Book Review: Frogkisser by Garth Nix

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FROGKISSER

Author: Garth Nix
Reading Level: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy
Released: February 28th 2017
Review Source: Scholastic Press

The last thing she needs is a prince. The first thing she needs is some magic.

Poor Princess Anya. Forced to live with her evil stepmother’s new husband, her evil stepstepfather. Plagued with an unfortunate ability to break curses with a magic-assisted kiss. And forced to go on the run when her stepstepfather decides to make the kingdom entirely his own.

Aided by a loyal talking dog, a boy thief trapped in the body of a newt, and some extraordinarily mischievous wizards, Anya sets off on a Quest that, if she plays it right, will ultimately free her land—and teach her a thing or two about the use of power, the effectiveness of a well-placed pucker, and the finding of friends in places both high and low.

Having been a fan of Garth nix;s work for the last some-odd 20 years, Frogkisser was a fun short read. It takes a pinch of the old fairy tales and he re imagines them to fit within his own imagination and book.

Frogkisser reminds me of an old childhood favorite The Two Princesses of Bamarre, sisters as different as night and day, a land rich in magical creatures and magic, a quest undertaken by the bookish princess uninterested in adventure, all for the sake of saving herself, her sister and their kingdom. LOVING IT!

Now Frogkisser follows the younger sister, Princess Anya, on a very dangerous quest, against her evil stepstep father (who’s a horrible and fearsome sorcerer). Yet somehow, along the way, she keeps picking up side quests, and it’s not only slowing her down but upping the ante. Everyone is looking for her, and not everyone is a willing friend.

I loved the story, the adventure was a fun one and it was (for the most part) wrapped up nicely within one book. If it’s a stand alone then I’m satisfied, if another book is added to the story I’d be quite interested in what Princess Anya, Shrub, Ardent and the White Wizard might get up into next!

Blog Tour: The Sleeping Prince by Melinda Salisbury + Giveaway

Welcome to our stop on The Sleeping Prince tour for Melinda Salisbury. This tour is hosted by Rockstar Book Tour.

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The Sleeping Prince

The Sin Eater’s Daughter #2
Author: Melinda Salisbury
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genres: Fantasy
Release Date: May 31st 2016
Review Source: Scholastic Press
 

Return to the darkly beautiful world of The Sin Eater's Daughter with a sequel that will leave you awed, terrified . . . and desperate for more.

Ever since her brother Lief disappeared, Errin's life has gone from bad to worse. Not only must she care for her sick mother, she has to scrape together rent money by selling illegal herbal cures. But none of that compares to the threat of the vengeful Sleeping Prince whom the Queen just awoke from his enchanted sleep.

When her village is evacuated as part of the war against the Sleeping Prince, Errin is left desperate and homeless. The only person she can turn to is the mysterious Silas, a young man who buys deadly poisons from Errin, but won't reveal why he needs them. Silas promises to help her, but when he vanishes, Errin must journey across a kingdom on the brink of war to seek another way to save her mother and herself. But what she finds shatters everything she believed about her world, and with the Sleeping Prince drawing nearer, Errin must make a heartbreaking choice that could affect the whole kingdom.

Although I'd enjoyed the first novel of this series, The Sin Eater's Daughter, I couldn't connect with the romance between the main characters. Don't get me wrong, I did loved the mystery, the twists and overall, the story was great. Now in The Sleeping Prince, the POVs are shifted and there are new characters in which we get to learn to admired. Even though I am not a fan of this, the whole shifting POVs, I freaking enjoyed The Sleeping Prince. Errin and Silas are perfect!

