Raywyn and the Golden Bow

Written by Angelos Ashes

Young Raywyn and her parents are journeying from London to Australia by sea when they are shipwrecked. Raywyn has washed ashore where she is discovered by beachcombers. When she wakes up in the hospital, she realizes that her parents are dead. Raywyn meets her uncle, Patrick Blake, who will become her guardian. She is whisked away to his home named Black Swan at the southern tip of Australia.

Once there, Raywyn is immersed in a totally different environment. Patrick and his friend Rollo introduce her to archery, philosophy, literature and meditation. Raywyn discovers how to meditate and transform herself from within. The reader participates in her spiritual journey to the netherworld, the City of Light and the Ganges. Raywyn discovers how and when to fight. Her spiritual journey takes the reader on a roller coaster ride immersed in fantasy, science fiction and reality filled with interesting characters and life lessons. Recommended for readers ages eight and older who enjoy these genres.

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The War of the Stories

Written by Galia Koplis

This book is an interesting mixture of genres, science fiction, fairy tale, and time travel. The plot is an unusual one combining many themes that will appeal to a variety of middle grade, teen and adult audiences.

Shirley is the protagonist. Her best friend Orelia is retelling the story to us many years after it happened. On the first day of school, Miss Brown has asked each member of the class to relate an interesting story that they have read during the summer. Shirley is embarrassed because she does not have one. She is given an extra day to find one. When Shirley retreats to the library for her search, the adventure ensues.

Shirley becomes trapped in Storyland. Here the short stories are less important than the large and famous ones. Royalty, commoners, and warriors are engrossed in life and death struggles for survival and dominance. Shirley decides to help a princess find her true love, and persuade a shy story to overcome his diffidence. The tides of battle are constantly changing; Shirley experiences difficulty distinguishing right from wrong and fact from fiction. How will she fare in the battle? Will Shirley escape Storyland, and if she is successful how will her life and those of the characters in Storyland be changed forever?

Young and older readers will be able to look in the mirror and see themselves in the pages of this fantasy that has more elements of realism than appearing on the surface. This tale is fun and pleasant to read, and it contains many layers of meaning embedded deep within its surface. Recommended for anyone age nine and older who enjoys fantasy and is up for a unique read.

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The Black Pearl of Osis (Osis Fantasy Trilogy Book 1)

Written by Ingrid McCarthy

Jonathan Alexander Fenton is visiting his Aunt Josie who has just given birth to a baby girl. He is ambling around her studio and glancing at the posters on the wall when he spies one that he does not recognize. The poster shows a girl skipping rope on a cobblestone street surrounded by a tall tower. As he moves closer, Jonathan is literally drawn into the poster. Immediately he engages in a conversation with the girl. He discovers her name is Magenta, she is the daughter of King Cadium, Jonathan has been taken against his will into a fantasy world. Everyone here bears the name of a color, time is governed by the cycles of sun and moon, and danger looms over the kingdom.

Jonathan soon learns that he is destined to free the kingdom from the evil of the black pearl. A sage old teacher named Master Cobalt trains Jonathan. He is able to turn Magenta’s skipping rope into a deadly weapon that can be used to fight their enemies. Magenta, Jonathan, and her dog Monte face all manner of obstacles on their adventure. They meet threats of torture, deadly traps, and must learn to distinguish between friends and foes. At the end of the long journey, the two friends will grapple with the ultimate test of courage and loyalty.

The author keeps the plot interesting by using clever characters and imposing lots of twists and turns. Middle-grade readers who enjoy fantasy, adventure, and magic-tinged with dark overtones should find this first book of the trilogy an entertaining read.

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THREE COMPLETE HISTORICAL ADVENTURES FOR LESS THAN THE PRICE OF ONE BOOK!

So excited to announce that my newest book, The Adventures of Little Miss HISTORY, Volume 1 is now available in Kindle format as well as paperback on Amazon and in independent bookstores. This book contains three of Miss HISTORY’S New York City adventures to The STATUE OF LIBERTY, ELLIS ISLAND, and INTREPID Sea, Air & Space Museum. Now readers can travel along with their favorite wannabe park ranger to three destinations in one book! Witness in beautiful illustrations and easy to read text the origin, design, construction, and significance of the Statue of Liberty. Walk along the path of the immigrants as they land on the shores of America for the first time at Ellis Island and take part in their experience. Step on the aircraft carrier that participated in World War II, the Vietnam War, the space age and the war on terror. Get immersed in hands-on history. I invite you to come aboard and experience a journey back in time.

