Read My Review & *ENTER TO WIN!* Finding Esme by Suzanne Crowley

FINDING ESME

by

SUZANNE CROWLEY

   Genre: Middle Grade (3-7)
Magical Realism / Family & Loss 
Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Date of Publication: August 14, 2018

Number of Pages: 288

Scroll down for the giveaway!

After her grandfather died from a heart attack while driving his tractor on Solace Hill, twelve-year-old Esme's been inextricably drawn to that spot, although her grandmother warns her to stay away. But when she follows her little brother, Bo, and her dog, Old Jack, up the hill while chasing fireflies, she makes an incredible discovery—dinosaur bones peeking out from underneath the abandoned tractor. The bones must be a message from her grandfather, a connection from beyond the grave. But when word gets out that the farm is hiding something valuable, reporters, researchers, and neighbors arrive in droves. Esme struggles to understand who has her best interests at heart, especially as the memory of her grandfather begins to slip away. Full of friendship and adventure, and featuring a palpable Texas setting, Finding Esme is a moving and heartfelt story about family, friendship, and learning to deal with loss.

PRAISE & HONORS FOR FINDING ESME:

“Esme is a brave, appealing heroine with the odds stacked against her… Bad blood and layered family secrets drive this story to its ultimately optimistic and satisfying conclusion.” 
- Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)

“Esme McCauley is a lonely but spirited 12-year-old who feels nothing ever happens to her the way it’s supposed to...A poignant tale for readers who enjoy character-driven realism.” 
- School Library Journal 

“Readers muddling through preteen changes or unstable family lives will identify with Esme’s struggles, but the thrill of discovery will appeal to most.” - Booklist

Texas Library Association 2019 Spirit of Texas (SPOT) reading program selection

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Well, my goodness, y’all! Here I am, again, with a review that’s sure to knock your socks off!

“How do you know it’ll knock my socks off?” you ask, whilst reading the above sentence.

“Because this book knocked my socks all the way into last month, that’s how, you sassy thang!” I reply, as I continue to type this here review.

Oh, this book … y’all … this book took me all the way back to my childhood in a way that only a well written book can. It all started with the delicious (dust) cover of this hardback book. Yes, I’m here to tell y’all that a book can, indeed, be judged by its cover. The intriguingly artistic cover of FINDING ESME by Suzanne Crowley is as sweet and delicious as a sun ripened peach from Esme’s grandmother’s farm.

And guess what? Ms. Crowley sent me an AUTOGRAPHED copy of this book and a bookmark!

YAASSSSS! GAZE UPON THE SPLENDOR! 

*Le Sigh*

Y’all know I shoot straight from the hip when it comes to books and reviews. I don’t know whether or not it’s the fact that I studied English Literature or the fact that I, myself, am an author (of the best sci-fi books in Texas), but I kinda get a little picky with the books I read, yo!

Just ask Kristine.

Oh, yes, you know of whom I speak … the Lone Star Literary Life Book Siren, herself. She knows just how to lure me in with a gorgeous cover and an intriguing blurb. But I digress.

This book is magical realism at its best. I simply lurved it. I lurved it a whole lots!

What I enjoyed most about FINDING ESME by Suzanne Crowley was the constant tension in her prose. Her writing is sprinkled with a … je ne sais quoi … if you know what I mean. The reader is continually aware that something is off, not quite right. Something is coming, and it may or may not be good.

Only time will tell (once the reader finishes the book, of course!)

FINDING ESME by Suzanne Crowley took me all the way back to the magic of childhood summers before cellphones and computers … before technology distracted kids from the wonders of summer nights, chasing fireflies, the true value of friendship and how ones actions towards peers can affect others deeply.

Long gone are the days of dealing with others face-to-face, making amends in person or by slipping secret gifts of apology where the offended party will find them. Most of today’s kids are conditioned to social media and the ease it brings of forgetting the person on the other side of the screen is a living, breathing human with feelings.

I find this enormously saddening.

Speaking of sadness. Without giving away any spoilers (‘cause y’all keep asking, and y’all know I ain’t gonna!), this book strikes a tender nerve in anyone who’s lived through those angsty pre-teen years. Not only that, but this book deals with actual real world issues such as: depression, absentee parenting (both in person and flat out abandonment), grandparents who must step back into parenting shoes, deep loss, the value of true friends, and knowing when to tune in to one’s intuition.

