Books Are Magic Too

BOOK TOUR WELL THAT WAS UNEXPECTED BY JESSE Q. SUTANTO

I have read and LOVED Jesse Q. Sutanto’s adult releases and was thrilled to be selected to join the tour for WELL THAT WAS UNEXPECTED that releases TODAY 9/27 from @delacortepress thanks to TBR & Beyond tours — head below to read my full review & make sure to head to their site + to check out the other tour stops!

About The Book:

Title: Well That Was Unexpected

Author: Jesse Q. Sutanto

Pub. Date: August 30th 2022

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indigo, IndieBound

An outrageous, laugh-out-loud YA rom-com about a girl who’s whisked from LA to her mother’s native Indonesia to get back to her roots and finds herself fake-dating the son of one of the wealthiest families there, from the author of Dial A for Aunties.

After Sharlot Citra’s mother catches her in a compromising position, she finds herself whisked away from LA to her mother’s native Indonesia. It’ll be exactly what they both need. Or so her mother thinks.

When George Clooney Tanuwijaya’s father (who is obsessed with American celebrities) fears he no longer understands how to get through to his son, he decides to take matters into his own hands.

To ensure that their children find the right kind of romantic partner, Sharlot’s mother and George’s father do what any good parent would do: they strike up a conversation online, pretending to be their children.

When the kids find out about their parents’ actions, they’re horrified. Not even a trip to one of the most romantic places on earth could possibly make Sharlot and George fall for each other. But as the layers peel back and the person they thought they knew from online is revealed, the truth becomes more complicated. As unlikely as it may seem, did their parents manage to find their true match after all?

This was just the book I need to read during a rough week, what I loved MOST was how Sharlot found her family + roots after a disastrous awkward moment that had her mom moving her from California back “home” to Jakarta, where her family is from but she has never even visited before now.

Sutano’s books always have the best, crazy and fun families that get into trouble and grow through that love no matter the situation and this YA story had all the best parts of her writing style. It was her first YA I had read, and I have her upcoming adult VERA WONG’S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS (March 2023) on it’s way to me to read and review and I can’t wait, her books just bring me such joy!

The book made me really think about our expectations of family and how those relationships can impact our lives. Do you live where you’re from? Or have you moved away from your family, how did you end up where you are now? I’d love to hear the variety of choices and reasons for WHERE we are and who we’ve become as a result!

SUPER excited to tune into the launch event with Jesse + Ali Hazelwood hosted by Brookline Booksmith tomorrow 9/28! Two of my favorites talking, sounds like a must!

About the Author:

I grew up going back and forth between Jakarta and Singapore and consider both places my homes. I was fortunate enough to do my Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Oxford, which is surely one of the most gorgeous places in the world.

I am passionate about women’s rights and diversity in publishing. I regularly do giveaways where I critique queries or the first few pages, and I am especially interested in helping writers from marginalized communities. If you are a writer from a marginalized community, do hit me up! I love hearing from other writers, even if it’s just to say a quick hello.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Facebook

BOOK TOUR LORD OF THE FLY FEST BY GOLDY MOLDAVSKY

This year there have been a lot of Lord of the Flies retellings with influencers and I LOVE each and every take on this trend that I read. Thanks to TBR and Beyond Tours and the publisher for having me on this book tour, head to their website for the full tour schedule and scroll down to read my thoughts!

About The Book:

Title: Lord of the Fly Fest

Author: Goldy Moldavsky

Pub. Date: August 30th 2022

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.

Genre: Young Adult Horror

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indigo, Book Depository, IndieBound

One of Us Is Lying meets Lord of the Flies meets Fyre Fest in this wickedly addictive and funny YA thriller.

Rafi Francisco needs something really special to put her true crime podcast on the map. She sets her sights on River Stone, the hearthrob musician who rose to stardom after the mysterious disappearance of his girlfriend. Rafi lands herself a ticket to the exclusive Fly Fest, where River will be the headliner.

But when Rafi arrives on the Caribbean island location of Fly Fest with hundreds of other influencers and (very minor) celebrities, they quickly discover that the dream trip is more of a nightmare. And it’s not just confronting beauty gurus-gone-wild and spotty WiFi. Soon, Rafi goes from fighting for an interview to fighting for her life. And, as she gets closer to River, she discovers that he might be hiding even darker secrets than she suspected . . .

Content Warning: violence, missing persons, and bodily functions

There’s something about the idea of how trusting we are as a society to believe in the idea of paying for these island experiences, part being afraid of NOT being included, part entitlement that we deserve exclusive, luxury concerts on an island that for many of us wouldn’t ever seem realistic.

