BLOG TOUR: Ordinary People Change the World: I Am Albert Einstein by Brad Meltzer

Hi guys and gals!

Welcome back to another exciting day here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're joining a month long blog tour already in progress from the folks over at Penguin Young Readers.  It stars the amazing Children's Non-Fiction Picture Book series Ordinary People Change the World by Brad Meltzer and highlights eight memorable "characters" from our past still affecting our present in ways you may or may not have known, all in an eye pleasing package with smiles, and humor to boot!  It's in that newer category of EDUtainment and it really leaves its mark, but you don't have to just take MY word for it.  All month long, you'll find these titles throughout the blogosphere in reviews, spotlights, contests, and a little something more.  What's that?  Curious about the something more?  Keep reading my friends, keep reading.  

In today's spotlight, we're paying tribute to the man who brought us the Theory of Relativity and reminded us "...to never stop questioning".  He's a well known historical figure with a past that may surprise, and he's now the star of his own book in the EDUtainment series sweeping the book world.  Ladies and gents, children of all ages, let's get scientific with a mind not unlike yours or mine as we welcome today's book of choice...

I Am Albert Einstein
Ordinary People Change the World

by
Brad Meltzer
Illustrated by
Christopher Eliopoulos
9780803740846
Dial Books

About the book....
We can all be heroes. That’s the inspiring message of this New York Times Bestselling picture book biography series from historian and author Brad Meltzer.

Even when he was a kid, Albert Einstein did things his own way. He thought in pictures instead of words, and his special way of thinking helped him understand big ideas like the structure of music and why a compass always points north. Those ideas made him want to keep figuring out the secrets of the universe. Other people thought he was just a dreamer, but because of his curiosity, Einstein grew up to be one of the greatest scientists the world has ever known.
 
What makes a hero? This lively, fun biography series by best-selling author Brad Meltzer answers the question, one great role model at a time.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Albert Einstein.
The man.
The scientist.
The legend.

Was he always the great scientific mind we came to know? NO!  Surprise, surprise.  It took time, energy, and diligence for the way he saw the world to jive with the reality of it all, but once it did....BOOM!  Pure magic that changed the way we see things in so many ways.

In every installment of this series, we've met someone that could have been your best friend, loved one, neighbor, or even ourselves, that went on to do great and memorable things that changed the world.  That's the beauty of it.  It reminds us that the everyday is not just the every day...it can be more, it can be better, BIGGER, and surprising in ways we never imagined.  Don't count anyone out because they may be the one to really blow the lid off something you found beyond confounding...or perhaps that person may be YOU!

Now, I've had the pleasure of reading and sharing several of the titles in this series, but in lieu of JUST a review, this tour begged for something more.  That's right.  We're making things interactive and bringing YOU into the picture...so to speak.  ^-^  When presented with the question of "what add in to ADD in" for this particular story, I admit...I was stumped!  It took thinking, pondering, and a well timed conversation with an associate at work (Thanks Anya!) for something to really STICK.  There was the science experiment angle, but I didn't really feel making play dough or growing rock candy was thrilling enough (though both are rather fun and you should try them some time!).  There was the E=MC squared angle, but let's face it, I'm not a rocket scientist myself and short of displaying the imagery and inviting you to play Einstein yourselves, that was the extent of that fun time addition.  But wait..."invite you to play Einstein"...now there's an idea!



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I AM ALBERT EINSTEIN
Arts & Crafts Tie In 

Supplies:

* One copy of I Am Albert Einstein for inspiration

* A few sheets of copy or construction paper

* A pencil with eraser...just in case

* Markers, colored pencils, or other coloring devices

* One pair of scissors

* A healthy dose of IMAGINATION...and a smidgeon of artistic talent

Now, there is a rather infamous picture of the esteemed scientist that you may have seen in some fashion of another.  It has him pictured hair fairly wild and his tongue sticking out like nobodies business.  You can find it online or locally in your community, but it's also pictured in the back of the book.  Here's where that imagination and talent come in.  Put pencil to paper and... 

