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Monday, October 31, 2022

Review: Honour's Rest by Judith Crow (YA Magical Realism)

 


 

Honour's Rest

by Judith Crow


~~~~~~~~~~~~~


GENRE:   YA Magical Realism


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 BLURB:

 

“So, it’s – what – like magic?”

No, according to Pen’s uncle, the Rite is not magic at all. But, if it’s not magic, then how could Pen push the school bully into a pond while he was really studying alone in the library?
When Pen’s family realise he has the Rite, he is sent to live with his Uncle Napier, who can help him control his ability.
But Napier has other duties. He is the Rendelf, in charge of the Rite in the UK, and he has gathered many enemies over the years…
…enemies who would be delighted to use Pen against him.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

EXCERPTS 

“Good, good,” Mr Carling said. “It was a shame about what happened, Pen. You were an excellent student and you’re missed by all the teachers. And most of the pupils as well.”

 

“That’s kind of you to say,” Pen said with a smile, bowing his head again and this time enjoying the puzzlement on the headteacher’s face and the sheer confusion in his mind. “But there’s one thing in particular that I came here to say.”

 

“And what’s that?”

 

“I should apologise for what happened. It was me who pushed Justin.”

 

“Don’t be silly, Pen,” Mr Carling said, with a nervous laugh.

 

“Haven’t your parents told you? A couple of girls were taking pictures outside the library that day, and you were in the background. You couldn’t possibly have done it.”

 

“All the same,” Pen said, trying to hide his annoyance at his mother for not telling him the truth, “I was responsible.”

 

It was a great pleasure to know that the tables had been turned so, at the end of the conversation, it was Mr Carling who was nearly reduced to nervous tears, which wasn’t made any better when Pen accidentally answered a question which had not yet been spoken. It was only when he left the school with a smug sense of achievement and satisfaction that it occurred to him why Napier may have made the demand, and it had more to do with affection than punishment.

 



~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Judith was born in Orkney, grew up in Lincolnshire and now lives in the far north of Scotland. Her work draws inspiration from folklore, experience and the natural world.

The Backwater, Judith’s debut book, was a finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2019, and her most recent novel, Honour’s Rest, was a finalist in the Eyelands Book Award.

When she isn’t writing, Judith is a teacher at a primary school in Caithness. She sometimes finds that writing gets usurped by crafting, music, and being a generally doting spaniel owner.

 

Website

www.judithcrow.co.uk

www.crowvus.com

 

Twitter

@jayzed_kay

 

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/JudithZKCrow

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Honours-Rest-Rite-Way-Book-ebook/dp/B09FVM4KTW/

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:

 

Judith Crow will be awarding a £25 voucher for Crowvus.com to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

MY REVIEW found on Amazon


A boy in early adolescence discovers he has magic. He ahs a far away uncle who knows how to train and help him. His parents send him. Not all magic is good. Oh, and there are some cool creatures. And as for Pen... Pendragon... there are allusions here I am sure the series will unpack in full detail but book one is in itself a satisfying read. 

On a personal note - I enjoy 1st person narrative but I prefer third person where the author pulls me in close without every chapter being a mind dump of feelings and emotions. I think for young men, Honour's Rest will read more action and adventure (think Harry Potter) than teen internal angst (Hunger Games or Twilight). That for me may be the biggest win of the book and why I give it 5 stars.



 _______________
THANK YOU from this Book Blogger 


Thank you for reading Jerry's Circumlocution where I promote independent authors, toss out a few reviews, wax eloquent occasionally on writing, or shamelessly self promote. 

Speaking of which, if you haven't picked up one of our featured author's works please do so. If so, and looking for more to read, please consider one of mine! And on behalf of all Indie authors including the one highlighted here, we live off of good reviews. Please consider dropping one to help them (and me) out! 


Freckles: The Dark Wizard  Middle Grade Fantasy

Simon is bullied. He also just discovered he is the only kid in school who can conjure a dragon.



InPassage

 Dystopian Western

Pitch knows three things. This is not his America, someone is trying to hunt him, and he is very good with a gun.


Or keep an eye out for these other titles!




A book is like a child. The author gives it birth. Then it is raised by the author and a team of teachers, coaches, and family (we call these people editors, beta readers, and publishers). all of this is to prepare the book for its journey into the world where it hopefully will meet you, the reader. I have the privilege of being my books' parent, but you are whom it is truly meant. Thank you.

