Rockstar Book Tours presents... FINCH HOUSE by Ciera Burch - REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the FINCH HOUSE by Ciera Burch Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. This book was already on my radar with when this tour came a calling, so I simply knew I had to take part!  Check out my review post, make sure to enter the giveaway, and then click on over to the other sites participating in the tour for more bookish fun! 

Title: FINCH HOUSE

Author: Ciera Burch

Pub. Date: September 5, 2023

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 208

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/FINCH-HOUSE

Encanto meets Coraline in this spooky middle grade story that deals with family ties, fear of change, and generational trauma as it follows a girl who must convince an old, haunted house to release its hold on her and her family.

Eleven-year-old Micah has no interest in moving out of her grandfather’s house. She loves living with Poppop and their shared hobby of driving around rich neighborhoods to find treasures in others’ trash. To avoid packing, Micah goes for a bike ride and ends up at Finch House, the decrepit Victorian that Poppop says is Off Limits. Except when she gets there, it’s all fixed up and there’s a boy named Theo in the front yard. Surely that means Finch House isn’t Off Limits anymore? But when Poppop finds her there, Micah is only met with his disappointment.

By the next day, Poppop is nowhere to be found. After searching everywhere, Micah’s instincts lead her back to Finch House. But once Theo invites her inside, Micah realizes she can’t leave. And that, with its strange whispers and deep-dark shadows, Finch House isn’t just a house…it’s alive.

Can Micah find a way to convince the house to let her go? Or will she be forced to stay in Finch House forever?

 

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This was one of the SPOOKIEST Middle Grade Fiction titles I've read...and that's only the beginning of all it captures between the pages!

I think the reason it hits harder than some is the basis in reality.  It stakes it's claim in the history of the house, builds on the story from once upon a time with connections to people, places, and issues that feel real, then feeds in a bit of otherworldliness that feels JUST RIGHT, or wrong depending on where you're at in the story, but it's a GOOD kind of wrong!  Micah was such a spunky character.  She had her own mind, and while not disrespectful, certainly didn't always listen to what she was told to do.  I get it...it's hard to tow the line when you don't know the WHY behind the reason, but more often than not, there's a good one hiding in plain sight, and that's something she learns the hard way...could've been harder though if not for her clear head, and new friend Theo.

  I was intrigued as she followed the pull of the house.  I was pulled in myself, especially with the little doors that didn't open (or DID they?!), and the mysterious room, the whispers that sound just so familiar, and the heartbreak in feeling like everything that was in reach just fell through our fingers.  She was trying so very hard to do the right thing, that the right thing ended up being wrong at the time, but right in the end.  There's a mystery about Finch House, and it's closer to home than she knows, but what she really discovers isn't the heart of Finch House at all.  What she really discovers is that mysteries are fine and dandy, but family, friends, and heartfelt promises mean a whole lot more than satisfying that little twinge of curiosity. 

So, whether you like a good mystery, a spooky ghosty story, or a heartfelt tale of family near and far just trying to stay connected across the miles (or time...just saying...), there's something here for you.  I might suggest that younger readers hold off on reading it at night because things that go bump may seem a little bit more haunted after reading this tale, but you do you!  

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About Ciera Burch:

Ciera Burch is a lifelong writer and ice cream aficionado. She has a B.A from American University and an MFA from Emerson College. Her fiction has appeared in American Literary Magazine, Underground, the art and literary journal of Georgia State University, Stork, and Blackbird. Her work was also chosen as the 2019 One City, One Story read for the Boston Book Festival.

When she’s not reading or baking, she can be found listening to true crime podcasts, eating ice cream, and advocating for diverse kids lit. While she is originally from New Jersey, she currently resides in Washington, D.C with her stuffed animals, plants, and far too many books.

Find her on Twitter @CieraBurch017 and on Instagram @cierasburch. She’d rather you not find her on Tumblr.

 

Website | Instagram | Goodreads

 

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~~~   GIVEAWAY   ~~~

1 winner will receive a finished copy of FINCH HOUSE, US Only.

Ends September 5th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Special thanks to Rockstar Book Tours for the chance to bring this tour to you and to the publisher for the copy for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, this tour, or those on this horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is set to celebrate its book birthday September 5th, 2023, so mark your calendar or pre order your copy today!  Be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more...

