MALIA'S MIRACLES

The author sent me an autographed copy of her novel to review:

This is by far the most exciting novel of the series to date. I think the author’s prose is getting better along with a stronger understanding of the serial’s direction. The first novel, Ashlynn's Dreams (see my review of 5/31/2014) was a very sound YA novel; the second novel, Nadia's Tears (see my review of 9/12/2014) was a little confusing and somewhat bland. This third novel is a big time comeback. The story started off chock-full of characters (not to my liking), but eventually proceeded to the original Devya characters. I think the biggest mistake fledgling authors make is putting names and background to characters that are not important to the story. I don’t want to be too analytical because I liked this YA novel...but let’s get rid of the cartoon book covers. This makes your hard work look like it’s a funny book. There is nothing wrong with a YA book having a adultish cover, like Karen Thompson Walker’s The Age of Miracles (see my review of 3/28/2013). I know it is easy to excoriate an author’s  work when I haven’t written a novel, but from the outside looking in, it is easy to see the flaws and the favorable attributes. Like I said, I don’t want to trivialize so lets talk about the story.

The story starts off with most of the Devya’s Children family going to Pennsylvania for Malia’s adoption ceremony into the Davidson family. Christy Roman (Danielle’s friend from the second novel) reveals that her mom is dying of cancer. Danielle wonders if the gifted children can cure her. Previous characters, special agents Ann and Patrick Duncan, are at the ceremony. The gifted children go to the hospital escorted by Varick (you will have to read the first novel to find out how he became the soldier of the group). Once the children see that Christy’s mom is dying of cancer... Nadia (becoming Queen Elena in dreams again) and Malia come up with a plan to save Christy’s mom’s life. Malia spots some suspicious men in the hospital’s lobby. Who are they and what do they want? Danielle tells her friend Christy that if the gifted children can save her mom’s life, it has to be a secret because “There’s no guarantee they can win here, but if they do and people find out what they are capable of, their lives will be ruined.” You really have to read the previous novels to truly comprehend certain situations, or at least read my previous reviews.

On page 116, the gifted children find out that a newly born sibling, Anastasia, has been added to Devya’s Children family. “She was meant to have gifts like Nadia, but one of the scientists sabotaged the project”. The reader will meet Danielle and Dominique’s nasty Aunt Sophie and Uncle Phillip at the hospital. What is their motive for being there and what are they scheming? Anyway, three of the gifted children: Jillian, Malia, and Michio attempt to cure Christy’s mom of cancer, while the rest of the gifted children distract the nurses into thinking that they are having a prayer vigil in the room. Then misfortune happens...Okay, I think I whet your appetite enough for you to buy your own copy of this exciting third novel in the Devya’s Children series. And I haven’t even mentioned Dr. Karita Robinson, former associate of Dr. Devya and now Director of The Guardians (a secret U.S. government agency). Why is she suddenly in the hospital? I think that the author, Julie Gilbert, has learned how to put a multiplot novel together thus turning this third novel into a impressive Blue Chipper. Needless to say, I highly recommend this novel.

RATING: 5 out of 5 stars

Comment: There are many YA books self-published each year. In fact, I believe only about three percent of books sent to major publishers, such as, Simon & Schuster or HarperCollins, are accepted. Sooner or later the Indies will be the major players. That would be just deserts! So what does all this mean? No more “book signing tours”, except for the rich and famous, such as, Bill O’Reilly, who keeps publishing his worthless Killing...whatever series. No money to pay for a good editor or continuity manager? As a matter of fact, I’m surprised how well these Indie books are written without the aid of a good editor. Who is proofing these books? I guess it’s mom, dad, husband, or wife. If so, they are doing a yeoman’s job.

According to Goodreads. com, one of the best YA Indie authors is Amanda Hocking:

"Amanda Hocking is a lifelong Minnesotan obsessed with Batman and Jim Henson. In between watching cooking shows, taking care of her menagerie of pets, and drinking too much Red Bull Zero, she writes young adult urban fantasy and paranormal romance.

Her New York Times best-selling series the Trylle Trilogy has been optioned for films. She has published fifteen novels, including the Hollows and the Watersong series. Frostfire - the first book in her newest trilogy, The Kanin Chronicles - is out now, and the second book -Ice Kissed - will be May 5, 2015."

Her first novel, Switched (A Trylle Novel) was a 2010 Indie. Amazon.com says about the  story: 'When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. Eleven years later, Wendy discovers her mother might have been right.  She’s not the person she’s always believed herself to be, and her whole life begins to unravel—all because of Finn Holmes.

Finn is a mysterious guy who always seems to be watching her.  Every encounter leaves her deeply shaken…though it has more to do with her fierce attraction to him than she’d ever admit.  But it isn’t long before he reveals the truth:  Wendy is a changeling who was switched at birth—and he’s come to take her home. 
  
Now Wendy’s about to journey to a magical world she never knew existed, one that’s both beautiful and frightening.  And where she must leave her old life behind to discover who she’s meant to become…

As a special gift to readers, this book contains a new, never-before-published bonus story, “The Vittra Attacks,” set in the magical world of the Trylle.'