BLOG TOUR/GIVEAWAY: Trail of Bones by Chris Salisbury

Tour Schedule

TRAIL OF BONES

Ready for a new adventure? Are you a fan of fantasy, young adult, science fiction and action stories?

“No mercy, No rules - Welcome to the Trail of Bones!”

Run with Purpose – battle cry of the Shade Wolves

Magnus, the runt of a litter of Shade Wolves, wants nothing more than to be a loyal, strong member of the pack. But when an ancient enemy threatens his friends and family, he faces a choice that could tear him from all he's known and loved. Born in captivity, the giant panther Kelor knows nothing but suffering and loss. He struggles to find his place in this world of terror, and he battles to protect his family without succumbing to the darkness lurking inside him.

Falling captive to the evil Warden, the two are forced to fight in the battle of the beasts known as 'The Trail of Bones'. How will Kelor and Magnus learn to work together? How will they escape a fate of despair and death? How will their choices affect their comrades? Their enemies? And the forgotten magic that could doom all life of their world? Let the adventures begin!

A fun, exciting, clean read for teens, young adults, adults and readers of all ages. Pick up your copy of this fantasy adventure today!

Are you a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Robert Jordan, Orson Scott Card, Jim Butcher and other fantasy and science fiction authors? You’ll feel right at home with Trail of Bones. This fantasy story offers a strong moral message, suspense, action, and mystery, in a world full of magic, unlikely heroes, and devious villains.

Amazon

BOOK TRAILER

EDITORIAL REVIEWS 

Salisbury is a rising star in genre fiction. This book makes a unique and exciting contribution in the fantasy realm. The first of great things to come. --Jake Black, "The Authorized Ender Companion" "Smallville" "Ender's Game: Recruiting Valentine"  

AMAZON REVIEWS

Conclusion: A fantasy adventure that features lots of action and intrigue that is geared to a YA audience. There are moments in this tale that are especially well done... story telling at a level that I'd be interested to see what this author would do with an adult orientated fantasy work. As a dedicated YA work... 5 Stars. ~ Ray Nicholson  

The beginning of a great adventure! I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first book of the Trail of Bones series. It is an unpredictable adventure, with heartwrenching acts of love and friendship. The story ended before I was prepared to put my Kindle down, and now I will wait anxiously for the second book to be published. In the meantime, I think I'll read it again with my eleven-year-old son; I'm sure he'll love it as much as I do. Give it a read! ~ HRL

Enthralling story line that really pulls you in …The characters were some that I will not easily forget because he explains their background in a way that makes the reader really connect and believe they are real. He creates a world that I long to see. I really grew to both love and hate different characters. I think that is a sign of a really great author when they can make us feel so much emotion towards a character. ~ Janason
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Chris Salisbury has been writing fantasy, science fiction, suspense, and action thrillers for years in independent films. Now he’s expanded his love of good movies, such as Gladiator, Counte of Monte Cristo, Saving Private Ryan, Braveheart, Star Trek, to the world of books. Trail of Bones is the first book in a planned four part fantasy, young adult series targeted at readers of all ages.

The father of four enjoys a wide range of interests from scuba diving to softball, coaching basketball to playing Battlefield 3 on his Xbox 360 or NCAA Football with his sons. He is also a big advocate for literacy and reading for young boys. There seem to be few titles that appeal to young boys and young men to hold their attention, trigger their imaginations and create a love of reading. Chris is out to change that.

In addition to the Trail of Bones series, he also has a number of other titles in development including historical fiction, action, suspense thrillers, and several science fiction properties. There’s a lot more on the horizon, so enjoy Trail of Bones but be sure to look for more captivating titles from Chris Salisbury in the near future.

Blog * Website * Twitter

REVIEW

Unfortunately, with the end of school and the craziness associated with it, I did not get this book read. I will post a review as soon as I do.

BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 5/31/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

FANTASTIC FRIDAY: The Chronicles of Egg #2: New Lands by Geoff Rodkey

NEW LANDS

The Chronicles of Egg #2

by Geoff Rodkey

Putnam Juvenile, 2013

ISBN: 9780399257865

Middle Grade Adventure/Fantasy

Grades 4-8

Reviewed from ARC provided by publisher in return for an honest review.

All opinions expressed are solely my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK

This highly anticipated sequel to Rodkey's much-praised debut is funny, heartfelt, and action-packed. Don't miss it! 

After a narrow escape from Deadweather Island, Egg and his slightly deranged partner Guts head for the remote New Lands. They’re in search of the lost Okalu tribe, who hold the key to the mysterious treasure map that Egg can't decipher. 

But the ruthless Roger Pembroke is hard on Egg's trail, and the New Lands are full of new enemies — against which our heroes only weapons are their brains, their courage...and the two dozen swear words Guts just memorized in the local tongue. 

They're going to need help. 

But who can they trust? 

Is Kira, the beautiful and heavily armed Okalu refugee, their ally…or their enemy? Is Pembroke's daughter Millicent on Egg's side…or her father's? Why on earth is the notorious pirate Burn Healy being so nice to them? And the biggest question of all: what shocking secret is Egg about to discover in the shadow of an ancient Okalu temple?

REVIEW

It was great meeting up with Egg again.  Egg makes an appealing hero.  While far from perfect, he always tries his hardest to do what he feels is right. Unfortunately, when you have a wealthy, powerful man trying to kill you and a treasure map you can't interpret it becomes very difficult to know what the right thing is.  With the help of new friends and old friends, Egg tries to find a way to the Okalu people, hoping to find someone able to help him decipher the map. But unfortunately, he runs into serious obstacles along the way, sickness and slavery among them.

I found myself enjoying this book just as much as the first one.  With plenty of twists and turns and unexpected surprises I found myself cheering hard for Egg to come out on top. Despite the hard things he faced he still radiates goodness and a touch of innocence. Guts provides some humor but is also a sympathetic character who has faced some horrible things in his life with pirates, but who turns out to have surprising talents. Millicent, Egg's enemy's daughter, proves once again that no one will dictate her life for her, but also manages to irritate everyone along the way.

I also found myself enjoying the setting. Rodkey does a great job creating a feeling of discovery in this book as the kids travel through a world very much different than anything they've known before. 

Like most middle books of trilogies there are still plenty of questions left to answer and I very much look forward to reading the last book in the series. Highly recommended.

 

KID LIT BLOG HOP #16

Welcome to the 16th Kid Lit Blog Hop. 

The Kid Lit Blog Hop takes place on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month. We have managed to create a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists, as well as parents seeking out their next great read. So, you are more than welcome to link in and take some time to make some new friends.

Before we get on with the Hop I want to make sure that you are all aware of the on-going Kid Lit Giveaway Hop, co-hosted by Mother Daughter Book Reviews and Youth Literature Reviews. The Kid Lit Giveaway Hop is taking place to honor Children's Book Week (May 13 to 19, 2013). For the Kid Lit Giveaway Hop, children's book or teen literature bloggers, authors, publishers, or publicists are sharing copies of fabulous children/teen's books, gift cards, cash, or other prizes. What better way to celebrate Children's Book Week? Click on the poster to go to the Kid Lit Giveaway Hop.

Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!

