Darkness and Demon Song (Marius Grey #2) by M.R. Fournet

Darkness and Demon Song (Marius Grey #2) by M.R. Fournet
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Format:   Hardcover
Number of pages:  360
Source:  Media Masters in exchange for an honest review
Published:  June 18th, 2024

Opening Line:  "Somewhere, in the deepest, darkest most primal part of his brain, Marius Grey knew this was a bad idea."

Despite having missed out on reading Brick Dust and Bone, I was able to jump right into reading Darkness and Demon Song with only slight confusion on how Marius rescued his mom from the dead and perhaps some details about the "fringe world" that they live in.  However, this did not interfere with my enjoyment in any way.  And boy what an exhilarating opening with Marius and his mom battling a Chupacabra.

Marius and his mother are monster hunters who capture monsters by sealing them into a book in order to exchange them for coins from Papa Harold.  Ever since Marius' mom returned, he's noticed that she's changed. It almost feels like she is more of a stranger and a bit of a "liability." Marius witnesses her losing her sense of time and how she becomes easily confused and disoriented.  Following an especially difficult encounter with a vengeful spirit, she even becomes seriously ill.  

In search of answers, Marius turns to Papa Harold, who offers a deal: he will help with his mother's exorcism in exchange for Marius collecting the Honey Island Swamp monster.  Despite suspecting that he's walking into a trap, Marius agrees to the terms.  However, when he encounters the monster, he realizes the deal has placed him in a tough spot, and in good conscious he can't go through with it.  Later, Marius encounters, Creecher, a retired demon hunter, who reveals that a demon is possessing his mother.  To save her, Marius must venture into Hell and retrieve the lost fragments of her soul, but the clock is ticking, and Marius is quickly running out of time.

Like I said, this was a super fun read.  The opening dives right into the action and it keeps building from there as Marius tries to save his mom.  Marius is determined to try everything he can to fix her.  The setting of a mausoleum gives you some eerie vibes, and being able to "grave hop" from one cemetery to the next is a quite interesting way of getting around. The supporting characters added some depth to Marius' journey.  Lynna, who we learn is a witch and has been keeping an eye on him.  Creecher, the former monster hunter who sets him up with a task to prove himself to her.  And especially Marius' best friend, Rhiannon, a flesh-eating mermaid who just adores him.  She had me laughing out loud with her humorous way of dealing with threats by — "drowning the dangerous thing and then, if they don't look too tough, you eat them."  She's too funny and well cute in how things are just that simple and straightforward to her.  

The Louisiana Bayou setting was captivating, with Marius navigating his boat and confronting monsters in the cemetery.  The creatures were truly frightening, particularly the two children with black eyes guarding the movie theater entrance—delightfully creepy.  I'm not easily frightened or deterred when reading horror and there isn't anything too extreme that should deter you either.  This would make for an exceptionally enjoyable Halloween read. 

**A huge thank you to Media Masters for the hardcover copy in exchange for an honest review.**  

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with a review of The Long Way Around by Anne Nesbet

The Long Way Around by Anne Nesbet

Publisher:  Candlewick Press
Format:  Paperback ARC
Number of pages:   256 pages
Publishing:   September 10th, 2024
Source:  Publisher

Opening Line: "Sometimes adventures start with a big boom or a mysterious letter or a knock at the door—and sometimes they simply begin at a little after 6 a.m. in the back seat of a crowded car." 

This is the fourth book by Anne Nesbet that I've read.  There was The Cabinet of Earths, then The Orphan Band of Springdale, which is an intriguing historical fiction and the lovely fantasy The Wrinkled Crown, which is my favorite of her previous books.  

The Long Way Around features three cousins, Owen (12yo), and sisters Vivian (11yo) and Amy (8yo) who convince their parents to take them on a camping trip to Sequoia National Park.  The arrangement was that the parents would hike with them up to Twin Lakes and then the cousins would spend one full day and night camping alone.  Just as the kids settle into their tents, a huge earthquake causes a landslide, separating them from their parents and blocking the path they were supposed to use to return on.  Left with no other way out, they make plans to take the long way around the lake.  Unfortunately, their new route also passes through some harsh terrain, a wilderness filled with fierce animals, a fast-moving river and prospects of continued unstable weather patterns.  As the trio begin their trek through the wilderness, they encounter various obstacles and find strength in relaying their own struggles and worries at home and school.  

