Review: The Sleepwalker Tonic (Nightmares! #2) by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

Check out my review of book one in this series, Nightmares!, here

The Sleepwalker Tonic

(Nightmares! #1)

by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

September 8, 2015

Random House Children's Books

Nightmares! The Sleepwalker Tonic is the sequel to the hilariously scaryNew York Times bestselling novel Nightmares! by multitalented actor Jason Segel and bestselling author Kirsten Miller. You thought the nightmares were over? You better keep the lights on!

Charlie Laird has a dream life.

1) He has a weirdo stepmom who runs an herbarium. 

2) He lives in a purple mansion with a portal to the Netherworld.

3) Since they escaped from the Netherworld, he and his best friends have been sleeping like babies. 

But Charlie can’t shake the feeling that something strange is afoot. Charlotte’s herbarium used to be one of the busiest stores in Cypress Creek. Now her loyal following is heading to Orville Falls for their herbal potions.

Weirder, though, Orville Falls is suddenly filled with . . . zombies? At least, they sure look like the walking dead. Rumor has it that no one’s sleeping in Orville Falls. And Charlie knows what that means.

Things are getting freaky again.

goodreads / amazon / b&n / indiebound

Praise for Nightmares!, book one
 
A New York Times bestseller

“Charlie Laird, who learns fear will eat you alive if you feed it, makes an impression, and…readers will want to accompany him again.”—The New York Times Book Review

“A touching comical saga…about facing things that go bump in the night.”—US Weekly“Coraline meets Monsters, Inc. in this delightfully entertaining offering from actor [Jason] Segel and co-author [Kirsten] Miller.”—Publishers Weekly

“[Nightmares!] succeeds at scaring and amusing in equal measure…[It’s] sweet, charming, and imaginative.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Segel…and Miller build an entertaining, cartoony world full of scary (but not too scary) monsters, silly jokes, plucky kid heroes…with a promise of adventures to come.”—Booklist

“An engaging and creative story…woven with a generous amount [of] humor.”—VOYA

“There’s humor and a fairly high ick-factor.”—School Library Journal

“Cleverly crafted…This novel presents just the right mix of ‘scary and humorous.'”—ILA Literacy Daily

*********************************

Charlie Laird’s life used to be a nightmare. Then he faced his very real Nightmares and saved the day. Now, Charlie’s life is pretty much a dream. He and his stepmom get along better than ever, he actually loves his big purple mansion home, and the nightmares that once plagued him and his friends are gone. But as summer vacation progresses, freaky things start to happen again. His stepmother, Charlotte’s once busy herbarium hasn’t had a customer in days and a competing store in the neighboring town of Orville Falls may be to blame. That store sells a mysterious tonic that claims to chase away nightmares, but really turns people into sleepwalking zombies. Someone or something is trying to destroy the Netherworld, the Dream Realm, and the Waking World. Once again, Charlie and his crew must save the day.

Authors Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller return to their wildly imaginative and fun Nightmares! series with The Sleepwalker Tonic. Like the first book in this series, The Sleepwalker Tonic, is brimming with spooktacular thrills, entertaining laughs, and irresistible characters.

I really loved Nightmares! and has just as much fun reading this wicked awesome sequel. Segel and Miller once again craft a deliciously delightful story full of quirky whimsy, addicting storytelling, captivating settings, and epic adventure. In The Sleepwalker Tonic, we explore three different worlds: the Waking World, the Netherworld (where the Nightmares live), and the Dream Realm. The authors have done a spectacular job of bringing these complex worlds to life through vivid descriptions and smart world-building. The whole premise of this series is just bursting with so much creativity that will surely inspire the imaginations of readers.

And once again, these fantastic settings are filled with a fun array of characters, from the feisty to the wacky, scary, funny, brave, and lovable. Charlie and his friends continue to be endearing and engaging, while his eclectic stepmom continues to amuse and enchant, and the Nightmares stay their awesome selves. But it is Charlie’s little brother, Jack, that really steals the show, in the most charming of ways, in The Sleepwalker Tonic.

There are no shortages of comical humor, thrills, chills, and surprises in this sequel, as our heroes and heroines race to save all their worlds. And a fun new mystery leading into the next book is brewed throughout The Sleepwalker Tonic.

my final thoughts: Like its predecessor, The Sleepwalker Tonic has much to offer: fantastic scares, laugh-out-loud funnies, a clever story, and excellent characters. This is shaping up to be a truly phenomenal and must read series!

