Battle of the Bullies by Fenyx Blue #review #yalit #yabooks #youngadultfiction #yafiction #giveaway

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Battle of the Bullies by Fenyx Blue
Category:  YA Fiction (Ages 13-17),  301 pages
Genre:  Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary
Publisher:  Wisdom Works, LLC.
Release date:   October 29, 2020
Content Rating:  G. There are not any explicit sex scenes or any excessive use of bad language

Book Description:

Ebony, Eris, and Emani Robertson have been through so much more than most high school freshman. When they were younger, they survived a school shooting that killed their friends and left their oldest sister unable to speak. After giving home-schooling a try, they enroll in a promising new academy, hoping for the best. The Robertsons soon discover, however, that their new classmates are anything but kind. A mysterious group of bullies known as the Dimes rules the hallways and spreads fear everywhere they go. All three sisters end up being targets of the gang and have to find a way to defend themselves. The triplets couldn't be more different, but their loyalty to each other and to their school never fails. Along with a diverse group of friends, the Robertsons do everything they can to uncover their identity of the Dimes and restore order to the school. As if their lives weren't complicated enough, they also get sucked in to a much bigger game-discovering who was responsible for the attack on their old school. Can they bring down the Dimes and bring the murderer to justice, all while trying to make it through ninth grade? 

My Review:

Since I was someone who got bullied in Elementary school, this book resonated with me. The tale told here is a high school drama about three sisters who are the main characters but others in the school who are also being bullied. As you read, you find out just who is being not only bullied but threatened even with their life. The reader will find it somewhat surprising.

I did not know that this book was part of a trilogy when I first began reading it. In fact, it is the  second book but, there is enough pre-information written that it becomes a stand alone book. There is a prologue in the beginning which intrigued this reader and did help set up the book. That was a cool beginning.

The main part of the book set up the mysteries Dimes and the murderer mentioned in the "about" section. It was a back and forth which kept the book interesting enough to keep going. Some of the scenario were far fetched but the characters that belonged to them were also interesting.

There was also an "afterwards" in the back. I did not think it was necessary per se, but it did help to know what happened to all of the characters and gave a taste of what book three will be like.

Just a note: I liked the cover on this book. However, it did not give any indication of what was inside the book, other than the title itself. If the author in the future changes the book cover, I think I would like to see all three of the triplets on the cover and maybe even some minor characters in the background. Also, found a couple of typos but that was not that big of deal for me.

Overall, a terrific read 4 stars!

Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book (and a blue feather-awesome) from the author. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Michelle

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Meet the Author:

BLUE: Bold, Loving, Unapologetic, and Evolving are words to describe Fenyx Blue. Ms. Blue is an author, Youtuber (FENYX BLUE INK), speaker, ministry leader, mentor, instructional coach and her school district’s former “Those Who Excel” Teacher of the Year. Ms. Blue is a soldier in the Blue Fenyx movement encouraging every phoenix in the world to rise up. Blue’s mission is to inspire, motivate and educate. Blue speaks to audiences about their purpose and power and works to coach other authors through their journey to become published. Her novels are tools for teachers while being candy for students. Fenyx Blue has penned four books in her poetic collection in which she shares true life tales and lessons: Her first Young Adult novel entitled Who Failed Johnny? (Book 1 of The Triplet Trilogy), second YA novel Battle of the Bullies, a Children’s book called Worth the Weight: A Rare Gem, and a Poetry Book by the name of The Blue Ink Movement. With the help of her extended family and friends network, her self-published books will touch many lives this year.

connect with the author:  website ~ facebook 

 

 

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#Spotlight: Selah's Painted Dream by Susan Count #YA #Middlegrade

Title: Selah's Painted Dream (Dream Horse Adventures, Book 3) | 

 Publication Date: May 7, 2018 | Genre: Children's Novel | Number of Pages: 174

Description:
Thirteen-year-old Selah’s life is about as perfect as it gets. She has horsy friends at school, and on weekends, she rides her black mare on Grandpa’s farm. Training the horse to do upper-level liberty work is what makes her heart beat.

But one word can ruin a perfect life—moving.

A move would separate her from her horse, so she plots to get her name on the farm mailbox instead. She’s sure she could persuade Grandpa—except he’s overly distracted by a sheep-loving neighbor.

