Summer on Earth by Peter Thompson

HI there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're taking you out of this world for a summer you won't forget, and we're not just talking about the alien life forms, or money tree.  Yup...you read that right.  ALIENS!  Ha...I know, I know...money tree caught your attention, but really, don't be so greed focused because there's SO much more going on here, and we're just getting started.  Ladies and gents, prepare for take off as we welcome today's book of choice...

Summer on Earth

by

Peter Thompson

9781943978304

Persnickety Press

About the book...

The night that eleven-year-old Grady Johnson looked out his window and wished on a shooting star, his life changed forever.

Grady, his ma and his younger sister Luanne, are having a hard summer. His dad has died, and the family isn’t the same. Ma is trying her best, but Grady knows they don’t have enough money to get by.

The shooting star he saw was a space craft plunging to earth, and landing at the back of their farm.  Extraterrestrial engineer Ralwil Turth has one goal, to fix his power drive and go back home. But things don’t go as planned. Stuck in human form, he gets to know Grady and his family as he works on their farm. He starts to learn about what it means to be human, and the exotic charms of this planet like the taste of potatoes, and how amazing bugs are. When he comes up with a plan to help Grady’s family, he is sure this will solve all their problems.

But when trouble comes, the family’s survival and Ralwil’s life are on the line. Can Grady find the courage to help his family and save his friend? Summer on Earth blends humor, adventure and heart to create an unforgettable story about finding home.

AMAZON  |  B&N

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A curious Middle Grade tale of family, love, and out of this world experiences that hits oh so close to home. 

Life on the farm has been upset since the passing of one of their own, but things change, time marches on, and sometimes miracles DO happen. Grady is a wonderful lad, and despite his outbursts now and again, he knows when it all comes down to it, sometimes we need a little understanding and a helping hand (or tentacle) to get by. Experiencing the world anew through Will's (our temporary resident outer space visitor in hiding) eyes brings a sheen of beauty to the most mundane of days... as does feeling his desire to help the family he's stumbled upon, and started to consider as his own, if just for now. Let us not forget little Luanne and Ma... two loving souls at different ends of the age spectrum, but more than willing to join a worthy cause...and oh how much their help will be needed!  Lastly, there's McCafferty... no comment (craptastic little louse... hmpf!)...other than that one.

Now, I'm not a huge sci-fi reader, but I've been known to dabble, and I certainly liked the story enough, but there were two drawbacks to mention.  One... the length and language in correlation to the target audience... a little heavy for MG readers just starting out, my opinion of course.  The author does a great job of creating Ralwil's world from language to gadgetry, however brief the glimpses, and I would just hate for that detail to be underappreciated due to a reading level.  Second, the ending... so what'd he do after standing there like a fly trap? What's that?  No, I can't tell you who I am talking about, it'll ruin it, but HELLO!  Loose end alert!

In closing, it was an interesting summer spent with those we learned to see with our hearts instead of just our eyes...and a goodly lesson for us all.

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About the author...

Peter Thompson grew up in Illinois, and lives near Chicago. He remembers how excited he was when the first astronaut stepped on to the moon. He has had an appreciation of space, and the possibility of aliens ever since. His love of children’s books developed while reading to his three sons. He has always been a reader, the writing came later. His first novel, Living Proof, a thriller, was published by Berkeley Press and sold 40,000 copies. Summer on Earth is his first novel for young readers. In his free time he hikes, reads, writes, paints and is planning his next trip to an out of the way location.

SITE

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Special thanks to author Peter Thompson and Persnickety Press for the ARC 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 this week, via Persnickety Press, 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!

Marty Pants: DO NOT OPEN! by Mark Parisi

Hi guys and gals!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're diving between the pages of a new Middle Grade series that's ready to take children's lit fan by storm...especially those in the Wimpy and MacKenzie fan clubs.  So, if you're ready to take a chance on an artsy little dude with a mission, make way for today's book of choice....

Marty Pants:  Do Not Open!

Book 1

by

Mark Parisi

9780062427762

Harper

About the book...

Marty Pants is different from your typical middle schooler. He has the soul of an artist, and as an artist, he notices things—the kinds of things other kids don’t seem to see.

So when Marty discovers a plot on his teacher’s computer to take over the world, Marty knows this is a danger he can’t just ignore. But no one, not his best friends Parker and Roongrat or his mother, father, sister, arch-enemy, Simon, or Chief of Police Pickels, believes him.

So, it’s up to Marty to save the world—his way.

This hilarious new series follows the endearing, frazzled, embarrassed, and, ultimately, fearless footsteps of literature’s most unlikely hero—Marty Pants.

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Okay, so what's the first thing you do when you see something marked DO NOT OPEN?  Right, turn around and walk away...said no one ever.  If you're a precocious young man who has aliens on the brain, you might decide to act in a different direction...

Meet Marty Pants!  Middle schooler extraordinaire, artist-in-the-making, gifted sister annoy-er, talented embarrass-er of oneself in front of his crush...and now, alien hunter.  Oh, he doesn't aim to harm them exactly, only stop them from annihilating Earth because although he may not always have the best of days, friends, or grades, he still loves this old planet we call home.  Good kid...but he's gonna need more than good intentions to expose the out-of-this-world visitor behind it all before it's too late!  Good luck, Marty Pants!  We're all counting on you...

