During a walk around my neighborhood recently, I noticed that there is still some snow in some places while completely gone in others.
What I love to see is the new shoots sprouting of daffodils and crocuses, trees budding and things are beginning to turn green, and redwing black birds are back that were here last spring ready to pick up where they left off. The world is waking up now after a long winter’s sleep making this person feel more alive once again.
I can’t wait to see more growth, green grass; feel the change in the air and the warmth of the sun. Being able to be outside and breathe in the warmer air is what I long to do. I feel spring is finally here!
Wherever you live, I hope that you will have a lovely day in whatever season you are in. Take care.
Thank you for stopping by to read this post and for your kind support. Come back again soon for news of new books and plenty more.
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
Looking for an epic fantasy with adventures that will keep you engaged? Please check out my fantasy series, The Legend of the Taken Ones: Gateskin Chronicles Book 1, The Unknown Territory: Gateskin Chronicles Book 2. I wrote this series for YA but adults will enjoy it too! It was recently a Book Excellence Award Finalist Winner!
You will find magic, mayhem, sprites, wizards, fairies, strange creatures, lands and adventures aplenty.
5-Star review from READERS’ FAVORITE BOOK AWARDS!Book Excellence Award Finalist Winner!
This is Book 1 of a fantasy series that will have six books in all. In this book learn about the three children of King Gateskin and his wife, Queen Solinara. The children have had powers since they were quite young.
Serena was three years old when she learned of her power to move objects with her mind. Her brother, Simon, can fly and their sister, Catalina, can become invisible or blend into her surroundings. They live with their parents in Sovorotskina, the Land of Light.
With these powers comes responsibility. The children must try to use their powers for the common good and responsibly to help others. The three children befriend a Sprite named Spindle who accompanies them on their adventure. Along the way they meet up with their aunt and uncle, their mother’s brother and his wife, Wizard Hotenfaran and Fairy Procelina. The group must travel into the evil land of Parotovina, Land of Darkness, to save King Gateskin, who was kidnapped, and also rescue some of the descendants of their friends and fellow Sovorotskinans who were captured and taken by the Evil Ones. These descendants have been waiting a long time to be free to return to the villages of their ancestors.
The children have many trials and adventures along the way. Will they be able to rescue their father and fellow Sovorotskinans without endangering their own lives? Will the evil King Kaposkaran and his Queen Beregina stop Serena and her siblings from being successful or will they turn Serena and her siblings to their dark ways?
The adventures continue in this addition of Gateskin Chronicles. Many new characters and creatures are introduced. Spells abound with magic all around. Many visitors come to Sovorotskina looking for asylum from the evil King Kaposkaran of Parotovina. Will King Gateskin accept them all or even be able to trust them not to be spies for the evil King?
Serena uses her powers to assist when wolves come their way. Other creatures are also about and threaten the safety of the village.
Kaposkaran finds himself in trouble when his village is attacked by creatures. Will he turn to Gateskin for help? If he does, what will Gateskin do?
There is a spy about in Sovorotskina. Will the spy be discovered and somehow stopped from undermining the magic of King Gateskin and his family?
Here is what other readers are saying about this series.
Gateskin 1The Legend of the Taken OnesGateskin Chronicles 2Gateskin Book 2
I will be working on book 3 later this year. This series is an epic production that takes a long time to write and edit so I don’t plan on publishing it this year but mostly likely sometime in 2024.
In the meantime, please check out books 1 & 2 and LET THE ADVENTURES BEGIN AND CONTINUE. Happy spring!
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post. Come back again soon. You are always welcome. Reviews are appreciated wherever you purchase my books.
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
As if I don’t have enough irons in the fire, I am now thinking about creating a new MG/PT similar to my Davey & Derek Junior Detectives Series and Abby & Holly series. Of course, it won’t be the same but just similar in that it will be for middle-school and preteens to enjoy. It is still a thought going around in my head but nothing on paper yet.
My goal in writing for MG/PT/YA is to encourage all ages to read daily to enhance their creativity, increase their vocabulary and enable them to live healthier and happier lives. Keep reading and I will keep writing. Thank you! Happy Reading!
Davey & Derek Junior Detectives Series is a fun and magical series with spells, wands, a black cat, good witches, time travel, ghost hunting and more. There are also life lessons that include being kind, caring and respectful toward others, listen to parents, be helpful and do chores, and bullying is never tolerated or accepted. Parents love this series too! When your MG/PT/YA read these books you will rest easy that they are reading good, clean and wholesome books. What more could you want in a book for your children? Parents are reading and enjoying them too!
