Okay, this one might possibly be my favorite. Nick is gaining confidence, and we're getting to see a little bit more from Seiji. Can these two just be friends already?? I am so ready for that! I'm so glad I finally picked these up, and can't wait to see more from this great cast of characters.

Such a fun follow-up to the first one! The writing and the art really work together well to create the excitement in these fencing matches. Plus, we get more from the characters in this one! We get to see more of their background and make them a little more human. Can't wait to see what the next one brings!

Such a fun comic! I'd heard a lot about this through Instagram and it definitely holds up. A diverse cast and great art, all framed by fencing. What's not to love!

Okay I loved this! I had a feeling I was going to, but now it's just affirmed. While at times, there is a lot of information thrown at you, it doesn't take away from the main core of the story. Plus, the voice is fantastic. I loved Bree and the way she takes on the world; it made the story even more exciting.

There are conspiracy theories, magic, King Arthur, and discussions about identity and family history. I loved it and can't wait until the next one.

While I loved the premise of this, I don't think audio was the way to go because the story is a bit difficult to follow that way. At least, it was for me. The narrator was amazing, but I had a hard time following along with what was going on, until the last chapter or so.

I wonder if I would have had a different experience if I had read the physical book instead. It would have been easier for me to catch who was who and what exactly was happening in this fantasy world. Maybe it wasn't for me, but I could see someone loving this who adores high fantasy. It also has great Jewish rep!

This is a sequel to How It Went Down, but it can definitely be read as a standalone. The content is powerful, especially given all the protests that happen last summer and comparing them to what happened last week in the Capitol. Everyone (especially white people) should read this, because it hits on so many points about the way the media affects these situations. I've said it before and I'll say it again: language is important.

While the content is absolutely spot-on, there were too many characters here to really get any great character arcs, except for maybe one or two. The multiple narrators definitely work to give a full view of the situation, but I wanted more character development overall. This is the main reason why this isn't getting 5 stars from me.

Still a powerful read, and definitely one I'll recommend to fans of Angie Thomas and Jason Reynolds.

How does Angie Thomas do it?? I read this entire book in one sitting. I couldn't put it down. Honestly, it was the prequel I didn't know that I needed. More in a full review to come next week!

My first piece of advice is to read this one immediately after you read the first one, so you don't forget anything. But other than that, such a strong follow-up to the first one. More thoughts to come tomorrow!

Read my full review at: https://between-the-shelves.com/2021/01/review-we-free-the-stars/ 

Okay, this might just be a new favorite. The characters in this are simply fantastic! I love Snap, Lulu, and Jacks. The way Leyh incorporates magic is so unique and interesting, and really fits all of the characters well. Everything about this book, from the writing to the characters to the art, makes it absolutely lovely.

Wow. Everything about this is 100% well done, from the timing to the writing to the characters to the magical realism. Brown hits home with so many aspects in this book I can see why it's getting such high praise. This is definitely one that should be on everyone's radar.