Four teens no longer sure what they’re seeking. Four teens no longer sure whether it can be found.
They were supposed to be building a new world. One where the Earth is respected as much as the people who depend on it for survival. One where the benefits of Askala could be shared by all.
Except instead of bringing people together, Sam, Hawk, Luca and Mercy are more divided than ever. Sam has returned to Askala, learning exactly how vulnerable her home is. Hawk is trapped, forced to fight for his life to save those around him. Luca has returned to the Outlands to right his wrongs. Mercy is determined to find out the truth at any cost.
In the struggle to repair the world from the ravages of global warming, the fight to reunite is going to be their greatest battle yet. Because no matter where they are, treachery is far closer than they ever realized.
Living has never been more deadly.
Lovers of Divergent and The Hunger Games will be blown away by the next installment in the bestselling series, The Thaw Chronicles, from USA Today best-selling author Tamar Sloan and award-winning author Heidi Catherine.
Review
Book 7 Exile Beyond the Thaw an adventure in dystopian literature that unveils new secrets with each book. Characters you think you know turn evil, family connections you never saw coming, and the danger seems to grow by the day. Sam, Hawk, Mercy, and Luca are the seekers seeking beyond Asakla and bringing new growth to those they find. These two authors know how to deal out a very adventurous tale.
Publisher’s Synopsis: Wildly funny and inventive, this interactive book pulls you, the reader, into the action. Yes, YOU!
You wake up in the fictional land of Astorya, where stories from our world come to life. You’re a real human being (we assume), and in this fictional world, that makes you a superhero. Armed with your trusty pencil, you have the power to create: what you write, draw, or scribble in the book becomes part of the story!
Only you can rescue Prince S. from the evil Queen Rulette. Aided by the Couriers–a French stoat with dangerous dance moves, a giant dung beetle, a fire ninja, a Pegasus-centaur-cowgirl and a super-intelligent femalien chameleon—you must write, draw, and puzzle your way through a hilarious adventure and prove that the pencil is mightier than the sword.
What a great and engaging way to get young readers involved in the story. First, you can allow them to write in the book—as they read, the authors tell them to get a pencil and fill in missing words (Mad Libs style). They can draw on pages and even mail their ideas to the authors. The second thing that makes it engaging for kids is they are the main character in the story. It is rare, at least from what I have seen, for an author to write in this POV. It works well in this case, as you are fully engaged in what happens in the story.
It took me back to my childhood when I would fill out those Mad Lib books with the most outrageous things I could think of, or when I would spend days trying out all the twists and turns in a choose your own adventure story. Engagement with a book for young readers, heck, even me as an adult reader, makes the information fly by. Bonus points are well-deserved because the story ends with a cliff hanger, so you indeed want to jump into the next book.
Teachers would find this the perfect read-aloud book to engage with their students because you can have various kids contribute in multiple ways: fill-in-the-blank answers, letter-writing, drawings of different things like a car and a villain, and creating a version of the flipbook. Mightier Than the Sword is a unique series that any kid would thoroughly enjoy.
About the Authors
Alana Harrison and Drew Callander have spent their lives telling stories and cracking jokes. Alana graduated from The College of William and Mary with a degree in Comedic Writing and Performance. Drew graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Fiction Writing. Together they have created cartoons and short films with Jon Stewart, Conan O’Brien, John Oliver, and Kristen Schaal. Their work as writers and improv comedians has aired on Sirius XM Radio, NBC, and Comedy Central. Mightier Than the Sword is their first book series. They live with their two kids and one exquisitely talented cat (none of whom help with the dishes).
About the Illustrator
Ryan Andrews lives in the Japanese countryside, with his wife, two kids, and their dog, Lucky. A friendly Kodama or two have been known to take up residence in the giant acorn tree that shades the house. Ryan often works at his drawing desk in the early-morning hours, to the sound of rummaging wild boar and badgers, who come from the surrounding forest seeking out shiitake mushrooms and fallen chestnuts.
