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Olivia & the Gentleman from Outer Space
Only friendship has the power to transcend time and space . . .
When six-year-old Olivia finds a glowing treasure map that only she can see, she has no idea what it means. But six years later, when a spaceship lands in the wheatfields behind the farmhouse where she lives with her dad, she discovers she has an important destiny to fulfill. She is the Princess of Blue Earth, and only she can read the map that will lead to the Black Ruby, which has the power to heal anything—including her father’s cancer.
Accompanied by a time traveler boy named Galax, she sets out on a magical and imaginative adventure that will take them to the ethereal beauty of the moon and across the wonders of space in their search for the Black Ruby. But the Black Priests also want the Ruby for nefarious reasons . . . and they’ll do anything to stop Olivia and Galax from taking it.
When six-year-old Olivia finds a glowing treasure map that only she can see, she has no idea what it means. But six years later, when a spaceship lands in the wheatfields behind the farmhouse where she lives with her dad, she discovers she has an important destiny to fulfill. She is the Princess of Blue Earth, and only she can read the map that will lead to the Black Ruby, which has the power to heal anything—including her father’s cancer.
Accompanied by a time traveler boy named Galax, she sets out on a magical and imaginative adventure that will take them to the ethereal beauty of the moon and across the wonders of space in their search for the Black Ruby. But the Black Priests also want the Ruby for nefarious reasons . . . and they’ll do anything to stop Olivia and Galax from taking it.
165 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 11, 2023
2 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Moses Yuriyvich Mikheyev
9 books37 followersMoses Yuriyvich Mikheyev is a Russian American novelist who studied theology and philosophy at Whitworth University before obtaining his graduate degree in theological studies from Emory University. He is the author of numerous novels, including Of All Things Sacred, The Hack, Vanishing Bodies, This Time Next Summer, the fantasy children's book Olivia & the Gentleman from Outer Space, and the poetry collection A Fire in the Sunset: A Decade of Love Poems. He is currently working on his seventh novel F2F, a collection of poetry A Sparkle in the Sea, a collection of essays titled The End of Human, and a contemporary romance titled Notes on a Romance Novel. He is also an alternative rock musician recording his debut album I Only Have a Hundred Years to Love You (forthcoming 2024). He lives and loves in Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 21, 2023
This is an amazing work of imagination in Sci-fic genre. It is a story of a 6 year old girl who fantasizes over the treasure maps and always wanted to know what it means as she couldn't resolve the mystery by then. After some years, one night, she saw a space ship landed in her farm ruining her crop. Came out one boy named Galax who came from a "million billion trillion” miles away into space.
Galax need someone to find Black Ruby, the reason of his survival and Olivia wanted it for the purpose of healing her father from diseases. They went on to different planets and the hometown of Galax too and then in the search of deep sea where they will find black ruby by reading the map that only Olivia can, but also saving themselves from the threat of Black priests.
Overall, this is a very gripping and engaging work by Moses Yuriyvich Mikheyev.
My NetGalley review
Galax need someone to find Black Ruby, the reason of his survival and Olivia wanted it for the purpose of healing her father from diseases. They went on to different planets and the hometown of Galax too and then in the search of deep sea where they will find black ruby by reading the map that only Olivia can, but also saving themselves from the threat of Black priests.
Overall, this is a very gripping and engaging work by Moses Yuriyvich Mikheyev.
My NetGalley review
January 2, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for sending the digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
"Olivia and the Gentleman from Outer Space," follows a young 13-year old girl named Olivia who lives in Kansas with her dying father. One fateful evening, a spaceship lands in the wheat field behind Olivia's house and she meets a time traveler named Galex. Through Galex and her father, Olivia learns that she is not a random girl from Kansas but the Princess of Blue Earth. Olivia also learns that it is her destiny to find the Black Ruby and save her father, however, she will have to face terrifying foes known as the Black Priests, who also want to use the Black Ruby not to heal but to corrupt.
There are some positive themes in this story. It is ultimately a story of courage, friendship, and love. Olivia has to face some scary moments: time travel, space exploration, evil priests. She also has to face these foes with the knowledge that if she fails, her father will die of cancer. It takes a lot of courage to face such high stakes with no guarantees.
