STORYBOOK SUNDAY: The Grumpface by B.C.R. Fegan

Hi guys and gals!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

We're celebrating another day of bookish fun with Storybook Sunday! For those not up to speed on the post, I read a lot of great storybooks and thought, why not give them their own day in the sun. Hence, Storybook Sunday! Feel free to join the fun and create a post on your own site with the same name. I'd love to see any linked up in the comments! Anywho...back to the matter at hand.

Today's post is going live a little later than the norm, hitting your virtual plates at the end of another exciting weekend, when you're ready to call it a night, and perhaps spend a little time reading.  Whether by yourself, or a standing bedtime date, today's storybook selection will have you whiling away the night to rhyme and meter, until you reach an end that will leave you smiling without a doubt.  Don't believe me?  Well, then, let's take a look, shall we?  Today's Storybook Sunday title is...

The Grumpface

by

B.C.R. Fegan

Illustrated by

D. Frongia

Travel to the Village of Hay, just beyond the Forest of Ho, to discover a land of magic, enchantment...and a fellow just trying to capture the heart of the "girl next door" by bringing her, what else, flowers.  But wait!  It's not just any flower, because in all honesty she sells flowers (go figure), but a rose...the only one she can't seem to find nor grow, and the only one that sets Dan (the young fellow) on a path of unexpected adventure.  No, seriously!  You'd think just plucking a rose for the one you love would be a simple task, but not in "storybook land".  Here, he doesn't meet up with a wicked witch, or evil queen, but a...Grumpface?  Whatever is a Grumpface?  Ah, now that my friends is a mystery in and of itself.

A Grumpface is...well, the creature pictured on the cover up there, but he wasn't always the way he appears.  Once he was...something else, but his inability to see the humor in any situation, let alone the brighter side of things, helped him become the grump he is today.  Something we should all....not aspire to...and Dan has no intentions of letting this sour puss stop him from gaining the affection of the one he loves.  Good thing his intentions are strong (as are his Johnny-on-the-spot skills!) because the Grumpface intends to challenge his out of accomplishing his task, thus spreading the downward grin he sports every day. 

Will true love win out?  Will the Grumpface ever turn that frown upside down?  Will I ever stop asking what if questions?  (^-^)  The answers are all within this tale of life, love, and luck, shared with good humor and a serving as a reminder to not take everything so seriously.  The message combined with the wonderful illustrations will keep readers of all ages coming back for more.

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About the author...

BCR Fegan is an Australian author who has written a number of fairy tales and fantasies for children and young adults. He is inspired by stories that resonate deeply with our desire for adventure, yearning for magic in every moment and search for meaning. When Fegan is not writing children’s books, he is forging worlds in the realm of Young Adult Fiction. A new series of books are scheduled to begin in early 2017.

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Special thanks to the author and TaleBlade Press for the ecopy 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 celebrates its BOOK BIRTHDAY tomorrow (05/01/17), so be on the lookout for it in "e" and print versions at your favorite online retailers!

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



Escape from Dorkville by Dean Ammerman

HI there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're heading back to Warrensberg as we catch up with Wilkin Delgado and Alice Jane Zelinski as they are paid a visit from that infamous intergalactic plumber, Cardamon Webb!  What?  You look skeptical.  Don't fib, I can see it in your eyes.  No worries...we'll turn your 'tude around because as out there as that sounded, it gets even more so and in this trilogy, that's a GOOD thing!  Ready or not, here comes today's book of choice...

Escape from Dorkville

The Warrensberg Trilogy, Book 2

by

Dean Ammerman

9780984682249

Kabloona

About the book...

Intergalactic plumber Cardamon Webb returns to Warrensberg, Minnesota, to enlist the help of 14-year-old Wilkin Delgado and tug-o-war champion Alice Jane Zelinski to save the universe. Apparently, all the fresh water in the universe is drying up and they need to get to the Source to turn it back on. Wilkin and Alice Jane—together with a talking puffin, a glamorous Ergonomic and Fiscal Engineer and a pesky bug—journey to the Other side of the universe, visit the abandoned metropolis of Pago City, discuss expensive handbags, mindfully follow the path of the plumber’s pilgrimage, battle deadly diseases, decipher the text of an ancient prophecy, repel ferocious attacks by Wibgees and Leeblexes, and try to meet the All and Everything and save humanity.

