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popthebutterfly
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Search fro Synergy
Author: Brett Salter
Book Series: The Tailsman Series Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: middle grade, fantasy, dragons
Publication Date: May 20, 2017
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: 10+ (some scary moments, violence, little gore)
Explanation of CWs: There are some scary moments in the book that might be a bit much for some readers. There is also some violence and gore in it.
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 220
Synopsis: "The Search For Synergy" is the first book in The Talisman Series by author Brett Salter. It follows the exploits of two middle-school boys, Rome Lockheed and Julian Rider, as they transition from normal kids into epic warriors fighting for the existence of the Earth realm. Rome is secretly a fire dragon from the Den of Volcana placed under a spell which hides his true form. Julian is an oddball, up-and-coming knight with a case of the "try-hards". Together, they perform an ancient pact which bonds their lives and souls forever. Under the tutelage and guidance of an eccentric, local librarian, Mr. Jones, the two learn of an impending invasion from an archaic evil desperate to invade from the other side of The Void.
Review: I really liked this middle grade book. I thought it was something that a real middle grader would enjoy and that would have some aspects that especially boys would enjoy (drawing from what my cousin had told me he wanted in a book when we were in middle grade and he was struggling to find books he enjoyed). I thought the character development was well done, the world building was spectacular, and the pacing was really good as well. I also liked the plot!
However, there are some more adult themes and words in this book that some parents might want to look at before they let their kids read it (I’m more of a “age doesn’t define what kids should be reading” type of person, but everyone is different).
Verdict: It was great!
Book: The Search fro Synergy
Author: Brett Salter
Book Series: The Tailsman Series Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: middle grade, fantasy, dragons
Publication Date: May 20, 2017
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: 10+ (some scary moments, violence, little gore)
Explanation of CWs: There are some scary moments in the book that might be a bit much for some readers. There is also some violence and gore in it.
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 220
Synopsis: "The Search For Synergy" is the first book in The Talisman Series by author Brett Salter. It follows the exploits of two middle-school boys, Rome Lockheed and Julian Rider, as they transition from normal kids into epic warriors fighting for the existence of the Earth realm. Rome is secretly a fire dragon from the Den of Volcana placed under a spell which hides his true form. Julian is an oddball, up-and-coming knight with a case of the "try-hards". Together, they perform an ancient pact which bonds their lives and souls forever. Under the tutelage and guidance of an eccentric, local librarian, Mr. Jones, the two learn of an impending invasion from an archaic evil desperate to invade from the other side of The Void.
Review: I really liked this middle grade book. I thought it was something that a real middle grader would enjoy and that would have some aspects that especially boys would enjoy (drawing from what my cousin had told me he wanted in a book when we were in middle grade and he was struggling to find books he enjoyed). I thought the character development was well done, the world building was spectacular, and the pacing was really good as well. I also liked the plot!
However, there are some more adult themes and words in this book that some parents might want to look at before they let their kids read it (I’m more of a “age doesn’t define what kids should be reading” type of person, but everyone is different).
Verdict: It was great!
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Corrupted: The Truth Shall Be The Nail In Your Coffin
Author: Jared Dixon
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2/5
Publication Date: October 15, 2019
Genre: Fiction
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNFed
Publisher: Full Circle Press
Pages: 277
Synopsis: Jeremiah (Jerry) Nelson was happy, living the life of a struggling writer in New York City and proudly owning his identity as a gay man. However, his past catches up with him once he is forced to return home to his dysfunctional family, a history that involves a tragic loss, his bulimia, and his indelible stint in conversion therapy.
Harriet Nelson never recovered from the loss of her daughter five years ago, passively watching as her marriage disintegrated before her eyes. When her oldest son, Jerry, comes home from New York, Harriet slowly finds the fortitude to be happy, no matter the cost.
Carl's identity as a preacher's kid has never allowed him the space to own his identity as a gay young man. On the cusp of entering college, he dangerously ventures into the “forbidden” world of same-sex relationships just as his father has a revelation to preach a message of conversion to heterosexuality.
Through the help of his friends Carl and Mel and his younger brother, Leo, Jerry finds the courage to channel his painful past into exposing the dangerous, duplicitous world of conversion therapy as a field reporter for an online magazine, Rainbow Warriors. As Jerry digs into a world he vowed to never return to, a world Carl’s father is convinced holds the key to salvation for homosexuals, he discovers a shocking criminal connection that threatens not only his own life but the lives of some of his closest friends as well.
