SHE'S STILL HERE: A Book Review by Guest Blogger, Josie Murdock

REVIEW OF SHE'S STILL HERE by Caitlin Alexander

Twenty years ago, Ravendale Middle school caught fire and Jane Wright was lost forever. No one ever found out how the fire was started, leaving Jane’s ghost to wonder about the mystery of her death. Was it really an accident? Would she ever find the person who started it so she could finally be at peace and cease haunting the school grounds?

 

Middle-schooler, Kate Sablousky, moves to the town of Ravendale and discovers she has inherited her Jewish grandmother’s ability to see ghosts when she makes friends with a strange girl at school who no one else can see. Can Kate help her new ghostly friend find the answer to the mystery behind her death? 

 

 

I felt heartbroken, and I’d only just met Jane.

Well, would I even call it that? 

We couldn’t have met because she couldn’t be real. My stomach churned, picturing her poor mother and father with no real answers about what led to their daughter’s death. 

I’d never believed in the concept of closure. I probably didn’t have real “closure” from the fact my dad left Mom and me, but I’d learned to find peace with it. I doubted the Wrights had been able to find that peace. (p.46)

 

I enjoyed the fast-paced writing style and description of details. Even though the story carries with it some very heavy and sad themes, I liked that it had a satisfying conclusion that brings the plot all together. In horror stories, the main characters seem to always get themselves into terrible situations because of their own stupidity; but Kate was aware of danger which was refreshing to have a clever character who had a sense of self-preservation. 

 

As a Christian, I personally don’t enjoy stories where they fantasize the afterlife or use it as a concept for world building. Since the story was set in our world, that made the extra afterlife process feel strange to me. 

 

At one point in the story Jane tells Kate:

 

… “maybe you could help me. I’m stuck here. I can’t… pass on.”

… “And yes, I need your help,” Jane continued. A moment of silence made her plea all the more terrifying before she resumed. 

“I don’t know why I died.” (p.52) 

 

In the story Jane cannot rest in peace until she has solved the mystery behind her death, which  was also symbolic of the way grief can hold you hostage and unable to move forward. Even though I personally don’t like afterlife concept stories, it gave me a good opportunity to talk with my family about worldviews in stories, and how to view ghosts stories and hauntings.

 

Life’s not just the here and now. 

Tears welled in my eyes. I’d misunderstood Bubbe’s saying all this time. She was trying to prepare me. In case I was like her. In case I ever saw people like Jane. (p. 47)

RECOMMENDATION

 

I recommend this middle-grade book by Caitlin Alexander for anyone who loves a quick-read book series and enjoys scary mysteries. 

On the Monarch site, they have book ratings which is super helpful for knowing what exactly is in a book, I recommend checking it out as it would be informative and help you decide if the book is for you. 

 

Who knows? Maybe Jane will capture your interest and you can solve the mystery along with Kate and her ghostly friend. 

 

I returned Jane’s smile. She didn’t strike me as much of a rulebreaker, but she knew the school better than I did. I wanted to know more about her. (p.33)

Josie Murdock is 12 years old and lives with her family on a research farm in South Carolina.  She is homeschooled and loves reading, drawing, and foxes. Her last book review was here. 

Congratulations to Rebecca Wheeler who won THOMAS JEFFERSON'S BATTLE FOR SCIENCE.

BEN AND SCOUT: A Review by Guest Blogger, Janelle Ekpo

REVIEW

Ben and Scout by Denise Minnerly is the story of two dogs that are best friends and are always together, despite the greatest olds. It is a story about loss written for young children. 

Ben is old and sick. Scout is young and has only a superficial understanding of Ben’s condition, so when Ben dies, Scout struggles with great loss. Will he ever see his best friend again? Is Scout all alone? In the story, Scout struggles with depression and anxiety: he eats less, and he begins to shed a lot. Then Scout starts having dreams about Ben. In them, Ben says that he will always be with him, and this encourages Scout. Soon his hair grows back - the same color as Ben’s hair was. And he sees it as a confirmation that Ben is still in his heart.

Loss is real. Anxiety and depression - the after-effects of loss - are also very real. Ben and Scout does a nice job of introducing young children to these difficult concepts. The illustrations are also well-done and fun. They are simple and reinforce the ideas in the book.

Denise with her rescue darling, Scout. Check out the color

variation on Scout's back. Scout lost his hair in grief over Ben's passing. 