 I truly enjoy adventure stories, and this one was an excellent reminder to always be prepared for the unexpected in the wilderness.   Not only to bring adequate provisions but having backup plans in case you get separated.  And most importantly, keeping bear spray within reach.  Owen's character resonated with me deeply, as he appeared to suffer from PTSD following a car accident where he was a passenger.  His struggles, emotional trauma and dealing with all the changes that happened following his friend's brain injury really made my heart go out to him.  Vivian's apprehensions about starting middle school were also relatable, capturing the universal feeling of isolation and uncertainty about one's place in the world.  And Amy is just so adorable and is such a trooper.  This was a long hike, across multiple days, and despite her initial reluctance to camp alone, she doesn't really whine or complain and continues to follow their lead.  I loved that she carried around a copy of The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart and made an occasional reference to it.

Despite all the obstacles they faced, I really enjoyed following along as they navigated back to safety.  You really got the sense of being on a camping/hiking trail and I could vividly imagine them navigating their way around the lake.  The map at the front of the book was the perfect addition to root me in the setting.  The children came off as genuine and relatable, complete with their own insecurities, fears and anxieties.  It was heartwarming how much they supported one another and addressed their issues with love and care.  How they were able to help confront their problems and overcame them.  Give this to an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys some adventure. 

 A huge thank you to Candlewick Press for the print copy in exchange for an honest review.

  **I hope you'll check out all the other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge's blog HERE   **   

                 

The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko

The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko
Publisher:  Knopf Books for Young Readers
Format:   Hardcover
Number of pages:  320
Source:  Media Matters in exchange for an honest review
Published:  June 1st, 2024

Opening Line:  "My name is Hank Hooperman, but my little sister calls me Pooperman."  

Eleven-year-old Hank Hooperman was in the mists of trying to potty train his three-year-old sister, Boo when the apartment manager comes banging on the door.  Hank's mom is six months behind on the rent and they're about to get evicted.  It's been a week since Hank has seen his mom.  A week of cutting school to take care of Boo and trying to keep them both fed.  They can't even go to Grandma Mae's house anymore because she passed away last year.  What will they do after tomorrow for a home?

Then Hank notices a familiar name under emergency contact on his permission slip for his field trip at school, Lou Ann Adler.  The name rings a bell as being one of Grandma's friends.  Hank is really worried that he's making a mistake, but with no other options, he takes the bus pass that he found in the apartment and his sister and heads out in search of Lou Ann.  Four hours later he arrives at her door.  Lou Ann is a little surprised by the unexpected company, but still offers to take them and contacts Social Services to have them try and track down Hank's mom.  

Meanwhile, Boo is set up in Lou Ann's daycare and Hank starts to attend a local school.  Hank meets their neighbor, Ray and his sister Celia who works with Lou Ann.  Ray offers to help Hank in following some leads on his mom and takes him to their apartment to pick up a few things.  Ray and Hank form a sort of bond, which comes in handy because Lou Ann isn't fond of teenagers, although Hank is only eleven, and Ray acts as a go between the two.  Hank begins to make some friends at school and even is chosen to try out for the basketball team.  A pretty girl, Ana even shows an interest in him by inviting him to her birthday party.  But then Hank gets unsettling news about Boo's dad maybe adopting her and find's out where their mom has been this whole time.  Even worse their mom shows up at school wanting to take them both to Arizona and Hank makes the ultimate mistake in getting in the car with her.  Hank realizes his mistake too late and ends up angering Lou Ann who proceeds to push Hank into foster care.  How will Hank be able to look after his younger sister now?  Can he regain the trust that he broke with Lou Ann, and will his mother ever find the help that she needs?

