Lockwood and Co: The Hollow Boy by Jonathan Stroud

Summary from Goodreads:

As a massive outbreak of supernatural Visitors baffles Scotland Yard and causes protests throughout London, Lockwood & Co. continue to demonstrate their effectiveness in exterminating spirits. Anthony Lockwood is dashing, George insightful, and Lucy dynamic, while the skull in the jar utters sardonic advice from the sidelines. There is a new spirit of openness in the team now that Lockwood has shared some of his childhood secrets, and Lucy is feeling more and more as if her true home is at Portland Row. It comes as a great shock, then, when Lockwood and George introduce her to an annoyingly perky and hyper-efficient new assistant, Holly Munro.

Meanwhile, there are reports of many new hauntings, including a house where bloody footprints are appearing, and a department store full of strange sounds and shadowy figures. But ghosts seem to be the least of Lockwood & Co.'s concerns when assassins attack during a carnival in the center of the city. Can the team get past their personal issues to save the day on all fronts, or will bad feelings attract yet more trouble?

Danger abounds, tensions escalate, and new loyalties form in this third delightfully terrifying adventure in the critically acclaimed Lockwood & Co. series.

Review:

I’ve had a weird journey with these books. I fell in love with the audio versions of book 1-2 on my very long road trip to Chicago with my husband and dog. We basically didn’t want to leave the car because we had to know what was going to happen next. Then sadly, after downloading book 3 on the Libby app, we found ourselves with a new narrator. We could not get into it! Why switch narrators? Why???? We get that these things happen, but sadly then we switched book series and  kind of somehow forgot about this series until I saw a trailer for the show on Netflix!

I wanted to re-read from the beginning because reading the book is different than listening to the book while driving and some time had past. My wonderful husband gifted the whole series to me for Christmas. It was my goal to finish all of them before the show came out…..That did not happen. I finished the first two, which I had already listened to. Then,  watched the show, which thankfully only covered the first two books. And I have to say, I was mostly impressed with Netflix… hope they keep making more.

Now, I’m finally up to book 3, a story that’s totally new to me, and I think this is my favorite in the series so far. SO much happens in it that I feel like I’m still wrapping my head around it all. Lucy’s powers grow even more. There’s a new girl in the group who’s an assistant who actually tidy’s up the house….more on this later. There’s definite romantic tension entering the plot. And there are several big jobs the characters go on, all of varying degrees of importance to the overarching plot. I also have to throw in that Lucy and the skull/ghost in the jar are developing a closer bond, which I find interesting and at moments hilarious.

The only element to these books that I don’t like is the ever slight element of sexism. When listening to them, I was confused about the time period. The sexism and maybe British turn of phrase made me think they took place decades ago, but nope. They take place today, just after a ghostly disaster took place. And maybe that ghostly disaster turned things in a negative direction for women? Like if girls aren’t fighting with swords to the death along with the boys, then they must be expected to clean houses? And maybe it’s just part of Lucy’s character, but I really hated the antagonism between her and Holly. It felt so icky….Like I kept wanting them to support each other, not put each other down….

All that aside, the plot in this book was the best so far. There really was never a good moment to put the book down. The suspense was crazy. There was an ending that kind of punches you in the gut. And I’m itching to start the next book already. Also, some of the ghost stuff was so creepy, I’m almost afraid for what Netflix can do with this. All in all, it gets a 9/10.

Ain't Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds and artwork by Jason Griffin

Summary from Goodreads:

Prepare yourself for something unlike anything: A smash-up of art and text for teens that viscerally captures what it is to be Black. In America. Right Now. Written by #1 New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jason Reynolds.

Jason Reynolds and his best bud, Jason Griffin had a mind-meld. And they decided to tackle it, in one fell swoop, in about ten sentences, and 300 pages of art, this piece, this contemplation-manifesto-fierce-vulnerable-gorgeous-terrifying-WhatIsWrongWithHumans-hope-filled-hopeful-searing-Eye-Poppingly-Illustrated-tender-heartbreaking-how-The-HECK-did-They-Come-UP-with-This project about oxygen. And all of the symbolism attached to that word, especially NOW.

And so for anyone who didn’t really know what it means to not be able to breathe, REALLY breathe, for generations, now you know. And those who already do, you’ll be nodding yep yep, that is exactly how it is.

