The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale (Princess Academy #3)

After a year at the king’s palace, Miri has learned all about being a proper princess. But the tables turn when the student must become the teacher!

Instead of returning to her beloved Mount Eskel, Miri is ordered to journey to a distant swamp and start a princess academy for three sisters, cousins of the royal family. Unfortunately, Astrid, Felissa, and Sus are more interested in hunting and fishing than becoming princesses.

As Miri spends more time with the sisters, she realizes the king and queen’s interest in them hides a long-buried secret. She must rely on her own strength and intelligence to unravel the mystery, protect the girls, complete her assignment, and finally make her way home.

 * Goodreads *Amazon *

It's been quite awhile since I read the last Princess Academy book but I was so happy to settle back in with Miri and her adventures.  I love this series and I love Shannon Hale's books.  There is something magical about the way she weaves a story.

Miri has spent her year in the King's Palace, learning and developing.  She is excited to be heading home to see her family again.  But then she is called to meet with the king and queen who inform her that she isn't going to be heading home but to a remote and distant swamp land to teach three sisters all the things she has learned.  Miri is devastated.  She doesn't want to go but does it for the benefit of her home land and her people.

How can you not like Miri?  She is loyal and resourceful and kind.  Hard things come and even though she is strong and resilient, she is also human and she has very human moments of sadness, loneliness and frustration.

The forgotten sisters are fun.  They have very distinct personalities and I grew to love them.  What a happy addition to the series of characters found in these books.

I loved this book!  I loved the ending especially where all things finally and happily come together.  It was oh so satisfying.  I think it's time to introduce my twelve year old to the Princess Academy Series.  Hopefully she will love them like I do.

Content:  Clean

My thanks to the publisher, Bloomsbury, for allowing me access to this title through NetGalley for review.

WhipEye by Geoffrey Saign

Samantha and her neighbor, Jake, have no idea that Samantha’s best friend, a parrot named Charlie, is a thousand years old. Charlie is also at the center of a secret battle between an ancient, evil man’s monsters and magical creatures. When Charlie asks Samantha and Jake to protect him, they are chased by monsters from both sides. To save Charlie, and two worlds, Samantha and Jake have twenty-four hours to figure out how to use the supernatural staff, WhipEye, and find the courage to confront what they fear most…

* Amazon * Goodreads *

WhipEye is a MG fantasy adventure book with some mystery and magic thrown in as well.  I'm not sure how MG this book actually is, it felt more YA with MG kids in it.

Charlie is a parrot, a talking parrot with a big problem and he needs help.  Sam and Jake are pulled in to help Charlie in a quest to save two worlds from the evil Magnar who has been holding Charlie captive for many years.  There are lots of monster like creatures who chase after Samantha and Jake.

One thing I think the author did a good job of was describing scenes so that I could visualize them in my head.  I had clear pictures of places and things that were happening.

I'm not sure this book was up to par with the many other MG books I've read through major publishing companies, but it was okay.  The writing was a bit rough around the edges- the flow, the dialogue.  I didn't find myself personally connecting to the characters but it was a fun story and if you enjoy fantasy/magic/adventure type books you may really enjoy this one.  It just wasn't a great fit for me.

Shenandoah: Daughter of the Stars (A Civil War Story Book 3)

During the turbulent years of the Civil War, three young people struggle to follow their dreams as the war devastates their homeland and their way of life in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Hannah Yeager works hard on her family’s farm and teaches young children in a nearby school. She and her parents remain loyal to the Union. Secretly her fourteen-year-old heart thrills to romantic literature. She dreams that someday she will find a true love. When she does, he is a handsome Confederate colonel.

The strong female character of Hannah will appeal to girls who often see the Civil War as all about the boys. Hannah is empowered by “The Crazy Man” who lives in nearby caves. She learns from him that she can do what she must do. 

Hannah’s thirteen-year-old brother, Willy, is spirited and headstrong. He rebels against his family’s values and seeks adventure by joining an outlaw raider band, terrorizing the Union Army.

Charlie Richison is a cadet at the Virginia Military Institute. He dreams of bringing honor to the Confederacy, to his family, and to himself. He joins other VMI cadets to fight against the Union Army in the Battle of New Market.

Shenandoah, Daughter of the Stars, presents the beauty of the valley and the devastation brought by the war. It shows the effect of the Reconstruction years which follow the war. It presents real people, General George Armstrong Custer, General “Stonewall” Jackson, General John Breckinridge and shows their effect on the lives of valley residents.

Shenandoah examines the perennial dilemmas presented by war.

This is the second MG Historical Fiction book set during the Civil War that I've read in the past couple weeks.  That's just the way things lined up I guess, but when that happens and I read books similar in genre I can't help but compare them to each other.

