Jessica

Thos is a mystery npvel featuring an adult male with Asperger's syndrome, Daniel Peters, a translator. I work with a few individuals with Aspies, the author nailed the character. I am very impressed.

This is told on first person. I really liked that hecause the author was able to dip into the characters thoughts. Some of those thoughts help readers to better understad what actually goes on Peters' head. I loved that part of thos boom.

As far as the story itself, I was really guessing the whole time trying to figure out hoe it would end. There are some really shocking plot twists.

There is a lot of focus on Kierkegaard. I found that part to he cery interesting and educating. I had a good idea of who he was, but now i know a lot more.

I stayed up way too late reading this. I was up until 3am and it is now 6:30 am and I am leaving for work in am hour.

I wish this book was required reading for parents, staff, and honestly people in general. It gives a glimpse of what just a small portion of living with someone and caring for someone with not only autism, but other delelopemental disabilities can be like. A lot of behaviors and characteristics of autism are not unique to only that singular diagnosis. Not all individuals will be like the author's son “B.”

The author who wrote this has chosen to keep his and the people included in this book anonymous. I understand why he would do this.

Recommendation:

Read this. It is free on Amazon. A lot of understanding and compassion can gained. This may be a great book for parents just beginning their adventure with a child with needs such as autism. The main reason I like this is that it is told first hand and not full of terms that will overwhelm or confuse. This could help others realize that they are not alone in the struggles they are facing.

This book is full of information about China. It is written so that the information is told by a girl who lives there. I really like this better than other books I have seen similar to this because it is not written like a reference book, but ultimately children still gain the same knowledge.

I am donated my copy to my seven year old son's classroom. The teacher was so impressed by this that she is going to ask for the money to by all of the books in this series for the school library.

Description (Goodreads):

Will has never been outside, at least not since he can remember. And he has certainly never gotten to know anyone other than his mother, a fiercely loving yet wildly eccentric agoraphobe who panics at the thought of opening the front door. Their world is rich and fun- loving—full of art, science experiments, and music—and all confined to their small house.

But Will's thirst for adventure can't be contained. Clad in a protective helmet and unsure of how to talk to other kids, he finally ventures outside. At his new school he meets Jonah, an artsy loner who introduces Will to the high-flying freedoms of skateboarding. Together, they search for a missing local boy, help a bedraggled vagabond, and evade a dangerous bootlegger. The adventure is more than Will ever expected, pulling him far from the confines of his closed-off world and into the throes of early adulthood, and all the risks that everyday life offers.

In buoyant, kinetic prose, Michael Christie has written an emotionally resonant and keenly observed novel about mothers and sons, fears and uncertainties, and the lengths we'll go for those we love.

My Thoughts:

I have seen how people act and behave after living environments like the one Will lives in. I do think the author did a great job on this character. Also, the mother's reactions are similar to what i have seen parents react like when their children do something tat try themselves find terrifying. I liked the plot a lot, and I have never found a book similar to this.

I did not like the way the POV bounced around from character to charcter. It was confusing at times. Another part that I had issues with was how it wasn't explained what certain characters were actually referring to when talking about things that Will and his mother had unique names for.

I did enjoy this, and finished this rather quickly. It is not perfect, but it was interesting.

Excerpt:

She always knew he would go to school, eventually, but she hoped he might bu sufficienty gifted to skip all the schoolyard heartbreak, the punch-ups, the crushing repetitive cards, the cruelities, and disappointments and failures of life in a Thunder Bay public school– just leapfrog right into a good, safe university or fine arts program when he reached eighteen or so. Juilliard took homeschooled kids, didn't they? As did Berkley? It seemed like something they'd have to do, for ideology's sake.

About The Author:

MICHAEL CHRISTIE's debut book of fiction, The Beggar's Garden, was longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, a finalist for the Writers' Trust Prize for Fiction, and won the Vancouver Book Award. Prior to earning an MFA from the University of British Columbia, he was a sponsored skateboarder and travelled throughout the world skateboarding and writing for skateboard magazines. Born in Thunder Bay, he now lives on Galiano Island with his wife and two sons. If I Fall, If I Die is his first novel.

