Mother Daughter Book Reviews is pleased to be coordinating a Book Blast for “Keeper”, the 4th book in the Seed Savers middle grade dystopian book series by S. Smith. Are you suffering from deja vu? No, yesterday was the blog tour for Treasure, book 1 in the Seed Savers series. I got horribly confused and Sandy Smith, a fellow BookElf, laughed when I told her my problems. I’m doing the book blast a couple of days late since I thought it made more sense to follow my post from yesterday. So, as well as a review, you get a giveaway!
About the Book
Title: Keeper (Seed Savers, Book #4) | Author: S. Smith | Publication Date: November 7, 2015 | Publisher: Independent | Pages: 178 | Recommended Ages: 8 to 12
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In Keeper, book four of the Seed Savers series, friends Clare and Lily reunite, Trinia Nelson schemes to maintain control of the food supply, and the Seed Savers Movement is on the verge of splitting into factions.
As James Gardener works to keep Seed Savers from splintering, Lily, Clare, & Dante become reckless and begin sneaking out of their hidden safe house.
Will their desire to meet with an old friend lead to forgiveness, or will it end in betrayal leaving the Seed Savers movement in jeopardy?
My Review
Having been blown away by Treasure, Lily and Heirloom, Keeper has a lot to live up to. There is a change of pace as we enter this one, and I struggled to remember who Trinia and Rose were – I certainly didn’t like what was going on with them. Then the scene changed to Lily, and then to Clare and Dante (or possibly the other way round), and I felt on more familiar ground. That ground was soon swept away as changes upset their lives and locations, with the story shifting from one to the other and feeding in information about the wider world, which we are unused to. It builds a big picture which is rich in detail and extremely well imagined politics, based largely on interpolation of what is happening NOW in agriculture and governance. This really is a valid scenario of the path we are on, and my only concern is that the books are set too far in the future!
In a way this book does not sit well, simply because it seems to me to move out of Middle Grade territory into full-blown dystopia. But older Middle Graders read sterner stuff than this, and those already engaged with the series will enjoy the developments, and the combination of mistakes and danger that our brave, sometimes foolhardy, protagonists engage in. It ends on more of a cliffhanger than the others, although revelations near the end give a tantalising view of the next book. I can’t wait!
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FROM NOVEMBER 14 to 20, 2015
The Buzz About “Keeper” and “Seed Savers”
Keeper: “Keeper, the fourth book of the Seed Savers series opens in three different locations: Canada, North Carolina and Washington DC. The storylines converge in Portland, Oregon, where government misdeeds are exposed and the seeds of revolution are planted. Lily learns the lesson of the hummingbird: to do whatever we can, no matter how big the task. ~
Keeper: “I loved the intertwining stories of all the characters … but as usual, the author leaves us wanting more.” ~
Seed Savers: “A creative, engaging, well written book series, that is filled with action, and a lot of truth as it touches the very real issue of preserving seeds from Greedy Corporate Seed Monopoly and understanding the importance of knowing how to grow our own healthy food. This book series is AWESOME!!!!!”– Rachel Parent, Teen Founder of Kids Right to Know
Seed Savers: “This series fills the void for younger-audience dystopians.” ~ Book Lover, Goodreads Librarian
Seed Savers: “Smith’s Seed Saver books are great reads for young people on many levels. The action is packed with secret acts of civil disobedience, escape from evil GRIM thugs and independent cross-country treks. Plus, teens will both recognize and learn about issues surrounding food sources. Seed Saver books have something for everyone: diverse characters, themes of empowerment, revolution, and even a little romance.” ~ former teacher and school administrator
About the Author: S. Smith
S. Smith grew up on a farm with a tremendously large garden. She maintains that if you can’t taste the soil on a carrot, it’s not fresh enough. Although she now lives in the city, she still manages to grow a few fruits and vegetables, and visits the family farm on a regular basis.
Ms. Smith is a member ALLi (The Alliance of Independent Authors) and saves seeds for her local seed bank. She gardens and writes at her home in the beautiful and green Pacific Northwest.
A licensed ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher, Ms. Smith has enjoyed teaching students from around the world.
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Goodreads Giveaway
Goodreads Book Giveaway
** Book Blast Giveaway **
Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card or $25 PayPal cash prize, winner’s choice Giveaway ends: November 29, 11:59 pm, 2015 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 S. Smith and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send an email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway
This series really sounds interesting and timely. I’ll have to check it out!
An interesting series and one I haven’t heard much about. Thanks for your review and for sharing, Jemima.