Monday, December 9, 2013
Let the Judging Begin!!!
It's official. The nomination deadline for the Feathered Quill Book Awards was November 30, 2013 and we are no longer accepting nominations. The last few books have come in and now it's time to sort through all the books, separate by category and get them off to the judges. We are truly honored by the HUGE number of authors who have put their trust in Feathered Quill and have nominated their books. The judges certainly have their work cut out for them and it's going to be a very, very busy few months as we read all the books. Winners will be announced on February 1, 2014.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Book Review - Promised Valley Peace
Promised Valley Peace
By: Ron Fritsch
Publisher: Asymmetric Worlds
Publication Date: November 2013
ISBN: 978-1493672332
Reviewed by: Diane Lunsford
Review Date: December 5, 2013
Publisher: Asymmetric Worlds
Publication Date: November 2013
ISBN: 978-1493672332
Reviewed by: Diane Lunsford
Review Date: December 5, 2013
The story begins with Blue Sky, hostage of the hill people and Wandering Star, teller and lover of Blue Sky, strategizing as to how they would ultimately achieve peace among the hill and valley peoples of the Promised Valley civilization. However, their coveted peace would come at a price of more bloodshed and loss. In his teller role, Wandering Star sets out to communicate the plan with their upper valley allies. Soon thereafter, a rigorous training had begun among the people—a training that would prepare the hill people for the final showdown of peace between the hill and valley communities.
Perhaps War Cloud, chieftain of the hill people, was receptive to a peace as well, but his misguided motivations deliver a different set of circumstances. In War Cloud’s mind, peace would serve up his dish of ruling the entire Promised Valley civilization. Even though there had been a pause in the war, the notion was no more than the proverbial quiet before the final storm with ultimate peace resting well on the other side of it. In an unforeseen and untimely turn of events, Rose Leaf, Blue Sky’s sister, has been impregnated by Morning Sun. She becomes the regent ruler of the hill people; a situation that sparks War Cloud’s mission to accelerate his mission to overtake and conquer Promised Valley forever more. What War Cloud didn’t anticipate, however, was the price he would have to pay in order to arrive at the end result he originally envisioned—an unanticipated result that would change the outcome and the future of the Promised Valley forever.
Once again (and thankfully), there is a spoiler alert in the back of this novel. After reading Promised Valley Conspiracy, I approached this fourth and final novel with a stronger sense of the players and their respective roles in the continuation of the legacy—thanks, in part, to the character list at book’s end. I found I was able to get up to speed much quicker with the story line given the refresher of the characters.
Upon finishing Promised Valley Peace, my take away from this body of work is a strong sense of having experienced an incredibly interesting epic tale of “what if” had the beginnings of time played out as Mr. Fritsch had so adeptly written across the pages of his series. I applaud him for not only staying true to his audience, but for maintaining the patience and wherewithal to feed the story to his audience in palatable, bite-sized pieces. If I had to render one criticism, it would be to ask Mr. Fritsch to slow down and temper the beginning a bit further. In Promised Valley Peace, I found myself struggling a bit in the early pages to sort out the characters and their respective roles. Perhaps this was intentional on Mr. Fritsch’s part to create a sense of urgency and intrigue while encouraging the reader to hang in there because all would make sense at the turn of the next page. His signature style of writing several subplots, twists and turns in the early pages delivers an intrinsic feeling of being at the starting line of a champion race that is about to begin. Indeed, Mr. Fritsch has accomplished fantastic closure to his epic series in book four, Promised Valley Peace.
