Walden Pond Press presents... The Hurricanes of Weakerville by Chris Rylander - REVIEW!

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today's review is coming in HOT.  How so?  Well, let's just say that while the team in today's featured title tries to pull a win out of you-know-where, some book enthusiast you know did a marathon read of this same said title in just under 4 hours...and is typing the review quite literally after having finished.  WHEW!  Yep, I'm tired, but I'm also ENTHUSIED, EXCITED, and so happy to share this book with all of you because while at first glance it appears to be for sports fans alone, it has SO MUCH MORE going for it than you'll ever know.  Well, okay, more than you knew before you started reading my post.  So, batters up!  It's time to take your reading game to the next level with today's title in the spotlight...

The Hurricanes of Weakerville

by

Chris Rylander

9780062327505

Walden Pond Press

About the book...

All his life, Alex Weakerman has had one passion: baseball. Specifically, the Hurricanes of Weakerville, Iowa—the scrappy independent-league team owned by his Grandpa Ira.

Even as team and the town have fallen on tough times, there’s no place Alex would rather be than at the ballpark—a hot dog in one hand, a pencil and scorebook in the other, keeping track of each and every statistic. Alex has never been all that great at playing baseball, but that doesn’t matter. For someone as painfully awkward as Alex, being a fan—and a wiz with baseball stats—is all he needs.

When Grandpa Ira passes away, though, Alex is crushed. He’s lost his best friend, and he doesn’t see any way that the team will survive. But Ira, it seems, has one last trick up his sleeve: his will names Alex the new manager of the Hurricanes.

Alex is as excited as he is terrified at the chance to finally put some of his fantasy baseball genius to use. But as he sets to work trying to win over the players, he soon learns that leading them to victory is about more than just stats. Will he be able to save his team, his hometown, and his family legacy?

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Weakerville had its grand start like all small towns.  Someone bought a bit of land, brought about a few businesses, discovered something to build upon, and POOF...a town is born.  Legends though...now those take more time, more thought, more heart, and this story houses a BIG one at that.

At first look, this is a story about a small town baseball team that's run out of luck, and run off the fans, leaving only the diehard believers behind in the bleachers to carry on the torch of their withering fandom.  Alex and his grandpa Ira were just such fans, but in truth, it was always more than just a game, more than just a way to pass time, and more than a collection of stats to decide whether the win was right around the corner, or the biggest lose was staring them down.  It was about spending time with friends and family.  It was about creating memories and traditions.  It was about celebrating the love of a game and watching players that truly enjoyed what they were doing, do it at their very best.  

When Alex loses Ira, it seemed like we might lose him.  He was already struggling with life, with confidence, with making friends...but his grandpa was a wise old soul.  He knew what he was doing even when the odds seems so far out of his favor they weren't even in the same playbook, and you know why?  It wasn't because he was graced with some all knowing power, or foresight; it was because he BELIEVED.  He believed in a game that could build the bridges between generations.  He believed the underdog could have their day.  He believed in doing right by people, and playing the game instead of the numbers.  Most of all...he believed in Alex, and that's something that no one, not even Alex, could take away once given.  Watching Alex muddle through everything that comes his way was challenging, but the growth he experiences, the truths he realizes, and the friendships he makes were well worth the struggles.

So pick up this story because it looks good, catches your eye, or you're a big fan of the game...but stick with this story because the messages it has to share are so much more important than the final score, and a great reminder of the bigger things in life no matter your age.

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About the author....

Chris Rylander is the author of the acclaimed and bestselling “Fourth Stall” saga, the “Codename Conspiracy” trilogy, and co-author of book three in the New York Times bestselling “House of Secrets” series. He lives in Chicago, where he eats a lot of raspberry jam and frequently tries to befriend the squirrels on his block.

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Special thanks to the Walden Pond Press team for the ARC for review! (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now via Walden Pond Press, and imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, so click on over to your favorite online retailer, or visit your local brick and mortar store today to snag your copy and start the adventure! Be sure to check out the other sites on this tour going on now in the blogosphere….