The "young people" in this book are in their upper teens-well, except Willy.  Their voices are older than middle grade so they deal with things as young people on the brink of adulthood.   While the voices of the characters in this book are older, the story is written in a very middle grade fashion, if that makes any sense.

This is the third book in a series, which I didn't realize when I first started reading but if there was more before, I didn't feel like I missed out on anything.  I liked that real historical figures were represented in the book which helped give the book a more authentic feel.  I didn't really feel a connection to the characters and that could be because I haven't read the previous books but this book seemed to be more plot driven with less character development.  My emotions were never invested in the characters but I did enjoy the story.  It brought a real family element to the harsh realities of war.

I lived in Virginia for a couple years and many of the places and people mentioned are very much a part of the whole essence of that area.  I have visited many battle fields and museums there.  My dad is a history buff and we went on a "Mosby" tour in Warrenton and surrounding areas.  It was so interesting.  

Books like this are good for younger kids to read, I think.  It brings a human side to a war they only scratch the surface of in school.  

Content:  mild swearing, some war violence and death

You can purchase Shenandoah:  Daughter of the Stars at Amazon.

Nancy Johnson is a former teacher and the author of two other nonfiction books, "My Brothers' Keeper" and "A Sweet-Sounding Place," also about young people during the Civil War. She lives in Encinitas, California.  Visit her at www.nancy-johnson.com.

Redcliffe- The Adventures of Two Southern Girls by Kathryn B. Hauer

Having a best friend makes everything more fun! Join Caroline and Cassie as they chase down a runaway horse, rescue an orphan, teach hummingbirds to eat from their hands, visit a blind fortune-teller, unite star-crossed lovers, organize an elaborate Christmas pageant, and lose a little girl in a hide-and-seek game gone wrong. Sounds like fun any girl could have, doesn't it? Guess what - Caroline and Cassie live in South Carolina back in 1840, without cell phones, TVs, or cars. But living back then doesn't put the brakes on their crazy, fast-paced lives. Do you think that girls in history were dull and dutiful? Not these two partners in adventure...in a house where the grown-ups aren't paying much attention, Caroline and Cassie get in - and out - of their share of trouble. Redcliffe is a book-within-a-book where modern-day best friends Bailey and Bianca lead readers to our heroines. When Bailey and Bianca go to their teacher's wedding, a mean guest shocks them with unkind words. The stories their teacher tells them explain that racist comment and take the girls back into the antebellum South where they - and you - get to know Caroline and Cassie. Living on an immense Southern cotton plantation means plenty of excitement for two fun-loving girls. Can Caroline and Cassie manage to stay out of trouble for more than one chapter? Find out in this lively novel where girls like you have non-stop adventures.

I have reviewed many middle grade books here on my blog.  Most of them are fantasy or just plain fiction but not many of them have been historical fiction.  Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres so I was interested in seeing how this author brought the history of the south into middle grade fiction.

Middle grade books are tricky, I think.  It takes special care to get the voice right- not too old and not too young.  History is especially tricky because there has to be a balance of history and story so the reader stays engaged and not bogged down with facts.

I feel like this book captured the feel of the south in the 1800's through the eyes of two young girls.  The author did a good job of hitting on the hot topics of that day while keeping the focus on the happier side of things.  I never felt overwhelmed or burdened but I understood that there were underlying tensions.  I think the author does a good job of explaining her goal with this book.  She says, "Although Redcliffe is historically accurate, it is less historical fiction and more a story about two ‘tween girls who live in the mid-1800s.  Human nature today is not much different from the way it was in 1840 – people still feel love, jealousy, anger, and fear in 2014 in the same degree as they did in the past and will in the future.  As an English professor, I try to show my students that human emotions and basic behaviors remain unchanged despite the historical period in which the people live.  As in 1840, pre-teens today must cope with social norms, negotiate blended families, and manage conflicting messages of innocence and morality.  Cassie and Caroline also balance the secrets of their relationship against the accepted customs and morals of their era.

Redcliffe has a light, cheerful tone; although it doesn’t ignore the realities of life in the antebellum south, the story inspires its readers by maximizing the positive and minimizing the unpleasant."

I think the author accomplished her goal.  This was a gentle book, easy to read without anything gripping or climactic.  It definitely gave me a history lesson.  It was southern plantation living at it's best with two girls who were easy to like.  

The image above is linked to Amazon where you can purchase this book.

Rebel Princess by Janice Sperry

Meet the upside-down fairy-tale princess! Raven Perilous is not nice because nice princesses get locked in towers. When Prince Charming shows up, Raven—who is not in distress—decides to show him who’s boss. This enchanting adventure, filled with magic forests and mystical creatures, will captivate fans of fairy tales everywhere!

