Showing posts with label #YA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #YA. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 19, 2025

Turning Toward Eden by Cate Touryan #spotlight #mysterybooks #comingofage #YA



Setting – California 1971
Publisher: ‎ Winged Publications
Publication date ‏: ‎ May 6, 2025
Print length : ‎ 350 pages

goodreads badge

An evocative story laced with mystery, Turning Toward Eden weaves nostalgia with grit, sorrow with humor, and despair with faith, offering hope to anyone who has sought to belong in a world that rarely plays fair.

Audiobook Coming Soon!
The audiobook edition of Turning Toward Eden is in production and on its way to Audible, iTunes, and beyond. Stay tuned for a richly narrated experience, perfect for readers who love stories on the go.

About Cate Touryan

Cate Touryan writes fiction and creative nonfiction that reach for the story beyond the story and the beginning beyond “The End.” Her complex, realistic narratives often touch on themes of faith. While she avoids gratuitous violence and profanity, keeping any romance clean, she does not shy away from portraying the grit and beauty of real life, instead writing the truest story she can, infused with heart and humor. Her fiction will delight young adults and adults still young.

Cate invites you to journey with her into lives both real and imagined, wherein might lie glimpses of your own story beyond the story and an ending redeemed.

Author Links

Website https://catetouryan.com/

Purchase Link – Amazon 

Friday, June 21, 2024

#SPotlight: No Horsing Around by Shannon Kennedy #Giveaway #YA #Bookseries

 

No Horsing Around

Shamrock Stables Book 6

by Shannon Kennedy

Genre: YA Teen Drama Fiction

When the school year ends, Sierra and her friends plan to have a horsy good time riding their horses, teaching summer day camp, and helping their favorite riding instructor arrange a wedding to the local animal-control officer. Difficulties arise before they even pass their final exams. Robin wants to work at the vintage car lot with the beautiful, classic Mustangs she loves. However, her parents are sending her to horse camp whether she likes it or not and she doesn’t!

Meanwhile, Vicky intends to train horses. Does her dream job mean she can’t spend time with her boyfriend before he leaves for college? Horse camp brings in much needed income to the McElroy’s Shamrock Stable, so how can a talented athlete like Sierra tell her family she wants to join the high school basketball and soccer teams at their training camps instead of teaching little beginners again?

After a stunning performance in the spring musical, will Dani ever be able to let her glory-hungry parents know she’d rather be at the barn this summer, not on stage in a theatrical company in Oregon? Catch rider, CeCe worries she won’t be ‘emancipated’ and allowed to remain with the people who offered her a ‘real’ home but are her new friends too busy to help when she needs them most?

It’s a drama-rama summer at Shamrock Stable. What will the five of them do to stay together and ensure each girl’s dreams come true?



Amazon * Goodreads




**Don’t miss the rest of the series!**



Shannon Kennedy lives and works at her family business, a riding stable in Washington State. Teaching kids to ride and know about horses since 1967, she finds in many cases, she's taught three generations of families. Her life experiences span adventures from dealing cards in a casino, attending graduate school to get her master's in teaching degree, being a middle and high school teacher, and serving in the Army Reserve - all leading to her second career as a published author. She recently retired from teaching school and plans to write more books for Fire & Ice YA, the Stewart Falls Cheerleaders realistic fiction series and the Shamrock Stable series about teen girls and their horses. Visit her at her website, www.shannonkennedybooks.com to learn about her books.



Website 





Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$20 Amazon 


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thursday, June 20, 2024

#Review: The Pants Project by Cat Clarke #OlderMiddleGrade #YA

TRIGGER ALERT & NOTICE: It actually pains me to have to add this warning to my review. However, let it be noted, that I review a variety of books with subjects that may not resonate with all. This particular book deals with LBTQ+ subjects and also, bullying. If this is not a subject that does not resonate with you, please move on. I do ask for open mindness  and kindness always with ALL of my reviews. DO NOTE that all of my reviews are 100% my own personal opinions. These views may differ with yours. ~Michelle, Reading Authors Network




ABOUT THE BOOK: Whoever wrote the uniform policy decided (whyyy?) that girls had to wear skirts, while boys were allowed to wear pants. ugh!

MY REVIEW:

It is tough growing up as it is, but even tougher when you don't feel right in your own body. What is worse is when someone makes you dress or act  a certain way because society deems you should. The main character, Liv, feels exactly like that. He is a boy and he knows it.

