Tuesday, March 31, 2020

The Fang of Bonfire Crossing (Legends of the Lost Causes #2) by Brad McLelland & Louis Sylvester

39280627The Fang of Bonfire Crossing (Legends of the Lost Causes #2) by Brad McLelland & Louis Sylvester
Format:  Hardcover
Publisher:  
Henry Holt & Company
Number of Pages:  464
Published:  
February 19th, 2019
Source:  
Publisher in exchange for an honest review


Opening Line:  "Big Ben Loving gazed across the frozen bog and checked his compass." 

Publishers Description:  Keech Blackwood and his band of fellow orphans demand justice for their fallen families. But the road to retribution is a long and hard-fought journey.

After defeating Bad Whiskey Nelson, the man who burned Keech’s home to the ground, the Lost Causes have a new mission: find Bonfire Crossing, the mysterious land that holds clues to the whereabouts of the all-powerful Char Stone. Along the way, they’ll have to fend off a shapeshifting beast, a swarm of river monsters, and a fearsome desperado named Big Ben Loving who conjures tornadoes out of thin air. It’s an epic standoff between the Lost Causes and the outlaw Reverend Rose, a powerful sorcerer who would be unstoppable with the Stone in his possession.

With the world—and vengeance—hanging in the balance, the Lost Causes are ready for battle."



The Fang of Bonfire Crossing takes up shortly after the events in the last book.  The Lost Causes, made up of Keech, John Wesley, Nat, Duck, and Cutter were disheartened to learn the Char Stone had been stolen by the Enforcer, Red Jeffreys.  They continued to follow Pa Abner's clues to head west and were making their way through Kansas in search of the bending trees Pa had mentioned.   Along the way, they found an abandoned campsite and tracks, unlike any animals they've ever seen before.  Along a ravine, they then encounter a tracker,  Sunrise Albert who's searching for Owen AKA Quinn, a boy who escaped from a slaver named Friendly Williams.  After managing to scare the tracker off, Keech and his crew continue on their way looking to find shelter from an oncoming storm.  Despite running low on supplies, they're determined to find the location of the Bonfire Crossing and prevent Reverend Rose and his gang from acquiring the Char Stone.

 As with the first book, I really enjoyed the action and adventuring of this sequel.  I would suggest starting with the Legends of the Lost Causes otherwise you'll miss out on how the Lost Causes were formed, lots of the early action, plot, and character development that carries over into the sequel.  Keech and his friends suffered some devastating losses in The Fang of Bonfire Crossing.  At one time or another, each one of them tries to put on a brave front, to persevere but the team is really starting to feel the strain of dealing with Rose's men.  Some of the newest challenges sent by Reverend Rose are Friendly Williams, a "Chamelia" or shifter that is hunting them, Big Ben Loving and a man named Coward who has the ability to smell out people's secrets.  The zombie-like thralls from the first book can't compare to the attacks they suffer by the bloodthirsty shifter or even the army of slimy marsh creatures.  Seriously, at one point I was even questioning whether or not they were going to break apart and go their separate ways.  Somehow, despite the losses, setbacks, and deceptions, the Lost Causes come together stronger and more tightly knit, even welcoming Quinn into their fold.  

Another huge part of the fun with these adventures is discovering what kind of magical forces the Lost Causes will face.  Reverend Rose continues to wield his power from afar, using his minions to carry out his orders.  Feeding them "prime" or the power that allows them to wield their magical enhancements.  His crows continue to circle above, spying on the Lost Causes, reporting their every move.  However, this time around there's a Texas Ranger who has magical powers that he uses to cloak Keech and his friend's movements.  This especially comes in handy as they set out on a rescue mission in a town that is almost as impenetrable as a fortress.  Ultimately they've been deceived and instead have walked into a trap.  Luckily the Lost Causes have grit, ingenuity, and the ability to think quickly when faced with danger.  Keech continues to be a valuable member because of the unique teachings or lessons that Pa Abner taught him that help them get out of some of their most difficult situations.  I've grown quite fond of all of the characters and the bond that they share, but Duck is starting to become one of my favorites.  The Fang of Bonefire Crossing is a wonderful sequel, with many intense moments of danger, action, and will certainly not disappoint any western loving adventurer.  I'm really curious about how the story will resolve and am imagining an epic showdown between Keech and the elusive Reverend Rose.  Can't wait to read The Key of Skeleton Peak soon.         

