Oh my goodness. I can't even begin to describe the elation I felt when I saw that Oceans of Sand had won a gold medal in the Readers' Favorite book award contest. I was seriously THRILLED! Check it out on the award page here.
Doesn't it look great???
Readers' Favorite is a prestigious book contest with thousands of entries from all over the world. I submitted Oceans of Sand for a review from them, so I thought, why not? I'll enter the award contest, too.
I had to wait a few months, and the contest went to the back of my mind, what with publication and other exciting things happening! But then I got the BEST surprise September 1st when I checked the contest page and saw that Oceans of Sand won FIRST PLACE in the Young Adult Epic Fantasy category.
Wow. Just wow.
I am so blown away and so grateful to everyone at Readers' Favorite. Check out their gorgeous review below!!
"Jessica Flory brings us a remarkable epic fantasy in Oceans of Sand. Seventeen-year-old Norah is the only one that doesn't have a sand gift. Zadock is her best friend and that is all they will ever be, just friends. It doesn't matter what either of them wants. Living on a plateau with vast oceans of sand around, these sand gifts come in handy. Love, however, weakens the sand gifts. Threatened with a famine that has lasted three years already and the To'Morat attacking other plateaus for survival, Norah and Zadock are sent on a mission to recover the second moonstone. This could be their only hope to save their people.
"It's been quite a while since I found a book that I was unable to put down. From the very first page right to the last, the author captured my imagination. I felt sand in my hair, on my skin, and in my mouth. Jessica Flory has a unique talent where she has brought a desert to life and given the sand similar qualities as water. She has created an interesting world of infinite times where the moon affects the sand as it does the tides of the ocean. Characters are relatable and relevant and show development. Written in the first-person narrative over three different characters, the reader is plunged into this epic fantasy world. Recommended for young adults and mature readers alike, this book will take you on an incredible journey you won't want to return from."