<div align="center"><a href="http://motherdaughterbookreviews.com/category/kid-lit-blog-hops/" title="Kid Lit Blog Hop"><img src="http://motherdaughterbookreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Kid-Lit-Blog-Hop-Button-Sep-2012-e1349976901756.jpg" alt="Kid Lit Blog Hop" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

 

Kid Lit Blog Hop Rules *NEW*:

1. *NEW* We ask that you kindly follow your hostesses and co-hostesses. You can follow us any way you choose (Email, GFC, Twitter, Facebook, G+, Pinterest, etc.), but we've added our preferences below. If you could just give us a quick "follow" or "like" that would be much appreciated! Make sure to leave us a message if you are following us (i.e., on Twitter or Facebook or on our websites) and we will be sure to follow you back. Thanks! :-)

Hostesses:

Renee @ Mother Daughter Book Reviews Twitter * Facebook

Jaymie @ Snacks for Max Twitter * Facebook

Heidi @ Geo Librarian Twitter * Facebook

Sue @ Kid Lit Reviews Twitter * Facebook

Katie @ Youth Literature Reviews Twitter * Facebook

Julie Grasso, Author of Escape From the Forbidden Planet/Blogger Twitter * Facebook

Cheryl Carpinello, Author of Guinevere & The King's Ransom / Blogger Twitter * Facebook

Co-Hostesses:

 

Wendy Laharnar, Author of The Unhewn Stone / Blogger Twitter * Facebook

2. Link up any Kid Lit related post. This can be a link to a children’s book review, a discussion about children’s literature/literacy, or a post on a recently-read children’s book or one that you love from your childhood.

* Don't link directly to your blog, it must be a specific post*

* For Authors, we prefer you to link to your blog if you have one *

* Make sure you include an image relevant to the POST (e.g., book cover), not your blog button or photo of yourself.*

* Feel free to link more than one post.*

3. *NEW* Please visit the two links directly ahead of your own and leave them some love in the form of a comment. We are trying to build a community of bloggers, readers, parents, authors, and others who are as passionate about children’s literature as we are so please CONNECT and follow any or all of the blogs that interest you!

4. If you like, grab the button above and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. If you'd prefer, you can just add a text link back to this Hop so that others can find it and check out all these great book links! 5. It would really help us get the word out about the Kid Lit Blog Hop if you would be so kind as to tweet, share, and spread the word about the Hop!

Interested in co-hosting the Kid Lit Blog Hop? Please email renee @ motherdaughterbookreviews (dot) com and put Co-Hosting Blog Hop in the subject line.

Happy Hopping!

BLOG TOUR/GIVEAWAY: The Circle by Cindy Cipriano

 

Tour Schedule

THE CIRCLE

by Cindy Cipriano

Odyssey Books, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-922200-04-4

Middle Grade Fantasy

Grades 3-6

Reviewed from ARC received from author for honest review.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Calum Ranson is sure of three things: his cousin Finley is alive, Calum will find him, and no one knows Calum and his family are Sidhe. No one until Laurel shows up at his mother's bookstore wearing a dark clan's mark. When Calum learns the details surrounding the disappearance of Laurel's brother, he suspects the evil Hobayeth clan. Calum and Laurel work together in the Realm of Man and the Otherworld to rescue her brother - revealing a connection between Calum and Laurel that may cost Finley his life.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Goodreads

 PRAISE

"The Circle is full of magic and mystery. Readers will be engrossed in faerie realms, charming characters, and a state of wonder and imagination. The Circle is for those who delight in reading fantasy and exploring mystical worlds."

--Kathleen Fox, LibraryGames.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cindy Cipriano lives in NC with her husband, son, and 27 pets. Okay, more like one cat, three dogs, and many, many fish. Cindy is an award winning science teacher, who this past August celebrated her 12th first day of sixth grade.

Website * Twitter

REVIEW

A fun middle grade story about a boy and a girl and their adventures with fairies and curses and missing people. Calum's cousin is missing and he desperately wants to find him, but he doesn't know where to start.  When Laurel arrives in town determined to find her missing brother, Calum decides to help her, not realizing the possible repercussions.  Cipriano creates a fun mythology surrounding fairies and the Sidhe. An enjoyable read and one I can easily recommend.

TOUR GIVEAWAY

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 5/31/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kid Lit Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Kid Lit Giveaway Hop!

