A Selection of Reviews for The Lost Scroll of the Physician
Snake-charmer Sesha and her younger brother Ky find themselves in a nest of vipers in this suspenseful story. Readers will love this impossible-to-put-down adventure!
Alice Kuipers
author of Me and Me
A thrilling story from start to finish. Sesha is a great character in a thrilling mystery. A mix of magic, science and with a great central character, this was a blast!
Kevin Sylvester
author of the Neil Flambé series
Sesha reminds me of Katniss Everdeen in her bravery and keen mind — she's a protagonist kids will be talking about long after they finish The Lost Scroll of the Physician.
Angela Misri
author of the Portia Adams Adventure series
Sevigny excels at worldbuilding, layering the minutiae of daily life in convincing detail — in her hands, ancient Egypt, perennially fascinating, becomes a character in its own right. An immersive read for lovers of historical fiction.
Kirkus Reviews
This action-packed series brings the vibrant ancient kingdom to life in wonderful, shimmering detail.
Kate Blair
author of The Magpie’s Library
A thrilling mystery adventure with a smart and fearless girl at its centre, The Lost Scroll of the Physician is an exhilarating tale.
Meaghan McIsaac
author of Boil Line
Woven with mystery and intrigue, this middle grade tale will create a new generation of Egyptology fans!
Melanie McFarlane
author of There Once Were Stars
The lure of ancient Egypt, a plucky heroine and an exciting quest combine in an irresistible, fast-paced adventure that will draw readers in and keep them entranced until the very last page.
Joyce Grant
author of Sliding Home
A Selection of Praise for Summer Constellations
Sevigny’s (Kissing Frogs, 2014) portrayal of the emotional and financial struggles that can accompany illness in America ring true. Julia is a brave, independent, and competent female character who shows that you don’t need to be a femme fatale to be lovable. A pleasant coming-of-age story for fans of teen romance.
Kirkus Reviews
This is a fast-paced, humorous and romantic story, with realistic dialogue and a cast of interesting and relatable characters. The relationship dynamics between Nick and Julia are immensely readable, but teens will also be driven to keep reading to discover what happens to Julia and her family’s campground. VERDICT Recommended for collections serving teens, especially where romance is in demand.
School Library Journal
Readers will enjoy Julia’s droll narration and appreciate her tough situation and conflicted feelings for Nick. Sure, the story evolves into a fairy-tale romance with a miraculous resolution, but who wouldn’t want to daydream about a perfect prince showing up to help save the day?
Booklist
Summer Constellations is fun, romantic and might even stimulate some debate about the relationship between development and the environment. Sevigny also delivers interesting characters that we care about and who have problems that are reasonably relatable. More than anything though, this is a classic, steamy summer romance that young teen girls will love. Highly Recommended.
CM Magazine
I devoured this story in one sitting. I couldn't put it down and found myself captivated by the romance sparking between Nick and Julia. There's so much bad in their past that it helps them to bond and it's also very real to others who have dealt with relatives dying or the impending loss of a home. The ending is one of the best I've read in a while and I loved how everything came together.
YA Bookshelf
A coming of age tale with an environmental angle, Summer Constellations, sparkles with humour and sizzles with a dreamy romance, hitting all the right notes, leaving the reader satisfied. An excellent choice for those who enjoy a smart summer romance layered with varied and well developed characters who are as natural and refreshing as a summer breeze off the lake.”
BR Myers
If you have never been so far into the wilderness that there was no light pollution at all, you are missing out on an incredible experience. Those of us who have been there, will recognize the author's authenticity. It is impossible to fake a proper description of the vastness of the summer sky at night if you've never seen it with your own eyes. This setting is the perfect place for romance to bloom… This is a feel good tale about overcoming adversity when the odds are stacked against you, with a side of young love that will have teen readers sighing with anticipation and older readers looking back at that time in their lives with nostalgia.
Amie’s Book Reviews
Praise for Kissing Frogs
“The environmentalist storyline runs throughout the novel, and the beautiful location is described in such vivid detail that it feels like another character in the story. But what’s most entertaining is how Sevigny balances an eco-conscious story about saving amphibians with a reminder that, sometimes, you have to kiss a lot of “frogs” before finding your prince…These are the kind of teen characters you want to root for and can identify with; they’re not heroes like The Hunger Games’ Katniss or wise beyond their years like Hazel Grace in The Fault in Our Stars. Their ordinariness is refreshing in a genre that is often fighting to make characters unnecessarily extraordinary.”
Quill and Quire
“The conservation theme really differentiates Kissing Frogs from all the other cute, bubbly romances out there. I have to give Alisha Sevigny credit for raising awareness about the plight of endangered species in general and Panama’s Golden Frog in particular. She made me care about the animals and want to make a difference without ever making me feel pressured or guilty… If you’re already planning your summer vacation and are looking for a book to take along to the beach, you can’t go wrong with Kissing Frogs. You’ll smile, you’ll laugh, and you’ll certainly want to save some endangered species.”
Angela’s Library
I bought and read this book totally because of the environmental tie-in. I'd been looking for a YA environmental book that didn't fall into the climate fiction category. In YA those books are usually about a human-made environmental disaster and a woe-is-us aftermath. This is a YA romance with an environmental setting and secondary story line. The author did a good job of avoiding the environmental YA cliches of "Let's save a species!" or "We young people must save the world from adults!" I very much like the idea of connecting environmental material with a mainstream genre. This is the first time I can recall seeing anyone do it.
Gail Gauthier
Children's Book Blogger
“No matter what character readers scrutinize, they will come away with memorable, three-dimensional, character development.”
YA Book Shelf
“Sevigny’s description of the setting and landscape was beautiful, leaving me wanting to learn more about Panama and the animals that live there … As a mom, this is one I’ll keep for my daughters’ bookshelves, so they can hear Jessica’s experience. I’d recommend this book to anyone who needs a breath of fresh air and a happy, feel good book.”
Writing on Writing
"I really loved this book!"
Jess's Book Blog
“Sevigny manages to speak with the voices of the teenagers without making this a morality story or an after school special. The kids are the kids we all grew up with, and the mistakes they make are the ones we all made … If you like coming-of-age stories or have a kid in your life who is trying to find their place in the shark tank – I suggest you grab a copy of Kissing Frogs – you will not be disappointed.”
A Portia Adams Adventure
“This novel is a perfect reminder to take care of our planet and everything that lives on it … Kissing Frogs is a fun, entertaining read.”
Feisty Little Women
This book is charming, well-written, and will hook you in from the start.
Bitches n Prose
“A precious book on changing and embracing who you really are. About becoming the person you are meant to be and that beauty on the inside is worth more than what we see on the outside.”
Books are Love
“Kissing Frogs by Alisha Sevigny is an incredibly fun and adorable debut novel that is perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins, Kelly Oram and Morgan Matson! Fresh, flirty and addictive from the beginning, Kissing Frogs is a great contemporary twist on the frog prince that will have you jumping for joy.”
The Rest Is Still Unwritten
“In her debut novel, KISSING FROGS, Alisha Sevigny has written a book that people of all ages will enjoy – and relate to… While reading this book, I was continuously struck by one thing – it’s totally unique. I’ll gladly read anything else she writes because of how apparent it is that she cares about her characters. Plus, the amount of research that went into the novel to make the entire story come together in a magical way.”
A Book Drunkard
Alisha is available to speak to groups on writing, publishing, pitching stories and frog conservation!