About Kasey

Reads things. Writes things. Fluent in sarcasm. Willful optimist. Cat companion, chocolate connoisseur, coffee drinker. There are some who call me Mom.

Review: The Wolf Road by Beth Lewis

The Wolf Road by Beth LewisThe Wolf Road
Beth Lewis
Crown
Available July 5, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

A reward poster reveals to seventeen-year-old Elka that the man who raised her for the last seven years is not the father she’s hoped for him to be. The poster unlocks details of memories Elka kept suppressed, and she knows she can no longer deny the truth of the monster he is. With a vengeful law officer hot on the trail, Elka knows she can’t return home. Her only choice is to push north, toward the place she keeps locked in her heart, the place her mama talked about in her last … Continue reading

Author Interview with Madeline Dyer

Today I have author Madeline Dyer here to talk about her Untamed Series, what inspired her to write such a dynamic post-apocalyptic story and what comes next.

Hi Madeline! When I think about stories, I’m always curious what inspired the author to create them. Was there a question that inspired you to write Untamed or Fragmented?

In writing Untamed, I wanted to get my readers to think about several things:
– If you could, would you choose to never feel anything negative?
– Do you need to experience negative emotions to truly be human?
– And what negative effects do you think choosing to only feel positive emotions would have on you as a person? But would you be aware of these negative … Continue reading

Review: Girl Talk by Lois Walfrid Johnson

Girl Talk by Lois Walfrid JohnsonGirl Talk: 52 Weekly Devotions by FaithGirlz
Lois Walfrid Johnson
Zonderkidz
Published May 4, 2010

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

A while back I reviewed a girls’ bible study that left me disappointed—both in the appropriateness of the subject matter for the age group and in some of the teaching. Since then I’ve been on the hunt for a devotional or study that my eleven-year-old and I could do together, something that addresses some of the issues she faces on a daily and weekly basis.

Girl Talk is set up in chapters, one for each week. Each chapter begins with a story in which the main character faces an obstacle or choice. Sometimes the … Continue reading

Review: Twinepathy by C. B. Cook

Twinepathy by C B CookTwinepathy
C. B. Cook
Available July 14, 2016

Amazon  | Goodreads | Author’s Website

Twins Albany and Brooklyn keep their telepathic connection a secret from everyone. After all, who would believe them anyway? But when a strange girl shows up on their doorstep with no memory of how she got there and an inexplicable power of her own, the twins begin to realize there may be more people with powers, and not all of them use them for good. They learn about an organization of people with abilities and a terrible plot to destroy it. At first committed to sit on the sidelines, Albany soon realizes she and Brooklyn might be the group’s only hope for survival. She … Continue reading

Review: Gilt Hollow by Lorie Langdon

Gilt Hollow by Lorie LangdonGilt Hollow
Lorie Langdon
Blink YA/Zondervan
Available September 27, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Ashton Keller has longed for this moment every day for the last four years: the day he returns home to Gilt Hollow for revenge on the boys who ruined his life. He will do whatever it takes to clear his name and prove he didn’t murder his friend Daniel. But the town doesn’t greet him with welcoming arms, and it’s certainly not going to give up its secrets easily. Harder still, being back reminds Ashton of things he’d rather forget, like his best friend Willow.

Willow spent months writing Ashton every day after his conviction, which she believed false. She … Continue reading

Author Interview: Kathleen Cook Waldron

Today I have the pleasure of sharing an interview with author Kathleen Cook Waldron, author of Between Shadows, a middle grade novel about a boy who has recently lost his grandfather and returns to the cabin where they shared memories together. Between Shadows was recently named a finalist for the Silver Birch award. Read my review here.

I met Kathy before I knew she was an author. She and her husband were on a cruise to celebrate their wedding anniversary. My husband and I took the same cruise for our honeymoon trip. We really enjoyed spending time with Kathy and Mark, so finding out that Kathy was also a children’s book author was a fun bonus. I’m excited to be able to share more of the story behind the story and the inspiration for Between Shadows.

Kathleen Cook Waldron Continue reading