Category Archives: Young Adult

Murder by Milkshake

Review: Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo

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I’m so pleased to partner with WOW! Women on Writing as part of the blog tour for Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. This book is a perfect cozy mystery readers are excited to get into – and the best news is it’s the first book of a fabulous series!

About the Book, Murder by Milkshake Murder by Milkshake

  • Genre: Cozy Mystery / Amateur Sleuth / Young Adult/New Adult
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 15, 2024
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 220 pages

Life is sweet for high school senior and ice cream slinger Genevieve Winterland. Her father owns Sweet Dreams Ice Cream Parlour, the cutest confectionery shop in their little town of Pinewood, Arizona. Genevieve loves her job, but when her father hires a broody newcomer with a dark past to provide extra security on her closing shifts, Genevieve bristles. Is this part of her father’s plan to send her away to college, when all she wants is to stay in Pinewood and run the family business?

Meanwhile, everyone’s favorite new teacher at Pinewood High, Miss Love, is receiving death threats, and then she goes missing. Genevieve suspects the crabby substitute, Ms. Pierce, who seems murderous about being passed over for the position. Or is the culprit Mr. Garcia, the longtime instructor who Miss Love replaced after he was fired for assaulting a student? Just when Genevieve thinks she knows the answer, she stumbles across the dead body of another missing faculty member.

Can Genevieve find the killer terrorizing the teachers in her beloved hometown—before someone else gets iced?

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon | Goodreads

About the Author, Elizabeth Maria Naranjo Eliazbeth Maria Naranjo

Elizabeth Maria Naranjo is the author of The Fourth Wall, The House on Linden Way, and What Was Never There. Her stories and essays have been widely published and nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best American Essays, and Best of the Net, and her short story, “Windows,” was selected for Best Microfiction 2023. She lives in Tempe, Arizona, with her husband and two children.

Connect with Elizabeth:

Website | Goodreads Author Page | X (Twitter)

My Thoughts MAB-Summer24

I’ve long maintained that YA/NA titles offer the best storytelling in contemporary literature, and Murder by Milkshake is no exception.

Author Elizabeth Maria Naranjo has given us a cozy mystery set around the ice cream parlor where protagonist, Genevieve Winterland works. When her favorite teacher goes missing, the seventeen-year-old trades her ice cream scoop for a (metaphoric) magnifying glass and decides to investigate. Its the perfect combination of teenaged determination and amateur sleuthing, and the story is both engaging and well-paced. Genevieve is a likeable character, smart without being precocious, and written with dimension. I applaud the author for making her young characters sound age-appropriate without resorting to an over-abundance of slang.

Worthy of note is the friendship between Genevive and Brandon. They’re best friends, and you never get the sense that either is pushing for that to change. I found this quite refreshing.

I also liked that the ice cream shop wasn’t just a throw-away setting. Rather, we see that Genevieve enjoys her job there, even creating her own flavors. (Also, some of her recipes are included, and sound scrumptious.)

Over all, this is a satisfying read that tells a complete story but also whets our appetites for further books in the series. It’s also a fast read – much like the perfect sundae, it’s best experienced quickly. I recommend it to teens and adults alike, because the characters may be youthful, but the story isn’t at all childish.

Goes well with: a banana split with two spoons so it can be shared with a friend.

Visit the Other Great Blogs on This Tour

September 9th  @ The Muffin

What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Join us at the WOW blog to celebrate the launch of author Elizabeth Maria Naranjo’s  Murder by Milkshake. You can read an interview with Elizabeth and enter to win a copy of the book.

https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/

 

September 9th  @ StoreyBook Reviews

Leslie Storey reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers at StoreyBook Reviews will be dying to learn more about this cozy mystery!

https://www.storeybookreviews.com

 

September 10th  @ Goodreads with Karen Brown Tyson

Stop by Goodreads and find out what Karen Brown Tyson thinks of the latest cozy mystery by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Murder by Milkshake will leave readers wanting more stories by this talented author!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6741483799

 

September 10th @ Rockin Book Reviews

Lu Ann at Rocking Book Reviews shares her thoughts with readers about Elizabeth Maria Naranjo’s Murder by Milkshake – this is a fabulous cozy mystery readers won’t want to miss!

http://www.rockinbookreviews.com

 

September 11th @  Book Woman Joan

Joan Nienhuis – known at Book Woman Joan reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers won’t want to miss this opportunity to read more about this cozy mystery!

www.bookwomanjoan.blogspot.com

 

September 11th @  The Burgeoning Bookshelf

Veronica Joy reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers at the Burgeoning Bookshelf won’t want to miss this opportunity to read more about this cozy mystery!

https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogspot.com/

 

September 12th @  Life According to Jamie

See what Jamie has to say as she reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers won’t want to miss this opportunity to read more about this cozy mystery!

www.lifeaccordingtojamie.com

 

 

September 12th @  Writer Advice

Fellow WOW! Author, B. Lynn Goodwin  reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Fellow authors leave some of the most helpful reviews – see how many stars Goodwin gives Naranjo!

https://www.writeradvice.com

 

September 12th @  Just Katherine

Katherine reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers at Just Katherine  won’t want to miss this opportunity to read more about this cozy mystery so they can add it to their own TBR pile today!

https://justkatherineblog.wordpress.com

 

September 13th @  What is that Book About

In the spotlight today at What is that Book About is none other than: Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers won’t want to miss this opportunity to read more about this cozy mystery by this talented author!

www.whatisthatbookabout.com

 

September 14th @  Chapter Break

Today’s guest author at Chapter Break is Elizabeth Maria Naranjo who is touring with her latest cozy mystery, Murder by Milkshake. Readers will delight with today’s post titled: YA Cozy Mysteries: A Perfect Pairing! 

http://chapterbreak.net

 

September 15th @  Finished Pages

Renee Roberson is a big fan of  Elizabeth Maria Naranjo who is touring with her latest cozy mystery, Murder by Milkshake. Find out what Renee has to say and how many stars she will give!