Oh, this book has it all! Magic. Ghosts. Mystery. Witching Sticks. Pie Made of Sun Ripened Peaches, a faithful ole horned toad (who may or may not really be a ghost), and, of course, a faithful ole dog. It’s a story as sweet as Bee’s honey. As bewitching as a witching stick. As mysterious as a ghost who leads the way to long-buried bones.

But I’ve gone too far here! Y’all’ve almost tricked me into spoilers, y’all sassy thangs!

Look …

Crowley’s writing is honey sweet … her writing voice as mesmerizing as a misty spirit in the night calling to the reader from betwixt the covers of FINDING ESME. I simply could not rest until I finished the book!

And that’s why I grant

FINDING ESME

By Suzanne Crowley

5 Peachy Sweet Magical Brooms!

Suzanne Crowley is the author of two acclaimed novels for young readers, The Very Ordered Existence of Merilee Marvelous and The Stolen One. The author, who is also a miniaturist and dollhouse collector whose work has graced the covers of magazines worldwide, was born in a small town in Texas and lives in Southlake, Texas. When not hugging her dog or imbibing in chocolate, she can often be found taking a nap.

Website ⬥ Facebook ⬥ Twitter ⬥ BookBub

Goodreads ⬥ Instagram

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TWO READERS EACH WIN A SIGNED COPY OF FINDING ESME, TWO CANDLES, BOOKMARKS, FUN FACT CARDS, AND A PEN! February 11-21, 2020

(U.S. Only)

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VISIT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

2/11/20	Review	Momma on the Rocks
2/11/20	Review	The Page Unbound
2/12/20	Audio Review	Hall Ways Blog
2/12/20	Review	Librariel Book Adventures
2/13/20	Review	Jennifer Silverwood
2/14/20	Review	Missus Gonzo
2/14/20	Review	#Bookish
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2/16/20	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
2/17/20	Review	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
2/17/20	Review	Rebecca R. Cahill, Author
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2/20/20	Audio Review	Forgotten Winds

   
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*Read My Review & ENTER TO WIN* The Mail Order Bride's Secret by Linda Broday

THE MAIL ORDER

BRIDE'S SECRET

Outlaw's Mail Order Bride,

Book Three

by

LINDA BRODAY

Genre: Historical Western Romance
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca Publication
Date: January 28, 2020

Number of Pages: 352 pages

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE GIVEAWAY!
 

When the West was wild and man's law favored the few, these extraordinary women could be found...in the heart of an outlaw.

When three young children show up on outlaw Tait Trinity's doorstep, he knows he can't help them―a wanted man has no business raising kids. And yet he can't bring himself to turn them away. At a loss, he sends for the mail order bride he'd been writing to, hoping the demure dressmaker will be the answer to his prayers. Melanie Dunbar is nothing like the bride Tait was expecting. She's rough and tumble...and hiding an ulterior motive. Dangerous men have taken her sister hostage, and if Melanie wants to see her alive, she'll have to betray her new husband. There's only one problem―the more time she spends with Tait, the more she comes to care for him. Yet as the noose begins to tighten, Melanie will have to make a terrible choice: save her sister...or the man she loves.

PURCHASE THE BOOK │iBooks │ Amazon │ Indiebound│  │Barnes and Noble│Kobo│ 

PRAISE FOR THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE'S SECRET:

“This is another page-turning period romance from Broday.” Publisher’s Weekly “Broday does a fabulous job of telling a story filled with humor, angst and some candid truths just so we don’t romanticize this period in our history.” Fresh Fiction “This book was absolutely mesmerizing with nonstop action, full of laughter, tears and just a downright good Old fashioned Wild West story as only Linda Broday can do.” Glenda (Goodreads reviewer)

Y’all, I’ve come to suspect something … Kristine is either an evil mastermind or an all-knowing book siren. I’m not sure which one – yet – but, believe you, me, I’ll puzzle this business out as soon as possible.

Why do I say such a thang?

Well, let me tell you why.

