Tour Stop for Amanda Lester and the Blue Peacocks' Secret by Paula Berinstein, Plus My Review of Book 1 of the Series

This is my stop during the blog tour for Amanda Lester and the Blue Peacocks' Secret by Paula Berinstein. This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The blog tour runs from 18 April till 1 May, you can view the complete tour schedule on the website of Lola’s Blog Tours.

So far this series contains 4 books: Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy (Amanda Lester, Detective #1), Amanda Lester and the Orange Crystal Crisis (Amanda Lester, Detective #2), Amanda Lester and the Purple Rainbow Puzzle (Amanda Lester, Detective #3) and Amanda Lester and the Blue Peacocks' Secret (Amanda Lester, Detective #4). You can get the first book in the series for only 0.99$ at amazon.

For my stop, I had the pleasure of reviewing Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy, the first book in the Amanda Lester series. Read on to find out what I thought of it.


Amanda Lester and the Blue Peacocks’ Secret (Amanda Lester, Detective #4)
by Paula Berinstein
Genre: Mystery/ Detective/ Fantasy
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: March 31, 2016

Blurb:
What does a dusty old secret have to do with peacocks?

Everything, as it turns out. When Amanda is knocked off her skateboard by a rare all-blue peacock, she learns that the species harbors a vital secret she must race to uncover. But before she can unravel the mystery, a startling archaeological discovery turns all of Britain against the detectives and threatens their very existence.

As old enemies gather strength and new adversaries emerge, Amanda finds herself dealing with hysterical teachers, a disappearing mentor, a mysterious poisoner, and a would-be magician. With so much at stake and so little time, the last thing she needs is to fall in love.

You can find Amanda Lester and the Blue Peacocks’ Secret on Goodreads

You can buy Amanda Lester and the Blue Peacocks’ Secret here:
- Amazon



Earlier Books in this series Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy (Amanda Lester, Detective #1)
by Paula Berinstein
Genre: Mystery/ Detective/ Fantasy
Age category: Middle Grade
Release Date: May, 2015

Blurb:
A reluctant detective, a criminal mastermind, and . . . sugar?

Amanda Lester wouldn’t be caught dead going into the family business. Her ancestor, Sherlock Holmes’s colleague Inspector G. Lestrade, is a twit. Nevertheless her parents refuse to see his flaws, and she’s going to a secret English school for the descendants of famous detectives whether she likes it or not.

When Amanda arrives at the dreaded school, she considers running away—until she and her new friends discover blood and weird pink substances in odd places. At first they’re not sure whether these seeming clues mean anything, but when Amanda’s father disappears and the cook is found dead with her head in a bag of sugar, they’re certain that crimes are taking place.

Now Amanda must embrace her destiny and uncover the truth. The only snag is that arch-villain Blixus Moriarty, a descendant of Holmes’s nemesis Professor James Moriarty, might be involved, and he doesn’t like nosy little girls interfering in his business.

My Review:
Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy features the hijinks of Amanda Lester, an avid filmmaker who’s been enrolled in a secret school for the descendants of famous detectives. Still, Amanda’s having none of it until some very strange things start to happen and she and her new friends get caught up in figuring it all out.

I thought this was a lovely story. Set in the UK at a private school, a secret one, it was reminiscent of Harry Potter, but instead of focusing on magic, it focuses on detective work, forensics, and sleuthing in general. Unlike Harry, though, Amanda doesn’t want to be a part of her school, holding close a desire to be a famous filmmaker against the wishes of her parents, and it doesn’t help that she considers the man she’s descended from to be a joke.
 
I thought the cast of kids that make up Amanda’s circle of friends were well done and entertaining. There’s just enough drama, puppy love, and special skills between the lot of them to draw in a young reader. There’s also a good bit of danger even though the story revolves around a sugar-based conspiracy. Nothing sweet about it. And, I must say I love the gluppy things. Read the story to find out what those are.

As for quality, this book is very well put together and edited. The pacing is engaging and draws the reader along quite well, even for a longer book. After the story, there’s a listing of famous sleuths, both fictional and real, and their claims to fame as well as a list of book club questions for young readers. I think the listing of class descriptions and other information about the school might have been better at the end with the other things because, while interesting, they went on for quite a while, and to me, the important stuff seemed to be pretty well described in the book.

Overall, I loved this story and would recommend it to those who love middle-grade stories, particularly tweens and tweens at heart. The detective theming throughout is sometimes corny, but in a good way.