Corrupted: The Truth Shall Be The Nail In Your Coffin’s exploration of conversion therapy, Christianity, grief and loss, eating disorders, infidelity, racial identity, and other social issues will challenge readers to not only examine their own views on these pivotal topics but also engage in difficult conversations that have the potential to spark positive social change.
Review: I had to DNF this book about 20% in. The book isn’t for me and while the book sounds really interesting, it just wasn’t something I could get into. However, I do recommend this book. It does sound pretty good.
Verdict: DNF but it sounds good.
Book: Corrupted: The Truth Shall Be The Nail In Your Coffin
Author: Jared Dixon
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2/5
Publication Date: October 15, 2019
Genre: Fiction
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNFed
Publisher: Full Circle Press
Pages: 277
Synopsis: Jeremiah (Jerry) Nelson was happy, living the life of a struggling writer in New York City and proudly owning his identity as a gay man. However, his past catches up with him once he is forced to return home to his dysfunctional family, a history that involves a tragic loss, his bulimia, and his indelible stint in conversion therapy.
Harriet Nelson never recovered from the loss of her daughter five years ago, passively watching as her marriage disintegrated before her eyes. When her oldest son, Jerry, comes home from New York, Harriet slowly finds the fortitude to be happy, no matter the cost.
Carl's identity as a preacher's kid has never allowed him the space to own his identity as a gay young man. On the cusp of entering college, he dangerously ventures into the “forbidden” world of same-sex relationships just as his father has a revelation to preach a message of conversion to heterosexuality.
Through the help of his friends Carl and Mel and his younger brother, Leo, Jerry finds the courage to channel his painful past into exposing the dangerous, duplicitous world of conversion therapy as a field reporter for an online magazine, Rainbow Warriors. As Jerry digs into a world he vowed to never return to, a world Carl’s father is convinced holds the key to salvation for homosexuals, he discovers a shocking criminal connection that threatens not only his own life but the lives of some of his closest friends as well.
Corrupted: The Truth Shall Be The Nail In Your Coffin’s exploration of conversion therapy, Christianity, grief and loss, eating disorders, infidelity, racial identity, and other social issues will challenge readers to not only examine their own views on these pivotal topics but also engage in difficult conversations that have the potential to spark positive social change.
Review: I had to DNF this book about 20% in. The book isn’t for me and while the book sounds really interesting, it just wasn’t something I could get into. However, I do recommend this book. It does sound pretty good.
Verdict: DNF but it sounds good.
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc of the book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Nightmares
Author: Fernando Velez, Doris Marcano, and Daniel Grimaldi
Book Series: Class 6 Episode 9
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: POC character, queer character
Recommended For...: graphic novel, LGBTQQIP2SAA
Publication Date: December 13, 2021
Genre: Graphic Novel
Recommended Age: violence, gore, language, homophobia, death, discrimination, religion,
Explanation of CWs: Discrimination mentioned
Publisher: Kraven Comics
Pages: 48
Synopsis: Kian sees the universe of origin of our human ancestors before the big crush forced them to find our universe.
Class6 is about Queen Izaar, a being created by our human ancestors to safeguard humanity. But there is one problem: she was left with an ancient enemy, the reptilian race, who has tried to eliminate the human race for thousands of years. Now one last war is about to end this bloody circle, but it will happen in our time, more specifically on our planet earth. Queen Izaar's path crosses with these other five individuals who are LGBTQ, and each plays an essential role with the faith of humanity. They must come together with their abilities to join forces with Queen Izara. In the beginning, they are fighting for gay rights. Still, as they discover this more significant conflict, they must decide if they want to save the same human race that has rejected them, killed them, and attacked them for being LGBTQ. In the end, the last fight is for the survival of the human race that lays in the hand of these LGBTQ heroes. Humanity will learn the truth about our existence and origins. We must decide if we want to continue on this status quo of hate and division or if we will finally come together as one race to defeat our common enemy, and become the powerful race we once were.
Review: For the most part I liked this newest edition to the Kraven Comics family. The plot was good, the illustrations were amazing, and I liked the character development. The book was well storied and I feel like I’m getting a lot of backstory, which is what I’ve been craving for awhile now.
However, the beginning is very confusing and, I think because I read all of the other books one right after another, I never realized how confusing it is in the beginning to not have a recap of the comics. It took me awhile to figure out where I was in this book and at the end I’m left on a cliffhanger again.