www.FinishedPages.com

 

September 16th @  Fiona Ingram Author

Today’s guest author at Fiona Ingram’s website is Elizabeth Maria Naranjo who is touring with her latest cozy mystery, Murder by Milkshake. Readers will delight with today’s post titled: 5 Key Ingredients to Creating a Cozy Mystery. 

https://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com

 

 

September 17th @  Bibliotica

Melissa  reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers at Bibliotica  won’t want to miss this opportunity to read more about this cozy mystery so they can add it to their own TBR pile today!

https://www.bibliotica.com

 

September 18th @  Frugal Freelancer

Sara  reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers at the Frugal Freelancer won’t want to miss this opportunity to read more about this cozy mystery; others are raving about this fantastic read!

https://saratrimble.wordpress.com

 

 

September 19th @ Knotty Needle Creative

Judy reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers at Knotty Needle Creative  won’t want to miss this opportunity to read more about this cozy mystery! Enjoy!

http://knottyneedle.blogspot.com

 

September 20th @   Boy’s Mom Reads

Stop by Boy’s Mom Reads and find out what Karen thinks of the latest cozy mystery by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Murder by Milkshake will leave readers wanting more stories by this talented author!

https://karensiddall.wordpress.com

 

September 21st @  Book Bunnies

Gizem reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers at Book Bunnies will love this opportunity to read more about this cozy mystery! Enjoy!

https://bookbunnies.blog/

 

September 23rd @  One Writer’s Journey

Sue Bradford Edwards at One Writers’ Journey reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers will delight in this cozy mystery!

https://suebe.wordpress.com/

 

September 24th @  Author Anthony Avina’s Blog

Fellow author Anthony Avina reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Fellow authors leave some of the best reviews – don’t miss Anthony’s thoughts on this cozy mystery!

http://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com

 

September 27th @ The Faerie Review

Lily at The Faerie Review reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers will delight in this cozy mystery and won’t want to miss today’s review!

https://www.thefaeriereview.com

 

September 28th @ Boots Shoes and Fashion

Short and Sweet: The Joy of Bite-Size Books

Today’s guest author at Boots Shoes and Fashion is Elizabeth Maria Naranjo who is touring with her latest cozy mystery, Murder by Milkshake. Readers will delight with today’s post titled: Short and Sweet: The Joy of Bite-Sized Books!

https://bootsshoesandfashion.com

 

October 1st @ Words by Webb

Jodi at Words by Webb reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Readers will delight in this cozy mystery and won’t want to miss today’s review!

jodiwebbwriter.com/blog

 

October 4th @  My Beauty My Books

Nikki at My Beauty My Books  reviews Murder by Milkshake by Elizabeth Maria Naranjo. Stop by and see what Nikki has to say about Naranjo’s latest!

https://mybeautymybooks.wordpress.com/

 

 

Giveaway Just a Hat

Review: Just a Hat by Shanah Khubiar

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BNR Just a Hat

 

About the book, Just a Hat Cover Just a Hat

  • Genre: Young Adult / Coming of Age / Jewish Fiction / Small-Town Texas / 1970s
  • Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
  • Page Count: 254
  • Publication Date: July 18, 2023
  • Scroll down for giveaway!

Action-packed, humorous, and bittersweet, this 1970s-era coming-of-age novel is more relevant than ever–exploring how a second-generation immigrant kid in a new hometown must navigate bullying, unexpected friendships, and the struggle of keeping both feet firmly planted in two very different cultures.

It’s 1979, and thirteen-year-old Joseph Nissan can’t help but notice that small-town Texas has something in common with Revolution-era Iran: an absence of fellow Jews. And in such a small town it seems obvious that a brown kid like him was bound to make friends with Latinos–which is a plus, since his new buds, the Ybarra twins, have his back. But when the Iran hostage crisis, two neighborhood bullies, and the local reverend’s beautiful daughter put him in all sorts of danger, Joseph must find new ways to cope at home and at school.

As he struggles to trust others and stay true to himself, a fiercely guarded family secret keeps his father at a distance, and even his piano teacher, Miss Eleanor–who is like a grandmother to him–can’t always protect him. But Joseph is not alone, and with a little help from his friends, he finds the courage to confront his fears and discovers he can inspire others to find their courage, too.

Just a Hat is an authentically one-of-a-kind YA debut that fuses the humor of Firoozeh Dumas’s Funny in Farsi with the poignancy of Daniel Nayeri’s Everything Sad Is Untrue.

This book comes with an Educator’s Guide.

Click here to download your free educator’s guide.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon | Blackstone Publishing | Goodreads

About the author, Shanah Khubiar Author Photo Khubiar

Shanah Khubiar is a retired law enforcement officer, and she is now self-employed as a subject matter specialist. She holds a BS and MEd in education from East Texas State University and a PhD in philosophy.

A student of her Persian ancestry, she incorporates (Mizrachi) Middle Eastern Jewry into her fiction, examining the historical challenges and triumphs of a different culture and narrative than what usually appears in literature. Khubiar is a sometime resident and always fan of most things Texas.

Connect with Shanah:

Website | GoodReads | Amazon | BookBub | X (Twitter) | Blackstone Publishing

My Thoughts MelissaBartell - photo

Shanah Khubiar’s new young adult novel, Just a Hat is a brilliant, sometimes discomfiting, portrayal of what it’s like to be “other” in America.

Set in the Texas of the late 1970s, with the Iran hostage crisis as its background, this story introduces us to teenaged Joseph (Youssef) Nissan, the only Jewish-Iranian boy in his class. We walk with him as he navigates the cultural differences he experiences – he’s brown skinned, so gets along with the Mexican boys, especially Roberto and Mateo who are both friends and defenders, but he’s not Latino. He’s Persian. He’s a piano student but practicing on Shabat is considered “work” and therefore disallowed. And then there’s the whole thing about not being allowed to touch girls, even casually. It’s a lot to handle when you’ve got feet in different worlds – the secular world at large, and the closer, religious world of his family.