Recommendation:

I really do think that if the synopsis interests you that you will probably enjoy this. I do feel that $11.99 is way too much for this in ebook format. I was a pallet when I saw that price tag. That is almost too much for a new release by an established author with a reputation for writing really great books.

Amazon US

I recieved a copy of this from Blogging For Books in exchange for an honest review. If you are a blogger and haven't checked out their site, I recommend doing so. The process has been enjoyable and simple

My Thoughts:

This is interesting. I never would have guessed what some athletes did when they were children. This is great for kids who are sports fans.

Do you know that Michael Jackson was electrocuted as a child? Or that Gabby Douglas would would use couches and chairs as springboard to spring herself into the air when she was just a toddler? If you want to know more things like this about famous athletes, this book is for you.

There are also cartoon like illustrated graphics that help to break up the story so that it doesn't look to be overwhelming for a younger reader.

Recommendation:

Recommended for readers in grades 4 thru 7.

My Thoughts:

This put me in mind of The Incredibles. This story is mainly about a boy who is part of a family of superheroes, but he isn't displaying any of his own. Even their dog is super. And there was something about vegetables that made me laugh.

This is written in a way that makes you want to continue each chapter because just as something is happening, or you are about to get some tiny bit of answer, the author changes the topic and adds more excitement. I like this because it really held my child's attention.

There are these character profiles featuring a new subject that the author included. They sort of reminded me of baseball cards. These were really interesting and fun. I really think that this author did an amazing jon writing this, I am surprised by how much fun this book was to.share with my seven year old.

Recommendation:

This contains quite a bit of action. Some parts really excited my child. That being said, this may not be a great choice for a bedtime story. It would be good to read to a group. I am sure any child will enjoy sosomething about this book. Amazon recommends this to readers grade three to six. I think children younger than this may enjoy this also. My son is in first.

I won this book in a giveaway.

This is a great example of what fantasy comics should be. All of these are rather amazing. The story is well told through both graphics and written word. It doesn't feel lacking like some comics that I have read in the past.

My Thoughts:


This is the second installment in the Jackdaw Hammond series by Victoria Alexander. In this book there are two different stories being told at once. One is set in the present time following a Jack.


This was slightly confusing. Every other chapter is in a different time setting. There are a lot of characters to follow. The haracter development wasn't very strong so it was easy to forget who everyone was. 


Present day, you have one girl, Jack, who was saved from death by magic struggling to understand what she has become as a result. Another, Sadie, fighting for her life. Both girls have some weird abilities, which, in my opinion, is really the only thing that saved the book. 


The parts set in the past were boring and gloomy. I really think these parts of the book should have been trimmed down because they seemed to drag on forever. Actually the whole book could have been trimmed down, and would have been much more enjoyable if it had been.


To be honest, this book was all over the place, and slow moving. I am still confused about things, and not because of the way it ended in a cliffhanger. I didn't read the first book, but I don't think it would have made a big difference. I am a huge fan of books from this genre, but this one was just blah. I really wanted to like this. I was excited after reading the synopsis and had seen reviews of this book stating that it would be okay to read it as a standalone.


Also, there is a rather descriptive sexual assault scene. If those things bother you, stay away. The incident is brought up over and over.


Excerpt:


“Borrowed timers are always skinny.” Jack thought back to the moment when she had augmented her life - preserving magic with a mouth full of fresh blood. It had infused her with energy, enough to last three months. For a moment, the craving for Felix''s warm arm, the cut skin against her tongue, the slow pulsing of salt into her mouth, overwhelmed her.


About the Author: 

REBECCA ALEXANDER is the author of The Secrets of Life and Death. She has worked in psychology and education, and has an MA in Creative Writing. She lives with her husband on the coast of England.

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00R04MD7W/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1446229916&sr=8-1



I recieved a copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

The author writes in a way where you feel like you are hearing a story that was written by someone who witnessed what he is writing about first hand. I had to double check to make sure this was fictional. I will read anything this author writes with hopes of a story with the same effect.

