The New Book Review

Showing posts sorted by relevance for query YA. Sort by date Show all posts

Sunday, September 18, 2011

YA Fiction Recommended for Professionals

Title: The Battle for Tomorrow: a Fable

Author: Dr Stuart Jeanne Bramhall

Website: www.stuartbramhall.com

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

ISBN: 978-1-61204-219-0

Reviewed by Stephanie Laymon, originally for Five Alarm Reviews

I was eager to find out how Dr. Stuart Jeanne Bramhall would deal with the very real and tough issues in The Battle For Tomorrow. While I anticipated a lot of clinical verbage and a bit of disconnect with the reality of what a teen like Ange would experience, I found an incredibly well written and realistic read. So realistic, in fact, that I found parts incredibly hard to take on.

Ange’s experiences are unique in comparison to the average adolescent struggles because of the severity of her situation and at times I could see where some readers may mistakenly take offense to some of the things that Ange chooses to do. I say mistakenly because I felt that it was more important to understand Ange and her struggles than to agree with her.

Although I have found this book listed for YA’s, I tend to disagree. While there are some extremely mature teens that this might be appropriate for, I would recommend it for a more mature group. The Battle For Tomorrow: A Fable by Dr. Stuart Jeanne Bramhall is a remarkable book for adults working with teens, women’s studies and reading groups because of the numerous discussion opportunities.

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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. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Journalist Pens YA Novel and "Gets It Right!"

Title: Maggie Vaults Over the Moon
Author: Grant Overstake
Author's Web Site www.maggievaultsoverthemoon.com
Genre: YA Fiction, Sports
ISBN: 978-1478296874

Publisher: CreateSpace
Customer Review: 5 out of 5 stars

Buy Link at Amazon.com

Reviewed by Diane Wahto for Goodreads

Grant Overstake, the author of Maggie Vaults Over the Moon, has created in Maggie Steele a courageous young woman who, despite self-doubt and grief, finds wholeness in a most unusual way, through the sport of pole-vaulting.

Being non-athletic myself, I wasn't sure how I would relate to a story of a teenager who took up pole vaulting as away to connect with her brother, tragically lost in a car wreck, and a way to heal herself. This is a young adult novel. Even so, I found myself caught up in Maggie's story. I believe readers of any age would find this book worthwhile.

In some ways, I don't relate to Maggie. I grew up in town and had little interest in my aunt and uncle's farm, or farm life in general. I would never, in my wildest dreams been elected homecoming queen. However, Overstake has made Maggie into a complex character, a teenager who has to navigate the halls and perils of her small town high school, much as I did in my hometown of Baxter Springs, Kansas.

Overstake gets everything right about Kansas. The story is set near Fort Scott, a town not too far away from my home town, and it is sweet to read about a land I knew so well. He also gets the people right, people, who with all their flaws, are still good and loving. Maggie's parents are particularly well developed. They are also caught up in the grief at the loss of their son, and we see that grief played out. However, they also understand Maggie's needs and try to help her as best they can.

Overstake is a former newspaper editor and sports writer. His background ensures that he know his stuff when it comes to writing about high school athletics. He is also an excellent writer.

Maggie Vaults Over the Moon hums along like a well-oiled, wonderfully written machine.

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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, January 20, 2013

Carl Hiassen's YA Novel Gets Heads Up

Title: Chomp

Author: Carl Hiassen

Author's Web site link: http://www.carlhiaasen.com

Genre: Young Adult Urban, 10 and up

Hardcover: 304 pages

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers; First Edition edition (March 27, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0375868429

ISBN-13: 978-0375868429

Reviewed by Jack B. Downs

The Story

Wahoo McCroy is your average bemused middle schooler, minus a thumb lost in a feeding accident to a family pet. Distracted as he offered Alice the alligator a whole chicken, he noticed too late that she’d mistaken his appendage for part of the meal. Such is life growing up in a reptile zoo.

Wahoo’s dad Mickey is also suffering the effects of an animal attack – of sorts. Seems he was beaned by a frozen iguana as it tumbled from its tree roost. Life running a reptile zoo creates challenges both logistical and financial. Running low on flow because of his extended recuperation, Mickey takes a contract with Expedition Survival, and uber-popular man-dropped –in-the-wild-to-pit-himself-against-nature story. Then the fun truly begins.

