Be the Star You Are! for TEENS
By Cynthia Brian with 38 contributors
304 pages
Morgan James Publishers
Teen/Young Adult $17.95 ISBN: 9781600376320
Starstyle® Productions, LLC
It’s tough being a teen in the 21st century. With so many restrictions, requirements, and reality television obsessed with cultural messages focused on fame, fortune, beauty, and sex, it’s no wonder teens feel helpless, hopeless, and stressed out. Empowerment coach, TV/Radio personality, and best selling author, Cynthia Brian has worked tirelessly over the past two decades to encourage young people to reach for the stars. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the founding of Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3 , a new book boasting thirty eight contributors from around the world, Be the Star You Are! for TEENS, will be released with all proceeds benefitting the charity.
Olesya Rulin, actress and star of High School Musical 1, 2, and 3 stated, " I wish I would have read this when I was a teen. It would have encouraged me to let go and be me. Individuality is crucial in life. This book helps explain why it is so important to stay true to yourself."
Be the Star You Are! for TEENS is a refreshing escape from sermons and rules. Instead you’ll read real life stories with real issue tools. Each easy to read short chapter is jam packed with simple strategies that you can implement immediately to survive and thrive. The book encourages you to embrace your individuality, find your passion, and ignite the flame that burns brightly within. “ In this book, Cynthia Brian provides stories and tools that will help teens honor their individuality and uniqueness while learning to deal with peer pressure in a positive way,” stated Patty Hansen, author of Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul.
Besides contributions by renowned best selling authors such as Dr. Bernie Siegel, M. J. Ryan, Libby Gill, and C. Hope Clark, teenagers from around the country are making their writing debut.
This book has garnered rave endorsements from educators, authors, celebrities, and CEO’s. Pro-surfer and teen inspiration, Bethany Hamilton, who suffered the loss of her arm from a shark attack wrote, “When I read a book it has to be like talking to a friend...this is it! Made me smile and surf a bigger wave!” Cassidy Freeman, Star of CW’s SMALLVILLE said, “I'm glad there's a book to help people of all ages realize that joy is more important than status and absolutely no one is better at being you.”
Whether you are a teen looking for answers, a parent, teacher, grandparent, or advisor searching for communication guidance, Be the Star You Are! for TEENS is a teen survival guide with pro-active positive steps in learning to major in success. Cynthia shared, “I’ve always strove to help young people uncover their inner genius. And as a woman who loves to garden, my real goal was to grow people.”
Be the Star You Are! for TEENS is in full bloom. Proceeds from the sale of this book benefit Be the Star You Are!® 501c3 charity. (www.bethestaryouare.org)
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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 loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index 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 sorted by relevance for query teens. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query teens. Sort by date Show all posts
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Friday, April 4, 2025
THE MONOCLE, A WILDLY FUN, SMART AND EXCITING YA SCI-FI ADVENTURE
TITLE OF YOUR BOOK: THE MONOCLE
AUTHOR’S NAME: Mark Cavanagh
NME OF BOOK SERIES: The Monocle Trilogy
AUTHOR'S EMAIL ADDRESS markcavanagh2014@gmail.com
_x_ Yes, I have received permission from the reviewer to reprint their review in its entirety
REVIEWER’S BYLINE: Christine Rodriguez, Fiction Addicted – Reading Books and Exploring Worlds. She is a prime reviewer for Reedsy, having authored 1203 reviews. This review originally published in Reedsy Discovery.
AUTHOR'S FAVORITE SALES LINKS:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Monocle-Mark-Cavanagh/dp/B092P6WTDR
Must read 🏆
Two teens find a mysterious monocle that bends reality—but they're not the only ones after it. Secrets, danger, and adventure await!
SYNOPSIS
In the quiet corners of a mundane 1960s town, two curious teenagers are about to trade the hum of their bicycle wheels for the crackle of cosmic energy… and unknowingly change their lives forever.
