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.

Raves & Craves: Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon

Title: Ziggy, Stardust and Me
Author:  James Brandon
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Release Date: August 6, 2019
Genres: Young Adult, LGBT, Historical
Source: Physical ARC from publisher

Synopsis:

The year is 1973. The Watergate hearings are in full swing. The Vietnam War is still raging. And homosexuality is still officially considered a mental illness. In the midst of these trying times is sixteen-year-old Jonathan Collins, a bullied, anxious, asthmatic kid, who aside from an alcoholic father and his sympathetic neighbor and friend Starla, is completely alone. To cope, Jonathan escapes to the safe haven of his imagination, where his hero David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust and dead relatives, including his mother, guide him through the rough terrain of his life. In his alternate reality, Jonathan can be anything: a superhero, an astronaut, Ziggy Stardust, himself, or completely “normal” and not a boy who likes other boys. When he completes his treatments, he will be normal—at least he hopes. But before that can happen, Web stumbles into his life. Web is everything Jonathan wishes he could be: fearless, fearsome and, most importantly, not ashamed of being gay.

Jonathan doesn’t want to like brooding Web, who has secrets all his own. Jonathan wants nothing more than to be “fixed” once and for all. But he’s drawn to Web anyway. Web is the first person in the real world to see Jonathan completely and think he’s perfect. Web is a kind of escape Jonathan has never known. For the first time in his life, he may finally feel free enough to love and accept himself as he is.

A poignant coming-of-age tale, Ziggy, Stardust and Me heralds the arrival of a stunning and important new voice in YA.

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Hi everyone! Today I am hosting a Raves & Craves post for Penguin Teen’s Daring Debuts campaign! I hope you are ready for a yummy treat paired with a raving review of Ziggy, Stardust & Me by James Brandon.

My heart is so content and heavy by how unbelievably earth-shattering, tear-inducing, and beautifully written this book is. Ziggy, Stardust & Me reads like a song that you want to hear for the very first time all over again. James Brandon’s words will flood your soul with tears of sorrow and intense pride.

Set in the 1970s, this novel clinches the historical realities of corrupt government scandals, blatant racism, and the treatment of homosexuality as a mental disorder. Mesh these wrongs with abstract lyrics of self-acceptance, change, hope, love, and the perceptive of humanity, and you encompass the heart and struggles found in Ziggy, Stardust & Me.

Jonathan (also known as Johnny), the main character, is going through so many life-changing experiences at once, which sets up his adolescence in a galactic spin of hardships, falling in love, and finding self-acceptance. Ziggy, Stardust & Me will immerse your heart in a coming of age story that is very relevant to today’s young generation who, like Johnny, struggle to find their own voice and find pride in who they are.

One of my favorite parts of this book was watching the friendship and relationship develop between Johnny and his new classmate and American Indian friend, Web. They share a love for music, imagining the moon as their safe haven, and accepting ice cream as a peace offering. I was constantly highlighting and tagging scenes and quotes between these two characters. Some of my favorite quotes that inspired this blog post snack are:

“You know, Carl Sagan says we’re all made of star stuff. Everything is made of it. When stars die they fall into our atmosphere and turn into these chemical compounds that become things. Sometimes they become people.”
“Far out.”
“I know. I hope one day we’ll all see each other without these stupid labels and instead see each other for who we really are. Starfolk.”

“And remembering a quote President Kennedy once said: ‘We choose to go to the moon not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard.’
I think I finally get it now. It’s a lot like love, isn’t it? It’s hard work, but if you don’t give up and keep pushing forward, the rewards are infinite . . .”

“We can always go there, you know? To the moon. It’s safe at least . . .”

“Just us, remember? To the moon,” he whispers.

In reference to these beautifully written scenes, I was inspired to make my own bowl of comforting ice cream sundae. While Johnny’s favorite ice cream is bomb pops and Web’s are Push-up pops, I thought I would put my own “To the Moon” sundae spin with my favorite ice cream, cookies ‘n cream. 