Determined not to let Grandpa's new sweetheart take her place in his heart, Selah puts her hope in a painted dream horse from Grandpa’s past. When she snugs up the girth and buckles on her spurs, Selah rides to win.

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Other books in the series...

A story of love and determination in the face of adversity that will steal your heart.

Twelve-year-old Mary longs to have a horse of her own, but she's limited to reading horse books. A talented artist, she spends her days on a blanket in the grass sketching the horses at the farm next door. She falls in love with one of the foals and is outraged to learn the filly is considered worthless as it was born lame.

Mary befriends and enlists the help of twelve-year-old Laura, whose family owns the horse farm. Against the better judgment of the farm manager, a brief reprieve is negotiated for the foal's life. The girls conspire to raise money to save her, but time is running out. Sadly, it appears the expensive surgery the foal needs has little chance to correct the problem anyway. Mary isn't about to let her own disability hold her back. She sacrifices what she holds dear - the trust of her papa, to gain her heart's desire. But she could lose everything in her struggle to save the foal.

TxAuthors Best Book Award Winner for 2017 - Juvenile - Coming of Age
Feathered Quill - 2017 GOLD Award - Children's Fiction - Animals
Purple Dragonfly - 2017 First Place - Disability Awarenes

A delightful read. Plenty of twists and turns which makes the book a great little adventure. Selah embodies perseverance, hope, determination, compassion, and spunk.

Twelve-Year-Old SELAH'S quest to be equestrian superstar is impossible without a horse. Then she spots buzzards circling in the grasslands behind Grandpa's farm. They're stalking a horse trapped in wire and Selah is its only hope. But the mare she rescues might be a bigger challenge to her dream than not having a horse at all. When an old friend of Grandpa's and a world renowned horse trainer offers to work with the wild and defiant mare, Selah jumps at the opportunity. She trains with a fierce determination to equal the equestrian talent of the deceased grandmother who instilled the love of horses in her. But when the horse causes mayhem at the trainer's facility, he sends them home. Selah must gather her courage and face up to the trainer or watch her dreams gallop away.

American Horse Publications - FIRST PLACE - Equine Fiction..... Feathered Quill - GOLD Award.....Readers Favorites - GOLD Award.....

About the Author

As a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, American Christian Fiction Writers, and Texas Association of Authors, I take studying the craft of writing seriously. Revision is my super-power.

Instilled with the need to create, I love building projects and writing adventure stories. I’m a life-long equestrian and owned by a Rocky Mountain Horse. I adore grandchildren, horses, bunnies, mochas, and forest trails.

I’ve published three books in an equestrian series. I write at an antique secretary desk that occupies a glass room with a forest view. Fittingly, it once belonged to the same wise grandmother who introduced me to the love of reading via Walter Farley's horse books. That desk has secret compartments which hold memories, mysteries, and story ideas.

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#Spotlight: Silence Interrupted by Sania Shaikh @authorsania @iReadBookTours #YAlit #youngauthors

Note:Although the author requested a spotlight tour only,  I am so impressed with this author for being so young and have written her own novel and published. She began the book when she was only in 8th grade. We should always encourage children to write and read. ~Naila Moon

Book Description:

Two months before Troye Saavedra’s senior year of high school, his father’s drinking problem skyrockets. When Troye’s parents make an impulsive move to Georgia in order to “help” him finish high school on a positive note, he is forced to leave behind everything he knows. Things couldn’t get worse for Troye. That is, until he meets three enigmatic teenagers: Adelaide, an independent violinist with radical ideas; Zaidan, fiercely loyal and always funny; and Arabella, a girl who harbors secret struggles. Together, the four friends try to pick up the jagged pieces of their lives without getting hurt themselves. An insightful tale of perseverance, Silence Interrupted is a young adult novel about the beauty and peril of traversing the world as a teenager.

Buy the Book:  Amazon

Author's Bio:

Sania Shaikh is a junior at Cambridge High School. Inspired to write from a young age, she worked on Silence Interrupted, her debut novel, starting in eighth grade.