I’m over here, minding my own dadgum business, trying hard to finish writing my fourth book (about aliens in Texas, of course), and not bothering a soul. Heck, I’ve even been working like a dog on my day job (though, in all honesty, the only work my dog does is herding me around like a cow. So, I have no idea where that there term comes from.) Y’all didn’t know that I’m also an instructional designer with my own business called Star eLearning, did y’all? Well, wonders never cease!

But I digress.

Look, Kristine had the confounded nerve to put out a call for reviewers for one of my new fave authors, the tantalizing Linda Broday right in the midst of my own personal maelstrom. “How dare she!” I flared my nostrils and internally shouted as I filled out the Google sign up form (all the while drooling over the gorgeosity (I just made up that word – I fancy myself as a modern-day Texas Shakespeare.)

I mean … have you ever seen prettier covers than the ones on her books? (Besides, the title alludes to secrets … and y’all know how I lurve me some secrets!)

*Le Sigh* Kristine – and Ms. Broday – reeled me in like a large mouth bass with this one! (Did I just hear you say “large mouth is about right?”) *Intensifies Glaring*

Alright, alright! I’ll get on with the review. Heck! Y’all have gotten bossy as all git out!

One thing about Broday’s books is this: you can definitely judge her books by their covers. Her writing is just as enthralling as the artwork in which her stories are packaged. I kid you not!

By now, all y’all know I won’t give spoilers. This review is no exception. But I’ll tell ya enough to whet your appetite, I will! This story begins on a Texas Panhandle summer night in 1881. The very first paragraph is a perfect hook that pulls the reader into the story. I immediately felt the chill in the night air that slipped through the window as if, itself, were a character in the story. I heard the gong of the clock down on the town square. Eight gongs, in fact. And just like that *snaps fingers*, I was there, in the past, experiencing a dilemma that will change the course of several lives.

“For good or bad?” You ask, eagerly awaiting my response.

“Well,” I chuckle whilst shaking my head. “You’ll just have to read the story for yourself to find out.”

I see you scowling at me.

Ms. Broday has a way with words and a talent for world building. Her characters are so alive and authentic that I’m beginning to believe she’s a cotton pickin’ time traveler. I was literally addicted to this book from the moment I tore open the envelope in which it arrived.

The only thing that woulda added to my enjoyment of this well-written, enthralling book would be an autograph. Alas, it has none. But maybe she’ll send a signed bookplate? *Looks wistfully at the screen as I type this.* One can only hope.

The point is: if you love a well told story with believable characters and a setting that is as real as the one in which you are currently sitting (or standing, floating, lollygagging, etc.), then Linda Broday is your gal! Grab a copy of this book. Heck! In all honesty, I recommend all her books!

I’ve been needing a vacation, and after reading The Mail Order Bride’s Secret by Linda Broday, I feel as if I’ve just gotten back from the Texas Panhandle (star date 1881).

And that’s why I hereby grant

THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE’S SECRET

By Linda Broday

5 Fabulous Time Traveling 

Tantalizing Texas Brooms!

I'm a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty historical western romance novels and short stories. I reside in the Texas Panhandle on land the American Indian and Comancheros once roamed, and at times if the breeze is just right, I can hear their voices whispering in the wind. Texas’ rich history is one reason I set all my stories here where cowboys are still caretakers of the land. I’m inspired every day by their immense dedication and love for the wide-open spaces. When I’m not writing, I collect old coins and I’ve also been accused (quite unfairly I might add) of making a nuisance of myself at museums, libraries, and historical places. I’m also a movie buff and love sitting in a dark theater, watching the magic unfold on the screen. As long as I’m confessing…chocolate is my best friend. It just soothes my soul.

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TWITTER  ║   GOODREADS  ║   LINKEDIN  ║   BOOKBUB

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Three Winners

1st: $25 Amazon Gift Card; 2nd: Autographed Set of All 3 Books in the Series; 3rd: Autographed Copy of The Mail Order Bride’s Secret.

January 28-February 7, 2020

(US Addresses Only)

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1/30/20	Review	Carpe Diem Chronicles
1/31/20	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
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2/5/20	Review	Missus Gonzo
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