THE WICKED DEEP Blog Tour: Review + Guest Post from Shea Ernshaw

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THE WICKED DEEP by Shea Ernshaw

Source: Received an ARC to participate in the blog tour and give an honest review.
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: March 6th, 2018
Number of Pages: 320 (Hardcover)

Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…

Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town.

Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.

Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into.

Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters.

But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself.

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REVIEW

For as long as I can remember, I've been a ginormous super fan of witchy movies. I remember going to my grandma and papa's house and watching HOCUS POCUS every chance I got, and I remember watching PRACTICAL MAGIC and listening to the soundtrack with my mom. When I first heard about THE WICKED DEEP and saw the stunning cover, I immediately added it to my to-read list...and I jumped to get a chance to read it as soon as I could! Once I started reading, I didn't want to and couldn't put it down! :)

THE WICKED DEEP was packed full of witchy goodness, and it had that wonderful foreboding tone that all the greatest stories based on curses have. It really did remind me of HOCUS POCUS and PRACTICAL MAGIC with the premise and the way that the story unfolded. The Swan sisters also gave me serious Winifred/Mary/Sarah and Sally/Gillian vibes! I'm not sure what I was expecting going in, but I didn't really expect to see any parts of the story in the past, but I really loved that you did! The story filtered between the present and the past surrounding the Swan sisters. I really loved how the flashes into the past set up the tone of the underlying story, and how it helped the plot unfold...I thought it was wonderfully done and I loved every single moment of it!

Along with the love witchy atmosphere, I loved all of the characters! Penny and Bo were amazing! I loved Penny's best friend, Rose, and I also loved how all of the other secondary characters were introduced from Penny's mother to Rose's mother, to Penny's various classmates. I found the way that they were introduced to be really organic and it had a wonderful flow within the story. The same goes for both Penny and Bo's pasts. As the book description says, both Penny and Bo have secrets that they're keeping from one another...and I adored how these secrets were all revealed! It pulled me in and gave me ALL THE FEELS!

As for the story itself, I was hooked! I loved the idea of the curse, and I loved how more and more of the curse and the history of Sparrow were revealed as the story went on. I loved how we saw the way that the curse affected the town and how each part of the curse progressed during the Swan season. And I enjoyed seeing how Penny and Bo's relationship was affected by everything going on around them. THE WICKED DEEP completely sucked me in and it pulled me right under those deep, deep waters. I loved every single moment! I did find the ending to be a little bittersweet! It left me unsettled right after I'd finished reading, but I do think that it fits the story perfectly. I've also found that the longer I get away from it...the more I actually appreciate how this book ended, and I think if I reread it, I'll love it even more! Coincidentally, this is also how I feel every single time I rewatch HOCUS POCUS, so maybe it's the same kind of magic. ;)

Overall, I thought THE WICKED DEEP was fantastic! I loved the atmosphere and tone of THE WICKED DEEP were amazing, found the story to be extremely intriguing, and I thought that both the characters and the writing style were phenomenal! If you're a fan of witches, curses, and stories that take you on twists and turns, then I think you'll love this one just as much as I did! :D

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GUEST POST

If your book is turned into a TV show or Movie, who would be your ideal cast?

When writing THE WICKED DEEP I often visualized the setting and characters as if they were real, as if the town of Sparrow was truly nestled on a rocky coastline and my characters lived among the fog and salty sea air. But until now, I hadn’t actually imagined who might play my characters—what fun!

For Penny Talbot, my MC, I can imagine someone like Saoirse Ronan. She was in Atonement, The Lovely Bones, and recently in Brooklyn. She’s a bit older than my MC but she has such a strong, enigmatic look. I can see a lot of Penny Talbot in her.

Saoirse Ronan as Penny Talbot

Bo Carter is a tough one, there are a few actors who I think could play him wonderfully. Logan Lerman who was in Perks Of Being A Wallflower, has that captivating boy-next-door vibe, but Cole Sprouse who currently plays Jughead on Riverdale is that perfect bad boy who is totally after my own heart.

Logan Lerman (left) or Cole Sprouse (right) as Bo Carter

For Rose Alba, who is Penny’s BFF, I love Rowan Blanchard and for her boyfriend Finny, someone like Skylar Gisondo. They would be such a cute on-screen couple—my heart can’t handle it!