Quill says: The answer to the question of peace is delivered and then some in Promised Valley Peace. Book four stays true to the author’s intent in that it is genuinely thought-provoking with an epic ending that complements this intriguing civilization of people.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Book Review - Montooth 3
Montooth 3: Red Cross of Gold
By: Robert Jay
Illustrated By: Author Support, LaGrange, KY
Publisher: Cloverleaf Corporation
Publication Date: October 2013
ISBN: 978-0-9891171-0-4
Reviewed by: Kristi Benedict
Review Date: December 5, 2013
Illustrated By: Author Support, LaGrange, KY
Publisher: Cloverleaf Corporation
Publication Date: October 2013
ISBN: 978-0-9891171-0-4
Reviewed by: Kristi Benedict
Review Date: December 5, 2013
It does not take long before Carty is thrust into trouble as she becomes the main suspect in the murder of a Purdue University professor and she has no idea why. Unknowing to her another university employee, Leo Ledberry, has set his sights on Professor Donagle’s wife who claims to have a $4,000,000 trust fund available to her if her husband dies. Through scheming acts Ledberry learns of Carty’s efficiency with a bow and works to point all suspicion to her as the number one suspect. Before you know it Carty and her friends are trying desperately to prove her innocence and uncover the real killer. Mack uses his journalism skills to get to the bottom of important details and interviews everyone who could help clear Carty’s name. By working and standing together these friends work to unveil the true murderer but the crime holds a twist ending that no one sees coming. While all of this is going on in Indiana, Elena and her brother Roberto are helping in a Cuban revolution that has everyone worried but them.
There was so much going on in this book that at times I had to stop and remember what I was reading about to make sure I was not getting lost in the story. Aside from the main set of characters there are multiple supporting characters who had small but important parts in the plot. However, finding these clues and remembering small details and certain names had me feeling like a detective searching for the right answer and then being surprised and delighted when I was able to put clues together. This book combined a little bit of mystery and historical fiction in a way I found myself enjoying both aspects, as each one helped to develop the other. In addition, I thought having a quote at the beginning of each chapter was brilliant as it gave me a small look into what the next chapter would be about but in the most subtle way. I found myself enjoying each of these quotes as they kept me wanting to read chapter after chapter.
This is the only book I have read in this series and besides some background information on the characters and the experiences that brought them to where they currently are this is a story that can stand alone. Even without knowing the full background of these characters there were enough subtle details in this book for me to see why they were such good friends and the feats they had already conquered together. For me it was wonderful seeing a strong, independent protagonist in Carty and I took an instant liking to her strong but still caring disposition. It was easy for me to enjoy this book even without reading the first two installments in the series, but I do admit that now my interest has grown and the other two books may be on my list to read soon.
Quill says: Here is a book that grabs your interest if it’s the first one you read or the third you read in the series and will give mystery and historical fiction enthusiasts something to enjoy.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Books in for Review
Busy, busy, busy. Things are sort of crazy at Feathered Quill, but we're loving it! Here's a sample of the books that have just come in for review:
Beach Brain Jane's 'Hairy' Adventure on Hilton Head Island by Andrea Studenc
College Freshman 101 by Brenda Faye Collie Loresha Evans goes to college in this second installment of the Loresha Evans trilogy. Loresha, now a High School graduate, experiences the woes of being a freshman in college, academically and personally. She befriends a group of students who want to publish a Black student journal at a predominately white college and is faced with non-interest from the English Department. She also experiences love with a graduate student. Will the journal ever get published? Has Loresha found true love? Will she survive the first semester of college academically?
Promised Valley Peace by Ron Fritsch Promised Valley Peace is the fourth and last novel in Ron Fritsch’s allegorical Promised Valley series. The conspirators and their allies from the first three novels give up on the gods, whose existence many of them doubt, and discover how to use horses in warfare. They prepare to employ them in a last battle to bring the prehistoric enemy hunters and farmers together as one people in a “new kingdom” and end warfare between them forever. Individuals who partner with persons of the same gender are once again in the front lines, risking their lives for their peoples. The first three novels—Promised Valley Rebellion, Promised Valley War, and Promised Valley Conspiracy—have won a number of awards. Reviewers have included these comments about the series.
America's Greatest Blunder: The Fateful Decision to Enter World War One by Burton Yale Pines Entering World War One against Germany was America's greatest blunder of the 20th century. America had no reason to join the 3-year-old struggle. By sending two million doughboys to the Western Front, America shattered the battlefield stalemate and won the war, allowing Britain and France to impose a devastating peace on Germany, thus igniting toxic German cries for revenge. Absent America's entry into the war, the exhausted combatants, however unhappily, would have had to drag themselves to a negotiating table and there make a peace of compromise. There would have been no victor, no vanquished, no Versailles Treaty, no reparations, no German demands for revenge, no Hitler and surely no World War II and even no Cold War. The tale of how America stumbled into war is told by America's Greatest Blunder. It chronicles America's journey from sensible neutrality to its war declaration. It then describes how legions of doughboys were mobilized and trained and how they won the war, giving victory to Britain and France - thus launching the young 20th century on its course of decades of unprecedented violence.