But when it grew back, it was Ben's color!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Ben & Scout is inspired by Denise’s pets and their enduring love for one another. It’s so painful to lose a pet we cherish and books that discuss these topics can become part of the healing process. This book is serving an animal rescue project, Pilots to the Rescue. Forty percent of the total book sales will be donated to helping rescues find their forever home.

ABOUT JANELLE EKPO

I’m a sophomore from South Carolina who is passionate about Christian fantasy, realistic fiction, and writing. I often help students with their papers and write book reviews to encourage people to read quality books. I’m working on growing my personal library!

DO YOU WANT TO BE AN ARC READER?

If you are interested in being an ARC (ARC = advanced reader copy) reader like Janelle, then I have books for you! My publisher, Monarch Educational Services, invites you to read their K-12 clean-reads books before they come out. If you feel that the books merit it (and we hope you do!) they ask that you post your positive review on Goodreads and Barnes & Noble. Save the review and when the book is published you can share it on Amazon too. 

Interested? Go to https://bit.ly/ARCMONARCH to sign up!

THE CONJURER'S CURSE: A YA/Upper MG Book Review by Georgie Bartlett

REVIEW

The Conjurer’s Curse (Monarch: 2022) by Stephanie Cotta is an epic fantasy set in the fictional world of Mestria. We follow seventeen-year-old Rowan as he struggles with his history and searches for answers.  

Rowan is an outsider in his village. For the thirteen years since his arrival to Karahvel, his albino skin and unusual marking on his neck have caused him to be viewed as cursed by the superstitious villagers. His “curse,” however, is evidenced by the mysterious deaths of his three previous guardian mothers; beginning with the first woman who took him in after his birth mother abandoned him. Even Rowan begins to worry that the rumors are true, and when his fourth guardian mother suddenly passes, Rowan is banished from his village. He must embark on a long journey to discover who cursed him and defeat them before his curse has the chance to kill anyone else.  

  

I am relatively new to reading fantasy, and this book was a wonderful introduction to the genre. What first struck me about The Conjurer’s Curse was the unique concept. I was immediately interested in seeing how things would play out, and it kept me on the edge of my seat. The worldbuilding and realistic, fictitious geography made Mestria intricate and well thought out. As Rowan struggles to find where he belongs, you are taken on an adventure through multiple landscapes. This includes a trip across the sea, through the jungle, and into the mountains of The Iron Kingdom. 

 

Rowan’s story is an exciting and heartbreaking one yet filled with hope, and within the first chapter, he is on his journey. Many beautiful and important lessons can be learned from reading The Conjurer’s Curse, such as not judging others unfairly and the importance of community and friendship.  

 

I believe everyone can relate in some way to Rowan’s feeling like an outsider. “Outsider. Rowan hated that word. All his life, he heard it whispered as a reminder of how different he was from everyone in Karahvel.” 

 

On top of that, every character has realistic struggles, making them relatable. I flew through this book and was sad when the adventure was over. I immediately wanted more. I can’t wait to read the upcoming books in the IRON KINGDOM series! I would recommend The Conjurer’s Curse to any fantasy fan, or anyone in search of a gripping story with a strong plot and strong characters.  

THE NEXT BOOK IS OUT!

After you read The Conjurer's Curse you're going to want to find out Rowan's next adventures. New from Monarch Publishing, here is Book Two in The Kingdom Series: The Wraiths of Arjun.

GIVEAWAY

Monarch is giving away an E-book copy of The Conjurer's Curse to one fortunate winner! Leave me your name in the comments along with your email address if you are new to my blog. A winner will be drawn on January 10. 

Georgie Bartlett is a teen living in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina with her family and two mischievous rescue dogs. She enjoys writing, crocheting, journaling, gardening, playing the drums, and above all, reading. 

Q & A with the Author & the Illustrator of THE MEMORY QUILT + A Teen Review + A Giveaway

To follow up on Georgie Bartlett's review of THE MEMORY QUILT, (Monarch Educational Services, 2024) here are author and illustrator interviews, a teen review, PLUS more!

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR LORI KEATING

CAROL: What were your hopes for this The Memory Quilt?

LORI:  I see The Memory Quilt as a catalyst that sparks deep conversations about death with children. My hope is that it will engulf them in a world where vivid colors interweave, where soft whispers and tearful laughter coexist harmoniously. Along this journey, they will experience the bittersweet fragrance of memories lingering in the air and feel the comforting warmth and hope that can emerge from the depths of grief.

