Tag Archives: YA

Kingdomless (The Evamore Series, Book 1) by Michelle Garyfalakis (Book Spotlight)

KINGDOMLESS by Michelle GaryFalakis

 
The remnants of the United Kingdom of Garth, once ruled by the legendary Dynasty of Evamores are in the throes of conflict. Ten years ago, King Wren of the West discovered Raelle washed up on the shores of the Balour Sea, with no memory of the first nine years of her life. She was brought back to the castle and dutifully cared for and cherished by the king and his three older sons. On her nineteenth birthday, the Western Kingdom’s adoptive princess is secretly sent away by her stepmother to marry King Veras as a token of peace between the kingdoms. But, the Northern King has other plans.

As Raelle’s amnesia melts away with the help of a northern storyteller, she discovers more about the Kingdom of Garth, magic, the lovetie connection of the Evamores, and her role in the grand scheme of things. She is confused, angry, and curiously comfortable in the North.

A dark shadow overcasts all of the kingdoms, and the threatening influence of the fallen god Kellar seems to spread among the people, inciting disorder and violence. While the fate of the kingdoms may rest on Raelle’s shoulders, she can’t help but feel kingdomless. Betrayal is everywhere, from her own adoptive family to her newfound friends. Fearless, observant, witty, and determined, she is town between her attraction to King Veras’ good nature and the unexplained pull to the Tracker Calak. The challenge that she faces is not simple. As the old gods, laws and magic awaken, so does her own sense of self. There is a choice to be made, step into the role expected of her, or dive into the unknown and make her own destiny.

This YA fantasy novel asks the readers important coming of age questions, captures the attention with witty dialogue, relatable characters, and a world that is reawakening its forgotten magic. The readers will be entranced and hungry for more (and perhaps a piece of chocolate cake).

 

BUY THE BOOK
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Meet the Author:
Author Michelle Garyfalakis

 
MICHELLE GARYFALAKIS was born and raised throughout Ontario, Canada. She currently lives just outside of Hamilton, Ontario with her husband, four kids and Snowy (their friendly Samoyed-Border Collie). When she isn’t obsessively typing out new stories on her computer, you can find her drinking coffee with a friend, snacking on some guacamole or binge watching Outlander (again). Michelle loves finding creative ways to communicate with people, and her passion for storytelling is the newest addition to that list. 

 
connect with the author:
 website  ~  facebook  ~  instagram twitter bookbub ~ goodreads

 
 
 

 

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A Black Boy in Hopes to be a Black Man by Challotine Cius-Bonds (Book Review)

This book is a short poem about a heart warming journey through a black mother’s eyes. As her son ventures through the many obstacles of being a black boy, his future self is gently whispering affirmations to keep him grounded.

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery.  I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

It’s apparent history has not been kind to black people. As seen on the nighttime news, blacks are targeted repeatedly because of the color of their skin. They are viewed as criminals – already assumed they’re guilty of something. This constant treatment makes young black children think less of themselves, which is not what they should be feeling. Black and brown children need to see their worth – know they can accomplish anything. The world should not see them as villains, criminals, or lesser humans. Skin pigment should not define us – our actions should.  

Through Dr.Challotine Cius-Bonds, PhD’s text and illustrations, we will see one little boy stand tall amongst haters. He sees a bright future and lets nothing stand in his way from achieving his goals. He grew up to become a proud black man. 

February is Black History Month, but A Black Boy in Hopes to be a Black Man by Dr.Challotine Cius-Bonds, PhD is not limited to one month a year. Parents should be reading this story to their child(ren), no matter the month. 

This book’s message is strong, illustrations even stronger. Together, they make a powerful book that should be shared in every home and classroom. 

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤

For Sale through the Author’s Website

 

 

About the Author

I am a Haitian-American Naturopathic doctor from GA, who loves to write children’s books and self-care topics for women of color. I’m also a wife, mother of three, and a true self-care enthusiast. My true passion is helping women and children be an advocate for themselves and their health.

Reedsy

 

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Nova’s Blade: A Young Adult Dystopian Cyberpunk by Will Scifi (Book Spotlight)

Content Rating: PG-13 + M: So there are no curse words or sex scenes in the book. There is violence such as people getting stabbed, limbs cut off, head cut off. There is a mention of an abortion in it, no depiction of it. No suicides’, but talks about it as well.

 
 
THIRTY-TWO WOMEN. ONE ARENA. A BATTLE TO THE DEATH.
After a long war, corporations have replaced countries. Sports are fought to the death. The most popular game is Last Valkyrie, a live tournament where women kill each other for marriage into a powerful family.
For Nova, living in poverty with her mother and sister is a harsh reality that she cannot escape. But when she is kidnapped and forced to fight on the show, her world changes. If she refuses to fight, the bomb in her head goes off. Now winning means her freedom.
With death lurking at every moment, Nova has no idea if her next fight will be her last. But one thing she knows for certain: only one is making it out alive.
Perfect for fans of Hunger GamesThe Selection, and The Princess Trials. You won’t want to put down this exciting page-turner!
 