When best friends Viv and Mick stumble upon an alien artifact and a notebook of secret code, they unlock a strange new world where space folds and time travel is possible. As the adventurous teens master the powers of the extra-terrestrial monocle, friendship takes on new dimensions as they attempt to outrun federal agents and face fearsome creatures torn from the very fabric of nightmares!
As they grapple with the unfathomable supernatural powers that they unlock from the monocle, Viv and Mick must decide whether they want to make the ultimate gamble – venture further into the unknown… and risk losing not just each other, but their very lives.
Will their friendship withstand the trials of this spectral journey or will the very forces that brought them together tear them apart?
REVIEW
Some books hook you with action, others with mystery. The Monocle by Mark Cavanagh grabs you with pure wonder—that feeling of being a kid again, discovering something strange and incredible, and knowing that nothing will ever be the same. This YA adventure delivers a thrilling mix of nostalgia, mystery, and mind-bending science fiction, making it a must-read for fans of Stranger Things, A Wrinkle in Time, and The Goonies.
The Monocle is a coming-of-age adventure with a twist. Mick Sullivan and Viv Oulette, two curious and fearless teens, stumble upon an alien artifact—a mysterious monocle hidden inside a metallic clam-shaped shell. At first, it seems like a weird trinket. Still, when they unlock its abilities—seeing other dimensions, teleportation, even weaponized energy beams—it quickly becomes apparent that they've found something way bigger than themselves. And they're not the only ones interested. Enter Agent Flanders, a shadowy government official who wants the monocle for his own agenda, and suddenly, Mick and Viv are in a game much bigger (and far more dangerous) than they ever imagined.
What makes this book shine? For starters, Mick and Viv are fantastic protagonists. Their friendship feels genuine, fun, and full of personality—Their sharp, witty, and natural dialogue makes them feel like real teens rather than just "characters in a book." The Monocle is also an intriguing mystery. It slowly unravels the secrets of the monocle, blending sci-fi elements with a classic small-town adventure feel. Every discovery brings more questions, making it impossible to put down.
Mark Cavanagh has also given us a really strong sci-fi concept. The monocle itself isn't just a gimmick—it's an artifact with fascinating, reality-bending properties, and how the book explores its power is genuinely exciting. The blend of hard and soft sci-fi elements makes it feel both grounded and fantastical at the same time. I also loved the tense government conspiracy angle. It's not just a story about cool powers—there's a sense that something massive is at play, and Mick and Viv are in way over their heads.
The Monocle is a wildly fun, smart, and exciting YA sci-fi adventure that blends mystery, government intrigue, and coming-of-age friendship perfectly. If you love books that capture that nostalgic sense of discovery while keeping you on the edge of your seat, this one's for you. A great YA read for young and old alike!
REVIEWED BY
Following
Christine is a 7-12th grade English teacher, a library assistant, and a bookworm with a passion for good literature. She has a keen eye for good literature and reads books across genres. Her favorites are dystopian lit, sci-fi, fantasy, and contemporary literature.
Christine Rodriguez links: https://fictionaddicted.com https://www.instagram.com/chrisofcourse2025 https://x.com/csrodriguez1970
AUTHOR BIO. Mark Cavanagh, author of The Monocle Trilogy, Big Blue Society, The Zen of Laundry and RV Time Machine, lives with his wife by the Dark Swamp in northwestern Rhode Island where H.P. Lovecraft searched for the legendary IT. He co-wrote and produced Zombie Dearest, a feature film, and directed the award-winning Youth Vision program, recipient of the Action for Children’s Television Award.
