NOAH FRYE GETS CRUSHED

by Maggie Horne;  

                                                                                       

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Literary Cat©, International Book Reviewer.

Hello, and welcome to my weekend Book Review featuring this week an Middle Grade Adventure Fiction.

 

This week marks the start of a short break for us. Well, maybe it should be entitled a short sprain cum crushed knee joint but not break, as Mrs H hurt her knee. Trying, of all things, to pull the horse carriage across the sodden lawn to hard standing so it didn't sink into the mud. Mud which has been caused by torrential rain here in the village. And not the sort of floods caused by our neighbour leaving his lawn sprinkler on overnight. I told Mrs H that we have a horse for pulling the cart, and he, even though aged, is well used to getting soggy and muddy in the paddock. Personally, I think Mrs H was trying to prove she still has 'it'. What 'it' is, I suspect we'll never quite understand. What she now has, is a crushed knee. Oh well, at least now she's housebound, I can get some room service 23 hours a day.

And talking of crushed, but of a different kind, not that I know about such things, let's get on to this week's FAB new read. The path to younger love never seems so fraught, or entertaining, as this. We hope you'll enjoy . . .

 

AUTHOR:  Maggie Horne

 

Cover art by: TBA

 

Published by: Firefly Press

 

Publication date Paperback:   28 May 2024

 

 

Paperback ISBN: 978-1915 444 530

UK Cover price for Paperback:  £7.99

Kindle UK price: N/A

 

Pages: 297

 

Age range: Young Adult

Any dogs or cats? 

 

 

SPOILER ALERT

Some as to plot direction and characters.

 

 

Thank you to...

We are exceedingly grateful to Graeme at Firefly Press Independant Publishers for the privilege of getting to Read & Review this amazing follow up book from Maggie Horne book before publication.

As ever, our views are our own, and we only share reviews of books we have bought, been given as gifts, or received in exchange for an impartial review.

First and foremost, the books we review are those we select to read, like, and feel our global readers deserve to know about and that we hope they, their family, friends and students will enjoy.

The plot

 

Twelve-year-old Canadian, Noah Frye, has just returned from her summer camp. Things have, however, changed in her friends, Luna and Zoey, since she was gone; they have discovered boys. Noah, who only teamed up with a girl at the camp called Jessa, feels left behind. A friend, after all, is not the same as a boyfriend, especially when the others conversations now revolve around how nice the boy is and kissing, or at least the promises of. Even introducing Jesse, who recently moved to Noah's school after her family came to town, to her friendship circle seems to go awry, as Jessa seems more popular than her. Noah decides she needs a boyfriend to have her first kiss and cuddle and thus remain actively engaged with her friends.

 

So, she tries, quite literally, through what she thinks are reasoned experiments to determine what is involved and if she can catch up. Picking on unsuspecting Archie, a boy from her school, she sets out to achieve results akin to those of her friends, and elder sister, Brighton. Archie's family have adopted Hank, a long-time resident dog from the shelter where Noah volunteers. Getting Archie involved seems the perfect way to get the data and, ultimately, the experience she needs and craves.

 

Noah has given herself a target to get her own boyfriend by. But her best-laid plans go awry when her PARENTS' home and garden renovating business starts to fail, caused by the arrival in the town of famous TV home makeover guru Brylee James and her Rural Makeover programme.

 

The resulting pinch on home finances means the open-door Halloween celebrations Noah's family holds yearly, a firm favourite of Luna and Zoey and all the other kids they know, won't be as glitzy as the other kids want. Noah fears her own popularity will suffer even more.

 

When, after a girls' sleepover at Noah's house, Jessa comes to the shelter with Noah, the whole dynamic of Noah's plan for Archie takes a tumble when, from inexperience in flirting, she insults him and hurts his feelings. So much so that the shelter's owner says that if she carries on, she will lose her job because of her bullying attitude. Jessa, quite reasonably, is confused by what she sees, mixed signals if you will, but ultimately tries to help Noah achieve her goal.

 

Now, because of all the ins and outs of this plot, the dynamics of Noah's family and the relationship between the friends, old and new and potential victims of Noah, I really can't say any more.

