Cover Reveal and Review: Pugnapped! by Marty Kelley

 

PUGNAPPED!

Commander Universe Saves the Day (Sort of)

by Marty Kelley

Sterling Publishers

Middle Grade Adventure / Graphic Novel

128 pages

ages 7 to 10 

COMING...

NOVEMBER 2nd!!!

Fourth-grader Stevie Blunt needs money to pay for a rare comic book so when a neighbor needs a last-minute dog sitter for her beloved pug, Stevie transforms into Commander Universe, ready to be the hero this citizen needs (and earn the money for his comic book). But then the dog goes missing, and Commander Universe has just hours to find out what happened. Follow the daring escapades of Commander Universe as they dodge mind-controlled squirrels, Mystery Neighbors, and new neighbor Abi in their attempt to save the precious pug.

GOODREADS    /    AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

This is a book really written for younger middle graders with full-speed imagination, determination and simple, exciting fun.

Stevie...or more correctly said Commander Universe is determined to get one of the 1000 limited edition copies of his ultimate, favorite comic series. But first he has to come up with $75 (and that before his arch-enemy does). When his neighbor agrees to let him dog sit her pug for even more than the needed money, Commander Universe finally has a way to save someone's day (and earn his comic book). Things don't go as planned as someone steals the pug from its super, cozy house. Commander Universe is off to save the day...but being a superhero isn't an easy task.

I love finding kidlit which is really written for kids and not what adults think kids would like, and this book is exactly that. Stevie's determination to be Commander Universe might seem over the top, but it's exactly what my own child or a couple nieces and nephews have done...just more in other directions like animals and such. Stevie embraces his own idea of fun without allowing others to ruin it with their poking and bullying attempts. And he has friends, who are ready to jump into his world with him. So, this alone made it a great read in my eyes.

Of course, this one is well-written and very nicely paced. There's a lot of dialogue, little description (just right for the age group), tons of woven in humor, and adventure pure. It's not clear what has happened to the stolen pug or who the true villain. It is clear that Stevie's so caught up in his own world that he makes some mistakes along the way. It's a great mix, which keeps the reader in the pages...and even more reluctant ones.

This book is an interesting mix of graphic novel and classic novel form.  The illustrations are very well done and let every moment shine. These are placed just right with the other text, so that the different moments develop as they need to. It's interesting, and it works.

Review: Iridescent by S. H. Everly

Thoughts of summer almost always include beaches and water...so, today's review is just right for the approaching end of July! This one is a clean fantasy with faith, magic, and so much more. Plus, I liked the cover with its wonderful blue.

Ready for a quick splash?

Iridescent

Iridescent #1

by S. H. Everly

YA Fantasy

25 February, 2021

 

For 17-year-old Katrina Peterson, life is never the same after she finds out she’s moving back to California. Upon arrival, Katrina learns that the town has secrets, and at the heart of them is the mysterious and popular Jared, who’s been dreaming about her long before she came to Santa Cruz.

Only one thing seems to have all the answers: a map given to her by her mother. But Katrina wonders how long she can keep her own secret from Jared. Will he ever accept her for who she truly is? But, more importantly, can she?

A story filled with friendship, family, love, and even faith, Iridescent will take you away to the beaches and ocean waters of Central California, and on a magical journey in this coming of age book.

- Goodreads
- Amazon

MY TIDBITS

Refreshing as a splash of water, this read carries wholesome values while spinning an intriguing tale of magic, mystery, romance, family and friends.

Katrina is about to embark on her senior year. She's happy living in Chicago and spending most of her time with her marine biologist aunt in the aquarium along with her best friend, Brandon. When her aunt suddenly moves them to Santa Cruz, Katrina is devastated...and she wonders if she'll ever see Brandon again. But she doesn't have long to ponder on the issue as new friends and tons of secrets come in. Add strange occurrences, the mystery of her parents' deaths, and a strange map left behind by her mother, and Katrina's life is about to become anything but normal.

This is such a fun read. Katrina is a girl with energy and heart, who tries her best to deal with each situation no matter how difficult they are. Secrets abound just as she's trying to reorganize her life, and it's clear that danger lurks not far away. The family and friendship side is inspirational, even when doubts settle in. Some things are easy to guess; others are hard to see coming. In any case, it's a fun mix of fantasy, faith, and coming of age.

It's a quick read despite its longer length, and the tale does keep the reader in the pages. There are several unexpected plot turns, more than a few interesting characters, and even the romance isn't easy but allows a nice sense of tension...if it is the true romance, that is. This is the beginning of a series and it lays the foundation for the upcoming books well.

While the pacing in this one stays quick the whole way through, there were moments it seemed to suddenly surge forward before breaking again. I found myself a bit confused more than once and felt like things jumped forward without explanation, leaving a few logic holes. But it still wasn't enough to kill the rest of the read. Fans of magic, faith, and mystery are sure to enjoy this one.