As someone who is not Jewish, but sort of Jewish-adjacent (my stepfather was Jewish, and his mother, my Bubbie, was a special person in my life) I found the glimpses of Iranian Jewish traditions particularly interesting. I’m familiar with eastern-European (Ashkenazi) traditions, and have been recently learning more about Iberian (Sephardic) traditions, but it’s my understanding that most Iranian Jews are actually Mizrahi, and the specifics were new to me.

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What I loved was the relationship Joseph had with Miss Eleanor – LaLa – the elderly piano teacher whom he helps out by buying groceries and other household tasks. I also appreciated that Joseph and his Baba – his father – managed to work through family history and family secrets and end up with a closer relationship after tackling difficult subjects.

The title can be taken literally – the different hats Joseph wears include his kippah (yarmulke) and his football helmet. But it also works as a metaphor, representing the different “hats” we all wear, – the roles we have in life – including those we use in order to hide our true selves for whatever reason.

Overall, I found this to be a very moving story, with interesting characters, and a well-paced coming-of-age plot. At times very serious, because it deals with fear, racism, and antisemitism, it’s also heartfelt and full of humor – the kind that comes from real life.

Goes well with: peach sharbet.

Giveaway

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THREE WINNERS:

Signed hardback copy of JUST A HAT

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 5/9/24)

Giveaway Just a Hat

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Visit the Other Great Blogs on This Tour

Click to visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page for this book, for direct links to each blog participating in this blitz.

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Review & Giveaway: Amethyst, The Shallows, by Kellye Abernathy

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BNR Amethyst, The Shallows PUBH

 

About the book, Amethyst, The Shallows

  • Genre: YA / Magical Realism / Coming of Age
  • Publisher: Atmosphere Press
  • Page Count: 296 pages
  • Publication Date: February 6, 2024
  • Scroll down for a giveaway!

“This is a night for being brave.”

In the aftermath of a devastating sickness that shatters their close-knit beach town, six lonely kids are drawn together during the unpredictable autumn equinox. Among them are fourteen-year-old Lorelei, who yearns to be an oceanographer, and her peculiar younger brother, Tad, who possesses an otherworldly curiosity.

When Lorelei has a strange and almost deadly encounter in a sea cave, her loyal boyfriend, Casey, cannot reconcile her fantastical experience with the rational world. Condi, Lorelei’s best friend, understands ocean magic but isn’t free to share what she knows. Kait, a girl from Ireland, regrets her impulsive move to America–all because of an odd occurrence involving her deceased boyfriend’s lost surfboard. When tides turn and the moon shifts, Isaac, the new kid in town who despises the ocean, is forced to face the truth–a profound and powerful magic lives in the deep.

Guided by a wise surf master, mystical old women known as the Beachlings, and an open-hearted grandmother, six kids embark on transformative adventures that challenge their beliefs about possibilities and the intense nature of love.

Amethyst, the Shallows is the companion novel to The Aquamarine Surfboard.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

About the author, Kellye Abernathy author photo Abernathy

Kellye Abernathy’s passions are writing and serving trauma survivors as a yoga teacher and practical life skills advocate. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary English Education from the University of Kansas. Her home is in land-locked Plano, Texas—where she’s dreaming of her next trip to the sea!

Connect with Kellye:

Website | Instagram | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

 

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My Thoughts MelissaBartell - photo

This second book in the Yellow Cottage series opens with the coastal community of Dipitous Beach  still reeling in the aftermath of the Sickness, which felt very much like an analog for Covid, though it’s presented as something with mysterious origins.

 

Returning and new characters reflect what was like for young people during a statewide lockdown, maintaining friendships through digital communications, and suffering through the closure of beaches. It’s appropriate then, that the story begins on the day the beaches reopen.

 

This story continues from The Aquamarine Surfboard,  but the focus shifts somewhat. Condi, from the first book, is still present, but this story focuses on Lorelai, and also brings in her younger brother Tad, who is neurodivergent. His presence is just part of the way author Kellye Abernathy has addressed mental health issues, including anxiety and depression in this story – weaving them into the narrative as the very normal parts of life that they are, and doing so with grace and understanding.

 

Of course, surfing and the sea are still prominent in the story, and we not only get to spend more time with the Beachlings, a group of elderly women who live near (or on) the beach (I want to be one of them when I’m older), and an octopus who embodies wisdom.

 

As with the previous installment of this series, Abernathy blends fantasy, science fiction, and magical realism into a cohesive whole, leaving you with the scent of salt air and the feeling of having spent time in the water.

 

While this book is best appreciated if you’ve read the previous one, it also stands alone quite well. Overall, it’s an enchanting tale of friendship and community with other humans and the sea.

 

Goes well with: mahi tacos and pineapple-mango salsa.

Giveaway

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THREE WINNERS

receive autographed two-book sets

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 4/19/24)

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Visit the Other Great Blogs on This Tour

Click to visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page for this book for links to participating blogs as they pop up.

 

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Giveaway Coldest Winter

The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent – Playlist and Giveaway

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BNR Coldest Winter I Ever Spent

 

About the book, The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent Cover Coldest Winter Full size

  • Genre: YA / Contemporary / Suicide & Family Issues
  • Publisher: Carolrhoda Lab
  • Date of Publication: March 7, 2023
  • Length: Print – 352 pages / Audio – 9 hours, 11 minutes
  • Scroll down for Giveaway!

Eighteen-year-old Del is in a healthier place than she was a year and a half ago: She’s sober, getting treatment for her depression and anxiety, working in her Aunt Fran’s San Francisco art gallery, and volunteering at a suicide-prevention hotline. Her own suicide attempt is in the past and living with her beloved aunt has helped her see a future for herself.

