Mikey Brooks's Blog

Secret Sister's Club Cover Reveal and Review

This week I'm privileged to share with you the NEW cover for Secret Sisters Club, by Monique Buchager and my review of the book. My review was created years ago when I first read the book, however, I have updated to reflect the audiobook version which I was honored to get a sneak peek at before it's release. Don't forget to scroll down to the bottom to be entered into the GIVEAWAY.

My Review: The Secret Sisters Clubis a fantastic cross between The Parent Trap and An American Girl. It’s a feel-good book that will stand the test of time just like The Little House series. What I liked most about this book was how down to earth the story is. There aren’t any dragons, or unicorns, but Monique Buchager doesn’t need those to bring magic to the page. Ginnie West is a larger than life character with realistic emotions that come across in every chapter. The audiobook narrator, Hillary Straga, brings another layer of magic to the book. Her voice is perfect for telling this story of a young girl and her quest to not only connect her family to a new one, but reconnect it to the past.

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Top Ten List Ten fun facts about the book
1) Secret Sisters Club was written AFTER Trouble Blows West (book 2)
2) Heart of the Wests (Ginnie's home)  is a real place in Ohio.
3) The blonde girl on the cover (Gracie--who is modeling for Ginnie) lives in the real West Farmhouse.
4) The brunette girl on the cover (Jessie--who is modeling for Tillie)--is Gracie's cousin in real life.
5) There are real goats, chickens, cattle, dogs, cats, turkeys, ducks on the real West farm--but NO horses.
6) Queenie West's (Ginnie's mom) personality is based on Gracie and Jessie's grandmother. Gracie looks very much like her--just as Ginnie looks like her mom.
7) I spent a lot of time at the "real Wests" farm--as a teenager--babysitting the kids that lived there--especially Gracie and Jessie's dads--and their aunt. 
8) Gracie and Jessie's cousins grew up on a different farm I mention in the books: Chandler's Crossing--Toran and Ginnie's friend, Austin's home. :) 
9) Gracie and Jessie's grandpa and grandma were my 4H leaders as well as my friends.
10) I raised a lamb named Appomattox (because I was fascinated with the Civil War)  on the real West farm and showed it at fair as a teen.
Snippets Snippet # 1) Heart thumping, Ginnie jerked Calliope to the right.Traxx and Tillie broke left. The car zoomed between them.Brakes squealed. A horn blared. Tillie shrieked.A second car, this one burgundy, followed the first car, blocking the rest of the lane and Ginnie’s exit.Without prompting, Calliope gathered herself and launched into the air, seeming to grow invisible wings. Ginnie was electrified. She loved the sensation of floating and the thrill of power that came when riding a jumping horse. Adrenaline fizzed through her like diet soda and Mentos as she and her horse sailed over the hood of the burgundy car.
Snippet # 2)  This is a scene between Tillie and her mom--that tells what Tillie REALLY wants: Matilda Grace, I know you don’t like people to fuss over you, but it’s your birthday. I want to celebrate you with your friends.”Tillie groaned. “Mom, I don’t want a big party. Just take Ginnie and me shopping. Please? That’s good enough.”She shook her head. “What twelve year-old doesn’t want a real party?”The kind of twelve-year-old who likes being invisible so people don’t ask you questions you don’t want to answer. Tillie smiled. “Mom, it’s my birthday. I like being with the Four Musketeers. I think that would be fun.”I want you to marry Ginnie’s dad–that’s what I really wish for my birthday, Ginnie and I have talked about being sisters a million times. That’s what I want … to be sisters, only for real.

GIVEAWAY!! a Rafflecopter giveaway

FREE eBooks ALL Month Long!