Ingredients:

• Ice cream (vanilla)
• Oreo
• Cherries
• Sprinkles (stars and moons, if you got them)

Instructions:

Scoop up your favorite flavored ice cream and place it into a bowl. Then add all your favorite toppings. In this case, I have added large crumbles of Oreo cookies, cherries (because the flavor reminds Johnny of Web), and a sprinkle of stars to represent their friendship and being ever-loving starfolk.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

James Brandon produced and played the central role of Joshua in the international tour of Terrence McNally’s Corpus Christi for a decade, and is codirector of the documentary film based on their journey, Corpus Christi: Playing with Redemption. He’s the cofounder of the I AM Love Campaign, an arts-based initiative bridging the faith-based and LGBTQ2+ communities, and serves on the Powwow Steering Committee for Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS) in San Francisco. Brandon is a contributing writer for Huffington Post, Believe Out Loud, and Spirituality and Health Magazine. Ziggy, Stardust and Me is his first novel. You can visit James Brandon at justbejb.com

TOUR SCHEDULE

Ziggy, Stardust and Me

Week One:

August 5 – The Book Bratz – Covers inspired by favorite singers
August 6 – Goblet of Fiction – Creative Instagram Picture
August 7 – The Quirky Book Nerd – Author Guest Post: What theme song would you choose for each character and why?
August 8 – Confessions of a YA Reader – Playlist
August 9 – Velarisreads – Inspired by the Book: Makeup

Week Two:

August 12 – Liv The Book Nerd – Review + Playlist
August 13 – The Nerdy Girl Express – Review
August 14 – Rants and Raves of a Bibliophile – Raves and Craves
August 15 – LGBT YA Catalog – Author Guest Post
August 16 – @booksandbrandy – Creative Instagram Picture

Note: A huge thank you to the Penguin Teen for inviting me on this blog tour and for providing me an ARC to read and review. All statements and opinions are my own.

Raves & Craves: Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett

Title: Serious Moonlight
Author:  Jenn Bennett
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: April 16, 2019
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
Source: Physical ARC from publisher

Synopsis:

After an awkward first encounter, Birdie and Daniel are forced to work together in a Seattle hotel where a famous author leads a mysterious and secluded life in this romantic contemporary novel from the author of Alex, Approximately.

Mystery-book aficionado Birdie Lindberg has an overactive imagination. Raised in isolation and homeschooled by strict grandparents, she’s cultivated a whimsical fantasy life in which she plays the heroic detective and every stranger is a suspect. But her solitary world expands when she takes a job the summer before college, working the graveyard shift at a historic Seattle hotel.

In her new job, Birdie hopes to blossom from introverted dreamer to brave pioneer, and gregarious Daniel Aoki volunteers to be her guide. The hotel’s charismatic young van driver shares the same nocturnal shift and patronizes the waterfront Moonlight Diner where she waits for the early morning ferry after work. Daniel also shares her appetite for intrigue, and he’s stumbled upon a real-life mystery: a famous reclusive writer—never before seen in public—might be secretly meeting someone at the hotel.

To uncover the writer’s puzzling identity, Birdie must come out of her shell…discovering that most confounding mystery of all may be her growing feelings for the elusive riddle that is Daniel.

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That’s right, you guys, it’s my third post regarding Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett. Hashtag sorry not sorry! Today I am bringing you one of my favorite blog memes I love creating, the Raves & Craves post, where I always pair a short, raving review with a snack of some kind. And today, we have PIE!

As I gushed about in several posts before (REVIEW HERE and MOOD BOARD HERE), I adored Serious Moonlight. There’s awkward teenage angst, pie for breakfast (well, basically pie at anytime of the day), a swoony boy, real-life mystery and sleuthing, a murder-mystery dinner date, and so many diverse relationships that make my heart so happy. This book will make your heart ache in the best ways. 

You guys, this was the first ever pie I made that wasn’t a “frozen pie in a box that you just pop in the oven.” It was so intimidating because I wanted this pie to turn out perfectly. Hopefully, below, I can simplify this pie baking the best that I can, so you don’t have to make everything from scratch.