BUY THE BOOK
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Meet the Author: 
 
Author Will Scifi

 
Will Scifi is a pen name for an author from California. He loves reading and writing mainly science fiction that touches on themes surrounding American culture. He draws inspiration from the over 500 movies he has watched in the last 5 years, books, tv shows, and real life. When he is not writing, he can be found in the gym or watching movies at home or in the theaters. He thanks all of his fans for their support and highly encourages anyone who has read his work to always leave a review.
 
 
connect with the author:  
website twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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The Mirabal Sisters: From Caterpillars to Butterflies by Raynelda A. Calderon (Book Spotlight)

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​Born in a small town in the Dominican Republic, the Mirabal sisters lived at a time when the country was under the merciless rule of a dictatorship. Their deaths on November 25, 1960 (at ages 36, 34, and 25), have received international coverage. In their honor, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is observed annually on November 25.
 
 
Buy the Book:
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Meet the Author:
 
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​Raynelda A. Calderón, a Dominican native who lives in Queens, NY, is a children’s book author who has worked in public libraries for more than 15 years. She holds a doctorate in leadership in higher education, and she has taught Information Literacy at various colleges, most recently at Bronx Community College. As a librarian, working with children inspires Raynelda to write about the accomplishments of Hispanic women in history. She hopes to inspire young readers to follow their passions and never take no for an answer. Raynelda is the creator of the first Hispanic Heritage wall calendar that honors the accomplishments of Hispanic Americans in the United States. She lives with an untamed Shih Tzu, Toby, and a much attached Chihuahua, Maya. She spends her free time thinking (and drafting) about books to write, or painting, crocheting, or crying over abused dogs.
 
 
connect with the author:
 author’s website ~ facebook ~ instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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My ABC Day at the Beach: An Ocean of Alphabet Fun! by Robin H. Elisabeth (Book Review)

 

New! (Revised for 2021)

A unique and joyful children’s picture book! Your child’s day-to-day vocabulary will be broadened through the introduction of words associated with a beach setting. Young learners can review the alphabet, as they read descriptions and see accompanying real-life images. Each alphabet word is presented to help reinforce reading, while the illustrations enhance a child’s imagination to hear the sounds and see the sights. These real-life images target the alphabetic words presented from A to Z. This picture journey will provide an opportunity to create, learn, and share family moments.

Use your imagination to hear the sounds, see the sights, and journey with us to the ocean’s sandy shores to discover an ABC Day at the beach. No matter the day or season, there is something for everyone to see and do on our adventure of ABC fun. We will practice the alphabet, as we explore a treasure chest of educational words. So, give your child an opportunity for vocabulary building, spelling improvement, and fun imagination time! Let’s go!


I set out to write a series of children’s books about ABC adventures with a fun and educational format using real-life pictures. I had my children in mind because when they were learning to read, they were easily bored and extra wiggly. So, getting their attention as youngsters and keeping them still during story time was a HUGE challenge.

I realized that my children needed time to be creative while learning. So, I am adding companion coloring books, flashcards, and workbooks into the series. Who says learning can’t be imaginative and fun? Begin your adventures together and explore a treasure chest of words. My ABC Day series will keep the attention of your child, even the wiggliest of all!

 

Amazon Purchase Link

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery.  I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

Parents are always on the hunt for books to teach or reinforce the alphabet for their youngsters. We seek bright images, fun pictures or illustrations, and familiar ABC objects. Parents and teachers also want to broaden our children’s vocabulary, so we like a book to introduce new words too. My ABC Day at the Beach: An Ocean of Alphabet Fun! by Robin H. Elisabeth checked off all the boxes. 

Before we get to the first page, there’s a page dedicated to personalizing it to your child: “This book belongs to” and “This book is from.” I recall as a child loving to mark my book as mine. It made it more special. I suspect your child will love claiming ownership too. 

My ABC Day at the Beach: An Ocean of Alphabet Fun! isn’t your typical ABC book. It’s not structured where A is for Apple, B is for Boat, and so forth. Each letter has a specific word, emphasized in a red oval with white text and surrounded with bold, black text. Example: Look closely at the sand, and you might find a hermit crab. “Crab” is highlighted in the red oval. All the photos surrounding the specific letter allow imagery of (potentially) unfamiliar words: kayak and oars. Of course, there are many pictures that kids will be pretty familiar with: dump truck, nose, ice cream, and many more. 

Robin H. Elisabeth does NOT highlight every word in each section that begins with a particular letter. For example, “artist” is the word the author wants the child to focus on for the letter A, but you could extend the learning activity easily. Ask your child to find all the letter “A” words on their corresponding pages. Do the same for “B,” “C,” and the rest of the alphabet. For those letters that only have ONE word on the page, ask them what letters they see. 

In the end credits, the author informs readers there are flashcards available on Amazon. They use images straight from the book. Great idea!

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Robin Elisabeth belongs to a small consortium of authors, editors, actors, and dreamers who bring life to children’s books. They collaborate with non-profits to facilitate grant funding for literacy initiatives. As dedicated artists, they enjoy designing reading activities for children’s education programs and products, including books, workbooks, coloring books, and flashcards.

 

Reedsy

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