 

But as you might guess, things will need to, and do, go wrong so they can improve before we reach the end. You'll just have to read along to discover how things turn out for Noah, her family and friends. 

 

So, what did we think? 

 

We both loved how the young characters, friends and family interacted, the angst of figuring out life and the first steps to maturity, adulthood, friendship and, ultimately, love, irrespective of gender. 

 

Noah recounts her progress in a diary-like style. Each chapter has a heading and, beneath, bullet points of related matters, for example, things Noah likes, dislikes or wants to achieve.

 

Written most sensitively and wittily (despite our protagonist's misguided and sometimes blunt tactics) and told in the first person, Noah tries her best to navigate the changes within, and in her long-time friendship circle friends, Zoey and Luna, as the others discover boys and how to interact. 

 

What is quite clear for the reader, and I suspect deliberately so in a beautifully choreographed way, is a road map to understanding a broad range of emotions and oneself. Not everything in life is clear-cut. Friendships consist of more than just one thing. They can withstand many challenges if we take the time to understand our own feelings and those of the surrounding people. And why should these things be difficult, facts and advice obscured by others in an age of enlightenment?

 

The additional dynamics of a new girl, Jessa, Noah's parents' business problems, and Brylee James make this entire story so very compelling. For extra fun, Noah's parents rescue pugs, and have far too many around the house adding to the chaos of everyday life.

 

The twists and turns kept coming and kept us guessing, gasping and giggling. We were never entirely sure where we would end up with this read, which is why we loved it so. The final chapters are telling and appreciative of the situations portrayed and life. 

 

Writing at its very best, dealing with subjects for the young teenager in a form that is neither patronising nor slanted. Maggie Horne has created another go-to piece of literature for all ages that will help inform, entertain, and make a more tolerant society. 

Crunch time. 

 

An essential, balanced, unputdownable read and a rollercoaster ride of fun, tears, discovery, misunderstandings and friendship that is right here and now for younger readers and a recommendable read for all.

Want to buy a copy?

 

To get a copy, please sail or saunter down to your local independent bookshop and place a pre-order/ order. 

 

Maggie Horne's Author page at Firefly press can be found HERE or type this: https://fireflypress.co.uk/authors/maggie-horne/

 

Firefly Press's web page can be found HERE or type this: https://fireflypress.co.uk

 

We are joining the Sunday Selfies, hosted by the wonderful Kitties Blue and their mum, Janet Blue, from the Cat on My Head blog in America.

I shall leave you with a selfie entitled: Are you sure??? 🙂 🙂

 

 

 

Till laters!

ERin

Michael, the Amazing Mind-Reading Sausage Dog!

 by Terrie Chilvers; Artwork by Tim Budgen. 

                                                                                        

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Literary Cat©, International Book Reviewer.

Hello, and welcome to my Sunday into Monnday Book Review and selfie featuring Adventures in Middle-Grade Fiction.

 

If you're here for a selfie, scroll on down!

 

This week we are proud to host the final, tail wagging leg of a Book Tour for this new kids' adventure featuring one determined Sausage Dog called Michael. 

 

Before we do the honours, let's just nip over to Upper Much-Mousing to see what Erin is up to . . . .

"What are you doing, dear?" Mrs H had just entered the Manor House's library room. She held a tray with Erin's mid-morning snack and a brown paper-wrapped package. It had been delivered by No Brakes Home Delivery Service, an offshoot of Mrs Singh's ever-increasing attempts to diversify her corner shop empire. Sadly, the name lived up to the quality of Farmer Clarksins's old Land Rover, which Mrs Singh had salvaged from the village pond after a late-night revel had gone awry.

"I'm practising my clairvoyance, Mrs H," Erin replied, taking her paw away from her temple.

"Are you any good?" Mrs H's raised eyebrow reflected the scepticism she had come to expect from Erin's numerous and failed endeavours, no matter how well-intentioned. There was always a first time, though; she decided to put her companion to the test. "Hmm. Well, tell me what you have divined so far?"

"Well, for starters I knew you were going to come in here at this very moment. And that you'd have a book wrapped in brown."

Mrs H rolled her eyes and sighed. "Hardly a surprise given it was delivered by the courier, earlier and I ALWAYS bring your snack and post at this time. But go on, is there anything else?"

