Swashbuckling Adventure: The Lady Rogue

The Lady Rogue
by Jenn Bennett
Simon Pulse
2019
385 pages
ISBN: 9781534431997

Shoppers can NOT walk by this cover without picking up this book--that's how beautiful and eye-catching it is. Cover appeal alone will sell this story, but thankfully the story inside is even better than the cover! Do not make the mistake of labeling this book historical fiction. That would be a disservice. It is set in the past, but it's not dry or boring. It's ALIVE and lively with timeless appeal for anyone who needs an adventure.

From the peasant villages to the mountain passes through the Carpathans to the secret chambers and treasure to be found to the odd bookstore reeking of magic to the creepy cult of goons who follow her, Theo (Theodora) Fox, uses her intelligence and code breaking skills to find her missing treasure hunter father.

Abandoned by her traveling tutor, Theodora is now alone in Istanbul with no money and waiting for her father's return. Richard Fox has gone off in search of Vlad (Dracula's) famous bone ring. He is supposed to return and continue through Europe with his daughter. Theodora is surprised (SHOCKED) when she returns to her hotel and former boyfriend, love of her life, protege of her father is standing in her room. She's still mad at him for going away without saying good-bye, but she has only half the story. Huck Gallagher is the only person who can help her find her father. The two decide on a "truce" which doesn't last long and begin retracing Fox's journey. As the search for the fabled bone ring, it becomes apparent that they are not the only ones seeking it. There is an evil group of occultists who want the ring said to give its wearer power to defeat all armies.

Digging for clues in her father's diary, Theo and Huck venture into Romania and into the shadows of Gothic splendor. Readers will be captivated by the scenery. Like something out of Indiana Jones or The Mummy movies, The Lady Rogue is rich and layered with sights, sounds and smells. I was completely into this story and was sad when it ended. The love/hate dance between Theodora and Huck is a joy to read, and romance did not take over the story--thankfully! Huck is swoon-worthy and the quick banter between Theo and him is fun. This story would be a brilliant adventure movie, and I for one, pray for another Theodora Fox book.

Highly, highly recommended for YA readers. Grade 8 and up. One bedroom scene, but it's not graphic. Do NOT MISS The Lady Rogue; it's a MUST READ!

Action Pick: Boy X

Boy X
by Dan Smith
Chicken House
2017
288 pages
ISBN: 9781338065640

Available February 28, 2017

Kdnapped, drugged, and transported to a remote location, Ash wakes up in a bed surrounded by stark white walls. He remembers bits and pieces of being kidnapped along with his mother, and he begins searching this hospital (prison?) for her. The place is deserted and Ash cannot find any clues about where he is until he sees the view from the front doors. It looks like he is stuck in the middle of a jungle somewhere. Ash exits the doors, goes into the forest and sees a girl about his age. She tells him he is on Isla Negra, Black Island, and that her father works inside the BioSphere (the building he woke up in). Ash and Isobel go inside to search for her father and Ash's mother.

 Gunshots ring out, a helicopter crashes, the building is sealed, and their  parents are locked inside of a lab.  There they were exposed to Kronos, a poison that will kill them in 24 hours unless they get the antidote. Ash feels strange and disoriented. He has a heightened sense of smell and hearing. Ash is changing, and he's not the only one.

Ash is determined to save his mother's life but he'll need the help of Isobel to cross the island, find the thieves, steal the poison back along with the antidote, and stay alive long enough to deliver it to BioSphere and save his mother and Isobel's father.

What is BioSphere and why is Ash's mother involved? What happened to Ash when he was unconscious? And who wants to change him?

Fast pacing and non-stop action make this a must read for reluctant readers. Each chapter shows a clock showing hours and minutes left that the kids have to get the poison and cure. Readers will feel on edge as Ash races to save the world and his mother.

Highly recommended for action and adventure junkies. Anyone who loves a medical mystery/government cover up story will love Boy X.

