THE AQUAMARINE SURFBOARD

 

by

 

KELLYE ABERNATHY

 

 

 

Middle Grade / Magical Realism / Fantasy

Publisher: Atmosphere Press

Page Count: 290 pages

Publication Date: November 22, 2021

 

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“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.

 

 

 

Amazon  *   Barnes and Noble

 

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Books-A-Million

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was swept away by this middle-grade novel that is more than just a story; it is a reminder to do good in this world.

Condi wants nothing more than to learn how to surf, but money is tight since her parents died and she moved in with her grandmother, Grand Ella. But that doesn’t keep her from watching the surfers and wishing to be one of them. However, an ill-fated event throws her into a world of magic and a task that she won’t be able to remember once she leaves that world.

This story blends the past with the present, the downtrodden with the upper class, and the popular and regular kids. There is an air of mystery surrounding the story tied to a former spa/resort and some of the Beachlings that live in the caves above the cove. I won’t share too many details because it might give away a lot of the story…but as you read, things will come to light that ties back to the past. This includes Condi’s new friends, Trustin and Marissa, twins that arrived in town one day.

Young girls (and boys, too) will enjoy this coming-of-age story and perhaps might find a bit of themselves in this book. They might be the science geek, the athlete, or the dreamer. No matter how they see themselves, this book will share joy, sadness, grief, and love in a way that any reader can relate to.

The shorter chapters make it easier to stop if necessary, but you might find yourself reading whenever you have a spare moment, enjoying the poetic prose and caring characters. You will even find some poems within the pages expanding your horizons and perhaps providing an interest in searching out more by the poets referenced.

Condi’s journey is hers, but we might find ourselves in her shoes or remember times in our own lives that mirror Condi’s.

This was a wonderful tale, and we give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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!

 

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Synopsis

 

Andrew and his older brother Nicholas were separated as children.

 

Nicholas had been snatched away by the Prince of Darkness, and Andrew had all but given up hope, but now their mother is ill, and he’s determined to reunite them before she passes – despite her objections.

With his dog Jenny by his side, Andrew sets out on an epic and perilous crusade well beyond his wildest imagination, facing evil protectors, giant wolves, dark magic, Sorcerers, Goblins, and even the Prince of Darkness himself.

Then there’s The Great Tree.

It’s enormous, with a presence that’s nearly impossible to describe…

And it’s clearly the heart of the kingdom of the wicked Sorcerer.

 

This is the setting for the adventure story that changed Christmas forever!

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

All proceeds from the sale of The Great Tree go to The Last Road Dog Animal Sanctuary to rescue unadoptable dogs, cats, and horses, an approved 501 (c)(3) Animal Public Welfare Charity that greatly appreciates the ongoing support of readers like you!

 

Excerpt

 

The room at the inn had a window that faced the Great Tree with the castle by its side. As Andrew gazed through the window at the castle, his mind wandered back to his mother, who was at home sick with the deadly fever. Although she wanted to see her lost son one more time before she passed, she insisted that Andrew not look for him, for it was much too dangerous. She made Andrew promise that he would not venture off and search for his brother. Andrew agreed not to.

Andrew was now looking for his brother, Nicholas, in defiance of his mother’s wishes. He had made up his mind that he could not live with himself if he did not try. He understood his mother’s concern, but he felt he had to do what he thought was right. He lied to his mother out of love for her and because he did not want her worrying about him on his quest. Right or wrong, it was the way he felt about it. Nicholas had been abducted by an evil Sorcerer, an evil wizard of sorts, when they were both very young. Nicholas was his older brother. Andrew had been searching for Nicholas for weeks; he was now at a small mountain village where he had hoped to find Nicholas and bring him back to his mother before she died.

With Jenny at his side, Andrew, weary from his lengthy travels, fell soundly asleep while gazing at the castle in the distance.

 

 

About the Author

 

Able Barrett is a former Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney and U.S. Department of Justice Organized Crime Strike Force Prosecutor who shamelessly admits he loves animals more than most people, and he’s the manager of The Last Road Dog Animal Sanctuary.

