BLOG TOUR: Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock (ARC Review + Giveaway)

Genre:	Young Adult, Fantasy, Supernatural
Publication.Date	May 8th 2012
Pages:	400
Published By:	Harper Collins  |
Website	Kathleen Peacock |
	Hemlock - Goodreads
My review copy:	ARC received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Where to get:

Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.

Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf.

Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.

Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.

Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love. (Goodreads)

"I stared into Jason's eyes, and for a split second I had that feeling you get when an elevator drops too quickly. You know there's a floor underneath your feet, but it feels like you're falling."

"Other girls had moms who made them peanut butter sandwiches and dads who read bedtime stories and checked under the bed for monsters. I had a mother who skipped out on me sometime before my first birthday and a father who was wanted for everything from gunrunning to selling peyote out of the trunk of his car."

     Dark, sexy, mysterious and deliciously addictive, Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock paints a frighteningly realistic world where werewolves are nothing more than regular humans affected by lupine syndrome, and the people who hunt them - even more fierce, unpredictable and dangerous than their prey. Full of underlying meaning, symbolism, profound messages, bloody secrets and thrilling developments, this book will blow your mind. Auuuuuuu!!!! 

It was our fault Amy was dead. All of our faults. 

The best friend who had bailed; the boyfriend who had been running late; the guy who hadn't answered his phone.

Six days ago a werewolf had killed Amy, and we were each to blame.

     Mac's best friend, Amy, was brutally murdered. Her body - shredded to pieces and discarded in a dark alley. A white werewolf was seen at the scene, the same one suspected of killing four other people, and infecting eight more with lupine syndrome. Now, the Trackers are in town and everyone is acting weird. People are both scared and desperate to hunt the white werewolf down, capturing and imprisoning as many others as possible in the process. Werewolves are evil, ferocious, unstoppable. They're not human, there is nothing human about them. All they feel is burning thirst for blood and hunger for flesh - they can't be reasoned with! But what if all that is not true? What if there's something entirely different going on in the eerie town of Hemlock? Haunted by the ghost of her dead friend and tormented by gilt, Mac's determined to do everything in her power to uncover the mystery behind Amy's death. 

     When it comes to YA novels featuring popular supernatural creatures (like vampires or angels), in most of the cases I end up being disappointed or at least not entirely satisfied. Werewolves are no different. It's very rare to come across a werewolf novel that would be good. It's even more rare to find one that would be thrilling and thought-provoking. And finding a werewolf book that would be realistic, thematically poignant and emotionally harrowing? That's just virtually impossible. And yet there's Hemlock. An absolute GEM of a book. A werewolf novel that is not so much a supernatural thriller, but rather a bone-chilling mystery, with elements of drama, romance, urban fantasy and paranormal. Kathleen Peacock created a world that is entirely original, yet very believable at the same time. I believed in her werewolves. They didn't seem like some weird mythical creatures, they seemed real, painfully authentic, and at times more humane than humans themselves. In fact, I don't even think about this book as a werewolf novel at all - Peacock's werewolves are metaphors for all things and people misjudged, alienated, wrongly accused and ostracised. Victims of prejudice - feared and hated for being different than the rest of the society. And the Trackers are not the mighty saviours in this scenario. They're the bullies, the inquisitors. Cold, rabid, discriminating, with hearts poisoned with hate and spite, they're a vivid example of everything that's wrong with modern society. Yes, I find Hemlock to be a very three-dimensional read, with layers upon layers of world and character building. Yes, it's absorbing and entertaining, full of tension, and with a swiftly moving storyline that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Most of all, though, it will make you stop and ponder the many issues it brings to vivid light. It has the capacity to both excite and inspire. Hemlock is full of lessons. It's no cheap thrill. It's a memorable book, and one that should be taken seriously, as it really has something important to say. 

     From the very first pages of this book, I felt drawn into the world Kathleen Peacock so magnificently crafted. I love dark and creepy, and Peacock does it really well. I found myself connecting to the characters in more than one way. The author did a really great job depicting their pain, fear and guilt. Mac's internal struggle was very convincing and therefore absolutely heartbreaking, her grief and desperation - spilling from every page. It wasn't, however, overwhelming or overdone. Mac didn't just sit around feeling sorry for herself and depressing everyone around - she took action, decided to find the murderer herself, and she focused all her energy on it. I really liked that about her. 

