Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good by Jan Karon

by Jan Karon

ISBN: 9780399167447

Publisher's Synopsis:

After five hectic years of retirement from Lord’s Chapel, Father Tim Kavanagh returns with his wife, Cynthia, from a so-called pleasure trip to the land of his Irish ancestors.
            While glad to be at home in Mitford, something is definitely missing: a pulpit. But when he’s offered one, he decides he doesn’t want it. Maybe he’s lost his passion.
            His adopted son, Dooley, wrestles with his own passion—for the beautiful and gifted Lace Turner, and his vision to become a successful country vet. Dooley’s brother, Sammy, still enraged by his mother’s abandonment, destroys one of Father Tim’s prized possessions. And Hope Murphy, owner of Happy Endings bookstore, struggles with the potential loss of her unborn child and her hard-won business.
            All this as Wanda’s Feel Good Café opens, a romance catches fire through an Internet word game, their former mayor hatches a reelection campaign to throw the bums out, and the weekly Muse poses a probing inquiry: Does Mitford still take care of its own?
            Millions of fans will applaud the chance to spend time, once more, in the often comic and utterly human presence of Jan Karon’s characters. Indeed, they have never been more sympathetic, bighearted, and engaging.

MrsK's Review:

 2015 First Choice

When my daughter called and told me "I've gotta say, I'm loving Karon's newest book!" I was devastated, I didn't own it yet... how dare she tantalize me with such an emotional hook... And yet, there under my tree was... Father Tim, Cynthia, Dooley, and all of Mitford!

 "And there she went, hooting with laughter. 

It was very hard to have a dispute with a woman who wouldn't stay aggrieved,

 but was ever looking to put a shine on things."

With a huge smile and a heart that sang, "Yes, I'm home," I nestled into my quiet corner and encircled myself with these dear friends. I must thank Jan for making every connection to previous books and characters completely seamless.

As the story begins, Father Tim and Cynthia have just returned to Mitford. From the first paragraph, images began emerging, giggles were bubbling forth... especially with Father Tim envisioning what it would be like as he tried on his old tux. This beginning was enough to remind me just how dear of a character Father Tim has become. For goodness sake, when you listen in on conversations with Puny one can't help but feel ashamed over the way we make life so complicated. Next came the unveiling of Dooley as a man and Father Tim's quest to love Sam (Dooley's brother) into a life worth living. Once again I was reminded as to the depth of wisdom in raising children. That calling requires wisdom which comes from the Word of God... modeling from those around us... and insights from authors whose talent is touching our hearts and quieting our fears.

I enjoyed the gathering at the "new" diner in which a "better" name had to be chosen. My heart ached when Father Tim had to face the congregation with the hardest news they would ever hear from him. I rejoiced the moment Father Tim opened the door to the Happy Endings book store (oh, how I want to retire and work there). I was thrilled that Esther continued giving her OMC to those in need (Mitford cookbook or Talk of the House or CBN ). And I wasn't sure that Father Tim was ready for a red pick up truck, I really thought the mustang was worth saving.

Entertained is not a strong enough description for Mitford's responses to their local paper, the Muse. So many character's perspectives (attitudes) as they enthusiastically responded to the following questions: "Does Mitford Still Take Care of Its Own?" and "Who is Mitford's Leading Citizen?" Plus there was all of the "Today's Helpful Hints," which made me stop and wonder... would that really work?

Then there were the surprises in the story line:

• Being a bit of a detective as Father Tim tried to locate Cynthia's love note proved to be just the right dash of engagement
• Trying to help Coot read to his mother
• Praying for Hope's little one
• Watching brothers learning to rely on each other
• Welcoming strangers into a town where life is always turning into a blessing

Finally, this would not be a Father Tim novel if it weren't for the heart aligning prayers. These are the jewels within each novel. If you have a journal for wisdom, quotes, and prayers add these to your pages (if not... start one):

• Setting your prayers before our Lord (pg. 66)
• Casting away the snares of the enemy (pg. 127)
• Seeking evening peace (pg. 160)
• Cleansing the thoughts of our hearts (pg.251)

"Maybe it's too soon for you to try and figure things out.
Know that God has a plan for your future.
Watch and wait for His timing, 
and when it comes, hitch a ride. You'll know."

So many tantalizing discoveries. Beyond visits with characters that are so full of life they truly become family... Beyond settings which open your senses to life as it is unfolding... Beyond tears and giggles... There are ongoing postings of "bookish" quotes... and Father Tim's prayers which will resonate into your heart, mind, spirit and hopefully upon your tongue... 

And once you find your journey is at an end... You know that you will always come back home to Mitford!
Mrs.K

Delightful Read... Excellent Book Club Enjoyment... 
A must for all book shelves! 
For "Mitford takes care of its own..."
me and mine...
you and yours... 

