I am thrilled to be hosting a spot
on the 1-2-3-4, I DECLARE A THUMB WAR by Lisi Harrison & Daniel Kraus Blog
Tour hosted by Rockstar
Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About The Book:
Author: Lisi Harrison & Daniel
Kraus
Pub. Date: September 6, 2022
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook
Pages: 256
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org
Meet Whisper, Frannie, Sophie, Gemma, and Zuzu, five friends who tell eerie tales by night and navigate middle school drama by day.
MISERY FALLS, OREGON, IS ABUZZ AS the 100th anniversary of the electrocution of
the town’s most infamous killer, Silas Hoke, approaches. When a mysterious text
message leads the girls to the cemetery—where Silas Hoke is buried!—life can’t
get any creepier. Except, yes, it can thanks to the surprise storyteller who
meets them at the cemetery, inspires the first-ever meeting of the Graveyard
Girls, and sets the stage for a terrifying tale from Whisper that they’ll never
forget.
This slightly scary, extremely addictive story is the first in a five-book
series by New York Times bestselling authors Lisi Harrison and
Daniel Kraus.
Reviews
“The humor is strong throughout, and the story is strongest
when keeping readers guessing about what’s real—both in the interpersonal
conflicts and the seemingly supernatural happenings.... A good blend of spooky
and silly.” — Kirkus Reviews
“This clever, fast-paced story is filled with thrills that will have readers
flipping pages into the night.…The town of Misery Falls gives an eerie feeling
resembling that of Fear Street’s Shadyside.... A strong first title for
fans of scary stories, horror movies, and things that go bump in the
night.” — Booklist
MY REVIEW:
I've been a fan of Lisi Harrison's books for a long time. When I was in middle school I read The Clique. Throughout middle and high school I was begging for the newest book and re-reading the series over and over again. I missed out on Monster High when I was in college (but I have managed to come across a couple of those books that I plan to eventually read). I read both books that have been released in The Pack series. I'm not presently familiar with Girl Stuff (give me time). Now, there's yet ANOTHER book to read from her and I was SUPER excited to be part of this tour when offered the opportunity.
The debut novel in the Graveyard Girls series does everything a first book should do. It introduces a main character - or in this case, a GROUP of main characters. It introduces a setting specific to the story. It presents personal drama interwoven with typical societal and youthful pressures. What this one does differently from other books I've read by Lisi Harrison, is focus on a more horror-centric plot. Now, that's not to say this is scary. However, it is eerie and to a younger audience this could definitely have a bit of a creep factor.
Whisper, Frannie, Sophie, and Gemma are friends who get together to share scary stories. They love horror and it has become their group's major identifier and unifier. Zuzu has a separate friend group, but she has a secret and wants to be in on the girls' fun. Throughout the story the five interact, face typical girl-friend group issues, and have a spooky good time. There are dozens of personal conflicts to learn about as each girl has a different family dynamic, set of responsibilities, and goals. They have their own extracurriculars outside of their personal horror club.
One thing I really loved about this book was the setting. While rather usual in a lot of ways, the town itself has a lot of history that ties into the story's present events. The town has its own identity and I felt like I could really picture this place and get a vibe from it. Some stories you just can't get a read on and you can't feel like there'd be a real, physical manifestation of it in ANY dimension. This book isn't like that. Misery Falls feels real. It feels alive. It feels like it'd be a strange place to visit, but the perfect place for a few girls to have big imaginations and be creeped out in. The setting is definitely one of my favorite things.
The girls are fun. I'm still getting a handle on who is who and can't say it was always easy to pick them apart by name. However, I do know them by their activities and they're distinct. It's just hard to sometimes to remember a full group of characters with one short book. I usually do best with about two books, because I get to spend plenty of time with them and see broader progression of their stories. If I REALLY think about it, I can tell them apart from memory, but it definitely takes a moment to do.
The creep level is not very high. It's like...a 4 of 10 on a creep scale. There are some parts that would FEEL creepy if I lived them, but I didn't get enough suspension of disbelief to feel any kind of noticeable spookiness. I do think some younger readers may feel it regarding certain aspects. For me though, it isn't very creepy and I don't think younger me would have been too creeped out by it in ANY way. The darker elements feel more like light aesthetics than genuine horror to a certain extent. This can be fine if it's what you want. This is the kind of book you want to vibe with during spooky season when feeling laid back and casual. This isn't a book that will get most young readers in a creeped-out mood or be something to read closer to Halloween. For me, this is like...early spooky season - like a tiny appetizer to start with. I give 1-2-3-4, I Declare A Thumb War a Lone Star rating of ✯✯✯ and a half. I recommend it to early middle schoolers and those kids who want something spooky enough to chill with, without getting scared silly. Start the Halloween season with it, don't necessarily end it with it.
About Lisi Harrison:
Lisi
Harrison, the queen
of teen comedy, has written 37 YA and middle-grade novels including Monster
High and the #1 New York Times bestselling series The
Clique, which has sold more than eight million copies. Lisi launched two new
middle-grade series in 2021, Girl Stuff and The Pack.
She lives in California. Visit her at lisiharrison.com.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub
Daniel
Kraus is
a New York Times bestselling horror author and co-author of
both Trollhunters and The Shape of Water with
Guillermo del Toro. His work has been translated into more than twenty-five
languages. Daniel lives in Illinois. Visit him at danielkraus.com.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
| Amazon | BookBub
Giveaway Details:
1 winner
will receive a finished copy of 1-2-3-4, I DECLARE A THUMB WAR, US Only.
Ends September 13th, midnight EST.
a Rafflecopter giveawayTour Schedule:
Week One:
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8/29/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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8/30/2022 |
Interview/IG Post |
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8/31/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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9/1/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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9/2/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
Week Two:
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9/5/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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9/6/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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9/7/2022 |
Guest Post/IG Post |
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9/8/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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9/9/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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