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Book Review: Fairest
By Gail Carson Levine publisher’s synopsis The fairy Lucinda has once again given a dreadful gift. This time, it’s a mysterious magical mirror. The gift is disastrous when it falls into the hands of Aza, who never looks into a mirror if she can help it. In the Kingdom of Ayortha, Aza is most definitely…
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Book Review: The Last Dragon
By Silvana De Mari publisher’s synopsis In a world shrouded in darkness and continually lashed by rain, a young elf named Yorsh struggles to survive. When his village is destroyed by the torrential waters, Yorsh finds himself suddenly orphaned and alone–the earth’s last elf. But soon Yorsh discovers he is part of a powerful prophecy:…
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The Opening Line
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” (The Hobbit, J. R. R. Tolkien) “Now, for those of you who know anything about blind children, you are aware that they make the very best thieves.” (Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes, Jonathan Auxier) “There was once a time when only God knew the…
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Book Review: The Giant Slayer
by Iain Lawrence publisher’s synopsis The spring of 1955 tests Laurie Valentine’s gifts as a storyteller. After her friend Dickie contracts polio and finds himself confined to an iron lung, Laurie visits him in the hospital . She meets two other kids trapped inside the breathing machines: there’s Carolyn, an obnoxious girl whose family has…
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Book Review: Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
by Dusti Bowling publisher’s synopsis Aven Green didn’t lose her arms in an alligator wrestling match or a wildfire in Tanzania. That’s just what she tells people when she gets the “look.” The truth is Aven was born without arms, but, at age 13, that hasn’t stopped her from doing almost anything. Then her parents…
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Reading+Writing= Caution
Reading while writing is important. After all, it is a way for us authors to learn and stay inspired. Reading while writing is also a very dangerous thing to do. Various things from the novels we read float around in our brain and lurk in our subconscious. They can come to the surface while writing.…
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Book Review: Bounders
by Monica Tesler publisher’s synopsis Thirteen years ago, Earth Force, a space-military agency, discovered a connection between brain structure and space travel. Now they’ve brought together a premier class of cadets, Boudners, to train as elite aeronauts at EarthBound Academy. Twelve-year-old Jasper might have been bullied back on Earth, but as one of the first…
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Life
I did not go through the wardrobe to Narnia. I did not get recruited by a secret school for spies. I did not carry the Ring to Mordor. I did not have to save the world. I did not discover that I am really an elf. I did not have to reclaim my long-lost throne.…
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Book Review: The Vanderbeekers of 141 St.
by Karina Yan Glaser publisher’s synopsis The Vanderbeekers have always lived in the brownstone on 141st Street. It’s practically another member of the family. So when their reclusive, curmudgeonly landlord decides not to renew their lease, the five siblings have eleven days to do whatever it takes to stay in their beloved home and convince…
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Realm Makers Recap: Part 3
This is the last post detailing my time at the Realm Makers writer’s conference. If you’re just learning about this now, you can find the recap for Thursday here and for Friday here. Now, onto Saturday. I apologize in advance for the lack of photos. Saturday started off with announcements and then lead into a…
Hailey Huntington 