Aw, this book was so cute.  A middle grade level read for sure, clean and did I mention cute?  This is a book perfectly geared for the pre-teen as the main characters are about 13 years old.

Princess Raven has been living in the "real world", trying to avoid being locked in a tower.  She is not very nice and has been cursed to spew frogs and slugs when she says unkind things.  EEWWWW!  Despite trying not to be very nice, Raven really is a good girl.  She tries to obey her parents and in the end, she does figure out the whole nice thing.  Raven isn't your typical princess (grunge is more her style) but she is endearing even when she is being a little bossy.

Raven has an evil twin brother (who really isn't so evil) and when she meets Prince Charming the three of them are sucked into fairy tale land and thus begins a magical adventure together.  

Prince Charming loves his sword, has been put under a spell to turn into a rat and isn't so very charming.  They meet all kinds of fairy tale creatures on their quest to get home- dragons, tooth fairies, princess's, the muffin man and many more.  The three young royals have to learn how to work together and get along.  Luckily they have a little bit of help along the way.

I thought this book was cute.  (I think I've said that before?)  It's fun and young readers will really enjoy this light hearted read.  My 11 year old daughter will be a perfect fit for this book.  I'm adding it to her summer reading list!

You can purchase this book at Amazon.

Upir and the Monster Gang by Sharron and Raymond Thornton- The PERFECT Halloween Book

Coming from a long line of highly respected vampires, Upir knew that going to Neewollah, the Monster Mausoleum, would help him live up to his family’s reputation, but he never anticipated the terrifying turn his stay there would take. Upon entering, Upir befriends several strange creatures and their nights soon become treacherous when they have to dodge flying skulls whose hollow eye sockets shimmer with bright blue lights, avoid huge plants with tongue-like tentacles that devour young monsters, and run from a mad scientist who loves to use the monster students in his experiments. Most of all, they try to stay away from Muriel, an ill-tempered, nasty gorgon girl with slithering snakes for hair. She is the leader of three cantankerous monsters that follow her every command. Her group is bent on destroying Upir and his gang.

Without warning the young monsters find themselves entangled in a plot to destroy the Monster race. Will they escape the clutches of this horrifying villain and alert the Monster world, or will they become his loyal soldiers?

Happy Halloween!!  This is the perfect book to review for Halloween today.  I really wanted to have a fun book to share with you that was in the spirit of Halloween.  I hope you will check it out and love it as much as I do!

This is a 60 page illustrated novel.  I would put the target reading group as middle grade although it was a fun read for me and I suspect this would be an awesome book to read aloud with younger children.  There are so many fun and scary characters!

As much as I love the story in this book, it is the illustrations that really captured my interest and my appreciation.  Seriously, I love the pictures.  What a fun way to make this story come to life.  They are amazing.  As soon as I started reading this book I knew that my husband would love all these pictures too.  I started to show him the first few and he wanted to see them all.  He loves the artist's style.  I do too.  :)  My favorite picture was the one of the classroom.  We get a bird's eye view, looking down and it is such a fun picture with so much personality.  I wish I could share pictures of the book with you but I can't.  What I can do is send you over to the book website though.  There are some fun links there where you can see many of the illustrations, meet the characters and other fun things. This book has not been released yet but I sure hope the author/illustrator are able to make that happen soon!

 http://upirandthemonstergang.com/

Here is the book trailer!

Cinderskella by Amie and Bethanie Borst + Giveaway!

Cindy is just a normal eleven and three-quarter year-old. At least until she wakes up one night and finds out she’s dead. Well, she isn't technically dead—she just doesn't have any hair . . . or a nose . . . or skin. Yep—all bones, no body.

Human by day and skeleton by night, Cindy is definitely cursed. And because her mother recently died, Cindy has no one to turn to except a father who’s now scared of her and an evil stepmother who makes her do the housecleaning with a toothbrush. To make matters worse, the Spring Fling dance is approaching, and Ethan, the cutest boy in sixth grade, doesn’t seem to know Cindy exists. Of course, Cindy doesn’t think letting Ethan find out she’s part skeleton is the best way to introduce herself.

While facing such perils as pickled pig’s feet, a wacky fortune teller, and a few quick trips to the Underworld, Cindy’s determined to break the curse—even for a single night.

You can purchase Cinderskella at:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-A-Million
Add it to your to-read shelf on Goodreads!

Today I'm so excited to share Cinderskella with you.  It's the perfect book to review today in honor of Halloween tomorrow.  I do need to tell you (full disclosure and all that) that Amie is a friend of mine.  I've been following her quest as an author for a while now and I'm so happy and excited that she has finally made it to the big leagues!  A published book is no small feat.  But, my review is in all honesty because I would never lie about a book just for my friend.  :)

Cinderskella is a middle grade book.  The writing is so right on the target group.  I have a middle school aged child and she is going to love this book.  (she had to wait for me to read it first!)  This book would be fun to read aloud to younger kids too.  

