I've read all of Karen McManus's books and this one surprised me the most! Yes, there's a lot of information you don't necessarily need, but it adds to the mystery of it. The characters weren't my favorite, but the plot was executed well. If you're looking for a fast-paced, twisty mystery, this one is definitely for you!

Reading this because it was recommended to me and because it was an inspiration for the Fence graphic novels, which I love! This is no different, and I'm glad I checked out a bunch of volumes at once! Can't wait to read more about this volleyball team.

I went into this not knowing much about it, and just wow. Apparently I'm in a novel in verse kick, and I would highly recommend the audiobook (again). The author reads it, and it's done so well. The story here is heart-achingly beautiful, about a girl who doesn't really know where she fits in when suddenly, she's not close with her best friend Haitham.

Elhillo explores what could have been by going into the past. Nima's afraid she's disappearing, but maybe she just needs to confront what got her to where she is. There are gorgeous lines in this book, and you're sucked in right from the beginning.

This was fun and really had some great panels throughout. The action scenes worked pretty well, too. Overall, the story also reflects a lot of what's going on in our current world, just with people who happen to have superpowers. I think what will draw a lot of people in is that connection to what's currently going on in society. It's a great foil for that.

I know this is just the beginning, but I definitely wanted more from the characters. We're introduced to a lot of people in this, and I'm looking forward to getting to get to know them across a new series. There's a lot of great potential here, so I'm definitely interested in seeing where it goes!

This is one of those books that you could sit and read in one sitting, both because of the length and because of the writing style. Levithan has a way of writing that just pulls you into the story, with beautiful lines and a great story at the core.

I loved that this examines what happens when a child disappears into another world (like Narnia). While Aiden would have loved to stay where he was, he also realizes the real-world consequences of doing that, especially to his family. While I wish some of the secondary characters would have been given a little more depth, this was definitely a great foray into middle grade for Levithan.

I definitely recommend the audiobook for this because it's read by the author and I always think poetry read by the author is the best way to consume it. This is a story about broken friendships and learning to stand up for yourself. The poetry is powerful and there are some gorgeous lines in this. However, at times the story jumps around a little too much. But overall, great for fans of Elizabeth Acevdeo for sure!

 Thanks to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this to review! While I hadn’t read any of Gilbert’s books previously, this one hits on subjects that I often read a lot about. There are a lot of heavy topics dealt with in this book, and Gilbert tackles them head-on, making them feel real.

First, the cons. There was something about the voice that felt off to me, which I couldn’t quite pinpoint. There were periods of time that went by really quickly, and there were also sections where it seemed like Beth was telling this story from a time in the future. I think there were just sections that didn’t seem to transition well, which threw off the voice for me.

However, what is done well is Beth’s feelings and anxiety. She has panic attacks throughout the book and they feel realistic. There are some great discussions about mental health to be had throughout the book. What I also appreciated was Beth’s deep-seated fear about things changing because it’s definitely something we can all relate to. Keeping close with her friends from high school is her way of keeping some sort of comfort when everything else is changing.

There are also a lot of great conversations about Asian culture in this book. Beth is distanced from it, while Jason is not. Beth feels like she’s missing out on something because of this and it really leads to some great discussion.

All in all, this is a really in-depth novel that will give you a lot to think about. Not the most light-hearted, but important all the same. 

First of all, I loved the narrator for the audiobook. His voice brought the story to life, and the way he did different voices for the characters was great. It definitely really pulled me into the story of Nnamdi. This will definitely be a relatable story for middle grade readers who wish they have more power than they do. When Nnamdi suddenly gets it, he's unsure of what to do.

This is also a great example of working through grief, especially when someone is taken from you so suddenly. Nnamdi wants to take action and get revenge for his father's death, but he also realizes that getting revenge won't bring his father back. The way Okorafor deals with this within this book works so well, and it's one of the strongest aspects of the book.

I seriously loved these graphic novels because they just make me happy. Who knew that reading about fencing matches could be so exciting? For me, everything about this comic just works so well together, from the art to the writing to the character development. It's a fun, quick read, which is just what I was looking for after finishing Winterkeep (which took me forever).

As someone who loves the rest of this series, I had a difficult time getting into this one. Anyone picking it up be warned that the first half is incredibly slow moving, orienting you into this new world of Winterkeep while still remaining relevant to the rest of the world we already know. Cashore is known for her world-building. but there was a lot of information about the world and not enough about the characters in that first half of the book.

If you make it past that first half, the second half has what I love about Cashore's writing. Gutsy characters, intricate mysteries in politics, characters desperately trying to expose those who are abusing their power. There are actually quite a few narrators in this one, which also makes it difficult to follow the story at times. 

This can be read without reading the other Graceling realm books, there will just be background information on some of the characters that you're missing. However, I probably wouldn't dive into this one first, if you aren't familiar with any of the previous novels. I think the previous novels give you context, and I would probably at least read Bitterblue before jumping into this one. There's a bit of a time jump, but I think it helps with a bit of the world-building.

All in all, I think this book could have been shorter and still get its point across. I'm curious of Cashore is going to keep exploring this world, though, because there are definitely avenues she could explore.