This Davey & Derek Series won (11 book awards) – 5 Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards, 3 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards – an Honorable Mention, a Silver Medal, and a Finalist, a Book Excellence Award Finalist, a Silver Medal in the Authorsdb Cover Contest, Top Shelf Awards – First Place and Finalist in Red City Review Book Awards and many 5-Star Reviews from Readers’ Favorite Book Awards.
Abby & Holly Series provides more fun and ghostly adventures with cousins, Abby & Holly, as they discover things in their old Victorian and go back to the past to solve mysteries. There are ghosts, a haunted house, time travel, mysteries, and magic. Life lessons will also be learned about friendship, family, respect, love and caring for one another, and bullying will never be accepted or tolerated! MG/PT/YA will be hooked and parents will feel good about the quality of books their children are reading! Adults are reading and enjoying them also!
This Abby & Holly Series has won 8 Book Awards – 6Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards and 2 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards – Bronze Medal, and an Honorable Mention!
Abby & Holly Series Books 1-6 with 8 awards (promo by John Spina)
Writing for MG/PT/YA is still my favorite genre to write. I do like to change things up a bit when I jump around genres and age groups. It keeps me on my toes and working the synapses that keep my mind alert and coherent.
In the meantime, I am working on book 3 of the Bedtime Stories for Children while I wait for my beta readers’ feedback. I can’t just sit around without something brewing or my creativity will be stilted.
The next books on my agenda to create are two more books in the Branyrd the Angel Series and one more book to complete the Bedtime Stories for Children Series.
After these are completed then I may be ready for the MG/PT series. There is another series popping in and out of my head that will involve a spinoff of one of my novels. I am not sure I am ready to get into that yet so I won’t give anything away.
In the meantime, please check out my MG/PT series above to get into the adventures, magic and surprises of these two series. Adults enjoy them too!
Here are some reviews from Amazon using AllAuthor.com promos. Read what others are saying about these series.
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post. Come back again anytime.Your kind support is appreciated and so are any reviews!
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
I can’t seem to sit still for long. While I am waiting for my beta readers to send back book 2 of the Branyrd the Angel Series I began writing two stories for children, the beginning of book 3 in the Bedtime Stories for Children Series. Please check out books 1 & 2 which are already published and waiting for you on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
MOM’S CHOICE AWARD WINNER – SILVER MEDAL!
There will be six stories in book 3 as in the other books. This new book will not be published until possibly June. There may be another book in this series a few months afterward. I hate to make promises but I also plan to get back to delving into my fantasy series book 3 of Gateskin Chronicles which probably won’t be published until 2024. I was hoping to complete it in late 2023 but I don’t think this is possible. I have a tendency to give myself tough goals to meet, therefore, I will not push the limit of what I can do since I have not been well for a few months. I hope to get my health back to full strength soon.
If you haven’t checked out this series yet I hope that you will begin with book 1. As in all my children’s books there are valuable life lessons for children to learn as they read these fun animal stories. I hope your children will love these stories and request them at each bedtime or anytime.
Here are the life lessons that are in Books 1 & 2:
Make Believe: Bedtime Stories for Children Book 1: These six stories promote good behavior, encourage children to be kind to others, friends are important, differences should be accepted and that we are all unique and special.
Make Believe is Fun: Bedtime Stories for Children Book 2: These six stories help children to realize the importance of friendship, family, helping others in need and that it’s okay to be different.
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your kind support of my blog and books. Please come back again soon.
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
A dear friend recently called me to let me know how much she enjoyed my book, The Misunderstood Angel: Branyrd the Angel Book 1.
She does not use computers, text, email or a cell phone. I guess you could say she is ‘old school.’ I told her I would share her thoughts here for all to see. She was pleased that I would do this since she couldn’t write them herself.
This is what she said, ‘I had to call to tell you how much I enjoyed reading your Angel book. How do you think about things to write like this? I can’t believe it!It was really good. I didn’t want it to end!I like the characters and the way you put in some humor. It was very enjoyable!
This was music to my ears and gave me a much-needed lift! Thank you, Marianne, for your review!
I told her I would send book 2 to her as soon as it is published. She was quite excited about reading it too. She is a sweet lady who I have known for many years. We were once neighbors and became very close over the 13 years I lived next door to her. We get together once in a while for lunch. I am thankful for her friendship and support.
