PRE BOOK BIRTHDAY BUZZ: The Last Mirror on the Left by Lamar Giles - REVIEW!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're spreading some PRE BOOK BIRTHDAY BUZZ about a NEW Middle Grade Fiction title ready to hit virtual, and brick and mortar shelves, this Tuesday (October 20th, 2020) via Versify.  It's the second book in the Legendary Alston Boys adventure series, but don't worry...if you haven't read the first, you'll catch on just fine.  Of course, if you do, that means you've got a quick way to double your fun because this adventure was definitely that with a surprising amount of heart!  Ladies and gents, let's get to the good stuff, as we welcome today's ebook of choice...

The Last Mirror on the Left

by

Lamar Giles

9780358129417

Versify

About the book...

In this new Legendary Alston Boys adventure from Edgar-nominated author Lamar Giles, Otto and Sheed must embark on their most dangerous journey yet, bringing a fugitive to justice in a world that mirrors their own but has its own rules to play by.

Unlike the majority of Logan County's residents, Missus Nedraw of the Rorrim Mirror Emporium remembers the time freeze from The Last Last-Day-of-Summer, and how Otto and Sheed took her mirrors without permission in order to fix their mess. Usually that’s an unforgivable offense, punishable by a million-year sentence. However, she’s willing to overlook the cousins’ misdeeds if they help her with a problem of her own. One of her worst prisoners has escaped, and only the Legendary Alston Boys of Logan County can help bring the fugitive to justice.

This funny and off-the-wall adventure is perfect for readers of Jonathan Auxier and Lemony Snicket.

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Ever catch your reflection not quite doing what you expected?  I mean, you're there, but it's not quite you?  You very well might have been seeing beyond the looking glass and into a whole new different...or at least, a world varied from our own.  Still familiar in many ways, but just off putting enough to not be "right".  

The Alston boys have to deal with this situation time and time again as they make their way through this adventure.  There's a criminal loose in the other worlds, an officer of sorts willing to look the other way at past transgressions if she's helped out of this sticky web of a situation, and a judge that you definitely won't want to cross...but that's only the beginning!  Behind all the hubbub, and beneath all the oddness, there's secrets being kept for the right reasons that come out all wrong, consequences that may come around sooner than expected, and hope that is dangling on a well woven silken thread (thanks to a particular band of spiders!).  Will it all come out right in the end...or at least SOME version of right?  You'll have to risk a trip through the glass to find out, but I can tell you this...you've no better guides than Otto and Sheed.  They've not only got style, and their own code for communicating, but they've got each other's backs through thick and thin, and enough of grandmother's wisdom to help them bounce back from anything!

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About the author...

Lamar Giles is an Edgar Award-nominated author and has published three young adult novels. He is the co-founder of #WeNeedDiverse books and has edited two #WNDB anthologies, including 2018's Fresh Ink. He lives in Harrisonburg,VA. 

SITE  |  TWITTER  |    INSTAGRAM

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About the illustrator...

London born and bred but of Nigerian heritage, Dapo Adeola is an illustrator and designer who creates characters and images that challenge gender norms in a fun and upbeat way. He is the co-creator and illustrator of the upcoming picture book series Look Up (June 2019) and illustrator for the middle grade novel The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar Giles (April 2019). When he's not busy cooking up new characters and adventures, you can find him running illustration and character design workshops in and out of schools, to help highlight the possibilities of a career in illustration to inner-city children.

TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM

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Special thanks to PR by the Book and the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt team for the chance to bring this book to you and the ecopy for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the illustrator, the series, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title hits virtual and store shelves tomorrow, so mark your calendar or pre-order it today!

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

BLOG TOUR: Evil Fairies Love Hair by Mary G Thompson - Review + Guest Post!

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers, the place to be when Monday creeps up on you...we've got your back.  *hi-YA!*

Today, we're giving the 1-2-punch to the start of the week (because that's how we roll) as we help kick off a blog tour with the fab team from Blue Slip Media.  (Hi ladies!) The star of the show is a Children's Fiction title, Middle Grade specifically, that is going to require A LOT from its readers by way of imagination and belief.  Belief in what you ask?  Well, to put it simply, MAGIC....and fairies...or at least creatures claiming to be....well, more on that later.  *ahem*  But BEFORE we delve into that, let's meet the author behind the work, shall we?   Her name is Mary G Thompson and I recently had the chance to pose any question to her that I might fancy.  Well, my choice wasn't THAT remarkable, but it did give a look into how this work came to be and if I may be so bold, a glimpse of her inner child.  