         **A huge thank you to the Henry Holt & Company for the review copy. **       

Monday, March 23, 2020

MG Fantasy review of Polly and Buster: The Search for the Silver Witch (Book 3) by Sally Rippin

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Title:  Polly and Buster:  The Search for the Silver Witch (Book 3) by Sally Rippin
Format:  Paperback
Publisher:  First Published in Australia June 1st, 2019  by Hardie Grant Egmont 
Published in the US:  Sept. 2019 by Kane Miller, a division of EDC Publishing 
Number of Pages:  296
Source:  Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Lines:  "Polly Proggett is a witch and her best friend, Buster Grewclaw, is a monster.  But they live in Blackmoon Coven where witches usually don't mix with monsters, and their friendship has led them into all kinds of trouble."

At the end of book two, Polly casts a spell to put the Gorvan, a creature that had been living in the deepest part of a cavern near Blackmoon Coven back to sleep.  It seemed as if monsters and witches were finally going to put their differences aside.  Buster was about to receive a medal for bravery and hopefully, a new sense of peace would be coming to the witches and monsters of Blackmoon Coven.  Instead, a division seemed to be increasingly growing and Polly's dreams for unity between monsters and witches seemed bleak.  Polly's mother and the witches were even adamant that Polly keeps a distance from Buster, something that tore at her heart because she missed her beloved friend terribly.  Unsure of what she could do to mend the differences, Polly asked for help from the three magical stones given to her by her father and received a message to seek the help of a Silver Witch.  Certain it was referring to her Aunt Hilda, Polly asks Buster to come with to search for her.


I've quite enjoyed reading the Polly and Buster series.  Polly is a loyal friend to Buster, she felt he deserved to receive his medal for bravery and was convinced that it would be a stepping stone to mend fences between the two sides.  Buster is a lovely friend to Polly as well, eager to help her on her quest and selflessly throwing himself in harm's way to protect his dear friend.   The Search for the Silver Witch may be geared toward younger children, but it tackles some pretty difficult topics like prejudice, racism, and the importance of friendship, and standing by your friend in a way that younger children can easily understand.  In the story, there is a purple mist and a Gorvan, or creature that feeds off of the witches and monster's anger and hatred toward one another.  To me, it appeared to represent the misunderstandings, biases, and prejudices that have been brewing between the two sides.  Polly recognizes what is happening and understands the importance of getting the two sides to come together in order to conquer the beast once and for all.   There are strong messages about what kind of person you want to be, standing up for the things you believe in and having empathy towards others.  

*Thank you to Kane Miller publishing for the review copy*

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Blog Tour for Legends of Lost Causes series by Brad McLelland and Louis Sylvester + Giveaway



Today I'm excited to be hosting a spot for the LEGENDS OF LOST CAUSES SERIES by Brad McLelland & Louis Sylvester Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About The Book:

Title: THE KEY OF SKELETON PEAK (Legends of the Lost Causes #3)
Author: Brad McLelland & Louis Sylvester
Pub. Date: March 17, 2020
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Pages: 464
Dark magic meets the Old West in this third installment of the Legends of the Lost Causes, as a group of vigilante orphans go head-to-head against an outlaw sorcerer in pursuit of an ancient and powerful magical artifact!

Publishers Description:    Keech Blackwood and his fellow Lost Causes have won their share of battles, but the war against the ruthless sorcerer Reverend Rose still rages on.

This time, the Lost Causes face their most perilous trial yet: stopping Rose and his henchmen from retrieving an ancient, powerful object that would help return him to his full, frightening strength. As the vigilante orphans race to the dangerous depths of Skeleton Peak, the sight of the magical object, they’ll have to outmaneuver Rose’s most faithful—and menacing—ally: an inhuman creature spawned by darkness and shadow. But ever in pursuit of justice and vengeance for their fallen families, the Lost Causes won’t give up without a fight.

Grab the first 2 books in the series!




