Book Review: Where the Heart Is

For thirteen-year-old Rachel Gartner, figuring out where her heart belongs is a tough thing.  If home is where the heart is, why do her parents argue over bills and money?  If her heart is supposed to be with her best friend Micah, why doesn’t she feel the same way about him as he does for her (or any boy for that matter)?  Rachel is very unsure about where her heart belongs and author Jo Knowles does a wonderful job of telling Rachel’s story in her newest book, Where the Heart Is.

Although not everyone goes through life in poverty, Rachel’s family is one that walks that path.  Rachel’s mom lost her job as a librarian and her dad works as a real estate agent.  Rachel realizes that a family of 4 living on one income is tough to survive on.  Rachel takes a job taking care of their neighbor’s farm in hopes of helping out with the family’s bills.  Because she is worried about her family’s financial situation, Rachel is somewhat forced to grow up a little faster than her peers. 

The author does an excellent job of touching on the subject of Rachel’s sexuality.  Since Rachel and Micah have been best friends since they were little children, Rachel’s friends and family automatically assume that some day they will get married.  But deep down Rachel knows that she can’t change the way she feels about Micah.  She loves him, but is not in love with him.  It isn’t until Rachel gets to know an old classmate, that she develops feelings for another girl. 

The main thing I enjoyed about this book is that Rachel’s character is very relatable.  Her humor, confusion, and angst is something just about every tween/teen goes through.  Where the Heart Is is a genuine coming of age book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.  The book is full of family, friendship, and learning to appreciate who you are, even if who you are may be different from everyone else.

Thank you to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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SNEAK PEEK: Patron Saints of Nothing

The sneak peek for Randy Ribay’s new book, The Patron Saints of Nothing has me hooked!  Seventeen-year-old Jay has just learned that his cousin in the Philippines has been murdered.  His dad will not give him any details about the murder and insists that Jay not ask any questions about it.  After receiving a small bit of information from his mother and doing a little digging online about the drug war in the Philippines, Jay decides that he must travel back to the Philippines to uncover the truth about how his cousin died. 

I cannot wait to read the rest of this book!  A Filipino-American voice in diverse YA literature is an exciting thing.  Fil-Am youth walk an interesting path that you can clearly see in Ribay’s main character, Jay.  Not quite “white” and not quite “Asian.”  I will be interested in reading about how Jay re-connects with his Filipino side by traveling back to the Philippines.  Will he break communication barriers with his father and uncle?  Will he be able to make a difference fighting social injustice overseas?  Will he find the truth behind his cousin’s murder?  We will have to wait until June 2019 to find out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for providing a sneak peek of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: We're Not From Here

Lan Mifune and his family are humans who are about to become aliens.  After Earth was destroyed by a nuclear war, what’s left of the human population must find a new host planet.  Lan and his family agree to be human test subjects on Planet Choom to see if the human race can get along with the other alien races.  But it’s going to be hard to persuade a whole planet that already dislikes humans.  It’s up to Lan and his family to represent the best qualities of the human race and it isn’t going to be easy!  We’re Not From Here by Geoff Rodkey takes a humorous look at what it would be like if humans were the aliens on a new planet. 

This book was a unique and enjoyable read!  My younger self would have laughed about how one of Planet Choom’s inhabitants “display smell” as a form of showing emotion.  My adult self loves the subtle commentary about immigration.  Rodkey does a wonderful job of knitting together Lan’s optimism and humor with the dire state of the human race.  A great book for 4^th - 8^th grade students, I think it would be a wonderful addition on any bookshelf or library collection.  I definitely look forward to picking up my own copy on March 5th!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s publishing for allowing me to read this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Book Review: Ona Judge Outwits the Washingtons

Every once in a while, I love to pick up a picture book.  I believe that everyone should!  Picture books tell a story in both words and illustrations and every once in a while, you'll learn something new.  I had an opportunity to read an e-ARC, which also happened to be a non-fiction picture book!

Ona Judge Outwits the Washingtons is a fascinating story told by Gwendolyn Hooks and illustrated by Simone Agoussoye.  The story follows the life of Ona Judge, one of George and Martha Washington’s slaves, who managed to escape her life of slavery and risked her life to find freedom. 

This insightful book brought to light a story few have heard before.  Gwendolyn Hooks writes the story in a manner for the age group it is intended for (ages 9-10).  It is just short enough to keep the reader engaged and full of information that should be easy enough for a middle grade reader to comprehend.

My only issue with this book was the illustrations.  The cover of the book has a beautiful illustration of Ona Judge.  I was extremely disappointed to see that the illustrations inside the book were completely different.  Inside the book, the illustrations looked flat and lacked the same kind of depth as the cover.  Being a non-fiction picture book for middle grades, I believe that the illustrations should help tell the story and in this case, it was only a distraction for me. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Capstone for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Q&A Time With Peter Bunzl!