Stella Bain by Anita Shreve When an American woman, Stella Bain, is found suffering from severe shell shock in an exclusive garden in London, surgeon August Bridge and his wife selflessly agree to take her in. A gesture of goodwill turns into something more as Bridge quickly develops a clinical interest in his houseguest. Stella had been working as a nurse's aide near the front, but she can't remember anything prior to four months earlier when she was found wounded on a French battlefield.
A Bad Mad Sad Day for Mama Bear by Mayra Calvani On a very bad day, Little Bear offers Mama Bear various items to make her feel better, but she's too busy to notice-until he gives her his super, so good, so very special dolly. Silly humor, alliteration, repetition, and onomatopoeia make this a fun read-aloud story. Gray Zone by Veronica Tabares The victim of a cyber-prank gone viral, Autumn was forced to transfer schools—not exactly what she wanted to do as a sophomore. But what choice did she have when all her personal information was posted all over the web? When threatening comments started to trickle in, the police said her only chance to avoid stalkers was to move schools and start over. Determined to make the best of her situation, Autumn realized that she had been given an opportunity to reinvent herself; to become the outgoing, popular, not-at-all-shy girl she'd always wanted to be. But even the best plans go awry. As soon as Autumn arrives at her new school, she meets Maurice—a bully of monumental proportions who makes life miserable for everyone. Things seem to be looking up when Autumn learns that her best friend Sophie Rose is transferring to her new school, too—but then Sophie starts keeping her distance. Bullied at school and online, adrift without the support of her best friend, Autumn believes she failed miserably at changing the old habits that had given her that shy girl reputation in the first place. Not only could she not move from reserved to rambunctious, she couldn't even get to normal. But when a tragedy shakes Autumn's world, she stops feeling sad about what happened to her. Now she's angry—and she's determined to put a stop to this cyber-torture and bullying of herself and the people she loves in
The Traitor's Wife: The Woman Behind Benedict Arnold and the Plan to Betray America by Allison Pataki In the harsh wilderness of colonial Massachusetts, Martha Allen works as a servant in her cousin's household, taking charge and locking wills with everyone. Thomas Carrier labors for the family and is known both for his immense strength and size and mysterious past. The two begin a courtship that suits their independent natures, with Thomas slowly revealing the story of his part in the English Civil War. But in the rugged new world they inhabit, danger is ever present, whether it be from the assassins sent from London to kill the executioner of Charles I or the wolves-in many forms-who hunt for blood.
Along the Watchtower by David Litwack The war in Iraq ended for Lieutenant Freddie Williams when an IED explosion left his mind and body shattered. Once he was a skilled gamer and expert in virtual warfare. Now he's a broken warrior, emerging from a medically induced coma to discover he's inhabiting two separate realities. The first is his waking world of pain, family trials, and remorse--and slow rehabilitation through the tender care of Becky, his physical therapist. The second is a dark fantasy realm of quests, demons, and magic that Freddie enters when he sleeps. In his dreams he is Frederick, Prince of Stormwind, who must make sense of his horrific visions in order to save his embattled kingdom from the monstrous Horde. His only solace awaits him in the royal gardens, where the gentle words of the beautiful gardener, Rebecca, calm the storms in his soul. While in the conscious world, the severely wounded vet faces a strangely similar and equally perilous mission--a journey along a dark road haunted by demons of guilt and memory--and letting patient, loving Becky into his damaged and shuttered heart may be his only way back from Hell.
Montooth 3: Red Cross of Gold (Montooth Quintet) by Robert Jay The third book in the Montooth quintet follows the main characters as they finish high school while experiencing the advent of Rock n' Roll in the mid-Fifties. Off to college, Carty Andersson's archery skills and outspoken criticism of a professor, leads police to suspect her in a bizarre campus murder. Her friends in The Crew utilize their skills and display unquestioned loyalty as they attempt to save her while discovering and capturing the real killer. Meanwhile, her close friend and high school roommate, Elena Rafferty, joins the forces of Fidel Castro as he begins his quest to take power in Cuba. The infamous Cruz Cruz, teaming with actress-singer Sara Ann Dan, manipulates both sides of the Cuban Revolution as it marches closer to finality. Sally, the erstwhile witch from the initial book, Montooth and the Canfield Witch, exposes ancient family history to show origins of her enormous cache of gold, jewels, and other property. Smithsonian researches trace it from King Solomon's mines to the Templar warrior monks in France and Scotland, to Colonial America to the swamps of Florida. Author Jay includes his signature Montooth fable, this time involving the title character alligator and beehives.