My Thoughts on Book One: 
 Legends of Lost Causes:

  Opening Line:  "Keech Blackwood splashed up from the cold waters of the Third Fork River and blinked at the bright autumn sun." 

Legends of Lost Causes is full-on 100% Western awesomeness.  It made me so nostalgic for the western movies that I used to watch on base as a kid.  There's gunslinging, a telegraph office, the county sheriff, even a huge standoff ending.  There is so much to love about this book and I'll get into the really fun, exciting parts in just a bit cause this ain't no ordinary western.   

The first book begins in the Missouri Hills in 1844.  Keech and his brother Sam are playing down by the river when a stranger named Bad Whisky shows up looking for their Pa.  Not familiar with the shady looking man, they send him off in the wrong direction and hightail back to Carson's Home for Lost Causes, the orphanage they live at with their three siblings, Granny Nell and Pa Abner.  Pa seems disturbed by the news of the man coming around asking for him and sends the boys on an urgent mission to the telegraph office in Big Timber with a message in a sealed envelope that he wants sent to St. Genevieve, Mississippi.  Along the way, the boys become curious about what the telegram says and open the letter finding a coded message, a cipher of sorts that appears to make references to biblical passages.  

In Big Timber, the boys find the telegraph office is under attack and the telegraph machine has been destroyed.  Unable to send their message, they head home.  Once there, they learn that Bad Whiskey has returned and has brought members of his gang with him.  Concerned for their Pa's safety, Keech and Sam hide where they overhear parts of Pa and Whisky's conversation.  Pa Abner insists he doesn't have the Char Stone and Keech hears Whiskey say something about Pa being an Enforcer, and that someone named Reverend Rose is looking for this stone.  Because Pa is unable to give him what he wants, Bad Whiskey sets Keech's home on fire, killing everyone inside and leaving Keech alone.  

In the second part of the story, Sheriff Turner arrives to investigate.  Initially, they plan to go after Bad Whiskey together, but then four children show up who are hunting the same killers.  When disagreements arise between the children and Sheriff, Keech takes off with the four kids instead.  Out on the road, the children begin to piece together that they share a unique connection, that all of their fathers took on new identities and names in order to hide the Char stone from Reverend Rose.  Keech also receives some valuable information about his father and his heritage.    

Okay, now for the things that I loved about this story and there were so many.  Everything from the setting to characters to the none stop action.  There's the brotherhood that these boys share, the way that they have a code and honor about them.  How they bonded over their need for revenge and to bring Whiskey to justice.   I loved how Pa Abner taught his children rules for survival in the wilderness, and how Keech was able to draw from those lessons later as he was hunting after Whiskey.  But as I said before, this isn't your ordinary western, this western has zombies.  ZOMBIES!  I can't state enough how cool that is in a western.  Whiskey even controls these zombie-like thralls who are dead former outlaws forced to do Whiskey and Reverend Rose's bidding.  Did I mention that this is action-packed?  Their adventure takes them through the mountains, into the mouth of a cave, through the forests, while avoiding a quicksand trap and then ends in a creepy boneyard filled with rotting corpses and a huge epic final showdown ensues.  And what a thrilling showdown it is.  I mean seriously this is such an exciting adventure.  I really enjoyed reading Legends of Lost Causes and am so looking forward to continuing with The Fang of Bonefire Crossing.  I need to know more about the elusive Reverend Rose and what his plans are for the Char Stone.    A huge thank you to the Henry Holt & Company for the trilogy and I'll certainly be posting my review of the sequel soon.  


About Brad:

Born and raised in Arkansas, Brad McLelland spent several years working as a crime journalist in the South before earning his MFA in creative writing from Oklahoma State University. A part-time drummer and singer, Brad lives in Oklahoma with his wife, stepdaughter, a mini-Aussie who gives hugs, and a chubby cat who begs for ham.










About Louis:

Louis Sylvester is a professor at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. He teaches courses on Creative Writing, Research Writing, Introduction to Film, Screenwriting, and The Ethics of Art and Censorship.

Together with his wife, he enjoys playing tabletop games from his collection of over 1,000 board and card games.

