Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Legend of the Storm Sneezer by Kristiana Sfirlea

  

About the Book

Book: Legend of the Storm Sneezer


Author: Kristiana Sfirlea

Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy

Release Date: May 5, 2020


Legend Seeker. Part-time Ghost Hunter. Time Traveler.

Thirteen-year-old Rose Skylar sneezed a magical storm cloud at birth, and it’s followed her around ever since. But when “Stormy” causes one too many public disasters, Rose is taken to Heartstone, an asylum for unstable magic. Its location? The heart of a haunted forest whose trees have mysteriously turned to stone.

They say the ghosts are bound to the woods … then why does Rose see them drifting outside the windows at night? And why is there a graveyard on the grounds filled with empty graves? Guided by her future selves via time traveling letters, Rose and Marek—best friend and potential figment of her imagination—must solve the mystery of the specters and the stone trees before the ghosts unleash a legendary enemy that will make their own spooks look like a couple of holey bed sheets and destroy Heartstone Asylum.

Letters from the future are piling up. Rose can’t save Heartstone herself. However, five of herselves, a magical storm cloud, and a guardian angel who might very well be imaginary? Now that’s a silver lining.

But will they find what killed the ghosts before what killed the ghosts finds them?

My Thoughts:
This is a middle grade fiction book, but don't let that stop you from picking it up.  The author does a fabulous job finding a unique voice for her characters and taking off!  I loved the characters she created.  I think Marek was my favorite, but it could have been Rose....or any number of others!
I loved that I can't stick with one particular type of book for this.  It has a mix of a lot of different kinds of books.  Mystery, fantasy, adventure.  All were there and more.  This is a book I will happily share with my kids and most anyone else who loves a good read.  
It was a 5/5.  Can't wait for more from this author.

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book via Celebrate Lit.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.
Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author


As an author, Kristiana Sfirlea knows what it means to get in character. She spent five years


volunteering as a historical reenactor and trying her best not to catch her skirts on fire as a colonial girl from the 1700s (leading cause of death at the time next to childbirth). Working at a haunted house attraction, she played a jumping werewolf statue, a goblin in a two-way mirror, and a wall-scratcher—so if she’s standing very still, growling, checking her reflection, or filing her nails on your wall, be alarmed. Those are hard habits to break.

Kristiana’s speculative flash fiction has been published by Havok, and her debut novel Legend of the Storm Sneezer is a whimsical Middle Grade fantasy involving time travel and things that go bump in the night. She dreams of the day she can run her own mobile bookstore. Or haunted house attraction. Or both. Look out, world—here comes a haunted bookmobile! (And this is precisely why writers should never become Uber drivers.) She loves Jesus, her family, and imaginary life with her characters.

 

More from Kristiana

Should kids enjoy spooky things?

 

It’s the question on many Christian parents’ minds this time of year. Should my kid see that movie, wear that costume, celebrate that holiday? From tots to teens, most kiddos have an undeniable fascination with Halloween. But should this be encouraged—or cut down quicker than the first victim of a horror flick?

 

Let me tell you a story. (Don’t worry, it’s not too scary.) Once upon a time, there was a young girl with a monster that followed her wherever she went. It bit at her constantly, venom flooding her veins with anxiety, teeth gnawing her courage to worried nubs. But her monster wasn’t really a monster—it was a debilitating health condition that took the girl’s entire childhood to diagnose.

 

For years, her fears and pain and panic seemed like her only friends. But then one day, the girl discovered a book series unlike anything she’d ever read before. (And believe me, she’d read a lot.) It was filled with magic and monsters and chilling, thrilling adventures. The heroes faced so many scary things—and putting herself in their shoes, the girl had never felt so understood. Finally, she had friends to take with her to the endless doctor appointments, and somehow holding those books in her hands made her braver.

 

But in the end—for there is always an end to such things—those books failed her.

 

They failed her because they didn’t point her to the only true source of bravery: Jesus.

 

And so, with this in mind, the girl grew up to write a book called Legend of the Storm Sneezer, a story about ghosts and time travel and the true meaning of sacrificial love.

 

Should kids enjoy spooky things? Maybe. Should kids enjoy spooky things that show them how the power of God’s love frightens any monster—or monster-sized problem? Absolutely.

Blog Stops

Rebecca Tews, October 2

Blogging With Carol, October 3

Through the Fire Blogs, October 4

Vicky Sluiter, October 5 (Author Interview)

The Book Chic Blog, October 5

Texas Book-aholic, October 6

For Him and My Family, October 7

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 8

Wishful Endings, October 9 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, October 9

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 10

Inklings and notions, October 11

Artistic Nobody, October 12 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Sara Jane Jacobs, October 12

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 13

Ashley’s Bookshelf, October 14

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, October 15

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kristiana is giving away the grand prize package of a signed copy of the book, mini red umbrella, two mini storm-scented candles, a storm sneezer tissue packet, and a button!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/10197/legend-of-the-storm-sneezer-celebration-tour-giveaway

2 comments:

  1. This sounds like an amazing book.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Psst - if you loved Legend of the Storm Sneezer, its sequel Legend of the Rainbow Eater came out yesterday! ��

    If you want to check it out: https://www.amazon.com/Legend-Rainbow-Eater-Stormwatch-Diaries/dp/1948095831/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

    ReplyDelete