About the Book
Title: Things Are Not What They Seem | Authors: Anne Rothman-Hicks and Kenneth Hicks | Publication Date: April 9, 2014 | Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing | Pages: 268 | Recommended Ages: 10+Summary: What would you do if you were sitting on a park bench, minding your own business, and one of those annoying pigeons suddenly started to talk to you? And what if the pigeon didn’t just talk to you – in a meticulous British accent, no less – but pleaded with you to help untangle a piece of string that had accidentally attached his leg to a wrought iron fence surrounding the playground? And what if, while you are still convinced that this is all a big nasty trick, a hawk swoops down out of the sky and starts cursing at you, also in the King’s English, for getting in his way when he wanted to execute the pigeon? That is the quandary in which Jennifer (almost 13 years old and probably a bit too smart for her own good) finds herself one sweltering July morning while babysitting her 11-year-old (very precocious) brother James and his mopey, allergy-prone friend Sleepy. She soon learns that the bird is actually a man named Arthur Whitehair, a 19th-century Englishman who had been turned into an eternally-lived pigeon by misreading an ancient spell that was supposed to give him eternal life as a human. Likewise, an unscrupulous colleague of his, named Malman, had been turned into a hawk by Whitehair’s blunder. After years of searching, Whitehair claims (half-truthfully) that Malman has found him hiding in Central Park and is now out for revenge. On top of all this strange business, Jennifer has recently begun having weird dreams in which a crazy-looking man with curly red hair speaks cryptic phrases in Latin. Are they random phrases, or messages? And why would some sketchy guy be sending her messages in her dreams?
Amazon * MuseItUp Young * Goodreads
EXCERPT:
They walked toward the West Drive and headed south, following the bridle path past the tennis courts, and then, as they reached the reservoir, switching to a narrow footpath lined by gnarled cherry and apple trees. Here, the branches hung low to the ground, thickly covered with leaves that created a canopy above and around them. They passed few people. An occasional jogger circled the reservoir on a running track that was to their left and up a short steep hill.
“Finally, you’re showing good sense,” Whitehair said. He was perched on Jennifer’s shoulder like Long John Silver’s parrot. His head never stopped bobbing and swiveling as they made their way along. “These trees are just the ticket. Gives us a chance to keep out of Malman’s sight, anyway.”
“Es fortis, Arthur,” Jennifer said. “I can feel you trembling through your feet.”
“What did you say?” asked James.
“She told me to be courageous.” Whitehair answered. “In Latin, of course.”
“So you do know the language?” Jennifer asked.
“You doubted me?”
“Fallaces sunt rerum species.”
“Come on, Jennifer. Cut it out with the Latin,” James shouted.
“The appearances of things are deceiving,” Whitehair said.
“Right,” said Jennifer. “Or, things are not what they seem.”
“But Malman did try to kill me. Twice, actually! And you saw it with your own eyes.”
“I did, you’re right.”
“And that was exactly what he promised to do the last time we were together. Back in England, of course. Oh, how I miss England!”
“And what exactly were you doing in the company of a murderer?” asked James. “Back when you were a human, I mean.”
Whitehair was silent for a moment. His forehead seemed to furrow with thought.
“Suspicious child, aren’t you? Much like your sister, I see. Well, I can assure you it was through no fault of mine.
The Buzz
"I LOVED "Things Are Not What They Seem"!! It is funny, exciting, and touching, and very fun to read. The characters are relatable and interesting, so I really cared about all of their adventures while I was reading. "~ 5 Stars, Hermione, Amazon
"The story line is original and makes for an incredibly fun read. This is a book which is VERY hard to put down, all of their adventures will definitely have you on the edge of your seats and you read from page to page. All of the characters in this book (both large and small) are well developed and their personalities definitely come off the page." ~ 5 Stars, Alex, Goodreads
"The characters are well-developed and fun. The story moves along at a brisk pace. Lessons on love, friendship, kindness, and finding your inner strength shine through. And the humor is plentiful! Great for tween readers, as well as a quick, fun read for adults. " ~ 5 Stars, HFBrainerd, Amazon
"Things Are Not What They Seem is a well written story and a joy to read. I was hooked from the start." ~ 5 Stars, Granny's Hill, Amazon
"What a sweet, interesting, and overall wonderful book! I love the interesting, multi-layered, realistic characters, the numerous, unexpected but extremely interesting plot twists, and the use of Latin phrases to enhance the magic. I love the simple, yet powerful message that was woven throughout- that things are not what they seem- even in the rough, harsh world of New York City. That message strongly resonates for kids, teenagers, adults, and anyone in between. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who reads this review!! " ~ 5 Stars, Pat D., Amazon
About the Authors: Anne Rothman-Hicks & Kenneth Hicks
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
"Things Are Not What They Seem" Blog Tour Schedule (2015)
February 20 February 21 February 22 February 23 February 24 February 25 February 26 February 27 February 28 March 1 March 2 March 3 March 4 March 5* Blog Tour Giveaway *
Open to: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by Anne Rothman-Hicks and Kenneth Hicks and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.
Thanks so much for hosting Ken and Anne on the "Things Are Not What They Seem" blog tour, Alyssa. This excerpt really captures the humor in the dialogue among the characters. :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you for having me!
DeleteHi Alyssa,
ReplyDeleteAnne and I want to thank you for having us on your wonderful blog and posting an excerpt from our book. We wish you all the best!
I loved doing it! :)
DeleteI really want to thank Dr Emu for saving my marriage. My wife really treated me badly and left home for almost 3 month this got me sick and confused. Then I told my friend about how my wife has changed towards me then she told me to contact Dr Emu that he will help me bring back my wife and change her back to a good woman. I never believed in all this but I gave it a try. Dr Emu casted a spell of return of love on her, and my wife came back home for forgiveness and today we are happy again. If you are going through any relationship stress or you want back your Ex or Divorce husband you can contact his whatsapp +2347012841542 or email emutemple@gmail.com
ReplyDelete