Seasoned Readers Falling into Goodness

 

P.J. Nelson

ISBN: 9781250909978

Publisher's Synopsis:

Madeline Brimley recently inherited a bookstore in Enigma, Georgia, is embarking on her second career, after her first one (acting) founder upon the metaphorical rocks. Settling in, Madeline recruits her friend Gloria Coleman, the local Episcopal priest, to help her plant azaleas in the front yard of the old Victorian that houses the bookstore. Turning the soil, however, uncovers the body of one Beatrice Glassie, a troublesome woman who has been missing for the past six months.

When her friend Gloria is arrested for the murder, Madeline is determined to prove her innocence and, as she quickly finds out, there aren't many people in town who hadn't wanted to kill Bea Glassie at one point or another. And the very expensive and rare first edition of a particular volume of Grimm's Fairy Tales—ordered by the victim and her sister is somehow tied to the grim death. With the help of her not-quite-boyfriend, a local lawman, and her deceased aunt's best friend, Madeline plans to set a trap to catch the real murderer—before she becomes the next victim.

"So, I just sat in the calm of the early evening, 

surrounded by all the books and memories

and gentle ghosts..."

MrsK's Review: Mystery

Meet Madeline, a gutsy woman who shares her thoughts freely. She's just beginning to settle into her new routine of running the Old Juniper Bookshop in Georgia. Given Enigma's beautiful setting, she values her friendships, her college patrons, and a certain gardener.  She is at home in a lovely Victorian home/bookshop where one entire parlor has the best collection of old books that are not for sale but only for a cozy moment or two visit. Little did she know that her soon to be planted rose garden would become a major cause of concern.

Gloria is a "feisty" Episcopal priest whose church is across the street from the bookshop. She's an excellent gardener and has a wit that is quite sharp. With encouragement, as well as some planting encouragement... she will be helping plant Maddy's Aunt Rose's roses in the desperately needed front yard of the bookshop.

David is the extraordinary gardener who thinks in "seasons," enjoys being around Maddy, and is becoming the one and only for Maddy... she just doesn't know it yet. He works at the college's beautiful greenhouse, the one place where her Aunt Rose's hybrid roses are thriving.

The day Maddy broke ground in the front yard, all things came to a screaming halt, literally while she was prying a rock from the ground Gloria let out a "tearing noise" that was part horrifying and part not a noise a "priest" should be making. It wasn't a rock... it was a skull. Who buried someone in the front yard of her aunt's bookshop? When did they bury this body? Who is the body in front of the bookshop?

Billy is the soon to be sheriff, who happens to have been babysat by Maddy all those years ago. 

Dr. Philomena Waldrop, a therapist, was Rose's best friend. When she didn't inherit the bookshop, she burned down the gazebo. But that was six months ago and now she has left the institution to visit with Maddy. Maddy knew that Phil's life was "well-ordered." Plus, she had a full class load at the college. Will she be a comfort or a misery to Maddy now that this body has been unearthed?

Idell Classie, she is the younger sister to Beatrice (a pillar in the town and a bit crazy). Idell was one of the "regulars" at the bookshop. Her sister has been on an extended trip, and most of the time Idell lives in the shadow of Beatrice. 

As soon as the body is identified, Maddy is contacted by special GBI investigators, why the interest over the skeleton in which the sheriff believes is a possible murder? Where is the most expensive antique book that Jennifer, the bookshop assistant, discovered was a special order for Beatrice? Could it be one of the reasons for the skeleton in her yard? Why have they arrested Gloria? Maddy must weave all of the strange clues together... after all the local church must remain lead by Gloria who has been such an inspiration in their community.

"... I couldn't help recalling a line that Rose always used to quote,

'The bookshop has a thousand books, all colors, hues, and tinges,

and every cover is a door, that turns on magic hinges."

For a cup of hot cider, a blanket, and a few moments turning pages, this mystery will entertain your evening with character's whose voices will humor you and frustrate the mysterious discovery outside of the Old Juniper Bookshop...

Enjoy this season of cozy reads,

MrsK

Meet the Author:

  

PJ NELSON is the pseudonym of an award-winning actor, dramatist, professor, and novelist (among other many other professions) who has done just about everything except run a bookstore. PJ lives in Decatur, Georgia.

Laura Childs

ISBN: 9780593815441

Publisher's Synopsis:

Theodosia Browning and her tea sommelier, Drayton Conneley, are tapped to cater the elegant wedding of Bettina and Jamie. Theodosia and Drayton are setting up when they hear a crash from the greenhouse. Shockingly, they discover that part of the roof has collapsed trapping the bride and groom. He will pull through, but his beloved is no more. Theodosia is convinced it was murder.

Black tablecloths with purple lace...

silver candelabras with black candles...

white pumpkins... and antique Gothic novels...

Your Victorian is served...

MrsK's Review: Cozy Tea Mystery

The Killer: Yes-sir-re-Bob, that's the first person you will meet! Someone unknown in camo, black pants, and sunglasses. Definitely not humble enough to enjoy the setting or respectful of the beauty arrangements for the wedding at the Foxtail Flower Farm.

Meet Theodosia the caterer from the Indigo Tea Shop. She is the owner of the tea shop, one that I wish was in my hometown. Her clever attention to the fine details, the recipes, and the monthly tea venues is beyond inspiring. Her tea sommelier, Drayton, is versed in tea creations that makes your everyday cup of tea seem uninspired. Her chef and baker, Haley, masterly creates scrumptious menus and delectable scones.

Meet Jamie and his bride Bettina it's their wedding that will become a scene of devastation and wreckage. Celeste is the maid of honor who is curious about how the "closed" greenhouse has been decorated. Will their wedding continue?

Meet Riley, he is Theodosia's detective in the Charleston Polie Department. He is the foundational support for all things Theodosia, including every step and observation of her sleuthing chaos.

There are so many cozy moments woven within this "crazed murdering mystery." Cozy detailed settings like Maddy's delightful cottage complete with a chintz-covered" chair. An October, Victorian Tea, that is decorated to the ninth power, as well as a dash of historical facts. Favorite fall recipes to be practiced in your kitchen. Cobblestone lanes to wander with an invite to the town's "A Walk Among the Tombstones," or what is known as the Cemetery Crawl.

Are you ready... or not...

Have a spookingly yummy time,

MrsK

"When everything went paws up,

she could always come home to this."

Meet the Author:

 Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fund raising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

   

James Patterson & Brian Stitts

ISBN: 9781538703953

Publisher's Synopsis:

Only two people know Lamont Cranston's secret identity as the Shadow, a vigilante of justice: his greatest love, Margo Lane -- and his fiercest enemy, Shiwan Khan. Then Khan ambushes the couple, who have the slimmest chance of survival ... in the uncertain future.

