Day 11: The 12 Days of Holly Chase Blog Tour

Christy and I are huge fans and are thrilled to be a part of the blog tour hosted by Your Book Travels to celebrate the paperback release of The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand! Today is Day 11 of The 12 Days of Holly Chase, and we are sharing both of our thoughts in a co-review! Check out all the book information, book trailer, our co-review, and don’t forget to enter the tour-wide giveaway!

 

The Afterlife of Holly Chase

by Cynthia Hand
Narrator: Erin Spencer
Published by: HarperTeen
on October 24, 2017
Genres: Young Adult, Retellings, Paranormal
Pages: 400
Bookshop, IndieBound, iTunes
Goodreads

On Christmas Eve five years ago, Holly was visited by three ghosts who showed her how selfish and spoiled she'd become. They tried to convince her to mend her ways.

She didn't.

And then she died.

Now she's stuck working for the top-secret company Project Scrooge--as the latest Ghost of Christmas Past.

Every year, they save another miserly grouch. Every year, Holly stays frozen at seventeen while her family and friends go on living without her. So far, Holly's afterlife has been miserable.

But this year, everything is about to change. . . .

 

 

Book Trailer

 

 

Co-Review

Christy and Kelly chat about The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand

1. What makes Holly’s story so compelling?

K: We all have made poor choices in life, and the fact that books are always written about getting a second chance and redemption for our past, clearly shows how important this concept of choice and making the choice to be better really can be impactful. There is hope to turn our lives around, no matter how bad it was, we can do better. Let’s all be better people.

C: I like the fact that Holly is not your typical Scrooge. I also like that she doesn’t go out of her way to make you like her. She is who she is…and that makes her fascinating.

 

2. What will fans of A Christmas Carol love about The Afterlife of Holly Chase? How did Cynthia Hand make this story her own?

K: I loved how all the necessary parts of A Christmas Carol were included in Project Scrooge, including the fact they use the book like a guide each year. However, what I loved more was the fresh take, the current landscape, and technology involved. Cynthia Hand made The Afterlife of Holly Chase more than just a retelling, she made it modern, and put a spin on the story (no spoilers). I loved that Holly was a spoiled brat, but she had a root cause, and she eventually had guilt and needed time to realize what was missing in her life. She was so young, and sometimes you need more life experiences for one to realize what you may have been like in your past to want to change in the future.

C: Ok, the ending of this book is something I will never forget. It has one of the best endings I’ve ever read. Overall, the story keeps the sentiment of wanting to be better and do better.

 

3. What’s the audio like?

K: The audio really swept me up in the story. It had wonderful descriptive visuals, and the narrator was just so pleasant.

C: I vividly remember listening to this while running. There were tears, laughter, and just overall emotion. In public. The narrator completely brought the story to life.

 

4. What other A Christmas Carol retellings do you recommend after Holly Chase?

K: Well this story has been adapted and retold many times, mostly in plays, tv, or movies, but I am not sure I have ever read a book retelling before Holly Chase. One of my favorite movie adaptations is Scrooged, which makes me laugh still to this day. And since I was a kid, I’ve loved The Muppet Christmas Carol!

C: Did you know David Levithan wrote a Valentine’s version of this story called Marly’s Ghost? The more you know.

 

5. If you were given a second chance, what is one choice you would change?

K: I would probably go to grad school, and try and get a job in the field I spent educating myself with. I loved science, and if I left the field after some work experience, I think I would feel less regret in my life, if I gave it a chance. Instead, I wanted to enjoy life, party, and took silly jobs just to pay some bills. Then a few years pass my by and next thing you know, employers no longer found me viable for my science degree. Which by the way I worked damn hard to graduate with high honors (which could be why I was burnt out and dropped out of grad school when the time came for payment).

C: I hate living with regrets but I do wonder what would have happened if I wouldn’t have changed my major in college. I think about genetics all the time and wish I worked in the field!

 

 

Giveaway

Holly-day Prize Pack

The winner will receive a signed copy of a Cynthia Hand novel of your choice, a set of red fingerless gloves (knitted by Cynthia), a holiday spice candle, a copy of A Charlie Brown Christmas, two peppermint mocha bath bombs, a peppermint cream and pomegranate raspberry lip balm set, a “make your own ugly sweater kit,” a pair of reindeer glasses, a Christmas mug that reads: “Holi-yays,” Christmas pencils, candy cane Christmas kisses, and a limited edition Holly Chase ornament (signed by Cynthia). Digital download of The Afterlife of Holly Chase: An Alternate Christmas Carol by Lindsey Hunt.
US only.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Tour Schedule

12/3 – Little Book Worm Reviews Aesthetic post

12/4 – Haunted by Books Review & book playlist

12/5 – The Ultimate Fangirl Downloadable bookmarks

12/6 – The YA Book Traveler Top 5 Reasons Why The Afterlife of Holly Chase Needs to be on your December TBR!

12/7 – Vicky Who Reads 5 Holiday Songs You’ll Think About When Reading The Afterlife of Holly Chase

12/8 – Novel Knight Holiday Gift Guide for the Book Lover in Your Life

12/9 – A Court of Crowns and Quills Ghost of Christmas Past/Present/Future

12/10 – That Artsy Reader Girl Favorite Fictional Scrooges

12/11 – Wild and Wonderful Reads Top Ten Tuesday + Review

12/12 – The Clever Reader Dream Cast

12/13 – BookCrushin Review – YOU ARE HERE

12/14 – Mary Had A Little Book Blog Review + instagram post