Monday, March 25, 2024

MMGM: The Deliverers 4: Sparkling Mist of Time by Gregory Slomba

 


Every year on his birthday Eric Scott and his family celebrate by attending the local reenactment of The Battle of Canfield Corners which was fought October 22, 1777. But ever since his dad died, it hasn't felt the same to Eric. After the festivities he is summoned by The Gatekeeper who had given him his last three assignments. Eric meets with him and finds out that he and the rest of the Deliverers (Stig- a talking owl, Hallo Tosis- a dwarf, and Kate- a friend he met on his first assignment) must go back in time to 1777 to stop a creature who is using a sparking mist to punch a hole in the fabric of time. Although Eric is excited to see his old friends and to be working on a new assignment, he is also worried about going back in time and stopping something so powerful. When they arrive in Eric's town over two hundred years earlier it is familiar and strange. Luckily, they meet Mathias, a boy close to Eric and Kate's age, who is able to help them figure out what has been going on. In order to stop the creature they need to work together and use Eric's knowledge of the Revolutionary War to stop the creature from changing history and erasing the world and everyone in it. Can The Deliverers stop the creature? Will they be able to figure out the creature's reason for trying to change history and alter the world? What will happen if they fail? You will have to read this exciting ending to The Deliverers series to find out!

I have read all the books in this series and The Deliverers 4: Sparkling Mist of Time by Gregory Slomba was an amazing ending to an awesome series. I love that everything was wrapped up. It was a story that will keep readers turning the pages. I also liked that readers who haven't read the other three books would be able to read this one and understand what is going on (though it is always better to read the whole series in order, in my opinion). So happy to learn how this adventure/fantasy series ends! It was great to see the friendships continue to evolve and grow throughout their adventure in time. I also learned a lot about the American Revolution and some of the battles that took place in and around Connecticut. I definitely have some places I want to check out in person now- like Keeler Tavern.  Changing time is such an interesting concept and I think the author did a fabulous job making everything easy to understand. As I  turned the last page I was happy to have the series wrapped up and all my questions answered, but I was sad that I wouldn't be reading about these friends again.  I recommend this series to anyone in 4th grade and up who enjoys adventure, sci-fi/fantasy, and history.  

Has anyone else read The Deliverers 4: Sparling Mist of Time? Or have you read another book in The Deliverers series? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!

~L

Our reviews of the rest of the series here.


Visit Gregory's website to find out more about the books!

For other MMGM posts, please visit Greg Pattridge's blog.

Monday, March 4, 2024

Read Across America!

 

We are so honored that The Week Junior selected The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow to represent Connecticut for Read Across America. There are so many great titles included on the map, and we thought we'd spotlight a few of the books we've reviewed, and shout out a few we plan to share with you!

It's wonderful to see Fairday and friends representing CT! The Begonia House awaits. Fear not the unexpected.  Anything's possible! 


The mystery continues to unwind in 
Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library. Stay tuned for the third book, Fairday Morrow and the Master's Emporium!
Here are a few books on the map we've reviewed! 

ARKANSAS

"I loved watching Marlee stand up for what she believes in, and she definitely tried to make the world a better place. It's an excellent book for people of all ages, and I think kids in fourth grade and up will especially relate to Marlee and Liz. The book makes history come alive." Read our full review 



SOUTH CAROLINA


"I love how history and mystery were woven together in a way that makes you want to dig into your own history to see what you'll discover. I loved that the main characters both had a passion for reading and talked books with each other, like I do with my best friend." Read our full review 





FLORIDA

"Roy is a kid that I could easily relate to because he has a great sense of humor, and I love his passion for wanting to conserve the habitat of the burrowing owl. I don’t like to see animals endangered, people littering, or nature being destroyed. The characters in the book are quirky and add a lot of interest to the story. I especially like when someone can put a bully in their place!" Read our full review 



Here are a few books we're looking forward to featuring!

Louisiana: The Marvellers 
Nebraska: The Elephant's Girl
California: City Spied: Golden Gate

HAPPY READ ACROSS AMERICA MONTH!

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

View From the Pond October/November/December

Happy New Year! Hope 2024 is starting off well for everyone. One of my goals is to get organized with my View From the Pond posts- and I am doing it! I am able to wrap up the last three months of 2023 and I'll be able to get on track with 2024 now that I am all caught up. 

This past week it has been freezing here, so it was nice to look back on some better weather. We didn't get any snow through December- so those photos will come when I share January views. Looking back it is easy for me to see why I had a hard time narrowing down photos for the post. The vibrant colors in October made the pond a true delight. Every minute the lighting changed, and I kept snapping away!

Sit back and enjoy looking back on the Fall views. I certainly felt very lucky to have such stunning views right out my front door. 


October































November

November I was away on a short trip and adjusting to having a sprained wrist. Still, I was able to get some pictures, and even when I didn't get to take as many as I wanted- I was able to sit and enjoy the calming view. 












December
December was a rainy month. We got 15 inches of rain in one month! It made the pond and the brook very full!  The brook was doing a lot more than babbling that is for sure. The rain made it hard to snap as many photos as I would have liked, but it was amazing to watch. Plus, I find the sound of water running very relaxing and soothing, so I tried to soak it all in. 





(You can hear the brook and the rain in this short video.)


And that's a wrap on 2023! Stay tuned for views from the new year. Thanks for stopping by and visiting!