Happy Book Birthday to <em>Strange and Ever After</em> by Susan Dennard!
We're celebrating over here at Pub Crawl. It's not every day one of our members completes a trilogy, and today, Susan Dennard's Strange and Ever After, the final installment in the Something Strange and Deadly series, hits shelves!
I (Erin) have loved this series since I got my hands on book one ages ago, but I have to admit: Strange and Ever After tops them all. Susan brings Egypt to life with ease (how is she so skilled at setting?!), but the journey Eleanor and Co. have to make is not easy at all. Packed with action and surprises, SaEA had me frantically turning the pages until the very end. And speaking of endings... this is one of the most pitch-perfect trilogy conclusions I've read. Bittersweet and moving. The last few lines (heck, most of the last chapter) was downright magical.
Oh, and if you're an existing fan of the series, don't miss the Something Strange and Deadly series recap Epic Reads has on their blog, complete with top 5 moments from each book. You should also sign up for Susan's newsletter. Like, right now. Not only is it inspiring and packed with helpful writing information, but it sometimes includes bonus scenes from her novels!
Anywhoo, if all my gushing hasn't sold you yet, here's the official synopsis for Strange and Ever After:
In the conclusion to the trilogy that Publishers Weekly called “a roaring—and addictive—gothic world,” Eleanor Fitt must control her growing power, face her feelings for Daniel, and confront the evil necromancer Marcus...all before it’s too late.
He took her brother, he took her mother, and now, Marcus has taken her good friend Jie. With more determination than ever to bring this sinister man to justice, Eleanor heads to the hot desert streets of nineteenth-century Egypt in hopes of ending this nightmare. But in addition to her increasingly tense relationships with Daniel, Joseph, and her demon, Oliver, Eleanor must also deal with her former friend, Allison, who has curiously entangled herself in Eleanor’s mission.
With the rising dead chomping at her every move and Jie’s life hanging in the balance, Eleanor is convinced that her black magic will see her through to the bitter end. But there will be a price. Though she and the Spirit Hunters have weathered every battle thus far, there will be consequences to suffer this time—the effects of which will be irreversible. And when it’s over, only some will be able to live a strange and ever after.
Susan Dennard will leave readers breathless and forever changed in the concluding pages of this riveting ride.
Goosebumps, right?
In honor of Susan's release day, I'm giving away one copy of Strange and Ever After (hardcover if the winner lives in the US; e-book if the winner lives internationally)! To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below, and be sure to wish Susan a happy release day!
Congrats again, Sooz! I'm so darn happy for you and proud of you and thrilled to see your series conclude with such an explosive bang. You've created a world readers are going to want to revisit many times over! <3