Here is the main thing I love about this book:  It is fun.  Fun, fun, fun.  It is light hearted and full of witty humor.  One of my favorite things in this book were the TIME OUT's.  :)  Those were just little side notes that Cindy would interject into the book.  As with most awesome middle grade books there is also illustrations.  The illustrations in this book really help create mental pictures, adding to the fun and creativity.  The characters in this book just come alive.

Amie and her daughter wrote this book together which kind of makes this book unique and well, kinda cool.  How fun to have a mother/daughter collaboration.  I think at some future date I'm going to have to interview these girls and find out more about that process.  (like maybe January...yes, okay, it's already scheduled...)

My thanks to Amie and Bethany for allowing me to read and post a review for their new book.  My congratulations as well.

To my blog readers, check this book out.  Especially if you have a child to share it with!  Happy Halloween and Happy Reading!


Amie Borst still believes in unicorns, uses glitter whenever possible and accessorizes in pink. She enjoys eating chocolate while writing and keeps a well-stocked stash hidden away from her family. A native New Yorker she currently resides in Northern Virginia with her husband, three children and a cute dog named Lily. She wishes she had a hot-pink elevator with carnival lights to travel the world. But for now, her minivan will have to do.

Bethanie Borst is a spunky 13-year-old who is an avid archer with Olympic dreams, enjoys the outdoors, loves reading and is quick to make lasting friendships. When she is not writing, she swings on a star.

You can follow Amie and Bethanie on facebook at www.facebook.com/AmieAndBethanieBorst

You can find Amie at her blog www.amieborst.com, twitter, www.twitter.com/AmieBorst and pinterest www.pinterest.com/AmieBorst

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The Kindling and Penumbras by Braden Bell

Loud shrieks sliced the air, followed by the smell of burning cloth. Conner looked over in time to see Geoffrey jumping up and down, yelling and shrieking. Smoke poured from the seat of his shorts while blue and yellow sparks snap-crackle-and-popped all around the heater.

All thirteen-year-old Connor Dell wants to do is pass pre-algebra, play lacrosse, and possibly kiss Melanie Stephens. He didn’t mean to set anyone’s gym shorts on fire or make school lunches explode. But now that the strange powers inside him have been ignited, Connor’s normal teenage life is about to go up in flames!
***
Homework? Of course. Crushes? Sure. But who knew seventh grade included superpowers?

He'd watched himself do terrible things inside the Shadowbox.
Things he hadn't told anyone about.
Things he couldn't stand to remember.
*
Conner Dell wants to be good--he really does. But he is terrified that he might be turning into a Darkhand, especially when new powers start to surface. What's worse, the Stalker is following Conner, but no one else seems to be able to see him. The Magi think he might be hallucinating, the guilt of what happened in the Shadowbox keeps weighing on him, and his relationship with Melanie Stephens is complicating things. Even for a Magi, Conner knows his life is anything but normal.
*
Best friends? Check.
Field trips? Of course.
Fighting evil shadow monsters? Uh-oh.

I can't tell you how many times I wished there were more books like this out when my two older kids were younger.  Especially my boy.  These books have all the things he loved when he was in those middle grades.

There are so many things to love about these books.  The foundation is the classic struggle between Light and Dark - Good vs. Evil.  You have three kids with developing super powers and the bad guys who are trying to get them.  From there though, a magical and complicated story develops, bringing hold your breath moments and heart pumping adventure.  It's classic fantasy stuff but unique too.

The things that make these books for me are that they are free of swearing, profanity and sexual situations.  They are right on level for middle grade readers but not in any way less exciting.

I love the three kids that this story revolves around.  They interact well and they felt believable to me.  I believed they were the age claimed.  There were lots of intense moments and the bad guys are really bad!  It's a magical fantasy feast for middle grade readers.

Braden Bell has an awesome website that you can check out.  It has book trailers and pictures.  You can even read the first few chapters of Penumbras there.  It's a fantastic site and will get your kids (and even you!) excited to read these books.  

http://www.bradenbell.com

Braden Bell earned a Ph.D. in educational theatre from New York University. He holds a B.A. and M.A. in theatre arts and child drama from Brigham Young University. He and his family live on a quiet, wooded lot in Tennessee, where he teaches theatre and music at a private middle school--the world described in The Kindling and Penumbras(whether his evenings and weekends are spent fighting evil is something he cannot disclose). An experienced performer, Braden enjoys singing, acting, reading, gardening, and long walks with the dog.

Braden enjoys interacting with readers on his blog or Facebook page.