There were. two major things I loved about this book. The first of which was the main character had two Moms. It showed that families come in different sizes, shapes, genders, and colors. It also pointed out that all families deal with the same kinds of issues no matter what.

The second thing I loved is acceptance. In the case of Liv, he never felt like he was a girl and was stuck wearing clothes that he did not feel was him. He eventually made friends that accepted him just as he was. Yay!I loved the use of pronouns too. Double Yay!

Unfortunately, the subject of bullying was presented as well. The character was subjected to a variety of bullying, from other students, adults, and even from his original best friend. I saw the character, Liv deal with this but also deal with trying to protect his Moms. The feelings presented were real and, as the reader, I could step into this.

In addition, the book presented a few minor themes and those did not go unnoticed.

Over all, this is a solid book and one that I am glad to read. More books need to be written about transgender children so maybe, they do not suffer like so many have.

I give this book 4 stars.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Cat was born in Zambia and brought up in Edinburgh and Yorkshire, which has given her an accent that tends to confuse people.

Cat has written non-fiction books about exciting things like cowboys, sharks and pirates, and now writes YA novels. She lives in Edinburgh with a couple of cats, Jem and Scout, who spend their days plotting to spit up furballs at the most inconvenient times. She likes cheese A LOT, especially baked camembert.

Friday, September 29, 2023

#Spotlight: The Magik Scarf by M.K. Browning #giveaway #YA #Fantasy #book series

 

Magik, once unleashed, can have very unpredictable results...

The Magik Scarf

World of Daegries Series Book 1


The journey into the World of Daegries starts with M. K. Browning's exciting prelude, The Magik Scarf.

Magik, once unleashed, can have very unpredictable results...

Sixteen-year-old Alyssa Chance Oh had been called many things. Magician, sorcerer’s apprentice, even witch. But nothing had prepared her for being called a failure.

After botching her first solo spell, where she only partially reanimates her grandfather into a voice in a toy jack-in-the-box, Alyssa has to set out to find and return a gryphon king’s magik scarf or else he will do something unspeakable to her grandmother.

But that sneaky scarf is not where the king said it was, and now the only way to get to it is through a dragon’s lair.


**Only .99cents!**

Amazon Goodreads


M.K. Browning is an emerging author of young adult epic fantasy. Author, grandmother, wife, and proud dog mom, M.K. is known for her character-driven fiction which stems from her fourteen-plus years of experience as an indie author under another pen name (see books by Kim Smith). M.K. lives in central Florida with her hubby and her Chihuahua, Darby, who runs their lives.


Website 


Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$10 Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Remarkable Magic by Cristy L. Bowlin #giveaway #YA #Fantasy #spotlight #bookseries

 

Amid new threats and unsettling discoveries, hope still perseveres.



Amid new threats and unsettling discoveries, hope still perseveres.

Aaron is done letting the Defenders control his life. He refuses to continue running and hiding. The Defenders claim that hybrid mages are dangerous abominations, but Aaron and Lilith are determined to prove otherwise. Meanwhile, Elara and Theo are grappling with formidable new abilities that they never expected to possess. Striking out on their own, Aaron and his friends discover another group of hybrid mages living in the desert who are preparing to fight. New alliances are forged, yet not everyone agrees on how to confront the Defenders. When more people see what hybrid magic can do, it could either be revered or feared even more. Aaron and his friends must make some tough decisions before those choices are taken from them.


Amazon *  Goodreads


**Don't miss the other books in the series!**

Hybrid Magic

The Hybrid Magic Chronicles Book 1

Amazon


Innovative Magic

The Hybrid Magic Chronicles Book 2

Amazon


Cristy L. Bowlin is an English professor at Oxnard College and author of The Temple Dancer’s Diary and The Hybrid Magic Chronicles, set in the fantasy realm of the Deravine Commonwealth. She currently lives in Southern California with her husband, daughter, and pet cat. When she isn’t reading or writing, she is most likely dancing, hiking, or getting invested in (another) TV series.


Website 



Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$10 Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Sunday, September 17, 2023

Unfurling the Sails by Sarah Branson #spotlight #giveaway #YA #syFi

 

A storm. A plot. And a rivalry that spans generations.


A storm. A plot. And a rivalry that spans generations.

In this thrilling young adult novel, a storm sets the stage for a gripping tale of adventure, suspense, and unlikely alliances. Fourteen-year-old Grey Shima is unimpressed with growing up. So she throws herself into the things she loves: sailing, whittling, and losing herself in fantasy and adventure stories. When she qualifies to participate in the Great Sea Race, Grey is ready to face the challenges that lie ahead.