You can find Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy on Goodreads

You can buy Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy here for only 0.99$:
- Amazon
- Amazon Paperback
- Barnes & Noble



Amanda Lester and the Orange Crystal Crisis (Amanda Lester, Detective #2)
By Paula Berinstein
Genre: Mystery/ Detective/ Fantasy
Age category: Middle Grade
Release Date: September 15, 2015

Blurb:
If only Sherlock Holmes's great-great-grandson weren't such a dork . . .

There’s a new student at the Legatum Continuatum School for the Descendants of Famous Detectives and Amanda is supposed to work with him. Scapulus Holmes is a descendant of the great Sherlock and he’s crazy about her. Unfortunately she thinks he’s a dork and would rather die than have anything to do with him.

But when the kids discover a dead body encrusted with strange living crystals, Amanda realizes she needs Holmes’s help. If the crystals fall into the wrong hands they could be used for nefarious purposes, and only he knows how to protect them.

Can the detectives keep the bad guys from learning the crystals' secrets? It would help if they could figure out who the dead body is too. Only if Amanda and Holmes can find a way to work together can they prevent a disaster, and it isn’t looking good

You can find Amanda Lester and the Orange Crystal Crisis on Goodreads

You can buy Amanda Lester and the Orange Crystal Crisis here:
- Amazon
- Amazon Paperback
- Barnes & Noble

Amanda Lester and the Purple Rainbow Puzzle (Amanda Lester, Detective #3)
By Paula Berinstein
Genre: Mystery/ Detective/ Fantasy
Age category: Middle Grade
Release Date: November 15, 2015

Blurb:
Purple rainbows, a mysterious crypt, and pots of gold . . .

Things are not going well for Amanda and the secret detective school. A priceless artifact has disappeared, a dangerous hacker is manipulating matter, and zombies are being seen all over the Lake District.

Then the real trouble starts. When her cousins go missing and her friend Clive is kidnapped, Amanda is forced to turn to someone she’d rather not deal with: her old boyfriend Scapulus Holmes. But then he vanishes too. Now’s she’s sure that arch-villain Blixus Moriarty is involved . . . or is he?

You can find Amanda Lester and the Purple Rainbow Puzzle on Goodreads

You can buy Amanda Lester and the Purple Rainbow Puzzle here:
- Amazon
- Amazon Paperback

About the Author:
Paula Berinstein is nothing like Amanda. For one thing, she’s crazy about Sherlock Holmes. For another, she’s never wanted to be a filmmaker. In addition, compared to Amanda she’s a big chicken! And she wouldn’t mind going to a secret school at all. In fact, she’s hoping that some day she’ll get to build one.

You can find and contact Paula here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Paula's blog on Goodreads
- The Writing Show podcasts
- Newsletter

There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Amanda Lester and the Blue Peacocks’ Secret. Open International. These are the prizes you can win:
- a Kindle Paperwhite
- A physical copy of all four Amanda Lester books by Paula Berinstein
- 2 physical copies from Paula Berinstein her books, winner's choice

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
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Cover Reveal: Scepter of Fire by Vicki L. Weavil

Today Vicki L. Weavil and Month9Books are revealing the cover for SCEPTER OF FIRE, a companion novel in the CROWN OF ICE Series! Which releases October 18, 2016! Check out the gorgeous cover and enter to be one of the first readers to receive an eGalley!!

Here’s a message from the author.

Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Ugly Duckling” and “The Steadfast Tin Soldier,” SCEPTER OF FIRE is a companion book to CROWN OF ICE, my retelling of “The Snow Queen.” It takes place a few years later, in the midst of an invasion by a power-mad foreign emperor, and includes most of the characters from CROWN OF ICE.

However the protagonist in SCEPTER OF FIRE is someone new—17yo Varna Lund, an ugly duckling among swans, who’s certain her destiny lies in taking on the mantle of village healer after the death of her aged mentor. But when a young soldier enlists her aid to care for his injured friend, Varna and her sister, Gerda, are catapulted into the war that has engulfed their country.

Forced to flee enemy troops with her sister and the two soldiers, Varna must also evade her mentor, Sten Rask—revealed to be a powerful mage seeking the enchanted mirror hidden by a former Snow Queen.

To protect the mirror, and their country, Varna, Gerda, and the soldiers join forces with a sorceress, an enchanted reindeer, a brilliant scholar, and a young woman traveling with a wolf. But Varna faces a terrible temptation. Promised beauty and power by the devilishly handsome Rask, she must choose—achieve her own desires, or protect a society that has never embraced her.

