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A Dress to Remember by KL Small – Review by Taylor McGinnis

A Dress To Remember: A Fairy TaleA Dress To Remember: A Fairy Tale by K.L. Small
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This super cute debut novel by KL Small was the perfect book for middle grade fantasy lovers. It was entertaining and well-written, which makes it excellent for capturing the attention of younger readers. There was also a lot of character development for the MC, Zarina, who was the selfish princess and the 13th child of the king and queen. When she and her aunt go to a dressmaker in the middle of the woods and she makes a deal for a magic dress, the adventure begins. I definitely think this is a book that will bring pleasure to it’s intended target age group.

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Ballet School Rumours: An Amberwood Hall Ballet School Adventure by Eleanor Dixon Reviewed by Jessica Pritt

Ballet School Rumours: An Amberwood Hall Ballet School AdventureBallet School Rumours: An Amberwood Hall Ballet School Adventure by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book! This book was well written. I would have never guessed who the Secret Detective was. I loved all the characters!! The new addition to the crew is brilliant! I love the ending! The big plot twist was unexpected and and wonderful turn of events!

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Reviewed by @purplesky25276

Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley – Review by Maura Harper

Monty and the MonsterMonty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Super cool story about a kid who doesn’t feel like he fits in or has friends. He is always the new kid in town and doesn’t make friends easily.

So of course he creates his own best friend.

This is one of those books that I think would be enjoyed by humans of all ages. There are great visuals and lessons learned.

Review by @mauraharper
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Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley – Review by Felicia Bates

Monty and the MonsterMonty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Monty and the Monster
By Rhonda Smiley
5 out of 5 stars

Monty and the Monster is the exact kind of book I would have loved when I was younger. I am looking forward to sharing this book with my children when they’re a bit older.
Monty and the Monster was creative fun from start to finish but not without holding meaning within the story line. Great book!

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Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley – Review by Lyndsey Fairley

Monty and the MonsterMonty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
4 stars

This was such a good read. While aimed at younger readers, I enjoyed this story. My kiddos are just a tad young to understand or sit through a book this length, I will save this for future reading time.
Tired of moving around because of his dads job, Monty discovers a serum in their new house and that’s when things get really interesting. All he wanted was a friend but you’ll have to read to uncover what happens.
Taught some valuable lessons and had some laughs too. Author did a great job of getting into the mind of an early teenager.

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Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley – Review by Madison Degraffenreid

Monty and the MonsterMonty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley

5-Stars

Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley was an excellent, fun, and family friendly novel. Monty was a very creative and well developed character. His struggle adapting to a new town and having to make new friends is something many individuals can relate to. It was an excellent way to make him seem more realistic and relatable. I had no problem identifying with him and remember having the same issues as a young girl when my family moved.

I also enjoyed how easy the storyline was to follow and how the author really made everything come to life. I also loved the various settings and how descriptive the author was in following Monty into the secret passage at the beginning of the book. I feel this book is appropriate for younger readers as well as older but not younger than maybe 5th or 6th grade level due to the amount of pages and different vocabulary used. I do highly recommend this book since it was a fun read.

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Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley – Review by Angelina Frazzini

Monty and the MonsterMonty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Monty the Monster by Rhonda Smiley is a fun book to read. Definitely something that middle schoolers/young adults might enjoy reading.

Monty is a 7th grader who has once again moved to a new place. It’s hard to make and keep friends when you move around so much. Monty finds a serum and decides to create a friend which should be much easier than making friends. However, things don’t go according to plan and Monty May have created a monster…literally. Monty has to come up with a new plan once he realizes his monster best friend may be eating neighborhood kids.

This book was a fun read but also very relatable for young people. Monty’s character can be easily related to at almost any age though. Making friends is not easy!

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Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley – Review by Heidi Eich Woodring

Monty and the MonsterMonty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Monty and The Monster was a cute, fun, and enjoyable read. I think that this is a perfect read for any young adult. Monty Hyde has moved again and that means less time his father is home with work, his brother bus with friends that no one will not notice he is the outcast again. One day he decides to make a friend of his own. But what happens when this friend is a monster and just might be eating the kids in the area!?
Rhonda Smiley did an awesome job with the book. A story of family, friends, with laughs and so many smiles. I let my eleven year old read the book and she loved it even more than I did. We both give this book 5 stars.