I don’t know about you, but Lord of the Flies is one of the books that sticks out most from my childhood school reading experience, and I always enjoy a great twist in a retelling so these influencer islands have been such fun, interesting reads. I giggled at the take on the disaster Fyre Island scam mixed with a reality check on the impact of social media on society today, so many of the characters were what I would consider unlikeable, but WHO would be likeable in this situation, I certainly wouldn’t expect people used to getting everything handed them to be prepared to be stranded.

Rafi MADE the book for me, I really enjoyed her personality in the book, and how her podcasts were incorporated into the story.

While the overall plot seemed a bit repetitive, I felt I knew what the author was going for and enjoyed the read. That COVER is so eye catching, I know it will grab readers’ attention and I hope finds its’ ideal audience, I know I will definitely read more books from her in the future.

About the Author:

Goldy Moldavsky was born in Lima, Peru, and grew up in Brooklyn, where she still lives. Her novels include the New York Times bestseller, KILL THE BOY BAND, NO GOOD DEED (Scholastic), and THE MARY SHELLEY CLUB (Henry Holt). Her books have appeared on numerous Best-Books lists and have been translated to other languages. Her love of 80s movies, 90s boy bands, and horror flicks hugely influences her work. She can be found on Twitter and Instagram @goldywrites.

She is represented by Jenny Bent at the Bent Agency.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Tell me, do you like retellings?

BOOK TOUR DRESSING UP THE STARS: THE STORY OF MOVIE COSTUME DESIGNER EDITH HEAD

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the DRESSING UP THE STARS: THE STORY OF MOVIE COSTUME DESIGNER EDITH HEAD by Jeanne Walker Harvey & Diana Toledano (Illustrations) Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About The Book:

Title: DRESSING UP THE STARS: THE STORY OF MOVIE COSTUME DESIGNER EDITH HEAD

Author: Jeanne Walker Harvey & Diana Toledano (Illustrations)

Pub. Date: September 20, 2022

Publisher: Beach Lane Books

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 40

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

Discover the true story of how a shy miner’s daughter became one of the most legendary costume designers in Hollywood in this inspiring nonfiction picture book biography.

As a child in the small mining town of Searchlight, Nevada, Edith Head had few friends and spent most of her time dressing up her toys and pets and even wild animals using fabric scraps. She always knew she wanted to move somewhere full of people and excitement. She set her sights on Hollywood and talked her way into a job sketching costumes for a movie studio.

Did she know how to draw or sew costumes? No. But that didn’t stop her!

Edith taught herself and tirelessly worked her way up until she was dressing some of the biggest stars of the day, from Audrey Hepburn to Grace Kelly to Ginger Rogers. She became the first woman to head a major Hollywood movie studio costume department and went on to win eight Academy Awards for best costume design—and she defined the style of an era.

About Jeanne Walker Harvey:

JEANNE WALKER HARVEY studied literature and psychology at Stanford University and has worn many job hats, ranging from being a roller coaster ride operator to an attorney, a middle school language arts teacher, and a long-time docent for school groups at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. She is the author of several books for young readers, including the picture book biographies Dressing up the Stars: The Story of Movie Costume Designer Edith Head, Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas, and Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines. Jeanne lives in Northern California. Visit her online at JeanneHarvey.com.

Website | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon

About Diana Toledano:

DIANA TOLEDANO is an illustrator, writer, and educator. She is also a Pisces who loves children’s books, patterns, and dancing her heart out. Originally from Spain, Diana (pronounced the Spanish way: dee-ah-na) grew up in Madrid where she studied art history and illustration. Now she lives in San Francisco with her husband and two fluffy cats. Her mixed media art seeks to capture the magic of the ordinary. Diana’s product designs, picture books, board books, and chapter books have been published and sold all over the world. Diana also teaches workshops for kids and adults. She enjoys doing school visits and speaking at conferences. Learn more at Diana-Toledano.com.

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of DRESSING UP THE STARS: THE STORY OF MOVIE COSTUME DESIGNER EDITH HEAD, US Only.

Ends September 24^th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

8/31/2022	@jael_and_jenessa_reads	Review/IG Post
9/1/2022	Lisa-Queen of Random	Excerpt/IG Post
9/2/2022	BookHounds YA	Excerpt/IG Post
9/3/2022	Ya Books Central	Excerpt

Week Two:

9/4/2022	Just Another Teen Reading Books	Review/IG Post
9/5/2022	booksaremagictoo	Review/IG Post
9/6/2022	One More Exclamation	Review/IG Post
9/7/2022	Little Red Reads	Review/IG Post
9/8/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review/IG Post
9/9/2022	Nerdophiles	Review/IG Post
9/10/2022	Do You Dog-ear?	Review/IG Post

Week Three:

9/11/2022	RavenzReviewz	Review/IG Post
9/12/2022	pickagoodbook	Review/IG Post
9/13/2022	Write. Read. Live	Review/IG Post
9/14/2022	A Backwards Story	Review/IG Post
9/15/2022	Nonbinary Knight Reads	Review/IG Post
9/16/2022	For The Love Of The Page	Review/IG Post
9/17/2022	Feed Your Fiction Addiction	Review/IG Post

Week Four:

9/18/2022	@enjoyingbooksagain	IG Review
9/19/2022	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post

BOOK TOUR Raising the Horseman by Serena Valentino

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the RAISING THE HORSEMAN by Serena Valentino Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About the Book

Title: RAISING THE HORSEMAN

Author: Serena Valentino

Pub. Date: September 6, 2022

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 304

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

From the New York Times best-selling author of Disney’s Villains series comes a ghostly new stand-alone novel that reimagines The Legend of Sleepy Hollow through the eyes of a modern teen.

