Blog Tour: WITCHBLOOD Review & Giveaway

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the WITCHBLOOD by Matthew Erman & Lisa Sterle Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: WITCHBLOOD: The Complete Series (Witchblood #1-10)

Author: Matthew Erman, Lisa Sterle (Illustrations),Gab Contreras, Jim Campbell

Pub. Date: April 12, 2022

Publisher: Wonderbound

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 128

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

A non-stop supernatural action adventure bathed in magic, blood, motorcycles, mayhem, vampires, and an unconventional. 1,000 year-old witch named Yonna.

MAGIC IS IN THE BLOOD

A modern, Wild West road trip about a witch named Yonna cruising the Southwest as a band of bloodthirsty biker vampires, The Hounds of Love, hunt her scattered coven for the source of all magic: witch blood. From the critically acclaimed creators of The Modern Witch Tarot Deck and Long Lost comes Witchblood, a blend of action, lore, and Americana—perfect for fans of Buffy and American Gods.

Reviews:

"Loud and brash and high-energy, the kind of thing that makes readers yearn to see what will come next...[packed with] gripping, stylish thrills." ― Women Write About Comics

"A mixtape in comic form, that blends familiar lore, with the roughness of the Wild West...the creative team has successfully given us a character who although vulnerable, packs some serious attitude, you can’t help but root for her, and with the dangers she has stumbled upon and the revelation of her WITCHBLOOD, we are on our way to be treated to some action-packed, magic in the making." ― Geek Network

"Witchblood #1 is a fun, splashy start to a stylish series." ― AV Club

"Want a chaotic, fun time? Witchblood is just the levels of chaos you need in your life." ― Wandering Nerd Girl

"Witchblood is the most beautiful form of a passion project...This comic really is something special, not just for fans of witchcraft and vampires, but for anyone who loves colour, representation, and the craft done right." ― The Valkyries

Named one of "the comics and graphic novels worth mentioning from 2021" ― THRILLIST

 

Review:

I wasn't too sure whether I would like this book, but with a cover like that I knew that at the very least I needed to read it. Seriously that cover is amazingly gorgeous and I am mildly obsessed with it.

One thing that needs to start this review is me discussing the art in this book. The art is freaking gorgeous. The characters all have unique styles that make them stand out and I didn't struggle to tell them apart from one another. The colors in this book are stunning and I am obsessed with how the colors were used to make a scene more dramatic or show the magic that was in use. Every frame felt poignant.

Storywise I quite enjoyed it. I don't think it's the best graphic novel I've ever read, but I enjoyed it. It was an interesting story and I liked watching how the plot moved along. I especially liked that Yonna didn't do everything out of the goodness of her own heart, in one situation she was actively forced to complete a quest.

If you want something with great art and a pretty decent story, I'd recommend this. It's got a badass witch and motorcycles and a vampires. It's a fun journey and I enjoyed the ride.

Seriously though, this art is absolutely amazing. I'm not a professional art critic, I just really like pretty drawings with good colors.

 

About Matthew Erman:

Matthew Erman is a comics writer from Columbus, Ohio. Alongside Lisa Sterle, he co-created the critically acclaimed comic horror series, Long Lost, which was optioned for Film/TV by Producer Jenny Klein (The Witcher, Daisy Jones and The Six). Erman has since worked on the comic book series Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance and graphic novel Power Rangers: Sins of the Future with BOOM! Studios, series Care Bears: Unlock the Magic with IDW, the upcoming  science fiction/ horror / humorous romance original graphic novel BONDING, with artist and co-creator Emily Pearson for Vault Comics, and the smash supernatural action adventure comics series (with artist/co-creator Lisa Sterle) from Vault Comics, WITCHBLOOD. His short work can be found in anthologies such as Corpus (2018), Dead Beats (2019) and Everything is Going Wrong (2019).

 

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

 

About Lisa Sterle:

Lisa Sterle is a Columbus artist with work spanning from comic books to concept design to pop-culture-fueled illustration. Her work is often bright, expressive, and occasionally tinged with horror— marrying her two favorite themes: the beautiful and the grotesque. She has worked with HarperCollins, IDW, Image, Archie Comics, Vault Comics, BOOM! Studios, and many others. She is the co-creator of monthly comics Long Lost and Submerged (Vault Comics), and Witchblood (Vault comics), as well as creator of The Modern Witch Tarot Deck, a modern and diverse interpretation of the classic Rider-Waite tarot deck. Currently she is working on the graphic novel Squad with writer Maggie Tokuda-Hall for Greenwillow Books.

