4 Upcoming Children's Books: Reviews

I received all of the following titles via netgalley.com and the publishers. All opinions expressed are my own.

Title: Little One
Author: Jo Weaver
Publisher: Peachtree Publishing
Publication Date: March 1, 2016

Description:

Spring is here and new life is stirring. There is so much for Big Bear to teach her new cub as they step out into the forest. Together they eat, swim, fish, and play as one season becomes the next. With Big Bears help, Little One grows more and more confident, until winter comes once more and its time to head home. With gentle text and stunning black and white illustrations, Jo Weaver reveals the wonder of nature, the first steps of independence, and the strength of parental love.

My Review:

I loved the illustrations for this book. They were absolutely stunning and I would suggest giving this a look just for them alone. Of course it doesn't heart that the book also happens to be thoughtful and lovely all on its own.

The story follows a bear with its' new cub as they explore the world together in the cub's first year of life. From learning how to gather berries, to fishing, to frolicking in nature it is wonderful to watch this young cub grow throughout the story.

As winter approaches and the snow starts to fall we see a whole new cub who is brave and strong and independent but still thankful and full of love for the parent bear. They cuddle down for the long winter ahead and the story flows seamlessly with the gorgeous illustrations.


My Star Review:

4 out of 5 stars



Title: The Great Carp Escape
Author: Irish Beth Maddock
Publisher: Word Alive Press
Publication Date: January 13, 2016

Description:

Tadpoles, clams, and minnows wow! For siblings Beth and Paul, growing up on a lake is fun... until they are startled by a fishy find along the shoreline. When they discover the scaly, moustached carp, they become afraid.

Seasons pass, and Beth and Paul avoid the swampy reeds at all costs until a flood brings about a life-or-death situation for the creepy looking carp, right in their own backyard!

With guidance from their father, will Beth and Paul be able to overcome their apprehensions about the carp and help save them before it s too late? Watch the Trailer!

The Great Carp Escape "truly captures the magic between children and nature. The story paints a beautiful picture of how all creatures on earth are God-given and shows how compassion shouldn't be based on popularity or defined beauty. This delightful and touching story carries such an important message of acceptance and simply joy. A pleasure to read and surely a popular addition to any child s home library. "

Illustrator Lisa Taron

My Review:

I had the opportunity to to speak with the author about her lovely story and she kindly provided me with a physical copy of the book.

She let me know that this was based on a story from her own childhood which just made this story all the more special.

What a great story about overcoming fears and coming to terms with things that are different from you and helping and persevering. A fun fishy tale that I would recommend. The lesson was there but it was not forced on the reader and the illustrations were wonderful. I would definitely suggest this if you have a child/know a child with a fear they need help overcoming or a child who might not understand how special it is to be selfless and help someone/something else.

I adored that this book is about helping something that is different than you and learning to be a better person because of it.

My Star Review:

4 out of 5


Title: A Friend For Mole
Author: Nancy Armo
Publisher: Peachtree Publishing
Publication Date: March 1, 2016

Description:

An accidental encounter throws Mole and Wolf together. One is afraid of the light, the other is afraid of the dark. Together they learn that friends are all they need to conquer their fears.

My Review:

This was a simple story about a mole who is intrigued by the outside world and who decides to see what all the fuss is about on the surface. Once up there he is blinded by the sun and wonders around and gets lost.

After he gets lost he stumbles into a hole with a wolf in it.

The wolf is afraid of the dark while the mole is afraid of the light. They quickly become friends and help each other face their fears and eventually make it home safely.

I enjoyed this but didn't think it really stood out the way many of the other children's stories I have been reading lately have done.

It was a great story of friendship and overcoming fears and maybe even exploring the fact that this unlikely friendship occurred and even in the light they weren't scared of each other and wanted to remain friends. It was sweet but a bit underwhelming and the illustrations were okay but not wonderful.

My Star Review:

3 out of 5



Title: Little Red
Author: Bethan Woollvin
Publisher: Peachtree Publishing
Publication Date: April 1, 2016

Description:

On her way to Grandmas house, Little Red Riding Hood meets a wolf. Now, that might scare some little girlsbut not this little girl! She knows just what the wolf is up to, and shes not going to let him get away with it. In this updated fairy tale with a mischievous twist, talented newcomer Bethan Woollvin uses sly humor, striking visuals, and a dark irreverence to turn a familiar tale on its head

My Review:

I loved the illustrations for this and the the typical "Red Riding Hood" story was flipped a little to show red not being naive but being brave and independent.

