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Monday 29 August 2022

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway - The Urban Boys by K.N. Smith

A thrill-ride through the senses of five friends on a mysterious adventure…

By K.N. Smith



Release Date: September 29, 2015
Publisher: Two Petals Publishing
Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-0989474757
Pages: 340
Price: $12.95
E-Book: $2.99

Book Description:
Welcome or unwelcome. Fate has arrived.

“A captivating and poetic tale of mystery, fantasy, and reality tied together by action!”
5-stars, Lars Jackson, Amazon Customer

A suspenseful incident in a forbidden preserve heightens the senses of five friends. Sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell become super-gifts that forever change the world. But furious battles confront the boys as they try to understand their sensory super powers in a race to save mankind. With light beings and mysterious strangers complicating their plight, can the boys defeat the evil Druth before it’s too late? Get prepared for the twisting and grinding of this award-winning, action-adventure story — an edge-of-your-seat narrative for young and mature readers alike.

“Brilliantly crafted and written!” – Megan King, Indie Book Reviewers

“An energetic adventure debut with stellar action sequences. Smith’s writing is intelligent and often lyrical. Her exuberant prose never fails to dazzle.” – Kirkus Media

“Author K.N. Smith uses her mastery of the written word to weave an entrancing, yet powerful tale of adventure that keeps you turning pages in an unquenchable desire to find out what happens next.” – Publishers Daily Reviews

Available for Purchase in Paperback & Kindle

Buy Links:



REVIEW


BOOK SUMMARY

As dark forces overcome the quiet community of Danville Heights, the lives of five school friends changes drastically when they are each exposed to an energy source that heightens their senses. Possessing such great powers places the boys in great danger from their enemy known as Druth, who seeks their powers so as to have control of the senses of all humans. To defeat evil, they must overcome their personal struggles and work together to save their community.

WHAT I LIKED

The prologue really set the mood and gave an insight into the dangers ahead. It was suspenseful and dark and definitely grabbed my full attention. I liked that it was very visual. You could picture everything as it was happening, which made the action and events happening even more intense. You could sense the fear of the witnesses to the murder. I immediately pictured this being a TV show or movie, and that's even before the story even took off.

It's not everyday you read a book with a full male cast as the main protagonists, which was refreshing, but what I really liked is that the focus wasn't just on our five heroes, it was also on their families and friends, which allowed for more in-depth characterisation. The sense of community was really alive throughout this book, which was a great catalyst for the boys in their fight to save their family and friends.

I liked the subtlety of the fantasy element. The focus wasn't on the grandeur of supernatural abilities but rather on enhancing senses already possessed by humans. It added a sense of realism to the story.

WHAT I DISLIKED

While it was great to have an ensemble of characters, it was a little hard at first to distinguish between the characters.

Too much telling over showing in this one. It made it difficult to have an objective perspective and form my own impressions of the characters. I don't mind multiple perspectives when done in a way that doesn't lead to confusion or disorientation, which was the case here. There was a lot of head-hopping happening throughout, which made it hard at times to determine who to focus on.

The inconsistent tone throughout. The book felt both like a middle-grade and young adult fantasy novel. At times, the characters seemed younger than the age they were presented to be, which changed the ambience of the story.

VERDICT

A good read overall. I didn't enjoy the story as much as I was hoping to, but it was entertaining nonetheless.

RATING









FROM CHAPTER 3
- Soft swirls of light rose, dissipating

as they spoke. 

“The others are capable, but they need our help.

Peace will not come easily. We must give them

strength.”

“Druth will destroy our home. He will hurt the gifted

ones if the nectar finds him.” 

“They will not survive him.”

“The others must seek the will for survival. They   

must understand their own power.”

A transient suspension held the beings in the

preserve. Faint flecks of light dotted the landscape.

“In these two worlds, our ideas converge, yet  

collide.”

“He must be stopped!”

“It is true.”

“Naculea must endure.”

“It is chosen.”

Now resting upon the succulent, running rich with the

life-giving nectar, the beings absorbed its energy,

glowing as bright as the sun. 

Thirst became a distant need yet again.

“We must warn… the one.”

“The one who sees.”

“The one who sees and hears much.”

“It is the only way.”

Final clicks faded into silence.












About the Author
K.N. Smith, winner of the “Best of” in the category of “Outstanding Young Adult Novel” at the Jessie Redmon Fauset Book Awards, is an author and passionate advocate of literacy and arts programs throughout the world. Her lyrical flair sweeps across pages that twist and grind through action-adventure and urban fantasy in edge-of-your-seat narratives. K.N. has over twenty-five years’ experience in communications and creative design as an award-winning consultant. Reading is still her foremost hobby. K.N. inspires people of all ages to reach their highest potential in their creative, educational, and life pursuits.

Her latest book is the YA Action Adventure/YA Thriller/Urban Fantasy/Mystery/Thriller DISCOVERY OF THE FIVE SENSES (The Urban Boys Book 1).

You can visit her website at www.KNSmith.com or connect with her on Facebook.


***GIVEAWAY***

K.N. Smith is giving away 4 ($25) Visa e-Cards!

Terms & Conditions:

  • By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
  • Four winners will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $25 Visa e-card.
  • This giveaway ends midnight August 31.
  • Winner will be contacted via email on September 1.
  • Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!







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