6/21 Nerdy Book Club @nerdybookclub

6/22 A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust @bethshaum

6/23 Teachers Who Read @teachers_read

6/27 LitCoachLou @litcoachlou

6/28 Bluestocking Thinking @bluesockgirl

6/29 Walden Tumblr @waldenpondpress

7/1 Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers @grgenius

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

PYR presents... 'TOP 5' Post with THE LEGEND OF GREG Author Chris Rylander!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're joining Penguin Young Readers for a stop along their TOUR OF EPIC PROPORTIONS featuring the latest release from author Chris Rylander.  You may remember his previous works such as the Codename Conspiracy series or The Fourth Stall saga (so much fun!), and that familiarity may lend you to pay closer attention to this one.  TRUST YOUR GUT.  If it says READ THE BOOK, well then, you know what to do... ^_^ ...speaking of which, MY gut is telling me to get on with the post, so here we go!  First up, a quick SPOTLIGHT on the title celebrating its BOOK BIRTHDAY today...

The Legend of Greg:

An Epic Series of Failures, Book 1

by

Chris Rylander

9781524739720

G.P. Putnam and Sons

About the book...

A boy discovers his destiny could totally stink in this riotously funny fantasy-adventure

Risk-averse Greg Belmont is content with being ordinary. He's got a friend--that's right, just one--at his fancy prep school, and a pretty cool dad (even if he is obsessed with organic soaps that smell like a mix of salted pork and Icelandic bog). The problem is, Greg isn't ordinary . . . he's actually an honest-to-goodness, fantastical Dwarf! 

He discovers the truth the day his dad brings home a gross new tea--one that awakens bizarre abilities in Greg. Then a murderous Bro-Troll kidnaps his dad and Gregis whisked away to the Underground, where Dwarves have lived for centuries right beneath the streets of Chicago.

With the help of some awesome new friends and a talking ax, Greg learns all about the history of the Dwarves, which has been marked with tales of epic failure since the dawn of time. However, the return of the magic they once wielded means big changes are afoot, escalating tensions with the Dwarves' sworn enemy: the Elves. 

Brimming with humor and action, Chris Rylander's The Legend of Greg turns dwarf lore on its head, delivering an adventure readers won't be able to resist.

Sound good?

Right!?!  I knew you'd agree!

So, of course when I heard about this tour, I had to join in.  My stop, a special TOP FIVE post with the author himself about...his favorite beverages.  Hey, you DID read the synopsis up there, right?  Then my choice of topic TOTALLY makes sense!  Without further ado, let's check out...

⛾  TOP FIVE BEVERAGES  ⛾

with

AUTHOR CHRIS RYLANDER!

1. Coffee: always and forever.

2. Pineapple Juice: even though the spiky things scratch my throat terribly... wait, am I not drinking this right?

3. $8 Coke Zero at a Cubs game: because it means I'm at a Cubs game!

4. Peanut Butter Milkshakes: because I'm a human being with tastebuds.

5. Star Wars Space Punch: because it's the official drink of Jedi

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About the author...

Chris Rylander is the author of the Fourth Stall saga and the Codename Conspiracy series. A fan of chocolate, chips, and chocolate chips, he lives in Chicago.

SITE  |  TWITTER

Now, I was suppose to stop there, but...yeah, I just couldn't HELP myself!  Once I had this one in my hot little hands, I couldn't NOT read it, and then having read it, I couldn't NOT share it!  So, here's your BONUS POST for the day...

Once upon a time, there was a meat loving boy with a voracious appetite for life.  He had a caring yet somewhat absent and eccentric  father, went to an ELFing amazing school, and had a lifelong friend in the most unlikely of persons imaginable.  Yes, life was perfectly perfect and couldn't get any better...*guffaw*...and now for the reality of it all.

Once upon a time, there was a boy named Greg who was MUCH MORE THAN WHAT HE SEEMED, as aptly pointed out by Froggy who basically muttered (mostly) to himself in random fragments, but was also more than what HE seemed, but that's a story for another time.  Greg's father was a holistic health professional of sorts, and from time to time, his son was the guinea pig.  Whether it was a new organic soap or a new brew, he was there for it all...after all, it's his dad, and he loved the guy, so yeah...bring on the stink or possible unsavory taste!  That is until one day, the taste wasn't exactly unsavory...nor was it meant for him...and things in their carefully constructed world begin to fall faster than a house of cards.  Secrets are reveled, destinies uncovered, and the magical war that's been at bay for thousands of years is possibly maybe about to get a GIANT SIZE kick in the pants.