 "All that happens to us, including our humiliations, 

our misfortunes, our embarrassments, 

all is given to us as raw material, as clay,

so we may shape our art." 

 JL. Borges

Meet the Author:

  During her years in advertising, Jan kept alive her childhood ambition to be an author. At the age of 50, she left her career in advertising and moved to Blowing Rock, North Carolina, to pursue that dream. After struggling—and failing—to get a novel underway, Jan awoke one night with a mental image of an Episcopal priest walking down a village street. She grew curious and started writing about a character she named Father Tim Kavanagh. Soon, Jan was publishing weekly installments about Father Tim in her local newspaper, The Blowing Rocket, which saw its circulation double as a result. “The installment plan certainly worked for Mr. Dickens”, says Jan.
The installments became Jan’s first Mitford novel, At Home in Mitford. That book has since been reprinted more than eighty times and was nominated three times (1996, 1997, and 1998) for an ABBY (American Booksellers Book of the Year Award), which honors titles that bookstore owners most enjoy recommending to customers. A New Song won the Christy and Gold Medallion awards for outstanding contemporary fiction in 2000. A Common Life, In This Mountain, and Shepherd’s Abiding have also won Gold Medallion awards. Since the publication of Out to Canaan, Jan’s books have ridden high atop the New York Times bestseller list, frequently landing at #1.
Jan has also published two Christmas-themed books based on the Mitford series, The Mitford Snowmen and Esther’s Gift, as well as Jan Karon’s Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader. Other Mitford books include Patches of Godlight: A Compilation of Wit and Wisdom and A Continual Feast: Words of Comfort and Celebration. In addition, Jan has written two children’s books, Miss Fannie’s Hat and Jeremy: The Tale of an Honest Bunny, and an illustrated book for all ages, The Trellis and the Seed. For readers interested in Cynthia’s legendary cat books, Jan presents Violet Comes to Stay and Violet Goes to the Country.

        

  

 

      

Jan Karon Quotes at Good Reads


"Tween us an' the' Lord.."

"There are perhaps no days of our childhood we lived so fully as those we spent with a favorite book."
Marcel Proust

Where Treetops Glisten by Goyer, Putman, and Sundin

by Tricia Goyer, Cara Putman, and Sarah Sundin

ISBN: 9781601426482

Publisher's Synopsis:

The crunch of newly fallen snow, the weight of wartime
 
Siblings forging new paths and finding love in three stories,
filled with the wonder of Christmas

Turn back the clock to a different time, listen to Bing Crosby sing of sleigh bells in the snow, as the realities of America’s involvement in the Second World War change the lives of the Turner family in Lafayette, Indiana.

In Cara Putman’s White Christmas, Abigail Turner is holding down the Home Front as a college student and a part-time employee at a one-of-a-kind candy shop. Loss of a beau to the war has Abigail skittish about romantic entanglements—until a hard-working young man with a serious problem needs her help.

Abigail’s brother Pete is a fighter pilot hero returned from the European Theater in Sarah Sundin’s I’ll Be Home for Christmas, trying to recapture the hope and peace his time at war has eroded. But when he encounters a precocious little girl in need of Pete’s friendship, can he convince her widowed mother that he’s no longer the bully she once knew?

In Tricia Goyer’s Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Meredith Turner, “Merry” to those who know her best, is using her skills as a combat nurse on the frontline in the Netherlands. Halfway around the world from home, Merry never expects to face her deepest betrayal head on, but that’s precisely what God has in mind to redeem her broken heart.

The Turner family believes in God’s providence during such a tumultuous time. Can they absorb the miracle of Christ’s birth and His plan for a future? - See more at: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?work=237913#sthash.PznOqSOt.dpuf

The crunch of newly fallen snow, the weight of wartime
 
Siblings forging new paths and finding love in three stories,
filled with the wonder of Christmas

Turn back the clock to a different time, listen to Bing Crosby sing of sleigh bells in the snow, as the realities of America’s involvement in the Second World War change the lives of the Turner family in Lafayette, Indiana.

In Cara Putman’s White Christmas, Abigail Turner is holding down the Home Front as a college student and a part-time employee at a one-of-a-kind candy shop. Loss of a beau to the war has Abigail skittish about romantic entanglements—until a hard-working young man with a serious problem needs her help.

Abigail’s brother Pete is a fighter pilot hero returned from the European Theater in Sarah Sundin’s I’ll Be Home for Christmas, trying to recapture the hope and peace his time at war has eroded. But when he encounters a precocious little girl in need of Pete’s friendship, can he convince her widowed mother that he’s no longer the bully she once knew?

In Tricia Goyer’s Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Meredith Turner, “Merry” to those who know her best, is using her skills as a combat nurse on the frontline in the Netherlands. Halfway around the world from home, Merry never expects to face her deepest betrayal head on, but that’s precisely what God has in mind to redeem her broken heart.

