Best of 2012 Giveaway Hop ~ Alligators Overhead by C. Lee McKenzie

Hello, hello, Paul here today. I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season. Stop on over the Darlene's Book Nook and read my guest post discussing some of my holiday traditions. This is a great time of year to reflect upon the past twelve months as well as to look ahead to turning the calendar. Whether you've had a wonderful or challenging 2012, now is the time for new beginnings. It's a time to start fresh with new goals and hopes. Before we move on to 2013 though, I'd like to reflect on my favorite book of the past year. First a quick thank you to Kathy at I Am A Reader Not A Writer for hosting the Best of 2012 Giveaway Hop. The best book I read in 2012 is definitely Alligators Overhead by C. Lee McKenzie. Click on any of the titles to go to Amazon to purchase the ebook, or click on the image to purchase the paperback.

Feel free to read my review of  Alligators Overhead  here. Here's the Goodreads blurb:

Alligators, witches and a spooky mansion aren't your average neighbors . . . unless you live at the edge of the Ornofree swamp in the backwater town of Hadleyville. The town’s bad boy, Pete Riley, may only be twelve, but he’s up to his eyeballs in big trouble, and this time he isn’t the cause. This time the trouble arrives when a legendary hundred-year-old mansion, materializes next door and the Ornofree alligators declare war to save their swamp from bulldozers. Things only get worse when Pete’s guardian aunt and several of her close friends vanish while trying to restore order using outdated witchcraft. Now Pete must find his aunt and stop the war. He might stand a chance if his one friend, Weasel, sticks with him, but even then, they may not have what it takes.

 The great names and dialogue are my favorite parts. The weaving in of  phrases like peculiar-odd and nervous-scared that are not only entertaining but create a nice cadence for reading. I think this book would be an excellent book for read alouds at home, school, or at libraries.

Ms. McKenzie was kind enough to write a guest post for us when I reviewed her book, and if you haven't read it I recommend  you do. It is a wonderful piece about developing characters. You can read How Do You Find All These Messed Up People? here.

Alligators Overhead tops my list of the best of 2012. Each time I look back on Pete Riley and his adventures in   Hadleyville I smile, and look forward to reading it again. Now though, I must flip the calendar and look forward to a new year with many challenges and great promise. I hope that this time next year I will be discussing my favorite book of the year with an equal amount of excitement and enthusiasm. Ms. McKenzie has been kind enough to provide three autographed paperback books to three lucky winners (sorry, US only), so be sure to enter the Rafflecopter below, because I promise you won't be disappointed!



More information about C. Lee McKenzie and her works can be found here.
Website: http://cleemckenziebooks.com

Blog: http://writegame.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cleemckenziebooks
Twitter: @cleemckenzie
Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0042M1KYW
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2809083.C_Lee_McKenzie

  a Rafflecopter giveaway