A century and a half later, Lamont awakens in a world both unknown and disturbingly familiar. The first person he meets is Maddy Gomes, a teenager with her own mysterious secrets, including a more than passing familiarity with the legend of the Shadow.

Most disturbing, Khan's power continues to be felt over the city and its people. No one in this new world understands the dangers of stopping him better than Lamont Cranston. He also knows he's the only one who stands a chance. The Shadow must prove that he's not only a super crime-fighter, but an icon.

 

"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? 

The Shadow knows..."

MrsK's Review: Nostalgia Mystery & Sci-Fi

It's 1937 when Lamont and Margo were at the Jack & Charlie's 21 Club it was to be a special night. Margo had always been full of surprises; she is the only one who truly knows Lamont's real identity. This night, Lamont had his own surprise. A few sips of Champaign, a click of their forks, and they began their first bites of their snowy-white lobster... and that's when Margo dropped her fork as white foam began oozing out of her mouth.

In 2087 Maddy is in class, waiting for roll call to be finished. High school today has bars on the windows to keep students locked in their classrooms. Teachers can only read the daily notes. Since the grid shut down ten years ago, all cell phones had to be turned in. Of course, Maddy had hers hidden. For now, students weren't allowed out of the classroom without an armed guard. But Maddy knew that once she was led to the bathroom; she could leave the building without any trouble. Maddy always had a way to change people's minds. She barely remembers her parents and currently lives with her Grandma. Once outside, she felt her decision to drop out of her last few months of her senior year and today was that day. She would need to be cautious, the TinGrins were everywhere but she had an appointment she had to keep.

Creighton Poole is an attorney, even though in today's world there isn't much work. Not since the World's President was announced had anyone needed a lawyer. In fact, this afternoon's appointment was a 1937 generational agreement that was to be given as an inheritance to Maddy when she turned eighteen. This will be his official legal appointment.

President Gismonde is a dark leader. His motives are not what you would call "pure" or legit. His Chief of staff, Sonor Breece, a man who carryout's every decision that President Gismonde commands. Including but not limited to mass poisoning of the locals.

Dr. Fletcher is the guardian for Lamont's estate. He is currently engaged at an undisclosed area... that is until Maddy shows up. From that point on, he will release the care of one "decelerated" body of one Mr. Lamont Cranston.

"What time is it?

Twelve o'clock.

And what day is it?

July 1st, 2087."

Are you ready for a Sci-Fi mystery that ended in 1937, only to begin once more in 2087? Patterson and Sitts will not let you down. I was hoping this novel would be the Sadow I listened to once upon a time, what I got was a full day and half of turning pages.

Are you ready to know what only the Shadow knows?

MrsK

Read more about the original Shadow

Meet the Authors:

 James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.

 

 
Brian Sitts is an author known for his engaging storytelling and collaborations with James Patterson, with notable works including "Holmes, Marple & Poe" and "The Perfect Assassin." He is an award-winning advertising creative director and television writer. He has collaborated with bestselling author James Patterson on various projects, contributing to both adult and children's literature. He resides in Peekskill, New York, with his wife, Jody.

 

Karen Barnett

ISBN: 9780825448539

Publisher's Synopsis:

In 1948, Zion National Park ranger Henry Eriksson and his wife, Alma, are less than one year removed from their infant son's sudden death in a flash flood, and the weight of the loss hasn't diminished with time. When Henry discovers an abandoned baby in a hatbox on his morning rounds, he's unsure how to react, but Alma is delighted, and she reignites with purpose at what seems to be a miracle from God.

Nearly eighty years later, Talia Eriksson leaves her job at an athleisure company in Palo Alto, California, in disgrace and returns to Zion National Park to reconnect with her grandfather and review her life goals. But when an at-home DNA test exposes family secrets, Talia and her newfound friend, law enforcement ranger Blake Mitchell, work together to search for answers.

Talia navigates the rocky path into her past with Blake by her side, what she discovers may alter everything she knew to be true about herself. With the uncertain future looming, Talia must learn that family is deeper than genetics and that trusting God can mean being still and clinging to the Rock.

"The 'sweet-sweet-sweeter-than sweet' notes of the

yellow warbler set the tone for the day

far better a bacon-and-egg breakfast."

MrsK's Review: Mystery, National Parks

May 15, 1948, at Zion National Park a foundling was discovered. Henry had welcomed and cherished every new sunrise, yet since his son's disappearance, he knew his wife, Alma, needed a new location. Grief has not been kind. Familiar aches could rush in like a flash flood. Every trail, every sunrise or sunset held sorrow. It was time for a transfer. This day started like so many and then in one moment of time he discovered a leather hatbox sitting in the dirt on a trail he rode every morning. The minute the foundling was in his arms, Henry knew he had to protect Alma from the sorrow a little one would rekindle. Yet, when Alma hears of the baby boy... she is determined it was a gift that would not be kept from her.

Eighty years later, Talia is surprised by one encounter that will create a stream of unsettling discoveries. She has just launched her first ZetaWear designs for those who explore the great outdoors. Given the urgency of the undisclosed product danger, will she be boldly accepted at her staff presentation? Could her day be any more tangled? How she longed for the "playground of her youth... the beauty of nature that could instill not only peace but a longing for spiritual understanding."

Pops is Talia's grandfather. He lives in Zion Canyon, which would be a great escape for Talia. His door is always opened to Talia. Will this be the refuge she runs to? Given his ancestry roots, he was proud of their Scandinavian roots, as well as his wife's Spanish background. He trusted that Talia would live up to any challenge facing her future. He knew that prayer always "thinned the boundary between earth and heaven." 

Ranger Mitchell, Blake, has just stopped Talia as she drives from ZetaWear to Zion. As an Army vet, he knew that if someone was in a location they shouldn't be, people could be hurt. Why would he have thought about Talia? After all, she was a bit of a menace, yet intriguing.

Myrtle is the shop owner who has recently hired Talia. She has known her grandfather who encouraged Talia's hiring. She's a bit on edge with Taliia's ideas to reorganize the store, yet maybe her ideas might bring new customers in. Could there be more to Talia then what she might bring to the store? Is there more to be known?

This novel brings so many moments of comfort; the characters are so well developed they truly speak for their selves. The plot, action, and beauty of the national park is expertly woven into a heart-warming discovery of life. Karen's eloquent quote represents what this novel will reveal: "Zion is a good place to seek truth. God's voice can be heard through the water and the stone. Be still and listen." 

