart of a Book Blogger	Author Q&A
4/10/2020	Mary Had a Little Book Blog	Review
Week 3
4/13/2020	Jen Ryland Reviews	Review
4/14/2020	Love in Panels	BookHighlight W/ Giveaway
4/15/2020	Forever and Everly	Review
4/16/2020	I’m All Booked Up	Review
4/17/2020	Awkwordly Emma	Author Q&A
Week 4
4/20/2020	Rants & Raves of a Bibliophile	BookHighlight W/ Giveaway
4/21/2020	Read By Tiffany	Author Q&A
4/22/2020	A Court of Coffee and Books	Review
4/23/2020	From the Library of Alexis	Review
4/24/2020	Bookishly Jules	BookHighlight W/ Giveaway
Week 5
4/27/2020	Lost in a Book	Review
4/28/2020	Pages and Pugs	Review
4/29/2020	Skye’s Scribblings	Review
4/30/2020	Kait Plus Books	BookHighlight W/ Giveaway
5/1/2020	We Live and Breathe Books	Review

 

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Blogger Note: A huge thank to Simon Teen for inviting me on this blog tour and providing me a free copy of What I Like About You to read and review.  All fangirling, statements, and opinions in this review are my own.

Blog Tour: Raving Review of The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski

Title: The Midnight Lie
Authors: Marie Rutkoski
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Release Date: March 3, 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy,

Synopsis:

Where Nirrim lives, crime abounds, a harsh tribunal rules, and society’s pleasures are reserved for the High Kith. Life in the Ward is grim and punishing. People of her low status are forbidden from sampling sweets or wearing colors. You either follow the rules, or pay a tithe and suffer the consequences.

Nirrim keeps her head down and a dangerous secret close to her chest.

But then she encounters Sid, a rakish traveler from far away who whispers rumors that the High Caste possesses magic. Sid tempts Nirrim to seek that magic for herself. But to do that, Nirrim must surrender her old life. She must place her trust in this sly stranger who asks, above all, not to be trusted.

Set in the world of the New York Times–bestselling Winner’s Trilogy, beloved author Marie Rutkoski returns with an epic LGBTQ romantic fantasy about learning to free ourselves from the lies others tell us—and the lies we tell ourselves.

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I am a huge fan of The Winner’s Trilogy, and once again Marie Rutkoski did not disappoint with her new novel The Midnight Lie. This novel is a beautiful sapphic fantasy filled with the most memorable characters. Rutkoski’s storytelling is very melodic and beautifully entrancing from page one. Focused on an orphan named Nirrim, the novel becomes a centerpiece for self-discovery, while Nirrim also tackles and confronts the abuse and the lies inculcated throughout her life. 

The complexity of relationships and the classism of Nirrim’s world are key components molded and manipulated throughout the book. Although Nirrim is seen as naive, innocent, and a knowledge seeker; her bravery, maturity, and ability to tackle and understand the threats around her, shine brightly throughout the pages. And while in prison for bravely returning a bird, Nirrim meets Sid–a very talkative, mysterious, seductive, and charming character that I loved as Nirrim’s character foil. The banter and scenes between Nirrim and Sid are humorous, sweet, and sexy. 

As the first book of a series, The Midnight Lie is such an engaging and fascinating read. I found Nirrim to be a very gifted and beloved heroine; I loved that her story is both emotionally and action driven. And after that jaw-dropping ending, I cannot wait to see how the series unfolds in the next book. 

Note: A huge thank you to Fierce Reads for inviting me on this amazing blog tour and providing me an ARC to read and review. All statements and opinions are my own. Please note that all quoted material is not final and may change in the final publication of the book.

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Review & Favourite Quotes of Red Hood

Title: Red Hood
Authors: Elana K. Arnold
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: February 25, 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retellings, Fairy Tales

Synopsis:

You are alone in the woods, seen only by the unblinking yellow moon. Your hands are empty. You are nearly naked.

And the wolf is angry.

Since her grandmother became her caretaker when she was four years old, Bisou Martel has lived a quiet life in a little house in Seattle. She’s kept mostly to herself. She’s been good. But then comes the night of homecoming, when she finds herself running for her life over roots and between trees, a fury of claws and teeth behind her. A wolf attacks. Bisou fights back. A new moon rises. And with it, questions. About the blood in Bisou’s past and on her hands as she stumbles home. About broken boys and vicious wolves. About girls lost in the woods—frightened, but not alone.

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As a novel mainly told in second person point of view, Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold is a very jolting and raw story. The main character, Bisou, does not shy away from being so up front, straightforward, and brutally honest when it comes to her actions, emotions, and womanhood. Closely based off the didactic fairy tale, “Little Red Riding Hood,” Red Hood proposes the same moral stance–“always be aware and cautious, because every one has a hidden agenda.”