But when Aunt Fran is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Del’s equilibrium is shattered. She struggles to help care for her aunt—while also dealing with a crush, her looming first semester at college, and her shifts at the crisis line. After Aunt Fran asks for her help with a mind-boggling final request, Del must confront her own demons and rethink everything she thought she knew about life and death.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Bookshop.org │Amazon│ Indiebound | B&N │ Books-A-Million | GoodReads

About the author, Ann Jacobus 

Author Photo JACOBUS bio medAnn Jacobus is the author of YA novels The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent and Romancing the Dark in the City of Light. She earned an MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and has published articles, essays, short fiction, and poems. She teaches writing and presents at workshops and conferences. A former suicide crisis line counselor, she’s a mental health advocate and speaks to teens about writing and suicide prevention both. Born in Texas and a life-long Tex-Mex addict, she and her family divide their time between California and Massachusetts.

Connect with Ann:

Website | LinkTree | Facebook | Pinterest | GoodReads | X (Twitter) | LinkedIn

 

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Listen to a Playlist Associated with The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent

Ann Jacobus’s Playlist to

The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent

 

LISTEN HERE FOR FREE ON SPOTIFY!

(SPOTIFY ACCOUNT REQUIRED TO LISTEN OR REGISTER FOR FREE!)

Track List:

“September” by Earth, Wind, & Fire

“(I Left My Heart) In San Francisco” by Tony Bennett

“Intoxicated” (radio edit) by Martin Solveig, Good Times Ahead

“Shower the People” by James Taylor

“Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac

“Imagine” by Jack Johnson

“Spirit in the Sky” by Norman Greenbaum

“Stayin Alive” by Bee Gees

“That’s the Way of the World” by Earth, Wind & Fire

“Boogie Wonderland” by Earth, Wind & Fire; The Emotions

“Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” by Johann Sebastian Bach, Leon Fleisher

“Dream On” by Aerosmith

“(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” by Blue Öyster Cult

“Amazing Grace” by Carrie Underwood

“I’m Always Drunk in San Francisco” by Cosmo Alleycats

“Save Me, San Francisco” by Train

“Clocks” by Coldplay

“Uptown Funk (feat. Bruno Mars)” by Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars

“The Power of Love” by Huey Lewis & The News

“We Found Love” by Rihanna, Calvin Harris

“How Deep Is Your Love” by Bee Gees

“How Deep Is Your Love” by Calvin Harris, Disciples

“Texas (When I Die)” by Tanya Tucker

Giveaway

TWO WINNERS:

Each receives a signed hardcover copy + San Francisco swag

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 10/6/23)

Giveaway Coldest Winter

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Visit the Other Great Blogs on This Tour

Click to visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page for links to each blog, updated daily, or visit each blog directly:

09/26/23 StoreyBook Reviews Review
09/26/23 Hall Ways Blog BONUS Stop
09/27/23 Boys’ Mom Reads Audiobook Review
09/27/23 LSBBT Blog BONUS Stop
09/28/23 Forgotten Winds Excerpt
09/29/23 The Plain-Spoken Pen Review
09/30/23 Shelf Life Blog Author Interview
10/01/23 Bibliotica Playlist
10/02/23 Chapter Break Book Blog Audiobook Review
10/03/23 Book Fidelity Deleted Scene
10/04/23 The Real World According to Sam Review
10/05/23 Jennie Reads Review

 

 

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vaulting-through-time-cover-360x570

Book Review: Vaulting Through Time by Nancy McCabe

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About the Book, Vaulting Through Time vaulting-through-time-cover-360x570

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ CamCat Publishing; Large Print edition (July 25, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 522 pages

Can she perform the vault of her life to save her loved ones―and herself?

Sixteen-year-old gymnast Elizabeth Arlington doesn’t care that her mother is older than the other girls’ moms or that she doesn’t look anything like her parents. She has too much other stuff to worry about: an embarrassing crush on her ex-best-friend Zach, and changes in her body that affect her center of gravity and make vaulting and tumbling more terrifying than they used to be. But when she makes a discovery that throws her entire identity into question, she turns to Zach, who suggests a way for her to find the answers her mother won’t give her: a time machine they found in an abandoned house.

As Elizabeth catapults through time, she encounters a mysterious abandoned child, an elite gymnast preparing for Olympic Trials, and an enigmatic woman who seems to know more than she’s revealing. Then when a thief makes off with an identical time machine, Elizabeth finds herself on a race to stop the thief before the world as she knows it―and her own future―are destroyed.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads

Watch the Promo for Vaulting Through Time

About the Author, Nancy McCabe NancyMcCabe - headshot

Acclaimed author, Nancy McCabe, is best known for her work in non-fiction writing on the subjects of Chinese adoption with nine years of accolades from The Best American Essays, she debuts her young adult novel featuring her expertise in adoption, her relationship with her daughter, as well as engaging storytelling that Margaret McMullan, author of Sources of Light, calls “evocatively written, McCabe weaves a heartwarming and absorbing journey. Great mother-daughter read!”

Connect with Nancy:

Website | Facebook

My Thoughts MissMeliss - 2023

Vaulting Through Time is a refreshing take on both time travel and the search for identity that hits so many of us as we begin the transition from girls to young women.

Elizabeth Arlington is a sixteen-year-old gymnast who has developed a fear of vaulting after an injury. At the same time, her body is beginning to betray her, with the inevitable physical changes that come with maturity changing her center of gravity so that what was once effortless is becoming less so.  Her coach’s request for her birth certificate (necessary for entry into USAG events) re-kindles her lifelong search for who she is, because she doesn’t look anything like her mother. When her friend Zach presents her with a watch he claims is really a time machine, Elizabeth’s adventures go into high gear.