Higgledy Piggledy by Benton Seymour Rabinovitch Curly, Twirly, Whirly, and Higgledy Piggledy are four brother piglets who live a happy life together in the sun. With no sweet name to rhyme with the rest of his family, poor Higgledy Piggledy wishes he were more like his brothers. When scary Mr. Wolf moves in next door, hes hungry for ham. As Curly, Twirly, Whirly, and Higgledy Piggledy attempt to outwit and outrun their sly neighbor, the little piglets learn a big life lesson about whats truly in a name.
Beach Brain Jane's 'Hairy' Adventure on Hilton Head Island by Andrea Studenc
College Freshman 101 by Brenda Faye Collie Loresha Evans goes to college in this second installment of the Loresha Evans trilogy. Loresha, now a High School graduate, experiences the woes of being a freshman in college, academically and personally. She befriends a group of students who want to publish a Black student journal at a predominately white college and is faced with non-interest from the English Department. She also experiences love with a graduate student. Will the journal ever get published? Has Loresha found true love? Will she survive the first semester of college academically?
Promised Valley Peace by Ron Fritsch Promised Valley Peace is the fourth and last novel in Ron Fritsch’s allegorical Promised Valley series. The conspirators and their allies from the first three novels give up on the gods, whose existence many of them doubt, and discover how to use horses in warfare. They prepare to employ them in a last battle to bring the prehistoric enemy hunters and farmers together as one people in a “new kingdom” and end warfare between them forever. Individuals who partner with persons of the same gender are once again in the front lines, risking their lives for their peoples. The first three novels—Promised Valley Rebellion, Promised Valley War, and Promised Valley Conspiracy—have won a number of awards. Reviewers have included these comments about the series.
America's Greatest Blunder: The Fateful Decision to Enter World War One by Burton Yale Pines Entering World War One against Germany was America's greatest blunder of the 20th century. America had no reason to join the 3-year-old struggle. By sending two million doughboys to the Western Front, America shattered the battlefield stalemate and won the war, allowing Britain and France to impose a devastating peace on Germany, thus igniting toxic German cries for revenge. Absent America's entry into the war, the exhausted combatants, however unhappily, would have had to drag themselves to a negotiating table and there make a peace of compromise. There would have been no victor, no vanquished, no Versailles Treaty, no reparations, no German demands for revenge, no Hitler and surely no World War II and even no Cold War. The tale of how America stumbled into war is told by America's Greatest Blunder. It chronicles America's journey from sensible neutrality to its war declaration. It then describes how legions of doughboys were mobilized and trained and how they won the war, giving victory to Britain and France - thus launching the young 20th century on its course of decades of unprecedented violence.
Stella Bain by Anita Shreve When an American woman, Stella Bain, is found suffering from severe shell shock in an exclusive garden in London, surgeon August Bridge and his wife selflessly agree to take her in. A gesture of goodwill turns into something more as Bridge quickly develops a clinical interest in his houseguest. Stella had been working as a nurse's aide near the front, but she can't remember anything prior to four months earlier when she was found wounded on a French battlefield.
