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Review: A Sorrow Fierce and Falling by Jessica Cluess (Blog Tour)

Oct31

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: A Sorrow Fierce and Falling by Jessica Cluess (Blog Tour)A Sorrow Fierce and Falling by Jessica Cluess
Series: Kingdom on Fire #3
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on October 16, 2018
Pages: 432
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-half-stars

It's time for war.

After suffering terrible losses, Henrietta and Lord Blackwood have led their warriors to Sorrow-Fell, a vast estate where only those invited by a Blackwood may enter--and the ideal place to plan a final assault against the Ancients.

It's time for a wedding.

Henrietta nervously awaits her marriage to Blackwood, but when the ritual to become his bride reveals a dark secret, she realizes that Sorrow-Fell is not a safe haven; it's a trap. Convincing the sorcerers of this, however, is not easy. So with Maria, the true chosen one, and Magnus, the young man who once stole her heart, at her side, Henrietta plots a dangerous journey straight into the enemy's lair. Some will live. Some will die. All will be tested.

In this stunning conclusion to the Kingdom on Fire series, Henrietta must choose between the love from her past, the love from her present, and a love that could define her future. While battles rage, the fate of the kingdom rests on her decision: Will she fall or rise up to become the woman who saves the realm?

It's time for Henrietta to make her stand.

Hey, everyone! I’m SO excited to be on the blog tour for A Sorrow Fierce and Falling by Jessica Cluess (October 16, 2018 – Random House Books for Young Readers)! Without further adieu, here’s my review!

~*~*~

This entire trilogy has been absolutely amazeballs. This book has been particularly epic in its craziness and WTF moments! The revelations and discoveries have had me on the edge of my seat, and I’ve basically just been going “?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!” and “Well shit….!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” on my Goodreads updates.

Henrietta has grown sooo much from book one to book three. As I mentioned in my review of book two, she did have some stagnation in her growth; however, with this book, she really came into her own. I hate being super vague but spoilers, so let’s just say I loved her role in this story, the things that happened to her, and how her story ended. I was a little bit conflicted with two things that happened to her, but it worked out in the end, so it’s cool.

Magnus is literally my absolute favorite. He was THE BEST in this book for MANY reasons, but mainly one big reason. Again, spoilers – ugh – but.. READ THE BOOK AND YOU SHALL SEE! I love him, I loved his story arc, and I loved how his story ended. Like, it couldn’t have been any more perfect.

My love for Maria grew in this book. She was just absolutely brilliant – strong, fierce, powerful, etc. My only issue is, I thought she’d have a bigger role in the end game, and I’m surprised she didn’t. But I loved her character, and I’d kinda love to see a spin-off with her because I really want to learn more about her.

Blackwood… He had his moments, but overall, I didn’t really like him. And he did some especially awful things in this book. I don’t really think he redeemed himself in the end, but I think I understand him a bit better, and I’m.. at peace with him.. Mostly.. Another character I was meh on from the beginning was Rook, but I was shocked at how his story ended. Not sure I’ll ever get over that..

The deaths in this series have all been shocking and, for the most part, unexpected. I’ve mourned the loss of many great characters throughout this series, but this book in particular really “JK ROWLING-D” it. One death in particular broke my heart. Two other deaths shocked me because I didn’t see them coming at all. On the flip side, there were some characters that lived that shocked me, as well, because I fully expected them to die or (in some cases) remain dead.

The ending was insane and crazy and ridiculous and I still can’t wrap my mind around all that happened. Like I mentioned earlier, the revelations and discoveries were really mind-blowing in this book. I LOVED the ending, though some of it broke my heart. Yet I don’t think it could have ended any other way. I LOVED the “One Year Later” epilogue and the way it wrapped certain things up.

I highly recommend this amazing trilogy. The plot is beyond intriguing, the characters are epic, and the twists and turns will have you on the edge of your seat! I can’t wait to see what Jessica Cluess does next – she’s DEFINITELY going on the Auto-Buy Author List!

four-half-stars

Review: A Poison Dark and Drowning by Jessica Cluess

Oct30

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: A Poison Dark and Drowning by Jessica CluessA Poison Dark and Drowning by Jessica Cluess
Series: Kingdom on Fire #2
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on September 19, 2017
Pages: 432
Format: Paperback
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

The magicians want her to lead. The sorcerers want her to lie. The demons want her blood. Henrietta wants to save the one she loves. But will his dark magic be her undoing?

Henrietta doesn’t need a prophecy to know that she’s in danger. She came to London to be named the chosen one, the first female sorcerer in centuries, the one who would defeat the bloodthirsty Ancients. Instead, she discovered a city ruled by secrets. And the biggest secret of all: Henrietta is not the chosen one.