Derek, the star of the series, is a schizophrenic showman, who doesn’t hesitate to down roadkill for his audience, but uses stunt doubles for some of the dangerous stuff, and whose contract includes being airlifted out of the backcountry every night to a five-star resort. When he falls in love with the Everglades on location and decides to use all-wild animals, rather than the yawning reptiles in Mickey’s zoo, he drags along Mickey and Wahoo to assist. Wahoo brings along his friend Tuna, a girl suffering abuse at the hands of a drunken and deranged father.

The escapades that fill out the book as the drunken father chases his daughter and crew into the swamp, the star of the show is bitten by a bat and has a hallucinatory conversion, and Wahoo and Mickey first are the hunters, and then the hunters, lead to a surprising climax. Let’s just say the characters we thought we knew assume more….character.

Downs' Review

I Read it in two nights. That’s probably my equivalent of five stars. I should say I’ve been reading Carl Hiassen for years, ever since I stumbled across the unforgettable and provocatively titled “Skinny Dip.” This author always delivers, and I am reminded of a younger Tom Robbins, without the author intrusion, but with all the clever pacing and the quirky characters that seem to be goofy to be totally fictionalized. The young runaway, Tuna, for example, is predictably dodgy, suspicious, and proud. But she is also an expert at the Latin names for the dazzling flora abounding in the deep Everglades.

Derek the “survivalist,” who turns out to be anything but, is a contradiction in the book. He is in many spots a simpering, egotistical fool. When he leaps onto Alice though, for what turns out to be the ride of his life, he displays his reckless, extreme side. They are a little hard to reconcile for me.

This is the second novel for young readers of Hiassen’s I have read. To tell the truth, when I read “Flush,” another of his young adult novels, I’m not sure I even realized it was young adult. Hiassen’s clever characters and rapid-fire dialogue migrate well from such adult works of his as “Nature Girl” and “Strip Tease” to the high-action pacing of his YA works.

Hiassen also manages, in the manner of “Rivers of Grass,” the rallying cry to save the Everglades by Marjorie Douglas, to paint his action on a rich, Technicolor backdrop of a land he clearly loves and yearns to protect. Hiassen’s main characters are those very close to the bottom of the 99 percent, whose resilience, bravery, and inventiveness cause me to look more closely at what I think I know. In that sense, “Chomp,” like the rest of his writing, is subversive. The world I see is more clearly focused, and that’s not a bad consequence of a good read.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Dark YA Comedy Given Five-Stars

Title: Going Bovine

Author: Libba Bray

Author's Website: www.libbabray.com

Genre/Category: Young Adult, Surreal Dark Comedy, Speculative Fiction

ISBN-10: 0385733984

ISBN-13: 978-0385733984

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Going-Bovine-Libba-Bray/dp/0385733984

Reviewed by Airiz Casta

Reviewer's Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Take a modern day Holden Caulfield diagnosed with the human equivalent of mad cow disease. Throw him in a mission to find his cure (and save the world!) with a hypochondriac dwarf and a Viking god cursed as a lawn gnome. Add a punk angel with a penchant for spray-painting misspelled messages on her wings, a cluster of fire demons, an enigmatic Wizard, and a wormhole that will bring the dreaded apocalypse. Stir well—and voila! You just prepared Libba Bray’s surreal dark comedy, Going Bovine.

There are many authors who attempted to concoct an effective formula that can render their stories both fall-off-the-chair funny and heartbreaking at the same time, but I believe only a handful of those who declared “Eureka!” got a positive response from the reading world. Libba Bray is one of them.

Speaking through the (vulgar) mouth of teenage lazybones Cameron John Smith,Going Bovine is a story of death, choices, friendship, and of course, life. Bray’s spot-on sense of humor is reminiscent of Douglas Adam’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy; her writing style is addictive and convincing. The characterization is astonishingly brilliant, and it proves to be more than enough in persuading the readers to root for the unlikable, unreliable narrator.

