Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa

Posted on by lynndellwatson

41733208._uy2047_ss2047_

Menagerie of Japanese characters!
Thanks to Harlequin Teen and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa!
The book opens with a thousand-year-old legend of a sword known as Godslayer. Tatsumi wielded this sword when it contained the demon Hakaimono. Since then, the demon has possessed Tatsumi, who continues to fight for survival against Hakaimono. Yumeko continues her mission to the Steel Feather Temple but has been waylaid with her companions to try to save Tatsumi, even though a pact was made centuries ago that if Haikaimono possessed a person, that person would be killed to stop destruction that the demon might cause. As everyone tries to thwart the demon’s plans, he shows his power and what he’s willing to do to get what he wants. The plot twists as the rivalry changes and the enemy of both becomes the focus of all. Genno, the demon who wants the scroll pieces so he can summon a Kami for the wish to rule all, will be the focus of the third book in this trilogy. At times, Yumeko seems a bit dim but then she manages to pull off some amazing feats, with the help and inspiration of others; go teamwork! I also found myself struggling to keep names and descriptions straight and I’m sure that’s because I need to learn more about the Japanese culture. 4 stars for a Japanese fantasy full of a menagerie of characters!

The Lost City Explorers: Volume 1 by Zack Kaplan and Alvaros Sarraseca

Posted on by lynndellwatson

42458959._uy400_ss400_

Atlantis adventure, comic-book style!
Thanks to NetGalley and Aftershock for the opportunity to read and review The Lost City Explorers Volume 1 by Zack Kaplan and Alvaros Sarraseca!
Graphic novel full of gorgeous backgrounds, realistic illustrations mixed with a bit of the supernatural and a high stakes adventure! A father is presumed dead but may actually only be missing. His young adult children go with a group of friends to search for him and what they find is more than they bargained for! First volume in an Atlantean adventure series! Journal entries at the end of the graphic novel add to the mystery and built my curiosity for the next book. 5 stars for the action-adventure graphic novel series!

Queen of Ruin by Tracy Banghart

Posted on by lynndellwatson

51rjpejk1fl._sx331_bo1204203200_

Queen of Ruin by Tracy Banghart! I’ve been looking forward to reading this sequel since I finished Grace and Fury and the synopsis couldn’t be better! One of my favorite lines: With an un-Heir like snort… ! That description of Malachi made me chuckle. A lot takes place in this 325 page book, character development, action, power changing hands, and turns of fate. Nomi and Serina are reunited because Asa sends Nomi to Mount Ruin. Serina and Nomi share their experiences and are both surprised at what’s happened. The women on Mount Ruin are ready for rebellion and Nomi is right there with them. Asa shows his true self and as Malachi comes to terms with his father’s death and his brother’s betrayal, he uses the time to decide his future actions. Relationships grow, are torn apart, and change the future of Viridia. I enjoy the varied relationships and the story’s suspense the most out of everything else that takes place in this book. Dystopian fantasy worth 4.5 stars! I would have enjoyed more details about the relationships between Val and Serina and between Malachi and Nomi.

The Chosen by Taran Matharu!

Posted on by lynndellwatson

416pm1lmxhl._sx321_bo1204203200_

Twisted adventure!
Thanks to NetGalley, Feiwel and Friends and Goodreads (giveaway winner) for the opportunity to read and review The Chosen by Taran Matharu!
Cade has ended up in a reform center for juvenile delinquents because of his roommate’s theft. Cade attends the center trying to figure out how to stay under the radar. Six months into his yearlong stay, he finds himself on a cliff ledge facing a creature that wants him for a snack. The chapters alternate between Cade in the center and then somewhere else fighting for his life for a few chapters. Then the story continues with Cade trying to survive and understand his new surroundings full of creatures, people from the past and other creatures and technology that have no explanations. The codex is a tech device that Cade has never seen before and it answers several questions and explains that Cade is a contender in the qualifying round which is being counted down on the Codex’s display. The ending lays out the truth of Cade’s circumstances and all its complications. An unusual tale of a twisted adventure, 4 stars!

Under the Moon by Lauren Myracle and Illustrated by Isaac Goodhart!

Posted on by lynndellwatson

51o2fweo-4l._sx333_bo1204203200_

Awesome backstory!
Thanks to NetGalley and DC Ink for the opportunity to read and review Under the Moon: A Catwoman Tale by Lauren Myracle; illustrated by Isaac Goodhart!
This graphic novel is divided into three sections: The Dark, The Light and Under the Bright White Moon and tells Catwoman’s origin story of abuse and neglect. She lives with her single mother and various boyfriends throughout the years and, the last straw is when her cat is killed by the latest jerk boyfriend. Selena leaves home and after being homeless for a while, she makes friends and finally feels like she belongs somewhere. 5 stars for this riveting graphic novel!