Book Blast:Seer: The Ghost of Gray Fable by Eli Bloom #YA #supernatural #ghost

Fifteen-year-old Grace “Gray” Fable can speak to the dead. When her dad moves from Los Angeles to be with his mysterious girlfriend, Gray must attend notorious Willowbrook High School, the scene of a mass shooting five years earlier. When she meets the ghosts of those who died that tragic day – including the school shooter himself – she must uncover a dark secret to lay the victims to rest, and find peace for their families before it’s too late to stop another tragedy. A YA Supernatural novel.

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  Eli Bloom is a young adult author living in Los Angeles with his wife and three cats
– one named Grace, of all things. He believes in ghosts.
  Follow the author's Website / Goodreads / Amazon

#Review: Sunborn Rising Beneath the Fall by Aaron Safronoff #YABooks #Fantasy

Summary:

Cerulean is on the brink of collapse. The decay wasn't fast, it wasn't obvious, but now the world stands on the precipice.

Woven forests floating on an ocean around a star, Cerulean's once vibrant treescape has grown dim over generations of arboreal life, and the creatures of the forest have forgotten the light.

Barra, a young, willful Listlespur, finds her late father's hidden journal, and reads about his discovery of Cerulean's brighter past and the mysterious plague he believed has all but destroyed it. He warned the Elders. He urged them to take action. Those were his last words...

Together with her two best friends, Barra will rekindle her father's legacy and traverse the Great Forest to relight her world, even if she has to travel beneath the Fall.

My review:

This book is a YA book that builds on a new world that only a sci-fy author could dream up. The world is chock full of creatures and fantasy buildings made from the woods. The whole place seems to reek of a mystic dynasty complete with Elders and underlings alike.

In truth, I had a hard time getting into this book. It is not because the writing isn't good, because it is. Let's face it, just to create such a world is an amazing fete. No, for me, it was actually hard to picture in my mind what the characters looked like. However,  with the help of the amazing illustrations throughout the book and a little pushing of my mind, I was able to come to see some of them. Unfortunately, sometimes this is the problem with creating fantasy when it is only being read and not seen. 

None-the-less, the author still does a wonderful job and moves the reader through the world as the heroine tries to save her world from the creepervine. This is a first book of what is to be an on-going series. I can see how this book has to build up the fantasy world so as it can be moved from book to book. I really did like his characters and world and it would be interesting to see the main characters grow.

 Mentioning again the illustrations...WOW! They help develop an already darkness covering this world but also bring to light the creatures that inhabit the place. The illustrations were well placed. I could possibly see this book being turned into animated film which personally, I would go see.
3 1/2 stars
Check out the trailer.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for my open and honest opinion. The views here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. This review is also part of the iRead blog tours. ~M.M. aka Naila Moon

Where to find the author:

Aaron Safronoff is author of the Discovery Award winning science fiction novel, Spire. Since his debut, he's published a sequel, Fallen Spire, and a novella of literary fiction, Evening Breezes.
​
Safronoff's diverse background includes the formal study of computer science, bio-chemistry, and culinary arts. However, most of his career has been in the videogame industry in quality, production, and design.

Today, Safronoff is the co-founder and Chief Storyteller of Neoglyphic Entertainment, and is busy writing his fifth novel, the second installment of the Sunborn Rising series.

​Connect with the author: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

#Review: The Changing Season by Steven Manchester #YABooks

Summary:
This was supposed to be a simple summer for Billy: one more lazy expanse of time before college began. He'd fill the hours playing with Jimmy – his canine best buddy – going camping and doing all the things he promised Jimmy they'd do before Billy left. But that was before the accident that shook the entire town. It was before the summer job that turned into something so much more than a way to get a paycheck. And it was before Vicki. This summer was destined to be many things to Billy, things he didn't truly understand until now. But it was definitely not going to be simple.

My review:
I was very excited to get to read yet another book from Steven Manchester. His books always have terrific intertwining of characters and interesting outcomes. The Changing Season did not disappoint.

"...one wrong choice..and your whole life..." 

This is the story of a teen boy who is getting ready to graduate from high school and has nothing but his life ahead of him. Life is good but no idea what is in store for the future is for him. He has two best friends and one furry friend that makes life complete but they change everything. Then there is Vicki who becomes the love of his life but...