"Well, I knew you'd roll your eyes and say that."  

"I always say that, dear."

"I knew you'd say that too. And if you don't believe me, I wrote it down on this piece of paper and sealed it in an envelope I posted yesterday." Erin pointed to the small white envelope sticking out of Mrs H's apron. "Go on, open it."

Mrs H did just that and raised both eyebrows in surprise. "Almost word-perfect, Erin. I am almost impressed. Tell me, though, what is in the package?"

"Hang on." Placing a paw to her temple again, Erin closed her eyes and gave a somewhat constipated look that had Mrs H quite taken aback. "It's coming through. Yes, it's a free book about sausages. No. No hang on, it's about a dog made of sausages. No, drat. The mist is clearing now and I see the name Michael and an amazing adventure."

Mrs H delved into the cardboard packaging to reveal a red-covered book with a Dachshund on the cover. "Most impressive, dear. But tell me, how much would this morning's special delivery cost. If it hadn't been free that is. If you get it right I'll let you off your chores. Wrong, and you'll have to help me sort out my chores. How's that sound?"

"Easy peasy." Erin strained again and let out a low meditative chant. Her eyes snapped open, and she smiled. "It is a snip at only £6.99 from all good bookshops."

"Sorry dear, but that is incorrect. It actually cost £699 plus a hefty tip to the courier so he can have physio on his back."

The smile on Erin's face disappeared instantly."What! It can't be. The price I paid on the site was £6.99."

"Ahha. Got you. The price of a book may be £6.99, dear, but the price for 100 copies is one hundred times more. I think you have been, how they say, rumbled. Fortunately, I have spoken to the publisher and they will take back ninety-eight copies and credit my card."

"Oh. Well, I guess I need to practice some more then, Mrs H. Still look on the bright side, at least you don't have to carry them to Mrs Singhs to post back."

Mrs H smiled. "That is one blessing for sure, dear. YOU, however, as part of your chores, will be doing it. I'll get the pony and trap ready and you can take her and the surplus books back to Mrs Singh where you can help package them up. Then you can do the shopping" With that, Mrs H turned and strolled out of the room, leaving Erin wide-eyed, stunned and wondering how her scheme had gone so terribly wrong. Which, of course, Mrs H had known all along it would, and that wasn't down to mind reading!

And now, on to today's main feature and the star of our book review who really does have a talent.

This week we have a rather delightful dog called Michael, who discovers his very own superpower, which he hopes will raise him to star status . . .

Image ©

AUTHOR:  Terrie Chilvers

 

Artwork throughout by: Tim Budgen

 

Published by: Firefly Press

Publication date for the Paperback: 8 June 2023

 

Paperback ISBN:   978 - 191 544 4134

Cover price for Paperback: £6.99

KINDLE price: £2.79

 

Pages: 182

 

Age range:  6 upwards

Any dogs or cats?  Lots of super talented dogs.

 

 

SPOILER ALERT

This is quite a short book, so Yes, some as to plot direction and characters.

 

 

Thank you to... 

We are exceedingly grateful to Graeme Williams and Karen of the Firefly Press Publishing Team for inviting us to host the final stop.

As ever, our views are our own, and we only share reviews of books we have bought, been given as gifts, or received in exchange for an impartial review.

First and foremost, the books we review are those we like and feel our global readers deserve to know about and that we hope they, their children, friends and students will enjoy.

The plot

Michael is a young and ambitious Dachshund. He lives in Snuffles-by-Sea, in a house he inherited from his Aunt. He is a sausage dog who just knows he is destined for fame and fortune. A superstar in the making. The only thing is, he doesn't know what his superstar ability is. The most famous dog in the town is a Chocolate Labrador called Susan, who won the talent show for balancing peanuts on her nose. Michael knows he can do better. But it isn't until he is in the park one day that he discovers what he is good at. He hears a nearby dog talking to himself about his new fav stick. But when Michael looks, the dog, Stanley Big Dog, has his mouth full of stick. The penny drops and our hero realises he can read minds. But to prove it isn't a one-off fluke, he enlists Stanley to help him practice mind reading. 

