Donna GalantiRecensioni

If you are looking for some reading material to give your child hours of reading pleasure, getting lost in a fantasy world where Sam and Tuck take some amazing adventures, I must recommend this series.

The books are beautiful, with wonderful illustrations that draw us into the book, making it easier to visualize the scenes as they unfold, offering a little something extra to keep children involved, maybe even putting themselves in Sam and Tuck’s place.

Sam has a big heart and a need to help others, drawing Tuck into her adventures. Verny the Wyvern and Barloc the Unicorn are a couple of their best friends and volunteer to help them go Beyond The Portal to find discover answers about the disappearance of her biological mother.

Not only will they get the answers they are searching for, but they will help others who are in desperate need of it. All of them will be surprised at the outcome, learning that things are not always as they appear and helping others comes back to you. I love watching them grow and develop into more complex characters that are willing to accept what is, to go above and beyond what is expected of them, doing it with love and compassion.

I highly recommend the Unicorn Island series by Donna Galanti. Children will have hours of fun on Sam and Tuck’s adventures, playing on Unicorn Island, solving mysteries and making new friends of the supernatural kind. Their imaginations will blossom, maybe believing in magic and legends that are sure to supply hours of entertainment. I hope I conveyed my love of this series without spoiling anything for anyone.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Unicorn Island: Beyond The Portal by Donna Galanti.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

With family, friendship, and magic, and exciting adventure unfolds, which will keep readers hooked until the last page.

Sam's mother has been missing since she was a toddler, and now, that her father has returned, she's determined to locate her mother, too. When she discovers a book, which holds the key to unlock the portal through which her mother disappeared, she and Tuck embark on a journey, which packs more than they expected.

This is the third novel in the series, and while I didn't read the first two, it wasn't difficult to sink into this one. These are not really stand-alones, though, since the stories do build on each other to a certain degree.

First off, I do enjoy the cover. Not only do the pink coloring, unicorns, and stars catch the eye, but there are silver, glistening words and stars...superficial? Probably but it does invite with a special touch. The first pages were a bit to chew through. The author does a super-quick summary of Sam's general family/friend developments from the first novels to help with memory (or new readers like me), but it turns into a hodge-podge of names, which had both my daughter and me re-reading it four or more times to get the names figured out...and we wonder if that was really necessary. But after that, this tales soars off into fun and imagination.

There's a lovely balance of family, friends and adventure in these pages, giving it heart while building up the action and excitement. It keeps a nice pace the entire way through (never too quick nor too slow) and holds several surprises. Sam and Tuck are a great pair, who work together well even when they don't agree completely. It's an inspiring friendship, but then, Sam has quite a bit of support in her corner thanks to her varied family, too. Then, there's her magical friends, which add a nice touch of imagination.

The illustrations are colorful and brighten up the tale. It is a treat to hit each one and get a glimpse of the scenes, since they do bring the world and characters even more life.

I would recommend this one more for the lower end of the middle grade audience or those who are transitioning from chapter books into the middle grade novels. The font is larger, making it easier to read, and the tale stays lighter for that age end. There are a few more difficult words thrown in to ease into higher reading levels, but the general level is very age appropriate. At the end of the book, there are several sections, which add more information to various topics hit during the story (each two pages). Readers get a deeper dive into information surrounding themes like horseback riding, mythical purposes of unicorn horns, colic and more.

So summed up, this is a lovely read to end off the series. It holds adventure, heart, imagination, and even a little information. I received an ARC and found this to be an exciting adventure.

Unicorn Island is a magical story that has everything a young mind could want in an adventure, with plenty of fantasy and fact to inspire…the young and the old alike.

Foggy Harbor has begun to feel like home since Sam made a friend and discovered a magical island full of unicorns and other magical creatures. Now…their immortality is threatened and she searches for a cure, finding a secret from her past that links her to the future of the herd.

