Hello, and welcome to the Wax by Gina Damico Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours! I'm super excited to be apart of the tour, especially considering I get to host on Wax's official Book Birthday! So a big happy birthday to Wax! Today I have for you a quick interview with Gina Damico, my review of the book, and a giveaway!
Wax by Gina Damico
Release Date: August 2nd, 2016
Read: July 22nd-23rd, 2016
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Series: N/A
Format: ARC, 368 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for a honest review
Description from GoodReads:
Paraffin, Vermont, is known the world over as home to the Grosholtz Candle Factory. But behind the sunny retail space bursting with overwhelming scents and homemade fudge, seventeen-year-old Poppy Palladino discovers something dark and unsettling: a back room filled with dozens of startlingly life-like wax sculptures, crafted by one very strange old lady. Poppy hightails it home, only to be shocked when one of the figures—a teenage boy who doesn’t seem to know what he is—jumps naked and screaming out of the trunk of her car. She tries to return him to the candle factory, but before she can, a fire destroys the mysterious workshop—and the old woman is nowhere to be seen.
With the help of the wax boy, who answers to the name Dud, Poppy resolves to find out who was behind the fire. But in the course of her investigation, she discovers that things in Paraffin aren’t always as they seem, that the Grosholtz Candle Factory isn’t as pure as its reputation—and that some of the townspeople she’s known her entire life may not be as human as they once were. In fact, they’re starting to look a little . . . waxy. Can Poppy and Dud extinguish the evil that's taking hold of their town before it’s too late?
Review:
Wax was my first ever request from Raincoast, the Canadian publisher to HMH Books for Young Readers, as well as a quite a few others. When their June newsletter released with Wax as an option to request, I couldn't not request it once I read its description. Then I was accepted to be apart of its blog tour and I knew I had to read it asap!
Now I've read many books in my lifetime, and never in my life have I read a book with a character as perky as Poppy. She, herself was a whole element to the book, besides everything else that was going on. Even with the incident that made her a "celebrity", she was always cheerful and full of life. In some cases you couldn't help but feel the cheerfulness yourself. Poppy was a different type of person than you usually experience when reading YA, and I have to say, it was a refreshing twist.
I loved how Dud, our little wax boy, was such a newbie to everything, including speaking. It was great that he didn't just pop out a gorgeous YA boy for Poppy to fall in love with. Her teaching him about life was ridiculous to watch, and not to mention entertaining. Wax did not have any romance in it, and I can happily say that the book turned out great without it.
Wax, itself was a completely weird and unique book to read. With wax people taking over a town, and hundred year olds being immortal as wax, everything is not as it seems. Gina Damico has a hit for people of all ages, and I can't wait to see what new she has in store for us!
Rating:
Favourite Quote:
"Milk comes out of the babies?"
Recommend to People Who Enjoy:
Young Adult, Paranormal, Horror, Candles, Small Towns, Unique Stories
Wax is your fifth book to be released after your debut series Croak, in that time since you first
became a published author, what do you think has changed in your writing? What advice would you give other writers who are looking to one day publish a YA book?
After five published books (and a sixth on the way) I think I’ve become more adventurous in terms of playing with formulas – in other words, writing plots and characters that are a bit more unexpected than what you might see elsewhere in the YA world. WAX is a strange mishmash of comedy, horror, and mystery, and if someone comes away from reading it thinking, “Well, that wasn’t what I thought it was going to be,” then I’m very happy with that reaction. I mean, I also hope they liked it. But I’m always aiming for something completely different, because there are readers out there who are itching for unique, funny, odd-in-a-good-way books – me included – and I like to be the one who can deliver on that. My books aren’t for everyone, but they are very much for a certain type of awesome weirdo, so awesome weirdo: I am here for you.
As for advice for aspiring writers, I would say that you must, must, must get feedback on your draft. Pick someone you know and trust, give them free reign to be completely honest, steel yourself for some harsh truths, and listen. You don’t necessarily have to incorporate their feedback into your work, but it is important to give it its due, really think about whether changes would work and make it a better manuscript. The worst thing you can do is think that you’re infallible and your words are golden and not a single comma needs to be moved. Readers see your work differently than you do, and what makes sense in your head might not have been adequately expressed on the page. It’s very easy to get wrapped up in the bubble of your manuscript; fresh eyes should be appreciated for the godsend that they are. Use them liberally, and ply them with chocolate as needed.
Gina Damico is the author of Croak, Scorch, and Rogue, the grim-reapers-gone-wild books of the Croak trilogy. She has also dabbled as a tour guide, transcriptionist, theater house manager, scenic artist, movie extra, office troll, retail monkey, yarn hawker and breadmonger. A native of Syracuse, New York, she now lives outside Boston with her husband, two cats, and one dog, and while she has never visited hell in person, she has spent countless waking hours at the Albany Regional Bus Terminal, which is pretty darn close. Visit her website at www.ginadami.co.
3 winners will receive a hardcover of WAX! US Only.
Thanks so much for stopping by my stop on the tour! I hope you all pick up a copy of Wax! And Make sure to check out the rest of the stops on the tour!
Week One:
7/25/2016- Once Upon a Twilight- Interview
7/26/2016- Eli to the nth- Review
7/27/2016- BookHounds YA- Guest Post
7/28/2016- Lisa Loves Literature- Review
7/29/2016- The Cover Contessa- Interview
Week Two:
8/1/2016- Here's to Happy Endings- Review
8/2/2016- Ohana Reads- Guest Post
8/3/2016- A Dream Within A Dream- Review
8/4/2016- YA Book Madness- Interview
8/5/2016- A Gingerly Review- Review
aahh, I really like the sound of this book. It's so unique! and no-romance was never a problem to me. It's nice to know you enjoyed this. Great review! :)
ReplyDeleteczai @ the Blacksheep Project
I really enjoyed Gina Damico's Croak series. I haven't read Hellhole, but Wax looks really interesting.
ReplyDelete