Ingredients:

• Pie crust – I highly recommend using a pre-made pie crust that is already inserted in a pan. Or you can even buy the pre-made roll out pie crusts to save time.
•  Strawberries (I used one pint)
• Frozen cherries
• Half a cup of sugar
• 2/3 cups of flour
• A lemon
• 1 beaten egg

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
2. Cut up your strawberries into bite size pieces.
3. Place the strawberries and frozen cherries in a sauce pan and cook at medium heat.
4. Squeeze a whole lemon into the pan with the fruit and stir.
5. Once the fruit cooks down, add the sugar, and stir.
6. Once the fruit starts boiling, I added a 1/3 cup of flour to help thicken the juices. After 5 minutes turn off the burner and let the fruit cool down.
7. Use the left over flour to help roll out and flatten your pie crust. Don’t make the crust too thin. You do you!
8. Make sure that you line a pie pan with the crust, if you don’t already have a pre-made pie crust already in a pie pan.
9. Add the fruit as the filling to the pie.
10. Then add the top layer of pie crust over the fruit. Be sure to cut slits in the pie for the fruit/pie to vent. Note: When I was rolling out the pie crust, I went ahead and cut out stars in my top layer of crust.
11. Brush the beaten egg over the top of the crust.
12. Place the pie in the oven and cook it for 25 minutes or until golden brown at the top.

I call this tasty beauty, the “Best GD Cherry ‘Star’berry Pie”

Note: A huge thank you to the Simon Pulse/Simon Teen for providing me an ARC to read and review. All statements and opinions are my own.

Blog Tour: Raves & Craves of Anna and the Apocalypse by Katharine Turner and Barry Waldo

Title: Anna and the Apocalypse
Author:  Katharine Turner and Barry Waldo
Publisher: Imprint
Release Date: October 23, 2018
Genres: Young Adult, Horror, Humor, Science Fiction

Synopsis:

School’s out for the end of the world.

Anna and the Apocalypse is a horror comedy about a teenager who faces down a zombie apocalypse with a little help from her friends.

Anna Shepherd is a straight-A student with a lot going on under the surface: she’s struggling with her mom’s death, total friend drama, and the fallout from wasting her time on a very attractive boy. She’s looking forward to skipping town after graduation–but then a zombie apocalypse majorly disrupts the holidays season. It’s going to be very hard to graduate high school without a brain.

To save the day, Anna, her friends, and her frenemies will have to journey straight to the heart of one of the most dangerous places ever known, a place famous for its horror, terror, and pain…high school.

This novel is inspired by the musical feature film, Anna and the Apocalypse.

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Anna and the Apocalypse is a quick-paced story about a teenager named Anna whose whole world is turned upside down when a zombie apocalypse occurs just a few days before Christmas. Throughout the story, Anna’s sarcastic and dark sense humor provides laugh out loud moments as she and her friends kill zombies and try to stay alive. Mix in the angst of teenage drama with horror of the walking dead and TADA, you have Anna and the Apocalypse. 

Peppermint Hot Cocoa

And what pairs well with a zombie apocalypse book set during Christmas? Of course, a nice cup of hot cocoa!

Ingredients:

• Water or Milk (you choose)
• Hot Cocoa Mix
• Peppermint Extract or Syrup

Instructions:
Be sure to follow the instructions on your hot cocoa packet/tin. I always warm up my water in the microwave. Stir the cocoa mix into the hot water. Next, I add a few small drops of peppermint extract. And don’t hold back on topping your cocoa with whipped cream, marshmallows, or candy cane pieces. Enjoy!

Note: Thank you to Fierce Reads for providing me a final copy of this book to read and review for free in exchange of an honest review. All statements and opinions are my own. 

Blog Tour: Raves & Craves of Given to the Earth by Mindy McGinnis

 

Title: Given to the Earth
Author: Mindy McGinnis
Publisher: Putnam’s Childrens
Release Date: April 10, 2018
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

Synopsis:

Duty, fate, desire, and destiny collide in this intricately wrought tale, perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas.

Although she was born to save the kingdom by sacrificing herself to the rising sea, Khosa’s marriage to King Vincent has redeemed her. As the Queen of Stille, she’s untouchable. But being Queen hasn’t stopped her heart from longing for the King’s stepbrother, Donil. And it hasn’t stopped her body from longing for the sea itself, which still calls for her.

While Khosa is made to choose between loyalty and love, Dara is on a mission for vengeance. Years ago, the Pietra slaughtered the entire Indiri race, leaving only Dara and her twin, Donil, alive. Now, spurned by King Vincent, Dara has embarked on a mission to spill the blood of Pietra’s leader, Witt, and will stop at nothing to show his people the wrath of the last Indiri. 