WITCHBLOOD is the first time Lisa Sterle’s wider (witchy/tarot/occult) audience has access to her all-new  book (to be found in book stores in which they frequent), and it is her first creator-owned project since The Modern Witch Tarot.

As the creator of the smash, best-selling, The Modern Witch Tarot, Lisa has a super rabid fan base, and with over 16K Twitter followers, she is known as one of the most “influential witches in the world!”  Further, Lisa was voted by Watkins Body Mind Spirit Magazine as one of the Top 100 Most Spiritually Influential  Living People  (Pope Francis is #1, Dalai Lama is #2; Lisa is #92 – Neil de Grasse Tyson is #93!)

Here’s more about Lisa Sterle’s  diverse, all-female, Modern Witch Tarot:

• The Modern Witch Tarot has sold over TWO MILLION UNITS since its release on October 1, 2019
• The Modern Witch Tarot is the #1 Bestselling Tarot in the world – ever!
• It is the #1 BESTSELLER in Amazon’s Tarot category
• It is the #2 BESTSELLER in Amazon’s Fortune Telling category
• It is the #4 BESTSELLER in Amazon’s Witchcraft Religion & Spirituality category
• The Modern Witch Tarot has over 13,000 reviews
• The Modern Witch Tarot is rated 5 stars on Amazon
• The Modern Witch Tarot has been in the TOP 500 Books on Amazon since release
• The Modern Witch Tarot reinvented the Rider-Waite deck for modern use

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr | Goodreads

 

Giveaway Details:

2 winners will receive a finished copy of WITCHBLOOD, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

4/11/2022	Writer of Wrongs	Excerpt or Guest Post
4/12/2022	Wottaread Blog	Excerpt or Guest Post
4/13/2022	BookHounds YA	Excerpt or Guest Post/IG Post
4/14/2022	Sadie's Spotlight	Excerpt or Guest Post/IG Post
4/15/2022	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt or Guest Post
4/16/2022	See Sadie Read	Review

Week Two:

4/17/2022	A Court of Coffee and Books	Review
4/18/2022	@thebookishfoxwitch	Review
4/19/2022	The Momma Spot	Review
4/20/2022	Celia's Reads	Review
4/21/2022	Bri's Bookish	Review
4/22/2022	A Bookish Dream	Review
4/23/2022	Lifestyle of Me	Review

Week Three:

4/24/2022	Fyrekatz Blog	Review
4/25/2022	Eli to the nth	Review/IG Post
4/26/2022	Nerdophiles	Review
4/27/2022	The Clever Reader	Review/IG Post
4/28/2022	Nonbinary Knight Reads	Review
4/29/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review
4/30/2022	Vamplit	Review

Week Four:

5/1/2022	My Fictional Oasis	Review
5/2/2022	Pages_and_Procrastinaton	Review/IG Post
5/3/2022	Bookish Rantings	Excerpt or Guest Post/IG Post
5/4/2022	Emmiepooh2	Review
5/5/2022	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt or Guest Post
5/6/2022	@jaimerockstarbooktours	IG Post
5/7/2022	@lexijava	Review/IG Post

Review: DOUGHNUTS AND DOOM by Balazs Lorinczi

 

Book Details

Title: Doughnuts and Doom
Author: Balazs Lorinczi
Publisher: Top Shelf Productions
Publication Date: September 6, 2022
Genre(s): Young Adult, LGBT, Graphic Novel
Pages: 136
Bookshop Purchase Link: https://bookshop.org/a/67041/9781603095136

Book Tour: HONEY HARVEST

 

Book Details

Title: Honey Harvest
Author: Elissa Kerr
Publisher: Scenic Route Publishing
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
Genre(s): Childrens
Pages: 34
Summary:
It's late summertime in the meadow. Flowers are in full bloom and honeybees float on the warm breeze. It's now time to harvest honey from the hive.
Beautifully illustrated, this buzz-worthy book is the perfect introduction to the tools and traditions involved in beekeeping.
Bookshop Purchase Link: https://bookshop.org/a/67041/9781735236346

Review: ALICE AUSTEN LIVED HERE by Alex Gino

 

Book Details

Title: Alice Austen Lived Here
Author: Alex Gino
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: June 7, 2022
Genre(s): Middle Grade, LGBT, Contemporary
Pages: 162
Bookshop Purchase Link: https://bookshop.org/a/67041/9781338733891

Book Tour: POIKO Review & Giveaway

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the POIKO by Brian Middleton Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: POIKO: Quests Stuff

Author: Brian Middleton, Rebecca Taylor (Editor)

Pub. Date: April 12, 2022

Publisher: Wonderbound

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 128

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

A new adorable anthropomorphic adventurer awaits, and his name is Poiko! Perfect for fans of Mouse Guard, Little Robot, and Hilda!