 
May 4-5: The Stone of Valhalla & Bean’s Dragons (a 2 for 1 deal!) https://www.amazon.com/Stone-Valhalla.../dp/B00J42QMSE/ and https://www.amazon.com/Beans-Dragons-Mikey.../dp/B00AUMKJGI/ 
May 11-15: The Dream Keeper https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CPE0PT0/ 
May 18-22: Museum Adventures: The Maya Mystery https://www.amazon.com/Maya-Mystery-Museum.../dp/B01ADOHV9K/ 
May 25-29: The Gates of Atlantis: Battle for Acropolis https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Acropolis.../dp/B00M34C0CC/

Secret Sisters Club cover reveal

When Monique isn’t writing, you can find her playing taxi driver to one or more of her 12 children, plotting her next novel, scrapbooking, or being the “Mamarazzi” at any number of child-oriented events.
Even though she realizes there will never be enough hours in any given day, Monique tries very hard to enjoy the journey that is her life. She shares it with a terrific husband, her dozen children and 3 in-law kids, eleven granddarlings, 5 cats, and many real and imaginary friends.

She is the author of five published books (and several unpublished ones) and is in two anthologies. You can find more about Monique and her works at: www.moniquebucheger.blogspot.com 

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Twelve-year-old BFF’s Ginnie West and Tillie Taylor, want to be sisters. Ginnie's widowed dad plus Tillie's divorced mom could equal a lifetime of round-the-clock girl talk and slumber parties. Too bad Dad vowed to never marry again. Ginnie and Tillie come up with the perfect scheme to change his mind: ‘Operation Secret Sisters’ (aka OSS). After all, if they can’t get Dad to move on, Tillie can’t move in.And now for the Cover*************************** *


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To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 




a Rafflecopter giveaway

FREE eBook Month

May is my birthday month and I am turning the BIG 40! 
Since I can’t have a big party to celebrate I thought I’d have a month-long of #giveaways. Starting a little early, from April 27th through May 29th I will have 6 of my #Kindle eBooks absolutely #FREE!! My only birthday wish is that you’ll take advantage of the promo and share this with all your friends. LINKS AT THE BOTTOM.

 April 27-30: ABC Adventures: Magical Creatures https://www.amazon.com/ABC-Adventures.../dp/B00AU7ZVOI/ 
May 4-5: The Stone of Valhalla & Bean’s Dragons (a 2 for 1 deal!) https://www.amazon.com/Stone-Valhalla.../dp/B00J42QMSE/ and https://www.amazon.com/Beans-Dragons-Mikey.../dp/B00AUMKJGI/ 
May 11-15: The Dream Keeper https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CPE0PT0/ 
May 18-22: Museum Adventures: The Maya Mystery https://www.amazon.com/Maya-Mystery-Museum.../dp/B01ADOHV9K/ 
May 25-29: The Gates of Atlantis: Battle for Acropolis https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Acropolis.../dp/B00M34C0CC/

It's release day

I'm so excited to announce that this book is now available. I couldn't be more thrilled for the world to read this story. It was one of the hardest books I've ever had to write and I learned so much about myself (my own limits) while crafting it. Feel free to share, share, share. I'll like you more if you grab your own copy. And I love you to the moon and back if you leave an honest review after you read it. http:amzn.com/B07QHMT84P

NEW YA Dystopian

Hey everyone! I've got some eciting news. Some of you might have already heard that I have a new book coming out. This one is a little more grown up from my other books, so I'm publishing it under the name Michael Brooks instead of Mikey. It's a YA dystopian that can be described as The Gladiator meets The Shawshank Redemption. The release date is June 4th for the paperback, hardback, and eBook; the audiobook is in production right now and will come out this summer (narrated by the talented actor, Charles Hubbell). I'm so excited for you guys to read it! It's my best book so far!