What I loved about this book was that author McCabe perfectly captured the mother-daughter dynamic, the in-jokes that are so ingrained that they happen automatically and turn anger into laughter, the favorite foods, and the knowing of each other’s habits. I also appreciated the author’s use of age-appropriate dialogue. Elizabeth’s habit of mixing up words only when she’s around Zach was a delightful detail, and done so well.

Putting this novel into the context of gymnastics and using Olympic years as touchstones was a creative way to track travel through time, and also added to the rich texture of this novel. I liked that Elizabeth’s search for her family roots also helped her find her true desires in life, and felt that the plot addressed both parts of the story in a balanced way.

I often say that the young adult / new adult genre has some of the most provocative stories in contemporary literature, and Vaulting Through Time is proof of that. It’s a well-written story that feels much shorter than it’s 500+ pages, and I recommend it to readers of all ages.

Goes well with: peanut-butter toast, sliced apples, and chocolate milk.

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Giveaway Blue Running

Review and Giveaway: Blue Running, by Lori Ann Stephens

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BNR Blue Running

 

About the book, Blue Running

  • Genre: Dystopian Fiction / Coming of Age / Suspense
  • Publisher: Moonflower Publishing
  • Date of Publication: November, 2022
  • Number of Pages: 334 pages
  • Scroll down for Giveaway!

Cover Blue RunningIn the new Republic of Texas, guns are compulsory and nothing is forgiven. Blue Running is a gripping coming-of-age thriller set in post-secessionist Texas. A fast-paced, page-turning book, it looks unflinchingly at what the future could hold, and finds hope there.

Fourteen-year-old Bluebonnet Andrews is on the run across the Republic of Texas. An accident with a gun killed her best friend but everyone in the town of Blessing thinks it was murder. Even her father – the town’s drunken deputy – believes she did it. Now, she has no choice but to run. In Texas, murder is punishable by death.

On the road she meets Jet, a pregnant young woman of Latin American heritage. Jet is secretive about her past but she’s just as determined as Blue to get out of Texas before she’s caught and arrested. Together, the two form an unlikely kinship as they make their way past marauding motorcycle gangs, the ever-watchful Texas Rangers, and armed strangers intent on abducting them – or worse. When Blue and Jet finally reach the wall, will they be able to cross the border, or will they be shot down in cold blood like the thousands who have gone before them?

Some things are worth dying for.

Praise for this book:

  • “Brilliant.”  —Heat Magazine
  • “A fast-paced story that races along, and stays with you long after you’ve finished it.” — The American
  • “An important and unforgettable read.” — Armadillo Magazine

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon │ Blackwell’s | Other Moonflower Publishing Affiliates | Goodreads

Watch the Trailer for Blue Running

 

About the author, Lori Ann Stephens Author Photo Stephens

Novelist, librettist, lecturer Lori Ann Stephens grew up in North Texas, where she developed an addiction to the arts. Her novels for children and adults include Novalee and the Spider Secret, Some Act of Vision, and Song of the Orange Moons, and her award-winning work has been noted by Glimmer Train Stories, The Chicago Tribune, and the English National Opera. She teaches Writing and Critical Reasoning undergraduate courses, as well as creative writing graduate courses, at Southern Methodist University. She lives in Texas and is a bit mad about her cat.

Connect with Lori Ann

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads | Instagram

My Thoughts

MissMeliss

MissMeliss

I’ve often found that the New Adult / Young Adult genre includes some of the most thought-provoking work in contemporary fiction, and Lori Ann Stephens’s latest novel, a dystopian thriller set in a near-future (or alternate reality – the distinction is unclear), frighteningly plausible version of Texas. Blue Running is so well crafted, it’s nearly unputdownable.

In this novel, Blue (Bluebonnet) Andrews, is running away from her hometown of Blessing because an accident with a gun killed her best friend, and even her father the town’s deputy (usually drunk) thinks she did it.

But the version of Texas this young woman must navigate is one that has seceded from the Union. Open-carry of guns isn’t just legal, it’s required, the state has become the very Christian Republic of Texas, replete with a wall to keep Texans in (and “scalers” out), and where undocumented immigrants are shot on sight by the Border Patrol, and death is the typical punishment for abortion. With the entirety of the Republic declared a no-fly zone, trains are the only way to cross the state without having to drive yourself.

Fortunately, Blue runs into Jet, a young Latina woman who is pregnant, and equally desperate to escape into the country beyond the wall: America. Along the way, the two encounter green-bandanna-wearing motorcycle gangs who are more ruthless than the Border Patrol, communities of convenience, including one called The Neighborhood, where they find temporary respite and new challenges, and even some artists who encourage Blue’s drawing talents. They also try to avoid the lethal Texas Rangers.

Both Blue and Jet feel like real young women caught in a horrible situation. Throughout the story they keep parts of themselves hidden from each other, but still aid and support each other. Jet has the better street smarts while Blue is better at blending in. They make a great team, and while it’s never made explicit, it’s likely that they will remain friends – or more – long after the story ends.

Author Stephens has written this book in a way only a native (or long-time resident) of Texas can. You can feel her love for the Lone Star State in the descriptions of the land and people, but you can also sense her dissatisfaction with the current political climate, and how it might expand in a worst-case scenario. This includes reproductive freedom as well as gun laws. Both issues were handled with delicacy, but sensitive readers should be prepared.

My review is based on the audiobook version of this story, which is read by Ashley Rose Kaplan who uses the perfect drawl – just enough Texas in her voice but not so much that her accent becomes a caricature. She changes her accent when Jet is speaking, adding to differentiate the characters, and alters her tone well for other characters, including the various men the young women run into.. It’s a perfect combination of story and narrator, and I felt her voice enhanced the experience of the novel.

Overall, this is a gripping story – part road trip, part flight for life – with a healthy dose of coming-of-age. I would not want to live in the version of Texas depicted in Blue Running, but I will happily read any future novels in this series.