Janitors, Book 3: Curse of the Broomstaff by Tyler Whitesides

Title: Janitors, Book 3: Curse of the Broomstaff

Author: Tyler Whitesides

Page Count: 343 (quick, fun, easy read)

Genre: Mid-Grade Fantasy

A secret society of Janitors with wizard-like powers continue their battle, and now, the stakes are even higher. The Bureau of Educational Maintenance is after Alan Zumbro and this time they mean business, deadly business. Spencer, Daisy, and their little team of rebels must find the source of all magical Glop and destroy it before it can destroy the world as we know it. No small task with the BEM and their monster toxites at their heels. It s a wild and dangerous ride as they follow the trail of clues all the way to the hiding place of the mysterious aurans: guardians of a secret landfill. What they discover there will change the way Spencer sees himself, not to mention the fate of the rebels.

As you may or may not know, this book is the third in the Janitors series.  I reviewed the first two books last month in preparation of the release of this book and you can check out my review HERE.

First thing I have to tell you is that the "message from the author" in the beginning of this book made me laugh.  Here's what he says.  "Here it is:  the third installment in the Janitors series.  And I must admit, this is definitely the trashiest book I've ever written.  No, literally.  This book is full of garbage."  How funny is that?  And it's so totally true.  I've never read a trashier book than this.  Haha.

Aside from the very amusing author message, this book is highly entertaining.  One of the characters in the book is a Garbologist.  How about that?  Yeah, he studies garbage and is an expert on it.  Know what he drives?  A garbage truck of course!  And he collects things...eeewww!

One of my favorite things in this book was when Daisy makes friends with a Thingamajunk.  Everyone told her that in order to get a Thingamajunk to leave you alone you have to talk trash to them.  Say mean things.  But Daisy is kind to the Thingamajunk and gives him a little gift.  That Thingamajunk became her friend and protector.  To me that says being nice will get you farther than being mean.  No trash talk is ever good.  :)

This book is full of creative ideas that kids and adults of all ages will be impressed with.  It has plenty of action and adventure.

I think this is the perfect series for middle graders.  I have one of those and after reading and reviewing the first two books I told her she needed to read these books.  I told her I thought she would really like them.  She sort of rolled her eyes at me and put me off because that's what 11 year old girls do, I think.  If mom recommends it, it must be lame, right?  I guess she decided to give them a try because next thing I know she is reading book two and she says to me, "Mom, these books are really good."  Huh.  Who knew?

I would say this book is clean, but really it is filthy.  There is so much mud, glop, grime and trash, how could it be clean?  But really, it is a great middle grade series with nothing objectionable as far as language or more adult content.  

You can find these books on Amazon.  

Janitors 1

Janitors 2

Janitors 3

Tyler Whitesides worked as a janitor at an elementary school to put himself through college. He graduated from Utah State University with a degree in music. In addition to writing novels, Tyler is an avid composer and arranger of instrumental music. He and his wife, Connie, who teaches third grade, live in northern Utah.

Oh, and if you are in the Northern Utah area, you might be interested in the launch party which is happening tomorrow!  Here are the details.

Janitors 3: Curse of the Broomstaff Launch Party 

To celebrate the release of Janitors 3: Curse of the Broomstaff, we're throwing a party! Come for a night of fun featuring a performance from Tyler and the Jammin' Janitors.  With a special appearance by author Chad Morris.

Date:    Friday, September 13, 2013
Time:    7:00 PM (Doors open at 6:30 PM)
Where: Logan High School
             162 West 100 South
             Logan, UT

This event is a FREE family event.  Signing to follow performance.  Seating is first come, first-served.

We hope to see you Friday night!

Max Zylander Blog Tour and Giveaway

Max Xylander and the Island of Zumuruud

Max has anger management issues. But she has a secret, too. She can make things happen. Like magic. She almost killed a loser skate punk and nearly used it on her stuck up older sister. The question is, can she do anything other than blow things up? Can she learn to control it? And is it really possible that an obscure teenage girl is the key to keeping all of humanity safe?

Philip just got his ring back. He got it taken away for messing with his teacher’s mind so he can cheat on a test. Now that he has his ring, he thinks he should be able to use his power to make his life better. A lot better. The problem is that people want him to be responsible. But if you could do magic, wouldn’t you use it to escape work in any way possible?

Aaron wants to be a soldier. He knows there are lots of people who would try to take over, and he’s determined to stop them. The problem is that there’s this new girl. And she might be not be on the right side of things. She’s really talented and pretty, but she might be able to destroy everything he believes in. Whatever the case, he knows he needs to learn to be world class with the magic sword while he figures out what to do.

