Blog Tour: WINTER THRILLS, HOLIDAY CHILLS by Vault Comics

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the WINTER THRILLS, HOLIDAY CHILLS! from VAULT Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway! 

WINTER is the second scariest time of year. And it’s not just because of the terror of last-minute gift buying, frightening crowds, and haunting memories of holiday gatherings past. Specters cast dark shadows in snow, frost covers every inch of your sanctuary, and a variety of monsters from world legend and lore stalk your dreams from the child-eating Icelandic Yule Cat, to Northern Europe’s icy wielder of justice Frau Hölle and her Wild Hunt, to Germany’s devilish anti-Santa, Krampus, the Kallikantzaros evil goblins from Greece, and the Alpine witch Frau Perchta and her Kraumpus-like minions, the Perchten.

VAULT Comics knows this terror, feels your pain, and wants to share the horror… 

Enter VAULT’s bone-chilling list of most popular horror, fantasy, and science fiction titles, with the best talent in SFFH comics with a WINTER THRILLS, HOLIDAY CHILLS!, Holiday Special!  This Winter, slay/sleigh those demons of indecision with the best in creator-owned Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror!

Here’s a list of all of the titles & authors participating in the tour! Check out each individual blog/Instagram/or booktok (schedule below) for more details on each book!

DARK ONE by Brandon Sanderson

 

END AFTER END by David “DB” Andry, Tim Daniel, Sunando C (Illustrator)

 

MINDSET by Zack Kaplan & John J. Pearson (Illustrator)

MONEY SHOT Volumes 1-3 by Tim Seeley,  Sarah Beattie, Rebekah Isaacs (Illustrator)

MONEY SHOT VOL 1

MONEY SHOT VOL 2

MONEY SHOT VOL 3

THE BLUE FLAME by Christopher Cantwell & Adam Gorham (Illustrator)

 

WEST OF SUNDOWN Volumes 1 & 2 by Tim Seeley & Aaron Campbell, Jim Terry (Illustrations)

WEST OF SUNDOWN VOL. 1: Out Beyond the Dust N' Dark

WEST OF SUNDOWN VOL. 2: Youthful Blasphemy

 

WITCHBLOOD by Matthew Erman & Lisa Sterle (Illustrator)

 

HEART EYES by Dennis Hopeless & Víctor Ibáñez (Illustrator) YA Crossover

 

 

Dark One

Rating: 5/5

Thoughts: Something about this graphic novel just hit me exactly where I wanted it! It was pretty much anything I could have wanted and I blew through the graphic novel like it was a short story! Definitely worth a read.

End After End

Rating: 3/5

Thoughts: I definitely want to give this book another shot at some point. I just didn't care for the story at the time, but I think it had a lot to do with when I read it. Otherwise, I think I would have enjoyed it more. It's definitely an interesting setup if nothing else.

Mindset

Rating: 4/5

Thoughts: I'm still a bit confused by this book, but in a good way. I became thoroughly invested in the story once I started reading it and it was worth it! It was just a lot of fun, even when parts of it had me a bit confused.

The Blue Flame

Rating: 4/5

Thoughts: This was an interesting story. I thought Sam was a very intriguing character and the book asked some interesting questions. I enjoyed most of it!

Witchblood

Rating: 5/5

Thoughts: This graphic novel was vivid and chaotic in all of the best ways. I thought it was a truly interesting story and the characters were a lot of fun.

Money Shot Vol. 1-3

Rating: 4/5

Thoughts: I thought this was a fun set of comics. I don't know what it was about it, but it just hit me right were I wanted at the time. I think it was the strange humor throughout the books.

West of Sundown Vol. 1-2

Rating: 3/5

Thoughts: I wanted to like this graphic novel, and on another day I might, but it just didn't sit right for me. I just didn't find myself overly invested in the story.

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will win finished copies of every book featured in the CHILLING HOLIDAYS from VAULT tour, US Only. 

1 winner will win eBooks of every book featured in the CHILLING HOLIDAYS from VAULT tour, International.

Ends January 6^th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

12/1/2023	Lady Hawkeye	FEATURE- WEST OF SUNDOWN
12/2/2023	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	FEATURE- END AFTER END

Week Two:

12/3/2023	Comic Book Yeti	FEATURE- HEART EYES
12/4/2023	Two Chicks on Books	FEATURE- MONEY SHOT
12/5/2023	Kountry Girl Bookaholic	FEATURE- THE BLUE FLAME
12/6/2023	Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's	FEATURE- WITCHBLOOD
12/7/2023	The Book View	IG Post
12/8/2023	@darkfantasyreviews	IG Post
12/9/2023	@dreaminginpages	IG Post

Week Three:

12/10/2023	celiamcmahonreads	IG Post
12/11/2023	Eli to the nth	Review/IG Post
12/12/2023	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
12/13/2023	GryffindorBookishnerd	IG Review
12/14/2023	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
12/15/2023	@book.reviews.letters.and.recs	IG Review
12/16/2023	@enthuse_reader	IG Review/TikTok Post

Week Four:

12/17/2023	@pagesforpaige	IG Review
12/18/2023	Jaimes_mystical_library	IG Review
12/19/2023	Nonbinary Knight Reads	Review/IG Post
12/20/2023	Books With a Chance	Review/IG Post
12/21/2023	One More Exclamation	IG Post
12/22/2023	@ohyouread	IG Review
12/23/2023	travelersguidetobooks	IG Review

Week Five:

12/24/2023	@lfl_onhst	IG Post
12/25/2023	jlreadstoperpetuity	IG Review/TikTok Post
12/26/2023	Sadie's Spotlight	Feature- DARK ONE
12/27/2023	bookgirlbrown_reviews	FEATURE- MINDSET/Review/IG Post
12/28/2023	The Momma Spot	Review
12/29/2023	Here's to Happy Endings	Review/IG Post
12/30/2023	@ashe_and_ink	IG Review

Week Six:

12/31/2023

Destiny's Direction

Review/IG Post

Book Tour: TIMID review + author interview

 

Book Details

Title: Timid
Author: Harry Woodgate
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Genre(s): Childrens, LGBT, Picture Book
Pages: 32
Format: Physical
Representation: Nonbinary

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Rating: 5/5

Favorite Quote/Scene: 
Meeting Nia

Review: 
Thank you so, so much for Hear Our Voices Tours for allowing me to take part in this book tour!! I love Harry Woodgate's books and I especially love a book with a nonbinary main character! Make sure to check out the tour schedule to see what other wonderful tours and hosts were a part of this tour!

This is a beautiful book! I'm starting to expect that from Harry Woodgate's books. They are colorful and gorgeous and very well-written.

This book has a nice story with a strong impact to me! Especially considering the main character is nonbinary which isn't something we typically get in picture books.

The character's journey throughout the book is actually pretty great! It's not a permanent answer to that fear and anxiety, but it's definitely a better approach then just trying to ignore it or sink into it!

I loved this book! It was exactly what I had hoped for!

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How did you get the idea for this book?

I came up with the idea for Timid in early 2020, a few weeks before the first lockdown here in the UK. I was sat in a local coffee shop with my sketchbook, and I drew a lion with a multicoloured mane. I liked the character, so as the world shut down over the next few months, I began to explore what their story might be.

The themes of shyness and anxiety I drew from my own childhood. They're feelings many kids struggle with, and whether it's taking part in a school performance, playing a sport, making new friends or speaking in front of your class, these experiences can feel really daunting, so I wanted to create a story which spoke to and encouraged those readers in a gentle and reassuring way.

Why use a lion to showcase the fear?

There are quite a few books that use big cats as metaphors for worry and fear, but the main reason I chose to include the lion alongside Timmy was because it allowed me to create a playful visual relationship between the two characters, mirroring and contrasting the different emotions Timmy feels throughout the story in the illustrations. I also liked the idea that perhaps this bold, colourful lion was not just representative of Timmy's shyness but also of their vibrant imagination and inner world: sometimes these things can be two sides of the same coin.

The second reason is that one of my favourite soft toys when I was small was a lion called George, so it felt like a fitting tribute!

As a nonbinary reader, I loved that the main character used they/them pronouns. Why did you choose to have it that way?

That means a lot to hear, thank you. I chose to include a non-binary character because there are still relatively few picture books that feature non-binary identities, though there will certainly be young readers who are either beginning to explore their own relationship to gender, or who may have non-binary or gender non-conforming people in their life.

Picture books are excellent tools for building empathy, as well as equipping children and caregivers with the language and space to safely navigate important topics together. Hopefully Timid achieves this whilst most importantly being an enjoyable story.

What do you like to do to overcome nervousness or shyness?

I think more than anything, I've learnt the importance of nurturing those friendships where you become bolder, brighter, more authentic versions of yourselves in each other's company - and the importance of understanding and respecting your own boundaries. Whilst it's good to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and face your fears, doing so with kindness and allowing yourself the space to process your emotions is far better than just trying to power through.

How did you come up with Timmy and Nia's names?

Timmy's name is a bit of a pun on the book's title, Timid. I'm not entirely sure where Nia's name came from: I think it just sounded friendly, which suits her personality.

Do you have a favorite illustration in this book?

I'm really happy with the playground bench scene where Timmy, Nia and the lion are surrounded by colourful macaws, as well as the final illustration where Timmy and Nia put on their costumes and take to the stage. Both are anticipatory moments - the beginnings of a new friendship, or the start of a performance - and I think I'm drawn to the latent emotion within those situations.

What's your favorite part of your job?

I love doing events, meeting readers and seeing the books I've made out in the world, but, perhaps necessarily, I think my favourite part of the job is the physical process of writing and illustrating: the routine of it; the passing of time; the many small decisions, reflections and conversations that go into creating each story.

Book Tour: WE ARE THE CRISIS review + 15 thoughts while reading

 

Book Details

Title: We Are the Crisis
Author: Cadwell Turnbull
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Publication Date: November 7, 2023
Genre(s): Adult, Horror, Paranormal, Fantasy
Pages: 338
Bookshop Purchase Link: https://bookshop.org/a/67041/9781982603755