The Cover:

I love how this cover matches the cover of CROWN OF ICE, and yet is different enough to set the books apart. Both feature striking young women, but whereas CROWN is glazed with icy blue tones, SCEPTER is saturated with reds, golds and other fiery hues. If you look closely, you can even see flames reflected in the girl’s eyes—very appropriate for a book that deals with sorcerers who wield fire. Although the cover model is not an “ugly duckling,” she does accurately reflect the protagonist during one portion of the book, which I will not reveal at this point due to “spoilers”! 

Title: SCEPTER OF FIRE

Author: Vicki L. Weavil

Pub. Date: October 18, 2016

Publisher: Month9Books

Format: Paperback & eBook

Find it: Amazon | B&N | TBD |Goodreads

Sharp as pine needles, and twice as bitter, seventeen-year-old Varna Lund’s determined to become a healer. At least patients don’t care about her looks, unlike the young men who spurn

her for eighteen-year-old Gerda or even her younger sisters. An ugly duckling among swans,

Varna hopes to bury her passionate nature in useful work.

Her healing skills are put to the test when Varna encounters Erik Stahl, a young soldier who’s

deserted the battlefield to carry his injured friend, Anders Nygaard, to safety. Varna, enlisting the

aid of Gerda, cares for Anders in secret.

But a brutal betrayal catapults the four young people into life on the run, where Varna discovers

her old mentor is actually a powerful wizard. Seeking the enchanted mirror hidden by a former

Snow Queen, the wizard hopes to use Gerda as a pawn in his plan to aid the invading emperor.

Other forces ally against the wizard, including an auburn-haired sorceress, an enchanted

reindeer, a brilliant scholar, and a young woman traveling with a wolf. Along with the soldiers

and Gerda, they vow to prevent the mirror from falling into enemy hands. But tempted with promises of beauty and power from her now devilishly handsome mentor, Varna must choose

between her own desires and the good of a society that’s never embraced her.

Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Ugly Duckling” and “The Steadfast Tin Soldier”,

SCEPTER OF FIRE is a companion book to CROWN OF ICE.

Vicki L. Weavil was raised in a farming community in Virginia, where her life was shaped by a wonderful family, the culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and an obsession with reading. She holds a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Virginia, a Masters in Library Science from Indiana University, and a Masters in Liberal Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. After working as a librarian at the NY Public Library at Lincoln Center, and the Museum of Television & Radio (now the Paley Center for Media) in NYC, she is currently the Director for Library Services at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Vicki loves good writing in any genre, and has been known to read seven books in as many days. She enjoys travel, gardening, and the arts. Vicki lives in North Carolina with her husband and some very spoiled cats. A member of SCBWI, Vicki is represented by Fran Black at Literary Counsel, NY, NY.

Where you can find Vicki: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr

1 winner will receive an eBook of CROWN OF ICE & an eGalley of SCEPTER OF FIRE (when available), International.

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Review of Historical Memoir: Night by Elie Wiesel

Night by Elie Wiesel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Night is a personal account by the author of his experiences during the Holocaust. His village was far from the worst of things, sheltered and apart from the growing horrors. No one in the community believed the one man who had witnessed their fate and come back to warn them.

Elie recounts everything from being confined in a ghetto in his home town, to being processed at Birkenau, the reception center for Auschwitz, to being used for work, to the final march ahead of the Russian forces, to his father, to the final image of himself, little more than a corpse, looking back at him through a mirror. The story spans his fourteenth and fifteenth years.

This book, wow. My heart hurts. That this could happen, did happen, is beyond tragic. Survival, shattered faith, loss, suffering. And his father, so close! I feel like crying.

I borrowed the trilogy from the library, but I don't know if I have the heart to keep reading the others. I need to think about it.

View all my reviews

Clean Reads YA Book Blitz and Giveaway: Landry in Like by Krysten Lindsay Hager

This is my stop during the book blitz for Landry in Like by Krysten Lindsay Hager. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 18 till 24 April, you can view the complete blitz schedule on the website of Lola’s Blog Tours.

Series Info: The Landry's True Colors Series is a clean reads young adult humor series about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, middle school and high school, frenemies, crushes, and self-image. It’s a clean reads book so it’s suitable for ages 10 and up.

So far this series contains 3 books: True Colors (Landry's True Colors #1) and Best Friends... Forever? (Landry's True Colors #2) and Landry in Like (Landry's True Colors #3)


Landry in Like (Landry's True Colors #3)
By Krysten Lindsay Hager
Genre: Contemporary
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: January 13, 2016

Blurb:
Things seem to be going well in Landry Albright’s world—she’s getting invited to be on local talk shows to talk about her modeling career, her best friends have her back, and her boyfriend Vladi has becoming someone she can truly count on…and then everything changes.
Suddenly it seems like most of the girls in school are into hanging out at a new teen dance club, while Landry just wants to spend her weekends playing video games and baking cupcakes at sleepovers. Then, Yasmin McCarty, the most popular girl in school, starts to come between Landry’s friendship with Ashanti. Things take a turn when Yasmin tells Vladi that Landry is interested in another boy. Can Landry get her relationships with Ashanti and Vladi back or will she be left out and left behind?

