Book Spotlight - Looking Up by Stephan Pastis

 

About the Books:

Title: LOOKING UP

Author: Stephan Pastis

Pub. Date: October 10, 2023

Publisher: Aladdin

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 240

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/LOOKING-UP

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Timmy Failure series comes a quirky and heartwarming middle grade novel about a girl struggling with loneliness and the curveballs of life—featuring black and white illustrations throughout!

Living alone with her mother in a poorer part of town, Saint—a girl drawn to medieval knights, lost causes, and the protection of birthday piñatas—sees the neighborhood she has always known and loved disappearing around her: old homes being torn down and replaced by fancy condos and coffee shops. But when her favorite creaky old toy store is demolished, she knows she must act.

Enlisting the help of Daniel “Chance” McGibbons, a quiet, round-faced boy who lives across the street (and whose house also faces the wrecking ball), Saint hatches a plan to save what is left of her beloved hometown.

 

PRAISE FOR LOOKING UP

“Will delight readers. The story is generously illustrated with Pastis’ characteristic black-and-white cartoon line drawings … Pastis fills this deceptively simple first-person account with humor, puns, turns, and twists—and the final twist gives this friendship tale its surprising depth. Words and art combine to create a moving story.” – Kirkus Reviews 

 

“Deceptively funny illustrated novel about loneliness and grief …Pastis’s distinctive, heavily lined b&w illustrations effectively convey the protagonists’ depth of emotion via amiable faces composed of two dots for eyes and a curve nose, while prose contains his signature absurd humor, which lightens this meditation on mourning.”– Publishers Weekly 

 

“Readers will rally around Daniel, Saint, and elderly toy store owner Muffins, while seeing the dilemmas faced by Saint’s mom and Daniel’s uncle, who are struggling to make ends meet and care for their children. With this hilarious book and its comical black-and-white illustrations throughout, Pastis once again reaches out to reluctant readers with a multilayered tale of loss, grief, and growing up. With an imaginative ending that will make readers think, there is more than meets the eye in this funny gem.”– School Library Journal

 

“A fabulous chapter book that, to an extent, doubles as an all-age graphic novel too. There’s so much to love about Looking Up that you won’t be sure what your favorite aspect of the book is. The humor fires on all cylinders. The heart of the book sneaks up on readers and provides a story on dealing with the ups and downs of life, as well as the invaluable worth of a great friend. If you’re in middle elementary school or middle school, you will love this book. It provides those ages something to learn, but it’s wrapped alongside so much humor and fun that it will be irresistible to all ages eight and up.” – Daddy Mojo  

 

About Stephan Pastis:

Stephan Pastis is the creator of the syndicated comic strip Pearls Before Swine, which appears in over 800 newspapers. He is also the creator of the Timmy Failure book series and the cowriter of the Disney+ movie Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made. He lives in Northern California with his wife and two kids. --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of LOOKING UP, US ONLY.

Ends October 10^th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/25/2023	YA Books Central	Excerpt/IG Post
9/25/2023	@hodophile_z	IG Post
9/26/2023	For the Love of KidLit	Excerpt
9/26/2023	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt/IG Post
9/27/2023	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Blog Spotlight
9/27/2023	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
9/28/2023	Gryffindorbookishnerd	IG Review
9/28/2023	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
9/29/2023	@dharashahauthor	IG Post
9/29/2023	avainbookland	IG Review

Week Two:

10/2/2023	Get outside and read	IG Post
10/2/2023	@evergirl200	IG Review
10/3/2023	The Momma Spot	Review
10/3/2023	OneMoreExclamation	Review/IG Post
10/4/2023	FUONLYKNEW	Review
10/4/2023	@pagesforpaige	IG Review
10/5/2023	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post
10/5/2023	@froggyreadteach	IG Review
10/6/2023	@enthuse_reader	IG Review/TikTok Post
10/6/2023	Two Points of Interest	Review

