#HorrorForLibaries Giveaway 121: Whalefall by Daniel Kraus

This week I have a title that I can already tell you is one of the best Horror books of the year. I gave it a STAR in Booklist's May 1, 2023 issue. Details below, but first, here is how you enter:

1. You need to be affiliated with an American public library. My rationale behind that is that I will be encouraging you to read these books and share them with patrons. While many of them are advanced reader copies that you cannot add to your collections, if you get the chance to read them, my hope is that you will consider ordering a copy for your library and give away the ARC away as a prize or pass it on to a fellow staff member.
2. If you are interested in being included in any giveaway at any time, you must email me at zombiegrl75 [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line "#HorrorForLibraries." In the body of the email all you have to say is that you want to be entered and the name of your library.
3. Each entry will be considered for EVERY giveaway. Meaning you enter once, and you are entered until you win. I will randomly draw a winner on Fridays sometime after 5pm central. But only entries received by 5pm each week will be considered for that week. I use Random.org and have a member of my family witness the "draw"based off your number in the Google Sheet.
4. If you win, you are ineligible to win again for 4 weeks; you will have to re-enter after that time to be considered [I have a list of who has won, when, and what title]. However, if you do not win, you carry over into the next week. There is NO NEED to reenter.

Click here to see giveaway #119. Our winner was Meghan from Sargent Memorial [MA] Library. Now on to today's giveaway.

Back to today's giveaway then. Whalefall by this year's Summer Scares Spokesperson, Daniel Kraus, is everything you expect it to be and also, so much more. It is an adventure thriller done to perfection. But it is also an emotional story about family relationships and grappling with death; it is a tale filled with  while wonder, awe, an deep sadness; it is disgusting and exciting and beautiful. I wrote about it in more on the main blog a few days ago here, but below is the draft review for the sake of this post:

STAR
Whalefall 
by Daniel Kraus 
Aug. 2023. 336p. MTV, $27.99 (9781665918169); e-book (9781665918183). First published May 1, 2023 (Booklist). 

Prolific, bestseller Kraus presents a moving character study disguised as a riveting, cinematic, survival thriller. Jay is a high school senior dealing not only with the loss of his local hero and diving legend father, Mitt, but also his unresolved anger with their complicated relationship. In an attempt to bring some peace to his mother and sisters, Jay attempts a dangerous solo dive that is cut short when he is swallowed by a whale. Told from Jay’s point of view in short, alternating chapters set in the present, denoted by how much air is left in his tank, and the past, mostly between 2015 and 2021, readers fall into the story immediately. The pacing is relentless, the awe, astounding, and the tension, palpably constricting, even as Kraus takes time to add the necessary details both scientific and visceral. However, it is Jay’s constant growth throughout the story where this novel shines, allowing its beauty to emerge, and leave its mark on all who encounter it. An easy sell to fans of Ocean Horror like Pressure by Keene or harrowing survival stories like 127 Hours by Ralston, but also those who love the wonder, disgust, and heartfelt emotions found in Eric LaRocca’s work. 

YA Statement: Written by an author with many YA fans, featuring a 17 year old protagonist and mixing high-action, high stakes adventure with an honest look at a complicated parent-child relationship, WHALEFALL will attract a wide range of teen readers.

Again, click here for a lot more from me on this book including more readalikes, appeal commentary, and my 3 words.

Thank you to MTV Books for the ARC. Remember, enter once and you are entered going forward. And you should enter if you want this book because I will have another giveaway after StokerCon since we will also have copies to giveaway there as well. 

Get on this title now and make sure you have a few copies preordered to have on hand 8/8. It is going to be popular.