This series is unique in the way that it combines superb writing, science, animals, family, friends, and a very special island. It's entertaining and educational and perfect to read as a family.

Great addition to the series. Great for young readers. It’s full of adventure. Reminds me of the goonies.

𝘚𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦
The Islanders Series: Book 2
by Mary Alice Monroe and Angela May
Released: June 14th
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It’s summertime and Jake is ready to get out of the city and go back to grandmother’s on Dewees Island. A fun filled summer awaits as his Dad and all his friends will be there also…not to mention, a hint of a treasure. Three boys with changing family dynamics they have the sweetest bond and learn about life in the purest way in nature amongst friends.
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This is a perfect book for those middle age readers. My 10 year old son, who prefers indoors, gobbled this book up and even asked me if he could go on any summer adventures like Jake?
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𝘍𝘶𝘯, 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺, 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦! Everything I could ask for in a book during the summer for the middle grade reader.
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𝘚𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘧𝘶𝘭!

This book, it captivated me completely, what a beautiful and heartwarming story.
A middle grade series about family, friendship, nature and loss that will capture your heart no matter the age. Loved it!

I adored meeting Jake and his friends Lovie and Macon in 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬, so I was excited to explore Dewees Island with them for another summer adventure!

Jake is back on the island and hopes to have fun with his pals, Lovie and Macon. It’s been tough with his dad trying to recover from the injuries he received in Afghanistan.

But when the friends see an article at Honey’s Nature Center claiming that some of Blackbeard’s treasure may be on the island, they are off on their next adventure.

I love how this story is not just about friendship and adventure - which is so fun, by the way, but the authors show that caring for the environment is very important. Family plays a big part, too, as Jake worries about his dad, who struggles with depression. This series is terrific and I highly recommend it for kids and adults alike.

Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours @maryalicemonroe and @angelamaybooks for a spot on tour and a gifted copy.

School is out, summer break is here, and it is time to figure out how to get your kids reading for fun over break. Well, look no further because, as my son says below in his guest review, the newest installment of The Islander series by @maryalicemonroe and @angelamaybooks is out and already a fan favorite. He loves this series so much and was so excited when the new book arrived (with swag for him!):

The Islanders: Search for Treasure is an incredible book that I would recommend to all readers. It did not disappoint and the first book in the series was also very good. There was something interesting every time I turned the page, nonstop action and tons of detail. I would definitely read the next book in the series if there is one. This book is about a group of teens that only see each other over the summer at an island called Dewees Island. When the three teens arrive, they realize that there might be expensive treasure on the island, so they go on a treasure hunt.

A book for all ages, not just middle school! Adults will love it too. It is a continuation of the book, 'The Islanders" but is easily read as a standalone. The setting is a small island that actually exists off the coast of South Carolina. The authors have researched and studied the island and its wildlife extensively. It remains relatively primitive, except for a small community who also have great respect for the wildlife there. No autos allowed and it is not open to the public. Most will never visit the island personally, but it can be fully imagined with their wonderful descriptions of the area. and the wildlife there. Much is done to preserve that wildlife and the authors seek to educate through the story the importance of preserving our coastal areas and creatures that inhabit it. Turtles, alligators, 'lightening bugs' birds, and many others are addressed.
If you look deeply into the book, there are several life lessons addressed with the children and the adults participating in the 'Search for Treasure'. Not only are the adventuresome pre-teens learning the respect of the wildlife, they learn respect and acceptance of each other, overcoming obstacles that seem impossible, teamwork and the adults have a few obstacles and lessons to learn as well. I"m sure I've missed something but it is a great work of literature for all ages to ponder. At face value, it is a wonderful story of some adventuresome children during a summer break. Like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you can get out of the book what you put into the reading of it. It would be a great study book for a Christian school literature class as well as a fun read.
I was provided a pre published copy of this book but was under no obligation to provide a review. Many thanks to the publisher, author and all others for allowing me to read this book.

This is the second in the series but it can be read as standalone. I loved the theme of communication not only between the group of friends but with the adults as well. The adventures they went on were fun and educational. There was good teamwork and problem solving that was realistic as there were ups and downs along the way. I loved seeing how the group worked through the problems they came across. Throughout the book there were illustrations of what the kids encountered and I loved how they all had journals and each person used it in a different way. This book kept my attention and was a fast read, great for summer.

Thank you @maryalicemonroe @angelamaybooks @suzyapprovedbooktours @netgalley and @simonkids for the gifted copy

Loved reading this book with my 9-year-old. There's a fun sense of adventure, but also a realistic look at some of the hard things that life can bring. My husband is in sustainability, so we are very aware of teaching about climate change, and it was cool to see that in this book as well. This was a great read I'm hoping to return to with my younger kids when they get a little older!

Thanks to the Mary Alice Monroe and Suzy Approved Book Tours for the copy of this book.

One of my favorite women’s fiction authors has written a second installment in this middle grade series about three friends that spend each summer together on Dewes Island, South Carolina.

This summer focuses on Jake, Macon, and Lovie searching for evidence of Blackbeard’s treasure. During this search, physical treasure becomes less important than the appreciation of being with family and friends.

There are also two new visitors to the island that the friends call “the Invaders” whose lack of respect for the natural environment could get them seriously hurt.

This book not only is a great jumping off point for discussions about nature it is also a great time to talk with your middle grade reader about mental health.

In this book, Jake’s dad comes to Dewes Island for the summer, which was his childhood home. He is dealing with losing his leg after being injured in Afghanistan the year before. This injury has affected him more than just physically and Jake worries about his dad.

A great summer read for all kids (and this adult enjoyed it too)!

TITLE: Search for Treasure
AUTHOR: Mary Alice Monroe & Angela May
ILLUSTRATED BY: Jennifer Bricking
PUB DATE: 06.14.2022 Pre Order Now

REVIEW:

So happy to be back in Honey’s Dewees island - which only means one thing - Summer is here! The trio of friends - Jake, Macon and Lovie are back with a new mission and it’s a search for a missing treasure. I love the growth in the characters and their family relationships, whether it’s dealing with friendships, major life changes and disabilities, to grief and sadness, the story is uplifting and perfect for young readers and middle grade readers, while also teaching about the beauty of nature and climate change.

Thank you Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook.

The second installment in this series was just as delightful as the first! I loved going back to Dewees Island and getting to be with the Islanders again. I adore a treasure hunt book and this one was so fun as the kids learned about each other as they searched for clues. One thing I love about these books is that the kids do have pretty responsible adult oversight that doesn't hinder the plot, but adds to it. That is so rare in middle grade novels to have good adults, but good adults who are great characters themselves are an extra bonus. They are dealing with their own personal growth and they get to do it admirably along with the kids.

This is such a fun story! I love adventure stories, and this one was great! There's three young friends, Lovie, Jake, and Macon, and they are all on Dewees Island for the summer. Together, they call themselves the Islanders. This summer they are planning to follow a treasure map to hopefully find treasure!

I really enjoyed the friendship between these three. They each have things happening in their lives and family that young children will be able to connect with. They support each other, and are there for each other. I loved that.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this one to middle-grade readers! It's a fun story!

This is book two in the fun new series, The Islanders. Set on Dewees Island, we're back to exploring the island with Jake, his dad, and his two best island friends! This middle grade book was such a fun read, and I know that it definitely helped me to feel like I was escaping to the island, even if just for a short time. As an adult who loves children's stories as much as adult stories, I enjoyed this read. However, I personally enjoyed the first book a little better than this one. But I know that kids will love the search for treasure in this story! This is a fun summer read not to be missed!

Fun book for kids or adults. Mary Alice Monroe and Angela May have a good thing going with this series. I look forward to the next one

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. Author Mary Alice Monroe pens a story of turtles and love for the low country.