I have some mixed feelings about this story. I have two children in the target audience for this work and neither of them cared for the story. It was too on the nose. Death in children's stories have some nuance as a rule, but in this story it is jarring. This is a high stakes story but the moment a problem occurs, the next sentence is the solution. There is no buildup, no feeling that all hope is lost. Even the bad guys closing in moment where Black Priest surrounded them from all sides fell flat.
"Olivia and the Gentleman from Outer Space," is too long to be a picture book, but the characters and plot are not developed enough to be a compelling middle grade.
"Olivia and the Gentleman from Outer Space," follows a young 13-year old girl named Olivia who lives in Kansas with her dying father. One fateful evening, a spaceship lands in the wheat field behind Olivia's house and she meets a time traveler named Galex. Through Galex and her father, Olivia learns that she is not a random girl from Kansas but the Princess of Blue Earth. Olivia also learns that it is her destiny to find the Black Ruby and save her father, however, she will have to face terrifying foes known as the Black Priests, who also want to use the Black Ruby not to heal but to corrupt.
There are some positive themes in this story. It is ultimately a story of courage, friendship, and love. Olivia has to face some scary moments: time travel, space exploration, evil priests. She also has to face these foes with the knowledge that if she fails, her father will die of cancer. It takes a lot of courage to face such high stakes with no guarantees.
I have some mixed feelings about this story. I have two children in the target audience for this work and neither of them cared for the story. It was too on the nose. Death in children's stories have some nuance as a rule, but in this story it is jarring. This is a high stakes story but the moment a problem occurs, the next sentence is the solution. There is no buildup, no feeling that all hope is lost. Even the bad guys closing in moment where Black Priest surrounded them from all sides fell flat.
"Olivia and the Gentleman from Outer Space," is too long to be a picture book, but the characters and plot are not developed enough to be a compelling middle grade.
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October 28, 2022My sci-fi/fantasy/magical realism children’s book comes out April 11th, 2023! To my mind it has always been “The Little Prince meets A Wrinkle In Time.” But with my own flair! I was reading a lot of physics, astrophysics, astronomy-space books during the time I worked on it. My desire was to share my love for space and physics WITH CHILDREN! Time travel too! My hope is kids would be inspired by it and not give up their dreams of being astronauts, scientists, engineers, time-travelers, etc.! While writing, I had to go back and re-read children’s books as well just to make sure the inner child in me hadn’t died! In any case, I’m very happy to say I loved working on something so hopeful, magical, and whimsical as Olivia & the Gentleman from Outer Space. Hope you all get a chance to read it with your kids in the spring! (Middle Grade Children’s Book, for ages 8-12.) **ARCs will be available soon on NetGalley and BookSirens!**
November 11, 2022
What worked:
The most obvious aspect of this book is its wholesomeness. As the title states, a gentleman alien named Galax arrives on Earth to take Olivia on an adventure among the stars. Their sole mission is to retrieve the Black Ruby that can heal and repair anything but their motivation is to save Olivia’s father from dying of cancer. Galax calls Olivia the Princess of Blue Earth and refers to her with respectful terms when not using her name. His favorite number is a million billion trillion as he uses it to describe time and distance across the universe, although his spaceship and knowledge of wormholes allow him to travel more quickly than imaginable. Olivia and Galax stop to recuperate on a planet inhabited by women from Earth who do all they can to make the pair comfortable.
The author creates an inventive story based on science fiction and imagination. Galax’s spaceship is able to generate impossible speeds and is almost indestructible. Galax is able to repair and heal almost anything although the effort it takes has its limits. He’s nearing the end of his life-energy so the success of the quest is the only thing that will save him from dying. Galax has a residence on the moon and he shares a story about his meeting with the Apollo 11 astronauts. Olivia is concerned that a trip across the universe will take too long so they’ll never make it back in time to save her father. However, Galax informs her that time works differently in space as time on one planet they visit doesn’t move at all.
What didn’t work as well:
The showdown with the Black Priests in the climax lacks the suspense and uncertainty that readers might expect. The priests are a menace across the universe but the non-violent nature of the story takes the bite out of their threat.
The Final Verdict:
This book shares an entertaining journey into space that’s void of violence, profanity, and suggestive material that’s found in many middle-grade novels. The plot moves quickly resulting in a quick read that will appeal to young readers.
