Title: Novus
Series: The Cresecren Chronicles, Book1
Author: Crystal Marcos
Web site: http://crystalmarcos.com
Genre: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-0984389988
Links to buy eBook: Amazon http://amzn.to/1IGbLDd
Nook edition: http://bit.ly/1JDP56T
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1ho25me
Links to buy Paperback: Amazon http://amzn.to/1NiIIbG
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1Vmtvrm
Originally reviewed by Kim Anisi for Readers’ Favorite
Rating: 5 stars
I would recommend not starting Novus (The Cresecren Chronicles, Book 1) by Crystal Marcos if you have anything planned for the rest of the day, as you will most likely not want to put the book down!
Cayden, the main character, is a Cresecren, similar to humans, but made to serve them. Cayden ended up in a colony of Cresecrens who are either not fit to serve any longer or who have been outcasts for some reason. One day, Cayden's life changes completely. He meets an interesting human girl, and then is involved in a rather unpleasant chain of events (which I can't mention as that would be spoilers!) which lead to him and a group of others being on the run, and finding out that the world out there is full of things that are not as they seem.
Novus by Crystal Marcos is one of those gems that make you care about the characters within the story, and while you definitely want to know what happens to them, you can't help but also not want to get to the end of the book. It's the kind of book whose characters you miss when you finish the book. There is good news though, it's the first book in a series and if Crystal writes as well in the second book then it will also be a fantastic read.
There still is a lot to explore, quite a few issues to be resolved, and I am sure that more interesting characters will be waiting for readers.
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
This blog, #TheNewBookReview, is "new" because it eschews #bookbigotry. It lets readers, reviewers, authors, and publishers expand the exposure of their favorite reviews, FREE. Info for submissions is in the "Send Me Your Fav Book Review" circle icon in the right column below. Find resources to help your career using the mini search engine below. #TheNewBookReview is a multi-award-winning blog including a MastersInEnglish.org recommendation.
Showing posts with label Fiction: YA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fiction: YA. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Monday, June 8, 2015
Roadmap Girl Buzzes About Young Adult Fiction
Title: Silence (Sequel 1 to “Hush,”
Lakeview Novel Series)
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Author: Stacey R.
Campbell
Publisher: Green Darner Press (May 28,
2015)
Genre: Young Adult
Fiction
ASIN: B00YGCAR1K
Where to buy: Amazon Kindle ($.99)
Author Website:
http://www.staceyrcampbell.com
Reviewed by Marlan Warren originally for Roadmap Girl’s Book Buzz
This quick, lively and poignant read
explores that special longing felt by many adopted children: to know their
biological parents. In this novelette sequel to Hush, Blakely Henry is now a graduate of
Lakeview Academy who juggles her new life as queen of a fictional Mediterranean
country with college and her hunky fiancé. Her adoptive American parents are on
hand to help out, and it's touching how supportive they are of Blakely's deep
need to meet her biological father. Stacey R. Campbell has meticulously crafted
characters who come to life on the page so well that you feel you know them. She
keeps the tone light, and is unafraid of tackling painful memories or events
that come up as Blakely's search intensifies. Details such as the excellent
pasta dishes the castle cook can whip up for her pleasure enhance the pleasures
of this story which has one foot in "fairy tale" and the other in "reality."
What makes this
journey so much fun is how much everyone involved cares. Blakely's whole family
plus her fiancé accompany her on this tough journey which leads them through
some beautiful parts of France. Silence is glamorous fun (how much easier our
lives would be if we all had our own "royal stylist"), and at the same time, it
is down to earth about skeletons in family closets and how families choose to
deal with them. It can be read as a stand-alone, although it might be fun to go
back and read Hush to find
out how Blakely found out that she is the only surviving blood relative
of an assassinated monarchy of a country that now needs her
help.
About the
Author:
Stacey R.
Campbell lives in the Seattle area with her husband and three daughters. She is
a graduate of the University of Washington and a dyslexic writer who believes
there is no such thing as a bad reader. She's also the author of the Young Adult Lakeview
Novel Series (Hush, Whisper and the upcoming Scream), as well as the MG
swashbuckler Arrgh! .
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Sunday, May 17, 2015
Arrgh! Pirates in Paperback, Hardcover and E-book!
Title:
Arrgh!
Author:
Stacey R. Campbell
Illustrator: M.S. Corley
Date of
Release: Nov. 1, 2014)
Genre:
Middle Grade / Adventure
Publisher:
Green Darner Press (November 1, 2014)
ISBN-13:
978-0988478442
(282 pages)
ASIN: B00MX7ATRM
Author
Website: http://www.staceyrcampbell.com
Reviewed by Marlan Warren originally for L.A. Now and Then
"Arrgh!" is a true treasure: Five not-easy lessons on
the high seas. Stacey R. Campbell's Kidnapped-by-Pirates tale is greater than
the sum of its title.
This Coming
of Age Voyage takes off like a cannon blast when a runaway orphan finds himself
forced onto a cargo ship by pirates posing as merchant seamen, and gathers
momentum with inventive action until its gratifying
conclusion.