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN “AVERAGE” DAY FOR POIKO!

Have you ever had to deliver a care package to a dragon with allergies? Have you ever been waylaid by a school of space fish? That’s just an average day for Poiko, the kingdom’s most reliable courier. The world can be a big, scary place, but it can also be wondrous. Sad things can happen, but there are always good friends to turn to, or new friends to make. And no matter what, there is always, always someone who could use your help. Poiko learns all these lessons and more every time he brushes his tail, pulls on his hoodie, and steps out into a new adventure. The philosophical whimsicality of Calvin & Hobbes meets the fantasy-scapes of Adventure Time in this modern-day classic.

“In this sincere and exuberant fantasy adventure … Fanciful, visually engrossing backdrops and the sprawling cast of characters bring to mind classic Sunday comic aesthetics.”  -- Publishers Weekly

#1 Weekly pick from Good Comics for Kids!

Reviews:

“In this sincere and exuberant fantasy adventure … Fanciful, visually engrossing backdrops and the sprawling cast of characters bring to mind classic Sunday comic aesthetics.”― PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

"Poiko: Quests and Stuff will delight young readers and drop them into a world that’s magical and interesting while reflecting something incredibly human in the way the characters interact with their community." -- Eliza Viera ― Gate Crashers

Download DIGITAL ITEMS (Bookmarks, Digital Wallpapers, and Poster), HERE!

https://www.readwonderbound.com/books/poiko-quests-and-stuff/

 

Rating: 5/5

Review:
THIS BOOK!

I thought that this book was absolutely, wonderfully, amazing! I loved every second of reading this and I am really, really hoping that there are more in the future.

I loved the art in this graphic novel. It was simplistic and absolutely stunning. None of the space in the panels felt wasted. The artist did an amazing job at conveying the wonder of the world and the emotions of the characters.

The thing I loved the most about this book was how simply the world was built up. There wasn't a whole lot of lore or backstory, everything just was. There were mermaids and adventures and spacefish. Each page seemed to show a creature of some sort just existing in this world. It was amazing.

Poiko and Kens have such a beautiful friendship. It's clear that they've been friends for years at that point and they work off each other so beautifully. I loved their friendship and their friendship/companionship with the others that they encounter along the way.

I loved reading this book but honestly, I think I'd want to experience this book as a video game. That might sound weird but the world that's built in this book is amazing and I think it would make for a gorgeous cozy delivery game.

I don't know for sure what age this book is meant for, but it's a younger crowd. However, as a 24-year-old, I loved it. It was stunningly beautiful, fantasticly whimsical, and also tackled some relatively difficult topics in a nice way for kids to understand.

 

About Brian Middleton:

Brian Middleton has been telling stories in one form or another for his whole life. His first comic book (published by his brother's 4th grade teacher and the school's copy machine) sold out at the distributor level. After that there was no looking back! He continued drawing as the years went on and wrote several short stories. Eventually he married the woman of his dreams and together they started a family. At this point his mind began to drift back to his first creative passion: comic books! After dipping his toe in the water with a handful of self-published and work-for-hire comics he decided to take the deep dive and create his first series, Wulfborne. The three issue mini-series, published by Scout Comics, released in February 2019 to rave reviews. The comics review site, Reading With A Flight Ring, called the book "an understated masterpiece of fiction" and called Brian "a madman, a fool and a genius", which, as far as anyone knows, is all true. With the creation of Wulfborne complete Brian has turned his creative attention toward his next project, Poiko: Quests and Stuff. The rest of his attention is focused squarely on his one wonderful wife, two beautiful daughters and six (feel free, dear reader, to fill in here the adjective of your choice) cats.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

 

Giveaway Details:

2 winners will receive a finished copy of POIKO, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

4/11/2022	Celia's Reads	Guest Post/IG Post
4/11/2022	Wottaread Blog	Guest Post
4/12/2022	Lady Hawkeye	Guest Post/IG Post
4/12/2022	Two Chicks on Books	Guest Post
4/13/2022	@jaimerockstarbooktours	IG Post
4/13/2022	GivernyReads	Review/IG Post
4/14/2022	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
4/14/2022	BookHounds YA	Guest Post/IG Post
4/15/2022	@coffeesipsandreads	Review
4/15/2022	Little Red Reads	Review