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We begin with a letter arriving via puffin (more specifically, via Loretta the puffin) from none other than...Cardamom.  Not that unusual, right?  Um, okay well maybe YOU get letters via puffin every day, but around my part of town, you don't. Anywho, a letter in and of itself isn't bad news, but our little (and about to get much, much smaller) intergalactic plumber doesn't usually come for just a social visit, a point which is about to be proven.  As it seems, the universe is coming apart at the seams and its only hope...is the three of them, Cardamom, Wilkin, and Jane.  Can we panic now?  Nope...for these three have seen the Great Ma-loo, so there are no better hands to leave this IMMENSE task in.  All they have to do is go on a pilgrimage through the Oreo universe to speak with the All and Everything about turning the water back on while also attempting to sure up the threads holding that same said universe together. Piece of cake! Said no one ever.... especially with Millie in tow...

The author really has a way of making the absurd seem almost normal, while dragging you (willingly) into a tale that obviously took some heavy doses of imagination to create...and hopefully nothing more than that.  (JK!)  The writing is clean, the story well developed with an easy flow (ha...flow...sorry, can't help it with the plumbing jokes), and the characters are just as I remembered them, albeit a wee-tad older (seconds really), a little wiser (very little), and ready for adventure (or anything to, as the title implies, escape).  They may be unlikely heroes, but I'd place my bet on them every time because there's a lot to be said for determination and intent versus skill and experience.  No, I'm not losing it...just read the book; you'll see what I mean.

In the end, all I could say is I'm done... which takes on a WHOLE other meaning when you finish this book. *ahem*  It's a story that reminds us that sometimes the best solution is right in front of us, no deep reading required, and to be prepared for anything, and I mean ANYTHING, when Cardamom comes a knockin'.  It's a wild and zany adventure that will keep you turning pages as much for the absurdity of it all as for the need to satisfy your curiosity regarding how everything will turn out.  Will Jane ever learn to be nice?  Will Wilkin ever stop getting into the grossest stuff ever?  Will Millie learn that the best things in life aren't so costly?  Will Cardamom ever decide to pursue a different "career"?  The answers...okay, so they're all probably no, but it doesn't make this installment any less interesting, nor does it dull my anticipation of the next adventure!

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About the author...

Dean Ammerman lives in Minnesota. He is married, has two daughters and a dog (not a dachshund). The Warrensberg trilogy began with "Waiting for the Voo," which introduces Wilkin Delgado, Alice Jane Zelinski and intergalactic plumber Cardamon Webb. Wilkin and Alice Jane are asked to help fix a nasty sewage problem that threatens to destroy the universe. In the second book, "Escape from Dorkville," Wilkin and Alice Jane reunite with Cardamon Webb to go on a quest to the Other side of the universe to talk to the All and Everything and (hopefully) get the fresh water turned back on. "The Last Ma-Loo" is the last book in the trilogy. The problem? The universe is crumpling, the Ma-Loos are missing and Alice Jane has a boyfriend. None of which is good.

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Special thanks to author Dean Ammerman for the copy for review.  (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the series, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is available now, 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!

Prepare to.... Ignite by Danielle Rogland

Hi guys and gals!

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

Today, I'm bringing you an ebook title I finished earlier this week that really left me...speechless...and adding the print edition to my wish list STAT!  For those the frequent the site, you know my love/hate relationship with ebooks, so for a title to leave THAT much of an impression, it had to be good.  Well, guess what?  It wasn't...it was GREAT.  Yeah, great.  Ready to explore London (and the world) after it's been ravaged by war, time, and mankind?  Let's do this!  Today's ebook of choice is on deck...

Ignite

by

Danielle Rogland

Inkitt

About the book...

In the ruins of London, the Empire rules through fear and fire.

"Everyone knew about 'The Flames' and how much trouble they had caused for the Empire. They were the only rebel group anyone knew about that had lasted longer than a few months without getting caught, leaving candles behind whenever they snatched somebody out of the Empire's grasp. Getting involved with people like them is stupid. So stupid."