But you don't have to take my word for it. Here's what some others are saying about the book:

“Offender gripped me on the first page and didn’t let go until the last line. Sharp and emotional writing combined with a hero you can’t help but cheer on. It will keep you turning pages with anticipation. Can’t wait for the next installment!” — Ilima Todd, bestselling author of the Remake series.
***
 “Edmond Dantes meets The Hunger Games in this incredible dystopian thriller. But Offender is so much more than a screaming roller coaster ride. Calvin’s struggle to stay true to his values and overcome the odds pierced me to the very core! I’m still reeling!” —Shauna E. Black, award-winning author of Rebel Bound.  
 ***
 “Offender starts off at a run and never lets up. Full of action, heart, and excitement enough to keep any reader up late, you're going to have a great time fighting and racing along with Calvin on his heroic journey.”  —Jarred Garrett, author of the BEAT Series.
About the book: 
In a distant future, all criminals of violent crimes are sentenced to life in the Arena where they must battle against both man and beast in a fight to the death.

When sixteen-year-old Calvin Sawyer is wrongly convicted of his father’s murder, his charmed life as the son of a senator is changed forever. He’s stripped of his rights, his humanity, even his name. Now as the property of the Arena, offender CS4521 must learn to fight in the colosseum. It’s kill or be killed. 

TWO AMAZING DEALS

The Museum Adventures series has a new book. Let's celebrate! I'm giving away eBooks 1 & 2 for the next 5 days. Get them while you can and catch up on this chapter book adventure through time. https://amzn.to/2VrNBWU and https://amzn.to/2Xp7C25


I can't stop there though with the sales. So for the next 7 days you can get The Dream Keeper Chronicles (That's all 3 eBooks) for just 99 cents! I've never done a deal like this before, and I don't know when I'll do it gain, so get the eBook while you can. https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Keeper-Chronicles-Complete-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00VN1X5XE/



Enjoy the Reads! I've got some more exciting news to share soon, so check back in.

Atlantis is coming to Audiobook

Way back in 2014, I was approached by a group of authors that I didn't really know, who wanted to write a middle-grade series together. The only two things we had in common were that we all (at the time) lived in Utah (albeit all over Utah--it's a big state) and that we loved writing stories that had a toe in both the real world and the fantastical. It took alot of conversations over skpe and facebook and a few months of world building, but we finally finished The Gates of Atlantis series. Hooray for us!

Fast forward four years and now this book has popped up once again on my radar, Right now it is being converted into an audiobook. A few of the Atlantis books have already hit audiobook market but mine is soon on it's way. Currently I am reviewing the audio proofs with narrator Charles Hubbell. I've got to say that he is one talented voice actor and has really brought this story to life. I forgot how much I enjoyed Talon and Hattie and the world of Atlantis that they discover together.  I hope you are all as just as excited as I am to listen to all these books as they become available.

