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Snow Witch by Rosie Boyes

Q&A with Snow Witch Author Rosie Boyes

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Rosie Boyes’ novel Snow Witch came out last week, and it’s another book I can’t wait to read. The story looks like a lot of fun, especially as we head into the holidays. I’m really excited to find out more about the Christmas curse and the mysterious St. Flurries. Read on to learn more about what inspired this unusual holiday story.

Q&A with Rosie Boyes

I find that a story was often inspired by a question. Was there a question that inspired you to write The Snow Witch?

I often imagine the thick snow-covered streets that Charles Dickens wrote about in A Christmas Carol, and the sense of wonder that Lucy Pevensie felt when she stepped through the wardrobe into Narnia – her small feet crunching through the fresh white snow – a puff of breath visible in the crisp, cold air. But due to climate change, a blanket of snow on Christmas day is rare, especially where I live in the south of England. Yet, every year, regardless, I ask myself… will it snow this Christmas? And that was the question that inspired me to write The Snow Witch.

Were there things about your favorite character or an awesome scene which you didn’t end up being able to include in Snow Witch?

Luckily, no, in fact, quite the opposite. After completing several edit checks, I sent my manuscript to a twelve-year-old boy who read the story and gave me his feedback. In his own words, he loved all of the characters apart from a snow creature called Pipit who he described as not very fun and needed more cheer. So, I wrote a new chapter, short and sweet, and in doing so, turned Pipit into an accidental hero. And strangely enough, the new chapter changed the whole dynamics at the end of the book.

Is there a scene or moment in your novel that really sticks with you? Can you tell us a little bit about it?

A chapter I found intense to write was when my main protagonist was cursed, and due to the curse, her family abandoned her when they believed she was dead. ‘Papa! Mama!’ she whimpered. ‘Don’t… leave… me…’ I hate sad scenes, I hate them with a vengeance. Yet, no matter how much the scene pulled on my heartstrings, I knew I had to leave it alone because it was a key element to the story.

I think it’s really cool and unusual to see a story about a curse (usually more of a Halloween theme) taking place around Christmas. What inspired this holiday mash-up?

I love snow! Love it! And I love the festive season mixed together with spicy yumminess and family hugs. So when I came up with the idea for The Snow Witch, I simply had to write a story set around Christmas-time. And into the mixture of the curse, I added three white mistletoe berries, a teaspoon of snow, two cat hairs, and…. well, I’ll let you read the story to find out what happens next.

What do you most hope that readers take away from your story?

Personally speaking, I enjoy reading books which blend an element of everything – fantasy, adventure, suspense, mystery, comedy, and maybe a little romance, all mixed up to make an unforgettable story. And so when it came to The Snow Witch, I wanted to evoke feelings, pure and simple. As an author, I want my readers to turn over a new page and not know quite what to expect. I want them to experience a rollercoaster journey until they finish the book, look around, perhaps a little disorientated because they don’t want the story to end. I want them to feel happy.

What is one question about The Snow Witch you are often asked by readers?

The question I often get asked is from my sister. Have you finished the story yet? When can I read it? In real life, she is an occupational therapist. She is warm-hearted and caring, funny, strong, empathetic and compassionate – in truth, she has all the characteristics needed to be a healthcare professional (but then I am a little biased!). Little does she know that I have loosely based her on a character in my book. Nurse Pamela Pintail, to be precise. It makes me wonder whether, subconsciously, I have based other characters on real-life people? Could it be you?

About Rosie Boyes

Website | Twitter

Rosie Boyes is a children’s author from the UK. She has been passionate about middle-grade books ever since she can remember. Her love of reading came at an early age when she escaped into classic stories, living out the lives of the characters she met. During her spare time, she dreams about dipping her toes in the sea, splashing through puddles, kicking up leaves in the autumn…

About The Snow Witch

Amazon | Goodreads

A GRANDFATHER CLOCK. A GLASS LOCKET. A POWERFUL CURSE UNLEASHED ON CHRISTMAS EVE.

Twelve-year-old Kitty Wigeon can’t wait for Christmas at St Flurries, a grand old manor house in the countryside, until one chilly night she vanishes without a trace.

One hundred years later… Still grieving over the death of their mother, Kes Bunting and his younger sister Star, are sent to live at St Flurries. They find a house steeped in mystery and brimming with secrets.

Who, or what, is making footprints in the snow?

And what evil force is taking a cold grip on Star?

Wrap up warm as you join Kes, and a cast of eccentric snow creatures, in a race against time to solve a hundred-year-old curse. Will he succeed? Or will the fate of his sister be decided by a shivery kiss from… the Snow Witch?

