Month: January 2020

BONUS REVIEW: Nameless Queen by Rebecca McLaughlin

BONUS REVIEW: Nameless Queen by Rebecca McLaughlin

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Crown Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Coin is one of the Nameless of Seriden. She has no “voice,” no power in her world. She is a thief and a con, trying to avoid the authorities who could execute her on the spot. When she was younger, like her friend Hat, she was part of Marcher’s crew. But she’s independent now. Marcher doesn’t like it and tries to cause her trouble whenever he can.

And Coin does NOT need any more trouble. She already has Hat fallowing after her like a puppy when it’s hard enough just looking out for herself. Then there are the rumors of Nameless who have disappeared without a trace. Not arrested, just vanished. And if that wasn’t enough she has a blasted burning crown tattoo around her arm. It appeared out of nowhere and can’t mean anything good.

King Fallow of Seriden has died. And instead of naming his daughter as the new ruler, he whispered some other name. And now Coin has the tattoo – and the magic – that marks her as the new queen. How could the king have “named” a Nameless in the first place? How would he have even known her to name her? And how many people are going to try to kill her so she can never officially become the Nameless Queen?

Review

This is part of a long line of displaced royalty/hidden royalty/forgotten royalty/fake royalty sorts of stories, and I am here for every last one of them! Ash Princess, Kill the Queen, The False Price, The False Princess, Ruined, and so many more. I love them all. And now Nameless Queen joins the list.

I loved this. Coin was what drew me in. She’s smart and sassy, scared yet brave. She doesn’t put up with anyone’s garbage. She can play the role and be what people expect of a Nameless, the whole time marking the exits, lifting the trinkets, and reading the room. When she is brought to the palace and is faced with those who see her as a dangerous inconvenience, I felt like she really got to shine. There are other terrific characters – a little band that Coin develops around her unintentionally – that I also adored. The characters made this book for me.

But the plot drew me in, too. There’s some great world-building with the magic the king or queen gets in Seriden. I enjoyed reading how Coin developed that magic using the instincts she had developed in her years on the streets. I read several other reviews that called the character a “Mary Sue” (someone too perfect, too good to be true), and I suppose I get where they are coming from, but I never felt that way about Coin or about how she worked her way through the trials she faced.

There are some terrific twists in this! I can see where the author could build a sequel out of some of the open pieces at the end, but for the most part this wraps up the story well. If there is ever a sequel, you can sign me up for it. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Lucky Caller by Emma Mills

REVIEW: Lucky Caller by Emma Mills

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Henry Holt and Co. in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Nina is in her last semester of high school. Her mom is newly engaged. And she’s partnered with Jamie, the last person she wanted in her group for her broadcasting class.

The early weeks of their show are rocky. Jamie is choosing the music for their 90s shows. Sasha works on publicity. Joydeep is their on-air host, and Nina is the producer.

The problems are hard to miss. Their host is wooden on air, they’ve had technical difficulties, and they’ve accidentally broadcast some language and conversations that should NOT have been aired.

To salvage their show, they decide to hint at a secret guest coming to the show. Nina’s dad, a radio personality, would be ideal to speak not only on the air but also to their class. They run into a few problems, though, when their listeners start making their own assumptions about the secret guest, and when Nina is reluctant to even ask her dad to come.

Review

There were several parts of this that I loved. There are some great laugh-out-loud moments. And I loved the game of pretend Nina and her sisters played with Jamie when they were kids. The climax of the radio show plot thread was fantastic!

But getting to those great moments took a lot of work for me as a reader. The development of the romance was slow, especially the reveal of the original fracture between Nina and Jamie. The story meandered a bit through their awkwardness and her mom’s engagement, and some of the radio things. I prefer stories with clear motives and goals from the outset. This story is more subtle than that.

Readers who enjoy a slower unfolding of the story – the pieces are all there, but you have to wait awhile to put them all together for the big picture – should check this out. And the big moment with the secret interview was the main thing that made the journey worthwhile for me. (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Game Changer by Jennifer Brown

REVIEW: The Game Changer by Jennifer Brown

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Hallmark Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Hollis Bisbee moved to Parkwood, Missouri after losing her newspaper job in Chicago and her boyfriend (and his dog) in one fell swoop. She’s trying to make the best of her new small town life. She has a job at the town paper, writing local interest stories like the new gravy recipe at the diner and the new hot dog roller at the high school stadium. She has a new best friend, Daisy, mother of four and baker extraordinaire. And if she can talk Daisy into it, she also has a true crime podcast.