As the waves crash ever closer to Stille, secrets are revealed, hearts are won and lost, and allegiances change like the shifting sand.

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Given to the Earth follows a few months after the captivating ending of Given to the Sea. Also, told in multiple points-of-view like its fantasy duo, this book focuses on how Khosa’s thought-to-be tragic sacrifice to the sea has now turned into a chance to live and be queen. But with these new changes in motion, the Earth begins to literally crumble beneath them and the loyalties among the characters are challenged. Love becomes a triangle of complexities–trust and forgiveness are tested. McGinnis writes a beautiful epic story, where lives at social and cultural classes are pushed to survive. She takes each of her flawed characters, and gives them a chance to save themselves, their family and friends, and in some cases, their own people and kingdom.

What I loved about this book the most was the many shocking secrets that are revealed. We delve into an action-packed book that is filled with tragic traditions, political gain, and secretive histories. In Given to the Earth, we are thrown into layers of political intrigue, betrayal, heartbreak, and some tragic endings. And in the end, I loved the last chapter, which brilliantly and beautifully provides a heartfelt conclusion.

 

In several scenes of Given to the Earth, Khosa is mentioned to be eating bread or munching on bread crumbs. Now I love me some good, warm homemade bread, but I also have a sweet tooth. While reading these scenes, I could not stop thinking about my mom’s famous monkey bread. So of course, I quickly whipped up a batch of monkey bread and ate it during the last few chapters of the book. Both the monkey bread and the last chapter made an ooey-gooey mess with my heart.

Ingredients:

Canned biscuits (1 to 2 cans)
1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of white sugar
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1/2 cup of butter or margarine

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees
2. Lightly grease a bundt pan
3. Mix the white sugar and cinnamon in a bowl or plastic bag
4. Cut up biscuit dough into bite-sized pieces
5. Mix and coat the bite-sized biscuit dough in the sugar-cinnamon mix
6. At medium heat, boil the butter and brown sugar in a pan to make a sauce
7. Add and arrange the sugar-cinnamon biscuits pieces into the greased bundt pan.
8. Pour the buttery-brown sugar sauce over top the coated biscuit pieces in the bundt pan
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Let it cool for 10 minutes and flip onto a plate. You can now slice the cake or pull pieces off. YUM!

GIVEN TO THE SEA

WEEK ONE
4/3 – The Bookish Crypt – Review + Instagram Post
4/4 – Katy’s Library Blog – Review
4/5 – Bookworm Banter – Review

GIVEN OT THE EARTH

WEEK TWO
4/9 – Rants and Raves of a Bibliophile – Raves & Craves (Review + Snack Food)
4/10 – Flyleaf Chronicles – Review
4/11 – Simply ally Tea – Spotlight
4/12 – Rheya Reads – Creative
4/13 – Netherreads – Review

Mindy McGinnis is an assistant YA librarian who lives in Ohio and cans her own food. She graduated from Otterbein University magna cum laude with a BA in English Literature and Religion.

WEBSITE   /   TWITTER  /   GOODREADS   /
FACEBOOK   /   INSTAGRAM

Note: Thank you to Penguin Teen for having me on this blog tour and for providing me a review copy to read for free in exchange for an honest review. All statements and opinions are my own.

Blog Tour: Raves & Craves of Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills

Welcome fellow book-ravers, and thank you for joining me today for my stop on Fierce Reads’ Foolish Hearts Blog Tour. Today I will be raving about my love for Emma Mills’ Foolish Hearts and pairing it with a snack recommendation. Enjoy!

Title: Foolish Hearts
Author: Emma Mills 
Publication Date: December 5, 2017
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co./Macmillan
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary 

Synopsis:

A contemporary novel about a girl whose high school production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream leads her to new friends—and maybe even new love.

The day of the last party of the summer, Claudia overhears a conversation she wasn’t supposed to. Now on the wrong side of one of the meanest girls in school, Claudia doesn’t know what to expect when the two are paired up to write a paper—let alone when they’re both forced to try out for the school production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

But mandatory participation has its upsides—namely, an unexpected friendship, a boy band obsession, and a guy with the best dimpled smile Claudia’s ever seen. As Claudia’s world starts to expand, she finds that maybe there are some things worth sticking her neck out for.