Brynn never gets out. Her grandfather won’t permit it. Her only access to the outside world are high fashion magazines, so she has an unusual idea what she should wear. She’s dying to get out and travel. And adopt animals. Any kind of animal. Is she a lonely future granny with cats or are her ridiculous clothes actually the next fashion craze? What possible role could she play in the destiny of the world?

Max Xylander and the Island of Zumuruud is a fast-paced fantasy adventure for all ages (10 and up) and is the first of a planned trilogy. Fans of magic, swordplay, secret agents, and conspiracies set in a modern everyday world will not be able to put the book down. Jon Thomason is a debut author and paints a vivid world of magic right under our noses and delivers rapid-fire action that keeps the pages turning.

Purchase

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

If you are looking for an adventurous middle grade book that girls and boys alike will love, than look no further.  This book is full on fantasy with all sorts of "jinni" magic.  Of course there are the good guys and the bad guys because what sort of book would this be without them?

This has a sort of Harry Potter-ish feel to it, similar ideas in different places.  It is definitely geared to a younger audience.  If your kids have read Harry Potter, I'm not sure Max Zylander will live up to vivid and exciting world created there but, if you have younger kids that aren't quite on the reading level of Harry Potter, this might just be the perfect stepping stone for them in the fantasy genre.

I don't know that I'm raving love over this book but I do think it was a good solid story.  Fantasy isn't my love genre so I have a harder time getting into books that fall into this category.  I'm totally in a minority on this though.  :)  Here's what I do know:  I want some "jin" power!  That could sure come in handy.

Check out what others are saying about Max Zylander!  You will find a link to the full tour schedule below.  Enjoy the following excerpt and don't forget the giveaway found below as well.

...She spent every possible second learning better control and more power. She couldn’t leave it alone.

When Max was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at age 9, she raged and fought. At the first needle, she shouted, “It’s not fair!” but nothing could express how she felt after hundreds. She was at the mercy of the doctors and of Fate. Couldn’t say no or yes. Couldn’t choose.

Now, her new talent let her take the world on her own terms. It was narcotic and wild. She loved the feeling of gathering a ball of flame brighter than the sun and releasing it any way she could dream up.

She became stronger with the power than she was with her muscles. She learned how to guide the flow of power. It felt like sculpting as she carved the flow of fire into different shapes. The flows could move objects any direction, depending on how she shaped them. She could apply the flows precisely or violently, or better yet, precisely and violently.

Before long, she bored of things she could do in her room and turned to practicing her skills in public. The more she did, the more reckless she became. No one could ever guess—who would believe it? The freedom was exhilarating...

Author Jon Thomason


Jon Thomason lives with his family in San Diego, after many years living in the beautiful Seattle area. He has a successful career in high tech where he's been fortunate enough to participate in many big-name industry releases.

Storytelling permeates everything he does. In the moments when Jon is not helping build the story of the tech world, he can almost always be found working on a project: writing, photography, videography, graphics design, or 3D art.

And he's always careful to conceal his jinni magic abilities, though perhaps might slip one day and be discovered...

Links

Facebook * Amazon * Goodreads * Twitter

Blog Tour Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash plus a copy of Max Xylander and the Island of Zumuruud
Print copy to US only, Ebook Internationally
Ends 3/31/13


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Tour Schedule

Simply West of Heaven by Monique Bucheger: Blog Tour and Giveaway

SIMPLY WEST OF HEAVEN: A Ginnie West Adventure: (BOOK 3)

BLURB:

Twelve year-old Ginnie and her BFF, Tillie, schemed to get Ginnie’s widowed dad to fall in love with Tillie’s divorced mom. It worked. But before they could become ‘for real’ sisters, Ginnie stumbled across her dead mom’s journals. Which was totally awesome sauce… until her dad took them away and won’t tell her why. Now all their plans are starting to unravel.

If that’s not bad enough, Ginnie’s favorite uncle drops the mother of all bombshells and leaves her in a maze of uncertainty. While her head is still spinning from that news,  a blast from her late mother’s past shows up and makes Tillie goes nutburgers. Ginnie realizes her best friend has her own agenda and Tillie’s plans to merge their families may not be so innocent.
SIMPLY WEST OF HEAVEN is a contemporary MG novel that follows Ginnie West as she tries to make sense of one too many curve balls tossed her way in the most pivotal summer of her life. 


This is my first Ginnie West Adventure book.  I haven't read any of the previous books in this series but I don't think it hurt at all.  I was able to easily settle in to this book without being confused.

To me, this book was like a soap opera from a child's point of view.  Ginnie's mom passed away when she was very little.  She is, naturally, very curious about her mother so when she finds some old journals written by her mother she is desperate to read them.  Ginnie's dad has other ideas though.  He doesn't want to deal with all the secrets the journals hold.  Meanwhile, Ginnie's uncle finds out he's a father and didn't know it, her aunt shows up to throw the whole family into an uproar, her best friend has a complete meltdown which stems from the abuse she endured from her father, her brother gets hurt, her aunt is getting married.  I'm telling you it's a family drama.

