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Sunday, 26 February 2017

February 26, 2017
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>About the Books:</u></b></span><br />
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<b><i><u><span style="font-size: large;">The Magician’s Workshop, Volume One</span></u></i></b><br />
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<b>Authors:</b> Christopher Hansen, J.R. Fehr<br />
<b>Published by:</b> Wondertale, California<br />
<b>Publication Date:</b> November 8, 2016<br />
<b>ISBN:</b> 1-945353-11-2<br />
<b>ASIN: </b>B01MQGHGBH<br />
<b>Genre:</b> Coming of Age, Fantasy, Magic<br />
<b>Ages:</b> 12 and up.<br />
<b>Length:</b> 85,000 words / 290 pages<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Book Links:</u></b></span><br />
<b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQGHGBH" target="_blank">Amazon</a>&nbsp;* <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32948256-the-magician-s-workshop-volume-one" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Synopsis:</u></b></span><br />
Everyone in the islands of O’Ceea has a magical ability: whatever they imagine can be brought into existence. Whoever becomes a master over these powers is granted the title of magician and is given fame, power, riches, and glory. This volume of books follows the journey of a group of kids as they strive to rise to the top and become members of the Magician’s Workshop.<br />
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Layauna desperately wants to create beautiful things with her magical powers, but all she can seem to do is make horrible, savage monsters. For years she has tried to hide her creations, but when her power is at last discovered by a great magician, she realizes that what she’s tried to hide might actually be of tremendous value.<br />
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Kai just wants to use his powers to have fun and play with his friends. Unfortunately, nearly everyone on his island sees him as a bad influence, so he’s forced to meet them in secret. When one of the creatures they create gets out of control and starts flinging fireballs at their town, Kai is tempted to believe that he is as nefarious as people say. However, his prospects change when two mysterious visitors arrive, praising his ability and making extraordinary promises about his future.<br />
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Follow the adventures of Kai, Layauna, and a boatload of other characters as they struggle to grow up well in this fantastical world.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><u>The Magician’s Workshop, Volume Two</u></i></b></span><br />
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<b>Authors:</b> Christopher Hansen, J.R. Fehr<br />
<b>Print Length: </b>273 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Wondertale<br />
<b>Publication Date:</b> November 22, 2016<br />
<b>ASIN: </b>B01N988TW7<br />
<b>Genre:</b> Coming of Age, Fantasy, Magic<br />
<b>Ages:</b> 12 and up.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Book Links:</u></b></span><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N988TW7/" target="_blank">Amazon</a> * <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33128294-the-magician-s-workshop-volume-two" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Synopsis:</u></b></span><br />
Return to the world of The Magician’s Workshop: Where Dreams Become Reality.<br />
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In Volume Two, the Festival of Stars has finally arrived, and the Color Ceremony is about to commence. As children from all over the islands gather to stand before a puller, one question remains: who will have a Color, and who will be found void?<br />
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Rejoin your favorite characters as they step forward and receive a label that will have the power to dramatically alter the course of their lives forever.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>About the Authors:</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Christopher Hansen</b></span><br />
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The first glimmering Chris Hansen had that there was far more to reality than he had ever imagined occurred six days after his ninth birthday. “Christopher!” cried a wise, old sage. “Life is full of deep magic. Miraculous things happen all the time and all around us, if you know where to look for them.” Full of expectation and childlike optimism, Chris began searching for this magic, prepared to be surprised and amazed by it. And he was: he found Wonder! Now he’s chosen to write stories about it.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>J.R. Fehr</b></span></div>
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When J.R. Fehr popped out of the womb, he knew there was more to the world than the four boring hospital walls that he was seeing. “Zango!” his newborn mind exclaimed as he saw people appear and disappear through a mysterious portal in the wall. As a child he found life wowtazzling, but as he grew older the cold water of reality hit him, and the magic he once knew vanished. After spending some wet and shivering years lost in a joyless wasteland, he once again began to see magic in the world. He writes because the Wonder of true life is far grander than anything he ever thought possible.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Contact the Authors:</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.oceea.com/index.html/" target="_blank">Website</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Magiciansworkshop/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></b></span><br />
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Saturday, 25 February 2017