LINKS:   Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |  The Book Depository

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Oh, Foolish Hearts, how do I love you? Let me count the ways. First, this book has everything from great family dynamics, amazing friendships, and a sprinkle of quirky characters. I am a sucker for sarcastic characters–the wittier, the better–and of course, Emma Mills does not disappoint with her main character Claudia.

I adored Claudia throughout the story. She’s smart, creative, snarky, and gives herself room to mope but also grow. And when it comes to friendships in Foolish Hearts, I love that it is Claudia’s truthful and witty personality that attracts Gideon to befriend her. Gideon and Claudia belong on two different sides of the introvert v. extrovert spectrum, but I love that they are always on the same wavelength. Their chemistry and banter are perfect, which allows this book to be the epitome of constant smile with the cutest dimples that will make you swoon. 

I adored this book, the characters, and all the crazy shenanigans that come with it. Add in video game quests, boy band obsession, amazing friendships, broken hearts, mending hearts, and a Shakespeare comedy, and you get one of the swooniest, funniest, and heartwarming stories called Foolish Hearts. 

In Foolish Hearts, Claudia is introduced to Gideon’s random quirks and “strange things Gideon says or does,” which are documented by his friends on an online account: JustGideonPrewittThings. One of Gideon’s strange preferences is that he likes to eat his cereal soggy. So today, I thought I would “taste test” Gideon’s soggy cereal preference with Froot Loops.

Ingredients: Cereal of your choice and milk. Don’t forget a bowl and a spoon.

CONTROL GROUP

Eat the cereal with no added milk.

SOGGY CEREAL

For “Soggy” Cereal, Gideon pours milk into a bowl of cereal and lets the concoction “marinate” for about ten minutes.

CRUNCHY CEREAL

Pour cereal and milk into a bowl, and start eating it for that perfect crunch.

THE WINNER!

I am a texture eater, so soggy cereal is out for me. CRUNCHY CEREAL WITH MILK, ALL THE WAY! Sorry not sorry, Gideon. 

Which way do you prefer eating a bowl of cereal? Comment below, if you like crunchy or soggy, or no milk at all. I would love to hear your thoughts and how you compare to Gideon. 

Emma Mills is an author better known to her subscribers as vlogger Elmify. She is also cocreator and cohost of the “life skills” channel How to Adult, which ended in 2016.

Website • Twitter • Goodreads

December 5
Fire and Ice Reads – Author Guest Post

December 6
Rants and Raves of a Bibliophile – Raves & Craves

December 7
Ex Libris – Playlist

December 8
Fiction Fares – Mood Board

December 9
Mary Had a Little Book Blog – Shakespeare Theme

December 10
Brittany’s Book Rambles – Author Interview

December 11
The Fox’s Hideaway – Shakespeare Theme

December 12
Alexa Loves Books – Gift Guides for Gideon and Claudia

December 13
Lisa Lost In Lit – Bookish Inspiration Post

Raves & Craves: Hunting Prince Dracula Street Team Blog Tour & Giveaway

Title: Hunting Prince Dracula
By: Kerri Maniscalco
Release Date: September 19, 2017
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson
Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Horror, Romance

About the Book:

In this hotly anticipated sequel to the haunting #1 bestseller Stalking Jack the Ripper, bizarre murders are discovered in the castle of Prince Vlad the Impaler, otherwise known as Dracula. Could it be a copycat killer…or has the depraved prince been brought back to life?

Following the grief and horror of her discovery of Jack the Ripper’s true identity, Audrey Rose Wadsworth has no choice but to flee London and its memories. Together with the arrogant yet charming Thomas Cresswell, she journeys to the dark heart of Romania, home to one of Europe’s best schools of forensic medicine…and to another notorious killer, Vlad the Impaler, whose thirst for blood became legend.

But her life’s dream is soon tainted by blood-soaked discoveries in the halls of the school’s forbidding castle, and Audrey Rose is compelled to investigate the strangely familiar murders. What she finds brings all her terrifying fears to life once again.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound

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PRAISE FOR HUNTING PRINCE DRACULA

“There are plenty of suspects and red herrings as well as tense escalations….A scenic, twisty mystery.”
―Kirkus Reviews

 “Readers of the previous mystery will be thrilled to have more of this likable duo. [A] delightful romp into an 1888 Gothic mystery with a hint of romance.”
―School Library Connection

 ***

About the Author:

Kerri Maniscalco grew up in a semi-haunted house outside NYC where her fascination with gothic settings began. In her spare time she reads everything she can get her hands on, cooks all kinds of food with her family and friends, and drinks entirely too much tea while discussing life’s finer points with her cats.

