Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers: October 2024

Thursday, October 31, 2024

Get BOOKISH this Halloween with... MONSTER MOVIE! by Chuck Wendig - REVIEW!

HI there, readers!

Closing out the month with a SPOOKY read I finished recently that's also newly available via Little Brown Young Readers. Nothing like instant satisfaction, am I right? 😉 Anywho, most of you are probably all celebrated out for the evening, tucking away costumes for another year, scarfing down the treats you gathered from tricking through the neighborhood, and perhaps...setting in to watch a SCARY movie? Ah, yes...same here, at least the last part, but the thing is sometimes LIFE is much scarier than any movie you could imagine. Ladies and gents, let's get between the pages of today's spooky story that'll hit closer to home than you might think...

Monster Movie!

Chuck Wendig

9780316572590

Little Brown Books for Young Readers

About the book...

Ethan Pitowski is afraid of everything. Luckily, his best friends don’t mind, and when their entire class gets invited to watch a long-buried horror movie at the most popular boy in school’s house, Ethan’s friends encourage him to join in the fun. But when the “scariest movie ever made” reveals itself to be not just a movie about a monster, but a movie that is a monster, only a terrified Ethan escapes its clutches. Now he must find a way to stop the monster and save his friends (and also, um, get their heads back).

With his signature balance of kid-friendly horror and humor, Chuck Wendig crafts a spookily heartfelt novel about anxiety, friendship, and finding your unique voice and inner strength.

📺 👾 📽 👾 📽 📺

Looks like a fantastical tale of HORROR, SCARINESS untold, and things that go BUMP in the night...right? Ah, and while that IS true because HELLO...a television (among other things) turns into a head eating monster with a TERRIBLE appetite that is virtually UNSTOPPABLE...there's just something a bit MORE to the story as well.

Aside from the terror, unimaginable circumstances, and utter how-in-the-world-did-this-come-to-pass-and-how-can-it-be-stopped moments, this story has A LOT of heart...and I don't mean the freshly taken from a person's chest and still beating variety. No, what I mean is the characters are relatable....from the rich kid that has everything (yet doesn't) to the overly eager to please to the scared of anything and everything...readers will easily find bits of themselves and their friends in each of them. Ethan was the PERFECT person to experience the story through because his challenges became ours, his setbacks and triumphs as well. He wasn't your typical hero type, and yet he proves just how ANYONE can be their own hero. I admit, I got lost along the way for a little, trying to figure out what exactly was going on, but once I stepped back again, and let the camera roll, the truth revealed itself in brilliant colors. The story...yes, it's over the top and monster filled, but it also shows us that real monsters DO exist (in a way), and we are totally capable of facing them head on to reach our own wins.

A great CREEPY pick for the season, but an equally perfect fit for readers trying to find their way in this crazy mixed up world while trying to follow their dreams.

📺 👾 📽 👾 📽 📺

About the author...

Chuck Wendig is the author of the New York Times bestseller Dust & Grim, as well as numerous bestselling novels for adults and young adults. He invites you to find him online at terribleminds.com.

📺 👾 📽 👾 📽 📺

Halloween Pumpkin GIFfrom Halloween GIFs

Special thanks to the publicity team at Little Brown Young Readers for the ARC for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, or their complete catalog of works, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, wherever books are sold.

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

Monday, October 21, 2024

Rockstar Book Tours presents... THE TIME KEEPERS by Alyson Richman - REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE TIME KEEPERS by Alyson Richman Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway before jetting off to the other sites participating for more bookish fun!

THE TIME KEEPERS

Alyson Richman

Pub. Date: October 15, 2024

Publisher: Union Square Co.

Formats: Paperback, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 336

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/THE-TIME-KEEPERS

An unforgettable novel that captures the power of longing, loss, and love, The Time Keepers transports us from 1979 suburban New York to war-torn Vietnam, revealing that sometimes the most unexpected friendships can save us.

Two women from different worlds, Grace and Anh, are indelibly changed when a runaway boy is found on a street in their small Long Island town. Brought together by the love of this child displaced by war, the women find friendship and healing from their own painful pasts when their lives intersect with a mysterious wounded Vietnam vet. The vet, Jack, works at the Golden Hours, a watch store that mends timepieces—and might even mend damaged souls.

Richman interweaves the journeys of these wonderfully diverse characters who will grip, fill, and break your heart—only to bring them together with the care and precision of an expert watchmaker, one piece at a time. Inspired by the true story of a Vietnamese refugee who entrusted the dramatic account of her escape from Vietnam to the author, and also that of a wounded veteran, Richman sheds light on those whose lives were forever impacted by the devastation of that war.

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

Loss.

It's something we've all experienced at some point in our lives. Whether it be something one might perceive as trivial, or someone that's touched our hearts more than words can say, these moments, these minutes and seconds, leave their imprint on our very souls. Some of us carry them heavily, while manage to let go on the surface with ease, but there are still others that learn to mold those experiences into something more, allowing them to give of themselves to help others heal; others within whom they recognize a kindred spirit.

Such is the case in this beautiful, and moving story from author Alyson Richman. Grace and Anh are thrown together by fate, connected through hard times and tragedy, but help each other find their place in the here and now. The gentle soul that is Bao, a child that's seen more than his fair share at such a young age, was hard to know for multiple reasons, but easy to love for just as many. His well-being acts as both the catalyst and the glue that holds them together, even when they feel like falling apart. If you're a fan of Historical Fiction, you'll be swept away by this tale, enriched for the relationships you build with the characters, and leave with a smile on your heart by book's end.