Still, she must play the role in order to keep herself and Rook, her best friend and childhood love, safe. But can she truly save him? The poison in Rook’s system is transforming him into something monstrous as he begins to master dark powers of his own.

So when Henrietta finds a clue to the Ancients’ past that could turn the tide of the war, she persuades Blackwood, the mysterious Earl of Sorrow-Fell, to travel up the coast to seek out strange new weapons. And Magnus, the brave, reckless flirt who wants to win back her favor, is assigned to their mission. Together, they will face monsters, meet powerful new allies, and uncover the most devastating weapon of all: the truth.

I need to apologize to this book. The beginning started out intriguing, but a little slow, so I accused it of having Second Book Syndrome. But I was SOOO wrong. The last 100 pages were SUPER EPIC INTENSE and had me GASPING AND FLAILING AND CRYING AND SCREAMING. I’m emotionally exhausted from this book, and I’m diving RIGHT into book three because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!!!!!!!!!

For the most part, the characters remained steady in their development. I think they grew a LOT near the end, but they otherwise were on point with where they were in book one. I still adore Henrietta, though I didn’t always agree with her choices in this book. She’s still bold and fierce and I LOVE that she’s … not what she thought she was… I don’t know how else to say that without spoilers, so.. If you read the book, you know what I mean. She defies a certain trope.

I STILL love Magnus and STILL want him and I Henrietta to be End Game. But, just as I said in my review of book one, he did have some moments where I hated him and the way he behaved and the way he treated Henrietta. I’m anxious, re: the way his story ended. And I’m nervous to see where it’ll go from here. I’m still a bit confused on how I feel about Blackwood. He was kind of an ass in this book, so I don’t like him as much as I did in the first book. But I’m still intrigued by him… is that weird??

I LOVED Maria. Right off the bat, I liked her but didn’t trust her. And then I had a super wild-ass theory about her and then I WAS RIGHT AND I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHAT THIS MEANS FOR HER IN BOOK THREE I’M SO INTRIGUED I NEED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!!!!!!!

I still don’t really like or care about Rook, and I don’t ship him and Henrietta. And I know it wasn’t his fault (not completely), but he did some pretty unforgivable stuff in this book… I’m a little bit curious to see what happens with him in book three, but I also can’t see him possibly getting any redemption, particularly after that one incident…

The revelations in this book – especially, as I mentioned, in the last 100 pages – were INSANE and INTENSE and CRAZY, but also super intriguing – and many of them made complete sense. I had another wild-ass theory regarding one of the Ancients and in that I was right as well and !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I LOVED Faerie. It was dark, twisted and creepy and I LOVE dark Faerie realms. It gave me Wintersong vibes, to a certain extent. Also, Holly Black/Tithe vibes.

Overall, this book was a bit slow in the beginning, but the ending absolutely made up for it. I HIGHLY recommend IT!!!

four-stars

Review: Katana at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee (Blog Tour)

Jul10

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Katana at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee (Blog Tour)Katana at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee
Series: DC Super Hero Girls #4
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on July 4, 2017
Pages: 240
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Get your cape on with the DC Super Hero Girls(TM)--the unprecedented new Super Hero universe especially for girls! Readers of all ages can fly high with the all-new adventures of Wonder Woman(TM), Supergirl(TM), Batgirl(TM), and some of the world's most iconic female super heroes as high schoolers!

Sword-wielding Katana isn't like most high school students--but with classmates like Wonder Woman, Batgirl, and Supergirl, Super Hero High isn't like most high schools!

In addition to training to be a super hero, Katana also follows the noble warrior traditions of the Samurai. Now an unknown source has given her the responsibility of guarding a hundred ancient Samurai swords--but why her, and for what purpose? With the help of Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Ms. Martian, and some of her other super friends, she intends to find out. But she just made captain of the fencing team, she has a huge school project due, and a villain with ties to her family's past seems to be amassing an army. Maintaining her inner peace isn't going to be easy . . .

. . . but Katana has the steel to save the day!

Award-winning author Lisa Yee brings this edge-of-your-seat adventure to life with mystery, thrills, and laughs. Move over Batman(TM) and Superman(TM)--the DC Super Hero Girls are ready to save the day and have fun doing it!

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Katana at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee (July 4, 2017 – Random House Books for Young Readers). This book was an epic, fun read, so I’m really excited to be a part of this blog tour! I hope you enjoy my review!

~*~*~*~*~

This series just keeps getting better! The plots are so intriguing and with each book, the cliffhangers get more and more evil! I love the characters and character growth. These books are such fast, fun reads, you can speed through them in a few hours to a few days (depending on your reading speed)! There was a LOT of mystery and intrigue in this book, which made it even more epic!