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Question:  

Why did this genre (Middle Grade fiction) call to you?

ANSWER:

I originally started writing middle-grade books just because the story I wanted to write happened to be about a kid. For some reason, I find it easier to get into the mind of a child character than an adult. In fact, I even find it hard to think of stories about adults. It’s as if I have no idea what’s going on in the adult world despite allegedly having been one for half my life.

I guess you could write an adult book about silly self-aggrandizing fairies and magical rules and why hair actually is delicious. But I have a terrible feeling that if an adult saw a fairy he or she would call an exterminator. Not so with kids (and kids at heart)! We kids are open to the idea that magical, fun things can happen. If a fairy popped up on my desk right now and offered me a wish in exchange for some tiny little favor, I would definitely agree. Yes, I know it’s usually a bad idea to take anybody who does magic up on their offer, because they will always try to trick you—I wrote the book on it! But I would still do it, because what if you said no and the fairy just went away? That would be about as fun as actually being an adult.

Speaking of adults, part of the fun of writing this book was having some laughs at their expense. In this world, adults can’t understand anything anyone says about magic, so things the kids say get translated into random, non-magical statements. Want to talk about how much hair to feed your fairies tonight? Your parents will hear about your latest school project! That gave me lots of giggles, since it’s exactly what I remember experiencing as a kid and what I often still experience as a kid in this mid-thirties disguise I wear. Parents just don’t get it, and they never will. If I were to write a book about one of the parents, I would probably be at a loss.

So there you have it. I write middle grade because I’m actually still a kid, and I write humor because I like to laugh at the expense of adults. Well, I actually just like to laugh. I’m all about childishness and laughter, and I hope to stay that way until I’m disguised as an old hunchbacked lady with gray hair!

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Can't say I don't understand THAT answer!
I mean, I'm technically an adult by age but I SO love a great Children's Fiction read or even Storybook!  I believe it's all about imagination and the ability to rejoice in the impossible, the unknown, the "what if" no matter how absurd.  How about you readers?  Agree or not?  Thoughts?  Do tell!


Now....let's get back to the book.  Today's featured book of choice and blog tour spotlight shines on....

Evil Fairies Love Hair

by

Mary G. Thompson

9780547859033

Clarion

About the book....

Eighth-grader Ali is growing one hundred fairies so she can get her wish. All she has to do is feed their ravenous appetite for . . . hair? She mustn't let them near her own hair, or break any of the other rules. They are called evil fairies for a reason! A realistic setting plus fairies plus plenty of humor add up to an accessible fantasy that will enchant tween readers.

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My Thoughts From Cover to Finish

COVER:  Loved!  It was whimsical and eye catching.  The color palette conveyed night time activities while the closeness of the characters let you in that there was a secret to share or be uncovered.  Mad props!

TITLE:  While I ADORE the font choice with its magical swirls and curious twists, I really wasn't a fan of the actual wording.  I mean, it DOES state the simple fact we come to know in spades throughout the book, but it reminded me of an ill titled movie...Man on a Ledge that was not-so-ironically about a man...on a ledge.  *-*  Yeah.  So, half win, half not exactly lose but a few steps shy of the full impact it could have held.

STORY:  It boils down to children "growing" fairies in order to get a wish granted...but only if the next child grows a batch of fairies successfully as well and continues the circle without breaking the rules.  Very clever of these little guys and gals.  Though the instructions seem simple at first, think again....or rather READ again.  You definitely learn the lesson of asking the right questions in order to get to the heart of the matter. Also, the fact that the adults couldn't comprehend anything that was magically occurring was HI-larious.  Think Polar Express and the bell that could/couldn't be heard....except with a side-splitting twist!

CHARACTERS:  I love how the author made the characters both likable and not....even the not so nice ones.  She managed to show that there are many sides to people and that if we look a little closer, sometimes what's hiding underneath is SO much more than we could have imagined.  Oh and that goes for ourselves as well....that whole look a little deeper bit, not a joke.

ENDING:  Overall, there was magic and whimsy aplenty.  There was an obsession with hair that was unnatural and gag inducing to a degree (sorry, even my mind can't make hair taste like gummy bears and roast beef).  You gained the chance to revel with fairies while still walking away a little wiser about life and yourself.  Was it an ACE for me personally?  Hmm, not exactly...but I don't regret my time spent with Ali and her friends either.  It was an adventure and the surprises and smiles it brought along the way were a welcome addition to my reading day...as I hope they will be to yours.

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Be sure to check out all the other stops along the way as this tour snakes through the blogosphere with reviews, guest posts, contests and much more!  Curious where it's headed next?  Your wish is my command....no hair donation required.

Mon, Aug 11	HERE!  ^_^	http://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com/
Tues, Aug 12	The Book Monsters	http://www.thebookmonsters.com/
Wed, Aug 13	The Children's Book Review	http://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/
Thurs, Aug 14	Cracking the Cover	http://www.crackingthecover.com/
Fri, Aug 15	Read Now, Sleep Later	http://www.readnowsleeplater.com/
Sat, Aug 16	Beauty and the Bookshelf	http://www.beautyandthebookshelf.com/
Mon Aug 18	Word Spelunking	http://wordspelunking.blogspot.com/
Tues, Aug 19	Flashlight Reader	http://www.theflashlightreader.com/
Wed, Aug 20	The Compulsive Reader	http://www.thecompulsivereader.com/
Thurs, Aug 21	The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia	http://hauntedorchid.blogspot.com/
Fri, Aug 22	Small Review	http://smallreview.blogspot.com/
Mon, Aug 25	The Hiding Spot	http://thehidingspot.blogspot.com/

Special thanks to Barb and Sarah over at Blue Slip Media for the chance to host this tour as well as the review copy to share my experience with all of you.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this promotion as well as those forthcoming, to find out what's up ahead for this author, or to discover the other titles in the publisher's catalog, feel free to click through the links contained within this post.  All are user friendly.  ^_^  This title is newly available via Clarion, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.  Just look for the book with the hairless "fairies" hanging about....you'll know you struck gold.  OH!  Before I forget, there's also an activity kit and Reader's Theater script available on the author's site for a quick FREE download.  Too cool, right?  Right!

Until next time....happy reading!

Dare to be different...

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers…the place that aims to satisfy the reader in you but if you walk away having learned something new, that’s the icing on the cake.

Today, we’re exploring a children’s storybook based on the life of an individual so infamous I can’t imagine anyone not having some notion of who he is, that reminds us that the greatest ideas can have the humblest of beginnings…and you don’t have to be BIG to THINK BIG.  Ready to view the world at the speed of light…or how about examine it through the eyes of someone that did?  Today’s book of choice is…

Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein

By

Don Brown

From the publisher…

When he was born, Albert was a peculiar, fat baby with an unusually big and misshaped head. When he was older, he hit his sister, bothered his teachers, and didn’t have many friends. But in the midst of all of this, Albert was fascinated with solving puzzles and fixing scientific problems. The ideas Albert Einstein came up with during his childhood as an odd boy out were destined to change the way we know and understand the world around us . . .

Now see there’s a reason I chose today to share this story, aside from it being an interesting read that definitely falls under the category of edutainment.  Today marks the anniversary of the Einstein refrigerator being patented some 82 years ago.  That’s right!  According to the patent records (which I discovered online thanks to your friend and mine, Google), Einstein and a former student by the name of Leó Szilárd co-invented an absorption refrigerator with no moving parts that used heat as the only input.  Pretty cool, right?  Okay, so I only got about half of that but its still pretty nifty.  Anywho…so why do you have a Frigidaire instead of an Einstein in your kitchen?  As it turns out, companies were just as interested in protecting their technology back then as they are now and most of their promising patents were purchased by the competition…including this one.  Cie la vie!  It didn’t stop his mind from churning in the least…