There is nothing better than to have two amazing characters fall for one another. I loved Silas. I love how mysterious he is. He may be a mystery, but he is sure attached to Errin, our heroine of this story. As for Errin... she is simply amazing. I totally enjoy reading how she is completely different to Twylla. She is headstrong, loyal to her family, independent and yet has a heart that will warm yours. When you read about the illness of her mother and how Errin is staying strong to help out, there is no other thing but to fall in love with her. How mature for her age and selfless. The very fact of her first priority of keeping her mother safe is simply is admiring. Even though she gets herself in trouble, she is able to think quickly and get herself out of it. She's a clever one and I adored her.

As for The Sleeping Prince, this fairy tale prince is making sure everyone gets the word out. He is destroying everything in his path and making sure everyone is aware that he is alive. He is evil and has no mercy. He wants to be feared and is doing the impossible to get every single person to tremble in his presence, to bow down to him and pledge their loyalty. I hate him. He is rude and plain evil. He needs to be taken down and pronto.

The Sleeping Prince is a sequel but itself makes its own stand. It's captivating and refreshing. Although we get some answers there are more questions to be answered as its loaded with more twists. A rich fantasy story ready to be explored, so make sure to do so.

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Melinda Salisbury lives by the sea, somewhere in the south of England. As a child she genuinely thought Roald Dahl’s Matilda was her biography, in part helped by her grandfather often mistakenly calling her Matilda, and the local library having a pretty cavalier attitude to the books she borrowed. Sadly she never manifested telekinetic powers. She likes to travel, and have adventures. She also likes medieval castles, non-medieval aquariums, Richard III, and all things Scandinavian. The Sin Eater’s Daughter is her first novel, and will be published by Scholastic in 2015. She is represented by the amazing Claire Wilson at Rogers, Coleridge and White.

3 winners will receive a finished copies of THE SLEEPING PRINCE, US Only.

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5/27/2016- Fiktshun- Guest Post

Blog Tour: Everland by Wendy Spinale | Excerpt | Giveaway

Welcome to our stop on Everland tour for Wendy Spinale. This tour is hosted by Rockstar Book Tour.

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Everland

Author: Wendy Spinale
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genres: Fantasy
Release Date: May 10th 2016
Publisher: Scholastic Press
 

Forget the story of Peter Pan you know. Because in Everland, the only way to grow up is to survive.

London has been destroyed in a blitz of bombs and disease. The only ones who have survived are children, among them Gwen Darling and her siblings, Joanna and Mikey. They spend their nights scavenging and their days avoiding the ruthless Marauders -- the German Army led by Captain Hanz Otto Oswald Kretschmer.

Unsure if the virus has spread past England's borders but desperate to leave, Captain Hook hunts for a cure, which he thinks can be found in one of the survivors. He and his Marauders stalk the streets snatching children for experimentation. None ever return. Until the day they grab Joanna. As Gwen sets out to save her, she meets a mysterious boy named Pete. Pete offers the assistance of his gang of Lost Boys and the fierce sharpshooter Bella, who have all been living in a city hidden underground. But in a place where help has a steep price and every promise is bound by blood, it will cost Gwen. And are she, Pete, the Lost Boys, and Bella enough to outsmart Captain Hook?

EXCERPT

His face draws close to mine.

"You don't plan to march into the city and rescue your sister with a couple of dull daggers, do you?"

"I'll find another weapon on the way." I grab for my pack, but he brushes my hand aside.

"Do you really believe you and your kid brother can get her back all by yourself? It's only a matter of time before you're caught, too." Pete hands me my bag. "Most survivors have learned the two rules to staying alive. Number one: Don't leave behind a footprint. Bella and I stick to the rooftops. Others, those that are skilled with weapons and can run fast . . ."

"And have stomachs of steel," Bella interjects, wrinkling her nose.

"Those Scavengers utilize the sewage systems," Pete finishes.

"There are other people?" Mikey asks, tugging on Pete's coattail.

"Of course there are others," Bella says with exasperation in her voice. "Lots of them. All kids, obviously. You don't think the four of us are the only ones left in England, do you?"

"Where are the other kids?" Mikey asks, his expression wild with curiosity.