Verdict: It was good!
Book: Nightmares
Author: Fernando Velez, Doris Marcano, and Daniel Grimaldi
Book Series: Class 6 Episode 9
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: POC character, queer character
Recommended For...: graphic novel, LGBTQQIP2SAA
Publication Date: December 13, 2021
Genre: Graphic Novel
Recommended Age: violence, gore, language, homophobia, death, discrimination, religion,
Explanation of CWs: Discrimination mentioned
Publisher: Kraven Comics
Pages: 48
Synopsis: Kian sees the universe of origin of our human ancestors before the big crush forced them to find our universe.
Class6 is about Queen Izaar, a being created by our human ancestors to safeguard humanity. But there is one problem: she was left with an ancient enemy, the reptilian race, who has tried to eliminate the human race for thousands of years. Now one last war is about to end this bloody circle, but it will happen in our time, more specifically on our planet earth. Queen Izaar's path crosses with these other five individuals who are LGBTQ, and each plays an essential role with the faith of humanity. They must come together with their abilities to join forces with Queen Izara. In the beginning, they are fighting for gay rights. Still, as they discover this more significant conflict, they must decide if they want to save the same human race that has rejected them, killed them, and attacked them for being LGBTQ. In the end, the last fight is for the survival of the human race that lays in the hand of these LGBTQ heroes. Humanity will learn the truth about our existence and origins. We must decide if we want to continue on this status quo of hate and division or if we will finally come together as one race to defeat our common enemy, and become the powerful race we once were.
Review: For the most part I liked this newest edition to the Kraven Comics family. The plot was good, the illustrations were amazing, and I liked the character development. The book was well storied and I feel like I’m getting a lot of backstory, which is what I’ve been craving for awhile now.
However, the beginning is very confusing and, I think because I read all of the other books one right after another, I never realized how confusing it is in the beginning to not have a recap of the comics. It took me awhile to figure out where I was in this book and at the end I’m left on a cliffhanger again.
Verdict: It was good!
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Little Wanderers: The Everlasting Seasons
Author: I.K. Silver
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended For...: children’s readers, fantasy
Publication Date: October 1, 2021
Genre: Children’s Fantasy
Recommended Age: 8+ (some small scary moments)
Explanation of CWs: There are just some small moments that might scare smaller kids.
Publisher: Red Butterfly Press
Pages: 238
Synopsis: Snowy is a tiny dwarf leading an almost normal life in the village of never-ending winter. Aside from the ever-dreary sky, living next to rowdy neighbors, and being treated like a child, nothing seems to pose a challenge.
All that changes when rumors about Snowy breaking a taboo spread. Disheartened at what he deemed betrayal and feeling stuck in his village, Snowy sneaks out to look for Originem, a village where misfortune befalls no one. However, the aftermath exceeds his wildest expectations.
Snowy finds himself in a magical world, suddenly dealing with the quaintest of things, from singing fruits and a wizard cat to dark woods (brimming with vicious beasts) and other villages locked in one season. But to reach his destination, Snowy, and his new friend, Kokoro, must first solve the mysteries surrounding the villages of everlasting seasons, as the secret that connects them may threaten their very existence.
Review: This was a sweet book. I loved the story and it would be a cute read for younger readers. The book has great character development and plot. The writing is well done and cohesive. The book is also a super quick read and is fast paced.
The only issue I had is that I wish that there was more world building, but other than that it was a good read.
Verdict: It was cute!
Book: Little Wanderers: The Everlasting Seasons
Author: I.K. Silver
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended For...: children’s readers, fantasy
Publication Date: October 1, 2021
Genre: Children’s Fantasy
Recommended Age: 8+ (some small scary moments)
Explanation of CWs: There are just some small moments that might scare smaller kids.
Publisher: Red Butterfly Press
Pages: 238
Synopsis: Snowy is a tiny dwarf leading an almost normal life in the village of never-ending winter. Aside from the ever-dreary sky, living next to rowdy neighbors, and being treated like a child, nothing seems to pose a challenge.
All that changes when rumors about Snowy breaking a taboo spread. Disheartened at what he deemed betrayal and feeling stuck in his village, Snowy sneaks out to look for Originem, a village where misfortune befalls no one. However, the aftermath exceeds his wildest expectations.