A Bad Mad Sad Day for Mama Bear by Mayra Calvani On a very bad day, Little Bear offers Mama Bear various items to make her feel better, but she's too busy to notice-until he gives her his super, so good, so very special dolly. Silly humor, alliteration, repetition, and onomatopoeia make this a fun read-aloud story. Gray Zone by Veronica Tabares The victim of a cyber-prank gone viral, Autumn was forced to transfer schools—not exactly what she wanted to do as a sophomore. But what choice did she have when all her personal information was posted all over the web? When threatening comments started to trickle in, the police said her only chance to avoid stalkers was to move schools and start over. Determined to make the best of her situation, Autumn realized that she had been given an opportunity to reinvent herself; to become the outgoing, popular, not-at-all-shy girl she'd always wanted to be. But even the best plans go awry. As soon as Autumn arrives at her new school, she meets Maurice—a bully of monumental proportions who makes life miserable for everyone. Things seem to be looking up when Autumn learns that her best friend Sophie Rose is transferring to her new school, too—but then Sophie starts keeping her distance. Bullied at school and online, adrift without the support of her best friend, Autumn believes she failed miserably at changing the old habits that had given her that shy girl reputation in the first place. Not only could she not move from reserved to rambunctious, she couldn't even get to normal. But when a tragedy shakes Autumn's world, she stops feeling sad about what happened to her. Now she's angry—and she's determined to put a stop to this cyber-torture and bullying of herself and the people she loves in
The Traitor's Wife: The Woman Behind Benedict Arnold and the Plan to Betray America by Allison Pataki In the harsh wilderness of colonial Massachusetts, Martha Allen works as a servant in her cousin's household, taking charge and locking wills with everyone. Thomas Carrier labors for the family and is known both for his immense strength and size and mysterious past. The two begin a courtship that suits their independent natures, with Thomas slowly revealing the story of his part in the English Civil War. But in the rugged new world they inhabit, danger is ever present, whether it be from the assassins sent from London to kill the executioner of Charles I or the wolves-in many forms-who hunt for blood.
Along the Watchtower by David Litwack The war in Iraq ended for Lieutenant Freddie Williams when an IED explosion left his mind and body shattered. Once he was a skilled gamer and expert in virtual warfare. Now he's a broken warrior, emerging from a medically induced coma to discover he's inhabiting two separate realities. The first is his waking world of pain, family trials, and remorse--and slow rehabilitation through the tender care of Becky, his physical therapist. The second is a dark fantasy realm of quests, demons, and magic that Freddie enters when he sleeps. In his dreams he is Frederick, Prince of Stormwind, who must make sense of his horrific visions in order to save his embattled kingdom from the monstrous Horde. His only solace awaits him in the royal gardens, where the gentle words of the beautiful gardener, Rebecca, calm the storms in his soul. While in the conscious world, the severely wounded vet faces a strangely similar and equally perilous mission--a journey along a dark road haunted by demons of guilt and memory--and letting patient, loving Becky into his damaged and shuttered heart may be his only way back from Hell.
Montooth 3: Red Cross of Gold (Montooth Quintet) by Robert Jay The third book in the Montooth quintet follows the main characters as they finish high school while experiencing the advent of Rock n' Roll in the mid-Fifties. Off to college, Carty Andersson's archery skills and outspoken criticism of a professor, leads police to suspect her in a bizarre campus murder. Her friends in The Crew utilize their skills and display unquestioned loyalty as they attempt to save her while discovering and capturing the real killer. Meanwhile, her close friend and high school roommate, Elena Rafferty, joins the forces of Fidel Castro as he begins his quest to take power in Cuba. The infamous Cruz Cruz, teaming with actress-singer Sara Ann Dan, manipulates both sides of the Cuban Revolution as it marches closer to finality. Sally, the erstwhile witch from the initial book, Montooth and the Canfield Witch, exposes ancient family history to show origins of her enormous cache of gold, jewels, and other property. Smithsonian researches trace it from King Solomon's mines to the Templar warrior monks in France and Scotland, to Colonial America to the swamps of Florida. Author Jay includes his signature Montooth fable, this time involving the title character alligator and beehives.
Higgledy Piggledy by Benton Seymour Rabinovitch Curly, Twirly, Whirly, and Higgledy Piggledy are four brother piglets who live a happy life together in the sun. With no sweet name to rhyme with the rest of his family, poor Higgledy Piggledy wishes he were more like his brothers. When scary Mr. Wolf moves in next door, hes hungry for ham. As Curly, Twirly, Whirly, and Higgledy Piggledy attempt to outwit and outrun their sly neighbor, the little piglets learn a big life lesson about whats truly in a name.