MY RATING

5/5 yummy cupcakes

Jason Segel

New York Times bestselling author Jason Segel used to have nightmares just like Charlie, and just like Charlie, he’s learned that the things we’re most afraid of are the things that can make us strong…if we’re brave enough to face them. Jason likes acting, writing, making music, and hanging out with his friends. Sometimes he writes movies. Sometimes he writes songs for movies. Sometimes he stars in those movies and sings those songs. You might know him from The Muppets andDespicable Me. Your parents might know him from other stuff. Nightmares! is his first novel.

Kirsten Miller

Kirsten Miller grew up in a small town just like Cypress Creek, minus the purple mansion. She lives and writes in New York City. Kirsten is the New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed Kiki Strike books, the Eternal Ones series, and How to Lead a Life of Crime. You can visit her at kirstenmillerbooks.com.

Review: Nightmares! by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

Nightmares!

(Nightmares #1)

by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

September 9, 2014

Random House Children's Books

The hilariously frightening, middle-grade novel Nightmares! is the first book in a trilogy about a boy named Charlie and a group of kids who must face their fears to save their town. 

Sleeping has never been so scary. And now waking up is even worse!

Charlie Laird has several problems. 

1. His dad married a woman he is sure moonlights as a witch.

2. He had to move into her purple mansion, which is NOT a place you want to find yourself after dark.

3.He can’t remember the last time sleeping wasn’t a nightmarish prospect. Like even a nap. 

What Charlie doesn’t know is that his problems are about to get a whole lot more real. Nightmares can ruin a good night’s sleep, but when they start slipping out of your dreams and into the waking world—that’s a line that should never be crossed.

And when your worst nightmares start to come true . . . well, that’s something only Charlie can face. And he’s going to need all the help he can get, or it might just be lights-out for Charlie Laird. For good.

goodreads / amazon / b&n / indiebound

Praise for Nightmares! 
A New York Times Bestseller! 
"Charlie Laird, who learns fear will eat you alive if you feed it, makes an impression, and...readers will want to accompany him again."— The New York Times Book Review 

"A touching comical saga...about facing things that go bump in the night."— US Weekly"Coraline meets Monsters, Inc. in this delightfully entertaining offering from actor [Jason] Segel and co-author [Kirsten] Miller."— Publishers Weekly 

"[Nightmares!] succeeds at scaring and amusing in equal measure...[It's] sweet, charming, and imaginative."— Kirkus Reviews 

"Segel...and Miller build an entertaining, cartoony world full of scary (but not too scary) monsters, silly jokes, plucky kid heroes...with a promise of adventures to come."— Booklist 

"An engaging and creative story...woven with a generous amount [of] humor."— VOYA 

"There's humor and a fairly high ick-factor."— School Library Journal 

"Cleverly crafted...This novel presents just the right mix of 'scary and humorous.'"— ILA Literacy Daily

Charlie Laird’s life is a nightmare...literally. Three years after his beloved mother’s death, Charlie’s father has remarried weird Charlotte DeChant and moved Charlie and his little brother into Charlotte’s creepy purple mansion. Charlie’s nightmares of a wicked witch start off normal then he quickly realizes that his nightmares are real, the witch is real. And when the world of Nightmares tries to invade the Waking World, Charlie and his friends find themselves on a scary, crazy adventure.

With NIghtmares!, authors Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller create a spooktacular middle-grade read full of epic adventure, captivating imagination, and charming characters! NIghtmares! is delightfully whimsical, laugh out loud funny, and entertaining from beginning to end.

Segel and Miller take readers on a wild romp through a world of very real Nightmares and provide plenty of thrills, chills, and surprises. The fascinating world of Nightmares is bursting with all kinds of nightmares, ranging from the wacky, the silly, the legendary, the deliciously scary, and everything in between. From Charlie's new home (the mysterious purple mansion) to the twists-and-turns-surprises-around-every-corner world of Nightmares, the authors craft a wonderful and wondrous setting that finds the perfect balance between spooky and fun. The stellar scares are accompanied by a great deal of comical, clever humor that will have young readers in fits of giggles.

The awesome world of Nightmares! is full of equally awesome characters. Segel and Miller offer four plucky and relatable young heroes in Charlie and his friends Paige, Alfie, and Rocco. And the Nightmares themselves- from a sassy gorgon, brave clown, nasty goblins, and every other kind of creepy, icky, eerie, bizarre thing you can imagine- are especially fun and irresistible.

Young readers will have a blast joining Charlie and his friends on their epic adventure through the world of Nightmares and the exciting twists and turns are guaranteed to keep the pages turning.

my final thoughts: Oozing with creativity, sparkling storytelling, an unforgettable world, and engaging characters, Nightmares! charmed me completely! Perfect for readers that like their scares to come with laughs. I’ll definitely be back for more of this series!