The Turner family believes in God’s providence during such a tumultuous time. Can they absorb the miracle of Christ’s birth and His plan for a future? - See more at: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?work=237913#sthash.PznOqSOt.dpuf

The crunch of newly fallen snow, the weight of wartime
 
Siblings forging new paths and finding love in three stories,
filled with the wonder of Christmas

Turn back the clock to a different time, listen to Bing Crosby sing of sleigh bells in the snow, as the realities of America’s involvement in the Second World War change the lives of the Turner family in Lafayette, Indiana.

In Cara Putman’s White Christmas, Abigail Turner is holding down the Home Front as a college student and a part-time employee at a one-of-a-kind candy shop. Loss of a beau to the war has Abigail skittish about romantic entanglements—until a hard-working young man with a serious problem needs her help.

Abigail’s brother Pete is a fighter pilot hero returned from the European Theater in Sarah Sundin’s I’ll Be Home for Christmas, trying to recapture the hope and peace his time at war has eroded. But when he encounters a precocious little girl in need of Pete’s friendship, can he convince her widowed mother that he’s no longer the bully she once knew?

In Tricia Goyer’s Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Meredith Turner, “Merry” to those who know her best, is using her skills as a combat nurse on the frontline in the Netherlands. Halfway around the world from home, Merry never expects to face her deepest betrayal head on, but that’s precisely what God has in mind to redeem her broken heart.

The Turner family believes in God’s providence during such a tumultuous time. Can they absorb the miracle of Christ’s birth and His plan for a future? - See more at: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?work=237913#sthash.PznOqSOt.dpuf

The crunch of newly fallen snow, the weight of wartime.
 
Siblings forging new paths and finding love in three stories,
filled with the wonder of Christmas

Turn back the clock to a different time, listen to Bing Crosby sing of sleigh bells in the snow, as the realities of America’s involvement in the Second World War change the lives of the Turner family in Lafayette, Indiana.

In Cara Putman’s White Christmas, Abigail Turner is holding down the Home Front as a college student and a part-time employee at a one-of-a-kind candy shop. Loss of a beau to the war has Abigail skittish about romantic entanglements—until a hard-working young man with a serious problem needs her help.

Abigail’s brother Pete is a fighter pilot hero returned from the European Theater in Sarah Sundin’s I’ll Be Home for Christmas, trying to recapture the hope and peace his time at war has eroded. But when he encounters a precocious little girl in need of Pete’s friendship, can he convince her widowed mother that he’s no longer the bully she once knew?

In Tricia Goyer’s Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Meredith Turner, “Merry” to those who know her best, is using her skills as a combat nurse on the frontline in the Netherlands. Halfway around the world from home, Merry never expects to face her deepest betrayal head on, but that’s precisely what God has in mind to redeem her broken heart.

The Turner family believes in God’s providence during such a tumultuous time. Can they absorb the miracle of Christ’s birth and His plan for a future?

MrsK's Review:
Historical fiction illuminates those glimmering memories of lives lived, loves beginning, and struggles leading to a life well lived. These stories are richly woven with characters who are blessed with a faith in which they can rely on the support of God as their shepherd, their counselor, and their guide through every hardship, fear, or joy. The journeys within this book will provide an experience during one of the most heart-wrenching periods for the U.S. and the world. The settings are perfected with precision, a balance between historical facts and splashes of ordinary life. As a reader you are stepping into a WWII black/white snapshot... only to discover the sights, the sounds, the tastes, and the depths of life.

Unlike other reviewers, I don't have a personal favorite. All three stories are reliant upon the faith of the Turner family. Each story is uniquely different, yet very gratifying (honest, hopeful, realistic, empowering). Each story portrays the days leading up to December 25, 1945 in Lafayette, Indiana.

"War or no war, we simply must celebrate Christ's birth..." 

Gloom and despair led to defeat. Victory could only be achieved with faith,

hope, and resilience. She'd learned that lesson well in her seventy-six years,

and now she'd pass it on to her family.

In Winter Wonderland, you are introduced to Louise Turner and her grandchildren Pete, Abigail, and Meredith. It's December 24, 1941 and the declaration of war has just been issued. So much heart-ache has threatened to take the joy of Christ's season away from so many. Yet, life must go on... "The next few years would bring turbulence to her family. They needed her faith. They needed her wisdom. And they needed her joy."

In White Christmas, you discover Abigail Turner. A very bright college student in need of a perfect experience that will provide the right insights for her final project. In one quick encounter, Jackson Lucas will enter Abigail's life and his need will provide an experience perfectly "seasoned" for her project and her life.

"This life can be filled with pain. I'm not telling you to stop feeling... But I know God is here in the midst of pain.