Cameron is perhaps one of the most irksome antiheroes in Young Adult literature. The ennui he builds around himself is perpetually backed up by his I’m-the-world’s-most-apathetic-jerk-and-I-know-it-and-you-can’t-do-anything-about-it attitude. Considering himself a ‘social paramecium’, he wants to survive high school (and life in general) just by, well, having mass and occupying space. Nothing more. The word ‘effort’ is nonexistent in his lexicon. Bray makes it so that Cameron comes off as a sardonic quipster that can give you the urge to punch him just for being who he is. That is until he finds out he acquired a fatal illness, the Creutzfeldt-Jakob variant BSE. Suddenly, he is forced to grow out of his shell of indifference; he is forced tocare. He has to face many questions, the most important being: have I lived a meaningful life? Have I ever lived at all?

Clearly, the answer is no. Cameron wasted a majority of his life existing, not living. With only a few time left before shifting off the mortal coil, he learns it is too late for him to taste the essence of life. He begins to despise everyone who will outlive him. But as in Pandora’s box, after all the bad news emerges hope: the angel Dulcie gives him a chance to live. He grabs this opportunity and sets off in an adventure like no other, to search for his supposed cure.

Most of the poignant moments occur while Cameron and his new found friends are on the road. Why is it only when Death is reaching out to you with open arms that you are finally noticing the things in life worth hanging on to? Cameron belongs to a dysfunctional family, and though he does not admit to hating any member, his attitude toward them is the usual “I don’t give a damn.” Everything changes when his impending death is confirmed. When Cameron talks with his father on the phone, you could almost hear his croaking “I love you.” He has a couple of touching moments with his mom too, but my favorite is the subtlest, when he dines at Konstant Kettle and misses his mom’s Grammar Nazi-sh pet peeve. He decides to call her:

There’s a pay phone in the way back next to the men’s bathroom. I drop in all the change I’ve got and make the call. It rings four times and goes to voicemail. I hear my mom’s familiar message.

“Hi, this is Mary Smith. I can’t come to the phone right now because I’ve probably been carried away by griffins. But if you leave your name and number, I’ll get back to you just as quickly as Hermes would.” There’s a pause, and then she says to me, “Cameron, did I do that right? Oh! We’re still recording! Oh my goodness…,” and her laugh is cut off. That message used to annoy the crap out of me, my mom being all spacey and mom-ish. But right now, hearing her voice is the best thing in the world, like waking up and realizing there’s no school. There’s a beep, and my stomach tightens.

“Um, hi, Mom. It’s me. Cameron. Well, you probably ﬁgured that part out,” I say, sounding like the biggest dork. “Anyway, I’m okay. I want you to know that ﬁrst. And, you know what? Keep grading those moronic English Comp 101 papers, because otherwise, we’re all gonna be getting our gas at the K-W-I-K S-E-R-V and drinking our E-X-P-R-E-S-S-Os at the Konstant Kettle, two K’s. Seriously, the world needs you. You matter. A lot. Okay, I gotta go, ’cause the grifﬁns are here and you know how much they hate to wait. Love you,” I add quickly, and hang up.

Halfway through the novel, Cameron is becoming a more pleasant person. He is still a potty-mouthed smartass, but he cares a lot now. He even loves. I enjoyed reading about their “stops” and how Cameron picks up a couple of lessons from them that he hasn’t learned in the past sixteen years of his life. However, it easily became clear to me that the story will take a Lewis Carroll-esque turn. I’m not certain if it’s because of the plethora of clues strewn across each chapter or the extreme surrealism of events, but either way it did not deter me from liking the whole thing.

Aside from carrying significant messages that will send you pondering, what makesGoing Bovine stand out from today’s flurry of cookie-cutter Alice in Wonderland tales is that it makes you question what really happened. That said, I absolutely love the concept of parallel worlds/alternate realities. In the readers’ perspective, everything is just a Don Quixote journey…but what is real, anyway? Bray poses that rhetorical question from the very start. Like Schrödinger’s Cat experiment, who’s to say only one reality exists? Can two realities not happen at the same time? Perhaps it’s only my inner kid’s happy-ever-after alarm going off, but I took comfort in the fact that this recurring element may also apply to the storyline itself.