This was I great book. In the beginning it was a little difficult to figure out what was going on. It starts with a woman bringing a boy to man. The lady tells him that the boys mother died and that the mother instructed her to bring the boy to him. Then the story zips back to the past and tells us about a sporadic love affair between the man and the boys mother that went on for 30 years starting in the 1930s. He is a young Jewish man and she is a black woman. Their love is not one that was readily accepted. Their parents didn't approve, society didn't approve.

There were parts of this story that brought tears to my eyes. I am glad I was born when I was. The hatred and prejudice that this couple goes through makes me cringe. And it was made worse by the fact that I knew from the beginning that their romance is not one that would end up with them together.

I will never forget this book.

I recieved a copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Thoughts:

My son likes this one. The illustrations really grabbed his attention right away. He loves pirates. He wants to be a good Captain Hook every time him and his friends play what they call Peter Pan and Hook's Voyage.

There is a decent collection of books starring Captain No Beard and his gang. They all help convey to children the importance of friendship, imagination, sharing, and more. I will warn you that this may not work well as a bedtime story, my kid got rather absorbed in the story and was soon acting out the scenes for me on his ship (a bid tote I have).

Recommendation:

This is cute book that I think most pirate loving children will love. It will work well for both a boy or a girl. It is about 40 pages in length with colorful illustrations throughout.

This is a great book. I do wish I had read the first book in the series prior to reading this one, but it as still enjoyable.

This is a middle grade novel full of adventure and fantasy. It is sure to keep a readers attention. This magic, a unique setting, adventure, and weird creatures.

I will definitely be reading more by this author in the future. The plot is nothing like the Harry Potter books, but the writing style reminds me of Rowling's writing. I have never said that about another author. Coming from me, that is a major compliment. I would not be surprised to see this become a very popular series with readers in the middle grade readers.

3.5 stars on my blog. 4 stars here because it is more 4 than 3.

My Thoughts:

It is Monsterland's grand opening. This opening is a big deal because the town where it is located was about to go belly up. It is an opportunity to bring in much needed money and tourists. 

It was rather predictable. A group of teenagers are given opening day tickets for the park after one of the “geeks” does a good deed for a homeless vagrant. This vagrant turns out to be the owner of the park who just looked like a vagrant after a hard days work. Of course they all go. In a park full of monsters, how could things go wrong? Well they do, and in a horrible way. 

This started out kind of slow. The very beginning was slightly confusing. You learn about the world as the story is told. I had to reread the first chapter twice to completely understand what was going on. After that things went smoothly. The last half of the book is much better than the beginning. With that said, I enjoyed this.

Quote From the Book:

“Impressive firepower. I bet it would take down an elephant, rhino, or hippo as well.” McAdams added with a smile. “Seems incongruous to have in a family themed park,” the ambassador from China grumbled. 

Recommendation:

If you are in the mood for a quick read that will give you a few scares, give this a try. Fans of paranormal horror will probably enjoy this. Parts of this were pretty gory, so if you don't like blood and guts, this probably isn't for you.  

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Doyle and his monstrous group of zombies grow in quantity in this one. They are the only force strong enough to stop a threat large enough to destroy the world. In order to this they must team up with people from their past who have caused them great hardship. Addy is hiding a BIG secret, and yes i still want to shake the crap out of her sometimes. Chuck is in love Kai but she fears her heart will be shattered if she gives in. He can't get her out of his head and has turned into stalker zombie. Jenny, I finally know what she is, and WOW! I really want to blab on what she is. Please can I tell? Nope, I won't, but I will say she is a monster. Fans of paranormal fiction are really going to want to read her books about Jenny when they come out because I don't think I have see too many, if any, books featuring her specific species of monster. And dang is she cool, and unique!

I have said it many times that I hate books written in first person. This one didn't bother me because it bounces around as to whose point of view the story is being told from. Sounds confusing, but it's not. At the beginning of the chapter it is made clear who is telling you the story. Well clear for most, some how I missed this at first even though it is labeled in easy to notice typing. Even without the labels it would be easy to figure out because of how unique each character is. They all have their own little quirks, mannerisms, and way of speaking. I feel like I have met and familiarized my self with these characters through real life experiences. I really grew to care for them to the point that I felt for them as they struggled and was excited when they succeeded.