His two dogs are named Cake and Muse. They are the best.

His writing partner is the talented author Brad McLelland. Their first novel is titled LEGENDS OF THE LOST CAUSES.  Macmillan Website | Goodreads


Giveaway Details:
Three lucky winners will receive finished copies 
of the LEGENDS OF LOST CAUSES SERIES, US Only.


Visit all the tour stops:

Week One:
3/16/2020
Excerpt/Spotlight
3/16/2020
Excerpt/Spotlight
3/17/2020
Review
3/17/2020
Excerpt/Spotlight
3/18/2020
Review
3/18/2020
Review
3/19/2020
Review
3/19/2020
Review
3/20/2020
Review
3/20/2020
Review

Week Two:
3/23/2020
Review
3/23/2020
Review
3/24/2020
Review
3/24/2020
Excerpt/Spotlight
3/25/2020
Review
3/25/2020
Excerpt/Spotlight
3/26/2020
Review
3/26/2020
Review
3/27/2020
Review
3/27/2020
Excerpt/Spotlight

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

MG review of The Spinner of Dreams by K.A. Reynolds

43092861The Spinner of Dreams by K.A. Reynolds
Format:  Hardcover
Publisher:  Harper Collins

Number of Pages:  416
Published:  August 27th, 2019
Source:  Purchased

Publishers Description:
Annalise Meriwether--though kind, smart, and curious--is terribly lonely.

Cursed at birth by the devious Fate Spinner, Annalise has always lived a solitary life with her loving parents. She does her best to ignore the cruel townsfolk of her desolate town--but the black mark on her hand won't be ignored.

Not when the monster living within it, which seems to have an agenda of its own, grows more unpredictable each day.

There's only one way for Annalise to rid herself of her curse: to enter the Labyrinth of Fate and Dreams and defeat the Fate Spinner. So despite her anxiety, Annalise sets out to undo the curse that's defined her--and to show the world, and herself, exactly who she is inside.
 

Opening Line:  "Once upon a time, before the War of Fates, the Mazelands had been ruled by powerful elves, twin brothers who controlled the fates and dreams of every being in all worlds:  one ruled the Southern half of the Mazelands, the realm of fate; the other ruled the half to the North, the realm of dreams."

I love the fairytale-like opening to The Spinner of Dreams.  It's very reminiscent of Sleeping Beauty at the moment when Princess Aurora is being christened and Maleficent appears and curses her.  In the Spinner of Dreams the prologue changes to a set of twin girls,  one who is marked with a solid black heart and named Reverie and the other a crumbling heart and named Kismet.  One to be loved and one to be loathed, never to be friends.  

 Annalise Meriwether is a young girl born under a bad omen, cursed by the Fate Spinner herself.  She has a black mark on her enlarged hand and the town fears her because of the bad luck that seems to follow her.  On Annalise's birthday, her parents take her to an animal shelter to pick up the pure white Siberian cat that she was so looking forward to adopting, the cat has been severely neglected and abused and runs away after seeing Annalise.  Distraught, Annalise vows to rid herself of her curse and take control of her own destiny.  Annalise is a lovely girl, surrounded by loving parents while also faced with a harsh, uncaring outside world.  She's riddled with fear, anxiety, and panic and much of her fears have been internalized into a monster that whispers to her and can behave it uncontrollable ways.  Her distress in the story is very palpable and evoked similar feelings and emotions to the ones that Annalise was feeling.  I yearned for her to achieve her dreams.    

Partway through the story, things took on an Alice in Wonderland mixed with the scene from Harry Potter The Goblet of Fire movie where Harry's trying to escape the maze.  Annalise receives a book and learns that she must enter the Labyrinth of Fate and Dreams, if she successfully completes the maze, she will meet the Spinner of Dreams and have a wish granted.  However, the Labyrinth is a dangerous, dark place filled with many tests and paths that will require Annalise to confront her doubt, panic, and feelings of rejection.  It's a disconcerting kind of place, especially as Annalise goes down one path, only to have it seal up behind her.  Annalise tries to hold on to her dream of wanting to be in control of her destiny and repeats it to herself like a mantra.   Along the way, she also gets assistance from a kindly fox who harbors a few secrets of his own.         

