This is the first book in the Sands of Achten Tan series. This volume primarily focuses on Mila, a young gnome who is struggling to unlock both her magic and her voice. After failing to ascend to misra for the fourth time, Mila agrees to journey to Achten Tan to train under Gerwyn, an eccentric old gnome with questionable methods. Mila is desperate to ascend to the second level of her training so that she can finally regain her voice and unlock the full potential of her powers, so she agrees to what could be her final attempt to begin reaching her full potential.
Thirteen year old Gittel Borenstein is part of a Jewish family that emigrated from Eastern Europe because of a pogrom to Mill Creek, Wisconsin with 12 other Jewish families. The book focuses on various events in Gittel’s young life such as bullying from antisemitic classmates, conflicts with her more traditional Orthodox family, a budding romance with a local boy, and her participation in a Chautauqua, which is a social, influential, and inspirational program that focuses on the arts and is often held in rural areas like in Mill Creek.
Mila, a mute cavern gnome, goes through a test to be considered worthy to study magic. After she fails the test, her mentor, Nora, sends her to the desert world of Achten Tan to study magic under Gerwyn, a wise and powerful witch. While in Achten Tan, Mila finds romance and friendship, becomes involved in a power struggle against the despotic Bone Chief Opu Haku, and discovers her strength and voice.
A Broken Reflection is best classified as a domestic thriller. The story revolves around Claire and Stephen, wife and husband who are approaching their 10th wedding anniversary. Shortly before their anniversary, however, things are not great between the couple, obvious from how the story begins and Claire flashes back to previous moments. It isn’t long before the reader learns of Stephen’s infidelity, and the reader gets a deeper insight into Claire and her mental health.
The story begins on the Mayflower coming to the Americas in 1620. The ship lands in a place only inhabited by Native Americans instead of Jamestown, their original intended landing location. Jamestown was already established and was gaining interest of settlers from England. The main character, Sarah Bailey, and her husband, along with other settlers decide to build their own plantation called Plimouth.
This fun comic-book picture book documents Ruth Bader Ginsburg's life and accomplishments from her childhood to her time as a Supreme Court Justice. The book discusses why Ruth decided to become a lawyer and fight for women's rights. Her life was filled with examples of creating ripples of change so that other women after her could benefit and create even more changes toward equality.
Anax by Keren Ouliel is the first book in The Order Series, an urban fantasy where Greek mythology and modern life collide. Naya Tellus is an environmental journalist who believes that natural disasters might not be as natural as we think. She believes that someone or something is intentionally causing these things as a way for the earth to rebel against its treatment by the humans. Though most people would write her off as crazy, the mysterious Joshua Adams, a seismologist, agrees with her and wants Naya to come work for him.
Florenda is so excited! She has found out that her school is offering a new class next year: band. She is surrounded by support, but unfortunately, she is not so lucky on all fronts. It seems that students will have to purchase their own instrument in order to join the school’s band program. Instruments are expensive. While encouragement envelopes Florenda, money for extra items, like an instrument of her own, is not abundant.
This was a powerful tale about Esperanza, the daughter of a rebel father and her journey to truth. Conflicted with being true to the Branch of Thomas, the cult in which she is a part of, she must come to terms with her beliefs. This cult is lead by the Reverant Father who has imparted his own beliefs on the community. Her own sister Xochi joins a resistance group against the cult and opens Esperanza’s eyes to some of the questionable actions happening inside the community where she resides.
This book as the title suggests is about M.C. Ryder’s journey through creating and publicizing her books and short stories. She writes about the learning process of putting yourself out there with a book and finding your worth through yourself rather than reviews. This author’s books have been a piece of her which she thoroughly researched prior to writing and felt the feelings of her characters. Her books have been awarded through various platforms and she explains the long road and often random ways she found these accolades.