MY RATING

5/5 yummy cupcakes

Jason Segel

New York Times bestselling author Jason Segel used to have nightmares just like Charlie, and just like Charlie, he’s learned that the things we’re most afraid of are the things that can make us strong…if we’re brave enough to face them. Jason likes acting, writing, making music, and hanging out with his friends. Sometimes he writes movies. Sometimes he writes songs for movies. Sometimes he stars in those movies and sings those songs. You might know him from The Muppets and Despicable Me. Your parents might know him from other stuff. Nightmares! is his first novel.

Kirsten Miller

Kirsten Miller grew up in a small town just like Cypress Creek, minus the purple mansion. She lives and writes in New York City. Kirsten is the New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed Kiki Strike books, the Eternal Ones series, and How to Lead a Life of Crime. You can visit her at kirstenmillerbooks.com.

Review: Princess Juniper of the Hourglass by Ammi-Joan Paquette

Princess Juniper of the Hourglass

(book one)

by Ammi-Joan Paquette

July 21, 2015

Philomel 

goodreads / amazon / b&n / indiebound

In this royal adventure, Princess Juniper learns what it means to rule a kingdom–at least for the summer.

For her thirteenth nameday all Princess Juniper wants is a country of her own. So when rumblings of unrest start in his kingdom, Juniper's father decides to grant his daughter's wish and sends her to a small, idyllic corner of the Hourglass Mountains until trouble blows over. Once there, Juniper discovers that ruling a small country–even just for the summer–is a bit harder than she'd expected, especially when cousin Cyril challenges her rule. Still, the most difficult part is to come. Juniper and her friends discover that her father's kingdom is at war. The only way to stay safe is to remain in the Hourglass Mountains much longer than planned. Juniper may have her own country after all . . . but what will that mean for the kingdom of Torr?

This book is perfect for fans of Frozen and Brave, who like their princess strong and smart as well as sparkly. 

PRAISE FOR PRINCESS JUNIPER

"I absolutely loved Princess Juniper of the Hourglass!  It's fantastically delightful, delicious, and satisfying.  You'll want to follow Juniper to her kingdom -- or even better, start your own!"--Sarah Beth Durst, author of Enchanted Ivy and Ice

  

“I adored Princess Juniper! Readers will cheer as she leads and defends her hidden kingdom in this deliciously charming fantasy.”--Julie Berry, author of The Secondhand Charm and The Amaranth Enchantment

“Princess Juniper proves that you can love your silk dresses and still be a hero. This is a smart, feisty kid with a thirst for experiences, and I loved watching her learn to lead. A fun and insightful coming-of-age tale.”—Ellen Booraem, author of Small Persons With Wings

 

"A gently adventurous and luxuriously detailed romp."--Kirkus Reviews

"With elements from William Golding’s The Lord of the Flies and Paul Fleischman’s Westlandia, this story can be enjoyed by those who love princess stories and adventure tales....A rollicking tale that will please a wide range of readers."--School Library Journal

"This...dramatic and humorous novel...involves some entertaining twists and paves the way for more lighthearted intrigue ahead."--Publishers Weekly 

"Paquette takes young readers gently by the hand into the adult world of responsibility, danger, and the unknown. The fully developed cast of characters is engaging, and readers will cheer the conclusion and happily await Juniper’s further adventures."--Booklist

--------------------------------------------------------------

Princess Juniper makes a grand wish for her thirteenth nameday: her own country, made up of kids her age, to rule. When a troublesome kingdom invades their country, Juniper’s father, the king, grants Juniper her wish and sends her, and a merry group of younguns, off to a quiet, lush part of the Hourglass Mountains. Princess Juniper and her subjects set out to make the newly dubbed Queen’s Basin the best country there is...but they soon learn that’s a lot harder than just dreaming about it. Princess Juniper’s nasty cousin Cyril makes big trouble and Juniper finds herself fighting for her beloved little country. And back at home at Torr, war is on the horizon. What’s a determined Princess to do?

This is the second middle-grade book I’ve read by Ammi-Joan Paquette, and she is quickly becoming one of my favorite MG authors! Princess Juniper of the Hourglass, with its charming characters, enchanting settings, adventurous spirit, and sparkling storytelling, is a pure delight from beginning to end! Paquette creates lush, vivid, and enthralling settings in Torr and Queen’s Basin. Readers will fall in love with the grand castle in Torr and be swept away by the dazzling Queen’s Basin, which, with its rooms carved into a mountain, tree hidey-holes, and beautiful landscapes, feels almost deliciously magical. This an unforgettable world that young readers will want to run away to and explore!