MrsK

"How does one make decisions on their own?"

"Lord, you lead me by still waters."

Meet the Author:

 Karen Barnett is the award-winning author of the Vintage National Parks Novels, the Golden Gate Chronicles (Out of the Ruins, Beyond the Ashes, Through the Shadows), and MISTAKEN. She lives in Oregon with her husband, two kids, and a bevy of furry friends.

  RangerBear

I’ve had RangerBear for many years, but when I started publishing the Vintage National Parks novels, I decided to take some photos of him for social media. A friend (Rachel McMillan, I’m looking at you!) suggested starting an Instagram page for him. Seriously, I had NO IDEA what I was getting into.

Meet RangerBear - Karen Barnett

RangerBear_Adventures took off pretty quickly. My husband and I had fun snapping photos of him at various landmarks and national parks (much to our teenagers’ dismay). Pretty soon, friends were asking if he could accompany them on their travels. Now RangerBear has visited quite an array of parks and historic sites around the country and even become known among the National Park Service Rangers. I’ll never forget when I stopped at the entrance booth at Yellowstone National Park and the ranger checking my park pass spotted him on the dash. “Is that RangerBear? WAIT–are you from RangerBear_Adventures?!”

Susan U. Neal

ISBN: 9781733644334

Publisher's Synopsis:

In How to Sell 1,000 Books a Month, award-winning author and book marketing expert Susan Neal reveals proven strategies to dramatically increase your book sales and move you closer to becoming one of the best sellers' books in your genre. Whether you're a first-time author or a seasoned writer, this guide is packed with step-by-step tools to help you share your God-given message with thousands of readers.

This resource doesn’t just tell you what to do—it shows you how to do it. Detailed action plans show both new and veteran Christian authors how to get their books to rise through the ranks of the bestsellers list. With Susan’s proven methods, you’ll build a marketing plan that works, plan a powerful launch, and make the most of tools like Amazon ads—all to help you achieve your dream of selling 1,000 books a month.

"Create a teaser that sparks interest...

that will make them eager to discover more..."

MrsK's Review:

Whether you have dreams of writing your own book, deciding to blog your life's journey, dreams of opening your own bookstore, or just hoping to gain the most valuable insights into what works well for writers... this book is beyond valuable.

Writing styles vary according to what your interests are, as well as how well you can engage your readers with your unique voice. We are all on a journey, there are so many opportunities to begin writing your own experiences. If you haven't already started journaling and sketching, creating a writer's journal is a wonderful beginning. My journals are about my growth and maturity as I age, think wisdoms to pass on. Or my educational journals are filled with classroom best practices. Maybe a story or two could be discovered within those penned pages.

With that in mind, this writer's handbook is on target. Beginning with knowing your audience, I was pleasantly grateful that my writer's workshop proved its alignment... goal setting is by far crucial. Next bull's eye expanded my thoughts about developing my online presence. I could not quit marking this chapter with notes for the soon to open Pages Turned bookshop! The supportive guidance for self-publishing lessened my anxiety about publishing Inspired Learning's homeschooling webpage.

This step-by-step power tool is so well organized, user friendly, highly encouraging, and worth more than most of the numerous college courses I've experienced (other than fifteen years of meeting authors. I valued the marketing suggestions, after all... even this book blog can use more readers!

This is a perfect winter browse, read, notate your thoughts for your own publishing dreams... and have plenty of reader flags and hi-lighters...

Applause, applause, applause Susan... this is a "must have" keeper, your voice rings true, I felt as if we were having a one-one session,

MrsK

"God has a unique way of whispering to our hearts

stories only we can tell."

Meet the Author:

 Have you ever dreamed of publishing a book and selling thousands of copies? Susan Neal can help you fulfill your writing dreams. She has consistently sold a thousand books every quarter for the past couple of years.
Would you like to get more sales for a published book? Susan can teach you how to book a podcast tour as she obtained over twenty guest interviews in six months on her most recent tour. Take her course, How to Sell 1000 Books in Three Months. This course covers both pre-publication planning and marketing strategies to sell more books.

2021 Booked to Dine Book Club choices

 

Kim Michele Richardson  

ISBN: 9781492671527

Publisher's synopsis:

In 1936, tucked deep into the woods of Troublesome Creek, KY, lives blue-skinned 19-year-old Cussy Carter, the last living female of the rare Blue People ancestry.

The lonely young Appalachian woman joins the historical Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky and becomes a librarian, riding across slippery creek beds and up treacherous mountains on her faithful mule to deliver books and other reading material to the impoverished hill people of Eastern Kentucky.

Along her dangerous route, Cussy, known to the mountain folk as Bluet, confronts those suspicious of her damselfly-blue skin and the government's new book program. She befriends hardscrabble and complex fellow Kentuckians, and is fiercely determined to bring comfort and joy, instill literacy, and give to those who have nothing, a bookly respite, a fleeting retreat to faraway lands.

MrsK's Review:

In 1936, Kentucky, the book woman begins her deliveries on her mule. When riding through rough trails, on a mule, there isn't an opportunity to "call" someone when in need. Nor is there a safety "net" for stranger danger. Would you be willing to ride into the mountains just to deliver books?

Cussy Mary is 19. She enjoys the honor of delivering books to those who live around Troublesome Creek. She is committed to the need of literacy for those who dwell in the wilderness, Kentucky's "hill folk." She is "called" to the "grit" of hope that one day a library will bring educational inspiration into the minds and hearts of a new generation. She is one of the "Blue People" of Kentucky, those that are viewed as less than because of the color of their skin. Life's options are limited, yet living life is filled with possibilities. She values that the books she delivers "grows" the younger minds. So, she is willing to face whatever comes across her path!

Historical fiction, a genre that teaches the life lessons of those who have traveled the paths before us. This novel is woven with "heart-fulfilling hope." Characters speak true to their times. Settings are presented with the reality of the time. The storyline is "painfully" factual with reality, hardships, death, and determination to make life better one book at a time.

If you are ready to experience "determination" then begin this journey. Around the world, there have been and continue to be those who are committed to literacy. Some had mules, camels, boats, rafts, and skis. Endurance along the "roads" less traveled... is inspiring!

MrsK

 Historical fiction...

thoughtfully crafted!

Meet the Author:

   The NEW YORK TIMES, LOS ANGELES TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author, Kim Michele Richardson is an multiple-award winning author and has written four works of historical fiction, and a bestselling memoir.

