Goodie Basket (20): Book Haul & Recap

Goodie Basket...is a weekly feature hosted here at Word Spelunking that showcases all the goodies (books, bookish things, reviews, interviews/giveaways/guest posts, blog tours, etc) that popped up in the Goodie Basket that is Word Spelunking each week.

Hey, Cupcakes! Can you believe tomorrow is the first day of October?! This month has just flown by! I love October! Do you lurve October? October means Halloween and yummy warm food and cozy sweaters and my birthday *wink wink*

In my mailbox this week...

(ARC)  Shadowlands Kate Brian

Disney-Hyperion

sent from pub for review

(ARC)  The Archived Victoria Schwab

Disney-Hyperion

sent from pub for review

(ARC) Poison Bridget Zinn

Disney-Hyperion

sent from pub for review

A Random Book About The Power of ANYone 

Talia Leman

Simon & Schuster

sent from pub for review

(ARC) Touch of Death Kelly Hashway

Spencer Hill Press

sent from pub for review

I wanted to get a picture of the actual ARC the pub sent, but my mother is "borrowing" it and currently reading it ;D

EBOOKS

(eARC)  Spy Camp Stuart Gibbs

Simon & Schuster

sent from pub for review via Edelweiss

(eARC) Through the Skylight Ian Baucom

Atheneum Books (S&S)

sent from pub for review via Edelweiss

(eARC) The Broken Destiny Carlyle Labuschagne 

sent from author

Big THANK YOUs to Disney-Hyperion, Simon & Schuster, Spencer Hill Press and Carlyle Labuschagne for all the bookish awesomeness this week!!!

Weekly Blog Recap

Blog Tours / Interviews / Guest Posts

• Butter Blog Tour: guest post
• The Chosen of Gaia Blog Tour: guest post and giveaway
• Author Interview and Giveaway: Kathy Sattem Rygg

Giveaways

• The Chosen of Gaia paperback giveaway
• Animal Andy prize pack and ebook giveaway

Reviews

• The Other Normals by Ned Vizzini
• The Turning by Francine Prose

What did you get this week?!

Butter Blog Tour: guest post

I'm thrilled to have the Butter Blog Tour stopping by here today with a guest post from author Erin Jade Lange

A lonely obese boy everyone calls "Butter" is about to make history. He is going to eat himself to death-live on the Internet-and everyone is invited to watch. When he first makes the announcement online to his classmates, Butter expects pity, insults, and possibly sheer indifference. What he gets are morbid cheerleaders rallying around his deadly plan. Yet as their dark encouragement grows, it begins to feel a lot like popularity. And that feels good. But what happens when Butter reaches his suicide deadline? Can he live with the fallout if he doesn't go through with his plans? With a deft hand, E.J. Lange allows readers to identify with both the bullies and the bullied in this all-consuming look at one teen's battle with himself.

Purchase: Amazon / B&N / Book Depository

Since Butter is a coming of age story of sorts I thought it would be interesting to ask Erin what her top five favorite  coming of books are...

5 Favorite Coming of Age Books

by Erin Jade Lange

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton – This would be my number one pick for a coming of age tale, mainly because –more than any other book– the main character is so clearly a BOY in the beginning and so clearly becoming a MAN in the end. And S.E. Hinton captures this beautifully and believably in so few pages. The Outsiders has a fabulous coming-of-age lesson about friendships and enemies and how those lines sometimes blur, especially when the conflict becomes larger than the people involved.

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume – What can I say about this classic coming of age story that hasn’t already been said? It is the perfect pick for a girl at that stage when her body is changing, but it’s also a fabulous example of how teenagers take the values they’ve grown up with and begin to really think about those values independently and become someone very individual from their parents. I identified with this book as a teen, because I also grew up with 2 parents with different religious beliefs and had to sort out for myself what I believed.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead – Time travel and other fantastical elements are only the backdrop for what is really a story about growing up. When You Reach Me deals with some powerful coming of age realities like the evolution of friendships and witnessing racism or cruelty for the first time.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer – This story provides a great example of how a terrible loss can make us grow up too fast.

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney – Coming of age lessons aren’t easily learned. That is certainly the case for the main character in The Mockingbirds, who transitions from victim to judge and learns along the way that justice isn’t always black or white but often shades of gray.