One thing leads to another, and Michael and Stanley enter the Snuffles-by-Sea talent show, where the star is none other than Susan. Things don't go as planned; Priscilla the Pug calls Michael out as a fake! When Michael cant read Priscilla's mind, it seems to the audience her allegation is true. But Michael knows it isn't, and for some bizarre reason, a pug's mind is unfathomable and unreadable. Nonetheless, still determined to be a superstar, he calls a meeting in the local cafe called the Pork Chop Café. Quite by chance, Stanley's Uncle, Humphrey Huge Dog, is in town. He happens to be on the hunt for new talent for a review show in Hollywoof, no less.

Now it's fair to say wheels start to turn, and before too long, Michael, aided and hindered by Stanley, are embroiled in attempts to get to Hollywoof, where they hope to find fame and fortune.

Whether they succeed and how much misunderstanding, chaos, and destruction ensues, I'll let you, dear readers, find out for yourselves. Believe me, when I say I wasn't quite expecting the grand showdown at the end. And who knew balancing peanuts on ones nose was such an art. Not I for sure, but then I am just a cat.


So, what did we think?

I love the concept of creatures set in their own human-like worlds, tackling human-like desires, emotions and situations. Not giving anything away here, but Michael has choices to make and rejection to face. Michael learns about more than just seeking stardom. How he rises to the occasion, or otherwise, is well dealt with. 

Life's lessons are always better told and explored through a fun medium, which this book ably does.

The message is clear that each of us has an important part to play, and nobody is an island.

I enjoyed the double act of Michael and Stanley Big Dog. Stanley reminds me of all the happy-go-lucky big dogs out there who get singularly focused on sticks and their food and who sometimes come up short in the good sense department. In fact, which of us can't point to dogs we know that act just like the characters in this book and make us smile and love them even more for it.


So . . . .
Crunch time. 

 A fun, easy-to-read adventure delightfully illustrated by Tim Budgen that will definitely appeal to the younger reader. 

So, if you want a little something different, something to share over a weekend or a long trip, then Michael, the Amazing Mind-Reading Sausage Dog is for you. But whatever you do, don't leave the sausages lying around!

Want to buy a copy? 

To get a copy, please head down to your local independent bookshop. Sticks, sausages, spangly waistcoats and balancing peanuts are optional. There are plenty out there and each shop is just waiting to serve up whatever kind of mystery, fun and adventure you desire.

But hang on, we also have

***** A GIVEAWAY *****

Sorry, it's not pork chops this time. Mrs H has checked her pension pot, and decided that two lucky commenters will each receive a copy of this as a gift from Mrs H and me, subject to there being a delivery service from Amazon to your neighbourhood!

Two names will be pulled from Mrs H's biscuit tin on Monday 19th June 23, so don't delay.  

Terrie Chilvers' web page can be found HERE or type this: https://www.terriechilvers.com/

 

Tim Budgen's web page can be found HERE or type this: https://timbudgen.com/

 

Firefly Press' web page can be found HERE or type this: https://fireflypress.co.uk/

 

And now, the Sunday-into-Monday Selfie. 

 

We are joining Janet Blue from the Cat on My Head blog for the weekly parade of selfies from all manner of companion creatures, Dogs and Cats, from across the pond and around the globe. 

To go to Janet's blog selfie page, please click this LINK. or type / cut and paste https://thecatonmyhead.com/look-into-my-eyes-2/

I shall leave you with a picture of me, sadly minus any pork chops or sausages! 🙂 🙂

 

Till laters!

ERin

 

THE FORGOTTEN GARDEN

by SHARON GOSLING;  

                                                                                        

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Literary Cat©, International Book Reviewer.

Hello, and welcome to my weekend Book Review featuring Adventures in Middle-Grade Fiction.

 

Ok, this isnt actually a Middle Grade book, but is from one of our favourite authors, who happens to have an awesome cat called Newt who follows her around and gets up to all sorts of mischief.

 

Not unlike me really, but all that is documented by Mrs H in my book.

 

So enough of my preamble and shameless plug, here's the low down on this rather Top Notch story!

