Hunting November Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

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

HUNTING NOVEMBER (Killing November 
#2)

Author: Adriana Mather

Release Date: May 5, 2020

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook

Pages: 368

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

Description:

Surviving a few weeks at the world's most lethal boarding school was one thing. But now comes the real test: Can November Adley find her missing father before her enemies find her? Subterfuge is the name of the game in this thrilling sequel to Killing November, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Hang a Witch.

After surviving a crash course in espionage at the mysterious Academy Absconditi, November has only one purpose: finding her missing father. Along with fellow student (and heartthrob) Ash, November follows the clues that her father left, embarking on the deadliest treasure hunt of her life. The first clue is in her hometown, where old friends beckon and unexpected enemies lurk around every corner. The second clue is in Europe, where revelations about her family's history will plunge her into an international web of deception, lies, and intrigue. The third clue is deep in enemy territory, surrounded by the most skilled assassins and master strategists, and where everyone wants her and her father dead. Can one girl with limited training infiltrate a centuries-old organization that is powerful enough to topple empires? November only knows that she'll do whatever it takes to save her father...or die trying. 

About Book 1:

KILLING NOVEMBER (Killing November #1)

Author: Adriana Mather

Release Date: March 26, 2019

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Formats: Paperback, eBook, audiobook

Pages: 368

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

Description:

It’s a school completely off the grid, hidden by dense forest and surrounded by traps. There’s no electricity, no internet, and an eye-for-an-eye punishment system. Classes include everything from Knife-Throwing and Poisons to the Art of Deception and Historical Analysis. And all of the students are children of the world’s most elite strategists—training to become assassins, counselors, spies, and master impersonators. Into this world walks November Adley, who quickly discovers that friends are few in a school where personal revelations are discouraged and competition is everything. When another student is murdered, all eyes turn to November, who must figure out exactly how she fits into the school’s bizarre strategy games before she is found guilty of the crime…or becomes the killer’s next victim.

Praise for Killing November:

“Adriana Mather deftly combines cinematic action, relatable characters, and wicked twists in this riveting boarding school thriller.” — Karen M. McManus, New York Times bestselling author of One of Us is Lying

“Mather has built a dark, intriguing universe. Between the boarding-school setting, the lessons in espionage, and the murder mystery, there’s plenty to grab readers.” —Booklist

“Subterfuge is the name of the game at an elite and secretive prep school. Revelations are well-paced....Anything is possible in this world of cloaks and daggers. A strong beginning that will leave readers hungry for more.” —Kirkus

Listen to an audio clip of HUNTING NOVEMBER!

PRH Audio · Hunting November by Adriana Mather, read by Cassandra Morris

Hunting November is the second book in a thrilling young adult series that readers are sure to love. After reading and loving the first book, I had pretty high expectations and hopes going into this one. I'm happy to report that I wasn't disappointed in the least. Everything that I loved about the first installment carried over into this book. November was an awesome main character. She's realistic and I easily identified with her right from the beginning of the first book, so when I read this one, it felt like I was meeting up with an old friend. She continues to be smart, strong, determined, and generally badass. She has her flaws like everyone else and we get to see both sides of her, which made her feel all the more realistic. I loved getting to know her even better in this book.

The plot was intriguing and full of twists and turns, secrets and lies, and lots of thrills. I loved how the story had us solving clues and chasing the answers down all over the world. Figuring out the clues was a lot of fun for me and I loved piecing it all together. Although the plot wasn't wholly original (which is basically true for any book these days), the author put a lot of thought and uniqueness into it to make it stand apart from anything else out there. The last thing I want to talk about is the writing style. It always plays a huge part for me and can make or break a book. The author wrote the story in the first person point of view from November's perspective. The first person is by far my favorite writing style because it allows the reader to have a deeper connection with the narrator. I love that the author chose to tell the story from November's POV because it felt like I was right there alongside her throughout everything that happens and I liked getting to know her character even better than I had before. Overall, this was a fantastic book and a wonderful second installment in a thrilling young adult series. Highly recommended for fans of the genre and readers who enjoy the author's other works.