Hosted by Mother Daughter Book Reviews & Youth Literature Reviews

Today I have a fun middle grade science fiction book to spotlight. Be sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a copy.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Seventh-grader Dustin Cotter dreams of being the first human to make contact with an alien species from outer space. So when he discovers that the meteorite he watched crash-landing is really a miniature spacecraft, he’s determined to capture it.

But first a dog grabs it. A dog that happens to be owned by Randie, the cutest girl at his new school. Then it gets stolen by another kid on horseback: Max, the school comedian/magician/cowboy. Dustin finally manages to get it back, and his dream of making contact comes true when he meets Bok, the tiny alien astronaut.

However, a dangerous motorcyclist saw the crash-landing, too. He wants the spaceship and will stop at nothing until it’s in his possession. And then one dark night, the man catches Dustin alone out in the desert - and Dustin’s dream turns into a life-threatening nightmare.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:    

K.L. Pickett was born in Southern California. Her first job as a young teenager was collecting eggs on an egg ranch. She’s had many occupations since then: preschool teacher, real estate salesperson, special education teacher’s assistant, loan officer, furniture salesperson, and agricultural biologist. She currently teaches fourth grade in a tiny rural elementary school.

​Over fifty of her stories and articles have appeared in magazines such as Boys’ Life, Highlights for Children, Humpty Dumpty, and Ladybug under the name Karen Troncale.

​She’s rescued dozens of cats, dogs, and birds in her life including a pelican, a pheasant, and several crows. An avid animal-lover, she’s a volunteer for the Tombstone Small Animal Shelter, designing their flyers each week and writing their public radio announcements.

​Currently she resides in Tombstone, Arizona, along with her husband, dog, and mule. When she’s not writing, reading, or teaching, she’s riding her mule along the same desert trails that Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday rode upon.

​SEVENTH GRADE (ALIEN!) HERO is her first book.

MOCK INTERVIEW:

Interviewer: Welcome. I’m excited to hear about your firstbook Seventh Grade (Alien!)Hero. I understand it’s a middle-grade science fiction adventure story. Why did you choose to write for the middle-grade audience? And why science fiction?

K.L.Pickett: I currently teach fourth grade in a small rural Arizona school; previously I taught middle-grade reading and writing. Since I’m immersed in that age group every day, it was a natural jumping off point to write for them.

​Why did I write a science fiction novel? Because I lovereading science fiction and watching science fiction TV shows and movies. I’m a Trekkie; I’ve been a huge Star Trek fan for years. Avatar, Star Wars, E.T., War of the Worlds, Journey to the Center of the Earth – I love all of those science fiction movies, old and new. I grew up reading science fiction books, starting with an old beginning reader series called Space Cat (followed by Space Cat Goes to Mars and Space Cat has Kittens). As a teenager I loved reading novels such as Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. One of my favorite science fiction books today is The True Meaning ofSmekday by Adam Rex.

Interviewer: So tell us a little about Seventh Grade (Alien!)Hero. How did you get the idea for this book?

K.L.Pickett: Some time ago I read as short story about a minutespaceship that flew in the open window of a small boy’s bedroom. That story intrigued me and stayed with me for a long time. It made me start thinking that spaceships and space aliens don’t have to be big.

​Then one night I saw a falling star streak across the sky. I started asking myself questions. What if it hit the earth and someone found it? What if it turned out it wasn’t a meteor at all, but a tiny spaceship? And what if it was damaged and someone did find it? All of these “what if’s” turned into Seventh Grade (Alien!) Hero.

​The main character of Seventh Grade (Alien!) Hero is someone middle-graders can relate to. Dustin’s a normal seventh grade boy whose life has been turned upside-down. His parents have gotten a divorce, his dad’s remarried, and his mom has moved him out to the desert, out into the middle of nowhere,away from the suburban life he’s always known. He has no friends. Middle-graders can understand him because they all know how hard making friends can be, even if they haven’t moved to a new home themselves.

