Fractured: Tales of Flame and Fury by Charlotte Langtree

4 stars Received a free digital copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was immediately engrossed by this collection of powerful women risking it all the save their worlds. Rich fantasy with splendid storytelling. Each tale features a fierce woman doing whatever it takes to save the world and the people…

Read More

Gravity Falls: Journal 3 by Alex Hirsch and Rob Renzetti

Illustrated by Andy Gonsalves and Stephanie Ramirez 5 stars A fantastic tie-in for fans of Gravity Falls. Such a fun read filled with mystery, adventure, and oddity. This replica of Journal 3 is packed with information about the original author’s research as well as the continued adventures of the Gravity Falls gang as featured in…

Read More

The Flower Garden by Renée Kurilla

3 stars A magical adventure with subtle themes of empathy and listening to friends, and the benefits of bees. Anna convinces her hesitant friend, Tess, to help her plant flowers so the bees will have food. They fall asleep waiting for the flowers to grow and wake to find they’ve been shrunk. Together, they embark…

Read More

I Am Not Starfire by Mariko Tamaki

Illustrated by Yoshi Yoshitani 3 stars A fun spin on the Titans. Nice mix of daily life and superhero escapades. Works well for those who are at least vaguely aware of the DC characters and are accepting of changes to the universe. The story follows Mandy, who sees herself as the opposite of her mother,…

Read More

Poorlier Drawn Lines (Poorly Drawn Lines #3)

by Reza Farazmand 5 stars Hilarious. This is the first of the books I’ve read, but I’ve read the comics online and enjoyed watching the show adaptation. Farazmand’s style is a great blend of optimism, snark, and humor. I really love all the reoccurring Poorly Drawn Lines characters he’s created. Perfect for those who enjoy…

Read More

You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P! by Alex Gino

4 stars A powerful read about friendship and family with an emphasis on the continuous learning and action against prejudice, specifically racism and ableism. Nicely written. This book tackles quite a bit. From police shootings and microaggressions, to dissuading Deaf individuals from using ASL, to family making (intentional and unintentional) racist remarks. While it is…

Read More

The Seven Chinese Siters by Kathy Tucker

Illustrated by Grace Lin 3 stars A sweet story following a group of sisters, each with a special talent. When Seventh Sister is taken by a hungry dragon, the others team up to rescue her, each contributing their skill. Lin’s illustrations are gorgeous. Dynamic artwork with splendid color and detail. While the sisters look similar…

Read More

The Seven Chinese Brothers by Margaret Mahy

Illustrated by Jean and Mou-sien Tseng 4 stars A beautiful reimagining of the Han tale of The Seven Brothers. This serves as a nice alternative to The Five Chinese Brothers with detailed illustrations and a full color pallet. In this version, the seven brothers learn that Emperor Ch’in Shih Huang is making people work day and night…

Read More

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

5 stars A powerful novel-in-verse that takes on the cycle of violence and vengeance. A non-traditional ghost story that follows Will who seeks revenge after his brother’s murder. The majority of the story takes place in the 16 seconds it takes to ride the elevator to the lobby. In that time, Reynolds grabs the reader’s…

Read More

Mimi and the Boo-Hoo Blahs (Mimi #2)

by Shauna J. Grant 4 stars Another adorable, sweet adventure with Mimi and Penelope. In this one, Mimi wakes up with the Blahs. Her pigtails won’t sit right, she doesn’t want her favorite breakfast, she can’t fully enjoy fun things, and she just feels blah. But with the help of her friends, Mimi can overcome…

Read More