Giveaway Review STARBOUNDERS by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson @HarperChildrens @starbounders

Book Description

Release date: June 4, 2013 | Age Range: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 - 7

Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson, authors of The Familiars books, bring their mix of laugh-out-loud humor and thrilling adventure to the sci-fi world ofStarbounders.

Zachary Night can’t wait to start his top-secret Starbounders training at Indigo 8. But he’s barely started learning the skills he’ll need to protect the galaxy when a space mission goes wrong. Zachary and his friends are accidentally sent to the front lines of an intergalactic skirmish, and they quickly discover a plot to destroy Indigo 8. Piloting a space ship under attack, they must get back to earth before the training center—and the planet—is annihilated.

Middle-grade readers who love the funny science fiction of Star Wars and the Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast series will love Starbounders.

Source:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS

ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

Imagine that there is a secret "outerverse" beyond our own universe, a place in space that is hidden from even the most astute astronomer.  Now imagine that preteens are trained to work in said space with aliens from other planets!  Yes, in Starbounders, teens are trained to be "kids in black"!  Zachary comes from a family of fighters that are sworn to protect the universe from evil.  As Zachary moves into his new school to continue his education after eighth grade.  There he meets up with Kaylee, another human and Ryic, an alien but still very human-like. Parts of this book really reminded me of  a Jumanji - Star Wars mixed with a bit of Star Trek and throw in some Hitchhikers Guide, the younger years, and you will understand what I am talking about.

This story should really appeal to middle grade boys, that really hard to please class that enjoy bathroom humor along with some spacey ideas. The story really becomes exciting when the group takes off on their first mission.  I can see that this series will be an exciting adventure.  This story would also be a great book to read out loud for younger kids, although I can imagine that it would turn into one of those books that the parents will also want to stay up just an extra chapter as well.  The dialogue is just wonderful and I really enjoyed all of the alien descriptions.

About the Author
Adam Jay Epstein spent his childhood in Great Neck, New York, while Andrew Jacobson grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but the two met in Los Angeles. They have been writing together for film and television ever since.

Their interest in space dates back to their early years, when Adam attended Space Academy in Huntsville, Alabama (and won the Right Stuff Award!) and Andrew went to a movie theatre (for the first time) to see a reissue of Star Wars.

Adam Jay Epstein lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Jane, and their daughters, Penny and Olive. Andrew Jacobson, his wife, Ashley, their son, Ryder, and their daughter, Willa, live close by.

Website * Blog * Twitter 

Want to win this NEW book?

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a US mailing address

Contest ends on 8.20.13 Winner will be chosen by Random.org 
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE COMMENTS OF THIS POST

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen. Void where prohibited.

This giveaway is sponsored by me and ONE book is available.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure  I received this book from the publisher at no charge and in no way influenced my review.  If you are considering purchasing this book or anything else from Amazon, please use my link above since I earn a very small percentage of the sale which helps pay for shipping my giveaways!  

AND THE WINNER IS: The Familiars 1 & 2 by Adam Jay Epstien & Andrew Jacobson

CHRIS -- christinebails

 
An email has been sent to the lucky person named above (first part of their email address in case my note ends up in spam).  The winner  has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Thanks to all who entered.
PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR THE EMAIL FROM BOOKHOUNDS @ HOTMAIL REQUESTING YOUR MAILING ADDRESS!

BOOK TRAILER TUESDAY: The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson

GIVEAWAY! The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson

WANT TO WIN THESE BOOKS?

 Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a reliable mailing address (PO BOXES OK!)
This ends 9.12.11 midnight Pacific Time and the winner will be chosen by Random.org on 9.13.11.
Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen
This giveaway is sponsored by ME  for ONE WINNER of my copy and my ARC of book 2.


Complete the form below!
Follow Me
+1 Leave a comment once daily with an email address
+1 Be my friend on GoodReads HERE

+1 Follow me on Twitter HERE 

+1 Like BookHounds on Facebook HERE 

+1 you can social network once daily (twitter, blog, facebook) this once, just leave me a link in the comments! 

More Extra Entries for The Familiars

+1 Fan Adam Jay Epstein on Goodreads HERE

+1 Fan Andrew Jacobson on Goodreads HERE

+1 Follow the blog HERE

+1 Like the Familiars on Facebook HERE

+1 Follow on Twitter HERE

REVIEW: The Familiars: Secrets of the Crown by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobsen

Description

When human magic disappears suddenly from Vastia, it falls on the familiars, Aldwyn the telekinetic cat, Skylar the know-it-all blue, jay, and Gilbert the gullible tree frog--to find the Crown of the Snow Leopard, an ancient relic that can reverse the curse.  They learn that the only way to do this is by following in the purple paw prints of Aldwyn's father, who'd gone missing while searching for the Crown years earlier. This magical spirit trail extends into the Beyond, where our heroes encounter new enemies and danger, while Aldwyn learns about his mysterious past.

