Super thrilled to be hosting a spot on the WHEN WE HAD SUMMER by Jennifer Castle Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my review and make sure to enter the giveaway below!
ABOUT THE BOOK
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants meets 13 Little Blue Envelopes in this new young adult novel about a tight-knit, daring, and eclectic group of friends who dedicate every summer to completing their #SummerSistersBucketList together – that is until one of their own passes away.
Best friends Carly, Daniella, Lainie, and Penny – aka the self-proclaimed #SummerSisters – have been coming to the New Jersey shore town of Ocean Park Heights ever since they could remember. And every year, the girls make a bucket list and dedicate their entire summer to completing every item on it, documenting their wacky escapades on FotoSlam for everyone to see. It’s their tradition, and as long as the Summer Sisters had each other, the rocky jetty on the shore, and their bucket list, that would never change. Right?
But then, tragedy strikes after Carly – the mastermind behind the bucket list– unexpectedly passes away. As the remaining Summer Sisters try to wrap their heads around their best friend’s death, life seems determined to throw more curveballs at the girls, threatening to split the Summer Sisters up for good. Daniella is accepted to a prestigious music academy in New York City, Lainie finds out her family is moving to Florida and leaving Ocean Park Heights for good, and Penny struggles to find her footing as she feels ready to leave childhood behind more quickly than either of her friends. What will hold them together with Carly gone and the Summer Sisters seemingly over?
Then, Daniella finds Carly’s final bucket list. And just like that, the Summer Sisters are back! But of course, things don’t always go as planned, and the girls try their hardest to navigate grief, loss, and coming-of-age woes while keeping the Summer Sisters – and Carly’s memory – alive.
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Fiction | Publication Date: April 25, 2023 | Publisher: Disney Hyperion | Page Count: 336 (Hardcover) | Disclosure: I received an eARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review!
GUILD'S REVIEW
“Earthsong moved across his skin like the lips of a lover.”
Song of Blood & Stone is the first novel in the Earthsinger Chronicles. The Earthsinger Chronicles is a new adult/adult epic fantasy romance. It follows the story of Jasminda, an outcast endowed with Earthsong, and her fateful encounter with the injured spy Jack. Jasminda lives on the border of Elsira and Lagamiri, nations caught in a centuries-long feud separated by a magical barrier called the Mantle. Thrust together one fateful winter night, Jasminda and Jack set off to stop the impending war and fall in love in the process.
“The two sides she’d seen before—soulful Jack and warrior Jack—merged before her, giving a complete picture for the first time.”
I adored this story and romance! It contains the familiar tropes of the hero’s—and in this case heroine’s—journey popularized by Joseph Campbell. However, unlike many entries in the mythopoeia genre, Song of Blood & Stone feels fresh. Snippets of world lore open most chapters dubbed the “Collected Folktales” with cool chapter header art. Folklore and romance are interwoven into Jasminda’s coming-of-age and blossoming romance with Jack. The heroine, a mix-raced Earthsong practitioner, embodies her divided arcanepunk world. While the novel lagged near the end and introduced the dreaded “jealous childhood friend” female antagonist, the finale will keep readers on their toes and hooked until the last word.
Final Judgement:
Song of Blood & Stone is a daring epic fantasy romance delivering fresh twists on stale tropes! I highly recommend this novel and I can't wait to finish the series. ⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️ / 5 Swords
Recommended for Readers who Love:
— a soaring epic fantasy,
— steamy new adult/adult romance,
— and a magical mixed-race heroine
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JENNIFER CASTLE is the author of twelve books for children and teens, including the novels for BLAIRE WILSON, American Girl's Girl of the Year 2019. Her YA novels published by HarperCollins include THE BEGINNING OF AFTER, which was an American Library Association Best Fiction for Young Adults selection, YOU LOOK DIFFERENT IN REAL LIFE, WHAT HAPPENS NOW, and TOGETHER AT MIDNIGHT. Her four-book middle grade fantasy series from Bloomsbury USA is BUTTERFLY WISHES. She’s also the co-author of two non-fiction books, FAMOUS FRIENDS: BEST BUDS, ROCKY RELATIONSHIPS, AND AWESOMELY ODD COUPLES FROM PAST TO PRESENT and FRIENDS AND FRENEMIES: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE AWKWARD. Jennifer lives in New York's Hudson Valley with her husband, two daughters, and two cats/writing assistants on the edge of deep woods that are most definitely filled with magic...she just hasn't found it yet. You can visit her online at www.jennifercastle.com.
GIVEAWAY
Giveaway Details:
1 winner will receive a finished copy of WHEN WE HAD SUMMER, US Only.
Ends May 6th, midnight EST.
TOUR SCHEDULE
Week One:
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4/1/2023 |
Excerpt/IG Post/TikTok Post |
Week Two:
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4/2/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/3/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/4/2023 |
IG Review |
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4/5/2023 |
Excerpt/IG Post |
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4/6/2023 |
Review |
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4/7/2023 |
IG Review |
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4/8/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
Week Three:
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4/9/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/10/2023 |
Review |
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4/11/2023 |
Review |
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4/12/2023 |
IG Review |
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4/13/2023 |
IG Review/LFL Drop Pic |
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4/14/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/15/2023 |
Review |
Week Four:
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4/16/2023 |
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4/17/2023 |
IG Post |
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4/18/2023 |
IG Review |
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4/19/2023 |
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4/20/2023 |
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4/21/2023 |
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4/22/2023 |
IG Post |
Week Five:
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4/23/2023 |
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4/24/2023 |
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4/25/2023 |
IG Review |
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4/26/2023 |
IG Review |
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4/27/2023 |
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4/28/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/29/2023 |
IG Review |
Week Six:
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4/30/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