Pete beckons us to the window. Mikey follows and, with reluctance, I join them. In the distance, the crumbledbuildings of Everland rise toward the sky like steel, concrete, and brick tombstones. The navy blue hues of night have faded into lavender as the sun on the horizon chases away what is left of the evening stars. Only two twinkling points remain. He points to the west.

"Second to the right," he says. "Just below it."

"You're telling me there are children hiding in Everland?" I ask in disbelief.

Copyright © 2016 by Wendy Spinale
All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., Publishers since 1920. scholastic, scholastic press, and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.

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I must admit, I have lived an extraordinary life and will forever be grateful for the opportunities I have had.

I was the middle of three kids, my older brother being deaf for as far back as I can remember. At the time, I didn't realize how much that would later impact my life. I was a sign language interpreter for a short time (although I'm extremely rusty now), taught my kids to sign as infants, and now am using that experience in my current manuscript.

During college I was living in southern California working for Disneyland as a Cast Member in the Entertainment Department. I met my husband there who was also a performer. After four incredible years working with the Mouse, we moved to his hometown in the Bay Area.

I eventually got my Bachelor's in Kinesiology and worked in the fitness industry for ten years before a knee injury ended my career. Not sure what to do with my time, I applied to job posting to be an online journalist. I loved writing, but had no experience. I didn't hear back so I wrote up a review about a local restaurant and sent it to them to prove I could do the job. Twenty-four hours later, I was a journalist with AOL Media/Pleasanton Patch.

I spent three great years with them before cut backs forced me without a job again. That's when I started writing my first novel, which went nowhere. Dozens of rejection letters later. I started a second book. A year later I was offered representation by Thao Le from Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency and within another six months I was offered a book deal. EVERLAND (Scholastic) is scheduled to debut Summer of 2016!

Today I live in the Bay Area with my husband and three sons who are my biggest fans. While they're off at work and school, I bounce ideas off my four-legged, furry family members, Odie and Sammy.

3 winners will receive a finished copy of EVERLAND, US Only.

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5/13/2016- 5 Girls Book Reviews- Review

Waiting on Wednesday: The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Raven King

The Raven Cycle #4

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Release Date: April 26th 2016

Publisher: Scholastic Press

The fourth and final installment in the spellbinding series from the irrepressible, #1 New York Times bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater.

All her life, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love's death. She doesn't believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem, but as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

Blog Tour: Faceless by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

Welcome to our stop on the Faceless tour for Alyssa B. Sheinmel. This tour is hosted by Rockstar Book Tours.

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Faceless
Author: Alyssa B. Sheinmel
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: September 29 2015
Review Source: Scholastic Press

When Maisie gets into a terrible accident, her face is partially destroyed. She's lucky enough to get a face transplant--but how do you live your life when you can't even recognize yourself anymore?

She was a runner, a girlfriend, a good student...a normal girl. Now all that has changed. As Maisie discovers how much her looks did--and didn't--shape her relationship to the world, she has to redefine her own identity, and figure out what "lucky" really means.

From Alyssa Sheinmel, the acclaimed author of Second Star, this is a lyrical and gripping novel that will challenge readers to think about how we create and define ourselves.

Maisie has everything going for her. A boyfriend who's taking her to prom, running which she absolutely loves. Sure, her parents fight, but one tiny little hiccup in a life that's pretty good is fine. Until one morning while on a run Maisie gets into an accident. This accident leads to half of her face being damaged, and therefore taken off. When everything in life once came easy, it's time for Maisie to learn how to get things the hard way.