I really liked Katana! She was an interesting character with an incredibly intriguing and emotional backstory. I loved learning about her grandmother and her samurai legacy. I definitely had some Mulan vibes when we learned that women couldn’t be samurai, yet her grandmother was.

Another character I really liked was Miss Martian. She was shy and relatable, with intriguing powers – invisibility and mind reading! I wondered for awhile if she might be the main character of book five, but that ending has me questioning this theory. Whether I’m right about Miss Martian or whether my other theory comes to pass, I’ll be happy!

Speaking of… I’m still dying for a Harley Quinn story and a Poison Ivy story!! It NEEDS to happen and SOON!! I’m so curious about their characters, powers and backgrounds!

The ending was epic, incredible and emotional – it made me cry!!! And (as I briefly mentioned earlier) that cliffhanger was EVIL and I’m dying to get my hands on book five!!!

I highly recommend this book – and series – to anyone who loves the DC comics, as well as to anyone who wants to get into the comics, but who wants a quick and easy introduction to the characters first!

~*~*~*~*~

Lisa YeeAbout the Author:
 
Lisa Yee’s debut novel, Millicent Min, Girl Genius, won the prestigious Sid Fleischman Humor Award. With over two million books in print, her other novels for young people include Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time, So Totally Emily Ebers, Absolutely Maybe, and a series about a 4th grader, Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) and Bobby the Brave (Sometimes).

Lisa is also the author of American Girl’s Kanani books and Good Luck, Ivy, and this year’s Lea Clark novels. Her novel, Warp Speed, is about a Star Trek geek who gets beat up everyday at school. A Thurber House Children’s Writer-in-Residence, Lisa’s books have been named a NPR Best Summer Read, Sports Illustrated Kids Hot Summer Read, and USA Today Critics’ Top Pick.

The Kidney Hypothetical – Or How To Ruin Your Life In Seven Days is Lisa’s latest novel for teens. Lisa’s 2016 books include the DC Super Hero Girls middle grade novel series and the American Girl, 2016 Girl of the Year books.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

four-stars

Review: Batgirl at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee (Blog Tour)

Jan25

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Batgirl at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee (Blog Tour)Batgirl at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee
Series: DC Super Hero Girls #3
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on January 3rd 2017
Pages: 240
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Get your cape on with the DC Super Hero Girls the unprecedented new Super Hero universe especially for girls! Readers of all ages can fly high with the all-new adventures of Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batgirl, and some of the world s most iconic female super heroes as high schoolers!

Batgirl has always hidden in the shadows but does she have what it takes to stand in the spotlight at Super Hero High?

Barbara Gordon has always been an off-the-charts, just-forget-about-the-test super-genius and tech whiz, and then she gets the offer of a lifetime when Supergirl recognizes that Barbara s talents make her an ideal candidate for Super Hero High. Donning the cape and cowl, Barbara Gordon becomes Batgirl, ready to train at the most elite school on the planet, next to some of the most powerful teenagers in the galaxy. She s always had the heart of a hero . . . but now she ll have to prove that she can be one. Good thing she loves a challenge!

Award-winning author Lisa Yee brings mystery, thrills, and laughs to this groundbreaking series that follows DC Comics most iconic female Super Heroes and Super-Villains. Move over Batman and Superman the DC Super Hero Girls are ready to save the day and have fun doing it!

Praise for DC Super Hero Girls:
Sure to have wide appeal, this book is a solid option to balance collections saturated with male superheroes. - School Library Journal

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Batgirl at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee (January 3, 2017 – Random House Books for Young Readers). This book was an incredibly fun read, so I’m really excited to be a part of this blog tour! I hope you enjoy my review!

~*~*~*~*~

I’ve loved every book in this series so much and they just keep getting better! The plot was intriguing, the characters are likable/relatable and the writing is great! I really love that Batgirl doesn’t have super powers, that she’s a regular girl struggling to be a super hero while staying true to herself. It makes her more relatable and it makes you want to root for her even more.

I’m getting more and more intrigued by all the “super heroes” who become villains. With some of them, you can tell they’re not super hero material because they’re a bit (or more) mean and nasty. They don’t use their powers for good. But then others, like Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, are kind, funny and have so many friends. It just makes me wonder what the tipping point was for them. What made them “turn” evil? On a similar note, I still desperately want Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn books – Especially since, for the first time, Harley Quinn showed a different side of herself, more like the “grown-up” version of her we know from the DC Comics.

All the tech stuff in this book was crazy! Also, very realistic – in the sense that, we rely so heavily on technology, it would be scary if it completely shut down or starting acting haywire. It really makes you stop and think!

