Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Cover Reveal : Night of Pan

 
Night of Pan, by Gail Strickland
Genre: young-adult, historical-fantasy

Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press

Date of Release: November 7, 2014

Series: Book One of The Oracle of Delphi Trilogy

Cover Artist: Ricky Gunawan (http://ricky-gunawan.daportfolio.com/)

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22391588-night-of-pan



Description:

The slaughter of the Spartan Three Hundred at Thermopylae, Greece 480 BCE—when King Leonidas tried to stop the Persian army with only his elite guard—is well known. But just what did King Xerxes do after he defeated the Greeks?

Fifteen-year-old Thaleia is haunted by visions: roofs dripping blood, Athens burning. She tries to convince her best friend and all the villagers that she’s not crazy. The gods do speak to her.

And the gods have plans for this girl.

When Xerxes’ army of a million Persians marches straight to the mountain village Delphi to claim the Temple of Apollo’s treasures and sacred power, Thaleia’s gift may be her people’s last line of defense.

Her destiny may be to save Greece…

…but is one girl strong enough to stop an entire army?

Pre-order on Amazon now: http://amzn.com/B00MQGNYVS









About The Author:
While studying the Classics in college, Gail Strickland translated much of Homer’s ILIAD and ODYSSEY, Herodotus’ prophecies and THE BACCHAI by Euripides. Living on the Greek islands after college, she discovered her love of myth, the wine-dark sea and retsina.

THE BALTIMORE REVIEW and WRITER’S DIGEST have recognized Gail’s fiction. She published stories and poems in Travelers’ Tales’ anthologies and the San Francisco Writer’s anthology. Her poetry and photography were published in a collection called CLUTTER.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Gail grew up in Northern California. She raised her children; was a musical director for CAT children’s theater; taught music in schools; mentored young poets and novelists and introduced thousands of youngsters to piano and Greek mythology. Gail is passionate about bringing the richness of Homer’s language and culture to today’s youth.


Find Gail Strickland Online:
Website (http://www.gailstricklandauthor.com/)| Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gail-Strickland/236766709783010) | Twitter (https://twitter.com/Gailstrickland1)| Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8287635.Gail_Strickland) | Google + (https://plus.google.com/+GailStrickland/posts)


Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Cover Reveal : Remembering Kaylee Cooper






Remembering Kaylee Cooper, by Christopher Francis
Genre: middle-grade paranormal-fantasy

Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press

Date of Release: September 30, 2014

 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22698482-remembering-kaylee-cooper?ac=1



Description:
Kaylee Cooper is certain that Alex will become friends with a ghost this year. Alex thinks that he is far too old to be listening to a first grader and encourages Kaylee to stop jeopardizing his important sixth grade social life. Kaylee doesn’t listen and finds awkward ways to spend as much time with Alex as possible, even if it means following him into the boy’s washroom.

Fed up, Alex develops a strategic plan to ultimately help him get rid of Kaylee Cooper for good.

However, he soon learns about the mysterious legend of Screaming Ridge that pulls an unlikely group of friends together, including the girl of his dreams, and the school’s meanest bully. When they discover that the legend is real, and that Kaylee Cooper is at the core of the mystery, Alex stares death in the face and helps save her from an eternal life of misery and confusion.

--

 

 

About The Author:
Christopher  FrancisCHRISTOPHER FRANCIS Born in Brisbane, Australia, Christopher was accepted at age 19 into Sheridan College’s Animation program before earning a degree in Sociology from McMaster University.

He then enjoyed a two-year adventure overseas working with children, before completing his Bachelor of Education degree at York University. He is now teaching junior and intermediate level students in Burlington, Ontario.

Through Christopher’s experience working with children, he found writing and illustrating to be one of his passions. Currently working on a middle grade series, he recently completed and illustrated the first three books. He has also created seven other children’s picture books and illustrated children’s novels for independent authors




Find Christopher Francis Online:
Website (http://www.francisart.com/)| Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/chrisifrancis) | Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/@chrisifrancis)| Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8379239.Christopher_Francis)

 


Thursday, August 14, 2014

Review: Caller 107

  
20359976
Caller 107
Matthew Cox
 Curiosity Quills Press
 
 
 
When thirteen-year-old Natalie Rausch said she would die to meet DJ Crazy Todd, she did not mean to be literal.

Two years is a long time to be stuck between two people who want nothing more than to destroy each other. A tween crush on the larger-than-life jock from a local radio station is the only trace of a once-happy life ruined by warring parents.

Whenever WROK 107 ran a contest, she would dive for the phone, getting busy signals and dead air every time. She never expected to get through, but at least with her best friend at her side, it used to be fun.

Before her parents ruined that too.

Her last desperate attempt to get their attention, falling in with a dangerous group of older teens, goes as wrong as possible. With no one left to blame for her mess of a life but herself, karma comes full circle and gives her just a few hours to make up for two years worth of mistakes–or be forever lost.



My Review :  I would like to thank Curiosity Quills Press for a copy of this book  for my honest review.


         I thought this book was wonderful because of the thought provoking matters it dealt with. Divorce is hard on children and when the two people divorcing want nothing more than to hurt each other children get caught in the middle. This book showed that and what happens when the child pushes back.  I think teens and adults should read this book just for the discussions that can arise from it.  My step daughter is reading it and we have discussed so much already. Really a touching and thought provoking book. I also liked how Natalie was able to see each parents side and come to a better understanding of what really happed in her parents marriage.  


