Indie Weekend is my effort to help promote Indie books. If I can help even a little bit, I’m glad to do it. You can help too by sharing this post with all your social media followers. Below is my review of a middle-grade Christian Indie book, Camp Babylon, the second book in the A1 Mission Agency series. Please see my review below.
BOOK REVIEW
Toby, Scott, Scooter, and Holly go to summer camp, and what a camp it is. All of their electronics are confiscated, and Scooter’s entire suitcase is taken for “further inspection.” The camp director is secretive and suspicious, and soon the A1 Mission Agency is once again on the case.
This is a Christian mystery for middle-grade readers that is filled with humor and adventure. It’s written in a funny, slightly over-the-top style that kids will like. Add secret agents and a motorcycle gang, and you have a clean Christian mystery/thriller for kids. Recommend.
Remember, if you choose to readthis book, please leave reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and other sites that allow book reviews. If you are hesitant to write reviews, remember that they do not have to be long or fancy. Just a couple of lines about how the book made you feel will help the author so much. Thank you in advance.
Join Dorothy on her magical adventures as she cleans up after the messy Lees family house every night, but with a mischievous twist!
From putting things in the wrong places to discovering newfangled contraptions like mobile phones and washing machines, Dorothy’s antics are sure to tickle your funny bone.
This hilarious poetry picture book is perfect for kids aged 2-6 who love a good laugh and don’t mind a bit of dust in their fairy tales.
BOOK REVIEW
Dorothy Dustbucket is a cute and funny children’s book about a fairy who cleans a family’s home at night while they sleep. It is a sweet and hilarious story poem accompanied by illustrations that the kids will love. Dorothy’s cleaning hijinks will keep the kids entertained and laughing. It is cleverly written and perfectly designed to hold the attention of little ones with poetry and color.
Although I received a free digital copy of this book, I plan to buy a print copy for my grandchildren because I know they will love this fun and funny cleaning fairy.
Thanks to Zooloo’s Book Tours for the free digital copy. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christina has had a successful career in the Art, Design and TV Industry before owning her very own Art Gallery.
Inspired by her love of reading and doodling, Christina decided to put pen to paper and create ‘Dorothy Dustbucket.’
Splitting time between Europe and the UK, she lives in the beautiful county of Cheshire, along with her husband and two children, who provided much of the inspiration for the children’s books.
This wonderful audiobook is Book Two in the Falinnheim Chronicles series by C.W. Allen. Book two begins with Zed and Tuesday adjusting to a new world, but everything changes again when the Resistance base is attacked. Zed and Tuesday are suddenly in hiding, and they take on an even bigger part in the fight for freedom. From secret missions to kidnapping, the action doesn’t stop, and the fight against evil continues.
It took me just a tiny bit longer to get hooked by this book as opposed to the first one, but then it grabbed me and I went on an even greater adventure than before. The author’s depiction of the varying reactions to those under the thumb of an evil dictator is well done and is similar to reactions in real life. The power of manipulation and the effect it can have is shown through the actions of the dictator and his minions. The roles of Zed, Tuesday, and their parents in this fight grow throughout the book until they reach a dramatic conclusion. The fight for freedom can take many forms, and this series does a good job of explaining that.
The narrator Ivy Tara Blair does a great job of portraying the multitude of characters and displaying all their unique personalities.
Middle-grade readers, their parents, and their grandparents will all find characters to identify with in this book. This is a great family read.
My rating is four and a half stars, rounded up to five on sites with no half-star option.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from Cinnabar Moth Publishing via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
C.W. Allen is a Nebraskan by birth, a Texan by experience, a Hoosier by marriage, and a Utahn by geography. She knew she wanted to be a writer the moment she read The Westing Game at age twelve, but took a few detours along the way as a veterinary nurse, an appliance repair secretary, and a homeschool parent.
C.W. serves on the board of the League of Utah Writers. She is also a frequent guest presenter at writing conferences and club meetings, which helps her procrastinate knuckling down to any actual writing. Her debut novel Relatively Normal Secrets, a middle-grade speculative mystery, was published by Cinnabar Moth Publishing in 2021. Relatively Normal Secrets is the winner of the Gold Quill award, being named the best 2021 children’s book by a Utah author. The Falinnheim Chronicles series continues with The Secret Benefits of Invisibility (2022) and Tales of the Forgotten Founders (2023). Keep up with her latest projects at cwallenbooks.com.
