Tween Tuesday Review: Forget Me Not Summer

Three sisters visit their aunt for a few weeks in Cape Cod. When they arrive, they realize they won't have the distraction of either the internet or cable. Plus, they have to share a room.

Marigold can't believe it. She's finally got her big break with an agent and now she's shipped off for a month without being able to audition for a blockbuster movie.

Zinnia and Lily adjust a little better. Soon the three of them find their way. The two older girls spend their mornings at the beach, discovering new things the island has to offer. It might not have been the summer they had in mind, but it's still a fantastic summer.

My Thoughts: I loved this book. It's perfect for summer with spending time at the beach, eating seafood, and hanging out in the sun.

The sisters are wildly different, but sweet in their own ways. Lily is hilarious and charming as she always finds herself in trouble. Zinnia gets lost in the shadow of her older sister, but I love how she break free. Marigold gets caught up in the world of Hollywood and doesn't behave in the nicest manner. Even through their differences, these girls have a tight sisterly bond that nothing can break.

I love the freedom and sense of peace that comes over their days; it seems like the perfect summer vacation to me especially since the girls have to unplug and go exploring to find adventure. I love that the girls take chances and dream big.

Cover Thoughts: Charming
Source: The Library
 Fun Fact: Leila Howland also wrote the two YA books Nantucket Blue and Nantucket Red

Final Thoughts: Gobble this one up in the sun, you won't regret it! 

Blog Tour: Double Vision: The Alias Men

I'm happy to be hosting a spot on the blog tour, I've read and loved the first two books in the Double Vision trilogy and super excited to see how it all turns out. FT Bradley's here to answer some questions about being a spy!

1 Would you like to be a spy? Do you think you'd be good at it?

I’d be a terrible spy… I’m almost six feet tall with red hair—everyone sees me coming from a mile away. No covert gigs for me. Also, I’m a bit of a chicken, so dangerous spy missions are not something I think I’d be good at. I’m more like Linc’s gadget guy Henry in the Double Vision books: I’d rather be safe.

But I love writing about the whole secrecy surrounding spies, and there’s a wealth of story material. If you look at history, there have been spies going back to Egyptian times. It’s fascinating stuff. Spies are cool.

I do love the idea of spies, but I'm not sure I could be one either.

2 Could you break a code if you needed to?

Uhhh, only with a decoding book of some kind, like Linc has in the first book, Double Vision. I had to learn about codes and ciphers for all three Double Vision books—and the code at the end of the third book, Double Vision: The Alias Men is a real whopper. If anyone reads the book and figures it out before Linc does, send me an email! I’d love to know.

3 If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

That’s a tough one—there are so many places I’d still like to visit. Italy is at the top of my list, though. Lots of places to visit, and excellent food. I’m big on food, so a lot of places on my wish list involve dinner…

 Do you have a favorite spy from history?

Famous chef Julia Child has to be at the top of my list. Who would’ve ever expected her to be a spy?

Something I find fascinating is that throughout history, it was often female spies who were most effective in their missions, because people just didn’t expect them to have their own agenda. I love digging into history for story material like that.

Yes, I love reading about female spies and what they did differently. 

What are you working on now that the final book in the Double Trilogy is over?

I’m working on a middle-grade mystery that’s a lot of fun, but it’s still in the early writing stages. I’ll keep you posted on the latest…

Oh good! 

About Fleur:

F.T. (Fleur) Bradley is the author of the Double Vision trilogy (Harper Children’s), a series of fun spy mysteries for middle-grade readers that School Library Journal calls "a must-read for mystery fans, including reluctant readers." She lives in Colorado with her husband, two daughters and entirely too many cats. For more information on F.T. and her books, visit www.ftbradley.com.

FOLLOW THE BLOG TOUR:

The Alias Men Blog Tour:

Oct. 6-10: The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow features Double Vision: The Alias Men with a review, author interview, plus a GIVEAWAY..!

Oct. 13: Linc hangs out at the great Erik’s blog, This Kid Reviews Books. Linc talks about spy techniques he picked up on his Pandora missions. And there’s another GIVEAWAY…
Oct 13: Middle Grade Mafia interviews F.T. Bradley about writing a trilogy.