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Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley – Review by Sarah Oakes

Monty and the MonsterMonty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A great read about friendships. Monty always has trouble making friends. When he moves house again, he struggles to fit in and finds bullies everywhere. Whilst exploring his new house, he finds a trapdoor in the attic leading to underground chambers full of old crates and notes about old experiments. Full of excitement, Monty decides to literally make a friend. his friends turns out to be a furry monster with mysterious abilities. Can Monty keep his monster hidden from the world before scientists get to him?
A great read. Well developed plot with twists and turns that I just couldn’t put down. Well developed characters like Monty standing up for himself but vulnerable underneath. Great cast of supporting characters like the mysterious and bubbly Houdini or the creepy Dr Petrovic
I loved the visual detail throughout the novel like with the rickety house full of cracked floors and spider webs and lofty attic for a sense of the gothic. Or the scenes in the underground with the rope ladder and tunnels for a sense of adventure, dark and dangerous and exciting wonderfully written. Or the scenes in the skate park full of life and people and a sense of wonder as a place away from it all for Monty. Or with the monster and giant size with its colourful fur and teeth and claws and the green slime straight out of a sci fi novel, strange and weird and wonderful.
the combination of horror with monsters and experiments and a child’s story with school and bullies combined perfectly to make a captivating read. I loved the sense of the horror genre existing in a kids narrative, a place you wouldn’t expect it and makes it fresh and exciting. I also liked the nods to horror stories like with Hyde and the hints to Frankenstein later on was a lovely addition. Overall, a great read and I would give it five stars.

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Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley – Review by Katie Matthews

Monty and the MonsterMonty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

Monty and the Monster was such an enjoyable read – I really enjoyed it. The author’s creative writing style captured my interest straight away and I can imagine older children/young adults would definitely enjoy the story. I really liked the character Monty and thought that he was really relatable and I can imagine that children would easily relate to some of the situations that he finds himself in. The story could definitely be used as a great teaching tool at times.
I would definitely recommend this story for young children/adults – I think the creative storyline along with the relatable characters would make it a very enjoyable read for them. There are some good twists in the story that will get them thinking about what could happen.

@katiem
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Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley – Review by Heather Lovelace

Monty and the MonsterMonty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This wonderful story is specifically targeted to an audience in the tween/teen category. It is detailed, quirky, quick witted, and deals solidly with real troubles facing that age group without being condescending or belittling. I found the premise charming and the MC relatable and funny. I really enjoyed reading this book and believe, no matter what age you are, you will find something to love in these pages.

Reviewed by @heatherlovelace
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Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley – Review by Kerry Baker

Monty and the MonsterMonty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Monty and The Monster by Rhonda Smiley is such an appealing story that everyone will enjoy reading this book.
Although it is clearly aimed slightly older children my daughter loved me reading this book to her. I can already tell that this will be a book we come back to time and time again. The characters were brilliant. They were loveable and easy for a young child to connect with.
The author has done an amazing job at writing in a way that will appeal to children who can read on their own but also appealing to people like myself, who are reading to their children. Although it is a children’s book I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author touched on some relatable topics and handled them in a fun and imaginative way. This is a great book for children that I would recommend!

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Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley – Review by Angela Hayes

Monty and the MonsterMonty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley is an adventure ‘chapter book’ written with 8 – 13 year olds in mind, I imagine. But I am waaaay older than that and still enjoyed this cute story, so I guess it can be appreciated at any age.
Monty Hyde is in the seventh grade, he’s moved around a lot and always seems to be the ‘new’, awkward kid in class. His brother never seems to have any problem fitting in, he’s popular wherever they go, and his father is always seems to be working. Leaving Monty feeling a bit isolated, and very lonely. He would love nothing better than to have a close friend, someone to just accept him, and to hang out with. So, the story takes an interesting turn when Monty discovers a replication serum in the basement- and decides to ‘create’ his own friend. What happens next makes for a really fun and touching read.

Thank you, Ms. Smiley!

 

Reviewed by @angelahayes

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Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley – Review by Lisa Helmick

Monty and the MonsterMonty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an amazingly adorable story! The story…the characters are all great! I love how this reads! I really feel like I am in the head of a thirteen year old. And the interactions between Kyle and even his Dad are so spot on! Name calling, wrestling, frustration with the parent, mad scientists even the bullies at school..Perfect!

I loved Monty! He is what I think of when I think of a thirteen year old. Magic, skateboarding, pushing boundaries and a smart mouth. He struggles making friends after moving for the sixth time, now he is in a new town, old house with no friends. Then he decides to make one. Enter Houdini! Scary at first but they become best friends. I love all of the cool things that Houdini can do. He is a monster anyone could love.

All of the secondary characters were crazy good! From the mad scientist to his brother and even their dog. They did well adding to the story but not overstepping. I loved them all!

