Happy BOOK BIRTHDAY to... The Secrets of Lovelace Academy by Marie Benedict and Courtney Sheinmel - REVIEW!

Tuesdays bring the GOOD STUFF as far as readers are concerned, and today is no different because we're celebrating a BOOK BIRTHDAY! That's right! Today's featured title is celebrating its shelf debut via Aladdin/Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and brings us a work of Middle Grade Historical Fiction that definitely speaks to girls/ women in STEM and how important it is to not only find, but use our voice. Ladies and gents, make room on your TBR shelf for...

The Secrets of Lovelace Academy

By

Marie Benedict and Courtney Sheinmel

9781665950213

Aladdin

About the book...

Lainey Philipps has lived at the Sycamore Home for Orphaned Children since she was three years old. Now nearly a teenager, her life is hard, and she doesn’t expect it to get better—until a chance encounter during an open house changes everything when Lainey meets a woman who invites her to attend the prestigious Lovelace Academy.

Fitting in amongst the many privileged students within the ivy-covered walls of Lovelace Academy presents challenges unlike the ones Lainey has faced in the past. Her life of drudgery has hardly prepared her for the aristocratic airs and cutthroat academic ambition of the other girls. Terrified she’ll be cast out of the academy, Lainey grabs at her chance to prove herself by traveling to Switzerland to meet a female scientist crafting a groundbreaking theory.

Determined to prove her capability and reach her destination, Lainey must rely on her own wit—as well as a mysterious boy who has yet to prove himself as friend or foe. But the real test is what awaits her in Switzerland, at the home of Mileva Maric, wife of Albert Einstein.

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This is a story where a lot happens and yet not very much at all occurs. Let me try to explain.

The tale unfolds like a well loved letter, familiar (the historical pieces), yet only just. It felt like being pulled through time to witness these important events unfold first hand. The struggles, both old and new, the challenges that had to overcome in addition to the actual research done in order to proof a new theory,  all made your interest pique. The characters introduced are fresh and new, but their plights are unfortunately expected as "mean girls" exist on any astral plane... these just happen to be rich, AND mean. Honestly, if Majorie said one more bad thing against Lainey, or anyone else for that matter, I was gonna crawl through the pages and show her what's what. There's only so much a bystander can take before we gotta draw a line in the sand and bid her good day! It was wonderful watching Lainey grow into the person we meet at book's end, but such an emotional rollercoaster throughout. The girl could not catch a break, or at least one that would stick, but she never let it get her..

All in all, a wonderful story that was unexpected, yet enjoyable. It reminds us that we all have a voice worthy of being heard, teamwork can make the dream work, but recognition of that work is equally important, and in order to move forward, we must learn from the past. As the wise Lady Blunt once said, "We are all more than merely mortal, and our immortality is our legacy." What legacy will YOU leave behind?

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About the author...

Photograph by Jennifer E. Daly

Courtney Sheinmel is a chocolate-lover, mac and cheese expert, mom to Archer, and the author of nearly thirty books for kids and teens, including the acclaimed Stella Batts and My Pet Slime series for young readers. Her book She Persisted: Helen Keller was part of Chelsea Clinton’s She Persisted series. Courtney received a National Scholastic Educator Award for her work as a writing instructor at the nonprofit Writopia Lab. Visit her online at CourtneySheinmel.com.

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Special thanks to Antonella at Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing for 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 is out today, so seek thee out a copy wherever books are sold.

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

BLOG TOUR: The Three Hares: THE JADE DRAGONBALL by Scott Lauder & David Ross

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're teaming up with Literally Public Relations Limited to bring you a stop along their current tour featuring a NEW RELEASE title in the Middle Grade Fiction genre.  It's unique for many reasons, one of which is that is falls under the sub genre of Historical Fiction with a heavy hand, and all signs point to it being the first in a planned series (especially with THAT ending!), but I digress.  Let's do things properly and get the introductions under way.  Today's blog tour guest and book of choice is...

The Three Hares:

The Jade Dragonball

by

Scott Lauder & David Ross

9781911107170

Neem Tree Press

About the book...

Sara Livingstone's school trip to the Beijing Palace Museum takes a terrifying turn when an encounter with the ancient Qingming Scroll thrusts her a thousand years into China's past. With secrets in the shadows and danger around every corner, Sara relies on her wits and her Granny Tang's stories to survive. As dark forces gather, she must take her place in a cosmic battle and find the courage to face an unworldly ancient magic.

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This was quite the adventure, but it was also very much a first installment.

On this journey, we encounter China in both past and present times, and the story unfolds within BOTH timelines (and somewhere in between, but that's getting ahead of ourselves), eventually weaving together...but only just.  I admit, until the stories began to comingle, I was much more invested in the PAST versus present.  I mean, how DID Shan Mu become Shan Wu.  What was the significance?  Why did the other man constantly want to guide him away from his true feelings and onto a more enlightened path?  Okay, well maybe that last one I sort of guessed, but still....SO MANY QUESTIONS!  In the present, Sara's mysterious predicament of being dragged from her modern day world into some sort of gray in between whenever a certain person came into conversation was...strange.  I mean, obviously what was happening to her wasn't in her time...exactly...so I could only imagine what those around her thought was happening as she spaced out or fell out without any explanation.  It sounds bad, but it was just difficult for me to care for her until things got "real", so to speak....and then, whew! Did they ever get real!