I honestly love books that challenge the social norm such as this one. Everyone would like to think "we don't judge a book by its cover"; including people as something that we don't judge automatically. I'm almost positive it's rare that people actually follow these guidelines. And this book shows just how much you don't. A girl who wouldn't consider herself beautiful has to come to terms with living with a face transplant and starts having a hard time with the scars on her face, the simple fact that her face isn't her own. It's tough for her, but it's eye opening for readers that we do judge people by their looks. Maisie spends most of the first part in the hospital as her body is recovering and before her transplant. A physical therapist comes in to help her with starting to move her body again. Maisie is unable to see her right away but just from her voice she paints this picture of a bubbly blonde woman, when she finally sees the woman it's an African American with an afro. Automatically showing that we will judge people; if not by looks then by the sound of their voice.

It's not a lie that we are a judgmental society. With social media allowing us to like peoples photos - and rumor has it that soon we will be able to dislike photos - it's become easier to be judgmental. It's sad, but it's true. And this book - Maisie - has to deal with becoming someone who gets judged. She's not use to the pressure that puts on her. She stays away from anything reflective so that she doesn't have to deal with the fact that she now looks different. Throughout the story many different characters tell her she's lucky, she blows them off in her mind because she believes she's not lucky. "How can I be lucky to have some other woman's face?" And as a reader it allows you to realize a)to be grateful for what you have b)to try harder to not judge a book by its cover and c)to not let what others think of you run how you live your life.

Maisie is a strong character; while she's strong she is also weak. I like that about her. She is a redeemable character because she is strong. Her weaknesses lie in how she perceives herself and others. One thing I've learned in life is most of the time, even if someone is looking at you, if they don't know you - they most likely don't care. Maisie automatically thinks that because her face is different others are caring about her. Her strength comes once she's started to heal, and when she finds a group to talk with. Where we meet Adam.

Adam takes a different approach than Maisie. He brings light to his injuries. Seeing that people are staring at him he believes it to be out of curiosity. Honestly it most likely is. When we see injuries automatically we want to know more; how did it happen, when did it happen, why did it happen, how badly did it hurt? We are not only judgmental, we are curious. And Adam brings that out in the story and helps Maisie to see that.

While reading this book it's hard not to think about what I would do in this position or how I would react to someone who had been in this position. I first and foremost would hope that I wouldn't judge her, that I would be conscientious of Maisie's feelings. And if I were in that position I hope that I would realize just how lucky I was to be alive after the accident.

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I was born in Stanford, California, and even though I moved across the country to New York when I was six years old, I still think of myself as a California girl.

Like so many writers, I grew up loving books. I loved stories so much that when there was nothing to read, I wrote my own stories just to give myself something to read. And when there was no pen and paper to be had, I made up stories and acted them out by myself. I played all the parts, and I was never bored.

 

Giveaway Details

3 winners will receive a finished copy of FACELESS. US Only.

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Cover Reveal: Titans by Victoria Scott + Giveaway

We love Victoria Scott and we are super thrilled about her upcoming title, Titan. Today we are sharing her cover reveal and sharing her giveaway! Enter below!

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Titans

Author: Victoria Scott

Release Date: February 23rd 2016

Publisher: Scholastic Press

From Victoria Scott, author of FIRE & FLOOD, comes a thrilling story of impossible odds.

Ever since the Titans first appeared in her Detroit neighborhood, Astrid Sullivan’s world has revolved around the mechanical horses. She and her best friend have spent countless hours watching them and their jockeys practice on the track. It’s not just the thrill of the race. It’s the engineering of the horses and the way they’re programmed to seem so lifelike. The Titans are everything that fascinates Astrid, and nothing she’ll ever touch.

She hates them a little, too. Her dad lost everything betting on the Titans. And the races are a reminder of the gap between the rich jockeys who can afford the expensive machines to ride, and the working class friends and neighbors of Astrid’s who wager on them.

But when Astrid’s offered a chance to enter an early model Titan in this year’s derby, well, she decides to risk it all. Because for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, it’s more than a chance at fame or money. Betting on herself is the only way she can see to hang on to everyone in the world she cares about.

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To enter, fill out the rafflecopter below to win a SIGNED Titans poster and the books in the picture below!

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