The Psalms even say He collects our tears.

That's an image I have clung to at different times.

No tears are wasted, unless you allow their cause to freeze you in place."

 In I'll Be Home for Christmas, it is December 3, 1943 and you are introduced to Grace Kessler. A secretary for Alcoa which produces airplanes and other defense materials.

"A secretary's work might not be as glamorous as a nurse or a WAVE or a Rosie the Riveter,

but it allowed Grace to support her daughter and the war effort."

You discover Lieutenant Pete Turner leaving the Glatz Candies factory (where his sister Abigail is working). He is pondering his Pastor's solution:

"Give. When you're empty inside... the best thing you can do is give. 

Find a need, step outside of yourself, and give."

Given a blessing of a chance encounter, Pete discovers his opportunity to "step outside of himself." There's a little girl in front of a store's window. We have all seen magazine covers that show children enchanted by the happenings in the store's window dressing ( many of us have been just like her... gazing and praying for that one perfect Christmas gift):

"She belonged on the cover of a Christmas toy catalogue with her red coat, her red mittens flat on the glass,

and two little brown braids sticking out from under her red hat.

'Please... Please, Lord. Please'

'Please, God. I promise I'll be good. I promise.'"

 Meet Linnie. She is a joy-filled child. She runs off exploring whenever the moment arises. She is on a quest that is unknown to most adults. And, she meets with the Lord to discuss her options down by the river. It is not easy being Linnie, especially since her father's plane crashed. It is not easy being around Linnie who is a non-stop talker, she thinks without listening, and is determined to locate God's answer to her prayer.

 Misunderstandings, a history of bullying, quick tempers, and the determination to not be hurt again could all be very good stumbling blocks for keeping Linnie's blessing from God out of reach. Yet, Linnie's need will be the turning point in Grace's and Pete's crossroads. Could a red hand-made doll carriage lead all of them into God's will for their lives?

It's December 21, 1944 and Meredith Turner is a nurse in the Netherlands. In the closing story, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, you will discover the calling of God can lead you back into your heart's desire. When this book began, 1941, Meredith was finishing her studies when her heart was broken by the "fleeing" of the man she had given her heart to. Now she is on the front lines, tending the injured. Braving the horrific images by tending to the human needs of wounded soldiers. Even though it's been three years, close to the border where David once lived, Meredith can't overcome the desires of her heart.

"Looking back, she couldn't believe she'd run so far, leaving behind the family she loved.

Meredith had thought she was too big for that town.

She couldn't wait to see what the expansive, wide world had for her.

To find sunshine and worth. But it hadn't worked."

One soldier's request for her to tell her another story about her home begins opening up the truth behind her grief. Once the story is out... life is rekindled and hope can be renewed. 

"She guessed the men here had the same aches deep down. She had to bring Christmas to them.

But even if she did, would it ease the loneliness in her heart?"

For Daaf, "Christmas always reminded him of the woman he loved. How could it not?"  Even though he was a Dutch-German, he knew it was not easy to make sacrifices. Encouragement can begin fading. With the Americans in the Netherlands, there was hope:

" It was easier to think of his work. Of caring for the children, the US soldiers, 

and any other declared enemies that Hitler had attempted to take to slaughter.

They'd rescued many, hiding them away or getting them safely across the border..."

With the Americans in the Netherlands, there was a stirring of hope. If God looks at our sacrifices... maybe He can give back what broke our hearts,

MrsK  

  Three endearing stories that will warm your heart!

Meet the Authors:
  Meet Tricia Goyer: I’ve had the opportunity to interview over a hundred WWII veterans, many who fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Maybe that’s why I was drawn to setting my story in The Netherlands during the last Christmas of the war (1944). I remember the stories about the boom of the big guns, of the thin and starving Dutch people, and about the ordinary men (like my grandfather), and women who found themselves on the other side of the world.
World War II was a time when ordinary people banded together to change the world. My grandpa was a farm boy who ended up in Papua New Guinea. In my novel, Meredith is a young woman from Lafayette, Indiana who wants to care for others–to make sure more boys make it home. Her desire takes her to the middle of a war zone.
Sometimes we think that one person can’t make much of a difference. But 1 + 1 + 1,000 … well, that’s a lot of people. My hope is that when readers put down Where Treetops Glisten they’ll start thinking about love and sacrifice. My characters, Meredith and David, sacrificed a lot to care for others. And I believe that this Christmas God might just be asking us to do the same. We simply have to pray, “Lord, who can I serve–in Your name–today?” I guarantee He’ll bring someone to mind!
 