Erin Jade Lange: Site / Goodreads /  Twitter / Facebook

Erin writes facts by day and fiction by night. As a journalist, she is inspired by current events and real-world issues and uses her writing to explore how those issues impact teenagers.

She is an only child, which means she spent a lot of time entertaining herself as a kid. This required her to rely heavily on her own imagination, which is probably why she became a writer.

Erin grew up in the cornfields of northern Illinois, along the Mississippi River in one of the few places it flows east to west. She now lives in the sunshine of Arizona and will forever be torn between her love of rivers and her love of the desert.

BUTTER is her first novel.

Review: The Turning by Francine Prose

TITLE: The Turning                                 AUTHOR: Francine Prose PUB: Harper Teen                                    PUB DATE: 9/25/12 FORMAT: pb ARC                                   SOURCE: pub

Jack is babysitting for the summer on an isolated island with no Wi-Fi, no cell service, and no one else around but a housekeeper and two very peculiar children. He immediately senses something sinister-and it's not just the creepy black house he's living in. Soon he is feeling terribly isolated and alone, but then he discovers there are others. The problem is, he's the only who can see them. As secrets are revealed and darker truths surface, Jack desperately struggles to maintain a grip on reality. He knows what he sees, and he isn't crazy…Or is he?
Where does reality end and insanity begin? The Turn of the Screw reinvented for modern-day teens, by National Book Award finalist Francine Prose

THREE WORDS: Eerie Creeptastic Fun

MY REVIEW: Francine Prose's The Turning is a modern YA retelling of the classic The Turn of the Screw. I've never read the original, but I am familiar with the basic storyline and Prose's updated version is a great example of a retelling with a twist. The Turning may not have blown me away, but I did have a lot of fun creeping myself out while reading it.

Jake is spending his summer on an isolated island babysitting the two young chargers of a wealthy man. Jake, the two young kids (Miles and Flora) and the cook Mrs. Gross are the only inhabitants on the island and the house has no phone, tv or internet connection. Jake is hesitant about the job but it pays well and he needs the money for college. Even before Jake arrives at the big, black house, he experiences an uneasiness about the place; an uneasiness that is only increased once he meets the odd, overly polite children and learns about the tragic history surrounding the house. And when Jake starts to see people that no one else sees he struggles with his grip on reality. What's real? Who's lying? What can Jake really believe?

The Turning has a lot going for it: a genuinely eerie and captivating plot, a likable MC and a hauntingly palpable atmosphere and setting. One does not need to be familiar with The Turn of the Screw to enjoy or understand the modern YA retelling. Prose follows a very similar plot and keeps many of the same names as the original, but she definitely adds her own twists and turns to make the story fresh.

This is an epistolary novel, or narrated through the use of letters. In this case, the story plays out through Jake's letters to his girlfriend and dad and their letters to him. I've found that this narration style very rarely works well or usually reads awkwardly, and this book is no exception. When Jake's letters to Sophie are ten or more pages and recount days worth of activity and conversations they are bound to feel contrived and unbelievable. I would have rather the book was merely just told from Jake's POV and included a few letters here and there. But I do like that it is told from Jake's POV as this allows readers to really experience his emotions, thoughts and confusion. We only get to see people, places, things and reality through Jake's eyes and I think this is very important to the reader's overall experience and creates an immediate connection between Jake and readers.

Prose creates a really haunting, eerie and atmospheric setting with the isolated island, big black house and sprawling landscape. It really is that classic horror movie/story type of setting that gives you excited chills. The palpable fear and evil is made even that more chilling by the isolation of the island. The big, twisty, seemingly never ending house is fantastically scary and the kind of place I'd love to go ghost hunting in. Of course, with an isolated setting one must suspend a certain level of disbelief and merely accept it for what it is. For example, the childrens' uncle, who lives in the city and hired Jake, does not allow any phones, tv or internet on the island nor does he want Jake or Mrs. Gross to contact him for ANY reason. Now it's hard to believe that even the most isolated places wouldn't have at least a phone for emergencies, but this place doesn't. I found that the sooner I stopped questioning things like this and just went with it, that I enjoyed the story more, which I think we must often do when it comes to the horror genre.