Grades 4-8.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Fantasy Romance Adventure Pick: Rebel of the Sands

Rebel of the Sands
by Alwyn Hamilton
Viking
2016
314 pages
ISBN: 9780451477538

Editorial Reviews

Review

Raves for REBEL OF THE SANDS:* “Romantic, thrilling, hilarious, and just plain great fun.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* “This atmospheric fantasy combines magic, mythology, and the Wild West to create a riveting tale...an exciting, romantic adventure that is unique and all its own.”—Booklist, starred review

* “If the best of the Old West and the coolest parts of Arabian Nights had a baby who then rebelled by going steampunk, the result would be this gem of a book.”—BCCB, starred review

* “Readers will be drawn into the story and won’t want to put this book down.”—School Library Connections, starred review

“Rebel of the Sands is a winning bit of storytelling, as well as a homage to storytelling itself. It evokes such disparate influences — 1,001 Arabian Nights, Hindu lore and Navajo myth, as well as, inevitably, the triumvirate of Tolkien, Lucas and Rowling — that at times you wonder whether Hamilton can pull it all off. She can. She has circled a spot on the map and claimed it for her own.”—The New York Times Book Review

“Debut author Hamilton combines elements of Western and Middle Eastern civilization and lore with her own mythology, crafting an enticing, full-bodied story . . .  successfully mingles romance with thrilling stakes, and hints at a welcome sequel.”—Publishers Weekly“A perfect combination of American Westerns and Arabian myths . . . Fans of Sarah Maas and Victoria Aveyard should give this one a try.” —VOYA

“Rebel of the Sands is vivid, romantic, and wildly entertaining. You will cheer for Amani the whole way as she escapes the bonds of oppression and finds her own power, and you will mark your calendar for the sequel.”—Rae Carson, bestselling author of the Fire & Thorns trilogy

“Buckle up for a wild ride! Rebel of the Sands is a stunning debut full of irresistible energy, heart-stopping action, and a new voice that sings.”—Alison Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of Eon and Eona

As sweeping as the sands of time, the epic story of Amani Al'Hiza and the kingdom of Miraji, will excite and delight scores of readers. Amani refuses to be pigeon holed as just a lowly girl in this male dominated  kingdom. Amani can shoot a gun better than any man. She is fierce and a fighter, competitive in every aspect of her being. She longs for escape from the small and backward desert outpost of Dustwalk. Its sad shops and even sadder people are stifling.

Hoping to win a shooting match, Amani disguises herself as a boy and enters (I think, give a girl a gun, and I'm in). It is soon clear that even if she wins, the crowd of betters and thugs will never let her escape with her winnings. It's down to three competitors. The blue eyed Bandit (Amani), a handsome foreigner, and a very drunk, very loud behemoth. Amani and the newcomer make a deal to throw the game and the house will still pay them and the drunk will win. An epic brawl breaks out with Amani and the man fleeing.

Now penniless, Amani doesn't know what to do. The gods are smiling upon her when a Buraqi enters her village. If she is able to catch the magic beast, she can use it to escape and later sell it at a huge profit. Amani and Jin escape the town and the Sultan's forces by train, This is the first leg of their journey which will test their strength and spirit.

Secrets will be revealed and old magic will come alive as Amani and Jin manage to keep each other alive and on the move. Vivid world building and breakneck action will keep readers turning the pages. Think Arabian Nights and  epic western. Some may find the foreign names a bit of a mouthful, but like Russian novels, if you can get past the names, the story is intense.

Highly recommended grade 8-up. Mature situations.

FTC Required Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

YA Book Giveaway: Love & Gelato

 

This is one sweet summer read! Debut author Jenna Evans Welch has a true winner on her hands. Part romance in the Tuscan sun, part adventure, Love & Gelato is pure joy.