Giveaway
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“…romantic and electrifying…the fast-paced plot and fully realized world will have readers eager for the next installment. Fans of Victorian-influenced fantasy won’t want to put this down.” —Publishers Weekly
“Those who enjoy gentle romance, cozy mysteries, or Victorian fantasy will love this first half of a duology. The cliffhanger ending will keep readers breathless waiting for the second half.” —Library Journal (starred review)
“Powerful magic, indulgent Victoriana, and a slow-burn romance make this genre-bending romp utterly delightful.” —Kirkus Reviews
A world of enchanted injustice needs a disenchanting woman in the newest fantasy series by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Paper Magician.
The orphaned Elsie Camden learned as a girl that there were two kinds of wizards in the world: those who pay for the power to cast spells and those, like her, born with the ability to break them. But as an unlicensed magic user, her gift is a crime. Commissioned by an underground group known as the Cowls, Elsie uses her spellbreaking to push back against the aristocrats and help the common man. She always did love the tale of Robin Hood.
Elite magic user Bacchus Kelsey is one elusive spell away from his mastership when he catches Elsie breaking an enchantment. To protect her secret, Elsie strikes a bargain. She’ll help Bacchus fix unruly spells around his estate if he doesn’t turn her in. Working together, Elsie’s trust in—and fondness for—the handsome stranger grows. So does her trepidation about the rise in the murders of wizards and the theft of the spellbooks their bodies leave behind.
For a rogue spellbreaker like Elsie, there’s so much to learn about her powers, her family, the intriguing Bacchus, and the untold dangers shadowing every step of a journey she’s destined to complete. But will she uncover the mystery before it’s too late to save everything she loves?
Review
I am a huge fan of the Paper Magician series as it shows the uniqueness of an author who can develop magical systems like this. In this series, we have Spellbreakers who can see a spell and take the knots of it and untangle it to where it no longer works. Their also Spellmakers which take center stage for the second half of this duology.
Our main character is drawn into a world of magical intrigue by a group she has dubbed “the cowls”. She balances her duties at a stone masonry and as a rouge Spellbreaker for this group. She becomes entangled with an intriguing gentleman named Bacchus who is also caught up in what turns to be a whole coup.
The balance of what we know and what we learn is so seamless that I was caught up in the same issues as our main character. I was cheering for all the good she believes she is doing and hurt for how things come to light in the end. I dying for the sequel Spellmaker due out in March of 2021.
You can purchaseSpellbreaker at the following Retailers:
Photo Content from Charlie N. Holmberg
Charlie N. Holmberg is the award-winning author of the Numina series, The Fifth Doll, and many others. Her Wall Street Journal bestselling Paper Magician series, which includes The Paper Magician, The Glass Magician, and The Master Magician, has been optioned by the Walt Disney Company. Charlie’s stand-alone novel, Followed by Frost, was nominated for a 2016 RITA Award for Best Young Adult Romance. Born in Salt Lake City, Charlie was raised a Trekkie alongside three sisters, who also have boy names. She is a proud BYU alumna, plays the ukulele, owns too many pairs of glasses, and finally adopted a dog. She currently lives with her family in Utah. Visit her atwww.charlienholmberg.com.
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the HUNTER by Nicole Conway Blog Tour
hosted by Rockstar Book Tours.
Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
One boy must earn the trust of a blind dragon and hunt down an elusive sorceress before she can rekindle the war that nearly destroyed their world.
As the Kingdom of Maldobar emerges victorious from the brutal invasion of the Tibran Empire, much of the land is left in utter ruin. With his home destroyed and family gone, 16-year-old Thatcher Renley has no one left to turn to. And when he’s mistaken for a Tibran soldier and banished to a wartime prison camp, Thatcher knows his only hope for freedom lies in appealing to Queen Jenna directly.
But getting out of the prison camp might be the least of his worries— especially after he stumbles across a feral dragon locked in an iron cell.