The most obvious aspect of this book is its wholesomeness. As the title states, a gentleman alien named Galax arrives on Earth to take Olivia on an adventure among the stars. Their sole mission is to retrieve the Black Ruby that can heal and repair anything but their motivation is to save Olivia’s father from dying of cancer. Galax calls Olivia the Princess of Blue Earth and refers to her with respectful terms when not using her name. His favorite number is a million billion trillion as he uses it to describe time and distance across the universe, although his spaceship and knowledge of wormholes allow him to travel more quickly than imaginable. Olivia and Galax stop to recuperate on a planet inhabited by women from Earth who do all they can to make the pair comfortable.
The author creates an inventive story based on science fiction and imagination. Galax’s spaceship is able to generate impossible speeds and is almost indestructible. Galax is able to repair and heal almost anything although the effort it takes has its limits. He’s nearing the end of his life-energy so the success of the quest is the only thing that will save him from dying. Galax has a residence on the moon and he shares a story about his meeting with the Apollo 11 astronauts. Olivia is concerned that a trip across the universe will take too long so they’ll never make it back in time to save her father. However, Galax informs her that time works differently in space as time on one planet they visit doesn’t move at all.
What didn’t work as well:
The showdown with the Black Priests in the climax lacks the suspense and uncertainty that readers might expect. The priests are a menace across the universe but the non-violent nature of the story takes the bite out of their threat.
The Final Verdict:
This book shares an entertaining journey into space that’s void of violence, profanity, and suggestive material that’s found in many middle-grade novels. The plot moves quickly resulting in a quick read that will appeal to young readers.
November 8, 2022
[Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC for an honest review]
2.5 ⭐
My general thoughts:
The book is very cute and has a nice moral. It is supposed to teach children about the importance of friendship and make them curious about our Galaxy. I think a younger audience (7-11 years old) would be interested in reading this book alone or maybe together with their parents.
I also really liked the friendship between Olivia and Galax. Definitely a good example for all children as their friendship was full of mutual respect and warm feelings.
Personally, I expected it to be a novel for older children (12-14 years old) and because of that I was disappointed with the number of descriptions and lack of plot development. It all felt just a bit too quick.
2.5 ⭐
My general thoughts:
The book is very cute and has a nice moral. It is supposed to teach children about the importance of friendship and make them curious about our Galaxy. I think a younger audience (7-11 years old) would be interested in reading this book alone or maybe together with their parents.
I also really liked the friendship between Olivia and Galax. Definitely a good example for all children as their friendship was full of mutual respect and warm feelings.
Personally, I expected it to be a novel for older children (12-14 years old) and because of that I was disappointed with the number of descriptions and lack of plot development. It all felt just a bit too quick.
April 12, 2023
A young girl meets a space traveler who can help her father with his terminal illness. In order to get the remedy, the girl must go with the traveler deep into the universe to help him bring it back to Earth before it’s too late. Author Moses Yuriyvich Mikheyev gives readers a sweet but ultimately unsatisfying book that follows a series of incidents instead of forming a cohesive plot in Olivia and the Gentleman from Outer Space.
Twelve-year-old Olivia Fierce lives on a farm in Kansas with her father who is dying from cancer. Even though Olivia hopes for the best for her father’s health, she can see him struggling every day. When a spaceship lands in the fields behind their home, though, Olivia learns the unusual occurrence could bring back the cure.
The pilot of the spaceship, Galax, needs Olivia’s help to retrieve the Black Ruby, a legendary jewel that has healing powers. Galax says the Black Ruby has the potential to cure Olivia’s dad’s cancer, which decides the matter for her. Even though she’ll have to travel “a million billion trillion” miles into space, according to Galax, the bending of physics will allow her to come back in time to help her father. To see him healthy again, Olivia will do anything.
She climbs into Galax’s spaceship, and the two are off through wormholes and into invisible oceans. The pair meet kindhearted souls on a planet where time stands still, and they keep an eye out for the evil Black Priests who also want the gem. Along the way, Olivia learns she is the princess of Blue Earth—the name given this planet by other-worldly travelers—and she alone can read the treasure map that will take her and Galax straight to the ruby. They just have to make sure the Black Priests don’t beat them to it.
Author Moses Yuriyvich Mikheyev builds a narrative that includes a sweet, almost deferential relationship between Olivia and Galax. The two travel side by side and support one another through all their ups and downs. Mikheyev offers several evergreen life lessons in the book, such as the necessity of close friends and how family members always believe in one another.
