Release Day Blitz! Beyond Kale: Vegan Recipes for Everyone by Rachelle Rowlett

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It’s release day for an amazing recipe collection for vegans and non-vegans, alike! Congratulations to Rachelle Rowlett on her debut cookbook!

Why am I featuring a cookbook on a blog normally devoted to YA authors? Because Rachelle, or Shella, is 18 years old and just wrote a freaking amazing cookbook!

I have the honor of knowing Shella personally, as she is one of my students. This book was her senior project and I can’t begin to describe how hard she worked all year long. In addition to the book, she has a great Youtube channel, Rachelle’s Creations, that you should really check out and subscribe to. She demonstrates how to make many of the recipes in her book, as well as some that aren’t.

I made the corn and potato chowder, which was easy, economical, and delicious! I never would have thought of substituting pureed navy beans for the cream! It was awesome and much lower in fat! I have tasted many of the recipes in the book and was impressed by all.

CONGRATULATIONS SHELLA!!!!

Meet the Author

Rachelle Rowlett was born in Santa Fe, NM, in 1997. She is a self-taught cook, artist, and writer. She enjoys outdoor activities and working with other people. She is passionate about animals and conservation. She is planning adventures involving exotic cuisines and extensive world travel. This is her first book.

Book Review: Alora: The Wander-Jewel (The Alora Series Book 1)

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This charming YA fantasy is the story of Alora, a 15-year-old who lives in snowy Montana and has a mysterious jewel in her belly button. To make things even livelier, she starts having visions of a cute (of course!) guy while she’s in the shower. She soon discovers that she is a bearer from another realm and her evil father is searching for her.

The story sweeps from Montana to Laegenshire and back many times as Alora and her soulmate, Kaevin, attempt to save the lives of their family and friends and keep the evil Vindrake from destroying Stone Clan.

This story is well written and well edited and makes for a fun read. Dearen has created engaging, lovable characters that you can’t help rooting for. In a nice break from the traditional YA trope of no-parents allowed, both Alora and Kaevin have to deal with the various adults in their lives and their sometimes over-protective ways. I look forward to reading the rest of the series soon.

Overall recommendation: 5 stars. You can’t go wrong with this one!

Book Review: Only a Kiss by Ines Bautista-Yao

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This is the rather epic story of Katie and Chris, from their first kiss to their search for a happily-ever-after as young adults. The story is set in the Philippines and offers a unique look into another culture. Katie basically orders Chris to kiss her at wedding of her Ate Regina in order to prevent a curse. The kiss changes everything and we get to watch as Chris and Katie’s love develops over the course of their childhood, into young adulthood.

What I Liked:

I loved the fact that it took place in the Philippines. It made for a refreshing change of pace. The characters were engaging and you can’t help rooting for both of them.

Not So Much:

I really loved this story and hesitate to criticize it for what’s not there. Having said that, for my taste, I would have liked more context to the setting. It was a while before I realized it was set in the Philippines and I could have used more background. Again, this is personal taste and the author obviously chose not to do this for a reason.

Overall:

Definitely recommended. 4/5 stars. Bautista-Yao represents a welcome voice to the YA genre.

Book Review: Enchanted (The Summer Solstice Book 1) by K.K. Allen

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Kat is a 16 year-old whose life has been turned upside down by the sudden death of her mother. She moves to Florida to live with her estranged grandmother and soon finds out that her family has some interesting secrets. Being born on the summer solstice has imbued Kat with powers that she has a difficult time believing, much less controlling. Add in the gorgeous guy next door who can’t know about these powers and you’ve got all the ingredients for an engrossing tale. Magic and mythology weave through this wonderful YA debut.

What I Love:

Kat is a sympathetic character and we get to know her as she grows and develops throughout the story. We only know what she knows and it really keeps the suspense tight.

Not So Much:

Yes, it’s formulaic, but there is a comfort in a successful formula that leads to a satisfying read. The ending made me check to see that the sequel is available.

Overall:

Highly recommended. 5/5 stars. Bravo on a fantastic debut and a great contribution to the YA genre!

Book Review: Spelled by Kate St. Clair

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[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook through Masquerade Tours’ Reader Round-Up program in exchange for an honest review.]

Spelled is the story of Georgia and her four siblings as they learn that they are all blood witches. Life in their small Texas town is dangerous for witches, however, and they must deal with a variety of people who are trying to destroy their lives. Georgia finds help and support from the hot new guy at school who has some secrets of his own.

What I liked:

The plot and backstory are great. St. Clair has created a wonderful mythology for her characters that pulls from Irish history as well as Hispanic lore. The plot is well thought and engaging, following an arc that makes sense and satisfies the reader.

 

Not so much:

I just wanted more: more character development. I think I like Georgia and Luke, but 100 pages were just not enough to get really attached. If I were in charge of the world, this would become a full-length novel. There would be more of everyone, especially the siblings. The stepdad would also have a bigger part, and thus side step the YA trope of absentee parents.

Overall:

Definitely recommended. I look forward to the rest of the series. 4/5 stars.

Book Review: The Lost Heirs by A. Moran-Soley

Genre: MG/YA Fantasy

All-ages approved. A clean, cringe-free read.

In The Lost Heirs, A. Moran-Smoley has created a world of adventure and secrets, where things are not always what they seem. 14 year-old Eric is just trying to stay out of trouble at his boarding school when he finds himself sucked into a mysterious world called Eshla. Joel, the reluctant prince of this strange new land, needs Eric’s help to retrieve the missing stones that will free his brothers from their rock prisons; only an earthling can travel back and forth between the two worlds. Eric enlists the help of his three friends and travels back in time to 1927 to retrieve the first stone.

What I Like:

I’m a huge fan of British boarding school stories, so this one grabbed me from the get-go. I loved the four main characters and felt like I was there with them as they struggled to find the Bel-Arayba stone. I really enjoyed how British the whole story was—hey, I’m American and things like “jumpers” and “whilst” are exotic. I found the whole story very original and engaging. The author excels at description and setting without becoming too wordy and the story was well paced.

Not So Much:

There was nothing I didn’t like in this book. It could have been longer and I wouldn’t have minded a bit. I would love to see this book hit the mainstream with professional editing, covers, movie deal, etc. It’s definitely got the potential.

Overall:

Highly recommended! A fun, fast read—would be a great read-aloud with the kids! I will be on the lookout for Book 2.

Book Review: The Ghost Files by Apryl Baker

Mattie is 16 and sees dead people. No, really. She thinks it may stem from the time her mother tried to kill her and succeeded in killing herself. Her father is an unknown, so she’s been in the foster system for most of her life. So, yeah, she’s dragging some baggage around. She’s just trying to live a normal life, but ghosts keep popping up. What’s a girl to do? She mostly ignores them until the day one of them turns out to be a friend of hers. Now it’s personal and Mattie finds herself hunting for a serial killer. She gets some help from the gorgeous Officer Dan, a rookie cop working his way through college. Things heat up quickly and Mattie finds herself fighting for her own life.

What I liked:

The whole premise is loads of fun and Apryl does a great job with the backstory on Mattie’s abilities. She’s created a full mythology and it will be fun to see what she does with it throughout the series. It’s a complex storyline with lots of room to grow.

I loved her dialogue. She has a gift for making it seem natural. You find yourself in the room with the characters.

Yeah, not so much:

Just a personal preference, but Mattie seemed a bit conceited. I would have liked to see a little more humility and self-doubt. The fudgepops didn’t work much for me, either. A bit annoying.

I’m not sure I bought the Officer Dan being-in-college-while-still-a-cop-at-age-20. Maybe a little more depth to his story would set me straight. I did like him, however; he’s another great book boyfriend.

Lastly, what happened to Jake? He kinda drops off the planet. Maybe that’s wrapped up in Book 2?

 

Final Recommendation:

Oh, heck, yeah! Give it a try! I think you’ll really like it if you’re into YA paranormal. I’m going to download Book 2 as soon as I finish this review. It’s a great start to a fun-filled series. Thanks, Apryl! Keep writing and giving us great stories.

Book Review: Hidden Monster by Amanda Strong

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Hidden Monster is the story of Samantha, a 17-year-old girl who is kidnapped and held captive for several weeks. She is kept drugged and tied to a bed by her masked kidnapper. And that’s just the first chapter! The story really gets going when she escapes and tries to return to a normal life. Her new neighbor, Blake, is more than happy to try to help her, but he’s got secrets of his own. I can’t say too much more without some major spoilers, and one of the best things about this book is the “What the what?” moment when the real story comes out. It’s a lot of fun and keeps you turning pages.

This was such an enjoyable and surprising book! I did not know what to expect when I started it and it turned out to be so much fun. Strong’s forte is in creating complex, imaginative plot lines and Hidden Monster takes you on a roller coaster ride from the very first scene. Her characters are wonderful, as well. Samantha is a strong protagonist and I was rooting for her until the very end. Blake is a truly swoon-worthy book boyfriend and I look forward to seeing how life turns out for them in the rest of the series, which I hope Ms. Strong will hurry up and write. Hint. Hint.

If you enjoy YA fantasy with more than a touch of romance, this book is definitely for you.

Unmasked by E.M. Kaplan

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Unmasked is the story of Mel, a member of the Masks, a group of stoic, unemotional beings who serve as counselors to arbitrate disputes. The only problem: she doesn’t quite fit in. She’s too…well, everything to be a proper Mask. It’s also the story of Ott, a man from the far, frozen north, who falls in love with Mel. Their world is being attacked by trogs, a mysterious group of troll-like creatures. What do they want, besides death and destruction? It’s up to Mel, Ott, and their friends to figure it out before their world, as they know it, is destroyed.

Kaplan excels at world-building, creating a setting that pulls you in and holds you captive until the very last page. Her descriptions are lively and I felt myself reaching for a mug of tea and an afghan to ward off the cold of the frozen lands she imagines. Her characters are full of life, making you care about their futures. You are in for some lovely writing when you delve into this novel. I frequently found myself stopping to enjoy the rhythm of the prose rather than rushing through the story.

This book has it all: powerful plot, romance, handsome rogues, evil monsters, and magic.

Highly recommended for anyone who wants a high-quality read.