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Book Blitz and Giveaway with Review: Find the Moon by Beth Fehlbaum

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 About the book, Find the Moon Cover - Find the Moon

  • Young Adult / Social Issues / Family Issues
  • Publisher: Progressive Rising Phoenix Press
  • Pages: 298 pages
  • Expected Publication Date: January 10, 2023
  • Scroll for Author’s Giveaway
  • Scroll for Review

For as long as she can remember, Kylie Briscoe’s been searching for the moon even though she has no idea why it soothes her. Placed in an impossible situation by her mother, Kylie cries for help. It brings rescuers and a new life, but it feels more like a death sentence when she is separated from her three-year-old sister Aliza, the only person Kylie’s ever really loved.

Now she’s in tiny Patience, Texas, with her eccentric potty-mouthed grandmother, ever-patient stargazing grandfather, an uncle who reminds her a lot of a cop who terrified her during a drug bust, a herd of Norwegian Dwarf goats, their “guard donkeys,” and three canine roommates occupying Kylie’s former nursery.

When the authorities make a mistake that could cost her everything, Kylie must decide whether to tell the truth-all of it-in order to save herself and her sister.

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Pre-order a copy of Find the Moon and enter the author’s giveaway! Three lucky winners will win a $50 Amazon Gift Card, signed set of THE PATIENCE TRILOGY, and signed copy of BIG FAT DISASTER. Ends 12/30/2022. Visit Beth’s website for more information and to enter!

 

 

About the Author, Beth Fehlbaum Author Photo Fehlbaum 2

Beth Fehlbaum is the author of the young adult novels Find the Moon, Big Fat Disaster (on the Spirit of Texas-High School Reading List, 2014-2015), Courage in Patience, Hope in Patience (A YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers), and Truth in Patience. With Dr. Matt E. Jaremko, Beth co-wrote the creative nonfiction book, Trauma Recovery: Sessions with Dr. Matt. She is a high school English teacher.

Authenticity, calling out hypocrisy, and finding one’s voice are frequent themes in Beth’s work, and they are absolutely essential themes in her life, as well. Beth has a B.A. in English, minor in secondary education, and an M.Ed. in reading. Beth is in-demand as an author-panelist, having presented/appeared at the Texas Library Association Annual Conference, the American Library Association’s annual conference, YALSA, N.C.T.E./ALAN, and numerous YA book festivals. She’s a member of The Author’s Guild, SCBWI, Romance Writers of America, and the Texas Federation of Teachers.  She loves doing school visits and meeting teens, teachers, and librarians!

Beth lives in the woods of East Texas in a house on a slice of family acreage. The home was built by her family over one very hot humid summer, a task she wishes never to repeat again. This sanctuary-of-sorts is lined by pine trees, and the woods are inhabited by raccoons, possums, and feral cats. All of these creatures appear to consider Beth their cat-food-providing goddess. There is no place she would rather be.

Connect with Beth:

Website  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon Author Page

My Thoughts MissMeliss

When I was little I believed that my grandmother kept the moon in a glass on her bedside table, so an affinity for the moon is something that resonates with me, and it’s one of the reasons I chose to read Beth Fehlbaum’s latest novel, Find the Moon. I was not disappointed. Like many books that are labeled as Young Adult titles, this book is provocative, but it’s also at times both poignant and profound.

I knew from the description that this would be a hard read – protagonist Kylie’s situation, so aptly described in her opening line, “This year will monumentally suck,” is a grim one. Her mother is unreliable at best, and she’s the primary caregiver for her beloved little sister Aliza. A split-second decision made under great danger and duress changes the course of life for both girls, but the moon is their constant companion, and Kylie reminds her sister that no matter what happens to them, if they can find the moon, they’ll know their connection remains.

The moon continues to be an image as the story unfolds. Presented in first person, from Kylie’s perspective, this is the story of a teenager who has been dealt one of life’s worst hands, but has managed to survive. As we follow her on her journey to the welcoming home of her grandparents stargazing Ollie and motherly, if somewhat foul-mouthed Honey, we see her learn to trust others, and to trust herself. The poignance comes in small moments – when she cries on Honey’s shirt for the first time, when a dog offers comfort, when the English teacher’s son Ethan reaches out to her.

There are moments of profundity as well, the most striking when Ollie rises from the kitchen table, encouraging Kylie to rise as well, and shares with her the secret of Just One Thing: Every day, you have to do just one thing that moves you forward. As someone who would likely have been diagnosed with ADHD if girls had been evaluated for it in the 1970s, this echoed my own rule; no matter how much I have to fight to focus on anything, I do at least one productive thing every day. The Just One Thing concept is a powerful one, because it takes the weight of the world off your shoulders. Anyone can manage one thing in a day.

What I loved about this story was that author Fehlbaum never dropped the moon metaphor. Our favorite near-earth object is a talisman, a friend, and a beacon of hope in this novel, and it never feels hokey or overused. I appreciate that she connected Kylie’s attachment to the moon with Grandpa Ollie’s love of astronomy. Stargazing isn’t just a hobby for him, it’s an intrinsic element of his personality.

I also loved the relationship Ollie and Honey had with each other. Their fond bickering reminded me of my own grandparents, and made them feel all the more real.

Realism is another strong facet of this book. The teenagers in this story – Kylie, Ethan, and their schoolmates – never feel too young or too old. Their dialogue is believable and natural without relying on slang that would make this book feel dated if someone read it a decade from now. That kind of writing is an example of great craft and great care, and I really appreciated the authors effort.

While this book does touch on some heavy subjects the darker elements never overwhelm the reader. Rather, this book sucks you in, and makes you FEEL. It seems so cliched to say, “I laughed, I cried,” but the truth is that there were parts of this novel that did make me laugh, parts that made me yell at the characters, and parts that moved me to tears.

Find the Moon is an emotional, truthful story suitable for “young adults” and all adults.

Goes well with: rabbit-shaped pancakes hopping over bacon fence-posts.

