Sunday, November 30, 2014

Book Review: Mary Theriot's Nightmare Witch Saga: Lizzy Comes To Town



Hello everyone! 
Today I'd like to offer up another review from a fellow writer of mine, Mary Theriot.

But before I get into my review, here's a bit about the book.



A surprise inheritance brings Lizzy Bradford and her father to Blackwater Bayou, Louisiana.  But the house is the smallest of the surprises in store for young Lizzy.

Growls and snarls, teasing and pranked, Lizzy’s life seems to be going…. Wait... Growls and snarls?  That can’t be normal!  

Lizzy starts to learn more about her past, and the secrets that her mother had hidden from her father as the past comes back to haunt the future.

With the help of her new friend, Marie, Lizzy must look deep within herself to find the strength to not only believe in, but also battle The Nightmare Witch.

 Sounds exciting, right? I thought so too. Now that you have the basic idea of what this book is about, I'd like to share my thoughts on the story and writing.

Mary has woven an intense tale of voodoo and witchcraft, right from the swamps of Louisiana. With the incarnation of the Nightmare Witch, she brings to life such tales as Queen Marie and other practitioners of the early 1800's. Weaving into this the idea of eternal youth through a pact with otherworldly forces to keep her youth, Mary has created a truly frightening antagonist who is obsessed with keeping her youth, even if it means destroying the lives of innocent children.

Enter our protagonist, a ten-year-old girl named Lizzy. Having just moved from New York, Lizzy feels more than out of her element as she tries to adjust to a new school and culture. What makes it even worse for her is that her dreams are haunted by the Nightmare Witch. Apparently Lizzy is the only real threat to the Witch, who is bent on destroying her.

Bullied by her new classmates, Lizzy leads a hard life. It doesn't help that she no longer has a mother to confide her fears and problems to. The Nightmare Witch made sure of that. When Lizzy meets an older girl named Marie, things start to fall into place for the young girl, and she begins to realize that she was born with magical abilities.

As incidents of the Nightmare Witch's cruelty continue, Lizzy can no longer ignore what is going, or her birthright. With Marie's help, she unlocks her powers and confronts the Witch.

The Nightmare Witch Saga: Lizzy Comes To Town is an intense folk legend that reminds me of the Goosebumps stories of my childhood. If you are not up to an intense ghost/witch story, this is probably not the read for you, as the author does describe various rituals and practices in more detail than I care for.

Mary weaves a very convincing tale of evil in the swamps, embroidering detail upon detail about the Witch living inside them, while trying to balance it out with Lizzy's increased understanding and growth in her craft.

As for pacing, I think that there could definitely be some tweaking done as some parts felt more rushed than others, and some were a bit too long.

Overall, though the tone is appropriate for ghost loving young adults, though I wouldn't recommend this for anyone under the age of thirteen. Just be prepared for a bit of a bumpy ride as you read through this rather interesting tale that is, admittedly, a bit antagonist heavy. I give it three stars.


Now that you know a bit more about the story, here's a bit about the author:




A Louisiana native and have had the wonderful opportunity of living in various states during my husband's 20-year career in the United States Coast Guard.
I have been happily married for over twenty years and am the proud mother of two wonderful children. My youngest encouraged me to begin writing this year.
Until my diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis in 2001, I worked in the Legal Field. Writing is great therapy for my own personal fight against MS.
I truly hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I have enjoyed writing them.


Mary Theriot's books are available at the following locations:


Amazon:

Barnes & Noble:

Smashwords:

Tour Schedule:









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Thursday, November 27, 2014

Book Review: The Awakening by Dorine White

Today I'm pleased to bring you yet another book review. 

This time, from the amazing Dorine White. 

Before I give my review, I'd like to share with you a bit about the book.

Nightmares really do come true, and for fifteen-year-old Kyler Birkwood, they are just beginning. Raised on a farm by his Aunt Martha, Kyler has no clue about the magical heritage swimming through his blood. When he discovers evidence of a mythical creature, a terrifying beast thought only to exist in fairy tales, his safe world shatters.

Left at a school of magic to hunt for clues, he is overwhelmed and disbelieved. As loved ones begin disappearing and Orcs roam the land, Kyler must undergo a journey that takes him from the High Courts of the King to the unknown forests of the East. His magic just awakening, Kyler is the lone hope for a world that will not listen. 