 

 

 

STEPHAN PASTIS’ BOOK TOUR

 Monday, October 9, 2023 at 7:00pm PT

In-store event at Rakestraw Books

3 Railroad Avenue

Danville, CA 94526

 

Wednesday, October 11, 2023 at 7:30pm ET

In-store event at The Bookmark Shoppe

8415 3rd Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11209

 

Thursday, October 12, 2023 at 6:00pm CT

In-store event at Chicago Comics

3244 N. Clark Street

Chicago, IL 60657

 

Saturday, October 14, 2023 at 12:00pm ET

Off-site event hosted by Source Booksellers

Detroit Public Library

5201 Woodward Avenue

Detroit, MI 48202

 

Sunday, October 15, 2023 at 12:00pm ET

In-store event at Barnes & Noble

4015 Medina Road

Akron, OH 44333

 

Monday, October 16, 2023 at 7:00pm ET

Off-site event hosted by Politics and Prose Bookstore

Takoma Park Community Center

7500 Maple Avenue

Takoma Park, MD 20912

 

Tuesday, October 17, 2023 at 5:30pm ET

In-store event at The Writer’s Block Bookstore

316 N. Park Avenue

Winter Park, FL 32789

 

Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 6:30pm ET

Off-site event hosted by Brave + Kind Bookshop

Atlanta-Fulton Central Library

1 Margaret Mitchell Square

Atlanta, GA 30303

 

Friday, October 20, 2023 at 6:00pm CT

Off-site event hosted by Left Bank Books

St. Louis Public Library – Schlafly Library

225 N. Euclid Avenue

St. Louis, MO 63108

 

Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 6:00pm CT

In-store event at novel.

387 Perkins Extd

Memphis, TN 38117

 

Sunday, October 22, 2023 at 3:00pm CT

In-store event at Garden District Book Shop

2727 Prytania Street, Unit 14

New Orleans, LA 70130

 

Monday, October 23, 2023 at 7:00pm CT

In-store event at Blue Willow Bookshop

14532 Memorial Drive

Houston, TX 77079

 

Tuesday, October 24, 2023 at 6:30pm MT

Off-site event hosted by The Bookies

Teller Elementary School

1150 Garfield Street

Denver, CO 80206

 

Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at 6:30pm MT

In-store event at Changing Hands Bookstore

6428 S. McClintock Drive

Tempe, AZ 85283

 

Friday, October 27, 2023 at 7:00pm PT

In-store event at Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore

3555 Rosencrans Street, Suite 107

San Diego, CA 92110

 

Saturday, October 28, 2023 at 6:30pm PT

In-store event at Barnes & Noble

Creekside Town Center

1256 Galleria Boulevard

Roseville, CA 95678

 

Sunday, October 29, 2023 at 3:00pm PT

In-store event at Powell’s Books at Cedar Hill Crossing

3415 SW Cedar Hills Boulevard

Beaverton, OR 97005

 

Monday, October 30, 2023 at 7:00pm PT

In-store event at Third Place Books

17171 Bothell Way NE #A101

Lake Forest Park, WA 98155

Book Review - The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan

 

The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan is about two teenagers surviving a mass murder at a summer camp. Sloan was excited to start her new summer job as a counselor at a local summer camp. It was her chance to get away from her overbearing adoptive mother. At the camp, she meets another counselor there, Cherry. Cherry has everything going for her and is the center of attention at camp. Sloan finds herself drawn to the electric Cherry.

The pair find themselves bonding and are drawn to each other from the first few days of meeting. A few days into the camp session, a group of masked men stormed the summer camp and murdered everyone except for Cherry and Sloan. Months later, the Cherry and Sloan lean on each other as they process their traumatic experience.