​Then he captures the spaceship and everything starts happening. Someone else wants the ship – someone dangerous – who will stop at nothing to get it.

Interviewer: Sounds exciting! I understand this is your first book. Have you written pieces other than books?

K.L.Pickett: I’ve written stories and articles for magazines for years. One of my stories entitled “The Big Oops!” was originally published in Guide magazine, and was reprinted in the book Guide’s Greatest Hero Stories in 2012.  

Interviewer: So what’s next for your writing?

K.L.Pickett: Currently I’m working on another middle-grade science fiction novel. And I’m excited about the release of my second book Maybe It’s Magic! which is obviously about magic and also about horses. It’s being published by MuseItUpPublishing and will be available in August. So look for it soon!

Interviewer: Do you have any advice for other authors?

K.L.Pickett: My only advice is to never give up. Keep writing. If you want something bad enough and persevere, it will happen eventually.

Interviewer: Where can readers find you and your books?

K.L.Pickett: My website is www.klpickett.weebly.com. Each month I feature a free children’s short story and an inexpensive children’s activity on the site. I can also be reached on facebook:

https://ww.facebook.com/pickettbooks?ref=h .

Also, I’m a teacher, and I have an online teacher story with teaching materials:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/K-L-Pickett .

Seventh Grade (Alien!) Hero can be ordered from:

MuseItUp Publishing
Amazon

Interviewer: I’m sure our readers will be checking out those sites. Thanks for sharing with us today.

K.L.Pickett: Thanks for having me. Oh, and don’t forget. I’ll be giving away five copies of Seventh Grade (Alien!) Hero chosen randomly from readers who leave comments about this post.

GIVEAWAY

1. Must 13 or older to enter.
2. Fill out the form below.
3. Void where prohibited.
4. Open internationally.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Children's Book Week Giveaway Hop

Children’s Book Week Giveaway Hop

May 13th – 19th

Hosted by 

KidLitFrenzy, Mymcbooks

& I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

What is Children’s Book Week?

Established in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running literacy initiative in the country. Each year, books for young people and the joy of reading are feted for a full week with author and illustrator appearances, storytelling, parties, and other book-related events at schools, libraries, bookstores, museums, and homes from coast to coast!

For more information please visit: http://www.bookweekonline.com/

WHAT AM I GIVING AWAY?

For this giveaway, I am offering ONE children's book of choice from the Book Depository.

Here are a couple that I finished recently and can heartily recommend. Just fill out the form below.

RULES

1. You must be 13 or older to enter.
2. Fill out the form.
3. Void where prohibited.
4. Winner has 48 hours to respond to winning notification email.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Chosen: a DAUGHTERS OF THE SEA novel by Kristen Day

Author Kristen Day has stopped by today with a teaser for the Chosen blog tour!

Title: Chosen (Daughters of the Sea 3)  
Author: Kristen Day  
Publisher: Self Published Blurb:  

The essence of who we are lies not in what we have, but in what we are willing to give up. Because in the end, Time and Tide wait for no one. After sacrificing all that she had, the evil princess of the Underworld is still successful in her bid to tear Finn from Stasia’s life. In the midst of her search to reclaim him, Stasia is summoned to the island nation of Cyprus to take part in an age-old ritual; unveiling the missing pieces of her ancestry and re-igniting an ancient war. As she struggles to both save Finn’s soul and free Carmen’s mind, Stasia’s bravery and determination will be pushed to its breaking point. A dark storm is forming on the horizon, and the forces who are vying to destroy her may be much closer than she thinks. Destiny weaves a sticky web of evil, betrayal, and revenge that can only be undone by the purity of love and the soul’s unyielding will to survive. In the last installment of the Daughters of the Sea trilogy, the past will collide with the present as Stasia’s future hangs in the balance. The prophecy that paved the way for her new life may indeed be the very thing that strips her of the ones she loves the most.

