About The Disappearances
Aila Quinn’s mother, Juliet, has always been a mystery: vibrant yet guarded, she keeps her secrets beyond Aila’s reach. When Juliet dies, Aila and her younger brother Miles are sent to live in Sterling, a rural town far from home–and the place where Juliet grew up.
Sterling is a place with mysteries of its own. A place where the experiences that weave life together–scents of flowers and food, reflections from mirrors and lakes, even the ability to dream–vanish every seven years.
No one knows what caused these “Disappearances,” or what will slip away next. But Sterling always suspected that Juliet Quinn was somehow responsible–and Aila must bear the brunt of their blame while she follows the chain of literary clues her mother left behind.
As the next Disappearance nears, Aila begins to unravel the dual mystery of why the Disappearances happen and who her mother truly was. One thing is clear: Sterling isn’t going to hold on to anyone’s secrets for long before it starts giving them up.
My Review
I loved the sort of ethereal, powerful descriptions that filled this story. Aila won me over right away, as did most of the other characters in the book. I liked that though it had a historical setting, it’s not a historical novel. It definitely has a fantasy/mystery feel to it.
The story unravels slowly, but picks up steam as it goes. There are a lot of elements to set up before the big push that sets off the major conflict. I liked trying to piece together the connections between the families from Sterling and Aila’s family and the mysterious man whose story we also follow through the novel.
Another great element to this tale is the way works of Shakespeare tie into the mystery. I liked the way the author used those familiar stories in a fresh and different way here to add an unusual flare to The Disappearances.
While I wouldn’t at all describe this as a dystopian tale, I feel like it would appeal to readers who like old-school, classic dystopian novels, like The Giver. Something about the remote, aloof town made me think of Jonas’s world. This might make a great book for kids aging out of middle grade and into young adult literature. While there are a couple of creepy scenes, it’s a pretty clean story overall. See below for more specific content information.
Recommended for Ages 12 up.
Cultural Elements
Takes place in a small town in America during World War II.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content Brief kissing, some feelings of attraction between a girl and boy.
Spiritual Content A curse hangs over three towns. Every seven years, something disappears and all the people from the towns become unable to experience it. For instance, in the town, no one can see any reflections on windows, water surfaces, or in mirrors.
Violent Content One character (an adult) takes an interest in a dark science experiment. Initially he tests his theories on mice, and at first feels badly about the suffering he causes them. Gradually, he stops feeling any remorse for them, and when it’s time to test his experiment on humans, he has no qualms about testing on an unwilling participant. The descriptions are more dark than violent, but definitely creepy. It’s not a major part of the story, but it creates a strong impression.
Drug Content
Inventors have found some substances (ground roots, etc.) which seem to temporarily reverse the effects of the Disappearances or to enhance natural human abilities. For instance, one substance allows you to run fast enough to run across the surface of water.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
About Ash and Quill
Hoarding all the knowledge of the world, the Great Library jealously guards its secrets. But now a group of rebels poses a dangerous threat to its tyranny….
Jess Brightwell and his band of exiles have fled London, only to find themselves imprisoned in Philadelphia, a city led by those who would rather burn books than submit. But Jess and his friends have a bargaining chip: the knowledge to build a machine that will break the Library’s rule.
Their time is running out. To survive, they’ll have to choose to live or die as one, to take the fight to their enemies—and to save the very soul of the Great Library.
My Review
I’ve been waiting for this book since the moment I finished PAPER AND FIRE last summer. In fact, two of my friends, who have also gotten hooked on the series have been bugging me about when this book finally releases. I thought it would be the series conclusion, so a small part of me dreaded picking it up, because it’s like the countdown to the end, you know? But. It’s not the end!
So I’m back on the roller coaster of nail biting and eagerly anticipating the next book in the series, which feels like it might really truly be the end?? Eee! (Update– I just checked Goodreads. Looks like there will be a book four and five. So there’s still lots to come.)
Anyway. In terms of plot, so much happens in this book. Our heroes land in Philadelphia, at the mercy of Book Burners, sworn enemies of the Library, who figure our guys are probably best killed quickly since rations and supplies are pretty scarce. So Jess and his friends work fast to convince the leaders of their value, hoping to buy enough time to manage an escape.
Surprisingly, I think Thomas pretty much stole my heart in this book. He’s not the most central character, but he’s so much deeper and more complex than the cheerful, brilliant engineer from the first book. Jess thinks he’s being all sneaky and Thomas surprises even him. So great!
ASH AND QUILL had more violence than I remember the other books having. More than one character faces death. The Library and the Book Burners use Greek fire in battles and the casualties run pretty high, especially for civilians. This disturbs Jess and his team, but there really isn’t much they can do, though they try to help everyone they can.