Familiar?  Yes...but according to these guys, not good representations!

Along the way, we'll make friends with Dwarves of all sizes, shapes, and backgrounds, learn that not every one or every thing can be fully trusted, and that most "people" have just as much capacity for love as hatred, revenge as peace, and murderous intent as mercy.  Greg will grow in many ways (size, personality, ability, etc) and become more like himself than he's been his whole life...but he's not the only one of note here.  Whatever group you identify with most, be it punks, outcasts, populars, nerds, ecetera, there's someone here for you to get behind and root for.  From Glam and her questionable hair choices (not judging!) yet penchant for slamming things to Ari and her kick-butt-but-with-peace-if-possible attitude and stunning smithing techniques, Froggy and his unusual nature but kind spirit to Eagen and his awesome storytelling abilities....even Edwin had his pluses and minuses, popular kid with a seeminingly genuine kindness (too bad things are the way they are).  There's a wide cast of characters to loath and love as this exciting adventure unfolds.

All in all, LOVE IT!  Can I just say that I'm SO GLAD it ended the way it ended and left us hanging yet not?  Good because I'm saying it.  You'll understand when you read it, but trust me, this is only the beginning in SO MANY ways.

Special thanks to Friya at Penguin Young Readers for the ARC for review as well as the chance to bring this tour to you, and to author Chris Rylander for indulging my curiosity.  Hey, you write a book about a life altering tea (in a way), I gotta know what drinks would be your Achilles heel!  This title is available now via G.P. Putnam and Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.  Be sure to check out the rest of the sites on the tour for more bookish fun...

WEEK ONE

June 5 – Lacey Does Lit

June 6 – A.Wrinkle.in.pages

June 7 – The Reading Corner for All

June 8 – Declarations of a Fangirl 

WEEK TWO

June 11 – Bri’s Book Nook

June 12 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers 

June 13 – Four Violet Reviews

June 14 – Books4yourkids

June 15 – The HSP Bookshelf 

...and because more is just simply MORE FUN, CLICK HERE for the NEW BOOK TRAILER!


Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

BLOG TOUR: Author Chris Rylander and the Codename Conspiracy series - Interview + GIVEAWAY!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Well, you've done it.

You've made it to FRIDAY!

Sound the alarm, ring the bell, and get ready for some GREAT reading ahead.  That's right!  Just because the weekend is here doesn't mean we're slacking off on the reviews.  In fact, we're bringing you something EXTRA special today via blog tour from the great team over at Walden Pond Press.  (~waves~) The tour stars the latest release in the Codename Conspiracy series from author Chris Rylander.  Name ringing any bells for you?  Well it certainly should!  

A few weeks back, you might remember that I featured a double review of both books in this series, my thoughts on which you can read RIGHT HERE.  Some odd days later, I received an invite to participate in this very blog tour celebrating both the initial release of Countdown Zero and the paperback release of Codename Zero...seeing how I enjoyed them so much, I couldn't possibly say no?  Here's a peek at the title celebrating its book birthday this month....

Countdown Zero

by

Chris Rylander

9780062120113 

Walden Pond Press

About the book...

There are people in this world who live secret lives. There are people who fight the evil that lurks in the shadows so that the rest of us can live free from tyranny and fear. There are people—perhaps the person who is sitting across from you on the bus or waiting tables at your favorite restaurant—who put it all on the line for us, every day, whose names we’ll never know.

None of these people is Carson Fender.

At least, not since he was let go by the secret agency that enlisted his services to help foil a nefarious plot perpetrated by one of their former agents. Carson is back to hanging out with his friends, pulling pranks, and not having to lie to everyone about how he’s spending his days. And that’s for the best. Isn’t it?

Of course, this was all before a note showed up in his school lunch, informing him that Agent Nineteen has three days left to live, and that there might still be someone inside the Agency working against them. Carson has always been able to rely on his friends—but what happens when there’s no one left to trust?

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Sounds good, right?  But wait!  Tours usually entail a review and I had already done one (nay two!)...what to do, what to do. Ah, why yes!  I know!  So I emailed them back with my post type preference and the rest is history.  Can you guess what I chose?  Oh, I see.  You read the post title today, didn't you?  Uh-huh. Why you sneaky little reader you.  Okay, well yes, you are correct, an AUTHOR INTERVIEW was just the ticket (with a little extra fun after all is said and done....KEEP READING!).  