Caught in a rogue storm, Grey and her sworn enemy, Ashton, are thrown together in the Great Sea. Their struggles are far from over as they uncover a sinister plot that threatens the lives of thousands. In a race against time, Grey and Ashton must confront their deepest fears to save themselves and protect their loved ones.

Prepare to be swept away as two reluctant allies discover the true meaning of resilience and the transformative power of friendship.


**Only 99 cents!!**

Amazon * Goodreads


Sarah Branson, an award-winning author and experienced midwife, weaves thrilling tales of action and adventure with airborne pirates amidst a world transformed by fires, floods, and pandemics.

Sarah first started conjuring stories of pirates when her family hopped a freighter to Australia when she was seven. She has since grown up, traveling the globe, raising a family, and teaching science and history to middle school and high school students in the U.S., Brazil, and Japan. Her diverse life journey inspires her storytelling.

A Merry Life, her debut novel, received prestigious honors. It is the first book of her Pirates of New Earth series that has captivated readers. Unfurling the Sails is her first novel written for teen readers.

Sarah and her husband call Connecticut home. She firmly believes the strength and resiliency of the human spirit combined with the power of badass women will create a better world for all.


Website 


Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Signed Copy with Swag Pack,

$20 Amazon giftcard – 1 winner each!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Caves of Glass by C.A. Gray #giveaway #spotlight #fantasy #YA

 


Rion's prophecy gives him hope through his bleakest years, while Ginny's prophecy haunts her....

Caves of Glass

by C.A. Gray

Genre: Epic Fantasy 

The illegitimate son of a peasant, Rion of Tryferos has very limited prospects with only one remarkable talent: when he plays the lyre, he ushers in the supernatural balm of peace to all who hear. This turns out to be his ticket into the palace, where he nightly plays for the restless, rejected king. King Hector of Tryferos is paranoid, because he knows his days on the throne are numbered. What he doesn’t know is that his anointed successor is Rion.

Princess Genevieve is a spare to the throne of Mageia, shunned by all but her mother out of fear of her magical gift: she possesses the power to manipulate the thoughts and desires of those around her. But Ginny would do anything just to be normal. When a fulfilled prophecy of her mother's untimely death also foretells that Ginny will ascend the Mageian throne, Ginny wonders whether she has any control over her own fate at all, or whether everything is predetermined.

Both Rion and Ginny are drawn to the forbidden Caves of Glass at the icy pinnacles that border their two perpetually feuding nations. According to legend, the Caves are either a place of strange forbidden magic, or else a place where all deception is stripped away, leaving only clarity and truth in its wake. As Rion flees for his life and Ginny struggles against her destiny, in the Caves of Glass, they find both each other, and themselves.


Amazon * Goodreads


C.A. Gray is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor (NMD), with a primary care practice in Tucson, Arizona. She has always been captivated by the power of a good story, fictional or otherwise, which is probably why she loves holistic medicine: a patient’s physical health is invariably intertwined with his or her life story, and she believes that the one can only be understood in context with the other. For freebies, giveaways, and new release info, sign up for her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/F3rof.

Her favorite fictional tales have always been epic battles of good versus evil, with a strong tendency towards parable. An idealist herself, she has always been convinced that these stories have something deeply true to tell us about the human condition, and that is why we love them so much... or at least that’s why she does.

She still wants to be everything when she grows up. She moonlights as a college chemistry teacher (she has a degree in biochemistry, with minors in Spanish and Creative Writing), does theater when she gets the chance, sings, plays piano, was once a personal trainer and in coffee shop management. She is blessed with exceptionally supportive family and friends, and thanks God for them every single day.


Website 


Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$10 Amazon



Thursday, June 15, 2023

The Jake Desmet Adventure by Gail Z. Martin and Larry N Martin #giveaway #spotlight #bookseries #YA #Steampunk

 

 


Iron & Blood

A Jake Desmet Adventure Book 1

by Gail Z. Martin & Larry N. Martin

Genre: Supernatural Steampunk Adventure 

Hell with the lid off.

Jake Desmet and Rick Brand, heirs to the Brand & Desmet Import Company, travel the world to secure treasures and unusual items for the collections of wealthy and supernatural patrons, accompanied by Jake’s cousin, Veronique “Nicki” LeClercq. Smuggling a small package as a favor for a Polish witch should have been easy. But when assassins come after Jake and a Ripper-style killer leaves the city awash in blood, Jake, Rick, and Nicki realize that dark magic, vampire power struggles, and industrial sabotage are just a prelude to a bigger plot that threatens New Pittsburgh and the world.