Last month, I was asked by Peter Bunzl's publicist at Jolly Fish Press to see if I was interested in hosting Mr. Bunzl during his blog tour.  Never wanting to turn down an opportunity to connect with authors, I jumped at the chance!  I had to do a little research on what exactly a "blog tour" was, since I am still new to the world of blogging.  Luckily the information I found was less intimidating than I thought it was going to be and Mr. Bunzl's publicist, Shelley Jones, was a great help as well!  (Thank you Shelley!)

Although the Cogheart Adventure Series has already taken off in the UK, Cogheart will be making it's debut in the US on February 12th 2019.  I was lucky enough to read an advanced copy last October and posted a review of it here.  There was so much to love about this book!  It was unique, mysterious, and full of adventure.  What kind of person created this whimsical world?  

I admire authors who can convince readers to suspend disbelief in things out of the ordinary.  Authors like Tony DiTerlizzi, J.K. Rowling, and Chris Colfer have a gift of creating new worlds for us to experience, and Peter Bunzl has done just that with Cogheart.

 

Cogheart comes out on February 12^th in the USA.  How does it feel to be able to introduce Lily, Robert, and Malkin to a whole new set of young readers?

“I am very excited for Cogheart to come out in the USA. It will reach a whole new audience and I can’t wait to hear what they think of Lily and Robert and Malkin’s adventures in this and the other two books, Moonlocket and Skycircus, which will be coming to the US in the next year with Jollyfish Press.”

What do you enjoy the most about writing middle-grade books (books intended for 8-12 year olds)?

“I love middle-grade books because they’re full of MARVEL, MAGIC and HUMOUR. And so are middle-grade readers. I love meeting them because if they enjoy your book they’ll tell you so in no uncertain terms. They say things like: "You're my favourite author of all time!” "Better than Roald Dahl!” "One of the best books I've ever read!” …Those kind of comments are ace, especially if they tell you personally or write you a letter with pictures of the characters, all of their feedback is such a joy and it’s one of the best part of writing children’s books.”

In the Cogheart Adventure Series, Lily is one of our fearless main characters.  Is Lily based on anyone you know?

“She’s a little bit based on my sister when she was young - just her personality, not anything that happens to her in the story.”

I love that Cogheart is set in a Victorian “steampunk” setting.  There aren’t many middle-grade books that feature automatons and airships.  If you were to recommend your book to a young reader who has never read a genre such as Cogheart, how would you get them to read it?

“I would say: If you love airships, clockwork machines, wise-cracking mechanical foxes, dastardly deeds and daring do then you'll love the Cogheart… It’s a fantastical action-packed story set in an alternative Victorian England, where Lily, the fiery and quick-witted daughter of two world famous inventors, Robert, a talented and thoughtful clockmaker's apprentice, and Malkin, a scruffy and opinionated mechanical fox, must use every ounce of their courage and cunning as they face a mysterious life-threatening adventure!”

On your website, you mention that you have always been a writer and a storyteller.  When it comes to writing and bringing characters to life, is it difficult to sit down and start writing or are the stories in your head easy to put on to paper?

“It can be a fun process, but I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s easy. It took three years to write Cogheart. Not constantly, but still it felt a long time. Nowadays it will take me a year to a year and a half to write a book. At each stage the story changes a lot. It goes through five or more drafts, and along the way readers and editors give advice that tightens the story and helps pull the loose threads together.”

Also on your website, you mention that you love reading books as much as you love watching movies.  Is there a movie that you enjoyed that was based on a book?

“I just watched The Miseducation of Cameron Post, starring Chloe Grace Moretz, it is based on a 2012 YA book of the same name by Emily M. Danforth. Also The Hate U Give, film based on the book of the same name by Angie Thomas, both are brilliant and thought provoking books and movies.”

Avid readers love seeing what authors are reading on social media.  What books are you reading right now and why?  Can you share a picture of your book stack?

“I am currently reading The Peculiar Peggs of Riddling Wood by Samuel J. Halpin, which is a middle-grade fairytale style mystery set in present day England. Beautifully written.

I just finished A Spoonful of Murder by Robin Stevens. It’s the sixth book in the ‘Murder Most Unladylike’ series – in the US I think they’re called ‘The Wells and Wong Mysteries’. They’re great middle-grade murder mysteries set in the 1930s with two school girl detectives Hazel Wong, the narrator, and her best friend, Daisy Wells, solving the crimes.”

 

The Bookshelfie!

 

What is your favorite childhood book?

“My favourite childhood book is probably The Witches by Roald Dahl. I love the opening of the story; how it hooks you from the very first line. I love the evil; the scariness of the witches, especially the Grand High Witch, and the ending, which is totally different to what you would expect in that kind of story.”

When you have free time, how do you spend it?

“When I am not writing, I like to go swimming, or for walks in the countryside. I do a bit of baking and sometime I go out to a drawing group with friends. I also love to watch films, especially in the cinema. Films and animation are a big inspiration for me. And I love reading; I read a lot, mostly children’s books because I want to see what other people are writing about right now.”