The two-hundredth anniversary of the Headless Horseman’s legendary haunting of Sleepy Hollow is approaching, but Kat van Tassel wants nothing to do with the town’s superstitious celebrations. As a descendant of the original Katrina van Tassel, Kat knows she’s expected to fulfill her ancestor’s legacy by someday marrying her longtime boyfriend and running the prestigious family estate. But Kat dreams of a life outside Sleepy Hollow.

Then Kat meets Isadora, a new girl in town who challenges Kat to reexamine those expectations, opens her eyes to the possibility that ghosts are real, and makes her question who she truly wants to be . . . and be with.

When Kat is given the original Katrina’s diary, a new legend begins to take shape, one that weaves together the past and the present in eerie ways. Can Kat uncover a two-hundred-year-old secret, and trace its shocking reverberations in her own life, in time to protect what she truly loves?

Fans of Serena Valentino will delight in this supernatural coming-of-age tale that finally gives the women of Sleepy Hollow a chance to tell their side of the story.

Review:

“A sweet retelling of a spooky classic.”―Kirkus Reviews

When I tell you HOW excited I was to see the premise of this book! I have always enjoyed this Halloween story, and the Headless Horseman has a special place in my heart as one of the icons during Disney’s Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party which my family and I will be attending on Monday! My goal is to snag a photo of this one during the Boo-To-You parade, I can’t wait!

I have been saving this one to get me in the spooky season mood for our trip and I am loving it! I always adore Serena Valentino’s writing style, and how she gives us the Gillian backstory’s we NEED!

About Serena Valentino:

Serena Valentino has been weaving tales that combine mythos and guile for the past decade. She has earned critical acclaim in both the comic and horror domains, where she is known for her unique style of storytelling, bringing her readers into exquisitely frightening worlds filled with terror, beauty, and extraordinary protagonists. The books in her best-selling Villains series are best enjoyed when read in the following order: Fairest of All, The Beast Within, Poor Unfortunate Soul, Mistress of All Evil, Mother Knows Best, Odd Sisters, Evil Thing, Cold Hearted, and Never Never. She is also the author of the Villains graphic novels Evil Thing and Fairest of All.

Now for a GIVEAWAY!

1 winner will receive a finished copy of RAISING THE HORSEMAN, US Only.

Ends October 7^th, midnight EST.

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/1/2022	Celia’s Reads	Review/IG Post
9/2/2022	booksaremagictoo	Review/IG Post
9/3/2022	Nonbinary Knight Reads	Review/IG Post

Week Two:

9/4/2022	Nerdophiles	Review
9/5/2022	@ReaderOfTheWrittenWord	IG Review
9/6/2022	Eye-Rolling Demigod’s Book Blog	Review/IG Post
9/7/2022	Book-Keeping	Review/IG Post
9/8/2022	Ya Books Central	Excerpt
9/9/2022	A Dream Within A Dream	Review/IG Post
9/10/2022	@lexijava	Review/IG Post

Week Three:

9/11/2022	Laurenreads._	IG Review
9/12/2022	The Bookwyrm’s Den	Review
9/13/2022	Forthenovellovers	Review
9/14/2022	GryffindorBookishNerd	IG Review
9/15/2022	Epic Book Society	Review/IG Post
9/16/2022	@booksrn_rashi	Review/IG Post
9/17/2022	Review Thick And Thin	Review/IG Post

Week Four:

9/18/2022	hauntedbybooks	Review/IG Post
9/19/2022	BookHounds YA	Excerpt
9/20/2022	Novel Novice	IG Spotlight
9/21/2022	@ReadsReaders	YouTube Review/IG Post
9/22/2022	@enjoyingbooksagain	IG Review
9/23/2022	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post
9/24/2022	Momfluenster	IG Review/FB Post

Week Five:

9/25/2022	PopTheButterfly Reads	Review/IG Post
9/26/2022	@drew_ambitious_reading	IG Review/TikTok Post
9/27/2022	@thebookishfoxwitch	IG Review
9/28/2022	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post
9/29/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review/IG Post
9/30/2022	onemused	IG Review

BOOK TOUR Serwa Boateng’s Guide To Vampire Hunting by Rosanne A. Brown

SERWA BOATENG’S GUIDE TO VAMPIRE HUNTING Blog Tour Assets

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the SERWA BOATENG’S GUIDE TO VAMPIRE HUNTING by Roseanne A. Brown Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About The Book:

Title: SERWA BOATENG’S GUIDE TO VAMPIRE HUNTING(Serwa Boateng #1)

Author: Roseanne A. Brown

Pub. Date: September 6, 2022

Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 400

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

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents best-selling YA author Roseanne A. Brown’s middle grade debut about a pre-teen vampire slayer with a strong helping of Ghanaian folklore.