So.

Ladies and gents.

Readers of all ages!

Join me now as we welcome to the virtual stage, author Chris Rylander!

*wild applause*

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW:  

Chris Rylander

1.  So, we've come out of "The Fourth Stall" and into the line of fire. Talk about a transition! No, really...talk about it, as in why the leap from middle school "godfather" to super spy?

It just seemed like a natural next step.  To take another well known genre and redo it for the middle grade audience.  So I wanted the tone to be similar as well, (somewhat) gritty, humorous, and fun.  Plus, I really became a super secret spy for an organization I can't divulge when I was in middle school, so there was a lot of source material. Basically this book is an unofficial tell-all.    

2.  Though targeted for a Kids Fiction audience, older readers certainly get their chills and thrills too.  I mean, I know I shuddered when the clown in book one was less then three ring circus funny. Were the age barrier breakers intentional or a mere lucky stroke of the pen?

Neither.  I think it's a direct byproduct of me being the most selfish writer alive.  Meaning, I always make sure that I am entertained by my own writing first and foremost.  And, as the world's oldest middle school kid, it sort of makes sense that my writing appeals to both middle school kids and adults.

3.  Alright, so the Codename series has recently expanded.  Congratulations!  Book 2, "Countdown Zero", has Carson in some pretty tight spots and dealing with some big issues. If you could guarantee readers would walk away with one message and one message alone, what would that be? 

When I first started writing, my number one goal was to write books that sent zero messages to kids (aside from the subliminal ones I implant to try and get them addicted to frosting.)  I know as a kid writer, nothing drove me more crazy than reading books that were clearly trying to pound some sort of life-changing-message into my head with a tire iron.  And so I just wanted to write books that kids would find fun to read. I wanted to make reading fun above all else. Of course there's a little bit more to my books than what I first envisioned, however, publicly I'm sticking to my original story.  So that's my message: Have Fun!  Enjoy the book! (And eat frosting with a spoon straight from the tub when reading.)

4. Last but not least, moment of truth. If YOU could be either of your lead characters, who would it be and why?

Ah!  What a hard question… I think I'd go with Mac from the Fourth Stall.  Unlike Carson Fender, aka Agent Zero, I do not like action and excitement in my life.  I much more prefer the things Mac does: good friends, video games, making money, and Cubs games.  And he's better at all of them than me.

Quid pro quo...
Favorite color?  Frosting
Favorite time of year?  Whenever it is that farmer's harvest frosting 
Favorite reading spot?  Lying in bed at night (with a bucket of frosting tucked under an arm)
What was the last book you read? Dory Fantasmagory - it was awesome!!!  Made me laugh so hard that frosting came out of my nose.
Advice to future writers?  Make sure you're always having fun while writing.  True inspiration comes from those pure moments when you're having fun.  Well, and also from, yeah, you guessed it, frosting.

Thanks so much for having me!  It was an awesome interview with questions that were surely far superior to my answers.

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About the author...

Chris Rylander is the author of the Fourth Stall Saga and the Codename Conspiracy series.  A fan of brown shipping boxes turned on their sides, dance-offs to win a girl's heart, and rice, he lives in Chicago.  You can visit him online at www.chrisrylander.com.

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Special thanks to Danielle and the whole Walden Pond Press team for the chance to bring this author front and center for all of you!  Also, my thanks to the author for the fun-tastically wonderful answers and for humoring my curiosity.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, their full catalog, the author, the other fabulous sites participating in this tour, or anything else that might suit a flight of fancy through the virtual pages, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title celebrated its book birthday earlier this month, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

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Now, before you go...here's the chance you've been waiting for.

Your chance to win a SIGNED copy of Countdown Zero courtesy of Walden Pond Press!

To enter...

Simply fill in the Rafflecopter below and BAM, you're in like Carson at a circus that isn't really a circus with bad guys around every corner. (True story!)

Open for entries through March 6th, 2015 at midnight CST.  US residents only; no P.O. Boxes please.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Until next time....GOOD LUCK...and happy reading!