Category Archives: Middle grade books

Book Reviews, Books, Diane Solomon author, Mark Carey, Mark Carey Author, Middle grade books

A wonderful review from Caroline of “Bits About Books”!

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Oh, such a great review! Many thanks to Caroline of Bits About Books

Review of The Ravenstone, excerpts:

Homeschooling The Ravenstone Book cover“What an adventurous book and enthralling story this is!”

“I loved reading this adventurous and magical tale about the twins and their powers. Here is one book you won’t be putting down easily, whether you are an adult (young at heart) or a teen…”

“Diane Solomon and Mark Carey have woven an extraordinary story around the twins and the mirror-theme.”

“I loved reading it! To be recommended for everyone of whatever age, who enjoys an adventurous fantasy novel!”

Read the whole review for The Ravenstone from Bits About Books

Caroline writes about the book:

“I love reading about the 13-year-old twins Nadia and Aidan who live in Cold Spring, New York. They stumble upon a mysterious dark stone, hidden underneath a mirror in the attic. There is something magical about the mirror that only the twins can see. There is an old wizard in the mirror who beckons them. With him is a black raven. When the wizard disappears a single black feather is lying on the floor. How is that possible? Follow me and find out!”

Book Reviews, Books, Diane Solomon author, Mark Carey, Mark Carey Author, Middle grade books

Great new review! “This book really gave me goose bumps..An awesome read!”

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Raventsone cover

 

Many thanks to Susan Hampson of “Books From Dawn Till Dusk” for her great review!

 


REVIEW EXCERPT:

“Diane Solomon and Mark Carey have made a formidable team creating a very original story line that links together very well. The use of a mirror and twins is very clever but also do check out the twins names and see if you can find anything unusual about them.  It is this attention, the going that extra mile, that makes this book very special. The detail of what life would be like in the past is super, with  writing that is very appropriate for middle grade readers. There are times in the book that will give an adrenaline rush but won’t leave the young readers frightened. This book really gave me goose bumps  which I have got again just writing about it. An awesome read!”

READ ON!

Book Reviews, Books, Diane Solomon author, Mark Carey, Mark Carey Author, Middle grade books, Uncategorized

Wonderful intelligent book review from Quills and Roses!

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quills-roses-twitterMark and I received a Christmas present today: a wonderful review from Quills and Roses.

Please forgive me if I toot a horn or two:

“…for the middle-grade category, this novel is up there with the greats.”

“The world is really interesting and well thought-out, and every leaf and branch is there, on the page.”

“The world is described so well that the magic practically jumps off the page and feels real. It’s absolutely wonderful.”

Thank you Sally of Quills and Roses!

 

Book Review Excerpt

“This novel kind of reminds me of those Magic Tree House books I used to love (anyone remember those? Or am I too old?). Except, with more sophisticated plotting and writing.

“There was a lot of suspense and mystery. The bad guys were terrifyingly bad and the good guys were cute and smart and good. Older readers may find that a bit too simple, but for the middle-grade category, this novel is up there with the greats.

“Conclusion: If you’ve ever wanted to go on a magical time travelling adventure with a pair of smart, inquisitive twins (or are doing some Christmas shopping for young, avid readers) be sure to check The Ravenstone out!”

Read book review here:  Quills and Roses Review of The Ravenstone 

Book Reviews, Books, Diane Solomon author, Mark Carey, Mark Carey Author, Middle grade books, Uncategorized

Goodreads review: 5 Stars! “Simply magical!”

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Thank you to Dianne Bylo, Top 1% Goodreads reviewer, for this incredible Goodreads review! “Simply magical!”

 “Diane Solomon and Mark Carey have created an atmosphere where one’s imagination can run free as two delightful characters are given the opportunity to help make a mark on the history of mankind.”