Link for KINDLE https://amzn.to/2G3gJh6

Link for Paperback http://amzn.to/2oPu3LY

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http://Littlemisshistory.com

GREEK GODS: Myths, Legends and Ancient History 3^rd edition

Written by Roy Jackson

This book of fewer than 100 pages is one of the easiest to follow that I have read on the subject. As a history major, I spent lots of time incorporating related studies in religion, literature, and culture. Most writers approach the subject of Greek gods in a genealogical fashion. Jackson’s approach is to classify them into groups according to the roles they performed. While he logically begins with the primordial deities followed by creation myths and the Titans, he rapidly moves on to the more familiar names of the Olympian Pantheon and some of the well-known myths. Homer’s gods of the underworld familiar to readers of the Odyssey are discussed as well as the sea gods like Poseidon so integral to a nation of seafaring inhabitants. Many religions were tied to the agricultural gods, Demeter, and the Eleusinian Mysteries. Jackson discusses Aesculapius, the god of medicine, as well as winged and sea creatures like the Sphinx, Minotaur, and Chimera.

This book is perfect for children in the middle grades who are intrigued with the folklore but do not want or need unnecessary details. It gives a solid foundation for readers who will later be better prepared to graduate to reading the classics. Recommended for readers ages eight and older.

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Jesper Jinx and the Sneezing Season: The Jesper Jinx Series Book 2

Written and Illustrated by Marko Kitti

Jesper Jinx is an eleven-year-old British boy who lives in a seaside village called Puffington Hill. The name jinx is attached to him because he has a knack for experiencing bad luck or inflicting it on others. At the outset, readers meet Jesper trying to win over Chloe, (the girl he has a crush on), by appearing at just the right moment with the sandwich for which she has no money. Fate intervenes when a seagull swoops in to steal it, knocking him down and embarrassing Jesper.

The following weekend Jesper is lured with a prize of 50 pounds to accompany his family to get a photo of a rare purple buzzard. The journey involves being outdoors in allergy season. Of course, Jesper secretly spits out his medicine and disaster ensues just as he thinks he has the winning photo in hand. A squirrel couple named Ronald and Ramona achieve their revenge for Jesper’s kite ruining their home and injuring them. When Jesper and his friend Oliver challenge his teenage sister to a balancing contest, what appears to be a victory rapidly switches to disaster and embarrassment for Jesper.

Kitti cleverly intertwines plot elements and characters to create a cohesive story. The comic pictures add a whimsical touch to the humorous dialogue. Middle-grade students will enjoy the preposterous circumstances and antics of sibling rivalry. Fans of this book will enjoy all the books in this series.

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My Fox Ate My Homework

Written by David Blaze

Jonah (Joe) Johnson is an eleven- year- old whose life has just been turned upside down. His mother lost her job in Orlando so they have moved to his deceased grandmother’s old house in rural Alabama. On the first day in school, Joe is confronted by a bully who demands that Joe write his homework assignment.

Things go from bad to worse when the tax collector appears and informs them that the property taxes are overdue and the county would be foreclosing. Now they will need to move into his Uncle Mike’s house. When Joe goes outside he discovers a fox in the hen house, not any old fox but a talking fox! Joe and Fox become fast friends, but not before Fox causes all sorts of mayhem as Joe desperately tries to think of ways to help his mother, face the bully and maintain his friend relationship with Fox.

This fantasy tale is written well with lots of authentic dialogue and humor. Middle- grade students will find lots to love. There are cute cartoon- like drawings of the characters interspersed with the text. Blaze touches on issues important to students in this age group. The tale is an easy read that is under one hundred pages which makes it appealing to reluctant readers. Highly recommended for eight to twelve- year- olds, and adults who are willing to listen to a talking fox.

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Teach and Grow Rich: How to Share Your Knowledge for Global Impact

Written by Danny Iny

An interesting approach for those who would use the internet to find a topic which they could use to create an educational course. Iny states the only necessity is to have knowledge or skills that are valuable for others to learn. In the beginning the entrepreneur needs only to learn what the market wants, is willing to pay for, and what will be most rewarding to himself. The next step is to find a life experience valuable to others and to map out a one page pilot course. If one can convince a small group to be willing students to test it out with the teacher and reach out to social media to ask their peers, the details can later be mapped out after the author delivers his 6029 message. The students will evaluate the course in terms of the rewards they accrued and the experience they gained, while the author can assess success in terms of the course content and the amount of financial gain or lack of it. In the end the course creator may have to modify content or go back to the drawing board. Following completion of the curriculum, the author will have to market the product to a wider audience. Here is where the author comes in for the hard sell to purchase marketing products.

