CHANGE: Growing Up is Hard to Do (DOUBLE REVIEW!)

Welcome back readers!

Today's post is all about change.  Growing up is hard to do, and finding yourself in the mix can be difficult.  Sometimes what we find is amazing.  Sometimes what we find is confusing.  Sometimes what we learn about ourselves, and those around us, makes it that much more of a maze to traverse, but, if we're lucky, we have those around us that understand, and help us see the beauty in what we might've missed, and the strength in truth behind the hard decisions we might have to make.  Sound a bit heavy for Middle Grade Fiction?  Hey, LIFE is heavy, so why shouldn't that be reflected at times in literature?  Ladies and gents, let's take a closer look at two titles in this category, one that's out now, and one coming soon, that should be on your radar...

Greta

by

J.S. Lemon

9780374392178

Farrar Straus Giroux

Published:  09/10/24

I admit, this was a beautiful story in reflection, but during the read, I was a tad confused.  I was having a difficult time trying to sort out whether it was more reality based or fantasy based, and in the end I decided it was a little of both.  It's about the changes we all go through as we grow up.  It's about finding our true selves, accepting our true selves, and finding those that will do that for us as well.  It's about never shying away from our truth, and learning to let the opinions of others bounce off our outer shell because the one that truly matters is our own.  We'll find our crowd, eventually.  We'll form our inner circle, eventually.  We'll discover that the naysayers and the outspoken that were against us were really just lost on their own journeys and lashing out to try and feel comfortable in their own skin. Is it right?  No...but it doesn't make it any less a valid part of the experience.  

I felt for Greta and I think those things she struggles with resonate with younger readers, serving as a reminder that they aren't the only ones trying to figure things out.  Change is a constant in life, but finding that comfort zone comes with time, promise, and the moments that got you there will be flashcard memories that created the you that is you today.

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Rise of the Spider

The Web of the Spider series, Book 1

by

Michael P. Spradlin

9781665947213

Margaret K. McElderry Books

Release Date:  09/24/24

I love my Historical Fiction and this was a great way for younger readers interested in the genre to get their feet on the ground during this transformative time.  Was it hard to read?  In some ways, yes...I did think that unless the person going into it has an innate interest, it might be dry in some places, but the other half of the reading difficulty lies purely in the subject matter as it gives us a glimpse of how evil can rise, spread, and transform a people.  Hitler came at a time when Germany was down and out with messages of gathering their strength once again, but he also came with vile ideas of who should be allowed not only to reign, but to LIVE, and a whole assortment of other ugliness I won't get into here.

Rolf was a great character to see through because he was trying to take it all in, reason it out, and assemble just where he stood in it all.  His brother was taking one road, his father another, and his best friend another still, but he allowed himself to see the facts for the fiction, and discover his own path like we all have to at some point or another in our lives.  Most of our decisions will seem small in scale when compared to those the surround this time period, but, as the author points out, it's those small decisions along the way, the seemingly innocent side steps, and placements, that add up to a bigger picture in the end.  The moment we turn away from an injustice we could have prevented, an innocent that needed assistance we refused to give, that darker side of mankind gains another foothold in our world...and that's a place none of us truly want to live.  A great start to a promising series that will help the next generation to learn from the past and never forget.

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Special thanks to Cate at Nicole Banholzer PR, and Alex at Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, for the copies for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on these titles, the authors, or the publishers, feel free to click through the links provided above.  As listed, one is available now, with the other coming soon, so grab your calendar and mark it down, or (pre)order your copies today!

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

Raising a little hell with... Hellfighters by Alexander Gordon Smith

Hi guys and gals!

Welcome back to the FRIDAY edition of Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Whew!  What a week!  Can I get an amen? ^-^  Seriously though, world wise and work wise, it's been pretty intense; so glad I have books to disappear into and forget it all for a while.  Take today's pick for instance...though not anything along the lines of a light or fluffy read, it will definitely take your mind off your troubles (or the possible one taking charge of our nation) and put you square in the middle of a fight too keep the world from turning into the devil's playground without supervision. 

Two warnings first though...

One...it's not for the faint of heart, but then again, NONE of his books really are.  You don't get compared to Stephen King and write about singing daisies.

Second...it IS a sequel and though others may say otherwise, I personally think you have to read the first one in order to understand what's really going on, the depth of the situation, and the characters connections along the way. 

Anywho, let the fanfare play because as this motley crew would tell you...