 

Full of high-flying adventure and heartwarming friendships, SECRETS OF THE CROWN shows how great it is to be familiar with The Familiars!

About the Author

Adam Jay Epstein spent his childhood in Great Neck, New York, while Andrew Jacobson grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but the two met in a parking garage out in Los Angeles. They have been writing together for film and television ever since.
One day, Adam asked Andrew, “Are you familiar with what a familiar is?” And from that simple question, Vastia was born, a fantastical world filled with the authors’ shared love of animals and magic. They wrote every word, sentence, and page together, sitting opposite each other.
Adam Jay Epstein lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Jane, their daughter, Penny, and a black-and-white alley cat who hangs out in their backyard. Andrew Jacobson lives with his wife, Ashley, and their dog, Elvis, four traffic lights away.
The Familiars will be produced for film by Sam Raimi and Sony Animation.

Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (September 6, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061961116
• ISBN-13: 978-0061961113

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

The story picks up four weeks after the Familiars leaves off.  The Loyals and the Familiars are now being educated in magical defensive arts when there is a flash of green light disenchanting the human Loyals who lose their abilities to cast spells and which leaves the animals as the only magical creatures.  As part of a prediction that the animal will now rule, the Familiars must now race to save the humans against the evil intentions of the queen's familiar, Paksahara who has tried to overthrow her in her quest to dominate the humans. The go on a quest to find The Crown of the Snow Leopard and Aldwyn finds his fathers footsteps which they follow.  This leaves the Loyals behind fighting for their lives with hand to hand combat.

There is a lot of action in this follow up to The Familiars and we find the threesome matching wits and talents against a series of evil creatures such as goblins, a creature that can turn you to crystal by the touch of his tail and Aldwyn's uncle, who clearly is on another path in this quest.  When Malvern, Aldwyn's uncle, escapes, there is a big opening for another one in this series and I can't wait to read what happens next.  This story will appeal to kids of all ages and especially those a bit too young for Harry Potter.  If you enjoyed the Spiderwick Chronicles, you will love this one.  I also just read that a move of the first book is going to be made. 

REVIEW: The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson

Description

THE FAMILIARS are the magical animal companions to a wizard or witch. When three young wizards-in-training get kidnapped by the evil queen of the land, it is up to their familiars to go a dangerous journey to rescue them. You'll meet Aldwyn, an orphan alley cat pretending to have telekinesis; Skylar, a know-it-all blue jay who can cast illusions; and Gilbert, a hapless tree frog with the ability to see visions of the future in pools of water. See what happens when these three animal assistants -- typically relegated to the background or found sitting quietly on their wizard's shoulders -- go on a heroic adventure of their own!

From the Author

One of the unique things about this book is that we co-authored it. The two of us literally sat in the same room for months and months writing every word, sentence, and paragraph together. Andrew is the typist (because he's frankly a much faster typer), while Adam sits beside him, or across from him in a nice, comfy chair, or sometimes paces around. Neither one of us were English majors in college or had any book writing experience previously, but we've both read a lot, watched a lot, and lived inside our imaginations since we were little kids. Andrew played with his Star Wars and GI Joe action figures for hours on end as a kid (probably until he was way too old to be playing with them), and Adam grew up on Dungeons and Dragons and video games and comic books. Writing fantasy is like bringing all of those childhood daydreams to life, and the best part is, it's our job!

From the Inside Flap

Running to save his life, Aldwyn, the street-wise orphan alley cat, ducks into a strange store. Moments later Jack, a young wizard-in-training, comes in to pick out his familiar - a magical animal companion. Aldwyn's always been clever. But magical? Apparently Jack thinks so--and Aldwyn is happy to play along. Anything to get out of town! Once home with Jack in Stone Runlet, Aldwyn thinks that he's got it made--a life of ease with a boy who loves him. He just has to convince the other familiars--the know-it-all blue jay Skylar and the friendly tree frog Gilbert--that he's the telekinetic cat he claims to be.
Then, after the sky lights up with an omen, the unthinkable happens. Jack and the other young wizards are captured by the evil queen of Vastia. Together Aldwyn, Skylar and Gilbert must save them--but how?
On their thrilling quest across the land, the familiars will face dangerous foes, unearth a shocking centuries old secret, and discover a mysterious destiny that will change them all forever.
Their magical adventure--an irresistible blend of real heart, edge-of-your seat action, and laugh-aloud humor--is an unforgettable tale of fantasy and friendship.