     Overall, this was a really great book. Much better than I ever expected it to be. I devoured it in just one day, literally couldn't put it down and then thought about it long after. I strongly recommend this book to everyone!

About Kathleen

Kathleen spent most of her teen years writing short stories. She put her writing dreams on hold while attending college but rediscovered them when office life started leaving her with an allergy to cubicles.

Hemlock, her first novel, will be released on May 8th by Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4124788.Kathleen_Peacock

Twitter: @kathleenpeacock

Website: www.kathleenpeacock.com

Author Interview with Kathleen Peacock

E: Evie 

K: Kathleen

E: Welcome to Bookish Kathleen! Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to join us here today! Your upcoming YA novel, Hemlock, is a stunning and wildly compelling debut – a perfect blend of murder mystery, supernatural and romance! Would you mind telling us who or what inspired you to write it?

K:  *blush* Thanks so much for having me!
It was actually inspired by the song “It’s Been Awhile” by Staind. I was listening to it while walking to work and had an idea for a scene that would become the basis of the book.

E: How would you describe it in 5 words?

K: Werewolves! Murder most foul! Kissing !

E: Hemlock features a cast of vibrant characters that are very well-drawn and easy to connect with. Were any of them inspired by people in your own life? Which of your characters do you feel is the most like you?

K: Thank you! I’m so glad people are connecting with the characters!

Sadly, I didn’t have a Kyle or Jason in high school, and none of the characters are based on people I know in real life.

Of the characters, I definitely think Mac is the most like me. I’m not brave or resourceful like she is, but I have a hard time telling people how I feel. It can take me a long time to open up, and I sometimes come off as a bit guarded or aloof.

E: What was the most difficult part of the novel for you to write?

K: I love romantic movies and books, but I find romantic scenes really hard to write. I have one poor friend who has probably seen multiple drafts of every kissing scene I’ve ever written.

E:  Have you always wanted to become a writer? At what point in your life did you decide that this was the right career path for you?

K: For most of my childhood and teens, I wanted to be a writer. I put that dream on hold for a number of years after high school (largely, I think, out of fear) and then rediscovered it when I started blogging.

E: How do you approach writing a new novel? Are you a plotter or a pantser?

K: I’m a pantser turned plotter. I find it easier to work with mystery plotlines if I have an idea of what clues are getting dropped when.

E:  Do you ever experience writer’s block? If so, how do you deal with it?

K:  I think everyone experiences writer’s block. Sometimes, I need to get away from the computer for a few hours. Other days, I have to keep my butt in the chair and plow through a few pages. Sadly, it can be hard to figure out which option will work.

E:  What advice would you give to aspiring authors interested in writing YA novels?

K: Have faith in yourself and love what you do.
Read often and read widely.
Read YA but also read outside of YA.

E: What’s next in line for you? Are you working on a new project now? When can we expect the next book in the Hemlock Series?

K: I’m currently working on the second Hemlock book (which I think will be released next year). There will be one more Hemlock book after that.

E:  Which of your favorite books would you recommend everybody to read?

K: The Princess Bride by William Goldman. Most people have seen the movie, but a lot of people don’t realize it’s based on a terrific book.

Kathleen, thank you so much for joining us today!  
I loved Hemlock so much and am looking forward to reading the next instalment in the series!

I am a fan!

Huge THANK YOU to Shannon from Harper Collins Canada for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book!

❤ ❤ ❤GIVEAWAY❤ ❤ ❤ 

I'm giving away my lightly read ARC of Hemlock!

Enter through Rafflecopter below!

Open to: INTERNATIONAL

Ends: May 20th
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About the Author

Evie is the Blogger behind Bookish. She enjoys reading many different genres, especially YA, Paranormal, Contemporary Fiction and Fantasy.

She loves talking to authors and is always happy to welcome them for interviews, and guest posts. She also likes spreading the love for awesome books and  chatting with fellow book-worms.

You can find Evie here: Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Shelfari | The Library Thing