Beverly Stowe McClure's Blog: Enter Beverly's World of Writing, page 23

Darby and Beverly have news for you.

Hi, Friends,

You're invited to S A Larsen's fun interview with Myra and Jeremy, characters from my Award Winning YA novel Life on Hold. Stop by when you have a chance and say "Hi."
http://writersally.blogspot.com/2014/...

Also, on my blog, I'm hosting Darby Karchut on her blog tour for her second book in the Finn Finnegan Tween series. Take a look at Gideon's Spear and see what young Finn is up to next.
http://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.c...

Thanks. Have fun.
Happy Reading

Flash Fiction to Enjoy

The People We Used to Be by Madeline Mora-Summonte

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Do you enjoy reading fun stories, spooky stories, and sad stories? Do you like short stories that you can read when you have just a few minutes spare time? If you do, then take a look at THE PEOPLE WE USED TO BE, a book of flash fiction written by Author Madeline Mora-Summonte.

The author has included a variety of stories. Some might make you laugh; others might bring tears to your eyes, still others you might relate to. One of my favorites is “A Quarter for your Thoughts,” a story about looking on the bright side of a situation. Now shouldn’t we all do the same, whenever possible? A story titled “The Salute of the Old and Crotchety” made me chuckle, though you might need to be a member of the “old and crotchety” generation to see the humor in it, or maybe not. The story “Hungry” reminds us there are homeless and hungry people in our world and perhaps we should be aware of them and how we might help them.

So if you’re in the mood for a book with just about anything you might enjoy reading add THE PEOPLE WE USED TO BE to your list. Enjoy.
###




View all my reviews

A Delightful Fantasy Story

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


OPHELIA AND THE MARVELOUS BOY Review
By Karen Foxlee


What would you do if you met a boy who asked you to help him “save the world?” Not likely to happen, you think. Maybe not, unless you’re eleven-year-old Ophelia Jane Worthington-Whittard who never dreamed she‘d soon be searching for a key and a sword to help a boy do just that. But there she is, risking her very life to help a three-hundred-and-three-year old boy, without a name.

Author Karen Foxlee has written a whimsical tale of magic, blessings, evil, and a mother’s love. In her middle grade novel, OPHELIA AND THE MARVELOUS BOY, the author tells the story of Ophelia, who encounters the boy quite accidentally. When he tells her he’s a prisoner of the Snow Queen and must escape to find his magical sword and the One Other, or he’ll die within three days, Ophelia sets out in search of the key to free him from his prison. Things do not run smoothly for Ophelia, as you might imagine. She faces one danger after another. She cannot turn to her father or sister, Alice, for help. And the time is growing short for her to succeed in her quest. Ophelia’s mother, however, who passed away a short time earlier, is always there for her daughter, whispering to her, encouraging, and advising her what to do.

Well-developed characters take the reader back to a magical age of fantasy and fairy tales where you find yourself lost in their world, searching with the characters for a happy ending. The setting of the museum brings to life the different displays, the animals that seem to move but are only statues. Or are they? If you’re like me, you’ll find yourself holding your breath when all seems lost and Ophelia will be unable to save the boy. Will she succeed, or will he fade away, his life ended? OPHELIA AND THE MARVELOUS BOY will make a nice addition to school libraries and classrooms. Why not pick up a copy or two for your own children’s library and enjoy a wild adventure into fantasyland?

An e-copy of this book was provided to me by Random House Children’s Books and Net Galley for my honest review.

###



View all my reviews

Take a Journey to Other Worlds

Song and Signal by M.E. Patterson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


SONG AND SIGNAL Review
M. E. Patterson

Take other worlds, other galaxies, and asteroids. Mix with characters like you’ve never before met. Add life and death. Stir in a search and a mystery, and you have an adventure that can possibly change the fate of humanity and the structure of the universe.

In SONG AND SIGNAL, Author M. E. Patterson introduces the reader to a cast of characters that face death almost every minute. There’s Zakari (Zak) Sharp, a teen in search of his father and the Theseus, his father’s ship that’s been lost for years and can change everything, from humanity to the universe. Zak isn’t the only one interested in the Theseus, which means he must find it before the wrong people do. Then there’s Liz, the girl that Zak likes. She is fearless and has some pretty awesome powers. Zak and Liz face way too many obstacles to mention here, and just when they think everything is turning out for the good, another disaster occurs. Zak doesn’t know who to trust, including his grandfather who seems to have his own agenda, even if it means death for his grandson.