CAROL: What was your inspiration for writing The Memory Quilt?

LORI: During a dinner with friends, we heard about their son's passing and how his brother repurposed his clothes as memory quilts for the family, which he gave as Christmas presents. This touching story stayed with me for years until I finally wrote The Memory Quilt. 

CAROL: Did you know of a young child who died?

LORI: Sadly, I have known multiple children who have passed away at very young ages.

CAROL: Why did you not mention why Jason died?

LORI: To connect with individuals who have experienced the loss of a child, I deliberately omitted Jason's cause of death. Regardless of the circumstances, grief is a universal experience that we must all navigate.

CAROL: Are the children based on anyone you know?

LORI: Grace and Jason are inspired by children who have gone through a difficult experience of loss. However, the two characters are not based on any specific individuals.

CAROL: Can you tell us about your publishing journey? How long did you work on it and how did you find Monarch?

LORI: It took several revisions and ample feedback from critique partners before The Memory Quilt was ready for submission. It wasn't my first attempt at breaking into the publishing industry. It all began with my debut novel, Butterfly Ink, which is scheduled for release in June 2024. Despite facing initial rejections from various agents, I finally discovered Monarch Press through a fellow critique partner who had recently signed with them. After submitting my manuscript, Jen Lowry, the publisher requested a full manuscript and then offered me a publication deal. Two months later, I found out that Jen was starting a new imprint, Caterpillar Books, which specializes in picture and chapter books. After I submitted several stories, Jen ultimately selected The Memory Quilt.

Becoming the first Caterpillar author is an exceptional honor, and the journey of collaborating alongside Jen has been an incredible privilege.

CAROL: What was your experience working with the Alyssa?

LORI: Alyssa is a skilled digital artist and a joy to work with. She even conceived the cover idea that portrays Grace reminiscing about her moments with Jason, clutching the quilt. Her stunning illustrations brought the story to life.

CAROL: How did your Christian faith influence this story?

LORI: My faith plays a significant role in shaping the stories I create. All my stories are designed to meet the needs of children, whether it's to help them deal with grief, provide a moment of levity, impart new knowledge, or allow them to see themselves in a story that relates specifically to their unique experiences.

                                    🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

INTERVIEW WITH ILLUSTRATOR ALYSSA GRIZENKO

CAROL: Can you describe the process of creating the illustrations?

ALYSSA: I created the illustrations from both the written words of the story and from some notes that Lori had written about how she imagined the scene. Then I worked up the rough drafts and began the process of completing full illustrations for each page. Sometimes I would have a different idea for a scene than what was written in Lori's illustration notes, so I would run the idea by Lori to see which direction the illustration should go.

CAROL: Was the subject matter personal to you or difficult in any way?

ALYSSA: I loved the concept of a memory quilt to celebrate and remember the life of a loved one. My grandma was a quilter and I found myself thinking of her as I worked on the illustrations.

CAROL: As you worked on the illustrations, what were your hopes for the children who will read this book?

ALYSSA: My hope is that children experiencing loss would recognize that they are not alone in their grief. One of my favorite parts of Lori's story is that Grace's mom actively helps her daughter to process these painful emotions.

A TEEN REVIEW

The Memory Quilt is a story about loss.

We live in an age where loss, hurt, war, and general inhumanity are prevalent and on the rise. Because of this, wouldn’t it be wise to acquaint children - the next generation - with these weighty topics? We want them to be prepared.

Lori Keating’s book puts forth the topics of death and loss gently in the character Grace, who makes a quilt out of her deceased friend Jason’s old clothes. She makes the quilt as a gift for his grieving parents.

As Grace makes the quilt, she’s forced to remember the times she had with him, which makes her sad, but she learns to look to the future with hope and joy (giving the gift to his parents).

Overall, the illustrations fit nicely with the book. They are clear and easy to understand and support the story. Thank you, Lori Keating for this book! -Janelle Ekpo

THE TRAILER 

THE GIVEAWAY

If you are interested in winning this book, please leave a comment by December 18 along with your email address if you are new to my blog. If you share this on social media or sign up for my blog, I'll give you an extra chance to win. U.S. addresses only.

Congratulations to Gail Hurlburt who won The Double Crossing from my last giveaway.