Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Dante Rossetti Awards

The 2020 DANTE ROSSETTI Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction – the Semi-Finalists for the Rossetti Book Awards Division of the 2020 CIBAs
The Dante Rossetti Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in Young Adult Fiction. The Dante Rossetti Book Awards is a genre division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (#CIBAs).

Named in honor of the British poet & painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti who founded the Pre-Ralphaelite Brotherhood in 1848.

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring stories of all shapes and sizes written to an audience between the ages of about twelve to eighteen (imaginary or real). Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dystopian, Mystery, Paranormal, Historical, Romance, Literary, we will put them to the test to discover the best. (For Middle Grade Fiction see our Gertrude Warner Awards, and for Children’s Literature see our Little Peeps Awards.)

These titles are in the running for the Finalists of the 2020 Dante Rossetti Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction.
- Michelle Rene – The Canyon Cathedral: The Witches of Tanglewood, Book Two
- Strider S. R. Klusman – Within Reach
- Sue C Dugan – Suppressed
- B. L. Smith – The Fall of the Axe
- Liana Gardner – Speak No Evil
- Sara Hosey – Iphigenia Murphy
- Susanne Dunlap – The Paris Affair
- Susan Wingate – How the Deer Moon Hungers
- Felicia Farber – Ice Queen
- PJ Devlin – The Chamber — A Wissahickon Monsters Story
- Dallas Woodburn – The Best Week That Never Happened
- Kelly Vincent – Finding Frances
- Chynna Laird – Just Shut Up and Drive
- L.L. Eadie – Yearning for the Unattainable
- Jodi Lea Stewart – Blackberry Road
- Denis Olasehinde Akinmolasire – The Mission to End Slavery
- Tory Gates – Searching for Roy Buchanan
- Cris Harding – Red Wing
- Brooke Skipstone – Someone To Kiss My Scars
Good Luck to All as your works compete for the FINALIST rounds of the CIBAs!

We will announce the Finalists of the 2020 CIBA divisions April 22, 23, & 24, 2021.

The 22 divisions of the 2020 CIBAs’ Grand Prize Winners and the Five First Place Category Position award winners will be announced at the April 25th, 2021 Chanticleer International Book Awards Annual Awards Gala, which takes place at the Chanticleer Authors Conference that will be held in virtually Bellingham, Wash.
The Semi-Finalists’ works will compete for the First Place Winner positions, and then all will be recognized in the evenings at VCAC21 April 22-24th from 6-8 p.m. PST.

The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 23 CIBA divisions Finalists. We will announce the 1st Place Category Winners and Grand Prize Division Winners the CIBAs Ceremonies June 5th, 2021 virtually (Free) and LIVE at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash.

Register today!

We are now accepting entries into the 2021 Dante Rossetti Book Awards for YA Fiction.

As always, please contact us at Chanticleer@ChantiReviews.com with any questions, concerns, or suggestions!
April 4, 2021
VALENTINE’S DAY SWEET READS with ALL THE LOVES from CHANTICLEER

Books count as safe social distancing

As we step toward Valentine’s in quarantine, we might be a little further from our loved ones than normal, but hopefully that doesn’t mean we’re further away from love. Just like we can stay in touch with each other in different ways, we can take a moment to appreciate the different types of love we still have access to.

Love is a gross exaggeration of the difference between one person and everybody else. Like all young men, you greatly exaggerate the difference between one young woman and another…. And the only way to make sure of that is to keep changing the man; for the same man can never keep it up. – George Bernard Shaw

Now we like Shaw for his obscure connection to our Chatelaine Awards, which you can read about here (the long and short of it is that Shaw based Eliza Doolittle’s character from My Fair Lady off of Jane Morris, the woman, Jane Morris, in the Chatelaine portrait by Dante Rossetti).

Anyway, Shaw’s opinion on the ability of men to offer variety aside, did you know the Greeks have seven different names for love? Let’s dive in!

The Greeks Seven Names for LOVE with Recommended Book Titles from Chanticleerian Authors whose works we love.

1) Eros:

Eros is what we normally think of when we first hear the word love, the romantic and the passionate. Here are some great titles we recommend for the Eros readers out there.

Heart of a Few by Jon Duncan: It isn’t distance that makes the heart grow fonder in this novel, but the thrill of trying to save the world from fascism in WWII. Here the aristocratic Livy Ashford falls for pilot Jamie Wallace. Like the couple’s passion for each other, the reader’s own delight will draw them through this book in a flash!

The Skeptical Physick by Gail Avery Halverson: Fire, plague? Nothing can keep these Simon McKensie and Catherine Abbott apart! Gail Avery Halverson dives deep into the romance and the historical details that inspired the background setting for this whole novel. Winner of the Grand Prize in the Chatelaine Awards

2) Philia:

Philia is more of the love for our intimates and friends, those who we choose to keep close to us. Titles for the friendly readers out there.

Victorian Town by Nancy Throne: A Time Traveling young woman finds friendship and joy in the past. Abby Parker never quite felt she belonged at home, but a magic ring that transports her back in time gives her a chance to make real connections and stand out in a time where outspoken women are often pushed to the side. First Place Category Winner in the Dante Rossetti Awards

Mischief and Mayhem by L.E. Rico: Jameson O’Halloran might be surrounded by steamy looking men, but don’t be fooled. This story focuses most on the ties of family and the family we choose as we move through this veil of tears to live our best life. First Place Category Winner in the Chatelaine Awards

3) Ludus

Ludus is a close cousin of Eros, the playful, flirtatious love that is a little harder to make work over a Zoom room. For all you sassy flirts, we recommend the following

Love’s Misadventures by Cheri Champagne: The title says it all as you jump into Miss Anna Bradley’s hurried search for a husband, being in danger of forever living as a spinster at the ripe old age of 25. Written in the tradition of Jane Austen for the modern reader, this novel features debonair gentlemen who can keep their distance and pack a picnic, while delightful friendships make up a wonderful background cast of characters. First Place Category Winner in the Chatelaine Awards

Secrets Revealed by Kate Vale: Sometimes what’s meant to be fun and easy turns into something more, as happens when Owen Haskins and Faith Russell’s initial tense relationship breaks through to romantic as the casual adversaries turn into casual lovers and then maybe more. First Place Category Winner in the Chatelaine Awards

4) Storge

Storge is the unconditional love that we hope comes from family, chosen or otherwise. These titles are great reads for those who love family connection.

Promise of Tomorrow by T.K. Conklin: When Shyfawn Tucker’s adventure with her friend Mabel leads to disaster, the two need to figure out how to survive on their own. Meanwhile, Shyfawn’s sister Jo isn’t the type to sit around while her family is kidnapped. A story rich in romance, but that explores the ties that bind family together and what it means to find the best in everyone while still being true to yourself.

Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes you Knew by Ellen Notbohm: A beautiful book for parents who are struggling to better understand their children. Probably the highlight of the list is 10. “Love me unconditionally.” Don’t base approval on an “if” along with an emphasis on people with autism being whole and not promoting a harmful narrative of fixing people. A thoughtful look at the ways we can unconditionally accept people regardless of difference. Winner of the Grand Prize in the Nonfiction Instructional & Insight Awards

5) Philautia

Philautia is probably the most forgotten love we need to try and remember, which is self-love.

Hard Cider by Barbara Stark-Nemon: After building up a family and life that she can be proud of, Abbie Rose isn’t one to call it quits. She embarks on a totally new career path to keep living life to the fullest and be the truest version of herself that she can be. Winner of the Grand Prize in the Somerset Awards

The Knock by Carolyn Watkins: Sometimes understanding your family’s love means loving yourself when they can’t be there. Carolyn Watkin’s beautiful look at childhood with a deployed parent will tug on your heartstrings. First Place Category Winner in the Little Peeps Awards

6) Pragma

Pragma is another good overlapping love that’s usually connect to other loves. This one encompasses committed, companionate love.

Seize the Flame by Lynda J. Cox: A story of forgiveness and finding a way to love again. Will Drake Adams and Jessie Depre be able to overcome the traumas of their past and their current betrayals to find love together again?

My Sister’s Super Skills by Lauren Mosbeck: Sometimes commitment and love mean helping our family through tough times. Mosbek does an excellent job laying out fun tools to help kids deal with anxiety and depression, especially with the current state of the world. First Place Category Winner in the Little Peeps Awards

7) Agápe

Agápe: The last and biggest love that is empathetic and universal love.

Blossom – The Wild Ambassador of Tewksbury by Anna Carner: The story of how Carner and her husband took a deer into their family and then try to raise awareness to keep her safe. Balanced with reflection of Carner’s own youth, a beautiful reminder that we are all connected with the tone of a nature thriller. First Place Category Winner in the Journey Awards

The Last Outrageous Woman by Jessica Stone: Sometimes a past lover’s dream can take you places you never dreamed possible. That’s what happens eighty-six-year-old Mattie decides to embark on a worldwide adventure with her best friend Edna and Edna’s niece. It’s a whirlwind of fun where each woman seeks fulfillment in their own way while jumping into an international stage and connecting with the wider world at large.

Do you have another type of LOVE to add to the list? We do!

BIBLIOPHILIA – The LOVE of BOOKS

Are you a Bibliophile? We are!

Here are some of Kiffer’s favorite earworms (aka lyrics) concerning love.

Because all you need is love. Love is all you need. The Beatles

Love will bring us together. Captain and Tennille

Love lifts us up where we belong. Joe Cocker and Buffy Sainte-Marie

What the world needs now is love, sweet love. Hal David

Happy Valentines Day! From all of us Chanticleer Reviews!

Love comes in many forms and so do our contests! Submit here! Want to tell us about some of the favorite loves you’ve read? Talk to us on Twitter, Facebook, or join us here on The Roost.

February 14, 2021
FAST BACKWARD by David Patneaude – Y/A Time Travel Fiction, Y/A Apocalyptic & Post Apocalyptic Fiction, Y/A Coming of Age Fiction

In Fast Backward, David Patneaude’s most recent YA novel, fifteen-year-old Bobby sets out on his morning newspaper route, but what happens next blows his shorts off, literally. First, he witnesses a blinding light that grows into a mushroom cloud, but no one on the military base where he delivers papers will talk about it. Then, on his ride home, a dot in the distance takes on the shape of a girl, a naked girl in the middle of the desert at the side of the road. Thus begins Patneaude’s novel that brings WWII to life through the eyes of a young man torn by his father’s anti-war sentiments, and his uncle’s military patriotism.

Bobby realizes that this girl, Cocoa, is somehow tied to the blinding explosion. What does Bobby do? He offers the girl his carrier bag, his shorts, and a ride home. After some preliminary conversation, Cocoa realizes where she is, and what she must do.

She has knowledge she must deliver a message to those in charge in the hope of stopping nuclear bombs that decimated her world.

Are we concerned yet? Bobby is. He can hardly believe Cocoa’s crazy story, but Cocoa’s knowledge of dates, towns, and ship names make him a believer. They convince his parents and, with some effort, Bobby’s Uncle Pete. Cocoa has enough knowledge to capture the attention of some high-ranking military officials, but she also receives serious skepticism. When a bombing that she’d predicted actually happens, the Generals start listening.

Cocoa’s premonitions are a torment to her, and when she remembers something that involves Robert’s dad, a journalist and pacifist and conscientious objector, Robert’s world is turned upside down. His ideas of the world are forever changed by Cocoa, Future Girl, the girl who will save the world.

Award-winning YA author, David Patneaude effectively suspends our disbelief as he deftly crafts a world where nuclear bombs, Nazi submarines, the bombing of US cities, with two kids coming of age stuck in the middle, becomes a reality. Patneaude’s world explodes on the page in this post-apocalyptic war story that is plausible, terrifying, and quite satisfying to the spectacular end.

Fast Backward is highly recommended for young and old alike – and won First in Category in the CIBA 2019 Dante Rossetti Awards for Young Adult fiction.

January 25, 2021
SOUL SACRIFICE: Book Three of Spirit Shield Saga by Susan Faw – Teen & YA Greek & Roman Myths and Legends, YA Epic Fantasy Novels, YA Wizards & Witches Novels

Evil has taken hold of Cathair and the surrounding lands, and only the Spirit Shields can save both the living and the dead. Cayden and Avery, human twins housing the spirits of the godling children of Morpheus, have been tasked with stopping their sister Helga. She is hellbent on wiping out humanity and controlling the spirits of both man and beast.

Separated by missions unique to their abilities, Avery and Cayden are frantically searching for a way to defeat Helga. Cayden, the keeper of the Well of Souls, is connected to all spirit life. He can feel the life literally draining from the land but is nearly powerless to stop it because he is Soul Fetched, his mind imprisoned by Helga. He knows he must fight her insidious commands but is weakening mentally and physically. Avery must find a way to commune with their father and beg his help in defeating Helga since only a god’s power can destroy her minion army of Charun, souls of former warriors returned to ethereal bodies. She is also fighting against the Daimon, creatures born of hatred and fire who consume the souls of men before they can return to the river of souls awaiting reincarnation.

Their sister, Artio, recently reborn as a half-bear, half-human woman, joins Avery in her quest. Her motives, though, are personal because Helga stole the body and soul of Artio’s lover in a past life. The three siblings must find a way to unite the clans, defeat Helga, and save the souls of man.

Duty is more than a job. It is a soulful need to fulfill a purpose, either sworn to another or intrinsic. Many characters within this novel are driven by that intense, all-consuming duty. Both the major and minor characters are consumed by it to the point they are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to it. Ryder, commander of the Kingsmen and close friend of Cayden, is a prime example. A fixture in the Saga, Ryder and his men have previously been tasked with defending the Well of Souls. Having been taken captive by Helga, he refuses to swear allegiance to her. Even when his own loyalty is used to imprison him, Ryder cannot give up his oath to protect his king, still feeling the swell of pride at knowing his friend has ascended to his rightful place in Cathair. He is willing to befriend a Charun formerly known as Captain Brennan and even endure Helga’s unwanted physical attention to find a way to defeat her and help Cayden from the Underworld.

As a commander of the Kingsmen in his former service, Captain Brennan cannot deny his duty, though refusing at first to give in. Perhaps the ultimate example of his oath is Cayden’s need to protect the Well of Souls.

Connected to the well by a mental bond that becomes physical, Cayden must guard the souls awaiting new bodies. As the river that flows into the well diminishes, so does Cayden. His soul drains as surely and swiftly as the river. He knows his human life is the only thing that can heal the rift. If he fails in his duty, all of humanity will suffer for eternity. His birthright is to remain faithful in his charge even though he knows he will have to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Another theme of the novel is that of sacrifice. Nearly every character is forced to sacrifice some part of themselves. Morpheus begins the cycle when, centuries earlier, he was forced to give up his family or leave them to the other gods’ fury. The sacrifices continue for his children, all of whom sacrifice, whether willingly or not. Artio surrenders her lover to a fate worse than death while Avery and Cayden, the twins, must offer their closeness, their twin bond, nearly severed by distance and strife. Even Helga, in all her evil glory, has made sacrifices, being forced long ago to the darkness of the Underworld. Those connected to the siblings endure hardships as well. Ziona, sworn protector of Cayden and his truelove, must give him up. She is also willing to do whatever it takes to protect the Well of Souls, even if that means taking his life. Denzik, Nelson, and Fabian, Kingsmen, try to protect Cayden, and all make sacrifices to bring their men back to Cathair. Lovers of the series will experience a shocking, jaw-dropping twist that only a master-storyteller like Susan Faw could pull off. And we are so ever delighted she did!

Soul Sacrifice won First Place in the CIBA 2018 Dante Rossetti Awards for Young Adult fiction. Click on the links to read our reviews of books one, Seer of Souls, and two, Soul Sanctuary.

January 24, 2021
VICTORIAN TOWN by Nancy Thorne – Y/A Time Travel, Y/A Historical Fiction, Y/A Historical Romance

There isn’t much to do in Little Current, Abby Parker’s hometown. Desperate to escape her alcoholic mother and absentee father’s drama, Abby Parker takes her dog Riley for a walk near the local tourist attraction, Victorian Town, a restored settlement from the 1800s. When Riley unearths a silver filigree ring engraved with the initials “BB,” Abby doesn’t hesitate to slip the ring onto her finger. In a haze of white, Abby is transported back to 1876.

Abby’s strange clothes and unfamiliar words quickly warrant a visit to the town doctor, Albert Edgecombe, where she meets Martha, his teenage daughter. With Martha’s kindness and easy nature, the girls form a fast friendship despite Abby’s confusion and constant questions. Soon she realizes when the ring is removed from her finger, she returns to her own time. Though warned repeatedly by her modern friend Jess, Abby cannot resist returning to 1876 and Martha’s family. Martha’s older sister, Elizabeth, seemingly left town though no one can confirm her leaving. The mystery of the missing Edgecombe sibling and a connection to the local blacksmith, Ben Dunstone, piques Abby’s interest until she can’t resist defying the laws of nature and returning frequently. However, the ring’s power is draining, and Abby will soon have to choose between the twenty-first century and the new family she has found.

The place of women in 1876 creates an issue for Abby and a theme within the novel. Abby is clearly a modern girl, independent and opinionated. In typical late-teen fashion, she arrives unabashed and uncensored in the quiet Victorian town. Even after she finally understands her “transport,” she refuses complete conformity, continuing instead to both shock and scandalize Martha Edgecombe. Her struggles exemplify most women’s lives and are symbolized in many ways by the simple task of dressing to fit in. In a time of corset, pantalettes, and bustles, Abby is a “shorty-short” girl. Just as she fights her garments in what should be an easy task–dressing for the day–she fights the notion that women should settle, not in their attire and certainly not in their life choices. When Martha mentions women’s roles, those of mother and wife, Abby scoffs and is even disgusted by the suggestion that that should be a good life for a woman. Repeated references to the fairytale Cinderella and Abby’s refusal to want the rescue of a handsome prince highlights her feelings and her appreciation of the place of modern women.

Friendship is another important notion within the novel. Jess, Abby’s modern bestie, is a significant part of Abby’s life. Abby has little to no family support; her mother is an alcoholic, while her father stays gone most of the time. Even Abby’s brothers, who are adults, are absent from Abby’s life. Other than her sheltie, Riley, Abby is alone. Jess is her only real human connection until she develops a close bond with Martha. Both friendships mean more to Abby than anything. She turns to Jess for advice in her time travels. Martha becomes a sister to her when the Edgecombe family welcomes Abby into their family after her abrupt arrival in 1876.

Abby’s closeness to Martha keeps her returning to the past, though her chances of being stuck there increase with each trip. Moreover, she is hurting Jess by venturing into the past. This pull keeps bringing Abby back to the present even when she begins to feel drawn to the past. Though she must eventually choose between Jess and Martha, both girls have a firm claim on Abby’s heartstrings and give her the family she chooses instead of the one into which she was born.

Abby’s sense of purpose is an admirable trait that gives her character a strong, heroic feel. Abby cannot let go of Elizabeth’s disappearance. She refuses to stay safely tucked into her own time when a possible murderer is wandering around in the distant past. Nearly from the first trip, Abby feels she was “chosen” for a reason and beyond determined to discover what that might be even at significant physical and mental risk to herself. What begins as a mystery becomes a rescue mission when Abby finds her friends’ fate through historical documents. Abby cannot leave the fate of Martha and Ben to chance.

Victorian Town won First in Category in the CIBA 2019 Dante Rossetti Awards for Young Adult fiction novels.

January 15, 2021
BUT NOT FOREVER by Jan Von Schleh – Y/A Value & Virtues, Y/A Clean & Wholesome Romance, Y/A Time Travel

Like most fifteen-year-olds, Sonnet McKay loves a good adventure. Still, when she, her siblings, and cousins discover a deserted Victorian mansion in the middle of the woods outside a ghost town near Seattle, they get much more than they bargained for. In an upstairs bedroom, Sonnet inadvertently steps inside a time travel portal and is whisked away to 1895. In her place stands Emma Sweetwine, an identical doppelganger for Sonnet.

Emma’s family was prominent when Monte Cristo was a booming mine town, but life is not what it seems for the oldest of the Sweetwine children. With a mother who seems to despise her and a secret engagement, Emma’s life is oppressive and controlled – a sharp contrast to the spirited, independent Sonnet. With no idea how or why they were switched, Sonnet and Emma must quickly adjust to their new environments and rely only on their closest friends and family. But like any good story, time is running out for the girls as both of their lives rush in opposite directions. They must find a way back to their own times before their chance is gone forever.

Family, both those of birth and those of choice, is a significant theme of this novel. Sonnet has a close familial support system in her twin brother Evan, older sister Jules, cousin Niki, and best friend and cousin Lia. She has been surrounded by a loving family her entire life and spends part of each summer with her Aunt Kate, her father’s sister. Without doubt or hesitation, Evan, Jules, Niki, and Lia spring into action to both cover Sonnet’s absence and find the impossible path back to 1895. Rapp, a boy who has only known Sonnet for a day before her disappearance, is also a seamless part of the rescue brigade. This group instantly takes Emma into their embrace and makes her feel safe and loved, a first in her life. Though Sonnet has little help from Emma’s family, she quickly builds that friendship network she enjoys in her modern life. It is only with the support of the sixteen-year-old Sweetwine family nanny Kerry; Maxwell the teenage family driver; and Tor Emma’s secret betrothed, that Sonnet will hatch an escape plan. Both groups vow to take care of each girl, respectively, and help them keep the faith to make everything possible.

The difference between Sonnet and Emma will highlight the struggle and growth of women in the world. Sonnet isn’t burdened by the many stifling rules, both spoken and unspoken, that Emma must endure. Emma is forced to hide her true self, her true feelings, none so much as those she has for Tor. As an immigrant tasked with a life of menial labor, Tor should never be a part of Emma’s social circle, much less her fiancé. She has no close female friends and must remain docile and meek even when her mother demeans and abuses her. She is stifled by all who should love and support her. Sonnet, with her modern mind and outspoken nature, fights all of those restrictions and leaves Emma’s life better.

Sonnet makes Emma stronger, and Emma teaches Sonnet how to appreciate love in her life. In the very oppression, Sonnet finds the enjoyment of her freedom, and Emma’s liberation will create a connection to Sonnet that she can’t even imagine.

But Not Forever won the CIBA 2019 Grand Prize in the DANTE ROSSETTI Division for Y/A novels.

November 17, 2020
MANUFACTURED WITCHES by Michelle Rene – Teen & Y/A LGBT Fiction, Teen & Y/A Wizards & Witches Fantasy Fiction, Teen & Y/A Sword & Sorcery Fantasy Books

Sixteen-year-old Nat is a boxcar kid. It’s the Dust Bowl era, and Nat has lost everything: his grandmother, his family home, and a sense of belonging. He hops trains across Texas in search of a place for himself amid so much loss. Outside of Amarillo, Nat feels a peculiar sensation, a tug from destiny, that pulls him toward the small town of Tanglewood. However, instead of finding a job and some much-needed food, he discovers Polly Jones, a teenager like himself, chained to a post with a sign above her reading, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch.”

Nat can’t bring himself to abandon her to the small-minded, fearful townsfolk and immediately becomes her protector until the arrival of Camille Renoir Lavendou, a local woman who operates Miss Camille’s Home for Wayward Children. No one dares stop Camille from releasing Polly and taking both teens with her because Camille is reputed to be in the “witchin’ business” herself. Nat’s excitement at the prospect of food and a place to stay quickly turns to disbelief and wariness when he steps inside Camille’s sanctuary. What he thought was a ploy on Camille’s part to keep the nosey townsfolk at bay doesn’t seem to be a trick at all when he meets those who are under Camille’s care.

When Polly, too, begins to exhibit extraordinary abilities, Nat begins to feel like an outsider. Despite his limitations, Nat’s intense loyalty quickly leads him into a much more dangerous situation, where his very life may lay in the balance.

For lovers of the paranormal, this novel will be a special treat. Miss Camille’s Home for Wayward Children is a delight in every room. From books that magically fill with stories for a specific reader, to rooms with waterfalls and koi ponds, this realm of possibilities will leave the reader clambering for more and wanting to explore right along with Nat. Although the book would benefit from another round of editing, it is perhaps one of the most compelling novels we’ve read lately. The delight of discovery and fantastic description within the novel will inspire the many magical possibilities that await. While the surface of the plot is innocent, the theme beneath will undoubtedly satisfy.

Nat’s story is one of belonging. Throughout his journey, he has the innate, human need for acceptance and home, not just a physical place to lay his head, but the real need for family and kinship. The Dust Bowl setting plays such an intricate role in this theme because so many Americans searched for what nature and man took from them, their place in the universe. Nat’s story, though fictional, was played out in real-time for millions of people. He has lost everything, his family, his home, his identity. His search and subsequent finding of his place lead to a discovery of himself. Though he often feels he doesn’t belong anywhere ─ not the boxcar, nor the tramp world, nor Camille’s menagerie of unique people ─ Nat comes to see exactly who he is and of what he is capable. Although facing the potential of great danger, Camille, an African American, creates a home for all. She is warned multiple times that she cannot take in white children. Her love for all her “children” is colorblind. Her home is a haven and a place to discover their true identity. Acceptance takes center stage in this novel and leaves the reader wrapped in a cozy hug of belonging.

Manufactured Witches took home the Grand Prize in the 2019 CIBAs in the OZMA Awards for the Best Fantasy Fiction, and First in Category in the Dante Rossetti Awards the same year.

October 29, 2020
WHISPERS by Lynn Yvonne Moon – Family Drama, Teen & Y/A Physical & Emotional Abuse, Teen & Y/A Sexual Abuse

Whispers by Lynn Yvonne Moon explores the issue of incest through the life of twelve-year-old Musetta, whose father has just died. We meet Musetta at her father’s funeral and realize that this girl is dealing with serious issues. Still, more than grief, she’s filled with rage – and relief. And we cannot blame her. Whispers is filled with enough intrigue and family secrets to glue readers’ eyeballs to the page and hug their parents when they reach the end of the tale.

Musetta can’t get the attention of her grieving mother, and she’s not sure who she can turn to for help. Who will believe her story? But she knows what happened to her. After her father’s funeral, she believes the Friday night ritual of rape is over and that the molestation will stop. However, it’s not quite that easy.

First off, there are voices in her bedroom walls – and worse, the molestation continues. Is it her father’s ghost? She can’t go to her mother for help, and she won’t go to the law unless her mother is by her side. Who would believe her over her late father’s reputation as an upstanding citizen and the favorite local judge?

But Musetta isn’t alone. Her friends hear the ghostly voices and soon believe her. As they band together, taking on the role of detectives, they have no way of knowing how much danger lies ahead. But when one of her friends is abducted, then another, it will take all the courage and resourcefulness she has to continue on and to discover precisely who is behind the creepy whispers and the horrible abuse before it’s too late.

Lynn Yvonne Moon develops a protagonist who will search for the truth no matter where it leads, and no matter what, she discovers about her family. Soon, she uncovers the lies of her grandparents.

Her father was a twin? It takes several more visits with her grandparents and a box filled with photos and papers before Musetta has the proof she needs. But will it only get her into more trouble? Of course.

This award-winning, page-turner of a novel reveals the reality that generational secrets have power. Secrets that put Musetta and all of her friends in great peril. Musetta’s determination to put the pieces of her family puzzle together led her further along the path to her family’s undoing. Because what she uncovers will have readers blood running cold.

Lynn Yvonne Moon unravels her complicated plot on this sensitive topic with a deft hand. Careful readers will pick up tiny clues that will keep them turning pages as we root for Musetta in this hair-raising tale of family intrigue and abuse.

Whispers won the CIBA 2018 DANTE ROSSETTI Award for Young Adult fiction novels.

October 22, 2020
SOUL SANCTUARY: Book Two of the Spirit Shield Saga by Susan Faw – Epic Fantasy, Magic/Fantasy, Young Adult Folklore & Fairy Tales

A savage civil war is consuming the Primordial tribes. With heavy losses for both Spirit and Flesh Clans, each side is taking extreme measures to secure Cathair and the mysterious forests and mountains surrounding it. Controlling Avery and Cayden Tiernan would ensure that victory. Born the children of royals from both clans and meant to unify the land, the twins have always been exceptional. It isn’t until much later that they learn they are Spirit Shields, godlings returned to Earth to help mankind and nature.

The twins aren’t the only godlings in the kingdom. Artio, released from her heavenly prison through a blood merging of bear and man, and Helga, Great Mistress of wicked souls, seek to rule man and spirits and take revenge on the twins, whatever the cost to the humans in their path. With Queen Alcina and Marea, spiteful High Priestess whose place has been usurped by Avery, the twins must fight to reunite and save humanity from annihilation at its own hands while fighting their sisters, both with designs on being the sole god of the Primordials.

This second installment of the Saga series has complicated plot twists. From the ever-changing loyalties of godling and man to the emerging backstory of Avery and Cayden, the novel throws the reader into the action and adventure on a non-stop flight through the intrigue and back-stabbing of Cathair. Fantasy readers will love the healing unicorns, fighting phoenixes, helpful werewolves, and bossy pegasusi. A mixture of world mythologies unites the familiar with the innovative, creating an intriguing blend and a truly unique setting.

Susan Faw is a masterful storyteller, and Soul Sanctuary’s strength lies in its multifaceted telling of myths and legends. With alternating points of view showing all perspectives of this battle of souls, the novel encompasses a tale as vast and varied as the kingdom itself. Readers may wish to dip into the first book in the series, Seer of Souls, to settle into this outstanding read.

Whether man or godling, no character is safe from the machinations of others, creating a network of subterfuge. The twins, Avery and Cayden, were born tools of unification but are also the chosen habitat of returning godlings, Alfreda and Caerwyn, who give up immortality for the chance to save the souls of man. Cayden must maintain the Well of Souls where souls reside until rebirth. Avery is the keeper of animal souls meant to pass on and be reborn. Because of their influential positions both as mortals and godlings, everyone seeks them.

The clans are controlled by their high priests, who sacrifice both spiritually and physically at will. Artio herself, a mixture of animal, man, and thunder, is created by the Flesh Clan, who quickly learn controlling her is much harder than it appears. Artio, though, is a slave to her revenge plot against Helga. Helga, trapped within a mountain, controls the souls of the lost and the former human queen, Alcina, but falls victim to her own jealousy of Artio, which led to her captivity. Unable to cut the strings of control and create their own destiny, all of the characters are mere “pieces on a giant chessboard, being pushed to and fro.”

Within this puppet-master world, the characters learn that only their combined strengths will win the day. Nowhere is this more evident than in the duo of Avery and Cayden. Though kept separate by the force of their siblings and the clans’ trickery, twin-power will save the people of this besieged land. But even if the dynamite duo manages to reunite, real success will hinge upon some critical, human and nonhuman characters who help the godlings along the way. Only with the teamwork of man and beast will the souls of all be saved.

Soul Sanctuary: Book Two of the Spirit Shield Saga won First Place in the CIBA 2017 Dante Rossetti Awards for Y/A Fiction.

June 23, 2020
BECOMING JONIKA by PJ Devlin – Coming of Age, Multiculturalism, Historical Fiction/Young Adult

Immersed in the nostalgia of classic summer camp experiences, Becoming Jonika is the coming-of-age story of Joni Byrnes, who, after finding herself on the wrong side of the law, receives a second chance at St. Augustine of Hippo’s summer camp in the trouble-ridden summer of 1969.

Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and the aftermath of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, Joni Byrnes is just trying to live a normal teenage life. At the cusp of high school, Joni’s parents send her to Redwood Academy, where they believe Joni will become their ideal daughter. In reality, Joni is quickly labeled by her elite classmates as a loser and an outcast, and the only place Joni feels like herself is in a swimming pool.

One day after practice, she meets Ishmael, who used to be on her neighborhood swim team and is now recently returned home after being discharged from the military. Ishmael treats Joni like she is special, and because of her insecurities and desire to be loved and accepted by others, she falls head-over-heels for him and follows him down a dangerous path that lands her in a courtroom at the mercy of a judge.

Instead of sending her to Juvie, the judge gives Joni the opportunity to make amends. She becomes the swimming instructor at a camp for young African-American children. Becoming an outcast yet again as the only white counselor, Joni learns about of her campers’ and co-counselors’ home lives. She sees their courage and perseverance and tries to move on from her own past; becoming her own person in the face of expanding generational and racial divides.

The hand-drawn look of the cover and the journal-like appearance of the interior create a physical representation of Joni’s report to the judge, pulling readers in and immersing them into the story. The descriptions of the inescapable humidity of summer, the coolness of pool water, and the sweetness of bug juice all feel within reach. In addition to the rich descriptions of Joni’s surroundings, PJ Devlin achieves authentic characterization in the development of Joni and those she encounters throughout the novel.

Joni’s feeling of being an outcast and a loser hits her upon arrival to Camp St. Augustine of Hippo, where she is different in every way from the people around her. In a heart-to-heart with Joni, one of the counselors’ is explicit about what being at camp means, “For us, that’s freedom. For you, camp’s a prison. That’s the difference.”

As the summer progresses, Joni is given the name Jonika and finds herself surrounded by people who like her despite their differences. Jonika describes these feelings in her report, “We were different on the outside but not on the inside.” By summer’s end, she’s uncertain about returning to her old life, but takes courage from the powerful lessons she learned at summer camp. She leaves Joni’s problems and insecurities in the past and instead becomes the person she chooses to be — Jonika.

Becoming Jonika by PJ Devlin won 1st Place in the 2017 Dante Rossetti Awards for Young Adult Fiction.

June 17, 2019