Sam had learned her Uncle Mitch’s legacy was to protect the herd and keep the secret of the island that was hidden by a fog bank. He was training Sam and her friend, Tuck, to be unicorn protectors.

When Donna Galanti mentioned elephants evolution and tusks (yes, I am talking real elephants), I had to check it out and see if it was real. I urge you to do the same.

Love. Selflessness. Devotion. Courage.

“…Science and magic together can create wondrous things…”

I loved this wonderful adventure into the magical world of Unicorn Island, with fabulous characters and magical creatures that work together to save the unicorns and the island. Not only does it have a gorgeous cover, but it holds factual tidbits at the end of the story to inspire young minds.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Unicorn Island: Secret Beneath The Sand by Donna Galanti.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

Unicorn Island by Donna Galanti is a beautifully written coming of age fantasy for a young girl looking for her place in the world…and she finds it in the most unlikely place. It was easy to like Sam and when she looks out at the view from her attic bedroom window in Foggy Harbor, I felt like I would enjoy living there too. I love when an author gives me more than I anticipated and leaves me with a smile on my face.

At the end of the book, Donna Galanti shares some history on unicorns, wyverns, veterinarians, the pirates of the Carolina’s and Ocracoke and Assateague Islands, where the wild horses roam free.

I loved this wonderful story and am so glad there is more to come.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Unicorn Island by Donna Galanti.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

This is the first book in a series and sets the scene as well as the characters up nicely for upcoming adventures.

Sam is shipped off to her uncle's for the summer, since her mother has a concert tour in Europe, but Sam doesn't know her uncle well...only that he was grumpy. When she arrives, he wasn't expecting her and would like her to leave but can't get ahold of her mother. Sam does her best to deal with the situation and soon runs into a boy in town. They quickly become friends. When the two discover a trap door leading to a secret room in the basement, they learn that there's a lot more to Sam's uncle and the fog surrounding the house than they thought.

Sam is quite a normal girl, and it's easy to connect with her when she's shipped off to an uncle she doesn't know. Her bravery and desire to be kind despite his grumpiness make her even easier to cheer for. Her new friend is the kind of person, who's ready for adventure and has a good heart. Their friendship is enjoyable, and they make a great duo.

The tale itself moves along at a steady pace with enough descriptions to bring the world color and life. The text is fairly simple, making it perfect for the younger end of the middle grade range. I wondered about the 200+ pages, but the font is fairly large, meaning there isn't an overwhelming amount of text on each page. Add the multiple illustrations to the mix, and it's a quick, easy read.

This is the beginning of a series, and the author uses this book to set the stage for the upcoming adventures. It took awhile for the adventure to really get going (after a bit more than a third of the book), but once it does, it dives into magic pure. I did find that the island and its creatures were much too easily accepted by Sam and her friend, and a few other moments happened without much depth or thought. It made some things to simple and a little hard to believe. But it's a cute tale, which magic and unicorn fans are sure to enjoy.

This was even better than the first book.

Joshua is brought back to Nostos to save Apollo from Artemis who has been taken over by Hekate. It's an adventure for sure!

This book will appeal to middle grade fantasy lovers.

*I received a copy of this book for free. The review is my own, honest and unsolicited.

Joshua and his friend, Charlie, are having a great time sledding when an unexpected visitor shows up. She's from the “other realm” and tells Joshua that Leandro sent her, and that he must come back with her to save Apollo. Although they aren’t sure what to do, Joshua and Charlie end up being transported back to the Lightning Road. It’s been awhile since they were last there and now they have a new task at hand. Artemis has their good friend, Apollo, locked in a cell. When they try to break him out things take a turn for the worse. Now Charlie and Joshua have no idea who to trust and how to get back home. There are dangers everywhere and people are not free to go about their lives. Artemis is ruling and she's dead set on getting powers from the oracle, who she believes is Joshua. Will he prove to be the oracle? Is there a way to save the slaves and humans trapped in this realm? How will Joshua know who to trust and what to do? This book is filled with action and adventure, so you'll be turning those pages.

