indiechildrenbooks – Author D.L. Finn

June 22nd Tree Fairy Blog Post! #ASMSG #WritingCommunity #authorsupport #newrelease #childrensbook #mustread #indieauthors

Today the fairies and I are visiting fellow Story Empire Author, Harmony Kent! Not only does she offer her support to indie authors, but she a wonderful writer. Her book, The Vanished Boy, made the Summer Edition of “Books That Changed Me.” Stop by and say hello to us!

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Dolphin’s Cave Book Reviews #IARTG #ASMSG #WritingCommunity #indiebooks #ChildrenBook #YABook #Fantasy #reviews

I released my YA/middle grade “Dolphin’s Cave” at the end of 2020. I had a couple of blogs leading up to it and announced its release. Then, I got busy and didn’t do much after that.

So, I thought a blog would be in order to share what others are saying about this book.

Here are the last three reviews are taken directly from Amazon:

Cathleen Townsend

A YA coming of age story that should appeal to fans of teen fantasy adventures

Coral has always wanted to go to Hawaii, ever since her parents died there when she was only a kid. A recurring dream has visited her every night since—she rides a dolphin to an underwater cave. Only there will she find the answers she seeks about her parents’ death. But she always wakes up before she discovers what really happened.

Shortly before her sixteenth birthday, she’s thrilled to learn her aunt and some friends are taking her to Hawaii for Christmas. Coral loves the ocean, and she doesn’t get to see it very often, living as she does in a desert near Reno, Nevada.

But once they arrive in Hawaii, disquieting events steal some of her joy. Her aunt has met a new guy—nothing wrong with that—but this one seems to be nothing but a weasel. When Coral’s aunt nearly gets run over in the street, he merely stands there and watches. And everywhere they go, people seem to be taking their picture. Not just catching them in group photos, but specifically shooting photos of them, as if they were celebrities or something.

But then matters turn dangerous. Her aunt is hospitalized, the result of a near-fatal car crash. Coral can’t afford to ignore all the strange things going on anymore, or some of them may never make it home…

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Dolphin’s Cave is a YA coming-of-age story that should appeal to fans of teen adventures, especially ones who love dolphins.

JanS

A world within a world

Fifteen-year-old Coral is a typical teenager except she’d lost her parents at the age of eight and lives with an aunt. Oh, and she has this recurring dream every night where she rides on a dolphin’s back to another world that can only be accessed from deep within the ocean. Try as she may, she can never reach the end of the dream and enter the golden city. Then a trip to Hawaii with her aunt and family friends changes everything. Coral is convinced that going to the place where her parents’ plane went down will bring her answers. And it does, but not what she is expecting. This YA has a bit of everything from spies and murder to magic, and budding young love. This author did a fantastic job of world-building. Once Coral enters the Golden City, or Mearth, the descriptive writing put me inside the book with the characters and I ooohed and ahhed over the amazing architecture, dragons, strange food, and shape-shifting animals. This story will spark the imagination of any reader. It is a well-written fantasy with a touch of realism.

Patty P.

Magic, Intrigue, and Dolphins. Who can resist?

Fifteen-year-old Coral Dover has had the same dream every night for the eight years since her parents disappeared in a plane crash off the Hawaiian coast, and each dream is interrupted before she sees the end she hopes to see. When her guardian, her aunt, takes her to Hawaii on a working vacation with a co-worker and his family, Coral is determined to visit the place where her parents’ plane went down. She needs closure.

What she finds is adventure, intrigue, and magic. Unlikely friendships, a budding romance, betrayal, and secrets that put everyone she cares about in danger, all blend into a story I couldn’t put down.

D.L. Finn’s Teen/YA fantasy is beautifully written, with well-rounded characters, great dialogue, beautiful scenes, dolphins, turtles, magic, and plenty of twists, clues, and drama to keep the interest of anyone from young teens to mature adults. I loved it, gave it five stars, and highly recommend it.