 

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Synopsis

 

Alice Daniels has a problem. Her reflection keeps misbehaving when she looks in the mirror–and the longer she ignores it, the harder it tries to get her attention. On her eighteenth birthday, she learns why: she is a huntress, someone gifted with the power to enter mirrors and the magical world that exists beyond. But with this power comes immense responsibility, for in the Mirror Realm lurks an evil that has infected the human race for centuries: demons. It is up to her and her three huntress sisters–with the help of one handsome and overbearing protector–to hunt and banish this evil one demon at a time, thereby keeping the chaos in check. But when an ancient god pays Alice a visit that turns deadly, it is clear the Mirror Realm is more than it seems, and she soon finds herself in a race against time to save the life–and soul–of the one man the gods are determined to never let her have.

The Last Huntress is a story of redemption and sacrifice, the bonds of true sisterhood, and the impossible, sometimes frightening, things we’ll do for love.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Bookshop

 

This book releases on 11/1

 

 

About the Author

 

Lenore Borja grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. She attended Arizona State University before moving to New York City to study acting at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. After a brief career as an actress, she spent several years working in executive search and human resources in both New York and San Francisco. She now resides in Fort Collins, Colorado, with her husband and a bossy feline named Maximus. When she’s not writing, she enjoys adventure travel and anything that gets the heart racing, whether it’s hiking, running, or getting lost in a good book.

 

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Synopsis

 

Seven-year-old Chellamuthu’s life—and his destiny—is forever changed when he is kidnapped from his village in Southern India and sold to the Lincoln Home for Homeless Children. His family is desperate to find him, and Chellamuthu anxiously tells the Indian orphanage he is not an orphan, that he has a mother who loves him. But he is told not to worry as he will soon be adopted by a loving family in America.

Chellamuthu is suddenly surrounded by a foreign land and a foreign language. He can’t tell people that he already has a family and becomes consumed by a single, impossible question: How do I get home? But after more than a decade, home becomes a much more complicated idea as the Indian boy eventually sheds his past and receives a new name: Taj Khyber Rowland.

It isn’t until Taj meets an Indian family who helps him rediscover his culture and family history that he begins to discover the truth he has all but forgotten. Taj is determined to return to India and begin the quest to find his birth family. But is it too late? Is it possible that his birth mother is still looking for him? And which family does he belong to now?

The Orphan Keeper is a deeply moving and gripping journey about discovering one’s self and the unbreakable family bonds that connect us forever.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * Shadow Mountain

 

 

Review

 

This is Chellamuthu’s story. He might have lived a poor life in India, but he had a family that loved him. One day, that is all taken away from him when he is kidnapped from the street and adopted by a family in America. But that love between a child and their mother can never be broken. It might be lost for a little while, but it can be found again.

This was a beautiful read. While fictionalized, it is based on a real person and the events surrounding their life. I can only imagine what it was like for both Chellamuthu and his mother – both searching for one another but not knowing where to look. I loved that she never lost hope and even sought readings from astrologers and psychics to try and ease her mind if her son was alive or not.

Chellamuthu (aka Taj) was sent to America when he was approximately eight years old. It took him a long time to fit in, learn the language, and adapt to his new family. He didn’t forget about his life in India right away, but slowly the images and memories faded. That is until much later in life when little things start triggering the memories. Once the memories started flooding back, it felt like he couldn’t find them quickly enough. He went to great lengths to find them, and this was a time before social media, cell phones, and email was a new thing.

I enjoyed reading this book and could relate to many of the characters and the emotions they felt at different times in their lives. I especially liked Taj finding his family and how they blended his American family with his Indian family. There are even photos at the end that were fun to look at.

This would be a good book for young readers 10 and older.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Camron Wright holds a master’s degree in writing and public relations. He has owned several successful retail stores in addition to working with his wife in the fashion industry, designing for the McCall Pattern Company in New York. Camron says he began writing to get out of attending MBA school, and it proved the better decision. He is the author of several acclaimed novels, including Letters for Emily, The Rent Collector, The Orphan Keeper, and The Other Side of the Bridge.

 

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Synopsis

 

Jacob is at that most magical time between childhood and adolescence. As the end of the school year approaches, he is dreaming of baseball and the beach, but most of all, about working on the comic book he and his best friend Jonathan have created, The Osprey Man. Then tragedy strikes and Jacob has to find an inner strength he is not sure he has.