I was excited to read Joshua and the Arrow Realm after reading the first book in the series, Joshua and the Lightning Road a couple years ago. I like that this was a continuation of an exciting story, but that it could also be enjoyed on its own. Charlie is a fun character. I loved his French phrases and nicknames for others. Joshua is growing up and it was nice to see him feeling more confident, even if he doesn't always realize it. I like the new characters that were introduced, and I hope to meet up with some of them again in the next book. The other realm has a lot of interesting parts to it, and seeing the way the gods and goddesses act is fascinating. This is a great book for kids in 4th grade and up who love mythology and stories with lots of action. I read this in one day, so it's full of page turning adventures- but there are sad parts too. I know there will be more for Joshua to do, and I look forward to the next book in the series.

Joshua and the Lightning Road by Donna Galanti is a book that I would recommend to anybody who enjoys mythology. Joshua is a character that kids and adults will be able to relate to because he's brave, scared and stubborn. These are qualities most of us demonstrate at one point or another. I like the way that myths were interwoven into the story. Kids who don’t know a lot about mythology will still be able to enjoy and understand the story, but those who know more will have an added bonus. People who like a lot of action and adventure will be thrilled with the battle scenes, which are scary, but not too scary. I like the themes of friendship and family that run throughout the book, as well as honesty and building trust. The book is fast paced and intriguing. I was satisfied with the way the story ended (which means things were wrapped up and I wasn't left with a cliffhanger). I look forward to reading the next book in the series and finding out what happens next! Wonderful writing!

This turned out to be a really good book. It's full of adventure! A great choice of book for young readers. Perfect for anyone who is unsure about reading as the story really reels you in.

*I received a copy of this book for free. The review is my own,honest and unsolicited.

I was expecting a longer book. This is barely a chapter. A teaser really. It's so hard to really review something that takes less than 10 minutes to read.

*I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Donna Galanti and Auspicious Apparatus Press. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

Chase is a new voice for me. In the first chapter I wanted a little more emotion from him, to feel Ben's excitement at looking at the starts and his stunned sorrow at what happened when the meteorite hit. After listening, Chase did do some softer tones with the female characters or deeper tone if noted for a male character. But not a lot of difference between characters other than that. Chase was an okay voice for me. The audio felt clean and no mistakes while I listened.

We have two characters we follow through their lives, Laura and Ben. Ben lives a completely different life than Laura, it's a bit darker in growing up and living. We see little things that Laura does to help those she meets and cares for. Ben...I wasn't sure he has any abilities, but he's had a rough life after the meteorite crashed into the cabin his parents were in. We get the answer to why Ben is so important. But Laura has abilities and we see that from the beginning. There is something more to her.

I know the beginning is building up our relationship with the main characters, building who they are from main events in their lives. But it felt slow for me. We get glimpses of their lives over the years, moments that are (I guess) to be huge impacts on them. I liked Laura but not Ben as much. I should feel bad for Ben with his upbringing, but I just didn't feel it.

Laura makes a vow when her parents die, to never use her powers again. I found this to not connect for me. She wasn't there to try to help them when they died, so that wouldn't connect to her powers. The other two vows, yes they fit and connect. Though I grew to accept this vow as the book progressed.

We get most of the story between Laura and Ben. But there are a few moments that we get from others. The other views share input on if that person is really good or bad, or shares about things we don't know yet. These characters are interesting and highly influential to out main characters.

Each chapter gives us the year it's happening in. We also get told how old everyone is. It's specifically given, so we don't have to do that math but feels like it's an extra in each chapter. After a while, I got tired of being told.

In the chapters there are moments where we reflect on things that happened or how the character came to this moment. Sometimes, with being audio, I would get confused as to when I am in their lives. But then the author would give a solid line that lets me know what I read was a reflective moment and where we are now. There's a lot of reflective moments.