One wrong choice is made. Once choice that will affect his life and all of those that surround him. I cannot reveal who makes the choice, for that you will have to read the book.
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I was astounded by these characters. Although the book mainly focuses on Billy and his relationships, the supposedly minor characters are the ones that really make the impact for the book. Without them, Billy would have no story and pretty much an ordinary life with his dog. However, Steven Manchester is a master story teller who knows how to weave words. He peels back the layers that reveal the essence of ones soul.

I was able to tell early on in the book what would eventually happen to Billy and the direction he would take in life. It was inevitable because of the Summer job he had. I do wished that part of the book had not been so obvious but it was. It took several chapters to get to the ending of what already could be figured out and that made the book a little cumbersome but not too bad,

His relationship with his dog was one that could be relate-able for anyone who has a pet that is considered family. I wondered if the author has such a pet?

A chunk of the book told of his relationship with Vicki. So many surprises for them. Their love story is beautiful and I could view them as if I was their best friends watching it blossom. There was hope for them and it felt good but..."One wrong choice..." 
For me, I felt disappointment, I was invested in them. There was such build up for them.  I thought that the author would leave it all nice and toasty and all would be good, but he didn't and it was abrupt.

In fact, the book is not at all what one would expect and the characters are flawed.
Is that a spoiler? I think not. Sometimes, things cannot always be nicey-nice and again, that is what makes the author stand out and is a plus for the book as a whole.

The characters throughout the book interject thoughts about the world around them and what they thing should or should not be. Although these moments were written as character spoken, I felt as I was reading that this, was actually the author's own thoughts coming through. This was not a negative but rather, an observation.

So, where does that leave me? 
I liked this book but was not in love with it as I have been with others. Still, I give it 4 stars!

Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book for my open and honest opinion. The opinions expressed here are 100% my own and may differ with yours.
~Naila Moon


Where to find the author:

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Book Tour #Spotlight and #Giveaway: The Talented 2 by Desy Smith #ParanormalRomance #YA

I am spotlighting this book on my blog on behalf of Bewitching Blog Tours and the author. I have not read this book or series but hope to in the future. Enjoy!

Book Description:
Carmel’s time at the H.O.T hasn’t been all that pleasant. She’s gotten drugged, captured, and had to endure her painful change. When Carmel finally starts to enjoy her life at the H.O.T with her friends and her boyfriend Devon; Queen Ice, her annoying past life, contacts her. Queen Ice not only tells her about the impending battle between the good angels and the evil angels, she also continues to pop up in Carmel’s mind, showing her images from her life in the past. Now, Carmel, her friends along with her boyfriend, race to find a sword that they believe will give them leverage in the battle to come. Unfortunately it isn’t as easy as it seems. There are others who are aware of the sword, and they’ll do anything to retrieve it before Carmel does. In addition, Carmel can’t use her Water or Ice Talent to help in the battle and she doesn’t know why! On top of that, there’s one or more people in Carmel's group who aren’t whom they say they are. Can Carmel find the sword? Will she be able to figure out why her Talents aren’t working? Can she discover who in the group is lying to her and the others about who they really are?
Be sure to read the second series of The Talented by Author Desy Smith to see how the story unfolds!
Available at Amazon and DesySmith.wix.com 

Giveaway (below): If you would like a chance a winning 1 of 2 Amazon cards, enter below. I am not responsible for this giveaway, have not received compensation for this post, or responsible for distribution of prize. Good luck!


About the Author:

Desiree “Desy” Smith was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. As an avid reader, Desy read several books until she ran out of things to read. Having nothing else to read, at the age of thirteen, she decided to write her own book. Her love for reading soon turned into a passion for writing. She self­published her first book, The Talented, under Floebe Publishing, which she started to give a voice to new and aspiring authors. Desy writes to inspire and to provide an escape for anyone who wants to live in a fantasy world without worrying about the challenges of everyday life. The Talented is part one of a five part series, with the second installment arriving finally here. Currently, Desy is hard at work on her third novel, Supernatural Resident Advisor with an expected release date of October 2015. Desy’s genre of choice is fantasy romance fiction. Aside from reading and writing Desy enjoys various types of food, especially dessert. When she’s not reading she can probably be found eating a cupcake or two.