Snowy finds himself in a magical world, suddenly dealing with the quaintest of things, from singing fruits and a wizard cat to dark woods (brimming with vicious beasts) and other villages locked in one season. But to reach his destination, Snowy, and his new friend, Kokoro, must first solve the mysteries surrounding the villages of everlasting seasons, as the secret that connects them may threaten their very existence.
Review: This was a sweet book. I loved the story and it would be a cute read for younger readers. The book has great character development and plot. The writing is well done and cohesive. The book is also a super quick read and is fast paced.
The only issue I had is that I wish that there was more world building, but other than that it was a good read.
Verdict: It was cute!
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from Booktasters. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Kitty Counts Her Blessings
Author: Kat E. Erikson
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: childrens, picture books, animal main characters
Publication Date: October 2, 2021
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Recommended Age: 0+ (religion)
Explanation of CWs: There was a slight religious undertone to the book, but nothing specifically mentioned
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 36
Synopsis: Children are experts at finding delight everywhere they look, even when life gets a little dark. Kitty Counts Her Blessings celebrates that gift-and shares a lesson in counting besides.
As the story begins, Kitty has no trouble counting her blessings, from the sun on her nose to the zing of the bees. But when rain threatens to spoil her fun, finding blessings isn't so easy. Then she remembers learning hide-and-seek, and suddenly joys are around every corner-and before long, so is her boy, ready to play and count along with her.
This cheerful, rhyming picture book invites children and the grownups who love them to seek the blessings in their own world.
Review: This was a very cute and colorful children’s book about remembering the blessings you see and get each day. The artwork was adorable, the kitty explained what blessings were well and how to find them. The book veered a bit on the religious side, but wasn’t obviously religious and would probably be ok for children that parents are wanting to raise without religion.
Verdict: It was sweet!
Book: Kitty Counts Her Blessings
Author: Kat E. Erikson
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: childrens, picture books, animal main characters
Publication Date: October 2, 2021
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Recommended Age: 0+ (religion)
Explanation of CWs: There was a slight religious undertone to the book, but nothing specifically mentioned
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 36
Synopsis: Children are experts at finding delight everywhere they look, even when life gets a little dark. Kitty Counts Her Blessings celebrates that gift-and shares a lesson in counting besides.
As the story begins, Kitty has no trouble counting her blessings, from the sun on her nose to the zing of the bees. But when rain threatens to spoil her fun, finding blessings isn't so easy. Then she remembers learning hide-and-seek, and suddenly joys are around every corner-and before long, so is her boy, ready to play and count along with her.
This cheerful, rhyming picture book invites children and the grownups who love them to seek the blessings in their own world.
Review: This was a very cute and colorful children’s book about remembering the blessings you see and get each day. The artwork was adorable, the kitty explained what blessings were well and how to find them. The book veered a bit on the religious side, but wasn’t obviously religious and would probably be ok for children that parents are wanting to raise without religion.
Verdict: It was sweet!
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Crossed
Author: Kristy Centeno
Book Series: Keeper Witches Book 0.5
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: Magic, romance
Publication Date: April 21, 2020
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing
Pages: 85
Recommended Age: 17+ (violence, romance, slight gore, magic, romance)
Synopsis: Bryn McCaskey lived by simple rules: kill demons, never use magic against school bullies, and avoid running her mouth in front of her Grams.
It all seemed easy enough to follow.
Until Rhyzel Connor rolled into her life.
Suddenly everything she thought she knew about demons is put to the test as she finds herself teaming up with the most unusual of teammates to save a fellow witch from a hit.
Only problem is she doesn’t know how trustworthy Rhyzel is.
When magic is involved a good outcome isn’t always guaranteed and Bryn will have to put her neck on the line to get to the bottom of the well, even if it means unmasking Rhyzel and everything he stands for in an attempt to solve the biggest mystery she’s ever come across.
Review: This was a pretty good start to this series. The action was great and well written, the character development was good, and the world building was interesting.
The only downside I had was that I felt the book was way too fast paced. It's only 85 pages but it's so quick and it goes through a lot of info in a short period of time.
Verdict: a decent start to a series.
Book: Crossed
Author: Kristy Centeno
Book Series: Keeper Witches Book 0.5
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: Magic, romance
Publication Date: April 21, 2020
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing
Pages: 85
Recommended Age: 17+ (violence, romance, slight gore, magic, romance)
Synopsis: Bryn McCaskey lived by simple rules: kill demons, never use magic against school bullies, and avoid running her mouth in front of her Grams.