   Meet Sarah Sundin: For me, ideas usually come slowly and require much prodding and nurturing. But sometimes, a story idea blindsides me. That’s what happened with Where Treetops Glisten. When we were driving from California to Oregon to visit my in-laws for Christmas, we were listening to Christmas songs on the radio. This image floated into my mind . . . a little girl wandering downtown searching for something she’d lost. And a fighter pilot returning from combat who feels empty and decides to help the child home . . . where he meets the girl’s widowed mother.
Within minutes, the story flew together. When my husband took the wheel, I whipped out pen and paper and scribbled as fast as I could—whole scenes, character ideas, dialogue. It was a blast! A theme started to emerge, how God can help us give out of our emptiness, and how only He can fill the empty places in our lives. I loved writing about Pete and Grace and little Linnie, and I hope our readers will be blessed by their story.

   Meet Cara Putman: Veteran’s Day is a time to thank the active duty military and those who have served to protect our freedoms. To a large extent, this desire to thank and honor the military is what draws me to writing stories about WWII and those who served on the home front and overseas. Where Treetops Glisten is no different. As the three of us banded together to write a Christmas collection set during WWII, Tricia, Sarah, and I wanted to make sure we were exploring all the different ways that generation fought. That’s how Jackson Lucas became the hero he is. A survivor of polio, he couldn’t join the active duty military. Instead, he plays a role on the home front. But he works at a puzzle manufacturer, you say. How does that help the war effort? What fascinated me about this particular company is the way that the toy sets it made changed during the war. Army sets became much more prevalent as little boys imagined what it would be like to be part of the military.
My father served in two wars (Vietnam and Desert Storm), so it’s very important to me that the military is honored. There are so many simple ways we can do that. Write a letter to a serviceman or woman thanking them for their service. Take boxes of donuts to the local armory on a weekend that the local National Guard is drilling. Buy a meal the next time you see a person in uniform. Stop and say thank you. The big difference for my dad between serving in Vietnam and Desert Storm was the dramatic alteration in public thankfulness. I want to be part of ensuring we continue to appreciate and thank our veterans and active duty military, not just on Veteran’s Day.

"I received this book for free for this review."

 

The Patmos Deception by Davis Bunn

by Davis Bunn

ISBN: 9780764211393

Publisher Synopsis:                                 An Ancient Island Holds an Ancient Secret . . .

Nick Hennessy, a young Texas journalist yearning for his big break, finds himself in Europe--his assignment, to investigate the alarming disappearance of invaluable Grecian antiquities. Nick has the credentials--and cover ID--to unearth the truth. And he knows just the researcher to help him...

Carey Mathers, fresh from her studies in forensic archeology, has accepted a job with the prestigious Athens Institute for Antiquities--a dream come true, really, particularly when the Greek isle of Patmos, where the Apostle John received his vision of the Apocalypse, was a particular focus of her research.

Dimitri Rubinos, for whom the Greek islands represent his life, holds on by his fingernails to the family charter boat business. But his country's economic chaos isn't the only thing that has turned his world on its head...

 MrsK's Review:

When I was given an opportunity to review this book, I had a bubbling of excitement to return to Patmos after all of these years. The intrigue of a sacred document, the mysterious disappearances of ancient antiquities, and the character's passionate work as a journalist, a forensic archaeologist, and a charter boatman was a mixture that I could not resist.

"Carey Mathers arrived in Greece in a state of breathless exhaustion... 

She had never been too worried about what her grandmother called the store-bought life.

But this trip was different. Her journey to Greece was all about dreams coming true."

I remember that exhaustion. I was hooked with her dreams of Greece coming true... I would be enjoying this book and I would not be disappointed. Great beginnings always create a perfect opportunity for enjoying a journey with a satisfied "sigh" of relief.

If Carey's worn out invitation to come and work for the Athens Institute for Antiquities brought hope and joy, imagine what a chained gate... an empty building... and chaos in the streets were doing to her emotions as she arrives in Greece (I was not expecting this turn of events at the get-go).

Befriended by Eleni, Carey begins a journey of unexpected events that will land her on the island of Patmos. These events are orchestrated to bring her together with a dear friend from the past, with a women of God who will guide her beyond survival, and with breath-taking sights in which she stops to take its grandeur in as often as possible (so many memories were shared within this character's discoveries...I loved the connections).

Each character is so interesting. Their stories are woven in such a way that you will agree with their choices, or you will be tense and on alert, or you could feel yourself drawn to race to their defense:

• Where do you go with no money, home, family, or friends?
• What do you do when men with guns board your boat and there's a storm thundering all around you?
• What can you do when the local police begin questioning your involvement and connections?
• How do you get out of a kidnapping?
• What happens when your heart strings are being played?
• What has the Patmos Monastery of Saint John have do with this definite life-changing espionage and illegalities of others?
• Who is Prochoros? 
• What wisdom can Kyriaki share that will keep every character on the right course?
• How will  Dr. Karras provide safety for Carey and Nick when the UN Heritage Sites commissions can't be trusted?
•  Just how deadly will McAllister get if the Bishop doesn't turn over the artifact?