 

Sounds interesting, doesn't it? 

 

I can definitely say, with complete honesty, that this is one of the most fun books that I have reviewed yet. Dorine has masterfully woven a tale that is similar in tone to Harry Potter, The Ranger's Apprentice, and The Heroes of Olympus series. While being similar in style and tone, Dorine has definitely made this her own, create a world where magic and fantastical collide in such a way as to feel fresh and new.

Not only are her characters well developed, but are easy to relate to from any view of life. Her villain is both terrifying and amazing. And the friendships and bonds formed between her characters is nothing less than amazing.

As I read this book, I was easily immersed into the world Dorine has created. Her attention to detail is wonderful, without being overpowering. To be completely honest, I hope this develops into a series (if that isn't already the plan), because I really want to keep up with Kyler and his many adventures.

I highly recommend this book to all who love tales of magic, heroes, and overcoming life's trials. A must read for all teens and adults alike.





Here is a bit about this amazing author!
Dorine White is a children's author and  book reviewer. She grew up back East in Maryland and attended BYU in Utah. She has a BA in Humanities with an interest in Art History and French. She currently lives in the beautiful, yet rainy Northwest with her husband and 6 children.
 Her first book in The Cleopatra's Legacy series, The Emerald Ring, was published by Cedar Fort Books on May 14, 2013. It is a middle grade fantasy novel that involves Ancient Egypt, Cleopatra, and a magic emerald ring. The second book, The Ruby Pendant, was released in Spring 2014. Please check out the Cleopatra's Legacy Series" page for more info.
 Dorine is a member of the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators), the PNWA (Pacific Northwest Writers Assoc.), LDS Storymakers, and ANWA (American Night Writers Association)
To see what's going on with Dorine White, check out one of the links below:

Author Website- http://www.dorinewhite.com/
Blog- The Write Path- http://www.dorinewhite.blogspot.com/
Twitter @Dorinewhite- https://twitter.com/DorineWhite
Facebook Author Page- https://www.facebook.com/dorinewhite

The Awakening can be purchased at the following locations:

On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Awakening-Dorine-White/dp/0692296077/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=thwrpa-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=IWY6BZCBZGUYEPF7&creativeASIN=0692296077

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-awakening-dorine-white/1120797227?ean=9780692296073

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Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Cover Reveal: Campus Killer by Andrew Hess

I'm sure you've heard the phrase "Don't judge a book by it's cover" several times, but when it comes to revealing a new cover we always get excited when it's a super vibrant, eye catching, fun cover like this one! But before we get to that, let's introduce you to Author Andrew Hess!


Author Bio:

Andrew Hess is a resident of Long Island New York who likes to spend much of his time traveling between Long Island, New York City and the Dutchess County areas. In 2011 he debuted with his first book Chamber of Souls, a small book of free verse poetry which depicted the struggles of a man who thought he had everything in the world only to feel like he lost everything after a rough break-up. In 2013, Andrew debuted his novel The Phoenix Blade: Project Justice; the first in The Phoenix Blade series. 
Andrew is also a blogger at TheWritersRevolution13.blogspot.com where he interviews and promotes other authors in order to assist indie authors get more exposure. Andrew is also a frequent guest on the Anthony Charles Podcast, a show dedicated to creative professionals as they give insight into their works and the lives they lead; guests have included authors, comedians, musicians, stuntmen, actors and producers.
To find Author Andrew Hess check out these sites!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRealPhoenix13
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Iamphoenix13
Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+AndrewHess/posts
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Andrew-Hess

Now, want to hear what this book is all about? Here is the back cover blurb:

Ali Ryan has dreamed of being a hot shot detective that solves high profile cases. Her love for crime novels and police dramas was her inspiration to become a cop, but it was her pushy demeanor and sassy impulsive attitude that earned her the detective promotion she coveted. But is your dream job worth sacrificing the ones you love?
The fall semester for New Paltz has begun complete with a dead body turning up in the dorms. Police claim the case is open and shut, but Detective Ali Ryan doesn’t think so. She throws herself into the case desperately searching for answers as the death toll on campus rises; each made to look like a suicide.
With Ali getting closer to uncovering the truth, the killer wants to make his attacks more personal. His sights are set on Detective Ryan and her sister. Police are forced to place them under their protection, but Ali is determined to hunt down the killer and stop him before he kills again. But how far is Detective Ryan willing to go to protect her sister and take down the sadistic killer?

