Childrens Book Review: Millie Hardiman and the Red Parrot Fever by Eddie Owens

Millie Hardiman and the Red Parrot Fever
by Eddie Owens

Released: July 24, 2016
Description:
Millie Hardiman is a thirteen-year-old from Bognor Regis, with a wild imagination, who dreams of becoming a writer.

When Millie’s scriptwriter Dad, Barry, has writer’s block, Millie becomes his muse for the daytime television soap, Double Top.

After her success on Double Top, Millie creates a Sci-Fi, teen drama, The Adventures of Martian Girl.

Millie falls in love for the first time with Wolf Van Der Beek, an arrogant, South African child actor.

This is a story about friendship, first love and growing up.


My Review:
Millie Hardiman and the Red Parrot Fever almost sounds like a mystery novel, based on the title, but it’s more of a humorous coming of age story. Millie’s a kid with an over-the-top imagination and a knack for convincing unwary adults her stories are true. It drives her parents crazy, but when her dad hits a mega writing block at the worst possible time, they make a deal with her that opens the floodgates.

First off, I don’t think the description does this justice. It’s quite a fun read, but it’s more about Millie’s crazy stories both bringing her opportunities and getting her into trouble than about her love story and her budding writing career.

Besides the stuff Millie comes up with, I really enjoyed her growth as she pushes the boundaries and begins to recognize that even a fictional tale can have real consequences. The love story was more of a first crush tale, which I found plausible for kids that age. There are lessons to be learned, but overall, the stories and hijinks make it a quick and entertaining read.

The only thing I didn’t particularly care for was some clunky punctuation in the beginning, mostly odd pauses in the flow of the words that led to a lot of having to reread things. I didn’t notice very much of this near the end of the story, though.

Overall, I really liked this story and would recommend it to middle-schoolers and up who like humor and lots of shenanigans.

I received the review copy of this book from the author.


Book Links:
Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk
Goodreads


About the Author:

Well, I didn't find much about the author other than a picture and that he was born in Glasgow. Oh, and this quote of his on his Goodreads profile:

“"I didn't read "The Hunger Games" for ages. I thought it was some poxy book about a TV reality cooking show."

Fat Jimmy

From "Fat Jimmy and the Blind Ballerina" due out Jan 2017 (hopefully)”

Author Links:
Goodreads
Amazon.com

Review: Fated Memories by Joan Carney

Fated Memories
by Joan Carney
Genre: Historical Romance/ Time Travel Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: April 15, 2016

Blurb:
A woman, a war, a vision of the future past...

Burdened with the scars of a tortured childhood and a shattered romance, Kitty is being forced to resign from the dull, anonymous job she’s been hiding behind. With her life in shambles and her friends moving on without her, she jumps at her cousin, Maggie’s, invitation to visit.

However, Maggie’s new boyfriend, Simon, has a secret that accidentally hurls the trio a hundred and fifty years into the past. Trapped in the midst of the bloodiest war in American history, and acutely aware their actions might trigger a butterfly effect on the future, the events that unfold will require more mettle than Kitty’s ever had.

My Review:
Fated Memories is a fusion of time travel, historical fiction, and romance. The story takes the perspectives of Kitty and her cousin Maggie in turn. Kitty’s just coming out of a bad situation and jumps at the chance to get away and figure things out. Maggie’s trying to prepare for her grandmother’s final days. Simon is intrigued by Maggie, who resembles a woman named Lucy, a remnant of a past life of whom he’s dreamed since childhood. None of them expect to be dropped right in the middle of the American Civil War.

This story focuses less on the time travel and more on how the main characters deal with being dumped into the past with no way home. I really enjoyed the level of detail and the immersion into the life of field nurses in the American Civil War. There’s also a bit of light romance with some interesting twists, particularly when it starts to look like the three are doomed to live out their lives in the past.

I guess the only things I didn’t quite buy were the herbal remedies from one soldier’s wife that very much mimicked modern medicine and the wealthy seamstress who becomes Kitty and Maggie’s benefactor. Both seemed to be rather deus ex machina. Also, the reader knows very early on what causes the time travel, so it can be painful watching the characters consistently overlook that possibility. I mean, it’s really obvious.

Overall I enjoyed this story. It’s immersive and intriguing, and the main characters are likeable and believable. I’d recommend it to folks who enjoy historical fiction, romance, and time travel.

I received the review copy of this book from the author via Lola’s Blog Tours.
You can find Fated Memories on Goodreads

You can buy Fated Memories on Amazon. This book is part of Kindle Unlimited.