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

About the author...

Alyson Richman is the USA Today bestselling and #1 international bestselling author of several historical novels including The Velvet Hours, The Garden of Letters, and The Lost Wife, which is currently in development for a major motion picture. Alyson graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in art history and Japanese studies. She herself is an accomplished painter and her novels combine her deep love of art, historical research, and travel. Alyson's novels have been published in twenty-five languages and have reached the bestseller lists both in the United States and abroad. She lives on Long Island with her husband and two children, where she is currently at work on her next novel.

‐-------------------------

*** Giveaway ***

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE TIME KEEPERS, US Only.

Ends October 29th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Special thanks to the Rockstar Book Tours team for the chance to bring this tour to you, and to Union Square Co for the copy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now wherever books are sold. Be sure to check out the rest of the tour going on now...

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

10/14/2024	TX Girl Reads	Excerpt/IG Post
10/15/2024	Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
10/16/2024	Locks, Hooks and Books	Excerpt/IG Post
10/17/2024	Fire and Ice Reads	Excerpt/IG Post
10/18/2024	Wishful Endings	Review/IG Post

Week Two:

10/21/2024	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post
10/22/2024	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
10/23/2024	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
10/24/2024	One More Exclamation	Review/IG Post
10/25/2024	Readingonthebrink	IG Review

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

Friday, October 18, 2024

AWARENESS TOUR: Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal by Ryan Cowan, Illustrated by Halo Rife - GUEST POST + GIVEAWAY!

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers. Today, we play host to an AWARENESS TOUR currently running with The Children's Book Review that features a title that seems perfectly matched for the reading season. There's magic, a secret world, a Halloween Crystal, and an evil witch that needs stopping...I mean, it practically screams 😱 READ ME, and don't worry, I'll let you get to it, but first, a little something extra. Let's take a look at the author's journey from educator to writer in a special GUEST POST from Ryan Cowan himself, and don't miss your chance to win in the tour wide giveaway before you head on over to the other fabulous sites participating in today's tour. Ladies and gents, may I present today's featured title...

Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal

Ryan Cowan

Illustrated by

Halo Rife

9788351181905

For the Northern Star Publishing (2022)

About the book...

Elliott attends his third-grade class like any other boy, except that Elliott isn’t like any other boy. Endowed with magical powers, Elliott belongs to a secret world called Moonstone—and trouble is brewing. When the evil witch Noir steals The Halloween Crystal, it’s up to Elliott and his third-grade teacher, Mr. Moonbeam, to stop Noir from invading the non-magical world on Halloween night. But can Elliott learn to master his powers in time?

Amazon

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

~~~ GUEST POST ~~~

Balancing Education and Creative Writing: My Journey as an Educator and Children’s Author

...by Ryan Cowan

It all started with a thesis…

July 2011, I had just completed a master’s degree program at UCLA where I wrote about the importance of culturally relevant pedagogy in inner-city schools. This work became the beginning of Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal.

How so?

Because when my time at UCLA ended, I realized that I didn’t want to stop writing. Writing had become a daily routine for me and despite the difficulties of writing, I realized that I loved the struggle! Writing became a way to express myself…a way to be creative. And so, one day, on a whim, I sat down at my computer and wrote the first sentence of Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal —

“Elliott watched as the wind and rain came crashing down against his classroom window…”

I had no idea who Elliott was. I had no idea who Mr. Moonbeam was. But, as the first scene unfolded, it became clear to me that I was writing about my own experiences as a third grader growing up in Middleport, Ohio. I was reaching into my past, remembering the spooky cardboard cutout from my elementary school days and the smell of fall leaves. I was remembering the Halloween toys and costumes and of course the smell of Halloween candy (Smarties and candy corn). Soon an entire slew of characters, a ghost, a haunted house, and a new world developed within my imagination. In time, the characters became family to me and their world — Moonstone — my adventure.

Finding balance between work and writing isn’t easy…

I carve out small spaces of time each day for writing. I often edit my sequel in the mornings before work and on rare occasions after work. I draft on the weekends or during my vacation time. Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal was written mostly during my summer vacations in Ohio. But to be perfectly honest, I don’t remember many of the details about writing Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal. It just happened and I’m grateful!

What’s next…

Around October of 2019, I started writing the sequel to Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal — Mr. Moonbeam and the Legends of Moonstone. This time I’m keeping a clear record of my writing process — where, when, and how — along with all the drafts and edits. The first draft of my sequel is done! Parts of it were written in hotels and airplanes. Other parts were written while sitting on my parents’ porch. Some parts were written in Palm Springs. Much was written during the pandemic. Sometimes I write at 5:00 a.m. Sometimes I write at 5:00 p.m.

All in all, I write when I have time, in small increments. I love to watch my stories develop and grow! My stories are fictional diaries of my life because there is truth behind the fiction.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ryan Cowan works as an educator in Los Angeles. He received his Master of Education in Urban Teaching degree (EdM) from UCLA’s Graduate School of Education and Information Studies.

FACEBOOK

TIKTOK

INSTAGRAM

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

--- GIVEAWAY ---

Enter for a chance to win a signed copy of Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal and an exclusive, limited-edition themed T-shirt!

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

Special thanks to Bianca at The Children's Book Review for the chance to bring this tour to you and to the author for sharing a bit of themselves with the guest post. (THANKS!) This post is sponsored by Ryan Cowan. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view. For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. Be sure to check out the rest of the stops on the tour for more bookish fun!

TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, September 23, 2024

The Children’s Book Review