Oct 102012
 

Product Details:

  • Title: Evertaster
  • Author: Adam Sidwell
  • Paperback: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Future House Publishing (June 7, 2012)
  • Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
  • ISBN-10: 0615654495
  • ISBN-13: 978-0615654492
  • FTC FYI: We received review e-copies in exchange for an honest review.




 

 

 

 

“Wonderfully talented writing; funny.”

–Orson Scott Card, NYT Bestselling author of Ender’s Game



“Sidwell is a talented comedian, and that is certainly reflected in his writing. The characters are quirky and likable.” —Deseret News

Book Description:

When eleven-year-old Guster Johnsonville rejects his mother’s casserole for the umpteenth
time, she takes him into the city of New Orleans to find him something
to eat. There, in a dark, abandoned corner of the city they meet a dying
pastry maker. In his last breath he entrusts them with a secret: an
ancient recipe that makes the most delicious taste the world will ever
know — a taste that will change the fate of humanity forever.

Forced to flee by a cult of murderous chefs, the Johnsonvilles embark on a
perilous journey to ancient ruins, faraway jungles and forgotten caves.
Along the way they discover the truth: Guster is an Evertaster — a kid
so picky that nothing but the legendary taste itself will save him from
starvation. With the sinister chefs hot on Guster’s heels and the chefs’
reign of terror spreading, Guster and his family must find the
legendary taste before it’s too late.

www.Evertaster.com 

Sheila’s Review:

Evertaster is a great middle grade book! It is written perfectly for this age group. My ten year old son is reading it now and is loving it. He keeps LOL at certain parts. He also keeps making comments about how he knows how Guster feels about his Mother’s cooking. Huh? I don’t think my cooking is that bad and I know that my son is not an Evertaster. Then, he grins at me.

Guster is an 11 year old boy, who is at first glance a picky eater, but turns out to be more than that. He is special, in that he is an Evertaster and has perfect “taste”. Guster doesn’t enjoy anything he Mom makes because he can taste the dirt things were grown in, for example. One night in search of something for him to eat before he starves, they stumble upon an old baker.The baker tells them of the Gastronomy of Peace, an ancient and secret
recipe that could change the world and before he can tell them the whole
story they’re attacked by mysterious chefs in red. These chefs are members of a secret society called the Cult of Gastronimati. From here on out, Guster and his family go on an adventure, in search of the secret ingredients to make the Gastronomy of Peace. This adventure is one that would make Indiana Jones envious. As they travel around the world, young readers will be entertained as they travel along with Guster to far-off places like Africa, Egypt and Norway. Your taste buds will also be taken on a ride, as scrumptious foods are described so well, that you can almost taste them as you read.

For all of you parents that are looking for a new and fun, family read- aloud that all ages will enjoy, Evertaster is here! I give it 4  1/2 stars!

 

Mindy’s Review:

I thought this book was adorable. The story is so fun and very well written. My favorite thing about Evertaster was Guster and his mom’s relationship. At times I thought Guster was a bit of a stinker :), I know who is he and what he needs, but he was still breaking his mother’s heart. Luckily the ending makes up for everything. I loved all that Mom did for him. Unknowingly starting their adventure in the French Quarter, getting the egg beater, toxic gravy, flying on air planes to exotic locations, all to find items that will help Guster in his quest. Zeke was a perfect smart-alec older brother, and Mariah was a doll. All the characters are fun and important to this fast-paced story. Especially Felicity.

4 out of 5 stars. Lots of humor and plenty of heart. Perfect book for a middle grade reader, and an adult who wants a smile. Many twists and turns with a pinch of adventure. Can’t wait for Book 2.

 

Here are some pictures of when Adam and Jarom came to the elementary school where Sheila works.

 Sheila with Jarom and Adam Sidwell.

 Jarom tells the kids about story structure during the assembly at Eastlake Elementary.

 Sheila at the assembly, helping out, with an Evertaster experiment.

 

 

 Chocolate cake with mustard and salt doesn’t taste very good!

 

 Adam and Jarom signing copies of Evertaster for the students.

 

 “The Gorilla” surprising Sheila’s son!

 

 Adam and Jarom signing more books after the assembly. We loved having them there! They have a lot of new fans!!

 

Here is a picture of Shanda and Mindy when they were able to podcast with them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“One of the most original, well-crafted and imaginative MG stories I’ve come across in a long time.” – WordSpelunking Book Review

About the Author: 
In between books, Adam
Glendon Sidwell uses the power of computers to
make monsters, robots and zombies come
to life for blockbuster movies such as Pirates of the
Caribbean, King Kong, Transformers and
Tron. After spending countless hours in front of a
keyboard meticulously adjusting
tentacles, calibrating hydraulics, and brushing monkey fur, he is
delighted at the prospect of modifying
his creations with the flick of a few deftly placed
adjectives. He’s been eating food since
age 7, so feels very qualified to write this book. He once
showed a famous movie star where the
bathroom was. Adam currently lives in Los Angeles,
where he can’t wait to fall into the
sea.