 

 

I have FIVE free copies of this awesome new debut! For your chance to win, simply post a comment to the blog and be sure to include first name, city, state and email. Deadline for posting comments is Thursday, May 19 at noon MST. Winners will be chosen randomly by Randomizer and notified on May 19. Please check your email  on that date. Winners have 24 hours to respond to my email. Books will ship from New York. Good luck and start posting!



See what others are saying:

Review

"Lina’s capacity for and understanding of love transform beautifully over the course of the novel; the book is not solely about her personal romance but also other characters’ interwoven love stories. A good addition for teens with wanderlust." (School Library Journal)

"Lina narrates in a breezy style, her mother's journal entries interwoven to provide revelations at carefully paced intervals.Seasoned with luscious descriptions of Renaissance architecture and Italian food, a sure bet for fans of romance fiction and armchair travel." (Kirkus)

"Readers will be caught up in this story of romance, family, and what it really means to be loved." (Booklist Online)

"The reader will find it difficult to put this book down." (VOYA starred review)

My Favorite Survival Adventure Book: Kalahari

Kalahari, a YA read by Jessica Khoury, is a great action adventure/survival/sci-fi novel set in a world most readers probably have not visited, even through the pages of a book!

If you love adventure and exploration, see what Cotopaxi has to offer. The right gear for all your adventures!

See what others are saying:

Review

“A gripping adventure.”
--Kirkus

"Survivor meets James Bond in this page-turning mix of realism and science fiction."
—Voice of Youth Advocates

“Enthralling and filled with suspense...”
--School Library Journal"Khoury builds a relentless plot and seeds the narrative with a deadly mystery that echoes themes of her first novel, Origin (2012). The science-fiction elements and setting evoke Jurassic Park's themes of human meddling in nature, while touches of teen angst and love keep the book realistic and broaden the appeal."
--Booklist

"Khoury keeps the tension throughout with life-threatening moments and narrow escapes...a true adventure story in an unusual setting."
--School Library Connection Reviews

“A blend of survival/adventure, sci-fi, and first love, KALAHARI is grounded in the resourceful courage of a girl raised in the African bush. Thrilling, unpredictable, irresistible . . . six teenagers in dire straits, and the suspense never lets up. Readers will flock to Jessica Khoury's masterful prose and storytelling.”
--Will Hobbs, award-winning author of Far North  and Never Say Die

 

What I liked and why this adventure story sticks with me:

 

Sarah, although well traveled and trained by her zoologist parents to survive in the wild, has never been around teens her age. When a plane arrives with a group of teens from the U.S. and Canada, Sarah is terrified to make small talk with a bunch of strangers, but her father and friend have to leave camp in search of armed poachers.

 

With the threat of poachers nearby and in charge of a bunch of kids who are more at home in penthouses with air conditioning and chefs, Sarah must lead the group to the safety of the next town. But the desert is harsh. The climate brutal. With conditions worsening, their vehicle gets stuck. Now on foot, the kids discover why the poachers are out in the wild.

 

Now they have to battle the elements, an unnaturally aggressive male lion, and a group of murderous poachers. Sarah will have to rely on her training and wits.

 

The lasting thing readers will take from this read is the unusual setting and a spunky protagonist who fights for survival.

 

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

 

 

Book Giveaway and Q & A with Jon and Pamela Voelkel

I have one copy of each book in The Jaguar Stones series up for grabs! For your chance to win: post a comment to the blog. Please include first name, city, state and comments. Deadline for posts is February 23 at noon MST. The winner will be chosen randomly by Randomizer. The winner will be contacted on Feb. 23 shortly after 12:00 noon MST. Please check your email at that time. The winner has 25 hours to respond to my email. Books will ship from New York. Good luck and start posting!


About The Jaguar Stones, Book Four: The Lost City

Ages 10 and up

 

The epic conclusion to the exciting Jaguar Stones series and a rip-roaring adventure into the heart of America!

With his parents in jail and the Maya Death Lords in possession of all five Jaguar Stones, fourteen-year-old Max Murphy is pretty sure that he'll never get to leave the

rainforest. 