As an adventure story, however, the book doesn’t work. Olivia and Galax never find themselves in grave danger. They also never run into any serious obstacles keeping them from their goal. Their travels take them to interesting locations, but at times these scenes feel more like an itinerary rather than a well-plotted novel. Random facts about animals and the world thrown into the book feel more like it’s being used as a textbook in those moments, and the promise of the treasure map that Olivia finds or the threat of the Black Priests is severely underwhelming.
Galax’s respectful behavior toward Olivia is refreshing, but their relationship overall is somewhat confusing. Readers may not be sure whether Galax is Olivia’s tour guide, bodyguard, chauffeur, or something else. Publicity materials tout this novel as perfect for fans of A Wrinkle in Time or The Little Prince, but the book doesn’t have the same sense of urgency as other adventure stories.
Twelve-year-old Olivia Fierce lives on a farm in Kansas with her father who is dying from cancer. Even though Olivia hopes for the best for her father’s health, she can see him struggling every day. When a spaceship lands in the fields behind their home, though, Olivia learns the unusual occurrence could bring back the cure.
The pilot of the spaceship, Galax, needs Olivia’s help to retrieve the Black Ruby, a legendary jewel that has healing powers. Galax says the Black Ruby has the potential to cure Olivia’s dad’s cancer, which decides the matter for her. Even though she’ll have to travel “a million billion trillion” miles into space, according to Galax, the bending of physics will allow her to come back in time to help her father. To see him healthy again, Olivia will do anything.
She climbs into Galax’s spaceship, and the two are off through wormholes and into invisible oceans. The pair meet kindhearted souls on a planet where time stands still, and they keep an eye out for the evil Black Priests who also want the gem. Along the way, Olivia learns she is the princess of Blue Earth—the name given this planet by other-worldly travelers—and she alone can read the treasure map that will take her and Galax straight to the ruby. They just have to make sure the Black Priests don’t beat them to it.
Author Moses Yuriyvich Mikheyev builds a narrative that includes a sweet, almost deferential relationship between Olivia and Galax. The two travel side by side and support one another through all their ups and downs. Mikheyev offers several evergreen life lessons in the book, such as the necessity of close friends and how family members always believe in one another.
As an adventure story, however, the book doesn’t work. Olivia and Galax never find themselves in grave danger. They also never run into any serious obstacles keeping them from their goal. Their travels take them to interesting locations, but at times these scenes feel more like an itinerary rather than a well-plotted novel. Random facts about animals and the world thrown into the book feel more like it’s being used as a textbook in those moments, and the promise of the treasure map that Olivia finds or the threat of the Black Priests is severely underwhelming.
Galax’s respectful behavior toward Olivia is refreshing, but their relationship overall is somewhat confusing. Readers may not be sure whether Galax is Olivia’s tour guide, bodyguard, chauffeur, or something else. Publicity materials tout this novel as perfect for fans of A Wrinkle in Time or The Little Prince, but the book doesn’t have the same sense of urgency as other adventure stories.
January 27, 2023
When six-year-old Olivia finds a glowing treasure map that only she can see, she has no idea what it means. But seven years later, when a spaceship lands in the wheatfields behind the farmhouse where she lives with her dad, she discovers she has an important destiny to fulfill. According to Galax, the boy in the ship, she is the Princess of Blue Earth. Only she can lead the pair to the Black Ruby, which has the power to heal anything—including her father’s cancer. The pair set out into space where they explore magical and ethereal beauty. But on their quest, they face threats from six Black Priests who could take everything away. Only friendship has the power to transcend time and space.
I really enjoyed reading this short book! Of course, it's sci-fi, and the concept is far-fetched. But it prompted me to dream. I found myself imagining what it would be like to travel to those far-away places with Olivia and Galax.
In places, the book feels a little preachy. And I noticed a few plot holes where a destination was mentioned once and then skipped over. However, I really enjoyed the message of this book. The themes of friendship, hope, teamwork, courage, self-worth, and love touched my emotions. I would definitely read more novels by the author.
Some of my favorite quotes:
“We all start out knowing magic. We are born with whirlwinds, forest fires, and comets inside us. We are born able to sing to birds and read the clouds and see our destiny in grains of sand. But then we get the magic educated right out of our souls. We get it churched out, spanked out, washed out, and combed out. We get put on the straight and narrow and told to be responsible. Told to act our age. Told to grow up, for God’s sake. And you know why we were told that? Because the people doing the telling were afraid of our wildness and youth, and because the magic we knew made them ashamed and sad of what they’d allowed to whither in themselves”— Robert McCammon
I suppose that’s why children grow up— to discover new things and to teach adults new ways.
