Sheila: Book Reviewer,writer and great lover of books...sharing her wonderful finds of fantastic authors,their books, writing tips, and also other things of interest to her and those following the blog. Thanks for visiting! Follow today and don't miss out on news of great new books and giveaways!
***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own***
Book Summary
“Marvelously told; a middle-grade fantasy for everyone.”- Kirkus (Starred Review)
Tired
of being teased about his name and his stutter, twelve-year-old Hobart
sets out to do a few heroic deeds and earn a place in Knight School. But
the local damsels he hopes to save assure him that the last thing they
need is rescuing. The runaway bull he tries to catch wears him like a
hat. And don't even ask about the ogre.
Finally, in desperation,
Hobart sets out on the most daring quest he can think of--he will slay a
dragon. Or that's his plan anyway.
The Legend of Hobart is a hilarious, heart-felt adventure, for the would-be hero in all of us.
My Review
This cute middle-grade fantasy, The Legend of Hobart, is a fun tale for the age group between 8-12. They will love the main character Hobart, who is a normal young boy with big dreams to become a knight of the realm. He wants to go to the Knight School but he needs to do some great deeds to become nominated for this honor.Poor Hobart has been bullied by others in his village because of his stuttering and his size. I like how this topic is brought up which can bring about good discussions with kids about the subject of bullying.
As for the story, there are many delightful characters from the talking horse Albert, who sometimes is a big chicken, to the taking Dragon who turns out to be something quite unexpected. Also, Hobart meets new friends Tate and Hero. Hobart sets out to kill a dragon but along the way he performs many selfless deeds that turn him into a hero in his own right. There is funny dialogue which will be very humorous to young audiences. This book isn't very long but it has some great messages for kids. This would make a super read aloud in any classroom and just an all around fun read for any kid that likes a book full of adventure.
Meet Author Heather Mullaly
Heather Mullaly is a passionate believer in the power of story. When she
isn’t writing them, reading them, or listening to them, she can usually
be found baking something that involves chocolate, thinking up new
story ideas before she’s finished the two she’s currently writing, or
hanging out with her family, who happen to be even more fantastic than
the characters in her head. She lives in Virginia with her husband and
their three teenagers.
Today is the cover reveal for Bly by Kelsey Ketch. Bly is a standalone contemporary fantasy book with mystery and horror elements that releases on 22 September 2021.
By Kelsey Ketch Genre: Contemporary Fantasy/ Ghost Story Age category: New Adult Release Date: 22 September, 2021
Book Summary I left the United States to find inner peace. Instead, I find myself confronting a malicious ghost.
Astyr Salt is a spiritual and emotional empath who moved to England with the intent to forget about a traumatic, supernatural event that occurred during her freshman year of college. However, when she takes a spiritual cleansing assignment in a haunted country home in Essex, she is isolated with all her own pent-up emotions.
These emotions energize the ghosts inhabiting the country home, helping them draw their own tragedies to the surface. Searching for the truth, Astyr is forced to relive the past. And the deeper she dives into the country home’s horrific history, the more the intertwined memories place her in the path of an evil and demented predator.
A blend of contemporary fantasy, horror, and mystery, Bly is inspired by Henry James’s classic novella, The Turn of the Screw.
Excerpt:
Turning onto a long, gravel driveway, a four storey, stone mansion appears framed in the minicab’s windshield. The style resembles a castle rather than a country home. At least, any country home that I’ve ever seen. Then again, I’m in England, not the southeastern region of the United States. The car pulls in front of the massive oak door, from which I’m half expecting the cast of Downtown Abbey to emerge, and comes to a full stop. Without a word, the driver slides out of his seat to open the trunk and fetch my luggage. My nerves on edge, I gently touch the pentacle bracelet Nolyn gave me to feel his calming energy radiate from the tourmaline. Then, pulling Litten’s backpack carrier with me, I step out of the car. My eyes are unable to steer themselves away from the various gray stones and the muntins of the immense windows. Despite being a bright and sunny day, there is a dark shroud over the house. An ominous aura that is pulsing with both anger and sorrow. It’s obvious this home has witnessed a lot of tragedy.
I pause as everything grows still. The birds overhead stop singing. The soft breeze comes to an abrupt halt. I don’t even hear the driver shuffling my travel bags behind me. Yet, my other senses pick up an unearthly presence as the temperature drops to the point my fingertips grow numb. I turn my head to look up at the parapet surrounding the third-level balcony, focusing near the turret. There is nothing but thin air to the naked eye. However, by the icy goose bumps unraveling across my skin and the raised hairs along my lower arms and neck, I can tell I’m being watched. I can’t determine if it’s the energy of a spirit or something else. All I know is that I have caught its undivided attention.