"If you want to fight the devil, you have to raise a little hell..."

Today's book of choice has arrived...

Hellfighters

The Devil's Engine, Book 2

by

Alexander Gordon Smith

9780374301729

Farrar Straus Giroux

About the book...

Thrown into a relentless war against the forces of darkness, fifteen-year-old Marlow Green and his squad of secret soldiers must fight for control of the Devil’s Engines―ancient, infernal machines that can make any wish come true, as long as you are willing to put your life on the line. But after a monstrous betrayal, Marlow, Pan and the other Hellraisers find themselves on the run from an enemy with horrific powers and limitless resources―an enemy that wants them dead at all costs. Failure doesn’t just mean a fate worse than death for Marlow, it means the total annihilation of the world. And when all looks lost and the stakes couldn’t be higher, just how far is he willing to go?

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My first experience with this author's work was the fascinating, dark, uber-scary-yet-oh-so-good Young Adult series, Escape from Furnace.  It featured a world on the brink of an apocalypse like nothing you could fathom and a cast of would-be-heroes that you weren't likely to forget...and I haven't.  I can still shed a tear for Donovan.  I can still feel the angst of Alex as he tries to hold everything together while it's crumbling in his hands.  I can still hear Zeke making a crack when all seems lost beyond reason.  Ahh, good times...but while those memories are grand, I was craving some new blood, I mean reading material, and with the release of The Devil's Engine:  Hellraisers last year, my reading prayers were answered.

I dove into the new series like a dolphin to water...wait, that's not nearly dark enough, how about a leech to a blood bath?  (~shudders~)  It was hard hitting, heavy and layered with complexity you didn't see coming and yet was as easy to follow as the bloody footprints of an inept serial killer.  (You can read my review right here on SFIR.)  In this second installment, it only gets better...and by better I mean, darker, more complex, building tangible webs that breathe with the life Mr. Smith has written into being with his powerful imagination and yet, there's still heart.  I know, I know.  HOW CAN THAT BE WITH EVERYTHING I'VE SAID?  You don't have to scream...I heard you.  (*wink*) 

The heart isn't on anyone's sleeve (well, it is literally to some degree with a particular character, but not in the "tender hearted" sense you're thinking), or pouring from someone's lips in bouts of poetry (again, yes to the pouring, but not in this way).  The heart in these works beats strong and true in his characters.  There is genuine feeling in each and every one of them, for better or worse.  It's in every breath they take, every task they undertake, every misstep and loses, every move forward or triumph.  Their hearts may be buried under so much muck that you'd need to bathe everyday for twelve years to attempt to remove the first layer, but they are there and the hope that lives in them is what drives them through the depths of hades to try and save a world that may not even give them a second thought.

In closing, I will leave you with my final thoughts as posted on GoodReads upon finishing the book...

Wait, what?! No! It can't end there, it can't! But, but, so much has happened, so much may still happen and we're just left to wonder what was there, who survived, the truth of EVERYTHING?!?! Aaaaaarghhhh!

Yes, my friends, it was a FANTASTIC read.  Glorious in it's darkness but with oh so much hidden light just waiting to burst through.  I can't recommend it and its predecessor enough.

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About the author...

Alexander Gordon Smith is the author of the Escape from Furnace series, including Lockdown and Solitary. Born in 1979 in Norwich, England, he always wanted to be a writer. After experimenting in the service and retail trades for a few years, Smith decided to go to University. He studied English and American Literature at the University of East Anglia, and it was here that he first explored his love of publishing. Along with poet Luke Wright, he founded Egg Box Publishing, a groundbreaking magazine and press that promotes talented new authors. He also started writing literally hundreds of articles, short stories and books ranging from Scooby Doo comic strips to world atlases, Midsomer Murders to X-Files. The endless research for these projects led to countless book ideas germinating in his head. His first book, The Inventors, written with his nine-year-old brother Jamie, was published in the U.K. in 2007. He lives in England.

SITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER

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Special thanks to the marketing team at MacMillan for the ARC for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the series, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title just celebrated it's book birthday November 1st, 2016 via Farrar Straus Giroux, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

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

BOOK BIRTHDAY: The Devil's Engine: Hellraisers by Alexander Gordon Smith

Hi guys and gals!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers...the site run by the girl that never did know when to say NO to a good book.
^-^

We're coming to you a little late today due to life delays (work, work, and umm, let's see...more work), but I simply couldn't let the day pass entirely.  Why?  Because!  Because today is the BOOK BIRTHDAY of author Alexander Gordon Smith's latest release!  You may recognize his name from me gushing over his Escape from Furnace series so many odd years ago; if you haven't indulged, please do!  Perhaps you recollect mention of him from his slightly more recent release that went by the title of The Fury; it was a bit more twisted and puzzling, but definitely worth the read.  If not, well then...prepare to make his acquaintance and ready a spot on your "wish" or "to read" list for today's book of choice...

The Devil's Engine:  Hellraisers

by

Alexander Gordon Smith

9780374301699

Farrar Straus Giroux

About the book...
When a sixteen-year-old troublemaker named Marlow Green is trapped in a surreal firefight against nightmarish creatures in the middle of his New York City neighborhood, he unwittingly finds himself amid a squad of secret soldiers dedicated to battling the legions of the devil himself.

Powering this army of young misfits is an ancient machine from the darkest parts of history. Known as the devil’s engine, it can make any wish come true-as long as you are willing to put your life on the line. Promised powers beyond belief, and facing monstrous apparitions straight out of the netherworld, Marlow must decide if he’s going to submit to a demonic deal with the infernal machine that will enable him to join the crusade-if it doesn’t kill him first.

From the author of the Escape from Furnace series, here is the opening salvo in an explosive new horror trilogy about an ordinary American kid caught up in an invisible war against the very worst enemy imaginable.

AMAZON   |   B&N

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This is a story out of place with all the holiday reads flying our way but it deserves the spotlight nonetheless.  It whisks us away to a world much like our own, in fact it really IS our own, but with something very sinister unfolding in the background that affects us all.  You see, good and bad, right and wrong, aren't so black and white when it comes to the Engineers.  Who are they?  Simply put, they are outcasts, lost causes, and orphans; those the world has forgotten about (some with somewhat good reasons) or cast aside because they are TROUBLE.  Here, trouble is a GOOD thing and making it is a normal day at the office, all in the name of stopping the demons and unearthly creatures from tearing through the veil that separates us from them and claiming the world as their own.  Why is that bad?  Well, let's just say you and I wouldn't make it...or at least in any way that is conceivably agreeable to a happy, healthy life.  *gulp*

The plot here is VERY thick.  We're dealing with unearthly machines that aren't just gears and sprockets, churning out "enhanced" people based off of what their inner desires are.  Best go in with a plan because the moment you're caught off guard, you may make a deal you won't live to regret. The "truth" of it all unfolds at a slower pace but the action taking its place is more than enough to satisfy.  Speaking of which, let's talk characters.  First up, our friend Pan who happened to make a deal somewhere along the lines mentioned.  She's part of the gang that Marlow stumbles upon when the world is literally shaking apart at the seams.  News blames it on terrors from abroad, reality is they are from below....DEEP BELOW...and they were collecting on a contract that met its deadline; emphasis on DEAD.  She's a spitfire though and hardhearted to the core...or so it seems...but push comes to shove and she'll keep you alive if it kills her, literally.  Then we have the muscle of the group, Truck and Herc...though they both have fairly big hearts too.  The latter is pretty much their leader and never met a stray he didn't want to help...hence the new addition.  Don't let him fool you though, he's still taking orders from higher up and I'm not so sure about THAT fellow.  Night, or super speedy friend, rounds out the group, at least until Marlow comes aboard, leaving us to wonder at their combined strength and yet worry that it just may not be enough.  *dun dun dunnnn*

I can't help but wonder who is LYING and about what?  It's a repeated line throughout the book from several characters usually when at death's door...or as close as one can get to that door when they've sold their soul.  *ahem*  I have this feeling that we won't learn the answer to this question in the next book either...which is ALRIGHT by me!  Why?  Because...that means there are MORE BOOKS TO COME!  In my mind, the next installment delves into the lives and stories of the other Engineers; those proposed to be working for the WRONG side...or are they?  All we REALLY know right now is what everyone has been telling us.  We're the good guys.  We're keeping H*** on Earth at bay.  I mean, it's a lot to process and far fetched for certain but how do we REALLY know that's the case?  There's still all these shadows and shady dealings.  Sorry, we could go on for days trying to sort out which team is really in the right seeing as they both have GINORMOUS living (sorta) machines that grant wishes in exchange for your soul and so many odd days later if you've not a good "Lawyer" on your side, there is LITERALLY h*** to pay....for ETERNITY.  So really, what's to question?  *gulp*