As I mentioned in my reviews for Wonder Woman and Supergirl, as someone who didn’t devour the DC comics, I was definitely a little bit behind on who everyone was and what some of the references were – though it’s getting easier to remember everyone with every book I read. As I’ve mentioned in the previous reviews, I think this book’s level of entertainment would have been upped a notch if I HAD read the comiccs, but I never felt like I was at a disadvantage because I hadn’t read them.

The ending of this book was the most intriguing thus far, with a very puzzling cliffhanger that has me eager for the next book! It was a short, fast read that I highly recommend to anyone who loves the DC comics, as well as to anyone who wants to get into the comics, but who wants a quick and easy introduction to the characters first!

~*~*~*~*~

Lisa YeeAbout the Author:
 
Lisa Yee’s debut novel, Millicent Min, Girl Genius, won the prestigious Sid Fleischman Humor Award. With over two million books in print, her other novels for young people include Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time, So Totally Emily Ebers, Absolutely Maybe, and a series about a 4th grader, Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) and Bobby the Brave (Sometimes).

Lisa is also the author of American Girl’s Kanani books and Good Luck, Ivy, and this year’s Lea Clark novels. Her novel, Warp Speed, is about a Star Trek geek who gets beat up everyday at school. A Thurber House Children’s Writer-in-Residence, Lisa’s books have been named a NPR Best Summer Read, Sports Illustrated Kids Hot Summer Read, and USA Today Critics’ Top Pick.

The Kidney Hypothetical – Or How To Ruin Your Life In Seven Days is Lisa’s latest novel for teens. Lisa’s 2016 books include the DC Super Hero Girls middle grade novel series and the American Girl, 2016 Girl of the Year books.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

four-stars

Review: Glitter by Aprilynne Pike

Nov14

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Glitter by Aprilynne PikeGlitter by Aprilynne Pike
Series: Glitter Duology #1
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on October 25, 2016
Pages: 384
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Aprilynne Pike comes a truly original new novel - Breaking Bad meets Marie Antoinette in a near-future world where the residents of Versailles live like it’s the eighteenth century and an almost-queen turns to drug dealing to save her own life.

Outside the palace of Versailles, it’s modern day. Inside, the people dress, eat, and act like it’s the eighteenth century—with the added bonus of technology to make court life lavish, privileged, and frivolous. The palace has every indulgence, but for one pretty young thing, it’s about to become a very beautiful prison.

When Danica witnesses an act of murder by the young king, her mother makes a cruel power play . . . blackmailing the king into making Dani his queen. When she turns eighteen, Dani will marry the most ruthless and dangerous man of the court. She has six months to escape her terrifying destiny. Six months to raise enough money to disappear into the real world beyond the palace gates.

Her ticket out? Glitter. A drug so powerful that a tiny pinch mixed into a pot of rouge or lip gloss can make the wearer hopelessly addicted. Addicted to a drug Dani can sell for more money than she ever dreamed.

But in Versailles, secrets are impossible to keep. And the most dangerous secret—falling for a drug dealer outside the palace walls—is one risk she has to take.

From the second I heard about Glitter, I was really excited to read it – it sounded amazing! And it definitely didn’t disappoint! It was crazy good, with an intriguing world, characters you hated to love and Aprilynne Pike’s epic writing. This book had me so enraptured, I barely took review notes, so apologies if this review is a bit rambly!

Like I said above, the world in this book was so intriguing! Modern-day outside the palace, 18th century France inside the palace – but with advanced technology. It was such a crazy mash-up that it worked beautifully and flowed seamlessly.

The characters in this book are not good people. They are selfish and self-serving and make horrible decisions that hurt other people. While reading, you’ll often find yourself asking, “Why do I care about them so much? They’re horrible! So why do I care?!?” The answer is… I don’t have an answer. But I did care – I cared what happened to them, even the manipulative and conniving characters.

Danica was horribly selfish, but I loved her (again, I have no idea why! Haha). She was bold, pushing to get what she wanted and needed in life. She didn’t care who she had to hurt and step on to achieve her goals. I’m still not sure how I feel about Saber, or their relationship. Sometimes I liked him, sometimes I didn’t. But he had a complicated past and I understand why he behaved as he did.

Molly was a great character. I wish Danica had trusted her more. I’m incredibly sad with the way her story ended. I also adored Lord Aaron. He was a good, loyal friend. Another character I loved was Giovanni. He felt like the only truly kind, selfless character in the book and I loved the relationship he and Danica had.

Justin was SO horrible, nasty and vindictive. I totally pictured him as Prince Theo from Guilt. Danica’s mom, Angela Grayson, wasn’t much better. I totally pictured her as Catherine de Medici from Reign.

