Book Review & Giveaway: The Emerald Ring by Dorine White

I'm excited today to be kicking off Dorine's tour for The Emerald Ring.  As you will see in my review below, I loved this book. I'm also very excited for the second book in the series, The Ruby Pendant and I can't wait to see when that will be released.  Dorine should know the release date any day now.  I will be first in line to get a review copy of that one because I am captivated with the characters and the premise now!  So read my review and make sure you enter to win a copy of The Emerald Ring by Dorine White.


My Review:
While I had just a bit of trouble getting into the flow of The Emerald Ring in the first few pages, it wasn't long before I did get into it.  And when that happened I could not put The Emerald Ring down.  While geared toward middle graders, I can see all ages and both genders getting into this book.

Sara is a great character, she seems typical of a tween embarking upon the middle school years.  She's into boys, has a best friend and just wants to get by without embarrassing herself during her sixth grade year.  She's wise, into books and very put together it seems, but as is typical with middle school, she is still trying to figure herself out.  When she tries out her Grandmother's ring and it becomes stuck on her finger, strange things start happening.  Then there are the dreams.  She has research and her friends Heidi and her new friend Kainu to help her out.  Heidi and Kainu made great characters too.  Kainu seemed to be more than he seemed and Heidi was a great best friend, she stuck with Sara even when she wasn't sure what was going on.  And I liked Sara's parents.  They weren't absentee parents, they were watchful and careful with Sara, but they did give her some freedom to grow and become more.  So to me they were typical parents and it's refreshing to have parents in MG/YA fiction.

The story was interesting.  What is it about the ring? What about Sara's strange dreams?  There is so much more to the story and it is a wonderful read.  After getting into the book, (which really only took 10-20 pages, which I find is typical for me reading MG fiction) it was very fast-paced and exciting.  I can see MG-fiction readers really enjoying this one.  I plan to let my older son see if it is his speed and reading it with my younger son.  The plot has a great mystery with paranormal elements and it's different from other books I read so that made it more interesting as well.  It concludes with a finish for this chapter of the story, but leaves a lot open for the continued series which I am looking forward to.

Ms. White does an amazing job with characters and plotting.  The Emerald Ring is a great start to what looks like will be a wonderful series for MG and older (and great to read with younger children who are more advanced readers).  It has mystery, the paranormal, friendship and middle school.  What more could you ask for?  Oh well you could be like me after you finish and be anxiously awaiting The Ruby Pendant!

My Rating: 5.0/5.0

About The Emerald Ring:

Ordinary tween life turns upside down when Ancient Egypt intrudes on modern middle school life. Twelve year old Sara Guadalupe Bogus reads about adventures, but unexpectedly is drawn into one when a mystical emerald ring that once belonged to Cleopatra becomes stuck on her finger.
A series of burglaries spook Sara’s small Ohio hometown. Concluding that the root of all the crimes is the emerald ring, Sara realizes it’s up to her and her friends, Heidi and African exchange student Kainu, to save the town and protect Cleopatra’s legacy. Filled with magic, the ring thrusts Sara into a world filled with nightmares, allows her to shape shift into an Egyptian cat and battle assassins.

Buy it Now:

Amazon.com
BarnesandNoble.com

Deseretbook.com

CedarFort.com

IndieBound.org

 

About Dorine White (from Goodreads):

My name is Dorine White. I graduated from Brigham Young University with a BA in Humanities. I am a member of the SCBWI, ANWA, LDS Storymakers and the PNWA. I write middle grade and YA fantasy. My first book, The Emerald Ring, was published May 2013 by Cedar Fort Books.

Author Website- http://www.dorinewhite.com/

Blog- The Write Path- http://www.dorinewhite.blogspot.com/

Twitter @Dorinewhite- https://twitter.com/DorineWhite

Facebook Author Page- https://www.facebook.com/dorinewhite

Giveaway:

Dorine is giving away one (1) paperback copy of The Emerald Ring to a lucky winner in the US or Canada.  Enter using the Rafflecopter below.

Note: This giveaway will be mailed by the author. 

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***I received this book from the author for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***

Book Blast: Pheme the Gossip (Goddess Girls #10) by Suzanne Williams

Goddess Girls #10 - Pheme the Gossip

Get to know Goddess Girl Pheme…the original “gossip girl”!
As the goddess girl of rumor and gossip, Pheme prides herself on being “in the know” and having the most up-to-date info on anyone and everyone at Mount Olympus Academy. To make sure that people really get her VIP messages, her words tend to linger in cloud letters above her head—just in case people don’t catch what she says!

But not everyone is thrilled with Pheme’s insider knowledge on everything MOA—including the Goddess Girls. Can Pheme ever be trusted? Or will this “gossip girl” find herself on the other end of the rumors?

Purchase

Barnes & Noble * Amazon

Praise for The Goddess Girls

“…a clever take on Greek deities…”
~ Booklist

"Readers familiar with Greek myths should get a kick out of this plucky restaging."
~Publisher's Weekly

 “…an enchanting mythological world with middle-school woes compounded by life as a deity…”
~ School Library Journal

The Goddess Girls Series

The Goddess Girls series, by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams puts a modern spin on classic Greek myths. Follow the ins and outs of divine social life where the most privileged godboys and goddessgirls in the Greek pantheon hone their mythical skills.