The end of the book consists of appendices of case histories and the opportunity to purchase marketing advice. I believe the value of this book is in providing a general framework of how to approach setting up an educational online course. The reader will get strategy and theory but not the detailed “how to.”

If you are looking for a step by step guide, this book is not for you. It is an interesting read, but in the final analysis, it will involve lots of effort on the reader’s part to fill in the gaps.

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BeachBoundbooks is pleased to be coordinating a Blog Tour for the middle grade fantasy, Initiation: Sky Raiders Academy Book One by Kirstin Pulioff from April 3 – April 24, 2016.

About the Book

Title: Initiation: Sky Raiders Book One | Author: Kirstin Pulioff | Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy Number of Pages: 150 | Publication Date: March 27, 2017

Summary: Tommy feels lost after his father’s death. To make matters worse, his mom moves him to a new town where he doesn’t have any friends, and he quickly becomes a punching bag for the school bully. He can’t win. So, when a mysterious visitor approaches him with the promise of adventure, Tommy jumps at the opportunity. Whisked away to a school in the sky where magic rules and storms are forged by an elite group of Sky Raiders, Tommy learns that the world’s problems are much larger than his own. When the weather spirals out of control and a rogue Raider’s diabolical plans surface, Tommy must decide how much he is willing to risk to save the world.

About the Author

Kirstin Pulioff dreams big, wishes on stars, searches for rainbows, finds treasure in everyday blessings, and lives life to its fullest… Happily married and a mother of two, she lives in the foothills of Colorado. When she’s not writing an adventure, she’s busy living one.
She loves to hear from fans.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Blog Tour Giveaway

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AND NOW FOR MY REVIEW OF THE BOOK

Initiation: Sky Academy Book 1

Written by Kirstin Pulioff

First book in a new fantasy middle grade series. Tommy has recently undergone a double trauma, the death of his father and a move from California back to his mother’s home town in Colorado. As he faces the first day of school as a shy fifth grader in the middle of the school year, he begins by falling as he steps out of his Uncle’s truck. Of course Devan, the school bully, would witness this event and taunt him for the remainder of the school year.

One night a surprise visitor appears in Tommy’s bedroom. Mr. Bellarmie gifts him with a hologram ankle bracelet that transports Tommy to Sky Academy. Tommy is surprised to learn that his father was an honored member of this elite group, but he is astonished to learn that the invention of his father got him killed. At the Academy, Tommy meets fellow newcomers Rachel and Will, who will become his best friends. Every night the members of this elite weather group come together to learn about how to control weather catastrophes down on the earth. Tommy is thrilled to be involved nightly until the increasing number of weather disruptions on earth make it too dangerous for the students; Mr. Bellarmie temporarily shuts the school down. Tommy’s world comes crashing down on him once more.

Tommy’ s frustration and disappointment escalates until he discovers his father’s holographic bracelet in his mother’s jewelry box. Then Tommy is successful in traveling back to the Sky Academy. He is able to call back his friends to enlist their help to end the weather mishaps and unravel the mystery of how his father died and who is manipulating the weather mayhem. Will, Rachel and Tommy go on a wild adventure invoking all sorts of magic, lightning bolts, green slime, poison gas, and gargoyles to name a few. Will Sky Academy be able to survive and restore weather on earth to normal? Who killed Tommy’s father? Can Tommy succeed in preventing Devan from bullying him?

Middle grade students who like fantasy, adventure, mystery and magic will enjoy this first book in a new series. Well suited to the issues facing this age bracket, the book will inform, entertain and inspire the reader. Can’t wait to see what adventures emerge in Book 2.

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America’s Star Spangled Story Celebrating 200 Hundred Years of the National Anthem

Written by Jane Hampton Cook

An interesting book that uses each line of The Star Spangled Banner to trace the history of the events of the War of 1812 when the British attempted to control Washington, DC, the key players in the events, background events, and photos from the past and present. The author narrates the history of the battle for control of Fort McHenry relating to the lines of the song as it was penned in the midst of the battle. Occasionally the author dips back in time to muse about the thoughts of the Pilgrims as they landed on the shores of America, and the Patriots as they fought for freedom from Great Britain during the American Revolution. They believed that The War of 1812 and the destruction of the Capitol by the British added insult to injury.

Readers are encouraged to think about the images that each line of this now famous song evoke in their minds and hearts. Perhaps few Americans are aware that the song did not gain widespread notoriety until the end of the nineteenth century and was not made the official national anthem until the administration of Herbert Hoover.

Anyone with an interest in American history and this beautiful song will find the short book entertaining and informative. Appropriate for readers age ten and older.

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