Sloan is working with a professional to help her cope with the experience. Sloan’s mind has repressed the traumatic event and she doesn’t remember much from the night, other than what Cherry has told her. As Sloan begins her sessions in hopes of getting answers to what happened, she feels that there is something missing from her newly surfaced memory and that Cherry is keeping a secret from her. Sloan fears that Cherry might have been involved with the murders and isn’t just a survivor like she claims to be. Cherry claims that she doesn’t have any idea what Sloan is referring to and that she (Cherry) was lucky to have gotten out of the camp alive. Will Sloan be able to remember the events from that fateful night?

I was very excited to read the book when I saw the cover. It’s always the perfect time for a good horror or thriller. However, this book was an utter disappointment. The characters were all dull and boring. Even when Sloan found evidence that Cherry might be lying, she still went back to her. She kept acting like a defenseless child and would run into the arms of someone who might actually end up hurting her. The book goes on like this for a while and then the ending comes out of nowhere. The ending in itself was very confusing and I had a hard time understanding what was going on. I felt like the author didn’t know exactly how to end the book. It left so many unresolved questions and I felt like I read an incomplete book. I thought this was going to be a thriller or murder mystery but it was more about two teenagers dealing with trauma. The book could have been executed a bit better.

Book Spotlight - The Shape of Time (Rymworld Arcana Book One) by Ryan Calejo + Giveaway

About The Book:

Title: THE SHAPE OF TIME (RYMWORLD ARCANA BOOK ONE)

Author: Ryan Calejo

Pub. Date: September 12, 2023

Publisher: Amulet Books

Formats:  Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 304

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/THE-SHAPE-OF-TIME-Calejo

Thirteen-year-old Antares De La Vega is a natural born adventurer. He dreams of journeying across burning deserts, trekking through wild and uncharted jungles, sailing the furthest reaches of the seas—and yet, he’s never even stepped foot outside of South Florida . . . But that all changes when strange creatures come leaping out of lightning bolts to kidnap him. Locked away in a secret prison in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle, Antares meets 13-year-old Magdavellía, a mysterious and iron-willed girl who opens his eyes to a shocking truth: that this world is a far different place than he’s been led to believe. He learns of the existence of The Flat Earth Society, an ancient secret order, whose main function is to keep the world beyond the great Ice Wall a mystery—a land known as Rymworld. But Rymworld is in trouble. Led by a nameless evil, a sinister group of mystics seek to seize control over its only truly resource: time itself.

Antares and Magdavellía must set out beyond the edges of any map to discover the undiscoverable: a lost and forgotten island where there is rumored to exist a legendary artifact: a mythical compass that just might hold the key to foiling the mystics’ plans. Following a series of intricately concealed clues left behind by Magdavellía’s parents (clues Antares seems to be the key to unlocking), they must wield both geometry and alchemy, outsmart molemen and mermaids, and outrun fiendish outer space aliens––all while attempting to solve a riddle as old and mystifying as the sun.

 

INSERT YOUR POST OR REVIEW HERE!

 

 

About Ryan Calejo:

Ryan Calejo is an award-winning author born and raised in sunny south Florida. His critically acclaimed Charlie Hernández series has been featured in half a dozen state reading lists and has earned starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus, was a Texas Bluebonnet Master List Selection, and won an International Latino Book Award, a Sunshine State Young Readers Award, and a Florida Book Award (Gold Medal). He lives in Miami.

 

Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

 

Giveaway Details:

2 winners will receive a finished copy of THE SHAPE OF TIME, US Only.

Ends October 3rd, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/4/2023	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
9/5/2023	Cara North	Excerpt/IG Post
9/6/2023	@jael_and_jenessa_reads	Excerpt/IG Post
9/7/2023	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt/IG Post
9/8/2023	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post

Week Two:

9/11/2023	Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's	Review/IG Post
9/12/2023	Review Thick And Thin	Review/IG Post
9/13/2023	@allyluvsbooksalatte	IG Review/TikTok Post
9/14/2023	@katherinebichler	TikTok Post
9/15/2023	Jaime_of_gryffindor	IG Review

Week Three:

9/18/2023	Lifestyle of Me	Review
9/19/2023	avainbookland	IG Review
9/20/2023	Gryffindorbookishnerd	IG Review
9/21/2023	@evergirl200	IG Review
9/22/2023	The Momma Spot	Review

Week Four:

9/25/2023	forthenovellovers	Review
9/26/2023	Paperwitches	Review/IG Post
9/27/2023	Two Points of Interest	Review
9/28/2023	@hodophile_z	IG Review
9/29/2023	The Litt Librarian	Review/IG Post

September 2023 Empties!

