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The Last Last-Day-of-Summer — Review

rosihollinbeck

Thought for the Day:

“Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.”
~ Paulo Coelho ~

Gifts for My Writer Friends:

I never found a post on query letters or synopses I didn’t learn something from. HERE is one from A Writer’s Path that is very good. It’s called Why Are Query Letters and Synopses So $#!%ing Hard to Write?! (And How To Get Through It). Yeah. I hear that!

I hope many of us will have a need to write a book blurb soon. K. M. Allan has a good post HERE that can help you to nail that book blurb.

If you love British murder mysteries, as do I, you will enjoy the post HERE from CrimeReads. This is just for fun — so much fun. And the comments are pretty priceless too!

Last week, I offered one of you a gently-read ARC of Trowbridge Road by Marcella Pixley. Our lucky winner this week is OFMARIAANTONIA. Congratulations, Maria! Maria is a photographer and writer. If you don’t know her, you can find out more at her blog HERE where she posts book reviews, poems, and inspiring photos. Maria, I will get your book out to you soon.

Last Last DayThis week I want to talk about a book I meant to review here long ago, but sometimes when I give a hardbound book I’ve had for review to the school, it will fall off my radar. I’m afraid that’s what happened here. I read about The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar Giles on Greg Pattridge’s blog, and it sounded like a lot of fun. After reading his review, I was able to get a review copy. And, as I often say, it’s never too late to review a good book. Here is the review I wrote for the Seattle Book Review.

Otto and Sheed are wishing the last day of summer could last a little longer. It seems to be racing by, and before they can blink, it will be gone, and they’ll be back in school. But the old saying goes, be careful what you wish for — you just might get it. They meet a strange man, someone who does not live in their small town of Fry, who takes a picture of the town and freezes time along with everyone in town. Otto and Sheed are famous for solving problems in town, but this problem is particularly difficult. The man, Mr. Flux, has an army of unusual beings to help him. The boys will have to find their own army and be very clever to fix this.

Giles-Lamar-300x300
Lamar Giles

Author Lamar Giles has created a terrifically fun cast of characters, a great setting, and a bit of mystery for his co-protagonists to resolve with a little time travel thrown in for good measure. The writing is crisp, and the dialogue is snappy. This book is a real romp, and middle-grade readers, even very reluctant readers, will eat this one up. It’s an absolute winner. Don’t miss it.

No giveaway this week. I donated my hardbound copy to the school library. But check back next week. I expect to have a giveaway then. And don’t forget to check for other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at the Greg Pattridge’s blog HERE.

Published by rosihollinbeck

25 thoughts on “The Last Last-Day-of-Summer — Review”

  3. I thought this was a fun book, though personally I’m not a big speculative fiction fan. Thanks for sharing you thoughts about it. I also pass my books on to schools especially those that are in need, which is why I don’t do giveaways on my blog.

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  7. I’m glad I was able to steer you toward this one. A memorable story line that should have many fans. Looking forward to more from this author.
    The links were timely and my time spent with each were beneficial. Query letters and the dreaded synopsis get me every time. This helped set me straight once more.

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  8. I enjoyed the your book review for the Seattle Book Review. I like the diverse characters, the unusual plot that touches on magic. I may be wrong, but the story has a quirky – odd feel to it, which many teens would love. I have written reviews and the drafts have moved onto other pages. I’m always horrified when that happens and it’s not on my radar. But later reviews just keeps the book love out there!

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  9. This sounds like a fun book and perfect for summer, which is.just around the corner, right? I’ll be also checking out your British crime link. I live British mysteries. I’m on a Sayers kick right now.

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  10. Sounds like a fun book. I remember reading about it on Greg’s blog. I bet the school is excited to have a hardcover copy of the book to share with the kids. 🙂

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