It all seemed easy enough to follow.
Until Rhyzel Connor rolled into her life.
Suddenly everything she thought she knew about demons is put to the test as she finds herself teaming up with the most unusual of teammates to save a fellow witch from a hit.
Only problem is she doesn’t know how trustworthy Rhyzel is.
When magic is involved a good outcome isn’t always guaranteed and Bryn will have to put her neck on the line to get to the bottom of the well, even if it means unmasking Rhyzel and everything he stands for in an attempt to solve the biggest mystery she’s ever come across.
Review: This was a pretty good start to this series. The action was great and well written, the character development was good, and the world building was interesting.
The only downside I had was that I felt the book was way too fast paced. It's only 85 pages but it's so quick and it goes through a lot of info in a short period of time.
Verdict: a decent start to a series.
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Keeper of Lost Souls
Author: Kristy Centeno
Book Series: Keeper Witches Book 1
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: Magic, demons, romance
Publication Date: May 14, 2020
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing
Pages: 323
Recommended Age: 17+ (violence, romance, slight gore, magic, romance)
Synopsis: Bryn has survived high school bullies.
She’s fought demons and won.
She’s even learned to coexist with the permanent haunt of one of her arch enemies.
But she’s never had to contend with a boy she was attracted too.
Much less one that was dead.
When Johnny Zhao’s name pops up in her list of charges Bryn doesn’t think much of him. Until their first meeting ends in near disaster.
It doesn’t take long for her to realize Johnny isn’t a conventional soul in need. He’s much more powerful than any she’s seen before. He’s a coveted target, one that has much to offer demons.
Protecting him becomes a priority, one she takes very seriously.
Now if only she could convince him that he needs her help before his adversaries return to claim what they failed to collect the first time around.
Review: For the most part this was a good book. The plot was interesting and the character development was well done. I liked the twists and turns of this book as well.
However I think the pacing is a bit too slow for me and the world building needs to be incorporated a bit more into the story.
Verdict: A fairly well done read.
Book: Keeper of Lost Souls
Author: Kristy Centeno
Book Series: Keeper Witches Book 1
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: Magic, demons, romance
Publication Date: May 14, 2020
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing
Pages: 323
Recommended Age: 17+ (violence, romance, slight gore, magic, romance)
Synopsis: Bryn has survived high school bullies.
She’s fought demons and won.
She’s even learned to coexist with the permanent haunt of one of her arch enemies.
But she’s never had to contend with a boy she was attracted too.
Much less one that was dead.
When Johnny Zhao’s name pops up in her list of charges Bryn doesn’t think much of him. Until their first meeting ends in near disaster.
It doesn’t take long for her to realize Johnny isn’t a conventional soul in need. He’s much more powerful than any she’s seen before. He’s a coveted target, one that has much to offer demons.
Protecting him becomes a priority, one she takes very seriously.
Now if only she could convince him that he needs her help before his adversaries return to claim what they failed to collect the first time around.
Review: For the most part this was a good book. The plot was interesting and the character development was well done. I liked the twists and turns of this book as well.
However I think the pacing is a bit too slow for me and the world building needs to be incorporated a bit more into the story.
Verdict: A fairly well done read.
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Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Pen Thief and the Chamber of Power
Author: Tasha Madison
Book Series: The Pen Thief Book 2
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy
Publication Date: June 7, 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy
Age Relevance: 12+ (violence, gore, bullying)
Explanation of Above: There is some violence and very slight gore mentioned and shown in the book. The gore is in the form of a couple of sentences mentioning blood, but nothing extremely gorey. There is also mentions of bullying.
Publisher: Author Academy Elite
Pages: 230
Synopsis: Chosen to Protect.
Destined to Defend.
Arnie Schmidt has survived high school bullying and crushing heartbreak. Now, he must confront his deepest fear … the truth about his mysterious powers that may change his life and future forever.
Meanwhile, brutal forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on destroying him. To defeat them, Arnie must find the strength to trust himself and those closest to him while undertaking a desperate quest to distinguish fact from fiction.
Deep in the archives of the Fellowship of Guardians—where long-awaited answers slumber—Arnie gains the insight he needs to navigate the unknown. But, the improbable thrusts him into a labyrinth of secrets, unexpected adventures, and a fight to escape an imminent danger. As his world shatters, he must delve into the depths of his power and encourage the abilities of others if he is going to conquer old wounds long enough to survive.
