Corpse & Crown Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

Corpse & Crown (Cadaver & Queen #2)
Author: Alisa Kwitney
Genre: YA Historical Fantasy/Retelling
Release Date: February 12, 2019
Publisher: Inkyard Press

Description:

Agatha DeLacey’s family isn’t rich or titled, so studying nursing at Ingold’s East End hospital in London is a rare opportunity for her. Despite the school’s focus on the innovative Bio-Mechanical program, Aggie cares more about the desperately poor human patients who flood the hospital, even if that means providing unauthorized treatment after-hours…and trusting a charming, endlessly resourceful thief.

But the Artful Dodger is barely a step ahead of his underworld rivals, the menacing Bill Sykes and mercurial Oliver Twist, and Aggie’s association with him soon leads her into danger. When a brutal attack leaves her blind, she and the Dodger find themselves at the mercy of an experimental Bio-Mech surgery. Though the procedure restores Aggie’s sight, her new eyes come at an unnerving cost, and the changes in Dodger are even more alarming—instead of seeing Aggie as the girl he fancies, he now views her as a potential threat.

As war between England and Germany brews on the horizon and a sinister medical conspiracy threatens to shatter the uneasy peace in Europe, Aggie and the Dodger must find a way to work together so they can protect their friends and expose the truth…even if it means risking their own survival.

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

 

Corpse & Crown is the thrilling second book in a young adult series that blends together historical fantasy with retellings of classic novels. In this case, the author gives us a retelling of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. The world building really caught my attention, as it brought the historical setting to life in front of my eyes. I was pulled into Aggie's world right from the beginning and it felt as if I was right there beside her during the entire story.

Aggie was a great main character for the novel. She's smart, strong, has high morals and ethics, and is determined to do what is ultimately right - even if that might mean breaking some rules or laws along the way. I liked watching her character grow, change and mature throughout the story. It made her character all the more realistic and easy to identify with. The other major characters were well rounded and I enjoyed seeing how Aggie interacted with them along with how their interpersonal relationships developed and changed over time. Sadly, I haven't read Oliver Twist, so I can't compare the book's plot to the classic novel. You obviously don't have to read the original to understand or get into this story, but I'm sure it would've been cool to see where the two stories lined up and what the author included from the original story. I definitely recommend this book to fans of YA fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction, and even romance.

I'm the author of YA, graphic novels and novels for adults who still feel young, at least most of the time.
 
My latest books are Cadaver & Queen from Harlequin Teen, a Feminist Frankenstein meets Grey's Anatomy tale, and Mystik U from DC Comics, which features Zatanna and other magical characters in their first year at college.

My first novel, Till the Fat Lady Sings, is also about college and romance and eating disorders. (It was my thesis at Columbia University's MFA Program, where I felt like an outlier for liking comic books and romance as much as literature.) I was an editor at Vertigo, the mature/dark fantasy branch of DC Comics, before going freelance. (I've also written two hormonal werewolf books as Alisa Sheckley.)

I live in an old house in Rhinebeck, NY with my husband, my cat, and the occasional visiting skunk. (Author bio taken from Goodreads.)

Website | Facebook | Twitter

 (1) lucky winner will win both books in the series - Cadaver & Queen and Corpse & Crown - Open to US residents only!

To enter the giveaway, leave a meaningful comment and a way for me to contact you if you're selected as the winner. Good luck!

Alisa Kwitney’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, February 11th: Storied Adventures and @storied.adventures

Tuesday, February 12th: A Holland Reads – spotlight

Wednesday, February 13th: A Dream Within A Dream

Monday, February 18th: @ladyofthelibrary

Tuesday, February 19th: Bookworm for Kids

Wednesday, February 20th: Cheryl’s Book Nook

Monday, February 25th: @amberafterglowreads

Wednesday, February 27th: Girls in Books and @girlsinbooks

Thursday, February 28th: @megabunnyreads

Monday, March 4th: Thoughts from a Highly Caffeinated Mind and @artbookscoffee

Wednesday, March 6th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Monday, March 11th: Rockin’ Book Reviews