Meet Author Kelsey Ketch
Kelsey Ketch is a young-adult/new-adult author, who works as a Wildlife Biologist and Data Analyst. During her free time, she can often be found working on her latest work in progress. She also enjoys history, mythology, traveling, and reading.
***Enter the Giveaway to Win an E-Arc Copy of Bly***
There is a cover reveal wide giveaway for the cover reveal of Bly. 5 winners will win a e-ARC of Bly, distributed through Bookfunnel.
***I voluntarily reviewed an Audible copy. All opinions are my own***
Book Summary
The capital has fallen.
The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.
Now
the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced
tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.
Deep
in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must
submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who
worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for
the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.
Alina
will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and
Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins
to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever
alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields.
The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and
destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s
fighting for.
Newer Cover (Even though I like the original better!)
My Review
I just finished listening to this last book, Ruin and Rising, on Audible. I've had these on my "To-Read" list for many years and I became motivated to read them before I watched the new Netflix series based on these books. You know as well as I do, that most books are always better than the movie or TV series made from them.
So, overall I feel this last book was the best out of the trilogy. That doesn't mean that I was happy with everything that happened. I want to make it known right now that this review will not include any spoilers. I detest when reviews include spoilers. I will say that I wasn't happy with who Alina ended up with. Out of the potential three men who were her "love interests" the best one I felt for her didn't get that honor but he did live.
Ruin and Rising was full of great character development and the plot moved along well. Readers found out great information about one of my favorite characters, Baghra. We learned her whole back story which included a wealth of information about Morozova and his amplifiers. This part of the plot was brilliant and I loved how it brought everything together for me. Now the last 1/3 of the book is so exciting and very shocking. Make sure that you're awake and paying attention. I was finishing this up late at night and had to listen again to certain scenes because I wasn't sure I had heard what I thought I'd heard.
I think I'm ready to watch the series now, except I heard someone say that the series included things from Six of Crows that is the first book in a duology based in the Grishaverse. I will definitely be reading the duology next. I loved seeing the growth this author made as Shadow and Bone was Leigh Bardugo's first published book. There are many more books written by her that are on my list to read in the future.
Meet Author Leigh Bardugo
Leigh Bardugo is a #1 New York Times
bestselling author of fantasy novels and the creator of the Grishaverse
(now a Netflix original series) which spans the Shadow and Bone Trilogy,
the Six of Crows Duology, The Language of Thorns, and King of
Scars--with more to come. Her short stories can be found in multiple
anthologies, including the Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy.
Her other works include Wonder Woman: Warbringer and Ninth House
(Goodreads Choice Winner for Best Fantasy 2019) which is being developed
for television by Amazon Studios.
Leigh grew up in Southern
California and graduated from Yale University. These days she lives and
writes in Los Angeles. For information on new releases and appearances,
sign up for Leigh's newsletter: http://bit.ly/bardugonews.
***Read all the books in the Grishaverse*** The Shadow and Bone Trilogy (previously published as The Grisha Trilogy) Shadow and Bone Siege and Storm Ruin and Rising
The Six of Crows Duology Six of Crows Crooked Kingdom
The King of Scars Duology King of Scars
The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic The Severed Moon: A Year-Long Journal of Magic
Praise for the Grishaverse
“A master of fantasy.” ―The Huffington Post
“Utterly, extremely bewitching.” ―The Guardian
“The best magic universe since Harry Potter.” ―Bustle
“This is what fantasy is for.” ―The New York Times Book Review
“[A] world that feels real enough to have its own passport stamp.” ―NPR
“The darker it gets for the good guys, the better.” ―Entertainment Weekly
“Sultry, sweeping and picturesque. . . . Impossible to put down.” ―USA Today
“There’s a level of emotional and historical sophistication within Bardugo’s original epic fantasy that sets it apart.” ―Vanity Fair
***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own***
Book Summary
Faith and a positive attitude are all Jocelyn needs to get through
significant loss and difficulty in her life, until the unthinkable
happens... Introduced by a trusted friend and physician to a terror
so insidious it threatens to extinguish everything she believes in,
author Jocelyn Pedersen reaches into the darkness to discover
unimaginable hope and strength. Follow her fight for survival in this
evocative memoir.