I struggled with believing Laura and her reasoning. At times it felt like she was doing what the author wanted, not living her life. That sounds strange as it's written by the author, but her movements didn't feel to have a continuous flow for me all the time, she was going through the actions of the story. I guess it's more I just didn't feel the sympathetic or empathetic feel for the characters.

The story felt traditional in the genre it's written. This isn't a bad thing, just didn't wow me either.

By a lake surrounded by mostly empty cabins, a spaceship crashes and the government covers it up, calling it a meteorite. Ben Fieldstone lost his family that night. Sarah, a teen runaway, wouldn’t know just how affected she was by this event until 9 months later when she gave birth. A mysterious man in black from the government was there to whisk away the unusual child. The doctor and nurse did their best to hide the twin sister, Laura, that was born that night, turning her over to the loving Armstrongs to raise as their daughter. Years later, Laura survives one tragedy after another even as she starts manifesting powers from out of this world. Something hunts her but means to make her suffer emotionally before the final confrontation.

This is a science fiction story that turns into a romance. There’s a smidge of thriller in here as well as the hunter catches up to it’s prey. I enjoyed the scifi part and the thriller part was pretty gripping. However, the romance part was a bit too much for me. The middle of the books spends a little too much time talking about emotions and learning to love one’s self and how to love others, etc.

For the most part, Laura Armstrong was an interesting central character, though later in the book she ends up unconscious and needs to be carried to safety several times. I found the antagonist, X-10, to be the most captivating character. Right up to the end I kept hoping ( or wondering?) if he would be able to change despite all he had been through. He was raised in captivity undergoing tests and torture on a regular basis.

Ben ends up in the military and so there’s some true-to-character swearing and objectifying of women. It takes some serious events for him to decide he wants something else, even if he doesn’t know what he wants. I give full marks to the author for including a near-rape of an adult male situation as it is something that is not often addressed in fiction even though such crimes occur in real life. Once Ben meets Laura, he goes all mushy and doesn’t do much beside explore his feelings until the big action scene near the end. I could have used a bit more action in the middle instead of it being solid inner exploration of Ben’s character.

The plot was OK though certain parts were no mystery at all. We know from nearly the beginning that Laura’s twin is going to be a problem child. Even though Ben is ~10 years older and he traveled the world with the military, I knew that somehow he and Laura would have to come together. Still, I had to know how things would end. Mostly, this was because I wanted to see how much X-10 could change, if he could change at all. Part of me wanted him to continue on for the next book and part of me knew that wouldn’t be possible.

The mystery man in black eventually plays a larger role, though I sometimes found him a convenient catalyst, suddenly showing up with certain powers or knowledge, that helped move the plot along. The elderly Mr. B. was a lovely addition to the main cast. I adored his thesaurus skills and his grandfatherly guidance for Laura. All in all, I’m glad I gave this book a listen even though it left me wanting a bit more action and little less on the touchy feely bits.

I received a free copy of this book via The Audiobookworm.

The Narration: Chase Bradley was OK as the narrator. Initially, his voices were all distinct. He even had a few accents, like for Andy’s wife, which were well done. Once Ben and Laura meet, they always talk so soft and sweetly to each other no matter the subject or the situation that they actually sounded too much alike and sometimes I had trouble keeping track of who said what. He did have a lovely deeper voice for Felix and I wish he had used that voice for Ben as it would have worked so well for the sex scenes. And speaking of those few sex scenes, Bradley sounded a bit bored during them, like a yawn was just hiding in the corner of his mouth. He did a great job with Mr. B’s voice as he aged and he had an excellent wicked voice for X-10.

