Stealing Snow Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway!

Happy Friday Everyone!

Today I'm so pleased to welcome author Danielle Paige back to the blog as part of the promotional tour of her newest release, Stealing Snow. You guys know already how much I love a good fairytale retelling, so I couldn't be more excited about this book. A huge thank you to Danielle for taking the time to answer my questions, I hope you guys enjoy!

To introduce us to the fantasy world of Algid, what are three things we should know before we follow Snow on her journey there?

Algid is ruled by a prophesy that foretells Snow’s rise to power
Her father is an evil King who may just want to kill her
There is snow and magic everywhere and a lot of cute boys.

If you could write yourself into any one fairytale/ folktale, which one would you most like “visit” and what role would you play?

I want to be Maleficent for a day! Before Danerys (from Game of Thrones) was Mother of Dragons, Maleficent actually could turn into one. The power...the horns...loved!

But also the fairy godmother in Cinderella—I really want to know her story. Who the heck is she? And why is she sprinkling fairy dust on the world? In my mind there may be a less Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo-version of how she got to Cinderella.

If the Disney version of the Snow Queen were to meet your version, what do you think her initial reaction would be?

I am assuming she would attempt a “Let It Go” duet. I think Elsa would understand Snow! Snow is Elsa without the sisterly intervention. Disney’s Elsa grows up knowing about her power and fearing it. But Snow has grown up in the dark about her identity and her power. For Elsa, it is a journey of acceptance. For Snow, it is both acceptance and self-knowledge. And since Snow is a little bit older than Elsa, she also gets to deal with some more grown up complications, like romance!

Before making her escape, Snow is confined to a high security mental hospital, a situation that just happens to be one of my recurring nightmares. *shudders* If you were to find yourself in The Whittaker Institute alongside Snow, would you try to reason with the doctors to prove your sanity, or would you immediately start planning your escape route?

I am definitely much more of a mental strategist than an escape artist. I would have to try and outwit Dr. Harris.

Looking forward to this series as a whole, what warning or piece of advice might the Snow of the later installments give to the Snow in this first book?

Without being too spoiler-y, I would have to say be prepared for a pretty epic ending with a lot of twists and turns! The first book ends very, very far from happily ever after.

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STEALING SNOW

Seventeen-year-old Snow has spent her life locked in Whittaker Psychiatric—but she isn’t crazy. And that’s not the worst of it. Her very first kiss proves anything but innocent…when Bale, her only love, turns violent.

Despite Snow knowing that Bale would never truly hurt her, he is taken away—dashing her last hope for any sort of future in the mental ward she calls home. With nowhere else to turn, Snow finds herself drawn to a strange new orderly who whispers secrets in the night about a mysterious past and a kingdom that’s hers for the taking—if only she can find her way past the iron gates to the Tree that has been haunting her dreams.

Beyond the Tree lies Algid, a land far away from the real world, frozen by a ruthless king. And there too await the River Witch, a village boy named Kai, the charming thief Jagger, and a prophecy that Snow will save them all.

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

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DANIELLE PAIGE

Danielle Paige is the New York Times bestselling author of the Dorothy Must Die series, and the upcoming  Stealing Snow series (Bloomsbury, 2016). In addition to writing young adult books, she works in the television industry, where she's received a Writers Guild of America Award and was nominated for several Daytime Emmys. She is a graduate of Columbia University and currently lives in New York City.

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GIVEAWAY

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Review: The Bird and the Sword

THE BIRD AND THE SWORD
Amy Harmon
New Adult/Fantasy
352 pages
Self-published
Available Now
Source: Bought

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Swallow, Daughter, pull them in, those words that sit upon your lips. Lock them deep inside your soul, hide them ‘til they’ve time to grow. Close your mouth upon the power, curse not, cure not, ‘til the hour. You won’t speak and you won’t tell, you won’t call on heav’n or hell. You will learn and you will thrive. Silence, Daughter. Stay alive.