Her latest critically acclaimed novel, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek has earned a 2020 PBS Readers Choice, 2019 LibraryReads Best Book, Indie Next, SIBA, Forbes Best Historical Novel, Book-A-Million Best Fiction, and is an Oprah's Buzziest Books pick and a Women’s National Book Association Great Group Reads selection. It was inspired by the real life, remarkable "blue people" of Kentucky, and the fierce, brave Packhorse Librarians who used the power of literacy to overcome bigotry and fear during the Great Depression. The novel is taught widely in high schools and college classrooms.

Her forthcoming fifth novel, The Book Woman’s Daughter is both a stand-alone and sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and will be published May 3, 2022. Born in Kentucky, Kim Michele lives with her family there and is the founder of Shy Rabbit.

Amy Lynn Green

ISBN: 9780764237164

Publisher's Synopsis:

Headstrong Johanna Berglund, a linguistics student at the University of Minnesota, has very definite plans for her future . . . plans that do not include returning to her hometown and the secrets and heartaches she left behind there. But the US Army wants her to work as a translator at a nearby camp for German POWs.

Johanna arrives to find the once-sleepy town exploding with hostility. Most patriotic citizens want nothing to do with German soldiers laboring in their fields, and they're not afraid to criticize those who work at the camp as well. When Johanna describes the trouble to her friend Peter Ito, a language instructor at a school for military intelligence officers, he encourages her to give the town that rejected her a second chance.

As Johanna interacts with the men of the camp and censors their letters home, she begins to see the prisoners in a more sympathetic light. But advocating for better treatment makes her enemies in the community, especially when charismatic German spokesman Stefan Werner begins to show interest in Johanna and her work. The longer Johanna wages her home-front battle, the more the lines between compassion and treason become blurred--and it's no longer clear whom she can trust.

"How could it have come to this?"

MrsK's Review:

1944, Ironside Lake, Minnesota... a time of unrest, fear, doubts, and sacrifice. Have you heard that life sometimes brings a "turning point" in which everything you've planned gets delayed or taken out of your control? When your community is in need of a thread to hold on to? During WWII, a small town will experience the government's decision to open a German POW camp without consideration of their thoughts, feelings, or fears.

Johanna was in the process of completing her linguistic degree. She planned to meet the world head-on and to experience life through the language of commonality. No where, within her plans, did she expect a "called upon" government request. Nor, would she have expected her plans to be side-tracked by the government. Receiving the notification that she would be placed as a translator in a POW camp is not what one would choose. To be sent back to your hometown in the midst of their "unrest," as a camp translator, well how would the town accept this act of "un-patriotic" positioning?

With in a series of letters, we discover Johanna's realization that she is understanding the hearts of the enemies. Translating their letters to and from their home, their loved ones, leads to the commonality that she knows her town is experiencing with their sons interred in POW camps around Europe. How could she bring this truth to those within her town and help those behind the interment fences?

Once again, historical fiction brings an unknown truth into today's generation. It's hard to determine if growing up in the 60's, history was already being filtered and re-written, or if facts were shelved because of the "painful" life of war... all I can offer is this "shout-out" for historical fiction! To seek truth, to understand history, and to "hone" the person I'm becoming... historical fiction provides a path for self-exploration. An exploration that sharpens the awareness of compassion, acceptance, and profound hope. Ponder the state of our nation today... why are historical facts, perspectives, and life's struggles worth knowing? 2020 rolling into 2021... what should we have known? Who should have taught us? Why must we not forget? Our humanity is shaped... one way or another!

MrsK

 Historical fiction...

Touching your heart...

with understanding commonalities...

instead of differences!

Meet the Author:

Amy Lynn Green is a publicist by day and a novelist on nights and weekends. History has always been one of her passions, and she loves speaking with book clubs, writing groups, and libraries all around the country. Her debut novel, Things We Didn't Say, received a starred review from both Booklist and Library Journal and was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Awards in genre fiction. Amy and her husband make their home in Minneapolis, Minnesota. You can sign up for her newsletter on her website, amygreenbooks.com, for quarterly giveaways, writing updates, and lots of bookish fun.

Susan Wiggs

ISBN: 9780062999894

Publisher's Synopsis:

In the wake of a shocking tragedy, Natalie Harper inherits her mother’s charming but financially strapped bookshop in San Francisco. She also becomes caretaker for her ailing grandfather Andrew, her only living relative—not counting her scoundrel father.

But the gruff, deeply kind Andrew has begun displaying signs of decline. Natalie thinks it’s best to move him to an assisted living facility to ensure the care he needs. To pay for it, she plans to close the bookstore and sell the derelict but valuable building on historic Perdita Street, which is in need of constant fixing. There’s only one problem–Grandpa Andrew owns the building and refuses to sell. Natalie adores her grandfather; she’ll do whatever it takes to make his final years happy. Besides, she loves the store and its books provide welcome solace for her overwhelming grief.

After she moves into the small studio apartment above the shop, Natalie carries out her grandfather’s request and hires contractor Peach Gallagher to do the necessary and ongoing repairs. His young daughter, Dorothy, also becomes a regular at the store, and she and Natalie begin reading together while Peach works.

"You're never alone when you're reading a book."

MrsK's Review:

How does life meet changes? Who would you be if you had to start over? Natalie has been thrown into an inherited bookshop, as well as becoming a care-giver for her grandfather. There is no time to adjust to the tragedy she experienced during her one moment of recognition.

Growing up in a book store can be fun. New titles arriving. New discoveries and journeys with every turn of the page. Yet, what about her life-wishes? The hope of a new job. A new life. What is unfolding is not part of her wish list! Once she gets everything taken care of, maybe then she can begin following her wish list. Or will she? With an edge of resentment, Natalie will discover that her new life is molded by the unexpected gift of a change in attitude and strangers that become family.

OK... so yes... this is a book lover's dream come true! I began with a quote that I've always used in my vacation books for my students. One of the cherished quotes from this book is crafted with every reader in mind: "Sometimes you have to let the right book find you."

Wonderfully crafted, as this story unfolds you will be touched by the joy of each book title/author that is shared. Woven within the story of the bookshop, her grandfather's story, and her mother's journey as a bookshop owner... you will hear the sounds of the radio music playing for the customers... you will smell the coffee and treats within the coffee shop... you will feel the joys, sorrows, and worries of the bookshop staff and customers. Most importantly you will visualize the "wonder" of discoveries hidden within the doors of the Lost and Found Bookshop.

 Opening the door of the Lost and Found Bookshop...

Discovering an outing right at home!