Review:

I’m not 100 percent sure what I was expecting from this book, but WOW, this wasn’t what I thought it would be….This is better. It’s a quick read. I read the whole thing in one sitting. You kind of have to. It’s literally only several sentences long. And it’s kind of like one art installation in a museum. And you don’t want to skip any part of it. You want to experience the whole installation, the way it’s mean to be experienced, beginning to end….If that makes sense.

It’s about one black family experiencing the last 2 years, surviving Covid and racial injustices. And each page, each word makes you feel something. It’s not about making you re-live 2020-2021. Though, it might make you remember some things…It’s about this moment for one kid, one family. And it’s about the power of breathing, the power of oxygen.

I didn’t understand all of the art. Some of it made me scratch my head. Some of it is impossible not to understand. Some of it is just words on a notebook page. And some of it belongs in a museum. Maybe all of it. But together, this book not only captures the feeling of this moment in time, but it opens a window in a such a unique, beautiful way.

In all honesty, I have not allowed myself to think too hard about the last couple of years. I have lost people I care about. And I have found myself in this past month reading 2 books that have almost forced some self-reflection out of me (this one and Michelle Obama’s The Light We Carry) and I know I will at some point have to reflect and unpack some more.  I guess what I’m saying is if a book can pull this out of me, it’s a strong one. This book has the ability to make people reflect, feel, and communicate. I hope lots of people read it, talk about it, and reflect on it. I give it a 10/10.

Squire by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas

Summary from Goodreads:

Aiza has always dreamt of becoming a Knight. It's the highest military honor in the once-great Bayt-Sajji Empire, and as a member of the subjugated Ornu people, Knighthood is her only path to full citizenship. Ravaged by famine and mounting tensions, Bayt-Sajji finds itself on the brink of war once again, so Aiza can finally enlist in the competitive Squire training program.

It's not how she imagined it, though. Aiza must navigate new friendships, rivalries, and rigorous training under the unyielding General Hende, all while hiding her Ornu background. As the pressure mounts, Aiza realizes that the "greater good" that Bayt-Sajji's military promises might not include her, and that the recruits might be in greater danger than she ever imagined.

Aiza will have to choose, once and for all: loyalty to her heart and heritage, or loyalty to the Empire.

Review

For a girl who grew up reading Tamora Pierce, this book jumped out to me right away. However unlike in Pierce’s novels, Aiza wasn’t penalized for being female and she never had to pretend otherwise. Instead, she pretended she was from a different background. She hid her tattoo that marked where she came from. There were other girls fighting for places in the military.

Still, the story was a familiar one. Aiza’s people were shamed and had stories being told that were not true. She had to endure falsehoods and hide things in order to be accepted. But, you also can’t help but love her. She’s a dreamer that flocks to other dreamers and she accepts everyone.  She works hard, trains hard, and fights for what she wants, despite all the obstacles in her way.

The graphic novels has many lessons in it. There are trials of friendship, propaganda, strength, and power. There’s also a sense of history and politics to everything. And when the group of fighters/dreamers/friends all truly come together for the right cause, everything is kind of magical.

I’m not sure the bad guy element needed to be in there. That was the one part that felt a little forced and too much like a typical cartoon story. I wanted something a little less cliche to go with  with everything else being so fresh. But, I get that there needed to be a conflict to get the characters away from what was happening….Oh well.

The artwork is stunning. It’s what really will draw the readers in. It’s what drew me in. The desert landscapes make for a unique background to the story. I would read a whole series that takes place here, just to see more. I hope more gets made. I give a 9/10.

Greywaren by Maggie Stiefvater

Summary from Goodreads:

This is the story of the Lynch family.

Niall and Mór escaped their homeland for a new start, and lost themselves in what they found.

Declan has grown up as the responsible son, the responsible brother--only to find there is no way for him to keep his family safe.

Ronan has always lived on the edge between dreams and waking... but now that edge is gone, and he is falling.

Matthew has been the happy child, the brightest beam. But rebellion beckons, because it all feels like an illusion now.

This world was not made for such a family--a family with the power to make a world and break it. If they cannot save each other or themselves, we are all doomed.