Book Review - Stella Bain
Stella Bain
By: Anita Shreve
Publisher: Little, Brown
Publishing Date: November 2013
ISB N: 978-0-316-09886-1
Reviewed by: Mary Lignor
Review Date: December 1, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown
Publishing Date: November 2013
ISB N: 978-0-316-09886-1
Reviewed by: Mary Lignor
Review Date: December 1, 2013
In the beginning, a woman wakes up in a hospital tent in Marne, France in the year 1916. She is suffering from amnesia, doesn’t know her name but thinks it might be Stella Bain. She has skills as a battlefield nurse and is able to drive an ambulance. When she begins to recover, she returns to what she thinks was her duty and cares for the wounded and dying in this hospital. She recovers enough to get a leave and starts out for London, thinking that she may remember who she is and how she got into the middle of a war.
Once in London, Stella becomes ill and is found by a doctor’s wife, who takes her into their home. The doctor, Augustus Bridge, is a surgeon with a practice concerning the brain and also psychiatry. He tries to help and the only clue that Stella can come up with is that she needs to go to the Admiralty House in London as she believes that someone there can help her regain her memory.
Dr. Bridges has a friend at the Admiralty and they go there to look around. A former friend recognizes her and bit by bit she regains her memory, including the fact that she has children in America that she left behind. She is able to remember her real name, Etna BlissVan Tassel. As Stella/Etna’s memory begins to come back, she remembers her life with her abusive husband and the reason she left him. Etna goes back to America, where she connects with her children and decides to file for custody of her son. She works with her lawyer, gets a job and makes a place for herself and hopefully, her son. Etna still doesn’t quite know where the amnesia came from but is working on it with a local doctor. The phrase ‘shell shock’ comes up in her diagnosis. This has not been heard of in the states until returning soldiers came back with much the same symptoms after the war.
This is an extremely dramatic narrative from a very talented author. It begins in France at a military hospital, goes on to London and then to the United States, and back again to London. The author is very keen on the troubles that came up in Europe and the US when the First World War was fought. There were many who did not come back and many who came back in very bad shape. Stella Bain helps the reader remember those who suffered so much from the war.
Quill says: The author did great research concerning shell shock, now known as PTSD, and the work that many women did in the war.
Book Review - Swimming to the Moon
Swimming to the Moon: A Collection of Rhymes Without Reason
By: Jeff McMahon
Illustrated by: Jessica Warrick
Publisher: Leisure Time Press
Publication Date: October 2013
ISBN: 978-0989027007
Reviewed by: Ellen Feld
Review Date: November 27, 2013
Illustrated by: Jessica Warrick
Publisher: Leisure Time Press
Publication Date: October 2013
ISBN: 978-0989027007
Reviewed by: Ellen Feld
Review Date: November 27, 2013
Author Jeff McMahon has compiled a fantastic collection of his wittiest poems for readers to enjoy. From something we've all experienced, "Gum On My Shoe" to the downright bizarre, "I Once Fell Up The Stairs," this selection shows the author's talent at coming up with witty poems that flow well and bring a laugh on just about every page.
Some poems in this book are quite short, such as "Lucky Horseshoe,"
I've got a lucky horseshoe,
It's been very good to me.
It's given me good fortune
since I found it, luckily.
I'd like to bring it in to school,
to Show and Tell of course.
The problem is the horseshoe is
still fastened to the horse.
while others are much longer and tell a short story, such as the title poem, "Swimming to the Moon," which tells the story of a youngster who wants to swim to the moon because he can't afford a rocket. I get the sense that the author is always doodling, coming up with clever little poems as these gems seem to come from a pen that has seen many hilarious tales come to life. Add in the fantastic black and white drawings by illustrator Jessica Warrick, and you have a definite winner. Although written for the young, anybody who likes to laugh (and again, don't we all?) is sure to enjoy this wonderful selection of "Rhymes Without Reason."
Quill says: Guaranteed to make you giggle, gaggle, and get downright goofy, Swimming to the Moon is a great book for kids of all ages!
Friday, November 29, 2013
Nominations Close Tomorrow!
Nominations Close Tomorrow!
Have you nominated your book for the Feathered Quill Book Awards? If not, you better hurry! Nominations are due by tomorrow, November 30, 2013. Fill out the submission form asap (by tomorrow night at the latest) and then get those books in the mail. We'll be sorting and getting shipments ready to send to our judges for the next week, so don't delay. There's still time, but not much!!!
Here's the Award Page where you'll find all the information you need.
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