About the Author:
A transplant from the concrete sidewalks of New York City to the sunny beaches of Southern California, Ms. Carney enjoys writing stories about women who are strong—whether by nature or circumstance—and the men who love and respect them for who they are. Things that make her happy are rainy days (too much sun is a bore), writing the perfect first line, family get-togethers, reading books that grab her heart, and finding new connections in her genealogy research. Bold coffee and dark chocolate fuel the artistic fire inspired by her family, friends, and psycho, lizard hunting cat.

You can find and contact Joan here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads

New Release: Holly Jolly Nothing by Vincent Daniels

Holly Jolly Nothing
by Vincent Daniels

Description:
Detroit native Vincent Daniels delivers a hilarious retelling of his absurd childhood as a mixed-race Jehovah's Witness whiz kid in an all-white Catholic-dominated community. Add in some energetic cult conventions, a neighboring halfway house, an unhealthy dinosaur obsession, a couple zealous, quirky parents, and a doozy of an imagination, and you've got one hell of a funny memoir here. This essay-style collection of stories is a great choice for fans of David Sedaris, Jenny Lawson, Allie Brosh, and Justin Halpern.

Daniels' sharp wit, fearless humor, and penchant for shining in even the strangest fiascos keeps his book consistently fun and relatable. In addition to a laugh-out-loud peek into what it's like to be a holiday-avoiding, door-to-door mini preacher, Holly Jolly Nothing sends you on a grandiose trip back to childhood, complete with first crush freak-outs, sleazy after-school jobs, grade school victories and debacles, head-scratchingly odd neighborhood kids, and other coming-of-age awesomeness - all penned with a strong dose of warmth, wonder, and belly laughs.

Don't let the idea of childhood nostalgia fool you though. These stories aren't mild salsa. There's enough spicy adult humor here to set up a lifetime of Judd Apatow movies. And for fans of Daniels' first book, Meaty Balls, don't worry - the author's voice-of-the-people, gleefully-less-than-PC perspective is present on all levels, as is his self-targeting, sincere humor. Daniels' musings are on par with the best Louis C.K., Aziz Ansari, or John Mulaney stand-up comedy. In summary, if you think laughter is the best medicine, don't walk, RUN, to get yourself a copy of Holly Jolly Nothing!

My Thoughts (not a review):
Well, I haven't read this yet, but I plan to buy and read it, and soon. Why? Because Meaty Balls, the first book I read by this author, is my absolutely favorite memoir, ever. I remember reading it in public and laughing out loud anyway. Check out the original review of Meaty Balls here.

This one promises to be just as funny and every bit worth buying for those who want a good laugh based on real, and really funny, events. Not for the easily offended, I'm guessing, based on the other one. 

I happened across Vincent on Facebook some time back, and his posts are just as irreverent and grin inducing. Anyhow, when I saw the new book come out, I sent him a message telling him I'd like to feature his new book and asked if he'd like to share anything personal for the post. Here is what he said:

You're literally too good to be true, Trish! So, first, obviously I appreciate this. Second, I can't think of much to add book-description-wise in addition to the Amazon write-up I "meticulously" crafted a few days ago. A link to my personal Facebook page would be cool though. I'd love more internet friends so I can feel meaningful in our cyber-culture.
As far as a personal message goes, how's this: When I finished Holly Jolly Nothing, I realized the best two things about moving out of my parents house years ago have been: 1) Being able to write just-shy-of-PC, non-PG-rated books that poke fun at religion and rules, because what I write would've never flown in the strict religious household I grew up in, but I'm having an awesome time doing it! And 2) Never having to eat canned green beans again. To even out the list, I'll add that the worst thing I've noticed about moving out is that I'm late for everything without Mom and Dad there to wake me up. And while that may make me sound like a kid, to set the record straight, I'm actually more of a kid-man-robot sentinel.

Also, feel free to add my recommendation that your blog readers can show their appreciation for your kind personality and book reviewing ways by knitting you soft mittens and cozy socks and mailing them to you, perhaps with candy. You can tell them this was solely my idea, not yours. 

Thanks again, Trish! I look forward to seeing the blog!

I like the sound of that cozy socks and mittens thing. Candy couldn't hurt either, lol.

About the Author:

Ok, so one of the things that made me pick up his first book was his over-the-top profile. So, here it is, right from Amazon, the author bio of Vincent Daniels:

Hi, I'm Vincent Daniels, author of Meaty Balls - a collection of essays, expositions, and insightfully elegant potty humor (which I heard you like). It's got like a million chapters (thirty, actually). I also just released a new book titled Holly Jolly Nothing. It's a memoir recounting absurdities from my religiously-stymied childhood along with other awesome coming-of-age stuff. If you have any semblance of a heart, I think you'll dig it. Even some of you heartless A-holes will get a kick out of it too.

