Letter B The April A to Z Challenge #AtoZChallenge

Welcome to Day 2 of the April A to Z Challenge. I’m blogging about book characters from books I’ve read, then doing some audience participation.

Letter B is for Beynn Firehand who stars in Eyes Of The Enemy by Kelly Hess a YA fantasy series.

Eyes Of the Enemy is the first book in the Blackmyst series of books. A Fantasy series suitable for middle grade children or early teenagers. This is a world with humans who live in Delvengard and the Sorak, a race with magical abilities who live underground. In a village in the Blackmyst forest, twelve year old Beynn Firehand lives with his father.

The villagers have just had the summer solstice celebrations when it is attacked by a band of Sorak rebels who seek Beynn. He escapes to his uncles’, but discovers he has powers of his own, confused and frightened, he discovers that his life has been a lie. The Sorak are seeking Beynn because he is DanShal, a boy of legend who will have great power for his people.

This is a popular style of storyline and should appeal well to this age group of readers. There are a lot of characters with unusual names to get your head around. The story continues in book two.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

For my audience participation I’m inviting readers to think up book titles around the letter B for the picture below.

A book title and cover picture can often make or break a book sale. Is a book cover eye-catching? Does the book title appeal to the reader?

Have fun creating book titles from my own pictures, you might even think about a genre they could fit.

Leave your answers below in the comments section and I’ll choose my favourite one.

Each day I’ve chosen other challenger bloggers for you to visit

http://raezryans.com/

https://storytreasury.wordpress.com/

http://littlestepsbigheart.blogspot.co.uk/

https://emilyruaux.wordpress.com/

http://www.virginialorijennings.com/index.html

http://leaningonthegate.blogspot.co.uk/

As part of the A to Z Challenge we ask readers to leave comments of blogs, thank you.

The Green Dagger by Kelly Hess

The Green Dagger by Kelly Hess

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Green Dagger is book two in the Blackmyst fantasy series for young teenagers. It opens with a summary of the story so far. This story continues on five years after the first book. Beynn Firehand has been learning to control his magic skills. He returns to his childhood village called Veiled Gorge to seek the Blade of Torrill or the Green Dagger as it is also known. His friend Fritz Daggard has the dagger, a dangerous weapon which is sought after by both King Weston of Delvengard and Queen Cheylarre of the Sorak.

Fritz knows the dagger has a hold on him and he seeks the knowledge of The Weep, a keeper of knowledge and history in the hope that he can tell him how to control the power of the dagger. Beynn follows Fritz as do others who seek the dagger. There’s a reward for both it and Fritz and the boys end up working together with Krigger a night rat as they cross the country looking for answers. Lots more characters to meet in this second book and the story continues in the third book.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

View all my reviews on Goodreads

Eyes Of The Enemy by Kelly Hess

Eyes of the Enemy by Kelly Hess

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Eyes Of the Enemy is the first book in the Blackmyst series of books. A Fantasy series suitable for middle grade children or early teenagers. This is a world with humans who live in Delvengard and the Sorak, a race with magical abilities who live underground. In a village in the Blackmyst forest, twelve year old Beynn Firehand lives with his father.

The villagers have just had the summer solstice celebrations when it is attacked by a band of Sorak rebels who seek Beynn. He escapes to his uncles’, but discovers he has powers of his own, confused and frightened, he discovers that his life has been a lie. The Sorak are seeking Beynn because he is DanShal, a boy of legend who will have great power for his people.

This is a popular style of storyline and should appeal well to this age group of readers. There are a lot of characters with unusual names to get your head around. The story continues in book two.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

View all my reviews On Goodreads

Good Deeds Challenge, Year 2, weeks 36 – 38

Welcome to my second Year of Good Deeds, a challenge I set myself during April 2013. I decided to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year, now I am into my second year.

This week I’ve been doing the following;

Week 36

December 21st – Visiting relatives today, took lots of goodies, Christmas presents and helped out with washing up etc.

December 22nd – Dropping off more Christmas gifts. Am reading Feeling Lucky by Kathy Bryson.

December 23rd – Read a very good YA fantasy novel today called Deceived by L.A Starkey

December 24th – Today I’ve read and reviewed 2 books for Hilary Hawkes, they are books for English Primary aged children about kindness and friendship. Stories for feelings for Children and The Friendship Adventure programme from Strawberry Jam Books.

December 25th – I’m cooking lunch for 8 today so that no-one gets left out. Reading Secrets of the Heart by Adrienne Vaughan, the 3rd book in the Heartfelt series set on an island off the west coast of Ireland.

December 26th – Trying to get as many books read from my list while it’s the holidays, plus aiming for my highest year on the Goodreads challenge. So today I’m reading Eyes Of The Enemy by Kelly Hess, a middle grade reading book.

December 27th – Read Unexpected Partners by Sterna Kruger today and wrote my review.

Week 37

December 28th – January issues of Fleet Life and Elvetham Heath Directory are being delivered to approximately 8000 homes today which feature my book reviews. The on-line version will be available around January 1st. I’m reading Stable Mates by Zara Stonely

December 29th – Reading To Eternity by Daisy Banks, which is due for release mid January.

December 30th – Marked For Magic by Daisy Banks is my book today, this will be released in April.

December 31st – Read S.C.A.R.S by Julia Ibbotson today, a children’s adventure book. My final book for the year was To Fall In Love Again by David Burnett. Phew! Clocked up 181 books in this years challenge. Had a lovely surprise in the post a book from Melisa Foster which I’d won and some promotional material from Sophia Grey for more of her books.

January 1st – Online versions of Fleet Life and Elvetham Heath Directory are now out featuring my book reviews, I have drafted my post and will post as we return after the break. Off out for tea later and taking cakes. Helped move some cattle before out tea.

January 2nd – Today I shared an article from The Daily Telegraph about VAT increases on e-books amongst the writing community. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/11320318/Controversial-VAT-change-means-e-books-are-about-to-get-more-expensive.html

January 3rd – Drafted and sent my February book reviews for the magazines I write for, ten more books and authors get some extra free publicity for their writing.

Week 38

January 4th – Had a lovely shout-out for the blog today from Terry Tyler’s article at Uk Arts Directory http://ukartsdirectory.com/terry-tylers-literary-blog-34/. Decided to post my book reviews in Fleet Life and EHD January issue article today making use of Terry’s publicity of the blog and using the popular #SundayBlogShare to get the books and authors some extra publicity.

January 5th – Back to school this morning, with my voluntary work. A copy of Sea Witch by Helen Hollick arrived in the post today, my competition win.

January 6th – Got a lift into town this afternoon and enjoyed a brisk walk back through the park, picked up litter on my way.

January 7th – Feel the need to get outside for fresh air an exercise after the Christmas break so took my self off for a lunch-time walk, picked up litter. Received a copy of Alison Morton’s second book Perfiditas in the post after winning a copy. Really looking forward to it as I loved the first book in the Roma Nova series.

January 8th – Rained hard all morning, but when the sun came out at lunch, nipped out to make the most of it, picked up litter on my way.

January 9th – Really into this walking and getting fit lark. Needed to go to town for one or two things and a quick browse in my favourite bargain book store. Bought two books which begged to me at 20 pence each, strolled home picking up litter.

January 10th – Reading Just Two Weeks by Amanda Sington-Williams ready for a Brook Cottage Book promotion in February, it’s a psychological thriller set in Sri Lanka. My reading review list has toppled over the 20 book mark again.