The Reading Faery: middle grade

Thursday, 24 October 2019

Middle Grade Blog Hop + Q&A With Amy Bearce

Hi guys! I'm really excited to participate in the Middle Grade Blog Hop hosted by Snowy Wings Publishing. Today, I'm hosting the author of the World of Aluvia series, Amy Bearce. Keep reading for information about her series, and my interview with her. Welcome to The Reading Faery, Amy!

Amy writes fantasy and light science fiction for young readers and the young at heart. She is the author of the World of Aluvia series (Fairy Keeper, Mer-Charmer, and Dragon Redeemer, 2019) through Snowy Wings Publishing and Shortcuts (CBAY Books, 2019), for grades 4 and up. She is also a former reading teacher and librarian.

As an Army kid, she moved eight times before she was eighteen, so she feels especially fortunate to be married to her high school sweetheart. Together they are raising two daughters in San Antonio.

A perfect day for Amy involves rain pattering on the windows, popcorn, and every member of her family curled up in one cozy room reading a good book.

Thursday, 21 June 2018

Magical but slow-paced - The Crowns of Croswald Review

*Disclaimer: I received a review copy from the author for review consideration. This does in no way affect my opinion, and all thoughts expressed in this review are unbiased and my own.*

Title: The Crowns of Croswald

Series: The Croswald Series

Author: D.E. Night

My rating: 3 hearts

Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy

Pub. date: July 21st 2017

Publisher: Stories Untold Press

Synopsis: In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret…

For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. When Ivy’s magic––and her life––is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Dark Dystopia

Afterimage

by J. Kowallis

My rating: 4 of 5 hearts

"I set my head back and try hard to focus. The drugs keep my control slippery and out of reach. All the years of practicing to keep The Public out of my mind seems like stupidity. A picture begins to appear and I quickly push it aside."

Creative, devastating and intense. Afterimage introduces a dark and authentic world that will keep you hooked from page one. Following Reggie, whose dreams become reality, as she tries to figure out the world she lives in.

The world will keep you up at night and give you nightmares, but it is worth every moment of it!

Spellbinding NA

The Dreamer

by E.J. Mellow

My rating: 5 of 5 hearts

"I begin to dream of something familiar. I'm floating over a nearly empty field at night. A solitary elm tree rests in the distance. My body's warm with light, as bright as a star, and I move faster and faster, racing toward the tree."

The Dreamer follows Molly, an ordinary girl who gets hit by lightning and starts having dreams - dreams that are not actually dreams. The world Mellow creates is amazing and imaginative, and with writing that dreams are made of, she makes it feel more real that the real world.

A kick-ass heroine and an incredibly hot male doesn't exactly make it worse, either.

Kick-Ass Heroine

Whirl

by Emma Raveling

My rating: 4 of 5 hearts

"Emotions are powerful sources of energy. They are what makes us alive. They provide proof of our souls."

Kendra Irisavie is not only more than capable of handling herself in a fight, she's also a very powerful ondine. And supposed to end the war that's been going on for several millennia.

An interesting world and good writing, but the characters are the highlight of this story! A unique story, with great fantasy elements, and a must-read for YA-readers.

Epic Fantasy

First Year

by Rachel E. Carter

My rating: 4.5 of 5 hearts

"I would join combat or die trying... A fine choice of words. What had been meant as a melodramatic proclamation was now to be my intended irony."

This is a world you do not want to miss! The author drops small hints and clues that leaves you wanting more of the world, and has created an amazing, unique world. Layered characters and amazing world-building makes it a must-read for all fantasy-lovers.

This book will leave you with a false sense of security, only to rip the rug from under your feet and turn your world upside-down, leaving you wondering what's real and what's not.