*Read with a pencil and/or page flags*

Meet the Author:

 Susan Wiggs's life is all about family, friends...and fiction. She lives at the water's edge on an island in Puget Sound, and she commutes to her writers' group in a 17-foot motorboat. She serves as author liaison for Field's End, a literary community on Bainbridge Island, Washington, bringing inspiration and instruction from the world's top authors to her seaside community. (See www.fieldsend.org) She's been featured in the national media, including NPR's "Talk of the Nation," and is a popular speaker locally and nationally. The author is a former teacher, a Harvard graduate, an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier and terrible golfer, yet her favorite form of exercise is curling up with a good book.

Octavia E Butler

ISBN: 9780807083697

Publisher's Synopsis:

The first science fiction written by a black woman, Kindred has become a cornerstone of black American literature. This combination of slave memoir, fantasy, and historical fiction is a novel of rich literary complexity. Having just celebrated her 26th birthday in 1976 California, Dana, an African-American woman, is suddenly and inexplicably wrenched through time into antebellum Maryland. After saving a drowning white boy there, she finds herself staring into the barrel of a shotgun and is transported back to the present just in time to save her life. During numerous such time-defying episodes with the same young man, she realizes the challenge she’s been given.

"Strength. Endurance. To survive, my ancestors

had to put up with more than I ever could. 

Much more..."

MrsK's Review:

Dana is twenty-six, newly married, and living in California. As they were unpacking into their new home, Dana began feeling strange as if something was calling her. Suddenly she was in a green area... what was happening to her? Where was she? All she could remember was that her life with Kevin had become unfocussed.

At some point in time, she hears the screams of a child. A child drowning! Knowing how to save the boy, she doesn't hesitate as the little red headed boy lays motionless. Other than the mother screaming, the only sound she could hear was the sound of a gun being cocked. Then everything vanished.

She had no answers for Kevin. She only knew she had saved a boy from drowning and the adult voices sounded like they were from the deep south. Yet later that evening, she felt herself falling out of her chair.. in a beat of her heart...Dana was once again in the South, in a small cabin with a older child lighting the drapes on fire! Rufus appears to be around 8 years old. Why would he be starting a fire?

Dana soon discovers that when ever Rufus is in trouble and fears that he will die, somehow... someway he calls her to him. Across the states and across time. In fact it was 1815, not 1976! She is in Maryland, on the Weylin plantation in which this boys father whips him... a whipping almost to death. Weylin, a name that Dana knew well for it was listed in her grandmother's bible. Could Rufus be a relative? Her ancestor? This place and time would prove dangerous for Dana, very dangerous. Only the fear of her own death will get her home... home to Kevin. Or so she thought.

Historical fiction, a measure of strength and determination. A time in which we can learn valuable life "truths." An insight into man's failures, social downfalls, and hopes. When historical fiction is crafted with a heart of humanity, there is always an opportunity for the reader to gain personal insights. The fine line is if there is hope or horrific anger. Grit or hatred. Wisdom or deceit. Truth or separation. This story is woven through a prism of light, a light that shines an encouragement... we can overcome injustice and learn compassion from those who walked before us.

MrsK

 Historical fiction...

An avenue we all travel!

Meet the Author:

 
After her father died, Octavia Butler was raised by her widowed mother. Extremely shy as a child, Octavia found an outlet at the library reading fantasy, and in writing. She began writing science fiction as a teenager. She attended community college during the Black Power movement, and while participating in a local writer's workshop was encouraged to attend the Clarion Workshop, which focused on science fiction.

She soon sold her first stories and by the late 1970s had become sufficiently successful as an author that she was able to pursue writing full-time. Her books and short stories drew the favorable attention of the public and awards judges. She also taught writer's workshops, and eventually relocated to Washington state. Butler died of a stroke at the age of 58. Her papers are held in the research collection of the Huntington Library. 

Amy Meyerson

ISBN: 9780778319849

Publisher's Synopsis:

A woman inherits a beloved bookstore and sets forth on a journey of self-discovery in this poignant debut about family, forgiveness and a love of reading.

Miranda Brooks grew up in the stacks of her eccentric Uncle Billy’s bookstore, solving the inventive scavenger hunts he created just for her. But on Miranda’s twelfth birthday, Billy has a mysterious falling-out with her mother and suddenly disappears from Miranda’s life. She doesn’t hear from him again until sixteen years later when she receives unexpected news: Billy has died and left her Prospero Books, which is teetering on bankruptcy—and one final scavenger hunt.

MrsK's Review:

Beginning in 1998, Miranda knew that her Uncle Billy was special to her and a pressurized source of frustration to her mom. Having the opportunity of growing up in a bookstore is a delight to most children, for Miranda coming home to Prospero Books includes painful memories, unanswered questions, and a love/hate trepidation. Leaving behind her boyfriend and her eighth-grade classroom in Philadelphia, she heads home to Culver City. With so many feelings spiraling within her heart, she opens the doors of Prospero and walks within...

One of the joys Miranda recalls is Uncle Billy's scavenger hunts. Clues that could lead you around the bookshop, around the globe, or clues that might lead you to a family secret. Uncle Billy's will has "gifted" Miranda his Prospero Bookshop and one last scavenger hunt... where is this going? You know the quote, "It takes a village to raise a child," well it will take Prospero's book lovers, friends, employees and a handy-man to help raise Miranda from a school teacher into an independent bookshop owner. Will Miranda decide to value Uncle Billy's gift, while she struggles to keep Prospero books from closing forever?

As a reading customer of Prospero's Bookshop, you can count on excellent "title-sharing" and author picks, delightful setting details, endearing characters, as well as the uplifting "hope" for an independent bookshop's legacy.

MrsK

 Independent bookshops...

Excellent book club choice...

A "forever" choice!

Meet the Author:

  Amy Meyerson is the bestselling author of The Bookshop of Yesterdays and The Imperfects. Her books have been translated into eleven languages, and her short fiction has been published in numerous literary magazines. Amy teaches in the writing department at the University of Southern California, where she completed her master's degree in creative writing. She is currently at work on her third novel, expected in early 2023.

Cindi Rigsbee

ISBN: 9780470486788

Publisher Synopsis:

Finding Mrs. Warnecke tells the inspiring story of Cindi Rigsbee, a three-time Teacher of the Year, and Barbara Warnecke, the first-grade teacher who had a profound and lasting impact on Cindi's life. Cindi, an insecure child who craved positive attention, started her first-grade year with a teacher who was emotionally abusive and played favorites in the classroom. Her new teacher, Mrs. Warnecke, made learning come alive for her students. She went overboard caring for each child, made her classroom magical, and encouraged students to pursue their dreams. Finding Mrs. Warnecke not only tells the story of this teacher who made a lifelong impact on her students, it illustrates the importance of the teacher/student relationship in the classroom, and offers principles for other teachers to follow to make a positive impact in their own classrooms.