Definitely don’t start the series with this book. So much is happening and so many relationships have complicated history, you definitely want the benefit of the first two books before you pick this one up. No worries, though. They’re both totally worth it. You can read my review of book one, INK AND BONE here. My review of the second book, PAPER AND FIRE is here. The next book, SMOKE AND IRON, comes out in summer of 2016.
Recommended for Ages 12 up.
Cultural Elements
Santi and Wolfe (two men) are gay and in a relationship together. Khalila is from the Middle East. Dario is Spanish.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Some references to profanity. For instance, Jess hears Thomas say something in German he assumes is swearing.
Romance/Sexual Content The team witnesses two girls kissing intimately while they’re on their way somewhere. One kiss between Wolfe and Santi. Jess and Morgan kiss multiple times, and lie down next to each other. It’s hinted that they have sex, but no details.
Spiritual Content Lots of references to Christian belief and culture—seems like that’s a big part of the Library culture. Wolfe himself is a pagan and mentions the idea that if he and Santi die, their ideas of afterlife (as Santi is a Christian) are different. Khalila takes time to observe her Muslim faith and pray.
Violent Content Some pretty intense battles, mostly between the Library forces and the Book Burners. Some people get burned and killed. Thomas makes a laser weapon. Jess shoots an adversary. Some descriptions get pretty intense.
Drug Content
References to drinking wine.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
With all the craziness of the last couple of months, I wasn’t able to post my usual wrap-up at the end of May, so I’m posting now for both May and June. I’m a bit behind on reviews still, but slowly catching up. I had some unexpected health issues that made it impossible for me to read or be on the computer, so you can imagine that brought this whole book review thing to a screaming halt. I did manage to sneak in a couple of audiobooks, but even that was tricky. I’m doing much better these days, and have some fun news to share!
Meet Gabrielle, Our New Contributing Reviewer
For a long time I’ve hoped to share blogging here with a partner or possibly a team of collaborators, but either the people I’ve approached haven’t been interested or the people who have approached me didn’t seem like a good fit. You need a special kind of trust and common purpose to work together on something like a personal review blog, I think.
At any rate, I pretty much decided if it was going to happen it was going to have to be one of those things where God just brings the right person across my path at the right time. And, surprise! He did.
Beginning in July, The Story Sanctuary will have a new contributing reviewer– Gabrielle! Yay!! I’ll let her introduce herself…
Soli Deo Gloria!
I’m Gabrielle Nadig, an author, homeschool graduate, and voracious reader. I love just about everything creative, and desire to use my gifts and talents to glorify God.
Fun Facts:
1. If I could have a superpower, it would either be breathing underwater, or absorbing stories by touch.
2. I am a redhead. And proud of it.
3. My personality flip-flops between ENTP and ENFP.
4. I adore fairytales.
5. I read nearly constantly. I’ve been known to read the phone book when nothing else was available. No joke.
I’m super excited to have Gabrielle on board. Her first review here at The Story Sanctuary, The Evaporation of Sofi Snow by Mary Weber will post next week, so check back to see what she thought of the book!
What You Missed in May 2017
Time Stoppers: Quest for the Golden Arrow by Carrie Jones
Talk about a book that kept me on the edge of my seat! Gah! I actually have the second one in the series now and cannot wait to read it. The story is sort of Jane Austen plus super scary faeries?
Racial Profiling: Everyday Inequality by Alison Marie Behnke
With everything happening in our culture at present, I wanted a better baseline for understanding this topic. I felt like this was a great resource– really informative, not preachy about any particular position. Definitely recommended.
I. Loved. This. Book. I’ve been a huge Kenley Davidson fan since I first read her debut, Traitor’s Masque, but she seriously outdid herself here. Shadow and Thorn is both a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and an origin story. I loved the way she pulled everything together.
I met Kami Garcia at ApollyCon in Orlando in March, and it made me even more eager to read this book. I liked the way she blended some different ideas– how Frankie’s perfect pitch became an asset in an unexpected way, the way her friends’ struggles dovetailed with her own issues.
I’d had this book on my To Read list for such a long time, and thanks to an ARC reading challenge, I finally finished it. Yay! It took me back to reading The Face on the Milk Carton in some ways, but it’s a completely different story. I liked the unexpected twists.
Once in a while I get a review request in my inbox that totally surprises me. I’d never heard of this publisher before, but Spark sounded pretty intriguing, so I gave it a try– and I’m so glad I did. It reminded me a teeny bit of Unblemished, but the story was a little more straightforward.