The plot follows the classic tale up until Red makes it to Grandma's. The wolf is there and he has already made a snack out of Grandma waiting for Red to get there but she sees right through his disguise and ends up teaching that wolf a lesson of her own.

I really enjoyed the art style and Red's new intelligence but I was still a little disappointed that their wasn't more to the story. It was enjoyable and I would definitely suggest it to a young fairy tale fan.

My Star Review:
3.5 out of 5

Ava and Pip Series Review by Carol Weston

I received both Ava and Taco Cat and Ava XOX from netgalley.com and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.



Title: Ava and Pip
Author: Carol Weston
Publisher: Sourcebooks: Jabberwocky
Publication Date: March 4, 2014

Description:

Outgoing Ava loves her older sister, Pip, but can't understand why Pip is so reserved and never seems to make friends with others. When Ava uses her writing talents to help her sister overcome her shyness, both girls learn the impact their words and stories can have on the world around them.



Title: Ava and Taco Cat
Author: Carol Weston
Publisher: Sourcebooks: Jabberwocky
Publication Date: April 7, 2015

Description:

Ava desperately wants a pet for her eleventh birthday-but gets way more than she bargained for when she adopts T-A-C-O-C-A-T.

When Ava Wren hears about an injured yellow tabby with mismatched ears, she becomes obsessed and wants to rescue him. She even picks out a perfect palindromic name: T-A-C-O-C-A-T. But when Taco joins the family, he doesn't snuggle or purr-all he does is hide. Worse, Ava's best friend starts hanging out with Zara, a new girl in fifth grade. Ava feels alone and writes an acclaimed story, "The Cat Who Wouldn't Purr." What begins as exciting news turns into a disaster. How can Ava make things right? And what about sweet, scared little Taco?

The New York Times called AVA AND PIP "a love letter to language. " With this second diary, Girls' Life advice columnist Carol Weston hits another home run.



Title: Ava XOX
Author: Carol Weston
Publisher: Sourcebooks: Jabberwocky
Publication Date: Feb 1, 2016

Description:

Love is in the air—and Ava thinks she’s allergic

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and Ava couldn’t care less. That is, until a new girl, Kelli, asks out Ava’s friend Chuck…and he says yes! What?!? Ava is NOT okay with this. But since when does she think about boys? For the first time ever, words fail Ava. She isn't sure what she’s feeling (Like? Love? Friendship? Frustration?), or what “going out” even means. After all, fifth graders aren't allowed to go anywhere by themselves, are they?
To top it off, Pip’s friend Tanya is being bullied for her size. Ava wants to help—but, uh oh, it's not as easy as she imagines.

The New York Times called AVA AND PIP “a love letter to language. ” With this third diary format, Girls’ Life advice columnist Carol Weston hits another home run.

My Series Review:

I received books 2 and 3 via netgalley.com and the publisher and felt like I might miss too much from the first in the series that I decided to pick it up on my e-reader.

I am sure happy I ended up doing that, This is a great middle grade contemporary story about a girl named Ava and all of her misadventures. As soon as I read this it took me back to the days of reading about Ramona Quimby and her silly sister Beezus.

I decided to consider each book individually and then talk about the series as a whole.

Ava and Pip:

Absolutely a delightful read about two sisters who couldn't be more different. We are introduced to Ava in this book and her precocious and outgoing and her sister Pip who is a bit more shy and reserved. Ava decides to put her writing talents to use and comes up with a plan to get Pip out of her shell and help her make friends.

I loved their relationship and the impact words and story telling had on these young girls lives. So adorable and fun to read. I can see this becoming a middle school girls favorite read and might help her relate to a friend or even a sister of her own. She might even be reading it from Pip's perspective and it might help her come out of her shell. Absolutely great family dynamic and pro-education. I loved this!