This is a wonderful story of family, dealing with your past, bullies and new friends. I really *felt* for Monty and even Houdini and let’s not forget Watson. This is a first time author for me. This caught my attention from the beginning. I devoured it pretty quickly. It brought me chuckles, smiles and frustration. It is easy to read and flows very nicely. I don’t want to forget the cute little “adds” at the beginning of every chapter! Loved them!

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Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley – Review by Jenni Bishop

Monty and the MonsterMonty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley is an adventure story. It is a quick read and a fun read.

Monty feels left out and kinda shy so he creates something he has always wanted and that is a special friend. However, this particular special friend is not quite what he was looking for.

Rhonda has done a good job at creating something that will appeal to young and old when sitting down to read.

Reviewed by @jennadb

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Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley – Review by Tausha Treadway

Monty and the MonsterMonty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley. This is the story of Monty Hyde who has just had to move again for the 4th time in 2 years. He’s going into 7th grade and its going to be the same ole story, new neighborhood, new school, new bullies, no friends. His brother is always super popular so he forgets about his little brother and his dad has to work all the time. When Monty finds a old replication serum in his basement he decides to make a new friend. Only his new friend is 6 ft tall and stinky and hairy and mighty be terrorizing the neighborhood. He has to stop him but he’s the best friend Monty has ever had. What will Monty do?

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Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley – Review by Erica Fish

Monty and the MonsterMonty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley in my opinion would be a great book for elementary through junior high school. It is a well written and the story tells a tale which can be related to by most kids. . Monty is a young man who has moved four times in the last two years. Now that sounds like a lot and it is but what is even worse is that he is in seventh grade. This complicates things a little bit. He does feel like he fits in. He is looking for a friend which he has not accomplished yet. While looking in the basement he found a serum that will replicate. Monty, like any 12 year boy, decides he will create a friend. Will this actually solve his friendless dilemma? What will the other kids say? Will his friend work out or will it be more trouble than what he is worth?

Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley – Review by Bobbi Wagner

Monty and the MonsterMonty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a cute story that any older child/young adult would enjoy. I found it to have a creative plot that kept us reading. The child I read it with loved the building of the monster in the basement. He was engaged from beginning to end. This is about Monty who has once again moved, which means a new school, new friends and of course new bullies. He builds himself a friend but what if he has to undo his friend when he is suspected of eating children? I highly recommend reading this book.

Review by @bjwagner

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Monty and the Monster By Rhonda Smiley – Review by Laura Furuta

Monty and the MonsterMonty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Monty and the Monster
By: Rhonda Smiley
5 out of 5 stars

The story Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley is an enjoyable book to read. It is a story that is well written and does a wonderful job in presenting a storyline and characters that are entertaining to read about. It is a book that young adults would enjoy. There is the main character of Monty Hyde. He is in the 7th grade and is once again moving to a new home and town. Monty is a character that doesn’t like starting over again as he has had to 4 times in the last 2 years. He feels like he never fits in. When he finds a mysterious replication serum in the basement, he decides that he is going to make a friend, literally. They spend time together and Monty’s creation soon becomes the best friend that he has. His creation, however, is stinky, hairy, and might be eating the neighborhood kids? Read this book to find out the full story of what happens in the life of Monty and his creation. Monty is a character that can easily be identified with. He feels that he is not understood and is an outcast. He is dealing with a new school, bullies, and feeling misunderstood. There are funny and humorous moments as well as ones that made me feel sad. There are additional characters that are introduced and interact with Monty that are enjoyable to read about as well. This is a story that teaches its readers about friendship, love, and acceptance.

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Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ BOOK SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley
When seventh grader Monty Hyde moves for the fourth time in two years, it’s the same old story. New neighborhood, new school, new bullies, no friends. With his dad working all the time and his older brother too popular to notice, he’s the lonely outcast yet again. That is, until he finds a mysterious replication serum in his basement and decides to make a friend. From scratch.
But when his creation turns out to be a stinky, hairy eight-foot-tall monster that might be eating the neighborhood kids, Monty knows he must undo his experiment. Problem is, it’s the best friend he’s ever had.

~ AMAZON ~ BARNES AND NOBLE ~

Rhonda Smiley is a writer living in Glendale, California. After graduating from Concordia University in her native Montreal, Canada with a BFA in Film Production, she began writing for television. Her passion for storytelling led her to become an author and her first novel, the young adult fantasy “Asper,” was awarded the BRAG medallion. “Monty and the Monster” is her second book. Visit her website to learn more about her TV shows and books.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH RHONDA SMILEY

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