But the Lords of Death have a problem--a new king calling himself Great Sun claims to have the Jaguar Stones, too. And they want Max to prove the guy's a fraud. Or else.

Now, Max, and Lola, the mysterious girl who befriends him, are off on another wild adventure that will take them from Central America to New Orleans and up the Mississippi to the lost city at the heart of America's past.

But one thing Max should have learned after all of this dealings with the Death Lords -- they never keep their promises.

 

 

 

 

 

Praise for the book:

 

 

★"Suspense and intrigue, human sacrifice, smuggling, and secret doors and escape routes through pyramids ensure that the novel, the first in a projected trilogy, is likely to win legions of fans."—School Library Journal, starred review of The Jaguar Stones, Book One: Middle World

 

"This fast-paced action-adventure novel surpasses its prequel, and is filled with Mayan folklore and entertaining humor that will keep teen readers highly entertained. The End of the World Club is an easily recommended novel to pique the interests of adolescent readers in history and mythology."—The ALAN Review review of The Jaguar Stones, Book Two: The End of the World Book Club

 

 Authors' Interview: Pamela T. asks Jon and Pamela V. interview questions:

 PT:  You both have lived, worked and traveled to many places. What is the scariest thing that you have experienced and where did it occur?

Jon's scariest moment was either getting lost in a pitch black labyrinth under a Maya pyramid at Yaxchilan in Guatemala, or being in the top carriage of a ferris wheel in Colombia when it started to fall apart; Pamela's was either opening a hotel room door to be confronted by a wall of flames, or being interviewed by Al Roker on the Today show.

 

 

PT:  Where is the ONE place you still would like to visit and why?

 

Pamela would choose the ancient Maya site of Copan in Honduras, to see the famous ceremonial stairway.

 

Jon would choose King Pakal's tomb deep in the Temple of the Inscriptions in Palenque, Mexico. We've been to Palenque many times, but the tomb is permanently closed to visitors.

 

 

PT:  After the Jaguar Stones, what is your next book or books?

We'd love to tell you about it because we're really excited, but we don't want to jinx it by talking about it!

 

 

PT:  What books are your favorites from childhood? From your teens?

 

Pamela's are A Little Princess, the Ballet Shoes books, The Phantom Tollbooth, The Owl Service, Wuthering Heights and (a bit nerdy for a teenager she admits) Ulysses by James Joyce.

 

Jon's favourites were Where The Wild Things Are, the Narnia books, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

 

 

PT:  If you could meet and have coffee or dinner with any other writer who would it be and why?

 

Pamela: "I had the huge honor of meeting Judy Blume once and I was so starstruck, I couldn't say one word to her. So I think I'd give up on civilized conversation and choose Frances Hodgson Burnett, just so I could tie her up and force her to add a handwritten paragraph to my copy of A Little Princess, saying that Captain Crewe did in fact come home safely a few weeks later."

 

Jon: "I can imagine the scene exactly. I would have dinner in a seafront restaurant in old Cartagena with my hero, Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I'd like to know what was real and what was imaginary in A Thousand Years Of Solitude. Like him, I grew up in Colombia. It's such a mysterious, magical place that I suspect a lot of the so-called magic realism is actually based on day to day life."

 

 

PT:  What is THE best thing about writing for middle grades?

Neither of us can imagine writing for a different age group. Middle grade readers are an author's dream. They're young enough to suspend disbelief and come with you on fantastical adventures; but they're old enough to follow relatively complex plots.

 

 

PT: You've met thousands of readers in person and on your website; what are some lessons you've learned from young people?

