Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Young Adult

The CYGNUS 2022 CIBA WINNERS for Science Fiction
The Cygnus Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Science Fiction, Steampunk, Alternative History, and Speculative Fiction. The Cygnus Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring space, time travel, life on other planets, parallel universes, alternate reality, and all the science, technology, major social or environmental changes of the future that author imaginations can dream up for the CYGNUS Book Awards division.

1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners were announced at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony by Sandy Lawrence on Saturday, April 29th, 2023 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2023 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

This is the OFFICIAL 2022 LIST of the CYGNUS BOOK AWARDS First Place Category Winners and the CYGNUS Grand Prize Winner.

Join us in celebrating our First Place Category Winners in the 2022 CYGNUS Book Awards, a division of the CIBAs!
- S.G. Blaise – The Last Lumenian
- Isaac Petrov – The Advent of Dreamtech
- Nik Frank-Lehrer – Future Show
- Dana Dargos & Said Al Bizri – Einstein in the Attic
- Lou Dischler – Mona’s Odyssey
- D.H. Ford – Rogue Reborn
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 CYGNUS Awards for Science Fiction is:

The Last Lumenian

By S. G. Blaise

Thank you to all of the participants in the 2022 CYGNUS Book Awards program for Science Fiction and Speculative Fiction!

PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

Attn CIBA Winners: More goodies and prizes will be coming your way along with promotion in our magazine, website, and advertisements in Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards long-tail marketing strategy. Welcome to the CIBA Hall of Fame for Award Winners!

This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the Facebook post. However, for Facebook to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews.

Please click here to visit our page to LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE on Facebook.

Additionally, we also post on Twitter. Chanticleer Facebook and Twitter handle is @ChantiReviews

Or click here to go directly to Chanticleer’s Twitter feed.

A Note to ALL the WINNERS: You will receive an OFFICIAL EMAIL NOTIFICATION with Digital Badges and more information.

Grand Prize Division Winners will receive a customized digital badge. When we receive it from our graphic artist, we will also post here and in the Grand Prize Division Winners Official Posting.

The coveted CIBA Blue Ribbons will be mailed out starting in June. We will contact you with an email to verify your mailing address and other items. We thank you for participating in the 2022 Chanticleer International Book Awards!

Thank you for participating in the 2022 CIBAs! We are looking forward to reading your future entries.
May 3, 2023
DRUIDS Of The SKY by Dana Willow – Coming of Age, Steampunk, LGBT+ YA Fiction

A young adult fantasy gem, Dana Willow’s Druids of the Sky, is a story about the power of found family and self-discovery.

On a steampunk version of Earth, humans and druids have tensely coexisted for much of known history. Leah lives a content life with her merchant father aboard Skyport, a giant world-traveling airship held aloft by a metal called Heracleum. Another merchant boards Skyport with the hope of selling his druid creatures to humans as pets, but when one imprints on Leah, she discovers she’s not as human as she thought.

Revealed to be a half-druid, her calm life traversing the human world is about to change forever.

Leah leaves Skyport to seek out a druid community in hopes of finding whatever remains of her infamous family. Leah has a lot to discover about herself and must do so carefully in the face of prejudice against her nature.

After departing from Skyport, Leah comes across a small druid town and meets Aspin, a young druid also struggling to find her place in the world. She is an alchemy school dropout and struggles with insecurity in her magical abilities. Together they embark on a journey to uncover Leah’s family, finding plenty of danger along with small but significant acts of kindness.

Druids of the Sky is a page-turner with a flowing style that fits the young adult genre wonderfully.

Author Dana Willow creates authentic emotional connections among her characters, growing them into complex and dynamic people. At the heart of the book is a romance intolerable to this world of druid and human conflict. This beautiful element of the story adds significant depth to the polarizing races and cultures of human and druid societies.

Throughout Leah’s journey to find her parents, she encounters many who wish her harm, but just as many who hold out hope that one day druids and humans can live in peace. Druids of the Sky is a reminder that we are never alone and that there is always kindness in the world.

This story shows the beauty in a journey shared with others.

Dana Willow writes an ambiguous ending with many questions unanswered. This sly trick leaves readers with plenty of room for personal interpretations and hope that the story will continue well beyond the last page.

Dana Willow’s debut novel Druids of the Sky is a heartfelt and relatable coming-of-age story, a must-read young adult fantasy novel. In a massive and congested genre, Druids of the Sky adds a needed touch of kindness and compassion.

December 28, 2022
Awardingly August! Three CIBA Divisions Close in August! Don’t Miss Out!
Submitting your writing for a Book Award is pretty cool!

Maybe it won’t help you physically beat the heat, but it will help your book stand out when compared to others! From gold stickers to blue ribbons, the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards (CIBAs) is a great step on your publishing journey.

In August we have three submission deadlines coming up:
We’ve worked hard to hit the ground running as things continue to open up and life continues its onward march! We now have work listed on Reedsy, The Writer Magazine, Writer’s Digest, AWP, Shaw Guides, and more! We are honored to be a trusted voice in the Writing Community, and can’t wait to keep fulfilling our mission of discovering today’s best books!

We want to take a moment to recognize the Grand Prize Winners of these extraordinary awards:

Dante Rossetti Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction

Blue Spruell’s TARŌ: Legendary Boy Hero of Japan

Adventure, classic tales, fantasy, and exciting action combine in TARŌ: Legendary Boy Hero of Japan, a well-poised debut novel by award-winning author Blue Spruell.

In the turbulent final decades of the sixteenth century, feudal Japan reeled in mayhem as the central hereditary dictatorship collapsed, and tyrannical powers fought to control the empire. TARO: The Legendary Boy Hero of Japan is the story of how one man revolutionized a nation by taking its reigns and forging a new destiny through his depths of compassion and determination.

See the full list of Dante Rossetti Winners here

Gertrude Warner Book Awards for Middle Grade Readers

Murray Richter’s Fishing for Luck

The review for this one is forthcoming, but it’s a fast-paced novel of amazing sorts! A great book for young readers that will keep your head spinning and guessing what will happen next!

See the full list of Gertrude Warner Winners here

Chatelaine Book Awards for Romantic Fiction

Alex Sirotkin’s Long Desert Road

Alex Sirotkin’s debut novel, The Long Desert Road, navigates the emotional arcs of life in contrast with the greater expanse of the cosmos. Here a young woman must face her addictions while the people around her try to move beyond her backlash.

We meet Henry Spinoza, a 44-year-old quirky science writer. He ponders his life as half over, looks for the right woman, and wonders if there isn’t more to existence.

See the full list of Chatelaine Winners here

Why submit to the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards Program?

Don’t Delay! Enter today!

Book Awards are a great way to market indie and traditionally published books. Making sure to select a reputable Awards Program is key to having your Book Award (or Editorial Book Review) do the most for you!

While you can see the full list of CIBA Winner Benefits here, these are some of the best parts of the CIBAs. The highlights of the over $30,000 worth of Cash Prizes and Awards that go out are the $1000 for one Overall Grand Prize Winner; a host of benefits from our sponsors like Hindenburg, Kickstarter, and Lulu; Editorial Reviews for the Grand Prize Winners; and, of course, the coveted Blue Ribbon. On top of all that, your book will be posted on our high-traffic website at every tier where it advances. Even those who make the Long List join a longstanding community of writers

You Know You Want It

What do our authors have to say about it?

“I so appreciate your generosity of spirit and your wonderful gift for supporting writers.” – Dorothea L Bonneau

“Thanks to all the volunteers, readers and judges whose work make these awards possible.” – Darryl Wimberly, author of A Star in her Crown

“Thank you so much for the information, and to Chanticleer for the honor. I sincerely appreciate your formatting, the buildup and excitement that is generated by your tiered announcements and overall approach to the awards.” – Natalie Symons, author of Lies in Bone

“Thank you all for such hard work tonight! Very proud to have won the grand prize. You all did a wonderful job.” – Jaime Castle, co-author of The Luna Missile Crisis

“I’m so excited to have received First Place for the Goethe Awards for 20th Century Historical Fiction” – Pamela Jonas, author of For Love of Family: A Slovak Immigrant Novel

The CIBAs are waiting. Enter today!

SEPTEMBER SUBMISSION DEADLINES ARE FAST APPROACHING!
- CLUE BOOK AWARDS SUSPENSE / THRILLERS
- Little Peeps Early Readers and Picture Books
The 2022 Division Award Grand Prize and First Place Winners for the each of the Divisions of the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards will be ANNOUNCED on Saturday, April 29, 2023 at the Chanticleer Authors Conference, Bellingham, Wash.
August 17, 2022
TARO: The Legendary Boy Hero of Japan by Blue Spruell, illustrated by Miya Outlaw – Japanese Mythology, Historical Fiction, Action & Adventure

Adventure, classic tales, fantasy, and exciting action combine in TARO: Legendary Boy Hero of Japan, a well-poised debut novel by award-winning author Blue Spruell.

In the turbulent final decades of the sixteenth century, feudal Japan reeled in mayhem as the central hereditary dictatorship collapsed, and tyrannical powers fought to control the empire. TARO: The Legendary Boy Hero of Japan is the story of how one man revolutionized a nation by taking its reigns and forging a new destiny through his depths of compassion and determination.

The story begins with Taro as a young boy. As an heir to the Takeda family, Taro enjoyed reading, much to his father’s disapproval, as he wanted him to follow in his footsteps as a skilled Samurai. Tragedy changes Taro’s presumed destiny when his parents are murdered in a fierce power struggle, leaving him an orphan. Shortly after, a witch saves him from drowning and begins Taro’s new life of adventure, introducing him to a world of mythical creatures. On this new journey, Taro discovers shocking secrets about his lineage, and with them, his ultimate purpose in medieval Japan.

Author Spruell has written an enrapturing novel that brews literary art and imperial Japanese culture with the complexities of human life.

Imbued with historical elements, this novel is tightly plotted to recreate three famous Japanese folktales that will hold your attention to the last sentence. The graceful and precise prose careens readers through a unique period and place in history, with universal appeal.

Clearly, Spruell did thorough research before writing this novel. His enthusiasm and attention to intricate historical detail shape the plot, shedding a light on this period of Japanese lifestyle, society, and, tradition. Allowing the characters’ warmth, frustration, and hope to speak, TARO: The Legendary Boy Hero of Japan becomes a collective attestation to the fortitude of a people and a reflection on the initial stages of a nation’s history.

The feather in the cap of this novel is Miya Outlaw’s grand and enlightening illustrations, which bring out the spirited and energetic life of the Samurai, a world that is uncommon and unknown to many.

The atmospheric representation of disillusionment and yearning that pervades the novel makes this story emotionally resonant. Further, its crystalline writing and flow are cinematic, resulting in a narrative that defies the limitations of any targeted genre.

Indeed, TARO: The Legendary Boy Hero of Japan is a remarkable literary feat. Themes such as betrayal, deceit, zeal, and self-sacrifice are vividly evoked and provide a panoramic view of what it took to restore balance in power in a country that was almost torn apart by years of war and ruthless ruling families. Brutal and intense, this work is an excellent addition to its genre.

Taro: Legendary Boy Hero of Japan by Blue Spruell and illustrated by Miya Outlaw won Grand Prize in the 2021 CIBA Dante Rossetti Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction.

August 10, 2022
DILLION And The CURSE Of ARMINIUS by John Middleton – Historical Fantasy, WWII, Young Adult Fiction

Hang your disbelief by the door, pull up a chair, and prepare to step back in time to a period of unrest that would forever change the world In Dillion and the Curse of Arminius by John Middleton.

British and European legends set the stage for ancient warriors with a clarion call to re-awaken to battle—and only the innocents can intervene.

In 1936, the children of the privileged le Close family pursue their interests and enjoy their lives at their patriarchal home, gifted to the original Baron le Close by King James centuries ago. Since Oakholm Abbey lay on the border of England and Wales, everyone looked to the Baron to protect the surrounding farmlands from Welsh raiders. They would slip down from the wilds of the Welsh hills and valleys just beyond the old monastic estate and do their damage on the population.

By virtue of their lineage, the youngest generation of the le Close family, Gilbert and Emelia, have certain special abilities. Gilbert is attuned to the animal kingdom—and it to him—and wanders fearlessly into deep forests on the Welsh borderlands where he discovers magical places. These places exude an aura of intense spirituality, bringing Druids and secret ceremonies to mind. On the other hand, Emelia is percipient, although she is only just learning how to understand the meaning of her experiences.

Unbeknownst to Gilbert and Emelia, trouble brews across the channel.

They will soon become integral in saving both the lives of their good friends, Axel and Rebecca, German refugees now living in Amsterdam, and in helping good conquer evil in their part of the world.

Meanwhile, at Schloss Wewelsburg, a centuries old castle in south-western Germany, Heinrich Himmler, the commander of Hitler’s SS, has turned to the occult to realize a dream. He believes in the supernatural and wants to contact and enlist the aid of the fabled Cherusci warriors who conquered the Romans centuries ago to assist in Germany’s attempt to rule Europe.

Himmler connects with a revenant whose ancestor was second in command to Arminius, the chieftain of the fierce Cherusci tribe that freed the Germanic people of Roman rule.

What happens next, when the bucolic world of life at Oakmont Abbey collides with the occult, is the stuff of legends.

Gilbert and Amelia will discover their connections to their ancestral history, and are called upon to fulfill their predestined roles as guardians of a sacred place. They will be sorely tested, and must call upon everything in their beings to survive, to secure the survival of their friends, and to save their way of life.

In Dillion and the Curse of Arminius, author John Middleton has created a work of fantasy fiction with a plot that will appeal to pre and early teen readers. Much of the writing is lyrical with vivid imagery, creating a mystical mood—set up with a complex storyline and sophisticated language.

Dillion and the Curse of Arminius won 1st Place in the 2019 CIBA Dante Rossetti Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction.

July 15, 2022
The CYGNUS 2021 CIBA WINNERS for Science Fiction
The Cygnus Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Science Fiction, Steampunk, Alternative History, and Speculative Fiction. The Cygnus Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring space, time travel, life on other planets, parallel universes, alternate reality, and all the science, technology, major social or environmental changes of the future that author imaginations can dream up for the CYGNUS Book Awards division. Hard Science Fiction, Soft Science Fiction, Apocalyptic Fiction, Cyberpunk, Time Travel, Genetic Modification, Aliens, Super Humans, Interplanetary Travel, Climate-Fiction, and Settlers on the Galactic Frontier, Dystopian, our judges from across North America and the U.K. will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

The 2021 CYGNUS Book Awards First Place Category Winners and the CYGNUS Grand Prize Winner were announced by Wendy Kendall on Saturday, June 25, 2022 at the Hotel Bellwether and broadcast via ZOOM webinar.

This is the OFFICIAL 2021 LIST of the CYGNUS BOOK AWARDS First Place Category Winners and the CYGNUS Grand Prize Winner.
- J.W. Zarek – The Devil Pulls the Strings
- Sarah Lahey – Nostalgia Is Heartless, Book Two
- Akosua Sankofa – Monmouth Deep
- Rhett C. Bruno – Vicarious
- Elizabeth Crowens – A War in Too Many Worlds
- Steven Seril – The Destroyer of Worlds: ‘An Answer to Every Question’
- Charlene Newcomb – Echoes of the Storm
The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2021 CYGNUS Awards is:

A War in Too Many Worlds

By Elizabeth Crowens

PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

Attn CIBA Winners! More goodies and prizes will be coming your way along with promotion in our magazine, website, and advertisements in Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards long-tail marketing strategy. Welcome to the CIBA Hall of Fame for Award Winners.

This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the FB post. However, for FB to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews. FB rules — not ours.

Please click here to visit our page to LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE on Facebook.

Additionally, we also post on Twitter. Chanticleer Twitter’s handle is @ChantiReviews

Or click here to go directly to Chanticleer’s Twitter feed.

The 2022 CYGNUS Book Awards winners will be announced at CAC23 on April 29, 2023. Save the date for CAC23, scheduled April 27-30, 2023, our 10 year Conference Anniversary!

Submissions for the 2022 CYGNUS Book Awards are open until the end of June. Enter here!

Don’t delay! Enter today!

A Note to ALL the WINNERS: The coveted CIBA Blue Ribbons will be mailed out starting in August. We will contact you with an email to verify your mailing address and other items. We thank you for your patience and understanding.
June 29, 2022
The 2021 Finalists for the CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction – a Division of the 2021 CIBAs
The Cygnus Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Science Fiction, Steampunk, Alternative History, and Speculative Fiction. The Cygnus Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring space, time travel, life on other planets, parallel universes, alternate reality, and all the science, technology, major social or environmental changes of the future that author imaginations can dream up for the CYGNUS Book Awards division. Hard Science Fiction, Soft Science Fiction, Apocalyptic Fiction, Cyberpunk, Time Travel, Genetic Modification, Aliens, Super Humans, Interplanetary Travel, Climate -Fiction, and Settlers on the Galactic Frontier, Dystopian, our judges from across North America and the U.K. will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from all 2021 CYGNUS Science Fiction Semi-Finalists to the 2021 Cygnus Book Awards FINALISTS. All FINALISTS will be recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference. First Place and Grand Prize Winners will be chosen from the 24 Division Categories.

Congratulations to the 2021 CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction Semi-Finalists!
- J.W. Zarek – The Devil Pulls the Strings
- Sarah Lahey – Nostalgia Is Heartless, Book Two
- Spaulding Taylor – Last Star Standing
- Akosua Sankofa – Monmouth Deep
- Rhett C. Bruno – Vicarious
- Peter Greene – Light of Ganymede
- Kristie Clark – Dragon Gold
- Charlene Newcomb – Echoes of the Storm
- D.H. Ford – Cosmic Swap
- William M. Hayes – Save Him
- William X. Adams – Alien Dream Machine
- PA Vasey – Trinity Evolution
- Daniel C. McWhorter – Revival: The Gaia Origin, Book Two
- Jenn Lees – Restoring Time: Community Chronicles Book 4
- William X. Adams – Alien Panic
- Elizabeth Crowens – A War in Too Many Worlds
- Sandra J. Jackson – Catching Butterflies
- Dana Claire – The Connection
- Gina Detwiler – Forgiven
- Sam Stea – The Edge of Elsewhere
- Steven Seril – The Destroyer of Worlds: ‘An Answer to Every Question’
We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, June 25th, 2022 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2022 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the FIRST PLACE WINNERS positions of the 2021 Cygnus Book Awards novel competition for Science Fiction!

Good luck to all as your works compete on the next rounds of judging.

The next round of judging will decide which books move on to the Finalist positions for the 2021 CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction novels.

PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the FB post. However, for FB to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews. FB rules — not ours.

Please click here to visit our page to LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE on Facebook.

Additionally, we also post on Twitter. Chanticleer Twitter’s handle is @ChantiReviews

Or click here to go directly to Chanticleer’s Twitter feed.

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2020 CYGNUS Awards is Rhett C. Bruno & Jaime Castle for The Luna Missile Crisis

Click here to see the 2020 CYGNUS Book Award Winners for Science Fiction.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2022 CYGNUS Awards writing competition.

Please click here for more information.

Winners will be announced at the 2021 CIBA Awards Ceremony that is sponsored by the 2022 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

VIRTUAL and IN-Person – June 23 – 26, 2022! Register Today!

FLEXIBLE REGISTRATIONS ARE AVAILABLE for these challenging times.

Seating is Limited. The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.

Join us for our 10th annual conference and discover why!

Featuring: International Best Selling Author Cathy Ace along with A+ list film producer Scott Steindorff.
April 19, 2022
The BEST WEEK THAT NEVER HAPPENED by Dallas Woodburn – Teen and YA Coming of Age Fantasy, Teen and Y/A Magical Realism Fiction, Y/A Contemporary Fantasy Fiction

Dallas Woodburn’s debut novel The Best Week that Never Happened is a roller-coaster ride through Hawaii and the mysterious depths of its briny deep, sparkling with unreal magic, a poignant romance, and incessant hope.

Tegan Rossi, a freshly graduated eighteen-year-old, awakens in the secretive hideout she discovered with Kai Kapule as two eight-year-old children on her first trip to Hawaii Island. She needs to make amends with Kai as they had a major squabble over something very important that she now oddly forgets. When Tegan catches up with Kai in Hawaii, she enters her best week yet – the Best Week That Never Happened.

The first-person narrative is a fusion of Tegan’s past three years ago and ten years ago, as well as a mystified chronicling of her present with Kai on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Tegan and Kai run into each other for the second time in Hawaii ten years later. At Kai’s earnest request, they both meet at their childhood hideout The Lava Tubes. Reliving the nostalgia, they re-emerge as inseparable friends, sharing their lives over the phone 4,880 miles apart. Tegan’s reluctance to meet up with Kai’s graduation wish (a visit from Tegan) turns up in the two-months past narrative. With the present time leapfrog, Tegan arrives in Hawaii, fretting over her inability to remember how she turned up there.

In the medical center of Kai’s aunt, Tegan discovers an hourglass tattoo on her body she never had.

A series of incredible happenings follow. Tegan’s suitcase shows up out of nowhere with all she could ever wish for, her mom doesn’t seem to exist, at least she’s not answering her calls. Oh, yes, and the hourglass tattoo is losing sand. Most curious, Tegan discovers her Instagram photo in front of a train with a caption about her departure from Philadelphia to Washington DC. But the train crashed, killing 67 passengers.

In her quest for an explanation, Tegan receives a message, “to trust enough to take the leap.” It is Tegan’s conforming to the message which will eventuate her best week, the week of confessing love, dealing with insecurities, and reliving the déjà-vu moments from the past with Kai into a reality.

The Best Week That Never Happened ushers readers through alternating states of reflection and pessimism, until finally riding the waves of optimism and hope.

Dallas Woodburn explores the complexity of a teenage psyche. Through Kai and Tegan, she reflects on our innate insecurities and the tendency to not embrace new ideas and opportunities out of fear. With the development of the two characters, the narrative tone gradually shifts from a tragic to an optimistic perspective, referencing their development as adults. This subtle shift brings about a symbiotic relationship between pessimism and optimism in which we all live.

The aversion to change and embracing a better future is a predominant theme throughout the book.

This underlying struggle is reflected in Tegan and Ross. Tegan struggles with the decision to confess her feelings for Kai, adamant to keep the relationship unchanged. By not confessing to her feelings, she risks making the best week of her life with Kai only an illusion of reality. Kai dreams of becoming an artist and gets shortlisted to the prestigious CalArts College in Los Angeles. He adores his usual marine life with his family in Hawaii, his paradise, away from the suffocating fear of being stuck “at the bottom of the barrel” outside of Hawaii. Overcoming their fears and insecurities is what makes the debut novel, The Best Week That Never Happened, so very relatable.

With a twist of magical realism and captivating storytelling, The Best Week That Never Happened revolves around the contemporary concerns of teenagers and adults alike. It’s an exciting read with a powerful message borrowed from Martin Luther King, Jr., “Take the first step in faith. You don’t need to see everything on the staircase, just the first step.”

The Best Week That Never Happened by Dallas Woodburn won the CIBA 2020 Grand Prize in the Dante Rossetti Book Awards for Young Adult novels and is one book we highly recommend.

April 4, 2022
The 2021 CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction – The Short List – CIBAs 2021
The Cygnus Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Science Fiction, Steampunk, Alternative History, and Speculative Fiction. The Cygnus Book Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (the CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring space, time travel, life on other planets, parallel universes, alternate reality, and all the science, technology, major social or environmental changes of the future that author imaginations can dream up for the CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction.

Hard Science Fiction, Soft Science Fiction, Apocalyptic Fiction, Cyberpunk, Time Travel, Genetic Modification, Aliens, Super Humans, Interplanetary Travel, Climate Fiction (Cli-Fi), and Settlers on the Galactic Frontier, Dystopian, our judges from across North America and the U.K. will put them to the test and choose the best among them.

These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from all 2021 CYGNUS Science Fiction Long List to the 2021 Cygnus Book Awards SHORT LIST. These entries are now in competition for 2021 Cygnus Semi-Finalists. FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC22).

The 2021 CYGNUS FINALISTS will be selected from the CYGNUS Semi-Finalists.

The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 24 CIBA divisions’ Finalists.

We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, June 25th, 2022 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2022 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the SEMI-FINALS of the 2021 Cygnus Book Awards novel competition for Science Fiction!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
- J.W. Zarek – The Devil Pulls the Strings
- Sarah Lahey – Nostalgia Is Heartless, Book Two
- Joe Butler – Of All Possibilities
- Michael Hicks Thompson – Clouds Above
- Spaulding Taylor – Last Star Standing
- Dale Renton – DART
- S. W. Lawrence, MD – Earth Dragon
- Max Mason – Novastrom: Adventures from the Zrax Wars
- Mark D. Owen – Impact
- Steven Seril – The Destroyer of Worlds: ‘An Answer to Every Question’
- Akosua Sankofa – Monmouth Deep
- John Teton – The Book of Geezer
- Gary Clark – The Given
- Rhett C. Bruno – Vicarious
- Timothy S. Johnston – Fatal Depth
- Peter Greene – Light of Ganymede
- Kristie Clark – Dragon Gold
- Dimple Patel Desai – The Lambda Factor
- John J Spearman – Pike’s Potential
- Charlene Newcomb – Echoes of the Storm
- D.H. Ford – Cosmic Swap
- William M. Hayes – Save Him
- William X. Adams – Alien Dream Machine
- Michael J Metroke – The Masada Affair
- PA Vasey – Trinity Evolution
- Daniel C. McWhorter – Revival: The Gaia Origin, Book Two
- Robert C Littlewood – Deviance
- Jenn Lees – Restoring Time: Community Chronicles Book 4
- Bernie Koenig – B.R.A.I.N.
- Daniele Kasper – Cut Her Out In Little Stars
- William X. Adams – Alien Panic
- Elizabeth Crowens – A War in Too Many Worlds
- Sandra J. Jackson – Catching Butterflies
- Dana Claire – The Connection
- Gina Detwiler – Forgiven
- Sam Stea – The Edge of Elsewhere
Good luck to all as your works move on the next rounds of judging.

PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!

This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the FB post. However, for FB to allow us to tag an author, that author must LIKE our page and Follow Chanticleer Reviews. FB rules — not ours.

Please click here to visit our page to LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE on Facebook.

Additionally, we also post on Twitter. Chanticleer Twitter’s handle is @ChantiReviews

Or click here to go directly to Chanticleer’s Twitter feed.

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2020 CYGNUS Awards is Rhett C. Bruno & Jaime Castle for The Luna Missile Crisis

Click here to see the 2020 CYGNUS Book Award Winners for Science Fiction.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2022 CYGNUS Awards writing competition.

Please click here for more information.

Winners will be announced at the 2021 CIBA Awards Ceremony that is sponsored by the 2022 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

VIRTUAL and IN-Person – June 23 – 26, 2022! Register Today!

FLEXIBLE REGISTRATIONS ARE AVAILABLE for these challenging times.

Seating is Limited. The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.

Join us for our 10th annual conference and discover why!

Featuring: International Best Selling Author Cathy Ace along with A+ list film producer Scott Steindorff.
January 10, 2022
HALE: The Rise of the Griffins by J.K. Noble – YA Fiction Self-Esteem, YA Dragons & Mythical Creatures Fantasy, YA Sword and Sorcery Fantasy

J.K. Noble’s first installment in her new YA series, Hale: The Rise of the Griffins, is a fast-paced adventure through a magical realm full of danger, deception, and mythical beasts.

Sixteen-year-old Hale was orphaned at a young age; his parents both mysteriously killed while on a family camping trip. His older sister, Carly, took him under her wing and raised him, making sure he was safe and that he always wore the amulet given to him by his father. But two years later, when Hale and Carly are both abducted and held captive by a violent man, Hale’s life takes another drastic turn he isn’t expecting. He’s swiftly ushered into a magical realm known as The Extraordinary Division of Malphora – a sister realm to The Human Division of Malphora – where Griffin’s reign supreme and monsters lurk across the lands.

Accompanied by a group of other kids also pulled into The Extraordinary Division of Malphora, Hale learns that he isn’t a simple human boy – he’s a Griffin with the power of Endurance, the strongest of powers among his kind.

Aided by his new friend River, Hale navigates the brutal world of young Griffin training set up by the leader of the Griffins – the powerful and respected Bayo. Except, Bayo isn’t entirely what he seems. He’s hiding a dark secret from Hale that could flip their entire world upside down, and if he’s not careful, Hale could end up bringing about his demise.

Noble crafts an intricate and vast world full of lore that will keep even the most avid fantasy reader engrossed.

The magic system uniquely draws upon many familiar mythological creatures – harpies, nymphs, witches – but offers its own spin, combining these old legends with the modern era’s ingenuity. It is clear that an immense amount of planning and work went into the creation of Malphora, and while some details may feel rushed at times, Noble gives the reader an adventure of a lifetime that they won’t be able to put down.

Not only does Noble’s magic system draw the reader in, but so do her characters.

The emotional ties between the cast are one of the book’s most vital attributes, exploring the trials of friendship, the heartbreak of love, and the dangerous things we’ll do to protect our family. The bond between Hale and Carly provides a solid start to the book. The friendship that forms between Hale and fellow Griffin River keeps the reader invested, not to mention the plethora of other characters and their interesting and often complicated personal ties to one another. Emotions run high in Hale: The Rise of the Griffins, and they will make any reader laugh, cry, and sing Nobel’s praises.

November 22, 2021