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The Monster Hypothesis Blog Tour and Giveaway

December 11, 2019 By Heather Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Title: THE MONSTER HYPOTHESIS

Author: Romily Bernard

Pub. Date: December 10, 2019

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Pages: 304

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD

Welcome to Bohring-home to 453 people, 2,053 alligators, and one monster curse.

Correction: home to 454 people, now that Kick Winter is living in the swamp Hollows with her Grandma Missouri, the town (fake) psychic. Bohring is anything but boring for Kick who has already blown a hole through the kitchen floor, befriended a chicken-eating gator, and discovered that the town’s hundred-year curse is upon them.

It’s the Bohring curse and all the kids are about to become monsters-or so the legend goes. People are worried-except for Kick. She knows there’s a scientific explanation for everything, especially curses and monsters. But Kick is the new kid in school and she’s determined to make a name for herself . . . by pretending to be psychic.

According to her calculations: one teeny-tiny life + (fake) psychic skills = popularity. But when kids start disappearing and glowing creatures start showing up, Kick’s theory quickly evaporates in a puff of foul-smelling swamp gas. Can Kick use her (real) science smarts to prove the curse is a hoax? Or is it just-maybe-sort of-somehow possible the curse is here?

Author Romily Bernard weaves a fast-paced middle-grade mystery filled with humor and scientific intrigue, set in a perfectly eerie Southern town.

little red reads review

From page on the Monster Hypothesis had me transported to the deep South with alligators, magic and home cooked grits. I typically take a while to engage with middle grade characters and themes, but this time I was invested from the beginning. I love that the author chose such colorful family members and names, as well as interesting side characters like the three sister who introduce themselves to Kit on the first day of school. The reader can feel as if they are in the Hollows, and walking the mile to and from class. Kit is witty and independent, smart with science and willing to break silly rules to prove her hypotheses. There was so much I enjoyed about this book, that I truly can’t wait for more! Thank you Disney Hyperion and Rockstar Book Tours for the chance to read this gem.

About Romily:

Romily Bernard graduated from Georgia State University with a literature degree. Since then, she’s worked as a riding instructor, cell-phone salesperson, personal assistant, horse groomer and exercise rider, accounting assistant, and, during a very dark time, customer service representative. . . . She’s also, of course, now a YA novelist.

So don’t let anyone tell you a BA degree will keep you unemployed.

Romily currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, and Find Me is her debut novel. It placed first in the 2011 YA Unpublished Maggie Awards (given by Georgia Romance Writers) and won the Golden Heart Award for YA Romance from the Romance Writers of America in 2012.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Pinterest | YouTube

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a hardcover of THE MONSTER HYPOTHESIS, US only.

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Tour Schedule:

Week One:

12/2/2019 Popthebutterfly Reads Review
12/3/2019 Mythical Books Excerpt
12/4/2019 Sometimes Leelynn Reads Review
12/5/2019 Lifestyle of Me Review
12/6/2019 BookHounds Excerpt

Week Two:

12/9/2019 Ogitchida Kwe’s Book Blog Review
12/10/2019 For the Love of KidLit Excerpt
12/11/2019 Little Red Reads Review
12/12/2019 Life Within The Pages Review
12/13/2019 Book Briefs Review

Week Three:

12/16/2019 Adventures Thru Wonderland Review
12/17/2019 BookishRealmReviews Review
12/18/2019 fictitious.fox Review
12/19/2019 Paper safari Review
12/20/2019 Nay’s Pink Bookshelf Review

Week Four:

12/23/2019 She Just Loves Books Review
12/24/2019 Hurn Publications Review
12/25/2019 Two Chicks on Books Excerpt
12/26/2019 Character Madness Excerpt
12/27/2019 Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers Excerpt

Week Five:

12/30/2019 Two Points of Interest Review
12/31/2019 Fyrekatz Blog Review

Little Red Reads Holiday Gift Giving Guide

November 27, 2013 By Heather Leave a Comment

Not sure what books to get your children or middle grade readers this year?

Check out these top picks from Little Red Reads…

Ever After High: The Storybook of Legends
by Shannon Hale
At Ever After High, an enchanting boarding school, the children of fairytale legends prepare themselves to fulfill their destinies as the next generation of Snow Whites, Prince Charmings and Evil Queens…whether they want to or not. Each year on Legacy Day, students sign the Storybook of Legends to seal their scripted fates. For generations, the Village of Book End has whispered that refusing to sign means The End-both for a story and for a life.

