Jude Gwynaire

A blend of fantasy and sci-fi, Gwynaire gives us a cute story with interesting characters. There is a Narrator who pops in from time to time to tell us about his/her garden and the Garden underneath. This is where we meet Alditha the witch and her sassy Broom, Harper the talking owl who nearly flunked flight school, Skoros the wanna-be evil wizard (but isn’t very good at it), the Green Man (a walking tree), potato-farmer Tom (who happens to be a potato) and lots more. Oh, must not forget the dragons! Odiz and his beard had me chuckling. One day a giant “teacup” lands in their garden introducing Celeste the alien who is in search of some mysterious orbs that have been sighted in the Garden.

I enjoyed the interactions of the characters and the relationships that formed, especially the relationship that formed between Alditha and Celeste.

There were times I got lost and had to read portions more than once to grasp it. I wasn’t even sure what the Garden was. But this is not a genre I normally read so did struggle with it a bit. There were also a lot of characters to keep track of which I also struggled with.

Overall, it is an entertaining book with great characters that you will enjoy if you are a fan of fantasy/sci-fi.… (meer)

This is a sci-fi/fantasy mashup that has a little bit of everything. Wizards, dragons, aliens, nature vs technology. It doesn't seem like it should work but Gwynaire pulls it off with a soft, fluid writing style that is very sensory. Humor is subtly interjected and the wording can be amusingly playful. The message of compassion and empathy plays out nicely and certainly is packaged in a way I have not encountered before. The first several chapters can take some time to get going as the reader is introduced to such disparate topics and characters as well as the setting but as plot lines start to interact, the book steams ahead. Unusual but in a good way, this is a fun read.… (meer)

Everything was normal in the Garden. Skoros was away scheming in his castle, Harper was crashing through the woods trying to be a graceful owl, though not quite making the cut, and Alditha was being her regular witchy self. But all that changed when Celeste, arrived in her teacup of a spaceship on a mission to find her lost kin. Skoros sees her as a way to further his technological advances. After all, if he's the most powerful wizard he can make his claim as ruler of the Garden. But the denizens of the Garden will not be so willing to allow him to rule.

A week ago, if someone told me they were blending a world of magic and dragons with aliens and technology, I wouldn’t have believed it was possible. Jude Gwynaire has a talent for making the impossible happen with Aliens in My Garden.

As you travel the world of the Garden, vegetables, and minerals come to life. You’ll meet characters such as Tom the potato, a Gardener known for his talent at digging holes, and the Green Man, a gentle tree who loves to eat strawberry marshmallows. This brilliantly crafted world is filled with heartwarming characters that use their humor and wits to wriggle out of the most difficult of circumstances.

I think what truly makes this book come alive is the amusing comebacks from characters like Alditha, “You do know that people only understand about half a teaspoon of what you say don’t you?” When anything close to technical speech comes out, Alditha is quick to say what’s on the reader's mind and ask for the language to be simplified. It breaks the tension and makes you laugh as the two worlds, magic and technology slowly blend as the characters begin to understand each other.

And for all the humor it holds, Aliens in My Garden is more than just another story. It shows the reader that even though you may be different from your neighbor, it doesn’t mean they should be treated differently. By working together, great things can be accomplished.

This novel is a fast-paced, adventurous read. You won’t want to put this book down! It's a colorful and creative ride, taking you places you'd never expect. From spaceships to dragons, this has everything a fan of the sci-fi and fantasy genres is looking for.… (meer)