This beautifully written tale of youth, coping, and working through grief is ideal for readers of all ages.

 

 

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Praise

 

“Osprey Man reveals its surprises, unwrapping them through the course of the story like birthday gifts.”- D.Donovan, Midwest Book Review

“Chris Tuthill crafts a really touching story with very relatable themes here. It’s a vivid coming of age tale of loss and endurance.”- Matt Caputo, Goodreads 5 Star Review

“I truly enjoyed this book. Full of nostalgia, heart break, love and loss. I definitely recommend this for young and old alike!”-Maria, Goodreads 5 Star Review

 

 

Guest Review by Nora

 

Summer 1984, a fourth grader named Jacob is looking forward to his school break and enjoying the long summer evenings when he receives some life-altering news. His best friend, Jon, has been killed in an accident.

Not only was Jon a treasured confidant, but he was responsible for the illustrations in the comic book that he and Jacob were creating together. Osprey Man is a superhero with huge wings and razor-sharp talons who catches poachers and stops them from hurting animals.

Without Jon’s help, Jacob is unsure if he can finish the comic and this adds to the grief that he feels over the loss of his friend. Also adding to this is the loss of Jacob’s younger brother, Mikey, to cancer two years earlier. As Jacob begins working through his grief over both deaths, he tries to carry on with his summer and begins working at a local pizza place owned by the father of a friend.

Feeling compelled to finish ‘Osprey Man’ and share it with the world, Jacob asks for a friend named Kris to help him complete the illustrations, but the boys suffer more difficulties along the way.

This is the first novel by Christopher Tuthill that I have read, but I would gladly read more! The atmosphere in this novel was perfect. The nostalgia of the 1980s and the beginning of summer after school lets out created a pitch perfect setting that made the background of the novel almost feel like a character in its own right.

Learning how to cope with grief is incredibly difficult for people of all ages, and that really comes through in Tuthill’s usage of a young boy as the main character of this novel. Jacob’s grief for Jon, and for his younger brother are timeless in many ways. This is a satisfying story with a very touching ending.

 

 

Excerpt

 

There will never be another day like this, he thought. Tears sprang into the corners of his eyes at the idea of it. There would never be another last day of fourth grade/first day of summer when the finches land upon your hands as you hold out seed for them, when Suzie Vail asked you to her beach house, and Chaz Mancuso wanted to be your pal and offered you a job, when the streets were lined with shoppers eager beyond belief for the warm days ahead and the freedom those days promised. When those shoppers browsed the stores for beach chairs at Swezey’s and fishing line at Edward’s sporting goods and new tennis shoes at Stride Rite. When the sun blinded your eyes and the big cauliflower truck rumbled by, spewing diesel exhaust, bringing its bounty west to the big city, when the lunch counter at the Star Confectionary across the street was filled with kids getting ice cream floats, when he knew there were fifteen dates marked on his calendar for the little league season (and maybe this year his team, the Moose Lodge, would finally finish in the first division), when the Boston Terrier passing by at the end of an old man’s leash paused to consider him and then licked his hand free of pizza grease. It was an overabundance of goodness, and he wanted to savor it all, but he couldn’t.

There would never be another day like this, that much he knew, but he also knew there would never be another Jonathan Hubbard, and the grief almost swallowed Jacob whole. The tears streamed down his face and he did nothing to wipe them, because he knew they were sacred, and he thought, I can’t go to see his parents like this. I can only go to Golden Memories.

© Christopher Tuthill

 

 

About the Author

 

Christopher Tuthill’s short fiction has appeared in The Mythic Circle, Dark Tales from Elder Regions, and Tales of Reverie. A native of Riverhead, on Long Island, and a graduate of Catholic schools, Chris grew up around many of the places and people that inspire his writing.

He lives in New York’s Hudson Valley with his wife and children. He works as a librarian, and his hobbies include board games, baseball, hiking, camping, and telling stories to his three children. Among his other interests, he is co-founder of the New York Tolkien Conference.

 

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Giveaway

 

This giveaway is for 3 print or ebook copies.

Print is open to the U.S. only. eBook is open worldwide.

This giveaway ends on October 28, 2022 midnight, pacific time.

Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

 

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Synopsis

 

Kraken monsters come from the sea. Don’t they?