First of all, it has to be said that our Jaguar Stones readers are AMAZING! They write to us all the time with questions and plot ideas and artwork. Sometimes they send us their own manuscripts. One thirteen-year-old girl we met on a school visit has already written three full length novels. So I think it's important never to talk down to kids - writing is equal parts frustrating and exhilarating at any age. We learned early on never to try and fudge the details. Middle schoolers spot every mistake, every inaccuracy, every implausible plot point and it spoils the whole book for them. If it's not authentic, they won't buy into it. We're very aware that our readers have a lot of competing demands on their time. It's our job to keep them riveted from the moment they pick up our book. If we lose their attention, that's our fault not theirs. When we're plotting out chapters, we like to imagine kids wearing headlamps to read under the covers after lights out because they just HAVE to know what happens next.

 

 

PT:  How did advertising prepare you for your writing career?

Advertising is all about focusing on the consumer. And writing for middle grades is all about focusing on your readers, keeping them always in your head while you're working, thinking about the words they use, imagining their reactions. From Pamela's point of view, as a former copywriter and creative director, writing ads taught her about meeting deadlines, writing to length, ruthless self-editing, and taking feedback. Jon was the Planning Director in the agency, so he's a whizz at marketing strategies. These days, of course, he's illustrating and his mixed media techniques owe a lot to design tips and skills he picked up in the agency. A common saying in advertising is "Give me the freedom of a tight brief," meaning that the more tightly defined your objective, the more creative you can be in meeting it. An open brief might sound more fun but it's actually because your brain has nothing to grab hold of. In the same way, writing fantasy books within a framework of historical fact, in our case Maya archaeology, sparks off so many "What if..." ideas for plots and characters.

 

 

 

PT:  If you could have any other job besides writing and advertising, what would it be and why?

Pamela: Writing is my dream job, I've wanted to be a writer ever since I was little. When I'm writing, I watch the action in my mind and try to describe what I see. It's like being a film director in my own head. So I'd like to try being an actual film director.

Jon: Lead guitarist in a rock n roll band. (Which was my actual job for two heady years.)

 

 

PT:  What lessons did your parents teach you that you have instilled in your own children?

Pamela: We had no books in our house - so I've made sure that my own children have grown up surrounded by them!

Jon: My parents taught me all the important things like the joy of reading, the value of education, a love of travel, the best recipe for ebelskivers (my mom's family is Danish) - all of which I intend to pass on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About J&P Voelkel

 

Jon Voelkel grew up in Peru, Costa Rica, and Colombia, all the while dreaming of a boring life in suburbia. Eventually, having survived monkey stew, an attack by giant rats, and a plane crash in the jungle, he rolled up his hammock and decamped to Europe. Meanwhile, growing up in a sedate seaside town in northern England, Pamela Craik Voelkel was dreaming of travel and adventure. The pair met in London, where they both worked in advertising. They went on to help found an award-winning agency, for which Jon was named one of the fifty most creative minds in Britain by the Financial Times. The authors' first book in the Jaguar Stones series, Middleworld, was an Al Roker Book Club pick. The Voelkels now live in Vermont with their three children. You can visit them online at www.jaguarstones.com.

YA Book Giveaway: Atlantia

 I have ONE free SIGNED copy of Atlantia, the exciting new YA book from accomplished author Ally Condie.

For your chance to win, post a comment to the blog. Please include your first name, city, state, and email contact (U.S. addresses only, please). Deadline for posts is November 3 at noon MST. The winner will be chosen randomly by Randomizer. The winner will be contacted on that date. Please check your email. The winner has 24 hours to respond to my email. The book will ship from New York. For more information on the book, read below. Good luck, and start posting! Pamela

Atlantia

by Ally Condie

Dutton Children's Books

2014

320 pages

ISBN: 9780525426448

Available October 28, 2014

From the publisher:

ATLANTIA tells the story of two sisters who live Below, in the underwater city of Atlantia. Rio has always dreamt of going Above, where her powerful siren voice will not need to be hidden. However, when her mother unexpectedly dies, Rio promises her twin sister, Bay, that she will remain Below for the rest of her days. When Bay suddenly abandons Rio for the Above, Rio becomes determined to join her sister and leave the constricting world of the Below behind. Ally Condie is the award-winning author of the Matched trilogy.