My review of the stereotypical freaks by howard shapiro

February 25, 2017
Four disparate high school seniors come together to compete in their school's battle of the bands. Sharing a love for playing rock and roll, the members name the band "The Stereotypical Freaks" because they feel stereotyped by their classmates - smart kid, geek, star athlete and quiet weirdo… when in fact they know they are much more than those labels that have been placed on them.

When one member reveals life altering news, winning the competition takes on more of a meaning to each member. Scared and angry, upset and yet still with a lot of resolve they set out to win one for the good guys… will they?
 

My review :-
I loved it.  The story was beautifully presented and the plot unique for a graphic novel. I would recommend it to everyone. The book was a bit short but you emerge better for reading it. I would give it 4 stars.

Cover reveal

February 25, 2017

Friday, 24 February 2017

International giveaway

February 24, 2017
During the blitz, readers will find out about the authors, their books and their amazing international giveaway. Four winners will receive a selection of best selling paperbacks, hard cover editions and the all new Amazon Echo Dot!
International giveaway is open to US, Canada, The United Kingdom and Australia

Link to Giveaway: http://bit.ly/2jPpOhK

Presented by: Melissa A. Craven, Michelle Madow, Kristin D Van Risseghem, Kelly St Clare, Norma Hinkens, J.A. Culican, Raye Wagner, Siobhan Davis, Anna Santos, Sarah K. Wilson, Michelle Bryan, Erin Hayes, Kelly Carrero, Karen Tomlinson and Heather Hamilton Senter. 


Melissa A. Craven
Emerge: The Awakening
Allie has always believed life is simple.
You’re born. You live. You die. 
But she's about to learn those rules don't apply to her. For years, she has suffered as those around her avoid her at all costs, too intimidated to get to know her. It's left Allie feeling like an outcast for fifteen years. 
When an unexpected move brings Aidan McBrien crashing into her life, he doesn’t shrink from her touch. With Aidan, she will discover what true equality means and she'll finally have a friendship unlike any she's ever known. Karen Tomlinson: 
A Bond of Venom and Magic
Magic awakens. Darkness stirs. The Wraith Lord is hunting.
For Diamond Gillon the war raging in the South seems a remote danger, until her home is brutally attacked.
Catapulted into a terrifying new world in which legendary beasts arise, magic is condemned and half-blood fae have no rights, Diamond is drawn ever closer to her saviour, Commander Hugo Casimir. But Hugo is a heartless killer, owned by the cruel immortal fae queen; a queen who will murder her own people for magic...



Sarah K. Wilson: 
The Ex-Pacifist
Vera and her bodyguard, Roman, are connected by the computers in their heads and can silently coordinate. The downside? They’re on an impossible mission set by a vengeful emperor who would prefer to see them both dead. Not many sixteen-year-olds have to fight an entire empire for survival – and not many would be so good at it.






Norma Hinkens
Girl of Fire
A smoking hot new science fiction tale of dark dealings and treachery in space. In a high-stakes story of shocking secrets, a gutsy heroine with grit and personality takes on the seedy Galactic underworld of cutthroat body poachers and double-crossing space pirates!








Kelly St. Clare
Fantasy of Frost
The veil I've worn from birth carries with it a terrible loneliness; a suppression I cannot imagine ever being free of.

Sometimes it takes the world bringing you to your knees to find that spark you thought forever lost.

Sometimes it takes death to show you how to live.







