Beverly Stowe McClure's Blog: Enter Beverly's World of Writing, page 13

A Story of Evil, A Story of Love

Kaitlin's Tale by Christine Amsden

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Imagine that your husband, the father of your child, is a vampire. Imagine that he wants to make you a vampire too. What would you do? This is the dilemma facing Kaitlin Meyer. How can she save herself, and even more importantly, her one-year-old son, from a father who has plans for them?

In Author Christine Amsden’s latest novel, KAITLIN’S TALE, we meet familiar characters from her Cassie Scot Mystery Series. If you haven’t read those books no problem. The author gives plenty of background on each character to see their relationships to one another. (You might enjoy the series, though.) Before Jason became a vampire, Kaitlin loved him. Now, the Jason she loved is dead. A vampire lives instead. Fearing for her son and herself, Kaitlin does the only thing she can think of: she takes her baby boy and runs away to find safety with the hunters, those that destroy vampires, hoping they’ll protect her and her son.

Perhaps you’ve heard the old saying “jumping from the frying pan into the fire”. This could describe Kaitlin. Yes, the huntrs are very interested in Jay, her son, as are the vampires. Told from different point-of-view characters, we discover that most everyone has a secret. Kaitlin is no exception. Besides protecting Jay she also must guard her own secrets.

Christine Amsden doesn’t make life rosy for Kaitlin, or for the others. Choices must be made. Friends can be trusted or not. Kaitlin has to look deep within herself for the truth. If you’re like me, I crossed my fingers that life would work out for Kaitlin and her son. An exciting story, with lots of action and even a bit of romance.

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Six Delightful Short Stories

Valendrian Nights by Mary Waibel

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


When a prince and princess marry, they’re supposed to live happily ever after, right? In most stories they do. But sometimes life gets complicated, even for royalty. Take the stories in Author Mary Waibel’s VALENDRIAN NIGHTS: SIX PRINCESS OF VALENDRIAN SHORT STORIES, for example.

In the first short story, “Duty, Honor, and Love,” Prince Devlin, of Breneiran, learns that his bride-to-be is Princess Kaylee, of Palindore, mortal enemy of Breneiran. Poor Prince Devlin has no say in the matter. You can see how that’s going to work out right away, but failure of the marriage will mean war. And why is his twin sister, Arabella, who thinks he’s stealing her birthright because she’s the oldest, suddenly so nice about the wedding? That’s not like her.

In the next story, “Beginnings” we meet Princess Kaylee and her brother. Then there’s “Love Letters,” a neat story, as they all are.

Mary Waibel’s short stories take the reader back to the days of princes and princesses, kings and queens, knights and yes bad guys too, but mostly good. The author has created authentic characters for the times. Her descriptions of the settings, the people, and how they live made me almost feel as though I was with the characters, experiencing their joys and their sorrows. If you’re looking for a good short read on those quiet evenings after a long day of work, then VALENDRIAN NIGHTS is a great choice. You’ll find a little romance, plenty of adventure, and the magic of times past, in these six stories. Recommended for everyone that likes to escape to another time, another place, if only for a while.

Oh, and the author did the artwork herself.

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Friends, Bullies, Sisters, and Demons

The Haunted Stepsister by Medeia Sharif

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Sometimes, public restrooms are scary. It’s true that some are nice and clean and fresh smelling, but others … well, we’d rather not think about them. They are necessary however: at work, at school, when shopping. If you had heard tales that a restroom was haunted, would you take a chance? This question brings us to Author Medeia Sharif’s new novel for middle grade readers, THE HAUNTED STEPSISTER.

Sixth-grader Jess and her Stepsister Kammy, who’s also in the sixth grade, are already having trouble because of an incident that happened at school earlier. When the girls go into a school restroom that is claimed to be haunted, they discover what trouble truly is. Besides the ghostly problem, the girls also have to deal with a schoolmate, Bertha, the meanest girl in sixth grade.

THE HAUNTED STEPSISTER is a fast paced, something always going on, story that will keep young readers wondering what will happen to Jess and Kammy next. Lots of suspense and lots of surprises. Medeia Sharif has created characters with distinct personalities that the reader can easily relate to. It isn’t always easy to adjust to a new family. Jess and Kammy have suddenly become sisters, and neither of them is exactly happy about the situation. When the unexpected happens and Kammy’s life is in jeopardy, will the girls learn to work together to save Kammy? Will they also make other discoveries that could possibly change their attitudes about each other?

To add to the suspense, the author also throws in a neat twist. It caught me by surprise, anyway. I hadn’t a clue. Middle school readers should enjoy this story that has a bit of everything: sibling rivalry, school bullies, friends, suspense, and a family just like many others. Well, except for the demon, of course.

This would make a fun read for middle school libraries, public libraries, and your own library of course. Recommended.

I was given an e-copy of this book for my honest review.