I don't know how to describe this book. It was horror, love, loneliness, connectivity; it will toy with your emotions. It kept me in its grip from beginning to end. I wanted more; I felt this book; I wanted everything to be alright yet not; I wanted to know what would become of humanity and inhumanity. Lucky for me, this was book one of a trilogy. Strangely, for whatever odd reason, as I read the wind began to whip around our house, the trees bent half over, thunder rolled and lightning flashed. I am not blaming the book (nor the weather), but it almost made me wonder about these odd elements at this particular time. Of course it wasn't the book, it couldn't be, but what an additional background to what I was reading.

I was held in a death-grip wondering what would come next every step of the way. Just when the worst would be happening, good would appear from what would seem to be nowhere. I was in awe of how Donna Galanti could maneuver my mind in so many ways with her words. She has an amazing array of feelings that she works to a frenzy then calms. I have never read a book that was so alive, so twisted and yet so vulnerable. It is the ultimate in a personal war of good and evil. It is a possibility of whatever, whoever may reside on a dying planet. This is a book I will clearly not forget, because I will have to read the next and the next.

There is strength in all of us, we don't always use it, but it is there when we need it. Laura Armstrong has strength and compassion of a very special kind, in fact she is a very special girl. Horrific things have happened in her life, but she is a survivor. Ben Fieldstone has also lived through horrific events, but has come out in need of help, he doesn't feel strength or love. They are connected but neither knows how. Bereaved as children, they've never met. But they are connected, perhaps by the man in black who always seems to be there to calm a crisis. If you want to be thrilled, terrified, enthralled, I know you will enjoy this book.

I loved A Human Element by Donna Galanti, so to continue the story in A Hidden Element was a no brainer. This is Book II of the trilogy, which contains a mish mash of genres: science fiction, mystery, thrills and romance.

A Hidden Element does fill in some of the story from A Human Element, but for the full effect I recommend starting with Book I.

I knew bad stuff was coming and I was afraid for Charlie. He is an innocent, but will he be swayed to the dark side?

Some of the aliens want to just live among us, fit in with us, side by side.

Others want so much more.

Aliens or human, it seems like we all have the same wants and desires, motivations and ego, dark and light, good and bad.

Charlie: Tomorrow. He would tell her everything tomorrow.

Adrian: He couldn’t wait to see what tomorrow delivered.

Ben: Tomorrow. He would fix this tomorrow.

Donna Galanti can sure spin an amazing tale that will keep you reading. The characters captivated me as I journeyed along with them, trying their best to make the right choices. I struggled to figure out who was good and who was bad, who would be the betrayer and who would survive. There are plenty of surprises and suspense and food for thought.

What would we do if we found out aliens walked among us? I have a feeling it wouldn’t be good. Would it be like First Encounter or War of the Worlds? Would you be curious or afraid? Would you want them living next door to you?

I’m just saying….

Joshua and the Arrow Realm is a slight improvement over the first book in the series, Joshua and the Lightning Road. Both books suffer from an overwhelming pace of information not generally expected in a novel for middle grades; the books could use a little more balance between action and development of plot. Being a book for middle grade readers, most adults will find the plot twists unsurprising and groan at the inability of Joshua to see things that seem laid out clearly before him. However, I do think that for young male readers the book will resonate, and it does a good job of exemplifying friendship and chosen brotherhood between boys that is not reliant entirely on physical skill or dominance over others. Joshua sounds like an average boy, which should make it easy for boys to put themselves in his place as they read, and he does attempt to make decisions that benefit the people he cares about. While it was nice to see a female character - Ash, the Wild Child - exhibiting positive traits and skill to help the protagonists, there is still little female representation in the book. Readers will likely compare the book to the Percy Jackson series, which is unfortunate as this series may come off as attempting to benefit from Riordan's success, but again the intended audience is likely going to care less than an adult reader.

This exhilarating novel written by Donna Galanti is about a boy who must restore the power of the twelve Olympian heirs. Apollo wants to overthrow the evil Lord Zeus with the help of his sister, Artemis, Poseidon, King of the Seas, Leandro, Charlie and Joshua, the Oracle. The plot is full of twists and turns, broken trust and unlikely allies. Concluding in a cliffhanger with lots of potential for a superb next book. However, elaboration is needed on some characters such as Leandro. For example their past journeys.