Jake is a likable and relatble MC; he isn't overly remarkable or special, but his average-ness is comforting. I never had any problem believing in his authenticity or convictions. Mrs. Gross is an easy to like and laid back lady. She's funny and nurturing and genuinely cares for the children and Jake too. Now those kids, Miles and Flora, they are definitely an interesting pair. One of things that scares the beejeezus out of me in horror movies or stories is creepy kid ghosts, and while Miles and Flora are NOT ghosts, they are still some strange, creepy-ass kids! Miles, especially, gave me goosebumps and the shivers, but in a really fun way.

Once Jake encounters what he assumes are ghosts, Prose deviates from the original story and weaves her own shocking and twisty story. It was fascinating to witness Jake fall into a kind of frenzied madness and fear, and the author does a great job of creating very tangible emotions. While I enjoyed most of the story, I was pretty disappointed with the abrupt and loose ending. So many questions are left unanswered and so many things that seem like vital clues aren't discussed. It just feels like so much of what the author built throughout the story (world-building, character development, atmosphere) crumbles because of the unsatisfying ending.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: The Turning is a loyal, yet fresh retelling of a classic, but more importantly it's an entertaining and captivating horror story. The story may not be mind-blowingly original or wildly unpredictable and the ending disappointed,  but I thought, overall, it was a lot of scary fun.

MY RATING

Connect with the author: Goodreads 

Purchase: Amazon / B&N / Book Depository

Francine Prose (born in 1947 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American novelist. She graduated from Radcliffe College in 1968, and received a Guggenheim fellowship in 1991. She has sat on the board of judges for the PEN/Newman's Own Award, and her novel Blue Angel, a satire about sexual harassment on college campuses, was a finalist for the National Book Award. She is now teaching at Bard College.

The Chosen of Gaia Blog Tour: guest post and giveaway

I'm excited to have The Chosen of Gaia Blog Tour stopping by today with a guest post from author M. Mariz and a giveaway!

The Chosen of Gaia

Fifteen-year-old Albert has just received an invitation that could transform his disappointing life completely – a chance to belong to an advanced and hidden society that only reveals itself to a select few.
Immersed in a new world of mind-boggling technology and intriguing peers, Albert will overcome his fears enough to ignore a few suspicious details. But soon he'll find his family dragged to the center of a scandal that threatens to tear them apart and erase their very identities.
A conflicted Albert must find the strength to challenge authority by relying on his newfound allies and gift for Revelation.
Prepare for adventure, humor and suspense in this fast-paced tale of a “normal” family striving for their place in a “perfect” world.

Book Website: TheChosenOfGaia.com

Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Book Depository

Lucky...or Not...

by M. Mariz

My dad was one of those who had a morality tale for almost every situation in life. As his stories were repeated regularly, I wound up developing through the years a very believable “concentrated look,” while I was actually spaced out thinking about my weekend with friends.

But somehow his stories would always find a way to dodge my strategy, getting stuck in brain like a computer-programmed high tech bullet. Weirdly, they did actually offer some guidance.

One of his favorite stories was about a very poor boy who lived in a farm with his family. One day, he received a wild horse as a gift from an outsider who didn’t know how to tame the animal. Looks like the boy finally ran into some luck, right? Well, after spending exhaustive months training the horse, the animal wound up running away on a dark night. Guess the boy’s unlucky after all! Well, a few weeks later the horse came back… and with a herd! Lucky little dude, right? Well, training a whole herd wasn’t easy and one day the boy had his leg severely broken. Pretty messed up for a kids’ story, wouldn’t you say? Well, a war began that same week, and because of his leg he wasn’t drafted into the army. Lucky? Well…

The story’s constant twists made me start to think twice before labeling events in my own life. When I was seven, I broke my middle finger (yeah, the cast was a little awkward) during the summer. I couldn’t swim or ride my bike but in the end, my small injury helped me to develop a new talent – “the abandoned puppy” look. Using this, I could get anyone to do pretty much anything I wanted. Asking like I was on the verge of tears and affecting a sad tone of voice could even help me have French fries with ice cream. That’s when I realized I could act, and decided to improve and pursue that special “gift”.

A few years later, I had my first professional theater play canceled a day before its premiere. I was devastated for days, but my first big disappointment in the business brought me a sweeter victory.  The unfairness of the situation motivated me to write my own play. The play got produced and even generated decent revenue.  