In the end, a dark and twisted start to what promises to be a thrilling trilogy (TWO MORE BOOKS TO COME!  *fist pump*) from an author who's shown us before, he knows how to write YA horror with the best of them.  Though I admit, I knew who or what the weakest link was going to be and force the story to center around, but I didn't know exactly how so it kept me on my toes...and it looks like I have to stay there until book two at the very least. (*switches for good toe shoes*) Recommended read for guys and gals of the older teen persuasion as there is DARKNESS, DEATH, DEVILS, and dealings that may be a bit too powerful for the youngest set.  Don't worry kiddos....something to look forward to as you progress in years.  ^_-

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About the author...

Alexander Gordon Smith, 36, is best known as the author of the Escape From Furnace Series, made up of Lockdown, Solitary, Death Sentence, Fugitives and Execution. He is is also the author of The Fury, and, with his eleven-year-old brother Jamie, The Inventors books. His new series, The Devil’s Engine, has just been released in the US, starting with Hellraisers.

He is the author of two creative writing handbooks, Inspired Creative Writing and Writing Bestselling Children’s Books, a number of screenplays that are currently in development, several non-fiction books and hundreds of short stories and articles.

Gordon is the founder of Egg Box Publishing, an independent, non-profit imprint designed to publish and promote talented new writers and poets, and is the co-owner of Fear Driven Films, a production company filming its first feature.

He actively encourages people of all ages to read and write, and runs creative writing talks and workshops across the world. In 2009 he was named by the Courvoisier Future 500 as one of the most promising young entrepreneurs in the United Kingdom.

He is called Gordon, rather than Alexander, because his Mum and Dad liked the name Gordon but didn’t want his initials to spell GAS, so called him by his middle name!

SITE   |   FACEBOOK   |   TWITTER

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Special thanks to the publicity team at MacMillan Children's Publishing Group 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 IN STORES NOW via Farrar Straus Giroux, an imprint of MacMillan Children's Publishing Group, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time...happy reading!



If you didn't already know... My Dog is the Best by Laurie Ann Thompson

Hi gang!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

It's time to kick back and relax.  It's the weekend!  What...you didn't know?  *-*  Don't worry, my schedule didn't tell me either.  Just the way of the world nowadays.  Run run run until we're too tired and need...*YAWN*...a nap.  Yes, that's right...a nap and today's featured title celebrates the beauty of catnaps (or should I say dog naps) as well as best buds.  Ready or not, here comes today's book of choice...

My Dog is the Best

by

Laurie Ann Thompson

Pictures by

Paul Schmid

9780374300517

Farrar Straus Giroux

The title says it all.

The simplicity of word and image combine to create a masterpiece that warms the heart.  Our little man and his furry friend couldn't be more adorable while conveying the sentiments that dog owners the world over already know...that dogs are man's best friend.

You won't be able to turn a page without smiling.  Watch our little man as he plays ball with his sleepy pup.  See him read books with his bestest bud.  Fall under his spell as he gets oh so tired and snuggles in for a nap...just as his friend wakes up for playtime.  Little man takes care of him and our furry friend takes care of his little man.  It's enough to break the record for cutest levels in a Picture Book.

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ARC for review courtesy of the great folks at Macmillan Children's Publishing Group.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the illustrator, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This book was released this past week via Farrar Straus Giroux, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time...happy reading!

Winter Wonderland: Mimi and Bear in the Snow by Janee Trasler

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're stepping out of the holiday haze with a read that still celebrates the fun to be had this time of year just in a seasonal aspect.  It comes to us from Farrar Straus Giroux and features a tale of friendship, loss, and celebrated return, all in the pages of a Storybook.  Ready to read all about it?  Today's book of choice is....

Mimi and Bear in the Snow

by

Janee Trasler

Farrar Straus Giroux

9780374349714

This is the beyond adorable story of Mimi and her Bear.  They do EVERYTHING together, including play in the snow.  One day, they are out building a snowman and what do you, Bear gets lost!  (~GASP~)  Mimi looks high and low, near and far, here and there, only to find that....Bear is nowhere to be found. Mimi is justifiably sad, I mean come on!  What would YOU do if your best buddy up and disappeared?!  EXACTLY!  Mimi is down at the mouth, having a hard time finding joy in anything all by her lonesome.  She heads to bed, worried and weary.  The world outside takes notice, shedding its coat of white overnight, and reveals things (and BEARS!) that were thought lost forever...