For most kids, catching fireflies is a fun summer activity. For twelve-year-old Serwa Boateng, it’s a matter of life and death.

That’s because Serwa knows that some fireflies are really adze, shapeshifting vampires from the forests of Southeastern Ghana. Adze prey on the blood of innocents, possessing their minds and turning them into hulking monsters, and for generations, slayers like Serwa and her parents have protected an unknowing public from their threats.

Serwa is the best adze slayer her age, and she knew how to use a crossbow before she could even ride a bike. But when an obayifo (witch) destroys her childhood home while searching for a drum, do Serwa’s parents take her with them on their quest to defeat her? No. Instead, they dump Serwa with her hippie aunt and cryptic-obsessed cousin in the middle of Nowheresville, Maryland “for her own safety.” Now, instead of crossbows and battle armor, she’s dealing with mean girls and algebra, and for the first time in her life she doesn’t have to carry a staff everywhere she goes, which is . . . kind of nice, actually.

Just as Serwa starts to get the hang of this whole normal girl who doesn’t punch vampires every day thing, an adze infiltrates her school. It’s up to her to whip some of her classmates into monster-fighting shape before all of them become firefly food. And when she uncovers a secret that upends everything she thought she knew about her family’s role in the slayer vs. adze war, Serwa will have to decide which side of herself–normal girl or slayer–is the right one.

After all, seventh grade is hard enough without adding vampires to the mix.

About Roseanne A. Brown:

Roseanne “Rosie” A. Brown was born in Kumasi, Ghana and immigrated to the wild jungles of central Maryland as a child. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor’s in Journalism and was also a teaching assistant for the school’s Jiménez-Porter Writers’ House program. Her debut novel A Song of Wraiths and Ruin was an instant New York Times Bestseller, an Indie Bestseller, and received six starred reviews. She has worked with Marvel, Star Wars, and Disney among other publishers.

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of SERWA BOATENG’S GUIDE TO VAMPIRE HUNTING, US Only.

Ends October 7^th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/1/2022	booksaremagictoo	Review/IG Post
9/2/2022	More Books Please blog	Review/IG Post
9/3/2022	xbookwormcafe	Review/IG Post

Week Two:

9/4/2022	BookHounds YA	Excerpt/IG Post
9/5/2022	wiltedpages	Review/IG Post
9/6/2022	The Real World According to Sam	Review/IG Post
9/7/2022	GryffindorBookishNerd	IG Review
9/8/2022	Eye-Rolling Demigod’s Book Blog	Review/IG Post
9/9/2022	Feed Your Fiction Addiction	Review/IG Post
9/10/2022	hodophile_z	IG Review

Week Three:

9/11/2022	Wanderingwitchreads	TikTok Review/IG Post
9/12/2022	Log Cabin Library	Review
9/13/2022	Lifestyle of Me	Review
9/14/2022	@lexijava	Review/IG Post
9/15/2022	A Backwards Story	Review/IG Post
9/16/2022	Confessions of a YA Reader	Review
9/17/2022	@meetcuteromancebooks	IG Review

Week Four:

9/18/2022	Nerdophiles	Review
9/19/2022	The Bookwyrm’s Den	Review
9/20/2022	hauntedbybooks	Review/IG Post
9/21/2022	onemused	IG Spotlight
9/22/2022	Ya Books Central	Excerpt/IG Post
9/23/2022	@thebookishfoxwitch	IG Review
9/24/2022	@jacleomik33	IG Review

Week Five:

9/25/2022	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post
9/26/2022	PopTheButterfly Reads	Review/IG Post
9/27/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review
9/28/2022	@ReadsReaders	YouTube Review/IG Post
9/29/2022	@drew_ambitious_reading	IG Review/TikTok Post
9/30/2022	The Clever Reader	Review/IG Post

BOOK TOUR The Honeys by Ryan La Sala

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE HONEYS by Ryan La Sala Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About The Book:

Title: The Honeys

Author: Ryan La Sala

Pub. Date: August 16th, 2022

Publisher: PUSH (Scholastic Press)

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 352

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

From Ryan La Sala, the wildly popular author of Reverie, comes a twisted and tantalizing horror novel set amidst the bucolic splendor of a secluded summer retreat.