There’s one thing I did not see coming: the identity of the Wizard of the Reckoning. I was shocked in a good way, and that’s plus points in my book. The final pages were amazingly bittersweet and thought-provoking. I was sobbing quietly, but a sense of eternal hope is also lingering there, making me smile (therefore making me look like a first class idiot, haha).

Going Bovine is officially taking its place in the bookshelf of my favorite novels. 4.5 stars out of 5 for an unforgettable read!

~Reviewer Airiz Casta blogs at

www.cinderellaincombatboots.blogspot.com

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Interview: Women's Fiction Writer Skartsiaris Shares Secrets

Hi! I am Carolyn Howard Johnson, your trusty New Book Review blogger and author of the multi award-winning HowTo Do It Frugally Series of books for writers. This blog has heretofore been exclusive for reviews but I thought I’d do a special series of interviews after I chatted with Jeanie Loiacono, President of Loiacono Literary Agency – Where ‘can’t’ is not in our vocabulary! I thought sharing the interviews would help the many subscribers and visitors to this New Book Review blog, including authors, reviewers, and, of course, readers who just might find a new favorite author among the featured books and authors.

So, today welcome Jeanne Skartsiaris.

When not writing Jeanne Skartsiaris also works as a Sonographer. Prior to that she was a medical/legal photographer for a plaintiff’s law firm. She attended creative writing courses at Southern Methodist University and is a member of Romance Writers of America’s local chapter, Dallas Area Romance Authors. Also the author of Surviving Life and Snow Globe. She lives in Dallas, Texas.

What is your genre? Is it fiction or nonfiction? Young adult and women's fiction
What made you want to be a writer? To quell the voices in my head.
Of all the authors out there, who inspired you most? There are so many! Jodi Picoult, Pat Conroy, David Sedaris.
What is your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly? By scene? Why? I let the characters move the story forward. I'd like to do more outlining, but the characters usually do whatever they want no matter how hard I try to control them.
Do you write every day? How much? How long? No. I work full time. My weekends are my busy writing time. Although if inspired, usually while driving or walking, I'll jot down ideas.
Do you think reading is as important to writing for an author? Why? YES! Writing is a craft and it opens the reader to another world or life. If you're a storyteller then you enjoy stories. End of story. J
What are some of the things you would like to share with budding authors? Write. Read. Learn the art of slashing, not horror but editing. A writer opens their soul a little when creating a character and it's hard to take criticism and rejection. You need a tough hide. Never give up.
Do you have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share? As I'm still not on a bestseller list, no. I'm trying to learn better marketing skills.
Do you think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you frequent? Yes. The resources a writer can get from a conference can be invaluable. I've been to book signings where I've not sold anything, but I've made important connections. I'm also a member of Romance Writers of America and have learned much from authors there.
Where can we find you, your books and when is your next event? My YA books are available on Amazon and in a local specialty bookstore in Dallas. I've just gotten them into a Dallas library—Surviving Life and Snow Globe. I'm hoping my women's fiction novel, Dance Like You Mean It, is acquired 2016. www.jeanneskartsiaris.com http://www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/jeanne-skartsiaris/

MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENTS

Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency, Melissa Carrigee Melissa.C@llallc.net http://www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/drake-vaughn/ Agent, Marketing and Publicity – Melissa Carrigee

Facebook Melissa Carrigee Covers Melissa Carrigee Book Trailers

Carrigee Graphic Art Contract Template

Reading and writing is a way of life for Melissa Carrigee. As a literary agent and award winning graphic artist, she combines her two passions of business and writing. She has published works in newspapers and magazines as well as a published novel. Featured Columnist for The Family Forum, Parents and Kids Magazine – Mississippi Gulf Coast.

I want a horror book to read all night long while I check behind the doors for the boogey man. I’m looking for a thriller that keeps me reading and guessing (and just when I think I’ve figured it out, I’m wrong). I’m looking for children’s books that engage the parent and the child. I’m looking for young adult novels – but NOT Twilight and not wizards. That’s been done. I’m looking for any story with a great plot. Something I can sit and read in a few days with characters that make me think about them long after I’ve finished the book.