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Dying More Than Once

Out of the Ashes by Kelly Hashway

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Imagine dying then coming back to life. Imagine having no memory of your previous life, not your family, friends, or boyfriend/girlfriend. If you were a Phoenix, a mythical bird/human hybrid, this would be your life, not only one time, but every time you died. Yes, more than once.

OUT OF THE ASHES, Author Kelly Hashway’s second book in her INTO THE FIRE TRILOGY, follows Cara, who has just been reborn into her second life and is totally confused about the people around her and even about herself. She wants to remember her family and friends, especially Logan, who she is drawn to but is also uncertain of. He claims they loved each other in her former life. Is it true? She doesn’t know, and each day grows more complicated for Cara.

Kelly Hashway has written a fantasy story of love, danger, bravery and deceit. People are not always who they seem. As I read the story I sometimes wondered who the bad guys were and who the good guys were. The author kept throwing in little surprises to keep me guessing.

To add more trouble to Cara’s already confused world, she learns that the future of the Phoenix lies in her hands. Who can she trust? Who should she fear? Cara has a lot to deal with. Will she succeed, or will the Hunters put an end to her life, as well as her families and friends lives?

I enjoyed this novel even more than the first one. Looking forward to the third book in the series.

I was provided with an e-copy of the book for my honest review.

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A mystery, a Dragon, and an Adventure

Sign of the Green Dragon by C. Lee McKenzie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Most children simply want a home, a mother and father, someone to love them. They like to hang out with their friends, play sports, or other activities they enjoy. Life doesn’t always turn out the way a child, or an adult for that matter, wants it to.

In SIGN OF THE GREEN DRAGON, by Author C. Lee McKenzie, Sam is one of the children whose life is out of control. For six months Sam has been an orphan and lived with his Uncle Jasper. According to Uncle Jasper, the arrangement hasn’t worked out, and he’s sending Sam to a private boarding school. Not only will Sam lose his home, such as it is, he’ll also miss out on playing in the district championship baseball game. Their coach says they have a very good chance to win.

With his world falling apart, Sam runs away to the mountains, where he can sleep in a cave, and his friends, Roger and Joey, will bring him what he needs. Then he’ll still be there for the game. Sam and his friends don’t count on weird things happening , however: a secret room, a chest with a carving of a dragon, and inside the chest a … I don’t want to give anything away, but the boys are in for an adventure they could never have imagined.

Author C. Lee McKenzie is a master at creating characters that seem so real the reader finds her/himself hoping they’ll succeed in achieving their goals. She even adds a bit of interesting history to the story. The plot keeps the boys, as well as the reader, guessing what will happen next. Just when you think you know all the answers, the author throws in a twist or a surprise, and you think OOPS, I didn’t see that coming. Middle grade and tween readers, boys especially, should enjoy following Sam and his friends on their quest to solve an age old mystery.

This book is perfect for middle school libraries and classrooms, public libraries, and your own library of course, so you can read the story again. Highly recommended.

The author provided me with a copy of this book for my honest review.

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The Price of War

Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


In a perfect world, a seven-year-old child would have a mother, a father, and a home. He or she would have plenty to eat and friends to play with in the magical land of childhood. Unfortunately, we live in a less than perfect world, where men fight one another, where children sometimes are left to struggle for survival on their own. This is the world of seven-year-old Anna Lania in Author Gavriel Savit’s novel ANNA AND THE SWALLOW MAN.

The year is 1939. Anna and her father live in Krakow. Poland is occupied by the Germans. The day her world changes, her seventh birthday, Anna’s father, a professor at the university, has to attend a lecture. She never sees him again.

Anna’s story is a story of survival. It’s a story of friendship and trust. When she meets Swallow Man, they become a family, of sorts. Hunger, fear, and doubts travel with them as they wander from place to place, trying to keep out of sight of those who would kill them. When they meet Hirschl, new problems arise because he’s different.

ANNA AND THE SWALLOW MAN is a beautiful yet sad novel that will bring tears to your eyes, at least it did to mine. I so wanted good things for them, but the times they lived in were difficult for all. Anna is a precious child. The author makes her so real you care what happens to her. The Swallow Man is different, strange in some ways, but he truly cares for Anna, though he has his own way of showing it. And Hirschl is a character I’ll always remember. They made the best of their lives. I wonder if I could do the same.

This would make a good addition to high school libraries and classrooms, as well as public libraries and your own, to remind us of the good times we live in. Maybe we should be more thankful and complain less about our lives.

The publisher provided me with an ARC of the novel for my honest review.
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A Fun Mystery

The Mardi Gras Chase by Maggie M. Larche

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Most little kids and teens love a parade. Most grown-ups like them too. Who can resist the music, the treats tossed to the crowd, and the floats?

THE MARDI GRAS CHASE, a novel for middle grade/tween readers by Maggie M. Larche, has parades and a whole lot more. The story opens with Melanie Smythurst and her friends, Kate and Faye, watching the Mardi Gras parade, when Melanie notices that some of the letters on the floats are backwards. She gets to wondering why. Is it a code of some sort, a secret message? There’s one way to find out. So the three girls set out to solve the mystery of the letters and discover a lot more than they anticipated.