The day my mother was killed, she told my father I wouldn’t speak again, and she told him if I died, he would die too. Then she predicted the king would trade his soul and lose his son to the sky.

My father has a claim to the throne, and he is waiting in the shadows for all of my mother’s words to come to pass. He wants desperately to be king, and I just want to be free.

But freedom will require escape, and I’m a prisoner of my mother’s curse and my father’s greed. I can’t speak or make a sound, and I can’t wield a sword or beguile a king. In a land purged of enchantment, love might be the only magic left, and who could ever love . . . a bird?

MY THOUGHTS
The Bird and the Sword is immensely satisfying from beginning to end, giving us a heroine robbed of words on a beautifully-told journey to find them again amidst the backdrop of a sweeping fantasy epic.

Lark is a Teller, gifted with words that create a call to action when spoken, bringing to life inanimate objects, controlling animals, and healing when needed. After her mother's dying rhyme rips away her ability to speak, she's assumed to be deaf and dumb in addition to being mute, but we're treated to her innermost thoughts and feelings and therefore know she's as smart and strong as they come. She quickly finds herself a pawn in a game of politics, taken from her father and held as insurance to make sure he provides promised assistance to the young king in his war against the monstrous Volgar (vulture-like birdmen). She could have easily spent her days wallowing in self-pity for the position in which she finds herself – in a strange place and forced to be a weapon in the service of her king – but instead she does as she is asked with a quiet pride and a lick of defiance, one that brings a smile to our faces every time she wields it. 

Her romance with King Tiras is of the slow burn variety, one with a start rooted in antagonism as she resents being made into the tip of a spear and hurled at the Vulgar with little care for anything other than her usefulness. Her feelings for Tiras seemingly develop quicker than his for her (though it takes her plenty of time to begin to see him in a romantic light), and she keeps those feelings close to her vest because she knows he's unlikely to return her affection. She is a means to an end for him, an ace up his sleeve in the war against an impossible enemy, and she protects her heart as best she can by defying him in the most perfect of ways when he proves to be too presumptuous.

Their story has my highest recommendation for all those who love apparent underdogs with unparalleled strength, love interests who challenge at every turn, and grand romances that share the spotlight with well-executed paranormal and political wars.

Rating: 5/5

Find Amy:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children: Movie Tie-In Giveaway!

To help celebrate the release of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (which hits theaters on Friday!), I have a fantastic giveaway to share with you today. And a little sneak peek at a few stills from the movie. Win.

I have to admit that I have yet to read this book (I'm saying that about WAY too many books lately), but I couldn't be more excited for this movie and have little doubt I'll rush to read the book just as soon as I'm out of the theater. I actually prefer to see the movie first, that way I don't spend my time fixating on what was changed or left out, and can enjoy it for what it is. Then I go and obsess over the book ;-)

For those of you who aren't familiar with the book or movie, check out the description, movie stills and trailer below, and be sure enter to win a Miss Peregrine's prize pack!

From visionary director Tim Burton, and based upon the best-selling novel, comes an unforgettable motion picture experience. When Jake discovers clues to a mystery that spans alternate realities and times, he uncovers a secret refuge known as Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As he learns about the residents and their unusual abilities, Jake realizes that safety is an illusion, and danger lurks in the form of powerful, hidden enemies. Jake must figure out who is real, who can be trusted, and who he really is.
 
Starring: Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Chris O'Dowd, Ella Purnell, Allison Janney, Rupert Everett, Terence Stamp, with Judi Dench and Samuel L. Jackson

Directed By: Tim Burton

Rated PG-13

 (click to enlarge)

Seek the Peculiar. Get tickets to see Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, in theaters Friday!