Ever since her parents were murdered by the empires agents, Jacks has been living on the street as a pickpocket trying to keep away from trouble. When she accidentally witnesses the rebel group 'The Flames' in the middle of an operation she is unwillingly swept up into their world, and has to decide if she's going to go back to looking after herself or join the rebellion and help them fight for the people of London Ruins.

She knows that getting involved was stupid, but does she really have a choice?

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Oh how to even begin!
Ever finish a book and just sit there like, WHOA.  Then, after that momentary stupor, feel the need to discover so many things at once...is there a sequel, what else has the author written, find a print copy to add to your library, and TELL THE WORLD!  Yes, yes to all of those things and then some.  Even though my ecopy was an ARC (meaning there were a few issues to edit away before the final version), I was totally immersed in the story from start to finish and here's why...

Jakes isn't a hero.  She doesn't have superpowers, other than an affinity to be "invisible" to the general populous which mainly serves her in her role of pickpocket.  She's not a super genius, mega rich, or even especially brave...but she's REAL.  Now, I know...it's a fiction novel...blah blah blah....yes, I was there for the reading, seeing as I did it, but Jakes FELT real.  Her reactions or even lack of action, her internal struggles to do what she thinks is right versus smart, her deep seated desire to simply STAY ALIVE, even after the brutal loss of her parents.  She's a great leading lady, whether she'd agree or not, and so much more than she even at first knows.  The growth she experiences as the story develops is astounding (to all parties) but a perfect match for all that's unfolded.  BUT...she's not the only lead character in this multi-POV (point of view) story.



Equal narration time is given to at least three of the other Flames (the rebel group kicking the Empire's butt!)...Zira, Corry, and Jeremy, though the other players are certainly noteworthy as well (shout out to Addy, and Finn!).  Zira is a STRONG female character, and as leader of a rebel group, she really needed to be.  She didn't come to the role easily though and she has secrets she'd rather stay hidden.  Why?  Because they could crack the very foundation of the resistance they are fighting for.  Word to the wise for Zira...sometimes, people can surprise you in a GOOD way....something Corry has been trying to tell her for ages.  Speaking of Corry, he's pretty much joined at the hip with Zira, and when considering their past, it makes perfect sense.  He's a good guy, deserving of much more than the station in life he was born into (but that's pretty much all of them), and definitely the hero type.  Here's hoping that doesn't get him killed along the way.  *gulp*  Last but certainly not least, there's Jeremy.  A fellow kid from the streets, he's the easiest for Jakes to trust, but he also has his own survival instinct, or as he put it...he won't be jumping in front of any bullets for anyone.  *ahem*  Sure, Jeremy.  We'll see about that.

So, in closing, I'm going to steal my own final sentiments from my GoodReads feed.  It may not be the most "professional" sounding, but really...that's not what this post or this site is about.  It's about sharing the love of reading, and all the highs, lows, and in-betweens, no matter how fan-girlish it may sound.  With that in mind, my closing thoughts...



"Holy snikies, that was ridiculously AMAZING! Seriously! So, so good. The author brought the story right off the page, and making the multi POV narration run smooth as silk. The triumphs and failures are equally represented and harrowing in their own right, while the characters stay with you right to the end. AWESOME read!"

Yep.  That about sums it up.  ^_^
Think The Hunger Games minus the food factor for a VERY basic understanding of what you're stepping into, and then multiply the awesome factor by about a hundred.  Recommended for Young Adults readers, teens through adults due to some violent content, but the blush factor is totally minimal, so no worries on that front.  What are you waiting for?  Go grab yourself a copy!  You'll be SO glad you did.


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About the author...

Danielle Rogland began writing Ignite at the age of 17 and finished at age 21. She is now 25 and lives in Seattle, Washington, where she earned her English degree from Seattle Pacific University, and works in marketing and freelance writing while working on her second novel. She grew up near Portland, Oregon, and was always one of those kids who carried around giant books like The Lord of the Rings to read during recess. She can currently be found frequenting comic conventions, pestering her three younger siblings, or hiding out in her home and posting things on social media. 

FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER

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Special thanks to Emma at Inkitt for the ebook 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 celebrated its book birthday earlier this month, so be sure to pick up your print or ecopy today!

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