Hank is such a good kid with a big heart.  He's resolved in trying to keep him and his younger sister together.  He puts a lot of faith in his mother and that there has to be an explanation for why she's been gone for so long.  Sometimes he made a lot of excuses for her, but it's very plausible a kid would feel this way about their mom.  He searches all of her favorite haunts and follows up with all of her friends and coworkers.  Following every possible clue as to where she is.  The love and caring that he shows to his mom and younger sister are so heartwarming.  Now their mom, it was harder to get a feel for her, other than being so upset with how she treated her kids.  She was already absent at the beginning of the story, and aside from some of Hank's early happy memories of her you don't really get a sense of who she is and why she was gone for so long.  Some of her friends and Lou Ann allude to her having problems, possibly alcohol or drug use, but Hank is convinced that she's just busy.  It isn't until she reappears that my fear ramped up for Boo and Hank.  Luckily, things quickly began to improve for them.

At first, I wasn't very fond of how Lou Ann made Hank feel like he was walking on eggshells around her.  He tries to make her happy by doing chores without even being asked and keeping an eye on Boo.  But Lou Ann makes him feel like he's a nuisance, and he doesn't understand why she want's Boo to learn to cope with being separated from him.  Once her reasons were explained, you get a better picture of why she acted the way that she did.  Eventually, they all come together, and Hank and Boo find a beautiful place in their new supportive, found family.  Hank is able to fix his mistakes, and the story has an ending that is hopeful for the sibling's future.  A truly compelling read that had me reading way to late in the night but was well worth it for that ending.   

**Congratulations to Gennifer Choldenko on her release of The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman and a huge thank you to Media Masters for the hardcover copy for review.** 

For Marvelous Middle Grade Monday a review of Secret Sky: The Young Universe by T. Alan Horne, illustrations by James Bernardin

Secret Sky:  The Young Universe by T. Alan Horne, illustrations by James Bernardin

Publisher: Tristellation Media 
Format:   Hardcover 
Number of pages:  484
Source:  Author
Publishing: August 21st, 2024

Links: Website / X/ Amazon

Opening Line: "This is the oldest story I know, which makes it the oldest in the world."

In this fantasy science fiction story, the first of a trilogy, the life of 10-year-old Skylar is upended when his secluded mountain village is destroyed by the decree of a faraway king.  As the king laid on his deathbed, he commanded his son, Prince Sage to burn Curon Village to the ground, sparing no one.   Miraculously, Skylar emerged from the carnage unharmed and is later rescued by a band of the king's knights who take him back to the capital under the guise that he is the "nephew" of the captain.

Yet, ever since Skylar left his small village, he has been plagued by a recurring dream.  In it, he is no longer a small boy but is transformed into a starship, voyaging across the cosmos, able to converse with the stars. Uru-Ana, the first star he encounters on his journey, reveals that a vast treasure lies at the end of Pilgrim's Road, and that Skylar's parents are alive, eagerly awaiting him.  All that he has to do is navigate his way to them using the map that is stitched into his shirt.  Just as Skylar begins his voyage, he abruptly awakens.  Magic, once thought to be only the thing of dreams, now becomes a perilous reality.  Can Skylar conceal his true identity and keep his new powers hidden now that he has entered the capital, and especially once he is confronted by Prince Sage face to face? 

Anyone who knows me knows I enjoy imaginative worlds, books with magic, some adventure.  Give me a couple of knights, a castle, some mystery and I'm pretty satisfied.  Secret Sky is that kind of story, the one you read to connect to the characters, you get to know them as they go into battle together, as one begins to develop powers and as they interact with one another.  Being character driven, the plot develops at a slower pace, but luckily there is this mysterious narrator who interjects from time to time, sometimes speaking directly to the reader, filling in some of the slower parts with well-placed lines of humor and a few moments that I'll admit totally threw me.  Let me explain that last one a little bit.  

As I said before this is fantasy and science fiction.  Most of the book takes place during what appears to be medieval times, horses and knights with a band of travelers making their way across the country.  At the same time, it's alluded to that Skylar's world is just one of many futuristic worlds, or one of many Earths.  One where there are even Shieldeater Boars, or monsters that are as big as a tractor.