 

I finished so many things this month that I am excited! I am can't wait for the cooler weather and the new Fall skincare goodies. I finished a lot of skincare stuff this month and barely any makeup since it was so hot that I didn't want anything on my face...not like it would have lasted with how much I was sweating.

I finished a few hair products but my favorite was the Magiforet Argan Oil Shampoo. It makes my hair smell so amazing! Even after three days of washing my hair still smells good. I finished the Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Moisturizer. It had a gel creme consistency and smoothed on so easily. It left my skin feeling soft and smooth. While the square jar can be cute, I wish they made the font size and color easier to read. 

I recently discovered Evolve Beauty from my local organic and natural beauty store. I tried a few new products this and both worked well. The Radiant glow Mask smells like chocolate and leaves skin looking radiant and glowing. The Daily Renew Facial Cream didn't have any delicious smells like the mask but left skin feeling so soft and smooth. It wasn't heavy and didn't leave skin feeling tacky or sticky. It was a great day cream to wear during the hotter months.

I had the Skin Regimen 1.85 HA booster on my countertop for a while and forgot about it. I was excited to try it but was sorely disappointed. I followed the instructions but the booster left my skin irritated and I got a rash all over my face after using. Since it was a full bottle and expensive I ended up using it on my hands and legs which ended up itchy but bearable. 

I heard so many good things about the Peach and Lilly Glass Skin Serum. I was pretty disappointed. I didn't notice my skin looking any different when using. I was surprised on how much I liked the Herbivore Phoenix Facial Oil. It wasn't greasy and left my skin feeling soft and moisturized. The oil does has a strong scent and it might not be for everyone.

Did you finish anything this month that you enjoyed?

Book Review - A Sweet Misfortune (Virtues and Vices of the Old West, #2) by Maggie Brendan

 

 A Sweet Misfortune by Maggie Brendan is about a young woman who was kidnapped by a stranger and her life in the aftermath of the kidnapping.  Rachel Matthews  knew that she couldn’t rely on others to take care of her. She has always tried to take care of herself the best she knows how. She is destitute and alone, after her parents died in an accident and her brother leaves town to try to make enough money to buy back the family homestead.

Rachel is determined to make enough money to support herself even if it means taking on an unsavory job prospect. She becomes a dance hall girl and works for tips from the bar patrons. The women who work at the dance hall or saloons, are sometimes given the name of “soiled doves”, meaning that they do more than just dance for money. 

When her brother, Preston, hears of her circumstances, he writes to a friend to help her out as Preston is in California searching for gold and isn’t close enough in proximity to help his sister. Preston is unable to leave his current location because he left to earn money to buy back the family ranch. He asks John McIntyre, a widely admired cattle baron to help rescue her. 

The last thing John McIntyre wants to do is to help Rachel and go into a saloon. He is more focused on his fledgling business and buying more property. He lives to take care of his property and his grandmother, Estelle. However, John is a man of honor and would never refuse a friend in need. So, he strides into the saloon and picks up Rachel right off stage and takes her to his house by horse.

As one can imagine, Rachel didn’t take too kindly to being kidnapped from her job. However, while still upset at John, she still stays with him in hopes that Preston will make the trip down for her. After months go by, Rachel isn’t sure how much longer she can take advantage of John’s and Estelle’s kindness. She isn’t sure how  long she can spend with John after finding out that Preston borrowed money from him and John holds title to her family’s property.  To complicate matters, Rachel starts to feel attracted to John even though she still can’t quite forgive him just yet about her family’s ranch and for kidnapping her. Will Rachel be able to save up enough money to get back her family farm?