Q&A with Martin Hospitality Author Abigayle Claire

Author Interview, Christian World-View, Coming of Age, Contemporary, News and Fun, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

One of the books that caught my attention lately is Martin Hospitality by Abigayle Claire. It’s about a pregnant teenage girl who finds refuge with the Martin family. I love the sweet premise and couldn’t resist learning more about what inspired the story. Abigayle has graciously taken time to answer my questions, and I’m sharing her answers here. First, let me tell you a little more about the book.

About Martin Hospitality

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Gemma Ebworthy is eighteen, pregnant, and alone. Now that she’s been evicted, she finds herself sleeping in a barn, never dreaming that tomorrow could bring kindness of a life-changing magnitude.

The Martins aren’t a typical family—even for rural Kansas. With more kids than can be counted on one hand and a full-time farm, Gemma must make a lot of adjustments to fit in. But despite their many differences, Gemma finds herself drawn to this family and their radical Christian faith.

When Gemma’s past collides with her yet again, she must begin revealing her colorful history. With every detail Gemma concedes, she fears she will lose the Martins’ trust and the stable environment she desires for herself and her unborn child. Just how far can the Martins’ love and God’s forgiveness go?

Q&A with Abigayle Claire

I find that a story was often inspired by a question. Was there a question that inspired you to write Martin Hospitality?

A crazy dream I had inspired Martin Hospitality, so I’ve never really thought about it from the question standpoint! But I suppose one of the questions I sought to answer was what would  a family similar to mine look like to someone completely foreign to the faith and how might they be influenced.

Who is your favorite character? Were there things about him which couldn’t be included in the novel?

My favorite character in book 1 is actually Mr. Martin, a controversial character. (Although Gemma and Josiah are of course close seconds as the MCs.) I think about his past and future in relation to book 1 all the time, so yes! Lots not included that still shaped him as a character.

Is there a scene or moment in your novel that really sticks with you? Can you tell us a little bit about it?

Chapter 12 was actually the first chapter I wrote and takes place during a fall festival which makes me very happy. I also really love Gemma’s strength and all the tiny developments in that chapter with the drama.

In Martin Hospitality, Gemma wrestles with judgment and forgiveness. What made you want to write about these themes?

I think the themes came along easily with Gemma being a lost, pregnant teen. I wanted her to glimpse God through unexpected kindness long enough for her to stand up for herself and seek the God behind it in her own right. Plus, I think both judgment and forgiveness are things that both nonbelievers and believers alike deal with during their lifetime.

What do you most hope that readers take away from Martin Hospitality?

Tough question! One of the big things is God’s sufficiency. It sounds simple, but it’s so easy to forget. Gemma has to reach her own end over and over again and decide whether or not to trust God each time. But He is worth trusting, He is always there, and He is always capable. And often He’s just waiting to be asked.

What is one question about your novel you are often asked by readers?

“How did you write it?” The answer is that it wasn’t me. It came through a dream and developed a depth and intricacy that no amount of planning or editing on my part could have produced. Soli Deo Gloria.

I also get “Mr. and Mrs. Martin are your mom and dad, right?” from people who know me. While there are general similarities, I don’t consider them the same people by any means.

What have you read recently that you loved, or what’s one book on your reading list that you’re super excited about finally getting to read?

I just finished reading Fawkes by Nadine Brandes in September. I loved her other books, so I expected to like it, but the expansive themes and intense reality of the internal turmoil (with plenty of outside turmoil to make a great story of course!) really blew my mind. I’m already hoping to reread it soon which I don’t do often. Talk about changing people with your fiction! It’s wonderful to see characters grapple with their idea of God in a way that deepens your own faith.

About Abigayle Claire

Website | Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Abigayle has been a writer ever since her mother taught her how to hold a pencil. However, she devoted more time to reading words with her green eyes than penning them with her left hand. Inspired by a crazy dream at the age of sixteen, she set off on a journey to self-publish her first novel, Martin Hospitality. Since then, Abigayle has devoted herself to sharing what she has learned through the mediums of freelance editing and her blog theleft-handedytpist.blogspot.com … when period drama films are not calling more loudly. None of her successes, including winning a 2017 Readers’ Favorite Award, would be possible without the support of her Savior, large family, and online community.

Review: Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo

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Louisiana’s Way Home
Kate DiCamillo
Candlewick Press
Published on October 2, 2018

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About Louisiana’s Way Home

From two-time Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo comes a story of discovering who you are — and deciding who you want to be.