Her first novel in this series, Stalking Jack the Ripper, debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It incorporates her love of forensic science and unsolved history.

Twitter   |  Facebook   |   Instagram   |   Website   |   Tumblr   |   Pinterest

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THE RAVES: A SHORT REVIEW

I am absolutely in love with Kerri’s rich way of storytelling and her well-developed characters. While reading, Hunting Prince Dracula, I was transfixed with the mystery, thrills, chills, spooky setting, and the amazing character development. There are a lot of twists and turns in this book, and I will tell you one thing, I did not see any of those surprising revelations coming at the end. WOO I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!

Additionally, I absolutely adore the two main characters, Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell. I love the chemistry between these two characters. I really enjoyed the banter and witty remarks they bounce off each other, which always had me swooning and laughing. Audrey Rose and Thomas are my favorite OTP. 

Overall, Hunting Prince Dracula is so well-paced and is very intriguing from start to finish. Audrey Rose and Thomas’ adventure in Romania is suspenseful, mysterious, and will have you on the edge of your seat. Not only does this book contain scenes that will give you goosebumps, but I also found comic relief in Thomas’ quirky comments. If you love the Sherlock Holmes series and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this book (and the whole series) is for you. 

THE CRAVES: BAT TRAIL MIX

While reading any book, I usually have a snack at my side. Hunting Prince Dracula is filled with thrilling and chilling scenes, and I was often creeped out by the detailed scenes of bat attacks and gigantic spiders. So in regards to a snack-able crave for Hunting Prince Dracula, I decided to create a BAT TRAIL MIX. Hoping to create a trail mix that parallels a bat’s favorite foods/diet, and after watching numerous YouTube videos of cute bats eating different fruits and insects, I made sure to include seeds and fruits in the trail mix, along with a few of my favorite munchies.

Ingredients:
For this snack, you will only need a few ingredients. Because you often find bats eating fruits and seeds, I included fresh green grapes (you can add any berries or fruits you like), pumpkins seeds, and sunflower seeds. With my own spin, I included a few of my favorite snacks to add a bit of saltiness, which were pretzels and Cheez-its.

Directions:
In a bowl, add and mix all the ingredients. WHA-LA! You have the perfect trail mix fit for a bat and yourself.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Week One
August 21^st ~ Paper Cuts: Hunting Prince Dracula Playlist
August 22^nd ~ Literary Legionnaire: Review of Hunting Prince Dracula
August 24^th ~ Arctic Books: Hunting Prince Dracula Playlist
August 25^th ~ 21^st Century Once Upon A Times: A “Drink Your way through SJTR: Tea Edition”

Week Two
August 28^th ~ Hiver Et Café: History of Prince Dracula
August 29^th ~ Justice Reads: Review of Hunting Prince Dracula
August 30^th ~ Nicole’s Novel Reads: Travelling Etiquette and tips for Victorian Women
August 31^st ~ Sophie Reads YA: Favourite Stalking Jack the Ripper Fanart
September 1^st ~ LILbooKlovers: Top Ten Quotes from Stalking Jack the Ripper

Week Three
September 4^th ~ One Way or An Author: Hunting Prince Dracula Phone Backgrounds
September 5^th ~ A Blinding Book: Hunting Prince Dracula Aesthetic
September 6^th ~ Rants and Raves of a Bibliophile: Review & Snacks
September 7^th ~ Rattle the Stars: Hunting Prince Dracula Playlist
September 8^th ~ A Gingerly Reviews: Hunting Prince Dracula Review

Week Forth
September 11^th ~ The Plot Bunny: Hunting Prince Dracula Ctomer Ideas
September 12^th ~ Blame it on The Books: Hunting Prince Dracula Review
September 13^th ~ The Reader & the Chef : Hunting Prince Dracula’s Menu
September 14^th ~ Books, Tv, and More…Oh MY!!: Top Ten Favourite Traits of Audrey & Thomas
September 15^th ~ Unquenchable Reads : GIF, GIFS, and more GIFS