If you haven’t read this book, I hope you will check it out soon before book 2 is online. It will be coming soon!!
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post. Feel free to come back again soon! Please review books you love to help spread word about then to others.
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
I love to see how much traffic we get when it snows. There are so many tracks that overlap one another that it is impossible to know how many deer, turkeys and other animals have traversed our yard. But it is fascinating to see the traffic we receive.
Do you see a bush that looks like an angel in the distance? I think it is Branyrd watching over me. Ha!
Much of the traffic is back and further between our arborvitae outside our kitchen window. It’s amazing to see this. We have actually seen deer eating these bushes in the middle of the night when we get up for a drink of water. I always look out the window to see if I can catch them in action. My husband put some Irish Spring soap inside the bushes to try to deter the deer from eating the bushes. I always picture them blowing bubbles after eating the branches. Ha!
It is fascinating to see how much is going on around us and we are unaware of it all! We do see plenty of deer from time to time which always is a thrill for me. They are such beautiful creatures with their large eyes, long legs, and majestic stances they take as they look back at you.
Photo of the snow at its deepest
Photo of the snow after two days of melting in 40 degree temps.
I’ll be sorry to see it all go for I will no longer be able to look at the animal tracks until the next snowfall. Today is the first day of spring! I can’t believe it with all the snow we recently received.
It will not feel like spring until all the snow is gone, the grass begins to green up and we see our first crocuses sprout out of the ground even if there is some snow left over. That always amazed me to see something green growing up through the snow.
Next time I see some deer I will try to snap a photo or two and share here. They are quick to run away when they see us trying to take their photos. I guess they are shy. They do change their roaming times so that they are safer from humans and other animals. We never see them at the same time of day or night. They do this innately not because they are smarter than the average animal (I almost said bear). Ha!
Thank you for stopping by to read this post. Come back again real soon!
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
This is a post I wrote back in 2017. I think, if you haven’t already read it, you may enjoy it. Who would have thought that the corned beef and cabbage we eat on St. Patrick’s Day carries this background. Surprising! Enjoy!
online photos
An Irish Blessing
(A Blessing from St. Patrick) May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face, May the rains fall soft upon your fields, And, until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of His hand (Traditional Irish Blessing; origin unknown, although some attribute it to Saint Patrick.)
Source: Insights Plaques: Irish Blessing
Blessings of the day to you and wishing you good luck always!
Janice
Addendum:
Here is an interesting story about the origins of corned beef and cabbage that my friend, Steve, sent.
The Story of Corned Beef – By AOH National Historian Mike McCormack
With the recent St. Patrick’s festivities behind us, I can’t count the number of times I was told Corned Beef and Cabbage is not an Irish dish as if we who enjoyed it were being duped by store managers with an abundance of the stuff. I enjoyed telling them the truth only to see their eyes open wide and to know that the next time they have it, they’ll think of us.
In the Nineteenth century, the Irish tenant farmer had been forced to rely on potatoes as a main food since it produced the greatest yield per acre and most of the land belonged to English landlords. On special occasions one might enjoy a bit of bacon and cabbage with the potatoes, but potatoes were the staple. When blight hit the potato in 1845, it caused a major deficiency in the dietary staple and many were forced to emigrate to survive but that’s another story.
Upon arrival in America without resources, they were generally forced to settle in the least desirable parts of the cities in which they landed. In New York this was the slums of the lower east side around the notorious Five Points. Unskilled and unschooled, they tried to scratch out a living and send a few pennies back to those they were forced to leave behind. Personal gain eluded them as prejudice and No Irish Need Apply signs hindered their climb to economic stability, yet they persevered and eventually succeeded against incredible odds.
Among the hardships families had to endure in a slum environment was the lack of nourishing food. It was generally up to the mother to prepare a healthy meal for her family and in this situation, her ingenuity left us a tradition.
In the mid-19th century, New York was a major port in the China tea trade. From 1841 through 1860, clipper ships dominated that trade. These were the fastest sailing ships in the world at the time. When fully rigged and riding a tradewind, they could reach speeds of more than 16 knots which meant that the trip to China and back would only take about nine months, depending on the route taken. However, an unlucky ship could spend an additional three weeks crossing due to Doldrums – a part of the ocean where they might encounter calms, squalls, and shifting winds.