 

 

AUTHOR:  Sharon Gosling

 

Published by: Simon & Schuster

 

Publication date: Paperback

 

Paperback ISBN:   978-1398519176

 

Cover price for Paperback £8.99

 

Pages:   432

 

Age range:  Adult fiction with a splash of romance and a whole lot more.

Any dogs or cats?  Sorry, not this time, but plenty of gardening.

 

 

SPOILER ALERT

Some as to plot direction and characters.

Thank you to... 

 

We are exceedingly grateful to Simon & Schuster Publishers (and NetGalley) for allowing us to Read & Review this much-anticipated book before publication. 

As ever, our views are our own, and we only share reviews of books we have bought, been given as gifts, or received in exchange for an impartial review. 

First and foremost, the books we review are those we like and feel our global readers deserve to know about and that we hope they, their children, friends, and students will enjoy.

 

 

The plot

Our story opens with our lead character, Louis MacGregor, looking out over the Austen-like grounds of Feldspar Hall, a stately home. She accompanies her boss Marianne, a self-serving lady who heads up Boswell Garden Architecture. Luisa loves gardens and plants and has created some impressive ideas, which she sketched on her iPad. It is a pad that her boss takes from her when Caroline, the stately home's owner, takes delight in the colour scheme and a hidden bower. They are all Luisa's ideas, but Marianne presents them as hers. It is a life she has gotten used to, hiding her own gardening training and talent away to avoid the pain of better, happier days and a marriage that ended with the death of Reuben, her husband, in a climbing accident.

When Luisa returns to the small townhouse in Carlisle she shares with her soon-to-be-wed younger sister, Jo, she reveals she has had a telephone call from Reuban's Godfather, Owen. 

Owen cares for Luisa and is cognisant of the project she and Reuben wanted to undertake to create a community garden scheme before he died. When he finds he has acquired a block of worthless wasteland in a company acquisition, it seems the perfect chance to kick the long-buried project into action and raise Luisa from her self-imposed drudgery. 

 

The idea seems to end when Luisa declines, not wishing to open old memories and wounds. But, after a rather curt demand from her boss, and with a bit of persuasion from Jo that she really should go; after all, what harm could it do, plus it could be the galvanizing she needs to break away from Marianne, Luisa heads for the derelict land that could be the home of a new community project.

When she arrives at Collaton, a town on the Cumbrian west coast, it is a bleak and wintery wet day. The town was never a tourist attraction. Even in its heyday, it merely served as a place to house the workers of refineries and shipyards nearby. Now, with boarded-up shops and closed pub, it was little more than a ghost town, and the people survived as best they could in a community without a centre. But no, I take that back, for amid the slow urban decay, one man was trying to bring hope to the town's youngsters. Casimir Pattanyús, Cas to his pals, a teacher by day, runs a boxing club for the kids in the evenings. With only his wage to run the place, it seems there is little hope that the spirit the club engenders will survive another year.

When Luisa's borrowed car gets a puncture in the gloom, it is Cas and 17-year-old Harper, a bright lass with an attitude, come to her rescue. Well, it is Harper who, with a skill for all things mechanical, gets to change the tyre. 

Now, behind the scenes, Harper lives with her 9-year-old brother, Max. A brighter lad you could never hope to meet. He doesn't really mix with others and has a single-minded focus on his latest hobby. But his current passion of gardening, and lack of understanding, gets him into trouble with the neighbour from whom he'd been taking some fresh bedding plants and compost. She is understanding, but it is wearing thin. Luisa also manages to stop the police from being called when Max tries to take a gardening magazine from the newsagent. It said 'FREE' on the cover. To Max, this means the whole magazine is free; else, why would they say it? But of course, the 'free' is related to the gift on the outside and not the magazine.

With a drunk father at home, who clearly doesn't understand Max, Harper looks after her brother and cooks and cares. Given the reputation she has, nobody dares tease or bully Max. Doing her A-Level exams and trying to work part-time at the gym, and at a local garage to earn the money they need to get by is tough. But Harper has the grit to match her determination. Never more so when it comes to protecting Max from the nastiness that is the world outside his own. 

 

But there is a downside: she has had to steal small things to help Max. It has got her into trouble, and she is only saved by Cas stepping in to convince the shops she pinched marker pens for Max from that community service at the gym was way better than the police. If the authorities found out about the situation at home, they would be split up. Now that is a heap load of pressure.