Can Arnie embrace his destiny before ancient shadows ruin the promise of a hidden prophecy?
Review: For the most part this was a fun read. The book immediately picks up where we left off in the first one and the book is very action packed. Overall I liked the book. The world building was a bit better in this one and the premise immediately draws you in.
However, I did have issues with this one as well. I, once again, felt like this was an all-dialogue read. The magic system is still not fully developed in my opinion and the character development in this book stalled out. I was very confused by some of the actions of the characters and I feel like this book and series needs a bit more meat on it and more editing. The book also continues to read really young.
Verdict: It’s ok.
Book: The Pen Thief and the Chamber of Power
Author: Tasha Madison
Book Series: The Pen Thief Book 2
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy
Publication Date: June 7, 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy
Age Relevance: 12+ (violence, gore, bullying)
Explanation of Above: There is some violence and very slight gore mentioned and shown in the book. The gore is in the form of a couple of sentences mentioning blood, but nothing extremely gorey. There is also mentions of bullying.
Publisher: Author Academy Elite
Pages: 230
Synopsis: Chosen to Protect.
Destined to Defend.
Arnie Schmidt has survived high school bullying and crushing heartbreak. Now, he must confront his deepest fear … the truth about his mysterious powers that may change his life and future forever.
Meanwhile, brutal forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on destroying him. To defeat them, Arnie must find the strength to trust himself and those closest to him while undertaking a desperate quest to distinguish fact from fiction.
Deep in the archives of the Fellowship of Guardians—where long-awaited answers slumber—Arnie gains the insight he needs to navigate the unknown. But, the improbable thrusts him into a labyrinth of secrets, unexpected adventures, and a fight to escape an imminent danger. As his world shatters, he must delve into the depths of his power and encourage the abilities of others if he is going to conquer old wounds long enough to survive.
Can Arnie embrace his destiny before ancient shadows ruin the promise of a hidden prophecy?
Review: For the most part this was a fun read. The book immediately picks up where we left off in the first one and the book is very action packed. Overall I liked the book. The world building was a bit better in this one and the premise immediately draws you in.
However, I did have issues with this one as well. I, once again, felt like this was an all-dialogue read. The magic system is still not fully developed in my opinion and the character development in this book stalled out. I was very confused by some of the actions of the characters and I feel like this book and series needs a bit more meat on it and more editing. The book also continues to read really young.
Verdict: It’s ok.
Disclaimer: I received this physical copy from the publishers. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: A Garden for Grace
Author: Ellen Mainville
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: children’s readers, picture books, poetry, gardening
Publication Date: November 29, 2021
Genre: Children’s Picture Book Poetry
Age Relevance: 0+ (slight mention of COVID and death in author notes)
Explanation of Above: There is some slight mentions of COVID and death in the back of the book as a tribute to the author, but you can easily skip that if you don’t want to read it.
Publisher: ABCarlson Publishing
Pages: 68
Synopsis: Combining beautiful poetry with stunning hand-drawn floral illustrations, A Garden for Grace by Ellen Mainville is an exploration of family, love, and life through lessons inspired by the beauty of nature.
Review: I thought this was just a beautiful book inside and out. The book talks a lot about garden finds through poetry and even showcases some of her family. The book forces you to take a pause and appreciate what’s around you and to maybe even grow some flowers of your own. I think this would be an adorable book to read to your little ones or even to have for yourself.
Verdict: I like it!
Book: A Garden for Grace
Author: Ellen Mainville
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: children’s readers, picture books, poetry, gardening
Publication Date: November 29, 2021
Genre: Children’s Picture Book Poetry
Age Relevance: 0+ (slight mention of COVID and death in author notes)
Explanation of Above: There is some slight mentions of COVID and death in the back of the book as a tribute to the author, but you can easily skip that if you don’t want to read it.
Publisher: ABCarlson Publishing
Pages: 68
Synopsis: Combining beautiful poetry with stunning hand-drawn floral illustrations, A Garden for Grace by Ellen Mainville is an exploration of family, love, and life through lessons inspired by the beauty of nature.
Review: I thought this was just a beautiful book inside and out. The book talks a lot about garden finds through poetry and even showcases some of her family. The book forces you to take a pause and appreciate what’s around you and to maybe even grow some flowers of your own. I think this would be an adorable book to read to your little ones or even to have for yourself.
