Friday, May 27, 2016

BLOG TOUR, REVIEW, GUEST POST & GIVEAWAY: 27 Days to Midnight by Kristine Kruppa


Welcome to my tour stop for 27 Days to Midnight by Kristine Kruppa! This is a young adult steampunk novel and the tour runs May 16-27 with reviews, interviews, guest posts and excerpts. 27 Days to Midnight released May 3rd by Giant Squid Books. The cover art is by artist Elizabeth Early.

Check out the tour page for the full schedule.

About the Book:

Everyone in Dahlia's world knows when they're going to die. 

Except her.

Her father has never shown her the pocket watch counting down the days she has left to live. When he sacrifices himself to save her from her scheduled death, Dahlia abandons her comfortable home and sets off after his murderer to uncover the secrets her father died to protect…and the time research that could bring him back to life.

Then she meets Farren Reed. She should hate him. He’s an enemy soldier, a cowardly deserter, and the most insufferable man Dahlia’s ever met. Still, she needs all the help she can get, and Farren is the only chance she has to find the man who murdered her father. But Farren has only twenty-seven days left on his watch.

In that time, Dahlia must recover her father’s time research, foil a psychotic general’s plot, and learn to survive in a world that will never be the same. But the research holds secrets more dangerous than she had ever imagined. She will have to choose what is most important: revenge, Farren's life, or her own. And time is running out.
Goodreads | Amazon

REVIEW BY: Arianna, age 13 years, 5 months

MAY CONTAIN SPOILER:

This book was a gripping and fascinating read. I didn't stop reading once! It was fast-paced and had me on the edge the whole time. 

The author really accomplished in the area of making you feel drawn in. I could relate to the characters and feel a connection with each and every one. 

My favorite character is actually the bad guy. General Macall was great because he really shows that if we love someone enough, we would do anything for them. However, on the flip side, he shows that the grief of losing your love can cause madness. I could really feel his emotions, such as the animosity towards Ansel Walker. 

I really love how the author incorporated a bad guy who thought he was doing the right thing. The General had a happy past and this book really shows how one moment of your life can change you forever. 

I like the concept about the watches because if I knew how much time I had left, I wonder how I would spend my life. I can also appreciate the unknown aspect of the watches such as; protecting it to make sure it never gets broken, damaged or stolen. You have a set time to die, but you never know what will happen to your watch. 

I recommend this compelling story of friendship, betrayal and adventure to anyone who loves a fantastic read. 

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 14 and up. 

GUEST POST:

Top 10 Facts about the Book

  1. 27 Days to Midnight is set in a world where pocket watches show how long people have to live. It was inspired by an old clock tower in Detroit that a friend and I explored one hot summer day.

  2. The airships in the book are based on real ships! I once worked as a civilian engineer in the U.S. Navy, which involved a lot of scrambling around on cargo ships and tankers. I used small details from them—the color of the lights, the sound of the engines—to make my airships feel real.

  3. I started writing 27 Days to Midnight for National Novel Writing Month in 2013. NaNoWriMo is a contest where thousands of people attempt to write their own 50,000 word novel in one month. I finished my 50,000 words on time, but it took me another nine months to write the last 35,000!

  4. The name of Dahlia’s country, Delmar, was taken from the Delmarva Peninsula where my family and I like to vacation. It’s the piece of land that separates Chesapeake Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. I later discovered that there’s a town named Delmar on the border of Delaware and Maryland. I want to go there one day!

  5. I’d always known how the story would start and end, but I didn’t outline the middle. I figured it out as I went along, allowing the characters to show me the way (as any writer knows, they have a life of their own!). I spent every day planning the scenes I would write that night after work.

  6. I wrote this book in so many places. In coffee shops, on an airplane, on my couch, on the floor. On a rooftop thirteen stories above the ground, at sunset, while staring out at the ocean. Sometimes bits of those places worked themselves into the story.

  7. Tiberius’ cooking style is based on my dad’s. Like Tiberius, my dad somehow knows instinctively how much of each ingredient to add. I’m more like Dahlia: watching in confusion and getting flour all over myself.

  8. I never intended to publish 27 Days to Midnight. I started off believing I would never let it see the light of day, then I decided I would let my brother read it, then possibly a few close friends. But I loved it too much to not share it with the world!

  9. Many of the cities in the story are based on real places I’ve been. Dahlia’s hometown, Sainsbury, resembles Paris. Lawson’s Ridge is Positano, Italy. The food carts and cobblestone streets in Port Argun were inspired by Cusco, Peru. Janmasthala is a combination of Southeast Asia and India (which I haven’t traveled to yet, but intend to!).

  10. In 27 Days to Midnight, every person has a pocket watch that shows how long they have to live. The characters all use their watches differently: some can’t stop checking the time, others refuse to ever look at it. I loved using this as a way to show their different personalities.
About the Author:

Kristine Kruppa is a mechanical engineer, writer, and world traveler. Her days are spent designing cool new car parts, but her evenings are filled with writing and cats. She has traveled solo to seventeen countries on five continents. Her other hobbies include hunting for the perfect cup of coffee, exploring used book stores, and accidentally climbing mountains. To keep up with her adventures, follow Kristine on Twitter @kskruppa.  







Giveaway:

One (1) winner receives a hardback copy of the book (US only) 
Three (3) winners receive a digital copy (INT)
One (1) winner recieves a $10 amazon gift card (INT)
Ends 6/1

Prizing is provided by the publisher, hosts are not responsible. Must be 13 or older to enter and parental permission if under 17. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.



This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

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