If you're asking, "What makes you so special that you get to write hilarious books that I'll love forever?" Here's why: I was raised as a Jehovah's Witness and was out preaching to strangers about Satan's hooves as a nine-year-old. I wasn't allowed to celebrate birthdays or holidays but went to a public school where that stuff made up half the curriculum. Plus all the wonky beliefs and cult conventions are funny, in retrospect. Also, I'm half-Asian, which isn't intrinsically funny in itself, but being the only foreign-looking kid in an all-white hillbilly suburb is funny, also in retrospect. Additionally, I was married into a Puerto Rican family and gained two hundred spicy in-laws who swear enough to make Martin Scorsese blush.

In addition to those balls-out hilarious things about me, I now live in Detroit, which has a large black population and a lot of crime. I'm certainly not insinuating the two are related, I'm simply stating those things because that's what people usually think of when the think of Detroit. Though both are true, I've never been mugged or murdered by anyone black (or any race). Okay, this is coming out all wrong. One of my best friends is actually black! I'm tempted to rewrite this paragraph because it sounds suspicious, but I told myself I'd write this once and not edit it. This is getting wordy, so I'm going to list the other reasons I'm capable of writing a funny book without as much explanation:

5. Starting with "5" because technically there are four "Reasons I'm Funny" written above. I'm going to start a new "Number Five" because this one got ruined by this explanation.

Real 5. After being married to the Puerto Ricans, I got divorced...and divorce is hilarious! (After you've moved on, lost weight, and bought a bigger TV.)

6. I'm an auto-industry stooge who gets paid to design auto parts while actually writing essays in a word processor minimized in the bottom corner of my screen. Don't tell my boss. (That includes you, PC-monitoring IT guy!)

7. I go to dive bars and drink a lot. I look foreign. I'm divorced. I have a black friend. We have sweet hip-hop dance moves. Antics ensue.

8. I'm a part-time musician who plays guitar, writes mushy love songs, and says, "Yeah, I've sold a bunch of MP3s," even though I've only sold ten over the past five years and barely made enough money to buy a combo meal at Taco Bell.

9. I have a gigantic collection of rocks & fossils, comic books, '80s toys, movie memorabilia, weapons (non-functioning replicas), old-school video games, dinosaur books, hockey jerseys, lawn equipment, and button-up shirts that I never wear. The point being, I'm an expert on everything and exceptionally geeky in a sexy and sophisticated way that'll make you feel pretty cool.

So my advice is this: Nab a copy of Holly Jolly Nothing and/or Meaty Balls like the good-for-nothing nabber that you are, and live the remainder of your life, or at least a few measly days, in a cozy, orgasmic reading bliss. Let's cuddle after!                

Author Links:
Twitter @quite_meaty
Goodreads Vincent Daniels
Facebook Page Author Vincent Daniels

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Intrigued, pick both up on Amazon!

Fantasy Review: Capering on Glass Bridges (The Hawk of Stone Duology, Book 1) by Jessica Hernandez

Capering on Glass Bridges (The Hawk of Stone Duology, Book 1)
by Jessica Hernandez

Released: August 21, 2016

Description:
The Utdrendans have spoken, and everything has changed as a consequence. People normally avoid the fog surrounding the cursed Kingdom of Mar, but now they are asking sixteen-year-old Kaia Stone to venture into it. The Utdrendans implied that there is something special about Kaia. They claimed that she could help free the land; she need only carry out their instructions and deliver a message to the Marian king.

Mar, however, is a land in which dark secrets abound, and many will stop at nothing to ensure that it remains forever cursed. Determined to work against Kaia, unfriendly forces have already begun to gather.

Will Kaia choose to abandon the only life she’s ever known—perhaps indefinitely—in pursuit of the greater good…in pursuit of her purpose?

My Review:
Well, this one was a bit surprising. Capering on Glass Bridges is a fantasy adventure in which Kaia, a young girl, is called upon to deliver a message that could release the country, Mar, from a curse. It starts off heavy on family dynamics, focusing on Kaia’s struggles not to be jealous of her younger sister’s pairing with her new companion, Ree. Then the family is summoned, and the plot broadens.

I like that I wasn’t able to guess the book’s outcome, though there are hints at some of the revelations I just didn’t pick up on the first time through. My first reaction upon putting the book down was, “Crazy!” Of course, I didn’t want to just post that word alone without explanation. I meant crazy as in surprising, I didn’t guess that, and wow.

Anyhow, I also like the stories sprinkled in throughout the book. The one the sisters made up was pretty creepy, and they never did finish it, but I liked it. And the others explained elements of history and culture in the world of the book, but they’re told like proper, complete stories. Nicely done.

The main thing I found difficult in the story was keeping up with all the names. There are a lot of characters, and they’re brought into the story in packs, with a mixture of modern and fantasy names. Once the cast was reduced to a manageable size, it became a lot easier to keep up.