This book kind of made me feel like a cheap mom. Haha! It’s hard to imagine spending the kind of money that some people spend on events like this. At the same time, it was really cool to read about the history of Prom and some of the struggles different groups have faced.
Lately I’m a sucker for a teen with an unusual (for YA literature) interest. This one had me at “graphic designer”. I liked the story, but found some of the family issues a little tough. Read more about it in my review.
Trish Doller is another author I met at ApollyCon in March. Y’all, she is amazing. We ended up talking for a super long time. I have e-book copies of a couple of her books– and a new hardcover of her most recent release, In a Perfect World, which I’m super excited about reading. The Devil You Know intrigued me most because of its unusual setting for Florida. It’s mostly set in the woods.
I’d been looking forward to this book since last year when I first heard about it. I LOVE the movie The Breakfast Club, and the similar elements in this book totally hooked me from page one. Add in an unsolved murder, and seriously, just try to put it down.
Jess, Chunk and the Road Trip to Infinity by Kristin Elizabeth Clark
Every summer reading list needs a good road trip story, and this summer, this book is mine. I loved the quirky friendship between Jess and Chunk (and I want to adopt their “Black hole!” rule into my own life) and the way Jess grows to understand others through the course of the story.
The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis
Yeah, this book pretty much had me at “chocolate”. Add in a spunky dragon girl and a wild cast of characters, and you’ve got a sure win. Don’t miss this one, y’all. So much fun!
There are summer road trips and there are summer trips to Europe (still on my bucket list.) This European vacation tests the friendship between two girls against some awesome settings. Grab this novel and a beach towel and head to the pool for a fabulous afternoon.
After reading the second book in this series, I had to go back and read this first one. I loved the spunky Thorn and the independent Lily. I’ll be watching for book three.
If you know me at all, you know I’m a sucker for World War II stories. I liked that this book features a common German family and their relationship with a Nazi soldier.
What’s Coming Next
Though I’m not accepting new review requests right now, I’ve got a stack of books waiting for me. Gabrielle is accepting review requests for her blog and for the reviews she posts here. You can find more information on how to send her a request on her blog.
Other than that, the summer is flying past. Next on my reading list is The Disappearances by Emily Bain, and I’m SUPER EXCITED to share my review of the third book in the Great Library series, Ash and Quill by Rachel Cain– who will be joining me for an author interview as well! Up next for Gabrielle is Murder, Magic and What We Wore by Kelly Jones.
What are you reading this summer?
Leave a comment below and tell us about a book you’re excited to read or say hey to Gabrielle.
About The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart
Aventurine is the fiercest, bravest dragon there is. And she’s ready to prove it to her family by leaving the safety of their mountain cave and capturing the most dangerous prey of all: a human. But when the human she finds tricks her into drinking enchanted hot chocolate, Aventurine is transformed into a puny human girl with tiny blunt teeth, no fire, and not one single claw.
But she’s still the fiercest creature in the mountains — and now she’s found her true passion: chocolate! All she has to do is get herself an apprenticeship (whatever that is) in a chocolate house (which sounds delicious), and she’ll be conquering new territory in no time…won’t she?
My Review The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart is one of the most fun books I’ve read in a long time. I loved Aventurine’s spunky nature and her passion for chocolate. The story consistently shows her struggle with baffling human customs contrasted with her more familiar dragon ways. I loved the characters from Aventurine’s wily friend Silke to the strict chocolatier Marina.
On her journey, Aventurine discovers a love for chocolate which will certainly appeal to chocolate-loving readers, but she also learns to value humans despite how strange and different they are from dragons. When her new human friends become threatened by her dragon family, Aventurine must use all her wits and newfound understanding to bring the two sides together peacefully in the same way she’s had to make peace with her dragon and human self.
Readers who enjoyed Tuesdays at the Castle or Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George definitely need to give this book a read! Keep some chocolate handy to snack on, because you’re surely going to crave it.
Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.
Cultural Elements
Brief reference to Aventurine’s friend having brown hands. Not much in the way of race or description details given other than that.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content None.
Spiritual Content The story contains dragons and some magic elements, mostly in that some humans use magic to fight dragons or affect certain tasks, like food preparation.
Violent Content Humans and dragons are enemies. Dragons eat humans (not shown in the story, but briefly discussed) and humans tried to kill dragons they encountered in the past.
Drug Content
Enchanted hot chocolate turns Aventurine into a human.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
For today’s stop on the Irish Banana Blog Tour, author Michael Mazza shares with us his top ten reasons to take his novel That Crazy Perfect Someday to the beach. Before I get too carried away, let me give you a little more information about the book.
