RHCB BLOG TOUR: Fairy Mom and Me by Sophie Kinsella

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're joining Random House Children's Books for a magic filled blog tour starring the latest release from author Sophie Kinsella.  For the teen and adult readers out there, you probably already know the name (Shopaholic, anyone?), but this time around, she's bringing her writing talents to the kiddos (and the kiddos at heart!) with a magic infused story that takes a little of this and a little of that to create a recipe for success (much like the cupcakes she...oh, wait...I can't tell you that!).  Ready or not, here comes today's blog tour guest and book of choice...

Fairy Mom and Me

by

Sophie Kinsella

Illustrated by

Marta Kissi

9781524769895

Delacorte Press

About the book...

Fans of Sophie Kinsella’s sparkling humor will love her first ever illustrated series for young readers about the charming adventures of a mother-daughter fairy duo!
Ella Brook can’t wait to grow up, because one day she will become a fairy and have her own sparkly wings and a teacher on Fairy Tube, just like her mom! Until then, Ella has to learn by watching her mom in action.

But sometimes spells go wrong, and Ella’s mom can never seem to remember the right magic codes on her Computawand. A lot of the time, it’s up to Ella to come to the rescue. Does she have what it takes to be a fairy one day? Or will there be more glitches than glitter?

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A darling collection of "day-in-the-life-of" mishaps and madcap adventures for the kiddos and beyond!  It goes a long way in dispelling the myth that magic can fix everything, but a long way in proving that the REAL magic is in each and every one of us.

This magic filled tale shows us what life may be like if fairy magic ran in the family. You'd think things would be a breeze, problems easily solved, troubles overcome with a flick of your Computawand (yes, even THEY'VE upgraded), and life in general would be a piece of cake. Um, yeah...about that. Let's just say that practice makes perfect doesn't just apply to us average Joe's and Jane's, but with a little help from family, a considerable dose of understanding, and the ability to laugh at one' This magic filled tale shows us what life may be like if fairy magic ran in the family. I mean, can you imagine if you had the choice of living an every day sort of life, or the chance to follow in mom's footsteps and become a fairy at large?  Awesome sauce!  You'd think things would be a breeze, problems easily solved, troubles overcome with a flick of your Computawand (yes, even THEY'VE upgraded...except when it goes wrong *-*), and life in general would be a piece of cake. Um, yeah...about that. Let's just say that practice makes perfect doesn't just apply to us average Joe's and Jane's...BUT with a little help from family, a considerable dose of understanding, and the ability to laugh at one's self, pretty much any obstacle can be knocked down to size.

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About the author...

Photo Credit:  John Swannell

SOPHIE KINSELLA is the author of the bestselling Shopaholic series, as well as the novels Can You Keep a Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, Twenties Girl, I’ve Got Your Number, Wedding Night, and Finding Audrey. She lives in England. Visit her website at sophiekinsella.co.uk or find her on Instagram at @sophiekinsellawriter and Twitter at @KinsellaSophie.

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About the illustrator...

MARTA KISSI is a freelance illustrator living and working in London. She studied illustration and animation at Kingston University and completed her MA at the Royal College of Art. She now works on various children book projects as well as covers and editorial pieces for both children and adults.

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Special thanks to Kathy at Random House Children's Books for the chance to participate in this tour as well as the copy 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 just released earlier this month via Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.  Be sure to catch the other sites on the tour for more bookish fun...

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 8: Here Wee Read

January 9: KidsR.Us

January 10: Pirates and Pixie Dust

January 11^th: Mommy Ramblings

January 12^th: Finding Debra

January 15^th; Gravity Bread

January 16: Word Spelunking

January 17: Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

January 18: Super Mommy to the Rescue

January 19: Picture Books to YA

January 22: The Book Report



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

The FIFTH Post of BOOKMAS!

Season's greetings...

...and welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!

It's time for POST FIVE of the TWELVE DAYS OF BOOKMAS.

What IS Bookmas, you ask?

Great question!

Bookmas is similar to Christmas, except it brings tidings of great reads, holiday gifting suggestions, and just about all the bookish fun you can imagine from across the genre spectrum.  It's all in one place at one time (sorta) and ready to help you get out from under the yuletide stress, and get back to enjoying the season...one page at a time.  

Just why is it the "Twelve Posts" and not the twelve books?  Simple...I have WAY TOO MANY titles for you to consider, peruse, and read all about to limit it to twelve titles.  These posts are intended to highlight some great titles, give you ideas for your gifting this year, and help me clear up my "read-it-but-need-to-review-it" teetering stack.  Triple focus...yes siree!  So, ready or not, let's get this sled on the road as we unwrap today's featured titles....