Carrying a crew of 50 to 60 men, the ships were originally provisioned before leaving New York with enough fresh water, flat bread, oats, coffee, rum, and salted beef to last until they reached China. After gastric complaints about re-provisioning in China for the trip home, many began to carry double provisions for the round trip. These always included a bit extra in the event of doldrums. Upon arrival back in New York, the excess provisions were generally dumped in the harbor for what else could one do with lumps of beef that had been soaking in brine for nine-months.
It was then that coincidence and circumstance collided and the Irish mothers seeking nourishment for their families spotted the floating beef in the river and fished it out. Fortunately, before the advent of power boats, the river was cleaner then. They took it home and soon developed a method of preparing it so that their diet would have meat at least once a week – or at least when the ships came in. They would boil the beef to remove the salt, discard the water and boil it again. They found that repeating that process three times – once each for the Father, Son and Holy Ghost – would remove enough salt to make it palatable, however, while the salt was gone, so was the flavor! That’s when a head of cabbage was added. The last time the beef was boiled, it was boiled in water that had boiled a head of cabbage and a flavor was introduced to the meat. It didn’t take long for ship’s crews to realize there was a market for the old brined beef and returning ships soon saw women lining up for the leftover salted beef which was now sold at a penny a pound. It was a far cry from the bacon and cabbage they might have enjoyed in Ireland, but still it was a welcome dish. In later years, the dish became a traditional favorite for it brought back memories of a mother’s love although the modern dish is far more palatable than the one mom dragged out of the river.
On Saint Patrick’s Day, many people enjoy corned beef and cabbage and some even believe it to be an Irish dish. In a manner of speaking it is, but it should not remind us of Ireland. Rather it should remind us of the ingenuity of Irish mothers, their dedication to their families and their determination to overcome any obstacles put in their path in caring for their families. It should also remind us of the hardships endured by our immigrant ancestors who persevered and overcame the difficulties imposed on them in a tenement slum to bring their descendants to a better life so that we could enjoy a dish of corned beef and cabbage in pleasant company and more enjoyable surroundings.
There you have it! Now when you enjoy corned beef and cabbage just be thankful you didn’t have to pull it out of the river! Enjoy!
Compliments of Shareable Gifs – Totallypimpedout.net
If you are looking for some entertaining reading, check out these books. Hope you have a Happy St. Patrick’s Day whether you are Irish or not. On this day we all feel a little of the Irish in us. Wear your green and smile and eat your corned beef and cabbage and grab copies of these books below for an enjoyable read! Thank you!
Novels for 18+ books are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble and also by clicking on covers to the right of this post.
Hunting Mariah – thriller/mystery/crime/suspense
The Series – Hunting Mariah & Mariah’s Revenge – Mystery/suspense/thriller/crime
In A Second – mystery/suspense/paranormal/psychological
An Angel Among Us – Short story collection – multi-genres
Wow! We are getting tons of snow on 3/14/23 here in New England. This is our first big storm of the season to arrive this winter. Better to have it in March than in January or February since it will melt sooner because spring is coming, temps will be rising.
Notice the amount of snow in the large photo compared to the snow depth in the first photo below. We are expected to continue to get more snow over the next day or so with another storm in the near future. But we expect this in New England! It may sound crazy but there is nowhere else I would live!
This snow is a boost for our mountains and ski resorts and all those snow enthusiasts. I am not a skier or a snow enthusiast, but I do love to watch it coming down as long as I don’t have to be out in it or driving anywhere.
I didn’t venture out in this as you can see. I ran around from window to window to try and capture the beauty of it all – over two feet so far and more expected. Yikes! Of course, this is not the biggest snowfall we have ever had. I have seen much more. But I am thankful for every inch we get to help fill the wells and bring up the level of the aquifer.
We had a serious drought in New Hampshire this past summer and don’t want to see it again. Many people had problems with their wells drying up and the rest of us on city/town water could not water anything outside all summer. All this snow after melting will help fill some of the wells, aquifer and lakes, streams, rivers, etc. to prevent another drought.
Here are more photos I snapped a few minutes ago on 3/14/23 at 4:45 pm. You will notice that there is more snow then in the ones above!
Notice the two photos with the cardinals, one male red and one female red with brown at the feeder. Seeing the brilliant red of the cardinal against the snow takes my breath away!
Birds usually hide out in our deciduous evergreens but these trees are completely covered with snow and bending over and separating. Poor birds lost their place to take cover until the snow falls off the trees.