Ginnie is a determined little girl.  She is stubborn and impatient but she does care about other people.  She is right on the edge of child and growing up.  I really felt her desperation and need to know about her mother.  Luckily Ginnie has lots of people surrounding her that love her.  I guess that's the biggest message that I took away from this book.  Family is important.  No matter how that family comes together, blood bond or not.  The people that love you can help you work through life's challenges.

Simply West of Heaven was a good MG book with a contemporary setting that kids will be able to relate to.

Would you like an autographed, personalized copy? Visit Monique's page here to order:
http://moniquebucheger.blogspot.com/p/paypal-safer-easier-way-to-pay-online.html

Social networking links: 

Monique's blog:http://moniquebucheger.blogspot.com/, 

FB: http://www.facebook.com/monique.bucheger 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MoniqueBucheger

Monique Bucheger was born in Landstuhl, Germany to active duty Air Force parents. After watching her creative writing teacher's astronaut son lift off in the Space Shuttle Endeavor, she recalled a promise to her teacher to write the books only she could write. In January of 2011, her first book made it through the first 3 tiers of Amazon's National BreakThrough Novel Award Contest to the top 5%. In November of 2012 Mrs. Bucheger was offered a 3 book contract for her Ginnie West series. Book one: THE SECRET SISTERS CLUB: A Ginnie West Adventure was published March 8, 2012. Her second book: TROUBLE BLOWS WEST: A Ginnie West Adventure was published April 14, 2012. 

Mrs. Bucheger has championed the cause of children as a foster parent to over 120 children and her books embrace and empower people on all sides of the child abuse issue.

 


Blog Tour Schedule for Ginnie West Adventure Series by Monique Bucheger

12/13/2012    http://www.dorinewhite.blogspot.com/2012/12/monique-bucheger-interview-with-author.html#more
12/19/2012    http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-secret-sisters-club-by-monique.html
   
12/21/2012    http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-secret-sisters-club-by-monique.html
12/28/2012    http://thethingsilovemost.blogspot.com/2012/12/ginnie-west-adventures-by-monique.htmlv
12/31/2012  http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-secret-sisters-club.html
1/2/2013   http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/2013/01/blog-tour-secret-sisters-club-and.html
 1/7/2013    http://www.bradenbell.com/bradens-blog.html
1/8/2013    cindymhogan.blogspot.com
1/9/2013    http://blog.juliereece.com/
1/11/2013    http://valeriesteimle.blogspot.com
1/12/2013   www.astorybookworld.blogspot.com
1/14/2013    www.ordinaryhappilyeverafter.com
1/15/2013    www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com
1/16/2013    http://www.kimberleygriffithslittle.blogspot.com/
  1/18/2013    http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/
1/21/2013    http://www.karen-hoover.blogspot.com/
1/22/2013    http://ilovetoreadandreviewbooks.blogspot.com/
1/23/2013    http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/
1/23/2013   http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/
1/24/2013   
1/25/2013   
1/28/2013   
1/29/2013    http://bonnieharris.blogspot.com/
1/30/2013    http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/
1/31/2013    www.jlloydmorgan.com
1/31/2013    http://cranberryfries.blogspot.com/
2/1/2013    http://kbrebes.blogspot.com/
   
      a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rise of the Fire Tamer Blog Tour: Review and $25 Giveaway

Rise of the Fire Tamer by Kailin Gow
After winning a contest for a popular game called Wordwick Games, five teens Gemma, Sparks, Rio, Kat, and Jack, are invited to stay at Wordwick Games inventor Henry Word's mysterious castle and play the newest level of Workwick Games. Little do they know, the castle is the doorway to a wondrous world call Anachronia where words can be used as weapons, power, and commodity. There is unrest in Anachronia, and if the five teens can follow the rules of Wordwick Games and prove to be the best player, one of them will be crowned Ruler of Anachronia.

Purchase

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

There were many good things about this book.  I always appreciate a good middle grade book that contains no swearing.  This book was an adventure.  It started out a bit Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-ish when the kids get a special invitation to a mysterious castle to meet Henry Word.  That's about where that parallel ended though.  :)

The five teens invited to the castle are all so different.  Their personalities really came through in the book.  I could picture and hear them in my mind which is a great thing.

I loved the idea of using words as weapons or power.  Knowing smart words to use to your benefit is awesome.  I was really glad I was reading this book on my Kindle so I could instantly see the dictionary meanings of these words.  Some of them I didn't know!  This is a fun way to learn new words and I love the concept.  There was a glossary of words in the back of the book as well.