As far as dragons go, Fornax is a lost cause. The battle that killed his rider also left him blind and too aggressive for any knight to control. But Thatcher can’t deny feeling drawn to the beast. Does he have what it takes to calm Fornax and join the proud ranks of Maldobar’s dragonriders? Only time will tell. And with a bloodthirsty Tibran witch threatening to rekindle the chaos of war, everyone’s time may be running out.
Review
I have read all of the Dragon Rider books that Nicole Conway has released, starting with Fledgling. I always get engrossed in each novel, and they all build on each other. The characters are all well developed and hard not to get attached. In this one, we have a name which is no one-way dreams of being a dragon rider but ends up thrown into the life with sometimes disastrous results. It will be a lot of fun to see this character grow and interact with the series we already know—a not to be missed series for dragon lovers.
About Nicole:
Nicole is an award-winning, #1 international bestselling author from North Alabama. With a passion for relatable, authentic characters and exciting, fast-paced plots, Nicole is best known for her series, THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES. Other published works include THE DRAGONRIDER LEGACY SERIES, SPIRITS OF CHAOS SERIES, MAD MAGIC SAGA, and THE DRAGONRIDER HERITAGE SERIES (Coming Winter 2020).
A heart-touching story of overcoming the fears and storms of life.
Under a full moon, little Peek-a-Hoot wakes up to see his Father, as always, watching over him. But when a sudden storm arrives, little Peek-a-Hoot becomes afraid.
Will You Always Be Here?
is a Christian children’s book with a powerful message of faith, love, and the reassurance we can all have, knowing that our Father watches over us too.
All proceeds of this book go to the orphaned children of Nakrekal, India.
This book gives two significant benefits. One, all proceeds from the book will go to orphaned children, and second, it opens up your heart and those that you share it with to the love of God. It has theological truths that we all need. By incorporating bible verses on the pages and the cute story, children will learn them and take them to heart. The book is heartfelt and has eye-catching illustrations that will have any child asking for it repeatedly—a wonderful gift and addition to any child’s bookshelf.
Paperback : 304 pages
ISBN-10 : 1250219426
ISBN-13 : 978-1250219428
Publisher : Tor Teen (October 27, 2020)
Language: : English
Praise for A THOUSAND FIRES
“A Thousand Fires pulls you in close and shows you the essence of what it means to keep fighting. Shannon Price is one to watch.” ―Gwenda Bond, New York Times bestselling author of Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds
“Brutal and beautiful, A THOUSAND FIRES broke my heart. A fast-paced tragedy of love, betrayal, and vengeance.” ―Heidi Heilig, author of FOR A MUSE OF FIRE
“Modern, unflinching and filled with haunting, lingering imagery, A Thousand Fires gives the story of the Iliad the bare-knuckled update it deserves.” ―Colleen Oakes, author of The Black Coats
“Fast-paced… Vivid descriptions and intricate details bring San Francisco to life … A promising debut.” ―Kirkus
“A heart-wrenching tale… action-packed and intense… A fantastic read.” ―School Library Journal
Shannon Price’s A Thousand Fires is a breakout contemporary debut―think The Outsiders meets The Iliad―that’s perfect for fans of Courtney Summers and Veronica Roth.
10 Years. 3 Gangs. 1 Girl’s Epic Quest…
Valerie Simons knows the city’s gang wars are dangerous—her own brother was killed by the Boars two years ago. But nothing will sway her from joining the elite and beautiful Herons to avenge his death—a death she feels responsible for.
But when Valerie is recruited by the mysterious Stags, their charismatic and volatile leader Jax promises to help her get revenge. Torn between old love and new loyalty, Valerie fights to stay alive as she races across the streets of San Francisco to finish the mission that got her into the gangs.
You can purchaseA Thousand Fires at the following Retailers:
Review
A Thousand Fires take a piece of our world gang activity and give us an authentic face that I think we all can identify. The fear that your children will make choices to join causes they believe with satisfy some injustice from their past or change the world. Our MC is an extremely personable character who draws you into her revenge story, struggles with loyalty and love. The author brings up big questions like how do we respond to the blooming violence in our world? How do we continue to survive when we are so broken? What is the cost of seeking revenge for the hurt inflicted by others? The perfect novel for a highschool setting to open hopefully a peaceful discussion about real issues that teens hear about and experience. A great debut novel.