This really is a great teen fantasy book, I have read though it quite rapidly.

Apparently, Thor and other gods in same myth is actually true, and Joshua have been called to help solve more problems in the Realm.

This is the sequel to Joshua and the Lighting Road. It's the further adventures of Joshua and Charlie in the world of Nostos. A fun adventure as enjoyable as the first book. The only trouble I had was the digital copy I got was missing a few letters so it made reading a challenge.

A fun adventure pointed to teens, but enjoyable to adults who would like a adventure though the Greek God's. Joshua has an adventure trying to save his friend Finn and become a hero in the process.

This is the second book in the series. Joshua has his friend Charlie over when a mysterious girl shows up and drags them back to Nostos. Their friend king Apollo needs help and so they set out to help him. Along the way Joshua is betrayed by those some of those closest to him and struggles with the idea that he can be the Oracle.

A children's story that is action packed, as the boys find themselves in trouble again and again. The characters are likable, though I found their characters not as deep as that of Harry Potter. Enjoyable, easy read.

I loved the first book in the series, Joshua and the Lightning Road and was very excited to get my hands on Book II, Joshua and the Arrow Realm. These magical children’s books are highly entertaining for all ages.

Twelve year old Joshua and his friend Charlie were having a great time sledding…until the Lightning Road brought the Mystery Girl. Who is she and what does she want?

Joshua and Charlie are not ordinary kids. They are older than their years and have traveled to magical realms, battling evil. Joshua is able to talk to animals. Nifty talent to have that comes in very handy.

Now…they are off on another adventure, taking the Lightning Road back to Nostos to save their friend, Sam, the King.

They will travel through trees that come alive and could stomp you into a pancake, battle birdzilla with razor sharp claws, cadmean beasts with red eyes, and fire breathing foxes.

They eat some odd food…dried squirrel mash and ache cakes…MMM, yummy.

Magical lands and fantastic characters, myths and legends, the Gods and Olympians, the Oracle and Joshua. Is he the one to make things right? Others believe it is so.

I am excited to be back in Donna Galanti’s magical world of adventure, friendship and loyalty. The main characters stand tall as they race through the pages proving time and again that together they can accomplish what seems impossible.

I received an ARC of Joshua and the Arrow Realm from Donna Galanti in return for an honest review.

To see more visit fundinmental

I’ve read other books by this author and was curious how she’d do with a children’s fantasy. She did just fine.

In the beginning there were two twelve year old boys playing in an attic on a dark and stormy night.

Then the lightning struck.

Finn was gone.

And there was only one.

Joshua must find Finn and bring him safely home. He must follow the Lightning Road. So he borrows an artifact from his grandfather’s collection and begins a dangerous, wonderous adventure.

Joshua awakens in a pit, surrounded by other children. It’s soon explained to him he’s in the Lost Realm of Nostos, that they are all slaves to be sold for labor. They can never go home again and anyone trying to run will be dealt with swiftly.

But Joshua is determined to find Finn and do just that, go home. Yet, as he flees the pit and meets other kids on the run, his plan becomes bigger. Now he has to save all the kids. And the path he has to take leads away from home, towards the danger.

This story is filled with amazing and terrifying creatures and a cast of characters that bring this world to life.

The addition of Greek mythology makes it even more fascinating and mysterious.

And the secrets surrounding some crucial characters adds to the suspense.

I drew on movies like The Lord of the Rings and Percy Jackson to visual this world and the inhabitants created by the author. It led to a darker, richer experience.

Fans of fantasy adventures will eat this up.

With A Human Element by Donna Galanti being her first novel, I can only imagine what is to come!!!! I am very excited to find out. I will definitely be following this author.