It is 1944, and Lizzy, Charlie, and May ( known affectionately as Munch) have been evacuated from London for their safety. They are sent to Inglestone Manor at the specific request of the eccentric owner, although they have never met her. They soon encounter shady caretakers and hear of a lost treasure. As they begin to search for the treasure, they meet a mysterious boy and fight off an evil man. Does the treasure really exist?
I was immediately reminded of The Chronicles of Narnia, as three children are sent out of London during the blitz, meet an eccentric older person, and have an amazing adventure. But this tale is quite unique and different. It is such a well-written children’s story, revolving around an old mansion. The historical time period, the bombings, and the stress of evacuating for both children and parents are well described. The plot moves along briskly, and it is full of mystery and wonder. The villains are perfectly villainous from the start, and I love that so much. The main characters are likable and engaging. Lizzy is a fierce and protective older sister, and the conversations between Mrs. Inglestone and Munch are delightful. The cover is spookily endearing and will draw the reader in. Although this is a children’s book, adults will also love this treasure-seeking historical adventure.
My only criticism would be that the book blurb currently on Amazon definitely needs an edit and rewrite. It does not match the quality of the writing in the book at all.
My rating is 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 on sites with no half-star option.
I received a free copy of this book via Zooloo’s Book Tours. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Originally from Guyana, S. S. Saywack came to London with his family in 1962. Educated in North London, he studied information graphics at a London college and then worked as a graphic designer for many years. He later changed careers and became a teacher at a sixth-form college in East London. Taking early retirement, he turned to a third career and became an author.
With a love for reading and history in general, he wrote his first novel that became the Mary Finch Series (four books for older children set in the fictional world of Sherlock Holmes and an additional chapter book to make five in total) and that was swiftly followed by Inglestone Manor.
He currently writes both children’s fiction and adult detective fiction.
Self-Published Saturday is my effort to help Self-Published/Indie authors with marketing. These authors have to do it all, from cover design to editing to marketing. If I can help even a little bit with promotion, I’m happy to do it. This week’s feature is Katya’s Sunflowers, a meaningful story for children and adults, with proceeds going to Ukraine.
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Katya’s Sunflowers’ is inspired by a true story and is dedicated to the current war and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine (as well as World War 2).
The book tells a story of a Ukrainian woman Katya who saved two Jewish boys during World War 2. The boys grew up and left Ukraine while staying in touch with Katya and her family. 80 years later (and after Katya’s death), when the current Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February of this year, the children of those two boys flew back to Ukraine. They rescued Katya’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, by moving the whole extended family from Ukraine to a nearby Poland.
My name is Julie. I am a half-Russian, half-Ukrainian and the author of this story. Barbara, the wonderfully talented illustrator of this book, is Polish. Our goal is for this book to reach as many people as possible as it has to do with the current crisis, which currently claims 11 million refugees and thousands of deaths. I would love for the book to be noticed and serve a cause, i.e. help children understand the current situation and place in history. All the funds from ‘Katya’s Sunflowers’ sales will be donated to refugee families. Thank you!
BOOK REVIEW
What a wonderful tribute to the people of Ukraine! Katya’s Sunflowers by Julie G. Fox is a Children’s story that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. It is also both sad and uplifting. It is about the heroism and kindness that can come out in terrible times. The illustrations by Barbara Owczarek are absolutely beautiful and really are a huge part of this story. In only 27 pages, Katya’s Sunflowers conveys the horrors of war and shows us the good people who fight back and help others. It is about how the good you do will circle back to you when you need it most.
I always put up buy links for books, but I want to make sure you know that all proceeds of this book go to Ukrainian refugees.