Photo Content from Shannon Price
SHANNON PRICE is a proud Filipina-American and Bay Area native. She once led an a cappella group for three years despite not knowing how to read music, and she carries that same level of confidence in every area of her life. When not writing, she can be found watching baking shows, exploring old bookstores, and going to the beach as often as she can.
Her debut novel A Thousand Fires is a YA reimagining of the Iliad set in modern day San Francisco. She is represented by Elana Roth Parker of Laura Dail Literary Agency and thanks her lucky stars that she is.
Publisher’s Synopsis: Need a killer monologue for an audition? Discover a wealth of fresh options in this detailed tome.
Sick of the same scripts being done to death? Looking for a soliloquy relevant to teenagers? Seeking material with a positive spin? Full voting member of the National Television Academy and Tonight Show sketch performer Mike Kimmel has been writing, acting, and producing for decades. Now he’s here to share a curated collection of one hundred of the best comedy and drama monologues.
One-Minute Monologues for Teens is the ultimate volume of family-friendly stage material to help you nail that college drama program audition or class assignment. With a range of topics applicable to young actors, these pieces require no costumes or props, and discuss ethical questions perfect for middle- and high-school minds to explore. And with literally dozens of gender-neutral and unique scenes to choose from, you’ll find the right piece to take you from zero to callback in no time at all.
One-Minute Monologues for Teens is the dramatic arts advantage you need in your next live performance. If you like fresh material, optimistic spins, and challenging ideas, you’ll love Mike Kimmel’s definitive resource.
Ages 13+ | Publisher: Ben Rose Creative Arts | ISBN-13: 978-0998151380
Review
If your teacher or director works with young teens, this is the book you need to get them started on the right foot. The author has written a series of books, and he seems to know how to capture the teen’s way of expression. Each monologue has a unique and positive message and should be a required part of middle school and high school reading. Monologues take confidence to read aloud, but when they are fun, you are less likely to be nervous about what you are presenting to an audience.
Not only are the monologues ranging in uniqueness, but they also reach into the depth of families with ones that center around grandparents. Not everyone sees the values you can learn from the older generations, and Mike Kimmel helps push this idea to center stage. Also, with them being only a minute long, it the perfect length of time to keep teens engaged and not wanting to give up on their progress.
The monologues themselves contain the emotion that can help actors draw upon their experiences in life and help them add depth to what they are reading. A monologue is a piece of writing that read aloud, but you want the person to have emotion and character to engage and draw in an audience. Mike Kimmel is the go-to for helping grow this critical talent.
About The Author
Mike Kimmel is a film, television, stage, and commercial actor and acting coach. He is a twenty-plus year member of SAG-AFTRA with extensive experience in both the New York and Los Angeles markets. He has worked with directors Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Townsend, Craig Shapiro, and Christopher Cain among many others. TV credits include Game of Silence, Zoo, Treme, In Plain Sight, Cold Case, Breakout Kings, Memphis Beat, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He was a regular sketch comedy player on The Tonight Show, performing live on stage and in pre-taped segments with Jay Leno for eleven years. Mike has appeared in dozens of theatrical plays on both coasts, including Radio City Music Hall, Equity Library Theater, Stella Adler Theater, and Theater at the Improv. He trained with Michael Shurtleff, William Hickey, Ralph Marrero, Gloria Maddox, Harold Sylvester, Wendy Davis, Amy Hunter, Bob Collier, and Stuart Robinson. He has a B.A. from Brandeis University and an M.A. from California State University.
As an educator, Kimmel has taught at Upper Iowa University, the University of New Orleans, University of Phoenix, and in the Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and Burbank, California public school districts. He is a two-time past president of New Orleans Toastmasters, the public speaking organization, and often serves as a speech contest judge. Mike has written and collaborated on numerous scripts for stage and screen. His full-length historical drama on Presidents Lincoln and Garfield was a 2013 semi-finalist in the National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. He is the 2014 recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award from Upper Iowa University. Mike is a full voting member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (the Emmys).