Both women have an interest in true crime. And Hollis is watching her reporting skills atrophy with the work she is getting at the Parkwood Chronicle Weekly. So they launch the Knock ’em Dead podcast. Hollis is responsible for the tech side and the crime details while Daisy provides baked goods for sustenance – and baking tips for their listeners!

They don’t have to look hard for crime material as the town high school’s rival football coach was recently run down after a controversial game. Was it an accident? Or did the star quarterback – son of the local police chief – mean it when he said he’d kill the man if he kept stealing their plays? Could it be the man who owned the car the coach hit earlier that day? What about the assistant coach who wanted the man’s job?

But with the police chief insisting the man just had a heart attack, and Hollis’ editor refusing to investigate because of her friendship with the chief, Hollis is going to have to investigate this one on her own.

Review

This was so fun! I loved Hollis and Daisy as a team. They made me laugh a lot, and Daisy’s recipes all sounded amazing! (There is one recipe included in the book.) The writing is smart and funny; this was a treat to read!

The mystery in this was good, too. I was so frustrated that no one but Hollis was really taking the crime seriously. But the sleuthing and the solution all came together well. I enjoyed the budding relationship between Hollis and one of the local officers.

There were so many fun pieces to this – the description of Daisy’s family and her management of four high energy kids, the bad takes on the podcast, the banter over whether it’s a baking podcast or a true crime podcast, Hollis’ mom and aunt in Chicago, and so much more. I so enjoyed reading this, and I can’t wait to read more in this series. Cozy mystery fans should NOT miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Thief Knot by Kate Milford

REVIEW: The Thief Knot by Kate Milford

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Clarion Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

A girl has been kidnapped and the police have come to the Liberty of Gammerbund, and Marzana’s parents, for help. Marzanna’s parents have had “adventurous” lives, and they have contacts in the Liberty who might not respond to police questions, but would answer theirs. So her parents start working their contacts, investigating the crime.

Marzana and her best friend Nialla have been looking for an adventure of their own, so they decide to follow their own leads to try to find the missing girl. Teaming up with a ghost named Meddy, a girl from school named Emilia, and two boys, Ciro and JJ, they form the Thief Knot. And together they start looking for the kidnappers.

Review

I know that’s a pretty short summary, and it doesn’t say a whole lot, but this is a hard book to explain. It’s really best read for itself. This was terrific! I didn’t realize it was part of a larger story until I started digging into the book. It’s not a series, necessarily, but maybe more of a spinoff of the Greenglass books. And I loved it. Some of the history of the characters and the magic of the world was missing for me because I haven’t read any of the other stories. But I was able to follow this without those details with no issue (other than wondering about the stories I have missed).

I love ensemble stories like this. The Thief Knot crew is terrific – with interesting connections and skills they bring to the adventure. The mystery was top notch. Lots of great twists – one big one I only half predicted and another big one I didn’t see coming at all. It was so fun to read! I don’t know that I’ll go back to read the other books in this world – I can only read so many things – but I will absolutely read more books with these characters if this becomes a series of its own. I loved these kids!

This would be a fascinating read aloud for a classroom or a family. Terrific for mystery fans. There’s a slight “heist novel” feel to this that I loved, too. This might also appeal to fans of books like The Great Greene Heist (♥♥♥♥), and other heist stories. This book is targeted to older middle grade readers (ages 10-12+).

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

BOOK NEWS: January 14, 2020

BOOK NEWS: January 14, 2020

Posted on by Jaymie

I hope the new year is treating you well! Here are some of the new books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