If their lives depend on them getting this mission right, then Carey will need to depend on her relationship with God. Can a life-long "pilgrimage" be found in the Cave of Revelation? For those who have entered this cave, the vivid detail will take your breath away!

"Carey pressed her hands to her cheeks, her eyes brimming with tears...

 She tried to look everywhere at once, desperate to take it all in, every shred of the morning and the sounds that he had taken for granted all his life..."

Don't overlook this journey with Carey, Nick, and Dimitri in and out of Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, and Patmos... 

MrsK

  From Greece to Patmos... Don't miss your booking!

Meet the Author:

  Born and raised in North Carolina, Davis left for Europe at age twenty. There he first completed graduate studies in economics and finance, then began a business career that took him to over forty countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Davis came to faith at age 28, while living in Germany and running an international business advisory group. He started writing two weeks later. Since that moment, writing has remained both a passion and a calling.

Davis wrote for nine years and completed seven books before his first was accepted for publication. During that time, he continued to work full-time in his business career, travelling to two and sometimes three countries every week. His first published book, The Presence, was released in 1990 and became a national bestseller.

Honored with four Christy Awards for excellence in historical and suspense fiction, his bestsellers include The Great Divide, Winner Take All, The Meeting Place, The Warning, The Book of Hours, and The Quilt. 

"I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers for this review."

How To Survive Middle School and Monster Bots by Howard Boward

Howard Boward

ISBN: 9780310736080

Publisher's Synopsis:

Sometimes, being smart just isn’t enough!

It’s been a rough winter for Howard Boward, science genius. Not only is he caught in the crossfire of winter’s most dangerous weapon (snowballs), his best friend, Winnie McKinney, is mad at him, and the school bullies seem to have made it their personal mission to make life at Dolley Madison Middle School miserable. But when Howard’s teacher tells him about the upcoming robot-building contest, Howard can’t resist using his superior knowledge of science to gain an advantage, especially since he’ll be competing against archrival Gerald “G-Force” Forster. Unfortunately, the secret goo he uses to make his cardboard robot move turns it into a multiplying, vengeance-seeking monster. If Howard doesn’t stop the robot rebellion in time, they’ll ruin everything—including his friendships and the school dance.

MrsK's Review:

Can you imagine being a science genius? Not even the change of the season is considered easy, normal, or simple. Not every science nerd is a geek, in fact what would our lives be like without them?

"First, before I say anything else, I want to make one thing clear:

some of my best friends are machines. Seriously..."

Meet Howard, a middle school Sci-guy. Earlier on he created a goo that will once again take on a life of it's own design (more about that in a bit). Howard has a big problem, better known as school bullies. These guys are not the type you enjoy seeing coming your way. They even have their own alley of anxiety (Snowball Alley). Beyond the daily onslaught of bullying, Howard also has a nemesis who has just made a rather "good" robot that is able to make hoop shots. G-Force and his Basket-bot could surpass Howard's robotic genius. Although Howard is not an inventor who will be de-throned, he does run into some very mysterious happenings:

"Here it is--the good stuff, the bad stuff, and the stuff I was hoping no one would ever find out about.

It's time the truth came out.

I'll be the first to admit I made a ton of mistakes, and caused a lot of trouble,

and put just about everyone I know in danger....

But just so you know, the robots started it."

As Howard explains the sequence of events, you must acknowledge his passion for making the best robot. His joy when he discovers an after school robot club (BAs). His quick thinking as the Winter Formal is about to be crashed (or smashed) beyond repair. His restraint when he faces the bullies and chooses not to retaliate on their level. And, of course, there is the little "rooting" for Howard when everything he cares about rapidly begins destroying his plans in winning the Believer Achievers Robotics Fair.

The only saving grace is the town's annual Mega-Monster Film Festival. Well, and the help of his Uncle... a few friends... his family... and of course the BAs! Remember that invention of goo? It seems that once you pour it into a box and you add a few ingredients, well it tends to create other self-feeding robots. With the town dressing up for the Mega-Monster Film Festival and the robotic smashers... the town, and the dance, are in extreme danger. How does Howard stop the chaos? That's the hook... I will tell you that dancing sure burns up energy.

This story is an adventure that will provide you with laughter, serious shut-your-eyes bullying, and of course awe-inspiring Sci-guy wowzers...

Enjoy the fun,

MrsK 

 Too much fun to stay on the shelves!

About the Author:
Ron Bates is a novelist and humor columnist who writes about secret laboratories, monsters, bullies, robots, cafeteria food, and other perils of middle school. A former newspaper reporter, he is the author of How to Make Friends and Monsters, How to Survive Middle School and Monster Bots, the comic book series Brawn, and numerous poems and plays for kids who like to laugh. He lives in Texas.