Thirteen-year-old Christopher has escaped from an orphanage to search for
family members. Ironically, he is nabbed off the street by two pirate thugs who
pass him off to the ship's captain as a relative. Threatened with death if he
does not pretend to be mute, Christopher enters a world of repressed
silence—broken only during moments when he can communicate with Leo the
Attack-for-Hire Mouse who comes to his assistance as a kind of life coach. The
trained and certified Leo sets about teaching the timid youth Five Life Lessons.
Campbell
deftly melds fantasy with reality; excitement with education; and classical
storytelling with contemporary sensibility that honors Friendship, Family and
Literacy.
As in
"Peter Pan," there is a line
between non-adult and adult perceptions and abilities. When Christopher is
befriended by the Captain's twelve-year-old daughter Lucy, it turns out that she
can also understand the talking animals who come their way because she is not an
adult. And when the duo find themselves stranded on an island, they revel in it
as a paradise where they can do whatever they want without adult
interference.
In a world
where many are illiterate, Lucy begins to crack the mystery of Christopher when
she sees him reading books from her father’s library.
Herein lie
the expected dark moments and violence of the genre. However, Christopher and
Lucy achieve their victories through The Power of the Plan—hopping from plan to
plan as their fates shift.
The biggest
lesson comes to Christopher when he must stay on the island without Lucy, and
subdue the pirates with only the assistance of animal helpers. He comes out of
it with this newfound truth: "I was never alone."
Young
readers will be enthralled by the vivid imagery that makes up the swashbuckling
action sequences, as well as the evocative sights and smells of this time
period. A Glossary of Nautical Terms opens the book. Lessons include such
vintage practical gems as how to manage a galleon in a storm. M.S. Corley's
beautiful vintage-style illustrations would be at home in the earliest editions
of any classic pirate tale.
How does it
end? Here's a hint: Lesson Number Five brought tears to my
eyes.
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Learn more about the review Marlan Warren at Roadmap Girl's Book Buzz
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Fantasy Without Blasphemy Reviewed
Title: Voices of the Sea
Author: Bethany Harar
Website: http://www.bethanymasoneharar.com/
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
ISBN: 1937178544
Reviewed by Beth Tropp
Never a fan of a certain vampire book (I know, blasphemy!) I began reading Voices
of the Sea with some misgivings. Would this just be another vampire book -- with
swimming instead of biting?
Happily I was all wrong. Voices of the Sea was a fresh new book that has a
little something for everyone: a little romance, a little fantasy, a little
adventure. The characters ran true as teenagers. In turn they were lovesick,
moody, reckless, defiant, scared and childish.
The first part of the book, where readers get a feel for life as a Siren,
is fascinating but when the murders start things really speed up. You'll find
you won't be able to stop reading as you try to figure out if there is a traitor
among the Sirens or an outsider spying on them. There were also several surprise
twists that will keep you from guessing exactly what's happening until the very
end.
Yes, it is YA but it's a story I think fantasy readers of all ages will
enjoy.
----- The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Reader Loves the Pinata-Maker's Daughter
The Pinata-Maker's Daughter
Author: Eileen Clemens Granfors
Author's Web site: htttp://www.eileengranfors.blogspot.com
Genre: Women's fiction/late YA
ISBN: 1456341219 (paperback)
5 Stars
Reviewed by Maplesyrup, a reader, originally for Amazon
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Author: Eileen Clemens Granfors
Author's Web site: htttp://www.eileengranfors.blogspot.com
Genre: Women's fiction/late YA
ISBN: 1456341219 (paperback)
5 Stars
Reviewed by Maplesyrup, a reader, originally for Amazon
I loved reading "The Pinata-Maker's Daughter"
because it is about families. It is about the family of Carmen and her mother,
Lucia. They are the main family since Lucia is the Pinata-Maker. Her daughter
Carmen thinks she is so smart and modern and goes off to college pretty much
ashamed of her hometown (San Ysidro, CA) and her mother and her old friends. She
has her head in the clouds. So Carmen has a lot to learn about life that is not
taught in any classroom.
She meets two young men. The one is Hispanic like her, and he tries to keep her focused on handling classes and handling work and handling her heritage. He's very serious all the time, but I could tell he was like Carmen in trying to fulfill a dream. He wants Carmen to become a voice and a role model.
The other young man is a goof off. His name is Joe. He is a fraternity guy, and most of his time is spent looking for pretty girls or practicing his sport. The thing is, even though he doesn't know much about Carmen's heritage, he connects with her by just making her laugh and not be so serious. His family, at least his mother, shows Carmen a whole new side of life.
Carmen's roommate and her roommate's friend also push her in new directions. Isn't that what college is for?
The ending of the book revealed a lot of secrets and surprised me and made me cry. I want to read more about Carmen. She's very funny even when she doesn't mean to be. One of the best things about this book is the way that the author shows young people learning that life isn't just a bowl of cherries, and it's not a pinata-party either!