EXERPT

Finn

“Rise and shine, Love!” Nadia appeared before me and my blood instantly began to boil with overwhelming hatred.

“We have much to do!”

 “I’m not playing your bullshit games, Nadia,” I growled.

 “Games?” She snorted, cracking a dry smile and coming to a stop in front of me.

Her features hardened and her golden eyes flashed, “This is no game, Love. But believe me - I’ll be enjoying every minute.”

She noticed the small puddle of blood collecting below my right knee and smirked. “Why Finn, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you look so dreadful. It’s a shame your essence and abilities have no effect down here. That looks horrific.”

“You’re playing with fire, Nadia,” I accused her in a low voice. She should know the consequences of her actions.

“I happen to like fire. It’s powerful and tantalizing. Just like me.”

She turned on her heel, kicked off her shoes and made her way to the trunk. She visibly shivered in her thin tank top and jeans. With a snap of her fingers, the room warmed to a comfortable temperature.

 “I don’t know how you stand it down here! It’s absolutely frigid!”

She chuckled to herself when I cursed her through gritted teeth. She whistled happily as she opened the trunk and began rifling through it; searching for something in particular.

 “Now where did I put it…Aha! Found it!” she squealed with delight. Then she snapped her head around and grinned at me like she was two personalities away from a straight jacket and a padded room.

“Enjoying the view?”

 “Don’t flatter yourself.”

 “Oh come on Finn,” she purred. “You know you want this.” She spun around in a circle and raised a golden, sly eyebrow at me.

“But unfortunately for you, I don’t screw pieces of shit.”

“I’m crushed.”

She looked me up and down, tapped her chin, and smiled, “Not yet.”

With a flick of her finger the white vines pinned me against the wall; slicing new wounds on my arms and legs.

“I’ll save that for later. Right now, we have other things to take care of. And I must say, I’m so glad you came to your senses and chose me. I was beginning to lose hope,” she joked.

She twitched over to where I was shackled to the wall and let out what sounded like something close to a cackle.

“Yea, I’ve really been looking forward to having my soul wrenched out of my body and starving to death in this god forsaken hole in the ground,” I spit at her with venom.

“I might not be as transparent as that little tramp of yours, Stasia, but-“

“Leave her out of this! You don’t even deserve to speak her name,” I growled.

The familiar rush of power and adrenaline that usually accompanied my anger didn’t come, and I began to realize the gravity of the situation I was in. Not that I was going to let Princess Psycho know that.

“Oh, please…she’s nothing but an Achilles heel.”

 She collapsed into a fit of giggles, “Get it - cause her brother was Achilles..?”

I ignored her failed attempt at irony. “She possesses every quality required of a leader in our world and more. Qualities you have never, and will never, possess - purity, strength, grace and most importantly, humility.”

“Humility, weakness - same thing.” She dismissed my words with a flip of her hand.

“The prophecy speaks for itself. Even you can’t argue with that,” I retorted. “She is my destiny. And I, hers.”

“All I hear is blah, blah, blah-I want to have sex with her-blah, blah, blah. Lust turns the strongest of men into invalids and I simply couldn’t let that happen. Your essence is far too important for what is ahead of me.”

“Essence becomes useless without love. Love turns the strongest of men into warriors. When a man has someone to fight for, he’s capable of moving mountains.”

Her grin dropped and she stomped over to me with vapor rolling off of her skin. She stood in front of me, silent for a moment, then grinned wickedly and unrolled the leather case she had been clutching in her hand. She slid something silver out and held it up so I could see it. A syringe.

“I think I’m in the mood to play nurse.”

Her eyes sparkled as she moved towards me. I tried to fight the vines, but the excruciating pain that shot through me sucked what little energy I did have completely dry.

“Now don’t tire yourself out, Love. I need to get a good strong sample.”