Mars has always been the lesser twin, the shadow to his sister Caroline’s radiance. But when Caroline dies under horrific circumstances, Mars is propelled to learn all he can about his once-inseparable sister who’d grown tragically distant.

Mars’s genderfluidity means he’s often excluded from the traditions — and expectations — of his politically connected family. This includes attendance at the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy where his sister poured so much of her time. But with his grief still fresh, he insists on attending in her place.

What Mars finds is a bucolic fairytale not meant for him. Folksy charm and sun-drenched festivities camouflage old-fashioned gender roles and a toxic preparatory rigor. Mars seeks out his sister’s old friends: a group of girls dubbed the Honeys, named for the beehives they maintain behind their cabin. They are beautiful and terrifying — and Mars is certain they’re connected to Caroline’s death.

But the longer he stays at Aspen, the more the sweet mountain breezes give way to hints of decay. Mars’s memories begin to falter, bleached beneath the relentless summer sun. Something is hunting him in broad daylight, toying with his mind. If Mars can’t find it soon, it will eat him alive.

Reviews:

“Pure horror gold.” – Booklist STARRED review

“Tantalizing and memorable.” – Publisher’s Weekly STARRED review

“As rich and complex as dark amber honey.” – Kirkus

About the Author:

Ryan La Sala writes about surreal things happening to queer people.

Ryan resides in New York City, but only physically. Escapist to the core, he spends most of his time in the astral planes and only takes up corporeal form for special occasions, like brunch and to watch anime (which is banned on the astral planes).

Ryan is the author behind the riotously imaginative Reverie, and the brilliantly constructed Be Dazzled, and the highly anticipated The Honeys. He has been featured in Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Tor.com, and one time Shangela from RuPaul’s Drag Race called him cute. Right in the middle of the road downtown! So. Pretty big deal all around, yes?

His next book, The Honeys, will be publish with Scholastic on August 16, 2022.

Now for the fun part! 1 lucky winner will receive a finished copy of THE HONEYS, US Only. Ends August 23rd, midnight EST, enter the giveaway below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Head to the other tour stops below for more thoughts and reviews, and the chance at additional entries for the giveaway!

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

8/1/2022	Ya Books Central	Excerpt/IG Post
8/2/2022	Lisa Loves Literature	Review/IG Post
8/3/2022	@ReaderOfTheWrittenWord	IG Review
8/4/2022	A Dream Within A Dream	Review/IG Post
8/5/2022	One More Exclamation	Review/IG Post
8/6/2022	Nerdophiles	Review

Week Two:

8/7/2022	My.Bookish.Mind	IG Review/TikTok Post
8/8/2022	Eli to the nth	Review/IG Post
8/9/2022	@amysbooknook8	IG Review
8/10/2022	Do You Dog-ear?	Review/IG Post
8/11/2022	Brandi Danielle Davis	IG Review/TikTok Post
8/12/2022	A Bookish Dream	Review/IG Post
8/13/2022	Mallory Books	Review/IG Post

Week Three:

8/14/2022	booksaremagictoo	Review/IG Post
8/15/2022	onemused	Review/IG Post
8/16/2022	@ReadsReaders	YouTube Review/IG Post
8/17/2022	Momfluenster	IG Review/FB Post
8/18/2022	@enjoyingbooksagain	IG Review
8/19/2022	@lexijava	Review/IG Post
8/20/2022	@drewsim12	IG Review/TikTok Post

BOOK TOUR The Undead Truth Of Us by Britney S. Lewis

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE UNDEAD TRUTH OF US by Britney S. Lewis Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours, I have been following Britney on social throught her writing process, and I was so excited to be able to join her tour! Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway toward the end.

About The Book:

Author: Britney S. Lewis

Title: The Undead Truth Of Us

Pub. Date: August 9th, 2022

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 368

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

Death was everywhere. They all stared at me, bumping into one another and slowly coming forward.

Sixteen-year-old Zharie Young is absolutely certain her mother morphed into a zombie before her untimely death, but she can’t seem to figure out why. Why her mother died, why her aunt doesn’t want her around, why all her dreams seem suddenly, hopelessly out of reach. And why, ever since that day, she’s been seeing zombies everywhere.

Then Bo moves into her apartment building—tall, skateboard in hand, freckles like stars, and an undeniable charm. Z wants nothing to do with him, but when he transforms into a half zombie right before her eyes, something feels different. He contradicts everything she thought she knew about monsters, and she can’t help but wonder if getting to know him might unlock the answers to her mother’s death.

As Zharie sifts through what’s real and what’s magic, she discovers a new truth about the world: Love can literally change you—for good or for dead.

In this surrealist journey of grief, fear, and hope, Britney S. Lewis’s debut novel explores love, zombies, and everything in between in an intoxicating amalgam of the real and the fantastic.