Review:

It took me a while to get into this story. I think part of it is my age finally catching up to me, and maybe part of it is the last couple of years finally catching up to me, but it’s getting harder to remember where I leave off in series. The book opens with the main character in a sort of coma and I had no recollection for how that happened….I had to go online and get some recaps.  That all being said, once I had more of my footing, and I had some idea for who all of the characters were, the book swallowed me whole.

No-one else writes quite like Stiefvater. She has this stream of consciousness element to her that fits so well with a series that focuses on dreams. And who can not be fascinated with characters who can literally pull objects, creatures, and people out of their dreams? This book finally gives some back-story and some history to the entire process too. We get the story of Niall and More, the story I didn’t know I wanted, but I did. I thought I wanted Ronan/Adam love story and I guess I did, but I also really wanted to know Ronan’s family. Why can they do what they do? What is the extent of what they can do? And this book gets to the heart of everything. Finally.

Throw in some amazing other characters, art heists, an apocalypse, bombs exploding over Boston, tragedy, love stores (plural), an epic action sequence to end all action sequences involving Declan, mythological creatures and a scene that had my jaw on the floor, and a final ending that will melt your heart.

For a book that had me scratching my head in the beginning, it certainly had me on my toes later. Honestly, I just feel lucky to to pick up books by this author. I have grown up reading her, and I hope she continues to write because I will continue to read all that she puts out. i give this a 9/10.

Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson

 
Summary from Goodreads:

Senior year at Ellingham Academy for Stevie Bell isn’t going well. Her boyfriend, David, is studying in London. Her friends are obsessed with college applications. With the cold case of the century solved, Stevie is adrift. There is nothing to distract her from the questions pinging around her brain—questions about college, love, and life in general.

Relief comes when David invites Stevie and her friends to join him for study abroad, and his new friend Izzy introduces her to a double-murder cold case. In 1995, nine friends from Cambridge University went to a country house and played a drunken game of hide-and-seek. Two were found in the woodshed the next day, murdered with an ax.

The case was assumed to be a burglary gone wrong, but one of the remaining seven saw something she can’t explain. This was no break-in. Someone’s lying about what happened in the woodshed.

Seven suspects. Two murders. One killer still playing a deadly game.

Review:

I love these books. I honestly think Maureen Johnson is becoming the new Agatha Christie. There is something so compelling about Stevie, the teenage sleuth with panic attacks. I loved having the chance to watch her solve a British mystery this time. It was like stepping into a PBS show with some of my favorite characters. Thanks, Maureen Johnson.

This British mystery was also soooooooo good. I had to know what happened in 1995. I knew right away it wasn’t some random burglar. And when the aunt character disappears….I was hooked. The murder mystery was a good one. That being said, this book had a lot of other things going on too.

The kids are all at that dramatic age where they have to figure out what comes next. Where do they go after Ellingham? And while it’s sometimes hard for me to remember they are all kids because of how brilliant they all are, Johnson doesn’t let you forget it in this book. Colleges are on their minds and so are the inevitable separations of the group. And while I can see this being a pain for some readers, and I guess I found some of it painfully dramatic too…thinking about it now, it makes it all more believable and real.

There was also one point where I got so mad at Stevie that I literally had to stop reading….I put the book down for a while…I guess this is a sign that you know and love characters? You feel like you know them so well you can get upset at them. Of course I forgave her, and so did everyone else. I had to know what happened too.

There were moments where it felt like I was in London, or in a country estate finding clues. It’s not just the mystery that’s good and the characters you feel like you know. You physically get transported to these places in these books. Maureen Johnson is a skilled master at storytelling.

This latest installment (and yes there has to be more after this one…) was not my favorite book in the series so far. Some of the drama was a little much for me. I also wish there was more time with some of Stevie’s other friends. However, even my least favorite in this series ranks higher in the scheme of things than a lot of other books I’ve read just because of how skilled of a writer this author is. All in all, this gets a 9/10.

Twelfth Grade Night by Molly Horton booth, Stephanie Kate Strohm, and Jamie Green

Summary from Goodreads:

he course of true love never did run smooth . . . and neither does high school in this new graphic novel series for fans of Heartstopper and The Prince and the Dressmaker.

Vi came to Arden High for a fresh start and a chance to wear beanies and button-ups instead of uniform skirts. And though doing it without her twin feels like being split in half, Vi finds her stride when she stumbles (literally!) into broody and beautiful poet-slash-influencer, Orsino. Soon Vi gets roped into helping plan the school’s Twelfth Grade Night dance, and she can’t stop dreaming about slow dancing with Orsino under the fairy lights in the gym.