And here she is...
Sarah is the author of Iridescent. She is a lover of the ocean and the beach which have inspired her writing, and she is also inspired by her Christian faith. In her free time, she loves baking gluten-free recipes and painting. Something on Sarah's bucket list is to write a full first draft on a typewriter. She is excited to continue writing the sequel to Iridescent, Book 1 of the Iridescent Series.

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Review: The Place Beyond Her Dreams by Oby Aligwekwe

 

THE PLACE BEYOND HER DREAMS

by Oby Aligwekwe

Coming of Age Fantasy

At the sudden death of her grandfather, Ona’s pain drives her to mystical Luenah—a place of infinite possibilities. There, she discovers she is an Eri, chosen to accomplish a special purpose on earth, and is handed a box in exchange for what she desires the most.

Burdened by her quest, Ona learns that dreams carry a hefty price, and no one is who they seem. As evil looms, she must unmask the villain and save the one she loves, even at the risk of losing everything she holds dear.

Set against the backdrop of two warring towns, The Place Beyond Her Dreams delivers life lessons using a powerful fable. This coming-of-age fantasy takes the reader on the path to self-discovery and demonstrates the transformation one must go through to realize and eventually occupy their purpose. 

GOODREADS   /   BOOK DEPOSITORY   /   AMAZON   /   B&N

MY TIDBITS

I found the cover on this one amazing...and of course, the blurb really drew in as well. While it's sold as a young adult novel, it spans to even a slightly older age group and hits the 'coming-of-age' category very nicely.

Ona's had a very happy life and isn't sure what to think of her very short, occasional glimpses into the future...which sometimes come true and sometimes don't. When her beloved grandfather passes away, her quick dreams pull her into another world, Luenah—a place of peace and calm. But she quickly returns to reality only to be pulled back and meet her grandfather there at her eighteenth birthday. Now, she discovers that she has a responsibility toward reality and Luenah, and a task she must learn to fulfill. And this is where her true journey begins.

This is a rich story with many wonderful aspects. It follows Ona from her happy life as a young girl and through her path to becoming an adult. Her love for her family and friends is inspiring. Plus, her desire to do what is right makes her a character to simply enjoy. The addition of this peaceful, alternate world opens up the door to imagination and adds just the right dash of fantasy. It adds an interesting twist as Ona struggles to find her purpose and way, while overcoming more threatening obstacles and even love. In other words, it's a well-rounded tale from beginning to end.

The writing flows smoothly and switches between a narration about Ona's life to more showing scenes, where the reader experiences the events with Ona (like a usual story). The narrative telling wasn't quite my thing, and I often found myself distracted, since this did keep Ona an arm's length away. But just as I was about to lay the book down, an interesting twist would come and draw me back in. This seemed to be a constant pattern the entire way through. The back and forth forms an intriguing style, which will grab the right reader from start to finish. With a touch of fairy tale magic along with a flair of real life struggles and a dash of tension, it's a unique tale which does leave an impression after the last page.

Happy Book Birthday, Hardly Haunted by Jessie Sima!

 Yesterday, this book hit the world, and what a cute book it is! Although it, obviously, works great for Halloween....after reading it, I see it as a year around enjoyment. But then, Jessie Sima hasn't disappointed me, yet. 

Ready for a little spookiness with tons of heart?

HARDLY HAUNTED

by Jessie Sima

Simon & Schuster

Picture Book

48 pages

ages 4 to 8

From the bestselling creator of Not Quite Narwhal comes a delightfully spooky story about an old house who wants to be a home…even if her new family isn’t what she expected.

House has a problem.

She’s a little spooky. She’s a little cobwebby. Oh, no! What if she’s haunted?

She’s not sure, but…her hinges creak. Her pipes bang. And on windy days, the branches scritch-scratch at her windows. She tries to hold her breath and be as still as possible. If she’s on her best behavior, maybe a family will move in.

How will House ever find a family that doesn’t mind being haunted?

GOODREADS   /  BOOK DEPOSITORY   /  KOBO  /   AMAZON   /  B&N

MY TIDBITS

While the cover tends to spookiness...and the title makes suspicions of chills run high...this is a book full of heart.

A house has stood empty and alone for many, many years despite the for sale sign in the front yard. Knowing that it comes across as spooky, the house does its best to give a normal...although dirty and worn...impression. No matter how hard it tries, there are things beyond its control to make it appear eerie again. By the looks of it, the house will be lonely as long as it stands.

This is such a cute book! The house is hard not to feel sorry for as it only wants to have company. It is a run-down house, but that doesn't mean it's creepy or bad. It's a situation many listeners will connect with and if they're like me, wish they could give the house a hug. Or even move in themselves. It's hard not to hold your breath as the house gives its all to become less spooky, and a sigh comes when it doesn't work. In other words, this house captivates the reader and brings across the various emotions masterfully.