Story wise...I loved how the authors made sure to separate the past and present sections to allow the reader to fully immerse themselves in the story without battling the "when am I" question along the way.  I adored the rich history and lore that was shared, as well as how it was brought to life between the pages.  They made you feel for every character, delving into the WHY behind their actions, even allowing you to feel sorrow for the predicaments they land themselves in, be they a GOOD person or one of the shall we say "misguided".  I hate to say it, but things really started to get interesting around the time we had to call it quits...but, it does make the anticipation of the next one that much sweeter!

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About the authors...

Scott Lauder has always been fascinated by other cultures, which inspired his choice to live in myriad countries including Greece, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Japan, throughout his life. Born in Ayrshire, Scotland Scott now lives with his wife in Sharjah. History is another of Scott’s passions; both of his graded readers for Oxford University Press were set in the past, one in Ancient Egypt, the other in Ancient Rome. He cites researching the periods for those books and the Three Hares series as “great fun,” a passion that emanates throughout the novel.

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David Ross has taught English since 1987, when he began working in Japan. There, he met his co-author, Scott Lauder, when they both taught at the same English school. While in Japan, David performed with a rock band for a couple of years and produced an album (Los Turbines). His decade of teaching in Japan provided with the opportunity to travel in Asia, Africa, and Europe. After returning to his home country of the United States of America, David taught at Loyola University in New Orleans, before moving to New York in 2004, where he taught elementary school – and where he still lives with his wife and two sons. In 2010, David received his doctorate in Educational Studies from McGill University in Montreal. He has spent four summers of the last decade, two in China and two in Indonesia, teaching at universities.

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Special thanks to Francesca at Literally Public Relations Limited for the chance to bring this tour to you as well as the copy for review.  (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the authors, the publisher, or the publicists, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title celebrated its BOOK BIRTHDAY September 5th, 2019 via Neem Tree Press, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today.

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

Calling all cool cats! Time to catch THE BEAT ON RUBY'S STREET by Jenna Zark!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Here's hoping your weekend was all that you hoped it would be and then some, in the best way possible, and that Monday is treating you right.  Poor Monday; it gets such a bad rap...or in this case, beat.

Today, we're shining the light on an ebook title that came to my attention thanks to Pam at Aurora Publicity.  It's a Middle Grade Historical Fiction novel, but we're not talking ancient times...merely 60 some odd years ago.  Wow...okay, when I type that, it seems MUCH longer than in my head, but still, "historical" is interpreted differently by every reader.  Anywho, back to the title at hand. It's a curious read to say the least, but when have I ever REALLY said the least and left it at that...yeah, exactly.  Ladies and gents, cool cats and hipsters of today, join me as we discover today's ebook of choice... 

The Beat on Ruby's Street

by

Jenna Zark

Dragon Moon Press

About the book...

The last thing eleven-year-old Ruby Tabeata expected to happen on her way to a Jack Kerouac reading was to be hauled to the police station.

It’s 1958 and Ruby is the opposite of a 1950s stereotype: fierce, funny and strong willed, she is only just starting to chart her course in a family of Beat Generation artists in Greenwich Village.

Ruby dreams of meeting famous poets while becoming one herself; instead, she’s accused of trying to steal fruit from a local vendor and is forced to live in a children’s home. As Ruby struggles to return to family and friends, she learns her only choice is to follow her heart.

AMAZON  |  B&N  |  iTunes

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It's a story that takes us back to the 1950's when the Beatniks were attempting to plot their own course through life away from "the man".  It was a time of unrest for many as people settled into the way of things post WWII and while tackling all the changes coming their way was fine and dandy, folks needed an outlet, a way to give voice to the masses.  That voice sought became what we know as Beat Poetry.  It was a way to share their observations, educations, and frustrations, artistically and nonviolently, while prompting the common man to rethink what he's come to accept as the norm.  A few of the bigger names during this movement included Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, and Jack Kerouac...some of which make appearances within these very pages.  Speaking of those pages...

The history is great, the setting spot on, but the characters are what really drive this story to a spectacular finish.  Ruby is an absolute gem.  She's tougher than she seems, can think on her feet, and her heart beats truer than true.  She may not always understand the big picture at first glance, but she gets there in her own time with style to spare.  Ruby wants so badly to be one of the voices of her generation without even really knowing how it's done, but she doesn't let that stop her and in the end, she achieves more than she dared hope.  True, it's not a happily-ever-after the way she pictured, but it is true to the times, the tale, and herself as well as her family, which gives it all the greater impact.

In the end, I caught Ruby's beat like a bird does the winds of change.  The author does a great job of breathing life into her characters and it allowed Ruby's voice to come through loud and clear. Though hipster now, it was Beat back then, and while the style may not always appeal, the message transcends any generational gaps.  A must read for Middle Grade fans of all ages wanting a glimpse into our not-so-distant past as well as a way to feel that hum, that vibration in the air that moved so many to speak out, be heard, and affect the world around them.

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About the author...

Jenna Zark is a columnist, lyricist, playwright, and novelist. Her play A Body of Water was published by Dramatists Play Service and produced regionally after its debut at Circle Repertory Company in New York. Other plays were produced in the Twin Cities, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and St. Louis. As a former staff writer at Scholastic Choices magazine, Zark wrote extensively for middle school and junior high students. Columns, poetry, essays, and articles have been published in TC Jewfolk, Stoneboat literary magazine, Minnesota Bride and numerous other publications. Zark is also a member of a lyricist’s collective in the Twin Cities that performs at local cabarets. She’s still trying to figure out if it’s harder to write a play, a novel, or a song.

SITE  |  BLOG  |  TWITTER  |  GOODREADS

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Special thank to Pam at Aurora Publicity for the ebook for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, or those titles on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is available now, so seek thee out a copy at your favorite online or virtual retailer.

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