My Review
The memoir, Seeds of Hope, is the true story of a very emotional and painful life journey. Jocelyn Pedersen tells of many trials that made her life so hard. Readers learn how one little thing of taking a certain kind of medication turned her life into a hellish experience that was hard to escape. I met the author as she was writing this book. As I read the book, I could not match the woman in the book with the happy and confident woman I met that day.
It was hard to read about the dark misery that overtook her as she was dragged under with the effects of this medication. There is also so much hope as Jocelyn turns to God with her heartache and struggles. I was uplifted as I read about her small triumphs as she struggled day by day to overcome the obscurity that had become her life. The main thing I hope comes from this book, is that others suffering from this same affliction of addiction will find words of comfort and direction. Jocelyn has so clearly written out how the love and support from her family and her church, along with finding the right medical help, gave her a normal life back and how others can also find their own "Seeds of Hope" to recovery.
Editorial Reviews
"Pedersen demonstrates that no matter how terrible, messy, and hard
life gets, the true evidence of its power, beauty, and glory is found in
love for life, family, and faith. Through her sensitivity to reality
and her quiet moments when the gospel of Jesus Christ performs deep work
of healing wonders, one cannot help but be inspired. This is a
terrific, unique story of transformation and triumph that will stay with
me for a long time." -ALLISON HONG MERRILL author of Ninety-Nine Fire
Hoops, A Memoir
"In a time when so many are consumed by so many
kinds of pain, what I found most refreshing about Jocelyn's memoir was
the way in which heartbreaking and harrowing experiences were infused
with equally overwhelming hope and encouragement. I believe this book
could help heal America - from some of the deepest sources of its own
anguish." -JACOB HESS, Ph.D. Executive Director, The Council for
Sustainable Healing
Meet Author Jocelyn Pedersen
Jocelyn Pedersen is a graduate of Brigham Young University. She grew up
in Pueblo, Colorado and now lives with her husband and two of her
children in American Fork, Utah. When she's not busy managing her Benzo
Brains YouTube channel or serving as an advisor to The Alliance for
Benzodiazepine Best Practices and The Council for Sustainable Healing,
you can find her rocking out to big band music and forcing her kids to
watch MGM musicals with her. Learn more about Jocelyn's work HERE: https://www.benzoinfo.com/
***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own***
Official Trailer for Legend of the Dragon Slayer
Book Summary
The beautifully illustrated edition of the origin story of DRAGONWATCH the #1 New York Times best-selling series is an extraordinary collaboration between writer Brandon Mull and series illustrator Brandon Dorman.
Legend of the Dragon Slayer
features a never-before-published catalog of Dragon Slayers, a detailed
map of the kingdom of Selona, and lavish full-color illustrations.
Fantasy fans will love this stand-alone tale of valor, destiny, and
magic.
In ancient times, dragons posed the ultimate threat to
the rest of the magical world. During the Dragon War, a group of
specially trained Dragon Slayers banded together to stand against the
onslaught. They called themselves Dragonwatch, and they succeeded in
confining the majority of dragons to sanctuaries. Legend of the Dragon
Slayer is the illustrated story of the very first Dragon Slayer who took
to battle.
As the legend tells it, powerful monsters
terrorized the kingdom of Selona on all sides. An unlikely hero named
Konrad, the cobbler's son, accepts the king's challenge to defeat the
monsters: fierce yeti, a merciless vampire, a dangerous gorgon, and a
deadly phoenix. But Selona's biggest threat will come from the Dragon,
and it will take every ounce of wit and experience that Konrad has
acquired to stand a chance against such a formidable foe.
Brandon Mull Introduces Legend of the Dragon Slayer
My Review
Legend of the Dragon Slayer: The Origin Story of Dragonwatch is such a beautifully illustrated book. I love that the story that readers originally heard at the beginning of the Dragonwatch books, is now it's own book. It's like we are reading the same book that Kendra held in her hands and read. I know young readers are going to love this aspect and being able to see this story come to life by the amazing illustrations done by the very talented Brandon Dorman. As a grown up, I was totally blown away while reading this story again and looking at the pictures that enhanced this story even more. Brandon Mull never disappoints and I love this additional book to go along with the Dragonwatch series. I know that kids/tweens will want to read this book a lot and it will be checked out many times at my school's library. Even better, Legend of the Dragon Slayer makes a great gift for your own kids or grandkids. I know I'm very happy to have this book in my Fablehaven/Dragonwatch collection and you need it too.