Each page only holds a line or two of text, and this swoops right along with the illustrations. Sound effects weave in as well and allow the eerie sounds to top off the atmosphere. Still, it's easy to read and makes a wonderful read-aloud. Readers, who have a fairly good handle on words, can tackle this one on their own as well.

The illustrations are well done and let the personality of the house shine. There are enough details to keep listeners/readers involved and give something to gaze at when flipping through on their own. The visual creepy and dirty aspects of the house play along with the text to create a balance between both.

And there is the wonderful, warming message at the end, which leaves the reader/listener with a smile. 

And here she is...

Jessie Sima is an author/illustrator living and working in New York City. They grew up in a small town in southern New Jersey, unaware that they were a storyteller. Once they figured it out, they told their family and friends, who took it quite well. They are the author of Not Quite Narwhal; Harriet Gets Carried Away; Love, Z; Snow Pony and the Seven Miniature Ponies; Spencer’s New Pet; Jules vs. the Ocean; and Hardly Haunted. You can visit them at JessieSima.com.

Review: Rat Rule 79: An Adventure by Rivka Galchen

I'm back! While I've been managing (barely) to keep up with reviews the last days due to a weekend trip, I'm sorry I haven't been able to add a few personal words. And no, that doesn't mean I'll babble more to make up for it.

Today's review is a re-release from a prized adult author. It is quirk. Very quirky. And super witty with clever dialogue and humor. Plus, there are illustrations! (I love pictures). 

But no babbling...right? 

RAT RULE 79

by Rivka Galchen

Illustrated by Elena Megalos

Restless Books

Tween Fantasy

256 pages

From the  New Yorker  “20 Under 40” author of  Atmospheric Disturbances  comes a brain-twisting adventure story of a girl named Fred on a quest through a world of fantastical creatures, strange logic, and a powerful prejudice against growing up.

Fred and her math-teacher mom are always on the move, and Fred is getting sick of it. She’s about to have yet another birthday in a new place without friends. On the eve of turning thirteen, Fred sees something strange in the living room: her mother, dressed for a party, standing in front of an enormous paper lantern—which she steps into and disappears.

Fred follows her and finds herself in the Land of Impossibility—a loopily illogical place where time is outlawed, words carry dire consequences, and her unlikely allies are a depressed white elephant and a pugnacious mongoose mother of seventeen. With her new friends, Fred sets off in search of her mom, braving dungeons, Insult Fish, Fearsome Ferlings, and a mad Rat Queen. To succeed, the trio must find the solution to an ageless riddle.

Gorgeously illustrated and reminiscent of The Phantom Tollbooth and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Rivka Galchen’s Rat Rule 79 is an instant classic for curious readers of all ages.

GOODREADS   /   AMAZON   /   B&N   /    KOBO    /   BOOK DEPOSITORY

MY TIDBITS

Reminding of the same quirkiness as found in Alice in Wonderland, this book takes an original twist and dives into an unpredictable fantasy world.

Fred is as ordinary as her name. Unfortunately, her life is ordinary, too. So much so that Fred doesn't even know when her mother's birthday is (it's never been celebrated). One day, when Fred goes to the living room, she discovers her mother standing in front of a large lantern. This is only the beginning as Fred is taken to another realm and needs to search for her mother as well as solve all sorts of other issues along the way.

This is a book packed with humor, which relies on clever dialogue and unique situations. I did smile several times and even had to snort down a laugh once or twice. The play on words, twisted logic of the characters, and flipping everything upside-down, was intriguing and masterfully done. It doesn't talk down to the age group and places Fred in the perfect light for her age group. It's done in a heavy, narrative style with a narrator, who is clip, clear and adds tons of humor too. So, it's a fun read.

Plot wise, it's fine but could be better. There is always something going on...although much of the scenes depend on silly wit more than actual advancing of a plot. The characters do shine, and there's definitely never an overdose on descriptions. While some aspects pull through well and wrap up at the end, others (and in my opinion, the more obvious plot strings) are not tied and even ignored. For example, Fred and her mother have obvious problems, but these issues are never resolved nor does the tale work around them...although there is even a side plot which acts as a mirror to the issue. Plus, there were a few holes, where things were mentioned but never connected. Also, I'm not sure the humor itself will always hold readers' attention, since it pushes plot and action aside, sometimes.

The illustrations in this one are so much fun! I enjoyed each one and like the way they bring life to the world Fred is discovering. It makes the tale that much more grabbing and makes up for several missing descriptions. So, these do work hand-in-hand with the tale.

I did find this read fun and interesting, and believe that the right reader will enjoy it quite a bit.