You can purchase Evertaster HERE

 

You can learn more about Adam and his writing adventures here:

FB https://www.facebook.com/Evertaster

Twitter https://twitter.com/@Evertaster

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5828904.Adam_Glendon_Sidwell

Pinterest http://pinterest.com/evertaster/

 Blog Tour Schedule for Evertaster by Adam Glendon Sidwell, 2012

Oct 10-http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/

Oct 10- http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/

Oct 15- http://www.dorinewhite.blogspot.com/

Oct 16- http://fireandicephoto.blogspot.com/

Oct 17- http://www.christydorrity.com/

Oct 18- http://readerbenji.blogspot.com/ interview

Oct 19- www.ordinaryhappilyeverafter.com

Oct 22- http://wordspelunking.blogspot.com/

Oct 23- http://themomnerd.blogspot.com/ 

Oct 24- http://livetoread-krystal.blogspot.com/

Oct 25- http://miriambarton.tumblr.com/

Oct 26- http://couponingwithboys.com/ 

Oct 27-  http://astorybookworld.blogspot.com/

Oct 29- http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/

Oct 30- http://moniquebucheger.blogspot.com/

Nov 5- http://www.sugarbeecrafts.com/

Nov 12- http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/

Nov 15- http://mymommysworld.com


 

 

Sep 282012
 

Product Details:

  • Title: Autumn Winds(Book 2 in the Seasons of the Heart series)
  • Author: Charlotte Hubbard
  • Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Zebra; Original edition (September 4, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1420121707
  • ISBN-13: 978-1420121704
  • FTC FYI: I was given a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Description:

September 4, 2012 Seasons of the Heart
Winds of change are blowing through Willow Ridge, and
they’re bringing a stranger to the Sweet Seasons Cafe. At first, widowed
Miriam Lantz has misgivings about Ben Hooley, a handsome but rootless
traveling blacksmith. But as she gets to know the kind-hearted newcomer,
she wonders if his arrival was providential. Perhaps she could find
love again – if only there weren’t so many obstacles in the way. With
Bishop Knepp relentlessly pursuing her hand in marriage and the fate of
her beloved cafe at stake, Miriam must listen to God and her heart to
find the happiness she longs for, and the love she deserves.

 

My Review: 

 When was the last time you read a book where you just smiled a lot while reading? This is how it was last weekend when I read Autumn Winds. This is the second book in the series. It continues the story of the Lantz family, but this time the spotlight is on the mom, Miriam.We follow along as she meets the handsome Ben Hooley who precedes to court her, despite Bishop Knepps never ending attempts at forcing her to marry him. We also get to see the continuing romance of Rachel Lantz and Micah Brennemen which started in the first book.


Things I loved:-I loved the interaction between Miriam and Ben. It was sweet and real. The attraction was so strong, without unnecessary sex.(Why can’t the world leave that in the bedroom where it belongs?)

-I love how Charlotte Hubbard writes a strong woman, even if she is Amish.

-I appreciate reading a romance with people that are older than 30. Miriam is 40 and Ben is 35. It is refreshing to read about older people finding romance. As an older woman,(in my 40’s) it makes for a good read.

-The story again takes place in the Sweet Seasons Bakery. Oh wow! The food that they make and eat in this book are unbelievable! The best part is that Charlotte has included the recipes at the back of the book. Some of them I’m excited to try are…

  •  Pumpkin Blueberry Muffins
  • Apple Walnut Coffee Cake
  • Whole Wheat Banana Bread
  • Overnight Sensation Salad
  • English Muffin Bread and
  • Turkey Cheese Chowder 

 -My favorite part of the book is the humbling that takes place by one of the most pompous males in the book. I actually cheered out-loud to see this take place.


The Seasons of the Heart series is becoming one of my favorite Amish series. As I have stated before, I have always loved Beverley Lewis’s Amish stories, but Charlotte has become my favorite new author of this genre. If you are looking for a clean romance, strong characters and a happy ending, this book and series is for you.

Start reading Autumn Winds (Seasons of the Heart) on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

About the Author: Charlotte Hubbard  

Many moons ago—like, in 1983 while I was still a school librarian—I
sold my first story to True Story. This launched me into writing about
seventy of those “true confessions” stories over the years, and I’ve
been a slave to my overactive imagination ever since.

The next big step was selling my first historical romance in 1990, a
Zebra Heartfire called COLORADO CAPTIVE. I quickly sold five more in
that genre—and if you prefer my Christian romances, these historical
Westerns won’t be your cup of tea! They’re all out of print now, but
available from used book stores or on Amazon.com. I’m bringing them back
in digital format with beautiful new covers, which you can see on my
Books page.

After a long dry spell that entailed major changes in the publishing
industry and an agent who fritzed out on cocaine, I resurfaced in a new
genre, with a new publisher, editor, and agent who were so excited about
my Angels of Mercy series! These four faith-and-family stories
are also out of print now, but available online as e-books. With THE
LOVE SECRET, I moved into new territory once again—and once again the
setting is a place I love to spend time: the Oregon Coast.
Unfortunately, this series was doomed before it even got off the ground,
so only this one book got written. That happens in the publishing
business.

Being an author is great fun when you’re selling, but it’s best to
have a hide like a rhinoceros and a spouse who gets a regular paycheck!
Patience, persistence and just flat-out luck have given me this
opportunity to reinvent myself yet again. Those angels I write about
keep pulling me through, and are often my friends and family—but I owe a
lot to the heavenly beings who bear me up on their wings, as well!

My stories invariably take on a life of their own, different from the
way I’ve proposed them: I love it when unforeseen characters and plot
twists come along, because they keep me guessing right along with my
readers!

I have often presented workshops at my RWA chapter in St. Louis, and at conferences. I also belong to Novelists, Inc..

I love touring historic homes, trying new recipes, crocheting, and
playing with Ramona—although it’s humbling, having a dog smarter than I
am! I’m an ordained Presbyterian deacon, and I devote a lot of time to
singing in my church choir and to practicing/performing with our
percussion ensemble. I’m celebrating more than thirty-five years with my
husband, who—bless him—has never once suggested I get a real job!