Saturday 22 March 2014

Radio Interview/Book Review by Renee Hand

Re-post from The Crypto-Capers Series Blog Spot, Renee Hand.  



Interview with Diane Robinson for The Pen Pieyu Adventures 

Come and join me as I talk with author Diane Mae Robinson about her picture/chapter book Sir Princess Petra's Talent on Stories From Unknown Authors 
Radio interview here: 
https://player.cinchcast.com/?show_id=6061273&platformId=1&assetType=single

Book Summary:

Sir Princess Petra has already proven she is a kind and noble knight. This, however, does not please the king and queen--they want her to behave like a princess and forget this silly knight nonsense of hers!

  • Paperback: 92 pages
  • Publisher: Tate Publishing (September 24, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1625106823
  • ISBN-13: 978-1625106827
Renee's Review:

Sir Princess Petra's Talent is a wonderfully inspiring story of acceptance and friendship. Children of all ages are going to love the author's humor as she shows how Petra's determination, acceptance of others, and kindness change a kingdom and break the rules of the closed mind thinkers. Petra as a knight is a unique and lively character that will assuredly capture the hearts of many.

Dragon books for children 
http://www.dragonsbook.com

Friday 14 March 2014

Book Review: Elven Jewel


Elven Jewel by Kasper Beaumont
book 1

Cover paintings by Scott Patterson and Mae Mai Bidlake

  • Series: Hunters of Reloria
  • Paperback: 322 pages
  • Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 24, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-13: 978-1491294376



Book synopsis:  This fantasy adventure begins when the magical continent of Reloria is threatened by cruel, scaly invaders called Vergai from the wastelands of Vergash. These invaders are barbaric and are intent on destroying the protective elven forcefield and conquering peaceful Reloria. The Vergais’ plan is to steal the Elven Jewel which is the key to the Relorian defence system. Halfling friends Randir and Fendi and their bond-fairies are the first to discover the invaders and they embark on a quest to save the Elven Jewel. They leave their peaceful farm village with their fairies and race against time to stop the invaders. They join forces with dwarves, elves, men and a mysterious dragon, and call themselves the Hunters of Reloria. The quest is perilous, with numerous encounters with the ruthless Vergai, who are determined to fulfill their mission. The Elven Jewel is stolen and the quest becomes a race to the portal to retrieve the jewel before it can be taken to Vergash. A battle for Reloria ensues where the consequences for the Relorians is death, unless Vergai are stopped.

About the story: The story is a fantasy adventure about good versus evil. Four halflings, along with their bond fairies, set out to save their land, Reloria, from the evil Vergais (large, scaly creatures). There are also dwarfs, elves, knights and a dragon that team up with the halflings on their adventures to return the stolen Elven Jewel and, in turn, save their homeland.

What I thought: The story started out slow for me, but as I read more into the adventure and got closer to the characters, I couldn't help but become drawn into this fantasy world. This world is in some ways familiar to the reader, yet has its own uniqueness in the diverse, entertaining characters and plot to make it an original fantasy tale.

The characters are original, well-rounded, and believable. The reader comes away from the story with the sense that not all beings are evil, that their is hope for the future, that friendship is worth fighting for, that sometimes good can come out of adversity, and not to give up on what is important.

I always enjoy a good quest with mythical creatures, magic, elves, dwarfs, knights, a dragon, high action and dangerous adventures, and characters that run me through a gamut of emotions. This book has all of that and more. 


Biography

Kasper J. Beaumont was born and raised in Australia and lives a quiet life with the family in a seaside town. Kasper has combined a love of fantasy and a penchant for travel in the Hunters of Reloria trilogy. Kasper started to write on the urging of friends and family and enjoys watching readers become immersed in the magical world of Reloria.