Today I get to share with you the second book in The Bella Santini Chronicles. Now I have not read the first book but am interested in it after reading the second one. The book I am reviewing is Bella Santini in the Troll War by Angela Legh. However, the giveaway is for both books in this series!
From the Publisher:
Written by Angela Legh and Illustrated by Whitnee Nixon
Ages 8-12 | 204 Pages
Publisher: Waterside Productions | ISBN-13: 9781956503203
Publisher’s Synopsis: In The Land of Everlasting Change, Bella Santini is an ordinary girl who was spirited away to the land of the Fae. She completed her admission trials and was initiated into Yelimoon fairy school. Her nemesis Novaq continues his campaign to get her thrown out of the school. Under the cover of darkness, Novaq and friends conspire to kidnap Bella and deliver her to Ginekei, who will banish Bella from the kingdom.
Her friends Shibohna, Matteus, and Torvieto, race to her rescue. Together, they use their collective wisdom to foil the kidnappers. However, the rescue party is unable to return to Yelimoon School. A trek through the night brings them to Thessaeria, where Bella learns the truth about who she is.
Meanwhile, the Trolls, under the direction of Ginekei, lead an attack on Fae cities. The balance between light and dark is at risk in the Fae realm. Who is Bella, and what will become of her?
Bella Santini in the Troll War is book two of the Bella Santini Chronicles series. This book series seeks to plant seeds of wellness into the hearts and minds of every child who reads or has the books read to them. The seeds planted are unconditional love, inner peace, and emotional self-mastery.
About the Author:
Angela Legh grew up in San Francisco, CA. She learned from her father that men were people to fear, and that anger is bad. She learned from her mother how to love unconditionally. For the first 54 years of her life, Angela was bullied, first by her father, then by the man she married. In both stages of her life, a fire caused the family to break up. The first fire, when she was five, resulted in the children being sent away for months while her parents sought housing. The second fire, a disastrous California wildfire, caused Angela to question her choices in life; leave her marriage, and seek to find herself. Angela is now an author and self-development mentor.
Her children’s book series, The Bella Santini Chronicles, has received high praise and is known for helping children learn how to manage their emotions.
For more information, visit https://angelalegh.com.
From Me:
In this book we are in the land of fairies. Bella is trying to find her way. She was human but somehow got brought to the Land of Everlasting Change. In the first book she had to pass tests to be admitted into Yelimoon, one of the schools for fairies. This book begins right after she passed the tests and is getting initiated into the school. Many believe in her, but one student does not, and he plans to prove himself right. It was easy to pick up what was happening and the references to the first book were well explained in the second one. Throughout the book there are pages with illustrations of events in the story. They are black and white and will help the younger of readers to follow the story.
The story itself is interesting. We have Bella being initiated into the fairy school and the bully trying to take her down. Outside of the school there is another war brewing. The trolls are making moves to begin a war. They are led by a fairy who wants to take over as queen. The kids get caught in the war as a result of the bully. The most interesting thing to me though in this book is towards the end. The fairy queen fights the evil with love. She then explains to Bella how love will conquer evil. She shares that how we react to bullying is the problem and not the bullying itself. If we embrace the weakness we have and fix it with love, we take the power away from the bully. My explanation is not nearly as well written as the book!! At the end of the book there is a message from Queen Tatiana for parents about this idea. Then there is a section discussing some of the themes that appear in the book like sibling rivalry, bullying, child abandonment, bringing the perspective of love, and several more. There are topics to include in a discussion with your kids, pledges for kids and for parents, a poem, and book club questions. Yes, this book has everything one needs to teach from this book!
The story is interesting, mysterious, and dramatic. The characters are well developed, and each has a back story to share how he or she became that way. The back stories are told throughout the book to help develop the characters even more. Although this book takes place in a fairy world with magic and more it relates to life here on Earth. There are many parallels to draw and of course there is the fact that Bella came from Earth to the magic fairy kingdom. The lessons apply to everyday life, but the story is thrilling to keep the reader engaged and wanting to keep reading! I can see this as a fun book for a parent child reading or even a classroom reading. Oh, and it ends with a sneak peek of the third book!! I am interested in reading more!
Giveaway:
One (1) winner receives:
- A copy of Bella Santini in the Land of Everlasting Change
- A copy of Bella Santini in the Troll Wars
- A Bella Santini Chronicles Back Pack
Three (3) winners receive:
- A copy of Bella Santini in the Land of Everlasting Change
- A copy of Bella Santini in the Troll Wars
