Guest #Review of Eclair Meets a Gypsy by M.Weidenbenner #ChildrensBooks

I have a lovely children's book to introduce you to today!  Rather than a typical review, I had my 9yr old read it and tell me what she thought :)  I hope you enjoy it and if you have children - check out this series!!

Eclair Meets a Gypsy
(Eclair Book 2)
by: M. Weidenbenner
Illustrator:  Melody Duval


Publication:  December 1, 2014
ISBN: 0989404951
ASIN:  B00PEGP0O
Length: 53 pages
Genres: Children's book , Age Level: 5-9, Grade Level: K-3


AWARD-WINNING and BEST-SELLING AUTHOR

Kay Kline, retired first-grade teacher, "A fun chapter book with just enough magic and reality. Adults will enjoy it too!"

Vie Herlocker, author and editor, "Funny ... entertaining ... Eclair resembles a modern-day Junie B. Jones."

"Kid-friendly ... page-turning fun ... adventure with real-life challenges," said Crystal Bowman, best-selling children's book author and speaker.

Early reader for girls first-third grade. (6-8yrs old)

Eccentric Grandma Stella is taking in boarders.  Not the kind that talk, but the kind that neigh.  Horses.  When seven-year-old Eclair meets the first boarder and its owner, a girl Eclair's age who's dressed like a gypsy, the girl says her horse can read minds and will cast a spell on Eclair.  Does the horse really have magic?  If so, maybe the horse could make Eclair's secret wish come true.

Buy it :   Amazon  |  B&N

Put Eclair Meets a Gypsy on your TBR list

Dont' forget to check out Book 1 - Eclair Goes to Stella's

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Interview with my 9yr old

My 9yr old (Spoiled Princess) loves to read.  She is such a mini me in that respect!  So when I told her that I had two books to read on my kindle, she went a little spastic :)  She read both books in 1 day and has been bugging me to find out if and when there might be more books to this series!  I initially was going to have her write a book review/report but they haven't started that in school yet and so an interview was a simpler process .

Spoiled Princess' thoughts :

- What was your favorite part about the book?
My favorite part of the book is when Eclair meets Gypsy.

- Who was your favorite character & why?
My favorite character in Book 2 is Gypsy.  I like Gypsy because she has the legend that most people don't believe. 

- Between the two books, which was your favorite?
My favorite book was book 2.  It has more adventure. 

- What is your opinion of Eclair?  Is she someone you would want to be friends with if she were real?
She's nice and doesn't tell lies. Yeah, I would like to be friends with her. 

- Tell me why you liked these books and why you would tell a friend to read them.
I would tell them to read these books because it's about a girl and a horse getting together.  It is a magical book with adventure. 

- If the author writes more books in the series, do you want to read them?
Yes !!

- If you could ask the author questions about the book, what might they be?
I would ask her if the horses ever become real friends. 

- Did this book make you feel anything?  Happy? Sad?
It made me happy because I don't usually get to read about horses and I really like them.  There aren't a lot of horse books.
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About the Author:

 Michelle grew up in the burbs of Detroit with five brothers. No sisters.  Each time her mom brought the boy bundle home from the hospital she cried, certain her mom liked boys better than girls.  But when her brothers pitched in with the cooking, cleaning, and babysitting, without drama, she discovered  having brothers wasn't so bad.  They even taught her how to take direct criticism without flinching, which comes in handy with book reviews.

When she's not writing she's winning ugly on the tennis court.  She's known as "Queen of the Rim Shots." No joke.  It's ugly.

Stalk her : 

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#Review - The School of Ministry by @cosbykid_fatdoc

The School of Ministry (The Windgate)
by Braxton A. Cosby


Publication:  Aug. 2013
ISBN:  1628820020
ASIN:  B00ER9RQIE
Length:  405 pages
Genres: YA, Fantasy, Mystery


Book Description : 
 
 I'm helpless as she continues to struggle for air. Then, an image flickers from the corner of my eye as a side door opens and Maxwell walks out, holding a staff of his own.

"Maxwell," I plead. "It's Miss Evans. Please help her!" He shakes his head and lifts his staff in his hands, twirling it in a circle as he begins to slowly walk sideways, circling me like a predator, encasing me in a hedge of danger.