Reviews:

“Britney Lewis has really nailed it with this one. I loved this striking, suspenseful, and deeply heartbreaking debut about a Black girl named Zharie on a quest to discover the truth about her mother and the darker parts of life and family! Spooky good.”―Jay Coles, author of Tyler Johnson Was Here and Things We Couldn’t Say

“Deeply healing and impossible to put down, The Undead Truth Of Us, is an affecting portrait of grief’s many shades, and an affirming reminder to live.”―J. Elle, New York Times best-selling author of Wings of Ebony

“The perfect blend of emotion, sweet romance, and creepy imagery, The Undead Truth of Us is a journey you won’t soon forget.”―Lauren Blackwood, New York Times best-selling author of Within These Wicked Walls

“THE UNDEAD TRUTH OF US is a revelation of a story, both macabre and magical, full of heartache, hope, and the infinite mysteries of love. I adore this book.”―Rebecca Podos, author of Lambda Award-winning novel Like Water

“The Undead Truth of Us is unlike any book I’ve ever read before. In this eerie and otherworldly story, Britney Lewis layers explorations of grief and love on the page like bright colors of paint on a canvas.”―Elise Bryant, author of Happily Ever Afters and One True Loves

“A devastatingly poignant tale of grief, healing, and the monsters we make of ourselves and of others. In American popular culture zombies have been used to represent our greatest fears and what do we fear more than losing the people we love? In Zharie, Lewis has created a perfectly imperfect character―someone who is learning to navigate grief and love and friendship all at once. Her moments of vulnerability feel familiar as do her moments of healing and joy. This story is an emotional and gripping take on the classic zombie archetype. A must read for lovers of genre bending horror.”―Kalynn Bayron, best-selling author of Cinderella is Dead

“A lament, but with fireworks.”―Nafiza Azad, author of The Wild Ones

“A wonderful book full of lyrical prose, but also grief―and the painful, sometimes beautiful, steps we take to get through it.”―Jessica Lewis, author of Bad Witch Burning

“Britney S. Lewis explores love and death in a debut that is tender, poetic, and wholly original.”
―Zoraida Córdova, award-winning author of Labyrinth Lost

About the Author:

Britney S. Lewis was born and raised in Kansas City, Kansas where she fell in love with storytelling and the idea that magic moved and breathed in our world. After getting her Bachelor’s of Arts and Science, she worked in the world of marketing and communications for a few years before accepting a position as an editor for greeting cards where her job is to make sure to get the best words on paper. When she isn’t daydreaming about new stories, Britney can be found binge-watching TV shows with her husband and pup or practicing West Coast Swing in one of her local dance studios. The Undead Truth of Us is her debut novel. For more information, you can follow her on social media @britneyslewis or visit her website at https://www.britneyslewis.com

Now for the fun part! 1 lucky winner will receive a finished copy of THE UNDEAD TRUTH OF US, US Only. Ends September 6^th, midnight EST, enter the giveaway below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Head to the other tour stops below for more thoughts and reviews, and the chance at additional entries for the giveaway!

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

8/1/2022	Wanderingwitchreads	TikTok Review/IG Post
8/2/2022	BookHounds YA	Excerpt/IG Post
8/3/2022	Lisa-Queen of Random	Excerpt/IG Post
8/4/2022	Author Z. Knight’s Guild	Excerpt
8/5/2022	Lifestyle of Me	Review/IG Post
8/6/2022	Brandi Danielle Davis	IG Post

Week Two:

8/7/2022	Celia’s Reads	Review/IG Post
8/8/2022	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post
8/9/2022	Ya Books Central	Excerpt
8/10/2022	100 Pages A Day	Review
8/11/2022	booksaremagictoo	Review/IG Post
8/12/2022	@jypsylynn	IG Review
8/13/2022	Kait Plus Books	Excerpt/IG Post

Week Three:

8/14/2022	@jacleomik33	IG Review
8/15/2022	A Dream Within A Dream	Review/IG Post
8/16/2022	onemused	Review/IG Post
8/17/2022	@ReaderOfTheWrittenWord	IG Review
8/18/2022	A Bookish Dream	Review/IG Post
8/19/2022	@drewsim12	IG Review/TikTok Post
8/20/2022	@lexijava	Review/IG Post

Week Four:

8/21/2022	@bujos_n_books	Review/IG Post
8/22/2022	@amysbooknook8	IG Review
8/23/2022	pluvioreads	Review/TikTok Post
8/24/2022	Eli to the nth	Review/IG Post
8/25/2022	Eye-Rolling Demigod’s Book Blog	Review/IG Post
8/26/2022	Momfluenster	IG Review/FB Post
8/27/2022	Cocoa With Books	Review/IG Post

Week Five:

8/28/2022	@just_another_mother_with_books	IG Review
8/29/2022	Lisa Loves Literature	Review/IG Post
8/30/2022	The Clever Reader	Review/IG Post
8/31/2022	PopTheButterfly Reads	Review/IG Post

REVIEW Just Another Love Song by Kerry Winfrey

Being from Ohio, I’m always on the lookout for amazing authors from here, or books set here because it’s just so fun to support your home and this author has become a favorite. Kerry Winfrey solidly landed on my auto-buy list with WAITING FOR TOM HANKS, and I have been lucky enough to read each of her titles since then. Her newest release JUST ANOTHER LOVE SONG had me even more excited as someone who used to work in the country music industry, and LOVES a second chance romance title.