The ending was CRAZY and INTENSE!! I COMPLETELY should have seen it coming – it was SO obvious. But it was still insane and I CANNOT wait to see what happens in book two! With the way things ended in book one, I’m eager to see where everyone’s stories go next. I HIGHLY recommend this book to fans of Pike’s previous books, as well as to those who love books set in the 18th century. This book was described as being Breaking Bad meets Marie Antoinette and it’s a spot-on description; so, if you like those things, you’ll LOVE Glitter!

five-stars

Review: A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess (Blog Tour)

Oct4

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess (Blog Tour)A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess
Series: Kingdom on Fire #1
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on September 20, 2016
Pages: 416
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

Henrietta can burst into flames.

Forced to reveal her power to save a friend, she’s shocked when instead of being executed, she’s named the first female sorcerer in hundreds of years and invited to train as one of Her Majesty’s royal sorcerers.

Thrust into the glamour of Victorian London, Henrietta is declared the prophesied one, the girl who will defeat the Ancients, bloodthirsty demons terrorizing humanity. She also meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, handsome young men eager to test her power and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her.

But Henrietta is not the chosen one.

As she plays a dangerous game of deception, she discovers that the sorcerers have their own secrets to protect. With battle looming, how much will she risk to save the city—and the one she loves?

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess (September 20, 2016 — Random House Books for Young Readers). I absolutely LOVED this book!!! It was a roller-coaster of emotions and I’m really excited to share my review with you Enjoy!

~*~*~

ALL THE STARS!!! THIS BOOK GETS ALL THE STARS, YOU GUYS!!! This book was so epic and amazing, I don’t even know how to put it into words. The world, the world-building, the characters, the writing – it’s all epic beyond words and DEFINITELY exceeded my expectations!

Nettie is an epic, fierce heroine. I’m fascinated by her powers and backstory. I’m rooting for her!! Despite her extraordinary circumstances, she feels relatable. She definitely went through a lot and she had a TON of character growth from beginning to end. I can’t wait to see what book two holds for her!

I love Magnus – he’s cocky, hilarious and fiercely loyal to his friends and those close to him. I was definitely shocked at some of his revelations, though, and even hated him a few times. However, overall, he’s wickedly tempting and definitely on my Book Boyfriend list. I REALLY want something to happen with him and a particular person, but I know the obstacles to that and I’m not sure how things will go, but I’m excited to see!

Blackwood was incredibly frustrating and obnoxious, especially in the beginning. But I was shocked to find that, as time went on, I came to like him – a lot! Some of his revelations were INTENSE and CRAZY and I can’t believe the bond that formed between him and MAN I HATE SPOILERS SO JUST READ THE BOOK SO WE CAN DISCUSS THIS, GUYS!

I REALLY liked Hargrove, though I don’t think I was supposed to! But there’s just something about him that made him entertaining to read about. He’s hilarious and sarcastic and like the crazy uncle everyone wishes they had. I wanted to shake him a few times, but the revelations and explanations that had to do with him had me like !!!!!!!!!

I adored Agrippa in the beginning. He was like everyone’s grandfather. And then… things happened… and… SPOILERS SO I CAN’T BUT GRRRR!!!!!!!

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I wasn’t a fan of Rook and never saw him as being a potential love interest. I just never really liked him and I can’t completely figure out why. I just didn’t feel he was an important – or necessary – character.

The writing is gorgeous in this book. It’s descriptive and it flows. The book itself reminds me of a mash-up between The Imposter Queen by Sarah Fine and Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. The plot was intriguing and only became more so the longer I read and the closer to the ending I got.

Overall, I loved this book so much, it physically pained me each time I had to put it down! I’m pretty sure this is my #1 favorite book of 2016 (so far)!!! I can’t wait to get my hands on book two and see what happens next! I HIGHLY recommend this one!!! You won’t regret it!!

five-stars

Review: Supergirl at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee (Blog Tour)

Jul25

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Supergirl at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee (Blog Tour)Supergirl at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee
Series: DC Super Hero Girls #2
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on July 5, 2016
Pages: 240
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Get your cape on with the DC Super Hero Girls™—the unprecedented new Super Hero universe especially for girls! Readers of all ages can fly high with the all-new adventures of Wonder Woman™, Supergirl™, Batgirl™, and some of the world’s most iconic female super heroes as high schoolers!

Supergirl is the new girl in school—and she just also happens to be the most powerful teenager in the galaxy!

After losing her home planet of Krypton and everyone she knows, Supergirl has made a new home on Earth, but she’s isn’t so sure that Super Hero High School is the right place for her. Wonder Woman, other new friends, and a kindly librarian make her feel welcome, but breached inter-dimensional portals, invading alien armies, and bad dreams shake her confidence. It’s not easy being a super hero and a high school student all at once!