All right, 
so I've introduced you to the author, 
shared the back cover blurb, 
I think there is only one thing left to do!


*****PRESENTING*****

This beautiful, BRAND NEW, vibrant cover for 
Campus Killer by Andrew Hess!



Don't forget to check out all the other blogs helping us spread this cover all around the world and leave a comment for the author! What do you think of the cover?


julkbearreads.wordpress.com
http://taliasreviews.blogspot.com/
readinginsarahscorner.blogspot.com
http://fictionalrendezvousbookblog.blogspot.com/
http://authorsandralove.blogspot.com/
http://authorcandyodonnell.blogspot.com/
http://booksshelly27.blogspot.com/
http://abookandacupofcoffee.wordpress.com/
http://sweet-n-sassy-book-a-holics.blogspot.com/
semishort.blogspot.com
rebeccalamoreaux-anauthorinprogress.blogspot.com
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Saturday, November 22, 2014

Blog Blast: More Than a Review

I'm really excited to have Donna Feyen and her amazing blog site visiting my blog today!


Donna is the host of WWW.MORETHANAREVIEW.COM where she reviews tons and tons of books! It's a great resource for checking out those books you've been wondering about and deciding if they are worth the read! Or before you purchase!



A bit about Donna:


Meet The Founder

Donna says that "The best thing about reviewing is meeting authors both in person and online.  I have some great author friends that I would not have met without having More Than a Review.  I love attending book conventions and I am also looking for recommendations on which ones to attend."

A bit about me:
More Than A Review (MTAR) founder, Donna Feyen, is an avid reader, a “stalker” (a.k.a. devoted fan) of popular band Third Day, and loves to scrapbook in both the traditional and digital styles using Creative Memories tools.  She loves Beth Moore bible studies, has worked at the same company for 27+ years, and loves to travel!  Some of her bucket list items include: visiting Hawaii, another trip to Germany (where her husband was born), and riding their motorcycle down interstate 1 in California.  Donna lives in Northwest Arkansas with her husband and her 3 beautiful black labs.
Where did the vision for MTAR come from:
Donna started MTAR after reading several books that fell short of their “traditional” reviews and included more graphic content than she was expecting to read.   These disappointments and the inability to research the content of a book before purchase, led Donna to the purpose and vision behind MTAR.
After discussing her ideas with friends and family, Donna began to develop the science behind creating a website that would provide in-depth book reviews while also including a detailed “grading” system to provide readers upfront knowledge about the content of books they choose to read.
How readers can become involved:
Currently, MTAR allows anyone to write book reviews once they have registered via the MTAR homepage login screen.  Our hopes are that requiring a reviewer to register prior to posting a review will deter individuals who may cause havoc on the site.  Should we miss someone, there is a “report abuse” button that any reviewer may click if they identify someone who is abusing the privilege of posting a book review.
What we do:
  1. MTAR provides a platform for books to be reviewed by overall content and by four specific content categories.
  2. MTAR provides the ability to search for books based on specific content levels and genre.
  3. MTAR also provides book recommendations based on a registered users preferred content level.
In the coming months, we will add author interviews, excerpts from new releases, and a newsletter to provide additional noteworthy information for each genre represented in the titles found on MTAR.
To my amazing prayer warriors:
I believe that God puts people in our lives to help guide and mentor us along the path of life.  The MTAR project has been no different!  Thank you to my sister and my parents for their encouragement and continued support. To my mentor who was there when I was ready to give up and somehow managed to convince this hard-headed girl to enter her idea into a Start Up Cup competition, thank you does not seem nearly enough!  To my great friends who spent the day with me entering in book reviews, I remember that day like it was yesterday and it was what fully jumpstarted me, thank you!
To ALL of my prayer warriors, you can move mountains!!!
---------//----------
Loving the Book is hosting an event in her honor here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/304306413107315
Come Follow Along!

Also, there are some exciting prizes to win below, Including all of these AND MORE:




a Rafflecopter giveaway


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