Authors, Kai Strand & LA Dragoni

I recently had the pleasure of reading an enjoyable middle grade adventure book by Michael L. Thal. It is the second book in a series, but it wasn't necessary to have read the first book to understand what was happening. That said, if you enjoy series, then Koolura is a fun character that you should probably start at the beginning with and pick up her first story, The Legend of Koolura . Here are some of my thoughts on the second book: Koolura and the Mystery at Camp Saddleback by Michael L. Thal Fun, well-paced adventure story that will keep young readers engaged. Koolura is a strong main character who knows her mind. She’s kind and inclusive. And the best part is that she has powers. The powers made her adventures that much more fun. Some of the scenes ended abruptly, and I found myself having to read a second time to make sure I hadn’t missed a transition, but well-paced action and tension were fine diversions that kept me moving forward in the story. I espec...

Welcome to Three Times A Charm. I love to introduce readers to the people involved in publishing book for childrens and teens. Today we welcome young adult author, Megan Crewe, and her upcoming release, A Mortal Song . I’m even sharing a rare review at the end of the interview. But first, let’s get to know Ms. Crewe. Megan, tell us a little about you. I’m a Canadian author of YA speculative fiction: fantasy, science fiction, paranormal, horror, it’s all good. My books include the upcoming A MORTAL SONG, the Earth & Sky trilogy, the Fallen World series, and GIVE UP THE GHOST. I live in Toronto with my family, and when I’m not writing or reading, I’m probably planning some new trip around the world. Let’s hear more about A Mortal Song . A MORTAL SONG will sweep you away into the world of Japanese mythology, with a unique twist on popular fantasy conventions. Sora believed she was heir to Mt. Fuji's spirit kingdom, but when the mountain is attacked, she discovers...

Happy release day to C. Lee McKenzie and Sign of the Green Dragon About the book: Three plucky sleuths. A crumbling skeleton. A buried treasure. After six months in a new school, Sam's finally fitting in. He's the one kid with enough talent to hit the winning home run and bring the baseball trophy back to Haggarty Elementary. But Sam's guardian is shipping him off to boarding school before that can happen. When teammates, Joey and Roger, hear his bad news, they plot to hide him until the big game. Their secret cave is a perfect place until an earthquake shatters a wall and reveals a wooden chest with a red-eyed dragon carved into its top. Inside, a bony hand clutches a map with a note, promising treasure. With Joey and Roger, Sam sets off to track down the clues and hopefully discover treasure. Just as some puzzle pieces start to make sense, the boys become lost in a labyrinth of underground tunnels, trapped by dangerous thieves and sealed inside an airless tomb....

When I helped with the cover reveal, I promised a review of A Family for Leona . And here it is! Ten-year-old Leona Chapter doesn't understand why her papa left his six children at the Brooklyn Home for Homeless Children after their mother's death in 1921. Each day she prays he'll return and take his children home. God, however, isn't listening. Her brothers and sisters are either adopted or run away, leaving only Leona and Baby Mildred in the orphanage. Leona promises she and Mildred will be together for always. A promise she cannot keep, for Leona, along with her friend Noah, who she defends from the bullies Hiram and Jehu, and several other orphans, are soon on a train headed to Texas, while her sister stays at the orphanage. Leona vows she'll go back to Brooklyn, the first chance she gets. An Orphan Tran tale of the early 1900s My thoughts: I’d heard of Orphan Train novels, but I’d never read one until A Family for Leona. Though it’s hard for me to imag...

Today I am offering a rare and early review. I've known this book from infancy. I've watched it grow, try new things, rebel and comply. It's like a teenager itself! But it is one of my favorites of my lovely critique partner, Beverly Stowe McClure. Under the Purple Moon Eden Rose has learned to deal with her mother's criticism that she can do nothing right. What she can't deal with are the arguments between her parents. To escape their angry words, she finds refuge in an old abandoned house. She always returns home, hoping her mother will love her one day, even though Eden's not sure what the word love means. Three other teens with problems also hang out at the Old House. Meeting Murphy, Toby, and Josh changes Eden's world, and she begins to have faith in herself. Perhaps she can do something right, after all. Thanks to the boys, she begins to understand the meaning of love. But will it be enough to save her broken home life? My thoughts: Though ...

When Kelly Hashway asked if I could review her latest picture book, Fish Detectives , I said, "Absolutely!" I love both Kelly's writing and K.C. Snider's artwork, so I knew this would be a slam dunk for me.  Sure enough, Fish Detectives is as much fun as I thought it would be. So much so, that I wanted to include a few interview questions with Kelly and K.C., too. So let's take a moment to talk to the ladies before I share my review of the book. Kelly, Horatio and Alexander are so cute. What inspired you to create two mystery solving fish? My mother told me she had two fish named Horatio and Alexander when she was growing up. I loved the names, and for some reason they sounded like detectives to me. From there I imagined what kind of cases they might solve in a fish tank. K.C.,   Horatio, Alexander, and Gus are all very beautiful fish and the emotion in their expressions really adds to their character. Do you have fish or did you visit a pet stor...

Zombies spouting scripture – yeah, you heard me. Today I'd like to step up a few years from my usual young adult (and many years from my frequent middle grade) fair to share Stuart West's newest book, Zombie Rapture with you. About the book:   Life is good for Hunter Wright. He's just about to graduate from high school and he's found true love. Just in time to lose her. Because the Rapture's begun and those in his path, living and dead, stand in his way of finding her. And it's not the Rapture the faithful have been expecting either. Someone failed to tell the dead they’re not in Heaven. My review:   The incident that creates the zombies happens early on in the book, but we don’t learn the how behind it for a while. When our main character, Hunter, discovers his parents and his neighbors have been turned into crazy scripture spewing zombies he heads to his girlfriend, Jordan’s, house in the hopes that – like him – she’s been spared from ...

Oh my gosh! I think I might be as excited for this book release as the author Mary Waibel is. Okay, probably not, but I'm a very close second. Full disclosure: Mary is my critique partner and I've read this book many times while she sweated and toiled over the construction of it. Seriously, it has to say something about the quality of the story that I still LOVE it after having read it several times over. I'm so excited about Faery Marked's release I'm devoting my blog to Mary this week. Today - RELEASE DAY - I'm posting my review. As the week progresses, we will also have a guest post from Mary and a character interview. Please be sure to visit for those as well. And since you'll be buying the book and reading it immediately, update us on your reading progress as the week goes along! Congrats Mary Waibel on the release of FAERY MARKED. About the book: When Callie Rycroft wakes to find purple flames flickering on the ceiling, she believes she’s st...