Devora Kraken seems to have everything under control and all she could ask for. Like the neighbourhood tunnels, where she can hang out with monsters and mermaids both. If sometimes it’s not clear which is which, that’s only normal—right? Anyway, Devi has plenty else to keep her busy, including a good cop, bad cop set of family members. And if all of that isn’t enough, there’s even a cute girl at the new school across town trying to get Devi’s attention!

From the deep waters of the past, something wakes up and marches through Mainland. One terrible night, blood is spilt, and gangs gather in the woods. Devi’s cousin, Jon, leaves for the speak-and-listen trials, and nothing will be the same again.

Devi sets off on a journey of discovery that will take her from her home in Exer City across Mainland and into Craw. It won’t be easy—her brother Korl refuses to talk about the past, or why Jon left. He won’t speak of the gun under the bed or the pile of mermaid figurines. Korl refuses to talk about anything!

What’s a monster anyway? Who better than Devora Kraken to find out?

Book two of The Volcano Chronicles

 

 

Nine Star Press * Amazon

 

 

Excerpt

 

This is the diary of how a shield spends its days. To be honest, I hate writing, and I’d never keep a dumb diary except if dying of boredom. Yeah. I’m dying of boredom. There’s nothing to do except write, draw, and turn into turnips. We used to be kids, and now we’re shields. That’s about it. Uncle says we don’t have names because shields are all the same (which is stupid). Except Jon, who gets the name of Shield One because he’s oldest.

I’m fifteen. Jon’s sixteen, and my little sister, Devi, is just three. Devi Bumble Bee because she likes buzzing around everywhere like this: bzzz.

I’ll never get used to thinking of myself as a shield. How could I? Does anyone? Lead can’t speak, but when I said so to Ma, she said I should be quiet. I swore under my breath, so it doesn’t count. Sorry, Ma. Anyway, my shield isn’t made of lead but some kind of cheap plastic. It’s useless, but what can I do? As a joke, I told Jon we could defend Craw by reflecting the sun off the plastic into the enemy’s eyes. He didn’t laugh.

I like saying the rhyme. It’s the only part about war that’s good. When we do it together, I feel brave and good. Important.

It’s been weeks since we left home. Shields live in the Gatehouse now, with the merfolk gatekeeper. Devi has always loved the silly old stone lady, but I’m not so sure I do. To me, she’s moody and angry. I never thought we’d end up living here. When Ma first brought us, Jon was shocked.

Uncle, Ma, and Da. Oops, I mean, the boats go out every morning and come back at night. They lock us in with a big key attached to Uncle’s belt. When I asked why, he said it’s for safety. How is being locked inside a stone hall safe? Some nights, not all the boats come back. Nobody mentions it. I told the little kids they were still out at sea. In a way, I guess it’s true.

We’ve been here fifty days. It seems like fifty years. I’m bored out of my skull, but I’m doing okay. Shield One gets to go outside with the boats. I want to go, too, once I’m trained properly. Shield One has started showing me how to be a shield. I can’t believe he’s a better aim than me, not with hands which won’t stay still.

What else? My little sister doesn’t talk much now. Just sits with the stone mermaid by the door.

I’m a bit worried today. I don’t want to talk about it. Being made of metal and steel like we are, shields don’t have worries. It doesn’t stop me from worrying. When the boats got ready to leave today, Shield One cried and refused to go outside. I was embarrassed for him! I wouldn’t have cried.

Uncle was pissed, so I asked if Jon could stay and teach us to use our shields. When Uncle left, my cousin was so relieved he cried again.

“Halt the tide! What are they even doing out there? Why don’t they come back? Jon?” I know he doesn’t have any answers. I want to hear his voice.

“Who?”

“Ma and Da.”

“Shh! The boats, remember. We don’t say Ma and Da. No names anymore.”

“Why? It’s turnip. Of course we’ve got names.”

I want to wind him up, like before we turned into shields. When we had sun and rain instead of dark windows, and when we could spend all day arguing and messing about.

“Because we’re symbols,” Jon says. “A shield is the Mainland symbol for strength. That’s us! Parents are boats which will carry us to shore.”

“Turnip, like I said. I don’t want to be a symbol.”