The book started off okay but it was a boring and predictable read. I didn’t really care for any of the characters and the story felt dull.  Rachel was confusing as a character. She kept saying how she was proud of her job and was more than happy to go back to it but then she couldn’t wait to leave the saloon. She mentioned that being a dance hall girl is a job that only desperate women take but, then claims the job paid well that she didn’t mind it. I feel like she was trying to convince herself or others that the job isn’t as bad as they think it is but it really is a terrible job to have.  

Annabelle, the housekeeper on John’s farm,  would switch from speaking “proper” English then switch to broken Southern English. It was confusing at times and hard to imagine what this character was like. I did like reading her and Estelle’s lines the best though.  I also didn’t understand why Preston never visited or even attempted to help his sister. He claims that he cares for her but it is later revealed that they barely had any communication when he was searching for gold.

The characters just do wild and bizarre things that makes me question how viable the storyline really is. When Rachel reads a note from someone, she decides at that very moment she needs to go out during horrendous weather to talk to that person. She wasn’t even properly dressed and didn’t even consider how terrible the weather was. John, who is still recovering from a treacherous medical ailment, had an easy time to go out and get her without even seeming to struggle. They made it seem that even the smallest task would be too much for him to handle but apparently riding the freezing blizzard and carrying another person on horseback was no big deal.

The book would go on for pages with no progression to the story.  I wonder if the title was reflecting my feelings on how much it was a misfortune that I was stuck reading the book. It was definitely a relief when I finished the book. Given how boring and predictable this fluff piece was, I don’t think I would be in a rush to read another book by the author.

 

Book Review - Suddenly a Murder by Lauren Muñoz

 

Suddenly a Murder by Lauren Muñoz is about a group of high school students who take a trip together to celebrate their graduation.  Izzy Morales attends an elite private school, where her fellow students are kids of prominent and rich families. She always felt like an outsider because her family is impoverished and her mother works as a teacher in the school.

The only person that Izzy feels has her back is Kassidy, another student at the school. So when Kassidy invites Izzy to an all expenses paid trip to a glamorous manor, she has a hard time saying no. Izzy usually avoids accepting Kassidy’s offers to go on trips together as she doesn’t want to take advantage of Kassidy’s generosity.

This time Kassidy sweetened the offer by inviting Izzy’s crush, Marlow, along with a few of their other friends.  When they arrive Kassidy surprises the group by letting them know that they will be dressing up in vintage clothing and no modern conveniences like cellphones will be allowed. The group gets into some minor squabbles with each other but for the most part, everyone is having a great time, until Kassidy’s boyfriend ends up dead.

His death was ruled a murder and investigators were called to the scene of the crime. Every guest is a suspect. Kassidy is in despair and shocked by his death. Everyone is suspicious of everyone else and is wary that they might be next. However, things look especially bad for Izzy, as she was the one who bought the murder weapon with her on vacation.

The book started off interesting but it ebbed and flowed between interesting to dull. The chapters were told from each character’s points of view. While this was interesting, I felt like this could have been used more to progress the story. Instead, when the police were investigating the murders, Izzy found a secret hideout and found out a lot of secrets other characters were keeping after listening into their interviews. I believe the author was using this method to give the readers new information but I would have preferred to read it from each character’s perspective instead. 

I felt that there were a lot of coincidences and things that came out of nowhere. I still don’t understand why Izzy thought it was a good idea to bring a knife on vacation. The author mentioned the reason but Izzy’s entire plan didn’t really make sense, as a reader. It just seemed like another cheap ploy to make you wonder if she is the murderer or was she being set up. Then one of the investigators who was involved in the case only became involved because they are connected to someone at the manor. I did find one of the investigators interesting and wished they had their own series, but the other one seemed too bumbling to even be a detective.