Can you tell us about any projects that you are currently working on?

“I am currently working on a fourth book in the Cogheart Adventures series.  I can’t say much about it yet, unfortunately, but it features Lily, Robert and Malkin leaving the UK to go on a new adventure abroad. It will probably be the final one in the series for the time being because I'm itching to have a go at writing a couple of other standalone middle grade ideas I have up my sleeve…”

Many thanks to Peter Bunzl and Shelley Jones for giving me the chance to be a part of this blog tour!  I can't wait to read the rest of the Cogheart Adventure Series!  Grab your copy of Cogheart TODAY at your local bookstore!

Book Review: Ruby in the Sky

Ruby in the Sky, written by Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo, is a wonderful book about bravery, compassion, finding your own voice, and standing up for yourself.

12-year-old Ruby Moon Hayes and her mom are in search for their “forever home.”  When Ruby’s aunt persuades them to move to Vermont, Ruby decides not to get too comfortable.  Mom will probably get tired of the small town of Fortin and within months, they will be somewhere new.  Ruby doesn’t want to make any friends, tell anyone that she’s friends with the “Bird Lady”, and most of all, she doesn’t want anyone to know why her mom was arrested.  Unexpected friendships begin to grow and before she knows it, the “forever home” Ruby has been looking for may be right where she is.

This book reminded me so much of One For The Murphy’s by Linda Mullaly Hunt, who the author credits as inspiration for her own writing.  Ruby feels displaced because of the number of times she and her mom have moved.  Because of that, Ruby has trouble making friends, connecting with teachers, and feels like her mother doesn’t include her in decisions that affect the both of them.  I loved reading about Ruby’s transformation from a quiet, timid girl to a brave girl, not afraid to speak up for herself.  Ruby makes many courageous choices throughout the book and I hope that young readers of this book will take that to heart. 

Ruby in the Sky was a delightful debut novel by Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo!  I really look forward to reading more of her novels in the future!  This is a perfect book for grades 3 – 6 or ages 8 – 12, as well as fans of One For The Murphy’s by Linda Mullaly Hunt, Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin, or The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Perez.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this e-ARC.  All opinions are my own.

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Comic Review: Faith: Dreamside

 I have known about the Faith comic books for a while, however, I had never read one.  I remember there was a lot of buzz surrounding the books when they first debuted in 2016, but I was too wrapped up in Valiant’s XO Manowar, Britannia, various Archie Horror and Marvel comics.  Even though I had never read a Faith book, I had no problems jumping right in to Faith: Dreamside.  Boy, is it a trip!

Faith Herbert, AKA Zephyr, is a superhero on the run.  While hiding in plain sight from the authorities, Faith is summoned by Animalia, a superhero ally, to help fight an evil enemy who only occurs in dreams.  With help from Doctor Mirage, a famous parapsychologist, Faith must travel into the Dreamside to rescue Animalia.  What Faith doesn’t expect is that in the process, she will have to face her own fears to defeat the evil entity taking over our dreams.

Faith: Dreamside is a 4-book omnibus with a unique storyline by Jody Houser and wonderfully creepy artwork by MJ Kim.  I knew that Faith was already an established series and that there may be a few holes in my understanding of what was happening in Dreamside.  However, there were plenty of clues throughout the story that helped me figure things out.  The characters are well developed and Faith is such a relatable character.  I love her passion for being a superhero and her loyalty to her friends, despite her fears.  I really enjoyed reading Faith: Dreamside and look forward to reading more in the series!

Thank you to Diamond Book Distributors, Valiant Entertainment, and NetGalley for this eARC!  All opinions are my own.

Book Review: Merci Suarez Changes Gears

11-year-old Merci Suarez has a lot on her plate: navigating life as a newly minted 6^th grader, saving up for a new bike, helping her Lolo & Papi’s painting business on the weekends, having to babysit her twin cousins after school (without pay!), preparing for the school soccer team try-outs, and worst of all, being a Sunshine Buddy to a new student named Michael Clark.  Her family is changing and so is her life.  Soon Merci will find out that growing up is hard.  But when things get really tough, it’s time to change gears and hang on tight! 

There was so much to love about this book!  Meg Medina touches on so many social issues a typical 11-year-old would go through.  From worrying about fitting in to watching her classmates develop crushes, Merci’s character is totally relatable.  Age 11 is also about the same time a young person starts noticing change.  Merci sees that her Lolo is becoming forgetful and short tempered and her brother, Roli, spends all of his time on college applications.  Change is happening all around her and there is nothing she can do about it. 

I also love that the author carefully highlights the differences between Merci and her other schoolmates.  For example, the fact that Merci and Roli attend their private school “on scholarship” or how her whole family lives on a lot with multiple houses on it.  Merci knows that most kids do not live the way she does, but her differences do not hinder her from being who she is.

A great read with a lot of heart, Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina would be a great book for ages 9-12 or grades 4-7. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for the opportunity to read this E-ARC.  All opinions are my own.

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