Genres: horror, science fiction, historical fiction, commercial fiction, mysteries, thrillers, dramas, historical romance, children’s (picture and mid-grade)—any book that has a great story with unforgettable characters.

Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary Agency - A facilitator of dreams, Jeanie Loiacono represents over eighty authors. Her forte is mystery, romance, thrillers, historical/military/southern fiction, and all quality fiction/nonfiction. Her passion is to see her authors succeed.

“There is nothing more rewarding than to hold one of my author’s books and know I helped bring it to fruition. I am so blessed and privileged to be able to work with some of the most talented writers in the world.” Jeanie.L@llallc.net www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE INTERVIEWS--TO FIND GREAT READING OR TO NETWORK WITH AUTHORS--PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG. YOU ARE A WELCOME ADDITION TO THIS FAMILY WHO LOVES BOOKS! YOU'LL FIND A WINDOW TO DO THIS AT THE TOP OF THIS BLOG PAGE.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Young Adult Cross-Genre Review

Book: Uncommon Magic

Category: YA fantasy romance
Author: Michelle Scott
Author's Website: www.mscottfiction.com

Reviewed by Reading Vacation

Rating: four out of five stars

Review: Usually, in books, the magicians are in hiding because they fear the un-magical. Uncommon Magic goes against the norm to a world where magicians control everything and are looked up to as kings. Where inventions are against the law and inventors are put to death. How does an ordinary girl get pulled into the battle of the magical and un-magical? Between magic and inventions? Between love and family?

Fist, Mira. She will do anything for the boy she loves, Jess, who turns out to be a magician. She does not have the strongest girl power, but she does have some redeeming qualities. Sympathy for those suffering is one of those qualities. Even while the magicians were so downright mean to her, when they were in trouble, Mira still tried to help. Also, Mira is loyal to those she cares about, even though they sometimes don’t deserve it. Take Jess for example, he was a jerk to Mira, but she refused to give up on him. I don’t think I would have stuck around.

The magic is uncommon indeed. The magicians can start a fire that does not burn things. They also put on the most magnificent image shows out of thin air. Their magic isn’t all kittens and rainbows though. Magicians do the most horrible things to the un-magical. Magic is sometimes used to put someone to death, or make them suffer for a crime they may not have committed. That is why the un-magical were so upset.

You can see why a revolution was long overdue. The un-magical were prepared to deal with their unfair treatment, for which I applaud them. Magicians couldn’t stay in power forever, and now the people were realizing it. But, their methods were sot of uncalled for. I mean, did they need that many weapons to take down a few magicians. The end result was my favorite part of the revolution. I think both the magicians and the un-magical have a brighter future because of a few people who wanted to be heard.

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Jamieson Wolf Pens Witchy Tale--Just in Time for Fall Gifting

The Ghost Mirror
By Jamieson Wolf
eTreasures Publishing
www.etreasurespublishing.com
Copyright 2007
Ebook/Paperback
YA/Dark Fantasy
Available on Amazon

Reviewed by Mayra Calvani, The Dark Phantom Review

Thirteen-year old Mave is no ordinary girl. For one thing, she happens to be a black-eyed, redheaded powerful witch, so much so that even her own parents fear her. Not understanding her powers, her mom and dad have chosen to ignore and neglect her to the point of emotional cruelty.

The only person in the world who seems to love and understand Mave is her grandmother, and when she takes Mave to live with her in her big mansion, the young girl couldn’t be happier. Soon, however, Mave discovers a strange and mysterious old mirror in the attic. Grandmother warns her to stay away from it, but sometimes curiosity can be more powerful than reason. Mave touches the mirror, with dangerous consequences. She’s transported into a dark and magical world and faced with a grand mission: she’s to destroy the evil Lavender Man… or die.

Talented author Jamieson Wolf has penned a dark, sometimes macabre, beautifully written novel for young adults and adults alike. His lyrical prose flows like the magic in his story and has an old-fashioned tone to it which perfectly complements the plot. Some of the vivid images in the book are quite haunting, like the Tree Lady of the forest and the Lavender Man sucking the spirit from his victims. Above all, the beauty of the language stands out, as well as the author’s obvious love for storytelling. I was drawn from start to finish into Wolf’s darkly magical world and look forward to reading the sequel soon.