That Crazy Perfect Someday
Michael Mazza
Turtle Point Press
Published June 13, 2017
About That Crazy Perfect Someday
The year is 2024. Climate change has altered the world’s wave patterns. Drones crisscross the sky, cars drive themselves, and surfing is a new Olympic sport. Mafuri Long, UCSD marine biology grad, champion surfer, and only female to dominate a record eighty-foot wave, still has something to prove. Having achieved Internet fame, along with sponsorship from Google and Nike, she’s intent on winning Olympic gold. But when her father, a clinically depressed former Navy captain and widower, learns that his beloved supercarrier, the USS Hillary Rodham Clinton, is to be sunk, he draws Mafuri into a powerful undertow. Conflicts compound as Mafuri’s personal life comes undone via social media, and a vicious Aussie competitor levels bogus doping charges against her.
Mafuri forms an unlikely friendship with an awkward teen, a Ferrari-driving professional gamer who will prove to be her support and ballast. Authentic, brutal, and at times funny, Mafuri lays it all out in a sprightly, hot-wired voice. From San Diego to Sydney, Key West, and Manila, That Crazy Perfect Someday goes beyond the sports/surf cliché to explore the depths of sorrow and hope, yearning and family bonds, and the bootstrap power of a bold young woman climbing back into the light.
Top Ten Reasons to Take That Crazy Perfect Someday to the Beach
by Michael Mazza
Booklist calls it a “[A] beach-bag must-have.”
Many of the scenes take place on a beach!
Read it on a beach. With the sand fleas, stinky kelp odor, and sea spray, you’ll have a truly interactive experience.
It’s a conversation starter for that hunky, tropical resort bartender fixin’ up your fourth Mai Tai.
It’s a story with drones, sharks, Aussie surf thugs, monster waves, bonobo apes, a Louis the XIV wedding, and celebrity wipe-outs. Who doesn’t like celebrity wipe-outs?
Your mom would approve of it—wait, scratch that.
It makes a great sunshade when not in use.
Word is that fish love it! Sea mollusks too!
It goes great with a refreshing umbrella drink.
The sun gods will shine their heavenly goodness upon you for reading it. And isn’t that reason enough?
Finally, always wear sunscreen, never drop in on another surfer, and support your local indie bookstore.
Michael Mazza is a San Francisco Bay Area fiction writer whose stories have appeared in Other Voices, WORDS, Blue Mesa Review, TINGE, and ZYZZYVA. He is also an internationally acclaimed art and creative director working in the advertising industry. That Crazy Perfect Someday is his first novel.
I’m today’s stop on the Bloomsbury Blog Tour celebrating the release of two fantastic middle grade books: The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis and The Frog Princess Returns by E. D. Baker. I’m so excited to share both of these books, and I’ve got excerpts to share and a chance to win both books, so read on and enjoy!
The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart
Stephanie Burgis
Bloomsbury
Published May 30, 2017
About The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart Aventurine is the fiercest, bravest dragon there is. And she’s ready to prove it to her family by leaving the safety of their mountain cave and capturing the most dangerous prey of all: a human. But when the human she finds tricks her into drinking enchanted hot chocolate, Aventurine is transformed into a puny human girl with tiny blunt teeth, no fire, and not one single claw.
But she’s still the fiercest creature in the mountains — and now she’s found her true passion: chocolate! All she has to do is get herself an apprenticeship (whatever that is) in a chocolate house (which sounds delicious), and she’ll be conquering new territory in no time…won’t she?
Excerpt from The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart
He hesitated a moment. Then he leaned down and scooped up a wooden spoon from the ground, his hand trembling. “Trust me,” he said. “You should have the full experience.”
As his face squeezed tight with concentration, he began to whisper to himself, almost chanting the words. Was he singing that stupid song again? The rhythms didn’t sound quite the same, but who needed to hear more human nonsense? Not me. I didn’t even try to make it out.
The moment he reached into his pocket, though, I grabbed his shoulder with one claw. “No swords!”
“I—I…” He stuttered to a halt. “It’s not a sword,” he finally managed. “Look.” He pulled out a bag from his pocket. “It’s just cinnamon.”
Cinnamon? I leaned down toward the bag suspiciously. If he was trying to poison me…
“I’ll eat some myself,” he said. “Look.” He reached one shaking finger into the bag and scooped out a few orangey-brown specks. Then he swallowed them. “See?”
I smelled, which was even better. The open bag smelled amazing.
“Put it in,” I ordered. I wanted to smell that combination. I could already tell that the mixture of cinnamon and chocolate would be wonderful.
He shook in a few pinches, still breathing hard.
Ohhhh, I had been right. These new smells were even better.