My biggest problem with this book is the editing.  It drove me a bit mad.  This book needs a full professional edit.  Or maybe two.

Overall a good book though.  I'm glad I was a part of this blog tour.  Check out this book trailer and the excerpt following.  Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the very end!

Book Trailer

EXCERPT 1:

Gem recognized the voice instantly as that of Henry Word. After his online announcements, she was hardly going to forget. He must have come into the hallway through a side door. She turned to greet him with the others, expecting to look up into the already half-familiar face, and had to adjust the direction of her gaze when it turned out that Henry Word was sitting down.

He was sitting down because he was in a wheelchair.

It was quite a high tech wheelchair, obviously custom made and designed around Henry Word, but there was no escaping the fact that it was there. From the waist up, Mr. Word was dressed conservatively, even elegantly, in a suit and silk tie. From the waist down, his legs disappeared beneath a tartan blanket. They didn’t appear again on the other side.

“A small accident from my army days,” Henry word said, and Gem found herself wondering if he’d read her mind in the second it took to decide that the others probably looked just as surprised as she did. Gem realized that, in all the pictures she had seen of Henry Word either online or in magazines, not one had shown more than his head and shoulders.

Henry Word laughed then.

“I can see I’ve caught you all rather by surprise. Still, before I turn into the main topic of conversation, can I take a moment to welcome the five of you?’ his gaze flicked to each of them in turn, and Gem guessed that he was matching names to faces in his mind. “You are all here, of course, because you have turned out to be some of the biggest fans of my little game. Congratulations on that. For the next week, you’ll be staying in what I hope you’ll find to be extremely comfortable surroundings, and you’ll get the benefit of a very special surprise.”

“What surprise?” Rio asked from behind Gem. Henry Word chuckled again.

“Ah, Riordan Roberts, I take it? Well, there is nothing to be suspicious about. In fact, I think that as fans, you will all enjoy this particular surprise. I have simply decided to allow you access to the tenth level of my game while we are here.”

Gem felt her brow furrow.

“But Mr. Word, aren’t there only nine levels?”

“That’s true at the moment,” Henry Word answered. “Anachronia is rather new. You will be among the first to play it. Still, let’s not focus on that too much now, shall we? Chef has excelled himself in the Great Hall, and I’m sure you must all be hungry after your journeys.”

Author Kailin Gow

Kailin Gow is the award-winning, international bestselling author of over 80 distinct books.

Kailin Gow is also the President of a media company, a media personality, and has been writing full-time since she was first published. Holding a Masters in communications management and leadership positions in Fortune 500 corporations, she puts her leadership abilities, her experience, and desire to help others into her fiction books. As a result, she has written the forthcoming, Finding the Heroine in You book which is also a national tour. She is a mother and spends whatever spare time she has volunteering at the Red Cross, Battered Women's Shelters, and other organizations.

Currently her Frost Series is in development for a major international MMO Game, and she has over 14,000 and growing Frosters on her facebook fan page.

Links:

Facebook * Twitter * Book Club

Website * Blog * Goodreads

Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 1/31/12

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tour Schedule

January 7th
Tour Kick Off - I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
A Dream Within A Dream * The Bunny's Review * The Book Diva's Reads * icefairy's Treasure Chest * Chapter By Chapter * Cuzinlogic * Nikki's Book Blog * Promiscuous Diva * Beck Valley Books * Blkosiner's Book Blog * Books, Books the Magical Fruit * Peace from Pieces * The Mod Podge Bookshelf * Julie Reece * Froze8's Blog

January 8th
Book Blast - Multiple Blogs

January 9th
Ever and Ever Sight - Review
Magical Manuscripts - Review

January 10th
Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf - Review
Of Thoughts and Words - Review

January 11th
Parsimonious Posh - Review
Read My Breath Away - Review

January 12th
A Bit of Dash - Review
Sher A Hart: My Written Art - Review

January 13th
The College Crawl - Review

January 14th
Bookworm Lisa - Review
Vonnie's Reading Corner - Review

January 15th
Always YA at Heart - Review
Getting Your Read On - Review

January 16th
StoreyBook Reviews - Review

January 17th
My Book Mark Blog - Review

January 18th
Hardcover Feedback - Review
3Ps in a Pod - Review

January 19th
Scribbler's Sojourn - Review
A.D. Duling's Diddley Doodle Dandy Writings - Review

January 20th
Pieces of Whimsy - Review

January 21st
GeoLibrarian - Review
A Casual Reader's Blog - Review

January 22nd
Mom with a Kindle - Review
Indie Author How-to - Review

January 23rd
Lovey Dovey Books - Review

January 24th
Oh the Books You'll Read - Review
Debbie's Inkspectations - Review

January 25th
Every Free Chance - Review
Fiction Prediction - Review