Review: Graffiti by Joanie Pariera

Graffiti by Joanie Pariera
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Description:

"Dealing With Personal Freedom In A Changing Global India"

 

Told partly in first person, GRAFFITI is a humorous look at how people fall short of the expectations we have of them, dealing with friends or acquaintances enduring bereavement or similar tragic events. It is the story of Vipin, an Indian techie working in the USA, as he tries to cope with death of his wife. His few friends and colleagues offer little solace, but not for lack of trying. In fact, their well-meaning attempts are a constant source of frustration for Vipin.

Meanwhile he meets Rene, who while on an assignment from Bangalore, almost magically transforms his life. However Rene, a flighty, somewhat silly techie herself, has baggage of her own as Vipin soon realizes. They come in all shapes and sizes. There is Agni, Rene's ex, Mark, a distant shadow and a formidable contender, and a 'BFF' Upasana (Upi), who unwittingly adds to the confusion. Not that Vipin ever acknowledges he's actually interested in Rene in that special way, but by the time he is ready to do that, doing his own ‘growing-up’, will it be too late?

In an “All’s ‘as best as it can be’ that ends ‘somewhat’ well” tale, Graffiti, explores the raw emotions that the characters go through while being only partially aware that they don’t exist in a vacuum.  

 

My Review:
So, Graffiti is quite a different read, but a very good one.

I’m always a bit wary when a book’s description (in this case, the one on Goodreads) claims it is funny, but this time it was correct. It took a bit to get to the funny stuff, as it had to get through some of Vipin’s sorrow and guilt and set the stage for the other characters who feature heavily in the story. It also starts off a bit flowery and choppy, with some rather generously applied commas, but I think that perhaps this was on purpose to highlight how broken Vipin was because it smooths out considerably in later chapters.

The whole thing is told from various perspectives, though only Vipin’s portions are told in the first person. That made it just a wee bit difficult to pick out whom the main characters were at first, but that becomes obvious soon enough as the same ones keep coming up. I actually found myself rooting for Rene the most, followed by sympathizing/empathizing with Mark and wondering how Vipin would get straightened out.

Then that movie star. Oh man, and the whole debacle around all that. I can’t say anything but that this was where it got really funny. Only thing is that I’m still not exactly sure how it ends with him. The words that reveal it could be taken one of two ways, and I do have a preference in how to interpret them, though I suspect that wasn’t the intent. I can’t, however, give any more details.

Anyhow, I figured I’d give this book a shot and I’m glad I did. It’s a very fascinating read that really delves into Indian social norms clashing with modern expectations and all the trouble that causes those trying to find their way through it all. I loved how this is woven into an enjoyable story, just making the world seem a bit smaller and a bit larger, all at once.

I loved this story and would totally recommend it to folks who dig a unique romantic comedy mixed with some deeper content. It’s geared towards adult readers, but despite some grownup language, concepts and situations, I’d call this a rather clean read.

I received a copy of this book from the author in order to provide an honest, non-reciprocal review.

View all my reviews

Blog Stop and Cozy Mystery Review: The Daydreamer Detective by SJ Pajonas

 

This is my stop during the blog tour for The Daydreamer Detective by SJ Pajonas. This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The blog tour runs from 4 till 8 April, you can view the complete tour schedule on the website of Lola’s Blog Tours.

The Daydreamer Detective (Miso Cozy Mysteries #1)
By SJ Pajonas
Genre: Mystery/ Cozy Mystery
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 31 march 2016

Blurb:
Luck? Forget it. Mei Yamagawa is fresh out of it. She's just been downsized from her 3rd job in five years and her bank account is dry. Now, to keep her head above water, she must leave Tokyo and move back to her rural Japanese hometown. And there's nothing worse than having to face your old rivals and ex-boyfriends as a failure while starting life over as a farm girl.

But when her best friend's father is murdered, and her best friend is named the main suspect, Mei turns her daydreaming ways towards solving the crime. Between dates disguised as lunches with the town's hottest bachelor chef, searching for clues, and harvesting sweet potatoes, Mei has a lot of non-paying work cut out for her.

Will she catch the killer before her bad luck turns worse? Or will she fry in the fire with the rest of her dreams of success?