MrsK's Review:

Most of us have had a teacher like Mrs. Warnecke... you know the one! Don't you?

The minute I heard a review of this book, I had to read it. When you have spent what seems like a life-time "becoming" an educator... you never feel that you've done all that you could to guide, inspire, and ignite your learners to succeed beyond their deceiving self-images. By the time 1980 rolled into my life, I was ready to follow the "calling" and return to what I wanted to be when I grew up. The compelling desire to experience a story about a teacher who made the difference continues to "re-kindle" the hope that educators seek... the "seeds" of revelation that will inspire our future citizens.

Cindi Rigsbee became a teacher. A novice teacher learning how to teach her students. Becoming "seasoned" brings forth enough experiences with her learners, in which she will seek to understand the individualized challenges her learners face, challenges that will "re-define" her techniques, "hone" her skills, and create an atmosphere of relationships with her students. As an educator, she continues to greet each day with her "targeted" goal... that her "students will want to learn from her."

"Whatever it takes!" Life-long learners learn from those who are successful. Mrs. Warnecke became Cindi's first grade teacher. Her "turn-around" moment (Have you thought of a teacher like that?). Cindi's first few years teaching became a series of failures, hardships with no college learned answers, and the painful encounters with student cruelty. Yet, grit and determination always moves us forward. After a few more tries, Cindi began seeing, experiencing, and knowing success with her students. You must read this book, for there isn't enough time for me to point out all of the similarities I've had in my career. *A book club with teachers is a must!

"I began to understand that accepting all my students,

regardless of the misfortunes they dealt with...

would be the key...

to teach them effectively!"

Teachers. Who are we? Why do we choose to do what we do? What are our goals? How do you make a difference? Open the covers of this book... and be the change for your learners!

MrsK

Memoirs...

Shinning a light on "who" crossed your path

with inspiration. 

Meet the Author:

  Nonetheless, other forces prevailed in my life that led me to the honorable profession of teaching. And, like my great-grandmother, I believe it’s important to share stories – stories of the thousands of students I’ve taught since 1979.

So, yes, I am a teacher…and I am a storyteller. But I am also a cheerleader for teachers and a cheerleader for the profession that makes all other professions possible. I believe my Great Granny Maggie would be proud.

Reclaiming Shilo Snow by Mary Weber

Mary Weber

ISBN: 9780718080945

Publisher's Synopsis:

Trapped on the ice-planet of Delon, gamer girl Sofi and Ambassador Miguel have discovered that nothing is what it seems, including their friends. On a quest to rescue her brother, Shilo, a boy everyone believes is dead, they must now escape and warn Earth of Delon’s designs on humanity. Except the more they unearth of the planet and Sofi’s past, the more they feel themselves unraveling, as each new revelation has Sofi questioning the very existence of reality.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Sofi’s mom, Inola, is battling a different kind of unraveling: a political one that could cost lives, positions, and a barely-rebuilt society, should they discover the deal made with the Delonese.

But there’s a secret deeper than all that. One locked away inside Sofi and ticking away with the beginnings, endings, and answers to everything. Including how to save humanity.

"Lord Ethos, Inola, please... let's just all calm down.
I'm sure none of us intended it to go this far."

MrsK's Review:

During the "taking," Sofi dealt with her father's death, her mother's abandonment, and her little brother's kidnapping. Normally that would be more than anyone could handle. For Sofi, her life on the farm, her family's survival after the fourth world war, and now her survival and quest to save her little brother would consume her heart, detour the rescue, and use all of her mental intelligence to stop the evil plans of the alien Delonese. 

Inola is the mother of Sofi and Shilo, but more importantly she is earth's CEO of Corp 30. She is a woman of calculated risks. Her raising up a society after the devastation of the war has offered her a status and  following that brings her to the point of life or death. With her daughter being hunted, Inola seeks an ending to the contract with the Delonese. Of course there will be a cost and Inola will need to decide to what lengths will she push and/or at what price will she pay.

Miguel is a man of honor. Those who are his friends are family. Those he is placed in charge of are his to protect. As an Ambassador for Corp 30, he will not let anything keep him from his assignment. Sofi must be brought safely away from this alien ship, if only there wasn't such a bothersome ache that is causing a delay in his thoughts.

Most readers and movie goers are aware of the good vs. evil in any Sci-Fi conflict. Yet, when an author weaves together our current realities with a futuristic outcome, your skin begins to crawl. You begin wondering "what-ifs." Sofi Snow will not be denied. Her mental strengths and skills will be tested before the end of this saga. Miguel will need to rely on his heart-moves and ability to overcome physical weakness. All of earth's survivors will need to rebel or...

Warning, do not try this book until you have the freedom to read well into the early light! This story line is understandable as a stand alone read due to the seamless weaving of both stories. The quest pushes the reader to "go back" and reread as a way of dealing with the plot twists. The climax will have all readers engaged with powerful emotional outbursts!

Be ready, Sofi Snow is reclaiming her life and future,
MrsK

"That we are alive at all is a testament to the ingenuity of our forefathers...

Because arrogance at its worst masquerades as goodness.

It deceives itself and others that it is for the people.

But my friends..."

A chilling look into what our future might become!

Click here to find out more...

Meet the Author:

  Mary Weber is the multiple-award-winning author of the bestselling young adult Storm Siren Trilogy, and The Evaporation of Sofi Snow series (all by HarperCollins). An avid high school, middle school, and conference speaker, Mary's passion is helping others find their voice amid a world that often feels too loud. When she's not plotting adventures involving tough girls who frequently take over the world, Mary sings 80's hairband songs to her three muggle children, and ogles her husband who looks strikingly like Wolverine. They live in California which is perfect for stalking L.A. bands, Comic-Con, and the ocean.

"I received this book from the Fiction Guild for this review."

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

By Rick Yancey

ISBN: 9780142425831

Publisher's Synopsis:

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother-or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

"I don't cry for myself.

I cry for the Cassie that's gone."

MrsK's Review:

An intrusion in 1995 leads to a plan that will change every one's life. Cassie never had a chance to live out the "normal" teen years. The 4th wave happened. For now, she is trying to survive in the woods and the nights are getting colder. To build a campfire is too risky. The drones are everywhere.

The top steps of the bus were almost too high for little Sammy's legs. Cassie can't believe that her father allowed them to be separated. Once Sammy gave her his bear, he made her a promise that she would meet him at Camp Haven. A promise that will mean death for many.