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Giveaway: 1 of 2 Amazon Cards

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#Review: Kidnap (Guy Erma and the Son of Empire) (Volume 1) by Sally Ann Melia #YABooks

Summary:
I don’t want to go… Do I have to go? 13-year-old Teodor knows his duty to the memory of his father and his kingdom, he must help those less fortunate than himself. He must also impress his uncle the Emperor if he is ever to become the Son of Empire. A frightening nightmare fills him with foreboding, but still he must go - into the Dome. 13-year-old Guy Erma lives in the shadow of the Dome, he has no father and no mother and his future is uncertain, he must start earning a living soon. He knows not where he will live or even how he will eat, and his only dream is to be accepted in the military academy - at the heart of the Dome. Two boys as different as any two boys might be. One act of cruelty will throw their lives together, but who dare they trust? Guy Erma and the Son of Empire is a new three-part young adult thriller series, set a long time ago on a planet far far away. The Empire of Freyne is a newcomer to the United Races. As a developing race, the Freyne and their thirteen planets empire is of interest to the many other galactic races and aliens, not all of this interest is friendly. So the Dome Elite is a force of space marines whose defensive actions and adventures defend Freyne and its neighbours from hostile alien pirates and allow the inhabitants to sleep soundly at night. To be a part of the Dome Elite, you need to master the maths and technology associated with space warfare and also to be fierce fighter who can fight in confined spaces with short sharp blades

My review:
It took me awhile to get into this book, truth is, I never really did. The beginning started out intriguing but then quickly turned to a confusing bit of menagerie. Again, it took a bit to understand what was going on.

I felt that the scenes jumped in so quickly that the reader could not understand or picture this new world. It is not that it was not imaginative, oh no, the author is brilliant in that regard. However, she begins to build this world and new words from the very beginning leaving the reader to scratch their head. I did eventually find a glossary at the end but by then, I was done and it felt useless at that point.

I will say on a more positive note that again, the author is imaginative. It is quite difficult to put a whole new world together and that did impress me. I also liked the few illustrations that were included in the book. They looked almost 3-D like.

This is the first of a trilogy but I suppose this book is just not for me. This book is targeted for the YA genre and I am sure they will like it. 
I give the book 3 stars.

Disclosure: I was given a Kindle copy of this book for my open and honest opinion. I was also compensated with an Amazon card for the post. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ with yours. ~Naila Moon

Where to find the author:

Biography

S A Melia is an English SF writer, SF author and SF storyteller based in Surrey, UK.

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#Review: Xavier: St. Griswold College For Abandoned Boys by EM Cooper #Kindles, #atozchallenge, #Middlegrade, #YABooks

Summary:
In the first book of the Xavier series, Xavier Jones, an ordinary thirteen-year-old boy is abandoned at St Griswold College deep within the mysterious Mourn Forest. As the world changes outside the school walls, evil brews at St Griswold. Xavier discovers the school and its inhabitants have strange customs and dark secrets. Everything he knows and believes about the world shifts. 

He befriends Ethan and Gabe, an eccentric new arrival. Through them he discovers humour, hope and courage–and the first stirrings of his abilities. In a magical world teeming with angels, demons, shape shifters and the Darklaw, the boys meet Beth, a young seer from Ambrosia. Using their abilities and devices, the teenagers must discover who they can trust among those they meet including the ethereal Boundary Keeper, a vain messenger angel and a magical watchmaker. Together the young friends journey across a country infiltrated by sinister forces in the hope of saving the children of Griswold. They witness the terrifying First Strike, a celestial battle between angelic and demonic armies, and Xavier learns of his destiny and a frightening prediction. 

My review:
I enjoyed the fantasy that took place throughout the entire book. This pitted young teens against time and the forces of evil. This book was a rush for me as I often waited with abated breath hoping that the perils that faced the kids would end up in their favor.

The book seemed to start out slow but it was also needed in order to get a feel of these very diverse characters. Nothing is at is seems and the oddities and situations are unreal but, that is what a good sci-fi/fantasy type book would be like.

The twist at the end made me exhausted and disappointed as I realized this book is the first in a series but I suppose that means I need to read the next book. 

When is it coming out? 5 stars


Disclosure: I purchased a Kindle copy of this book for my own collection. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Naila Moon

Where to find the author:

Amazon
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#Review: Ghost Hand by Ripley Patton #paranormal #thrillers #YABooks #atozchallenge

Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Olivia Black has a rare birth defect known as Psyche Sans Soma, or PSS. Instead of a right hand made of flesh and blood, she was born with a hand made of ethereal energy. 