Official Site • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram

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GIVEAWAY

Thanks to a partnership with 20th Century Fox, I have an epic prize pack to give away today! One lucky winner will receive a $25 Visa gift card to see the film as well as a movie tie-in version of the book. Giveaway is open to US addresses only. Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

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Early Review: The Cruelty

THE CRUELTY
The Cruelty #1
Scott Bergstrom
Young Adult/Thriller
384 pages
Feiwel & Friends
Available February 7th, 2017
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
When her diplomat father is kidnapped and the U.S. Government is unable to help, 17 year-old Gwendolyn Bloom sets off across the sordid underbelly of Europe to rescue him. Following the only lead she has—the name of a Palestinian informer living in France—she plunges into a brutal world of arms smuggling and human trafficking. As she journeys from the slums of Paris, to the nightclubs of Berlin, to the heart of the most feared crime family in Prague, Gwendolyn discovers that to survive in this new world she must become every bit as cruel as the men she’s hunting.

MY THOUGHTS
The Cruelty is not the average young adult thriller, one where the protagonist strikes out on their own and is able to access information, bypass security, and thwart criminal masterminds with seeming ease. Though Gwen does strike out on her own in search of her father, her path is hardly an easy one marked by the luck of fiction as pieces fall together to help her along, instead her journey is darker and more brutal, each leg taking a piece of the girl she was before and crushing it under the boot of the girl she is becoming.

Gwen is a young woman who feels very real in the beginning, someone whom we could pass in our everyday lives and strike up an easy conversation with as opposed to a teenage super spy to whom we can hardly relate, something that makes her story feel more personal even as she falls deeper and deeper into a criminal underworld rabbit hole. Because she possess no special skills when we meet her–no exceptional fighting prowess, hacking specialty, etc.–it's easy to project ourselves onto her, rooting for her to take matters into her own hands when her own government and her father's colleagues fail her. She has to become a badass the hard way, learning to fight and hide in plain sight but making innumerable missteps along the way, as someone with only a crash course in spy training and a determined spirit would do.

Gwen's search for her father is intense and detailed, with Mr. Bergstrom showing no interest in keeping us on the surface and instead plunging us under along with Gwen as she fights for the smallest of clues about her father's whereabouts. The Cruelty is gritty and complex and clearly just the beginning for Gwen, and I for one look forward to seeing just what she's capable of in the next installment.

Rating: 4/5

Find Scott:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

This Adventure Ends Blog Tour: This Adventure Creates

Happy Friday Everyone!

It's been a tour kind of week this week, and I'm wrapping things up today with a very special tour for This Adventure Ends, the upcoming YA release from Emma Mills. A tour that involves Crayola markers and a teeny tiny canvas.

As part of the tour, a handful of us were asked to pick a verb to pair with "this adventure" and then create an artistic masterpiece (or not, as the case would be with me) that represents the theme we've chosen. Since I spend my days designing book covers, I went with "This Adventure Creates" as it so perfectly fits the job I love so very much.

As it turns out however, washable markers and canvas are not my medium, and my "masterpiece" turned out a little bit wonky. You see, I can't draw anything without sketching it out in pencil first, and when I went to color everything in, I quickly discovered that washable markers and pencil lines are not the best of friends. I had to stick with darker colors to try and hide the pencil otherwise I got a muddy mess, but oh well, I had fun with it anyway!

Behold the glory that is my "This Adventure Creates"!

Apparently my wand of creativity spews a bunch of upside down commas, who knew? O.o I hope you guys got a kick out of my piece and add This Adventure Ends to your must-have lists!

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THIS ADVENTURE ENDS

Releases October 4th from Henry Holt & Co.

Sloane isn't expecting to fall in with a group of friends when she moves from New York to Florida—especially not a group of friends so intense, so in love, so all-consuming. Yet that's exactly what happens.

Sloane becomes closest to Vera, a social-media star who lights up any room, and Gabe, Vera's twin brother and the most serious person Sloane's ever met. When a beloved painting by the twins' late mother goes missing, Sloane takes on the responsibility of tracking it down, a journey that takes her across state lines—and ever deeper into the twins' lives.