In The Spinner of Dreams, Reynolds has created a world that is fascinating, imaginative, beautiful but also a little creepy.   It's a very unique story written by an own voices author that sensitively portrays mental health issues, and has real-life takeaways about determination, resilience, loving one's self and using that to gain power.  It's really a beautiful story filled with lovely detailed passages and positive messaging.  A story not to be missed.     

Favorite line:  "Books were like rare paper flowers one should always stop to inhale."

Friday, March 13, 2020

Blog Tour Review of If We Were Giants by Dave Matthew and Clete Barrett Smith, Illustrations by Antonio Javier Caparo



Today I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the IF WE WERE GIANTS by Dave Matthews & Clete Barrett Smith Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

43971972. sy475  If We Were Giants 
Author:  Dave Matthews and Clete Barrett Smith, Illustrations by Antonio Javier Caparo
Publisher:  Disney Hyperion
Format: Hardcover 
Number of Pages:  304 
Published:  March 3rd, 2020 
Genre: MG Fantasy
Source:  Physical copy provided by the publisher 


Opening Line:  "Only a few people were ever allowed to venture past the borders of Zedu."  


World-renowned musician, environmentalist, and humanitarian Dave Matthews, in collaboration with popular children’s book author Clete Barrett Smith, has conjured an exciting and poignant fantasy about a girl who must confront her past mistakes before she can save her peaceful community from a gigantic threat.

Publishers Description:   Kirra, a curious, agile, and outgoing girl, lives in an idyllic community hidden inside a dormant volcano. She and her father are the only two people allowed to venture beyond its walls. Kirra is in training to become a Storyteller like him, and together they travel from village to village spreading fearsome tales designed to keep outsiders away from their secret nest. One day, after hearing rumors of strangers called the "Takers," Kirra leaves the volcano by herself, hoping to discover her own story. But she unknowingly leads the Takers back to her doorstep, and they rob her of everything she has ever held dear. A devastated Kirra is found by a boy named Luwan and adopted into his family, which lives among others high in the trees of a dense forest. Now quiet and withdrawn, Kirra hides her dark past from everyone and never wants to leave the safety of her tree-dwelling. Luwan, on the other hand, loves to explore. One day it leads to trouble: He is captured while spying on a group of strangers. The Takers have returned. To save the Tree Folk, Kirra must face her inner demons and summon all her storytelling to weave the most important tale of her life. This compelling novel about overcoming loss, embracing community, and living in harmony with nature is highlighted with a full-color insert of concept artwork, making it perfect for family sharing.


Dave & Clete Talk about IF WE WERE GIANTS:




My Thoughts:


If We Were Giants is a beautiful middle-grade fantasy with the art of storytelling, family and community at its heart.  It's about a young girl who respected and admired her father for the way that he could weave stories that not only enthralled but frightened their listeners.  Stories that were meant to keep Outsiders from looking for their village by telling tales of underground fire demons living inside of a volcano.  Kirra is kind-hearted, energetic, athletic and loves the people of her village, but delights in exploring the outside world on her trips with her father.    When she hears that Outsiders are coming closer to finding the location of Zedu, she ventures out from her protected home into the outside world.  Kirra is determined to prevent them from finding the secret entrance to their village.  The story is told in three parts.  The beginning chronicles Kirra's life with her family and the devastating mistake that she made.  Instead of gathering information about the invaders or Takers, she ends up showing them the way to her village which they then destroy.  Riddled with guilt by what has happened to her people, Kirra then falls into a river and is carried away downstream where she is then rescued by Luwan, a boy from the Tree Folk village.  

The next part of the story is my favorite.  After being rescued Kirra finds herself in a village that is some 200 feet above the ground.  It's a huge adjustment for her to make.  Kirra still feels guilty for leading the Takers to her home and it's painful for her to talk about her past.  She attempts to contain her memories from her past to prevent her from experiencing downward spirals in her emotions.  Her former home,  Zedu was a protected village prior to the arrival of the Takers, the community was one of sharing, connectedness and they seemed to live with the land.  With Luwan and the Tree Folk, Kirra is somewhat of an outsider.  She wasn't born into the community but instead was found by her new family.  The tree folk are a community of displaced people and aren't as connected to their neighbors.  The families seem to keep to themselves and Kirra tries very hard to fit in.  Kirra meets one of my favorite characters, Mome, an elderly man who like Kirra wasn't born into the community.  I love the way that he helps Kirra in dealing with her past mistake, how he helps her draw the courage to tell the story of where she came from and help prevent the Takers from wiping out another village.  