There are so many wonderful, wondrous, endearing characters in Princess Juniper of the Hourglass! Princess Juniper is such a fantastic heroine, who is smart, brave, adventurous, thoughtful, isn’t afraid to get dirty and work hard, and has an impeccable sense of fashion. Juniper is surrounded by a merry and eclectic group of kids, from clever Erick, fierce Alta, feisty Tippy, weasely Cyril, and more. I found this group of young characters to be utterly charming, amusing, and full of surprises.

Princess Juniper and her new friends set out on an inspiring journey; a journey that is filled to the brim with fun, excitement, friendship, new discoveries, and valuable lessons to be learned.

my final thoughts: There is so much to love and admire about Princess Juniper of the Hourglass, and readers of all ages will enjoy this sparkling tale. Ammi-Joan Paquette has written a truly spectacular story and I can't wait for book two!

MY RATING

5/5 yummy cupcakes

Website / Goodreads / Twitter

Ammi-Joan Paquette has been writing stories since early childhood. She and her sister would spend hours creating masterpieces of stapled paper and handwritten words, complete with pen-and-ink covers and boxed illustrations. The road to publication was long and winding, peppered with many small successes including: a variety of national magazine publications, being a 2005 PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award honoree, and receiving the 2008 SCBWI’s Susan Landers Glass Scholarship Award, for the book that would later become Nowhere Girl. Her first picture book, The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies, was published in 2009. She now lives with her husband and two daughters in the Boston area, where she continues to write books for children and young adults. She is also an agent with the Erin Murphy Literary Agency. 

The Nethergrim Blog Tour {review and guest post}

I'm thrilled to have The Nethergrim Blog Tour, which is celebrating the paperback release of The Nethergrim, stopping by today with my review and a great guest post by author Matthew Jobin...

The Nethergrim

(The Nethergrim Trilogy #1)

by Matthew Jobin

2/10/15 (paperback edition)

Penguin Young Readers

Everyone in Moorvale believes the legend: The brave knight Tristan and the famed wizard Vithric, in an epic battle decades ago, had defeated the evil Nethergrim and his minions. To this day, songs are sung and festivals held in the heroes' honor. Yet now something dark has crept over the village. First animals disappear, their only remains a pile of bones licked clean. Then something worse: children disappear. The whispers begin quietly yet soon turn into a shout: The Nethergrim has returned! Edmund’s brother is one of the missing, and Edmund knows he must do something to save his life. But what? Though a student of magic, he struggles to cast even the simplest spell. Still, he and his friends swallow their fear and set out to battle an ancient evil whose powers none of them can imagine. They will need to come together--and work apart--in ways that will test every ounce of resolve. 

Goodreads / Amazon / B&N / read an excerpt

PRAISE FOR THE NETHERGRIM

"The Nethergrim itself is indeed the stuff of nightmares... fantasy fans will find much to enjoy in this elegant gem of a novel, and the haunting message that the monstrosity of some humans can rival even that of ageless creatures is so carefully and effectively inlaid that it will likely linger even after other details fade." 

—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The beginning of what is sure to be a sweeping, epic fantasy series. Debut author Jobin tells a riveting, slowly building story, and his rich, evocative writing style only adds to the package. Perfect for imaginative middle-grade readers craving a hearty magical adventure." 

—Booklist

"Matthew Jobin creates such a magnificent world in his story that you cannot bring yourself to put the book down. I could compare it to J.R.R. Tolkien and yet even that does not do it justice! Jobin takes everything about the "successful fantasy formula" and throws it out the window. This has definitely been a worthwhile read and is definitely jumping to the top of my books to recommend to children/parents looking for a good fantasy and adventure title!" 

— Children's Lead for Barnes and Noble

Legend says that the beastly Nethergrim was defeated, many years ago, by the mighty knight Tristan and Vithric, the famous wizard...but strange things are happening in Moorvale: first livestock go missing, then children, then foul beasts attack. Fourteen year old, wannabe wizard, Edmund Bale, is convinced The Nethergrim has returned, and when his little brother becomes one of these missing children, Edmund and his friends- Katherine (who Edmund may love) and orphaned slave Tom- set out on a dangerous journey to rescue the children and defeat The Nethergrim...but no one knows what the mysterious Nethergrim looks like and it may not be all that it seems!