The problem? All Vi’s new friends assume she’s not even into guys. And before Vi can ask Orsino to the dance, he recruits Vi to help woo his crush, Olivia. Who has a crush of her own . . . on Vi.

Star-crossed love abounds in this hilarious and romantic story of self-discovery, mistaken identities, and the magic that happens when we open our hearts to something new.

Review:

This was a really sweet graphic novel about crushes, dances, and growing up. The artwork and premise reminded me a little of the Heartstopper books by Alice Oseman. Though, these have a bit of fantastical element. And the character development for me was never quite as strong as it needed to be. I never loved the characters like I love everyone in the Heartstopper books.

Right away, there’s a lot going on here. I love Shakespeare. I love twin stories. I love stories about false misconceptions. I think maybe there was too much going on, so not enough time was focused on the things that mattered. I was a a little confused  by the presence of the fairies. At first I was like, are we supposed to think they they are real? Are fairies and magic real in this world? Why is nothing else magical if that is the case? And it kept taking me out of the plot whenever the fairy characters came to play….

The other thing I kept doing was trying to relate the story to the Shakespeare story it’s named for…but, I don’t think I was supposed to do that. There’s not too many connections besides the obvious ones. And then there are the fairies from a Midsummer’s Night Dream. Again, this took me out of the story…. I guess this could have been fixed if the book was just called something else. Maybe Shakespeare High was taken?

This all being said, I loved the idea for the book and the art was top level. It’s really stunning to look at. The crush story about going to the dance and the twins finding their way away from each other was nice on its own, but there’s just so much other stuff going, it got a little much for me. All in all, I give this one a 7/10.

The Killing Code by Ellie Marney

Summary from Goodreads:

A historical mystery about a girl who risks everything to track down a vicious serial killer, for fans of The Enigma Game and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.

Virginia, 1943: World War II is raging in Europe and on the Pacific front when Kit Sutherland is recruited to help the war effort as a codebreaker at Arlington Hall, a former girls’ college now serving as the site of a secret US Signals Intelligence facility in Virginia. But Kit is soon involved in another kind of fight: Government girls are being brutally murdered in Washington DC, and when Kit stumbles onto a bloody homicide scene, she is drawn into the hunt for the killer.
 
To find the man responsible for the gruesome murders and bring him to justice, Kit joins forces with other female codebreakers at Arlington Hall—gossip queen Dottie Crockford, sharp-tongued intelligence maven Moya Kershaw, and cleverly resourceful Violet DuLac from the segregated codebreaking unit. But as the girls begin to work together and develop friendships—and romance—that they never expected, two things begin to come clear: the murderer they’re hunting is closing in on them…and Kit is hiding a dangerous secret.

Review:

What a way to start 2023! I remember really liking the mysteries this author wrote before, but none of them come close to comparing to how compelling this book was. One of my “Drop everything” books came out while I was reading this book, but I did not drop this book…I couldn’t. This book is so good, any favorite author could have released a book and I would not have stopped reading. That in itself is a big statement for me.

(Side note: this review is taking me forever to write…I have a dog that interrupts every sentence for me to throw a ball for her….)

If the spies, the feminism, the LGBT love story, the serial killer, the friendship story and the girls trying to solve the murder mystery isn’t enough, then add in some racial conflict, secret codes, actual quotes from female codebreakers from World War II, and fun nights out at night clubs and political social functions in DC. When I say this book is un-put-down-able I’m not kidding. I was up way too late reading, knowing full well I’d be exhausted the next day at work. These are the best kinds of books and there are so few of these any more for me.

The other shocking thing for me was I did not guess who the murderer was immediately. I was pleasantly surprised a few times throughout the story. Mystery readers, suspense readers, and historical fiction readers will all enjoy this one. It does go a bit dark; it involves a serial killer after all…and racism, and antisemitism. But, that makes the mystery that much more intense and interesting. The setting is very unique too. It takes place at at a secret US Signals Intelligence facility in Virginia for women. And the characters are fascinating! The main character has a secret that absolutely cannot get out.

I read this book remarkably fast. It’s the kind of book that kept me up late, and I sincerely hope this author keeps writing. I give it a 10/10.