My husband filled all the feeders yesterday so that the birds would not go hungry during the storm. What a guy!
I hope you enjoyed my photos of all the snow. It’s time for me to go start dinner – Chicken Piccata tonight! Check my recipes for this and many other delicious meals.
Thank you for stopping by to read this post. Feel free to come back any time.
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
Jemsbooks has children’s books in rhyme with life lessons, good family values and fun animal adventures. If you are looking for books for the children in your life, look no further than here. I have 20 books for children ages PS-Grade 3 that will delight your children and keep them entertained for many hours.
Writing for children has been a fun experience for me. My goal is to encourage children of all ages to read every day to help increase their vocabulary, enhance their creativity, and hopefully create future book lovers who are readers and thinkers. Children need books for. as I always say, Reading Gives You Wings to Fly!
Did you know that reading is good for you? Reading is not only important for children but it’s also very important for adults. It not only increases your word vocabulary and stimulates your mind, but also gives you a feeling of wellbeing and promotes good health, dispels feelings of loneliness, improves your memory, promotes better patterns of sleep, and don’t forget – it brings families closer when they share and read books together.
I feel pure joy writing for children and hope with God’s help and blessing to continue to write many more fun adventures for children to read and enjoy. I do enjoy writing for MG/PT/YA and 18+ too!
Here are the life lessons your children will learn from my children’s books:
Louey the Lazy Elephant – Louey teaches children the importance of not being lazy and always listen to your mother.
Ricky the Rambunctious Raccoon – Ricky teaches children to always listen to your mother.
Jerry the Crabby Crayfish – Jerry teaches children that it is okay to be different, be the best you can be and be happy with who you are.
Lamby the Lonely Lamb – Lamby teaches children to accept differences and to be kind to others.
Jesse the Precocious Polar Bear – Jesse teaches children that friends are important and mothers know best.
Broose the Moose on the Loose –Broose teaches children to be kind and accepting of others who are different than you are.
Sebastian Meets Marvin the Monkey – Sebastian teaches children how important it is to be kind to animals, that animals have feelings too like humans and deserve our respect.
Colby the Courageous Cat – Colby teaches children to love one another and take care of your siblings.
Jeffrey the Jittery Giraffe – Jeffrey teaches children to be brave and help others in need.
Clarence Henry the Hermit Crab – Clarence Henry teaches children to work hard and do the best you can do and be happy with who you are.
Lucy the Talented Toy Terrier – Lucy teaches children to be kind to pets, how important a pet can be and how much this pet loves us unconditionally.
The First Star – teaches children that love of family is more important than all the riches in the world.
Drystan the Dragon Series Book 1: Drystan and Durward Save the Day – Drystan demonstrates to children that being kind and helping others is important and the right thing to do.
Drystan the Dragon and Friends Series, Book 2: Damara Helps Drystan Find His Roar – Drystan demonstrates the importance of friendship, being kind to others and helping others in need.
Drystan the Dragon and Friends Series, Book 3 – Delbert Finds Himself – Drystan teaches Delbert, a shy dragon, the importance of loving yourself as you are and that all colors are beautiful!
Drystan the Dragon and Friends Series, Book 4: Delfina Solves A Problem – Delfina helps Drago love himself and teaches him to be kind to others.
Drystan the Dragon and Friends Series, Book 5: Drago Does A Good Deed – Drago finds a rabbit in need of his help. He learns that it is better to be kind to others.
Drystan the Dragon and Friends Series, Book 6: Dragana Helps a Fairy – Dragana helps a fairy who is injured and in need. She doesn’t hesitate to help in any way she can and goes above and beyond to help this fairy. Being kind and helping others is what Dragana learns.
Make Believe: Bedtime Stories for Children Book 1: These six stories promote good behavior, encourage children to be kind to others, friends are important, differences should be accepted and that we are all unique and special.
Make Believe is Fun: Bedtime Stories for Children Book 2: These six stories help children to realize the importance of friendship, family, helping others in need and that it’s okay to be different.
I hope you will check out my books to get your children reading daily. Get them reading today and away from the videos, cell phones, and X-Boxes.
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post. Come back again soon. You are always welcome!
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
I am honored to receive this latest award from Book Excellence Awards! Thank you, Book Excellence! It’s always exciting to receive an award for one of my books!