Life’s mutability is also one of my favorite ingredients in a novel and that constantly inspires me to write. Events take wild turns, opportunities trickle through our hands, and people become harder to read. Then everything changes again. But that’s what builds our own personality. A character with the same vulnerability makes an instant connection with the reader, forming a bond. And the unpredictability of events is what makes a piece of fiction not only a good page-turner, but also weirdly similar in some aspect with our own lives.

If you’re looking for lighthearted, young-spirited novel, with vulnerable and deeply human characters, check out my own twist-filled tale, The Chosen of Gaia. Fifteen year old Albert stumbles into an invitation which seems to offer him the chance to live out his wildest dreams. Such a lucky boy, right? Well…

M. Mariz: Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

M. Mariz is an actress, lawyer and writer with more than 20 plays produced. Her debut novel The Chosen of Gaia (Sept. 28, 2012) was inspired by her own Revelation dream.

Born in Rio de Janeiro and currently living in Southern California, Mariz writes screenplays and

novels in both Portuguese and English. The artist has more than 15 years of acting experience,

encompassing works in theater, television and movies. She has multiple plays and sketches

featured in theaters, including a teenager play that was performed by young Brazilian celebrities

all over the country, and has written many other plays for different Brazilian companies to

present work-related themes in a funny, entertaining way.

She lives with her husband in Orange, California, where she is constantly developing ideas for

new stories to tell.

Win a copy of The Chosen of Gaia

JKS Communication has offered one (1) copy of Mariz's book to give away!!!

DETAILS

-US ONLY

-One (1) winner will win a physical copy of the book

-Must be 13+ to enter

-One entry per person

-Winner will be emailed and must claim prize within 48 hours

-I am NOT responsible for lost, damaged or stolen prizes as they are not being sent by me

Fill out the Rafflecopter form

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Waiting On" Wednesday (47): Rump

"Waiting On" Wednesday...is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm excitedly waiting on....

In a magical kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke.Rump has never known his full name—his mother died before she could tell him. So all his life he's been teased and bullied for his half-a-name. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. For Rump discovers he can spin straw into gold. Magical gold.
His best friend Red Riding Hood warns him that magic is dangerous—and she's right! That gold is worth its weight in trouble. And with each thread he spins, Rump weaves himself deeper into a curse.
There's only one way to break the spell: Rump must go on a quest to find his true name, along the way defending himself against pixies, trolls, poison apples, and one beautiful but vile-mannered queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor—Rump just might triumph in the end.

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin

Liesl Shurtliff

4/9/13

Knopf Books for Young Readers

ADD ON GOODREADS

I love MG fairytale retellings and this one looks really fun and original with a young Rumpelstiltskin. Plus, who can resist a book titled Rump?!

What are you waiting on this week?!

Review: The Other Normals by Ned Vizzini

TITLE: The Other Normals      AUTHOR: Ned Vizzini PUB: Balzer+Bray                       PUB DATE: 9/25/12 FORMAT: pb ARC                      SOURCE: pub

Given the chance, fifteen-year-old Peregrine “Perry” Eckert would dedicate every waking moment to Creatures & Caverns, an epic role-playing game rich with magical creatures, spell casting, and deadly weapons. The world of C&C is where he feels most comfortable in his own skin, so when his parents ship him off to summer camp Perry is sure he’s in for the worst summer of his life. Everything changes, however, when Perry gets to camp and stumbles into the World of the Other Normals. Perry’s new otherworldly friends need his help to save their princess and prevent mass violence. As they embark on their quest together, Perry realizes that his nerdy childhood has uniquely prepared him to be a great warrior in this world, and maybe even a hero. Bestselling author Ned Vizzini delivers a compulsively readable and wildly original story about the winding and often hilarious path to manhood.

THREE WORDS: Awkward Characters & Writing

MY REVIEW: I'm a self-proclaimed geek, nerd, queen of awkwardness, so when I read the synopsis to Ned Vizzini's The Other Normals I felt an instant connection to the main character Perry and I hoped I'd find a kindred spirit in him...alas, I did not. I loved Vizzini's other novel It's Kind Of A Funny Story and I think he can craft a stellar contemporary voice. Unfortunately, this particular novel just didn't strike a chord with me.