This Little Dreamer (Board Book) – A celebration of historical figures who dreamed about making the world a better place.
Almost Time – A father and son story of waiting, both for a loose tooth to fall out and for maple syrup.
Boxitects – When two talented – and competitive – makers have to team up, can they work through their differences to create something amazing?
I Am Anna AND I Am Elsa – Little Golden Books about the stars of Disney’s Frozen and Frozen 2.
Little Joe Chickapig – A young chickapig dreams of adventure. Based on the board game.
Bread for Words: A Frederick Douglass Story (January 15) – How Frederick Douglass learned to read and write.
Fred’s Big Feelings: The Life and Legacy of Mister Rogers – Picture book biography.
Making Their Voices Heard: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe – The true story of how these two iconic personalities became friends and helped one another.
The Power of Her Pen: The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethel L Payne – A picture book biography of the “First Lady of the Black Press.”
The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver – A picture book biography of George Washington Carver, including information about the secret garden where he learned about nature and life cycles.
Finding Tinker Bell: The Last Journey – Book 6 in the Finding Tinker Bell portion of the Disney Never Girls series. The girls have found Tinker Bell, but they aren’t sure they will be able to get off Shadow Island and get back home.
Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business AND the Lunar New Year Parade – Books 1 and 2 in the Mindy Kim series of early chapter books focusing on an Asian-American girl and her culture. These look terrific!
Princess Pulverizer: Yo Ho, Yo NO! – Book 8 in this series about a princess on a series of quests to help her become a knight. Princess Pulverizer puts her Quest for Kindness at risk in order to save a mermaid captured by a pirate.
Stella Diaz Never Gives Up – Book 2 in the Stella Diaz series. A girl on vacation in Mexico learns about the environment and wants to save the ocean.

Books for Older Kids/Teens

Brina the Cat: The Gang of the Feline Sun – First in a new graphic novel series about a domestic cat who meets some strays on vacation and has to decide if she is going to stay with the strays or return to her family.
From the Desk of Zoe Washington – A girl preparing for a baking challenge is secretly investigating the crime that put her father in prison – the one he says he didn’t commit. I’ve asked for this one at the library – sounds great!
Go With the Flow (Older Middle Grade – Graphic Novel) – A group of high school sophomores start a “menstruation revolution” at their high school. This sounds like an older version of Revenge of the Red Club (♥♥♥♥♥). I have this on my list.
Nancy Drew Diaries: Hidden Pictures – Book 19 in the series. Nancy and her friends stumble onto a mystery around some old photographs and missing tourists.
Nessie Quest – A girl forced to spend her summer in Scotland teams up with a local kid to investigate the Loch Ness Monster. This sounds cute!
Pixie Pushes On (Older Middle Grade) – A novel set in the 1940s about a girl growing up on a farm, missing her sister who is in quarantine because of polio, and who learns to soften her rough edges by raising a runt baby lamb.
Race to the Sun – New from Rick Riordan’s imprint for mythology tales, this one focused on Native American culture. Nizhoni, her brother and a friend are drawn into a battle with monsters when her father disappears, leaving behind a note that only says, “Run!”
The Thief Knot: A Greenglass House Story – A group of kid detectives work together to solve a kidnapping.
The Unicorn Rescue Society: The Chupacabras of the Rio Grande – Book 4 in this fantasy series. This time the team is looking for a chupacabra.
Trailblazers: Albert Einstein: The Greatest Mind in Physics – Middle grade biography.

Books for Teens/Young Adults

Dark and Deepest Red – When a pair of shoes seal to a girl’s feet and make her dance uncontrollably, she is drawn to a young man whose family has a history with those same shoes. This sounds fascinating!
Finding Mr. Better-Than-You – When a senior’s perfect plan falls apart, starting with her admission to college and her “perfect” boyfriend breaking up with her, the teen teams up with her best friends to salvage her senior year and her future.
Infinity Son – First in a new series. Two brothers, growing up in a magical world. One longs for the power to join the vigilantes working to put down magic-stealers; the other only wants the fighting to stop. When the peacemaker is the brother to manifest powers, it puts the siblings at odds while he is in the greatest danger of his life. This sounds amazing!
The King’s Questioner – A young man with the power to unlock secrets and memories from the minds of the king’s enemies uses his power – at the King’s request – to save the prince. But while he is in the prince’s mind, he discovers a secret that could destroy the kingdom. That sounds amazing, too.
Lucky Caller – A teen taking radio broadcasting her senior year finds herself in over her head as her “team” is a disaster, they have dueling fandoms gunning for them, and the one person she wanted to avoid for the rest of her life is right in the middle of it with her.
Spartan Destiny – Book 3 in the Mythos Academy spin off series about a girl, hated by her peers because of her parents’ choices. But she may be the only one with the power to save the world from the trouble that is coming. I have this fantasy series – and the original – on my TBR list.
Strange Exit – A teen who is part of a virtual reality simulation must convince the others she finds that they are in this sim in order to wake them up from it so they can get off the ship where they are in stasis. She convinces another teen, but he becomes convinced that they should figure out who should be saved and who should be sacrificed for the greater good. Soon the two are working against one another to get to the heart of the sim where they will find salvation – or destruction. This sounds amazing!!
What Are Friends For? – In a “harmless” kissing game, a girl ends up kissing her best friend – and it’s amazing. She convinces him that he was kissing someone else because she doesn’t want to ruin their friendship. But now she can’t stop thinking about that kiss.

