This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Paul F. Murray for Readers' Favorite
Auburn by Valerie Thomas is a beautiful story about a young high school student named Ashley Nimzovitch who wants to be a band singer. Ashley does more than just dream about it — she works steadily toward her goal with her band mates/friends, Charlie and brash Joey, and she does not let expected early discouragements such as at the Cat’s Cradle music store stop her. Ashley has no letup in her drive and will to achieve her goals. Depressed at times by her life’s circumstances at school and living in an apartment with a single mom, Ashley uses music to express her frustrations in a more productive and positive way than perhaps some options which other teens in her situation might choose. Through it all, though, Charlie and Joey support Ashley in her novice mistakes, and her ordeal with Jessica, who loves to post nasty, brutally unkind Facebook messages about Loser McGee. Adding to Ashley’s unfortunate life are her single mom and her mom’s bartending job, and her mother’s boyfriend Kent, which make Ashley feel lonely and ignored at times.
I thoroughly enjoyed Auburn by Valerie Thomas. Ashley is a beautiful, endearing young teen with long auburn hair as lovely as any blonde’s. As the novel picked up steam I had difficulty putting it down. The Auburn band (love that band name!) works hard, if unsuccessfully at first, to get gigs and a chance to show off their music and themselves. Later, when the band’s success starts to take off, readers will be cheering for Auburn and Ashley as they work to transform themselves from school nobodies into school celebrities.