It’s a home because there’s love in it.
“I am famous.”“But how?” I asked. “I’m famous to me.”
“But what if your life isn’t a good story?” He thought for a moment. “Well, then—” he began. “It is why it’s important to not only tell good stories, but to lead a life worth telling stories about.”
There’s no point in doubting yourself. You are what you’ll become. You’ll be what you always were: a majestic princess.
I really enjoyed reading this short book! Of course, it's sci-fi, and the concept is far-fetched. But it prompted me to dream. I found myself imagining what it would be like to travel to those far-away places with Olivia and Galax.
In places, the book feels a little preachy. And I noticed a few plot holes where a destination was mentioned once and then skipped over. However, I really enjoyed the message of this book. The themes of friendship, hope, teamwork, courage, self-worth, and love touched my emotions. I would definitely read more novels by the author.
Some of my favorite quotes:
“We all start out knowing magic. We are born with whirlwinds, forest fires, and comets inside us. We are born able to sing to birds and read the clouds and see our destiny in grains of sand. But then we get the magic educated right out of our souls. We get it churched out, spanked out, washed out, and combed out. We get put on the straight and narrow and told to be responsible. Told to act our age. Told to grow up, for God’s sake. And you know why we were told that? Because the people doing the telling were afraid of our wildness and youth, and because the magic we knew made them ashamed and sad of what they’d allowed to whither in themselves”— Robert McCammon
I suppose that’s why children grow up— to discover new things and to teach adults new ways.
It’s a home because there’s love in it.
“I am famous.”“But how?” I asked. “I’m famous to me.”
“But what if your life isn’t a good story?” He thought for a moment. “Well, then—” he began. “It is why it’s important to not only tell good stories, but to lead a life worth telling stories about.”
There’s no point in doubting yourself. You are what you’ll become. You’ll be what you always were: a majestic princess.
April 13, 2023
If one chooses to believe in it, magic can be one of the most powerful forces in the universe. Almost thirteen-year-old Olivia Fierce lives on a Kansas farm with her dad and her dog, and though she hates to admit it, Olivia sometimes struggles to sleep at night because of a plethora of fears that keep her awake. One such night, Olivia observes an object falling out of the sky and landing near her home—an object that turns out to be a spaceship—and the pilot who emerges from it is different from what she initially expects. When she discovers that the pilot, Galax, has skills that could preserve her father's life and that Olivia alone possesses the ability to find the magical Black Ruby Galax needs in order to do so, Olivia and Galax must team up to travel the universe in search of it. This relatively brief middle grade story resonates with creativity and magic and unfolds much like a version of The Alchemist written for younger readers. Because of its brevity, the story lacks depth in many ways, but it is nonetheless an enjoyable adventure. Told in the first person from Olivia's perspective, this narrative connects easily with readers, and they will appreciate the truth and honesty inherent to Olivia's character. The narrative is poetic in style, and readers familiar with A Wrinkle in Time will recognize similar themes in this book, as well. Occasional action sequences pepper the narrative, but the book is primarily focused on themes of discovery and the power of goodness. Religion makes a brief appearance as well, though it is not an overwhelming component of the story. Sweet and imaginative, this is an accessible novel that will speak to middle grade readers who are in awe of the majesty of the grand universe.