Award-winning author Lisa Yee brings mystery, thrills, and laughs to this groundbreaking series that follows DC Comics’ most iconic female Super Heroes and Super-Villains. Move over Batman™ and Superman™—the DC Super Hero Girls are ready to save the day and have fun doing it!

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Supergirl at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee (July 5, 2016 – Random House Books for Young Readers) This book was an incredibly fun read, so I’m really excited to be a part of this blog tour! I hope you enjoy my review!

~*~*~*~*~

I loved this book!! It was such a fun, entertaining read. I really enjoyed the first book, Wonder Woman at Super Hero High, but I REALLY enjoyed Supergirl at Super Hero High. Everything about it – the writing, the characters, the plot – was epic!

I really liked Supergirl as a main character. I loved how klutzy and kind she was. These things made her feel very real and relatable. I loved learning her backstory, especially since I know a lot about Superman (and a little bit about Supergirl) from watching Smallville!

I don’t know if it’s just because we saw her through Supergirl’s dotting eyes, but Wonder Woman REALLY came into her own from book one to book two. She was stronger and more confident than she was in book one. Supergirl really envied and admired Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman could do no wrong in Supergirl’s eyes. But I also feel that Wonder Woman has grown and matured a LOT.

I said this in my review of Wonder Woman at Super Hero High, but I’ll say it again: If we don’t get a Harley Quinn story, I’ll riot! Also, if we don’t get a Poison Ivy story, I’ll riot!! I know from watching Batman & Robin that Poison Ivy becomes a villain and I know from seeing the Suicide Squad commercials that Harley Quinn becomes a villain; however, I seriously adore them! At least in this book series, as their teenage selves, I adore them! And I really, really want to get inside their heads and learn more about them.

There was a great quote in this book: “Unlike [Supergirl], they all seemed to fit right in and had everything figured out.” The context is that Supergirl was feeling down on herself and she was feeling envious of her classmates for “having it all together.” But I think the keyword here is “seemed.” From the outside looking in, Supergirl only saw one side of her classmates. She can’t know what they’re thinking or what their fears/vulnerabilities are. Everyone has them, even if we can’t always see them. I think this is a major lesson in this series – and an important one. People can look completely put together on the outside but be totally not put together on the inside. We can’t judge a person based on the face they show society because that face is only part of the story.

The revelations in this book were crazy and the action scenes were completely intense! I also think Lisa Yee’s writing was vastly improved in this book – and that’s not to say her writing was bad in the first book! Not at all. It was really enjoyable, but it was even better in this book. It was like Yee was more adventurous with her writing this time around and there was more “showing” versus “telling.”

The next book (which isn’t out until January – SOB!!!) is going to be Batgirl’s story and I’m REALLY excited! I LOVED getting to know Barbara Gordon in this book and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for her in her book. Plus, we’re almost guaranteed a decent amount of Supergirl, too (because of their friendship), which is awesome!

Overall, I really loved this book! As I mentioned in my Wonder Woman review, as someone who didn’t devour the DC comics, I was definitely a little bit behind on who everyone was and what some of the references were – though it was easier to remember everyone the second time around. But I knew enough and understood enough, so it was still incredibly enjoyable!

This is a short, fast read that I highly recommend to anyone who loves the DC comics, as well as to anyone who wants to get into the comics, but who wants a quick and easy introduction to the characters first!

~*~*~*~*~

Lisa YeeAbout the Author:
 
Lisa Yee’s debut novel, Millicent Min, Girl Genius, won the prestigious Sid Fleischman Humor Award. With over two million books in print, her other novels for young people include Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time, So Totally Emily Ebers, Absolutely Maybe, and a series about a 4th grader, Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) and Bobby the Brave (Sometimes).

Lisa is also the author of American Girl’s Kanani books and Good Luck, Ivy, and this year’s Lea Clark novels. Her novel, Warp Speed, is about a Star Trek geek who gets beat up everyday at school. A Thurber House Children’s Writer-in-Residence, Lisa’s books have been named a NPR Best Summer Read, Sports Illustrated Kids Hot Summer Read, and USA Today Critics’ Top Pick.

The Kidney Hypothetical – Or How To Ruin Your Life In Seven Days is Lisa’s latest novel for teens. Lisa’s 2016 books include the DC Super Hero Girls middle grade novel series and the American Girl, 2016 Girl of the Year books.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

four-stars

Review: Wonder Woman at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee (Blog Tour)

Apr11

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Wonder Woman at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee (Blog Tour)Wonder Woman at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee
Series: DC Super Hero Girls #1
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on March 1, 2016
Pages: 240
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

This groundbreaking new middle grade series follows DC Comics' most iconic female Super Heroes and Super-Villains . . . as high schoolers. At Super Hero High, the galaxy's most powerful teens nurture their powers and master the fundamentals of what it means to be a hero.