Filled with intense and important friendships, a wonderful warts-and-all family, shiveringly good romantic developments, and sharp, witty dialogue, this story is about finding the people you never knew you needed.

Goodreads • Amazon • B&N

Frazzled Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway

I'm crazy excited today to be a part of the promotional tour for Frazzled, the Middle Grade debut from Booki Vivat. Booki is an amazing artist, and her doodles have been blowing me away on Twitter for years, so I knew I needed this book in my hands the minute I learned of its existence. Booki was so nice as to answer a few questions for me about creative inspiration, fictional best friends, and of course her protagonist Abbie Wu, so I hope you guys all enjoy the interview!

If you could introduce yourself to readers in doodle-form only, what doodle might best sum you up as an author?

I think this pretty much sums me up—after all, my book is called Frazzled.

What’s one aspect of Abbie’s character that you absolutely share with her? One that’s nothing like you at all?

Honestly, I can’t think of anything significantly different between Abbie and I! So much of Abbie’s character is based on who I was when I was a kid and who I am now. I guess, getting down to the details, Abbie is a middle child, but growing up, I was technically the oldest!

I think anyone who has seen my doodles or knows me in real life gets the sense that Abbie and I are very similar. Beyond our shared resentment towards piñata birthday parties and insatiable love of pastries, Abbie and I can both be a little… dramatic. In fact, the inspiration for Frazzled came from an especially dramatic doodle I had drawn in a moment of crisis. It said, “I live my life in a constant state of impending doom.”
Spoiler alert: Abbie feels the same. 



Inspiration can strike at the oddest and most inconvenient times. Where’s the strangest place you’ve ever felt the need to make a few quick doodles or jot down ideas to save them for later? The strangest medium you’ve ever used when paper wasn’t available?

The strangest place I’ve ever felt the need to doodle was this one time I went out dancing with a group of (relative) strangers. It was such a strange scene and there were so many hilariously awkward and interesting interactions happening around me. I got caught up observing the social dynamics within the space and I had this itching need to document it somehow. That night, I went home and drew a series of doodles about the culture of “going out.”

I usually just stick to pen and paper which isn’t unusual at all, though where I get that paper can range anywhere from receipts to candy wrappers to toilet paper. Contrary to what “toilet paper” implies, I have never doodled on the toilet. 



If Abbie were to write a story about you, what title might she give it?

She would probably title it something verbose and cheeky like, (Still) Frazzled: The Constant Confusion and Unavoidable Uncertainty of Adulthood. Something like that. 



Every once in a while I come across a character whom I know would be my best friend (obviously) if they were real. What one other fictional character might Abbie find a best friend in?

Abbie is the kind of kid who could probably spend all her time in her own head and drive herself crazy, so she really needs friends who can coax her out of that. I think someone like Harriet M. Welsch from Louise Fitzhugh’s Harriet the Spy would make a fantastic best friend. They might have a rocky start to their friendship and it might take a while for them to warm up to each other. Harriet is a bit purposefully mischievous, whereas Abbie is more accidentally rebellious. But ultimately, Harriet’s sense of curiosity and unapologetic honesty is exactly what Abbie needs in a friend.

Thank you so much Booki!

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FRAZZLED

Meet Abbie Wu! She’s about to start middle school and she’s totally in crisis.

Abbie Wu is in crisis—and not just because she’s stuck in a family that doesn’t quite get her or because the lunch ladies at school are totally corrupt or because everyone seems to have a “Thing” except her. Abbie Wu is in crisis always.

Heavily illustrated and embarrassingly honest, Frazzled dives right into the mind of this hilariously neurotic middle school girl as she tries to figure out who she is, where she belongs, and how to survive the everyday disasters of growing up. With Abbie’s flair for the dramatic and natural tendency to freak out, middle school has never seemed so nerve-racking!