Book Title: Just Another Love Song

Author: Kerry Winfrey

Publisher: Berkley Romance

Release Date: August 2nd, 2022

Synopsis:

Two high school sweethearts get a second chance at their perfect ending in this charming new romance by Kerry Winfrey, author of Very Sincerely Yours.

Once upon a time, Sandy Macintosh thought she would have her happily ever after with her high school sweetheart, Hank Tillman. Sandy wanted to be an artist, Hank was the only boy in town who seemed destined for bigger things, and they both had dreams to escape town together. But when Sandy’s plans fell through, she stayed in their small town in Ohio while Hank went off to Boston to follow his dreams to be a musician, with the promise to stay together. Only that plan fell through, too.

Fifteen years later, Sandy runs a successful greenhouse while helping her parents with their bed and breakfast. Everything is perfect…until Hank rolls back into town, now a famous alt-country singer with a son in tow. She’s happy with the life she’s built by herself, but seeing Hank makes her think about what might have been. There aren’t enough cliché love songs in the world to convince Sandy to give Hank another chance, but when the two of them get thrown together to help organize the town’s annual street fair, she wonders if there could be a new beginning for them or if what they had is just a tired old song of the past.

About the Author:

KERRY WINFREY is the author of the adult romantic comedies WAITING FOR TOM HANKS, NOT LIKE THE MOVIES, VERY SINCERELY YOURS, and JUST ANOTHER LOVE SONG, as well as the teen romantic comedies LOVE AND OTHER ALIEN EXPERIENCES and THINGS JOLIE NEEDS TO DO BEFORE SHE BITES IT. She lives in Columbus, Ohio with her family. You can find her on Instagram @kerrywinfrey.

Website | Instagram | Goodreads

My Review:

I LOVE second-chance romance titles, and as I mentioned I’ll pick up anything Winfrey writes, so I was prepared to swoon right through this one.

Winfrey writes characters that make me want to get to know them better, and/or claim them as my own friends. Sandy’s friendships and the community seemed like a dream, and I loved how even though she thought she gave up her dreams of growing up and moving away, her success didn’t stop her from realizing there was still MORE she wanted from life. I think that was what resonated with me most in this book, the idea that things can be going well but still you can feel like something is missing no matter who or what you are.

“Life wasn’t a book with a series of mistakes and miscommunications hat led to a happily ever after – it was real life, where everything didn’t happen for a reason.”

Sandy and Hank were high school sweethearts torn apart by distance, and Winfrey gives us such a relatable main characters with moments from the past and present. I enjoyed the character arcs through the longing, the small town feels, the way they both think they’re doing what’s right for the other SWOON. How can you not love the idea of a musician pining after his love through his music, and getting to tell her it was always her?

I don’t know about the rest of the world, but I could relate to the small town, end of summer festival, they really are so common here in Ohio. From fried food to the idea of friends and neighbors coming together, the reunion and meetups of people who hadn’t seen each other in 15 years all of it left me with such nostalgic, happy thoughts and I love that everything Winfrey writes tends to leave me with those warm fuzzy feelings. Give me all the warm summer vibes, sunshine and good times at the fair, anytime!

“Yes, but fried Oreos are like a bad relationship. I can’t stay away, even though they make me feel terrible.”

Thank you to Berkley Romance for providing me a digital copy of the book to read and review, and for having me on this blog tour!

BOOK TOUR Boys I Know by Anna Gracia

Thanks to TURN THE PAGE TOURS for having me on this tour, and I hope you’ll jump over to check out the other posts on the schedule HERE you don’t want to miss out on this YA, a fantastic debut!

About the Book:

Book Title: Boys I Know

Author: Anna Gracia

Publisher: Peachtree Teen

Release Date: July 26th, 2022

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction

Trigger/Content Warning(s): Microagressions, On-Page Sex

Goodreads | BUY HERE

Synopsis:

June Chu is the “just good enough” girl. Good enough to line the shelves with a slew of third-place trophies and steal secret kisses from her AP Bio partner, Rhys. But not good enough to meet literally any of her Taiwanese mother’s unrelenting expectations or to get Rhys to commit to anything beyond a well-timed joke.