February 26, 2023
This middle-grade book is a clean story of adventure that achieves more of an elementary school interest level despite the serious basis of the plot. Six-year-old Olivia must find a mystical black ruby to cure her father’s cancer. Fortunately, Olivia has the assistance of her new friend Galax who arrived in Kansas on a spaceship. Although Galax has magical powers, he can not transmit them to or do the saving work for Olivia.. He can, however, assist her in her quest.. This reinforces the value of friendship with others who are different.. Olivia also seems to represent the wonder that children feel in every day life and their vivid imaginations. For example, when Olivia discovers a mystical map in an indecipherable language, her father sees only a blank piece of paper that blew into her hands like trash from a school yard. The cover design reminded me of vintage movie posters for “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” and this book does have that space travel/ space alien element. The author, however, compares his book to The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, a famous novella known for its space travel with themes of death, friendship, and love. For me, that seems like a very ambitious comp title. As for a rating, it was a 3.75 for me since problems were resolved so immediately that the book lacked the suspense or sustained conflict to hold the attention of older children who read this on their own; my rating is rounded to a 4 to fit the star system. Parents who read this book to younger children will not have to worry about violence or bad language. Thank you NetGalley and the author for the e-book in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2023
Six year old Olivia is on her way home when a sheet of paper flies in the breeze toward her. She picks it up to discover a map and writing on it. She can’t decipher the writing but thinks it must be a treasure map. Her dad will be able to read it. Dad looks at the paper and sees nothing on it. Olivia is disappointed. Several years passed, one day looking out her bedroom window she sees a spaceship land in the wheat field. She runs out to the spaceship. It appears destroyed but finds the pilot and talks to him. His name is Galax. Olivia finds out that she has a destiny to fulfill in outer space. She will be taken to a planet to find the black ruby. The black ruby can heal illnesses, even her father’s lung cancer. It will not be easy to do. It is a dangerous trip that Galax and Olivia will take. Will they get to the planet? Will they find the black ruby?
The author has written a science fiction novel that will enchant the reader. The plot moves quickly. It gives a positive vision of unusual changes.Olivia learns that one of her gifts is observation which she grows to appreciate. This journey and adventure will change her. I loved this novel as there is humor besides surprises in the story. She also values her friendship with Galax. It’s a story I won’t forget.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
The author has written a science fiction novel that will enchant the reader. The plot moves quickly. It gives a positive vision of unusual changes.Olivia learns that one of her gifts is observation which she grows to appreciate. This journey and adventure will change her. I loved this novel as there is humor besides surprises in the story. She also values her friendship with Galax. It’s a story I won’t forget.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
February 7, 2023
This book is compared to A Wrinkle in Time and The Little Prince. While Moses Yuriyvich Mikheyev is no L'Engle or Saint-Exupery, he writes with a nice whimsical style and has a solid imagination for creating a unique universe.
Olivia and her father live in the country where she loves exploring the wheat fields with her dog, Pirate. One night a spaceship lands in the wheat field near their house, and Olivia discovers a friendly alien named Galax. Strangely, Galax is already acquainted with Olivia's father. The two tell Olivia that she must travel with Galax into space to find the Black Ruby needed to cure her father's cancer. The journey will be dangerous because they will encounter the Black Priests who want the Black Ruby to use in evil ways. Olivia, whom Galax addresses as the Princess of Blue Earth, is whisked away into an amazing and beautiful universe with Galax as a courteous, knowledgeable guide.
Olivia's father's impending death is presented in a startlingly blunt way for young readers yet the interaction with the evil Black Priests is almost unremarkable. The central message of the book, though, is beautiful and is illustrated again and again by the interactions between Olivia and Galax. "Two is better than one." The value of friendship and loving, respectful relationships is repeated multiple times throughout the story. This is a cute and entertaining book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Mikheyev for the ARC of this book.
Olivia and her father live in the country where she loves exploring the wheat fields with her dog, Pirate. One night a spaceship lands in the wheat field near their house, and Olivia discovers a friendly alien named Galax. Strangely, Galax is already acquainted with Olivia's father. The two tell Olivia that she must travel with Galax into space to find the Black Ruby needed to cure her father's cancer. The journey will be dangerous because they will encounter the Black Priests who want the Black Ruby to use in evil ways. Olivia, whom Galax addresses as the Princess of Blue Earth, is whisked away into an amazing and beautiful universe with Galax as a courteous, knowledgeable guide.
Olivia's father's impending death is presented in a startlingly blunt way for young readers yet the interaction with the evil Black Priests is almost unremarkable. The central message of the book, though, is beautiful and is illustrated again and again by the interactions between Olivia and Galax. "Two is better than one." The value of friendship and loving, respectful relationships is repeated multiple times throughout the story. This is a cute and entertaining book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Mikheyev for the ARC of this book.
January 29, 2023
This is the story of a journey to find a cure for Olivia's father, who is dying of cancer.
Or rather, that is what it appears to be about.
The book is every heavy handed, making sure that you understand that friendship and working together are very important.
I only managed to finish reading this book because I wanted to see what would finally happen in the end.
Olivia and Galax or supposed to be racing to find this cure, they stop, along the way to jump around on the moon. (Galax is an alien who meet Olivia and needs her to help him find this cure).