Peregrine “Perry” Eckert is by all definitions a loner, geek, late bloomer. At 15 years old, he has no real friends, has never kissed a girl and spends all his time playing Creatures & Caverns, a role-playing game infused with magic and myth. He longs for the day when he can put his C&C skills to work and be a real life hero, and when his parents ship him off to summer camp he may just get his chance. While at camp he discovers the World of the Other Normals where C&C creatures are real. The Other Normals enlist Perry's help to save their princess and world and Perry finally has the chance to be a hero and maybe even make real friends.

The Other Normals has a great, fresh premise; Vizzini takes a well used plot (outsider loner is transported into a fantasy world and must become a hero) and taken it to some imaginative and unexpected places. Unfortunately, the story, with its unlikable hero; awkward writing and all over the place storyline just did not work for me.

At 400 pages, this is a longer read and I considered DNFing halfway through because of the slow, meandering pace and baffling storyline, but I pushed through, wanting to see how Perry's story ended. I genuinely liked the fantasy world and grand adventure aspects of this story. The world of the Other Normals is fantastical and intriguing, but the world-building is often fragmented, overwhelming or confusing. While fascinated by certain aspects of this fantasy world, I didn't feel like I ever got a complete grasp of this world and its history, people, cultures, etc.

I think my biggest issue with this book is the main character, Perry. I didn't find him very likable or relatable at all. Yes, he's smart, exhibits a certain level of courage and thoughtfulness and clearly has a difficult home life, but I found him incredibly immature for a 15 year old, tactless and his awkwardness is less endearing and more eye-rolling. I had a really hard time liking Perry or rooting for him. There's just something about his characterization that feels forced and clunky. And so much of his dialogue and humor is flat or stilted and many of his actions are perplexing...at one point he pulls his pants down at a dance to show a girl his first and only pubic hair to prove that he's a “man”...I may have never been a 15 year old boy, but I'm pretty sure this is not a normal reaction to rejection, right?!

Many of the other characters read like over the top cliches or caricatures. There's also a bit of unnecessary and kind of offensive racism going on in this book; both Perry and other campers often point out that he's the only white kid at camp and refer to the camp as “ghetto”.

Much of the storyline feels jumbled and confusing. And perhaps being a twenty-something female, I'm just not the right audience for this book, but I didn't really “get” the humor, voice or style. The only thing that kept me reading this book until the end, and the reason it gets two cupcakes, is the character Ada. Ada, one of the Other Normals, is the only character I actually liked and enjoyed. Her humor is actually funny, her actions actually make sense and her personality is actually likable.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: I really wanted to like The Other Normals but just never connected with the less than greatly executed story or unlikable characters. I just don't think I was the right audience for this particular book, but I have no doubt the right audience will get Vizzini's story and connect with Perry. And I may not be a fan of this book, but I will certainly continue to read Vizzini's work in the future.

MY RATING

Connect with the author: Site / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

Purchase: Amazon / B&N / Book Depository

Vizzini grew up primarily in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City. He attended Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan, graduating in 1999. While still a teenager, he began to write articles for the New York Press, an alternative newspaper.
After he wrote an essay that got published by the New York Times Magazine, several of his essays about his young adult life ended up being combined into his first book, Teen Angst? Naaah.... Vizzini attended Hunter College, also located in Manhattan. Ned Vizzini currently lives in New York City and continues to write and to speak about his books. Vizzini's characters and situations are said be based upon his time spent at Stuyvesant.

Author Interview and Giveaway: Kathy Sattem Rygg

I'm thrilled to have author Kathy Sattem Rygg here today for an interview and giveaway of her MG book Animal Andy...

WS: What three words best describe your book ANIMAL ANDY?

KR- Whimsical, Imaginative, Compassionate

WS: In just one sentence convince readers why they MUST read your book.

KR- Through magic and adventure, this book will whisk you into a whole new world and bring you out the other side feeling like a hero.

WS: Where did the idea or inspiration for this book come from?

KR- My kids loved the Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborn, and I wanted to create a story that took kids to another world—the world of animals! It was during a visit to our local zoo that I got the idea to use a carousel as the “device” to transport kids to that world.

WS: Who was your favorite ANIMAL ANDY character to write? Who was the most challenging to write?

KR- My favorite character to write was Philippe the peacock. The peacocks at our zoo roam. They beg for food one minute and then open their feathers the next to show-off. It was fun to create that pompous character.