On to one of my favorite things about paranormal romance, the love. These zombies love and cherish their women. They try to protect them with everything they have. Sometime in doing so they become overbearing and turn all alpha on their mates. Yes, there is a mate bond, but it isn't corny like I have seen in other books. There is more than one romance focused on also, Doyle and Addy, and Chuck and Kai. But there is also a “kinda love triangle.” It isn't one where you are guessing the outcome because one person loves two people. Those get annoying quit because come on, it's just selfish and mean. It's the kind where someone loves (a love that is unbreakable) someone they will never have because that other person feels the same love for another. I dropped tears for the unloved girl, it was sad and my heart still breaks for her. In this book, Chuck turns downright stalkerish, and it is kind of nice to see him brought down to Earth. I will warn, or jump up and down with a smile on my face while I gush about the sex getting being more d ecriptive and steamy in this one than the previous two books.

On top of the wonderful, not corny romance, we have some kick butt action scenes. These zombies, and Jenny have some pretty amazing abitities. They are pretty much indestructible and when they clash, it is explosive and really gets your ticker pounding. 

This is part of a trilogy. While there are some cliffhangers at the end of each book they aren't tremendously huge. It isn't like they stopped the story midway through a book.

I also wanted to say how well this book was written as far as puncuation and spelling errors. I found a couple, but no more than I have found in books put out by the big name publishers. 

I really liked this. I am very sad that I have finished it and going to try to bribe the author by posting my grandmother's banana pudding recipe. In the author description it is mentioned that she is always in search of the Holy Grail of banana pudding recipes.

Recommendation:

I really recommend this to fans of the genre. It is unlike other books and it is hard to compare to anything else. It is a bit steamer than the young adult paranormal romance you normally see, but it isn't flat out porn like some of the adult books. It is a perfect medium. Plus, the price for the Kindle versions of the books in this series are very affordable. As of the time of this posting, the three book (about 900 pages total) set is $4.97. I will point out that I love the fact that I have dead tree physical copies because they have beautiful covers. 

 

This was a fun quick read featuring a group of fantasy characters. These character are of the less desirable type. We have thieves, pickpockets, bookies, gamblers, and more. I enjoyed the authors writing style, he is very good at setting a scene. This is just a Littleton seventy pages long. This is meant for adults and has a couple of cute illustrations.

This was interesting. There is so much to read about. I especially liked the robot butler. I liked the author's writing. He could make a shampoo label sound amazing. I hope to see more from him soon.

I normally write a longer review and will come back to this later and add to what I wrote, but right now I have a cold.

Update:

So this is set in a world that is very complex. You have spaceships, robots, thinking computers, and more. This author does an amazing job with describing it, some of the most vivid writing I have ever read. The is heavy n the sci-fi. I would have given this 5 stars if there would have been more stpry, it was still an excellent book though.

This book will appeal to readers of the genre.

My Thoughts: 

Despite the fact that I read this in the anthology a couple of years ago, I really like this story. This is Glheanna and Bram's love story. This is laugh out loud, sexy romance at its best. 

I don't think any other author has entertained me as much as G.A. Aiken (Shelly Laurenston). If you like paranormal romance and haven't read anything by her you are really missing out. 

Recommandation:

This works well as a standalone. Fans of the genre, author will enjoy this.

I recieved an ARC copy of this novella through NetGalley for an honest review

My Thoughts:

This is amazing tribute to Polka music.

It seems like my entire childhood was lived with Polka music playing in the backround. My mother's family is Polish on both her maternal and paternal sides. We listened to polka EVERYWERE. In the car, at family get togethers, on holidays, and Saurdays and Sundays. When we went out for fun we would always end up at some place playing Polka. I remember getting picked up from every Tuesday and Thursday by my grandmother who would have Polka blasting from her car speakers. I, being a teenager, was of course embarassed by this, but my friends thought it was just the neatest thing ever. I fund now that my family has all passed on that I miss that Polka backround music. For me, this was a fun reminder of so many memories.

This is an in depth look at the culture and history of Polka music. It is filled with bright photos and neat facts that I didn't know. I always thought that Polka was just a Polish thing, but it's not. The way the author wrote this makes it fun and interesting. This inspired me to dust off Granny's record player and teach my children, and all the neighborhood children, some of the things that I loved about my childhood. We all ended up in my backyard twirling and hopping around.

