The Fire Stone

The Fire Stone: Book One of The Reign of the Elements, is a Middle Grade high fantasy adventure story brought to life by memorable,
vibrant characters. Written by a sixteen-year-old, it is rooted in
genuine adolescent thought and emotion. It is a journey of courage,
friendship, and danger, as a group of teenagers attempt to save their
world.
HERE'S WHAT REVIEWERS SAY ABOUT THE FIRE STONE:
"This YA Fantasy is exceptionally remarkable in that it is the first in a series (Reign of the Elements) of five books, with a new series soon to begin, all written by a sixteen-year-old young lady from Colorado. It features a Cinderella-like human boy, Matt, a magical giant bird-like Alorath named Sam, two elves, a dwarf, a wizard, and a warrior. Matt has been abused by his parents all his fifteen years. In between his many chores, he has been taught by the dwarf, and now the wizard steps forward to watch over Matt and guide him on a totally new path on his own. He can’t help but pick up more friends along the way to saving small kingdoms and searching for the first elemental talisman—the Fire Stone. All the time he and his friends and mentors fight against forces of the Dark Lord in a race to obtain the stone. Matt discovers he is capable of magic and also learns how to fight to defend himself and the forces of good.
Ms Carney reminds me so much of Christopher Paolini and his youthful start. She includes the best elements of a good fantasy without going overboard. Her characters are likeable and realistic. The plot has plenty of twists, with friends and family really being totally what they did not seem. There is humor, coming of age, values, and logic buried throughout the story. It’s a pleasant read for young and old. We rated this book five hearts." - Bob Spear, Author, Editor, Owner/The Book Barn
http://www.heartlandreviews.com/Young_Adult.html
AND:
"Five out of five stars - A treasure for genre fans that should not be overlooked!" Midwest Book Review
AND:
"The Fire Stone is a charming story with relatable characters for young adult
readers…the story zips along with much action and humor, and the
characters are likable… Carney has imbued Matt with an appealing
combination of humility and longing for adventure, making him an easy
character to root for. When he rescues a baby alorath (a largish
catlike creature with feathers and magical abilities) from abusive
circus workers and goes to live with his teacher, Alem, the tale is
kicked off with true excitement. The elves, Emmon and Arden, have their
own separate quest, but their story – along with that of Lucian, the
wizard – dovetail nicely as the story evolves…abundantly blessed with
adventure and appeal.” - Kirkus Discoveries

The Water Stone: Book Two in The Reign of the Element series has a publication date of June 15, 2010.
The Fire Stone is available at Amazon, barnesandnoble.com, your local independent bookstore and signed copies are available from indiependent books at the link below.