• Athena the Brain Finding out she’s a goddess and being sent to Mount Olympus brings Athena new friends, a weird dad, and the meanest girl in mythology—Medusa! 
• Persephone the Phony Hiding her feelings works fine for Persephone until she meets a guy she can be herself with—Hades, the bad-boy of the Underworld. 
• Aphrodite the Beauty Sure Aphrodite is beautiful, but it’s not always easy being the goddessgirl of love. 
• Artemis the Brave She may be the goddess of the hunt, but that doesn’t mean Artemis always feels brave. 
• Athena the Wise Zeus says Heracles has to do twelve tasks or he'll get kicked out of MOA! Although she's not sure it's wise, Athena agrees to help out. 
• Aphrodite the Diva Isis claims she's the goddess of love? Ha! But to keep the title all to herself, Aphrodite has to find the perfect match for Pygmalion, the most annoying boy ever. 
• Artemis the Loyal It’s time for the annual Olympic Games, and Artemis and her friends are not happy. It’s boys only. Not fair! 
• Medusa the Mean Medusa wants to be more like her two sisters and the other kids at Mount Olympus Academy -- immortal. Is that too much to ask? 
• The Girl Games (Goddess Girls Super Special) Listen in on what all four goddess girls are thinking as Mount Olympus Academy hosts visitors from many lands--including an adorable kitten!The first-ever standalone superspecial in the Goddess Girls series! 
• Pandora the Curious</ a> Pandora is one of the few mortals at Mount Olympus Academy—and probably the most curious of all the students in school.

The Goddess Girls

Author Suzanne Williams

Suzanne Williams is the award-winning author of nearly 40 books for children, from picture books and easy readers to chapter books and middle grade fiction series. A former elementary school librarian, she lives near Seattle. Her picture book Library Lil (illustrated by Steven Kellogg) won the New Mexico children's choice award in 2000 and was on several other state award lists. She is co-author (with Joan Holub) of the popular Goddess Girls series(for ages 8 - 12) and Heroes in Training (ages 6 - 11). Other series include Fairy Blossoms and Princess Power.

Website * Blog

Author Joan Holub

I graduated from college in Texas with a fine arts degree, and then freelanced as an art director at a graphic design firm for eight years. I dreamed of working in children's books, so I moved to New York City and became associate art director in Scholastic trade books, where I designed books for children and worked with editors and illustrators. It was a great job.

I illustrated my first published children's book in 1992 and soon began illustrating full time. I began completing manuscripts and mailing them out to publishers in the early 1990s. In 1996, I sold my first two manuscripts -- Boo Who? A Spooky Lift-the-Flap Book (Scholastic) and Pen Pals (Grosset & Dunlap). Yippee!

Now I write full time and have written and/or illustrated over 130 children's books. Creating books that entertain, inform, and interest children (and me) is a fabulous job that I truly love.

Twitter *  Website * Blog

Book Blast Giveaway
$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 4/21/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http:// iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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Book Review Interview: Cora Flash and the Diamond of Madagascar by Tommy Davey (Cora Interviews Me) + Giveaway

Today for a little something different, Cora Flash from Cora Flash and the Diamond of Madagascar stopped by to interview me to find out my thoughts on the book.  It's kind of like a review in an interview.  Check it out and let me know your thoughts on the format.

Cora: What did you think of the setting of Cora Flash and the Diamond of Madagascar?
I loved it.  I think it worked great for this novel. Train travel is just not used like it use to be so it is a novelty and really added something to the book. It's like a throwback to the great old movies that you seem to like so much.  I also like it because it provides a closed in and limited environment. Only so many people can be involved in the theft. It heightens the tension as well because you are trapped on a train with a thief.

Cora: Do you think I was nosy or do you think I really just wanted to help.
Oh I definitely think you wanted to help.  I thought you handled yourself well for your age. I thought you were very aware of your setting and what was going on around you.  You also seemed a good judge of character. Your mind always seemed to be working.  I really enjoyed reading about you and getting to know you.  I think you could grow into quite a fine detective!

Cora: Okay, who besides me was your favorite person on the train from the first part of the book (we don't want to give anything away)?
I liked the newlyweds Ted and Sheila.  I liked how they took you in right away, befriended you but didn't talk down to you. They were friendly and helpful to you and to the others.

Cora: What is one thing outside of the plot that stands out to you about the book?
The breakfast that was served, I am still thinking of how yummy the french toast sounded.

Cora: Ms. Fulcher, um, I notice you are a little bit out of the target audience for Cora Flash and the Diamond of Madagascar, in fact, don't you have a son my age?  With that in mind, what do you think of the book for it's age group as a mom and also what do you think of the book as a mom.
For the age group I think the book is perfect. I think it will read perfect and hold middle grader's (who it is aimed for, and who you pointed out I do have one of) attention perfectly.  And while you, the heroine of the story are female, I think the story can appeal to both male and female. It has action, it has a mystery to figure out, it has a cute dog.  I found Cora Flash to be very age appropriate, nothing that would make me hide it from even my 7-year old if he wanted to embark on an above average chapter book for him.
As a mom and a reader, I loved the book.  It held my attention on a night I was finishing up a very boring work project.  I can promise that all I wanted to do was sleep but you, Cora and your mystery was able to keep me going until 1 in the morning. I really enjoyed your spunk and your mystery solving skills.  The book was fun, the mystery interesting and it kept me guessing until the end.  So I would say it scored well on both counts.

Cora: So now I'm curious, I know you rate your reviews typically, how would you rate the book about me?  And would you read the next book in my series, Cora Flash and the Mystery of the Haunted Hotel?
Cora, I would rate Cora Flash and the Diamond of Madagascar a 4.5 out of 5.  And I would definitely read the next book Cora Flash and the Mystery of the Haunted Hotel as well as recommend both books to my 11-year-old son.  Too bad you aren't real, I would love to introduce you to him :)


Thanks for interviewing me today Cora, this was definitely different.  I really enjoyed reading your adventures in Cora Flash and the Diamond of Madagascar and I look forward to more of your adventures by Tommy Davey!

Novel Publicity Blog Tour Notes:

Wanna win a $50 gift card or an autographed copy of Cora Flash and the Diamond of Madagascar? Well, there are two ways to enter...

1. Leave a comment on my blog. One random commenter during this tour will win a $50 gift card. For the full list of participating blogs, visit the official Cora Flash tour page.
2. Enter the Rafflecopter contest! I've posted the contest form below, or you can enter on the tour page linked above.

About the author: Tommy Davey spent his youth writing mystery stories and plays, and watching reruns of Three's Company until every line of dialogue was permanently burned into his memory. When not writing, he enjoys traveling to favorite destinations including New York City and Paris, which he plans to feature in future stories. He lives in Toronto, where he was born and raised, with a Norfolk Terrier named Calvin. "Cora Flash and the Diamond of Madagascar" is his first novel. Connect with Tommy on his website, Facebook, Twitter, or GoodReads.

Get Cora Flash and the Diamond of Madagascar on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

***I received this book through Novel Publicity for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***

Book Review: Diary of A Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Publisher: Amulet Books

Publish Date: April 1, 2007

Hardcover, 244 pages
Middle Grades, Ages 9-12

My Review:
Why I read this: I read the 4th book in the series and was unimpressed, and not sure I wanted my son to read it.  But to be fair I wanted to read the series from the beginning and see how the character develops and understand the series better.

How is the novel driven: Plot, in short takes, it's like reading a bunch of comics.  It works great for kids (and adults) with short attention spans.  Each take is a different point in a several month period of Greg's life.

My thoughts: This is a really quick and funny read.  It kept me in stitches throughout the book and it felt very real to the middle school experience.  Middle school is a very tough time and I think this book brings quite a bit of humor to the experience.  Adults can remember this time of life and kids will see there is humor even when things seem hard.

I did not see anything disrespectful in this book that I thought I saw in the 4th book.  I will continue to read through the books and make my decision when I am through, but at this time I definitely feel the first book is a great for any middle gfrader to read, to show they are not alone and there is humor in this time of life.  I'm also a proponent of whatever gets a child to read and it doesn't harm them in any way let them read it.  I have always said if comics gets my child to read then so be it - it's still reading which is awesome.  Jeff Kinney does a great job mixing the comics with the book to make this a highly entertaining read.

I already have the second book coming to me from the library. 

My Rating: 4.25/5.0


About the Book:

Boys don’t keep diaries—or do they?

The launch of an exciting and innovatively illustrated new series narrated by an unforgettable kid every family can relate to

It’s a new school year, and Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving. The hazards of growing up before you’re ready are uniquely revealed through words and drawings as Greg records them in his diary.

In book one of this debut series, Greg is happy to have Rowley, his sidekick, along for the ride. But when Rowley’s star starts to rise, Greg tries to use his best friend’s newfound popularity to his own advantage, kicking off a chain of events that will test their friendship in hilarious fashion.

Author/illustrator Jeff Kinney recalls the growing pains of school life and introduces a new kind of hero who epitomizes the challenges of being a kid. As Greg says in his diary, “Just don’t expect me to be all ‘Dear Diary’ this and ‘Dear Diary’ that.” Luckily for us, what Greg Heffley says he won’t do and what he actually does are two very different things.

Since its launch in May 2004 on Funbrain.com, the Web version of Diary of a Wimpy Kid has been viewed by 20 million unique online readers. This year, it is averaging 70,000 readers a day.
About the Author:

Jeff Kinney is an author of children's books including Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series. Jeff was born in College Park, Maryland, in 1971 where he created a comic strip called "Igdoof."

Website

FTC Information: I received this book from my local library for my reading enjoyment, or simply to check up on what my kids read (really, no I didn't want to read or enjoy this one) ;).  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.