Totally Awesome Reads This Year

This year has been a year of totally awesome reads. I wanted to give a few shout outs to just a couple of these books along with a list of the books I got the pleasure to read. I totally recommend them all.
First up: Mustaches for Maddie, by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown Morris. Oh, my goodness, I don’t know where to start. I felt so many things while reading this book. I got chocked up several times and found myself laughing out loud other times. This is one of those books that will become a family favorite—and I can’t wait to start reading it to my girls. The voice throughout was incredible. Maddie’s character is funny, imaginative, and heart-stealing-good. I loved the themes, the trials, the triumphs, and the overall story. It was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful! My favorite moments are when we get to leave our everyday world and enter the imaginary world that only Maddie can see, from pretending to be a super ninja with alien powers to battling an even bigger monster (a brain tumor). This book had one of the strongest, emotional endings I have ever read. I loved it!
Second: Mysteries of Cove: Embers of Destruction, by J. Scott Savage. Kids fighting for freedom atop mechanical dragons—count me in! This was the third and final book of the Mysteries of Cove series and it was amazing! What I liked most about this book was how everything tied right back into the first book, creating the perfectly rounded story. My mind was blown by the imagery and imagination, the themes and conflicts—overall an awesome experience for any reader of any age. This series is now a family favorite we’ll read again and again!
I’ve had the pleasure to read so many more amazing books this year. My favorites always tend to be the ones geared toward middle-grade readers. I think it’s because I love clean fiction that reminds me of how awesome it is to be a kid. I also love clean suspenseful books. Below is a list of most of the books I had the opportunity to read (some of them I’ve read before but decided I needed to read again—they are that good). I hope you can at least pick up one of these books to start your new year of with.
The W.H.O. Files: Potions in the Pizza, by Mikey Brooks (I’ve read this one 3 times to my daughter since it came out in April. I am so happy she loves my book)
Mustaches for Maddie, by Chad and Shelly Morris
Mysteries of Cove: Embers of Destruction, by J. Scott Savage
Fablehaven Series, by Brandon Mull
Dragonwatch, by Brandon Mull
Wrath of the Storm, by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Adventurers Wanted: The Axe of Sundering, by ML Forman
Adventurers Wanted: Sands of Nezza, by ML Forman
Adventurers Wanted: Albrek’s Tomb, by ML Forman
Adventurers Wanted: The Horn of Moran, by ML Forman
Adventurers Wanted: Siathbog’s Gold, by ML Forman
One by One, by David A. Bednar
The 13th Reality Series, by James Dashner
Remake, by lima Todd
Resist, by Ilima Todd
Dark Memories, by Jeffery S. Savage
The Culinary Mysteries (12 books), by Josi Kilpack
Shadowed, by Stephanie Black
Sadie, by Rebecca Belliston
House of Secrets, by Jeffery S. Savage
Dead on Arrival, by Jeffery S. Savage
A Time to Die, by Jeffery S. Savage
12 Steps to Becoming Closer to Christ, by Toni Sorenson
Fool Me Twice, by Stephanie Black
Played for-a-fool, by Stephanie Black
The Scourge, by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Felicity and the Scary Bear, by Loralee Evans
Nature of the Gods: The Awakening, by Torres, D.J.

20% Off Book Sale & Salt Lake Comic Con

Fall is coming can you feel it? September for me is the beginning of a new school year, the start of the change in leaves, and hopefully some cooler weather. It also happens to be the month Salt Lake Comic Con holds it's annual event. A few have asked me if I will be at the show and the answer is: YES! However, I will not be running my own table this year.



Several people have asked me, "If you won't have a table, how am I supposed to buy your books?" I've got good news and maybe better news. My latest MG release, The W.H.O. Files: Potions in the Pizza, will be avaible for purchase at the Shadow Mountain Booth. So you can at least get a copy of that book at the Con. I do have a signing scheduled on Thursday (see schedule below) and you can have me sign it then or come find me at one of my other panels.
 
The better news about getting my books. I have created a coupon code for 20% off my books through the createspace store. Follow this link to find the listing of my books: https://goo.gl/4jX1E6 and enter the following code at checkout: 7T4XPGDK. If you order them now you'll have them in time for the show. I'm sorry I couldn't make them avaible for you there, but I hope this helps.
I'm participating a lot this year at Kid Con which is in SLComicCon. I'm a little nervous about it because I am doing my first ever reading of The W.H.O. Files there. I'm also doing my kickin' presentation with Ali Cross as well. I hope you bring the family by and see us. I'll make sure to bring my backpack filled with bookmarks to giveaway.

I hope to see you at the show this year. Below is my schedule. Please come try and find me. Hopefully at the signing which is an hour long (which might prove disastrous if I have to sit there without anyone to talk to the whole time). Thank you everyone for everything!

Thursday, September 21:
2PM: Signing at the Shadow Mountain Booth #1807
4PM: What to Watch on YouTube in Kid Con #155

Friday, September 22:
5:30PM: Reading Roost in Kid Con #155

Saturday, September 23:
4PM: How Kids Can Find Magic Through Writing & Illustrating in Kid Con #155 (with Ali Cross)
6PM: King Arthur in Context Panel 151A