I almost felt like shouting at them to hurry up.
Since it is self-published, I think that perhaps a good editor could have helped tighten it up.
The concept is good. It is just the execution that falls flat. And Galax saying the same thing over and over, and not disclosing information, and stuff that is important, and might have made the story flow better.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest reivew.
Or rather, that is what it appears to be about.
The book is every heavy handed, making sure that you understand that friendship and working together are very important.
I only managed to finish reading this book because I wanted to see what would finally happen in the end.
Olivia and Galax or supposed to be racing to find this cure, they stop, along the way to jump around on the moon. (Galax is an alien who meet Olivia and needs her to help him find this cure).
I almost felt like shouting at them to hurry up.
Since it is self-published, I think that perhaps a good editor could have helped tighten it up.
The concept is good. It is just the execution that falls flat. And Galax saying the same thing over and over, and not disclosing information, and stuff that is important, and might have made the story flow better.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest reivew.
February 18, 2023
Olivia's dad is dying of lung cancer, so when a mysterious being from outer space arrives, Olivia takes the chance to hunt for the black ruby that can save her father's life. Olivia and Galax travel through darkness and light, danger and friendship to find the ruby, but it turns out to be quite different from what they were expecting.
In some ways, this book reminded me of Le Petit Prince; there's the jetting through the universe in the pursuit of love as well as the creative imagery and poetic wording. This is a rather atmospheric book that takes pains to create fluffy pictures out of dreamy language for a solid mood. It still has some amateur mistakes, however, that distracted me, and there are a lot of things that simply aren't explained. Why is Olivia's hair so long? Who are these black priests anyway? What are the mermaids about? What happened to Galax's family? Overall, this was a cozy read that inspired lovely dreams when read at bedtime, but I'd love to see it developed just a bit more.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
In some ways, this book reminded me of Le Petit Prince; there's the jetting through the universe in the pursuit of love as well as the creative imagery and poetic wording. This is a rather atmospheric book that takes pains to create fluffy pictures out of dreamy language for a solid mood. It still has some amateur mistakes, however, that distracted me, and there are a lot of things that simply aren't explained. Why is Olivia's hair so long? Who are these black priests anyway? What are the mermaids about? What happened to Galax's family? Overall, this was a cozy read that inspired lovely dreams when read at bedtime, but I'd love to see it developed just a bit more.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
April 9, 2023
A sweet and easy to read middle grade/young reader scifi novel. Olivia lives on a farm in Kansas with her father, who we quickly learn is suffering from lung cancer. One night, she is astounded to see a spaceship crash down in their wheat field. She rushes to the site and meets Galax, an alien prince with impeccable manners and the ability to heal by touch. She then journeys with him into space in a quest for the black ruby, which keeps Galax alive, and would allow him the power to heal Olivia's father completely.
The greatest strengths of this book are the descriptions of the beauty of space and the different planets that Olivia and Galax journey to, as well as the focus on friendship and love. There's a lot of imagination here. The writing may not be perfect, and the stakes don't feel very high, but this is still a fun and enjoyable little story. I think that children who enjoy space and fantasy would easily get something out of this book.
The greatest strengths of this book are the descriptions of the beauty of space and the different planets that Olivia and Galax journey to, as well as the focus on friendship and love. There's a lot of imagination here. The writing may not be perfect, and the stakes don't feel very high, but this is still a fun and enjoyable little story. I think that children who enjoy space and fantasy would easily get something out of this book.
December 19, 2022
Olivia meets Galax an alien that has healing powers and takes her on an adventure to find the source of his power to help save him and her father. I liked the premise of the book but the relationship between the two main characters made me feel uncomfortable, hinted more towards romance than friendship and it's not clear how old Galax is, sometimes he feels like an adult, sometimes like a not very clever child. Even if they are the same age it felt to me somehow more sexualised than it should be, even if nothing explicit happens. In fairness to the author I noted that I'm the first reviewer to have this problem, so it might be a problem with my perception of the relationship. It's obvious that the author is a fan of The Little Prince, but not everyone can be Saint-Exupéry and it just feels full of forced quotable moments.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC
November 15, 2022
This was a quick middle-grade read. The blurb described it as a mix of "A Wrinkle in Time" and "The Little Prince". Having never read the latter, I can't comment on it, but this story did remind me in some ways of "A Wrinkle in Time". It was written more simply, however, and felt like it was more fantastical. Not that "A Wrinkle in Time" didn't have any fantasy elements, but you'll understand what I mean if you've read "A Wrinkle in Time" and then you read this book. Overall, I didn't connect with the characters much, but it was a fun little story.