Packed with hilarious black-and-white illustrations and doodles throughout, Frazzled takes readers through Abbie Wu’s hysterical middle school adventures.

Amazon | B&N 

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BOOKI VIVAT

Booki Vivat has been doodling somewhat seriously since 2011 and not-so-seriously since childhood. She grew up in Southern California and graduated from the University of California, San Diego. She currently works in publishing and lives in Brooklyn, New York. This is her first novel. Follow her on Twitter @thebookiv and on Instagram @bookibookibooki.

Website | Twitter | Instagram

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WEEK ONE:

9/19: Swoony Boys Podcast - Review

9/20: Such A Novel Idea - Guest Post

9/21: What Sarah Read - Review

9/22: Supernatural Snark - Q&A

9/23: Mundie Kids - Review

WEEK TWO:

9/26: The Irish Banana Review - Q&A

9/27: Fiction Fare - Review

9/28: Jenuine Cupcakes - Guest Post

9/29: Wiritng my Own Fairytale - Review

9/30: Reads all the Books - Review

Metaltown Blog Tour: Guest Post + Giveaway

Today I have the very special honor of welcoming an author I get to call friend to the blog to celebrate the release of her newest YA book, Metaltown. I couldn't be more excited for this book or for Kristen as she is one of the most adorable people you'll ever meet, and I hope you guys all have this book on your lists! Since the world of Metaltown and its factories is a brutal one where the days are long and so very hard, I asked Kristen to help us put on protagonist Ty's shoes for a few minutes and walk her mile. 

Be sure and check out the bottom of the post for a complete list of the participating blogs so you can follow along, as well as all the details on a fantastic giveaway!

WHAT ARE 5 THINGS TY WOULD WANT US TO KNOW ABOUT LIVING LIFE AS A FACTORY WORKER?

1. Don’t be a baby. You think your life’s tough? Try waking up before dawn every morning to get a bowl of mash at St. Mary’s, or working a double in a hot factory just to not get paid. First rule of factory life? Keep your mouth shut and your eyes open. You want a free ride you can go cross the beltway to Bakerstown.

2. Find someone who’s got your back. You look out for them, they look out for you. It’s that simple.

3. Don’t eat anything that hasn’t been tested. What are you, crazy? The stuff they sell on the streets in the factory district is flat out deadly. If you want the corn flu, by all means, give it a shot. Otherwise, stick to stuff you know is clean.

4. Don’t fight someone smaller than you. Don’t steal from your own people. I share my food with you, tomorrow you share yours with me. Those are street rules, got it?

5. Colin’s mine. Keep your hands off.

Noted, Ty. ;-)

Thanks so much Kristen!

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METALTOWN

Metaltown, where factories rule, food is scarce, and hope is in short supply.

The rules of Metaltown are simple: Work hard, keep your head down, and watch your back. You look out for number one, and no one knows that better than Ty. She’s been surviving on the factory line as long as she can remember. But now Ty has Colin. She’s no longer alone; it’s the two of them against the world. That’s something even a town this brutal can’t take away from her. Until it does.

Lena’s future depends on her family’s factory, a beast that demands a ruthless master, and Lena is prepared to be as ruthless as it takes if it means finally proving herself to her father. But when a chance encounter with Colin, a dreamer despite his circumstances, exposes Lena to the consequences of her actions, she’ll risk everything to do what’s right.

In Lena, Ty sees an heiress with a chip on her shoulder. Colin sees something more. In a world of disease and war, tragedy and betrayal, allies and enemies, all three of them must learn that challenging what they thought was true can change all the rules.

An enthralling story of friendship and rebellion, Metaltown will have you believing in the power of hope.