Now, I want to point out the cover of this book. Bravo to the cover artist. This book screams “Pick me up!”

Things of Interest:

-Queen Victoria prohibited polka dancing n her presence. No doubt that helped spark the polka craze!

-In 1829, Cyrillic Demian developed the Akkordeon.

-Polka and religion? A Polka Mass is a worship service that is the same basic worship service as the Roman Catholic tradition, but utilizing a unique mode of music– polka! The first Polka Mass was held on May 5, 1973.

Recommendation:

People who want to learn more about the history of Polka, and especially people who have a love for it.

Publication Date: Nov 24, 2015

Feel the Burn is book eight in the Dragonkin series. This book features Kachka and Gaius. I was lucky enough to be approved by the publisher to review an early copy of this through Netgalley. 

MY THOUGHTS:

We have seen Katcha in the previous books. She has been portrayed as... hmm... a bitch. She is one of the Daughters of the Steppes. She is known for treating others disrespectful. Her view on men is just wow. In the beginning of the book her sister and her refer to them as penis-havers. They believe men are there for sex, reproductive reasons, and to be used as servents. They simply have no use for them beyond that. In this book Katcha “grows up.”

Gaius, the one-eyed rebel dragon king of the Provinces, is still seeking revenge against his evil aunt who tortured his twin sister. He is captured himself while trying to deliver that revenge. He is rescued by the beautiful Katcha, who seems to hate him but enjoys bouncing on his penis.

I admit that in the beginning of the story I didn't much care for Kachka, but she has grown on mmend I think this pairing was great. As always with this author you get steamy sex, wicked action scenes, laugh out loud humor, mouthy women, mouth watering man beasts (DRAGON! SEXY ONES!), and the small glimpses of characters you have loved from previous books.

I do wish there would have been more focus on the budding relationship, but a major part of this book is back story building. Aiken expands this story quite a bit in this book and has written it to where there is simply no way to know what will happen because there are so many possibilities.

EXCERPT (from the aauthor's website):

She looked down and found giant dragon nostrils right by her. Leaning back a bit, she realized that the dragon's long body circled her and he was on his back, exposing his belly.“What...are you doing?”“Proving I'm not slimy.”“What?”“You said dragon scales were slimy. As a matter of honor, I have to show you that's not true. You'll need to touch me, though.”Kachka sucked her tongue against her teeth. “Men are disgusting.” “I'm not a man. And I don't mean that. Just touch my scales.”


RECOMMENDATION: 

I really don't think this should be read as a standalone novel. This world that has been created is far to complex. There is a large amount of characters and this amazing world is one that has taken many books to build. 

If you are a fan of the series, this won't disappoint you. If you love paranormal romance and haven't read this then grab book one and get ready to be amazed. G.A. Aiken (Shelly Laurenston) is one of the best of the genre and kne of my favorite authors.

 

Description from Noisetrade:

ANYA SOBCZEK (SUB-CHECK) is a snarling science major with an arm full of Darwin tattoos. Her brother OWEN is a sensitive young thing in a coven of teenage occultists. The Sobczek sibs have always been brutally competitive, but now that Owen's blood has started BUBBLING with ancient tentacled abominations, their rivalry's about to enter a vast new dimension of cosmic terror...

My thoughts:

This was cool. I got to watch as a hyped up college student went around making accusations about people's role in her brothers black arm thing. Is the black thing real? Or is the girl cray-cray?

Check it out for free with the option to leave a tip on Noisetrade.
http://books.noisetrade.com/aaronalexovich/eldritch-1

My Thoughts: 

This is the best book I have read this year. This book is amazing. I am in love with every part of it. I NEED the next installment NOW! There is no way I will ever forget the ending of this book. I will now be stalking this author's Web page eagerly waiting for news on the next book. 

Dear Author,

Get to writing now! Please. 