Books for Adults

A Beginning at the End (Hardcover) – A handful of people work together in the aftermath of a pandemic that wiped out much of the world’s population. And they will need one another desperately when rumors of another outbreak start to spread
Archangel Rising (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Archangel One series. This book is currently free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers as is book one. Archangel Squadron has been instructed to “go rogue” and infiltrate the Empire so humanity can have every chance of surviving the inevitable coming war. Both books sound amazing!
The Better Liar (Hardcover) – A woman hides the death of her sister in order to get both shares of an inheritance because her father set things up so that they inherit together or not at all. So she finds someone to pose as her sister in order to get the money, but both women are keeping secrets and it’s not clear which of them is the more dangerous. A twisty thriller!
Chaos in California (e-book) – Book 3 in the Accidentally Undercover mystery series. The two friends are still on the run, but they stumble into another mystery, this time on a cannabis farm.
The Court of Mortals (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Stariel series about a magical land in need of a leader, the black sheep of the royal family, and the dangerous fae, returning to the land of mortals. This series is supposed to be a mix of fantasy and mystery and romance, and I am here for it. Sounds terrific! The first two books in this series are currently available to read for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.
The Innkeeper’s Bride(Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Amish Brides of Birch Creek series. A young man whose family has opened an inn is happy to have Selah working there, but he isn’t interested in being matchmade – or reminded of his past.
The Last Sister (Trade Paperback) – First in the Columbia River series. This book is available to read for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. When their father was murdered, it tore their family apart. Their mother killed herself and the oldest of the three sisters disappeared. Now, 20 years later, the FBI is investigating a similar crime. Is it possible that the remaining two sisters – or the missing oldest one – know more than they’re telling? Or are they truly victims in the whole thing? This sounds fantastic, too!
A Longer Fall (Hardcover) – The sequel to An Easy Death (♥♥♥½) by Charlaine Harris, an alternate history-western. This time, Gunnie Rose is hired to protect a crate on a journey across the country, but what was supposed to be a simple task ends in massacre. Gunnie goes undercover to retrieve the stolen crate.
Love Her or Lose Her (Trade Paperback) – Sequel to Fix Her Up (♥♥♥♥) in the Hot & Hammered series. When her husband returns from the service, Rosie is afraid their marriage will never again be like it was before. She never expected him to agree to “marriage book camp,” but it might be just what their relationship needs. Sensitive readers should be aware that the content of the first book was quite explicit – even moreso than I’ve come to expect in romance books these days.
Much Ado About Nutmeg (Trade Paperback) – Book 6 in the Pancake House mystery series. When an unpopular sports reporter comes to town, stirring up trouble during the Golden Oldies Games, no one is really surprised when she ends up dead.
The St. Francis Society of Wayward Pets (Trade Paperback) – After a string of bad luck, a woman jumps at the chance for a fresh start when her birth mother leaves her a home in a new town. This sound excellent!
Year-Round Trouble (e-book) – 14 original cozy mysteries tied to holidays throughout the year.
From Freezer to Cooker: Delicious Whole-Food Meals for the Slow Cooker, Pressure Cooker, and Instant Pot (Paperback Cookbook) – How to prepare and freeze food that can be cooked later in a slow cooker, pressure cooker or Instant pot.
Your New Name: Saying Goodbye to the Labels That Limit (Trade Paperback) – Discover your identity in God rather than in the labels the world might place on you.

BONUS REVIEW: Every Other Weekend by Abigail Johnson

BONUS REVIEW: Every Other Weekend by Abigail Johnson

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Inkyard Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Adam’s parents have recently separated. He’s angry – and a little confused. His dad left, but his mom helped him pack. She even made his favorite pie for him. AFTER he moved out! Adam’s older brother, Jeremy, seems to be rolling with the changes better than Adam is. He’s just so angry. He hates the idea of his mom at the house alone when he stays with his dad every other weekend.