Similar to Buffy in the 1992 movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the main character in Red Hood depends on her menstrual cycle to fight and hunt, in her case, werewolves. Throughout the book, Bisou is bombarded with conflicts that relate to the gruesome and tense scenes of protecting herself and the women around her. The author does an excellent job of allowing Bisou’s narrative to become part of the reader’s own story, throwing you in the thick of every nail-biting choice that Bisou makes.

Red Hood has some very terrifying and tense moments, but overall this novel is a constant page turner. The book explores so many modern issues that are often socially avoided: periods, teenage sex, rape, abortion, slut-shaming, toxic masculinity, and domestic violence. Filled with female empowerment, justice, and self defense, Red Hood will leave you in shock and awe.

 

WIN a copy of RED HOOD  (USA only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

ELANA K. ARNOLD is the author of critically acclaimed and award-winning young adult novels and children’s books, including the Printz Honor winner Damsel, the National Book Award finalist What Girls Are Made Of, and Global Read Aloud selection A Boy Called Bat and its sequels. Several of her books are Junior Library Guild selections and have appeared on many best book lists, including the Amelia Bloomer Project, a catalog of feminist titles for young readers. Elana teaches in Hamline University’s MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program and lives in Southern California with her family and menagerie of pets.

TOUR SCHEDULE

 

Note: Thank you to the The Fantastic Flying Book Club for having me on this blog tour. And a huge thank you to Harper Teen for providing me an e-ARC to read and review for free in exchange for an honest review. All statements and opinions are my own. Please note that all quoted material is not final and may change in the final publication of the book.

If it’s Not a Rant, It’s a Rave: A Review of The Map from Here to There by Emery Lord

Title: The Map From Here to There
Author: Emery Lord
Publication date: January 7, 2020
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary
Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis:

Acclaimed author Emery Lord crafts a gorgeous story of friendship and identity, daring to ask: What happens after happily ever after?

It’s senior year, and Paige Hancock is finally living her best life. She has a fun summer job, great friends, and a super charming boyfriend who totally gets her. But senior year also means big decisions. Weighing “the rest of her life,” Paige feels her anxiety begin to pervade every decision she makes. Everything is exactly how she always wanted it to be–how can she leave it all behind next year? In her head, she knows there is so much more to experience after high school. But in her heart, is it so terrible to want everything to stay the same forever?

Emery Lord’s award-winning storytelling shines with lovable characters and heartfelt exploration of life’s most important questions.

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Well, you guys, it’s official, Emery Lord is a contemporary writing queen. Throughout The Map from Here to There, Emery made me swoon, cry, and laugh. My anxiety peeked at the most vulnerable and heartbreaking moments, but in the end, after calming my hammering heart, I highly enjoyed Paige’s story and her ability to battle the stress that ensues during her senior year of high school.

As a sequel to The Start of Me and You, one of my all-time favorite contemporary books, The Map from Here to There will tug at your heartstrings. Lord’s passionate writing gives life to the most realistic and dynamic characters. She immerses the pages with familial dynamics, strong female friendships, and swoon-worthy relationships. Her knack to encompass anxiety, mental health, adolescent decision making,  and the streaming thoughts of panic and worry of a teenage girl’s future endeavors bursts throughout the novel. I could not put this book down.

Although The Map from Here to There is a sequel, the book can be read as a standalone tracing Paige’s journey through her senior year and focusing on big choices regarding college, her future, anxiety, and deeply rooted relationships. This novel is filled with hopes, dreams, struggles, and frustrations; it’s a must read for contemporary bibliophiles. Lord’s writing surrounds you like a comforting hug, as Paige, Max, and her friends deal with life-changing decisions while truly finding themselves one step at a time. 

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Blogger Note: Last year, I received this book as a gift from the author during a book event. I was not asked to review or promote the book. I reviewed the book at my own discretion.  All fangirling, statements, and opinions in this review are my own.

Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway Lucky Caller by Emma Mills

I am thrilled to be hosting a stop on the LUCKY CALLER by Emma Mills Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours! Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

Title: LUCKY CALLER

Author: Emma Mills

Pub. Date: January 14, 2020

Publisher: Henry Holt & Company

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 336

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD

With the warmth, wit, intimate friendships, and heart-melting romance she brings to all her books, Emma Mills crafts a story about believing in yourself, owning your mistakes, and trusting in human connection in Lucky Caller.

When Nina decides to take a radio broadcasting class her senior year, she expects it to be a walk in the park. Instead, it’s a complete disaster.

The members of Nina’s haphazardly formed radio team have approximately nothing in common. And to maximize the awkwardness her group includes Jamie, a childhood friend she’d hoped to basically avoid for the rest of her life.

The show is a mess, internet rumors threaten to bring the wrath of two fandoms down on their heads, and to top it all off Nina’s family is on the brink of some major upheaval.