At her words, another pair of vines shot out from the stone wall and slithered around my left arm; securing it tightly. My trace had become dull in the last few days under whatever vacuum she had placed on my prison. She slowly ran a finger down my cheek and smiled sympathetically.

“Your sacrifices will not be in vain. I can promise you that.” She dropped her hand and her golden eyes hardened, “But the slow, painful deterioration of your soul will be. I’ve decided you owe me that. It’s the least you can do.”

“So, are you looking forward to spending eternity on Tartarus, or will an exception be made to send you straight to the pits of fire?” I asked in the same tone I’d use to ask about the weather.

“You really think my own mother would sentence me to an eternity of hell?” she chuckled. “Please tell me you aren’t that simpleminded.”

“You know as well as I do that a certain level of evil is not tolerated. Your mother’s decision will be overridden by the-“

“Shut up!” she yelled and slapped me across the face. It stung, but I hid it beneath a purposefully smug smile -- which only made her anger boil over.

“Enough of this! You are no more than a means to an end. You will never be Prime. You will never see your tramp or your family again. You are nothing.”

With that, she uncapped the syringe and drove it into my forearm; right through the eye of the skull. My thoughts turned to Stasia as my world filled with pain and faded into darkness.  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kristen Day is a southern belle at heart with a crazy streak that desperately tries to escape at every opportunity. She loves all things nostalgic, rustic, and quirky. She’s been told she sees the world through rose-colored glasses, but she prefers to think of them as kaleidoscope glasses - swirling and morphing reality into something she can digest (who hasn't pretended those pasty lima beans were really kiwi strawberry jelly beans?). She is the author of the DAUGHTERS OF THE SEA trilogy, which includes FORSAKEN, AWAKEN (Oct 2012), and CHOSEN (Winter 2012). She loves all books, but really enjoys writing young adult, paranormal romances. She’s loved to write for as long as she can remember. Her first published work was her poem RED in second grade (you guessed it - it was a poem about the color red - life altering, right?) that won her 5 gold stars and a spot in her elementary school's poetry book. That's when her addiction to the written word officially began. She was the only kid in fifth grade that actually enjoyed diagramming sentences. Go ahead and laugh - its okay. When she’s not writing she’s making jewelry, painting, feeding her addiction to sweet tea, watching the Discovery Channel, or going on random adventures in the mountains of North Carolina with her amazing husband. She was born in Boone, NC and graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Marketing in 2001.  

AUTHOR'S LINKS

Purchase on Amazon  

Purchase on B&N  

Goodreads  

Blog  

Twitter 

Facebook  

BLOG TOUR/GIVEAWAY: The Storm Bottle by Nick Green

 

Tour Schedule

 

THE STORM BOTTLE
by Nick Green


Swimming with dolphins is said to be the number one thing to do before you die. For 12-year-old Michael, it very nearly is. A secret boat trip has gone tragically wrong, and now he lies unconscious in the hospital. But when Michael finally wakes up, he seems different. His stepsister, Bibi is soon convinced that he is not who he appears to be. Meanwhile, in the ocean beyond Bermuda’s reefs, a group of bottlenose dolphins are astonished to discover a stranger in their midst – a boy lost and desperate to return home. Bermuda is a place of mysteries. Some believe its seas are enchanted, and the sun-drenched islands conceal a darker past, haunted with tales of lost ships. Now Bibi and Michael are finding themselves in the most extraordinary tale of all.  


BOOK TRAILER

   

Praise
'I loved it... An absolute winner.' - LA Weatherly, author of the Angel Burn trilogy 'A writer who knows how to grip the imagination, make you sit on the edge of your chair, and make you laugh out loud.' - Michelle Lovric, author of The Undrowned Child, The Mourning Emporium and The Book of Human Skin 'If you only ever buy one Kindle book in your life (although that sounds a bit unlikely, now that I stop and think) this has to be it.' - The Bookwitch blog.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Green is a UK children's and YA author, best known for his trilogy The Cat Kin, published in the UK by Strident Publishing and in Germany by Ravensburger, and also as a BBC audiobook. He has appeared on BBC radio talking about his books, and has been shortlisted for two UK children's book awards. He regularly does school visits and other children's literary events. The Storm Bottle is his first straight-to-Kindle novel.