The Nethergrim, the first book in Matthew Jobin’s middle-grade trilogy, is a thrilling, lushly developed, fantastical tale! Like The Chronicles of Narnia or The Hobbit, The Nethergrim’s writing is rich and enthralling, its world is both whimsical and deliciously dark, and its characters are admirable and relatable. Jobin weaves together pure fantasy, folklore, exciting adventure, and eloquent storytelling, to create a wonderfully enchanting story that will leave young readers riveted.

The world within The Nethergrim- from Edmund’s little town to ominous ruins of an ancient people and the dark, spine-tingling lair of The Nethergrim- is vivid and imaginative. Jobin fills this world with many exciting magical elements! I love Jobin’s unique, thought-provoking, and metaphysical take on magic. And the fantastical creatures Jobin has created- from the nasty bolgugs, mighty Thornbeasts, and the chilling Nethrgrim itself-  are captivating in their ghastly whimsy. I found The Nethergrim to be an especially mesmerizing and unforgettable being and foe.

Our young characters, Edmund; Katherine; and Tom, are all endearing, likable, and relatable in their own ways. I loved Edmund’s intelligent curiosity, Katherine’s brave heart, and Tom’s gentle spirit. I enjoyed them as individual characters and an engaging trio.

Jobin takes both his characters and readers on a wild journey full of twists, thrills, and good ol’ fashioned adventure, that will leave readers excited for more!

MY FINAL THOUGHT: Refreshingly original, yet with the feel of a classic, with writing that is both lyrical and accessible, The Nethergrim kept me spellbound from beginning to end!

MY RATING

5/5 yummy cupcakes

The powerful strange: the meaning of magic and superpowers in fiction

by Matthew Jobin

It does not take long for a child to learn that wearing a cape made from a bedsheet does not make him Superman. It does not take many tries, waving a stick in the air and shouting “Wingardium leviosa!”, before a child comes to learn that if she wants to fly, she must first purchase an airplane ticket. It is worth asking, then, what good there is in writing about such things. Both magic and superpowers have the ability to cast the problems of life into sharp relief, allowing us direct access to fundamental ideas that are too often mired in the topical. By lifting us, for a little while, out of our own world, they allow us to see that world and its nature all the better, suddenly clear because it is momentarily strange.

Superpowers, it turns out, make fine metaphors for the problems of any sort of power. By wondering what we would do if we could knock over a building with a single punch, we can come quite directly to the point of asking whether we follow laws because they are morally right, or only because we cannot find a way to break them. When we consider the idea of mutant heroes blessed with superpowers by outlandish genetics, we are confronted, in the starkest terms, with what we really mean by the term equality. As we move toward a future where human beings might use technology to become far more disparate in form and ability, I think such issues well worth exploring.

Magic, that intrusion of the strange, can help us to consider the strangeness of our own existence. In my own fantasy series, The Nethergrim, the young hero aspires to a school of magic that is focussed on exploiting opposites and polarities. He begins with the Aristotelian elements, things like Fire versus Water, but then in time moves on to consider other oppositions: Order versus Chaos, One versus Many, that which moves versus that which is still. In doing so, I hope to invite my reader into thinking about our own world, and the many opposites, both physical and conjectural, that appear to inhabit it. On some future day, my reader might consider the dimensionality of spacetime, or look in curiosity at a battery and wonder why there is such thing as positive and negative, and perhaps The Nethergrim series will have helped her understand how very odd our own universe happens to be.

Both magic and superpowers together have one last important use, as vehicles for the questions of what it means to be uniquely ourselves. If there is one thing which best defines the progression from childhood to adulthood, it is the struggle for identity. Children are often told that they are special, and yet in growing up they find themselves amidst a sea of others who have all been told the same thing. There is a tension in our world between achievement and integration. We want our children to rise high in life, but to a large extent rising high means rising relative to others. When considering what it would mean to be the mighty Chosen One amongst the ordinary folk, we are challenged to think of what it means simply to be our own selves, blessed with certain abilities and yet saddled with frailties, like and yet unlike to the seven billion strangers with whom we share a planet. Fantastical stories can thus both thrill us with their otherworldly possibilities and give us space to consider things like power, identity and the nature of our own real world. The superhero’s cape and the wizard’s wand can serve as tools for investigating the most important ideas we will encounter in life—and best of all, they make it fun to do.

website * goodreads * twitter * facebook

Matthew Jobin spent 25 years developing the Nethergrim’s world–its story, present and past; its landscapes; its language. He was originally inspired as a boy exploring the forest surrounding his home in Canada, and has been intent on telling the tale ever since.

Matthew, who holds a Ph. D. in anthropology from Stanford University, now lectures at Santa Clara University and lives with his wife in the San Francisco Bay Area.