Salem's Fury

*Contains spoilers from Salem's Vengeance*

 

  History condemns those who neglect the past.

   For Rebecca, memories of the night Hecate attacked her family remain dim. Adopted by the Miamiak and living in the wilderness, her sister Sarah is the lone reminder of their early life and the price paid for freedom.

  But the past refuses to stay buried when a neighboring tribe is attacked and decimated for harboring white folk. With rumors of Iroquois raiders held in sway of a fearless witch on the rampage, Rebecca must decide whether to guard those she holds dear or seek vengeance upon a Salem relic.

-AaronGalvin.com       

We heard Sarah's story of pain and loss; now it's Rebecca's turn. Salem has returned. Can Rebecca stop it or will the witches forever rule?

     It's 15 years after Sarah killed Hecate. The survivors of the battle have taken refuge in the woods with the Miamik tribe. They thought that after Hecate was dead life would return to normal. But after they finally get back to normal, another Salem strikes. The witches are back, and this time they're taking a couple lives with them. 

      An excellent follow-up to Salem's Vengeance. Salem's Fury didn't disappoint. Galvin does a wonderful job portraying the character's feelings and emotion. Also, the dialogue and setting stay true to the time period. Salem's Fury can be interpreted as a girl fighting to find her true identity, buried both in the pain of her past and future. Once again Galvin has presented us with a brilliant story that sucks you in.

I recommend this book to anybody ages 11+ that enjoys historical fiction, coming-of-age stories, or just plain YA fiction. I give Salem's Fury 5/5 stars for the excellent narrative and writing. I love the way it makes you feel like you are there experiencing it as it happens. I hope more books will come so we can continue the adventure with the Kelly/Campbell family. 

Pre-Order 

    
Aaron Galvin first cut his chops writing stand-up comedy routines at age thirteen. His early works paid off years later when he co-wrote and executive produced the award-winning indie feature film, Wedding Bells & Shotgun Shells.

He is also an accomplished actor. Aaron has worked in everything from Hollywood blockbusters, (Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, and Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers), to starring in dozens of indie films and commercials.

Aaron is a native Hoosier, graduate of Ball State University, and a proud member of SCBWI. He currently lives in Southern California with his wife and daughter.

Learn more about Aaron and Salem’s Vengeance

Website/Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

Read my review for Salem's Vengeance here.

Salem's Vengeance

Salem's Vengeance, by Aaron Galvin, puts a new twist in the age old witch story. Sarah Kelly is a girl just looking for freedom until she finds herself wrapped up in the evil of her father's past.

I loved Salem's Vengeance, which is ironic when you consider that I usually run from historical fiction like it's a plague. The more I read, the more I had to continue. What's better is that Aaron Galvin is an Indie Author though his writing is not overtaken by errors!

I would recommend this to readers with an interest in historical fiction or horror fiction. Typically, those are not two categories I would combine, but this is a time when I'm glad they did. I would suggest readers be 11 or older due to some of the content as well as tricky words such as 'ere' and 'oft.' While the language fits the time period, it may confuse younger readers.

Purchase Links

Amazon

Signed/Personalizedprint copies

Aaron Galvin first cut his chops writing stand-up comedy routines at age thirteen. His early works paid off years later when he co-wrote and executive produced the award-winning indie feature film, Wedding Bells & Shotgun Shells.

He is also an accomplished actor. Aaron has worked in everything from Hollywood blockbusters, (Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, and Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers), to starring in dozens of indie films and commercials.

Aaron is a native Hoosier, graduate of Ball State University, and a proud member of SCBWI. He currently lives in Southern California with his wife and daughter.

Be sure to check back with  us April 13 when we honor Aaron Galvin once again with the release of Salem's Fury. 

Learn more about Aaron and Salem’s Vengeance

Website/Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

 

The Roman Mysteries: Secrets of Vesuvius

The Roman Mysteries: The Secrets of Vesuvius by Caroline Lawrence was published in 2001 by Penguin Group.

Jonathan, Flavia, Lupus and Nubia, friends and detectives, sail to Flavia's Uncle Gaius to spend the summer at his house. There they uncover a riddle that could bring them great treasure. Meanwhile, tremors are shaking the ground animals move and people dream of nearing doom. One of the worst natural disasters in history is about to happen. Read the book to find out more about this horrible disaster and the great treasure.

Flavia, Jonathan, Nubia and Lupus start out in Ostia right after having found the thief from The Thieves of Ostia, the first book in the Roman Mysteries series. From there the friends move to Gaius's farm which is somewhere between Pompeii and Stabia. Gaius's farm is a very large farm that also has vineyards all around it.

Flavia is a courageous young girl who is intelligent and  has a very good mind for problem solving. Nubia is a slave girl who watched her family get murdered and with her charm can make any beast fall asleep. Jonathan is a funny Jewish boy who tends to think everything is his fault (and sometimes it is). Lupus is a mute boy learning to read and write and when angered will stomp off and not come back for days. There is also Flavia's dog Scuto and the two puppies Nubia's puppy Nipur and Jonathan's puppy Tigris.

Caroline Lawrence was born in London,England. Shortly after her birth her American parents moved her family to Bakersfield, California where she grew up. When she was twelve, her family moved to Stanford, University in northern California so her father could study there. Caroline inherited her father's love of words and her mother's love of art. In 2000 Lawrence wrote her first book The Thieves of Ostia, the first book in The Roman Mysteries series. Caroline now lives with her son Simon and husband Richard in London.

I really liked The Secrets of Vesuvius  because of it's mixture of fiction and facts. I recommend this book to people who like fiction, mystery or historical fiction. If you like this book I would recommend reading Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene. If you like the book try playing the game made by CBBC.

The 39 Clues

The Maze of Bones, by Rick Riordan and the first book in the 39 Clues series, is about "orphans" 14-year-old Amy and 11-year-old Dan Cahill in the hunt for the 39 clues.

At  Amy and  Dan's grandmother's funeral the race for the 39 clues is announced. Amy and Dan Cahill along with the rest of their family are in the hunt. With Amy and Dan's richer more experienced relatives always trying to kill them, the race becomes harder with every step. The grand prize is to make the winner the most powerful Cahill of all.

The Cahills, who have been shaping the world for centuries, are split into four branches: Ekaterina, Tomas, Janus and Lucian. Ben Franklin, Mozart and Napoleon are just a few of the many Cahills.

The 39 clues take Amy and Dan all over the world. With the help of Nellie, their au pair, they travel wherever is needed to find the next clue. They go to Paris and Philadelphia along with a few other places with Nellie. Starting in Philadelphia Amy, Dan and Nellie trace Ben Franklin's life to find the second clue.

To go along with with the books they have made the39clues.com. You can become an agent and join the hunt for the 39 clues with cards, clues and missions. 

The authors also take famous real people and turn them into Cahills. In book six they take Amelia Earhart and make her searching for the clues during her dangerous flight. Read the books to learn more.

I like this book a lot because of it's mystery and action. I recommend this book to people who like mystery and action. The Maze of Bones is the first book in the 39 clues series. This series has multiple authors including Rick Riordan and Jude Watson.


Gordan Korman writes books 2, 8 and 11. Korman wrote his first book at 12 years old. He has written over 65 books. Korman currently lives in Long Island, New York. 

Rick Riordan writes books 1 and 11. Riordan has written many children's books including the Percy Jackson series. Riordan lives in San Antonio, Texas.

Jude Watson writes books 4,  6 and 11. She is the author of many children's and young adult books. Watson currently lives in Katonah, New York.

Peter Lerangis writes books 3, 7 & 11. His books have sold over 4.5 million copies and has been translated into 28 languages. He writes young adult books. Lerangis currently lives in New York City, New York

Patrick Carman writes book 5. He has always been a story teller. He writes young adult and children's books.

Mararet Peterson Haddix writes book 10. She loved to read as a child and participated in lots of activities.She has moved a lot as an adult and currently live in Columbus, Ohio.

Linda Sue Park writes book 9. She writes lots of children's books. She is currently living in Rochester, New York.

IL: MG - BL: 4.3 - AR Pts: 7.0

Makenzie: Midwife's Apprentice

Makenzie's Review

"I am Alyce. Not Brat or Dung Beetle or Beetle. Alyce." -Cover, The Midwife's Apprentice


The Midwife’s Apprentice, by Karen Cushman, is the story of Alyce, a young girl on her quest to find an identity for herself. Along the way, Alyce comes across many ups and downs in her path.

My favorite part was when Alyce finds that she is white under the layer of dirt always piled on her. When she finishes washing the sheep at the manor, she sees her hands are white when they are clean. I think it is funny that Alyce didn’t know she was white.

I would recommend this book if you like historical realistic fiction because the story takes place in Medieval England.

The Midwife's Apprentice: Karen Cushman

Tori's Review

I have to admit, as I began the The Midwife's Apprentice, I was a bit leery. Within the first chapter, readers meet Alyce, an orphan child who is forced to sleep in a dung heap to keep warm. Sadly, she is awoken by a group of horrid boys and a grown woman who kicks her in the stomach. However, after finishing the story, I applaud Karen Cushman for her grim introduction of the Alyce and the villagers.

A ridiculously simplified synopsis, to quote Shelfari, would be to say, this is the story of an orphan girl's quest for identity and belonging in a harsh environment. In typical quest for identity novels, the antagonist at least begins the story with a bit of self-knowledge. At the beginning, Alyce has no name, no recollection of family and no name. In fact, the name Beetle is given to her due to her choice of sleeping locations.


Readers travel with Alyce through a year of self-discovery in Medievil England. This voyage is rather cut and dry. First she is given a home and job as the Midwife's apprentice. Then, she choses her name, Alyce. Third, she happens upon an orphan boy and points him in the right direction, essentially forming a family for herself. Most importantly, she runs from everything that has come to be meaningful to her thus giving her a chance to reflect upon her life and see where she belongs. Lastly, Alyce makes her decision and chooses her rightful place in the world.

This list is quite simple because the story itself is rather simple. I do not say this to be taken negatively. The simplification of the storyline, in my opinion, allows the printed book to be a mere 117 pages thus attracting the apprehensive reader with it's size. Densely packed, the reader will then receive a valuable lesson in the value self-identity, the importance of a strong will as well as a brief history lesson.

I must warn parents, just as the title says, Alyce is in fact a midwife's apprentice. She helps with expecting mother in labor. If this is not a sensitive topic, however, I strongly suggest this story to girls between the ages of eight and twelve.


1996 Newbery Medal Award
IL: MG - BL: 6.0 - AR Pts: 3.0
Karen Cushman on Amazon

Dragonwings

"I should also warn thoughtful readers that DragonWings is more a historical fantasy than a factual reconstruction. " -Yep, DragonWings
With the words of Laurence Yep duly quoted, parents must have an open mind when launching into this historical novel with their young readers. As the story opens, American's are referred to as "demons." Further into the story, Moon Shadow assimilates to the American lifestyle, American's become less demonized and more human to the father and son Tang family.
DragonWings tells the story of a Tang boy and his father trying to build a life in America. Yep includes the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 through the eyes of the young teenage prontagonist. In fact, Yep uses this event to bring Americans and Tang immigrants together in their time of need.
Readers also learn that parents will stop at nothing to keep their children safe. This is shown when Windrider gives all the family savings for Moon Shadow's well being. Though he makes this sacrifice in the name of his son, it takes the help of a friend to ensure they are not homeless.
From a mother and teacher's point of view, DragonWings is a great story for young readers. The American Library Association sure thought so in 1976 when they chose the novel for a Newbery Honor. Yep approaches important subjects such as hostility toward others, assimilation and brotherhood in such a way that young readers are oblivious to the didactic value of the story line. I am also impressed with the subtle embedding of historical events as well.
This novel has been placed in the fantastic genre simple because Windrider believes himself to have been a dragon in a previous life. In order to return to the dragon life, he must approach every challenge as if it is the test to return him to that land. Otherwise, Yep has created realistic characters living in a real place in history.
Dragonwings on Book-Attic.com