Week Five
September 18^th ~ Rattle the Pages : A Glimpse Back in Time: Vlad The Impaler edition
September 19^th ~ Beyond the Book Reviews: Character Wears of the 21^st Century
September 20^th ~ The Heart of a Book Blogger : Hunting Prince Dracula Mood Board

Raves & Craves: Zodiac Rereadathon & Giveaway

Hi everyone, thank you for joining me today for Penguin Teen’s rereadathon campaign of the Zodiac series by Romina Russell. Below check out information about Zodiac, my RAVING review and a snack recommendation for Zodiac, and enter the giveaway to win a set of the Zodiac series. Good luck and enjoy!

Title:  Zodiac
Author: Romina Russell
Publication date: December 9, 2014
Publisher:  Razorbill (Penguin/Random House)
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance

About the book:

At the dawn of time, there were 13 Houses in the Zodiac Galaxy. Now only 12 remain….

Rhoma Grace is a 16-year-old student from House Cancer with an unusual way of reading the stars. While her classmates use measurements to make accurate astrological predictions, Rho can’t solve for ‘x’ to save her life—so instead, she looks up at the night sky and makes up stories.

When a violent blast strikes the moons of Cancer, sending its ocean planet off-kilter and killing thousands of citizens—including its beloved Guardian—Rho is more surprised than anyone when she is named the House’s new leader. But, a true Cancerian who loves her home fiercely and will protect her people no matter what, Rho accepts.

Then, when more Houses fall victim to freak weather catastrophes, Rho starts seeing a pattern in the stars. She suspects Ophiuchus—the exiled 13th Guardian of Zodiac legend—has returned to exact his revenge across the Galaxy. Now Rho—along with Hysan Dax, a young envoy from House Libra, and Mathias, her guide and a member of her Royal Guard—must travel through the Zodiac to warn the other Guardians.

But who will believe anything this young novice says? Whom can Rho trust in a universe defined by differences? And how can she convince twelve worlds to unite as one Zodiac?

Embark on a dazzling journey with ZODIAC, the first novel in an epic sci-fi-meets-high-fantasy series set in a galaxy inspired by the astrological signs.

LINKS: Goodreads |  IndieBound  | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |  The Book Depository

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THE RAVES: A SHORT REVIEW

Zodiac is a unique read that blends both astronomy and astrology into a space adventure story that focuses on a young heroine, Rho, trying to make sure that good conquers evil. Throughout the novel, Rho is tested not only by her own home, the House of Cancer, but by the other Guardians and Houses that she is trying to convince are all in danger. Reluctantly, she has to warn everyone that their common enemy is someone that they all thought was only a legend. Zodiac is an action-packed page-turner with intense scenes, charming male characters, and a plot-line filled with twists, turns, and so many mysteries. I could not put this book down. 

THE CRAVES: GALAXY POPCORN

While reading any book, I usually have a snack at my side. Zodiac is filled with intriguing moments and scenes, and I was always reaching for something to munch on but never turning my eyes from the page. While reading Zodiac, I turned to one of my favorite snacks that I always crave but added a sweet twist to it: Popcorn with a hint of sweetness from sprinkles.

Ingredients:
For this snack, you will only need two ingredients:  popcorn and sprinkles. I decided to use regular popcorn, because I love the salty taste, and different colored sprinkles, which include star-shaped and sparkling sugar.

Directions:
Pop your popcorn, according to the directions on the packet, and then add your sprinkles of choice. WHA-LA! You have the perfect mix of a salty snack with a hint of sweetness. 

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♦◊♦ ENTER THE GIVEAWAY ♦◊♦

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enter for a chance to win either one (1) grand prize set of Romina Russell’s Zodiac Series in paperback, including Zodiac, Wandering Star, and Black Moon (32.97) or to be one (1) of five (5) second place winners to receive a copy of Zodiac by Romina Russell (ARV: $10.99 each).

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on June 26th, 2017 and 12:00 AM on July 17, 2017.  Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about July 21, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

 

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Don’t forget to join us for the Twitter Chat on July 16 hosted by Brittany at @BBOOKRAMBLES

Note: Thank you Penguin Teen for allowing me to be a part of the #ZodiacBooks ReReadathon campaign.