The other thing I found difficult links to there being so many characters. There were a couple of places where I had to flip back in a conversation to retrace who was saying what. Not impossible when it’s only two characters speaking, but there were times this happened with group conversations. There are hints in the things they’re saying, but it was easy to get lost.

Overall, I really liked this story, particularly because it had a surprising outcome. Fans of fantasy quests and adventures will likely enjoy this story.

I received the review copy of this book from the author.


Book Links:
Amazon.com
Goodreads


About the Author:

 

Hello, everyone! My name is Jessica. Pleasure to make your acquaintance. :) Allow me to share a bit about myself with you. I was born and raised in the beautiful, sunny state of Florida. I attended the University of Miami, where I spent more time than I care to admit daydreaming of a faraway land called Acu. Upon graduating with a degree in English and Political Science in 2014, I put pen to paper and brought Acu to life—so was born the Hawk of Stone duology.


Author Links:
Goodreads
https://jessthestoryteller.wordpress.com/  
Twitter @jessy_marie77

Funny Fantasy Review: Class Dis-Mythed (Myth Adventures #16) by Robert Asprin and Jody Lynn Nye

Class Dis-Mythed  (Myth Adventures #16)
by Robert Asprin, Jody Lynn Nye

Description:
After years as a court magician and inter-dimensional hero, Skeeve needed a rest. So he took some time off to study magic and relax. When a few months later several members of the M.Y.T.H. Inc. Team each ask him to train some talented, young magicians in "practical magic" he has to agree. But after the assassins attack and a manticore tries to eat them, the Khlad mage soon discovers that there is more going on than learning. His students are preparing for a very deadly magical game and you won't believe where. Worse yet, the game may be fixed, and the only way to save his students’ lives is for Skeeve to risk his own.


My Review:
Class Dis-Mythed takes us back to Skeeve, who's on a long-term hiatus on his home dimension, Klahd, trying to become the awesome magician everyone thinks he is. But somehow trouble always manages to find him. This time, trouble comes in the form of a random group of young magician wannabes who are looking for instruction from The Great Skeeve in practical magic.

This installment seems to be everything I've always loved about the Myth series. Robert Aspirin and Jodie Lynn Nye wrote it together, and unlike in the last couple of books, their styles seem indistinguishable in this one. The tongue-in-cheek humor, the bit of mystery, the randomness that feeds into a coherent conclusion, all are very well done and a lot of fun.

Overall, I loved this book and got a lot of laughs from it. I'd strongly recommend this to folks who love fantasy and humor, particularly corny humor.

I received this book as a gift from my husband because he knows I'm a fan of the series and we'd both thought no more of these were being written.


About the Authors:

Robert Aspirin

 

Robert (Lynn) Asprin was born in 1946. While he wrote some stand alone novels such as Cold Cash War, Tambu and The Bug Wars and also the Duncan and Mallory Illustrated stories, Bob is best known for his series fantasy, such as the Myth Adventures of Aahz and Skeeve, the Phule’s Company novels and the Time Scout novels written with Linda Evans. He also edited the groundbreaking Thieves’ World anthology series with Lynn Abbey. Other collaborations include License Invoked (set in the French Quarter of New Orleans) and several Myth Adventures novels, all written with Jody Lynn Nye.

Bob’s final solo work was a contemporary fantasy series called Dragons, again set in New Orleans.

Bob passed away suddenly on May 22, 2008. He is survived by his daughter and son, his mother and his sister.  

Jody Lynn Nye

Jody Lynn Nye lists her main career activity as ‘spoiling cats.’ When not engaged upon this worthy occupation, she writes fantasy and science fiction books and short stories.

Before breaking away from gainful employment to write full time, Jody worked as a file clerk, book-keeper at a small publishing house, freelance journalist and photographer, accounting assistant and costume maker.

For four years, she was on the technical operations staff of a local Chicago television station, WFBN (WGBO), serving the last year as Technical Operations Manager. During her time at WFBN, she was part of the engineering team that built the station, acted as Technical Director during live sports broadcasts, and worked to produce in-house spots and public service announcements.

Over the last twenty or so years, Jody has taught in numerous writing workshops and participated on hundreds of panels covering the subjects of writing and being published at science-fiction conventions. She has also spoken in schools and libraries around the north and northwest suburbs. In 2007 she taught fantasy writing at Columbia College Chicago. She also runs the two-day writers workshop at DragonCon.

Jody lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, with her husband Bill Fawcett, a writer, game designer, military historian and book packager, and a black cat, Jeremy.


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You won't find this one on Kindle, but you can probably find a decent mass-market paperback copy on Amazon for a good deal.