Twitter * Website

 

REVIEW

I confess, I'm a big fan of animal stories and stories about the ocean.  This book has many things that I enjoy reading about, the ocean, other places (Bermuda in this case), animals, and magic.  Switching places is not an uncommon storyline, but I've never read one quite like this. Dolphins are an animal that I find endlessly fascinating, both beautiful and savage at the same time. There are of course stories of dolphins saving human lives, but not quite the way Rodrigo saves Michael. It was intriguing to read about the incredible adjustments that would be necessary to live as a dolphin does.  I loved the imagery that Green provides, I could almost smell the ocean air and feel the ocean swells. I really wanted to be there and see the dolphins.

I enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the plot.  Bibi is one of those characters that make me smile because of her spunkiness.  Her stepbrother, Michael, who nearly drowns in the first chapter, brought out my empathy, he's having to adjust to having a stepfather and stepsister, like Bibi, but he's also moved to a place very different from the home he has known and that is always a shock.  And Hal, the squatter and fisherman, who takes Bibi out on his boat and 'plays' sailing games with her, a true friend. The setting was beautifully depicted, very important in a story like this one.  And the plot, looking at life on land and sea reminded me that while we humans have learned a lot about this world of ours, there is still so much to learn and see and enjoy.

A fabulous read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I can heartily recommend this book to those who enjoy stories about life and what it means to be truly free.

Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 5/26/13

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway    

MIDDLE GRADE BOOK REVIEW: Canary in the Coal Mine by Madelyn Rosenberg

CANARY IN THE COAL MINE

by Madelyn Rosenberg

Holiday House, 2013

ISBN13: 9780823426003

Middle Grade Animal Fantasy/Historical Fiction

Grades 3-6

Reviewed from purchased copy.

ABOUT THE BOOK



Tired of his twelve-hour shifts and facing danger daily, Bitty, a canary whose courage more than makes up for his small size, treks to the state capital to try to improve working conditions in coal mines.

REVIEW

Bitty is a mine canary.  He spends his days deep inside a mine waiting to be hit with unseen gas, which warns the miners that they need to get out. Unfortunately, many canaries die in the process. Bitty wants to change this so he comes up with a plan to escape the cage where he has spent his entire life and fly off in hopes of convincing someone to bring improvements to the mine. But the world has some surprises in store for him. Hawks, trains, inventors, and lazy pigeons teach Bitty a lot about the world and he realizes just how big a task he has set for himself.  But he is determined to get the legislature to listen to him, he just has to figure out a way to do it. And with the help of his canary friends and new friends he makes along the way, he just might do it.

What struck me the most about this book is how authentic it felt, despite the talking animals.  Many talking animal books have a strong feel of magic or make-belief connected to them.  This book felt real.  While the animals do talk to each other, the author does it in such a way that each species of animal is speaking its own language.  Other than the talking the animals behave in animal-like ways, flying, walking, drinking, etc.  The other thing that really struck me about this book was the optimism that Bitty exhibited.  No matter how bad things got or how impossible his mission seemed, he never gave up and this inspired those around him.  I think this message is so important, so many books contain such darkness that hope feels smothered.  Bitty is one of those heroes that you really cheer for and want to encourage.

In a book as short as this one, especially with such an important historical feel to it, it can be hard to create an appropriately detailed image of what life was like.  But the author does a great job with this, creating a heart-breakingly real picture of mining and the dangers associated with it, not just for the miners themselves but for their families as well. The historical aspects of this story are rather eye-opening. The book provides not only an entertaining and surprisingly believable story, but an important and informative one. Highly recommended.