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: Running Lean by Diana L Sharples

Running Lean
Diana L. Sharples
HarperCollins/Blink
Published August 6, 2013

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Haunted by a cruel playground song, Stacey is determined never to be fat again. With her best friend Zoe, she embarks on a rigid diet, rejecting the high-calorie, deep-fried southern dishes her family seems to thrive on. But just when Stacey has it all under control, a fainting spell alerts her boyfriend Calvin that things aren’t as well-ordered as they seem. Stacey brushes off the event as “female problems” and hopes Calvin will just forget it.

Calvin just wants Stacey to be okay, and he’s willing to pay just about any price to make that so. He endeavors to support her, but … Continue reading

Review: The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Traitor
Julie Kagawa
Harlequin Teen
Published October 29, 2013

Amazon | Barnes & Noble |Goodreads

Ethan returns from a week-long disappearance into the Nevernever with his girlfriend MacKenzie and a lot of explaining to do. After passing off the adventure to parents and police as an impulsive New York getaway, Ethan hopes to return to life as normal. But with his faery Sight keeping him aware of the fey all around him and making him something of a target, “normal” seems like an awfully tall order.

When Ethan and MacKenzie receive a request for help from a desperate faerie and friend, they prepare themselves for another dive into the faerie world. Together with Kierran, they seek to uncover … Continue reading

Author Interview with Jaimie Engle

Author Jaimie EngleJaimie Engle is the author of Clifton Chase and the Arrow of Light, a middle-grade adventure story in which a modern-day boy has a chance to be a hero in fifteenth century England. The novel is published by Wayman Publishing and illustrated by Debbie Johnson. Jaimie joins adventure fans today to answer some questions about her debut novel.

Blogger asks: One of the things I found most interesting in your novel is the time period to which the arrow whisked Clifton away. What made you choose to write about this moment in history?

Jaimie answers: It actually started when I came across an oil painting by Philip James de Loutherbourg depicting the Battle of Bosworth Field, which is the final battle of the … Continue reading

Review: Clifton Chase and the Arrow of Light by Jaimie Engle

When a mysterious arrow turns up in a dusty closet, Clifton Chase thinks he’s uncovered nothing but old worthless junk. The arrow, however, turns out to be so much more. With a flash of light, Clifton finds himself transported back to fifteenth century England, in a time when a ruthless ruler has seized power and locked away two young princes. Continue reading

Young Reader Review: Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris

Eight-year-old Anna calls Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris, “…the best book in the world!” Review and content notes from Anna and her mother, Kasey Giard. Continue reading

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

In a world where faction comes before family, Beatrice must find out where she belongs. It’s a choice which may cost everything. Continue reading