How does Olivia handle being the girl with the ghost hand? Well, she's a little bit morbid and a whole lot snarky. 

Her mother thinks her obsession with death, black clothing, and the local cemetery is a bid for attention. But when Marcus, the new guy in Olivia's calculus class, stares at her like she's a freak, Olivia doesn't like it. And when her hand goes rogue, doing things she never imagined possible, Olivia finds herself running for her life with Marcus from a group of men bent on taking the power of her hand for their own nefarious purposes.
My review:

I actually found this book to be quite riveting, I read the whole book with a few hours. I enjoyed the different twist of the main character's paranormal powers interesting . It was different from other paranormal books I have read. I enjoyed that the author made up a rare birth defect that I even found myself Googling just to see if it was real.

It made sense to me that Olivia, the main female character, was embarrassed of her "problem" hand, a birth defect, and felt so alone in the world but to find out that she was not so alone and that she had powers even better.

The characters she ends up meeting all have the same kind of birth defect but in very different places. Their nicknames are humorous.

The book did take quite a few chapters to explain why the characters were under attack or why the mysterious Marcus wanted to help her but once it got there, it all made perfect sense in my mind.

There was quite a bit of cursing in the book but that did not bug me so much because I know young kids curse when they are out of earshot of their parents. The profanity could have been left out just as well and still had a good book.

The author has a wonderful writing style and I cannot wait to read the next two books which is a continuing saga of the groups journey.

5 stars!

Disclosure: I got a free download on Kindle for my collections. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Naila Moon

Where to find the author:

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#Review and #Giveaway: The Commons: Book1: The Journeyman by Michael Alan Peck #UrbanFantasy #adultbooks #YA

Summary:
"Paul Reid died in the snow at seventeen. The day of his death, he told a lie—and for the rest of his life, he wondered if that was what killed him." 

And so begins the battle for the afterlife, known as The Commons. It's been taken over by a corporate raider who uses the energy of its souls to maintain his brutal control. The result is an imaginary landscape of a broken America—stuck in time and overrun by the heroes, monsters, dreams, and nightmares of the imprisoned dead. 

Three people board a bus to nowhere: a New York street kid, an Iraq War veteran, and her five-year-old special-needs son. After a horrific accident, they are the last, best hope for The Commons to free itself. Along for the ride are a shotgun-toting goth girl, a six-foot-six mummy, a mute Shaolin monk with anger-management issues, and the only guide left to lead them.

Three Journeys: separate but joined. One mission: to save forever.

But first they have to save themselves. 

My review:
When I first started reading the book, it seemed weird and confusing. How did anything connect to anything? I think what really kept me going is I wanted to know. I just had to know what this mesh-posh full of people had to do with one another.  This book hosted characters who are not necessarily who they appear to be but are also fiercely loyal. The weirdness of a few of the characters was even made believable in accordance to how they acted.

Just what was this weird world actually . The summary tells but I generally do not read summaries before I read a book. I was soon to know and know well that the characters were stuck there and had to get out. Could they? Did they? Ah, but you must read the book to know.

This is one of those books that once I was finished, I thought long and hard about what just happened.
I was so immersed in this book that I felt like I had taken the long journey with the characters themselves, gripping on to a sheer hope for humanity or if nothing else, a merciful end. Once I was done, I had to just breathe.

I applaud this author for such a well written and incredibly intricate book. 5 stars!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for my open and honest opinion. The reviews expressed here are 100% my own and may differ with yours.
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Where you can find the author:

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Giveaway:
Disclosure:This giveaway is from March 7-March 21, 2015 Midnight MST. This giveaway is for 18+,  Open US and Canada. YOU MUST enter the first entry and it cannot be the sole entry to win. If you do not enter this you will be disqualified.
This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook or any social media outlet. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter.com Good luck!



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#Review: The Firebird Mystery by Darrell Pitt #mysteries, #steampunk, #YABooks

Summary:

Welcome to London. A city of fog and snow, filled with airships, steamcars and metrotowers soaring into space.

Before his parents died Jack Mason was an acrobat, travelling around England in the circus. But when the world-famous detective Ignatius Doyle comes looking for a young assistant, Jack's new training begins. And when Scarlet Bell's father disappears, they are all plunged into a mystery so baffling that the future of the whole world may be at stake.