"Do you know how to tell who the enemy is, Cassie?"

Evan Walker doesn't like what he has become. As a finisher, he is the one to track down and exterminate those who are hiding. It all started once the 4th wave crept into his little sister's body. Tracking this girl who "slept with a teddy bear in one hand and a rifle in the other," wasn't easy. Why couldn't he finisher her?

At the camp, Private Zombie is given charge over the littlest recruit. For now, his charge will need a lot of comfort, extreme training, and the transformation that begins in getting rid of those memories and hopes of his sister's arrival. Following orders means you live. That is until the removal of the tracker brings reality crashing in around you and experience the 5th wave.

With characters that you root for and some you want to see fail, you will be in a mode of survival. Angst will become your adrenalin rush as you as turn these pages. Do you think you have the grit to make it to the end?

MrsK 

"The eye will take care of her."

 
Amazing read
Added to GMT library shelves!  

   

                 The Infinite Sea #2                    The Last Star #3                    

Meet the Author:

   Rick is a native Floridian and a graduate of Roosevelt University in Chicago. He earned a B.A. in English which he put to use as a field officer for the Internal Revenue Service. Inspired and encouraged by his wife, he decided his degree might also be useful in writing books and in 2004 he began writing full-time.

Since then he has launched two critically acclaimed series: The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp, for young readers, and The Highly Effective Detective, for adults. Both books are set in Knoxville, Tennessee, where Rick lived for ten years before returning to Florida.

Aoleon The Martian Girl by Brent LeVasseur

Brent LeVasseur

Greetings from Mars!

We would like to introduce you to Brent LeVasseur’s sci-fi YA/MG novel, Aoléon The Martian Girl, which is well — out of this world.  This is not unexpected because Brent is an intergalactic space traveler himself.

Publisher's Synopsis:
Mars wants our cows (yes, cows!), and they're sending an invasion fleet to take them from us. Only Gilbert and Aoleon the Martian Girl stand in their way!
Gilbert always longed for adventure, but now that he has it, he's not sure that it's everything it's cracked up to be. Ever since the night he met Aoleon the Martian Girl sitting in the middle of a crop circle in Farmer Johnson's field, it's been nothing but one wild ride after another.
From fighting off swarms of giant killer robots to dealing with strange aliens from another world – never mind trekking across the vast Martian desert and skyboarding deep into the center of a (hopefully) extinct volcano – Gilbert has had his hands full just trying to keep up with it all. And now it's up to him and his new friend, Aoleon, to face off against the evil Martian overlord and keep our cows safe at home where they belong.
The launch of this exciting and innovatively illustrated new series takes the reader deep into the heart of an unforgettable and out-of-this-world friendship in a story full of hijinks, hilarity, and good old-fashioned fun. Join Gilbert and Aoleon in this exciting middle-grade science fiction adventure today!

MrsK's Review:
Aoleon is just out for a solo flight before taking her "flying" exam. She adores the freedom, she enjoys zooming close to objects, she likes being creative with her "crop" designs. Earth is her playground.

Gilbert can't help but wonder if his recurring dreams are linked to his neighbor's mysterious crop-circle formations. With sleep being evasive, Gilbert heads to his telescope. With all of the fighting downstairs he wishes:

"Please send me an angel to take me away from here."

Zipping and zooming with excitement, Aoleon descends while the "stars twinkle a little brighter as if performing a dance, and the lights from the cities below resembled a sea filled with glowing phosphorescence." Giggling with delight she began crafting her newest designs. With geometric patterns, she merges the "languages of art with mathematics" as a message to the Terraians...

"I am here... I am intelligent...

and I am not of this Earth!"

Back in Nebraska, Gilbert notices that a star is increasing in size... everything has gone quiet except the "thumping" of his heart. Once outside, he trips (literally) into an out of this world journey with a girl... who is blue! 

Gilbert is not the only one who noticed that odd star entering his back yard... McConnell Air Force Base has a fighter in the sky. His neighbor Farmer Johnson, who believes a shotgun is the only way to get trespassers off his farm, enters his field. In need of protection, Aolean raises her arms... and... well lets just say Gilbert begins his journey by accidentally releasing a "fire blast" of a zero-point energy field around each of Farmer Johnson's cows.

Once in the air, multiple events begin to unfold. Angry Dog, the air force interceptor encounters flying cows... yep... cows in the sky. Not so friendly missiles are locking onto their marks. A global chase begins as a series of events reigns down on Terra... giant shock waves... huge avalanches... "rooster-tail" explosions of water... a President in a bathrobe... civilian bystanders "hitting the ground"... and Aoleon's mother calling her home for the "evening consumption."

Will Aoleon and Gilbert be the "chosen" team that could stop the invasion of Terra? Will the Luminon conquer Terra and her milk cows? Is Gilbert only dreaming...     

 

 Book Two

"Whoohooo!' Gilbert cheered as he ran and jumped high into the air using his newly found power of his suit

combined with the slightly lessened gravity of Mars...

He had almost superhuman strength and speed."

Gilbert quickly discovers how exciting, and yet, how disturbing life can be when conversations... music... how-to shows... and personal thoughts are beamed directly into your brain. Can you imagine that constant noise and chaos playing out in your mind 24/7? Now consider meeting the most powerful and influential person on Mars. For Gilbert the introduction to Luminess was like a "television signal that suddenly was interrupted." He will not enjoy the telepathic beckoning, it can only lead to an increasing threat of being discovered. Once Aoleon "views" his disturbing encounter, a plan is launched to discover the truth about what is happening within the Luminon's Palace. Who can they get to help them uncover the threatening plans of the Luminess?

Meet Bizwat, he appears to be a Saturn Pizza delivery guy, a very serious job that you don't mess around with... especially if you know what any Procyron might do to you! How will Bizwat help Gilbert and Aoleon? Well... let's just assume he isn't going to simply drop off the pizza... and let's just assume he will gather information from those whom seriously enjoy Saturn Pizza.

There are "out-of-this-world" discoveries for Gilbert. He learns what a playful creature Zoot can be. He must learn how to balance on the bubble ball (especially if he wants to eat or not cause a problem in the classroom). And then there is the little concept of the fifth form of matter. Evidently, Earth science is not "advanced enough to have discovered" this form of matter. The most dangerous discovery will be the realization that with any telepathic connection... there is "absolute transparency in communication." That means there is no way anyone can lie... "because everyone else would know it immediately." 

"Zoikers!"

"Shiznat!"