....create a FACE of sorts for you to BECOME ALBERT EINSTEIN!  A few pencil strokes here, a marker or two there, and a cut out for your eyes and nose and TADA!  Instant photo op to be the man himself....and one I couldn't resist myself...

*giggle*

That's only the beginning!
You can take selfies, groupies, share it with friends, convince your family to join in, or take that base image and EXPAND!  I couldn't stop at just one and was inspired by the wonderful illustrations included in this title so I took it upon myself to get gussied up as the little dude himself....

How do I look?
^-^

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special thanks to Rachel at Penguin Young Readers for the chance to bring this tour to you as well as the review copy.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the series, the author, the publisher, or the tour, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now via Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing. Now, before you go...

Until next time...happy reading!

There's no place like home... Meridien by S.H. Jucha

Hi guys and gals!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.



So, yesterday...no post.  I know, I know.  I beat myself up enough about it already but you know what, I'm through with that.  Would I love to have something up EVERY SINGLE DAY...yes, of course!  Do I more often than not?  That's an affirmative.  Will it always happen?  Nope...and I'm okay with this.  So long as I'm not reneging on a promised post date/tour/etc, every now and then a break may occur.  It's good to de-stress once in a while...even if I wasn't actually DE-stressing, but rather STRESSing...and I hope you're good with that too.  Moving on...

The post I intended to bring yesterday is ready today, not for lack of being read but a lack of time to put the words to virtual paper/space.  It's the final book that I've read (for now) in The Silver Ships series that I was reviewing last week; for a quick reminder of what we've covered so far, check out my reviews for book 1 and book 2.  Now, I know we've been talking about series here recently and while yes, this can be read as a stand alone, I highly suggest you DO NOT because so much transpires in the first two books, you're enjoyment level will be diminished more than need be....and we're all about the bookish enjoyment, are we not? ^-^  So, without further ado, allow me to introduce today's ebook of choice...

Meridien
The Silver Ships series, Book 3
by
S.H. Jucha


About the book...
The Méridiens are fleeing to their far colonies—and they have reason to run. Over the course of decades, they have lost hundreds of ships, billions of people, and seven Confederation colonies to an alien enemy: an advancing swarm of silver ships transported in the bowels of a gigantic, spherical vessel.

Alex Racine, who once enjoyed the solitary life of an explorer-tug Captain, is now an Admiral and responsible for the lives of a quarter million Librans. Further complicating his life, Alex’s Librans have made it clear they don’t want to settle on his home world. They want a new home, and he must secure them one.

The silver ships await Alex’s makeshift flotilla at Libre, the last colony they consumed. Thus far, Alex’s people have succeeded in skirmishes against the enemy’s fighters. Now, though, they’re preparing to attack the entire alien fleet and halt the devastation of the colonies.

To the surprise and chagrin of his officers and crew alike, Alex concocts a new plan, because he believes humanity faces not one but two alien species, and one may be enslaved to the other. If so, Alex believes slaves should be liberated, not obliterated.

To test Alex’s theory, his people must capture a wholly intact silver ship—a feat never before accomplished. The crew remains doubtful, but their Admiral is determined to communicate with the aliens before he’s forced to destroy them, and his wish is their command. 





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





Here we are once again, but this time Captain Alex Racine is no longer Captain but ADMIRAL and the portion of his title that is shared with the word ADMIRation still falls short of the love his people, New Terran and Meridien alike, have for him.

He has proven himself to be a fair, gracious, and brave leader, even if unwilling to claim the fame and glory befitting his positions.  The gentle hand he's shown to those in need, the firm show of force displayed when necessary to protect those he holds in high esteem, and the depth to which he understands things that many have not even thought to contemplate as of yet, all go into building the legend the man is becoming...with good reason too!  He has two peoples to call his "own" at the moment and he's aiming to make it three.  How so?  Well, if you recall the silver ships of infamy were fought in the first story, and destroyed in the second, and even if it might have seemed like a resolved course of action to follow when it came to the other enemy vessels, Alex begs to differ.  It seems that between his brains (and TWO implants!) and those of the 3 SADEs he is friendly with, there has been a pattern determined that suggests those piloting the silver ships may not be the enemy after all but an unwilling participate in a bigger enemies ultimate plan to own the universe.




*DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNN*

Just what happens next is rather astounding and far be it from me to ruin the BIG SURPRISE but let's just say that in the end, moves are made in rapid succession to enable all those oppressed the chance to be FREE.  Well done Admiral...well done indeed.

Overall, a grand addition to the growing series that will leave you satisfied for the duration of this voyage but itching to find out just what's on the horizon.  The only down side of this particular story for me was the alien language of the Swei Swee.  I admit, I was overwhelmed...plays into the part of me that doesn't really get into the BIG Sci-Fi/Fantasy reads where an entire world, history, language, etc, are created and needed to understand the read...but thankfully the SADEs handle much of the decoding so I just played dumb and kept reading.  It was fascinating indeed, but I would say it's safe to presume I won't be communicating one-on-one of them anytime soon.  So, grab your space boots and strap in for take off, because this is one space adventure you won't want to miss.  Can't wait to see what's in store for the crew that's now family next come the next release.




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About author S.H. Jucha...

Born in Anchorage, Alaska, I currently reside with my wife in San Diego, California.

I've spent years overseas, earned two college degrees, held many jobs, and found a wonderful marriage partner. My writing and my marriage life started together. My first attempt at a novel, entitled "The Lure", was a crime drama centered around the surfacing of a 110-carat yellow diamond lost during the French Revolution.

In 1980, in preparation for the book, I spent two wonderful weeks researching the Brazilian people, their language, and the religious customs of Candomblé. The day I returned from Rio, I had my first date with my wife-to-be, Peggy Giels.

Over the next thirty-four years, I outlined dozens of novels, but a busy career limited my efforts to complete a single one. Now, the time has come, and I've thoroughly enjoyed planning, researching, and writing my first novel—in fact, the entire series.

I discovered the joy of reading when I was thirteen. Today, I hope I’m sharing that joy with my readers through my stories.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special thanks to Mallory at Smith Publicity Inc for the copies for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this series, this title, the author, or those promotions on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is available now in tree and ebook formats, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.  Be sure to tune in all week as we explore the rest of this three some (my review of book one can be found here) as it draws towards what I'm hoping will be a stunning conclusion....for now (it's slated to be a FIVE book series with a possible spin off!).

Until next time...happy reading!

BLOG TOUR: The Rule of Mirrors by Caragh M. O'Brien - Review + GIVEAWAY!

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're joining a blog tour already in progress via MacMillan Children's Publishing Group starring the second installment of a fascinating Young Adult trilogy you've got to read to believe.  Trust me, you're in for quite a few twists, turns, and surprises that will knock you for a loop, but before we get too far into things, I must warn you....this is NOT a standalone title, nor should it be read as one.  I know a lot of series, trilogies, sets, etc can be read this way and I'm not one to normally tell you what to do but believe me, you want to read the first one because it IS fabulous, but you NEED to read the first one in order for what transpires here to make a shred of sense.  If you need a refresher, here's a link to my review of the first one; if not and you're raring to go, far be it from me to hold you back.  In fact, allow me to introduce without further delay, today's blog tour guest and book of choice...

The Rule of Mirrors

The Vault of Dreamers trilogy, Book 2

by

Caragh M. O'Brien

9781596439405

Roaring Brook Press

About the book....

The fast-paced, psychologically thrilling sequel to The Vault of Dreamers follows Rosie after her consciousness has been split in two.

The entire country was watching when Rosie Sinclair was expelled from Forge, the prestigious arts school that doubles as a reality TV show. But few know how Dean Berg was mining students' dreams in laboratories deep below the school. And no one, least of all the Dean himself, knows that when Rosie's dreams were seeded into the mind of another patient, Rosie's consciousness woke up in that body--a girl far from Forge, a girl with a completely different life from Rosie, a girl who is pregnant.

Told from alternating points of view between Rosie as she makes sense of her new identity and the shattered subconscious that still exists in her old body, The Rule of Mirrors will keep readers on the edge of their seats and leave them hungry for more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OMG.
Where do I even begin?!