In the final part of the story, Kirra helps the community to develop a plan against their eminent attackers.  It highlights the importance of community and the connectivity it offers.  That together, united the collective can be stronger than an individual, especially when everyone is in synch and has a common goal.

Favorite line:  "It's the people in a house that matter, not the house or the possessions.  Never the things."                 

About Dave:

Dave Matthews has chronicled his life’s travels so often that when asked, he can rattle off the details without pause. It goes like this:

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1967. Moves two years later with his family to Westchester County, NY, where his dad, a physicist, goes to work for IBM. Then, in the early `70s, to Cambridge, England, before returning to New York — where his dad died in 1977. The family moved back to South Africa in 1980, where Matthews went to a few different schools and “got more wise about the evils of government, there and in general.” O.K.; pause for a breath.

The key move for Dave Matthews Band fans, of course, was when he relocated in 1986 to Charlottesville, VA, where his parents had lived before he was born. Though he also logged time back in South Africa and in Amsterdam, it was in Charlottesville where Matthews — who took piano lessons as a child before picking up the guitar at age nine — became part of the local music community and hatched the idea for his own band.

“I didn’t really have a vision, or a plan,” says Matthews, acknowledging that some of his musical sensibility came from spending time in so many different places as a child. “I’m sure it gave me a little bit of an openness. The most diverse music in the world is in America, ’cause there’s so many different cultures here, but what tends to be pushed to the top is often a narrow view of what there really is. So maybe (his travels) just gave me a wider pool of listening.”

Matthews says his principal goal with the band was to surround himself with the best players possible. To this day he remains “amazed” that he was able to recruit and retain the four musicians he rather modestly refers to as his superiors. “I was just looking for people that I liked,” explains Matthews, who feels he’s “gotten a bit better” over the years. “Could I play with them was more of the question, I think. We just ended up fitting together. The band wasn’t something that I was looking for; it was very much I loved the people I asked to play with me. There was a connection at the beginning, and I think what we’ve been about is not some grand scheme but more the spirit of everyone, which is why we ended up with this band and why it sounds like it does.”

Dave Matthews photo credit Brantley Gutierrez

About Clete:

Clete Barrett Smith’s first novel for teens, Mr. 60%, will be released by Crown Books in August 2017. Smith has also written four humorous middle-grade adventures: Aliens on Vacation Alien on a Rampage, Aliens in Disguise, and Magic Delivery. Aliens on Vacation was released by Disney-Hyperion Books for Children in May 2011 and named an American Booksellers Council “New Voices” selection as one of the top middle-grade novels of the year by a debut author; and AOV was nominated for state award lists in Texas, Florida, Washington, Pennsylvania, and Nebraska. A lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest, Clete Barrett Smith taught English, Drama, and Speech at the high school level for over twenty years. Clete received his MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2010. He currently lives in Bellingham, Washington with his family.


Giveaway Details:

Three lucky winners will receive a finished copy of IF WE WERE GIANTS, US Only.


Visit all the Blog Tour Stops for If We Were Giants: 

Week One:
3/2/2020
Review
3/3/2020
Review
3/4/2020
Review
3/5/2020
Review
3/6/2020
Review

Week Two:
3/9/2020
Review
3/10/2020
Review
3/11/2020
Excerpt
3/12/2020
Review
3/13/2020
Review

Week Three:
3/16/2020
Excerpt
3/17/2020
Review
3/18/2020
Review
3/19/2020
Review
3/20/2020
Review

Week Four:
3/23/2020
Review
3/24/2020
Excerpt
3/25/2020
Review
3/26/2020
Review
3/27/2020
Review

Week Five:


3/30/2020
Excerpt
3/31/2020
Review