Adriana Mather is the New York Times bestselling author of How to Hang a Witch, with family roots that go back to Sleepy Hollow, the Salem Witch Trials, and the Titanic. She's also an actor and producer best known for her role in the award-winning Honeyglue. She co-owns Zombot Pictures, a production company that makes feature films. Her first acting scene in a film ever was with Danny Glover, and she was terrified she would mess it up. In addition, her favorite food is pizza, she has too many cats, and a deep abiding love for all things autumnal.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram |Goodreads

(3) winners will win a finished copy of HUNTING NOVEMBER - US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

4/27/2020	momfluenster	Spotlight
4/28/2020	She Just Loves Books	Review
4/29/2020	Confessions of a YA Reader	Review
4/30/2020	Jena Brown Writes	Review
5/1/2020	Smada's Book Smack	Review

Week Two:

5/4/2020	Nerdophiles	Review
5/5/2020	popthebutterfly reads	Review
5/6/2020	A Dream Within A Dream	Review
5/7/2020	Locks, Hooks and Books	Interview
5/8/2020	Wishful Endings	Interview

Haunting the Deep Blog Tour: Review

Haunting the Deep (How to Hang a Witch #2)
Author: Adriana Mather
Genre: YA Paranormal
Release Date: October 3, 2017
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Description:

The Titanic meets the delicious horror of Ransom Riggs and the sass of Mean Girls in this follow-up to the #1 New York Times bestseller How to Hang a Witch, in which a contemporary teen finds herself a passenger on the famous “ship of dreams”—a story made all the more fascinating because the author’s own relatives survived the doomed voyage.

Samantha Mather knew her family’s connection to the infamous Salem Witch Trials might pose obstacles to an active social life. But having survived one curse, she never thought she’d find herself at the center of a new one.

This time, Sam is having recurring dreams about the Titanic...where she’s been walking the deck with first-class passengers, like her aunt and uncle. Meanwhile, in Sam’s waking life, strange missives from the Titanic have been finding their way to her, along with haunting visions of people who went down with the ship.

Ultimately, Sam and the Descendants, along with some help from heartthrob Elijah, must unravel who is behind the spell that is drawing her ever further into the dream ship...and closer to sharing the same grim fate as its ghostly passengers.  

Praise for HAUNTING THE DEEP:

“Readers who were intrigued by How to Hang a Witch (2016) will be eager for this unexpected sequel, which continues in much the same vein, blending a historical tragedy with an atmospheric mystery.” ─ Booklist

Haunting the Deep is a wonderful second installment in a young adult paranormal series that brings Salem's infamous Witch Trials into the twenty-first century. I've always been incredibly fascinated by the Salem Witch Trials - there's so much interesting history and so many stories surrounding them. With this book, the author included the infamous Titanic tragedy and managed to infuse Salem and its magic with the past in a way that felt believable. After loving the first book, I have to admit that I had high hopes for this novel - and I'm so happy that I wasn't disappointed in the least. The author does another superb job weaving together history, superstition, modern teenage problems, and magic to create an awesome novel that had me hooked from the very beginning. I loved basically everything about the book and have no real complaints (except that I wished it could've been longer and possibly a bit creepier, but that's just my personal opinion). 

The characters were all well rounded with unique traits and personalities - especially our main character, Samantha "Sam" Mather. I really connected with her early on in the story and I loved getting to know her on an even deeper level (after the first book) and discovering all the strange things about the Titanic and it's history alongside her. She's smart, a good student, a loving daughter, and down to earth - but she's quite straightforward and has a sarcastic attitude. She was an great mix of snarky and sweet - bold but shy and unsure at the same time. The book is told from Sam's point of view, which really allows the reader to connect with her on a deeply personal level. By the end of the book, it felt like I had been right beside Sam during the entire story. If you've read my reviews before, you know I'm a huge advocate of the first person point of view - which is no exception with this book.

Every other aspect of the novel was well done - the setting was perfect, the plot was enticing and full of great supernatural twists and historical aspects, and the writing itself was fluid and had a quick pace. I was sucked into Sam's world from the very first page and I didn't stop reading until I had finished the entire book - which only took a few hours. All of the elements in the novel worked very well together and they came together to create a really fascinating and fun book that fans of the genre will be sure to love. Very highly recommended for fans of paranormal, fantasy, historical fiction, and contemporary fiction!