Maggie M. Larche has created believable characters that aren’t perfect. The girls make mistakes. They get in trouble. Like normal kids do. They’re ambitious and don’t give up easily when problems arise. THE MARDI GRAS CHASE is a fun story that should appeal to adventuresome young readers, who might even find themselves trying to help Maggie and friends solve the mystery of the letters.

This book would make a nice addition to school libraries, public libraries, and of course your personal library.

THE MARDI GRAS CHASE is the 1st book of the True Girls’ Series.

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A Haunted House and a Mystery

The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow by Jessica Haight

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Moving to a different house in a new town and leaving behind dear friends is rough on anyone. It’s especially tough for children, who also have to start a new school where they don’t know anyone.

In THE SECRET FILES OF FAIRDAY MORROW, a novel for middle grade readers, by Jessica Haight and Stephanie Robinson, Fairday Morrow faces such a situation. She’s not very happy about moving, either. The house, known as Begonia House, is old and decrepit. Even though her parents are going to renovate the place, she just wants to go home. It doesn’t take long, however, for Fairday (I love her name) to discover a room on the third floor of the house, and in that room there are mysteries to solve. Enter Lizzie, her friend from her former town who comes to visit for the weekend, and Marcus, a new boy she meets at school, and the DMS (Detective Mystery Squad) goes to work to solve the weird things happening at Begonia House.

I laughed. I held my breath. I followed the DMS crew through every room of the house and every experience they had. The authors give each character a distinct personality. The description of the house is perfect and who doesn’t love a haunted house? Well, maybe the ghosts or whatever’s doing the haunting don’t care for it so much.

Take the lively characters, the spooky setting, and the suspense waiting to see if the DMS succeeds in their quest to solve the riddles of Begonia House, and you have a winner. I can picture young sleuths now, after reading this novel, doing some investigating of their own. The black-and-white illustrations by Roman Muradov add just the right touch to the story.

Every school library and classroom , as well as public libraries, should have a copy of this book, and your own library too, of course. Highly recommended.
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A Story of Danger, Lies, Heartbreak and Betrayal

Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Have you ever thought it might be fun to read another person’s mind, to know their every thought? How about being able to control a person’s mind? Do you believe this might someday be possible?
Who knows? Strange things happen in our world.

OPEN MINDS, a YA fantasy novel by Author Susan Kaye Quinn, is the story of Kira Moore, a zero, which means she cannot read the minds of others, making her different than most of her classmates. Being a zero is bad enough, but then she makes a discovery that leads her down a path of danger and lies, heartbreak and betrayal. Kira has to stop the horrors going on and save those she loves. But what can one girl do against the clan, a powerful organization and the men that prey on others?

The author has created a fascinating world of what can happen when a person, or persons, are different to others. Kira is a likable character who just wants to be like the other kids her age. She wants friends. But who can she trust? Simon? Raf? Her parents? Raf is my favorite character. He cares so much for Kira, and I thought he was just right for her.

OPEN MINDS is a touching story about wanting to belong. It’s a story of making choices and the result of sometimes making the wrong choices. For fantasy lovers and those who enjoy adventure too. Pick up a copy; I think you’ll enjoy it.
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Sometimes Lfe Doesn't Turn Out the Way One Plans

Hot Pink in the City by Medeia Sharif

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Being a teen is tough. There are parents who think they know what is best for you. There are friends that may not be the friends you think they are. And don’t forget the boys.

In HOT PINK IN THE CITY, by Author Medeia Sharif, sixteen-year-old Asma Bashir, tomboy, soccer star and typical teen is spending a couple of weeks during her summer vacation with her uncle and his family in New York, which is quite a change from her home in Florida. She hopes to see Madonna, who she is crazy about, as well as check out guys. (Yep, typical teen.) Things don’t turn out quite the way she planned, however. Asma and her cousin Nasreen accidentally erase Nasreen’s father’s favorite tape and soon find themselves in hot water as they attempt to replace the tape before he discovers what they did.

Add a couple of bad guys and a gorgeous teen boy named Abe, that Asma met on the plane and who she runs into again in the city, and the girls’ attempts to find a new tape get even more complicated. The author has created teens that are believable and fun, and that you can’t help but laugh at their situation (at least I couldn’t) while you feel for them too and cheer them on to achieve their goal so they don’t embarrass themselves and their strict families.

Medeia Sharif is super at showing the emotions of the characters. I could feel the girls’ panic when things went wrong and wondered if they would succeed in their quest. HOT PINK IN THE CITY is a story that teen readers should be able to relate to as it touches on many of the crises that they face. This novel would make a great addition to school classrooms and libraries, as well as public libraries and of course your own.

The author provided me with an e-copy of the book for my honest review.

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