Wonder Woman isn't like most high school students. Super Hero high isn't like most high schools.

Wonder Woman is an Amazon warrior and princess. She has never left her home on Paradise Island. But she wants to be a super hero - the best super hero she can be. At Super Hero High, she has to juggle intense training, new friendships, and a roommate who shares every embarrassing moment on social media. Not to mention... Wonder Woman has never seen a boy before.

This is going to be harder than she thought.

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Wonder Woman at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee (March 1, 2016 – Random House Books for Young Readers) This book was an incredibly fun read, so I’m really excited to be a part of this blog tour! I hope you enjoy my review!

~*~*~*~*~

This book was twice as entertaining and adorable as I expected it to be! It was both hilarious and awesome seeing these future super heroes – and super-villains – as teenagers, just coming into their powers and their identities. Seeing them gain confidence and self-respect, while still making mistakes along the way, was empowering – it showed that everyone makes mistakes, but we must learn and grow from them. These important lessons, coupled with likable characters and an epic plot, made for an epic read!

I’ve never been a huge follower of DC comics but I know the main super heroes and villains (Like Wonder Woman, Superman, Supergirl, Batman, Poison Ivy, etc) and I’ve always been fascinated by them, even if I didn’t devour the comics and movies. Despite not being a devout follower of the comics, I was still completely fascinated by this book! In fact, it made me want to do some research and learn who everyone is – Their backstory, who they become (hero or villain), etc! This makes me think that this series will be a great way to introduce a new generation of tweens and teens to the original comics!

And honestly, I think it was GOOD that I didn’t know who everyone was. Except for the rare few (again, Wonder Woman and Poison Ivy, etc), I didn’t know who was a super hero or a villain, so I couldn’t judge them based on who they become. I could only judge them on their behavior NOW. Like, Poison Ivy was really, really nice! And I LOVED Harley Quinn! On the other hand, Star Sapphire seemed to be the resident mean girl and Golden Glider was like her second in command. It was nice being able to come up with my own opinions of these characters, just based on the way they behaved in this book and not based on their comic book alter egos. And again, not knowing who everyone was just made me want to do some research and find out!

On the flip-side, I think this book’s level of entertainment would have been upped a notch if I HAD known who everyone was and if I had been able to understood some of the references. Still, I never felt like I was at a disadvantage because I hadn’t read them. So whether you’ve read the original DC comics or not, I don’t think you’ll have trouble understanding this book or following along. If you HAVE read the comics, you might catch more and understand more. But I don’t think you’ll be confused if you HAVENT read them.

Like I mentioned above, I loved these characters. Poor Wonder Woman dealt with a LOT of culture shock and she takes everything so literally, which leads to a lot of hilarity! I loved Harley Quinn, Lois Lane, Hawkgirl and Bumblebee! I really wanted to like Star Sapphire but I never really trusted her (though she did end up growing on me!). I was indifferent to Golden Glider until near the end and then all the things happened..!! And then there was Cheetah.. man, I did’t like or trust her AT ALL! Of all the characters, I was especially fascinated by Harley Quinn. I really hope she gets her own book!

Overall, I really loved this book! Again, as someone who didn’t devour the DC comics, I was definitely a little bit behind on who everyone was and what some of the references were. But I knew enough and understood enough, so it was still incredibly enjoyable! I’m very excited for book two, which comes out in July, and I can’t wait to see what the other books bring in 2017! This is a short, fast read that I highly recommend to anyone who loves the DC comics, as well as to anyone who wants to get into the comics, but who wants a quick and easy introduction to the characters first!

~*~*~*~*~

Lisa YeeAbout the Author:
 
Lisa Yee’s debut novel, Millicent Min, Girl Genius, won the prestigious Sid Fleischman Humor Award. With over two million books in print, her other novels for young people include Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time, So Totally Emily Ebers, Absolutely Maybe, and a series about a 4th grader, Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) and Bobby the Brave (Sometimes).

Lisa is also the author of American Girl’s Kanani books and Good Luck, Ivy, and this year’s Lea Clark novels. Her novel, Warp Speed, is about a Star Trek geek who gets beat up everyday at school. A Thurber House Children’s Writer-in-Residence, Lisa’s books have been named a NPR Best Summer Read, Sports Illustrated Kids Hot Summer Read, and USA Today Critics’ Top Pick.

The Kidney Hypothetical – Or How To Ruin Your Life In Seven Days is Lisa’s latest novel for teens. Lisa’s 2016 books include the DC Super Hero Girls middle grade novel series and the American Girl, 2016 Girl of the Year books.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

four-stars

Review: A Midsummer Night #nofilter by William Shakespeare and Brett Wright

Dec22

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: A Midsummer Night #nofilter by William Shakespeare and Brett WrightA Midsummer Night #nofilter by Brett Wright, William Shakespeare
Series: OMG Shakespeare
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on January 5, 2016
Pages: 112
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, one of the greatest stories ever told . . . in texts?!