Adriana Mather, the New York Times bestselling author of HOW TO HANG A WITCH, is a full-time writer, producer, and actor. She owns a production company called Zombot Pictures, which has produced three films, including the award-winning Honeyglue. She lives in Los Angeles, California. Not only can Adriana trace her ancestry back to Cotton Mather and the Salem Witch Trials, she also has relatives who survived the sinking of the Titanic. Look for her on Twitter at @AdrianaMather and on Facebook at @AdrianaMatherauthor.

 

http://www.zombotpictures.com/ 

http://www.twitter.com/AdrianaMather 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Hang a Witch Blog Tour: Review

How to Hang a Witch
Author: Adriana Mather
Genre: YA Fantasy/Paranormal
Release Date: July 26, 2016
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Description:

It's the Salem Witch Hunt meets Mean Girls in this deliciously suspenseful novel by an author who is a descendant of one the real trial's most infamous accusers.

Samantha Mather has just moved to Salem, Massachusetts from New York City in the wake of her father's mysterious illness. But Mathers have lived in Salem for centuries and Sam is the ancestor of Cotton Mather—one of the architects of the Salem Witch Trials. Her name precedes her, and comes with too many stigmas. Before long, Sam finds herself at odds with The Descendants, a powerful group of girls who also have ties to the trials; only their ancestors were on the other end of the noose.
Before long, Sam realizes she is at the center of a centuries old curse that is tying her fate, as well as her father's, to her new enemies. Can she overcome her family's past and break the cycle of unexplained deaths or will she discover just how easy it can be to hang a witch?

"I am utterly addicted to Adriana Mather's electric debut. It keeps you on the edge of your seat, twisting and turning with ghosts, witches, an ancient curse, and—sigh— romance. It's beautiful. Haunting." —Jennifer Niven, New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places  

How to Hang a Witch is a wonderful young adult fantasy that brings Salem's infamous Witch Trials into the twenty-first century. I've always been incredibly fascinated by the Salem Witch Trials - there's so much interesting history and so many stories surrounding them. On top of my intrigue with that subject, I also have a huge soft spot for anything revolving around witches and magic - so this book went immediately to the top of my wishlist. Modern day Salem with ghosts and a real life curse? Yes, please! I have to admit that I had high hopes for this novel and I'm so happy to report that I wasn't disappointed in the least. The author does a superb job weaving together history, superstition, modern teenage problems, and magic to create one awesome novel that had me hooked from the very beginning. I loved pretty much everything about the book and have no real complaints (except that I wished it could've been longer and possibly a bit creepier, but that's just my personal opinion). The characters were all well rounded with unique traits and personalities - especially our main character, Samantha "Sam" Mather. I really connected with her early on in the story and I loved getting to know her and discover all the strange things about Salem and it's history alongside her. She's smart, a good student, a loving daughter, and down to earth - but she's also lonely and has no real friends due to bad luck (or a curse, as suggested by others) and her straightforward and sarcastic attitude. She was an interesting mix of snarky and sweet - bold but shy at the same time. The book is told from Sam's point of view, which really allows the reader to connect with her on a deeply personal level. By the end of the book, it felt like I had been right beside Sam during the entire story. If you've read my reviews before, you know I'm a huge advocate of the first person point of view - which is no exception with this book.

Every other aspect of the novel was well done - the setting was perfect (obviously), the plot was enticing and full of great supernatural twists, and the writing itself was fluid and had a quick pace. I was sucked into Sam's world from the very first page and I didn't stop reading until I had finished the entire book - which only took a few hours. All of the elements in the novel worked very well together and they came together to create a really fascinating and fun book that fans of the genre will be sure to love. Very highly recommended for fans of paranormal, fantasy, historical fiction, and contemporaries!

Adriana Mather is the 12th generation of Mathers in America, and as such her family has their fingers in many of its historical pies – the Mayflower, the Salem Witch Trials, the Titanic, the Revolutionary War, and the wearing of curly white wigs. Also, Adriana co-owns a production company, Zombot Pictures, in LA that has made three feature films in three years. Her first acting scene in a film ever was with Danny Glover, and she was terrified she would mess it up. In addition, her favorite food is pizza and she has too many cats.

http://www.zombotpictures.com/ 
http://www.twitter.com/AdrianaMather