Wow, this one really covers a lot of issues, but the main one is depression. The fact that poor Julia, the main character, is so sheltered and imprisoned in her home that she doesn't even seem to recognize the symptoms made me the most sad. This book makes me feel incredibly lucky to be in the position I am: a white girl who went to college with supportive parents, money to travel, a wonderful husband, and never had to fear having just cans of beans to eat. And yet she doesn't see herself as that poor. She knows her life sucks and she feels trapped by it, but the conditions she lives in are the conditions everyone else in her neighborhood lives in-there in the ghetto of Chicago.

Themes: teen pregnancy, death of sister, family secrets, when to lie and keep secrets to protect others, first times, overprotective mothers (to the point of damaging), suicide, depression, discovering who you are and where you came from, and being a senior applying to college.
PHEW. This book is a roller coaster!

I'm glad I bought this book, because it's definitely something I needed to read. I am that white person that doesn't understand what the teens I'm working with here at my job are going through, and this book, while it has some little unrealistic bits, is a window I needed, to see a bit into their world. Reading, when written well, has the power to really pull you into it and give you a glimpse through a character's eyes. So thank you Starr, and thank you Angie, for this book as I hope it's a eye-opener for many other people as well.

Wow, the anime sticks to the manga really well! Plus, we're like flying through the anime as this one volume was turned into about 4-5 episodes!
A couple of minor differences/comparisons: Chise looks a lot younger in the manga. Also, the anime does a better job with the background art and making things look more fantastical and beautiful. Hmm... that's about it so far!

I do love my Spider-man/Deadpool team ups!

We're just moving right along! Finished this and then immediately bought the 5 others that are already out and published. At this rate it's going to surpass the anime within the next volume or two!

I've never read Gotham Academy, so I didn't know any of those characters, but I'm always down for an adventure with the Lumberjanes! The plot was a little silly though and the pace was a little slow. There were some really big text blocks in there that really halted your reading.

Whew! What a good book! I agree with one review I read: the writing itself isn't stellar, but the topics this book covers are important! Like any teen book, you have to be a little over-the-top to get your message across loud and clear. I hope to God there's really not a high school out there that is as horribly run as this one was (but I went to a private, all-girl high school, so what do I know). But seriously, this is a great and important book for a teen girl that may see a lot of what's presented in this book: sexual harassment, corrupt teachers/principals/higher-ups they don't feel safe disclosing to, rape and sexual assault, and even smaller examples of practices that are "tradition" but make women feel (can't think of the right word, have to go back to work).

It was a great book about feminism in today's times and with our teens please read it okay byyyyeeeee!

More like 1.5 stars because it wasn't bad enough for "did not like it" and I hated reading it too much to even say "it was okay" so... there you go. This is the kind of book I don't really like reading anyway. Yes, it was very informational and educational about what the Syrian refugees are going through, even Afghan refugees, as the violence and war are forcing people from their homes if bombs and guns or the Taliban or the Daesh don't kill them first. But Angie doesn't like non-fiction. You have to be a very good writer to get Angie to enjoy historical fiction or realistic fiction like this. I couldn't quite get myself into the rhythm of the book since the writing was so choppy and blunt. Having it told by the point of view of Destiny was a good idea, but it hindered more than helped the book's flow. It allowed the author to write in the style of her true profession of journalist, correspondent, and reporter. I feel she wrote the book as she normally would then said, "Oh! I meant to write this for teens, better add in some flowery language," and then proceeded to go back through her book and tack things on.

Like the ending and the random kidnapping that is resolved in a few pages.

Also, the volunteer Alexia's character was...am I a horrible person saying that she was a "goody-two-shoes"? All her thoughts and actions were saintly and I feel awful saying that I disliked this character because the volunteers in real life that truly went over to Greece and gave so much of their time helping the refugees truly are wonderful, awesome people! But someone who does what she does, sees what she sees, is not going to be devoid of stressed thoughts, jaded thinking, and a selfish thought or two. Actually, a lot of the characters are like that. I suppose it's to counteract all the awful images of families lying dead in rubble, people being executed by the Daesh, babies turning blue and dying in the hypothermia-inducing waters of the ocean.

TL;DR If you want a book about Syrian refugees that was created for teens but reads like a report, this book is for you.

Not as creepy as the first, but better than the second, this is yet another spoopy story involving teens and spoops. This time it's a book that's acting as a portal for the devil and evil. Which is spoopy, but there's one HUGE flaw that was never really addressed in the book. Wiccans don't believe in the devil. Oh well, it still was a nice, quick read and a break from my realistic-fiction streak.