Heather Hamilton-Senter
To Make a Witch
Being the good girl doesn’t always pay off.
Lacey McInnis is hoping to make a fresh start in New Orleans—she’s also hoping to forget she almost became a powerful witch, and that she almost sold her soul to do it. But when the tomb of the Voodoo queen Marie Laveau is desecrated, and then a gruesome murder is committed in the very heart of Westover Academy, Lacey will need to decide if she's ready to become the witch she was always meant to be.




Anna Santos
Save Me
Jacob is a gargoyle with a curse, waiting for decades for his soul-mate. When he saves a beautiful werewolf girl from near death, he finds the one he’s been looking for. But true love comes with a price and, in Jacob’s case, it can cost him his very own existence.








Erin Hayes 
How to be a Mermaid
All Tara ever wanted was to be a mermaid. So she takes a year off between high school and college to don a fake tail and tour aquariums across the country in a professional mermaid troupe. Everything's great until she meets a gorgeous real-life merman named Finn. Suddenly, what she thought was a dream turns out to be a nightmare -- she's turning into a real mermaid herself.











Michelle Madow 
Elementals
MAGICAL. ROMANTIC. ADDICTING.

Nicole Cassidy is a witch descended from the Greek gods... but she doesn't know it until she moves to a new town and discovers a dangerous world of magic and monsters that she never knew existed.

"Harry Potter meets Percy Jackson with an added twist of teenage angst, hormones, and uncertainty... I am officially HOOKED!"




Siobhan Davis: 
Saven Deception 
In a futuristic undersea city, Sadie falls hard for captivating Logan — only to discover that he comes from another world! Action, romance and intrigue combine in this addictive page-turner. "The X-Files meets Twilight and blows them both away!"










Siobhan Davis: 
True Calling: 
For Ariana Skyee, Planet Novo was everything it promised to be until the authorities introduced "The Calling" as their response to repopulation. Now, all seventeen-year-olds are to participate in this Bachelor-style pageant to find their perfect match, marry, and have children. "Fans of Matched and The Selection will really love this book ... it's amazing!"







Kristin D. Van Risseghem: 
Swords & Stilettos 
17-year old Zoe needs to devise a kick-ass plan to save the world ASAP. Otherwise, Armageddon starts the day she turns eighteen—and if that happens, everything is going to hell. Literally.

"Swords & Stilettos; an absolute winner. Could not put it down!"









Michelle Bryan: 
Strain of Resistance 
Bixby and her crew of survivors lost everything on the day the world was invaded by the alien predators. Their homes. Their families. Everything they held dear. No more. This is the story of their resistance.












Kelly Carrero:
Severed Wings
Luciana dreams of being normal. In reality what she is, is far from normal. But feeling other people’s pains does that to a girl. That is until she meets the one man that makes it all go away. Now, Luciana must decide if she should trust her feelings and believe in the man from her dreams who says he’s a Soul Collector and she was the girl he refused to collect.


Saturday, 18 February 2017

February 18, 2017
The hockey saint by howard shapiro

Official synopsis :-
The highly anticipated sequel to "The Stereoypical Freaks" and the 2nd book in the "Forever Friends" Trilogy, this is "The Hockey Saint"

Twenty-one year old Jeremiah Jacobson is the world's best hockey player, but he wasn't prepared for the frenzy and scrutiny that came with that title. Tom Leonard is an average college sophomore... just a guy trying to find his place in the world as he sorts through issues that are both very real and seemingly insurmountable.

Through a chance meeting, these two strike up an unlikely friendship. Their bond is tested when Tom discovers that his idol isn't as perfect up close as he seems from afar. With Jeremiah living a little too much in the moment and with his past catching up to him, will Tom be able to help him before it's too late?
 


