July 9, 2025 – M.C.V. EGAN ❧Defining Ways❧

@RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #DaughterofStarlight #MollyMHammond #YAFantasy

YA Fantasy, Fantasy

Date Published: July 9, 2025

Luma was six years old when she was found wandering alone with no memory of a family or how she got the strange scars that crisscross her palms. Now, twelve years later, Luma is summoned across a magical bridge to another world: a world where the decimated population of elves suffer under the ruthless wizard army.

Luma’s appearance is a ray of hope for the elves, who believe she is their prophesied “Daughter of Starlight”, the only one whose powerful magic can heal their broken defenses. Luma just wants to get back home, but the wizards discover her, and soon Luma is in the fight of her life. As she flees a mighty adversary, Luma struggles with hints of a strange power from deep within, a power that she can neither control nor deny any longer.

Desperate for answers, Luma joins a group of elf resistance fighters on a perilous journey in search of the exiled elf mage. Along the way, Luma begins to realize there could be more truth to this prophecy than she first thought, and that just maybe, she has a family after all.

About the Author

Molly M. Hammond is an award-winning author whose love of language and writing has been lifelong. She earned a degree in English and Communication and then went on to earn a second degree in American Sign Language Interpreting. An avid runner, Molly often gets her best story ideas while running and remains outraged that those ideas do not then present themselves, fully formed, on the page. When she’s not running, writing, or interpreting, Molly can often be found taking an excessive number of photos of her dog, Bungee, and her two cats, Rose, and Clover. Molly lives in the beautiful St. Croix River Valley of Minnesota with her husband and two sons, who bring her joy every day.

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A Story of Courage, Resiliency and Faith.

by Monica Hargrave

Genre: Nonfiction Inspirational Biography

Whether you experienced foster care or adoption or neither,

this story will encourage you to keep believing that good will find you.

Faded Red Beads: From an Orphanage to a Disrupted Adoption.

A Story of Courage, Resiliency and Faith.

by Monica Hargrave

Genre: Nonfiction Inspirational Biography

As I began to head upstairs to my bedroom, my adopted father abruptly asked, “Where have you been?” I responded with, “What do you mean? I called you at 3:15 p.m. and told you I had a game this evening.” He said, “No, you did not. I did not talk to you today!”

I stood there, frozen, thinking, you’re crazy as hell. Mr. O’Neal proceeded to tell me what my future was going to be, and I didn’t agree with anything he said. “You will not participate in sports; you will come directly home from school, cook dinner, clean the house, etc.” As he yelled, I began plotting my next move. When I tuned in, he said, “You will have no outside interaction with anyone.” I recall thinking, This is my last day in this hellhole. It didn’t matter where I ended up, I knew anything had to be better than this. I wasn’t living at all. His home felt like prison, and I was ready to be free. This wasn’t about me trying to sneak around and see boys. It was about a robbed childhood. I didn’t have many answers, but I knew living with Mr. O’Neal was suffocating. He wasn’t equipped to be an adoptive parent. The system failed. Providing a roof wasn’t enough.

This story is written to inspire individuals. To move when you don’t have all the answers about what lies ahead, but you know if you stay where you are, you will die. To trust your gut and to not copy anyone’s life, you are an original. It just so happens this story is about a little girl’s journey from an orphanage to a failed adoption to charting her path forward. Whether you experienced foster care or adoption or neither, this story will encourage you to keep believing that good will find you.

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When Monica was born, the doctors said, “If she makes it overnight, she will survive.” Monica spent approximately nine years in foster care and then ran away from her adoptive family. She strives to empower women to actively address whatever is holding them back from leading fulfilled lives. You get one life. Live it. Monica completed her undergraduate studies at Niagara University and has a masters degree in health administration from Central Michigan University and a masters in human resources development from Villanova University. She completed Emory University’s executive coaching program and coaches women who are unfulfilled in their careers. Monica loves trying vegan recipes, animals, exercising, and reading James Patterson novels. She has three furry friends.

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