Sincerely,

FANGIRL

I really expected the amount of time i spent reading about Cimmerian's Curio Emporium to be more lengthy. Instead, at only 10% into the book, i was whisked into Iscaeld, the cold land inside a snow globe that the main female character had bought a the very beginning of the book. The authentic set a steady pace from the beginning and dove right into the adventure. I love a story that flows nicely and doesn't drag on. On every page something new and amazing happened.

The world that this is set in is rather unique. Iscaeld is a cold place ran by a strict king. The king rules with an iron fists. In this land there are many people with unique and extraordinary ablities. The are mythical beings. This world is beatifully described and as I read the place became real in my mind. Again, perfect.

This is exactly what I expect and want from a fantasy book. A perfect book, for me anyways, needs to be properly portione, and this is.. What I mean by that is that an author focuses too much on one subject and it becomes repetitive and annoying. One scoop action, one scoop world building, one scoop action, then blend.

As for the romance. Yes, we have a budding romance between Sondrine and Shán, but this is more fantasy/adventure than fantasy/romance. I would describe this as Frozenmeets The Lord of the Rings. I don't now what book two will contain, but there were adult situations, not graphic sex, just situations. An example is a scene where the king tries to force himself on Sondrine after she tries to avoid her fate of marrying him.

The Characters: 

I have never said this about any other book before, the characters are PERFECT. I have feelings of dislike and almost hatred towards the viilians, and will forever cheer for my team of good guys. 

Sondrine is an elementalist who puts me in mind of Elsa from Frozen, but she can work with more than just ice. She is young, I think 18 or 19. Her character is amazing. She acts age and she is constantly learning from mistakes, experiences, and feelings. She is a very curious person and so eager to shape her life the way she wants. Her aunt has made the decision that she will marry a man who is just blah. He has a weird obsession with teeth, talks to her breasts instead of her face, and has an unhealthy love for food, his physique shows this obsession. To avoid this marriage, Sondrine decides to run away, but instead of gaining freedom she winds up stuck in a world where a king has basically claimed for his own. There is an Immortal queen who has vengeance against the king and it is believed that Sondrine is the only one who has the power to conquer it's queen.

Shán is a warrior for the king. He pissed the immortal queen off and she wants his head in exchange for what he did. He rescues Sondrine from the freezing wilderness, and out of self preservation, he hands her over to the king. He had no clue how bad it was going to be for her once she got there. He is witty, confident, humorous, and is very popular with the ladies. I like his character and feel that there is much more to him than we know as of now.

There are also some magical and mythical characters in the mix that play a huge role in the story; sylphs, alchemists, monstrous beasts that I can't remember what we're called (kindle battery dead), and more.

Excerpt:

Shán says to Zhang the Elder, “If you can stay with Lark for a moment, I will help Sondrine get cleaned up.”The old alchemist takes my place on the bed, and with his pipe smoke, he creates an incredible spectacle of jungle trees, swinging vines, and wild animals of every sort. When Lark seems thoroughly engrossed and distracted, Shán escorts meme into the culinary. The pagoda is a mass graveyard of glass. One of the rafter has detached itself from the ceiling and hangs unsteadily, like a half-assed evergreen ready to fall with one more good shake.

Recommendation: 

I recommend this to EVERYONE! Especially if you are in the mood for epic fantasy. Honestly, this is one of my all time favorite books. Definitely my favorite of this year. This is fantasy done right. 

I recieved a copy of this book from Story Cartel in exchange for an honest review.

I have no clue how this review was never posted. I wrote it mnths ago.

This is a great book. The characters are perfectly created. The dialogue doesn't seemed forced or lacking. There were parts of the story that really had my heart thumping right along with the characters.

I love the bond between Anna and Jody. They are sisters and have an amazing relationship with each other. When Jody gets in legal trouble, it is up to Anna to help her find her way out of the mess.

I have had this book at 80% done since it released. I decided to finish it. I really soul don't have wasted my time.

The story line is decent, and I really wanted to like this. This is going to be a 4 book series with each book written by a different author. The books will feature the daughter's of The Prince of Darkness (Vlad Montour). This one features Victoria, a Hunter Vampire. I love paranormal romance and am really easy to please when it comes to books from the genre. 