Monday, July 1, 2013

World of Ink Puts YA Adventure in Spotlight

Title of Book: Andy Smithson
Subtitle: Blast of the Dragon's Fury

Author: L.R.W. Lee

Author Website: http://www.lrwlee.com

Twitter URL: @LRWLee

Publisher: Createspace

ISBN: 978-1482312645
ISBN -10: 1482312646
Available in eBook and Print
Publication Date: April 2013
Genre: Middle Grade Adventure

Review provided by: World of Ink Network

About the Book:

Ten-year-old Andy Smithson is magically brought to the Land of Oomaldee while he is doing dishes one night. Unbeknownst to him, he is there to break a 500-year-old curse. Andy learns that his quest is the Dragon’s Lair to find an ingredient critical to breaking the curse - the scale from an elusive red dragon, the fiercest of all dragon species. Andy nearly destroys the castle amidst adventures battling fire-breathing dragons, fighting vicious vulture attacks, escaping people-eating giants and more.

EXCERPT:

Sitting on his bed with the afternoon sun shining through the window, Andy tried to slow down his racing thoughts. It was all so overwhelming. It had been fun to think of himself as Chosen when that just meant he felt special. Now, however, he wasn’t sure. It sounded like a whole lot more than just retrieving a red dragon scale was about to happen. The weight of it all pressed hard. He was scared. He felt alone. For the first time since he had arrived in Oomaldee, he missed his home, his parents and (he couldn’t believe he was thinking this, but… yes…) even his big sister! He punched his pillow hard once, and then again and again and again. He stopped only when feathers began flying everywhere.

Why me? he thought. There’s no way I can do to this!

“You’re right, Andy! You can’t do this on your own. ” It was his inneru. “You need help.”

As his inneru said this, a second amethyst-colored stone landed on his bed, barely missing his head.

“Hey, watch it! You almost hit me in the head!” Andy said. As soon as he had said it, he felt stupid for yelling at no one. Where do these things keep coming from? he wondered. As before, he picked it up and it started pulsing. Then he heard a trumpet blast.

“Methuselah has appeared to you, Andrew Ferrin Smithson. It is the sword of your forefathers. You will become known by it. It is time that evil is extinguished from the land. This will be accomplished by your hand.”

“My forefathers? What do you mean?” Andy interrupted. The message paused.

“Your ancestors are from the Land of Oomaldee.”

Really? Andy thought.

“It is not I who gives Methuselah, but One far greater. It is given and taken as the times require,” the message continued. “You have been appointed to wield it for such a time as this.”

But I’ll screw this up. I know I will, just like I did when I almost tore the castle down. Whatever kind of evil this message is talking about sounds really bad. There’s no way I can do this, even with this sword, Andy whined.

“Stop!” Andy’s inneru interrupted.

Andy sat up, startled.

The message continued, “Take courage. You do not yet see your own abilities because you have never been tested. You have never demonstrated to yourself or anyone all that you can do. Put your fears aside and trust that you can succeed in the challenges that lie ahead.” The message completed and the sphere disappeared, once again, giving no indication who had sent it.

“This is not about you,” reminded the inneru.

I know… thought Andy. It’s about all the people in the Land of Oomaldee. It is about the King, Mermin, Alden, Marta, Hans and everyone I’ve come to love here.

“You don’t usually think about others first,” continued his inneru.

Maybe this is my chance to change that, Andy thought.

BOOK TRAILER:

http://youtu.be/o4hNYvvXi70

Overall Thoughts:

The story plot is simple and easy to follow. There are also lessons readers will learn as they venture with Andy and his friend Alden as they try to find a red dragon scale, easily said than done. The book is a traditional fantasy for middle grade readers. The subject matter is age appropriate and enjoyable. For advance readers, they may find the story a bit slow at times, but if they enjoyed Leven Thumbs then they will ultimately like this book series as well. There is a lot of information shared to help explain situations and story plot, but overall I found it a fun weekend read.