Meet Author Brandon Mull
Brandon Mull is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of the
Fablehaven, Beyonders, and Five Kingdoms series. A kinetic thinker,
Brandon enjoys bouncy balls, squeezable stress toys, and popping bubble
wrap. He lives in Utah in a happy little valley near the mouth of a
canyon with his four children and a dog named Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Brandon loves meeting his readers and hearing about their experiences
with his books.
Meet Illustrator Brandon Dorman
Brandon grew up near Tacoma, WA and is the dad of three smiley boys and one frilly girl.
He
began his art career in the 4th grade doing Halloween window paintings
for his neighbors. Since then, he hasn't stopped drawing dragons and
painting pirates.
Brandon graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho in 2005 with a BFA in Fine Art and Illustration.
He is best known for his book cover artwork on popular series like Goosebumps, Fablehaven, and The Land of Stories. With over 22 picture books under his belt, he is an accomplished visual storyteller. Hoolie and the Hooligans; The Alien who Ate My Socks, is Brandon’s first middle-grade chapter book, for which he is both author and illustrator.
He likes to eat string cheese and play flag football and is a huge Seattle Seahawks fan.
He's lived in the Philippines for two years and once licked a slug. He
loves making magical pictures and hopes to be illustrating for a long
time to come.
It features over twenty best-selling & amazing authors. The grand prize is a $200 Amazon card!!
Additionally, 21 first
place winners will win one of these authors featured titles. Winners
will be drawn at random through Rafflecopter. (This is not affiliated
with Facebook)
Don't miss out on your chance to win a fabulous prize!
Title: Heart of the Frontier: A Western Romance Collection
Authors: Brittany Larsen, Jen Geigle Johnson, Jennie Hansen, and Carolyn Twede Frank
Publisher
:
Covenant Communications, Inc. (July 1, 2021)
Genre: Western Romance/Historical Romance
ISBN-10
:
1524418145
***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own***
Book Summary
The Gamble by Brittany Larsen British aristocrat Thomas
Clayborne anticipated a grand adventure in America—but what he imagined
is a far cry from the rough-and-tumble reality. When his journey West
brings a bold young woman into his life, will he risk everything for
true love?
Her Frontier Bandit by Jen Geigle Johnson When
Rebecca and her physician father relocate to a frontier town in
desperate need of a doctor, Rebecca believes it will be an opportunity
to mend her recently broken heart. But she quickly realizes that no
matter how far she runs, true love always finds a way.
Sagebrush Sally by Jennie Hansen English
rose Sally is finding it difficult to bloom in the rugged wasteland of
the West. But with two handsome cowboys vying for her affections, it
seems that even amid cattle thieves and gunfights, the truest danger
lies in losing her heart.
Celebration for Celia by Carolyn Twede Frank Though
Celia generally adores Fourth of July festivities, she finds herself
weighed down by uncertainties that dim her anticipation of the holiday.
Then fate brings into her life a dashing stranger who is determined to
give Celia a celebration she’ll never forget.
My Review
Heart of the Frontier: A Western Romance Collection is a set of four stories that take place in the late 1800's out in the wild west. I love western books and this one also has sweet romances too. The stories are written by four great authors with many books under their belts. So, in other words, this is a great collection of enjoyable short stories. They all show the adventure and struggles that accompany moving to the West and leaving their former lives behind. I liked all of them from the aristocratic Englishman falling for a stranger, to the bandit still in love with his former girl, to the lonely Sally who has two handsome men to choose from, and then the sweet Celia who unexpectedly finds love with a drifter. Each story was told well in short novellas that feel complete. In fact, I didn't want some of them to end. Readers that love romances set in the wild west will truly enjoy this collection, Heart of The Frontier.
Brittany Larsen writes clean Contemporary Romance–mainly by
“borrowing” plots from Jane Austen. She has aspirations to imitate other
great authors, but for now is happy putting a modern spin on our
favorite romances. Her books include, Pride & Politics, Sense & Second Chances and The Matchmaker’s Match. Her latest work, Wedding Belles, is a collaborative project with authors Melanie Jacobson, Jenny Proctor and Becca Wilhite.
Brittany lives in Orange County, California with her husband, three
daughters, one dog, one cat, and various lizards said cat “lovingly”
brings indoors for her.
Jen Geigle Johnson once greeted an ancient turtle under the water by
grabbing her fin. Other vital things to know: the sound a water-ski
makes on glassy water and how to fall down steep moguls with grace. No
mountain is too steep for her to climb, yet. During a study break date
in college, she sat on top of a jeep’s roll bars up in the mountains and
fell in love. She discovered her passion for England while kayaking on
the Thames near London as a young teenager.