It's short.  It's sweet.  It's a treat of a read for the little ones and an adorably illustrated picture fest for those exploring things beyond the written word.  You'll revel in the fun Mimi has with Bear while sharing in her sadness at his lost status....only to once again celebrate his return!  (Okay, so that's a spoiler but really, I couldn't leave you worried about Bear!)  Recommended read for Storybook fans of all ages, shapes, and sizes.  Best read with a cup of hot cocoa and a friend (man or beast, it matters not).

ARC for review courtesy of Ksenia at Macmillan Children's Publishing Group.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as their growing catalog, be sure to stop by their official site, or catch up with them on Twitter.  This title was released October this year, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time...happy reading!

Punctuation is Everything: Sorry You're Lost by Matt Blackstone

Greetings fellow readers!

Welcome back to the site that aims to bring the reader in you something to mull over, digest and conclude about every day of the week….Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we’re checking out a Middle Grade Fiction title that deals with a very REAL subject….death...but not in the classic morbid after-life sorta way.  No sir.  It brings us another view of the story from the eyes of the family left behind, in this case a young son and now single father, who have just lost someone but are also lost themselves.  Have you been in their position?  Perhaps know someone who has been?  This might just ring true for some of you, tug on a few heartstrings as well as tickle those funny bones.  Ready to get a bit emotional in one direction or the other?  Today’s book of choice is….

Sorry You’re  Lost

By

Matt Blackstone

9780374380656

Farrar Straus Giroux

About the book….

When seventh grade Denny “Donuts” Murphy’s mother dies, he becomes the world’s biggest class clown.  But deep down, Donuts just wants to return to a time when his mom is still alive and where his dad doesn’t sit on front of a TV all day.  He tries to get back into the groove by helping his best friend, Manny, with a scheme to snag dates for the school dance.  But things don’t go exactly as planned.  He soon learns that laughter is not the best medicine for all of his problems.  Sometimes it’s just as important to be true to yourself.

It’s all about the apostrophe.  Funny how such a little thing can change the meaning of a word, and in turn the sentiment of an entire statement.  For Denny, aka Donuts, what starts as a sentence with a misused word, ends up being a truth no one, not even themselves, could at first recognize.  Understandable for certain considering the loss he and his Dad have suffered in the last few months, but in honoring her memory…they have strayed well beyond the path of least resistance.  Humor may be the best medicine to chase away the blues, but denial is the cowards way out which serves no one in the end…and there’s a thin line between the two.

Upon ruminating about this read, I found it to be a powerful story about loss, family, friends, and in the end, LIFE.  Our days keep ticking by with or without us.  Do you really want to look up one day to see your own end on the horizon and nothing to show for it?  I’m not talking riches. I’m not talking material items at all really, unless that is YOUR strict definition of success and achievement.  I’m talking being present in YOUR present.  I’m talking about having shown up day in and day out despite the obstacles thrown in our ways both physical and emotional to tell the world HERE I AM, YOU WILL NOT SHUT ME DOWN NOR COUNT ME OUT.  To lose a parent is a pain I can’t begin to imagine (thank goodness…*hugs those who have*) nor one I’d wish on my worst enemy, but even something this big that strikes you to the core can be overcome, can be worked through given time and the support of family and friends.  You just have to open your heart and give love a chance to work its magic….it’s that first scary step towards a lighter tomorrow.

So, in conclusion, though a read I didn’t connect with during or even after the final page (surprised?  Wait for it…), it’s still something I’d recommend to others.  It’d be a great fit for Middle Grade (and beyond) readers that have lost someone close and ended up lost themselves (*hugs again*).  It’d work for those MG fans that are simply looking for another book to add to their reading lists for boys.  It even works as a way to address the issue of being a class clown on a consistent basis when the reason is something other than merely having a good time….perhaps a conversation starter of sorts to uncover what’s really happening.  In short, though not for me, certainly a worth while read for generations young and young at heart.  It shows the stages of grief through the eyes of youth, it’s ill effects on everyone it touches and hope’s promise that eventually everything will be okay.

ARC for review courtesy of Leigh at Regal Literary.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this promotion as well as those forthcoming, be sure to stop by their official site.  This title was released January 2014 via Farrar Straus Giroux, an imprint of MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf near you.

Until next time…happy reading!