When Louisiana Elefante’s granny wakes her up in the middle of the night to tell her that the day of reckoning has arrived and they have to leave home immediately, Louisiana isn’t overly worried. After all, Granny has many middle-of-the-night ideas. But this time, things are different. This time, Granny intends for them never to return. Separated from her best friends, Raymie and Beverly, Louisiana struggles to oppose the winds of fate (and Granny) and find a way home. But as Louisiana’s life becomes entwined with the lives of the people of a small Georgia town — including a surly motel owner, a walrus-like minister, and a mysterious boy with a crow on his shoulder — she starts to worry that she is destined only for good-byes. (Which could be due to the curse on Louisiana’s and Granny’s heads. But that is a story for another time.)

Called “one of DiCamillo’s most singular and arresting creations” by The New York Times Book Review, the heartbreakingly irresistible Louisiana Elefante was introduced to readers in Raymie Nightingale — and now, with humor and tenderness, Kate DiCamillo returns to tell her story.

My Review

Confession: I haven’t read Raymie Nightingale, but when I got the chance to review Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo, I couldn’t pass it up. My family listened to Flora & Ulysses on our summer vacation a few years ago, and we all enjoyed it so much. I’ve also read Because of Winn Dixie and absolutely adore it, too. Kate DiCamillo is one of those authors where you just want to buy everything with her name on it because you know it’s going to be good.

And Louisiana’s Way Home is no exception. It’s packed with the same rich, unforgettable characters and incredible heart as the other stories I’ve read by her. I love Louisiana’s voice. You absolutely get the feeling a particular girl is telling every line. I love the way her relationships with each other character impact the story. The walrus-like minister is one of my favorites. In one scene, he cries, and it’s not at all the focus of the scene, but it so revealed the kind of person he is without making a big show. I loved it and wholeheartedly recommend Louisiana’s Way Home. And now I definitely have to read Raymie Nightingale!

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white or not physically described.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Louisiana’s granny tells her there is a curse on her family ever since her great-grandfather (a magician) sawed her great-grandmother in half and refused to put her back together again.
Louisiana seeks advice from a pastor whose office door sign says he offers healing words because she reasons that healing words are like a spell, and therefore, maybe he can lift the curse she believes is on her family. The pastor tells her that no, he can’t perform magic, but that telling her story to someone who listens to her can be a healing thing.
She sings at a church funeral.

Violent Content
This isn’t really violent, but Louisiana makes friends with a boy who steals items from a vending machine.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Born Scared by Kevin Brooks

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , ,

Born Scared
Kevin Brooks
Candlewick Press
Published on September 11, 2018

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About Born Scared
Elliot is terrified of almost everything.

From the moment he was born, his life has been governed by acute fear. The only thing that keeps his terrors in check are the pills that he takes every day.

It’s Christmas Eve, there’s a snowstorm and Elliot’s medication is almost gone. His mum nips out to collect his prescription. She’ll only be 10 minutes – but when she doesn’t come back, Elliot must face his fears and try to find her. She should only be 400 meters away. It might as well be 400 miles…

My Review
I wanted to read this book because the premise sounded really intriguing. Right away, there are high stakes and it has that man versus himself thing going on that I really love in stories.

Some of Elliot’s experiences made total sense with his fear issues and the way people would normally react in those situations. But as the story progressed, some of the experiences Elliot had got more and more extreme, and I couldn’t decide if he was hallucinating or imagining the worst-case outcome in a given situation and reporting it as if it happened, or if bad things really were happening to him.

Other characters have short scenes from their points of view, and those seemed to support Elliot’s version of events, so I guess that’s what happened? Unless those were imaginary people he created? I don’t know. That seems farfetched.

As Elliot continued the search for his mom, he found a boldness and courage that was inspiring. I liked the way the story followed multiple threads which converged in a single scene.

On the other hand, I struggled with some of the events. I feel like either Elliot must have imagined certain parts of the story (because his actions seemed so out of character and because so many things seemed like the worst-case scenario playing out) or they were real events that seem too farfetched for me to believe.

Fans of A. S. King would probably really like this story. While I found it really interesting and liked Elliot’s character, I find I’m left with this feeling that I didn’t really get the story somehow.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white or not physically described.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Elliot talks to his twin sister, Ellamay, who died during their mother’s pregnancy.

Violent Content
Strong fear-based images. Two men tie up two women. The women have bruised faces, like they fought their attackers. A man with a gun and knife threatens a kid. Someone attacks a man with a rock, hitting him in the head. A car accident startles several witnesses.