Then there is the importance of stars in Skylar's world, how they play a huge part in writing destines, make their own plans and set things into motion.  How in Skylar's dreams when he's among the stars he can speak with them.  Which kind of gives me some The Little Prince vibes.  Skylar even becomes a starship following the constellations, but not just any starship, he has missiles, explosives, and energy shields.  So yeah, be prepared for some mixing of medieval times with space and a few common day things thrown in too.  Which were the moments that took me by surprise, like the narrator mentioning that confessing to murder had not been on his "bingo card."   

Overall, I must say I enjoyed the read.  The black and white illustrations are lovely, and Skylar is quite the character; I can truly imagine him growing across the trilogy.  Learning more about his powers, maybe meeting a few more stars and finally seeing how things go with Prince Sage.  Yeah, that ending really has me wanting to read the next book now.  I like surprises like that.  Plus, the interjecting narrator is quite humorous with their asides.    So read this if you like a mixing of genres, children with hidden talents and want to dive into the characters of the story.    

 A huge thank you to T. Alan Horne for the opportunity to read Secret Sky in exchange for an honest review.  Wishing you much success with its release. 

 **I hope you'll check out all the other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge's blog HERE   **  

                                About the author:

T. Alan Horne is a writer of science fiction, fantasy, and tales of high adventure. He specializes in taking familiar genres to new places and creating characters that readers get to keep forever as souvenirs to live in their imaginations.

His first book, Advent 9, garnered high praise, and was called “Absolutely Brilliant!” by bestselling author David Farland—the writing teacher and mentor of Brandon Sanderson, Brandon Mull, Stephenie Meyer, and James Dashner.

Mr. Horne spends most of his time writing but occasionally answers fan inquiries. Visit him at his website and on Twitter.

To learn more about Secret Sky, the first twelve chapters of the audiobook read by Andew Eiden are available on YouTube and are well worth a listen.    

Otto Normal's Monsterton: The Disappearance of White Pine Beach by Danielle McKechnie , illustrations by Simon Estrada

Otto Normal's Monsterton:  The Disappearance of White Pine Beach by Danielle Mckechnie, illustrations by Simon Estrada
Publisher:  Andrews McMeel Publishing
Format:   Digital review copy
Number of pages:  432
Source:  Publisher
Publishing: August 27th, 2024

Links: Website / Facebook / 
Goodreads

Opening Line:  "A young girl made her way through a dense forest."

On the day that 11-year-old Otto Normal was born, his father tragically died. His mother, Cherry, has been working as a waitress to make ends meet, but their life takes an unexpected turn when a mysterious man offers her a job as a news reporter in Monsterton.  Monsterton is an island that border's the Belcarra Forest, a place that is both mysterious and dangerous.  As soon as they arrive to Monsterton, Otto senses that they've made a huge mistake, but his mom hopes that they can run toward this next adventure together.  And boy did they pick an adventure because in a world of monster's, two humans really stand out among all the zombies, ghosts, and vampires. 

In an effort to fit in, Otto begins attending school, which is where he meets Hamish, who's stitched together by his pirate father; Remi, a ghost girl with the ability to teleport; Darby a shy, and timid slime girl; and Luck, a zombie girl.  Otto and his new odd group of friends decide to venture into Belcarra Forest to locate the mythical White Pine Beach, known for its ability to randomly shift locations.  Eager for some adventure, Otto tags along, but the outing soon turns tragic when one of their group vanishes. Will Otto and his newfound friends muster the courage to return to the forest and save their missing friend?

Otto Normal's Monsterton is a delightful story filled with gorgeous full color illustrations which begin with these lush shades of blue and dark cut outs of tree's, moving to a darker shade of purple which nicely highlights Gretchen's eyes, a black-winged Strix who is part human, part bird. The prologue is suspenseful, immediately immersing you in this new world as she tries to outrun the keeper or guardian of the forest.  I really liked the mix of full pages of text with illustrations, ranging from one to three panels per page.  And the creative way the illustrator used differing colors to standout various features of the characters.  Specifically, the panel of green that resembled Frankenstein's skin.  I loved how there were black and white illustrations that sort of had a faded yellowish hue when discussing events from the past.  And how one image looked a cover of a comic book.  Yeah, just gorgeous!