The ending came out of nowhere and was a bit too unrealistic. The author seemed to portray the character one way and the ending seemed so out of character for them. The book was a bit predictable to who the murderer was but their ending also seemed weird and also too dramatic. Overall, the book was an okay read if one suspended some beliefs on certain elements of the story.

 

Book Review - Starting Over on Sunshine Corner by Phoebe Mills

 

 

 

Starting Over on Sunshine Corner by Phoebe Mills is about a single mom who made a split second decision to hook up with her best friend one night, and that decision ended up changing both of their lives. 

Rebecca (Becca) Hayes has been so focused on raising her daughter, Sofia, and furthering her finance career that she feels her life is missing companionship. She decides that she wants to start dating again but she isn’t sure how to go about it. She hasn’t been on a date since her daughter was born a few years ago. She hasn’t talked to a romantic partner in a while either and she is afraid of embarrassing herself on a date. 

The only man she has been talking to or is close with is her best friend, Jackson Lowe. Becca knows that Jackson is objectively very attractive but she doesn’t want to ruin their friendship. She has always put her feelings for him on the back burner. Until one day, she asks Jackson to help her get back into the dating game. One thing led to another and the pair ended up spending the night together. A few weeks later, Becca realizes that she is pregnant with Jackon’s baby. She knows she was able to count on him before but she doesn’t know if he is mature enough to be a father.

Jackson isn’t sure what he wants to do in life. He certainly wasn’t ready to be a father. He thought he was going to spend his days working as team lead at his family’s landscaping business and spend his free time surfing while being a bachelor. However, for years he has been secretly in love with Becca but he felt that he wasn’t good enough for her. She was also the real reason why he never settled down with anyone else. He felt that no one could compare to her.

After finding out that Becca is pregnant, Jackson realizes that he wants to have a life with Becca. He wants to have a family and grow old with her. Jackson knows he will need to put in the work if he wants to become the father and man Becca needs him to be.

The book was a quick and cozy romantic read. There was some mention of adult themes but the love scenes were behind closed doors. I thought the book was an okay read. I wish the author had given more details about how the main characters’ relationship had changed after spending the night together. It was like they talked about it and the story mentioned the time spent but that was about it. I wanted to know: how did they feel after the night together? Was it something they wished happened sooner?

I didn’t really understand why Becca was being so hard on Jackson. He was a single adult that had no responsibilities. If he wanted to spend his day on a job that was relatively stress free and enjoyable to him so he can spend his free time surfing, why was it a big deal for her? When he found that she was pregnant, he continued trying to be present for her and her daughter, though Becca said she was surprised at how much she could rely on him throughout the book. The book spends so much time going over the same thing about Jackson not being responsible enough and the last few pages is their blowup argument that just seemed like a token conflict scene before the book ends.

Another thing that confused me was that Jackson seemed very considerate of Becca’s feelings. He would try to arrive early to drive her to events because she didn’t like driving long distances by herself. He would also babysit her daughter when she had to do something. He seemed to get along with kids and enjoyed playing with them. I felt like Becca judged him for not being mature without realizing he never had the reason to be that way and when he did step up or try to, she had her own preconceived notions that were hard to get past.

I also didn’t see why Jackson was so loyal to Becca. He bent over backwards and consistently tried to better himself to be a good partner to her. When he was asking for support for something he was passionate about and did try to put in the work (but mentioned that he had some details to iron out), Becca immediately dismissed him. It just didn’t seem like they weren’t on fair or equal ground when it came to emotionally supporting each other. 

Another aspect of the story that gave me pause was that I felt like all of Becca’s and Jackson’s friends all had kids. They failed to remember that if you are not a parent or caregiver for a child, you might not know or have all the parenting skills that they seem to think that everyone needs to have to be a parent. 