I have heard so much about A Human Element from my sister, Laura, so when Donna Galanti offered me the book to review, I jumped all over it.

I mean, check out that ominous cover. It oozes mystery and danger to me.

A Human Element is about man’s inhumanity to man, man’s callous disregard of other’s lives, but also, the lengths some people will go to do the right thing.

Evil, yes.

Aliens, yes.

I LOVE this book. The further into A Human Element I read, the more engrossed I become. My heart beats faster as my eyes race across the words…faster and faster. I just have to know what is going to happen. I read on and it gets creepier and creepier.

Ben – he was only nine when his parents were killed by the meteorite that crashed in town and changed his life forever.

Sarah - swore she had never been with a man as she struggles to deliver the child. The nurse stands over Sarah, saying it is her own fault for sinning. She has no empathy for her, even as she lay dying. I found the nurse’s behavior real enough that I became pissed off and would have liked to smack her up side the head and ask her who died and made her God. I mean, how low can you get, especially being in her line of work. Have you even seen or felt the mean hand of righteous indignation and hypocrisy?

The doctor and the nurse will lie to everyone about what happened that day. Crappy people have to find a way to justify their crappy actions. The doctor’s guilt over what he has done, does not outweigh his greed. Karma is a bitch and she demands justice be served. I don’t feel sorry for what happens to him.

Laura – as she grows up, she knows she is different from everyone else. She keeps her abilities a secret. At times she wonders, do miracles happen or is something else going on. Laura can read minds, among other things. Would you want to have that ability?

“Hmph…of course it makes sense you would have polite powers, doesn’t it?’

When her parents are killed and she is left alone, she is committed to finding the killer.

Jim and Scooter – what can I say. I love them both! I believe you will too. They are all that is good in this world. I worry about them. Please let them be okay.

Jim and Laura’s thesaurus game, with their lively and fun banter, lends the book some humor. It is writing like this that gives Donna Galanti’s work that something extra, that something special that takes her work to the highest levels.

Charlie – HE knows hate, luxuriates in it, thrives on it, is driven by it. Hate oozes from his pores like sweat. He hates everything, but mostly he hates Laura. He vows to take her life with his own two hands, to feel the life flow out of her.

Felix - the green eyed man – is he good or bad?

Donna pulled more than one surprise out of her hat and she does an excellent job of showing humanities weaknesses. All the darkness and evil is shared with light and goodness. Human emotions run the gamut – pain and torture, hate and greed, love and generosity, sorrow and bliss.

Each character is forced to assess what is important to them as their moment of destiny approaches.

I love the part about sunrises. Laura explains to Jim how they are like snowflakes, no two alike. I have many sunset photographs of Cape Cod over the years I vacationed there. Friends and family would ask me why I am shooting more. I would tell them that each is unique.

I felt such tension, suspense, fear and dread for the characters, that I was talking to them. Shouting at them. Telling them to watch out. He’s coming.

I had thought A Human Element was paranormal, but it is not, even though powers are involved. They come from another place. A place out of this world.

I never saw the ending coming. Fantastic. I kept trying to figure it out and felt tortured and pained as I raced through the pages – I HAVE to know – now!

I am sitting here, finished, looking at nothing, in complete disbelief. Awesome! Donna Galanti’s imagination knows no bounds.

I am so bummed the story is over. I want so much to read more. I am afraid, yet hopeful because of Laura and her innate goodness. Can it overcome what is lurking on the horizon? My sneak peek has me craving more.

But, wait, it goes on - A Hidden Element, Book II, sits on my Kindle. Must ...read...now.

I was given this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

With A Human Element by Donna Galanti being her first novel, I can only imagine what is to come!!!! I am very excited to find out. I will definitely be following this author.

I have heard so much about A Human Element from my sister, Laura, so when Donna Galanti offered me the book to review, I jumped all over it.

I mean, check out that ominous cover. It oozes mystery and danger to me.

