January Black


Young Adult - Sci-Fi
336 Pages
Reviewed on 03/18/2013
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

Author Biography

Wendy S. Russo got her start writing in the sixth grade. That story involved a talisman with crystals that had to be found and assembled before bad things happened, and dialog that read like classroom roll call. Since then, she's majored in journalism (for one semester), published poetry, taken a course on short novels, and watched most everything ever filmed by Quentin Tarantino. A Wyoming native transplanted in Baton Rouge, Wendy works for Louisiana State University as an IT analyst. She's a wife, a mom, a Tiger, a Who Dat, and she falls asleep on her couch at 8:30 on weeknights.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Dianne Bylo for Readers' Favorite

Set in a world that is similar to our own, “January Black” by Wendy S. Russo is an intriguing mystery, a sweet love story, and has a twist at the end that will bring a smile to your face! Young Matty Ducayne has caught the eye of King Hadrian with his brilliant mind, intense curiosity and his ability to think outside of the box. Hadrian gives Matty a deceptively difficult question to answer: What is January Black? Matty has no time constraints, but there is only one correct answer and with the help and support of Iris, he undertakes a two year journey to find the solution to the king’s question. Throughout his search, Matty comes to many wrong conclusions, finds a sweetly sincere love shared with Iris, opens his eyes to the reality of the world around him, and learns that knowledge should always be shared. Once Matty realizes he has the answer, he makes a daring move that could cost him his life. He must trust in what the answer means, how it will affect the actions of those closest to him, and that his life will be changed forever!

I was completely enthralled by the world Wendy Russo created in this story and kept hoping that I would magically find more pages after reaching the end! With its unique plot-line, smooth prose, and charmingly brilliant characters, I can highly recommend "January Black" to anyone who loves a book that can be read and re-read, again and again!

Ivan Amberlake

I love this book!

Ivan Amberlake

Great review of a great book! I love January Black!