The book is part of a series but can be read as a standalone. If you like straightforward romance novels, then you would enjoy reading this book.

 

Book Review - This Is Where It Ends by Cindy K. Sproles

 

 

This Is Where It Ends by Cindy K. Sproles is about an old woman who is coming to terms with nearing the end of her life and a secret that makes her question everything she holds dear. Minerva Jane Jenkins married when she was just 14 years old. She loved her husband, Stately Jenkins, very much. So much, that when he moved her to an isolated part of the mountains, she didn’t have any objections. She went along with his plans like she believed a good wife should.

When Stately Jenkins passed away fifty years later, he made her promise that she wouldn’t tell anyone about the small box he kept hidden. He told her it was filled with gold and that’s all Minerva knew about it. She promised Stately that she wouldn’t tell a single soul about the box and the treasure within.

Minerva is now ninety four years old and she feels that she is nearing the end of her life. She feels happy that she is going to die because she leads a lonely existence.  She is proud that she managed to keep Stately’s promise of keeping the box a secret, which proved to be harder when a journalist showed up to her door.

Del Rankin is a reporter and wants to know about her story and Stately’s involvement in the gold that went missing.  He promises Minerva that he is only interested in the people involved in the story.  Del’s friend, Colton, made it obvious that he is only interested in finding the location of the gold by any means necessary. Both men think that Minvera is a pushover and would tell them what they need to know, but little did they know Minvera is a firecracker and will stop at nothing to protect her promise to Stately.

The book took a bit for me to get into. Minerva narrates the book in her Appalachian dialect and I had a hard time understanding what she was saying at times. A few times, I would have to go back and reread the same sentence over and over again. The story was slow and plodded along without much happening. However, there were a few heartwarming moments between Minvera and Del that caused me to tear up. The book did have a few surprises and twists towards the middle and end of the book. It also had some humor sprinkled throughout the book. I am glad that I decided to stick it out and not give up halfway through like I originally planned on doing. If you like Christian fiction that takes place in the Appalachian mountains, then you might enjoy this one.

 

Book Review - I Like Me Better by Robby Weber

 

I Like Me Better by Robby Weber is about Zack Martin’s summer plans going awry after he makes a split second decision.  Zack is excited for the summer to begin. He is a junior at school and is a soccer all star. His mentor, Ryan, is graduating which means Zack might be the next soccer captain. It was something he’s worked his entire life for.

He feels that soccer is the only thing he is good at. It is also the only time his family shows up for him and don’t bicker at each other. So, when Ryan pulls a prank and causes the whole soccer team to get in trouble, Zack decides to take the blame for the prank to prevent the whole team from being punished.

Zack thought that Ryan would admit to the prank before the summer ends and Zack would look like a savior and team player to the other players. He also thought it would give him the extra boost to get elected to team captain. All Zack needs to do is accept the punishment and wait until it’s a good time for Ryan to admit the truth, right?

As part of his punishment, he has to volunteer at a seaside conservation center. He crosses paths with another volunteer, Chip, who Zack thinks is cute. However, Chip, who turns out to be Ryan’s cousin, isn’t interested in being friends with Zack. Chip found out Zack pulled that prank and doesn’t want to be connected to anyone who treats animals like that.  As Chip continues to pull away from Zack, Zack can’t help but fall for him.

Zack’s love life isn’t the only thing that isn’t going exactly to plan. While he is waiting for Ryan to admit the truth, he realizes his friends and fellow players are pulling away from him also. Zack is struggling to get his life back to the easy going way it was before he had taken the blame for the prank. Will Zack be able to get his life back on track?

I thought the book was an okay read. I didn’t really care for Zack at first but I eventually softened my stance on him a bit. His personality was hard to grasp as he was both the all star jock but then also shy. I felt that he didn’t really think through his impulsive decision and it cost him a lot more than he expected. He did have some character growth but I wish he reflected more on his decisions.

