Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex by Carole P. Roman

Join Grady Whill and his friends on an exciting adventure that feels like Harry Potter meets the Fantastic Four.

In Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex, everyone is talking about Templeton Academy, the new superhero high school. Recruiting only the best of the best, Grady is certain he will never get in. When his best friend, Aarush Patel is selected, he assures Grady he has the right stuff. Even the school bully, Elmwood Bledsoe, is attending. As Grady and his friends embark upon this mysterious adventure, they hope to discover the knowledge of the power within.

I was a huge superhero fan as a kid–comic books and Saturday morning cartoons. I was Spider Woman one year for Halloween. 🙂 So, when I heard about this new series by Carole P. Roman, I knew I had to read the first book.

Roman did so many things well in this novel. You have the mysterious, supernatural Templeton Academy, which is like a character itself, and the dilemma of Grady trying to figure out why Uncle Leo doesn’t want him to attend the school and having a feeling it all ties into part of his family’s past. And where I feel Roman truly excelled is creating the world of a teenager, even if that world is placed in some mysterious school where kids have to learn the secrets of the Codex. Grady’s bully winds up at the same special school as he does. Where Grady is unsure of himself, Elmwood is overly confident. He is attracted to Pari, Aarush’s cousin, who attends school with them. All the things an everyday teen would cope with, Grady must endure.

Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex features a diverse group of well-developed characters. Whether they are part of Grady’s friend group, antagonists, or school staff, the author created a unique bunch of characters that all played a great role in the story.

After this strong and engaging series debut, I am eager to follow more of Grady’s story. Let’s hope it is on the way soon!

Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B4T6PWPH
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Chelshire, Inc.; 1st edition (July 18, 2022)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 18, 2022
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 3349 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 267 pages

I received a free digital copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Spotlight: The Atlantean Horse by Cheryl Carpinello

Ancient Mystery…Mystical Prophecy…Biblical Horsemen

One Epic Task

The Task: Retrieve the Five Feathers of the Phoenix to raise Atlantis so its people can return home.

The Chosen: Cousins Rosa & Jerome embark upon a perilous and personal quest to retrieve the first Feather. Rosa’s special gift, kept far in the Past, will be revealed, and Jerome will discover his.

The Opponents: The Four Deadly Horsemen of the Apocalypse will stop at nothing, not even murder, to possess the Feathers.

Join Rosa & Jerome as they risk all in their search for the First Feather!

Book Excerpt:

Taking a deep breath, I wonder—for the first time in two years—at the ties that bind me, ties I now think of as a gift rather than a curse.

She said you would help. She said you could help because you walk in two worlds.

“What…what do you want?” Idiot, I tell myself. You know better than to ask that question.

This time the man speaks out loud. “The time is now.”

I finger the ankh again, squeezing it, absorbing the warmth. “Time for what?”

“It is time for Atlantis to rise again. It is time to gather the Feathers of the sacred Phoenix bird to set the island in motion.”

I blink as images of a sunken island and fleeing people, animals, and birds fill my head. “What…what do you want from me?”

“You are the one who must gather the Feathers on the Sun Days and bring them to the Atlantean Horse so that my people and my land can once more be united. It’s been too long, and our people wish to come home.”

“Me?” My eyes widen in disbelief.

The man nods. 

Putting my hands around my head, I try to block out the hundreds of voices from the visions running rampant through my brain. Voices crying out for help. 

A shiver travels down his body shaking me out of the trance. His hands vigorously rubbing his arms prompt me into action.

“Get inside. You have no business being out in this weather dressed as you are.” I open the screen door and move to the side to let him pass. No, don’t start. Don’t say a word. She sent him here. She wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. I know what I’m doing. I hope.I glance around the neighborhood to be sure no one else, especially Jerome, is around. Maybe I’m the only one who can see him, like Tut. 

“Thank you, Rosa,” he says, continuing to briskly rub his arms. “She didn’t tell me that your world is wrapped in ice.”