Don't forget to read the first Howard novel:

Questions for this elusive author:  Thanks to the book reviewer who hosted a blog tour.
What is something about your life right now that you would have never imagined 5 years ago?
That anyone would want my autograph. I still feel like I should apologize whenever I sign a book, it’s this sense that I’ve somehow left a permanent blotch on an otherwise perfect page. Getting to do something like that is an honor and one of the most gratifying parts of the book-writing experience but it’s surreal. I guess it’s because authors aren’t accustomed to being onstage — the book is the star, we’re somewhere back behind the curtain. Don’t get me wrong, it’s wonderful but I always half-expect people to say they’re joking and then pull the book away.

What is one thing you want the next generation to know?
The world neither starts nor ends with you. That sounds so obvious but every generation seems to struggle with the concept. For some reason, there’s this point in our development where we believe we have to change things, and only we can do it because we have all the answers. That’s not the next generation, that’s every generation. The trouble is, we forget that others felt this way long before our arrival. There’s a reason things are as they are, a reason our predecessors set us on this course. That doesn’t mean it’s the right course but it does mean you don’t change everything just for the sake of change. You owe something to the next generation, just as the previous one owed something to you, so don’t throw away the past carelessly. You might be robbing those to come of something precious.
And now a few about How to Make Friends and Monsters!

Where did the idea develop? Are you a big Frankenstein fan?
I grew up a big fan of old monster movies. I’m not just talking about the “classic” monsters like Frankenstein, Dracula and the Wolfman, I liked them all–Mothra, Gamera, the blob, the giant ants from “Them.” One of my favorite memories is staying up late on Friday nights and watching the cheesy midnight movies that always involved some nuclear mutation bent on destroying the planet. But just when you thought you knew everything about monster history, it changed. Sesame Street gave us Cookie Monster and Grover, Harry and the Hendersons gave us a lovable Bigfoot, and we met Sulley and Mike Wazowski from Monsters Inc. Suddenly, monsters, which had always been the scourge of mankind, could be friends.
In a lot of ways, the book is an examination of one question — what is a monster? Is it a monster because of the way it looks, because of where it came from, or because of its actions? At its heart, this is a story about a friendship between two kids, one of whom just happens to be a “monster.”

Were any of the characters inspired by real people?
Definitely. There are elements of people I know in all of them but they’re not exact copies. My brothers and my sister, for example, have all found instances in the book that happened to them while we were growing up. Those parts were when the story felt most “real” to me because they were real experiences. When I picture Winnie McKinney in my head, I know the face I’m thinking of and it belongs to a real-life person. Is Winnie her? The best answer I can give is “kind of.”
As for Howard, he looks at the world a lot like I do. I think he worries about the same things I worried about at his age, so I know I’m in there, part of the mix. Hopefully no one I grew up with will see themselves in the bullies in the story — but if they’d been on the other end of the wedgie back then, there’s a good chance they might.

What’s one of the main things you hope your young readers come away with after reading this?
Fitting in isn’t about becoming who you think the crowd wants you to be. It’s about being who you are and finding your place among people who wouldn’t have you any other way. You might make friends by pretending to be someone you’re not, but you’ll never really be one.

So is there anything on the horizon for Howard?
Indeed there is. I’m finishing the second book in the series right now and it takes place a little later in the year, during the winter months when the first snow has just fallen. We tend to think of snow as this pillowy layer of fluff that floats down from the sky but Howard sees it as something else entirely. Rolled into a ball, it becomes a cold, hard weapon and he is its unfortunate target. Naturally, with his passion for inventing things, you can count on him coming up with a very unusual snowman. It’s not that Howard means for it to be unusual, it’s just that his inventions never quite turn out as planned. But most of the main characters from the first book are back and Howard is still trying to survive the perilous halls of Dolley Madison Middle School, so hopefully it’ll be a fun read.

"I received this book for free for this review"

Beneath by Roland Smith

By Roland Smith

ISBN: 9780545564861

Coming to you January 27, 2015

Publisher's Synopsis:

Pat O'Toole has always idolized his older brother, Coop. He's even helped Coop with some of his crazier plans -- such as risking his life to help his big brother dig a tunnel underneath their neighborhood in the suburbs of Washington, DC. Coop is . . . different. He doesn't talk on the phone, doesn't use email, and doesn't have friends. He's never really cared for anything but the thrill of being underground and Pat. So it's no surprise to anyone -- even Pat -- that after a huge fight with their parents, Coop runs away. Exactly one year later, Pat receives a package containing a digital voice recorder and a cryptic message from his brother. He follows the clues to New York City, and soon discovers that Coop has joined the Community, a self-sufficient society living beneath the streets. Now it's up to Pat to find his brother -- and bring him home.