The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout!

Posted on by lynndellwatson

81xcw60jful

Fun, intrigue, mystery, supernatural and sci-fi rolled into one!
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for the opportunity to read and review The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout!
Two teenage girls, Evie and Heidi, go into an all-inclusive club and while one is having fun dancing the other one is being interrogated by Luc, who’s being extremely rude. Evie isn’t the least bit impressed with Luc and tells him so. The club gets raided and Luc takes Evie to hide inside a closet with him, claiming to be protecting her. She realizes the next day that she’s lost her phone and it’s probably at the club. She heads back to retrieve her phone, to no avail and from there, the acquaintance with Luc grows into more. In the meantime, the Luxen invasion is described and Origins are explained. Luc and Evie are fun characters, each with distinct personalities and I thoroughly enjoy their banter. This story contains several mysteries, which build then unfold throughout the book. I love the author’s writing and have devoured her realistic fiction novels, The Problem with Forever and If There’s No Tomorrow. The Darkest Star is the first supernatural novel of hers that I’ve read and it’s just as awesome, showing how talented Jennifer L. Armentrout is! Even though many mysteries come into the light, there are still unanswered questions at the ending which leads the reader into the next book, The Burning Shadow. Supernatural mystery earning a solid 5 stars!

Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee

Posted on by lynndellwatson

34966859._uy630_sr1200630_

I read Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee as part of the Dragons and Tea Book Club.
Min is bound and determined to prove her brother’s innocence after he’s accused of being a traitor. She runs away from home in search of her brother Jun. On her way to stowaway on a ship, Min meets her Aunt Nari, who tells Min a little about her family’s past, things she would have never guessed. Min manages, through trickery, to get on a ship and barely survives an attack. While in the infirmary, she meets a young man’s ghost. This young man, Cadet Jang, died in the same attack Min was in and she assumes his identity and uses her fox charm to look like him. He happens to be on the same ship as Min’s brother Jun. While posing as Jang, Min gains insight into what may have happened to her brother and she also gets firsthand battle experience. Min learns a lot about herself and her skills and she’s praised for her engineering skills and realizes that she does have worth. Mild intrigue and mystery, 3.5 stars!

The Whole Wide World and Me by Toni Yuly

Posted on by lynndellwatson

51a7pasff0l._sx369_bo1204203200_

Thanks to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for the opportunity to read and review The Whole Wide World and Me by Toni Yuly!
Cute, simple and charming prose! Illustrations are reminiscent of Eric Carle because of the patterns, paint on paper and construction paper looking images and backgrounds. A sweet book with a strong message of uniqueness and belonging. 5 stars!

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

Posted on by lynndellwatson

42270835

Based on the true events of Florida’s infamous reform school!
Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday for the opportunity to read and review The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead!
Historical fiction novel based on the real reform school that horribly mistreated the boys who resided there. Traumatized young men were left to deal with the abuse on their own. The story focuses on Elwood and we learn about other boys’ stories through his eyes as he witnesses them. The prevalent racism harbored hatred to the point of punishing innocent people and sending them to this terrible reform school where even harsher acts of racism occurred. The abuse went on for decades and through several headmasters. After reading this novel, I felt compelled to research the truth behind the story and was sickened at the amount of violence and abuse that young boys had to live through. Some didn’t survive. I truly don’t understand how the adults took part in or witnessed and kept quiet about any of the abuse. What’s their excuse? The Nickel Boys is tremendously powerful, enlightening and tragic, 4 stars!

8 Souls by Rachel Rust

Posted on by lynndellwatson

9781640637948_p0_v1_s550x406

A haunting that just won’t stop!
Thanks to Entangled Teen and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review 8 Souls by Rachel Rust!
Spooky and ominous from the beginning; I was instantly hooked! Mysterious and recurring dreams about a house haunt Chessie; they have since she was little. These dreams were part of her life, to the point that she drew the house for her elementary teacher after she gave the students the assignment of drawing their dream house. Little does she know that Chessie dreams of a house where murders were committed over a century before. When Chessie draws her dream house scene, the teacher is worried and notifies her parents. She then ends up being sent to a psychiatrist. Ever since then, Chessie keeps her dreams to herself, even when she’s hearing voices. She finally confides in someone else and the two of them share the struggle of solving the haunting. 8 Souls is well-written, contains awesome characters and a haunting that won’t stop until justice is complete; 5 spooky stars!