I felt that the book moved a bit slow at times and didn’t really have much going on. I did like reading about Chip’s and Zack’s budding friendship and their interactions. I thought they were cute and fun to read. If you like clean young adult novels, then you might like this one.

Book Review - Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow

 

 

Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow is about a young boy who tries to deal with past trauma when his family moves to a new city. Twelve-year-old Simon O’Keeffe claims that his family had to move to the National Quiet Zone because his dad accidentally gave a squirrel a holy sacrament. Or perhaps, it was when the alpaca caused a stir in church causing the disaster to go viral on YouTube. He loves retelling different versions of the story to all his new classmates causing them to wonder if any are true.

There is one story, however, that Simon wishes to keep a secret. He likes that the internet is banned in the National Quiet Zone due to its interference with the technology the astronomers use. He feels that he can keep his secret a lot longer. That is, until someone finds out that two years ago, Simon is the only kid in his class to survive a school shooting. Now, Simon is followed by whispers and looks of pity wherever he goes.

Simon is desperate for his community to move on from his past trauma so that he can go back to being just “the New Kid”. He and his new friends concoct a plan to trick the  astronomers that someone or something from outer space is trying to connect with them. They feel that everyone would focus on the message instead of Simon. Will Simon and his friends be able to pull off their covert space message mission?

I thought the book was a fun and heartwarming read. The book was filled with fun and gross facts about animals and people. It was fun watching Simon bond with his new friends while trying to adjust to his new life. It was heartwarming seeing Simon come to terms with his PTSD and navigating the different things life threw at him, including new friendships. Some of his friends didn’t know how to handle Simon when he was having an episode and found it easier to ignore and/or hide from him. He had to deal with people who were either too coddling him or ignored him. He wanted someone who just treated him like a normal twelve year old boy. If you like reading children's books about friendship and coping with tragedy with humor sprinkled in, then you will enjoy this book.

 

Book Review - The Bellwoods Game by Celia Krampien

 

The Bellwoods Game by Celia Krampien is about a young girl named Bailee who decides to play a game with her classmates, but things expectedly start going wrong. The residents of Fall Hollow know that the town is haunted, especially after Abigail Snook went into the woods in 1982, and was never seen again. People assume that Abigail is the one haunting the town and its residents, at least according to the legend.

It’s been tradition since Abigail's disappearance for the sixth graders at Beckett Elementary to play the Bellwoods Game on Halloween Night. On this current year’s fateful night, three players are picked to go into the woods. To win, one of the players would need to ring the bell before they all get caught by Abigail. If the players win, the town is saved for another year. If the spirit catches you, you will need a “gift” to guarantee safe passage out of the woods and the spirit is given free reign to cause havoc on the town if no one rings the bell. No one knows for sure if the tale is true, as previous players are sworn to secrecy about the game.

Bailee is excited that it is finally her year to play the game. Bailee loves reading and writing horror stories and is obsessed with finding out the truth. Legend has it that the winner of the game is granted one wish. Bailee is determined to win because she wants things to go back to the way they were before her grandmother got sick and her friends started hating her. Her friends believed that she ratted them out to the principal about a dangerous stunt, causing the entire class to get detention. She once was surrounded by so many friends but now with most of her friends ignoring her, she feels lonely. As the game participants get ready to play the game, strange things start to happen. Is the local legend true or is someone playing a prank on them?

The book is geared towards young readers and has fun illustrations that added to my enjoyment of the novel. It was a quick read that had some scary and spooky elements that might be scary to some young readers, but I thought it was okay as an adult reader. It reminded me of the works of R.L Stine, with the creepy and scary factor but nothing that I was terrified or lost sleep over. The plot moved at the perfect pace to set the creepy mood and move the story along. I was a bit confused by the ending, I believe the author left it a bit open for more books and I would be open to reading more. If you or your young reader love mild horror books, then you will enjoy this book!