First of all, let me reiterate, THIS IS NOT A STANDALONE.  DO NOT READ IT AS SUCH!  No, I'm no being compensated to say that in order to sell more copies of the first book.  I'm simply a fellow reader that has already swam the murky waters within this book and know that had I not had the backstory from the first book, I would have been BEYOND lost.  Does that take away from this book and it's magnificence?  No!  It just means this is a trilogy (well, it will be anyway) that was meant to be read in its entirety and in order or release.  Case closed.  Nuff said.  Moving on...oh, and there may be a spoiler or two if you keep reading without having read book one, so like I said, read it!  (^-^)

Secondly, Rosie is back and better than ever...BOTH of them!
Confused?  Yeah...it's a curious concept to grasp and without the one-on-one semi-demanded interview with a VERY unexpected character, a theory I may not have been able to fully understand on my own seeing as I don't generally swim in the science fiction style dramas.  The dream mining that took place in book one?  Yeah, we see a good portion of what they were REALLY up to here and also discover the fate of Rosie, one half at a time. That's right.  The scary scene at the end of the first leads us right into what happens when one's conscious splits and each part fights for self-preservation.  So now we have two Rosie's or rather a Rosie that looks like Rosie and a Thea who THINKS like her but isn't, yet is.  Try to stay with me because it is SO worth it, especially when the bodily Rosie escapes her imprisonment from the oh-so-evil-you-want-to-hurt-him Berg.  *grr* Things get really hairy along the way for BOTH girls, so much so that there's not only an escape but kidnapping, attempted murder, stalking, drugging, sneaky surveillance, and a disappearance along the way.  That's not including all the feels cropping up for both Rosie's in regards to personal connections, re-connections, and utter hatred.  Yes, lots of feelings to work through and an ending that will leave you gasping for breath.





All in all, it's definitely not a series suffering from a sophomore slump and it certainly serves as more than a bridge to carry us over to the third and final installment.  We get to reacquaint ourselves with characters we thought to be lost, figure out who among those newbies introduced can really be trusted, and see just how it might be to be of two minds in a literal sense.  I mean I've always heard it's okay to talk to yourself but if you start answering, then you've got  trouble.  I wonder how that holds up if the one doing the answering is OUTSIDE of you and in a different voice?  *-*

Recommended read for Young Adult fans in their teens and beyond.  It's one exciting read with fascinating scientific aspects explored AND questioned that'll leave you breathless...and ready for the final book in the trilogy.  I know I'll be counting the days.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the author...

Caragh M. O'Brien earned an MA in the writing seminars at Johns Hopkins University. Her novels Birthmarked and Prized were named YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults. She lives with her family in Connecticut.

SITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special thanks to Mary at MacMillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC for review and chance to bring this tour to you.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the trilogy, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title celebrated its book birthday 02/16/16, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing, and for more exciting reads like this, be sure to check out FIERCE READS.  Seeing as this is a blog tour, please be sure to visit the other sites participating for other points of view, shares, and more!  Just click through the links below...

·  2/16: Ex Libris Kate

·  2/17: Fiction Fare

·  2/18: A Dream Within A Dream

·  2/19: Bibliophilia, Please

·  2/20: Book Briefs

·  2/21: Fiktshun

·  2/22: Once Upon a Twilight

·  2/23: Reading Nook Reviews

·  2/24: Seeing Double in Neverland

·  2/25: Working for the Mandroid

·  2/26: YOU ARE HERE! ^-^

·  2/27: Reads all the Books

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NOW, BEFORE YOU GO...

HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!  UP FOR GRABS IS BOOK 1 OF THE TRILOGY, THE VAULT OF DREAMERS, SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE IT ALL BEGAN!  JUST FILL OUT THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open to US residents only; no P.O. Boxes please.

Entries accepted now through March 5th, 2016.  Winner will be drawn and contacted with 48 hours to respond with their full mailing information for prize send out.  If a response is not received in the given time frame, a new winner will be chosen.  SFIR is not responsible for lost or undelivered prizes, though if you let me know, I'll gladly contact the sponsor to follow up!  Good luck!

Until next time...happy reading!