Archvillain by Barry Lyga, Review + Contest

Hi everyone!

Happy Friday to you...or any day that you made it around to reading this post.  Thanks for stopping by Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers...boy do we have some fun for you today.  A post chalk full of fun with a review of an upcoming title and some contest fun!  Since I finished reading this one (a week or two ago), I couldn't wait to share some about it with you....and yet I had to so that the release date could creep a little closer.  (Oh and if you're wondering, staring at a calendar is about the same as staring at a clock; it doesn't move when you're watching it!)  Today's featured book of choice is....

Archvillain

by

Barry Lyga

Once upon a time, not so long ago, there was a boy with extraordinary powers who longed to "do good", but had a rather hard go of accomplishing it.  We begin in the peaceful little town of Bouring (yes, please control you snickers until you've finished reading) where nothing remotely unusual occurs and everyone coexists in friendship and harmony.  ~insert cheery intro music with birds chirping here~  (*yells* I said insert the music! ... Ugh, it looks like the sound guys off....you'll have to make do with your imagination.  Think Disney style opening with music that swells and falls like the flow of the tide...)  Yes, dear readers, the stage is set and what a marvelous view it delivers. *SIGH*

Okay, not really.....or perhaps better put, not 100% accurate.  It is a peaceful town although the Middle School tends to ring out with uproarious laughter from the "grade A" hi jinks of a seasoned prankster....not to mention the police station playing a rather unusual broadcast on their frequency thanks to someones idea of a joke.  That's right; we have a master of disaster if you will who goes by the name of Kyle Camden.  Kyle's aim is not to merely humiliate his "victim" but to show them how foolish they truly are.  Life is too short to be so serious, have a laugh, have a smile, have anything but that "I'm too grown up for this" attitude and live a little...or face the "wrath" of Kyle.  As good natured as his fun might have been, it is this very pranking nature that's landed him in a wealth of trouble.

You see, one night while setting up a prank to end all pranks, Kyle witnessed something amazing, something out of this world, something that would change his life forever, something that was so hard to believe that everyone believed something else.  What was this event?  A plasma shower...and behold!  Out of the shower of shiny stinging goo emerged.....something!  Well, at first Kyle doesn't know what or who it was since he was knocked unconscious for several hours, but then in the blinding rays of recognition he remembers...of course it does help that the little alien being shows up at school in a blaze of glory after his attempt at saving a family from a house fire almost blows up in his face...literally. 

But wait, how am I privy to such information?  Well...because Kyle SAW him with his own two eyes after flying around the neighborhood with his new found abilities.  Oh, did I fail to mention that after a few days rest and recovery from "a cold" that seemed to hit him rather hard, he awoke with super speed, super strength, and superior brain power (that last one is probably the most dangerous too)?  Silly me.  Yes, it seems that Kyle is more than a superior prankster now, or could be if he could just get his attempts at doing good to go right....like Mighty Mike.  Ah yes, the perfect boy child, Mighty Mike.  For all his do-gooding nature though, Kyle knows this spot-light stealing Earthling wanna be is up to no good.  Kyle Camden knows what he saw during that faithful night when "the stars fell down" and he'll stop at nothing to expose Mighty Mike for the alien being he is, but first.....he really needs to work on his publicity!

There are so many puns in this; one can not keep count and still hold on to the true fun within this book.  To simply state it, I couldn't put this one down. It's the start of a new middle grade series from this renowned author and all can I say is....how long will I have to wait to find out what happens next?!  Laugh along with Kyle as you witness his high level pranking skills in action (pants-ing laser, anyone?).  Feel his spotlight growing dimmer as it shifts to Mighty Mike and the resulting spill of ill feelings (can't say it's never happened to you at some point) that grows in the shadows.  Marvel at his superior skills and what he does (and does not) use them for.  Oh and laugh yourself silly when some of his plans go awry (really...from his "super" name to the laser....too much fun).

Though geared towards the younger crowd, this is definitely one book that can be enjoyed by one and all.  It's scheduled release as of this post is October 2010, so keep an eye out for it or check for pre-order options at your favorite store.  Special thanks to author Barry Lyga for the ARC for review.  (THANKS!)  To find out more about this upcoming publication and the author's other varied works, visit his website.

So...if you've followed my site for any amount of time, you're probably wondering "what gives" right about now.  Why would I be reviewing a book this far ahead of the publication date when I typically don't post until closer to its release?  Good question!  There is a VERY GOOD reason for that.  You see, I received a SIGNED ARC of this book to read and review, along with a little swag, straight from the author himself.  It seems that Mr. Lyga is a rather big supporter of book bloggers and values their feedback and support (bookmarks up to you, sir!).  That being said, there was one condition to which I had to agree to follow to the letter if I wanted the chance to read this ARC.  Want to know what that was?  (Oh, I promise...you REALLY do....)  It's good....and it benefits you....  The condition was this.....after reading and reviewing the book MUST be passed on to another reader!  (Told ya it was good!)  So without further adieu, let's get to the contest information...

 

Archvillain Wannabes Contest!

(3 winners!)

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The prizes:

1 winner will receive...

(1) SIGNED ARC of Archvillain by Barry Lyga

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!

2 runners up will receive....

Swag packs consisting of three promo cards, one for each book shown above!

So that's 3 winners in all...

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How to enter:

TWO (EASY) STEPS

FIRST...riddle me this.....

If YOU decided to become an archvillain, what would YOUR name be?

Leave your answer in the comments below to share with everyone!

(Oh come on...have a little fun!)

*************

SECOND...fill out this form.

(Just click the word "form" above.)

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The rules:

*Open to US/Canada mailing addresses only.  No P. O. Boxes please.

* Entries will be accepted from Friday, August 27th, 2010 through Friday, September 10th, 2010 at midnight CST. The entries will be tallied and entered into the random.org randomizer, after which a random number will be picked by their number generator. (This way all the entries are mixed up nicely.)

* All entries must be submitted using the form accessible through this post. You MUST include your email address in order to be counted as well as contacted should you be chosen as the winner!

*The winner will be announced and contacted via email by Monday, September 13th, 2010 and will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address, unless of course it was provided in the entry form initially. Should they fail to respond in the given time frame, a new winner will be chosen.

*Winner's name and address will be used by yours truly for prize send out only and then discarded.

So, what are you waiting for?

Go, go, GO!

(No really, go, enter....you don't want to miss out!)

Until next time....happy reading!