As the daughter of the Evil Queen, Raven Queen’s destiny is to follow in her mother’s wicked footsteps, but evil is so not Raven’s style. She’s starting to wonder, what if she rewrote her own story? The royal Apple White, daughter of the Fairest of Them All, has a happy ever after planned for herself, but it depends upon Raven feeding her a poison apple in their future.

What if Raven doesn’t sign the Storybook of Legends? It could mean a happily never after for them both.

Lotus Lane #3: Lulu: My Glamorous Life (A Branches Book)
by Kyla May
The Lotus Lane Girls Club is the most fun club EVER!

This series is part of Scholastic’s early chapter book line called Branches, which is aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!

This third book in the series is written as Lulu’s diary, with fun illustrations and doodles throughout. Lulu loves all things sparkly, adores her BFFs, and is a huge fan of her favorite actress, Penelope Glitter. Lulu enters a look-alike contest in the hopes of being able to attend Penelope Glitter’s new movie premiere. Here are some items on her to-do list:
Pack costume and makeup
Freak out
Calm Down
Make it to the next round?!

The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook: From Cauldron Cakes to Knickerbocker Glory–More Than 150 Magical Recipes for Muggles and Wizards
by Dinah Bucholz

With this cookbook, dining a la Hogwarts is as easy as Banoffi Pie. With more than 150 easy-to-make recipes, tips, and techniques, you can indulge in spellbindingly delicious meals drawn straight from the pages of your favorite Potter stories, such as:

Treacle Tart, Harry’s favorite dessert
Molly’s Meat Pies, Mrs. Weasley’s classic dish
Kreacher’s French Onion Soup
Pumpkin Pasties, a staple on the Hogwarts Express cart
With a dash of magic and a drop of creativity, you’ll conjure up the entrees, desserts, snacks, and drinks you need to transform ordinary Muggle meals into magical culinary masterpieces, sure to make even Mrs. Weasley proud.

LEGO Minifigure Year by Year: A Visual History
by Gregory Farshtey (Author) , Daniel Lipkowitz

Includes 3 iconic minifigures!

LEGO® Minifigure Year by Year: A Visual History shows the evolution of this classic toy for the first time ever, with exquisite photography and fascinating facts about each and every minifigure included.

Featuring more than 2,000 of the most significant, popular, and rare minifigures, this engaging reference guide explores minifigures chronologically by theme. Fans will learn little-known facts about their favorite minifigures in this first-ever publishing of the evolution of the famous LEGO minifigure.

The Christmas Wish
by Lori Evert (Author) , Per Breiehagen (Photographer)

In the tradition of The Snowman, The Polar Express, and the many books of Jan Brett this cozy Nordic tale filled with extraordinary photographs will have readers of all ages believing in the magic of Christmas. This is one to pull out every year and savor.

Long ago, a brave little girl named Anja wanted to be one of Santa’s elves. So she leaves a note for her family and helps her elderly neighbor prepare for the holiday, then she straps on her skis, and heads out into the snowy landscape. From a red bird to a polar bear to a reindeer, a menagerie of winter animals help Anja make her way to Santa. A generous trim-size, matte cover, and foiled title make this a special book for the holiday season.

 

Christmas from Heaven: The True Story of the Berlin Candy Bomber [With CD (Audio)]

by Tom Brokaw (Author) , Robert T. Barrett (Illustrator) , David T. Warner (Contributor)

Christmas from Heaven is the story of the humble beginnings of what became a beacon of hope to a war-torn land, the story of Gail Halvorsen, a young pilot in the US Army Air Corps who was assigned as a cargo pilot to the Berlin Airlift, in which US forces flew much-needed supplies into a Soviet-blockaded Berlin.

 

As he performed his duties, Lt. Halvorsen began to notice the German children gathered by the fences of Tempelhof Air Base. Knowing that they had very little, he one day offered them some chewing gum. From that small act, an idea sprang: He would “bomb” Berlin with candy. Fashioning small parachutes, he and his crew sent them floating down as they approached the Berlin airport, wiggling the wings of their C-54 as a signal to the children that their anticipated cargo would soon arrive.

Lt. Halvorsen became known by hundreds, if not thousands, of children in Berlin as “Uncle Wiggly Wings” or “The Candy Bomber.” Word soon spread, and donations of candy and other supplies poured in from sympathetic Americans. Lt. Halvorsen’s small idea became a great symbol of hope not only to German children in a bombed-out city but to all those who yearned for freedom.