SONG AND SIGNAL contains some grisly (at least to me) fight scenes. There’s plenty of action for adventure lovers. The descriptions of space and the experiments on the characters are quite clear and place the reader in the setting, as if you’re there, experiencing the pain, the confusion, and the fear along with Zak, Liz, and the other characters. Will Zak find his father and the Theseus, before it’s too late? Will Liz finally care for Zak the way he cares for her? The author has written a novel that should appeal to tech type readers who like creative gadgets and unusual characters from other worlds. Twists and turns and unexpected events keep you guessing what will happen until the very end, which might surprise you too.

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



View all my reviews

COVER REVEAL FOR STAR OF THE TEAM

HAPPY NEW YEAR, FRIENDS AND FOLLOWERS. I'm happy to announce my new book for MG readers, STAR OF THE TEAM, is due out in January (this month). Here's the blurb:

A girl.
A dream.
An accident.
A dream shattered.

Ten-year-old Kate Taylor dreams of being the star of her basketball team, Angels. When Kate’s tooth is knocked out at one of the games, and her mother, who is also her coach, says she can’t play until the tooth the dentist replants heals, Kate’s dreams are in jeopardy. Add Emily, the new girl at school who claims she’s the best, and Kate faces a challenge to prove that she is the star.

Will Kate succeed? Or will Emily ruin Kate’s plans?

### I do not know how to post a picture, but you can see the cover at my blog: http://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com
Come on over and stay awhile. Thanks.

HUNTED Review

Hunted by Cheryl Rainfield

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


What if you could hear the thoughts of people around you? What if you were always on the run, hunted like an animal? What if you had to hide your identity to keep from being captured or even worse?

This is Caitlyn’s life. In Author Cheryl Rainfield’s YA novel HUNTED, Caitlyn and her mom are Paras (Paranormals) running from Normals to the big city, where hopefully they can hide. To try to lead as normal a life as possible Caitlyn enrolls in school hoping to keep her identity a secret. She also wants to find her brother, Daniel, who vanished years ago at the same time her father was killed in a riot. At school she meets, Becca, the bully who for some reason does not like Caitlyn, and Alex, the gorgeous guy that falls in love with her, but she‘s not sure whether to trust him or not. Suspicious teachers and ParaTroopers searching for Paras, Caitlyn especially, add to the danger she faces each day. Then Caitlyn’s friend, John, another Para who she’s only known through telepathic messages, suddenly seems to be hiding things from her. As suspicions arise about Caitlyn she has no choice but to fight back in the only way she knows how. Are her powers strong enough to stop those intent on destroying her and her kind? Or will she find the strength, with the help of her friends, to show the Normals they can live together in peace.

HUNTED is a story about misunderstandings, fearing those that are different, family, and love. Cheryl Rainfield has developed each character with a distinct personality that makes them seem real and care about what happens to them. The author paints a vivid picture of how far some groups of people will go in their hatred and dislike of others, when they don’t even understand them or try to look at them as friends, rather than someone to extinguish. I kept saying I had to read just one more chapter, then one more, until I reached the end. I think you’ll find the book impossible to put down too. HUNTED would make a great addition to high school libraries, to open up a discussion on prejudices and their consequences. You’ll also want a copy for your own library.
###




View all my reviews

DREAM SHADE Review

What would you do if you dreamed about a ghost, and that ghost seemed to want something from you? Would you try to ignore the ghost and hope he went away? Would you investigate and see why the ghost came to you? Or would you think you were going crazy?

Tenth grader Sarah Pasmor faces such a situation in Author Heather Fraser Brainerd’s YA paranormal, mystery, romance novel DREAM SHADE. When Sarah starts seeing ghosts, she enlists the help of her friend, Anna, and the girls investigate the sightings. Soon Will Conor, the nerd, and Nate Spencer, the most gorgeous guy in the junior class, are involved in the girls’ search to determine who the ghosts are and what they want from Sarah. A touch of teen romance, a mystery, spirits, some not so friendly, a haunted house, and a most unusual Halloween party make for a fun story that’s sort of scary, but not too much for the easily spooked reader. (Like me.)