Amazon | B&N 

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KRISTEN SIMMONS

Kristen Simmons is the author of the ARTICLE 5 series, THE GLASS ARROW, and the upcoming METALTOWN (Tor Teen). She loves her family, Jazzercise, and chocolate cupcakes. She currently lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Website | Twitter | Facebook 

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WEEK ONE

9/12: Mundie Moms - Q&A

9/13: Fiction Fare - Review

9/14: Eater of Books - Review

9/15: Two Chicks on Books - Q&A

9/16: Krista's Dust Jacket - Review

WEEK TWO

9/19: No BS Book Reviews - Makeup Inspirations

9/20: Quite the Novel Idea - Review

9/21: Supernatural Snark - Guest Post

9/22: The Petite Book Blogger - Review

9/23: The Irish Banana Review - Top 10

Review: A Scot in the Dark

A SCOT IN THE DARK
Scandal & Scoundrel #2
Sarah MacLean
Historical Romance
352 pages
Avon
Available Now
Source: Bought

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Lonesome Lily Turned Scandalous Siren

Miss Lillian Hargrove has lived much of her life alone in a gilded cage, longing for love and companionship. When an artist offers her pretty promises and begs her to pose for a scandalous portrait, Lily doesn't hesitate...until the lying libertine leaves her in disgrace. With the painting now public, Lily has no choice but to turn to the one man who might save her from ruin.

Highland Devil turned Halfhearted Duke

The Duke of Warnick loathes all things English, none more so than the aristocracy. It does not matter that the imposing Scotsman has inherited one of the most venerable dukedoms in Britain—he wants nothing to do with it, especially when he discovers that the unwanted title comes with a troublesome ward, one who is far too old and far too beautiful to be his problem.

Tartan Comes to Town

Warnick arrives in London with a single goal: get the chit married and see her become someone else's problem, then return to a normal, quiet life in Scotland. It's the perfect plan, until Lily declares she'll only marry for love...and the Scot finds that there is one thing in England he likes far too much...

MY THOUGHTS
Sarah MacLean's historical romances never disappoint, and we are again treated to her outstanding characterization in A Scot in the Dark as a vaguely Beauty and the Beast-esque pairing delights from beginning to end.

Aside from the fact that Lily's beauty is a bit overstated, coming up time and again throughout, she herself is only aware of it on the periphery, as something people say about her as though she's not flesh and blood but rather a set of symmetrical features perfectly placed to aesthetically pleasing results. She's neither fixated on her looks nor bolstered by them, instead we find ourselves faced with a young woman at her most vulnerable thanks to the charms of manipulative artist and a society that thrives on a double standard. Though she's lived an extraordinarily solitary life and is facing a scandal that has all of London foaming at the mouth, she refuses to allow Alec to walk all over her when he arrives to "handle" her predicament. She stands her ground when he seeks to hand her off to any titled man in desperate need of a substantial dowry, puts him in his place when necessary, and keeps her head up when the whispering and pointed looks follow her at any public function.

Alec plays a rather classic role in terms of romance heroes, convinced he's not worthy of Lily once he realizes he's attracted to her and willing to push her away at every turn in order to save her from sullying herself further with him. Despite that familiar trait though, he's still big, brawny, and of course Scottish, a lethal combination when it comes to making us swoon, and watching as his path paved with good intentions leads him to hell in the form of a fiery redhead who knows what she wants is nothing short of glorious.

Overall, A Scot in the Dark is a fun follow-up to The Rogue Not Taken, a beautifully vulnerable lead pair ensuring we're emotionally invested in their story, and the infamous Talbot sisters proving themselves to be scene-stealers in their secondary roles as we look forward to one of them stepping into the limelight next.

Rating; 4/5

Find Sarah:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

Review + Giveaway: James and the Giant Peach

Happy Friday Everyone!

Today I have a very special review of James and the Giant Peach, my very favorite book by Roald Dahl. 2016 marks one hundred years since Roald Dahl's birth, so to celebrate Penguin has put together an epic blog tour full of reviews, excerpts, trivia and more, so be sure and check the bottom of the post for the full schedule!

JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH
Roal Dahl
Middle Grade/Fantasy/Adventure
146 pages
Puffin Books
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
When James accidentally drops some magic crystals by the old peach tree, strange things start to happen. The peach at the top of the tree begins to grow, and before long it's as big as a house. When James discovers a secret entranceway into the fruit and crawls inside, he meets wonderful new friends--the Old-Green-Grasshopper, the dainty Ladybug, and the Centipede of the multiple boots. After years of feeling like an outsider in his aunts' house, James finally found a place where he belongs. With a snip of the stem, the peach household starts rolling away--and the adventure begins!

Roald Dahl's first and most widely celebrated book for young people continues to thrill readers around the world.

MY THOUGHTS
James and the Giant Peach is the first book I can remember reading on my own. I'm sure I read shorter children's books on my own and I know my parents read to me all the time, but this is the first book I can remember choosing for myself and then settling into the corner of our couch to read. It doesn't take a huge mental leap to attribute my love for all things paranormal and fantastical when it comes to fiction to James and his group of extraordinary friends.

It had been a solid twenty years since I'd read this book, and I'd quite honestly forgot how brutal it was. James is orphaned in the first few pages thanks to a freak rhinoceros accident, and subsequently moves in with an abusive pair of aunts who treat him like nothing more than dirt beneath their feet for years. Thankfully fate–and magic–intervenes in the form of small green crystals that cause a peach to grow to enormous size, break free from its branch, and carry young James and his human-sized insect friends off on an overseas adventure. Oh, and his aunts are squished dead by the peach as it rolls down a hill. Brutal indeed.

James is a resilient young man, enduring the verbal abuse and threats of physical violence from his aunts with a strength no person should have to develop at so young an age. Once free from his life of labor under his aunts' watchful eyes, he proves himself to be a problem solver under pressure, helping his newfound friends survive the journey to New York in terms of food as well as keeping their mode of transportation safe from those beasts, real and paranormal, that try to bring them down or impede their progress.

In addition to an over-the-top fun adventure, Mr. Dahl also works in some tidbits and facts about each of the insects aboard the peach, letting all those who read walk way with just a little extra knowledge than they had when they cracked the spine. Overall, James and the Giant Peach remains an outstanding read no matter the age of the reader, and it will forever be one of my very favorites.

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

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ROALD DAHL

 

Roald Dahl (1916–1990) was one of the world’s most imaginative, successful and beloved storytellers. He was born in Wales of Norwegian parents and spent much of his childhood in England. After establishing himself as a writer for adults with short story collections such as Kiss Kiss and Tales of the Unexpected, Roald Dahl began writing children's stories in 1960 while living with his family in both the U.S. and in England. His first stories were written as entertainment for his own children, to whom many of his books are dedicated.

Roald Dahl’s first children’s story, The Gremlins, was a story about little creatures that were responsible for the various mechanical failures on airplanes. The Gremlins came to the attention of both First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who loved to read the story to her grandchildren, and Walt Disney, with whom Roald Dahl had discussions about the production of a movie.

Roald Dahl was inspired by American culture and by many of the most quintessential American landmarks to write some of his most memorable passages, such as the thrilling final scenes in James and the Giant Peach - when the peach lands on the Empire State Building! Upon the publication of James and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl began work on the story that would later be published as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and today, Roald Dahl’s stories are available in 58 languages and, by a conservative estimate, have sold more than 200 million copies.

Roald Dahl also enjoyed great success for the screenplays he wrote for both the James Bond film You Only Live Twice in 1967 and for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, released one year later, which went on to become a beloved family film.  Roald Dahl’s popularity continues to increase as his fantastic novels, including James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Matilda, The BFG, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, delight an ever-growing legion of fans.