From Penguin's website:

“Utterly captivating. A heroine unlike any I’d met before, a setting I’d never glimpsed, a story I’d never imagined. Atlantia is fresh, wild, and engrossing. I love Ally Condie.” —Shannon Hale, award-winning, bestselling author of Austenland and Dangerous

Can you hear Atlantia breathing?

For as long as she can remember, Rio has dreamed of the sand and sky Above—of life beyond her underwater city of Atlantia. But in a single moment, all Rio’s hopes for the future are shattered when her twin sister, Bay, makes an unexpected choice, stranding Rio Below. Alone, ripped away from the last person who knew Rio’s true self—and the powerful siren voice she has long silenced—she has nothing left to lose.

Guided by a dangerous and unlikely mentor, Rio formulates a plan that leads to increasingly treacherous questions about her mother’s death, her own destiny, and the corrupted system constructed to govern the Divide between land and sea. Her life and her city depend on Rio to listen to the voices of the past and to speak long-hidden truths.

Praise

“A fast-paced fantasy adventure tale in a richly drawn dystopian future . . . this is a title that’s sure to be immensely popular with teens.” —School Library Journal

“Utterly captivating. A heroine unlike any I’d met before, a setting I’d never glimpsed, a story I’d never imagined. Atlantia is fresh, wild, and engrossing. I love Ally Condie.” —Shannon Hale, award-winning, bestselling author of Austenland and Dangerous

Book Giveaway and Blog Tour: Temple Run

I have one copy of the new Temple Run book up for grabs! One winner wins all 3 books! For your chance to win, post a comment to the blog and please include your first name, city, state and email. The winner will be picked randomly by Randomizer. Deadline for posts is September 25 at noon MST. Please check your email on that date. Winner has only 24 hours to respond to my email. The book will ship from New York courtesy of Egmont.

 

Temple Run: Run for Your Life: Jungle Trek

by Chase Wilder

Egmont

2014

Ages 8-12

 

 

Temple Run Book One Run for Your Life!: Jungle Trek

Chase Wilder    

978-1-60684-571-4          

On Sale: 09/23/2014      

Trade Paperback

You're a lucky kid--for your birthday, you're having a destination party: a campout and scavenger hunt in an exotic locale. Depending on the choices you make, you will reach safety in time to enjoy your party, or you will be kidnapped and held for ransom, buying Guy and Scarlett time to make off with the treasure. You decide!

 

Temple Run Book Two Run for Your Life!: Doom Lagoon              

Chase Wilder    

978-1-60684-572-1          

On Sale: 09/23/2014      

Trade Paperback

You are an intern and will be accompanying the curator of an antiquities museum during school vacation on a dive to a newly discovered historic shipwreck. Depending on the choices you make, you will either be stranded at sea, drown, explore the wreck, or discover buried treasure. You decide!

 

Temple Run Downloaded Apptivity Book

978-1-60684-573-8          

On-Sale: 09/23/2014      

Trade Paperback

Temple Run Downloaded is a cool, fast, addictive mobile game, and fans can relive the excitement with this activity book shaped like a tablet. Race down ancient temple walls, along sheer cliffs, and avoid evil monkeys as you challenge your brain to solve these fun puzzles. Temple Run Downloaded includes mazes, brain teasers, puzzles, 4 gatefold pages, and 4 sticker pages, with exclusive info about this favorite game and characters. Full color illustrations throughout.

 

 

Sci Fi Pick: Burn Out

Burn Out
by Kristi Helvig
Egmont
2014
253 pages
ISBN: 9781606844793

Lone survivor Tora Reynolds lives in a bunker designed by her scientist/inventor father. Having lost her entire family, Tora has never felt more alone. The last human she saw was Markus, a gun runner and general no-goodnik who promised to come back for her if he found a habitable planet. Earth has become a giant desert with little water or oxygen. Tora hopes for someone to post a comment to her GlobalNet post but she waits in vain to see if anyone else is alive out there.