My review:-

A graphic novel that I really enjoyed once I started reading it. I loved the plot, the amazing story and the emphasis put on friendship. The narrative was beautifully written and the story enlightened the reader about the price of fame. A one sit read for me

February 18, 2017
 
   The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Official synopsis :-
This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.
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Hardcover383 pages




In a world where the dystopian market is saturated, this book was a fresh breath. The way mare borrow progresses through all the challenges and the ongoing hidden romance between Cal and Mare was just what every YA fan needs.and the eventual betrayal by maven when Mard needed him the most is just the heartbreak every one fears. The psychology of Maven and the explanation behind his actions made me vote for Team Maven though. This book is going to be one of the classics.I would recommend it to everyone who strives to read a goodbook.

February 18, 2017
A thousand salt kisses later by josie demuth

Seventeen-year-old Crystal White is the new girl on Starfish Island. Dragged to the remote community by her environmental activist father, she is eager to find fun that doesn’t involve touching fish guts or listening to local folklore.

During a midnight swim with some new friends, Crystal is pulled out to sea by the waves. Convinced she’s going to drown, Crystal is rescued by Llyr, a handsome stranger. As she searches for him in the following weeks, she finds there may be more truth to the Starfish legends than she thought.

Over a sizzling roller-coaster summer, Llyr introduces Crystal to magic she’d only ever dreamed of. But as Crystal comes to love Starfish Island, it begins to drive her family apart. A nearby power plant is devastating local marine life, and her parents are stuck in the middle. As the magic and mundane parts of Crystal’s life converge, she finds herself risking everything to save Llyr, her family, and herself.
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My review:-
I loved this.the writer had worked on the plot holes in the previous book and this was a really beautiful book.the description was so vivid and entertaining that the reader feels immersed in the story. The story plot was so good and the build up to the climax was the best. The tension between Crystal and Spirit going on through out the book and the eventual fall out made the book a one -sit read for me. I am waiting hard for thesequel. Good work.desmuth.

 . This book kept me on my toes from start to finish. I enjoyed Crystal and Llyr and their love story. The creative twists that incorporated first love, mermaids and mermen, troubled parent relationships, and a teenager in a new town kept me entertained the entire book. I enjoyed the levity of the writing and never got bored by this story. The way Josie Demuth incorporated fantasy and coming of age was brilliant! -another reviewer. 

Friday, 17 February 2017

The blazing star by imani josey

February 17, 2017
Sixteen-year-old Portia White is used to being overlooked—after all, her twin sister Alex is a literal genius.

But when Portia holds an Egyptian scarab beetle during history class, she takes center stage in a way she never expected: she faints. Upon waking, she is stronger, faster, and braver than before. And when she accidentally touches the scarab again?

She wakes up in ancient Egypt—her sister and an unwitting freshman in tow.

Great.

Mysterious and beautiful, Egypt is more than they could have ever imagined from their days in the classroom. History comes alive as the three teens realize that getting back to the present will be the most difficult thing they’ve ever done. Stalked by vicious monsters called Scorpions, every step in the right direction means a step closer to danger.

As Portia and the girls discover that they’re linked to the past by more than just chance, they have to decide what it truly means to be yourself, to love your sister, and to find your way home.




My review:-

The plot hooked me from the beginning. The book is a must read for every ya fan.
Portia and Alex story was one I hold close to my heart since I identified with Portia as a character. 
The adventures will have you on the edge of your seat as you read along while the sibling rivalry AND love will make it a story that you won't forget for a long time 
The romance was sweet and at a pace that was actually believable in real life.
The book was engaging, interesting and funny.
It had all the elements of a good book . A one sit read



Wednesday, 31 August 2016

My netgalley badges

August 31, 2016

Blest by Blaise Lucey

August 31, 2016

Growing up in a small suburb of St. Louis, sixteen-year-old Jim Blest has always known that he’s different. But he never thought he’d find someone else like him until the beautiful and mysterious Claire Morgan moves to town. When they kiss for the first time, the force of it is earth-shattering—literally. And then everything Jim has ever known suddenly changes.

As it turns out, Claire isn’t like him. He is an angel, and she’s a demon.

At a school where ancient enemies live among humans in a wary truce, Jim and Claire fight to be together against impossible odds. But a timeless war looms on the horizon, and they stand on opposing sides . . .