While June’s mother insists she follow in her (perfect) sister’s footsteps and get a (full-ride) violin scholarship to Northwestern (to study pre-med), June doesn’t see the point in trying too hard if she’s destined to fall short anyway. Instead, she focuses her efforts on making her relationship with Rhys “official.” But after her methodically-planned, tipsily-executed scheme explodes on the level of a nuclear disaster, she flings herself into a new relationship with a guy who’s not allergic to the word “girlfriend.”

But as the line between sex and love blurs, and pressure to map out her entire future threatens to burst, June will have to decide on whose terms she’s going to live her life—even if it means fraying her relationship with her mother beyond repair.

Author Bio:

Anna Gracia grew up biracial in the Midwest, spending her formative years repeatedly answering the question “What are you?” Before finding her way as a young adult author, she was a CPA, a public school teacher, a tennis coach, and for one glorious summer, a waitress at a pie shop. She now lives on the West Coast, raising three kids and writing stories about girls navigating a world full of double standards.

Website | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads

Up for grabs is ONE (1) signed copy of Boys I Know by Anna Gracia. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, and will run from July 17th to July 25th at 12 AM CST. To enter, click the link below!

Giveaway Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1e4a114d70/

REVIEW Thank You, Next by Andie J Christopher

I somehow hadn’t read a book by Andie J Christopher yet, and from the title + cover alone I knew I HAD to read this one! Thanks to Berkley Romance I was able to read and review this one to join on the blog tour, and I had such a fun time reading it.

Book Title: Thank You, Next

Author: Andie J Christopher

Publisher: Berkley Romance

Release Date: June 14th, 2022

Goodreads

Synopsis:

Alex Turner is never The One–but always the last one an ex dates before finding love–and now she’s determined to find out why in this hilarious new rom-com.

Single divorce attorney Alex Turner is watching reality TV when she sees her latest ex’s new fiancé picking out her wedding dress. Yet again, the guy she dumped went on to marry (or at least seriously commit to) the next person he dates after her. Fed up with being the precursor to happily ever after, she decides to interview all her exes to find out why.

Up-and-coming chef Will Harkness mixes with Alex like oil and vinegar, but forced proximity growing up means their lives are forever entwined. When Will learns Alex and her friends are going on a wild romp through Los Angeles to reconnect with her ex-boyfriends, he decides to tag along. If he can discover what her exes did wrong, he can make sure he doesn’t make the same mistake with Alex.

On this nonstop journey through the streets of LA, Alex realizes the answer to her question might be the man riding shotgun…

About the Author:

Andie J. Christopher is a USA Today Bestselling author who writes sharp, witty, sexy contemporary romance about complex people finding happily ever after. Her work has been featured in NPR, Cosmopolitan, The Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, and The New York Post. Prickly heroines are her hallmark, and she is the originator of the Stern Brunch Daddy. Andie lives in the Nation’s Capital with a French bulldog, a stockpile of Campari, and way too many books.

Website | Instagram | Goodreads

My Review:

A new to me author, I was thrilled to finally get to read an Andie J. Christopher title, and I have to say Thank You, Next made me want to reach for the author’s backlist. I am a total sucker for a play on words title, I feel like it just sets the right tone for the book I’m picking up. As soon as I was sent this one I had to read it, and I have no regrets.

The concept of this book had me really excited as it puts a spin on second chance romance as we meet Alex, a divorce lawyer who has been a serial dater and has never been interested in the idea of marriage.

She’s been in love with her grandmother’s ex step-son, Will, for years and we get a complicated childhood friends trope storyline that is refreshing and full of emotion. What I liked most about the story was how different it was, this fierce female who is successful and set in her idea of never wanting to get married struggles when she realizes she is the last girlfriend before each of her exes gets married.

“And just maybe excavating old shit was part of her DNA. That’s what her mother did for a living, after all. How would she understand her past and be able to move forward if she didn’t look at all the mistakes she’d made? If she didn’t spread them out on a plastic tarp, examine them closely, document them and file them away.”

As we’re taken on her journey of self-awareness and discovery, we meet a variety of men in her past dating pool and her delightful friends who made the story even more fun and interesting. I LOVED the diversity and each personality of every character, even the exes we were meant to not like – who DOESN’T have an ex like that?!

While I enjoyed the flashbacks of Alex and Will’s past and present, at times I did find myself wishing we hadn’t gotten MORE from the action and less in their head. The thoughts and feelings were important of course, but I would’ve loved more scene-setting / visual aspects of the romance versus the retrospective viewpoints.

I can’t write a review without loving on this book cover, I thought it was SO perfect!

After being a part of the tour, I also got to meet Andie herself over at Apollycon and get my physical copy signed by her — head here to this post on instagram for a fun reel featuring this book + many other Berkley Romance titles!