About the Author:

Since the age of eight, L. R. W. Lee knew she wanted to write a book. Fortunately or unfortunately, she required of herself that she have something significant to say; she sought to contribute to others in a way that could change their lives. Because a degree in Accounting at Cedarville University, as well as work in public and corporate accounting, did not provide riveting fodder for a best seller, she waited. Upon selling her business in early 2012, she had time to write and, more importantly, something significant to share.

L. R. W. Lee’s favorite musical is The Sound of Music. She hates scary movies, but loves piano and strings music, sunsets in Hawaii and a good cup of decaf, French press coffee (yes, decaf!). She also loves Ansel Adams prints and all manner of kinetic art.

~You can find out more about L.R.W. Lee, her middle grade fantasy adventure series and her World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/bnfe6ax

~To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit http://worldofinknetwork.com
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Monday, May 4, 2020

Free Book for Home Schoolers, Teachers, and Parents

One of the books I recommend for teachers and homeschooling parents is “Climate Change Captives 2035.” It is a YA novel valuable for environment studies but also useful for spurring conversations about sheltering, isolation, and disappointment in this time of #CoronaReading, #CoronaVirus. The Author is offering the ebook free on May 4-5-6-7-8.

Wilhelm is a teacher as well as a publisher of teacher’s aids which she often provides free on Pinterest. Find a review for this book at Midwest Book Review and here:
https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2019/10/climate-change-captives-2035-and.html and more information at Wilhelm’s blog at https://www.thewiseowlfactory.com/climate-change-captives-2035-and-project-save-for-middle-grades/

Download the free student pack at the link below:

climate-change-captives-2035-novel-student-pages

And here is the link for the free e-book.

https://www.thewiseowlfactory.com/climate-change-captives-2035-free-ebook-and-novel-unit/

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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

Friday, December 28, 2018

Sparrow Road Novel Includes a Now Sober Father and Orphans

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. 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.

Book Review for Sparrow Road by Sheila O'Connor

Age Range: 10 and up
Grade Level: 5 - 6
Paperback: 272 pages
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780142421369
ISBN-13: 978-0142421369
ASIN: 0142421367
Amazon Sales Page for Sparrow Road

I just read Sparrow Road because I found the cover to be intriguing. Really! And the college on the cover is integral of this story about a twelve-year-old girl's summer before seventh grade, which is not what first might come to mind! Raine has spent 12 years happily living with her mother and grandfather in Milwaukee. Her mother suddenly moves to Sparrow Road in the country for the summer, taking Raine along, and a mystery begins. It is fairly easy for an adult to read between the lines and figure out some of what is going to happen, although at the beginning the rules at Sparrow Road seem like some strange or harsh events will occur. Questions asked through the text of the book help keep the attention of young readers. How many things a twelve-year-old understands about the world is also revealed in this complex story.

It seems at first that Raine's mother is quitting her job in the city to be a maid at an artist's summer retreat, where little talking is allowed. Sparrow Road used to be an orphanage. Later, the plot thickens and the reader learns that Sparrow Road is near to where Raine's absent father lives. He has been sober for a year. He wants to meet Raine. Although the plot is a little dark about his past drinking, Raine, and all the artists who have become her pseudo-parents, work through it without too much ado. Raine and her father have a few meetings and begin to get to know each other while a plot about the former orphans who lived at Sparrow Road evolves.

The questions the orphans who used to live at Sparrow Road might have parallel the questions a child with a missing parent would ask, and so the theme of wondering about those kinds of things is predominant in the book. Raine is offered the choice to stay at Sparrow Road where she could live near her father, but not near the grandfather who has been a real parent to her or return to Milwaukee. This seems like too much of a choice to offer a child, but Raine decides to return to her former life with her grandfather, mother, and school friends. Her father will be visiting her in Milwaukee in the near future.

This story would be fine for children who are not in the position of wondering where their missing parents are, and who do not have difficult life stories themselves. It is a good story and it has a satisfying ending. However, there are children who do not have happy endings in their own lives, so the book isn't for everyone. The book is good for helping children develop some empathy for single parent families or children who have experienced being an orphan. It is just a good read!