Raventsone cover   The Ravenstone: The Secret of Ninham Mountain            


Goodreads review from Dianne, Goodreads librarian & Top 1% Reviewer

Nov 02, 2016   4172 ratings (4.56 avg) 3965 reviews 

goodreads-icon GOODREADS REVIEW:

Was it fate, destiny or their own special senses that put twins Aidan and Nadia on a path that will lead them across time in a quest to save both their father’s visionary scientific work and the very future of mankind? It all started in the attic of the old home they lived in. A mirror, ancient and dusty suddenly comes to life when a wizard and his raven appear to show them a hidden artifact that will lead them on a magical adventure filled with mystery, challenges and the search for one special plant that will open doors for both their scientist father and the world at large.

Follow a tale of two young children who place family and honor before the usual concerns of contemporary tweens more concerned with the latest electronic gadgets and spoon-fed tales filled with violence that leave their imaginations starving for sustenance. High adventure, hidden secrets in the past and experiences that one can only dream about take Aidan and Nadia into the world of the past that will reveal more about their present lives than they ever could have imagined. Are their special gifts a twin thing? What of the other twins in their family? Do they know of the secrets of the mirror? Notice anything about these siblings’ names?

Diane Solomon and mark Carey have created an atmosphere where one’s imagination can run free as two delightful characters are given the opportunity to help make a mark on the history of mankind. The Ravenstone: The Secret of Ninham Mountain is perfect for family reading, reading alone and definite will hold the interest of even the most reluctant of young readers! What more can one ask for? Age appropriate, believable dialogue and a keen sense of adventure into the unknown in an atmosphere free of gore that is simply magical!

I received this copy via Diane Solomon and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Authors: Diane Solomon & Mark Carey

Publisher: Eloquent Rascals Publishing (September 26, 2016)
Publication Date: September 26, 2016
Genre: Middlegrade Fantasy
Print Length: 222 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
dianne-goodreads-tome-tender-header  For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

http://tometender.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-ravenstone-secret-of-ninham.html
Diane Solomon author, Middle grade books

Creative Ideas: Do They Float in the Air? Diane Solomon on The Writing Greyhound

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Diane Solomon was recently invited to write a guest blog for Lorna of The Writing Greyhound.  Having recently read Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear?” it really got her thinking. 

Here is an excerpt, and you can read the rest at “The Writing Greyhound.”

“Maybe ideas float around our combined consciousness, as a species, to be received by those with the best antennae! We are radio stations, attuned to pick up the frequencies of ideas. When I was very young, as a singer-songwriter in the UK, I had the chance to work with Tommy Boyce, the songwriter who had some terrific hits with the Monkees in the seventies.  He nailed it for me. He said, “In the middle of the night, if I get a song idea or lyric, I better get my butt out of bed and write it down, or it will go back up the chimney and come down Paul McCartney’s chimney.”   READ MORE at THE WRITING GREYHOUND

 

Diane Solomon post: do creative ideas float in the air 

About Diane Solomon
EloquentRascals.com 

Book Links for The Ravenstone:

AMAZON:  Kindle or paperback
SMASHWORDS eBook
GOODREADS
TWITTER
NETGALLEY
BARNES AND NOBLE Nook & Paperback

About the book: Imagine a raven appearing out of thin air and guiding you to an exquisitely carved icon that glows with ancient light and pulses with shamanic power.  This is how the adventure begins for Nadia and Aidan Shaw, 13-year-old twins, who live in idyllic Cold Spring, New York. Armed with the power of the Ravenstone and their own special gifts, they embark on a harrowing quest across centuries, at the bidding of a mysterious old shaman. They must depend on their courage, their faith in their friends, and luck… or is it destiny?

If they succeed, what they bring back could change the course of human existence.


REVIEW:

Many thanks to Dii Bylo, a Top 1% Goodreads Reviewer for her 5-Star review, which you can read here : Goodreads Dianne Bylo 

Diane Solomon author, review of The Ravenstone on Goodreads

NETGALLEY REVIEW INVITE

The Ravenstone