Now, for my view of the story...if wasn't my cup of tea, and considering it's not aimed at my particular age group, that would make a lot of sense...if I didn't read a broad range of titles/authors/genres.  HOWEVER, regardless of my inclination to pick up the title, I DID find myself compulsively reading it straight through to the end (after all, we have to see who sent the message, what it means, and WHAT IS IN THE FOLDER?!) and wouldn't you know it, it held merit.  The styling (think Wimpy Kid) serves to introduce readers stepping up a level to a longer story format without overwhelming them.  The story injects enough imagination into reality so readers can find a kinship with the leading man while still exploring an out of this world idea.  The ending...well, I won't spoil it for you, but let's just say that Marty may rhyme with "smarty" but may not be as inclined to see the forest for the trees (surprise twist...for him at least!).

So, in the end, the sum of all its parts may not have struck close to home for this reader, but I can easily see it becoming a fast favorite for young boys (even reluctant readers) looking for a lighter read to capture their imagination...and maybe even encourage them to pursue creative career paths of their own.  (Go writers and illustrators!)

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Special thanks to Laura at HarperCollins Publishers 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 just celebrated its book birthday this week via Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishing, 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!

Keep your eye on the sky and a hold of your heart...BLUE VISION by Marie Lavender

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're jumping between the pages of a book in a genre I've not previously explored...from a galaxy far away.  (Sorry, I couldn't resist!  ^-^)  It's the first book in a Paranormal Romance series and before you go rolling your eyes too hard, let me tell you...it was QUITE GOOD!  There is one little caution I would give though, but we'll get to that in a second.  Ready or not, here comes today's ebook of choice...

Blue Vision

Code of Endhivar series, Book 1

by

Marie Lavender

9781625264800

Solstice Universe

About the book...

Brooke Sanders just wants to get away from her life for awhile. A remote cabin in Montana fits the bill. She doesn’t expect to encounter a mysterious stranger with unusual blue eyes, or events that cannot be explained…

Colin Fielding is on a mission – scout a planet and return home to Endhivar. Simple really. What he doesn’t anticipate is that fate has a pretty twisted sense of humor. Suddenly, this human calls to him, every part of him, like the call of a true mate, and he can’t deny the connection as he gets closer to her.

Little do they know, someone is out to do them harm, as well as the world Brooke holds so dear. Can they stop what’s coming before it’s too late? Or will the universe lose a perfect gem?

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So about that warning...

...though YA fans may be tempted to dive into this one as the cover is appealing without overtly romantic undertones (despite the intense eye gazing...*sigh*), and the synopsis is certainly attention grabbing, take heed...it's in the Paranormal Romance genre for a reason.  I'm saying target audience is at earliest New Adult to Adult as there are some pretty "memorable" moments...is it getting warm in here?  Now that that's said, let's get to the story!

Like I said, this is along the lines of a first for me as I'm not really into the whole alien bit, but Colin (as we come to know him and I shall call him because his Endhivarian name is beyond me to repeat) is a truly likable guy...err, alien.  He has enough humanity built into his character that apart from the extra organs, blue tinged skin, and powers of persuasion (and then some), you'd never even know he was from another world.  In fact, you might think he is a grand example of our species...wish the same could be said about the rest of his race.  As it seems, Colin is not the first of his kind to make the trip to our stratosphere (he's a scout...take that as you will), and he may not be the last. *dun dun dunnnn*  Speaking of which, what about our girl Brooke?  She's definitely a tough cookie despite all the darkness that has affected her over her short-ish lifetime.  I applaud her coming out the other side of those hard times with a protective shell intact but not making it so tough that nothing could ever break through.  As it seems, all she needed was the heart of a good man...and boy, she gets it in more ways than one.

To conclude, this read has all the feels (and then some) that you could imagine with a story to back it up.  The author utilizes her writing experience and spins a tale with appeal for sci-fi fans and newbies alike.  She gives us the big "what if" as well as the potential for a happily-ever-after, while still having us keep a wary eye on the horizon.  Will things end in a bigger explosion than Colin and Brooke make between the sheets?  Or will she be his undoing to the point that the side he called "right" no longer feels like home?  Good question, but I'm not about to spoil it for you.... *wink*  Say farewell to 2016 with an out of this world story you won't soon forget...

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About the author...

Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and three cats. She has been writing for over twenty years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands. Since 2010, Marie has published 23 books in the genres of historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, science fiction fantasy, mystery/thriller, literary fiction and poetry. She has also contributed to several anthologies. Her current published series are The Heiresses in Love Series, The Magick Series, The Code of Endhivar Series and The Blood at First Sight Series, but she has many other series in mind.

SITE  |  TWITTER

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Special thanks to author Marie Lavender for the ebook 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 via Solstice Universe, a division of Solstice Publishing, so pick up your copy today wherever ebooks are sold.

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