My Review:

The Daydreamer Detective is a sweet and wonderful story. As a cozy mystery, the story features a young, amateur sleuth, Mei, who has found herself back in her hometown trying to resolve herself against her failed attempt at life in the big city. But she isn’t there long at all until her best friend’s father is found dead and her friend is implicated as a possible suspect. Add to the mix a handsome chef and a matchmaking mom, and there you have it.

What I love most about this story is the attention to detail and the way the story delves into Japanese life in a natural way. The characters seem real, the places, too. Everything is brought together so that you feel like you’re there, with just enough information upfront and sprinkled in so that you understand how the culture feeds into the motivations, interactions, and everyday lives of those portrayed in the story. It makes the world seem a smaller place and made me feel a kinship with the characters.

Another thing I love, and I think this is a necessary characteristic of a cozy mystery, is the way the story unfolds in a way that just feels right. The pace is steady and pleasant, but engaging all the same. The mystery is almost second place to Mei trying to adjust to her new life, at least until nearly the end when it gets rather exciting, and the romance is sweet.

I suppose the only downside is that Mei is too hard on herself. At times, she seems stuck, like a record player on a bad spot, reliving her insecurities and past failures, despite all the support and reassurance of her friends and family.

Overall, I loved this story. I think fans of cozy mysteries and light romance will like it, and though it’s longer than others I’ve read, I thought the length was a plus. It let everything unfold in an unhurried and organic fashion and just let me enjoy the progression over a few days. It’s a great book to snuggle up with

I received the review copy of this book from the author so that I could write a review for this stop. Hope you enjoyed it.

You can find The Daydreamer Detective on Goodreads.

You can buy The Daydreamer Detective here:
- Amazon
- B&N
- Kobo
- iBooks

 

 

 

About the Author:
Stephanie (S. J.) is a writer, knitter, amateur astrologer, Capricorn, and Japanophile. She loves foxes, owls, sushi, yoga pants, Evernote, and black tea. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing or spending time outside, unless it’s winter. She hates winter. Someday she’ll own a house in both hemispheres so she can avoid the season entirely. She’s a mom to two great kids and lives with her husband and family outside NYC. They have no pets. Yet. When it comes to her work, expect the unexpected. She doesn’t write anything typical. Find her online at http://www.spajonas.com.

You can find and contact SJ Pajonas here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Tumblr
- Instagram
- Youtube
- Wattpad
- Amazon


There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of The Daydreamer. There will be two winners:
- One US Resident will win: One paperback copy of Adult Coloring Book Japan, One Signed Copy of The Daydreamer Detective, One signed copy of Removed, and a surprise flavor of Pocky!
- One International Resident will win: One ebook copy of The Daydreamer Detective, One ebook copy of Removed, and One ebook of each Rice Cooker Revenge, Washing Statue Wanderlust, and Mamachari Matchmaker

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
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Weekend Update: Upcoming Reviews, Driving Lessons and Editing

So, what am I up to this weekend?

First off, I'm writing some reviews. I have one down and one to go. I've written the review of Cargo by Jen Castleberry, and next up is Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy by Paula Berinstein. Cargo's a YA scifi dystopian and the Amanda Lester book is a middle schooler and up detective story that reminds me of Harry Potter.

And then it's back to reading Saven: Disclosure by Siobhan Davis. She's a somewhat new author, but I haven't found a book of hers I haven't liked. The book's coming out soonish, maybe in a month? Anyhow, it's pretty exciting.

I'm also planning to give my son some more driving lessons. The first couple were actually pretty fun, which surprised me, so I'm looking forward to that.

And, wow, some huge news I almost forgot to mention. I finished up my editing job for The World of Myth series by Travis Bughi, and now I don't know what I'm going to do with myself though I'm sure I'll figure it out.

Anyhow, check out the books and maybe pick them up.  I can say they're awesome reads, considering I've read each one at least four times and they managed to stay exciting and engaging on each read. Epic fantasy that's great for a reading over and over, perfect.

And, here they are. World of Myth books 1-6, written by Travis Bughi, edited by Patricia Hamill, and cover art by Jack Baker.



Beyond the Plains (World of Myth #1)



 

The Forest of Angor (World of Myth #2)

 



The Fall of Lucifan (World of Myth #3)



 

Journey to Savara (World of Myth #4)

 

Juatwa (World of Myth #5)

 

A Legend Ascends (World of Myth #6)

 

Emily's Saga (World of Myth Books 1-6)

 

 

Well, I'd better get back to it. Time to write one more review and then brace myself for another driving lesson. Wish me luck and let me know what you think of the World of Myth series. I'd love to see it take off.