Week Two:

4/18/2022	onemoreexclamation	Review/IG Post
4/18/2022	Bri's Bookish	Review
4/19/2022	Nonbinary Knight Reads	Review/IG Post
4/19/2022	Lifestyle of Me	Review
4/20/2022	The Clever Reader	Review/IG Post
4/20/2022	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post
4/21/2022	Nerdophiles	Review
4/21/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review
4/22/2022	YABooksCentral	Guest Post
4/22/2022	More Books Please blog	Review/IG Post

Review: WITCHLINGS by Claribel Ortega

 

Book Details

Title: Witchlings
Author: Claribel Ortega
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: April 5, 2022
Genre(s): Middle Grade, Paranormal, Fantasy, Magical
Pages: 352
Bookshop Purchase Link: https://bookshop.org/a/67041/9781338745528

Blog Tour: A DARKENING OF DRAGONS Review & Giveaway

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the A DARKENING OF DRAGONS by S.A. Patrick Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: A DARKENING OF DRAGONS (Songs of Magic #1)

Author: S.A. Patrick

Pub. Date: April 1, 2022

Publisher: Peachtree Publishing Company

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 400

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

Three accidental heroes encounter one legendary villain in an epic dragon-filled adventure just right for young fans of Terry Pratchett, J.R.R. Tolkien, and How to Train Your Dragon!

13-year old piper Patch Brightwater is a boy in disgrace. Thrown in jail for playing a forbidden spell, he is no one's idea of a hero. But then he discovers a deadly truth – the evil Piper of Hamelyn is on the loose.

With the help of Wren, a girl cursed to live as a rat, and Barver, a fire-breathing dracogriff, Patch must stop the Piper from sparking the biggest battle of them all.

S.A. Patrick’s debut children’s novel is a vivid retelling of one of the darkest legends of all time – the Piper of Hamelyn. Combining fairy tale lore with the very best of modern storytelling and empowerment, A Darkening of Dragons takes fantasy fans on a journey filled with adventure, magic, and the delight of finding friends in unexpected places. Perfect for fans of The Hobbit, Terry Pratchett’s Tiffany Aching books, and How to Train Your Dragon.

A Carnegie Medal nominee. 

 

Rating: 5/5

Review:
This book was absolutely amazing! I don't know for sure what I was expecting from it, but it surpassed all expectations.

The characters in this book are amazing. I loved all three of the main characters, although I think Wren is my personal favorite. Patch is a confused sweetheart just trying to avoid a serious punishment and I absolutely love him. Wren is stubborn which says a lot considering she spends a lot of time as a rat. Barver is a dracogriff and I really wish those were real.

The magic in this world is a lot of fun. The way it's woven, at least Patch's magic, through the use of a pipe was creatively amusing. I love it.

The descriptions in this book were amazing. I got goosebumps with the way some of the fights were described. Just stunning!

This is apparently the start to a series and I am already aching for another book. I can't wait to see where else this story goes.

 

About S.A. Patrick:

S. A. Patrick was born in Belfast. When he was a child, he wanted to write video games, become an author, and have magical powers. The first two came true. If he ever does get magical powers, he hopes people like dragons and griffins because there’ll suddenly be a lot of them around. He lives in England.

 

Twitter | Goodreads

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of A DARKENING OF DRAGONS, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

3/28/2022	Kait Plus Books	Excerpt/IG Post
3/28/2022	@enjoyingbooksagain	Excerpt
3/29/2022	Books a Plenty Book Reviews	Review
3/29/2022	More Books Please blog	Review/IG Post
3/30/2022	The Bookwyrm's Den	Review
3/30/2022	Log Cabin Library	Review
3/31/2022	Nerdophiles	Review
3/31/2022	Onemused	IG Spotlight
4/1/2022	Nonbinary Knight Reads	Review/IG Post
4/1/2022	Lifestyle of Me	Review

Week Two:

4/4/2022	Ravenz Reviewz	Review/IG Post
4/4/2022	@coffeesipsandreads	Review
4/5/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review
4/5/2022	One More Exclamation	Review/IG Post
4/6/2022	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
4/6/2022	BookHounds YA	Review
4/7/2022	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post
4/7/2022	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post
4/8/2022	Locks, Hooks and Books	Review
4/8/2022	@lexijava	Review/IG Post