A Human Element is about man’s inhumanity to man, man’s callous disregard of other’s lives, but also, the lengths some people will go to do the right thing.

Evil, yes.

Aliens, yes.

I LOVE this book. The further into A Human Element I read, the more engrossed I become. My heart beats faster as my eyes race across the words…faster and faster. I just have to know what is going to happen. I read on and it gets creepier and creepier.

Ben – he was only nine when his parents were killed by the meteorite that crashed in town and changed his life forever.

Sarah - swore she had never been with a man as she struggles to deliver the child. The nurse stands over Sarah, saying it is her own fault for sinning. She has no empathy for her, even as she lay dying. I found the nurse’s behavior real enough that I became pissed off and would have liked to smack her up side the head and ask her who died and made her God. I mean, how low can you get, especially being in her line of work. Have you even seen or felt the mean hand of righteous indignation and hypocrisy?

The doctor and the nurse will lie to everyone about what happened that day. Crappy people have to find a way to justify their crappy actions. The doctor’s guilt over what he has done, does not outweigh his greed. Karma is a bitch and she demands justice be served. I don’t feel sorry for what happens to him.

Laura – as she grows up, she knows she is different from everyone else. She keeps her abilities a secret. At times she wonders, do miracles happen or is something else going on. Laura can read minds, among other things. Would you want to have that ability?

“Hmph…of course it makes sense you would have polite powers, doesn’t it?’

When her parents are killed and she is left alone, she is committed to finding the killer.

Jim and Scooter – what can I say. I love them both! I believe you will too. They are all that is good in this world. I worry about them. Please let them be okay.

Jim and Laura’s thesaurus game, with their lively and fun banter, lends the book some humor. It is writing like this that gives Donna Galanti’s work that something extra, that something special that takes her work to the highest levels.

Charlie – HE knows hate, luxuriates in it, thrives on it, is driven by it. Hate oozes from his pores like sweat. He hates everything, but mostly he hates Laura. He vows to take her life with his own two hands, to feel the life flow out of her.

Felix - the green eyed man – is he good or bad?

Donna pulled more than one surprise out of her hat and she does an excellent job of showing humanities weaknesses. All the darkness and evil is shared with light and goodness. Human emotions run the gamut – pain and torture, hate and greed, love and generosity, sorrow and bliss.

Each character is forced to assess what is important to them as their moment of destiny approaches.

I love the part about sunrises. Laura explains to Jim how they are like snowflakes, no two alike. I have many sunset photographs of Cape Cod over the years I vacationed there. Friends and family would ask me why I am shooting more. I would tell them that each is unique.

I felt such tension, suspense, fear and dread for the characters, that I was talking to them. Shouting at them. Telling them to watch out. He’s coming.

I had thought A Human Element was paranormal, but it is not, even though powers are involved. They come from another place. A place out of this world.

I never saw the ending coming. Fantastic. I kept trying to figure it out and felt tortured and pained as I raced through the pages – I HAVE to know – now!

I am sitting here, finished, looking at nothing, in complete disbelief. Awesome! Donna Galanti’s imagination knows no bounds.

I am so bummed the story is over. I want so much to read more. I am afraid, yet hopeful because of Laura and her innate goodness. Can it overcome what is lurking on the horizon? My sneak peek has me craving more.

But, wait, it goes on - A Hidden Element, Book II, sits on my Kindle. Must ...read...now.

I was given this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

At first I really enjoyed A HUMAN ELEMENT. It was mysterious, a bit spooky and I thought the concept was unique. All those elements continued throughout the book, but it lost me about halfway through when it didn't pick up speed. I slowly started to lose interest in the story all together and had to force myself to finish it with the slow pace. I did like the characters and the overall storyline was interesting. There is a book 2 coming A HIDDEN ELEMENT, but I'm just not invested enough in the story to want to continue it.

* This book was provided free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.½