Rowan Blanchard as Rose Alba (left) and Skylar Gisondo as Finny (right)

Lastly, for Olivia Green, Isabelle Fuhrman would perfectly capture that fierce look and attitude. And for Gigi Kline, someone like Sasha Pieterse who plays Alison on Pretty Little Liars, would perfectly embody that detached coolness that Gigi exudes.

Isabelle Fuhrman as Olivia Green (left) and Sasha Pieterse as Gigi Kline (right)

This was so fun, imagining the characters coming to life! :D But would also love to hear readers suggestions and thoughts on who should play the characters in THE WICKED DEEP!?

ABOUT SHEA ERNSHAW

Shea Ernshaw is an Oregon native and YA author. She often writes late, late, late into the night, enjoys dark woods, scary stories and moonlight on lakes. She drinks loads of tea and believes sunrises are where unicorns hide.

She lives with her two cats, a dog, a husband, and a stack of books beside her bed she still needs to read.

Connect with Shea:

 Instagram | Twitter | Website | Pinterest | Facebook

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Are you a fan of witchy stories?

Do you want to read THE WICKED DEEP?

And what do you think of Shea Ernshaw's casting for her book?

If you've read it, do you think they fit?

And if you haven't, do her picks intrigue you?

Review: A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) by V. E. Schwab

Source: Borrowed ebook from the library. / Purchased audiobook from Audible.
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: Already Released.
Number of Pages: 398 (Hardcover) / 11 hrs & 34 mins (Audiobook)


Description from Goodreads:

Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit.

Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London—but no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see. This dangerous hobby sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to another world for her 'proper adventure'.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive—trickier than they hoped.

Fantasy has always been one of my favourite genres, but in the last few years, I haven't read it as much as I used it. Every once in a while though, I'll pick up a fantasy book and remember just how much I absolutely LOVE the genre! A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC was definitely one of those books that brought back my love of fantasy. It was an amazing story⎯intense, interesting, and centred on a world that was diverse and fantastically intricate!

 Kell is an Antari, a very rare magician that possesses a powerful way with magic and can travel between worlds. In Kell's world there are multiple universes all with their own version of London. There's Kell's London, Red London; the London of our own world, Grey London; a much more violent London where another Antari, Holland, lives called White London; and Black London, which has been separated from the other Londons for a very long time.

Seeing the other Londons through Kell was one of my favourite parts of A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC. I loved how vast the world-building was, and V. E. Schwab's attention to detail was remarkable. Each world was absolutely unique, but they still held certain similarities that makes the connections between the worlds even more interesting and mysterious. And the magic was AMAZING! Kell's world has tonnes of magic and uses it freely. It's beautiful, and I really loved seeing everything in his world. In Grey London, magic has virtually disappeared and the only magic that really exists there is what Kell brings through himself. White London, is completely different. It's dangerous, and magic is a commodity that everyone fights for.

Clearly, I really loved the magical aspects of the story, but I also absolutely adored the characters! Kell was fantastic! He was so interesting, and I really enjoyed seeing the worlds through his perspective. And Lila (a.k.a. Delilah) was AMAZING! I loved desire for adventure, and greatly admired her strength. She didn't always make the smartest choices, but I really loved that she always fights for what she wants and she does all that she can to achieve her dreams. I also loved Kell's brother, Rhy, and I really enjoyed seeing their relationship with each other. The only thing I love as much as a budding romance is a fantastic bromance, and Rhy and Kell have an amazing one!

I read A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC just a few months after its release and I absolutely loved it. I was swept away by the magic, and desperately wanted more of Kell's world. So to prepare for its sequel, A GATHERING OF SHADOWS, I listened to the audiobook of A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC. While it was a totally different experience listening to the audio of the book, I still love it so, so much! The reader, Steven Crossley, was wonderful and he did a fantastic job bringing the story to life. It was just as wonderful, mystical, and magical as it was when I read it the first time!

Overall, I absolutely loved A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC! It was one of my favourite books last year, and this year, it's easily been one of my favourite audiobooks, too. It's the kind of story that will draw you in, possess you, and you won't want to stop reading until there's nothing left to read. It's compelling, intriguing, and just a truly remarkable story. If you're a fan of fantasy who loves magic and intricate, well-crafted world-building, you will LOVE A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC!

Thoughts?

Have you read A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC yet?
Are you desperate for A GATHERING OF SHADOWS, too?
And if you haven't read it yet, is it on your to-read list?