Drug Content
A man drinks alcohol at a bar, and a woman he met there drugs him without his knowledge. He experiences some hallucinations and behaves in a way out of his normal character while on the drugs.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Echo Room by Parker Peevyhouse

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The Echo Room
Parker Peevyhouse
Tor Teen
Published on September 11, 2018

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About The Echo Room
Rett wakes on the floor of a cold, dark room. He doesn’t know how he got there, only that he’s locked in. He’s not alone—a girl named Bryn is trapped in the room with him. When she finds a mysterious bloodstain and decides she doesn’t trust Rett, he tries to escape on his own—

Rett wakes on the floor of the same cold, dark room. He doesn’t trust Bryn, but he’ll have to work with her if he ever hopes to escape. They try to break out of the room—

Rett and Bryn hide in a cold, dark room. Safe from what’s outside.

But they’re not alone.

My Review
I feel like this book should be an episode of Black Mirror. (Disclaimer: I’ve only seen two episodes of Black Mirror because I’m waaaaaay too much of a fraidy cat for things that qualify as horror-ish.). The Echo Room definitely had that otherworldly, spooky, outside-the-box feel to it. I loved that!

While some parts of the story are simple—a boy, a girl, a quest to find an item—other parts are not so simple. Rett and Bryn have really fractured memories. They make assumptions from the clues around them, but we start to piece things together almost before they do, which creates all sorts of interesting nail-biting tension.

The beginning has a kind of repetitive rhythm to it (on purpose), but the way it’s written, you notice different things each time a repetition happens, so it feels like peeling back layers of the mystery, and that feeling kept me reading page after page.

I found Rett and Bryn both really likeable. There’s a good balance between the plot with its sci-fi elements and the characters, which is a must for me when I read sci-fi. So The Echo Room definitely satisfied there.

Though this is a very different kind of story, I think The Echo Room would appeal to readers who like Hayley Stone or Claudia Gray. I highly recommend it.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white or not physically described.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Fewer than ten instances of profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. A man receives a head injury from another person. At one point, a boy discovers a mutilated dead body. Description is brief. A flare gun is used as a weapon.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden

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The Benefits of Being an Octopus
Ann Braden
Sky Pony Press
Published on September 4, 2018

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About The Benefits of Being an Octopus
Some people can do their homework. Some people get to have crushes on boys. Some people have other things they’ve got to do.

Seventh-grader Zoey has her hands full as she takes care of her much younger siblings after school every day while her mom works her shift at the pizza parlor. Not that her mom seems to appreciate it. At least there’s Lenny, her mom’s boyfriend—they all get to live in his nice, clean trailer.

At school, Zoey tries to stay under the radar. Her only friend Fuchsia has her own issues, and since they’re in an entirely different world than the rich kids, it’s best if no one notices them.

Zoey thinks how much easier everything would be if she were an octopus: eight arms to do eight things at once. Incredible camouflage ability and steady, unblinking vision. Powerful protective defenses.

Unfortunately, she’s not totally invisible, and one of her teachers forces her to join the debate club. Even though Zoey resists participating, debate ultimately leads her to see things in a new way: her mom’s relationship with Lenny, Fuchsia’s situation, and her own place in this town of people who think they’re better than her. Can Zoey find the courage to speak up, even if it means risking the most stable home she’s ever had?

My Review
This book has so many cool things about it. I loved that Zoey joins the debate club at school (even though at first she’s an unwilling participant). Her natural talent shows in the way she approaches problems and cares for her siblings, which made it so easy to cheer for her as she battled anxiety about speaking in front of her classmates. I loved her teacher, too. So many moments between Zoey and her teacher had me all teary-eyed. They share a kind of understanding that only someone who’s been through a similar thing can share, and it obviously changes Zoey’s life.

Zoey’s relationship with her mom also gripped me. Because her mom works, Zoey cares for her siblings a lot of the time, and sometimes relates to her mom more as a peer rather than as parent to child. Some of that is kind of sad, but it also showed the way that your relationship with a parent changes as you reach middle school age and start thinking about things differently. I loved the way Zoey’s debate club strategies became the tools she used at home, and the way those same lessons helped her uncover unhealthy patterns in her family.

In the acknowledgements, the author talks about how someone asked her to write about rural poverty so that kids growing up in those situations would have a chance to see themselves in a book. I’m so glad she did. This book made me think of so many kids.

One of the really fun things about the book is the way Zoey uses imagery about octopus behavior to describe how she feels at different times or things she wishes she could do (like have extra hands to manage her three small siblings). I loved those descriptions and how they appeared consistently through the book.

I actually picked up a copy of this book after reading another blogger’s review of it, and I’m so very glad I did. I need to go back and comment on the review say thanks! The Benefits of Being an Octopus definitely deserves a read.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white or not physically described.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Someone fires shots in a school parking lot near students. After the gun incident, students argue about whether guns are good or bad (Zoey believes guns are tools that can be used for good things like hunting while a few other students argue that no one should have guns.). A girl is physically threatened by a man. A man verbally abuses a woman.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.