Last Christmas in Paris

by

Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb

9780062562685

William Morrow

Beautiful, gorgeous, tre magnifique! 
It was all I could ask for and more. My heart was so involved that their hardships felt like my hardships, their triumphs my triumphs, their darkest days and hopeful nights, my own despair and star wishes set free into the night sky. It reminds us of dark days past but how even with all the living nightmares being struggled through, the most beautiful and fragile thing in the world was still able to be found. A wonderful story for Historical Fiction fans filled with characters to love and OH so much heart. from a remarkable writing duo!

The Cottingley Secret

by

Hazel Gaynor

9780062499844

William Morrow

This was a story filled with more magic than one can almost bare.  We seamlessly flit between past and present, of childhood days gone by still brimming with the wonder trapped in memories and those moments becoming memories in the present through the choices made, obstacles tackled, and new pathways found.  It cherishes the innocence of youth and encourages us to seek that same magic in new ways throughout our lives.  

Meeting Frances and Elsie, following their wondrous adventures in the garden that seemed to attract more than its share of attention while learning how to deal with the world itself while at war, brought us back in time to those many many hours of uncertainty.  The magic they captured, whether real or a work of serious artistic talent and a creative mind, gave people something to believe in when all else seemed so dark and treacherous...and really, where was the harm in that?  Our present day introduction to Olivia was filled with heartbreak, heartache, and a feeling of both being lost and found all at the same time.  She went on an unexpected journey of discovery and uncovered so many things that changed her in so many ways, and yet with all the changes, she honestly found her true self.

A magical tale filled with heart, the importance of connections, and just the right amount of fairy dust.

Special thanks to the William Morrow publicity team for the copies for review. (THANKS!) For more information on these titles, the authors, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above. Be sure to check back for the next BOOKMAS post for more bookish fun!

Happy holidays and happy reading!

Nicky and the Fairy Named Anika by Loren Bukovka

Hi guys!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're going on a journey through childhood filled with all the ups and downs life can bring. It's a story that reminds us to never lose sight of our dreams, no matter how big or small they or we might be. With a colorful cast of whimsical characters, it reaches out for an audience of older children but is perfectly presentable for your YA or adult reading group. Ready or not, here comes today's  book of choice...

Nicky and the Fairy Named Anika

by

Loren Bukovka

9781519708700

CreateSpace Independent Publishing

About the book...

This is the story of Nicky Hanniky, a young poet who gets taken to fairy land and has so many interesting adventures she forgets to be sad about her Grandma’s death. Featuring gracious fairies, singing gnomes, and galloping unicorns, this fairy tale is suitable for kids aged 10 to infinity, including grown-ups who wish to revisit fairy land, and romp once again in the forests of friendship and dreams that never die.

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"'Never too old to have an imagination,' Grandma Vee would say...." (pg 7) 

...yes, I would have to agree.

This is the story of one little girl's adventures through the magical realm of fairy land, but how and why she ended up there are not nearly as cheery.  You see, she's had a terrible pain inflicted on her by life that's not only affected her spirit, but her very dreams.  All that was within reach, all that was possible, has dulled to a lighter shade of gray, with no hope in sight of pulling out of the doldrums she'd landed in.  Though not normally something to be that afraid of, after all everyone is entitled to their period of mourning, Nicky happens to be spending the summer at camp...a very special camp.  How is it special?  Well you see, it's the place her Grandmother use to come every year, a place that sparked many stories shared from generation to generation about fairies, pixies, unicorns, and dragons.  Of course, it was all written off as the fantastic imagination of someone wishing only to delight and entertain her family, but what if it was something more.  What if they weren't stories but actual adventures?  What if the dangers alluded to in them were just as alive today as they were back then?  What if one moment you're swimming with a newfound friend and the next your being drug to the depths by a creature you wouldn't even imagine in your darkest nightmares?  What if is about to become more than just a supposition...

I must say, the flights of fancy and wonder that abounds throughout the story were definitely a blast.  Can you imagine bouncing on clouds, sliding on rainbows, or exploring the fairy gardens?  How about a unicorn sighting, meeting a gnome, and frolicking in wind that plays with your hair (not tangles but styles)? Yes please...BUT, the darker aspects like the Drowner and the Harpy, you can keep.  *-*  Seriously, they are pretty foul creatures and we haven't even spoken of the dark magic that uses these two for it's own devious purposes!  Let's just say there's a balance in fairy land and without Anika guarding that fine line, it may crash and burn before any fun is had.  Nicky's take on all that is transpiring is quite grown up for her age, yet her reactions feel right in step with the guidance she has received in life.  Her grandmother sounds like she was a blast and it was heartbreaking to watch her struggle with the loss.  I was glad for her making the acquaintance of Anika, despite the circumstances being anything but ideal, and her time in fairy land was as wonderful as gazing at a rainbow...which I now wish I could slide down as well!