The elves come for two things: war and wives. In both cases, they come for death.
Three-thousand years ago, humans were hunted by powerful races with wild magic until the treaty was formed. Now, for centuries, the elves have taken a young woman from Luella’s village to be their Human Queen.
To be chosen is seen as a mark of death by the townsfolk. A mark nineteen-year-old Luella is grateful to have escaped as a girl. Instead, she’s dedicated her life to studying herbology and becoming the town’s only healer.
That is, until the Elf King unexpectedly arrives… for her.
Everything Luella had thought she’d known about her life, and herself, was a lie. Taken to a land filled with wild magic, Luella is forced to be the new queen to a cold yet blisteringly handsome Elf King. Once there, she learns about a dying world that only she can save.
The magical land of Midscape pulls on one corner of her heart, her home and people tug on another… but what will truly break her is a passion she never wanted.
A Deal with the Elf King is a complete, stand-alone novel, inspired by the tales of Hades and Persephone, as well as Beauty and the Beast, with a “happily ever after” ending. It’s perfect for fantasy romance fans looking for just the right amount of steam and their next slow-burn and swoon-worthy couple.
Review
I love stand-alone novels as it means that everything is wrapped up at the end in a neat bow. There no question that this is the book for 2020 that we all need one with a delightful happy ever after. The world-building of midscape is amazing, I felt like I was there and did not want to leave. The hunt to figure out why the previous Human Queens have not succeeded in solving the slow drain of midscape is quite interesting.
Eldas and Luella relationship has a rough start as she has no clue that she is the Human Queen he has come to her town to claim. Due to the underhanded actions of someone who claims to love her. Once the shock wears off and she accepts that this is her role now and stops feeling like she has been betrayed because she does not receive the same training as those who came before her the action heats up.
This novel does not disappoint in keeping you entranced in the story and it does not lack in the supernatural aspects and shows our author skills beyond the fantasy novels I have read previously from her. If your ready for a romance that is steamy and keeps you enthralled this is one you need to pick up this year. It the perfect escape from this year of craziness.
Hardcover : 384 pages
ISBN-10 : 1250208432
ISBN-13 : 978-1250208439
Publisher : Tor Teen (October 27, 2020)
Language: : English
Praise for SISTERS OF SHADOW AND LIGHT Series
“Packed with fascinating relationships, pulse-pounding romance, and breathtaking adventure, this story held me captive to every page.” ―Kathryn Purdie, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Burning Glass
“I was completely swept away with this fierce magical story of broken family, and sisters trying to survive a mysterious past. Romance, betrayal, gryphons, forbidden doorways, and devoted sisters had me flipping the pages to unravel the secrets of this dark world where no one is who they seem to be. Larson has created a spellbinding world that has all the elements I love―magic, mystery, romance, and sisterhood! I can’t wait for more!” ―Mary E. Pearson, New York Timesbestselling author of The Kiss of Deception
“What a stunning gem of a story. Fans of gorgeous, emotional, action-packed fantasy are going to want to snap this up. I loved it so much, I read it in one sitting!” ―C.J. Redwine, New York Times bestselling author of the Ravenspire series
“Larson’s bold and imaginative tale of sisterhood, magic, and monsters is a deft exploration of loneliness, family, and friendship inside a citadel hedged by lies and blood.” ―A.G. Howard, #1 New York Times and international bestselling author of The Splintered Series
“Sisters of Shadow and Light is a rare beauty that will grip your heart and steal your breath away. I adored this book!” ―Jennifer A. Nielsen, New York Times bestselling author of The Traitor’s Game
“Fantasy readers will become absorbed in the world-building and strong relationship between the sisters.” ―School Library Connection
“Fans of the author’s earlier work, as well as that of Kristin Cashore and Rachel Hartman, will enjoy this story. Purchase for those who love fantasy novels and Larson’s other books.” ―School Library Journal
Acclaimed author Sara B. Larson continues her enchanting YA fantasy duology with a timeless fairytale feel in an original voice.The doorway between the magical Visempirum and the human world has been reopened. Paladin are once more living in the citadel where Zuhra and Inara grew up completely isolated by the magical hedge that trapped them there. Amidst the brewing conflict between the Paladin and humans looms the threat of Barloc, who has stolen Inara’s immense power and continues to elude the Paladin who are desperately searching for him.
