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Check out my Monarch family at Monarch Press! Click here to visit Monarch’s website.
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------------------------https://monarcheducationalservices.com/
Ashley White: https://ashleywhitewrites.com//
Adrian So: https://adriansotheauthor.my.canva.site
Angelique Burrell: https://www.angeliqueburrell.com
Abbie Crank: https://www.abbiecrank.com/about
Caitlin Alexander: https://www.caitlinalexander.com
Diane Blue Brooks Britt: https://bit.ly/dianebluebrooksbritt
Denise Minnerly: http://www.deniseminnerly.com
Jennifer Lowry: https://jenlowrywrites.wordpress.com/2019/04/06/welcome-to-jen-lowry-writes/
Kara Linaburg: https://thebeautifullybrokenlifeblog.wordpress.com
Lori Keating: https://www.lorikeating.com
Lindsey Hobson: https://lindseyhobson.com
Mark Snoad: https://wayfindergirls.org
Nancy Stewart: http://nancystewartbooks.blogspot.com
Penny Schneider: https://www.pennyschneider.com
Riley Cross: https://www.writingbyriley.com/about
Rebecca Wheeler: https://www.rebeccawwheeler.com
Russell J Fellows: https://russelljfellows.com
Stephanie Cotta: https://sdaniellacotta.wordpress.com
Shelly Mack: https://shellymackbooks.co.uk
Ashley White: https://ashleywhitewrites.com//
Adrian So: https://adriansotheauthor.my.canva.site
Angelique Burrell: https://www.angeliqueburrell.com
Abbie Crank: https://www.abbiecrank.com/about
Caitlin Alexander: https://www.caitlinalexander.com
Diane Blue Brooks Britt: https://bit.ly/dianebluebrooksbritt
Denise Minnerly: http://www.deniseminnerly.com
Jennifer Lowry: https://jenlowrywrites.wordpress.com/2019/04/06/welcome-to-jen-lowry-writes/
Kara Linaburg: https://thebeautifullybrokenlifeblog.wordpress.com
Lori Keating: https://www.lorikeating.com
Lindsey Hobson: https://lindseyhobson.com
Mark Snoad: https://wayfindergirls.org
Nancy Stewart: http://nancystewartbooks.blogspot.com
Penny Schneider: https://www.pennyschneider.com
Riley Cross: https://www.writingbyriley.com/about
Rebecca Wheeler: https://www.rebeccawwheeler.com
Russell J Fellows: https://russelljfellows.com
Stephanie Cotta: https://sdaniellacotta.wordpress.com
Shelly Mack: https://shellymackbooks.co.uk
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Check out Monarch’s free educational resources!
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MONARCH BOOK REVIEWS BY GEORGIE BARTLETT:
(All reviews originally published by Carol Baldwin on her blog! You can
see Carol’s blog by visiting https://carolbaldwinblog.blogspot.com/
or by clicking here.)
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The Impossible Girl (Monarch Books, 2022) by Ashley White is a beautifully written middle-grade novel. Fans of Harry Potter and Narnia will adore this magical story about a young girl who accidentally finds her way into the whimsical world of Xarcadia.
Ava Marie Jones is what the citizens of Xarcadia call a Lost One, meaning her parents sent her out at birth into the mortal realm, where she was adopted by an uncharitable family. One stormy night, Ava decides she must get away, and flees to the comfort of her familiar haven: the Cathedral Tree. Ava climbs into the tree, when, unexpectedly, the old, tangled roots beneath her give way and she plummets down into darkness. She soon finds out that she has just landed in Xarcadia, a society filled with supernatural beings. There is so much mystery surrounding Ava’s birth and powers, that the entirety of Xarcadia is in an uproar over her sudden arrival.
On top of the exhausting, constant speculation of the public and struggling to comprehend the inexplicable occurrences of the day, Ava finds out that her new school, Linhollow Academy, will be hosting an annual event called the Lost One’s Ball. Here she will have the opportunity to meet her birth parents for the first time in thirteen years. But, on the night of the ball, when a tragedy occurs, Ava must decide if she should investigate, or focus on her studies and her school’s upcoming annual Assembly Games.
The friend group in this book was made up of extraordinary characters who were fun to read about. Characters are such an important part of a novel, and I can honestly say that everyone in this fantasy is wonderfully portrayed. Ava is so considerate; it is refreshing to see. Not since I read The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, have I found a middle-grade fantasy novel with such a lovable cast of characters.