MrsK's Review:

What really is beneath? This cover draws you in and down... down below the streets of New York City. Seriously, who wouldn't creep over to the light and peer down... down... down!

Before I share with you about Pat, let me share of few "things" about his brother Coop. For some reason, Coop really likes a pair of tap shoes. Now I get this, once those taps start resonating on differing surfaces you can't help but to keep your feet in action. Coop also likes reading, maybe not the same type of books I would choose... but a reader is an explorer. Someone who is willing to look "deeper" beyond the words or whatever society is trying to enforce. Coop is also a writer who has lost the opportunity to communicate in a journal. So, the next best option would be keeping an auditory journal (definitely a real-time... over the edge... survival and in the moment tech-nique). Coop likes digging, dirt, and tuna sandwiches. Nothing unusual... except, well he's going "beneath."

Now for Pat (such an amazingly brave character), his story begins after the explosion... after Coop has run away... and once a package arrives at his school. Coop has "hooked" him into keeping a journal as a way of documenting the truth:

"This is what I'm doing here in this journal...stringing together bits and pieces of information to make a story,

 each bead in the necklace made from different material. Memory beads. Recorded beads. Newspaper beads. Letter beads..."

Once Coop began digging behind their shed, Pat was recruited as a co-conspirator. This was not just a "hole" for discovery, it was well planned... eight months of tunneling "slithering beneath the neighborhood like a giant earthworm." Unfortunately, the tunnel ended up at the Mesa's swimming pool and the "whumpf" of the explosion brought "every local, state, and federal law enforcement agent" to their back yard shed. 

 Three days later, Pat awakens to the reality that his brother had been taken by the Feds. Even when Coop was returned, things were not the same. And then came the day that Coop was gone. No note... no tap shoes... no tent... no sleeping bag... backpack...or  flashlights... all gone... completely gone. Only some stationery and envelopes were left behind. 

Gone where? Where and why would Coop leave? It takes a year of  worry, anger, and change... but on the day the package is delivered at Pat's school , he begins a recorded communication with Coop. Consider it like letters or a voice-journal of every day happenings. Until Coop gets to New York: 

" When I finally got here I knew I was in the right place. What I'm looking for is here. 

I don't know how to explain it, but I can feel it...it's close."

When there is no recordings, no letters... Pat decides to tell both of his parents that something has happened to Coop. The only thing they are concerned about is where Pat will spend Christmas break. Now that they have divorced and have new interests, neither are thrilled that the other one has plans. So Pat decides his own destination... New York City... in search of Coop. He has ten nights to find him.

So what is Coop looking for? Who is this old guy who knows everything about NYC? Who is the girl and why is she wearing shades at night? What does Coop mean that he has earned his "entrance fee?" Who is the guide? Who is that strange man opening Coop's mail box?

With so many unknowns, a plot that takes you "underground," claustrophobic tunnels, and "deeply-rooted" communities... Pat must find a way to help Coop before it's too late. It takes courage to even be in the tunnels, can you imagine being underground with no plan, no map, nothing that gives you a moment of peace or sleep? Could you trust strangers with your next breath? Would you be so driven to find your sibling that only true grit would bring you a few miles closer to the truth?

 "I put the earphones in and fast-forwarded to Coop's references to what lies below..."

Pat's journey is not an adventure, it's a harrowing experience that only leads to more questions, suffocating decisions, constant agony pulsing through your veins... and certain death. This novel will keep you turning the pages and only stopping to gulp in a breath, grab a bite to eat, and return with a ferocity to reach Coop for yourself (yep, that type of reader enmeshment is delightfully delivered). Every character has their own story, each decision is pre-determined to take Pat deeper underground, and every life-threatening chase is smothered by miles of dirt overhead. Or at least it appears that no one is noticing where Pat is...

My only question to the author of a "stand alone" novel would be: Are these characters seriously not beckoning to you to finish their journey?

This is a must reserve read... don't wait... get Roland's newest book for your New Year kick off.  It is beyond expectations. It is a winter's journey not to be forgotten. It will... well, it will make you re-live Pat's moments "beneath" civilization (a true read-it-forward novel).
MrsK

 "Over the top"

A must add to any Library, classroom shelf, and home collection!

 Meet the Author:

---

  I was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. When I was five years old my parents gave me an old manual typewriter that weighed more than I did! It was my favorite possession. I spent hours in my room clacking away on that old typewriter. Of course, when I was five I didn’t know how to spell and I barely knew how to read, but I loved the sound and the look of the letters on the crisp white paper. Things haven’t changed much since then. I still spend several hours a day in my room clacking away and I still love the sound of the keyboard and the look of the letters and words that eventually turn into stories. The only difference is that I can read now and I spell a lot better.

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"I received this book for this honest review"