What would a school day look like on Mars? How do you learn? What are Martian bullies like? What about sports... what is Psi-ball? What is phasing?

"As Gilbert grabbed her arm, he felt as if he were being sucked underwater...

He saw stars, and then everything went dark.

For a moment or for an eternity...

he was trapped in an infinite void..."  

     

 Book 3

Near the top of the Supreme Council of Twelve, the Luminon's main throne room provides not only a spectacular view but a way in! Staying calm is a must for Gilbert, even when electrical-plasma discharges "jolt" him into action.

With entrance into the Citadel, neither Aoleon or Gilbert were ready for the deep secrets of the Luminon. Were they "hallucinating" the hybrid abominations that "scraped" across the floor? Will an invasion of Terra (yes..Earth) be lead by a devious plan (with-holding the milk supply) or will the Martian's rebel against such a ploy? Can Aoleon and Gilbert warn her father (who happens to manage the pumps at the Galactworks)? And... what did the Luminon shape-shift in to?

From one calamity to the next, Gilbert and Aoleon will be phasing in and out of danger. Stasis field paralysis, intense lazer beams, part mechanical-part martian creatures... zipping in space... onto moons... into caverns... and in to the presence of the notorious "party-poopers" of all time, the Draconians (also known as the Intergalactic bullies of the Universe).

"They prey upon fear.

You must transform your emotions.

Weakness will only embolden them."

Being "nullified" or eaten would not be the best scenario for Gilbert. So into action he goes, or rather he attempts. He knows that the only way to save his family, his friends, his Earth will be to join forces with Aoleon.  The Luminon must be stopped! 

Meanwhile on Earth the surviving Draconian spies are "locating all the major cow pastures and dairy production facilities (if you have cows... check into this conspiracy theory).

"Zoikers!" 

Book 4

  

According to Xiocrom, fraternizing with the outside world would in fact ruin your day. Could it really be true that "free thinkers" are viewed as threats to the government? Is inalienable liberty lost? Is "terror built into the system" of watchers, surveillance, sentinels, and imprisonment without due process?

Meanwhile, as Aoleon, Gilbert, and Bizwat return to the Martian Space Academy they discover a new message being programmed for all of the students:

"Today we face the most imminent threat to our Martian civilization 

and to our lives as we know them ----

Terrans."

What? Really? Is Luminon really launching an invasion force to capture Terran? Do you know what it will be like to "cross the Martian desert, sneak into heavily guarded military installations, by pass All sentinels... paladins... force fields... and do battle with Cerberus!"

In Washington D.C., the situation room is updating the President about Operation Majestic Twelve. Could protecting Americans really mean "nuking" Mars?  

 At the Johnson's farm, Farmer Johnson looks up to see a "swarm" of flying saucers... and... a huge, agile, stealthy, undetectable... Orifice of Destruction... Cerberus' Attackbot! This attackbot is bad, I mean it will "acquire and destroy all visible targets!" 

It will take many to help Aoleon and Gilbert reach their destination. With Bizwat and his expertise as a CQB nothing should stop them, nothing! Then there is Helios a first generation soldier bot. Chirons descendants from ancient Martian dinosaurs.  Zoot their devoted creature. And, the oldest and wisest Martian, Kyrios.  As they cross the vast Martian desert, the soaring mountains, the massive meteors, craters, and canyons... their quest will be successful if the heat doesn't get life threatening. If the Luminon's power doesn't turn their worst fears against them. If they learn to "harness" their psionic powers. And, if they learn to control the twelve density levels within their minds.

As a massive, swirling vortex of sand thunders, rolls, and pounds its way towards them... their only hope is a small cave in a cliff...

"BRREEET!"

"... wherever thought goes, energy flows."


Book 5

Against the odds of the powerful Klyklon storm, oh.... and the little fright of a giant slor... everyone is ready and anxious to reach their destination. With a brief history about the Paa'Tal, Gilbert gets his first view of the Cydonia pyramid. Inside were "interconnected rooms, hangar bays, laboratories, and control rooms..." Including sentrybots and paladin security forces! Bizwat will have plenty of opportunities to show his "awesomesauce" as a special force to be reckoned with especially with a "disruptor beam rifle with an under-barrel nanoroid launcher."

With all of the pods sent through the stargate, the only option for destroying Xiocrom and saving Terran will be blowing up the Xiocrom hub. Which means they will need to be just about two-hundred-fifty Terran miles away when the demolition charges blow. Simple right?

Let the action begin! On Terran, the Situation Room is on high alert and watching thousands of "precious" dairy cows float away. Aoleon has "banked the saucer" towards Earth... The Luminon has threatened Terran and learned that their "bot invasion force," well... simply, isn't what it use to be. There are bovars within "psionic" bubbles floating in space. And...

Continue this journey with me as Aoleon and Gilbert "zip" us into a galactic journey beyond... your funny bone...

Zoom back often for continued coverage... 
MrsK

Amazing "out of this world" adventures...
A must add to all 4-6 book shelves!

"I received this series for free for these reviews"

  

Aoleon Gaming
Aoleon's Facebook 
Listen to Aoleon Book 1, Chapter 1

Meet the Author:

Mr. LeVasseur enjoys crafting good stories based on lovable characters designed to translate well to multiple media formats such as books, games, movies, and toys. He lives in New York when he is not commuting between Southern California and Olympus Mons, Mars. His hobbies include writing, 3D animation, musical composition, and intergalactic space travel. He also enjoys various sports such as skiing, running, and exospheric skydiving.

As for the illustrations, I did them all myself. It took me 12 years to teach myself how to do 3D modeling, rendering and animation. I have a somewhat lengthy youtube video on the subject where I show my image creation process. But basically every character, every building, every prop had to be designed, modeled and textured in 3D. This is why it took me 12 years to complete this project.

FREE GALLEY COPY of Part 1

We’re looking for parents, teachers and library luminaries to transmit to terra firma (that’s planet Earth) what Aoléon The Martian Girl is all about.  (Hint: she’s got psionic powers and the most gorgeous blue eyes!)

Her story comes in five parts — the action is just way too intense to pack into one volume.  The illustrations are so vivid you can just about climb right into them.

The author and illustrator, Brent LeVasseur, is offering you a FREE GALLEY COPY of Part 1 to put into your intergalactic school or library just to see what Aoléon is all about and to spread the word about her to interested student readers.

Please contact us at aoleon@aoleonthemartiangirl.com to begin your journey
or
VISIT http://brentlevasseur.com/free/
TO RECEIVE YOUR FREE GALLY COPY

 School Library Journal(a Media Source Inc. company)
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