Ava and Taco Cat:

Carol Weston has a way of making language and writing fun for middle grade aged kids. She does it again in Ava and Taco Cat. Ava once again shows how big her heart and mind are when she adopts a quirky cat which she names T-A-C-O-C-A-T because it makes the perfect palindrome.

What a fun way to incorporate aspects of language and writing into a story for middle grade kids. Ava wanting to adopt Taco Cat despite his dramatic past is sweet and encouraging and I think a good message for kids. Taco is shy and does nothing but hide so Ava decides to write a story about her cat that never purrs.

Ava is also dealing with other drama that a normal 5th grader would face including trouble with her best friend. She is finding out how to navigate all of these new changes in her life and I think despite a few stumbles she really comes around and inspires the reader to be better too.

Ava XOX:

This newest Ava release find Ava experiencing her first crush. She is struggling to understand her new found hormones as she navigates what it means to like boys or to "go out" with someone when you are in the 5th grade and can't even leave without a parent or guardian. Words to describe how she is feeling are hard to find for the first time in Ava's life and I think that is the perfect way to illustrate what it means to have your first crush, you just can't find a way to say what is going on in your head or with your feelings and that is so realistic.

Also, she is approached with some bullying and body shaming issues and also finds that this isn't a topic that is easy to understand or explain. She tries to help but that also isn't the easiest task she has ever undertaken.

I think this last installment is very age appropriate and topical and that any middle school aged student would gain a lot from reading it.

Series:

Overall, a phenomenal collections of middle grade stories told through the importance of writing and language and with a tenacious main character that you can't help but love.

I will say that I do see these stories appealing more to a female reader than a male reader but they are definitely age appropriate and cover a wide range of topics and introduce children to social issues such as bullying, body shaming, pet adoption, friendship, family, and so much more.

I couldn't suggest this series with any more praise. It is wonderful.

Recommended for fans of:

    

Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1445826604

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1426727477

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1439812697

http://www.amazon.com/Ava-Pip-Carol-Weston/dp/1492601837/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447862605&sr=8-1&keywords=ava+and+pip

http://www.amazon.com/Ava-Taco-Cat-Pip/dp/1402288735/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447862623&sr=1-1&keywords=ava+and+taco+cat&pebp=1447862690425&perid=14GKGVFVE6NJ38GZTS9N

http://www.amazon.com/Ava-XOX-Pip-Carol-Weston/dp/1492620777/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447862706&sr=1-1&keywords=ava+XOX

Awake by Natasha Preston; Book Review

I was provided an E-ARC and a physical ARC from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Title: Awake

Author: Natasha Preston

Publisher: SourceBooks

Publication Date: 
Aug 4, 2015

Description:

Scarlett Garner doesn’t remember anything before the age of four—but a car accident changes everything. She starts to remember pieces of a past that frighten her. A past her parents hid from her…and a secret that could get her killed.

My Review:

I had originally planned to pick this up back in October and maybe have a bit of a thriller/mystery for the spooky month but I ran out of time. I am happy I finally got around to reading this. It was very entertaining.

I will say however that it is not the best book I have read this year by a long shot, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't pick it up. It was definitely something fast paced and entertaining. 

This is the story of a young girl who can't remember what happened to her before she turned 4 years old. She is finally feeling like her life is coming together. She has met a cute boy who has wonderful parents, her overprotective parents are actually letting her seem him and things are going well.

But soon twisted memories of her past start to emerge which thrust her into a world she never knew existed. A world where cults are after her and her blood and where a wicked cult leader has everyone under his spell.

I have never really read anything about cults or cult activity before other than a few news stories here or there and I found this very interesting. The author doesn't make this into something to horrible or graphic but just plays on cult stereotypes and makes you feel uncomfortable and worried for the lives of the cult members and of course their sanity.

I thought this was a lot of fun. It definitely served as a creepy mystery and I would suggest it to anyone who likes mysteries or stories about cults as the more research I did the more books I realized were out there on the topic. 

I gave this a middle of the range rating because the writing just wasn't there for me and I had a difficult time connecting to the characters but I could see someone else just being enthralled by this story so I would definitely recommend it. 

