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Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.
Today, we're joining forces with Rachel's Random Resources to celebrate the arrival of the latest addition to a FABULOUS Children's Fantasy series. Penned by Vacen Taylor, the Starchild series has been going strong, and the third installment...today's center stage star...definite continues that stream of wonder. Ready or not, here comes today's blog tour guest and ebook of choice...
The Healing Stone
Starchild series, Book 3
by
Vacen Taylor
About the book...
A riveting ice adventure full of incredible challenges, bravery and friendship.
When they escape the attacking forces, Mai, Akra, Kalin know they must find a way to purge the evil of the dark peddle that has consumed Long. But as the news of the Underworld king spreads, gloom and fear begin to sweep over the lands.
The children must face a dangerous adventure across the ice to reach the healing stone. Once they reach the stone they must face the truth.
Have they made the journey in time to save Long ⸺ or is he lost to the Underworld forever?
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One of the signs of a GREAT SERIES to me is that no matter how long it's been since you indulged in the previous installments, you can always pick up the next one and feel like you're coming home...or at least along for a very dangerous journey with old friends...and that's just what the Starchild series delivers.
It's been a spell since I've read book one, let alone book two, and yet, the moment I stepped between the pages, I was instantly swept up in it all. I was once again wondering if Long was going to get a chance to make amends, let alone survive the whole ordeal...curious to see how the prophecy was holding up against all the hardships and growing darkness...desperate to know if the Starchild himself was going to gain enough knowledge, skills, and control to put evil in its place...and anxious to see how Mai was holding up through it all. There was so much going on when we last left them, but there was so much still ahead of them as well, and no part of the journey is free of danger as evil strives to get the upper hand...and let me tell you, the wannabe king is DEFINITELY trouble!
Special note...though the whole series thus far has been wonderful, there are two characters outside the main that I truly enjoy. One is Mai's little lizard friend...cute, and adaptable, but also a pretty good judge of character! They should listen to it more often! The second is Aque's character. Son of the Ice Queen herself, right from his introduction, I couldn't get enough. He's full of surprises, or at least non-typical royalty reactions, and more powerful than most assume, but he's also fair, kind, and warm hearted...something that's a tad hard to find in this great vast white frozen land.
All in all, a great addition to the growing series that does more than connect point A to point B. It gives us the makeshift family we've come to call our own, along with new friends made along the way, with a trunk load of trouble coming full speed ahead, while somehow finding the quietness of mind to keep a focused eye on that small kernel of hope that's carrying them through. The darkness in Long won't give up without a fight, but while his sister may be a thoughtbanker, she's never been known to shy away from protecting friends and family before, and this won't be the time that she starts.
It's been a spell since I've read book one, let alone book two, and yet, the moment I stepped between the pages, I was instantly swept up in it all. I was once again wondering if Long was going to get a chance to make amends, let alone survive the whole ordeal...curious to see how the prophecy was holding up against all the hardships and growing darkness...desperate to know if the Starchild himself was going to gain enough knowledge, skills, and control to put evil in its place...and anxious to see how Mai was holding up through it all. There was so much going on when we last left them, but there was so much still ahead of them as well, and no part of the journey is free of danger as evil strives to get the upper hand...and let me tell you, the wannabe king is DEFINITELY trouble!
Special note...though the whole series thus far has been wonderful, there are two characters outside the main that I truly enjoy. One is Mai's little lizard friend...cute, and adaptable, but also a pretty good judge of character! They should listen to it more often! The second is Aque's character. Son of the Ice Queen herself, right from his introduction, I couldn't get enough. He's full of surprises, or at least non-typical royalty reactions, and more powerful than most assume, but he's also fair, kind, and warm hearted...something that's a tad hard to find in this great vast white frozen land.
All in all, a great addition to the growing series that does more than connect point A to point B. It gives us the makeshift family we've come to call our own, along with new friends made along the way, with a trunk load of trouble coming full speed ahead, while somehow finding the quietness of mind to keep a focused eye on that small kernel of hope that's carrying them through. The darkness in Long won't give up without a fight, but while his sister may be a thoughtbanker, she's never been known to shy away from protecting friends and family before, and this won't be the time that she starts.
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About the author...
Vacen Taylor is a children’s author with a portfolio of screenwriting and stage play achievements. A selection of her poetry has been published in Art and Literature Journals. One of her plays was selected to be part of the Playwrights Program 2017 and then directed and performed as a performance reading at HOTA (previously the Gold Coast Arts Centre).
Her feature film script received a special commendation for Best Unproduced Screenplay titled Grandfathers at the British Independent Film Festival in 2018. The logline can be found under Special Commendations for Unproduced Screenplays here.
Her TV pilot for a series (teleplay) was selected as a semi-finalist in the Hollywood Just4Shorts Film and Screenplay Competition in Los Angeles, CA. This pilot was listed in the top 50 for the Cinequest Screenwriting Competition in 2018.
She presented the first mental health panel at OZ Comic-Con in 2017. This panel was a fantastic opportunity to discuss openly and honestly about artists and their mental health to help support wellbeing, foster connectivity and provide a culture of support.
In 2018 she presented the panel, ‘An artist’s guide to creative happiness: How to strengthen your creative performance’ at Oz Comic-Con in Brisbane. Her panels are extraordinary opportunities to explore ideas with people who are currently working in the industry. She aims to discuss subjects like individualism, the community, mental health, wellbeing, happiness, creativity, co-creating and self-awareness which often leads to interesting questions from the audience.
What else does she do? Vacen is also a creative workshop facilitator and proficient in, teaching, speaking and concept creation. Guest Speaker. Workshop Presenter. Creative Panel Facilitator. Mentor. Support Worker. Counsellor. Social Welfare Advocate.
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UP FOR GRABS...
(1) set of all 4 books of the Starchild Series by Vacen Taylor!(Open INT)
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
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Special thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you as well as the ebook copy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, this promotion, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. Be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun...
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