Author website: https://markcavanaghbooks.de
The Monocle Book Trailer Links:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/62417144829536698/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/62417144829536709/
https://www.tiktok.com/@dorothysflyingmachine/video/7487626535676005674
https://youtu.be/Jd3efdBLsSQ
https://rumble.com/v6rgcat-the-monocle-the-monocle-trilogy.html
YOUR TWITTER (X) MONIKER: @CavanaghBooks
https://x.com/CavanaghBooks/status/1908148725349839061
Thursday, September 17, 2020
Book Review for Tales2Inspire ~ The Pearl Collection (Stories of Awesome Kids)
BOOK TITLE: Tales2Inspire ~ The Pearl Collection (Stories of Awesome Kids)
AUTHORS: Anthology of short stories written by Lois W. Stern (Publisher) and the following contributing authors and storytellers: Mariah Rose Nablo, Elayna Hasty, Roman McConn, Jayla and Lakesia Newson, Mikayla Clarke, Carolyne, Rosie Westerbeck, Amariyanna ‘Mari’ Copeny’ story, Christian Bucks, Ethan Nielson, Sidney Keyes III, MacKenzey Kologlu, Jade Scott, Starling, Emma Gonzales
GENRE OR CATEGORY: Non-fiction, inspiring short stories
ISBN: 978-1798757772
FORMAT: Paperback, Kindle
PAGE COUNT: 123
https://www.amazon.com/Tales2I
Monday, February 10, 2020
Book Reviews Rock - Plus Hint #Eleven for Getting Them
BOOK REVIEWS ROCK, PLUS HINT # ELEVEN
Hint Number Eleven for Getting them
Carolyn Howard-Johnson's Hint # Eleven
(When asking for reviews)"Don't overlook staff members at bookstores where you have given presentations. A large percentage are avid readers, and many are fellow writers. Some do reviews for the store's newsletter. Your personal thank you to them should be a signed copy of your book."
Page 105: How to Get Great Book Reviews
________________________________________
One thing I know for sure . . . Authors are a wonderful group of people, and by and large so willing to help one another.
It's just that life has a way of keeping us all so busy.
________________________________
BRIGHT IDEA
1. CHOOSE ONE BOOK FROM THE LIST BELOW THAT INTERESTS YOU.
2. ASK THAT AUTHOR TO SUGGEST JUST 50 PAGES TO GIVE YOU ITS FLAVOR.
3. READ THOSE FEW PAGES.
4. THEN WRITE YOUR AMAZON REVIEW, POSTING IT WITHIN 30 DAYS.
*** USE YOUR REVIEW TO HELP PROMOTE YOURSELF AS WELL. ***
HOW?
JUST END IT WITH THE WORDS: AUTHOR OF (YOUR BOOK TITLE)
________________________________________
TITLE: SOLAR DIVIDENDS: How Solar Energy Can Generate a Basic Income for Everyone on Earth
NUMBER OF PAGES: 144
DESCRIPTION: puts forth a bold original plan for solving global poverty and global warming with a single program. In brief: we set up every person on the planet with a big section of solar panels, sell the electricity the panels generate, and deliver the money as solar dividends to the person as their basic income, for the rest of their life. The book provides compelling reasons and a detailed blueprint for this inspiring program.
AUTHOR'S NAME: Robert Stayton
E-MAIL: stayton.robert@gmail.com
FORMAT: paperback, PDF, Kindle, or Epub
AGE/INTEREST LEVEL: Adult
TITLE: NOVEMBER TO JULY
NUMBER OF PAGES: 282
DESCRIPTION: Eleanor Simons has been serving as a nurse in the Great War. When the fighting stops, she faces bleak prospects. Her fiancé, a fighter pilot, is dead. In Paris, where she now lives, a conference of delegates from around the globe is meeting to remake the maps of Europe, Asia and Africa. Their effort to create a peaceful world is doomed; but through it, Eleanor faces the challenge of shaping a better future for herself.
AUTHOR'S NAME: Marilyn Oser
E-MAIL: marilynoser@gmail.com
FORMAT: PDF, E-BOOK, TRADE PAPERBACK
AGE/INTEREST LEVEL: adult
AMAZON URL: https://tinyurl.com/tk5n62y
________________________________________
TITLE: ONCE UPON AND EVER AFTER
NUMBER OF PAGES: 15 ebook, 32 paperback
DESCRIPTION: After years of training the prince is finally ready for his quest to rescue a princess. But can h e find a princess who needs to be rescued and what happens if he can't?
AUTHOR'S NAME: Caroline L Thornton
E-MAIL: carolinelthornton@outlook.com
FORMAT: Mobi
AGE/INTEREST LEVEL: Up to 8
TITLE: NUMBER EIGHT CRISPY CHICKEN
NUMBER OF PAGES: 232
DESCRIPTION: Immigration minister, Peter Ruddick, is enroute to remote Pulcherrima, the site of his latest privately-run, fast-food chain-inspired detention centre. But chaos ensues when Peter misses his connecting flight and finds himself confined to Turgrael airport, without a lounge in sight. Stranded with nothing but crispy chicken burgers to eat and nobody but a bleeding-heart liberal for company, Peter’s misunderstandings of Turgistani language and culture
AUTHOR'S NAME: Sarah Neofield
E-MAIL: sarahneofield@gmail.com
FORMAT: (PDF, E-BOOK)
AGE/INTEREST LEVEL: Mainstream adult fiction
TITLE: TALES2INSPIRE ~ THE OPAL COLLECTION
NUMBER OF PAGES: 125
DESCRIPTION: A collection of 16 non-fiction short stories by contest winning authors participating in the 2019 Tales2Inspire® contest. The theme for this Opal Collection, Stronger Today Because, is portrayed in both words and original photographs reflecting the true experiences of these authors.
AUTHOR'S NAME: Lois W. Stern
E-MAIL: tales2Inspire@optimum.net
FORMAT: 5 Paperbacks, PDF, Epub
AGE/INTEREST LEVEL: Young adult and adult
AMAZON URL: http://tiny.cc/po1ahz
________________________________________
TITLE: I AM ME: Teen Artists and Writers Speak Out On Being Yourself
NUMBER OF PAGES: 104 (a quick read)
DESCRIPTION: This book pairs award winning poetry and art to empower young teens to shake off the negative power of the media and peers to realize it is okay to be themselves. This anthology is a fresh voice that lets teens know that you don’t have to achieve “perfection" to be “perfect.” Created from over 100,000 submissions of art and poetry.
AUTHOR'S NAME: Tom Worthen, Ph.D.
E-MAIL: tiffani@poeticpower.com
AGE/INTEREST LEVEL: Teens – 12-18
TITLE: WOULD YOU RATHER BE IN THE COFFIN THAN GIVE THE EULOGY? - how to take the terror out of public speaking: A PRACTICAL guide for all types of speeches
DESCRIPTION: Your career prospects may depend on your ability to speak in public. Authors, sports stars, actors and business people may also be asked to ‘give a talk’ about their success, which can be an intimidating prospect. This step-by-step guide gives you practical advice for giving many types of speeches, with examples that show you what to do, what not to do - and what can go hilariously wrong! (Some things are only learned by experience).
AUTHOR: jannev@mweb.co.za
FORMAT: (PDF, E-BOOK)
AGE/INTEREST LEVEL: High school age and upwards
AMAZON URL: https://amzn.to/2KpE4w8
________________________________________
ABOUT YOUR TRUSTED BLOGGER, LOIS W. STERN
Tales2inspire was a kernel of an idea I started in 2012. It has grown to proportions even I didn’t dare to envision. My innate curiosity about potentially fascinating human interest stories was the spark that ignited this idea, but it was the confused state of traditional publishing that propelled me forward. Tales2inspire delivers exactly what it promises as both an authors-helping-authors project and a contest. Winners get their stories published in print, e-book, and some even in video formats, with their names, headshot photos, and mini-autobiographies. Then I spread the word about the winners and their stories on my blog, my monthly newsletter, and on several select social networks. Free to enter, this competition is open to talented newbies and seasoned authors alike.
Learn more about me and the Tales2Inspire project at: www.tales2Inspire.com
and get a FREE sampler filled with six published T2I stories at: www.tales2inspire.com/gift
Lois is also a regular contributor to this blog.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tales2inspire
Twitter: www.twitter.com/tales2inspire2
_______________________________
MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page and in a tab at the top of this blog's home page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites so it may be used a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing
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