My Star Rating:

3 out of 5


Read this if you enjoyed:

   

Links:

http://www.sourcebooks.com/store/awake.html

http://www.amazon.com/Awake-Natasha-Preston/dp/1492618527/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447856142&sr=1-1&keywords=awake+natasha+preston

Good Reads Review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1310292266

Andre The Giant: Closer to Heaven; a Graphic Memoir Review

Title: Andre the Giant: Closer to Heaven

Author: Brandon Easton

Illustrator: Denis Medri

Publisher: Lion Forge

Publication Date:

Description:

He was one of the greatest performers in sports entertainment history, but his legions of fans around the globe barely know the man behind the legend of Andre the Giant -- until now! 

Jean Ferre. Monster Eiffel Tower. Fezzik. These were alter egos for the internationally acclaimed pro wrestling superstar known as Andre the Giant, who thrilled audiences worldwide with his unmatched charisma and remarkable athleticism. Despite his astonishing popularity, few really knew the man behind the curtain -- the man born in the French countryside named Andre Roussimoff. Showing signs of gigantism at an early age, Andre decided to use his size to his advantage and entered the wild world of professional wrestling. From his first day in the squared circle, those close to him knew that a legend was born.
This lavishly illustrated authorized biography of Andre the Giant charts his entire life from the earliest days on his family's farm to his blockbuster feuds with the biggest wrestling stars of all time, exploring the dark side of fame and fortune along the way.

My Review:

"I've heard that a pessimist believes that memories are only regrets organized in chronological order...the optimist says that you should be lucky to live long enough to have regrets. Neither is correct. We live on the border between optimism and pessimism. The darkness and the light." 

" I began to wonder if I was going to outgrow the world itself."

I want to mention that this is only my second encounter with the graphic memoir and I really think I need to explore this medium in more depth because it is absolutely compelling. 

This covered every aspect of Andre's life but mostly focused on his career and public image. It has everything from growing up and towering over his peers to having to leave school to help support his parents farm. It showcased his love of wrestling but also the struggles with addiction and fame that he faced. 

Personally being a fan of early 90s wrestling and the Princess Bride film I was happy to see the impact these things made on his life so I understood him better at the times I was most familiar with his career.

The fact that his estranged daughter prefaced this and that he believed she wasn't his due to medical issues was a great way to see behind his mask and his public image.

The art style in this is simple but detailed. The coloration is plain but I don't think that really takes away from the design in any way. I liked it and felt like it was a good companion to the plot and didn't distract from the overall story. I enjoyed that aspect as well.

I really liked this and would recommend it to fans of graphic memoirs, professional wrestling, and sports stories in general. I thought that they did a fantastic job.

My Star Rating: 

4 out of 5 Stars

I received this as an e-advanced readers copy from netgalley.com and the publisher. All opinions are my own but I appreciate them letting me review this graphic memoir in advance.

Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26486370-andre-the-giant

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1439810440

http://www.amazon.com/Andre-Giant-Brandon-M-Easton/dp/1631404008/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447428480&sr=1-1&keywords=andre+the+giant+closer+to+heaven&pebp=1447428508889&perid=0GDYF874D8QWK6RS0S6A

New Adult Round Up: 2 Reviews

I recently had a week where I just could NOT get into reading and couldn't really enjoy anything I was trying to pick up. Sometimes when that happens I gravitate to a contemporary or a romance and it usually goes by so quickly that by the end I am left wanting to pick up more romance and then eventually get back to my normal routine.

That was the case with the two following New Adult Romances I read last week. I needed something light and fun and these two reads have definitely got me back on track. Although they are both considered New Adult or romance they were definitely very different from each other. Keep reading if you are interested in New Adult or if you just want to know more about my thoughts and opinions. 

Title: On Dublin Street

Author: Samantha Young

Publisher: NAL

Publication Date: December 2012

Description: 

Jocelyn Butler has been hiding from her past for years. But all her secrets are about to be laid bare…

Four years ago, Jocelyn left her tragic past behind in the States and started over in Scotland, burying her grief, ignoring her demons, and forging ahead without attachments. Her solitary life is working well—until she moves into a new apartment on Dublin Street where she meets a man who shakes her carefully guarded world to its core.

Braden Carmichael is used to getting what he wants, and he’s determined to get Jocelyn into his bed. Knowing how skittish she is about entering a relationship, Braden proposes an arrangement that will satisfy their intense attraction without any strings attached.