Ava makes a good role model for young readers ages ten and older and a relatable one for teens. I believe this will be a book that will spark a love for reading, as well as a fun adventure for anyone who loves middle-grade books.
Ashley White made Xarcadia feel real. This clean middle-grade book with friendship, and magic, has unique takes on the classic fantasy elements we know and love. For example, I loved reading and learning about the beautiful mythological creatures—especially the Kelpies. “For within the lake were large, bronze boats attached to the backs of horse-like creatures. The creatures had the appearance of Clydesdales—if Clydesdales were fifty feet tall and had silver, scale-like skin that shimmered like diamonds in the sunlight.” These creatures were incredibly interesting and mystical, and the world-building was spectacular.
The book starts out with a prologue that grabs your attention from the very start and keeps it until the epic climax. In the end, there were twists and turns, which made it an exciting conclusion to an excellent story. It would be a wonderful choice for a book club, and so fun for a discussion. I kept wanting to find out what was going to happen to Ava, and I highly recommend this book for all middle-grade fans. Going on this thrilling adventure with Ava was such a pleasure, and I hope others will enjoy reading it as much as I did.
Ava Marie Jones is what the citizens of Xarcadia call a Lost One, meaning her parents sent her out at birth into the mortal realm, where she was adopted by an uncharitable family. One stormy night, Ava decides she must get away, and flees to the comfort of her familiar haven: the Cathedral Tree. Ava climbs into the tree, when, unexpectedly, the old, tangled roots beneath her give way and she plummets down into darkness. She soon finds out that she has just landed in Xarcadia, a society filled with supernatural beings. There is so much mystery surrounding Ava’s birth and powers, that the entirety of Xarcadia is in an uproar over her sudden arrival.
On top of the exhausting, constant speculation of the public and struggling to comprehend the inexplicable occurrences of the day, Ava finds out that her new school, Linhollow Academy, will be hosting an annual event called the Lost One’s Ball. Here she will have the opportunity to meet her birth parents for the first time in thirteen years. But, on the night of the ball, when a tragedy occurs, Ava must decide if she should investigate, or focus on her studies and her school’s upcoming annual Assembly Games.
The friend group in this book was made up of extraordinary characters who were fun to read about. Characters are such an important part of a novel, and I can honestly say that everyone in this fantasy is wonderfully portrayed. Ava is so considerate; it is refreshing to see. Not since I read The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, have I found a middle-grade fantasy novel with such a lovable cast of characters.
Ava makes a good role model for young readers ages ten and older and a relatable one for teens. I believe this will be a book that will spark a love for reading, as well as a fun adventure for anyone who loves middle-grade books.
Ashley White made Xarcadia feel real. This clean middle-grade book with friendship, and magic, has unique takes on the classic fantasy elements we know and love. For example, I loved reading and learning about the beautiful mythological creatures—especially the Kelpies. “For within the lake were large, bronze boats attached to the backs of horse-like creatures. The creatures had the appearance of Clydesdales—if Clydesdales were fifty feet tall and had silver, scale-like skin that shimmered like diamonds in the sunlight.” These creatures were incredibly interesting and mystical, and the world-building was spectacular.
The book starts out with a prologue that grabs your attention from the very start and keeps it until the epic climax. In the end, there were twists and turns, which made it an exciting conclusion to an excellent story. It would be a wonderful choice for a book club, and so fun for a discussion. I kept wanting to find out what was going to happen to Ava, and I highly recommend this book for all middle-grade fans. Going on this thrilling adventure with Ava was such a pleasure, and I hope others will enjoy reading it as much as I did.
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I thoroughly enjoyed Disconnected (Monarch: 2023) for a myriad of reasons, one of them being that it was an interesting and thought-provoking story from start to finish. Riley Cross has a way of making you feel as if you are really in Unity, Chiara’s controlled and restricted world.
The main character, Chiara, was born a third-generation Anomaly, meaning she was the result of her parents falling in love rather than a perfect genetic match chosen by Auto. Inside Unity are those deemed worthy of citizenship, and outside of the circular walls of this futuristic civilization live the Streamless, the social outcasts. Unity’s inhabitants have been taught that the Streamless are mindless and incapable of functioning; just one of the many lies they have been fed since birth. The all-powerful artificial intelligence, Auto, controls the virtual world (the DataStream), and essentially rules over the citizens of Unity.
When her mother and father die under mysterious circumstances, Chiara is orphaned and put under the care of her enigmatic Grandfather. When he also dies mysteriously and Chiara’s memory is wiped, she begins her mission to collect the shattered fragments of her mind, uncover the truth, and ignore the awful headaches, nightmares, and visions plaguing her. She also needs to escape Unity. In doing this, she has to decide whether or not she can leave her childhood best friend, Silas, possibly forever.
Something that really stuck with me throughout the book was the phrase “Always with you,” which Chiara’s Grandfather tells her. I loved that he always had something to steady her. You can actually learn a lot from Grandfather and Auto about the plethora of dangers attached to AI and the gradual development of technology, and I positively love a fiction book that can teach me something. It had me thinking, could our society get to this point eventually?
The characters in Disconnected felt so real, sometimes I forgot they were fictional, which is certainly a distinguishing characteristic of good writing. Among the main characters, there were arguments, conflicts, and heartbreak, but they all manage to put everything aside and come together in the end. I related to Chiara’s struggle with staying true to herself in an abrasive society.
I am still thinking about this story, which is always a good sign when it comes to a novel. I adored how the evil of Auto was combated by books and the Forbidden Library which were all preserved in Chiara’s mind. She actually quotes Robert Frost at one point, and I have to say, that only helped to raise this book in my estimation. He is by far my favorite poet, and this book is by far one of my favorites I’ve read this year.
I don’t often read Sci-Fi, but Disconnected had me engaged from the start. The plot always kept moving, keeping me interested and wanting to read more. I recommend this to anyone with a penchant for Science Fiction. This book is an entirely clean read, which is one of the many things I appreciated about it. It does contain some graphic imagery surrounding Grandfather’s death, so I would recommend this book for readers ages 13 and up. If you want a novel that’s suspenseful and captivating, then Disconnected is a wonderful book to add to your TBR. I believe you will love it!
The main character, Chiara, was born a third-generation Anomaly, meaning she was the result of her parents falling in love rather than a perfect genetic match chosen by Auto. Inside Unity are those deemed worthy of citizenship, and outside of the circular walls of this futuristic civilization live the Streamless, the social outcasts. Unity’s inhabitants have been taught that the Streamless are mindless and incapable of functioning; just one of the many lies they have been fed since birth. The all-powerful artificial intelligence, Auto, controls the virtual world (the DataStream), and essentially rules over the citizens of Unity.
When her mother and father die under mysterious circumstances, Chiara is orphaned and put under the care of her enigmatic Grandfather. When he also dies mysteriously and Chiara’s memory is wiped, she begins her mission to collect the shattered fragments of her mind, uncover the truth, and ignore the awful headaches, nightmares, and visions plaguing her. She also needs to escape Unity. In doing this, she has to decide whether or not she can leave her childhood best friend, Silas, possibly forever.
Something that really stuck with me throughout the book was the phrase “Always with you,” which Chiara’s Grandfather tells her. I loved that he always had something to steady her. You can actually learn a lot from Grandfather and Auto about the plethora of dangers attached to AI and the gradual development of technology, and I positively love a fiction book that can teach me something. It had me thinking, could our society get to this point eventually?
The characters in Disconnected felt so real, sometimes I forgot they were fictional, which is certainly a distinguishing characteristic of good writing. Among the main characters, there were arguments, conflicts, and heartbreak, but they all manage to put everything aside and come together in the end. I related to Chiara’s struggle with staying true to herself in an abrasive society.
I am still thinking about this story, which is always a good sign when it comes to a novel. I adored how the evil of Auto was combated by books and the Forbidden Library which were all preserved in Chiara’s mind. She actually quotes Robert Frost at one point, and I have to say, that only helped to raise this book in my estimation. He is by far my favorite poet, and this book is by far one of my favorites I’ve read this year.
I don’t often read Sci-Fi, but Disconnected had me engaged from the start. The plot always kept moving, keeping me interested and wanting to read more. I recommend this to anyone with a penchant for Science Fiction. This book is an entirely clean read, which is one of the many things I appreciated about it. It does contain some graphic imagery surrounding Grandfather’s death, so I would recommend this book for readers ages 13 and up. If you want a novel that’s suspenseful and captivating, then Disconnected is a wonderful book to add to your TBR. I believe you will love it!