Jolene’s parents have been divorced for awhile. Her dad had always been a cheater. But he finally left after he hooked up with Shelly. Her parents have turned fighting into an Olympic-level event. Neither seems to care about Jolene except as a pawn in their efforts to make the other person as miserable as humanly possible. Jolene’s dad lives next door to Adam’s dad in a crappy apartment. So Jolene sees Adam when she stays there every other weekend.

Over time, as Jolene and Adam get closer, they open up to one another about the struggles in their families. But what sort of relationship can develop between two people who only see each other every other weekend?

Review

This was so good! I was heartbroken for both of these teens. Adam’s family is grieving. It’s been two years. His mother acts as if she has nothing to grieve while his dad knows they have to start to move forward in this new normal. Adam and Jeremy are left in the middle with their own grief.

Jolene’s family situation is worse. The things her mother does and says, her father’s absence, and the way both of them use her to put the screws to the other parent were horrifying. I was concerned how desperate she would get with the series of losses in her own life.

The development of these characters was excellent. Their emotions felt honest and real. Their banter was just the right amount of levity to balance the darker parts of the story. I can’t help hoping that Adam’s ideas about their future will come true.

This is a character-rich story. There’s no obvious goal or journey for them. It is the story of their meet ups every other weekend and the relationship that develops over time. It’s also about the ways their relationship with one another encourages and helps them with the other struggles they are facing. While there were hard, painful moments, I loved this journey with Adam and Jolene. Fans of the author’s other work (I loved Even If I Fall) and fans of strong character-driven stories should be sure to check this out. (Some language, TW: sexual assault)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Wonder Woman: Warbringer (Graphic Novel) by Leigh Bardugo

REVIEW: Wonder Woman: Warbringer (Graphic Novel) by Leigh Bardugo

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgally and DC Comics in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, fashioned a daughter out of clay, and the goddesses gave the girl life and many powers. Some of the Amazons don’t trust Diana, or what her existence might mean for the the island and their people. But Diana is determined to prove herself to everyone – the doubters, her mother and herself – by winning an epic race.

An accident occurs during the race, and Diana breaks one of the most basic rules of Themyscira – she rescues a human named Alia and brings her to the island. This sets off a chain reaction that endangers Diana’s home and all who live there. The girl she saved is a Warbringer, a young woman like Helen of Troy who leaves war and destruction in her wake simply by existing. If Diana lets the girl die, Themyscira will go back to normal. But Diana is determined to save everyone – her family AND Alia. Which means she must make a quest to the human world to overcome Alia’s destiny as a Warbringer.

Review

This was terrific! I think this format worked for the story even better than the full prose novel which published in 2017, the first of the DC Icons books. While I enjoyed the full novel (♥♥♥♥), it felt long at times. I enjoyed the graphic novel format for this so much. This has a Percy Jackson feel with the gods and goddesses, an oracle, and a quest to fight monsters and save the world. I loved the contrast of the Themyscira stories and New York stories when Diana and Alia go to the human world. The art in this is incredibly well done, and it was easy to follow the characters and the story.

I enjoyed the identity pieces of this story. All of the teens in this are dealing with identity issues in and around the quest to save Alia and the world, Their personal quests dovetailed nicely into the larger story and gave this a deeper plot in that way.

This is a rich and meaty story that moves quickly in the graphic novel format. I highly recommend this for Wonder Woman fans, DC fans, graphic novel fans, and readers who enjoyed the original book. While I have not personally clicked with the DC movie universe, their recent novels and graphic novels have been really well done!

DC very generously shared some of the interior art for the book. Here are a few sample pages of what you can expect when you pick up this terrific story!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Keto Simple by Martina Slajerova

BONUS REVIEW: Keto Simple by Martina Slajerova

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this from Netgalley and Fair Winds Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary and Review

This is a Keto cookbook that endeavors to make the Keto diet easy to follow. Includes over 100 recipes.

Introductory material describes ketogenic eating – low carb, no sugar, no grains – and some simple guidelines for following it. Recipes are marked when they are dairy free, nut free, egg free or vegetarian.

Recipes are organized by meal. For example, there are 20 breakfast options including many egg dishes. There are also snack recipes, sides, soups, salads, dinners, things for the lunch box, and desserts. Most of the recipes include a full color photo. Several also give alternate versions of the standard recipe.