I was almost starting to wish that I didn’t’ have to take him home afterward for my family to eat. It would be much more satisfying to keep this human as a pet, to make hot chocolate for me any time I wanted.
He would be a hardworking pet, too, I could tell. As he stirred the hot chocolate, he kept on whispering to himself the whole time in that funny rhythmic chant, his whole body taut with concentration. I suppose I could have listened harder, to try to pick out his words, but really, when had I ever cared about anything humans said? Besides, I was far too busy enjoying the smells from his pot. If I could have, I would have wrapped myself up in those steamy tendrils of scent and rolled around in them for hours. Hot chocolate. Talk about a treasure fit for a dragon!
I’d have to look for more chocolate in his luggage when I finished here. I already knew I would have to have hot chocolate again. Lots of it.
Finally, he looked up and gave me a nervous, wavering smile. “It’s ready,” he said. “Shall I pour it into a cup, or…”
I snorted, sending a ball of smoke flying past his face. “Do you really think I could drink from one of your tiny human cups?”
“I suppose not,” he said. “You’d better drink it from the pot then.” He wrapped one soft, human hand in his outer covering for protection, and then lifted the pot by its long handle. “Look out, it’s hot.”
I gave him a contemptuous look as I reached out with one forefoot. “I’m a dragon.”
My claws curved around the little pot, cradling it like the most precious of gems. Carefully, I lifted it to my mouth. Closing my eyes, I tipped the luxuriant, hot liquid into my mouth.
Ohhhhh!
Bliss exploded through my sense. I reeled with pleasure.
Chocolate chocolate chocolate—
“Ahhh!”
And then everything exploded inside me, and the world went black.
The Frog Princess Returns
E. D. Baker
Bloomsbury
Published June 6, 2017
About The Frog Princess Returns Fans of E. D. Baker’s The Frog Princess, rejoice! Fifteen years after the original, Princess Emma, Prince Eadric, and all the beloved characters are back for another magical adventure from popular author E. D. Baker.
Two weeks after Emma’s birthday, Prince Eadric — having been turned from a frog into a human again — is still in Greater Greensward. One day, a beautiful princess named Adara arrives at the castle in Greater Greensward for a visit, claiming to be Emma’s distant cousin. But Adara has other motives that threaten Emma and Eadric’s blossoming romance.
Meanwhile, something is very wrong in Greater Greensward. Crops are dying, streams are drying up, and large sections of trees in the enchanted forest are withering — all because the Fairy Queen has disappeared. Without her, there is no peace in the magical kingdom, and dangerous foes threaten to take advantage of her absence. Only brave, tenacious Emma with her knowledge of the land can restore order . . . but first she must set out on a journey unlike any before.
Brimming with lovable characters and page-turning magic, The Frog Princess Returns will bring a whole new batch of readers to E. D. Baker’s highly acclaimed, wonderfully popular world of Frog Princess series.
Excerpt from The Frog Princess Returns
We had reached the top of the stairs when Adara announced that she wasn’t feeling well and was on her way to bed. She was walking away when a guard approached. He told me that someone was waiting to talk to me in the Great Hall. Eadric and I looked at each other, wondering who it could be at that hour. Following the guard, we entered the Hall and found a middle-aged man wearing the clothes of a farmer sitting on a bench by the door.
“I’m sorry to disturb you so late in the day, Your Highness, but I came right after I saw what had happened and it took me a while to get here,” said the farmer. “I’m Johnson. My fields are next to the enchanted forest. I planted my crops there because of the fairies. They take good care of the forest, and the dust they use runs off into the fields around it, making them healthy, too. I’ve had some of my best harvests ever since I started planting those fields. I would have had a great harvest this year if this hadn’t happened. It’s my wheat, you see. Someone gave it the blight.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, but I don’t know what I can do about it,” I told the man. “Haven’t you ever dealt with the blight before?”
Johnson nodded. “Back before I planted near the forest, it happened every few years, but it was never like this. It’s not the blight itself, you see. It’s the way it hit my wheat. Some wheat has it and some doesn’t. It’s made a pattern like a big circle. Darndest thing I ever saw.”
“Really?” I said. “You think someone might have infected your crop with the blight deliberately?
“I can’t think of any other reason it would look like that. Who would do such a thing to a man’s wheat?”
“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out,” I replied. “I’ll come look at it tomorrow.”
First Maple and Water Lily, now Farmer Johnson. Something must be really wrong.
Visit the Other Stops on the Blog Tour
Check out some of the other great blogs participating in this tour. There are guest posts and interviews with the authors as well as some other fun tidbits– not to mention you might want to add a few of these blogs to your own reading list.