The author has developed her characters nicely. Even the minor characters like Sarah’s mother and brother have distinct personalities. The ghosts are … well … ghostly, and there’s a mystery to keep you guessing why the ghosts cannot have peace and what Sarah must do so they can finally rest after many years.

DREAM SHADE is not only a ghost story it’s also a story of family and friends. Sarah has a typical relationship with her mother and brother that makes the reader feel right at home. I liked younger brother because he seemed so real, teasing his sister, yet loving her as only a brother can. Heather Fraser Brainerd makes you care about her characters and hope that life works out for them, even for the ghosts. I think not only teens but older readers, too, will enjoy meeting Sarah and the ghosts. An enjoyable read that will keep you guessing the outcome until the very end.
###

TUMBLEWEED CHRISTMAS BOOK BLAST

The day has arrived. The day you can win a $25.00 gift card to Amazon or $25.00 Pay Pal cash. How? you ask. Simple. I'm having a book blast for Tumbleweed Christmas. So take a look at Mother Daughter and Son Book Reviews and join in the fun. Best of luck to you. Here's the link:
http://motherdaughterbookreviews.com/...
Good luck.

Seldom a Dull Moment

The Howling Heart by April Bostic

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Sometimes, incidents that happen to us when we’re children stay with us the rest of our lives. We may put them aside as we grow older and not think about them, until something triggers a memory. Then it all returns, fear or pleasant memories, depending on the remembered experience.

In Author April Bostic’s paranormal romance novel, THE HOWLING HEART, Paige has an encounter with wolves, one of them white, when she’s ten years old. She also sees a naked boy. As an adult, Paige works at Elle, a fashion magazine, and has a two-timing boyfriend. When her father passes away and leaves her their cabin in Black River, Colorado, where she met the white wolf as a child, she decides to return to the cabin for a while. The people in Black River are not what they seem. Who is Riley, a young man who looks like a god? What secrets is he keeping? And what about his twin sister, Quinn? Paige soon must make choices, choices that could mean life or death for herself and the new friends she has made at Black River.

I don’t want to give anything away about the story, but THE HOWLING HEART gives interesting details about the origins of the wolves in Black River. There’s romance, along with some steamy scenes that I skimmed through. (Not my normal kind of reading.)The language is rough at times, so I’m warning you in case you aren’t fond of bad words. I skimmed them as well, perhaps because I write for children and teens. The characters are well developed, some likable, others good villains. The ending surprised me, and I had hoped for something different. Still, it makes sense, and you may think it’s just right. The author has written a story that will keep you turning pages for sure, seldom a dull moment.
###
I was given an ebook copy for my honest review.



View all my reviews

A Magical Story of Love, Deceit, and Surprises

Secrets and Lies by Christine Amsden

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Cassie Scot, our heroine from CASSIE SCOT PARANORMAL DETECTIVE, is back. So is Evan Blackwood, the man that loves her. And she owes him a debt for saving her life. With his powers he could force her to marry him, but he wants her to love him on her own, not because of a spell. So Cassie must search her heart for her true feelings for Evan. Her love life is only one of Cassie’s problems, as she soon discovers.

Author Christine Amsden continues Cassie’s story in her novel SECRETS AND LIES. Not only does Cassie have to deal with Evan, her father has disowned her, and she needs a job, along with a place to live. Then her ex-boyfriend, Braden, shows up. To complicate her life even more, two girls are reported missing from camp, and Cassie is hired to find them. She’s thankful for the job, but Evan goes with her, thinking his powers will help find the girls. Just what she needs. Not. Magic and spells, Cassie’s father and Evan’s father (who hate each other), and a unique cast of family members, as well as other characters, make for a story of suspense, surprises, love, and forgiveness.

SECRETS AND LIES is not simply a story of people with special powers. It’s a story of family, with all their faults and misunderstandings, and how hatred can ruin lives. Ms. Amsden has written a novel with lively characters, some good, others bad. They might even be your neighbors, well, if the neighbors have magic. I’m looking forward to Cassie’s next adventures, because I really like this girl. Evan’s not so bad himself. And Scott … Well, I’ll let you meet him and see what you think. Just when you think you have all the answers, the author throws in a surprise that proves otherwise. Very clever plotting for a good read.
###

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



View all my reviews