From debut author Blaise Lucey comes a breathtaking and action-packed story of heartache, sacrifice, and forbidden love.

My review
'An engaging  paranormal romance that has the thrill of Cassandra claire's  the mortal instruments. Fantastic. I think that a sequel is definitely in order. On a scale of 1 to 10  I would give it a 7.'

Blest was a quick and enjoyable read. The author truly captured the difficulty of making ones way through the cliques of its school, made even more challenging by throwing in the supernatural. Though some things never change. The angles and demons irrationally hate each other and the pain of rejection leads to terrible decisions and horrific consequences. Jim and Claire have to deal with so many obstacles, and I look forward to seeing how they fare in the follow - up, against new enemies. I am a bit disappointed in their relationships with their parents. Jim and his Dad, which is only superficially addressed, Claire, Gunnar and both of their parents, even Sydney and her mother. There is so much underlying those relationships and I felt like there were many unanswered questions. But the action leading into the end was fast paced and tense. And the connection between the two main characters was undeniable. Well done for a debut novel - another reviewer

Dear Pakistan by Rosanne Hawke

August 31, 2016

Description
I knew I was in Australia when I noticed all the legs — men’s legs! I never thought there could be so many variations: short, long, muscled, knobbly-kneed.

Then there were the hairy ones …

Jaime Richards has spent most of her life in Pakistan and returning to Australia seems like another planet compared to the country she has left behind. Here in Australia, boys try to kiss her, men wear shorts and everyone says 'cool' all the time. How will she ever know the right things to say or do or wear? After all, this is meant to be her own culture.

This is a story of living beyond borders, and discovering the gift of adapting to new cultures, especially one’s own.

The book was interesting to read from the poing of view of a pakistani and my review could be a little biased because of my nationality. Engaging and interesting.still being a pakistani i could see that the author is not up to date on what is going on.the nose pin or head covering or whipping are a thing of the past when zia ul haq ruled.the current circumstances are a lot different and anyone living in pakistan or aware of it would see through these things.the book was beautifully written and i specially liked the story about suneel. However to someone who doesn't know the real Pakistan and therefore mull ovet the contaversies in the book, it could be an interesting read.