In this sequel to Sisters of Shadow and Light, Inara and Zuhra must navigate the treacherous paths of self-discovery, their love for each other, and for the boys who have captured their hearts. Together, they search for the strength within themselves to bridge the divide between the two worlds they inhabit, even as war threatens to destroy everything—and everyone—they love.
You can purchaseWarriors of Wing and Flame at the following Retailers:
Review
Warriors of Wings of and Flame is a conclusion in Sisters of Shadow and Light duology. It bittersweet and very emotional at times as the battle against Burloc and those that seek to rule the human world becomes much more than anyone thought it would. It felt that it dragged in some places as the two sisters are processing one losing her powers, falling in love with boys, and losing their grandfather all takes a toll. The battle scene at the ends was cruel that way you expect a battle to be and the loss of life both human and animal are heart-wrenching. I did love that we got to see a lot more of the griffins and the bond between riders and how they are chosen was a great scene. This duology is expertly written and has a satisfying conclusion that may have you shedding a tear or two.
Photo Content from Sara B. Larson
Sara B. Larson is the author of the acclaimed YA fantasy DEFY trilogy (DEFY, IGNITE, and ENDURE) and the DARK BREAKS THE DAWN duology (DARK BREAKS THE DAWN and BRIGHT BURNS THE NIGHT). She can’t remember a time when she didn’t write books—although she now uses a computer instead of a Little Mermaid notebook. Sara lives in Utah with her husband, their four children, and their Maltese, Loki. She writes in brief snippets throughout the day and the quiet hours when most people are sleeping. Her husband claims she should have a degree in “the art of multitasking.” When she’s not mothering or writing, you can often find her at the gym repenting for her sugar addiction.
As a young dragoneer moves through the ranks of the prestigious Serpentine Academy, her challenges grow greater and her time grows short to draw out a series of deadly threats, in this thrilling coming-of-age fantasy novel.
Sixteen-year-old Ileth is now an Apprentice Dragoneer, with all of the benefits and pitfalls that her elevation in rank entails. But her advancement becomes less certain after a she’s attacked by an unknown enemy, and Ileth begins to suspect that someone deadly may be hiding within the walls of the academy.
Outside of the walls there is a different challenge. The Rari Pirates are strangling the Vale Republic. What they lack in dragon firepower, they make up for in the brutality of their ever-expanding raids, making hostages or slaves of the Republic’s citizens. Surrounded by enemies, Ileth will need to learn what kind of dragoneer she wants to be. And as she makes decisions about her future, Ileth will have the chance to uncover the secrets of her past. Both will irrevocably change the course of her life.
Review
This is the sequel to the wonderful Novice Dragonneer and continues to follow the young Illeth journey to become a Dragoneer. Illeth has come a long way from the first novel where she escaped the captain’s lodge (an orphanage basically) to head to the Serpentine to become a Dragoneer. She arrives too late and spends almost two weeks on the doorstep refusing to leave. Now she on her way to becoming an apprentice.
Once she becomes one she needs to provide herself with a sash. She tries so hard to make one and is humiliated time and again when she cannot have the funds to buy the material. She ends up having to get very creative in providing one that is accepted. She ends up in the horse troop which almost to me looks like slave labor but it does make her stronger in her resolve.
She is then basically kidnapped by a governor for a time and then in unusual circumstances amid a very intense battle. The novel shows the grit of our wonderful Illeth. She embodies the idea that if you want something in life you have to work for it, no one is gonna just hand you your dreams. She is an inspiration and I can not wait to read more about her journey to becoming a Dragonneer.
J.R.'s Book Reviews 