We remember to think at least SIX impossible things before breakfast thanks to a Mad Hatter and a girl named Alice, but Einstein was doing that and more so many years ahead of the curve.  His humble beginnings as a small often angry and misunderstood boy with a large head on his shoulders helped mold him into the thinker we know today.  The solitude he reveled in while remaining within arms reach of his family allowed his mind time to ponder the bigger things in life…even if they caused a bit of friction in his youth.  How so?  Well, in school they sorta prefer you to follow the curriculum set before you and while math was his first love and music a close second, reading, writing, and the rest fell by the wayside. Needless to say the sole focus placed on his areas of interest proofed foolhardy when the opportunity for higher learner presented itself, but Einstein was not to be deterred.  He saw the problem, buckled down and found the solution…long hours of studying!  It may not be the most fun a boy could have but it helped him reach his goal so I’d say that trumps “fun” any day of the week wouldn’t you? 

In the end, I’d like to say his hard work paid off…I’d like to say that but I can’t for the fruits of his labor would not be reaped until many years had passed.  That time though did nothing to diminish his mind for everywhere he went, every step he took whether this way or that, the wheels were turning until one day they bloomed into something so incredible that we still see the benefits of his discovery today.  Where you might ask outside of a physics classroom?  Think television, automatic door openers and space travel.  Yep, they all grew from one small idea about a very BIG theory.

So you see fair readers, it’s not how BIG or small you are or where you get your start; it’s how BIG you think, how far you dream and the how much heart is in those steps you take to reach them.  After all, Einstein could have simply been a snarly little boy that liked math and music but despised sports and Latin…and yet, he wasn’t.  He grew and changed, honing his skills to become one of the greatest minds we’ve known…how’s that for just desserts to those that said he’d never amount to anything. 

Recommended read for all ages as the story is both educational, inspirational, and entertaining all wrapped up in illustrations that highlight the mundane nature of the times as well as the explosiveness of one small idea.  Review copy from my own personal library…yes, I do read books from my own shelves from time to time.  ^_^  This book was released in paperback some time ago by the great folks at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (site, like, tweet!); seek it out on a bookstore shelf or online retailer near you.

Until next time…happy reading!

BLOG TOUR: Dear Teen Me

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers...the site that aims to bring you something fresh, something new (or new-to-you), something SCARY (hey, it IS October...tis the Halloween season and all), every day of the week.

Today, we are discussing something truly scary.  Something you may have to run for cover from.  Something we all encounter in our lives and there is NO ESCAPE.  

Scared yet?  You should be because today we are looking back on our....

....TEEN YEARS....

--insert terrifying scream of fright here--

That's right.  Our teenage years.  Oh, I know they say they are the "best years of your life" and the moments that we'll look back on fondly in our golden years, but let me say this....while that is true in some respects, those actually going through it at the time more often than not beg to differ.  Before I wax fondly on this train of thought for too long, allow me to introduce today's blog tour guest and book of choice...

Dear Teen Me:

Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves

Edited by

E. Kristin Anderson and Miranda Kenneally

This is a non-fiction collection from some of the biggest names in the writing world today sharing their personal stories of heartache, hard times, epic fails, and unchangeable rolls of the dice.  Within these pages, you'll meet those struggling with everything from their self-image to lifestyles, affiliations to inescapable health issues and everything in between.  In reading the correspondence from their voice of the present to their selves of the past, we gain not only life lessons and wisdom, but hoorays for dancing to their own drummer.  You see, despite the trails and tribulations of youth, there is also a certain freedom many experience and along the road of life, it can become tainted or lost out right.  That's the part that many miss later on, but I digress....

This is a BIG world we live in and its filled with all kinds of people, both for better and worse.  Hopefully you've encountered only those that would enhance your life path...but then again, in some ways, I hope that's not the case.  Heartless, right?  No...not really and here's why.  Those experiences, both the good and the bad, help us to understand who we are, what we'll become and inevitably the type of person we WANT to be.  Do they majorly suck when you're going through them?  ABSOLUTELY...and some of the experiences revealed in this "tell all" shouldn't have to be lived through by anyone (though much KUDOS, pats on the back, and hugs to all those authors that shared their personal trials so openly!)...but the people that crawled out of the flames, the individual that hit the streets running with their head held high after settling up with what fate dealt them....those are the heroes of the moment.