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September 5 - Peace Loves Books - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Excerpt

September 5 - The Compulsive Reader - Danny, The Champion of the World Review 

September 5 - The Starry Eyed Revue - James and The Giant Peach Review

September 6 - Ex Libris Kate - The Witches Review

September 6 - Cracking The Cover - The Magic Finger Feature - Short Review and History 

September 6 - Lost In Lit - The Witches Feature - Revisiting The Witches as an adult 

September 7 - Cozy Reading Corner - Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator Excerpt 

September 7 - The Plot Bunny - The Magic Finger Review 

September 7 - Lilli's Reflections - The Twits Excerpt 

September 8 - The Irish Banana - Matilda Review 

September 8 - Ticket To Anywhere - Danny, The Champion of the World Excerpt

September 8 - Cuddlebuggery - Quentin Blake's Illustrations of Roald Dahl's Books Feature

September 8 - Beth Fish Reads - Going Solo Review 

September 9 -  Ravenous Reader - The BFG Excerpt 

September 9 - Paper Cuts - The Giraffe, the Pelly and Me Excerpt 

September 9 - The Lovely Books - The Witches Excerpt 

September 9 - A Glass of Wine - James and the Giant Peach Excerpt

September 10 - Novel Novice - George's Marvelous Medicine Excerpt 

September 10 - YA Bibliophile - Fantastic Mr. Fox Review

September 10 - Watercolor Moods - The Magic Finger Feature - Collage

September 11- Jessabella Reads - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Review 

September 11- Who R U Blog - Charlie and the Glass Elevator Feature - Trivia

September 12 - Belle of the Library - The Twits Review 

September 12 - Book Mania Life - George's Marvelous Medicine Review 

September 12 - The Book Swarm - Danny, The Champion of the World Excerpt 

September 12 - Book Belles - James and the Giant Peach Feature - Book to Movie

September 13- Roald's birthday! - Brittany's Book Rambles - Matilda Excerpt 

September 13 - Roald's birthday! - Mundie Kids - The BFG Review

September 13 - Roald's birthday! - Read Now Sleep Later - Boy Excerpt

September 13 - Roald's birthday - Consumed By Books - Matilda Excerpt 

September 13 - Roald's birthday - I Am A Reader - James and the Giant Peach Excerpt 

September 13 - The Novel Life - Lessons that Roald Dahl has taught me feature

September 13 - The Book Rat - Esio Trot Excerpt

September 14 - Belle's Bash - The BFG Excerpt

September 14 - WinterHaven Books - Esio Trot Excerpt 

September 14 - A Book and A Latte - The Magic Finger Excerpt

September 14 - Hello Chelly - Matilda Feature - BookBags

September 14 - Loving Dem Books - Youtube Feature

September 15 - Writing My Own Fairy-Tale - George's Marvelous Medicine Review 

September 15 - The Book Bandit -The Giraffe, and the Pelly and Me Review

September 15 - Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile - Esio Trot Review

September 15 - Coffee, Books and Me - Top Ten Reasons You Should Read Roald Dahl's Books

September 16 - Undeniably Book Nerdy - Boy Review 

September 16 - Supernatural Snark - James and the Giant Peach Review 

September 16 - My Friend Amy - Going Solo Excerpt 

September 16 - The Quiet Concert - Danny, the Champion of the World Review 

September 17 - Book Briefs - Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator 

September 17 - Andi's ABCs - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Feature - ABCs

September 17 - Just Another Rabid Reader - The Magic Finger Review 

September 17 - Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia - Roald Dahl Feature - Food Feature

September 18 - Bumbles and Fairy-Tales - Matilda Feature - Reading With Dad

September 18 - Addicted 2 Novels - Esio Trot Review 

September 18 - Pure Imagination - Fantastic Mr. Fox Excerpt 

September 18 - Green Bean Teen Queen - What Roald Dahl Means To Me Feature

September 19 - Bookiemoji - The Witches Excerpt 

September 19 - Shooting Stars Blog - Roald Dahl Feature - Etsy Products

September 19 -  Alexa Loves Books - Matilda Feature - Style Files

September 19 - Nightly Reading - Matilda Review