Now an award-winning author and mother of six, she loves to share
bits of history that might otherwise be forgotten. Whether in Regency
England, the French Revolution, or Colonial America, her romance novels
are much like life is supposed to be: full of adventure. She is a member
of the RWA, the SCBWI, and LDStorymakers. She is also the chair of the
Lonestar.Ink writing conference.
Jennie Hansen graduated from Ricks College in Idaho, then Westminster
College in Utah. She has been a freelance magazine writer, newspaper
reporter, editor, and librarian.
Her published novels fall in several genre categories including romantic suspense, historical, and westerns. She was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and has lived in Idaho, Montana, and Utah.
She has received numerous first and second place writing awards from
the Utah and National Federation of Press Women and was the 1997 third
place winner of the URWA Heart of the West Writers Contest. She also was
a recipient of the Whitney Awards Lifetime Achievement Award for 2008.
Jennie and her husband live in Utah. Their five children are all
married and have provided them with thirteen grandchildren. When she’s
not reading or writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren,
gardening, and camping.
Carolyn Twede Frank grew up in Payson, Utah. Ever since elementary
school she have loved to write. In junior high and high school she was
on the newspaper staff.
In 2006, after having raised her five kids and growing her business
to a point of being viable to sell, She rediscovered her love of
writing. She has since sold her manufacturing business spends a good
portion of her time writing, or helping her grandkids and her garden
grow. She lives in Kaysville, Utah.
***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own***
Book Summary
A traffic jam is the last thing
Piper Holland needs in her already stressful day. The dry cleaner’s will
soon close, and she really hopes to wear her luxury silk blouse when
she pitches her theme to the editors of the magazine she works for. But
when she finally sees what’s caused the backup, she feels a pinch of
guilt: a man in a military uniform is gallantly pushing a stalled
vehicle off the road. Suddenly, her rush to the dry cleaner’s seems
incredibly unimportant. Fate offers Piper a chance to redeem herself,
however, when the handsome good Samaritan crosses her path again.
Gabriel Orsini, a fighter pilot stationed at Luke Air Force Base, seems
to be the perfect man, and an assignment at the magazine offers Piper
the perfect chance to get to know him better. Her “Day in the Life:
Hometown Heroes” article was tailor-made for the bighearted pilot.
Before long, their interviews for the article enter date territory, and
Piper realizes she’s falling for Gabriel. But her tragic past has taught
her one thing: no one stays. And the transient lifestyle of a military
man leaves her no doubt that Gabriel will eventually abandon her too.
With her heart on the line, Piper must decide: is the risk of loss worth
the possibility of forever?
My Review
Chalon Linton has turned out to be one of my favorite authors the past few years. One of the things I like most about her writing is her characters. She is absolutely brilliant at creating characters that readers love, whether it be a Regency book or a Christian Romance book. Fly Home To Me is no exception. Piper and Gabriel are so well written that you are drawn into their lives immediately. Be aware, neither character is perfect, as Piper is still dealing with intense grief after so many losses in her life. Well, Gabriel is almost perfect! I love this character and he is my new swoon-worthy male that I wished was mine.
The series, Flying in Love, are Air Force romances with a Christian theme. Readers get a good insight into what life is like having a love interest or spouse who is in the Air Force. Better yet, Chalon Linton herself is an Air Force spouse so you can tell she knows what she's talking about. Fly Home To Me shows how hard it is to adjust your thinking and lifestyle to this way of life. Piper is on a huge journey of not only opening her heart to love again but also opening her mind and heart to the Air Force lifestyle. She goes through some huge, heart-breaking changes in this novel. Gabriel is the epitome of what love and support should look like. Even though he has also loved and lost in his life, his natural goodness and resiliency shine forth as he and Piper fall in love.
I loved this novel! I loved the romance, the steamy kisses...while keeping it clean, the Christian themes of turning to God, and the incredible relationship Piper and Gabe develop. Fly Home To Me is an excellent second novel in this series that I highly recommend you check out. I'll be looking forward to the next novel that Linton writes.
Meet Author Chalon Linton
Chalon Linton is an air force spouse, a
mother of four, and a fan of all things romance. Jane Austen has long
been a favorite because who can resist handsome men in tailcoats?
Manners, wit, and true love, combined with a faith in God, guide her
stories to a happily ever after. She has met friends from around the
globe and is grateful for each experience that adds to her own faith in
the goodness of people. Chalon currently lives with her handsome husband
in Southern California.
