Book Review: Aoléon The Martian Girl PART TWO

Book Description:
Aoléon and Gilbert receive a special mission from PAX, a wanted criminal and leader of the Martian resistance movement to investigate the Luminon of Mars, who he suspects is planning an invasion of Earth to steal its milk cows. Gilbert has an encounter with the Luminess (the mate of the Luminon) and discovers something strange about her during a procession, and the duo are chased by the Royal Paladin Guard.

At Aoléon’s home, Gilbert meets Aoléon’s family, her sister Una, mother Phobos and father Deimos as well as her overzealous pet Zoot. He is also introduced to Bizwat, a covert operator and Procyon Commando, who uses his Saturn Pizza delivery job as a cover.

Gilbert then gets to visit the Martian Space Academy (Aoléon’s school) where he encounters Aoléon’s nemesis, Charm Lepton and her friend Quarkina, as well as receiving a history lesson on the Martian people by Plutarch Xenocrates. After class, Gilbert and Aoléon get to train in zero-G and Gilbert is treated to a Psi-ball match between Martian Space Academy and Martian Science Academy.

My Review:
This book picks up at the exact point that Part One left off.  The reader begins the exciting adventure of Mars with Gilbert and Aoleon.

I really like the details of life on Mars with Aoleon's family.  For instance, "Dinner was being dispensed from tentacle tubing that extended from the ceiling above the table, filling bowls with a milky substance."  Another example was Aoleon's holographic star map, which shone in bright colors and moved in three dimensions.

Aoleon even has a pet, a lovable little animal who looks like a cross between a cat and a pug.  At night she sleeps in a holographic sleep pod that disappears when it is not in use.  Details like this were fascinating, especially as they related to similarities and differences to life on earth.

The Martian Space Academy scenes are fun;  they introduce a diverse student population like the Harry Potter series.  The descriptions of classes on Mars are really interesting

The book is action packed and fast paced, with a mix of dialogue and description that will appeal to young readers.  The illustrations are vivid and exciting, and they really enhance the story.  The colors are especially great - they almost glow.  I would definitely recommend reading this book in color format (not on a black and white reader).

This book has a broad age appeal, but I think middle school students will especially enjoy it.  It has the hallmarks of a book that appeal to young readers - action, vivid imagery, and a sense of fun and adventure.  

Buy the Book:
Pre-order your copy today!

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Buy The Martian Girl Song!
Another World - Single
Featuring Élan Noelle
Download on iTunes

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

Connect with Brent: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Aoléon: The Martian Girl

I received a copy of this book from iRead Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review and Giveaway: Pants! No Chance! by Susan Lanyi

Book Synopsis:
Lulupop rarely puts up a fuss, except when it comes to wearing pants. Dresses, dresses, dresses, is all she will ever wear! With time, a little drama, and no lack of imagination, Lulupop realizes that wearing dresses is not always the best choice. 

My Review:   
Before I was a blogger and vintage bookseller, I taught 3 and 4 year olds at a play-based preschool.  Each year there were always a couple of little girls who wanted to wear their prettiest dresses to school.  I always reminded parents that we would be fingerpainting, going to the playground, decorating cookies, planting flower seeds - and pants were practical for active play.  I wish that Pants! No Chance! had been in my classroom library.  It would have been a great read aloud to share.

Pants! No Chance! is a charming picture book for young children.  Lulupop wants to wear a dress to school every day, although her mother suggests that pants might be more appropriate.  Because of this, Lulupop finds riding a bike difficult, cannot participate in gym, and scrapes her knees on the playground.  Young readers will find out how she decides that it might not be such a bad idea to wear pants to school.

The storytelling in this book is fun and lively.  A week in Lulupop's school life is presented with details about each day.  The drama and school adventures will make for a great read aloud at home or in a classroom.

The illustrations by Alexandre Rouillard are charming.  The colors are bright and vivid, and the pictures help advance the story.

I would recommend this book for preschool children or early readers (kindergarten to first grade).  It would be a fun book to read at home, but also a nice addition to a school library.

Author's Bio:

Susan Lanyi lives in Montreal with her husband, three children and puppy. She is a writer and has previously been published in The Globe and Mail. When Susan is not busy writing or doing "mom stuff" she is shopping for dresses with her daughter….Too bad her daughter only wants to wear pants!

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Connect with Susan: Website ~ Twitter

Where to buy the book:

Domnizelles Publications
Amazon.com
Amazon.ca
Barnes & Nobles

​Giveaway:​

​Prize: ​One of 5 print copies of Pants! No Chance! Open internationally. Ends March 7.

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Downton Abbey: Season 5, Episode 8 (Season Finale)

What Happened (A Very  Short Summary)
This was an episode packed with plot developments.  Rose married Atticus, after much unwanted drama from her mother, Susan.  Mary had a moment of sadness about the household breaking up, as Rose moved on, Edith busied herself with baby Marigold, and Tom advanced his plans to move to Boston.  Robert realized that Marigold is his granddaughter.  Prince Kuragin suggested to Violet that they move forward as friends - and lovers.  Daisy considered moving to London, but decided to stay on until she finishes her studies.  Robert honored Mrs. Patmore's nephew with a war monument.  Anna was arrested for Mr. Green's murder.
 