From the Back Cover

"You must find a way to rescue them," said Kalstaff. "It is up to you."             "Us? How?" asked Aldwyn in disbelief. "We're just a bunch of familiars."        
            "I see the worry on your faces, but fear not. Heroism appears in many forms," said the old wizard  in a whisper. "Not always man or woman, but also fur, feather, and tongue."

About the Author

ADAM JAY EPSTEIN spent his childhood in Great Neck, New York, while ANDREW JACOBSON grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but the two met in a parking garage out in Los Angeles. They have been writing for film and television together ever since. This is their first book.

Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st edition (September 7, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061961086

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

This is a perfectly woven tale that should appeal to everyone!  The story centers around three animal familiars who have magical capabilities (think the triumvirate of Harry Potter) and their human loyals.  Familiars have been in story telling as long as there have been witches and are creatures who bond with humans and assist them in casting spells.  Aldwyn, an alley cat on the run, hides in a magical pet store where he is quickly adopted by Jack and meets other familiars.  Gilbert the tree frog (paging Gilbert Gottfried) and Skylar, a smug know-it-all blue jay.  The three must come together to save the humans from the evil familiar of the queen.  After reading about the queen's evil hare, I was immediately reminded of Senator Kevin, the bunny of the apocalypse from the Prickly City comic strip. 

The story, like all good fairy tales, involves a quest and the three must find the answers to some riddles in order to find elements that will help them defeat Paksahara, the evil hare.   There is comic relief woven in with edge of your seat action that will have you finishing this book in no time!  I really think that this book could be read aloud to a younger child and it would be enjoyable for both reader and listener.  I can really see this made into a movie much like the Secret of Nimh.  This will really appeal to readers of the Tale of Desperaux and the Spiderwick Chronicles. 

GUEST POST! Animals and Reading by The Familiars Authors

Please welcome Adam Jay Epstein and 

Andrew Jacobson to BookHounds YA!

Books about animals are as fundamental to growing up as your ABC’ and learning long division. Everybody’s got their favorite animal characters from when they were a kid, those that stuck with you and oft times felt more human than many of the human characters you read about. Books about dogs dying like Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows were too sad for our sensitive souls. Real, non-talking animals books like An Incredible Journey and Call of the Wild were kind of boring, and could have used a dose of magic. New school animal books like Redwall, Guardians of Ga’hoole, and The Warriors simply don’t hold much of a nostalgic place in our heart.

5. “Garfield” by Jim Davis and “Calvin and Hobbes” by Bill Waterson

Andrew goes with Garfield, the lazy, lasagna-eating, Monday-hating cat. He found something funny about his antics with John and Odie. Adam counters with Calvin and Hobbes. The philosophical, rambling stuffed tiger felt similar enough to Adam’s childhood stuffed monkey that it seemed downright autobiographical.

4. “Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH” by Robert C. O’Brian and “Watership Down” by Richard Adams

At a young age, reading these creepy tales gave us both a fright, but their dystopic animal worlds haunted us…in a good way. And bonus points for “The Secrets of NIMH” animated movie.

3. “Home for a Bunny” and “The Color Kittens” by Margaret Weiss Brown

The first two animal books that Adam read. One a naturalistic tale of a bunny that just wants to find a place to live; the other a surrealist picture book about two cats that mix paint to make all the colors in the world.

2. “Charlotte’s Web” and “Stuart Little” by E.B. White

White’s stories are timeless tales that both exemplify and transcend the animal genre. Choosing between them is a tough one indeed, but the edge has to go to “Charlotte’s Web” since Andrew played Wilbur in a grade school class play.

1. “Curious George” by H.A. Rey

Adam loved monkeys. Especially mischievous ones. He wanted to have his own, and it was nice to read a story about a monkey who was misbehaving…and getting into some pretty dangerous situations. These were early adventure tales that were pretty irresistible. While George never said a thing, you always knew what he was thinking.

Did we forget any of your favorites? Tell us what your number 1 animal book is....

The Familiars: Secrets of the Crown is in bookstores and online September 6th. Please visit www.thefamiliars.com to learn more.

CHECK BACK HERE  ON AUGUST 31 FOR A SPECIAL GIVEAWAY.  

Leave a comment here and I will add it on as an extra entry!