                     
 

Friday, August 8, 2014

Review: The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck Magic & Mayhem

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck: Magic and Mayhem,
 by Stan Swanson
Genre: middle-grade, action-adventure fantasy
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Date of Publication: August 7th, 2014.
Cover Artist: Ricky Gunawan (http://ricky-gunawan.daportfolio.com/)
 
Description:
 
Things are not as they should be in Pennywhistle. Enchanted toasters are not toasting, enchanted sprinklers are not sprinkling and Hobart Hucklebuck’s origami messenger birds are suddenly attacking him.
Someone seems to be draining the power from all of the enchanted items in the village. But who could it be and why have they implicated Hobart’s grandfather?
"The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck" follows Hobart and his friends, Specks Spacklethack and Rosie Rumpleskirt, as they try to solve this mystery and free Hobart’s grandfather from the Tower of Tribulation on Mumblemonk Mountain.
The trio’s investigation into the mysterious happenings on Druid Lane gets them into hot water more than once and ultimately brings them dangerously close to disaster not only for themselves, but the entire village of Pennywhistle.



My Review: I really enjoyed this fun and thrilling story. Fast paced and flow is wonderful. I enjoyed the whimsical writing in this book it reminded me of how Willy Wonka(Gene Wilder)  talked in the movie. (I have never read the book)  it was very amusing and had me giggling at the names of items and people.  The story was good too Hobart tries to prove his grandfathers innocents, and find out why enchanted items are not working. The author also makes us look at how dependent people are on enchanted items just like we are dependent on electronic items now. I am buying this book for my daughter. I thought it was fun and fast read with wonderful characters and amazing moral lessons and family values .


                                  


About The Author:
Stan Swanson

 
Stan Swanson is a Bram Stoker award finalist and author of eight books including Forever Zombie (a collection of short stories), Write of the Living Dead (a highly-praised writing guide written with Araminta Star Matthews and Rachel Lee) and Return of the Scream Queen (co-authored with Michael McCarty and Linnea Quigley). He is also editor/publisher for Dark Moon Books and Dark Moon Digest. Upcoming titles include Horror High School: Return of the Loving Dead (the first book in a young adult horror series co-written with Araminta Star Matthews), Dead Sparrows (a collection of apocalyptic poetry) and The Methlands (a horror novel co-written with award-winning author Joe McKinney).


Find Stan Swanson Online:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon


Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Review: How to Date Dead Guys


21856356
How to Date Dead Guys
Ann M. Noser
Curiosity Quills Press
 
 
From Goodreads: College sophomore Emma Roberts remembers her mother’s sage advice: “don’t sleep around, don’t burp in public, and don’t tell anyone you see ghosts”. But when cute Mike Carlson drowns in the campus river under her watch, Emma’s sheltered life shatters.

Blamed for Mike’s death and haunted by nightmares, Emma turns to witchcraft and a mysterious Book of Shadows to bring him back. Under a Blood Moon, she lights candles, draws a pentacle on the campus bridge, and casts a spell. The invoked river rages up against her, but she escapes its fury. As she stumbles back to the dorm, a stranger drags himself from the water and follows her home. And he isn’t the only one…

Instead of raising Mike, Emma assists the others she stole back from the dead—a pre-med student who jumped off the bridge, a young man determined to solve his own murder, and a frat boy Emma can’t stand…at first. More comfortable with the dead than the living, Emma delves deeper into the seductive Book of Shadows. Her powers grow, but witchcraft may not be enough to protect her against the vengeful river and the killers that feed it their victims.



My Review:    First I have to thank Curiosity Quill Press for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.


      This book was a wonderful read. With great character development and growth. Combined with an intriguing mystery and touching romance. This book surprised me. I was expecting a book steep in the paranormal or witch craft, but it is a touching story about unfinished business and trying to make things right. I was moved and sympathetic to the resurrected people and Emma. I was captivated by the mystery and loved how the story flowed. Fast and enjoyable read. I am looking forward to the sequel and will look for more from this writer.






Sunday, August 3, 2014

Review: Forget Me



18311425
Forget Me
K. A. Harrington
 Putnam Juvenile
 
 
From Goodreads : On the three-month anniversary of her boyfriend Flynn’s death, Morgan uploads her only photo of him to FriendShare to get some closure—but she’s shocked when the facial recognition software suggests she tag him as "Evan Murphy." She’s never heard of Evan, but a quick search tells her that he lives in a nearby town and looks exactly like Flynn. Only this boy is very much alive.

Digging through layers of secrets and lies, Morgan is left questioning everything she thought she knew about her boyfriend, her town, and even her parents' involvement in this massive web of lies.
 
 
 
 
My Review :  I have to thank Putnam Juvenile for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
 
 
 
      I loved this book. It is the first YA mystery I have read and I could not put it down. When I first read the synopsis of this book I was thinking "Yes this book sounds great. " I was not disappointed. I read this book in two nights. The story was intriguing and I loved how the author used social media in the book. I had a hard time figuring the ending out and I was shocked by the way it ended but also delighted.
 
     I felt for Morgan and her lose I found her to be a sympathetic character and very good character. When your so young and blame yourself for someone's death is an awful burden to carry with you. Morgan was a realistic teen I could understand with a natural curiosity that anyone would have facing the same situation.  Evan is another great character and as the story goes on you connect with him too.

     The story's flow is wonderful. From the first page you are pulled in and never want to stop reading to see what is going to happen next. Thrilling and suspenseful the combination you want for a great mystery  and this is a Great Read.