My review:
In the last year I have really started liking the whole steampunk genre and everything about steampunk that goes along with it. That is why when I was introduced to this book, I had to read it.

What makes this book even more fantastic for me is that the book is steampunk meets Sherlock Holmes, although the character is not called Sherlock. In fact, in a fun play on words, the character admits that he is cousin to a famous detective but never mentions who. Although, we readers know!
The book is filled with these fun inside jokes but also is just a good read too.

I loved taking off with the characters in a steampunk air balloons on a mystery of epic proportions. I also loved how the children related to the detective and vice versa. The whole book was full of steampunk themes right down to the clothes the character wore or the places they visited.

In addition, a few historical characters and themes were introduced which made total since for the book as a whole. Even though I knew who the killer actually was before then end, it did not matter. I loved the twist of it all. As I said, all of  it made for good reading.

I recommend anyone who likes, mystery, a little history, or steampunk novel should check this one out! 5 stars!

Disclosure: I received an ARC from the author for my open and honest review. The views expressed her are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Naila Moon

Where to find the author:

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#YA Book Spotlight and Interview: Adelita's Secret by Christopher Cloud

Interview with Award Winning Novelist Christopher Cloud

Today, we're shining the book spotlight on a young adult fantasy novel, Adelita’s Secret thanks to Rebecca's Writing Services. Christopher Cloud is an award winning novelist with his collection of young adult novels.  Cloud’s characters dispense small doses of historical facts, facts that become an integral part of the story. each of his four middle-grade/young adult novels plays out against a backdrop of history.

About Adelita’s Secret 

Lost in a superficial world of materialism and social status—and ashamed of her Latino heritage—seventeen-year-old Adelita Noé is loved by two men, two men separated by a hundred years and vastly different stations in life. One man owns little more than the shirt on his back. The other, a poet at heart, is heir to a vast fortune. Their love for Adelita serves as the backdrop for the Latino girl’s quest to better understand herself and her Mexican roots.

Read Chapter 1 – 4 on Amazon

Title: Adelita’s Secret

Author: Christopher Cloud

Genre: young adult fantasy romance

Title is available at Amazon kindle or paperback

Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble

Interview

Q: Do you have any tips for character creation?

There has been much written about the so-called "composite" character, borrowing bits and pieces from several characters to build one character. Personally, I find this premise irritating because you end up creating a character that readers will find unbelievable. That is not to say that your character’s personally/physical makeup/speech can’t be tweaked. Create a character that readers can wrap their minds around.  

Q: Will you share some lessons readers can learn from the books characters?

I write middle-grade and young adult novels, and my characters dispense small doses of historical facts, facts that become an integral part of the story. Indeed, each of my four middle-grade/young adult novels plays out against a backdrop of history.

Q: Is there a theme or message in your work that you would like readers to connect to?

There are no messages per se in my novels, but I do try and tactfully educate the reader about the role history plays in all of our lives. In A Boy Called Duct Tape I educate the reader about the exploits of Jesse James and his gang of outlaws; in Voices of the Locusts I show my readers the ugly psychological scars left by World War II; in Adelita’s Secret, the importance of the Mexican Revolution forms the backdrop for my story; in The Ghosts of Petroglyph Canyon, the significance of preserving ancient rock drawings subtly weaves its way through the novel.

Q: If you could be any famous person/author for one day, who would you be and why?

I gave this question much thought. I’ve decided I’d like to be John Steinbeck when he was halfway through his first draft of The Grapes of Wrath. I’d love to learn his writing routine and who he relies on to read his copy, not for typos, but for content. For my money, The Grapes of Wrath is the most important book by an American author of the 20^th century.

About Christopher Cloud

Award winning author Christopher Cloud began writing fiction full time after a long career in journalism and public relations. He writes middle-grade and young adult novels..Cloud graduated from the University of Missouri in 1967 with a degree in journalism. He has worked as a reporter, editor, and columnist at newspapers in Texas, California, and Missouri. He was employed by a Fortune 100 company as a public relations executive, and later operated his own public relations agency. Cloud attended high school in Japan, and lives in Joplin, Missouri. His website Is: www.christophercloud.com

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