Everything feels like it’s spiraling out of control―but maybe control is overrated?

PRAISE FOR LUCKY CALLER

A well-crafted, bittersweet comedy of errors filled with realistically flawed
characters and taut, witty dialogue. – Publishers Weekly Starred Review

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Give me an Emma Mills book and I will devour it within hours. And guess what, Lucky Caller was no exception. Although the novel started off slow, the steady pace allowed the weaving of Nina’s old memories with her current situation as a senior unfold into the happily ever after ending I was hoping for.

Nina is awkward, but her dry, sarcastic sense of humor was the perfect ingredient to add to her radio broadcasting group. While being grouped with fellow flawed and truly relatable students, Nina and her radio group of misfits provide endless scenes of laughter, bickering, and great 90s-themed music. Nina at times seemed stagnant, but with the push of her radio peers, sisters, her mom, and future stepdad, Nina opens up and provides the reader a realistic outlook of teenage life, mixed-family dynamics, and the rekindling of old friendships.

Lucky Caller is more than a contemporary novel; it’s a pages upon pages of pragmatic circumstances littered with familial problems, adolescent issues, bumbling acts of kindness, and high tension of breaking promises and unfortunately making common mistakes. This book ticked all my boxes: a quiet, sweet, and easy to talk to cinnamon roll of a boy; swoons galore; original characters; and a strong sisterly bond. Emma Mills has a knack of crafting the perfect books that effortlessly mingle witty characters into chaotic situations, and Lucky Caller doesn’t lose that representation of flawed characters trying to make sense of the messy world that surrounds them.

About Emma:

 

Emma Mills is the author of First & Then, This Adventure Ends, Foolish Hearts, Famous in a Small Town, and Lucky Caller. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri, and has recently completed a PhD in cell biology.

Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Goodreads

 

 

 

 

 

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will win a finished copy of LUCKY CALLER, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

1/6/2020	Mary Had a Little Book Blog	Review
1/6/2020	onemused	Review
1/7/2020	Do You Dog-ear?	Review
1/7/2020	BookHounds YA	Interview
1/8/2020	Kait Plus Books	Review
1/8/2020	Nerdophiless	Review
1/9/2020	Not In Jersey	Review
1/9/2020	She Just Loves Books	Review
1/10/2020	Lifestyle of Me	Review
1/10/2020	Eli to the nth	Review

Week Two:

1/13/2020	Smada’s Book Smack	Review
1/13/2020	Wonder Struck	Review
1/14/2020	Fictitiouswonderland	Review
1/14/2020	A Dream Within A Dream	Guest Post
1/15/2020	The Heart of a Book Blogger	Review
1/15/2020	Fire and Ice	Review
1/16/2020	DJREADSBOOKS	Review
1/16/2020	A Bookish Dream	Review
1/17/2020	Rants and Raves of a Bibliophile	Review
1/17/2020	Two Chicks on Books	Interview

 

Book Review: A Constellation of Roses by Miranda Asebedo

Title: A Constellation of Roses
Author:  Miranda Asebedo
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: November 5, 2019
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Magic Realism
Rating: ★★★

Synopsis:

Ever since her mother walked out, Trix McCabe has been determined to make it on her own. And with her near-magical gift for pulling valuables off unsuspecting strangers, Trix is confident she has what it takes to survive. Until she’s caught and given a choice: jail time, or go live with her long-lost family in the tiny town of Rocksaw, Kansas.

Trix doesn’t plan to stick around Rocksaw long, but there’s something special about her McCabe relatives that she is drawn to. Her aunt, Mia, bakes pies that seem to cure all ills. Her cousin, Ember, can tell a person’s deepest secret with the touch of a hand. And Trix’s great-aunt takes one look at Trix’s palm and tells her that if she doesn’t put down roots somewhere, she won’t have a future anywhere.

Before long, Trix feels like she might finally belong with this special group of women in this tiny town in Kansas. But when her past comes back to haunt her, she’ll have to decide whether to take a chance on this new life . . . or keep running from the one she’s always known.

With lovable and flawed characters, an evocative setting, and friendships to treasure, A Constellation of Roses is the perfect companion to Miranda Asebedo’s debut novel The Deepest Roots.

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A Constellation of Roses is a well-developed contemporary novel that hints at magic, but provides a serious outlet and tone for realistic, young adult situations. After her mom fails to come back home one day, Trix takes the matter of survival into her own hands. Trix relies heavily on her gift as a undetected thief to take what she needs to survive. Without giving too many spoilers, Trix’s antics are not unseen and she is sent to live with some unknown relatives. 