The story takes on alternating storylines as Hamish's brother and his friend Kit go into the forest in search of one of their friends, Cricks.  While Hamish and his gang are in a different direction jumping off of a train.  Each chapter header includes a small picture of one or two of the characters beginning with Otto and then switching to the perspectives and illustrations of Darby, or Ben and Kit.  Overall, Otto Normal's Monsterton was a compelling read, especially after the disappearance.   I was eagerly turning pages to find out how the story was going to end and was completely vested in finding out what happened in Belcarra Forest. Oh, and the mysteries that unfolded, like how did Remi become a ghost, why are monster's so afraid of the Strix and some of those threads and deceptions that were revealed in the final pages.  Can't wait to read more.  A truly delightful, spooky and compelling debut that begs to be read under a blanket with a flashlight to get you in the mood for Halloween. 

 **A huge congratulations to Danielle McKechnie and Simon Estrada on their wonderful book and thank you to the publisher for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.**        

Here's a sample of the audiobook from @evanduffycomposer

and narrated by author Danielle McKechnie

 Otto Normal's Monsterton: The Disappearance of White Pine Beach releases on August 27th.  

The Groundworld Heroes by Adrian So

The Groundworld Heroes by Adrian So
Publisher:  Monarch Education Services
Format:   E-ARC 
Genre: Chapter Book 
Number of pages:  149 
Source:  Author
Publishing: August 6th, 2024

Links: Website / Facebook / Twitter

Opening Line:  "There was never a bright day in Soiland, for it was thousands of bunny-hops below the human's feet." 

Junior mole digger, Benjamin Mole lives in Soiland, a community inhabited by moles, aardvarks, rats, hare's and its many other furry citizens.   Soiland was a tranquil place until the day a huge industrial bucket began to excavate the rocky barrier separating it from above ground.  Suddenly, rocks and dirt began cascading onto the city, shining a blinding light upon the citizens below. To escape the humans, the moles began to dig a new tunnel, during which Benjamin finds a Dragonfly fossil.  Per protocol, he takes it to be identified, which leads to his separation from the rest of the town, who have since evacuated.  Just as Benjamin tries to catch up to them, he encounters an injured meerkat, Connor.  Benjamin stops to help him, but then humans with shotguns and a shocking device corner them and he's forced to abandon Connor.  

 

Meanwhile the citizens of Soiland enter Puddleland, where they're seized by the king and queen's soldiers.  The queen demands they be thrown into "the House," but the king suggests a vote to determine their fate.  At the same time, Benjamin begins to worry about what happened to Connor, who has since been captured by the humans.  While searching Benjamin ends up falling into the same tunnel used by the citizens of Soiland, and by following it to the end eventually reconnects with them.   Benjamin is valuable in getting Soiland and Puddleland to rally their forces against the human's and rescue Connor. 

The Groundworld Heroes is an engaging story of animals uniting to prevent the destruction of their home and to rescue one of their friends. I enjoyed the creative and humorous word combinations that the author used, like "mole-ments," and "a one in four mole chance."  The author uses complex words to convey his ideas, which I think will help enhance the readers vocabulary.  The main character, Benjamin is at first portrayed as being very fearful, and unsure of what he can possibly do to help or has to offer anyone.   He's an unlikely candidate to do something heroic, which makes it even more fun to see him taking a risk, summoning his courage, and acting bravely.  The final resolution of how Benjamin deals with the humans is done very well (I can't go into too much detail as I don't want to spoil anything) but it was a nice surprise ending.  Overall, this was a wonderful adventure filled with themes of bravery, teamwork and friendship.  Again, congratulations Adrian, wishing you tremendous success with your upcoming release. 

 About the author

Adrian So, a promising 14-year-old writer who resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. In his leisure time, he enjoys reading, writing, spending time with his lively group of friends, and playing soccer. He is currently in junior high and will soon transition to high school.