Book Excellence Awards Honoree – FINALIST
The Legend of the Taken Ones (Gateskin Chronicles Book 1) – Fantasy
Product Details
Book Title: The Legend of the Taken Ones (Gateskin Chronicles Book 1)
Author Name: Janice Spina
Here is the link below to check it out. See what other readers are saying about this epic fantasy series. More books will be coming later in 2023 and beyond.
Reviews from Amazon:
Reviewed By Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers’ Favorite Within the Territory of Noella Provence, there was a kingdom, Sovorotskina, known as the Land of Goodness and Light. It was ruled by the great wizard King Gateskin and his fairy queen wife, Solinara. They had three children, Serena, Simon, and Catalina, all with special magical powers. They had to keep the magic secret as there was an evil power in a nearby kingdom, in the land of Parotovina, the Land of Darkness. This evil power once stole an entire village’s children to claim the magic for their own people, to use this magic for evil. When King Gateskin is kidnapped, Serena and her siblings combine their powers and resources, enlisting the help of a new friend, a Sprite by the name of Spindle, to rescue the king as well as the descendants of those “taken” children.
Janice Spina’s young adult novel, The Legend of the Taken Ones, is the first book in a six-book fantasy series, The Gateskin Chronicles. With an exciting plot full of magic and the conflicting powers of good and evil, this story is a real page-turner. The story begins with background information on the taken ones, the children kidnapped by the evil powers of Parotovina. Knowing that evil continues to lurk nearby, the magical kingdom of King Gateskin is always on high alert. The adventure truly begins when the king is kidnapped and the children set out on a journey of their own, intent on rescuing their father and leader. This is an epic, high-fantasy adventure that follows in the time-tested style of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings: the ongoing battles between good and evil and the true magic that is found within one’s heart and in the bonds of family and friendship.
The Legend of the Taken Ones: Gateskin Chronicles Book 1 by Janice Spina 5 Stars: With power comes responsibility!
‘THE LEGEND OF THE TAKEN ONES’ is book one of six planned in the ‘Gateskin Chronicles’. Award-winning Author, Janice Spina, is writing this fantasy series for ages 13-17, but I can attest to the fact, adults will enjoy it too.
Serena Anya (age 14 is the heroine of story, sister to Simon Andolferan (age 12) and Catalina Leahna (age 10). Their mother is Solinara; Queen Fairy of Sovorotskina. Their father is Gateskin; King Wizard of Sovorotskina. Serena has the power to move objects with her mind. Simon can fly, and Catalina can become invisible. With these powers comes responsibility.
Sovorotskina (Land of Goodness & Light) was one of the villages that make up the Territory of Noella Province (later known as Votovia). The other villages are Votovia (Land of Magic & Mystery), Merona (Land of Peace & Harmony), Merlina (Land of Myths & Legends), Amora (Land of Faith & Love), and Parotovina (Land of Evil & Darkness).
I think to understand the story you must understand the ‘Votovians’. The Votovians were feared by other villages that did not have fairies and wizards. The Votovian children were taught these five simple rules in Votovian School from the age of four. They used rhymes and simple language so that the youngest children could understand the rules.
Rule#1: Never use your powers to hurt anyone (not even to injure, move or hurt even flowers). Rule#2: Help your fellow villagers out in any way you can. Rule#3: Always band together for the common good. Rule#4: Above all, protect the children. If danger comes, fast we will flee, and stay together using our powers only in an emergency. Rule#5: Powers are to be used in emergency situations if agreed upon only by the governing council with final approval of the King and Queen of Votovia.
The Votovians were all hoping they would never have to use their powers. Their powers collectively were so strong they could destroy everyone in their path. They were a peace-loving people, and this did not come easy for them, but they would do whatever they had to do to protect their children and the children of their friends in Sovorotskina and any of the other neighboring villages.
I will let you discover on your own ‘THE LEGEND OF THE TAKEN ONES’. I highly recommend Gateskin Chronicles, Book 1. Author Janice Spina always has valuable lessons in her storylines, which make her stories true ‘Jems’. Janice has written 19 children’s books and has multiple series, for ages 10 and up.
Review by Theodocia McLean (Book Marketing Global Network). Author’s Page at Book Marketing Global Network:
If you haven’t begun the adventure with Gateskin and company, now is the time to begin. Book 2 is already out there too.
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this review. Come back again soon for more posts about whatever pops into my mind.
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
Purchase Jemsbooks
JEMSBOOKS 
You must be logged in to post a comment.