 

Release Date: September 23, 2022

Publisher: Silver Quill Publishing

Kindle: 149 pages; $5.99

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3eHdTmT

I’m a lover of mythology, myths, legends, and tales from the ancient/medieval worlds. I enjoy exploring how these have transcended time/space to influence our world today. Myths and legends don’t fade away; they are just repackaged for a new audience.

As a high school English teacher, I continually challenged my students to find connections between today and times long gone by. Some took more digging than others, but the connections were always there. One of my favorites, Star Wars, borrows several concepts from the Legend of King Arthur. The Star Trek series goes even further back into the mythology of ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt as well as others.

I write Arthurian Legend for young readers and teens (I never refuse to let mature readers enjoy my stories!). These stories exhibit what I consider to be cornerstones of that Legend: Courage, Honor, Loyalty, and Friendship.

My tales from Egypt and my new series Feathers of the Phoenix meld the ancient/medieval worlds with today. The Atlantean Horse (Book 1 of Feathers of the Phoenix) also brings the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse out of the Bible and into the modern world. They and my main characters are after the feathers of the Phoenix in order to bring Atlantis alive again.

P.S. I believe in magic and Unicorns!!

Website Link:  https://www.cherylcarpinello.com

Blog Link: http://carpinelloswritingpages.blogspot.com/

Twitter Link:  https://twitter.com/ccarpinello

Facebook Link:  https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.carpinello1

Goodreads Link:    https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2924554.Cheryl_Carpinello

Instagram Link: https://www.instagram.com/ccarpine1/

First Chapter Review: Transgression by Jannette Fuller

 

Transgression (Book One of Ambrosial Acres Series) is a YA/Mystery/Suspense on tour with Pump Up Your Book.

Blurb:  Agent Yagil faces the fight of his calling as a Guardian Angel. His newest assignment is going to take every bit of perseverance and patience he has.

Seventeen-year-old Amber Reynolds is looking for some freedom and independence from her rigid lifestyle. Going behind her parents’ back, she takes a part-time job at the renowned inn located within Ambrosial Acres.

As Agent Yagil watches over Amber, he discovers things are not what they seem. Despite its wondrous beauty, Ambrosial Acres hides a dark and supernatural secret.

Between Amber’s new coworker crushes, her menacing stalker, a mysterious online stranger, and the evil agents out to lead her down a path of self destruction, Agent Yagil struggles to keep her safe. To keep her from using her freewill that will bring harm to herself–and others.

Will Agent Yagil succeed?

Or will his shortcomings get in the way?

COVER: Not bad. A bit plain for a story that seems to be intense. I would have liked to see Ambrosial Acres in the background.

FIRST CHAPTER: Agent Yagil gets to meet his charge: Amber Reynolds. A rebellious teen, he is perplexed by some of her odd behaviors…well, odd to him anyway. Racing from church to school to Ambrosial Acres, Amber has a plan.

KEEP READING: Definitely. Fuller paints some great pictures that draw the reader in and the pace of her text is in line with the speedy Amber. She captures the heartbeat of teens in this first chapter and definitely creates a character others will relate to. I’m eager to see what happens next.

Series: Ambrosial Acres
Paperback: 186 pages
Publisher: Solstice Publishing (October 21, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1625264623
ISBN-13: 978-1625264626

Available in printed and digital formats.

I received a free digital copy of this book from the author through Pump Up Your Book. This first chapter review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Jannette Fuller loves spending time with the Lord and her family. She’s a fangirl of everything lovely, and always tries to see the best in everyone, except for the villains in her YA series Ambrosial Acres.
 
When she’s not blogging or writing her latest article, she listens to sermons while sweating away unwanted calories, cleans the house until it sparkles, laughs at the silliest things, and enjoys the outdoors, especially her daily walks through the enchanted forest.

Of course there’s more to be said, but then her bio would end up being a memoir.

For More Information

• Visit Jannette Fuller’s website.
• Connect with Jannette on Facebook and Twitter.

The Search for the Stone of Excalibur by Fiona Ingram

Hold onto your hats. The long-awaited sequel to The Secret Of The Sacred Scarab has arrived!