Character of the Week
Rose is my choice, since she just got married, and the Rose-Atticus pairing is a true love match. 

Line of the Week
"Love may not conquer all, but it can conquer quite a lot." (the Dowager Countess)

"Oh My" Moment
Anna was in a Scotland Yard line up.   That is a sentence I never expected to type about this show!
 
What I Hope Will Happen Next
I am very curious to see what will happen next with Anna's arrest.  I wonder if Mr. Bates will "take the rap" and confess so she can walk free?   It seemed like he was hinting at that this episode.  I also am looking forward to seeing how the Dowager Countess responds to Prince Kuragin.  From the trailers, it looks like Mary may have a new man on the horizon - so of course that will be interesting as well.

What were your thoughts on this episode?  What do you hope to see in the Christmas episode, which airs next week?

Book Review and Giveaway: The Monster That Ate My Socks by A.J. Cosmo

Book Synopsis:

A young boy, who is about to be grounded for going through so many socks, discovers that a monster has been eating them.

Max is a young boy who is constantly getting in trouble for his socks disappearing. He doesn’t know where they go, but he does know that if he doesn’t do something quickly his mom will ground him for summer. Max soon discovers that a little green monster is sneaking into his room at night and eating his sweaty socks. His mother, of course, doesn't believe him, so Max calls on his best friend to come for a sleepover to catch the monster.

They devise a trap and capture the monster only to learn that the creature can speak. It hasn’t meant to cause any harm, it's just trying to feed its family. The monster shows them his home and his three little children and begs the boys not to turn them over to the adults. Adults, he says, want to destroy monsters.

The boys are left in a pickle. Allow the monsters to be and get grounded, or turn the monsters in knowing what will happen to them? Neither idea seems good, so they come up with a new plan!

My Review:
One of the most important questions I ask about any children's book is, "Is it fun to read?"  The Monster that Ate My Socks answers that question with a resounding "YES!"    Children will enjoy the adventures of Max as he discovers his missing and half-eaten socks and sets out to solve the mystery.  The monster in this book is a friendly creature who will pique imagination.

The book is fast paced, with lively writing.  The paragraphs are short, there is dialogue to engage young readers, and the descriptions are vivid.

The illustrations in this book are tremendous fun.  They are bold, with vivid colors, and they all feature the three-eyed monster.  The pictures really help move the story along.
 
This book is reading level 2.0.   Teachers and homeschooling families will love the lesson plan that is included.  The lesson plan includes new words, prediction questions, guiding questions, and word work.  

I heartily recommend this book for children who enjoy a lively book that they can read themselves.  This is a fun read that is sure to engage even reluctant readers.  

Author's Bio:

A.J. Cosmo's stories are crafted to help parents teach their children simple everyday lessons in an easy to understand manner. By artfully marrying beautiful illustrations and language, children are challenged to explore his magical worlds. Written for the transitional reader, A.J.'s stories allow your child to develop and master a new level of reading.

Connect with A.J.: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

Where to buy the book:

Amazon

Giveaway:

Prizes: 2 Kindle Fire HD 16GB Open to USA & Canada.

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I received a copy of this book from iRead Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

Book Spotlight and Giveaway: The Frailty of Things by Tamsen Schultz

The Frailty of Things
By Tamsen Schultz
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Book Blurb:

Independence. Kit Forrester is a woman who wears her independence like armor. Despite keeping secrets and hiding her past, she's built a life she loves and is accountable to no one. Until, that is, one of the world's most wanted war criminals sets his sights on her and she must weigh the risk to one against the chance of justice and closure for many-a decision Kit couldn't make on her own even if she wanted to.

Certainty. As a man who makes his living in the shadows of governments and wars, certainty isn't a part of Garret Cantona's vocabulary, and he's just fine with that. But when Kit walks into his life, he realizes he's never before been so sure about anything or anyone. Suddenly, he finds he's looking at the world, his world, in a different light. And now that he is, he's determined to protect it, and her, in whatever ways he can.

Frailty. No one knows better than Kit and Garret that an appreciation for
what is, or what was, or what might be, can be born from the uncertainty and fragility of life. But when a hunt for a killer leaves Garret no choice but to throw Kit back into her broken and damaged past, even his unshakable faith in what they have together might not be enough to keep it from shattering into a million pieces.

Author Bio:

Tamsen Schultz is the author of several romantic suspense novels and
American Kin (a short story published in Line Zero Magazine). In addition to being a writer, she has a background in the field of international conflict resolution, has co-founded a non-profit, and currently works in corporate America. Like most lawyers, she spends a disproportionate amount of time thinking (and writing) about what it might be like to do something else. She lives in Northern California in a house full of males including her husband, two sons, four cats, a dog, and a gender-neutral, but well-stocked, wine rack.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TamsenSchultz
Twitter: @tamsenschultz
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Tamsen-Schultz/e/B009NVIEGO
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/tamsens
Website: www.tamsenschultz.com

The author is giving away 3 $10 Amazon Gift Cards to 3 lucky readers!
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