August 2017 – Page 13 – Sincerely Karen Jo

The Casquette Girls

(The Casquette Girls #1)

Published by Skyscape November 17, 2015

Genre(s): Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Pages: Paperback 565

Seven girls tied by time.
Five powers that bind.
One curse to lock the horror away.
One attic to keep the monsters at bay.

After the storm of the century rips apart New Orleans, sixteen-year-old Adele Le Moyne wants nothing more than her now silent city to return to normal. But with home resembling a war zone, a parish-wide curfew, and mysterious new faces lurking in the abandoned French Quarter, normal needs a new definition.

As the city murder rate soars, Adele finds herself tangled in a web of magic that weaves back to her own ancestors. Caught in a hurricane of myths and monsters, who can she trust when everyone has a secret and keeping them can mean life or death? Unless… you’re immortal.

I first saw this book on Instagram and was immediately drawn to it because the cover is stunning. I didn’t even really read the blurb…just added it to my Amazon cart. Yup I tend to buy books just cause the covers are really pretty…and this one is absolutely gorgeous in person. It’s haunting and mesmerizing at the same time. When I finally read the synopsis, I was quite fascinated – there’s myth, monsters, mystery, magic and romance. While I’m really excited to get into this, I’ll probably save it for fall/winter. Sounds like a great book to curl up with during those long gloomy days along with some yummy chocolate chip cookies and a nice hot cup of tea.

Sincerely Karen Jo

The Girl with the Red Balloon

(The Balloon Makers #1)

Katherine Locke

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Published by Albert Whitman Company September 1, 2017

Genre(s): Young Adult, Historical, Fantasy, Time Travel, Sci-Fi

Pages: Paperback 256

Buy Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository

When sixteen-year-old Ellie Baum accidentally time-travels via red balloon to 1988 East Berlin, she’s caught up in a conspiracy of history and magic. She meets members of an underground guild in East Berlin who use balloons and magic to help people escape over the Wall—but even to the balloon makers, Ellie’s time travel is a mystery. When it becomes clear that someone is using dark magic to change history, Ellie must risk everything—including her only way home—to stop the process.

I just love love love bookmails and giveaways! I’ve had quite the luck winning several giveaways these past few months and I’m hoping that luck never runs out. I’m actually waiting for another book I won through Goodreads and if you’re familiar with those giveways, you know how difficult it is to win one. It’s been probably been 1 year ½ since I won one, so I’m pretty excited. Anyway, just wanted to say THANKS to the publisher, Albert Whitman, for hosting this awesome giveaway on Instagram. I absolutely cannot wait to read this book – there’s time travel, conspiracy, suspense, magic and some romance. You know I can’t say no to romance. Oh and that cover is just gorgeous. I’m really hoping I can get to this before the release date.

Praise for The Girl with The Red Balloon