But after an intrigued Jocelyn accepts, she realizes that Braden won’t be satisfied with just mind-blowing passion. The stubborn Scotsman is intent on truly knowing her… down to the very soul. 

My Review:

I was introduced to this after watching a "Book Tube" review of it and was immediately intrigued by the premise. I have read some books from the Outlander series and was excited about another story taking place in Scotland, although this time in modern time.

First let me say that I didn't really love the main character, Jocelyn. She was a bit to in her own head for me reading from her perspective. I will say that her love interest on the other hand was very dreamy and perfect for the genre of the book. Seriously, rich and sexy Scottish man in a romance? Count me in!

I will also say that I was impressed with the development of their relationship and the character development of both Jocelyn and Braden. Jocelyn really matured and dealt with her issues although there were a few slip ups I think for the most part she really grew into someone who could face the world.

Braden was able to love again and not just base all of his relationships off sex which was also really great although even though they were sex friends he still was not too controlling or domineering. A lot of times in this genre there is an overwhelming boyfriend figure who controls the female character and although he was a little overbearing and jealous I don't think it was something that would upset the reader.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It was fun, steamy, and had some deeper themes for a new adult which I appreciate and would recommend this.

My Star Rating:

4 out of 5

Title: On the Island

Author: Tracy Garvis Graves

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: August 2012

Description:

When thirty-year-old English teacher Anna Emerson is offered a job tutoring T.J. Callahan at his family's summer rental in the Maldives, she accepts without hesitation; a working vacation on a tropical island trumps the library any day.

T.J. Callahan has no desire to leave town, not that anyone asked him. He's almost seventeen and if having cancer wasn't bad enough, now he has to spend his first summer in remission with his family - and a stack of overdue assignments -- instead of his friends. 

Anna and T.J. are en route to join T.J.'s family in the Maldives when the pilot of their seaplane suffers a fatal heart attack and crash-lands in the Indian Ocean. Adrift in shark-infested waters, their life jackets keep them afloat until they make it to the shore of an uninhabited island. Now Anna and T.J. just want to survive and they must work together to obtain water, food, fire, and shelter.

Their basic needs might be met but as the days turn to weeks, and then months, the castaways encounter plenty of other obstacles, including violent tropical storms, the many dangers lurking in the sea, and the possibility that T.J.'s cancer could return. As T.J. celebrates yet another birthday on the island, Anna begins to wonder if the biggest challenge of all might be living with a boy who is gradually becoming a man.

My Review:

What a wild and crazy romantic ride this was.

We start the story with a long journey overseas to reach a small island where our two main characters will spend a summer vacation. The twist is these two aren't together, in fact on is a young boy who recently went into remission for cancer and the other is a teacher hired to help tutor him and get him caught up from what he missed being sick.

From the start the trip takes a rocky journey and when they are finally on the last leg of their trip and are headed out on a small chartered sea plane they are stuck with an overweight pilot who actually suffers from a heart-attack mid-flight, dies, and causes the two remaining survivors to spend the next section of the story stuck on a deserted island. 

There is a lot going on in this novel that I loved. The relationships formed, the slow build, the actual sex and romance part but there was a lot I just couldn't get behind! It took them almost a year to decide to build a shelter. The characters were naive even the woman of 30 who should know better.

She was also overly concerned with what people would think if and when she got rescued about the relationship she formed with what would have been her pupil. 

First, he was never actually her student and they had no previous relationship so I don't think it was that weird. The age difference can seem a bit strange but under the circumstances it should have just been a fleeting thought.

I did however love the direction it took and the ending and did find the romance both believable and steamy. I would suggest this to fans of the romance genre.

My Star Rating:

4 out of 5

Enter to Win an Advance Copy of The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever: Coming March 2016

Source books is amazing and they are hosting a giveaway for an Advanced Readers copy of a new book by Jeff Strand. See more below!


THE GREATEST ZOMBIE MOVIE EVER Cover Reveal and Sneak Peek

The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever

Author: Jeff Strand

Release Date: March 1, 2016

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Jeff Strand gives readers a sneak peek at his latest novel The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever, and shares his five favorite zombie movies:

Jeff Strand’s Five Favorite Zombie Movies:

My five favorite zombie movies are very similar to many other people’s five favorite zombie movies. I could’ve gone the condescending click-bait route and written about “The Five Best Zombie Movies You’ve Never Seen!” but, no, I’m going with my five real favorites….

 #5: DAWN OF THE DEAD (2004 version). I was one of the many people bellowing, “You can’t remake DAWN OF THE DEAD! This is blasphemy! Blasphemy!!!” But somehow this remake to a sequel (but not a sequel to the remake) turned out to be awesome. Not quite as good as the original (SPOILER ALERT: That’s #3 on this list) but one of my all-time favorites. 

 #4: RE-ANIMATOR. I’ve now seen plenty of movies that are more over-the-top insane than RE-ANIMATOR, but this was the first movie where I simply couldn’t believe what I was watching. It was hard to believe that a movie so dark and gruesome could be so funny. 

 #3: DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978 version). Shameful confession: When I first saw this in high school I thought it was stupid and boring. Fortunately, I matured and accepted that it’s one of the high points of zombie cinema. It’s the reason I know to duck before walking toward spinning helicopter blades. 

 #2: RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD. Fast zombies long before 28 DAYS LATER! The first time zombies ate brains! It doesn’t often get the credit it deserves, but this is one of the most influential zombie movies ever.

 #1: SHAUN OF THE DEAD. The greatest zombie comedy ever. The greatest zombie movie ever. The greatest MOVIE ever. 

About THE GREATEST ZOMBIE MOVIE EVER:

After producing three horror movies that went mostly ignored on YouTube, Justin and his filmmaking buddies decide it’s time they create something noteworthy, somethingepic. They’re going to film the Greatest Zombie Movie Ever. They may not have money or a script, but they have passion. And, after a rash text message, they also have the beautiful Alicia Howtz—Justin’s crush—as the lead.

With only one month to complete their movie, a script that can’t possibly get worse, and the hopes and dreams of Alicia on the line, Justin is feeling the pressure. Add to that a cast of uncooperative extras and incompetent production assistants, and Justin must face the sad, sad truth. He may actually be producing The Worst Zombie Movie Ever…

About Jeff Strand:

Jeff Strand has written more than twenty books, and is a four-time nominee (and four-time non-winner) of the Bram Stoker Award. Two of his young adult novels, A Bad Day For Voodoo and I Have A Bad Feeling About This, were Junior Library Guild picks.Publishers Weekly called his work “wickedly funny.” He lives in Tampa, Florida.

Website

@JeffStrand

Excerpt from The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever:

The vampire, whose fangs were too big for his mouth, turned to the camera and hissed.

"Don't look at the camera," said Justin Hollow, the director.

"I keep poking my lip on these things," said Harold, spitting the plastic fangs out onto the ground. He hadn't been a very frightening example of the undead before, and he was even less scary with no fangs and a thick line of drool running down his chin.

"Cut!" shouted Justin, loud enough to be sure that the command was heard by his production crew of two. "C'mon, Harold. Stay in character. We're three hours behind schedule."

"I don't care. I hate this. You promised that I'd get all the girls I wanted. So where are all of the girls I want?"

Justin let out his thirty-ninth exasperated sigh of the night. "The movie has to come out first."

"It's not even a real movie."

Justin bristled. It was a full body bristle, head to toe, which he hadn't even realized was physically possible. Bobby, who handled sound recording, and Gabe, who handled everything else, both stepped back a couple of feet. Neither of them truly believed that they were about to witness a murder, but they wanted to get out of the splash zone, just in case.

Had this been one of Justin's movies, he would have very slowly lowered his camera, stared directly into Harold's eyes with a steel gaze, and then after an extremely dramatic pause asked "What...did...you...just...say?"

His actual response, delivered in a squeakier voice than he would have allowed from his actors, was: "Huh?"

"I said it's not a real movie." Harold started to wipe the fake blood off his mouth. It didn't come off, and probably wouldn't for several days. Justin had planned to feel guilty about this later, but now he wouldn't bother. "Nobody's ever going to see it. You probably won't even finish it."

"I finished my last three movies!" Justin insisted. "I got hundreds of hits on YouTube!"