Imagine: What if the fairies and star-crossed lovers of the forest had smartphones? A classic is reborn in this fun and funny adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays!

Four lovers who can’t decide who they have a crush on.
One mischievous fairy with a love potion.
Total chaos in the fairy world, the human world, and everywhere in between!

and h8. The classics just got a whole lot more interesting. ;)

tl;dr A Shakespeare play told through its characters texting with emojis, posting photos, checking in at locations, and updating their relationship statuses. The perfect gift for hip theater lovers and teens.

A glossary and cast of characters are included for those who need it. For example: tl;dr means too long; didn’t read.

I’ve always been fascinated by Shakespeare’s plays. But, like many, I find them confusing and hard to understand. I’ve taken classes on Shakespeare, purchased “Shakespeare for Dummies,” Googled translations and even watched the movies. But I still have a hard time grasping the language. A Midsummer Night’s Dream happens to be one Shakespeare play that I DIDN’T read in school. And I never got to it on my own, though I own it! But I’ve read and watched adaptions, retellings, etc and I know the basic premise – which made me SUPER excited to read this book!

I found myself reading A Midsummer Night #nofilter more carefully than the other three books in the OMG Shakespeare series – again, because I haven’t read the actual play and was more intrigued and curious for this one than the others. I was also able to follow who the characters were in this one, better than I was with the other three, because I’ve read so many adaptions and retellings – Also, because I LOVE faeries, so I had no issues remembering who Titania, Oberon and Puck were, especially! Knowing who the characters were went a long way in keeping any confusion at bay!

I also found the hashtags in A Midsummer Night #nofilter to be completely hilarious. I mean, all of the OMG Shakespeare books have been hilarious – how could they not be?!?! – but the hashtags were ESPECIALLY funny in this one!

Overall, this was definitely my favorite of the OMG Shakespeare books – for so many reasons! Between being the most excited for this play and better following who the characters were, I was able to pay more attention to the story itself. That made it incredibly enjoyable! And, honestly, it’s kind of inspired me to read the actual play now!!!

Whether you want to learn Shakespeare or teach Shakespeare, I highly recommend this book. You’ll never view Macbeth in the same way, ever again! And you’ll (actually) enjoy reading it!

four-stars

Review: Macbeth #killingit by William Shakespeare and Courtney Carbone

Dec22

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Macbeth #killingit by William Shakespeare and Courtney CarboneMacbeth #killingit by Courtney Carbone, William Shakespeare
Series: OMG Shakespeare
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on January 5, 2016
Pages: 112
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Macbeth, one of the greatest stories ever told . . . in texts?!

Imagine: What if that tragic couple, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, had smartphones? A classic is reborn in this fun and funny adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays!

A prophecy from three witches.
A social-climbing couple committing a murder most foul.
A cover-up that spins way out of control.

and h8. The classics just got a whole lot more interesting. ;)

tl;dr A Shakespeare play told through its characters texting with emojis, posting photos, checking in at locations, and updating their relationship statuses. The perfect gift for hip theater lovers and teens.

A glossary and cast of characters are included for those who need it. For example: tl;dr means too long; didn’t read.

I’ve always been fascinated by Shakespeare’s plays. But, like many, I find them confusing and hard to understand. I’ve taken classes on Shakespeare, purchased “Shakespeare for Dummies,” Googled translations and even watched the movies. But I still have a hard time grasping the language. Macbeth was also one of my least favorite plays when we read it in High School and, to be honest, I had forgotten pretty much everything about it – the plot, the characters, everything! So when I first started reading, I found myself really confused, trying to remember who was who! Let’s just say I was really thankful for the character index!!

Confusion aside, Macbeth #killingit was hilarious and entertaining. Once again, the OMG Shakespeare books took a play that should have been serious and boring (sorry, Shakespeare fans! This one was boring for me when I read it in school!) and made it hilarious and entertaining. By breaking down the complex language into modern phone/internet speak (via text messages, group chats, status updates, emojis, etc), I was actually able to grasp what the play was about and follow along!

Overall, Macbeth #killingit was just as LOL as srsly Hamlet was! Though I definitely struggled with the characters, the content itself was easy to grasp and follow and I really ended up enjoying it – YES, I ended up enjoying one of my LEAST FAVORITE Shakespeare plays thanks to this epic OMG Shakespeare interpretation!

Whether you want to learn Shakespeare or teach Shakespeare, I highly recommend this book. You’ll never view Macbeth in the same way, ever again! And you’ll (actually) enjoy reading it!

four-stars