I received an e-ARC from BookSirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an e-ARC from BookSirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 3, 2023
A cute fun scifi/fantasy for young readers. It's about adventure, friendship, and not being afraid to do things. Although the flow of the story was a bit lacking for older readers, it was still fun.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
January 16, 2023
An enchanting and well written novel. Great characters and good storytelling.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
April 15, 2023
Olivia teams up with an alien to find the Ruby stone a save her father. Cute story. Geared for young adults.
December 13, 2023
Set up with an exciting plot idea this book had every chance to be grand. Unfortunately, everything was just mediocre. The character development could have been more exciting. And because friendship was so important to the plot, it should have been more in-depth. The climax of the story, fighting the Black Priests, was non-existent and anticlimactic. Simply running away and still ending up with the grand prize just seemed too easy. Overall, I was expecting more.
February 27, 2023
This book has an interesting premise (and a pretty cover), but I’m afraid it falls apart in execution. A lot of the story is kind of muddled, especially in the details. Olivia is called the Princess of Blue Earth, but I never did understand what makes her a princess exactly. Her dad doesn’t seem to be a king of anything, and maybe her rare ability to read the treasure map to the black ruby is what makes her a princess, but it wasn’t really explained. The gentleman from outer space, who might have been about Olivia’s age, but it’s hard to say, tends to glow in different ways depending on mood, physical status, etc. (like the alien in the movie Home), which was an interesting addition to the story. However, somehow his glowing didn’t attract the attention of the bad guys, though Olivia could often see his face, hands, and even chest glowing through/inside his space suit. And they’re in a hurry to bring the black ruby back before Olivia’s dad dies, but somehow they have time to stop on the moon for sightseeing, not once, but twice.
I didn’t realize until after I’d started reading it that it is self-published, though I’m not against self-published books by any means and am a self-published author myself. I think the book needed more editing, someone to ask important questions (like why does the author write as if Olivia would literally float away on the moon? There is some gravity) and notice some of the more nonsensical dialog and narration moments. The author seemed to put a lot more effort into the settings, and while his imagination does come through, and I appreciate the brilliant visuals in some of the locations, I would have preferred a more cohesive plot and more developed characters.
Thank you to the author and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book to review.
I didn’t realize until after I’d started reading it that it is self-published, though I’m not against self-published books by any means and am a self-published author myself. I think the book needed more editing, someone to ask important questions (like why does the author write as if Olivia would literally float away on the moon? There is some gravity) and notice some of the more nonsensical dialog and narration moments. The author seemed to put a lot more effort into the settings, and while his imagination does come through, and I appreciate the brilliant visuals in some of the locations, I would have preferred a more cohesive plot and more developed characters.
Thank you to the author and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book to review.
May 20, 2023
We follow 13 year old Olivia who is living in Kansas with her father. She met a time traveler, Galex, when his spaceship landed behind her home. Olivia soon learned that she was no ordinary girl and has to fulfil a destiny set out for her.
The whole story is very cute and engaging. I can see alot of curious questions being raised by kids who read this. I feel that the story focuses on teaching children about friendship and love. Olivia and Galex’s bond is definitely very heartwarming despite their obvious differences.
This is quite a short story catered for kids so don’t expect there to be complicated plot developments. It may be a quick read for adults and you might think that there is a lack of plot but I find the pacing perfect for kids to read.
Thank you Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for the arc.
The whole story is very cute and engaging. I can see alot of curious questions being raised by kids who read this. I feel that the story focuses on teaching children about friendship and love. Olivia and Galex’s bond is definitely very heartwarming despite their obvious differences.
This is quite a short story catered for kids so don’t expect there to be complicated plot developments. It may be a quick read for adults and you might think that there is a lack of plot but I find the pacing perfect for kids to read.
Thank you Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for the arc.
April 13, 2023
What a sweet story! Definitely for younger readers but full of imaginative details about space travel, and having a gentle theme of kindness and friendship. Nice, too, to have a 13-year-old girl fascinated by science and geography. I received an advance copy and freely leave this honest review.
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