He sniffs and might be crying again. Now I feel bad. I still can’t believe Auntie got shot by a sniper. I keep expecting to wake up back in my bed and Ma saying “time for school.”

“Sorry, Jon,” I say. “The boats. Where are they?”

“Don’t say ‘Jon,’” Jon says.

And that’s how it is. It’s ages since Uncle left. I’m cold. I wish I could see what’s going on outside, if the big light of victory has come, the shining light to take us to the land of our fore-parents (whatever it means).

 

 

About the Author

 

Eule Grey has settled, for now, in the UK. She’s worked in education, justice, youth work, and even tried her hand at butter-spreading in a sandwich factory.

She writes novels, novellas, poetry, and a messy combination of all three. Nothing about Eule is tidy but she rocks a boogie on a Saturday night!

For now, Eule is she/her or they/them. Eule has not yet arrived at a pronoun that feels right.

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Synopsis

 

The Book of Demons, the much-anticipated sequel to The Book of Souls, finds Jack Kelly in the fight of his life. This time, he’s not battling ghosts. His nemesis is the shapeshifting necromancer, Mr. Philips, who inhabits both the world of the living and the world of the dead.

When Mr. Philips discovers a powerful, cursed painting whose magic he can use for personal gain, he will stop at nothing to acquire it…including murder.

Before he can get his hands on it, the painting goes missing and its artist is found dead. Enraged, Mr. Philips vows to hunt it down. But someone else finds it first: Jack, a teenage mystic who understands the painting’s tremendous power and would do anything to keep Mr. Philips from harnessing it.

Along with two unexpected allies—a non-verbal autistic child and the spirit of a dead nun—Jack battles to keep the painting away from Mr. Philips. But as the stakes rise along with the body count, their epic battle for possession of the painting may cost Jack everything and everyone he loves.

 

 

Amazon – This book releases on 10/11. Preorder it today!

 

 

Excerpt

 

The Duality exhibit of a little-known artist by the name of Kasper Greenstreet was not on Seymore Hunter’s radar, alias P. Philips, when a rich female patron of the arts invited him to a showing at the Guggenheim. Philips stood behind a long line of people enamored by the two paintings of the actress Desiree Diamond, who had died earlier that day. Philips could smell the blood; he knew the artist was using it in his work. Many of the paintings had a mystical look but did any hold real power? Real magic?

That’s when his body began to pulsate. In an area with fewer people, Philips beheld the most amazing painting he had ever seen: the self-portrait of the artist as a child surrounded by three shadows. He moved everyone out of his way and moved close enough to smell it, taste it. Philips felt the energy coming from the painting and knew he had to possess it at any cost. He wanted to be legitimate so he offered every dime he had accumulated or robbed in the bidding process, only to be told he had been outbid. The painting had been sold to some countess.

He knew other ways of getting the painting. Viler, more sinister ways. Before he had a chance, the countess naively returned it to Kasper Greenstreet, overwhelmed by the mystical, dark side of the art without an ability to control its hidden wickedness. Then Philips began following Kasper Greenstreet. He needed to taste his blood, maybe eat his heart. Kasper slipped through his hands due to an interruption by a couple of drug addicts whose bodies were found weeks later. Accidental overdose. The taste of Kasper’s blood would always keep him on Philips’ radar.

Then Kasper Greenstreet did the unimaginable. He committed suicide. He left the painting and all its power in the hands of some teenage kid and a psychologically damaged adult. None of it mattered now. The painting was close to being his. He could feel it. Young Jack Kelly had powers, but in the end, his power would be no match for Seymore Hunter, aka Philip Philips.

 

 

About the Author

 

Kevin Moore is the author of  The Book of Souls, a mystical ghost story, it is his first novel and the first book in the series featuring Jack Kelly and his paranormal abilities.  The Book of Demons (think Harry Potter meets the Exorcist) is the sequel to The Book Of Souls. Moore also wrote Christmas Stories 7 Original Short Stories which is available everywhere. His play Conversations From The Sports Arena was performed at the HBO Theater in Hollywood. He also had his first children’s picture book Me and My Shadow released in 2021. Moore hopes to continue the Jack Kelly paranormal saga in a third book which he is currently working on. Moore practices Lucid Dreaming which has helped him with his writing. He is a Yogi and an Advanced Reiki Practitioner—most importantly he is Matthew and Madison’s father.