Markus comes back, but the problem is that he is not alone. He brought some well-armed soldiers to storm Tora's bunker and take her father's weapons by force. They are not the only enemy. The Consulate sends its forces to take the guns for themselves. This makes Markus's team and Tora now one against the bigger brute--the government or what's left of it.

Kale, James, Britta, Markus and Tora go on a space chase trying to outrun the Consulate's ships and get their weapons safely to Caelia. Tora knows that Kale is the enemy but should she trust Markus who says he's "got her back?" And who is James and what is his angle? He seems like a good guy and Tora secretly crushes on him, but what is he doing as Kale's second in command? What does the Consulate hope to accomplice with Tora's guns?

Shifting loyalties and cloak and dagger rat and mouse games keep the reader guessing until the very end. The plot races along with just the right amount of shoot 'em up action. Tora will appeal to both girls and boys; her tenacity and toughness speak volumes of her character.

Recommended for any fan of sci-fi and space travel books. Grade 9-up. Profanity, violence.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Book Giveaway: Time Out of Time

Time Out of Time
by Maureen Doyle McQuerry

Available March 25, 2014

From the publisher's website:

About the book

Beyond the Door, the first in the Time Out of Time duet from Maureen Doyle McQuerry, weaves a compelling coming-of-age story with fantasy and mythology. With his love of learning and the game of Scrabble, Timothy James feels like the only person who understands him is his older sister, Sarah, and he’s fairly certain nothing interesting will ever happen to him. But one night, while his parents and sister are away, the door opens, and mythical creatures appear in his own living room! Soon, a mystery of unparalleled proportions begins to unfold, revealing an age-old battle of Light against Dark, and Timothy must embark on a quest to prevent the Dark from controlling the future and changing the past. But he can’t complete the quest alone. Timothy has to team up with his sister and the school bully, Jessica, to face an ancient evil, and in the process, this unlikely trio discover they are each more than meets the eye.

Praise for Time Out of Time
"McQuerry smoothly blends adventure, coming-of-age, and mystery with a mythological world where special academic and problem-solving talents are required assets rather than nerd-bait for bullies. The characters are charming, and the quirky, supernatural good guys are compassionate and forgiving."
--VOYA

"A promising start to a fantasy series mines the rich ore of Celtic mythology and propels a young boy into cosmic battle."
--Kirkus Reviews

I have 5 FREE copies of the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) up for grabs. For your chance to win, simply post a comment to the blog and be sure and include first name, city, state and email contact. Deadling for posts is Monday, March 3, 2014 at noon MST. Winners will be chosen by Randomizer and notified shortly after 12:00 p.m. MST on March 3. Please be sure and check your email that day. Winners have 24 hours to respond to my email. Books will ship from New York. Be the first to read Time Out of Time! Good luck and start posting!

Fantasy Pick: What We Found in the Sofa and How It Saved the World

What We Found in the Sofa and How It Saved the World
by Henry Clark
Illustrations by Jeremy Holms
Little, Brown and Company
2013
355 pages
ISBN: 9780316206662

Clever, quirky, and classic, What We Found in the Sofa and How It Saved the World is a gem of a book!This is wild and wacky adventure at its finest. From a talking domino to a nutty neighbor and a sofa from outer space, Henry Clark's madcap novel will captivate and entertain readers.

When friends Fiona, Freak and River find a rare zucchini colored crayon in an abandoned sofa by their school  bus stop, their adventure begins. Fiona does some research and finds out the rare crayon was manufactured in 1944 and is worth thousands to the right bidder. She puts the crayon in an online auction, and the bidding gets to $7000.00 right away. The kids can't believe their good luck, but then they realize that the sofa may belong to the old guy who lives in the Underhill place. They decide to tell the rightful owner about the crayon.