That statement was technically accurate, though it was the lowest possible number of hits you could get and still use "hundred" in its plural form. The only comment anybody posted about his latest film had been "This twelve year-old filmmaker sort of shows promise," which really frustrated Justin since he was fifteen.

Harold shrugged. "This is a waste of time. I've got better things to do on a Friday night."

"Nobody ever said this was going to be easy," said Justin, who had indeed said that it was going to be easy when luring Harold into the role. "You can quit now, but what are you going to think about your decision ten years from now?"

"I'm going to think, wow, it sure is nice to be such a well-paid dentist."

Harold walked off the set. It wasn't an actual set, but rather a small park near Justin's home, where they were filming without a permit. Justin knew he should shout something after his ex-actor. Something vicious. Something devastating. He thought about shouting "You'll never work in this town again!" but, no, it had to be something that Harold would consider a bad thing.

"Fine!" Justin shouted. "But when we record the audio commentary track for the Blu-Ray, I'm going to talk about how you abandoned us, and how much happier everybody was with the new actor who took your role, and how we all agreed that he should have been cast in the first place, and how he had so many girlfriends that he couldn't even keep track of them, and how they all found out about each other and had a great big awesome catfight in his front yard! And I'll pronounce your name wrong!"

Harold continued walking, apparently not heartbroken.

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Landfall Freight Co Subscription Box Review: October 2015

       What is Landfall Freight?
Words and pictures together are a powerful way of communicating. Comics are able to transport readers to a completely different world or make our own world easier to understand. They can provide us with a connection, make us feel less alone, and inspire us to dream bigger and harder. They can change the way we see our world, and our place in it. 
Because these stories can have such an impact, we want to make it easier for more girls and women to explore graphic novels and comics without feeling intimidated, unrepresented, or overwhelmed.  We think it should be a fun, welcoming, and inspiring experience! 
We are two sisters who decided to make interesting comics more accessible and fun to explore. We pack each box on my kitchen table,  and we try to make sure that when you open your box, it feels like your best friend just sent you a care package. 
We chose the name Landfall Freight because "landfall" means your first sighting of land after a journey by air or sea, which is kind of how we envision our boxes traveling to each of you!
It also happens to be the name of the home planet of a bad-ass and complicated female character in our very favourite comic, Saga, and we couldn't really resist paying homage to Alana, our green-haired, winged hero. We like that Landfall has two great meanings! 
If you agree that girls and comics go together forever, sign up so we can help you make landfall in another world! Michelle & Tianna 
I took this directly from the company website, http://www.landfallfreight.com/about , because there was no way I could have described it better. 
This was my first experience with Landfall Freight Co although I have been a fan of subscription boxes for a few years. I had seen this circulating on "booktube" and was really impressed with the configuration of the boxes I had seen so I decided to splurge on myself and give it a try.
It does got about $29 a month but from what I have seen it serves as a good way to try out new comics that are female driven but are not just things that would be entertaining to females.










First, we received a single issue of "From Under the Mountains," and it was described as the following on goodreads. (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27278455-from-under-mountains-1)

MARIAN CHURCHLAND (8HOUSE ARCLIGHT, BEAST) co-writes with CLAIRE GIBSON; with art and colours by SLOANE LEONG. In the first issue of this new fantasy series, old feuds and new monsters rise up to haunt the isolated northern fortress of Karsgate.

I read this and thought it was a little disjointed. So far I like the main female character and thought I could see her coming into her own as the series progressed. Because this is only the first issue we have NO IDEA where this is headed which is fun and it is very new. I can already tell that the female character will play a pretty bad ass role going forward and I do think I will at lease pick up the next few issues or wait for Vol 1 to come out and give it a try. There are some magical and ancient elements so it will be neat to follow that going forward. 

I thought this was a great inclusion.




This a a nicely bound graphic and it just follows a single story line. I found that there is actually no description on goodreads.com and nothing really stating what it is about on the back so I went into it blind.

I actually really enjoyed this one as well. As I mentioned it was a good quality and the art was interesting. It was mostly shades of blue, white and black so it was simple but detailed. It is about a couple who are sitting looking out over a hill and the question comes up as to what they would do it there was a Zombie apocalypse. They are currently in a small Japanese town and they proceed through their strategies for survival as they face the situation.