Following their Egyptian adventure, Adam and Justin Sinclair are hot on the trail for the second Stone of Power. It seems the stone might be embedded in the hilt of a newly discovered sword that archaeologists believe belonged to King Arthur.

The boys journey to Scotland to search for the Scroll of the Ancients, a mysterious document that holds important clues to the Seven Stones of Power. Aunt Isabel has sent her house guest, Kim, to tag along with them. Tensions rise, but the boys can’t worry about Kim’s interference. Their enemy, Dr. Khalid, has followed them to Scotland. And little do they know, the deadly Eaters of Poison are on a mission of their own that will place all of them in danger.

Fascinating, exotic, and packed with adventure, The Search for the Stone of Excalibur by Fiona Ingram is even better than the first book in The Chronicles of the Stone Series. New characters join familiar faces to create another exciting and fantastic journey. Ingram has the ability to draw her readers in quickly and fully. This book–just like the first one–is impossible to put down. Adam and Justin experience some growing pains in this novel; and it certainly doesn’t help that everything unfolds in front of Kim, who they barely know. Ingram’s skillful creation of unique characters mixed with an engaging plot wrapped around a beloved legend, truly makes this a book that tweens and teens shouldn’t miss.

Highly recommended!

Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

Paperback: 378 pages
Publisher: Biblio Publishing (October 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1622492188
ISBN-13: 978-1622492183

Fiona Ingram was born and educated in South Africa, and has worked as a full-time journalist and editor. Her interest in ancient history, mystery, and legends, and her enjoyment of travel resulted in The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, the first in her exciting children’s adventure series—The Chronicles of the Stone. This was inspired by a family trip the author took with her mom and two young nephews aged ten and twelve at the time. The book began as a short story for her nephews and grew from there. The Search for the Stone of Excalibur is a treat for young King Arthur fans. Fiona is busy with Book 3 entitled The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper, set in Mexico.

While writing The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, Fiona fostered (and later adopted) a young African child from a disadvantaged background. Her daughter became the inspiration for the little heroine, Kim, in The Search for the Stone of Excalibur. Interestingly, the fictional character’s background and social problems are reflected in the book as Kim learns to deal with life. Fiona’s experiences in teaching her daughter to read and to enjoy books also inspired many of her articles on child literacy and getting kids to love reading.

Author Site: http://www.FionaIngram.com

Blog: http://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/FionaRobyn

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/fiona.robyn.ingram

Amazon Purchase Page: http://www.amazon.com/Search-Stone-Excalibur-Book-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00O97QG94/

 

I received a copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Spotlight: The Watchers: Knight of Light by Deirdra Eden

All the training in Heaven couldn’t prepare me for the war on earth, nor for the love, loss, or loneliness humans feel. There are things worse than death, and every last one of them is hunting people like us. Even though we all feel human at times, we must remember, we are not them, we are their watchers.

In England, 1270 A.D., Auriella (pronounced yurr-ee-ella) flees her village after being accused of witchcraft. Pursued by nightmarish creatures, she struggles to accept the truth about her humanity. Filled with fairies, dwarves, pixies, dragons, demons, and monsters, Knight of Light is an enthralling tale that will capture the imaginations of readers young and old.

The Watchers Series has been described as Braveheart meets Supernatural. The mythology for the series is based on many theological texts from dozens of sects with correlating themes. Ancient writings include the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Traditional Apocrypha, the Pearl of Great Price and the Kabbalah. The Watchers are supernatural beings in human form whose duty it is to protect and guard mankind from the armies of darkness. Unfortunately, as the Book of Enoch mentions, some of these Watchers go bad.

Although the mythology is based on these texts, Deirdra Eden’s, The Watcher’s Series, is written in a traditional fairytale style with a young girl’s discovery of incredible, but dangerous powers within herself, a cast of humorous side-kicks, a quest for greater self-discovery and purpose, and villains of epic proportions.

Paperback: 205 pages
Publisher: Brigham Distributing (July 14, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0996015809
ISBN-13: 978-0996015806

 

Watch the intense new trailer!

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