I received a free digital copy of this book via Booksirens. I also purchased a copy. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
(Julie G. Fox In her own words from her website, Clever Fox Press)
When I came up with the idea for my first book ‘Goodbye, Emma’ which tells a story of a child refugee forced to leave his dog behind, I decided to start my own charitable publishing venture that would raise funds and awareness for children refugees around the world. And so, Clever Fox Press was born, a company dedicated to all children refugees. We work with charities assisting children refugees in England, Canada, Germany, Greece, Iraq, Ukraine and Turkey. Through a unique collaboration with artists and toy makers around the world, we’ve created more than 20 children’s books since January 2016, and more books are on the way. We treat children how they want to be treated – as intelligent human beings who can comprehend and explore the many social and scientific issues our stories touch on.
*If you buy the book(s), please leave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, as well as anywhere else you review books. Some people feel very daunted by writing a review. Don’t worry. You do not have to write a masterpiece. Just a couple of lines about how the book made you feel will make the author’s day and help the book succeed. The more reviews a book has, the more Amazon will promote it.
*Please click on the “share” buttons below and share these books with your Twitter, Facebook, and WordPress followers. A little bit of help from all of us will help self-published authors go a long way!
Lyla is having the worst year of her life and then her Mum announces they are moving to a strange new town.
The only silver lining is the signs that a cat has made itself home in the new house.
Lyla quickly finds out though that Shimmer is no ordinary cat….
BOOK REVIEW
Shimmer is a middle-grade fantasy adventure starring a special cat and a girl who is having a rough time. After Lyla’s father dies, her mother decides to move and get a fresh start. Lyla is angry and upset at having to move away from familiar surroundings, and she is instantly bullied at school. On top of that, Lyla would like a cat, but her mother has adamantly refused. Then she begins to hear a cat mewling in the house.
This is a sweet and magical fantasy with a surprise twist in the middle. Although this is a short book, it packs a lot of story into 86 pages and it’s perfect for the middle-grade reader. There are some school fights included, so parents may want to be aware. All in all, this is a sometimes sad, but always sweet adventure with a magical and special feline star. Kids will love it, but so will their parents and grandparents.
I received a free copy of this book via Zooloo’s Book Tours. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alan Meredith lives in sleepy West Sussex with his wife and two children. He relocated there after suffering a psychosis back in 2000. Writing stories was a childhood love that he lost as he mistakenly believed that imagination had no place in the grown up world.
He likes taking reality and weaving fantastical elements into it. Alan’s writing reflects his belief that life is a journey of highs and lows and the idea that ‘life should be fair’ is an unrealistic expectation to give anyone, especially kids. If you are looking for the sugar coated ‘Happy Ever After’ you have come to the wrong place.
Self-published Spotlight, my new feature, is booming! This is my effort to help self-published/indie authors share their books with others. Next in the spotlight, Sue Clancy! Check out cover art, descriptions, and more for her children’s books “How the Cow Went Over the Moon and “Tiny Notes to the Sun.”
ABOUT THE BOOK
A cow goes around the moon in a self-produced bubble of gas and somehow comes back to Earth in this wordless fable.
Also, a farsighted bird forgets the morning sun song and in this wordless poem finds a way to read sheet music and welcome the day.
It could be said that this book fits into the educational literary genre of “mirrors for princes” with its sage advice to not take bubbles of gas very seriously along with its suggestion to learn to sing, or at least read sheet music and pretend to sing outdoors now and then.
There aren’t many words in this book. It’s mostly artwork. So, who knows if this is advice literature after all. It’s probably just meant to be funny.
HOW TO PURCHASE
You can purchase the books from Sue’s website by clicking the photo above or at this link here.
You can also read the ebook versions separately on Storyberries for How The Cow Went Over the Moon and Tiny Notes to the Sun. The ebooks on Storyberries are free, but there is an option to support the author if you wish to do so.
Be sure and peruse Sue’s website while you are there. She has a lot of other books and wonderful artwork!
This is a new feature I’m starting which was inspired by a post on another blog, Feed The Crime (One Book At A Time. The post here lists books the blogger has loved that have less than 200 reviews on Goodreads. With a tip of the hat to them, I take a look at Amazing Books by Indie/Self-Published Authors With Less Than 100 Reviews on Amazon. This is aimed at telling the world about great books they may not have seen. Indie authors do not have the marketing machine enjoyed by the traditionally published, so it is up to us to share, read, and review these great books. A couple of these books are from small, independent presses, but most are self-published. Please share this post with all of your social media followers, because some of them may find a book they love, and would have otherwise missed.