This was very cute. The couple was very sweet with one another and the story line was simple but entertaining. I definitely thought it was worth picking up.



This was the biggest inclusion in the box. From what I can tell you usually get one full graphic novel and this can range from hardcover to just a well bound edition. This was the latter but it was definitely high quality. This was published by Dark Horse comics and the box also included a small Dark Horse pin which was cute.

I got the following description from goodreads.com (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23395779-heart-in-a-box)

When the Man with No Name breaks Emma's heart, she wants to die. But you never die from these things; you just want to. In a moment of weakness, she wishes her broken heart away and a mysterious stranger--who may or may not be totally evil--obliges. But emptiness is even worse than grief, and Emma sets out to collect the seven pieces of her heart spread across the country, a journey that forces her to face her own history and the cost of recapturing it, and leads inevitably to a confrontation with the Man with No Name himself!

I enjoyed this quite a bit. I thought the story was great. Basically a girl gets her heart broken and wishes she didn't have a heart and she didn't have to feel this way any more. A mysterious stranger shows up and offers her the deal of a lifetime, he will take her heart out of her hands. 

She quickly realizes that not having a heart is much worse than having one because everyday things seem meaningless without it. Amazingly enough she can basically go on a quest to locate her heart as it has already been "purchased" by 6 other people and she is forced to track down the pieces. She either has to trick the person into wishing her heart back to her or kill them to get it back.

It was really entertaining following as she went across country and realized the role her heart was playing in the lives of others. I really enjoyed this. 

The art was simplistic in terms of colors but the way the characters were presented actually reminded me a lot of Noelle Stevenson's style so I really enjoyed that.

I would recommend this highly but I will say I am not sure how a guy would enjoy the story but from my female perspective I found it wonderful.


OVERALL:

So we received a single issue, a nicely bound one off, and a full length graphic. We also received a few bonus items like heart temporary tattoos, heart garland, and a anatomically correct heart tote bag (this was also very high quality), as well as a small Dark House pin.

I felt like I enjoyed everything that was included and thought the price was pretty spot on. I actually signed up for a 3-month subscription so I am looking forward to seeing what they bring out next. 

The Big Penguin Party by Christian and Fabian Jeremies: Review and Giveaway

                                  The Big Penguin Party

By Christian and Fabian Jeremies

November 3, 2015; Hardcover ISBN 9781492623342

Book Info:

Title: The Big Penguin Party

Author: Christian and Fabian Jeremies

Release Date: November 2, 2015

Publishers: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Summary:

A new discovery book in the tradition of I Spy and Where’s Waldo…

Can you spot what’s missing? It’s Grandma’s birthday, and the whole Penguin family has arrived to celebrate! It’s shaping up to be a splendid time, but 90 penguins make a big mess...and now Grandma can’t find her special birthday costume!

It’s up to Peter and his friendly crocodile neighbor, Percy, to find each item for Grandma’s costume in time. And they definitely need your help- quick! There’s something lost on every page; can you find it?

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://ow.ly/Sg251

Barnes & Noble: http://ow.ly/Sg2cW

Books A Million: http://ow.ly/Sg2k0

!ndigo: http://ow.ly/Sg2zk

Indiebound: http://ow.ly/Sg2F2

About the Authors:

Christian and Fabian Jeremies are brothers who have illustrated a number of books in their native Germany.

Rafflecopter Giveaway Link for Jabberwocky Kids Fall Picture Book Collection (Runs September 16-November 3^rd, US & Canada only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


My Review:

This was one of the most adorable children's books I have read all year. The story is about a penguin whose grandmother is having a birthday party. However, due to the untidy nature of their house they have to hunt for everything she will need for her outfit for the party.

This is basically an interactive "Where's Waldo" type read that has adorable penguins. I am not afraid to admit that I enjoyed looking for the pieces to help grandma and the details of the story and illustrations were so complex and vivid I really just found myself admiring the art as well.

I wouldn't suggest this for children that are too young as the pictures are a little more complicated and detailed so maybe a Kindergartner or First Grade student would get a lot our of this book.

Overall, I was entertained and impressed by this lovely children's book.

My Star Rating:

4.5 out of 5

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