The dialog is so flat, boring, and feels emotionless. The writing itself feels young and too simplistic. The whole story just feels lacking. With rewrite and an editor this could be much better. Some parts need to be more explained, others need to be trimmed. This is a cliffhanger.

I have had this book at 80% done since it released. I decided to finish it. I really soul don't have wasted my time.

 

This was better than I expected. You have a girl kidnapped by a member of another race (aliens). She falls for him. And the rest is spoilers.

The characters are really well thought. I will admit that Ziri gets on my nerves a bit and the male is a bit too alpha, but they work well together.

The story is very different from what I normally read, but it was a pleasant surprise.

This is definitely for adults. There are some steamy sex scenes.

If you like paranormal romance, there is a good chance you may like science fiction romance also. I recommend this if you are interested I the genre. I will read more by this author.

Description (Goodreads):

Every boy in Seaside wants to be one of Blackbeard's Boys. From the time ten year old Robert Grace O'Malley could hold his very first fishing pole, it was all he thought about. Every captain of every ship had been one, and now he was well on his way. That is, until he meets Walter, the young octopus who will change his life forever. In Seaside, Wylde Scott takes you on an exciting voyage through a fairy-tale fishing village and a pivotal moment in the life of two unexpected friends. An adventurous story perfect for young readers graduating into their first novels or parents reading their little ones to sleep, it's a book that's bound to be a staple in every family's library for years to come. 

My Thoughts:

This is an amazing book. Between the illustrations, the talking animals, and the constant adventure this really grabs a child's undivided attention. I really think this is one of those children's novels that will be a child's favorite, and could possibly become a future classic novel. I could see this becoming the next big animated children's movie. 

This is a book about determination, friendship, and family. We have an unlikely friendship between an octopus, Walter, who is trying to save his mother from a fisherman and a boy, Bobby, who one day dreams of being a fisherman. The way the author describes things makes you feel like you have visited the places in this novel and witnessed the events as they occur with your own eyes. 
 
I know my son made sure to be tucked in bed by nine o'clock. I made a deal with him that I would read one chapter a night if got to bed before nine thirty, or three chapters a night if he was there by nine. 

This is definitely a book that I will reread with my children, and that my son will reread himself. My daughter is reading it now. She is eleven and is enjoying it despite the fact that it is a bit young for her 

Excerpt: 

As Bobby walked the very streets he had been on the night before, he was excited by the buzz of townsflok. Jeremiah Wheeler, owner of the bicycle shop, hopped down the street with a shoe in one hand and pulled on his suspender with the other, in such a hurry he had forgotten to ride his own bicycle. Henny Trottstone, a widow with seven boys, hurried the lot of them toward the market square with their arms full of scarves she nitted by hand. Mrs. Pickler are hung her husband's shirts out to dry as Mr. Pickler are loaded barrels of cream onto the back of a cart.

Bobby and his father entered the busy market square and were met with a flurry of sights and sounds. Fish vendors had brought carts with their fresh catches. Mr. Butterburger, the town's short, round butcher, was fighting with his dog over a fresh piece of meat he had just cut for a customer.

“Let go before I feed you to the birds!” He souted.

A man riding one of Mr. Wheeler ‘ shiny new bicycles whizzed by with a cat on his head. A tall snake - oil salesman wearing bright red tails and a tall red hat barked from the front of his carriage at everyone who passed by... 
END EXCERPT

Recommendation:

IF YOU HAVE KIDS, BUY THIS NOW! I read this as a bedtime story, it was perfect. It would also be great for children graduating to novel length chapter books. I also admit to loving this book, I am in my thirties. I will warn you that in the beginning of the story it would be a good idea to make sure you read far enough in because if you don't a child may be left thinking that a little boy drowned and a little octopus still has hopes of reuniting with his mother. 

 

This is a cute, short story. The graphics are bright and it rhymes. It does a good job at keeping children occupied and will cause them to giggle at the story. It is fun to read outloud and only takes about 2 or 3 minutes to finish, perfect for story time on a busy night. There is a narrated version uploaded on YouTube by the author. My kids thought the big black dog was cute.

https://youtu.be/j8qEx2y_rlg

I recieved this book through Story Cartel in exchange for an honest review.