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Book Review & Giveaway: The Aquamarine Surfboard by Kellye Abernathy

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Thumbnail of book cover for The Aquamarine Surfboard - a dark-haired girl in a pink and black wetsuit straddling a surfboard, looking back to shore, on a dark teal background with the title of the book and the words Pop-Up Blog Tour.

About the book, The Aquamarine Surfboard

  • Middle Grade / Magical Realism / Fantasy
  • Publisher: Atmosphere Press
  • Page Count: 290 pages
  • Publication Date: November 22, 2021
  • Scroll down for a giveaway!

“Age never matters; these things are about bravery and heart.”

Thirteen-year-old Condi Bloom’s dream is to learn to surf, but her laid-back beach town isn’t what it used to be. Big resort owners are taking over the cove. Worse, someone’s harassing the Beachlings, the mysterious old women living in the cliffs off Windy Hollow, a lonely tower of rock that people say is haunted. When a new surfer boy named Trustin shows up in town and invites Condi to a forbidden surfing spot, she’s swept into an extraordinary underwater adventure, where a surprising encounter with Koan, the Riddlemaster of the Sea, changes her life. Along with Trustin, his quirky twin and a mystical aquamarine surfboard, Condi learns the untold stories of the Beachlings, uncovering the timeless secrets of Windy Hollow.Ebbing and flowing between reality and magic, times past and present, The Aquamarine Surfboard by Kellye Abernathy is a riveting beach tale about opening up to mystery, building community when and where you can — and discovering the ocean is filled with magic—the really BIG kind—the kind that changes the world.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

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About the author, Kellye Abernathy

Kellye Abernathy’s passions are writing and serving trauma survivors as a yoga teacher and practical life skills advocate. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary English Education from the University of Kansas. Her home is in land-locked Plano, Texas—where she’s dreaming of her next trip to the sea!

Connect with Kellye:

Website * Instagram * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads * Amazon

 

 

My Thoughts MissMeliss

As someone who was almost born on the beach and was swimming before I was walking, this book, The Aquamarine Surfboard, felt like it was written for my childhood self. From the opening chapter, where the protagonist, Condi, meets the mysterious Trustin, and tells him about the Beachlings, a group of free-spirited old women who are unhoused, but make their home in the caves by the sea, I was drawn into the world that author Kellye Abernathy created – a beachfront town that could be almost anywhere in the world – Hawaii or New Zealand feel most likely – that has cliffs overlooking the sea.

Thirteen-year-old Condi is a fabulous character, very much a real girl, who is living with the tragic loss of her parents.  Despite this, she’s reasonably happy, finding pleasure in salt, sand, sea, and surfing – well, in the idea of surfing – because when we first meet her she’s just voicing her determination to learn. While she doesn’t have a ton of friends, those she does have are loyal, and the boys they share space with are written like real young teenagers – eager, oblivious, exuberant – sometimes all at once.

This book isn’t just a surfing story, although it would be a satisfying read if that’s all it was. Rather, it’s a magical trip from childhood to the cusp of young womanhood, filled with sea beings who aren’t necessarily mermaids (Koan, their leader, seems like a combination of Poseidon and Gandalf, and completely works as the Voice of Reason who never gives you the answers, just the clues you need in order to find them. There’s also local history woven throughout the novel, and rumors of hauntings.

Like the best adult books with the magical realism tag, this book rides the line between pure fantasy and purely realistic events, with dimensional characters, settings one would love to visit (well, I would, anyway) and a plot that’s easy enough for middle-grade readers to comprehend, while also bring complex enough for adult readers.

I especially liked the author’s use of simple, but evocative, language. I felt like I could hear the waves between each line of text. The way she dropped in snippets of Robert Frost’s work (and other poets) was perfect for the tone of the book, and felt very organic.

Overall, The Aquamarine Surfboard is an enchanting story that leaves you feeling like there’s sand between your toes and saltwater drying in your hair – in the most wonderful way, of course.

Goes well with: Italian ice treats in lemon or watermelon. Preferably purchased from a food truck or beachside snack bar.

 

 

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The Girl Who Loved Ghosts

Review: The Girl Who Loved Ghosts, by K.C. Tansley

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The Girl Who Loved GhostsAbout the book, The Girl Who Loved Ghosts

 

  • Series: Unbelievables (Book 3)
  • Paperback: 302 pages
  • Publisher: Beckett Publishing Group (September 16, 2019)

She’d do anything to save her friends and family. But will that mean sacrificing the ghosts she’s grown to love?

Kat is trying to settle back into her senior year at McTernan Academy, but destiny keeps getting in the way of schoolwork and friendships. Continuing her magical training means abandoning her best friend, until an attack by a mysterious entity on campus proves that the only place they’ll both be safe is Dumbarton, the ancestral home of the Langley family.

Evan struggles with his coursework, a flirty new housemate, and his daunting responsibilities as the Kingsley heir and new owner of Ravenhurst manor. He tries to hold onto his normal college life, but he knows it’s only a matter of time before he and Kat have to travel into the past again… And Kat is in mortal danger every minute they wait to retrieve the last amulet they need to defeat the Dark One.

As her normal life slips further away, Kat must face the terrible cost that comes with time travel. Completing her quest in the present requires changing the past. She knows that the results of her actions can be disastrous–because the ghosts of her ancestors tell her of their tragic fates. A trip to eighteenth-century Connecticut might change everything. Kat tries to protect everyone she loves, but risks destroying every relationship that matters to her.

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KC TansleyAbout the author, K.C. Tansley

K.C Tansley lives with her warrior lapdog, Emerson, and two quirky golden retrievers on a hill somewhere in Connecticut. She tends to believe in the unbelievables—spells, ghosts, time travel—and writes about them.

Never one to say no to a road trip, she’s climbed the Great Wall twice, hopped on the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg, and danced the night away in the dunes of Cape Hatteras. She loves the ocean and hates the sun, which makes for interesting beach days. The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts is the first book in her YA time-travel murder mystery series.