"Hold your ground. Make a choice: fight or flight," Maxwell bellows. Miss Evans' banging on the glass behind me blends with the pounding of my heart. I lift my staff and spread my feet, turning my attention to Maxwell. As much as I'm afraid for my own safety, I find it impossible not to focus on Miss Evans. Her muffled scream comes from the tank and I look away from Maxwell to check on her. Her hands clutch her neck. Her face is bright red with a tinge of blue around her lips. "No," I scream, stepping back away from the tank. Raising my staff above my head, I crank back and rip it down, slamming it into the side of the tank, as I yell. The water explodes from the crack in the tank and glass shards crash to the floor below. I swing once more and this time the entire tank shatters, launching Miss Evans into the air toward me. I catch her in my arms and the force of the water propels us backward onto the floor. She coughs, gasping for air. I hold her in my arms and caress her head. Her sobbing brittles me and I'm relieved to see her skin color returning to its natural tanned shade. We're here, an odd place, an unfamiliar place. But as I hold her delicately in my arms, it makes me feel like I'm heading back home. Not the place where I live now, but the place where I used to live, when mom and dad were still alive. The way she rests in my arms beckons me to a time when I used to hold my kitten, Priceless. She'd climb into my lap during the thunder storms. I was her comforter. Priceless would purr when I did it. And now, so many years later, I find myself feeling the same way as I hold Miss Evans. Her soft body pressing into my skin—warming me—calls me to hug her even closer with each passing second. The times when I needed someone to hold me reflect in my mind like a mirror as I stare at her. Her chest rises as her heart beat quickens, mixing evenly with her breaths. As warmth returns to her body, a subtle tremor comes over her; like a purr. I can't resist. I have to do it. I must do it. I hug deeply, ignoring the senseless urge to pull away.

"Bravo!" praises Maxwell, exiting the room as the lights come back on. Miss Evans resting in my arms and I comfort her, caressing her hair. She finally looks up at me and mouths, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Are you all right?" I ask.

"Yes…better now," she replies.
"How did you get in there?" I ask.
"I don't know. Um, if you don't mind me asking, who are you?"
"What? It's Ziv of course. Miss Evans, are you feeling all right?"
"Miss Evans?" she asks with a puzzled look on her face. "Did you say your name was Ziv?"

Buy on Amazon 

 

Praise  ~

"A fast-paced adventure featuring a secret society on a divine mission...a satisfying read: The characters steadily develop, goodness prevails, and there's even a touch of romantic intrigue. Gripping, action-packed." ---- Kirkus Review

"A memorable, unpredictable journey of hope, identity and courage. The Cosby gift of storytelling lives on in this page turning adventure." ---- Bill Cosby, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author, Comedian, Philanthropist  

"Braxton Cosby delivers a thrill ride of suspense, fantasy, drama and fun in The School of Ministry. An unrequieted love story beats at the center of Ziv's journey to find peace, purpose and faith. You'll root for him as he claims his life and future in this wholly inventive and original novel with a message for all. I loved it." ---- Adriana Trigiani, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Shoemaker's Wife Winner of The Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal Book of the Year Award for Young Adult - General

 

Every once in a while, there comes a time when I haven't had enough time to read a book or maybe it just wasn't appealing to my flavor of the month.  This is one of those times.  The book looks amazing and I'm offering you a Guest Review !

Guest Review : 

This book was one of those books that stays on your mind well after you read it. What starts off as a story about a kidnapping ends up being so much more. I was quite taken with both the characters and the story. Ziv is a really likable character. He has had a not so idyllic life as an orphan. He is unsure of himself. I love when a character is “real”. 

The other characters are interesting as well although you don’t learn everything about them right away. Which is quite like real life, people don’t always reveal their true nature to you right away. 

The author does a great job showing us the students’ life at the school and their training. It is unlike any training you’ve ever read about! It was amazing and different and left me wondering what they were trying to teach them. The religion in the book was ever present, faith being very central. And while it was a religious story line, I never felt like it was being pushed at me. Rather, the author was presenting ideas and situations to the characters and recording their reactions. The author is a great storyteller and I could easily see this as a movie. The settings and action were exciting and dynamic. This is the first in the series and I am looking forward to the next adventure!

 

Multi-Award-Wining Author Braxton A. Cosby is a dreamer who evolved from concepts on pen and paper to pixels and keyboards. He tells stories that evoke emotions and stimulate thought. Protostar: Book 1 The Star-Crossed Saga and The School of Ministry: The Windgate are currently two Young Adult series he created. Braxton lives in Georgia with his wife, three children and a troop of crazy African Cichlids.

www.braxtoncosby.com www.theschoolofministry.com

 

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