 

Website

 

 

Synopsis

 

When sixteen-year-old Georgia Avis discovers the dead body of thirteen-year-old Ashley James, she teams up with Ashley’s older sister, Nora, to find and bring the killer to justice before he strikes again. But their investigation throws Georgia into a world of unimaginable privilege and wealth, without conscience or consequence, and as Ashley’s killer closes in, Georgia will discover when money, power and beauty rule, it might not be a matter of who is guilty—but who is guiltiest.

A spiritual successor to the 2018 breakout hit, Sadie, I’m the Girl is a masterfully written, bold, and unflinching account of how one young woman feels in her body as she struggles to navigate a deadly and predatory power structure while asking readers one question: if this is the way the world is, do you accept it?

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * Bookshop

 

 

Review

 

This is the second book by this author that I have read, and it is definitely a book to make you stop and think about the impact of perceived beauty in our culture.

This wasn’t an easy book to read due to various situations. I say not easy as the topics are deeper such as exploitation of young girls, rape, assault, drugs, and self-worth.

Georgia has had to endure a lot in her life with the death of her mother, being lured into a seamy situation by an older man, death of a friend, and trying to find her place in this world. Sadly, she hinges everything on her perceived beauty. She may be beautiful, but she believes that she can become more based on this one attribute. As we learn in our lives, beauty is fleeting, and there has to be more to a person to make it in this world. I think she is lost and has not had the best role models or guidance from family members to realize that there is more to life than the outside package.

I did feel like the book was disjointed in various spots, and I sometimes wondered why the characters were so obtuse. That said, it is still a story that fits into our world, and I think there might be some that can relate to the character’s situations. It won’t be a comfortable read, so be prepared.

We give it 3 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Courtney Summers is the bestselling author of several novels. Her work has been released to critical acclaim and multiple starred reviews, received numerous awards and honors–including the Edgar Award, the John Spray Mystery Award, the Cybils Award, the Odyssey Award, the Audie Award–and has enjoyed the recognition of many library, state, ‘Best Of’ and Readers’ Choice lists. Courtney has reviewed for The New York Times, is the founder of the 2015 worldwide trending hashtag #ToTheGirls, and in 2016, she was named one of Flare Magazine’s 60 under 30. She lives and writes in Canada.

 

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The Meld: Magic, Please
Young Adult Paranormal
1st in Series
Setting – The fictional Mountain West town of Pinewood, Colorado
All Things That Matter Press (July 3, 2022)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 143 pages

 

Synopsis

 

The Meld, an otherworldly group of six, has gathered in the past millennium to bestow gifts on the most interesting of all populations: adolescents. The Meld members comprise a yin/yang of deadly behaviors which qualified their membership: half took lives for noble reasons, half for selfish ones. They completed their circle with Delilah Mackley in 1962 and have since been operating at full strength to give a supernatural gift to their chosen charges. This time, they choose Colorado sophomore Millie Mahoney.

The murder of Millie’s mother and the resultant self-destruction of her father have rendered her life chaotic, which Millie fights by immersing herself in her great passion: words and their power. The Meld gives her the ability for her words to become real:
Everything she writes comes true.

While she’s too smart to bring her mother back to life, Millie does look for a way to heal her family … and maybe catch the loving attention of Derek Samson while she’s at it.

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

About the Author

 

Kelley (Kelley Kaye, Kelley Kay Bowles, Kelley Gusich) taught High School English and Drama for twenty years in Colorado and California, but her love for storytelling dates back to creating captions for her high school yearbook. Maybe back to the tales she created around her Barbie and Ken. A 1994 MS diagnosis and many years of fertility struggles have (circuitously) brought Kelley, finally, to the life of writer and mother, both of which she adores. Death by Diploma, released by Red Adept Publishing in February 2016 and #1 for cozy mystery on Amazon in August that same year, is her debut cozy mystery, first in the Chalkboard Outlines® series. Book 2, Poison by Punctuation, was released on April 24, 2018, and the latest, Strangled by Simile, was released in March 2022. Her debut Young Adult Paranormal, Down in the Belly of the Whale, received the 2017 Indie Book of the Year from Aionios Books, which published the book on May 5, 2018. The first of The Meld YA Paranormal series: Magic, Please, was released July 3, 2022.