Now surrounded by three generations of women who also have their own talents and gifts, Trix puts up a hard shell that’s not easy to crack. As Trix adapts to her new surroundings, makes new friends, and slowly starts trusting her newfound family, she begins to explore the truth about herself and her familial past. More importantly, she begins defining and understanding what family truly means. And as the story unfolds, Trix also begins acknowledging that everyone, no matter how happy they seem on the outside, are also going through their own personal struggles. 

Filled with emotionally-curing pie, a dash of magic, and teenage antics, A Constellation of Roses will have you swimming in emotions of heartache, laughter, tears, and swoons. This novel explores some very heavy issues, which makes these characters so realistic and so easy to connect and fall in love with.

Some favorite quotes:

“Fortune-telling isn’t a science. It’s an art. And sometimes art is messy.”

“Scars tell a story, even when we don’t want them to.”

“You know, there’s an old story that back when they founded Rocksaw, the McCabes were one of the first families here. And their daughters were so beautiful and so strangely gifted that people in Buffalo Hills thought they were witches and wanted to run them out of the area.”

“Love is promising Persian kittens. Love is American slang dictionaries for Scrabble. Love is Coke-and-cherry slushes as midnight. Love is watching the lights come on in town from law chairs on Cedar Mountain. Love is lemon-meringue pie on porch steps.”

“Yes, I have gotten what I always wanted. My deepest secrets. Not a perfect family, after all. But a constellation of women, connected by pie and fortunes and roses. And love.”

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

 

Blogger Note: Thank you so much to Wunderkind PR for sending me a free copy of A Cosntellation of Roses to read and review. 

Blog Tour: Songs from the Deep by Kelly Powell

Title: Songs from the Deep
Author:  Kelly Powell
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: November 5, 2019
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical, Mystery
Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis:

A girl searches for a killer on an island where deadly sirens lurk just beneath the waves in this gripping, atmospheric debut novel.

The sea holds many secrets.

Moira Alexander has always been fascinated by the deadly sirens who lurk along the shores of her island town. Even though their haunting songs can lure anyone to a swift and watery grave, she gets as close to them as she can, playing her violin on the edge of the enchanted sea. When a young boy is found dead on the beach, the islanders assume that he’s one of the sirens’ victims. Moira isn’t so sure.

Certain that someone has framed the boy’s death as a siren attack, Moira convinces her childhood friend, the lighthouse keeper Jude Osric, to help her find the real killer, rekindling their friendship in the process. With townspeople itching to hunt the sirens down, and their own secrets threatening to unravel their fragile new alliance, Moira and Jude must race against time to stop the killer before it’s too late—for humans and sirens alike.

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Songs from the Deep reads like the steady lyrics of a richly melodic song. Set on an island dependent on tourism and the sea, this novel delves into the a story of murder, mystery, friendship, and deadly sirens.

I found Songs from the Deep to be a constant page-turner. Kelly Powell’s lyrical writing and vivid scenic descriptions, create a very atmospheric setting that makes you want to curl up on the couch and drink warm tea as you read the story’s mysteries unfold. 

I enjoyed reading the reconnection of an old friendship and the subtle love story that unfolds throughout the pages, along with the thrill of the two main characters, Moira and Jude, solving the murders of local islanders. Moira and Jude are the perfect sleuthing pair; they balance out each other’s flaws and secrets, while also using their own ingrained abilities to help save the sirens from being wrongfully accused and then hunted.

As an entrancing novel of unsolved mysteries, dangerous sirens, and unraveled secrets, Songs from the Deep is must read. Along with the small-town lives of the islanders, the steady swooshing of the waves, the enticing song of the sirens, and the scent of the sea, you will easily be bewitched in the dark ambiance of this novel.

Moira’s mom is a baker, and throughout small parts of the story, I kept craving yummy pastries. So as a great pairing with Songs from the Deep, I bought some scone mix, and decided to make some “Save the Sirens Scones.”

Because I did not bake these scones from scratch, I made sure to follow the directions on the scone mix bag. Along with the scone mix, I only needed butter and milk. After smashing the butter into the mix and stirring in the milk to make a clumpy dough, I formed the dough into a ball and then spread it out on a greased baking pan. I used a spatula to deeply score the dough into wedges. After baking for 17 minutes at 350 degrees F, I let the scones cool. 

If you decide to bake your own scones, be sure to you make yourself a cup of your favorite tea to pair with the pastry. With a scone and tea at hand, you will create the perfect reading setting to enjoy the mysterious and very atmospheric novel, Songs from the Deep.

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

About the author:

Kelly Powell has a bachelor’s degree in history and book and media studies from the University of Toronto. She currently lives in Ontario. Songs from the Deep is her debut novel.

 

 

 

 

 

Blogger Note: Thank you so much to Simon Teen/ Simon & Schuster for inviting me to host a “Raves & Craves” post on this blog tour and sending me a free copy of Songs from the Sea to read and review.