When Luisa sees in her mind that Reuben would have taken the plunge, she resigns from Marianne's employ and takes Owen up on his offer. They will try for six months. If the garden project fails, Owen, who has many contacts far and wide, will ensure Luisa gets a job. It really is a win-win. Better yet, she can finally put Reuben's insurance money into a project they both wanted to create and not just leave it languishing in a bank account. What better way to honour his memory?

 

What Luisa needs is to get the garden up and running. A community project first needs the community to come together, see the worth of what is to be achieved, and then get involved. With Harper as an unwilling helper to work off her community service hours on the project, they make a start. 

Now, no story would be complete without a villain. This story's villain comes in the form of one Darren Dixon, recently out of prison and thinking he can make a name for himself for nefarious acts like selling drugs. He is also Harper's cousin and her enemy for trying it on with her. Worse, he has a grudge against Casimir and is determined to get even, one way or another.

When Darren and his posse of wannabe small-town thugs make a grand entry at the gym where Luisa is holding a meeting to push the garden idea, he and Cas have a standoff. It seems like hollow bravado especially given Cas is still built like the boxer he once was. But the stink of trouble Darren brings is enough to send the few interested townsfolk scattering, and with them, any hope of help goes. 

With the main characters assembled, this is where the story takes off. Harper has to make a decision that ultimately spirals out of control. Other characters, too, make choices, the end of which could destroy them or be their making. One thing is certain: come the end of one night not far from this point, nobody in Collaton will ever be the same.

 

OK, so I can't really say much more. Suffice it to say we were gripped and not disappointed. As Mrs H wanted me to say, "the pleasure and devil are in the plot weaving to date and what follows." Whether the community ultimately pull together and the garden built, is for you all to discover. . . .

So, what did we think?

A book beautifully grounded in real-life situations, reflections of what is and could be, and things most of us will have seen or experienced wherever we may live. 

Heartfelt and written with a sense of credibility, person and place. It is good to see disabled representation, too, for a key player. Sharon's gardening passion is quite evident in the text, adding a palpable flavour. 

The beauty of this book for us was, whilst we don't do romantic fiction as a rule, there is so much more going on that the story takes on a larger vista driven by the subplots of Max, Harper, Casimir, and Luisa, which all came together beautifully and dramatically towards the end. And the final chapter is not what I expected either, which is always a pleasant surprise. Mrs H said she had an inkling of things that might happen later when the adventure entered the town's scrap yard, but that was all. 

So . . . . 

Crunch time. 

This fun, easy read enthraled and captured our senses immediately. Like 'The Lighthouse Bookshop', Sharon's previous and second novel we reviewed last year (follow this link to see the review) has the same compelling storytelling air.

 

Not to put any pressure on Sharon's busy schedule or take time away from her allotment time and cuddles with Newt, her feline companion, but I can't wait for the next tale, whatever it may be.

Want to buy a copy?

To get a copy, please head down to your local independent bookshop. There are plenty out there and each shop is just waiting to serve up whatever kind of romance, gardening, mystery, fun and adventure you desire.

 

⭐️ We have a Giveaway! ⭐️

 

Mrs H has kindly funded the purchase of two copies of this fabulous book out of her pension & sherry fund. Two lucky commenters will each receive a copy to enjoy, subject to local postal arrangements and Amazon availability. 

All you have to do is leave a comment below, and Mrs H will, with my help, select a numbered mouse at random from our virtual hat! Entries close Saturday 22nd April 2023.

 

Sharon Gosling's web page can be found HERE OR type this:- https://www.sharongosling.com/


Simon & Schuster's UK's web page can be found HERE. OR type this:- https://www.simonandschuster.com/

 

And now, the Sunday Selfie.

We are Joining Janet Blue from the Cat on My Head blog for the weekly parade of selfies from all manner of companion creatures from across the pond and globe.

To go to Janet's blog selfie page, please click this LINK. or type / cut and paste https://thecatonmyhead.com/misty-may-her-ginger-pillow/

And here is me, taking some time to dream of a greenhouse full of catnip!

  

Till laters!

ERin