Thank you to all the reviewers who took the time to share their thoughts. You are much appreciated. xo

Although not intended for adults, I like to think our inner child might enjoy the story.

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NOTE:

1. I will be off next weekend for Easter and the following week on staycation. So, I will be taking a break– except to host a post on, April 5th, over at Story Empire.

2. This means I’ll be quiet on social media and probably won’t do Challenges.

3. I’ll be back the following Sunday, April 11th with some book reviews.

Embrace your inner child by reading a good book! Happy Easter to all those who celebrate 🙂 D. L. Finn

First Book Reviews of 2018

I ended 2017 with a “reading and review” count of 54 indie books (that total doesn’t include non-indie books I read and rated). This is a huge increase from 2016 where I read and reviewed 19 indie books. While I hope to improve on that, I am happy to break 50 books read in any year!

I’m making a list of must-reads for this year. So far, it has 25 books on it in with Yvette Calleiro’s Chronicles of the Diasodz series first on the list. After that is the rest of Larry Landgraf’s Into Autumn series–and this list will only grow once I look at all the books waiting on my Kindle! It’s going to be another year of amazing indie books and sharing the reviews along the way!

Here are my first five reviews of this year (books I gave my grand-kids for Christmas):

Amazing Matilda: The Tale of A Monarch Butterfly

by Bette A. Stevens

This is a sweet story about a caterpillar named Matilda and her friends. She immediately wants to fly, but is given the advice to be patient and keep trying– when she can’t. The book is illustrated by the author and that adds another level of depth to the book. The story has a lesson that not only kids can learn from, but also the adults who read the book with them. I can’t wait to give this to my grandchildren and will enjoy our reading time together with this delightful tale!

Wish Fish 1: Discovering the Secret

ByLynn Miclea

This is a sweet children’s story about two fish, Ray and Roxy, who live in the ocean. The fish duo who go too far into the ocean, get caught in a fisherman’s net, and almost get eaten by a bigger fish find they need to depend on their friendship and love to survive. They learn some important lessons on their adventures—including believing in yourself. It is a good message for children and the adults reading along with them. I bought this for my grand-kids and can’t wait to read it with them!

Halloween Writing Prompts: 13 Spooky Activities For Kids (Aspiring Author Series)

by WJ Scott

This is an interactive book for kids who want to be writers or love to create. It opens with some writing suggestions, then has 13 pictures with a tagline to provide a starting point. I love the Halloween theme that includes a black cat, a witch and other “spooky” prompts. This would be good in a classroom or at home. I bought this for my grand-kids and plan to enjoy it with them. Great idea!

Friends: An African Adventure (Fauna Park Tales #2)

by Maretha Botha

“Friends: An African Adventure” is the second book in the Fauna Park Tale series I have bought for my grand-kids. It’s an exotic tale set in an African desert and told through a bird’s perspective, Hope. The characters are fully developed and engaging, while the artwork provided by Ms. Botha is heartfelt. Flame the dog gives the reader an example of protecting those who can’t protect themselves– and what friendship and bravery are. He keeps his promise to be a hero. Another Fauna Park Tale I will enjoy reading with my grand-kids!

The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too!

by Bette A. Stevens

I bought this book to give as a gift to my grandchildren. Reading through the book before giving it to them, I found it taught me a few things, too. First, I had no idea a tangram is a seven-piece puzzle with specific shapes. A pattern is provided to cut out and get started along with the history of it. There are many ways to put the pieces together, but the book supplies shapes to make– with clues or riddles as to what they are. Although, this is a very clever and educational book for children, I appreciated the added bonus that an adult can sit down and enjoy it with the kids!

D.L. Finn (dolphin) is my pen name. I know some of you know my real first name, but for those who don’t– any guesses? Next week I will be sharing my first name, so you don’t have to keep calling me D.L.!

Happy 2018! Embrace your inner child, D(?).L. Finn