They discover from a voice at the gate that Old Man Underhill has died and that the new neighbor's name is Alf and he's interested in that crayon and in meeting them. He tells the kids an outlandish tale of a billionaire inventor who has destroyed  the middle of their town turning it into  a cesspool of smoky ashes. Now Edward Disin is after their crayon. He has a strange disorder that makes it impossible for him to have an incomplete collection of anything. Compulsive Completist Disorder, or CCD, is the inability to tolerate incomplete collections. Disin cannot do anything until he gets the one crayon he is missing from his 1944 Victory Garden crayon box--the zucchini colored crayon.

Alf plans to invite collectors to an auction at the Underhill house and capture the elusive billionaire, turning him over to the authorities, and he wants the kids to help. The kids get themselves into a number of sticky situations and somehow find their way out of them with spunk and wry wit.

Laugh out loud comedic dialog jumps off the pages! This is comedy done just right. Think Lemony Snicket with high comedy and clever charm.

Highly, highly recommended grades 5-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I purchased this book for the library. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Fierce and Feisty Pick: Defy

Defy
by Sara B. Larson
Scholastic
2014
323 pages

Released January 7, 2014

What others are saying:

Booklist: Defy has "...grand adventure, romance, and thrilling political intrigue." (from the author's blog)

"A wonderful tale of adventure, romance, and embracing your true self. Alexa is a heroine readers will love to follow!" --Marie Lu, author of the Legend series

"(Defy) has everything you'd want : intrigue, awesomely real characters, suspense, and a captivating plot. All in a world that comes to life in your mind. Highly recommended." --James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner series.

What I say:

There may never be another female YA protagonist  as passionate, feisty, and fierce, but also fabulously flawed, frightened, and fragile as Alexa (Alex). After young Alexa witnesses the brutal murders of her parents by the Blevonese army aided by an evil sorcerer, Alexa is forced to cut her hair and take on the persona of a young boy (Alex). Alex and her twin brother Marcel join the king's army and because of her tenacity and fierce warrior spirit and commanding  swordsmanship, she advances to the elite king's guard. Years pass, and Alex becomes comfortable pretending to be a boy, so comfortable, in fact, she sometimes wonders what being a girl feels like.

An enemy attack on the palace makes the king nervous. He orders the royal guard to watch over his son Prince Damian at all times. Alex is tasked with the chore of sleeping outside of Damian's chambers. The prince is spoiled, arrogant, and haughty, but, oh, so handsome. Alex begins to feel something she has never experienced before, and she is careful not to let her feelings show--she is a "male" fighter and the prince's private protector. She fears what may happen to her if she lets her "guard" down (pun intended).

When Alex, fellow guard Rylan and the prince are kidnapped by a sorcerer, they are taken deep into jungle as prisoners of the country of Blevon. Alex is surprised to find out that both Prince Damian and Rylan know she is actually a girl; however, she keeps up her disguise in front of the rival army.

Damian holds the secret to his father's kingdom, the plan  to ending the bloody war, the power to defeat evil sorcerers and the key to Alexa's heart.   Alexa is torn between her sudden, passionate fire for Damian and her sisterly love for Rylan. Can she afford to break Rylan's heart and fall headlong in love with the future king? Can she trust Damian--who keeps secrets from her? Does she believe his word? Can Damian's plan actually work? Can mere humans defeat an army of black sorcerers?

Teen readers will be swept away by the mesmerizing romantic tale. Alex/Alexa is compelling and intriguing; Damian is smoldering and sexy. Rylan, too, is swoon-worthy. Defy may be the next YA novel to movie--anyone in Hollywood listening?

Highly, highly recommended for every reader but will resonate with those who love romance, adventure, action and fantasy and a fierce female warrior. The author spends most of her time on plot and character development instead of world building, but that being said, I didn't miss knowing every minute detail of Alexa's world.

Suitable for grade 7-up with this caution: in the beginning of the book, Alex has to take girls to the breeding house where girls of their kingdom are prisoners forced to breed for the kingdom. It's not pretty. Some kissing.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)