Oct. 14: Double Vision: The Alias Men is released! Have a virtual party at the YA Sleuth blog…! And follow F.T. on Twitter @FTBradleyAuthor for more kid spy fun.

Oct. 16: F.T. Bradley gives you Five Ways to Bring MG into The Classroom at the Unleashing Readers blog, plus a GIVEAWAY.

Oct. 17: Linc is interviewed by Lizzy, Fairday and Marcus over at The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow blog. A fun post!

Oct. 20: The fabulous Ms. Yingling reviews Double Vision: The Alias Men on her blog for Marvelous MG Monday…

Oct. 21: Another favorite blog, YA Book Nerd, hosts F.T. Bradley and the Double Vision trilogy, plus a GIVEAWAY

Oct. 21: F.T. Bradley hangs out at Sleuths, Spies and Alibis…

Oct. 24: F.T. Bradley gives tips for parents of reluctant readers, Seven Ways to Get Your Kid to Read, at Pragmatic Mom’s blog, plus a GIVEAWAY!

Oct. 25: At the Nerdy Book Club, find F.T. Bradley’s top 10 books for reluctant readers...

Giveaway: If you want to read these books (trust me, you do!), here's your chance. We're giving away the entire trilogy! in Hardcover! and Signed!

 US only please

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tween Tuesday Review: Wig in the Window

 * Comes out June 18th *

Sophie and Grace host midnight spy missions to improve their spy skills. Grace has wanted to spy on Sophie's school counselor Dr. Agford for ages. Grace has always found her suspicious, but Sophie never wanted to get too close. Dr. A has a reputation at school and Sophie doesn't need her attention.

They decide to peek in her windows, a one time exception. They see blood everywhere - and immediately call emergency services claiming to have witnessed a murder.

The next day at school, Sophie's called to the principal's office where her parents, Dr. A, and a police officer gather to talk about the incident the night before and the proper punishment. Now more than ever Sophie distrusts Dr. A. Could she be hiding something significant? If so, can Sophie figure it out without getting into more trouble?

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book: spies, potential murder, and the investigation made it hard to put down. I wanted to uncover the truth about Dr. A. The many twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. The relationship between Sophie and Grace added tension. With Sophie being a public school and Grace being home-schooled, they had various view points of both school and social interactions. They also had different groups of friends. I found Trista entertaining, especially her prank. I hope there are more Young and Yang myseries planned as this was fantastic!

Cover Thoughts: Great
Source: Sent for review

Review: Nancy Clancy Super Sleuth

Nancy and her best friend Bree want to be detectives. Nancy's worried that nothing will ever happen in their sleepy little town and no one will need Partners in Crime.

However, before she knows it, Nancy has two cases.  Bree overheard the twins talking about a secret from Nancy. Now Nancy can't help but imagine the worse. What are her friends keeping from her?

There's also a thief in her classroom! Nancy and Bree are determined to solve the mystery of the missing marble. Someone stole the marble during their Family Day. Luckily Bree took photos during the day. They might help create a timeline and provide clues.

My Thoughts: I'm a big Fancy Nancy fan! I adore the pictures books and have read them all. I was so happy to hear about this new chapter book. I liked it. It was cute, funny (I loved that the class hamster's name is Eric Clapton), and enjoyable. It expands upon our favorite characters without loosing the charm from the picture books. I don't think I've ever read where the character goes from picture book to easy reader to chapter book. I think Fancy Nancy will capture even more readers.  Nancy and Bree have a great friendship, great imaginations, and great ideas. I'm looking forward to more of these books. I hope one day Bree will have her own book, and maybe Jojo too.


Cover Thoughts: Cute! And I like how illustrations are throughout the book. I think it bridges all the Fancy Nancy books together.


Source: Inter-Library Loan

Spotted Guys Read: Funny Business - the Joke

Someone on the YALSA_BK list spotted this and sent it around. I found it hilariously funny and chock full of great authors. Enjoy!