New Pittsburgh in 1898 is a crucible of invention and intrigue, the hub of American industry at the height of its steam-driven power. Born from the ashes of devastating fire, flood, and earthquake, New Pittsburgh is ruled by the shadow government of The Oligarchy. In the abandoned mine tunnels beneath the city, supernatural creatures hide from the light, emerging to feed in the smoky city known as “hell with the lid off” while their masters scheme to change the balance of power.

Stopping that scheme will require every ounce of Jake’s courage, every bit of Rick’s cunning, every scintilla of Nicki’s bravura, and all the steam-powered innovation imaginable.

Iron & Blood is a steampunk action adventure filled with daring escapades, armed airships, vengeful vampires, mysterious magic, found family, mad doctors, quirky inventors, clockwork zombies, and loyal friends.


Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads


Storm & Fury

A Storm & Fury Adventures Collection

New Pittsburgh, 1898 – a crucible of invention and intrigue. Born from the ashes of devastating fire, flood and earthquake, the city is ruled by the shadow government of The Oligarchy. In the swarming streets, people of a hundred nations drudge to feed the engines of progress. The Department of Supernatural Investigation was set up to take care of those things that live below, that go bump in the night... those odd cases that go beyond ‘standard’ investigation. Nicknamed ‘Storm and Fury’, Mitch Storm and Jacob Drangosavich are two of the more creative agents, working in New Pittsburgh and obeying the rules – when they have to.

A collection of short stories and novellas set in the world of the Iron & Blood novels and the related Storm and Fury Adventures.

Includes: Airship Down, Ruin Creek, Resurrection Day, The Hunt, Grave Voices, and Rogue. Plus two bonus stories: Ghost Wolf and a Steampunk fairy tale: The Patented Troll


Amazon  * Goodreads


Gail Z. Martin discovered her passion for science fiction, fantasy and ghost stories in elementary school. The first story she wrote at age five was about a vampire. Her favorite TV show as a preschooler was Dark Shadows. At age 14, she decided to become a writer. She enjoys attending science fiction/fantasy conventions, Renaissance fairs and living history sites.

Larry N. Martin is the author of the new sci-fi adventure novel Salvage Rat. He is the co-author (with Gail Z. Martin) of the Spells, Salt, and Steel/New Templars series; the Steampunk series Iron & Blood; and a collection of short stories and novellas: The Storm & Fury Adventures set in the Iron & Blood universe. He is also the co-author of the upcoming Wasteland Marshals series and the Joe Mack Cauldron/Secret Council series.

The Martins have three children, a Maltese, and a Golden Retriever.



Website * Facebook 



Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$20 Amazon

 a Rafflecopter giveaway


Wednesday, June 7, 2023

#Spotlight: A Daughter's Journey by Myra Lee Glass #giveaway #YA #HistoricalFiction #Adventure


 Book Details:


Book Title:  A Daughter's Journey by Myra Lee Glass
Category:  YA Fiction (Ages 13-17),  132 pages
GenreYA Historical Fiction / Adventure
PublisherColeche Press
Content RatingG: Written for a high school school project :) by a highschooler
Buy the Book:
Amazon 
Goodreads
Book Description:

The year is 1938 and a family in the small South Carolina town of Beaufort faces serious adversity. After the birth of her long-awaited son, Mary Banks dives into a dark postpartum period, throwing her into a deep depression. Thinking that her sister, Rose, is offering her a helping hand, Mary leaves her family and goes to Boston in search of a medical cure, not to be heard from again.
Where is Mary Banks? What has Rose done with the much-loved mother and wife of the Banks family? Finally, Mary’s 15-year-old daughter, Estelle can wait no longer. She gathers her wits and her courage and without a word, runs off to heroically rescue her beloved mother in faraway Boston. This is where the adventure begins……

Author Myra Lee Glass
Meet the Author:

Myra Lee Glass is a young adult author of A Daughter's Journey. She lives in Texas with her parents and sister.

GIVEAWAY:

Win $25 Visa Gift Card, courtesy of the author of A DAUGHTER’S JOURNEY (ends June 30)



A DAUGHTER'S JOURNEY by Myra Lee Glass Book Tour Giveaway