Overall, I enjoyed my time in fairy land and meeting all the creatures of lore. Favorites among them, if forced to choose, would have to be Umka, for her cheery spirit and desire to see the best in all, and Anika, for her desire to assist those in need, protect the innocent, and treat others fairly.  The only hang up I had was in regards to the length of the novel.  Originally, it was intended to be a series, but after some rethinking, reworking, and revising, the author decided to remake it as a standalone.  I do have to wonder though if the author's additional efforts on expanding the tale this way were wise.  We're talking a jump from 56K to 86K in word count, equating to 32 new chapters, and some bits felt like they fleshed out a bit too much.  Truth be told, the parts she shared that were cut would have made for other fun adventures in this magical realm, and I think we might have gotten to spend more time with Anika as well as Nicky, deepening that connection for them and us. So, fair readers, there's a question for you to ponder and perhaps respond to.

Recommended read for Children's Fiction fans that enjoy the sweetness of youth, the magic of fairies, and the power of dreams.

 

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About the author...

Loren Bukovka aspires to create fictional universes full of fun and friendship. She sprinkles these with lots of poetry and an occasional unicorn.            

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Review copy received courtesy of author Loren Bukovka.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, or the author, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is available now, and what's that...why I do believe you have a space on your bookshelf just waiting for it to call home.

Until next time...happy reading!



Don't go into the woods.... Fey by C.S. Feldman

Hi there!

Welcome back to the site that aims to satisfy the reader in you, Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're taking a look between the epages of a Fantasy novella fit for the young adult crowd and beyond.  It comes to us from a new-to-me author that's gearing up for the release of her first full length Fantasy novel this summer (Heroes for Hire: Discount Prices) and if I may be so bold, I think this was a wonderful stepping stone into her writing world.  So without further adieu and to keep my review shorter than the book, I give you today's ebook of choice...

Fey

by

C.S. Feldman

About the book...

Nessa Donnelly never expected to see her estranged and eccentric father again, but a phone call summons her back to her hometown and to the hospital in which the elder Donnelly lies in a comatose state for which his doctors have no explanation. Bit by bit, long-buried family secrets emerge, and Nessa begins to realize that those secrets were kept hidden from her for a reason. 

She also realizes that there is something in the woods behind her father’s house that he never told her about, something that can’t be explained. 

And she is also not as alone in his house as she thought she was…

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Short stories are generally my nemesis.  You have enough story to begin to get into things but not enough pages for anything to fully flesh out.  It's a double edge sword if ever there was one.  This one though can be counted among the few that pass into my "loved-it-now-if-you-could-please-give-me-more" category.  Allow me to illuminate why....

Nessa is a complex character and we really only get to know her on a surface level due to time and space.  Is it enough to love her?  Certainly...but I'd also love to explore her relationship with Matt, her past with her family, and see just what else might transpire should she make it through the trials she is about to unwittingly undertake.  The mysterious wall in the woods that (seemingly) supports nothing, (seemingly) connects to nothing, and (seemingly) serves no purpose also has a history and I'm quite certain many more stories to tell for better or worse of those on both sides.  Mr. Donnelly is rather underrepresented by his own self here (with good reason), but to see him as he raises his children, connecting with the brother while protecting the daughter, forging walls for others while continuing to maintain the integrity of the one that seems illogical in his own backyard, those are the things that the story leaves me wondering.

So, did I enjoy my time between the epages?  Certainly!  The mysterious green eyes were alluring and creepy all at once. The secrets they kept and the promises they made added to your uncertainty about their intent.  The creature hiding in her family home left one perplexed as to whose side it was on, and what it was seeking in the first place.  The initial reason for her being called home was curious but upon her arrival turned concerning.  The future for Nessa and her secret were bleak and with time running out you were left on the edge of your seat wondering if she'd pull it off.  The mix of fantasy, lore, and reality were solid, making the story approachable for more than one genre fan.  So yes, I'd say I rather enjoyed my time and consider it well spent.  Could I have used MORE time with them to gather their personal histories, backstory, and the like?  Yes indeed....perhaps the author will grant readers this wish someday in a future release.

*fingers crossed*

Recommended for Young Adult and Fantasy fans alike.  There's magic, mystery, life and death circumstances, and tricky creatures to say the least.  To say more would require a trade on your part and if I learned anything from the "green eyes", trades rarely come at a fair price.

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About the author...

C. S. Feldman loves all things fantasy related and writes both novels and screenplays.

SITE  |  FACEBOOK 

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Special thanks to author C.S. Feldman for the ebook for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, her other works, or those still to come, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is available now, so be on the lookout for it at your favorite ebook retailers.

Until next time...happy reading!