A Dream Within A Dream: The Life and Death Parade Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

THE LIFE AND DEATH PARADE
Author: Eliza Wass
Publication Date: June 26, 2018
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Pages: 256

Description:

One year ago, Kitty's boyfriend Nikki Bramley visited a psychic who told him he had no future. Now, he's dead.

With the Bramley family grieving in separate corners of their home, Kitty sets out to find the psychic who read Nikki his fate. Instead she finds Roan, an enigmatic boy posing as a medium who belongs to the Life and Death Parade--a group of supposed charlatans that explore, and exploit, the thin veil between this world and the next. A group whose members include the psychic... and Kitty's late mother.

Desperate to learn more about the group and their connection to Nikki, Kitty convinces Roan to return to the Bramley house with her and secures a position for him within the household. Roan quickly ingratiates himself with the Bramleys, and soon enough it seems like everyone is ready to move on. Kitty, however, increasingly suspects Roan knows more about Nikki than he's letting on. And when they finally locate the Life and Death Parade, and the psychic who made that fateful prophecy to Nikki, Kitty uncovers a secret about Roan that changes everything.

From rising star Eliza Wass comes a sophisticated, mesmerizing meditation on the depths of grief and the magic of faith. After all, it only works if you believe it.

Find it: Amazon, B&N, iBooks, TBD, Goodreads

The Life and Death Parade is a fantastic novel that blends fantasy, magic, and the supernatural with hard life topics like death, grief, and love. I wasn't quite sure what to expect going in to this book, but it seemed like something I would enjoy. I'm so glad that I gave it a chance because I ended up liking it much more than I thought I would. I loved the setting and backdrop of the story - an old English castle inhabited by a very wealthy family that has fallen apart due to the death of one of their own. It created a haunted and somewhat creepy feel and I just think it was a great place for the story to take place. The characters were all well rounded and made the story come to life for me. I loved getting to know Kitty as the story unfolded, as well as the members of the Bramley family, and Roan. They each had unique personalities and traits that made them realistic and easy to identify with. Strangely enough, Nikki - the "ghost" that is haunting everyone throughout the novel, was also a major character and I liked getting to know him too. I liked watching them each change in different ways during the book, especially concerning one another and Nikki.

As I mentioned, the plot mixes both the supernatural with realistic issues. I thought it was an interesting blend of topics and created a wonderful story magical in so many ways - not just the ones expected. It's a story of grief, forgiveness, love, friendship, loss, family, and so many other rough and relevant topics that it'll speak to readers of all ages. I highly recommend this book for fans of fantasy, paranormal/supernatural, contemporary, romance, and even mysteries.

Eliza Wass is an author, journalist and the wife of the late musician Alan Wass. Her debut novel, The Cresswell Plot, was published in 2016 to critical acclaim by Disney-Hyperion. She has contributed articles to The Guardian, Grazia, NME, Shortlist and THE FALL.

Her second book with Disney-Hyperion, The Life and Death Parade, will be published in June 2018.

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