She meets two young men. The one is Hispanic like her, and he tries to keep her focused on handling classes and handling work and handling her heritage. He's very serious all the time, but I could tell he was like Carmen in trying to fulfill a dream. He wants Carmen to become a voice and a role model.
The other young man is a goof off. His name is Joe. He is a fraternity guy, and most of his time is spent looking for pretty girls or practicing his sport. The thing is, even though he doesn't know much about Carmen's heritage, he connects with her by just making her laugh and not be so serious. His family, at least his mother, shows Carmen a whole new side of life.
Carmen's roommate and her roommate's friend also push her in new directions. Isn't that what college is for?
The ending of the book revealed a lot of secrets and surprised me and made me cry. I want to read more about Carmen. She's very funny even when she doesn't mean to be. One of the best things about this book is the way that the author shows young people learning that life isn't just a bowl of cherries, and it's not a pinata-party either!
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Education Expert Reviews Historical Fiction for Youth and Older
THE BALLAD OF JESSIE PEARL
Author: Hitchcock, Shannon
Author's website: http://shannonhitchcockwriter.blogspot.com
Publisher: NamelosAuthor: Hitchcock, Shannon
Author's website: http://shannonhitchcockwriter.blogspot.com
Pages: 131
Price ( Hardcover ): $18.95
Publication Date: February 1, 2013
ISBN ( Hardcover ): 978-1-60898-141-0
Category: Fiction (ages 10 - up)
Review Rating: Five stars
Reviewed by Diana Sharp originally for Amazon
Perfect for historical-fiction fans of books like Sarah,
Plain and Tall and Our Only May Amelia, this tale of plucky and loyal
Jessie Pearl is aimed at somewhat older readers and gives a taste of life in
1920's rural North Carolina, with details on everything from chicken and
dumplings to Model Ts to "stink soup."
As Jessie grows from fourteen years old
to sixteen, love with a childhood sweetheart remains innocent and heart-tugging,
and her love for her family is as deep as the well where she winds her water.
Faith in God is an undercurrent throughout the story as this church-going family
struggles with survival in a world where tuberculosis claimed the lives of many.
There's no offensive language, and the romance is deftly written to be
appropriate for all ages, making this one of those hard-to-find books about
teenage life that don't require a parental advisory for younger, advanced
readers. Book clubs (especially mother-daughter book clubs) will no doubt find
the ending both satisfying and open-ended enough for good discussions about how
Jessie's later life may unfold.
Diana
Sharp, Ph.D.
Consulting, Development, and Writing
Services
for Educational
Pioneers
diana@DianaSharp.com
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Saturday, July 21, 2012
Mystery Reviewed by Justin Lugbill
Heartbreak of Revenge
By: Eleanor WrightMystery Fiction,
Ages, 12 and up.
ISBN # 978-0-578-03013-5
Reviewed by Justin Lugbill originally for Christian Book Review
Heartbreak of Revenge is a two part story that takes place during
the middle of the 1900s. The first part of the story follows two boys through a
period of 14 years (1941-1953). David is a white, middle class boy that enjoys
typical activities for a boy. During the warm months, one of his favorite
activities is swimming in a pond with his three best friends. However, upon
arriving one day, he witnesses something horrific that changes his life forever.
He witnesses his friends throwing stones at a small black boy. Realizing that
this was not OK, he immediately put a stop to it.
Through that incident, David develops a short lived friendship with the
small boy who had stones thrown at him. Jimmy, victim to the rampant, bigoted
behaviors of white folks of the day, has a very meager life when he is
introduced to David. As I read this book, I couldn’t help but shake my head in
disgust at the cruel behavior that David’s four friends exemplified on that day
(and throughout the book). While we have a long way to come for social equality,
author Eleanor Wright gracefully navigates through the racially charged
situations of the time, as well as the emotions, rationalizations, and thoughts
that filled the minds of people who lived during that time.
For me, these vivid descriptions of the social injustices that took place
during the middle of the century were some of my favorite parts. Writing about
these times (I imagine) would be very difficult. However, Wright navigated these
murky, dark waters quite well, and portrayed multiple characters ( and their
beliefs) with great imagery, and insight into their minds. Born in 1985, I have
seen the generational differences when it comes to prejudice. There are
frequently stories of violence, verbal abuse, uneven income distribution, and so
on, but I cannot imagine living in a time where such blatant acts of racism, and
the rationalizations and hatred behind it, existed. The Heartbreak of
Revenge did a great job of giving me a window into this time.
Moving back to the story, it becomes clear very quickly that there is more
to the story than the initial confrontation. Not wanting to give the entire
storyline away, I will simply say that the title is a great indicator to the
overall theme of the book. Revenge, in any form, causes harms…often more harm
than the initial act that is being vindicated. This book clearly shows this.
If you are looking to read a work of fiction that explores the nuances of
racial tension in the 1940s and 1950s, this is a great choice. With some twists
and turns along the way, and an ending that will throw you for a loop,
Heartbreak of Revenge is a sure pick. Posted 19 Jul 12.
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