Review: Zac and Mia by A J Betts

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Zac and Mia by A. J. BettsZac and Mia
A J Betts
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group
Published July 24, 2013

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Trapped in the ICU at a hospital near Perth, Australia, Zac is desperate for any distraction. Anything that will get his mum to leave him alone for a little bit. Anything new to ponder. When the newest patient on the adult cancer ward turns out to be a surly but gorgeous girl, Zac attempts to reach out to her. Mia is all fire and fury, but Zac doesn’t give up. He remembers those early days of denial and anger. All he can do is tell her it’ll … Continue reading →

Author Interview: Jill Williamson Talks Inspiration, Lingo and What’s Next

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Author Jill Williamson took time from her busy schedule to talk to me about what inspired her award-winning series The Safe Lands Trilogy and what she’s working on next. Here’s what she had to say…

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

I was at my ladies’ Bible Study, and we were working on Beth Moore’s Daniel book. On screen, Beth asked us to think about some teenage boys we knew and how they might cope if they were taken from their homes and thrust into a Babylonian type of a world. And that’s the question that inspired the Safe Lands Trilogy.

Do you have a favorite character? Is there something about him/her which couldn’t be included in the novel that you’d like to share with us?

At the beginning of the series, Mason was my favorite. I liked his logical … Continue reading →

Review: The Manager by Caroline Stellings

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The Manager by Caroline StellingsThe Manager
Caroline Stellings
Cape Breton University Press
Published October 1, 2013

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Convinced an experimental surgery will solve her problems, Tina drags her sister on a wild journey from Nova Scotia to Boston. Along the way, Tina finds a gem of a boxer and convinces him to let her operate as his manager. Though skeptical at first, Jesse Mankiller begins to respect Tina’s unorthodox style. Together they hope to prove they have what it takes to win the big fight.

Like its protagonist, Tina MacKenzie, this is definitely one of those books that you might overlook at first. But while the cover won’t reach … Continue reading →

Review: Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin

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Rain Reign by Ann M. MartinRain Reign
Ann M. Martin
Feiwel & Friends
Published October 7, 2014

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Rose finds comfort in two things: homonyms and her dog Rain. When a fierce storm rips through her sleepy northern town, her dog disappears. Rose enacts a plan to find her missing companion, but along the way she learns about empathy for others in her community who’ve lost homes and family in the hurricane.

It’s difficult not to compare this novel with others with a similar narrator. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime particularly came to mind. Martin’s tale is a lot more kid friendly. The plot is … Continue reading →

Review: Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold by Iain Reading

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Kittyhawk and the Curse of the Yukon GoldKitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold
Iain Reading
Published November 30, 2012

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Teen adventurer Kitty Hawk’s dreams come true when she receives funding which allows her a chance to study the behavior and habits of humpback whales in waters off the coast of Alaska. Aboard her trusty De Havilland Beaver, Kitty observes and documents information about the whales from the air. The altitude gives her more than a bird’s eye view of the whales, though. When she spots a suspicious boat she fears may be carrying stolen Yukon gold, she stops to investigate – and gets swept away in a conspiracy stretching all the way back to the … Continue reading →

Review: Rebels by Jill Williamson

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Rebels by Jill WilliamsonRebels (The Safe Lands #3)
Jill Williamson
Blink – Zondervan
Published January 1, 2014

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Mason and Omar’s friends helplessly watch from their hiding places as the brothers face liberation, a process which remains a mystery to all Safe Landers. Once the boys learn what it is to be liberated, they begin plotting to bring the truth to all the people of the Safe Lands. After all, the only way to bring freedom to the Safe Lands is to expose the horrible secrets that fuel the leadership’s power.

From his place in hiding, Levi continues to pursue his one goal: getting his people free of the … Continue reading →