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

8/21/2023	YA Books Central	Excerpt/IG Post
8/21/2023	Confessions of the Perfect Mom	Excerpt/IG Post
8/22/2023	@katherinebichler	TikTok Post
8/22/2023	Eye-Rolling Demigod's Book Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
8/23/2023	@gsreadingspree	IG Review
8/23/2023	Gryffindorbookishnerd	IG Review
8/24/2023	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
8/24/2023	pluvioreads	Review
8/25/2023	Jaime_of_gryffindor	IG Review
8/25/2023	Review Thick And Thin	Review/IG Post

Week Two:

8/28/2023	@enjoyingbooksagain	IG Review
8/28/2023	@stargirls.magical.tale	IG Review
8/29/2023	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post
8/29/2023	popthebutterfly	Review/IG Post
8/30/2023	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
8/30/2023	travelersguidetobooks	IG Review
8/31/2023	The Momma Spot	Review
8/31/2023	Pagesforpaige	IG Review
9/1/2023	@froggyreadteach	IG Review
9/1/2023	OneMoreExclamation	Review/IG Post

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW starring... Wake the Bones by Elizabeth Kilcoyne

Wake the Bones by Elizabeth Kilcoyne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm newer to audiobooks, but I was building a few bookcases this Halloween, and wanted to listen to something SCARY while I worked. A search on my Libby app for Halloween titles, and this popped up as a suggestion. Sounded interesting, and so my listening journey began...

I can honestly say, I don't generally finish a novel in a sitting. It's not that I don't want to , but I usually get interrupted so many times, it breaks my concentration. Listening to this one though, I was akin to "whistling while you work"; I could get what else I need done, while enjoying the story...and what a story it was! We start in a small town where most youth dream of escape to other parts. The group of friends we tag along with are not different for the most part, and all for various reasons...but that's where the small town mindset stops. Strange things are occurring around the town, and it all seems to have started once our leading lady came back. Coincidence? I think not...and am proven right as things progress...but the who (or what) and why are murky, still needing time to be uncovered before it's too late. Too late for whom? Ah, now that is a tricky question with a slippery answer...but you'll have to read (or listen to) it to find out.

Watch for the AH HA moments throughout the story, and the twists and turns that lead up to a remarkable ending. I admit to thinking I missed something closer to the end, but then THAT was cleared up...even if the results were a bit on the spooky side!

View all my reviews

October reading SPOOKTACULAR: Spooky reading fun for everyone!

 

Looking for something SPOOKY to add to your October MUST READ list? Here's a few titles to enchant, entertain, and spook-ify everyone in your reading group from the tall to the small! These are all titles I had the pleasure of indulging in recently, so take a look, and see what catches your fancy! 

                      

  

THERE'S A WITCH IN YOUR BOOK by Tom Fletcher (Randomhousekids)

A great book series in picture book and board book versions, tips one falls into the latter and let's readers of all ages get in on the SPOOKY season fun! With a call to interact on each page, it's more than storytime; is an experience. 

THE MONSTERS ON THE BUS (Randomhousekids)

Okay, so it's definitely on the lighter side of the Halloween hubbub, but it DOES feature monsters, even if they are from Sesame Street! This all audience friendly board book gives us a new spin on the classic singalong song of yesterday, but plenty of smiles and silliness along the way. 

POULTRYGEIST by Eric Geron (Candlewick)

I was actually surprised by this one! On the surface, it'll definitely bring some laughter and spooky fun for the kiddos. Between the illustrations, and the plucky turn of events by book's end, the old chicken that crossed the road never looked so enticing. Below the surface from an adult perspective, I was actually a little shocked by the beginning of the tale showing just how our lead chicken became a "geist"... and the persumed continuance of the story circle on the final pages. Again though, surface... kid friendly and funny!

LEILA THE PERFECT WITCH by Flavia Z Drago (Candlewick)

Remember Gustavo? Our little friendly ghost? Well Leila is from the same "series" and her richly illustrated tale brings the spooky-esque fun readers want this time of year, but with timeless lessons for all ages. Perfect is fine and dandy, but perfectly you is the best thing of all!

 

THE WITCH HUNT by Sasha Peyton Smith (Simon Teen )

Read THE WITCH HAVEN? If not, you've some catching up to do. Personal opinion, you need to read the first book in this series before diving into this one. It helps to know the back story, the connections, and all the feels you're stepping into with one... and trust me, there are feels! It was great catching up with the girls again, but oh my heart! I was torn this way and that by both fellas trying to decipher who was being genuine, honest, and there for our girl! Sometimes you have to do things by yourself, but a burden shared is a worry halved, and when a helping hand honestly exists, there is no harm in opening up and letting them in. 

TRESSPASSERS by Claire McFall (Walker Books)

Though I loved all the books in this group, I think this one was one of my favorite! The first book was fantastic, and this second in the planned trilogy was amazing! All the feels, all the new experiences, all the unknowns, all the new souls, and the trouble that's followed them into what was suppose to be their HEA... oh my goodness, I couldn't get enough! 

(happy tears!)

                      

Special thanks to the publishers listed above for the copies for review and the chance to bring these titles to you!  (THANKS!)  For more information on any title listed, the authors, or the publishers, feel free to click on through the links above.  Be on the lookout for each at your favorite online retailer or local brick and mortar store to add some extra SPOOKINESS to your October reading!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!