Originally posted on Amazon by Carolyn Wilhelm

Thank you for reading, Carolyn Wilhelm

Teacher of Self-Publishing from the Very, Very Beginning on Udemy

Friday, October 26, 2012

Sonia Korn-Grimani Memoir Gets Goodreads Rave

Title: Sonia's Song

Author: Sonia Korn-Grimani

Memoir

Published by Clay Grouse Press

ISBN-10: 0984555838 ISBN-13: 978-0984555833

Chynna gave the book 4 stars

Reviewed by Cynna Laird on originally for Goodreands.com

Review:

"I have read many books about the Holocaust, and Sonia's Song has to be one of the most touching and inspirational of those.

Sonia told this story beautifully, very much what I imagine it must be like having her sit with you telling her history over tea. She gave such an open and honest account of what it was really like to be a Jewish child doing everything in her small power to live. All of the things we take for granted--the right to an education, to live without fear, to practice our religion with pride, to be proud of who we are and our heritage, even just to walk down the street--were all taken away from her.

What I was most impressed with in this story is that Sonia didn't complain or lay blame. Yes, she expressed her anger but the story didn't stem from that. She showed us how people can go through the greatest devestation and turn to the gifts they have to help pull them through. It was beautiful to see that with all she went through, she grew into a beautiful, happy and successful woman. And I was especially drawn to how she turned to music for comfort, as I have always done.

Sonia's Song is a powerful story of survival, strength and perserverance. I loved every page. This story is as important a read for learning about the Jewish people during the Holocaust as The Diary of Anne Frank. Thank you, Sonia, for sharing your incredible story. "

More on the Reviewer:

CHYNNA LAIRD – is a freelance writer and award-winning author. Her passion is helping children and families living with Sensory Processing Disorder and other special needs. She’s authored a children’s book, two memoirs, a Young Adult novella, a YA paranormal/suspense novel and an adult Suspense/Thriller.

Website: www.chynna-laird-author.com

Main blog: www.the-gift-blog.com

Special needs blog: www.seethewhiteelephants.com

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Friday, July 4, 2014

Beth Fowler Reviews Young Adult Novel

White PineSubtitle: My Year as a Lumberjack and River Rat
By Caroline Akervik
Akervik's website: https://www.facebook.com/#!/HorseNamedViking
Published by Melange Books LLC's YA imprint Fire and Ice.
ISBN 9781612358260

Original review by Beth Fowler

"Be a man that people can count on," 14-year-old Sevy Anderson's father tells him. Because Sevy's father broke his leg in a sawmill accident, the boy must quit school and earn money for the family among rough and tumble lumberjacks and river rats who harvest the white pine forests of Wisconsin.

White Pine begins where every good story starts: On the cusp of an irreversible, life-changing event for the protagonist.

Told in the first person from Sevy's point of view, readers are privy to the teen's inner emotions of fear, pride, remorse, affection and homesickness. With a deft, light hand, author Caroline Akervik, through Sevy, describes aspects of lumbering and lumberjacks that give readers confidence that this is a reliable, accurate depiction of life as a North woodsman in days gone by...which means readers can settle in and enjoy the story.

Roget, a giant of a lumberjack, objects to Sevy's presence in the lumber camp. "He's is a boy. He has no place here." Problems escalate when Sevy's forgetfulness causes what becomes known as "the incident." Sevy vacillates from carrying the heavy burden of paying for his father's dream to own a farm, to the simple joys of hearing bells jingling on the horses, and eating salt pork and biscuits after a long day of dangerous, hard work in the numbing cold.

The tension, while varying in intensity, never goes slack. The story doesn't veer from Sevy's struggles to live up to the command his father gave him and his own desire to be a true North woodsman, in this coming-of-age novel.

Readers who love Gary Paulsen's young adult coming-of-age stories set in the wilderness will treasure White Pine, as will fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder's books. No warnings about content are needed for this wholesome, credible, engaging story. White Pine is a book that parents and other adults can read to young children and give to pre-teens and teens to read on their own. As with the best of this genre, adults can enjoy the story as well. The book belongs in school libraries and on family bookshelves. And more importantly, in the hands of young readers.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Beth Fowler is also the author of Ken's War,When culture shock & teen rebellion collide. She writes under the name B.K. Fowler

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