Verdict: I like it!
Disclaimer: I received this physical finshed copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Wizard’s Ward
Author: Jame McAleese
Book Series: Vale Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, high fantasy
Publication Date: April 30, 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy
Age Relevance: 16+ (romance, war, alcohol consumption, possible attempted sexual assault, torture, gore, blood magic, death)
Explanation of Above: There is some slight romance in the book and there is some alcohol consumption shown in the book. There is a war ongoing in the book and there is some torture and gore mentioned. There is also blood magic shown and used in the book, as well as death. There is also a possible attempted sexual assault, but it is very vague.
Publisher: Vale Media LLC
Pages: 291
Synopsis: Francis has gray blood.
The King of the Elves ordered all gray bloods be put to death, by any means necessary. Francis, the Wizard's Ward, has been hiding in plain sight all her life, under the care of Billington, the King's wizard. When Billington disappears from the Cardinal castle, Francis enlists the help of her first love, a battle-ridden soldier called X, to find the only family she's ever known.
But outside the castle walls, there is a war raging between kingdoms and Francis faces countless dangers that plague the land of Vale. Shapeshifting bounty hunters search for military deserters, pirates maraud Vale's seas, combat-trained dragons dwell in the witch's mountains, and betrayals harden once-warmed hearts.
As the journey pushes Francis to her limits, she uncovers the true power of her gray blood, a power that could fulfill a prophecy and bring down a psychotic king.
Vale: The Wizard's Ward is the first installment of an epic young adult fantasy franchise.
Review: For the most part I thought this was an ok book. Overall I liked the story and the characters were well developed. I think this will be an amazing storyline in the future and with a bit more editing it’ll be an epic fantasy novel series.
However, there are a few things that I had issue with. There were undefined time skips throughout the book. The pacing was way too fast but yet there was a lot of background information, which meant we didn’t get to the heart of the plot until about 200 pages in. There was lots of telling and not showing in the book and it lacked a lot of world building for me. There’s also an issue with blood magic being used which made me a bit weary of the text and while I’m not educated on the matter I think the author should review blood libel to make sure to avoid any antisemetic writing.
Verdict: It’s ok, it’s got potential, but it needs some work still.
Book: The Wizard’s Ward
Author: Jame McAleese
Book Series: Vale Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, high fantasy
Publication Date: April 30, 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy
Age Relevance: 16+ (romance, war, alcohol consumption, possible attempted sexual assault, torture, gore, blood magic, death)
Explanation of Above: There is some slight romance in the book and there is some alcohol consumption shown in the book. There is a war ongoing in the book and there is some torture and gore mentioned. There is also blood magic shown and used in the book, as well as death. There is also a possible attempted sexual assault, but it is very vague.
Publisher: Vale Media LLC
Pages: 291
Synopsis: Francis has gray blood.
The King of the Elves ordered all gray bloods be put to death, by any means necessary. Francis, the Wizard's Ward, has been hiding in plain sight all her life, under the care of Billington, the King's wizard. When Billington disappears from the Cardinal castle, Francis enlists the help of her first love, a battle-ridden soldier called X, to find the only family she's ever known.
But outside the castle walls, there is a war raging between kingdoms and Francis faces countless dangers that plague the land of Vale. Shapeshifting bounty hunters search for military deserters, pirates maraud Vale's seas, combat-trained dragons dwell in the witch's mountains, and betrayals harden once-warmed hearts.
As the journey pushes Francis to her limits, she uncovers the true power of her gray blood, a power that could fulfill a prophecy and bring down a psychotic king.
Vale: The Wizard's Ward is the first installment of an epic young adult fantasy franchise.
Review: For the most part I thought this was an ok book. Overall I liked the story and the characters were well developed. I think this will be an amazing storyline in the future and with a bit more editing it’ll be an epic fantasy novel series.
However, there are a few things that I had issue with. There were undefined time skips throughout the book. The pacing was way too fast but yet there was a lot of background information, which meant we didn’t get to the heart of the plot until about 200 pages in. There was lots of telling and not showing in the book and it lacked a lot of world building for me. There’s also an issue with blood magic being used which made me a bit weary of the text and while I’m not educated on the matter I think the author should review blood libel to make sure to avoid any antisemetic writing.
Verdict: It’s ok, it’s got potential, but it needs some work still.