Lucy In Her Secret Wood The Lucy Series, Book 1 by Christina M. Pagès Waldorf

August 31, 2016

One night, Lucy's angry stepfather takes eight-year-old Lucy from the little room she has been locked away in for years, puts her in the backseat of his van, and leaves her in a remote English wood. Lucy has learned to read in her room years, and her only knowledge of nature comes from books. When she experiences the miraculous outdoors directly, she is full of wonder at the beauty and life all around her. Most of all, she is relieved to be free of her stepfather. Lucy discovers freedom, magic, and an extraordinary friendship, her first ever, with a surprise visitor, nine-year-old Will, who, bewitched by her wild eyes, long black hair and strange speech, brings her live chickens to give her eggs, food daily, and a recorder to imitate the wood's sounds. Lucy feels safe and at home for the first time, sleeping inside grandpa tree's hollow trunk, and playing woodland music during the day that puts a spell on all who hear it. Lucy's greatest fear is that she will be found. But the police do eventually capture her and take her to an orphanage run by strict nuns where the bullying and fascination for toys and television seem strange to Lucy who sees this man-made world as another prison, cut off from outdoor miracles. She eventually manages to escape back to the woods where she and Will, inside grandpa tree, experience magical guidance on how to continue their journey. Book 2 will be: Lucy and the Forest School of Wonder. Advance Praise Lucy’s step-father didn’t like her. In fact, he called her Nuisance. Never Lucy, just Nuisance. He even locked her in her bedroom, not allowing her outside. It was like a prison. So when her step-father took her deep into the woods and left her there, Lucy felt like she had just been set free. Just like the trees and the meadow full of wildflowers, even the fresh running brook – Lucy was now free. She was no longer afraid because she knew that the woods would take care of her. And it did, as did Will, a boy just little older than Lucy, who befriended her and brought her much needed supplies of food. All was well in Lucy’s world until others discovered that she was living alone in the woods. The police came and took her away. They tried to convince her that it was for her own good. The woods was not a safe place, or so they said. But Lucy knew better. And so did Will. When Lucy was trapped in an orphanage, Will found her and helped her realize that she, Lucy, the Wild Child as he called her, needed the woods as much as the woods needed her. This story is absolutely beautifully written, tender and compassionate. I haven’t read such a touching story since my mother gave me a copy of Gene Stratton-Porter’s A Girl of the Limberlost. Christina M. Pagès’ Lucy in Her Secret Wood is a real classic, a story that gently opens the reader’s eyes to the powerful connection between humans and nature, as well as the power of music that is like a delicate web that intertwines between all of life. Powerful and unforgettable. Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite - FIVE STARS “Lucy In her Secret Wood is a beautiful tale, charming and poignant, reminiscent of classical children’s literature that transport us to magical realms.” Mark Bomback, Screen Writer: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Race to Witch Mountain “Lucy calls us all into the woodlands. Through her eyes, and her mother’s voice, we leave behind our tiny windows and see through her wide window, renewing our connection to Mother Earth.” Susan Squellati Florence Susanflorence.com, Author: Let Happiness be Yours A Stunning Absence “Lucy’s release into nature brings her a nurturing web of relationships. This is a story of vital interconnections, all illuminated by a memorable girl.” Charlene Spretnak Author: Relational Reality, Co-Founder of the U.S. Green Party Movement “I, too, was "locked away" in a small corporate office. But when I moved into a remote cabin, my world became endless skies and stars, Dreams filling my nights led me to my passion and a new career of sculpting wildlife friends. This wonderful story for all ages encourages us to follow our dreams.” Bud Bottoms, Sculptor, Author: Kid Ethics: From A to Z. Grandmother Mountain “Pages’s magical story will give all ages a joyful connection with nature.” Robin Gerber, Author: Barbie and Ruth.

On a scale of 1 to 5 this one is definitely a six . Descriptive,imaginative and soul fulfilling. I loved it. And I  already want to read the sequel. The characters  are just so carefully crafted you feel like you are experiencing the story.

This story is absolutely beautifully written, tender and compassionate story. Lucy in Her Secret Wood” is a real classic, a story that gently opens the reader’s eyes to the powerful connection between humans and nature as well as the power of music that is like a delicate web that intertwines between all of life. Powerful and unforgettable.-another reviewer

Tuesday, 30 August 2016

A thousand salt kisses

August 30, 2016

Seventeen-year-old Crystal White is the new girl on Starfish Island. Dragged to the remote community by her environmental activist father, she is eager to find fun that doesn’t involve touching fish guts or listening to local folklore. During a midnight swim with some new friends, Crystal is pulled out to sea by the waves. Convinced she’s going to drown, Crystal is rescued by Llyr, a handsome stranger. As she searches for him in the following weeks, she finds there may be more truth to the Starfish legends than she thought. Over a sizzling roller-coaster summer, Llyr introduces Crystal to magic she’d only ever dreamed of. But as Crystal comes to love Starfish Island, it begins to drive her family apart. A nearby power plant is devastating local marine life, and her parents are stuck in the middle. As the magic and mundane parts of Crystal’s life converge, she finds herself risking everything to save Llyr, her family, and herself.

Well,well,well . On  a scale of 1 to 10 this book is definitely an 8. The  combination of the 'mermance' as the book itself quotes between crystal and llyr and the engaging and colourful scenic description throughout the book kept me hooked up. A paranormal young adult romance novel with a fresh idea.

* I received this book in exchange for a honest review from the publisher though, that doesn't effect my review of the book in any way.