These are a little fussier than I personally tend to cook. I like to pick up cookbooks that have recipes that use what I often have in my house. A few of these include needs for equipment I don’t own (immersion blender, double boiler, piping bags, etc.) or herbs and things I don’t keep around (psyllium husks), but most were in the realm of possibilities for my simple version of cooking. I am also a picky eater, so while my husband would try most of the recipes here without hesitation, I would probably work with the 10-15 easiest and only occasionally branch out from there. I might use this from the library or try the author’s website for recipe options considering my peculiarities about cooking. But readers and cooks who are more moderately adventurous should definitely check this one out. The author has several other Keto cookbook options, so if you have worked with her material before you should check this one out as well.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn

REVIEW: Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Meg has built a business around hand lettering. Stationery, signs, wedding programs, planner spreads. She does it all. And her business is really taking off (Instagram is a huge help!). But when she needs her business most, as her roommate tells her she’s moving out, Meg hits a creative wall.

At the same time, Reid Sutherland comes into her life. Well, back into her life. A year ago, Meg had worked with his fiancée on wedding materials. But Reid was the only one who discovered the “code”  in Meg’s designs – a sign she had seen the doomed relationship for what it was long before he did.

After talking to Reid – a handsome but uptight, reserved guy – Meg gets the idea to scout the city for lettering inspiration. And she invites Reid along. Maybe their hunt will help her over her creative block and help Reid find some joy in a city he says he hates.

Review

This was unexpected! The lettering angle – serifs and type/font descriptions and pen preferences – was so unique! I’ve never read anything with a premise like this. And the writing is sharp and funny with GREAT metaphors. At times, the humor would sneak up on me in delightful ways. I kept reading Meg’s descriptions out loud to my husband because they were so clever!

In the early chapters, while the writing was sharp, the story unfolded slowly. That is something that can derail me pretty quickly. But as Meg and Reid started their New York lettering “games,” I was sucked into the story. And as their relationship grew and Meg started to grow and develop some backbone in her relationships, I was completely captivated. Her observations about people – and about herself – were fascinating. I couldn’t wait to see how things developed. The conflict at the end was unexpected (for me), and fit the story perfectly. I couldn’t turn pages fast enough to find out how it would all turn out.

I have read some delightful rom-coms this year – Well Met (♥♥♥♥♥), The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, Passion on Park Avenue (♥♥♥♥½), Love on Lexington Avenue – and this is another delight to add to the list. Don’t miss this one! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Diana, Princess of the Amazons by Shannon and Dean Hale

REVIEW: Diana, Princess of the Amazons by Shannon and Dean Hale

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and DC Comics in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Diana, princess of the Amazons, is lonely. It’s hard to be the only kid on Themyscira. She’s too old for her dolls and other things she used to play with. And she’s too young for warrior training or to be included in her mother’s work running the Paradise Islands.

While playing with some clay, Diana fashions a friend the way her mother formed her. She doesn’t expect magic to happen – like with her own “birth.” But it would be awfully cool!

Then her creation, Mona, comes to life. At first, it’s everything Diana hoped it would be. She has a friend to play with, someone her age. But Mona doesn’t want Diana to tell anyone about her. And some of her choices lead Diana to do things she’s never done before – like lie, steal and rebel.

When one of Mona’s “great ideas” puts everyone on Themyscira – and the world – in danger from monsters, Diana has to rethink her choices and her new friendship.

Review

This was great! I loved this new look at young Wonder Woman. Poor Diana is struggling as the only kid on the island. Add to that the fact that all of the Amazons are strong and perfect. How can a young girl live up to all that? And when the business of the islands consumes her mother’s attention, Diana is set to take a fall.

I think kids will see the trouble Mona is up to before Diana does. And there’s lots to talk about and think about in her manipulations.

The wrap-up is perfect – there’s a happy ending, Diana takes responsibility for her actions, AND the adults actually listen to her concerns and ideas and take action. I loved it.

The art work in this graphic novel is lovely. Kids are going to adore this. Mythology fans (and Percy Jackson or Kate O’Hearn fans) will see some familiar references here. And kids who haven’t moved to Percy Jackson yet will find a place to launch their mythology journey here.

Librarians and teachers should stock up on this one. It’s going to be a hot commodity in your schools and libraries!

DC graciously sent me some pictures of the art for this one that I wanted to share with you so you can see how great it is.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