They faced what was happening, found a way through and now share their stories in order for the next generation (and heck, even those of the same generation still looking for a way out or forward) to know that someone out there understands.  They are not alone.  There are those that have been-there-done-that and unfortunately there will be those that take their places in the same dark pits they escaped but there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it is most decidedly not a train.  Life goes on as will you, though right now that might be hard to see.  When I first signed up for the tour, I was offered the chance to choose the type of post I wanted to present; obviously I went with a review.  In that respect, I have to say that this is certainly an emotional read but in the BEST way possible.  It's great to make that human connection with some of the names you've added to your "favorite authors" list over the years and seeing how much they've over come builds an even greater respect for them.  There was an unexpected development though....the lending of confidence.

How so?  Well, another option for the tour was to share our own Dear Teen Me letters and while I may not delve as deep as many of the authors included in this book, I will share a small bit of me with the me of back then.  Here goes.... *deep breath*

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Dear Teen Me,

Psst!  Hey, you.  Yes, YOU.  Is this seat taken?  I'm you from the future and yes, I do know how crazy that sounds...just hear me out.  You've got your dreams and your ambitions, which are great!  Don't let them fall by the wayside just because someone else tries to throw a monkey wrench in the works.  I would however recommend reevaluating your goals.  Why?  Well, the medical field is an AWESOME choice now and in the future, but you're truly at home in the world of books.  Don't deny it....you're itching to pick one up now as we speak and that's okay!  Some of the friends you make in time will be connected to you by the reads you share and the worlds you explore.  They may be virtual but they are as real as you and me...well, us.  It's hard to explain, but trust me....making some headway towards that goal today will help you achieve much more in the coming years.

Speaking of friends...I'd love to say that you shed your shy status and blossom into something other than a wallflower but alas, your bookish before the term was coined and you'll always have a mountain to climb to crack that turtle shell you're in.  Don't worry...like I said, there are others like you and once you find your passion, you'll find the freedom to express yourself like never before. 

As for love...you'll love many things; your family, your friends, but the guy front is more of a no man's land.  So not the drama!  Oh you'll go through spells of longing for that connection those around you seem to be making left and right but finding Mr. Right is gonna be a little harder for you.  Curious if you've found him in the future?  Not as of this meeting, but there's always tomorrow.  Keep your chin up and don't be afraid to smile at that cute boy glancing your way....it'll give you more experience for the future.

I'll wrap this little chat up because as you and I both know, we can be long winded sometimes.  You're a "good girl" and there's nothing wrong with that but, if you can, try to get out a little more; make some memories and have some fun.  At the very least, it'll give you something to talk about in later years; at the most, you'll find those lasting friendships you've been seeking.  It's a win-win any way you slice it.  

Take care...and don't be so hard on yourself.  Straight A's are fabulous but you're only young once.

With much love and respect....

Me

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There are over 130 blogs participating in this tour so be sure to stop by the official tour schedule so you don't miss out on this awesome promotion.  Live in the Texas, Northern California, Washington D.C., or New York area?  DEAR TEEN ME is hitting the streets, click HERE to find out about the live events planned in your area!  If you're a Twitter user (*raises hand*), be sure to follow the #DearTeenMe hashtag for the latest and greatest on the virtual tour AND tune in October 30th from 10:00-10:30 AM PDT for a LIVE chat with co-editors and contributors E. Kristin Anderson and Miranda Kenneally!  Let us not forget the original website that started it all....

Review copy received courtesy of Zest Books.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as their full catalog, be sure to stop by their official website, check out their blog, like them on Facebook, pin them on Pinterest, or follow along on Twitter!  Zest Books is an award-winning publisher of smart and edgy titles that focus on the colorful chaos of teen life. These nonfiction books cover timely topics in creative ways by incorporating solid life advice, practical how-to instruction, and humorous commentary. Zest Books’ catalogue includes 97 Things to Do Before You Finish High School, Where’s My Stuff: The Ultimate Teen Organizing Guide, and Scandalous! 50 Shocking Events You Should Know About So You Can Impress Your Friends. In Fall 2012, Zest Books launches a new line of memoirs and first-person accounts, and Dear Teen Me is the first book in this new line.  Zest Books is distributed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.  This title officially releases October 30th, 2012 so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf near you...or if you would like a pre-order option, stop by Indiebound, Amazon, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble or Book Depository sites.

Until next time...happy reading.