She’s also working with her husband to raise two active and busy teenage sons.

 

 

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Discovery of the Five Senses: The Urban Boys, Book 1 by K.N. Smith

 

Publisher:  Two Petals Publishing (Sept. 15, 2021)

 

Young Adult Action-Adventure, Young Adult Thriller, Urban Fantasy, Mystery/ Thriller, Super Heroes

 

 

Synopsis

 

Welcome or unwelcome. Fate has arrived.

A suspenseful incident in a forbidden preserve heightens the senses of five friends. Sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell become super-gifts that forever change the world. But furious battles confront the boys as they try to understand their sensory super powers in a race to save mankind.

With light beings and mysterious strangers complicating their plight, can the boys defeat the evil Druth before it’s too late? Get prepared for the twisting and grinding of this award-winning, action-adventure story — an edge-of-your-seat narrative for young and mature readers alike.

 

 

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Praise

 

“Brilliantly crafted and written!”–Megan King, Indie Book Reviewers

“An energetic adventure debut with stellar action sequences. Smith’s writing is intelligent and often lyrical. Her exuberant prose never fails to dazzle.”–Kirkus Media

“Author K.N. Smith uses her mastery of the written word to weave an entrancing, yet powerful tale of adventure that keeps you turning pages in an unquenchable desire to find out what happens next.”–Publishers Daily Reviews

“Well written and very creative, ‘Discovery of the Five Senses’ is an absolute must-read for fans of novels such as Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, etc.”–Anabella Johnson, Indie Book Reviewers

“K.N. Smith has an incredible way with words; her descriptions are vivid; you see what the characters are seeing, you feel what they are feeling; you feel like you are there.”– Cody Brighton, Indie Book Reviewers

“A wonderful and deeply written emotional adventure.”–Self Publishing Review

“K.N. Smith’s articulate word imagery is all that is needed to transport readers to a mysterious world. Make the time to connect with this piece of literary prowess. You will not regret it.” – V. McDermott, Educator, English Teachers Association of Queensland, Australia

 

Guest Review by Nora

 

“Discovery of the Five Senses” is a captivating story from start to finish. Five boys go into the nature preserve in their town, only to discover strange balls of light floating in the air. After the balls of light begin to fly at the boys and explode, they soon blackout and find themselves waking up at one of their houses the next morning with no memory of getting there. But why are they all in so much pain? And why do they seem to each have one sense that has been sharpened to super-powered levels?

This is the question of ‘Discovery of the Five Senses.’ What were those balls of light, and why do they seem to have given the boys one super ability each? Although the teenagers are initially somewhat afraid of their new gifts, they soon have a need to use them, as a young man named Druth from the next town over wishes to use his own gifts to attack their town—and to steal their powers for his own. The boys are helped by a mysterious dark stranger, who seems to have some connection to a time when another group of teenagers received the same gift from the preserve. No wonder their parents warned them to never go into the nature preserve!

I really enjoyed how Smith used the different perspectives to tell this story. Between the five teenagers, Druth, and the dark stranger, the story really benefited from getting to experience everyone’s viewpoint.

This was a riveting YA thriller that kept my pulse pounding for the entire wild ride. I was so concerned for the boys and the residents of Danville Heights that I couldn’t put this book down! Make sure you set aside a block of time to read this, and get ready to add it to your list of favorite books! Five stars for this mesmerizing novel!

 

 

About the Author

 

K.N. Smith, winner of the “Best of” in the category of “Outstanding Young Adult Novel” at the Jessie Redmon Fauset Book Awards, is an author and passionate advocate of literacy and arts programs throughout the world. Her lyrical flair sweeps across pages that twist and grind through action-adventure and urban fantasy in edge-of-your-seat narratives.

As an award-winning consultant, K.N. has over twenty-five years of experience in communications and creative design. Reading is still her foremost hobby. K.N. inspires people of all ages to reach their highest potential in their creative, educational, and life pursuits.

 

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Giveaway

 

This giveaway is for 2 winners of a $50 Visa eGift Card each and 2 winners of a print copy each, open to the U.S. only.

This giveaway ends on Sept 1, 2022, midnight pacific time.

Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway