The Ruby Scarab Review

Synopsis - Jeremiah loosened the strings of the velvet bag and dropped the contents into his hand. The jeweled brooch flashed brilliantly in the sunlight—an Egyptian scarab, the rubies, as big as a man’s thumbnail, the workmanship, ancient. The woman he had learned to call “mother” could have lived in comfort had she sold it—but she would not. “It’s your heritage, Jeremiah. A clue to your past.” Now that she was gone, he would use it to provide for his future. Together he and his brother, Aiden, would leave Scotland and travel to a new land, a free land, a land unencumbered by kings and tyrants. America! 

The reappearance of a ruby scarab with a history spanning almost a thousand years does not go unnoticed. For the short eighteen years of Jeremiah’s life that the scarab had lain dormant, others had been waiting for it to surface. By selling his heirloom, Jeremiah had set in motion events that would place his and Aiden’s life in grave danger and thus would begin the adventure of a lifetime. Loosely based on characters and legends of the Crescent City, Jeremiah and Aiden will be shanghaied by pirates, bedeviled by Voodoo queens, pursued by a murderous sultan, and even a harem girl or two. But that’s New Orleans—a city where the unexpected and unimaginable are the norm.

Review - The Ruby Scarab encompasses a slew of characters, places and adventures. The events in the story seem so unconnected that I wasn't sure how the author was going to pull everything together. The author gradually gives you piece by piece to understanding the whole puzzle. The characters are thrown into one adventure after another filled with dangers with unseen consequences. The author offers a unique voice and storyline that I felt was very creative and imaginative. The Ruby Scarab held several mysteries that left me guessing until the very end. The book has mystery, adventure, action and suspense, pirates, romance and more. It's a little bit of everything wrapped into one story. To learn more about The Ruby Scarab, click here.

Please note that I received a free book to review, however, this is my honest opinion. Please note that this post also contains affiliate links that help support the maintenance of this blog.

We Can Color Virtual Book Tour, Review and Giveaway

ABOUT THE BOOK 

We Can Color! Fun & Facts Coloring Books Created by Daniel Gershkovitz
All Ages | 70 Pages

Publisher’s Synopsis: Who doesn’t love to color beautiful illustrations and learn interesting facts that enrich the mind?

If you also like amazing drawings and cool facts and believe it’s important to impart knowledge and broaden your child’s horizons, the We Can Color! series was created especially for you!

These eleven books cover topics that will interest anyone at any age: Dinosaurs, Vehicles, Aircraft, Space, and Animals from around the world in their natural environment: Farm, Jungle, Ocean, Savannah, Forest, and Desert!

Did you know that the most dangerous animal in the savannah is the hippopotamus? That the oldest koi fish lived to be 226 years old? That some goats can climb trees? And that the terrible T-Rex was not the biggest dinosaurs predator?

How big is the Sun relative to the Earth? What was the first man-made object to reach space? What is the fastest land animal? The tallest? The heaviest?

Did you know that scorpions glow in ultraviolet light? That male seahorses are the ones that get pregnant? That one of the astronauts lost his glove in space? That one of our planets was given its name by a girl in elementary school? And that there is an aircraft that takes off like a helicopter but flies like a plane?

Do you know the speed of the fastest truck in the world? Or how much does the heaviest tractor weighs?

What is the price of the world’s most expensive fighter jet? How much does an Air Force One flight hour cost?

What is the most venomous snake in the world? The most venomous jellyfish? The most poisonous frog? And do you know how to distinguish between a mammal and a fish in the ocean? Or how to tell a jaguar from a panther?

Next to each of the 330 full-page illustrations you can color, there are interesting facts: over 1,375 facts throughout the 11 books!

All the books contain full-page original coloring pages that are not repeated!

The extra-large pages are 8.5 x 11 inches in size! All the illustrations are single-sided to prevent bleed-through and can be torn out and displayed without losing the images on the back!

All the illustrations and information are suitable for ages 5 and up. Children, teens, and adults will enjoy relaxed moments while coloring and learning fun facts!

The We Can Color – Fun & Facts Coloring Books series includes the following books:

The Great Dinosaurs of the Earth!
Space Technology and Our Solar System!
The Coolest Aircraft in the World!
The Coolest Trucks in the World!
The Coolest Vehicles in the World!
The Great Animals of the Farm!
The Great Animals of the Ocean!
The Great Animals of the Jungle!
The Great Animals of the Savannah!
The Great Animals of the Forest!
The Great Animals of the Desert!

Available for purchase here.

REVIEW

The We Can Color! Coloring Book Series is a fun, exciting, and engaging coloring book series for kids. The coloring book contains 70 pages of facts and illustrations. This coloring book series will be enjoyable and relaxing for kids to color. I like that you can select a coloring book based on your kid's interest. The coloring books are based on fun subjects that appeal to kids with various interests from animals to vehicles to dinosaurs. Kids of all ages will find enjoyment in these fun coloring books. I could see these coloring books used at home, road trips or in a school environment. The illustrations are styled in a way that makes it easy for kids to color and they will be able to use various art instruments ranging from crayons, markers or colored pencils.  The fun facts included in the coloring book are easy to read and will help kids learn more about the subject. The coloring book alternates between illustrations and facts on the subject. The illustrations and facts align with each other. Kids will love learning more about the coloring book of their favorite topic. The illustrations are appealing and realistic and yet approachable for a younger audience.

GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a set of the We Can Color! coloring books, as well as a Crayola Inspiration Art Case Coloring Set!

• One (1) grand prize winner receives: A set of the eleven We Can Color! coloring books, as well as a Crayola Inspiration Art Case Coloring Set.
  
  
• One (1) winner receives: A set of six We Can Color! coloring books.

We Can Color! Coloring Book Giveaway 

This post is in partnership with The Children’s Book Review and Daniel Gershkovitz. Please note that I received free pdf version to review, however, this is my honest opinion.

A Child of God Review

Even with a different name and skin a different shade, everyone’s a child of God. He loves us all the same.

This rhyming, read-aloud book with warm illustrations shares a comforting, faith-filled message from a Black father and mother to their children. Along with the children in the story, your own little ones will think about the ways our skin color, gender, and physical features are all different, as well as the things that bind us all together.

In soothing verse, the father assures his children that everyone can look like Jesus and the angels by the things they do. As the family walks through their neighborhood, the father points out the beauty in God’s creations, from flowers, all unique and different, to all the children in their community. This book will start conversations in your family about appreciating the beautiful differences among all of God’s children, helping your children become better disciples of Christ.

About the Author

Mauli Junior Bonner is a songwriter and film director from Las Vegas, Nevada. He recently completed production on the award-winning film His Name Is Green Flake.

Chantel L. Bonner is a University of Southern California alumna and works as a licensed marriage and family therapist providing trauma-informed care to children in foster care. The Bonners have been happily married for more than ten years and live in Southern California with their two children, Geo and Ari. The Bonners are dedicated to equality and justice among marginalized communities, and they provide resources to underserved children through their nonprofit, Lift Up Voices.

Illustrator 

Morgan Bissant is based in New Orleans. She started drawing as a child by copying cartoons and other things around her. She later attended a professional art school, pursuing a career in illustration and design. She received a degree in fine arts at Louisiana State University. She focuses on characters with various skin tones and distinct features, seeking to bring ideas to life and inspire others through illustrations.

Review

Every time I think of the message of this book, A Child of God, I tear up. We read this book several times. I asked my five year old daughter what she thought of it and she had a lot to say. She liked how the book talked about how there were many different angels with different hair colors and skin colors. She really liked the book.

I loved how the book shared how God loves each of us and how we're each unique. This was one of my favorite parts, "What about the angels will they stop and stare? When they see that I may not have their same color hair?/Maybe you were looking at a picture someone drew./Angels look like all of us! You can draw one too." The message of the book had a profound effect on my daughter and I felt like it was a really good message for my kids. My children are all red heads and I don't know of any pictures in the LDS market where there's a red headed angel or a red headed child besides Jesus. I felt like this book really spoke to my family. It's a book I am glad to have in my home and it addresses issues that aren't really spoken about but my children have noticed that are there. I feel like my words can't really describe how much I liked and appreciated this book. This is an excellent book. I highly, highly recommend having it in your home and reading it to your children. To learn more, click here.

Please note I received a free copy of this book, however, this is my honest opinion. This post contains affiliate links. This post is in coordination with Shadow Mountain Publishing.

10 Little Disciples Blog Tour, Author Interview and Giveaway

Learn to count and give Christ-like service while following ten little disciples on their journey to see Jesus. 

10 Little Disciples is an engaging, rhyming picture book for children that teaches simple subtraction along with examples of how to be a true disciple.

BOOK BLURB

Ten little disciples

walking in a line. 

One stops to lend a hand... 

now there are nine! 

AUTHOR BIO

Sierra Wilson is the author of several books for children including I Can Be Like Jesus, The Atonement of Jesus Christ is for Me, and Standout Saints: Church History Heroes from Around the World. She lives in Alberta, Canada with her wonderful husband, four kids, two cats, two fish, and a bearded
dragon. She loves hiking, skiing, working with children, and trying every day to be a better little disciple.

AUTHOR SOCIAL MEDIA

Website: www.sierrawilsonauthor.com 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sierrawilsonwrites 

IG: @sierra.arts.poems 

Twitter: @SierraTWilson 

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Life Is What It's Called - What inspired you to write this story? 

Sierra Wilson - My kids were enjoying several "10 little" types of stories such as "Ten Little Robots" by Mike Brownlow and I thought it would be wonderful to have a faith-focused story using the same pattern. One of my goals as a writer is to create fun, engaging faith-focused books that children will want to read again and again.

Life Is What It's Called - What do you hope kids will gain from this story? 

Sierra Wilson - I hope this story touches kids on many levels. I hope they have fun reading it and enjoy it simply as entertainment. I hope they get to practice their counting and learn a bit of math. And most of all, I hope they feel inspired to think of their own ways to be true disciples of Jesus every day, wherever they go. 

Life Is What It's Called - What are your next writing projects? 

Sierra Wilson - I am always working on so many things. I'm working on a story about a little bird that feels Jesus's love, I'm working on a novel set in the Canadian Rockies, and so many other projects! 

Life Is What It's Called - How do you see this book used i.e. at home, church, on vacation? 

Sierra Wilson - I can see this book being used as a great read aloud story at home, as a quiet book at church (especially with the little yellow bird to find on each page), and as a learning tool during family home evening or homeschool studies. 

Life Is What It's Called - What are some of the other books you've written? 

Sierra Wilson - The Atonement of Jesus Christ is for Me (Cedar Fort), I Can Be Like Jesus (Covenant), Standout Saints: Church History Heroes from Around the World (Deseret Book), and After I Am Baptized (Cedar Fort)

Life Is What It's Called - What do you enjoy about writing stories for children? 

Sierra Wilson - I love immersing myself in the magic and wonder of childhood. I also love challenging myself to think and feel as a child again and to explore gospel topics from a childlike perspective. 

Life Is What It's Called - How has your background helped you in creating fun kid stories? 

Sierra Wilson - I have served in Primary nearly all of my adult life and also formerly worked as a children's community art teacher and public school teacher. I've spent many years learning about and working with children. I also love making up fun stories for my own kids and love to be creative every day.

REVIEW

This cute book will be fun for little kids! It introduces kids to discipleship and numbers. The book is easy to read and understand. It's a book kids will enjoy listening to over and over again. I love the diversity shown in the illustrations and how the illustrations are attractive and kid friendly. The rhymes are cute and the illustrations are adorable. This is an adorable kid's books that kids will enjoy listening to and reading. To find out more, click here.

GIVEAWAY

Enter to win a copy of the book!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please note that I received a free copy to review, however, I shared my honest opinion. This post is in cooperation with the author. This post also contains affiliate links that help support this blog.

Eudora Space Kid Virtual Book Tour, Author Interview and Giveaway

 

ABOUT THE BOOK 

Eudora Space Kid Written by David Horn 

Ages 6-10 | 97 Pages 

Publisher: David Horn | ISBN-13: 9781736677407 

Publisher’s Synopsis: Eudora is a typical 3rd grader. A typical 3rd grader who lives on a 36 deck AstroLiner. In space. A normal girl adopted by what you might call… aliens. Her mom is a dog-like species named a Pox and runs the onboard jail (brig). Her dad is an octopus-like species from the planet Pow. She is a girl who has normal ambitions, like being the chief engineer on an AstroLiner. Eudora is a girl who comes up with a plan to prove her worth by improving her AstroLiner’s engines and breaking all known speed records. Will she succeed and earn a promotion? Or will she end up in the brig? Again… Brilliant for engaging emergent and early chapter book readers. 

Available for purchase here.   

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

 David Horn is a huge science fiction fan. While his wife sometimes feels like they live in outer space, they really live in New Jersey with their two human daughters and one doggy daughter named Trixie. David loves reading science fiction books from both the old and new greats like Asimov, McDevitt, Scalzi, Howey, and more. He also loves reading his kids’ books like My Weird School, Just Grace, The Baby-Sitters Club, Ramona, and the list goes on. David and his daughters also love watching sci-fi shows like Star Trek, Babylon 5, Stargate, and Star Wars. Eudora Space Kid started as stories he told his daughters at dinner. They loved Eudora’s antics in space. So now The Great Engine Room Takeover is his first book in the Eudora Space Kid early reader chapter book series. He can’t wait for you to love Eudora’s stories too. For more information, visit https://www.eudoraspacekid.com/. 

AUTHOR INTERVIEW 

Life Is What It's Called - Why do you think it's important for kids to read books that inspire a love for math and science?

David Horn - I think that it's so important for young kids to frame school (including math and science) as something fun and exciting. How we expose kids to things is very important. So, if I can show how math and science can be fun (and, more specifically, used for fun), maybe I can change their outlook on it a little. And with math and science, I think today's kids can change the world in the future. 

Life Is What It's Called - What inspired you to write this book? 

David Horn - It all started because one day, my kids asked me for a story for some reason at dinner. They love books, reading, and the library, so maybe they thought they could get free stories from me too? I'm not really sure. I've always been a science fiction fan, so I just started telling them a story about a girl their age living on this crazy spaceship with alien parents. I wanted the girl to be a positive role model, but I also had to make them laugh. So… Eudora and her cunning plans! 

Life Is What It's Called - What are your next writing projects?

David Horn - I actually have a whole bunch of more Eudora stories written. But one thing I learned from doing this first book, as it is my first book ever, is how much effort it takes to get a book across the finish line, including Talitha Shipman's amazing illustrations and design. But Eudora has so many more adventures to tell! I can't wait! 

Life Is What It's Called - Who is your favorite character from this story? 

David Horn - It's a tie between Bologna the pet drago and Eudora's mom. Eudora's mom is really cool under pressure but still soft and snuggly. 

Life Is What It's Called - Does the main character have any personality traits that are similar to your own?

David Horn - I think Eudora and I both like to laugh, but that's probably as far as it goes. I certainly would be too scared about ending up in the brig to do anything she does! 

Life Is What It's Called - Why do you think it's important to introduce kids to science fiction early? 

David Horn - I think every genre is important in its own way. But the one thing I have always loved about science fiction is how you can explore situations that you couldn't back on planet Earth. If there is a benefit to science fiction for kids, it's probably about expanding their minds to new possibilities. Eudora likes to think about how she can change her world and she uses math, science, and learning to do that. I think science fiction encompasses all that. 

Life Is What It's Called - What sets your book apart from the other early chapter books on the market? 

David Horn - My biggest goal was to have optimistic characters but also make people laugh. I think sometimes it's hard to be funny when everyone is nice and behaving well. But I really tried to thread that needle. Eudora isn't really out to be mean or hurt people (though Londo may disagree!). She just wants to have some fun! And Eudora and her older sister both love school, even though they are so different. The grown-ups in Eudora's world are ultimately understanding and treat her well. There are a lot of great chapter books out there that kids really love. But I wanted to add some positivity to the chapter book world while still being funny. 

Life Is What It's Called - How can this book be used in a classroom setting? 

David Horn - Well, I'm too light on the actual math and science in the book (there is really no such thing as a flax transistor), so I don't think it could be used for math lessons. But I would hope the humor in the book gets children reading who maybe normally wouldn't. And if I can show kids how learning math and science can be fun and impact the world, even better! 

Life Is What It's Called - What do you think kids will like most about this book? 

David Horn - I hope they laugh! And I hope they like the fact that this little girl can have such a big impact on her world because she's a dreamer. But I hope they don't start secretly working on their parent's cars! 

Life Is What It's Called - How many books will be in this series? 

David Horn - As many as kids want! I have pages and pages of ideas! Eudora can do anything – sometimes even from the brig! 

Life Is What It's Called - What do you hope kids will gain from reading this series? 

David Horn - A love of reading and a love of learning! 

GIVEAWAY 

Enter for a chance to win a copy of Eudora Space Kid and a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card! 

One (1) grand prize winner receives: A signed copy of Eudora Space Kid and a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card. 

 Three (3) winners receive: A signed copy of Eudora Space Kid. 

Eudora Space Kid Book Giveaway 

This post is in partnership with The Children’s Book Review and David Horn.

The Merchant and the Rogue Book Review

The Merchant and the Rogue by Sarah M. Eden 

Synopsis

London, 1865 Vera Sorokina loves reading the Penny Dreadfuls and immersing herself in tales of adventure, mystery, and romance. Her own days are filled with the often mundane work of running the book and print shop she owns with her father. The shop offers her freedom and an income, and while she is grateful for the stability it brings to her life, she often feels lonely. 

Brogan Donnelly was born and raised in Ireland, but has lived in London for several years, where he’s built a career as a penny dreadful writer. He has dedicated himself to the plight of the poor with the help of his sister. But with no one to share his life with, he fears London will never truly feel like home.

Brogan and Vera’s paths cross, and the attraction is both immediate and ill-advised. Vera knows from past experience that writers are never to be trusted, and Brogan has reason to suspect not everything at Vera’s print shop is aboveboard. When a growing criminal enterprise begins targeting their area of London, Brogan and Vera must work together to protect the community they’ve both grown to love. But that means they’ll need to learn to trust each other with dangerous secrets that have followed both of them from their home countries.  

“Eden continues to build the overarching mystery and skillfully handles secrets and secret identities. Interspersed chapters of Penny Dreadfuls delightfully foreshadow the main action. Readers who enjoy chaste romances and also love a good mystery will enjoy the Dread Penny Society exploits and will look forward to what comes next.” —Booklist Book Trailer:

About the Author

Sarah M. Eden is a USA Today best-selling author of witty and charming historical romances, including 2019’s Foreword Reviews INDIE Awards Gold Winner for Romance, The Lady and the Highwayman, and 2020 Holt Medallion finalist, Healing Hearts. She is a two-time “Best of State” Gold Medal winner for fiction and a three-time Whitney Award winner. Combining her obsession with history and her affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting deep characters and heartfelt romances set against rich historical backdrops. She holds a bachelor’s degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library. 

Review

The Merchant and the Rogue is the third book in The Dread Penny Society series. I have read the previous books and have found the series to be entertaining and intriguing reads. I would suggest reading the books in order. There's a continuing mysterious problem that the characters are trying to solve and the books build off of each other. The first book in the series is The Lady and The Highway Man. The second book in the series is The Gentleman and the Thief.

The Merchant and Rogue contains interesting and dynamic characters that are trying to find their place and overcome their own loneliness. I liked that the main character Brogan is a red head and shown in a positive way.  There were several twists and turns in the book. The story is well-crafted. I enjoyed the mystery in the book and the characters thwarting their enemies. This book is adventurous, fun, and has a fun romance. It's easy to read and enjoy. I found it entertaining. The main character also writes a story in the Penny Dreadfuls. Eden includes the Penny Dreadful story that the main character wrote and it mirrors some of the action and storyline in the main series. I love the Victorian backdrop and how this story contains a little bit of everything from suspense, adventure, romance and humor. It's a series that I will keep track of and anticipate the next book. To find out more, click here.

 

Special launch promotion: Buy The Merchant and the Rogue between August 15-22, submit a copy of your receipt, and fill out the form (located here) by August 22nd and you will receive The Merchant and the Rogue - Swag Bundle.

Please note that I received a free ebook to review, however, I provided my honest opinion. This post also contains affiliate links that help support the maintenance of this blog.

The Official Doodle Boy Coloring Book Virtual Book Tour, Review and Giveaway

ABOUT THE BOOK 

The Official Doodle Boy™ Coloring Book 

Created by Joe Whale 

Ages 6-10 | 96 Pages 

Publisher: Dover Publications | ISBN-13: 9780486849003 

Publisher’s Synopsis: Welcome to a fantastic world of doodles! Over 90 pages of awesome art are waiting for your creative color choices to make them your own. The delightful doodles are the original creations of Joe Whale, also known as the “Doodle Boy,” an inspirational young artist who’s been painting and drawing from a very young age. Join the fun with these playful pictures and ready-to-color doodles! 

Available for purchase here or here. 

ABOUT THE CREATOR

Joe Whale, known as “The Doodle Boy,” is a talented 11-year-old artist from Shrewsbury, United Kingdom. He started drawing at the age of six, creating charming doodles of food, monsters, aliens, and any other characters his imagination creates. He’s made many television appearances in the United States and his native United Kingdom, and his signature doodles have earned him many social media followers.

REVIEW

The Official Doodle Boy Coloring Book has fun, attractive and modern illustrations that kids will find enjoyable and relaxing to color. Each page in the Official Doodle Boy Coloring Book is jam-packed with illustrations and bold designs that are unique and imaginative. The Official Doodle Boy Coloring Book features 96 pages of varied illustrations featuring anything from smiling aliens, dinosaurs, planets, music, bugs, birds, sea life and more. This unique coloring book designed by Joe Whale is full of playful, unique designs that are bold and fresh for the coloring book world. I love how the images in the Official Doodle Boy Coloring Book provoke positivity with goofy smiles and grins. The images are varied and artistic. The pages are filled with many details and illustrations for kids to color in. It's a fun coloring book that shows a lot of imagination. I haven't seen anything done in this style before. The coloring pages seem to celebrate fun and using creativity. The strokes are bold and full of a remarkable style and creativity that's attractive, modern, fun and unique. I think even preteens, teens and adults will enjoy coloring this book. Check it out to learn more about this unique and exciting new coloring book!

GIVEAWAY 

Enter this giveaway and you’ll earn the chance to win a copy of The Official Doodle Boy™ Coloring Book! 

•  Three (3) winners receive: A copy of The Official Doodle Boy™ Coloring Book 

The giveaway begins August 9, 2021, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends September 9, 2021, at 11:59 P.M. MT.

The Official Doodle Boy™ Coloring Book Giveaway

This post is in partnership with The Children’s Book Review and Tom Durwood. I received a free ecopy of the coloring book to review, however, I shared my honest opinion. 

Champion Quest: The Die of Destiny Blog Tour, Author Interview, and Review

Champion’s Quest: The Die of Destiny by Frank L. Cole 

Publication Date: 8/3/21 

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-62972-850-6 

Synopsis

Opportunity will always be within reach for those clever enough to claim it.

Lucas Silver’s life is about to change. He thinks it’s because he’s made plans to escape from his foster home and make his way to New York, but then he and some unlikely friends find Hob and Bogie’s Curiosity Shoppe and agree to play a game of Champion’s Quest.

When the four kids walk out the front door of the Curiosity Shoppe, they immediately discover they’re no longer in West Virginia, but transported into the game and a wild fantasy world of dangerous goblins, brutish ogres, and a powerful witch.

They must work together as a team, overcome their real-world weaknesses, and believe in themselves and each other if they are to outwit, outplay, and survive their foes in this ultimate quest to defeat a treacherous monster.

“The Die of Destiny may be one of my favorite reads of the year. I was hooked from page one. With adventure, humor, friendship, and courage, readers will love this middle grade fantasy! By the end, my only question, was ‘Where’s the next book?’” —Jennifer Nielsen, New York Times best-selling author

About the Author

FRANK L. COLE was born into a family of southern storytellers and wrote his first book at age eight. Some of his favorite stories involve ghosts and Bigfoot. Currently, along with his wife and three children, he resides in the shadow of a majestic western mountain range. The Die of Destiny is Frank’s thirteenth published book.

He’s an active promoter of reading and using imagination and has presented to more than 250 schools nationwide. As part of his research for Champion’s Quest, he has acquired hundreds of role-playing campaign modules and loves immersing himself in those worlds.

 

 Author Interview

Life Is What It's Called - What inspired you to write Champion’s Quest: The Die of Destiny? 

Frank L. Cole - Really, the inspiration for this book came from 2 names: Hob & Bogie. I was brainstorming ideas for my next book to write when those 2 names kind of just dropped out of my head and onto my computer. They became these mysterious owners of the Curiosity Shoppe and then the story just began to take shape. I joined a Dungeons & Dragons group to learn more about role-playing games and the story continued to flow. Writing this book really has been an amazing journey. I don’t know when I’ve been more excited and nervous and anxious for people to read one of my stories. 

Life Is What It's Called - How many books will there be in the Champion Quest series?

Frank L. Cole -  I’m hoping for it to be at least 3 books, but there are so many possibilities for future volumes as well. 

Life Is What It's Called - How does this series stand out against other middle grade fiction series?

Frank L. Cole - I think what really makes this story stand out, is the ability for readers to experience a role-playing adventure and discover the different elements of this new game right along with the characters as they discover it themselves. You don’t have to play games like D&D or other adventure-type games in order to understand the story. 

Life Is What It's Called - What do you think readers will like most about Champion’s Quest: The Die of Destiny? 

Frank L. Cole - The characters are some of my all-time favorites. Lucas, Miles, Jasmine, and Vanessa are so different from each other and yet they form this bond that really develops as they face the difficult challenges throughout the game. They become friends and eventually a family, which is so important for each of them. I think readers are really going to see themselves in one of these characters. 

Life Is What It's Called - How will this series be similar to your other series and how will it be different? 

Frank L. Cole - As with all my books, there will be strong character relationships, magic, mystery, and a lot of humor, but this one will take place in another world, with monsters, wizards, and all sorts of new settings and creatures, which is totally new for me. It has been such a fun book and series to write and it has stretched my imagination beyond it’s normal limits. 

Life Is What It's Called - How could this book be used in a classroom discussion? 

Frank L. Cole - Each of the characters come different backgrounds and have very clear challenges they need to overcome. And the only way they can truly do this is by facing those challenges head-on and working together as a Band of Champions. I think this would be a fantastic classroom discussion as the students can find ways to face their own challenges and work together in groups to be successful in any setting. 

Life Is What It's Called - What writing projects are you working on next? 

Frank L. Cole - Currently, I’m writing the sequel to Champion’s Quest. It is taking up most of my focus, but I do have some other somewhat secretive projects I’m working on as well.

Review

I was blown away from this book Champion Quest: The Die of Destiny. I think it's the author's best book ever. The characters were engaging, well-developed and interesting. The side characters were fun, memorable and engaging. There was humor, exciting twists and turns and a little bit of drama. I felt like the world creation was well done. I wanted to explore the world and get to know all the characters. The author did a great job at describing the world, the characters, and the experiences that characters encountered. It was an entertaining and easy read. The book felt like the inside of a game with obstacles and challenges. The villains in the book felt like more like obstacles and not overly scary. I think my seven year old, almost eight year old, would love this book, but he looked at the cover and wasn't interested. That was the only downside of the book was that the cover didn't draw my son in to the story. It was a little discouraging to me because this is exactly the story type that he likes. It has adventure, fantasy and excitement that's appropriate for his age and maturity. The same thing happened when I showed him another book series that he wouldn't try for awhile because of the cover and then once he got past the cover and started reading the series, he loved it and read it over and over again. I plan on reading this book out loud to him to get him past the cover.  I think this would be a very good book to read out loud and listen to on car trips. I plan on getting the audiobook to listen in the car for travelling. I was disappointed it wasn't out yet for our summer vacation, but the audiobook is coming out soon and is available for preorder, which will be in time for anyone planning holiday travel. Fans of adventure and fantasy will really enjoy this book. This is one of the best middle grade fiction series that I've read in a long time. It's worth checking out! To learn more, click here. 

Please note: Shadow Mountain Publishing is doing a special launch bundle for Champion's Quest. Everyone who purchases a copy of the book and submits their receipt via the form linked here will receive a special bundle of goodies that includes a collectible metal bookmark, dice, a signed bookplate, and a poster. The publisher plans to start shipping out to recipients the beginning of September.

Please note that I received a free copy of this book, however, I gave my honest opinion. This post also contains affiliate links that help support the maintenance of this blog.

August Giveaways (low to moderate entry)

 

I like entering low to moderate entry giveaways and I share each month some of the blog or social media giveaways I've entered, thought someone else might be interested in entering or that have been submitted to me through bloggers. Check back often throughout the month to see if I have posted more giveaways. If you are hosting a family-friendly giveaway on your blog and would like to see it listed here, please contact me (via email). If you have a won a giveaway that I posted, please leave a comment and share that you won.

Digital Copy of Luca (ends 8.09.2021)

Nora and the Sacred Stones (ends 08.13.2021)

$50 Red Dress Gift Card (ends 8.15.2021)

Physicians Formula Lip Gift Set (ends 8.17.2021)

Marc Fisher Shoes (ends 8.15.2021)

Marc's of NY leggings and top (ends 08.15.2021)

I Wouldn't Be In Your Shoes Movie (ends 8.16.2021)

Omaha Steak Gift Certificate (ends 8.16.2021)

Popilu Lemonade (ends 8.20.21)

Luca Digital Code (ends 8.22.21)

Dave's Gourmet Pasta Sauces (ends 08.25.2021)

Tie Dye Kit (ends 8.29.2021)