If you click on the covers, you can go straight to the Amazon link.
I plan to do this feature at least once a month, so please share these great books with others. Let’s get these books the attention they deserve.
Agustina De Aragón by Gail Meath. This is the amazing story of the “Spanish Joan of Arc.” My review is here.
No Ordinary Thing: GZ Schmidt: This is amazing Middle Grade/Young Adult historical fiction–with a time-traveling snow globe! My review is here.
The Robin Hood Trilogy: Olivia Longueville and J.C. Plummer: This is the best Robin Hood retelling I have ever read. My review is here.
TELLING SONNY: Elizabeth Gauffreau: This gorgeously written book will take you back to Vaudeville in the 1920s. My review is here.
Your Words Your World: Amazing poetry book about God and His Creation. My review is here
This amazing Middle Grade/Young Adult fantasy series, The Hamelin Stoop series, is reminiscent of The Chronicles of Narnia. My review is here.
These are all great books that received 5 stars from me. They just need readers to know about them. If you decide to read any of them, please leave a review on Amazon. The more reviews a book has, the more Amazon will promote it.
Self-Published Saturday is my effort to help Indie and Self-Published authors with one of the many tasks they are responsible for–marketing. If I can help in even a small way with the daunting task of marketing, I’m happy to do it. I missed putting the post up yesterday because of a very busy schedule, but as always, SP Saturday will still go up, even if it’s not Saturday anymore. Today we have a really cute kid’s book of rhymes/story poems accompanied by illustrations. Check out the review below.
BOOK REVIEW
This is a really cute collection of fun and whimsical poems that children and adults will love. They each tell a story that will have you laughing. The accompanying illustrations add to the joy of reading this book.
Each poem tells a story in delightful rhyme. The book reminds me a tiny bit of Dr. Seuss, with the author’s own unique touches, of course. My favorite poems are “Jeremy Myer is Such a Liar,” “Monster Under The Bed,” and “I Want The Very Best Birthday Party.” Parents and kids will have a great time reading these poems together.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley. I also downloaded it on Kindle Unlimited, where subscribers can read it for free. My review is voluntary.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tony Philips
When he is not doodling on donkeys or writing silly poems on bathroom walls, Tony Philips is trying to answer the pressing questions that confound experts the world over, like who left the toilet seat up? He grew up in a suburb in Pennsylvania near a turkey farm. Every so often, frantic turkeys, escaped from the farm, would show up in his back yard, and he and his siblings would try to hide them. Have you ever tried to usher a crazed turkey behind a bush? It’s not easy. He attended art classes at the Baum School of Art and got a degree in Creative Writing from Haverford College. He tried writing for television, but found nobody wanted to hear his stories about freaked out turkeys. Or about how an unhinged turkey once bit his younger brother on the toe. It’s true, really. Tony lives in Chicago with his wife and daughter. He can be found online at TonyPhilips.com.
*If you read the book, please leave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, as well as anywhere else you review books. Some people feel very daunted by writing a review. Don’t worry. You do not have to write a masterpiece. Just a couple of lines about how the book made you feel will make the author’s day and help the book succeed. The more reviews a book has, the more Amazon will promote it.
*Please click on the “share” buttons below and share these books with your Twitter, Facebook, and WordPress followers. A little bit of help from all of us will help self-published authors go a long way!
Last Saturday I reviewed a really fun and educational Children’s book, Dilly Dally Sally. The book itself is a cute rhyming story about a lost duckling that introduces kids to the wildlife of East London. I rated it 4.5 stars. However, the cover needed work. The author decided to update it, and it looks great!
Below is the old cover, which I gave 3 stars. Above is the new cover, which I think is cute and captivating, and still depicts the wildlife of London in an even better way. It’s a great improvement in my opinion. What do you think?
The review I did last week of Dilly Dally Sally is here
Click on the new cover below to buy this book from Amazon UK. The Amazon US link will be below.
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