The most challenging to write was Andy. His relationship with his dad was tricky. He struggled because he wanted to still be close with his dad like he used to be, yet he wanted to exert his independence. It’s common at his age, but it can be difficult to finesse.

WS: What do you hope young readers will learn or take away with from ANIMAL ANDY?

KR- I hope that kids will realize how important it is to always listen to their instincts—that little voice that tells you when it’s important to act. 

WS: Grab a copy of ANIMAL ANDY and answer the following:

Favorite chapter? Chapter 18—Andy and his friends are camping at the zoo and  a lot happens!

Favorite page? Page 103—at the end of Chapter 18 Andy’s friend sees him as an animal, and his reaction is priceless.
Flip to a random page and choose any one random sentence from that page and give us a little teaser:  
Andy wanted to argue, to make Mr. George understand that he was helping this whole time. But he couldn’t say that he had turned into a giraffe…

WS: Since your character Andy is working at a zoo I have to ask: what's the one animal you get most excited about seeing when you visit a zoo?

KR- I love the large cats. I’ve been lucky enough to see them do some amazing things—they can be incredibly playful, and they’re so majestic. Half the time they act like domestic house cats (although I wouldn’t want one trying to sit on my lap!) 

WS: ANIMAL ANDY features a special animal carousel...was this carousel based on a real one or did you imagine up the whole design yourself? Which animal "seat" do you always call dibs on when you ride animal carousels?

KR- The “Magical Menagerie” was modeled after the menagerie carousel at our city’s zoo. My kids and I ride it every time we visit. My 8-year-old always runs to either the tiger or cheetah, and my 5-year-old likes the gorilla. I actually prefer the white horse—the colors are so vibrant against the glossy, white paint!

WS: Fill in the blanks:
I'm really awesome at: playing foosball.
I'm really embarrassed to admit that: I get nervous when calling people I don’t know.

In 100 years I hope people remember me as: woman who took a few risks in life and reaped a lot of rewards!

WS: If you were to create/bake an ANIMAL ANDY cupcake, what would it look and taste like, and what would you call it?

KR- It’d be a rich, dark chocolate cupcake with white and red-striped buttercream frosting (to look like the carousel’s canopy), topped with a fondant-sculpted animal (a zebra, giraffe, etc.) and it would be called “Andy’s Wild Ride.”

Thank you so much Kathy for answering my questions!!!

Kathy Sattem Rygg: Blog / Facebook / Twitter

Kathy Sattem Rygg is an author, freelance writer, and editor. She earned a degree in magazine journalism from Iowa State University and has worked in corporate marketing for several Fortune 500 companies. Additionally, she worked at the McGraw-Hill Companies’ Business Publications Division in New York City and was the Editor in Chief of Women’s Edition magazine in Denver, CO. She is currently the Editor in Chief of the children’s online magazine knowonder! and lives in Omaha, NE., with her husband and two children.

Kathy has a children’s chapter book that is also available both as an ebook and in print on Amazon called TALL TALES WITH MR. K and it’s about a magical teacher who takes his students on fun adventures in the one place they least expect—the teacher’s lounge.

Animal Andy

Ten-year-old Andy Ohman is spending his summer working at the Aksarben City Zoo where his dad is curator. There are rumors the city might close the zoo due to budget cuts. An anonymous donor has given the zoo an antique animal carousel, and Andy’s dad is hopeful it will help boost attendance. Andy’s doubtful that an old kiddie ride will make a difference. He doesn’t see what’s so special about it. But when he takes it for a spin, he unlocks the magic that will help save the zoo.

ANIMAL ANDY is published by Muse It Up Publishing. The ebook is available online at the Muse Bookstore. The print version is available on Amazon.

Win an Animal Andy prize pack or ebook copy from Kathy!!!

Kathy has generously offered up two Animal Andy prizes:

US Prize

one print copy of ANIMAL ANDY, a bookmark, and a package of sunflower seeds with shells on and salted--just the way Phillipe the peacock in the story likes them!

INT Prize

one ebook copy of ANIMAL ANDY in any format

DETAILS

-Will run from 9/23 - 10/5

-There will be two (2) winner: one US, one INT

-Must be 13+ to enter

-One main entry per person

-Winners will be emailed and must claim prize within 48 hours

-Word Spelunking is NOT responsible for lost, damaged or stolen prizes

Fill out Rafflecopter form to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway