Category Archives: News and Fun

Review: Between Shadows by Kathleen Cook Waldron

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Between ShadowsBetween Shadows
Kathleen Cook Waldron
Coteau Books

When his grandfather dies unexpectedly, Ari and his remaining family gather at the cabin deep in the woods. At the reading of the will, another surprise greets Ari, his dad and his aunt: Grandpa left the cabin and all his land to Ari. Uninterested in the remote property that conjures painful memories, Ari’s dad and aunt make plans to sell everything. Ari is determined to change their minds.

Author Kathleen Cook Waldron brings to the story her own experience living in the bush. The details of the cabin and surrounding land and community are told in vivid detail so that even the most urban readers can perfectly picture the serene woods, playful stream and peaceful lake.

Through Waldron’s clean storytelling, … Continue reading →

Upcoming Reviews on the Story Sanctuary (April 2015)

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Over the next few weeks, The Story Sanctuary will be home to reviews for some great new releases as well as some catch-up reviews on recent or past releases. Here are a few you can expect to see…

when-you-leaveWhen You Leave by Monica Ropal

This was one of those stories that left me pining for another chapter. Really great characters and tension. Very angsty story, which is so often what I crave in YA.

between-shadowsBetween Shadows by Kathleen Cook Waldron

I had the pleasure of meeting this author and talking about the book with her late last year. Her description of the story and its characters were so intriguing that I’ve been … Continue reading →

Cats In Literature

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cats-in-litThis week our family had to make a difficult decision. Our Siamese-Russian Blue cat battled serious health issues for some time. Because of her age, it wasn’t wholly unexpected. But she was in great pain, and we couldn’t let her continue to suffer. We said goodbye and brought her to our vet’s office to be humanely put to sleep.

She’d been a member of our family for nearly thirteen years, and we love and miss her. Probably none more so than her feline companion, who is now alone during the days for the first time since she was a kitten.

So… in honor of our loss, I’ve made a list of memorable cats in literature. Hope you enjoy.

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Review: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

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the-scorpio-racesThe Scorpio Races
Maggie Stiefvater
Scholastic Press

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Every year the deadly capaill uisce emerge from the sea. Lucky riders will capture one of these bloodthirsty water horses and ride in the Scorpio Races, competing for a prize purse – it’s enough money to change a life. And it’s exactly what Puck Connolly is hoping to achieve. If she can win the race, she can keep her family together in their home. If she loses, she will lose everything.

Sean Kendrick knows too well the risks of the race. As a boy, he watched his father murdered by the violent … Continue reading →

Review: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

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Seraphina by Rachel HartmanSeraphina
Rachel Hartman
Random House
Published in 2013

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Seraphina has lived a carefully unnoticed life. Even as a talented musician, she’s always avoided the spotlight in order to protect a terrible secret that, if discovered, will threaten her life and that of her family.

When a prince of Goredd is murdered, rumors circulate that a dragon is the culprit. These rumors threaten the uneasy peace between humans and dragons. Drawn into the murder investigation, Seraphina helps the handsome captain of the guard, Prince Lucien, to bring the killer to justice.

Seraphina’s quick thinking and easy lying … Continue reading →

John Davidson Takes Us Behind-the-Scenes in His Debut Novel

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Bricks banner Today on The Story Sanctuary, John Davidson, author of Bricks, is here to give us some behind-the-scenes information about the development of his thought-provoking debut novel.

A story is often inspired by a question. What question inspired you to write this novel?John D author

What a great question. For BRICKS, I think it would be: When the pieces of your life are shattered, where do you begin to put them back together? I think the answer for me was family, but what if your family wasn’t who they said they were? All stories are about questions asked and (sometimes) answered.

Were there things about … Continue reading →