Far Away by Carol Diggory Shields

Someone shouts in Annie's ear,
But what they're saying, she can't hear.
Buzzers buzz and school bells ring,
Annie doesn't hear a thing.
Friends can jostle, tug, and pinch,
Annie doesn't move an inch.
"Oooo, here comes a big black bug!"
Annie does not even shrug.
"Fire!" "Earthquake!" "Runaway bus!"
She remains oblivious
Until, at last, with a faraway look,
Annie smiles and shuts her book.

Found this one in I Like It Here At School by Jack Prelutsky.

Carol could have been talking about me when she wrote that poem!

Ash by Malinda Lo

While this book is mimicking a traditional fairy tale, it's a very fresh and totally unusual way of looking at Cinderella!

I highly recommend this book. It read fast, was fascinating, had good historical content about the period, and it keeps you sitting there reading straight through to the end.

She is the poor stepsister, but she's content with her lot in life. Or, at least she was. When she visits the woods to try to find her mother's grave, she also meets a fairy. And then her life changes, ever so slowly. He wants her, but he's willing to give her things to improve her life, and that's all that's important to her now.

But, by chance, she meets Kaisa, the King's Huntress. Kaisa comes to the cottage when the stepmother and stepsisters are out and about, and brings a horse for Ash to ride. She teaches to read, to track, to hunt. And their friendship is very important to Ash.

The time comes when Sidhean, the male fairy wishes to call in his debt. She puts him off once. And then he comes again. This time she remembers what she has learned from her mother about fairies and uses that to negotiate with him.

After being without love for so long, she has to decide what is her heart's desire - and must attempt to keep it!

If you'd like to have my copy of this ARC, please email at info NOSPAM @bookfaerie.com (remove the spaces and the NOSPAM to make it an email address) with your name and address and tell me why you'd like the book as well as leave a comment here on my blog.

School of Fear by Gitty Daneshvari

This is a great story for children with vibrant imaginations. Each child in this story has a phobia. And not just a little phobia either, these are full-sized monster phobias!

Madeleine is deathly afraid of bugs, especially spiders. Theodore is afraid of dying. Lulu is scared of confined spaces. And Garrison can't be around deep water. Each child has his or her own way of coping with these frights - but it makes it almost impossible to send them to school or envision a normal life for them.

So they are sent a school that deals specifically with phobias - The School of Fear.

This is an off-the-wall far away school that doesn't deal with students traditionally - and it creates a great adventure for the four students!

Will they manage to survive the school? Will they actually get over their fears? You'll need to read the book to see...

It's an action packed story with rigid characters who won't let go of their phobias.

Do YOU have a phobia??? (I'm scared of the dark.)

If you'd like my copy of this ARC, leave a comment here on the blog, and then email me at info NOSPAM @bookfaerie.com (removing spaces and NOSPAM to make it an email address) with your name and address and why you'd like to have the book.

Tidings of Great Boys by Shelley Adina

Mac is from Scotland and has been going to school in the US (her parents are separated). She would normally go home for Christmas, but now she has some new friends in the states and isn't sure what she wants to do. Then she hits on the perfect solution - she'll take her new friends home with her!

The teens are having the usual growing up pains of life, but the parents involved aren't much better. Two sets of parents are separated, and the girls are trying to get them back together again. Each girl has her own perspective and set of knowledge, and they are all learning from each other's experiences.

Add to this a film producer, a prince that one of the girl's has broken up with, the fact that they may have to sell the castle, and it turns into quite an adventure!

If you'd like my copy of this ARC, comment here on the blog and send me an email at info NOSPAM @bookfaerie.com - removing the spaces and NOSPAM - with your name and address and why you would like to have the book.

Bo's Cafe by Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol, John Lynch

He's a high powered executive with an anger management problem. His wife and child love him, but are afraid to live with him anymore. And his work isn't going all that well either.

So he visits a local bar to drown his sorrows and happens to meet this guy named Andy. Andy has an old car he cherishes and he talks Steven into going for a ride and perhaps talking about what's bothering him. Steven isn't ready to go there yet.

But when his wife tells him he must move out and get some counseling to address his issues with anger, he decides it might be a good time to talk to Andy some more.

Steven is still trying to evade some problem areas (pretend they aren't there or aren't his fault), when Andy takes him to Bo's Cafe and introduces him to his friends there.

They are from all walks of life and all have had their own problems to work out. But they are happy now. And they've also taken grace into their life.

Steven will have to make a big change in his heart and his life for things to be resolved as he would like them to be. Can he???

A Christian theme runs through the story, but it has other lessons as well. And I'm sure you'll recognize some of the characters as people you have met in your own life.

If you'd like my copy of this ARC, please leave a comment here on the blog and email me at info NOSPAM @bookfaerie.com - remove the spaces and NOSPAM from it - with your name and address and tell me why you'd like to read the book.

Feedback from a Customer...

You won't believe this story. Jane and I were in New Mexico for two weeks recently. Jane volunteered for six months at Ghost Ranch four years ago so we visited friends there in Abiquiu and spent time at Ghost Ranch Santa Fe as well, making side trips to Chimayo, Truchas, Taos, Chama, and Tucumcari (stayed at the Blue Swallow Motel - a step back in time.) Didn't want to leave.

Jane wanted to give Gary Salazar (a staff member of Ghost Ranch Abiquiu who loves to cook) a copy of the Linley Heflin cookbook since we are from Birmingham, where the cookbook originated as a fundraiser for scholarships. Thought he needed some "Southern" recipes. We couldn't find a copy in print anywhere. Came home and I started searching high and low online. Tonight ran across your site! Couldn't believe it. We are getting the book from New Mexico so that Jane can inscribe it, include a little of its travels, and mail it back to your glorious state. Doesn't God have a great sense of humor!

These stories are what makes selling books fun!

The Midnight Charter by David Whitley

This is a young adult novel that creates an atmosphere of Olde England in the days of yore, but is actually the ancient city-state of Agora.

The poor are suffering from plague and get no medical help. Families sell their children. You have to trade goods to receive any (and most have none) and life is tough. Unless you're rich.

Mark is sold to a doctor who helps the poor, and goes to live in the Tower of Count Stelli. Lily is the servant who cares for him. Both Mark and Lily have bartered their labor for their lives.

When the Count throws his son (the doctor) out of his house, Lily and Mark exchange their duties. Lily goes out in the real world with the doctor and Mark serves Count Stelli.

Lily begins an almshouse and helps the poor. Mark ascends to power in the Tower. But there are others who are manipulating them, even if they are not aware of it.

With death surrounding them and Mark and Lily on their own, their adventures are thrilling.

The ending of this book opens a new door, and there will be a sequel.

I enjoyed reading this one - the Elizabethan setting and a hidden prophecy kept it entertaining and it intrigues me to see where Mark and Lily will be going next.

If you would like my advanced reading copy of this book, please leave a comment here on the blog, and then email me at info NOSPAM @bookfaerie.com (take out the NOSPAM and spaces) and give your name and address and tell me why.