Famed broadcast journalist and author Tom Brokaw brings this remarkable true story to life in a stunning live performance with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, captured on the accompanying DVD. Also included in the book is a template and directions for creating your own “Candy Bomber” parachutes.

Katie Sprinkles & Surprises (Cupcake Diaries)

by Coco Simon

The Cupcake Club comes to Katie’s defense when a surprise at school leads to unfair gossip.

When Katie’s mom says it’s time for Katie to meet her new boyfriend, Katie is excited and nervous. She thinks she’s prepared, but she’s shocked instead. Her mom’s boyfriend is Jeff Green—as in Mr. Green, a math teacher in her grade! Katie tries to act as normal as possible, but when mean girl Olivia finds out, she tells everyone that Katie is getting special treatment because her mom is dating a teacher. How can Katie stop Olivia and deal with all the new events in her life? It’s the Cupcake Club to the rescue, as Katie’s friends come to her defense, including an unexpected ally.

 

Lucky Me
by Cindy Callaghan

In LUCKY ME Meghan McGlinchey fails to forward a chain letter and the ensuing bad luck wreaks havoc on her life.   She travels to Ireland to find the letter’s original author and break the curse — but nothing goes smoothly.

 

Emerald Ring Blog Tour and Author Interview with Dorine White

November 6, 2013 By Heather Leave a Comment

Little Red Reads is pleased to be today’s stop on the official blog tour for 
The Emerald Ring: Cleopatra’s Legacy by Dorine White

Book Summary: Ordinary tween life turns upside down when Ancient Egypt intrudes on modern middle school life. Twelve year old Sara Guadalupe Bogus reads about adventures, but unexpectedly is drawn into one when a mystical emerald ring that once belonged to Cleopatra becomes stuck on her finger.
A series of burglaries spook Sara’s small Ohio hometown. Concluding that the root of all the crimes is the emerald ring, Sara realizes it’s up to her and her friends, Heidi and African exchange student Kainu, to save the town and protect Cleopatra’s legacy. Filled with magic, the ring thrusts Sara into a world filled with nightmares, allows her to shape shift into an Egyptian cat and battle assassins.

Author Interview…

Best all time books and or movies? 

Star Wars movies!

Do you have a playlist of songs you listen to while writing or for inspiration? 

I actually can’t write to music. I have to be able to picture the scene unfolding in my mind to write it down.

Give us a nutshell of your current works in progress.

I am doing NaNoWriMo right now. I am working on a YA fantasy that involves a young man named Kyler who must defeat an evil tyrant and its pet Griffin.

Any signings or events coming up?

I am doing two library NaNoWriMo events this month, but what I am most excited about are my upcoming school visits. My first two are booked for December and I can’t wait to get those kids excited about books.

Where is your dream vacation or writing retreat? 

I have always wanted to go to Hawaii. A dream spot would be somewhere near the water.

Paper or ebook?

 Paper. I like to hold a book in my hands and turn the pages. I do use my nook because some times I just can’t wait to read the next book.

Favorite bookstore, library?

I don’t have a specific one. I love bookstores in general. I could spend all day just bumming around and looking at books. I think one with a magical children’s section would be my favorite.

Your favorite character in the Emerald Ring and why?

I love both Sara and Heidi. Sara because she is based on my niece and every time I read the story I see her in my mind. I like Heidi because she is spunky and not afraid to put herself out there.

Author Bio: My name is Dorine White. I am a children’s author and a book reviewer. I grew up back East in Maryland and attended BYU in Utah. I have a BA in Humanities with an interest in Art History and French. Currently I live in the beautiful, yet rainy Northwest with my husband and 6 children.

 My first book in The Cleopatra’s Legacy series, The Emerald Ring, was published by Cedar Fort Books on May 14, 2013. It is a middle grade fantasy novel that involves Ancient Egypt, Cleopatra, and a magic emerald ring. Please check out the “My Books” page for more info.

 I am a member of the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) and the PNWA (Pacific Northwest Writers Assoc.).

Author Website- http://www.dorinewhite.com/
Blog- The Write Path- http://www.dorinewhite.blogspot.com/
Twitter @Dorinewhite- https://twitter.com/DorineWhite
Facebook Author Page- https://www.facebook.com/dorinewhite

Purchase:

Giveaway: Dorine is giving away one paperback copy of The Emerald Ring to a lucky winner in the US or Canada. Enter using the Rafflecopter below.


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We are the children's division of Fire and Ice. We review baby board books to middle-grade titles. We also review products and toys for the family. For inquiries on reviews, blog tours, and author interviews contact FireandIce.Heather@gmail.com
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