As Kourtney Heintz, she also writes award winning cross-genre fiction for adults.

Connect with K.C.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Melissa A. BartellMy Thoughts

I’ve been reading The Unbelievables series since the beginning, and it’s been a pleasure watching Kat grow up, just as it’s been a pleasure seeing K.C. Tansley’s writing get deeper and more evocative with every novel. Part of that, of course, is that her main character is getting older, but part of that is that when you’ve been writing in the same world for a while it becomes more and more real, just as it does when you’ve been reading it for a while.

At this point, I feel like Kat and her roommate/best friend Morgan, Evan, and even Seth are my friends, not just characters in books – they’re that well-drawn. When Kat feels alienated from Evan because his houseguest is getting flirty, I feel for her as keenly as I did when my own high school crush showed interest in someone else.

But this third installment in The Unbelievables series, The Girl Who Loved Ghosts, isn’t some teen romance. Sure, there are elements of romance in it, but it’s really about Kat’s calling to speak with ghosts, to help them solve their unfinished business, and for her combined work with Evan to unite their families, working with the living and the dead to do so.

This is a gripping adventure through time. It has moments of darkness and danger, but it also has moments of great poignance. It’s about honoring family, but it’s also about being true to yourself.

I loved revisiting Kat at her school, and joining her and Evan (and their friends) on their trans-dimensional trips to Dumbarton, but, as always, I was sad for the visit to end, and cannot wait for book four.

Goes well with beef stew and hard cider.

 

 

Scion of the Fox Blog Tour

Review: Scion of the Fox, by S.M. Beiko

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Scion of the FoxAbout the book, Scion of the Fox

  • Print Length: 440 pages
  • Publisher: ECW Press (October 17, 2017)
  • Series: The Realms of the Ancient (Book 1)

Roan Harken considers herself a typical high school student — dead parents, an infected eyeball, and living in the house of her estranged, currently comatose grandmother (well, maybe not so typical) — but she’s uncovering the depth of the secrets her family left behind. Saved from the grasp of Death itself by a powerful fox spirit named Sil, Roan must harness mysterious ancient power . . . and quickly. A snake-monster called Zabor lies in wait in the bed of the frozen Assiniboine River, hungry for the sacrifice of spirit-blood in exchange for keeping the flood waters at bay. Thrust onto an ancient battlefield, Roan soon realizes that to maintain the balance of the world, she will have to sacrifice more than her life in order to take her place as Scion of the Fox. 

American Gods meets Princess Mononoke in this powerful first installment of a trilogy sure to capture readers’ imaginations everywhere.

Praise for Scion of the Fox

“A thrilling tale underscored by excellent, deep, and unique world-building.” — Kelley Armstrong, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“A smart, complex, animal-based fantasy.” — Kirkus Reviews

“S.M. Beiko’s Scion of the Fox is the thrilling first installment in what will surely be an exceptionally imaginative trilogy. Roan Harken is an instantly relatable heroine, a girl with guts and moxie in spades, and Beiko moves her story from hilarious to heartbreaking with true literary grace. Evocative prose and crisp, crackling dialogue perfectly define this rich fantasy world. I can’t wait for Book Two!” — Charlene Challenger, author of The Voices in Between and The Myth in Distance

“In Scion of the Fox, S.M. Beiko introduces us to Roan, a wry, fierce young woman whose world changes in the blink of an infected eye. She’s more than she has ever imagined, and there’s enchantment everywhere — flying, running, and swimming around her — transforming everything and everyone she has ever known. Beiko’s magic-steeped Winnipeg is a marvel, and Roan is a delight. I look forward to following her into her next adventure.” — Caitlin Sweet, author of The Pattern Scars

Buy, read, and discuss Scion of the Fox:

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About the author, S.M. Beiko

S.M. Beiko by Teri HoffordSamantha “S.M.” Beiko has been writing and drawing strange, fantastical things since before she can remember. She currently works as a freelance editor, graphic designer, and consultant and is the co-publisher of ChiZine Publications and ChiGraphic. Her first novel, The Lake and the Library, was nominated for the Manitoba Book Award for Best First Book as well as the 2014 Aurora Award. Scion of the Fox is the first book of the Realms of Ancient trilogy. Samantha lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Connect with Samantha:

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My Thoughts

Melissa A. BartellWhile I grew up on science fiction and fantasy, I don’t really read a lot of either genre any more. I still love it, I just have broader tastes than I did when I was a geeky teenager. Scion of the Fox, the first novel in S.M. Beiko’s Realms of the Ancient series might have successfully lured me back, though.

Engaging from the very first page, this novel has the perfect balance of teenage angst, supernatural intrigue, fantasy mysticism, and even talking animals that manage to be neither cute nor precious (they’re not really talking animals, of course, but Denizens, a breed of… shapeshifter is the closest analogy, but that’s not really accurate).

Protagonist Roan Harken mixes the vulnerability of the smart girl who doesn’t really fit in, with the strength of the female heroes we love to see in contemporary media. She’d easily hold her own against Buffy Summers or Veronica Mars, and end up best friends with them at the end. Just as strongly written are Roan’s closest friends, Phae, who has been both supporter and sidekick since grade school, and wheel-chair bound Barton, who has a sort of instant kinship with Roan.

As with many YA stories, regardless of medium, the adults in this piece are largely ineffective (c.f. Aunt Dierdre, who means well, but doesn’t really take much action) or villainous (Uncle Arnas) while the younger generation tends to go off half-cocked, but that works in this story, and, fantastic elements aside, all of the relationships felt incredibly plausible.

Scion of the Fox was my first introduction to S.M. Beiko’s work, but I’ll happily read the rest of this series as it becomes available, and I’d recommend it to actual young people as well as adults who appreciate YA fiction.

Goes well with sliced apples dipped in peanut butter and a steaming mug of hot chocolate, whipped cream optional.

Scion of the Fox Blog Tour