Sunday, October 16, 2022

Sophia Freeman Series by T. X. Troan



Sophia Freeman Series

by T.X. Troan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Middle-Grade Fantasy Adventure

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Book 1:
EARTH AWAKENED ... SEED PLANTED ... PATH REVEALED.
What begins as a special trip for eleven-year-old Sophia Freeman and her father, leaves her
trapped on a mysterious island with a tree boy and fantastical creatures. Later, she learns she is
dying from an eternal curse and the only way to prolong her life is to drink the island’s sacred
water. Can Sophia and her companions reach the fountain and defeat the guardian before time
runs out?



Book 2:

THEY MUST RISK IT ALL TO REGAIN THEIR FREEDOM ... OR BE SEALED AWAY
FOREVER.
Sophia Freeman and her best friend, Tim Charnal, must beat all contestants in a three-round
Beyond Event organized by the mighty arbiters to free him from the penalty of murder and gain
the islanders' trust. Entering the hologram and surviving environments filled with everything from
hammer-throwing cave giants to a slimy tentacled sea monster, they will need all their courage,
wits, and skills. But how are they going to win when magic is forbidden?


Book 3:




EVIL RISING ... ISLANDERS MISSING ... AND FRIENDS BETRAYING.
With the increase in deaths of Pandilone Islanders, the arbiters devise a strategy to free the god
demon within five days to lift the Eternal Curse. All goes as planned until iron-masked creatures
kidnap magic users, weakening the army. To gain reinforcements, Sophia Freeman, Tim
Charnal, and rescued Allen Chan must gather all six items to cast the Dream Spell, connecting
them with Sophia’s father and his air force. But how can the trio succeed in time while
surrounded by enemies and traitors aiming to stop them at any cost?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An Exert from:
SOPHIA FREEMAN AND THE MYSTERIOUS FOUNTAIN
(book 1 )
“So, what’s on your agenda today, my dear?” Grandma asked.

 

“Dad and I are going to explore his new island after this, “she replied, sitting on the edge of her seat.

 

“Oh, yes, your father told me about that on the phone last night,” said Grandpa, then gave Sophia a serious look. “My girl, do you know why all the previous owners vanished?”

 

Sophia shook her head slightly, but kept watching him without blinking.

 

“Rumors say the place possesses some sort of magical energy. As dusk arrives, the island comes to life: boulders begin to quake, monstrous trees uproot themselves, and mysterious creatures crawl out of their homes. They will do anything to protect their island … especially from humans.”

 

Sophia’s eyes widened and her hands began to sweat.

 

“Joe, that’s enough!” Dad ordered. “You’re scaring her.”

 

“That was very mean of you, Joe,” Grandma added.

 

Grandpa chuckled. “Well, it looks like I haven’t loss my touch. You’re still that innocent girl that I used to know.”

 

Sophia sighed with relief. He must have been teasing.
When she was a lot younger, Grandpa used to tell her ghost stories and it would frighten her every time. The all-time best story was about an invisible spirit that watches us from behind since the day we were born. It would one day transfer our soul to a magical place when we are ready to go. He told the little girl it was time for him to go and would never return. She burst into tears and tried to convince him it wasn’t time yet. She stayed with him that whole night and
never let him out of her sight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:



Thuan Doan was born in Indonesia, and grew up in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.
Thuan has been fascinated by art from a young age, especially fantasy. He would wake up
hours before school, sit outside the classroom, and scribble in his sketch book.
After college, he worked on a series of jobs, including: an advergaming association as a
storyboard/concept artist, gaming company as lead concept artist, and graphic designer for
various clients.

Thuan conceived his first middle-grade fantasy novel, Sophia Freeman and the Mysterious
Fountain, during a trip to Gabriola Island, British Columbia in the summer of 2013. Then he took his work and settled in a small town of Enderby, where it’s peaceful and quiet. 4 years later, the story is complete. 
While book 1, 2 and 3 are being shared with the world, he is writing and illustrating book 4 of the Sophia Freeman series. Thuan is writing under a pen name of T.X. Troan. “X” stands for Xu, his grandmother’s name who passed away. And “Troan” is a combination of his parents names.

“No matter how this turns out, I want my family to be a part of this wonderful journey.”
T.X. Troan married Sarah, his original fan and longtime love, in 2016. They live in Enderby with
their pack dogs and school of fish!

AWARDS
★ Entrada Publishing Incipere Award, 2020
★ Readers' Favorite 5 star Badge, 2019, 2021 and 2022
★ Literary Titan Badge, 2020

Book Links:
Author Website
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Walmart
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sophia-Freeman-Sophia-Freeman-and-the-Mysterious-Fountain-
Book-1-Series-1-Paperback-9781999481308/820434750
Indie Bound
https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781999481308
Book Depository
https://www.bookdepository.com/search?searchTerm=t%20x%20troan&search=Find+book

Social Media:
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/TXTroan
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/txtroan/

Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18815756.T_X_Troan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
T.X. Troan will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via
rafflecopter during the tour.
Please use this rafflecopter code on your post:

____________
THANK YOU 


Thank you for reading Jerry's Circumlocution where I promote independent authors, toss out a few reviews, wax eloquent occasionally on writing, or shamelessly self promote. 

Speaking of which, if you haven't picked up one of our featured author's works please do so. If so, and looking for more to read, please consider one of mine! And on behalf of all Indie authors including the one highlighted here, we live off of good reviews. Please consider dropping one to help them (and me) out! 


Freckles: The Dark Wizard  Middle Grade Fantasy

Simon is bullied. He also just discovered he is the only kid in school who can conjure a dragon.



InPassage

 Dystopian Western

Pitch knows three things. This is not his America, someone is trying to hunt him, and he is very good with a gun.


Or keep an eye out for these other titles!




A book is like a child. The author gives it birth. Then it is raised by the author and a team of teachers, coaches, and family (we call these people editors, beta readers, and publishers). all of this is to prepare the book for its journey into the world where it hopefully will meet you, the reader. I have the privilege of being my books' parent, but you are whom it is truly meant. Thank you.

Sunday, October 9, 2022

The Improbable MD


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotoins. The Literary Lobbyist will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.



In Improbable MD, Dr. Derek J. Robinson traces his unlikely journey from fishing on the bayous of Louisiana, to an ER and helicopter flight physician in Chicago, to leadership in some of the US’ largest health care organizations.

The grandson of a sharecropper and son of a single mother, Derek grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Shreveport, LA. A graduate of the city’s public schools, he saw first-hand the difference that access to quality education and health care made within his own family. He shares how his dream of being a doctor became a reality, despite the odds, and why he believes mentoring and investing in young people is vital to the health of our nation.

Robinson takes the reader inside the ER, where he has treated victims of gun violence and shares how spilt-second clinical decisions and the trust of his patients, shaped his appreciation for being a doctor, But, even with many years of training, he exposes how it feels to reach the limits of what he can offer patients and even shares the pain and lessons he has learned from the illness and loss of family members. Beyond the walls of the ER, Dr. Robinson explains how we became a business leader in health care and influential voice in boardrooms.

Through sharing his inspirations and tribulations, Dr. Robinson inspires readers to push beyond both self-doubt and external obstacles to pursue their dreams. In telling his story, he shares the roles that faith, friendship, love, and fatherhood have played in his life, and he hopes to motivate readers to chart their own journeys to successful and fulfilling lives.

About the Author:
Derek J. Robinson is a board-certified physician in Emergency Medicine. He is vice president and chief medical officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, a division of Health Care Service Corporation – the nation’s largest non-investor owned health insurance company. In this role, he leads the care management operations division and serves as the company’s primary health care expert.

Dr. Robinson continues to provide clinical care to patients in the ER at the University of Illinois Chicago where he is a clinical associate professor of emergency medicine. His unique perspective on the complexities of healthcare, including his past service as a health care federal regulator, have enabled him to influence the transformation of health care for Americans. He has been featured on WTTW, WMAQ, WLS-TV, BNC, and other news outlets discussing important health care issues and social topics.

A native of Shreveport, LA. Dr. Robinson resides in Chicago, IL with his wife and two sons. When he is not working, he enjoys swimming, cycling, fishing, and spending time outdoors. For more on Derek Robinson and his memoir Improbable MD visit: http://www.DrDerekRobinson.com

BE SURE TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!!!!