Lois D. Brown (Author of Cycles)

Lois Brown is now friends with Shane Rasmussen

Lois Brown made a comment on I'm on the Radio!:

"Good luck with the house move! And very cool with the radio show.

Best
Lois "

Lois Brown said "yes" to attending the event: KISSING YOU IS LIKE TRYING TO PUNCH A GHOST Turns 1

date: January 15, 2012 12:00AM
location: The United States
description: To celebrate the one-year anniversary of my surreal novel Kissing You is like Trying to Punch a Ghost, I'm giving it away. Starting Jan. 15th and ending Jan. 19th, you can download it for free on Kindle. And remember, even if you don't have a Kindle you can download any of their free reading apps: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html...

If you check it out, please take a minute to write a few words about it. Enjoy.
Lois said: Sounds great.

Lois Brown is now following Michelle Isenhoff's reviews

Lois Brown became a fan of Goodreads Author Michelle Isenhoff

Lois Brown gave

to:

The Quill Pen
by Michelle Isenhoff (Goodreads Author)

read in January, 2012

My rating:

Set in a quaint port town, The Quill Pen by Michelle Isenhoff describes a time when life seemed slower, more simple. But was it really?

Hardly.

Thirteen-year-old Micah is an adventurer at heart. He longs for the freedom of the open air and sky found...more Set in a quaint port town, The Quill Pen by Michelle Isenhoff describes a time when life seemed slower, more simple. But was it really?

Hardly.

Thirteen-year-old Micah is an adventurer at heart. He longs for the freedom of the open air and sky found in the uncharted Western states. Micah’s father, however, is a born business man interested in one thing: making money. The two get along with each other as well as . . . well, as well as peanut butter and mayonnaise go together. Which, as most middle grade kids would agree, is NOT very good at all.

Add to the mix a batch of quirky neighbors, a pen that writes in blood, and a mysterious curse, and you’ve got the makings for a sandwich full of unique flavor and spice.

When Micah finds a quill pen that can be used to write the future, he is tempted to use it to stop his father from sending him away to attend a boy’s boarding school. However, each time he employs the pen, even for the simplest tasks like taking inventory of his father’s store, bad things happen. Regardless the consequences, the lure of the pen is too much for Micah. Near the end of the book, when he learns burning the quill would undo a curse placed decades earlier on his best friend’s father, Micah still can’t force himself to destroy the power the pen holds—that is until his arch enemy steals it from him.

This story is written with enough action to easily satisfy the demands of its intended audience: 8-12 boys and girls, as well as hold the attention of most adults. It contains wonderful imagery, similes, and metaphors. Granted, some of these will be lost on the book’s younger audience, but for those adults who pick it up it will be a treat.

Be forewarned, this is not a “reluctant reader” middle grade book. It is similar in theme and style to one of my favorite books, Tuck Everlasting. The Quill Pen expands on some of life’s universal themes: courage to face one’s fears, the destructiveness of unbridled power, and the joy of growing old with those you love. Treatment of these topics is scattered from cover to cover in a subtle way—for the most part. My one complaint (and I only have one) is that when Micah’s best friend, Gabby, talks about these themes, her character seems overly mature. To me, she didn’t come off sounding “kid enough.” Maybe I’m jaded, but it was hard for me to imagine a teenage girl being that wise and to imagine a teenage boy being nice enough to listen to her.

However, that was only one weakness in an overall amazing display of characterization that made the book come alive, such as: the old widow, Mrs. Parsons, whose past holds a tragic secret; and Sanjay Ramesh, a retired sailor whom the town shuns because of the color of his skin.

I appreciated the author using language appropriate for the book’s middle grade audience. There is no swearing or inappropriate jargon. And while there is violence (gun shots and fist fights), it is nothing gory or offensive. As for intrigue and suspense? There is plenty of both which is why I highly recommend this book to those in the market for a well-written middle grade fantasy.(less)

Lois Brown made a comment in the group Goodreads Librarians — Please delete this book! (pt. 11) topic

"I am the author of the book CYCLES. There currently are two listings for the very same book. If possible, could one of the Goodread Librarians delete...more "

Lois Brown joined the Goodreads Librarians group.

Lois Brown is now following Tiffany's reviews

Lois Brown gave

to:

The Boy Who Dared
by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

My rating:

I've read a similar book to this one before called "Three Against Hitler." This particular book takes a more "internal" perspective. It is well done. The story it is based on is so inspiring. I feel the author did a good job of doing it justice.

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	Cycles 4.32 avg rating — 34 ratings — published 2011	My rating:
	Forgotten Canyon 3.15 avg rating — 13 ratings — published 2011 — 3 editions	My rating:
	Be Still: Stress & Anxiety Management for Latter-day Saints 5.00 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2011	My rating:
	Death in the Air: A Treasure Hunters Short Story 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2011	My rating:
	The Assayer 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2011	My rating:
	Be Still: More than 40 practical ways to overcome stress and anxiety for Latter-Day Saints by Victoria Anderson, Lois D. Brown (Goodreads Author) 3.84 avg rating — 25 ratings — published 2004 — 2 editions	My rating:

Lois Brown is now friends with Shane Rasmussen
May 27, 2012 10:21pm
Lois Brown made a comment on I'm on the Radio!: "Good luck with the house move! And very cool with the radio show. Best Lois "
May 13, 2012 06:01am
Lois Brown said "yes" to attending the event: KISSING YOU IS LIKE TRYING TO PUNCH A GHOST Turns 1 date: January 15, 2012 12:00AM location: The United States description: To celebrate the one-year anniversary of my surreal novel Kissing You is like Trying to Punch a Ghost, I'm giving it away. Starting Jan. 15th and ending Jan. 19th, you can download it for free on Kindle. And remember, even if you don't have a Kindle you can download any of their free reading apps: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html... If you check it out, please take a minute to write a few words about it. Enjoy. Lois said: Sounds great.
Jan 14, 2012 11:28am
Lois Brown is now following Michelle Isenhoff's reviews
Jan 11, 2012 12:31pm
Lois Brown became a fan of Goodreads Author Michelle Isenhoff
Jan 11, 2012 12:31pm · all of Lois's favorite authors
Lois Brown gave to: The Quill Pen by Michelle Isenhoff (Goodreads Author) read in January, 2012	My rating:
Set in a quaint port town, The Quill Pen by Michelle Isenhoff describes a time when life seemed slower, more simple. But was it really? Hardly. Thirteen-year-old Micah is an adventurer at heart. He longs for the freedom of the open air and sky found...more
Jan 11, 2012 12:31pm · see review
Lois Brown made a comment in the group Goodreads Librarians — Please delete this book! (pt. 11) topic "I am the author of the book CYCLES. There currently are two listings for the very same book. If possible, could one of the Goodread Librarians delete...more "
Jan 02, 2012 07:51pm
Lois Brown joined the Goodreads Librarians group.
Jan 02, 2012 07:43pm · see group
Lois Brown is now following Tiffany's reviews
Jan 02, 2012 10:19am
Lois Brown gave to: The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti	My rating:
I've read a similar book to this one before called "Three Against Hitler." This particular book takes a more "internal" perspective. It is well done. The story it is based on is so inspiring. I feel the author did a good job of doing it justice.
Dec 03, 2011 08:45pm · see review

Lois D. Brown

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