Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

Summary from Goodreads:

Morrigan Crow and her friends have survived their first year as proud scholars of the elite Wundrous Society, helped bring down the nefarious Ghastly Market and proven themselves loyal to Unit 919. Now Morrigan faces a new, exciting challenge: to master the mysterious Wretched Arts and control the power that threatens to consume her.

Review:

These books get a little better, a little smarter, and a little more developed with each installment. The world building and character development has grown leaps and bounds by this book 3. This book has also gotten a little darker, and you can’t help but pull parallels to the world pandemic that is currently taking place. How long ago did Townsend write this? I know it takes a long time to get books published…but, there is no way Covid hadn’t started yet, right? That would be kind of scary.

There are also some very clear stories Townsend drew inspiration from. I kept thinking back to the story of Wicked (book and musical), and the movie Zootopia. But, I loved both of those, so it didn’t really bother me. Also, the book gets a tad political, in a fantasy children’s book kind of way -where it’s clear who the bigots are and there are some top-notch HP level quotes like:

“We don’t ignore bigotry, Jack. That’s how cowardly bigots turn into brave bigots.” and “The thing about numpties, Mog, is that they can always find plenty of other numpties to believe their numpty nonsense. You know what they say: you're never more than six feet away from a numpty.”

I think my favorite parts though involved Morrigan’s lessons, called Ghostly Hours (possibly inspired by scenes with the pensive in HP). I was fascinated! I think maybe I was more interested in it than Morrigan, and that’s saying something because she was obsessed. The one thing I felt was a little lacking in this book were the side characters (aka: her friends). So much focus was on the world building and Morrigan becoming a Wondersmith. And again, I was totally fine with that. I was fascinated. Oh, and there was this one scene in a magical library! I couldn’t put the book down.

This book ends with quite the cliffhanger, and I have such a wait before book 4 comes out…I tried to wait a bit before diving into this one, but I couldn’t hold off that long. These books are just that good. I highly recommend them to any all middle grade fantasy fans. I give it a 9/10.

Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan

Summary from Goodreads:

New York Times #1 best-selling author Rick Riordan pays homage to Jules Verne in his exciting modern take on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Ana Dakkar is a freshman at Harding-Pencroft Academy, a five-year high school that graduates the best marine scientists, naval warriors, navigators, and underwater explorers in the world. Ana's parents died while on a scientific expedition two years ago, and the only family's she's got left is her older brother, Dev, also a student at HP. Ana's freshman year culminates with the class's weekend trial at sea, the details of which have been kept secret. She only hopes she has what it'll take to succeed. All her worries are blown out of the water when, on the bus ride to the ship, Ana and her schoolmates witness a terrible tragedy that will change the trajectory of their lives.

But wait, there's more. The professor accompanying them informs Ana that their rival school, Land Institute, and Harding-Pencroft have been fighting a cold war for a hundred and fifty years. Now that cold war has been turned up to a full broil, and the freshman are in danger of becoming fish food. In a race against deadly enemies, Ana will make amazing friends and astounding discoveries about her heritage as she puts her leadership skills to the test for the first time.

Review:

This is one of those situations where the summary doesn’t really summarize the book much at all….But, also, it kind of can’t, without giving HUGE things away. So, basically, writing my review is going to be interesting….Ana and her freshman class do witness something terrible in the very beginning of this book, that had me put this book down and go, “WOAH.” Riordan does not shy away from action and suspense in his books, but that was a MAJOR opening.

And then because it’s a Rick Riordan novel stuff goes a little fantasy/sci fi. I’m used to his books always involving mythological Gods and creatures and super powers of sorts, so it was a fun experience to get something different from him. Instead, there’s ships, submarines, giant octopi, dolphin friends, sci-fi weapons, crazy science, hidden islands, treasure, AI, and so much more!

I also have to admit that I never actually read (…or I guess completed) 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. I tried to read it when I was a teenager, and just did not get into it.  Maybe I need to re-try it? If it’s half as fun as this novel was, I am definitely missing out.

Then of course, there’s the diverse cast. The main character is an Indian girl (who addresses colonialism!) and one of her closest friends is autistic. It wouldn’t be a Rick Riordan novel without orphans, kid geniuses, kid warrior/athletes, and kid leaders. Ana is a bit of a chosen one, kind of, but in an almost acceptable way. It has more to do with science than anything else (it’s her blood/DNA that’s needed for things because of who her ancestor is. And that’s all I’m saying on the matter.


I also like that Rick Riordan wasn’t afraid to write about periods! Ana suffers from terrible cramps! And it’s not something just mentioned once and then forgotten about. It comes up multiple times. And I have to admit that I first found this odd because I’m not used to reading about it…Like it made me, a grown woman, a little uncomfortable. But, then I thought about it, and I loved it. Why shouldn’t we be used to reading about it? I think periods and cramps should be normalized, and kids should be able to talk about it. And I know the amount of people who read his books. Hopefully, this will play a part in helping Women’s Health issues become something we can all talk about and read about in a regular way (without feeling uncomfortable).

That all being said, I loved the diverse characters in this book. I loved the very suspenseful plot. Even for Riordan, this was next level. I found the ocean life and science fiction elements to everything fascinating! I loved the friendship stories too. I found this to be a really fun book, and I’m so glad I read it. I’m glad Riordan is still writing more, and I hope he continues to do so. I give this a 9/10.

Marshmallow and Jordan by Alina Chau

Summary from Goodreads:

Jordan’s days as star player for her school’s basketball team ended when an accident left her paralyzed from the waist down. Now, she’s still the team captain, but her competition days seem to be behind her…until an encounter with a mysterious elephant, who she names Marshmallow, helps Jordan discover a brand new sport.

Will water polo be the way for Jordan to continue her athletic dreams–or will it just come between Jordan and her best friends on the basketball team? And with the big tournament right around the corner, what secret is Marshmallow hiding?

Review:

This book is so sweet. The artwork is what drew me into it. A smiling girl, holding an ice cream, being hugged by a white elephant? Sign me up! The setting is in Indonesia, which looks stunning. I love seeing different places in kids books, particularly graphic novels, where you really do get to see them. Everything is bright, colorful, and cheerful looking.

I also initially didn’t even realize the girl was in a wheel chair (on the cover). But, knowing the girl is still the captain of her basketball team after going through an accident that left her without use of her legs, makes you just love her all the more for her strength. You can’t help but cheer for her through everything she does. This is a story about friendship and strength. Jordan (named for Michael Jordan) finds Marshmallow right when she needs to. And Marshmallow helps Jordan find a sport she can still play: water polo!

The only part of the book I found a little hard to follow were the water polo match scenes. I don’t really know anything about the sport, and I’m not much of a sports person in general (so it could be that), but I got a bit lost in what was going on, and how the game was played. I almost wish the game was explained more? But maybe most people reading will know that?

I have to admit I had a few tears in my eyes during the friendship stuff. What happened between Jordan and her friends felt so believable and true to what might happen in real life. Friendships at  that age can be made and broken over the smallest things. I also loved the folktale elements to the story, and how everything connected: the family story, the friendship story, and the elephant story.

This was a beautiful graphic novel. The story was sweet and heart-warming. But, what makes it a standout is the artwork. You won’t be able to stop looking at it. I give it a 9/10.

The Traitor's Kiss by Erin Beaty

Summary from Goodreads:

An obstinate girl who will not be married. A soldier desperate to prove himself. A kingdom on the brink of war.

With a sharp tongue and an unruly temper, Sage Fowler is not what they’d call a lady―which is perfectly fine with her. Deemed unfit for marriage, Sage is apprenticed to a matchmaker and tasked with wrangling other young ladies to be married off for political alliances. She spies on the girls―and on the soldiers escorting them.

As the girls' military escort senses a political uprising, Sage is recruited by a handsome soldier to infiltrate the enemy ranks. The more she discovers as a spy, the less certain she becomes about whom to trust―and Sage becomes caught in a dangerous balancing act that will determine the fate of her kingdom.

Review:

It took me a long time to get to this book. I believe it’s been out for years, and the whole series is complete. Sadly, I seem to only have this book and book 3, and now need to get my hands on book 2! I have to be in the right mindset to read a romance as of late. And I guess there’s something off-putting for me about a book covered in roses, and a giant sword? I was surprised to learn that this was more of a spy novel than a fantasy romance! Who’d of thought that a book that dealt so much in match-making would actually be about spying?

While I can see some people maybe not liking this, I loved it. I guess I’m more interested in spy stories now. My tastes have changed a bit over the years, or maybe I’m just tired of reading the same story over and over. But, I can see someone sitting down, thinking this is a romance, based off the misleading, rose covered cover, and maybe being disappointed. I found it hard to put down. I wanted to see would happen next, and I’m glad it finally called to me when it did.

There were a couple of major plot twists  that I guessed. But, not as early as I care to admit! I like that the book kept me on my toes a little. There was a lot of action going on between the match-making. Between the marriage  drama, there were royal wars being waged, and political maneuvers of betrayal. And I liked how the two stories counter-balanced each other. I could see this being a fun Netflix drama.

Women working as spies isn’t a novel concept, but it is one I love to read about. I have’t read too many YA fantasies that delve into this topic, and it reminded me quite a bit of Mary E. Pearson’s Dance of Thieves, which I loved, and now have an itch to go re-read. Maybe, I will this winter? All in all,  this was a fun spy/fantasy/romance with splashes of match making, elements of war, and plenty of suspense. I read it very quickly. This book got me out of a bit of a reading slump. I give it an 8/10.

Flamer by Mike Curato

Summary from Goodreads:

Award-winning author and artist Mike Curato draws on his own experiences in Flamer, his debut graphic novel, telling a difficult story with humor, compassion, and love.

I know I’m not gay. Gay boys like other boys. I hate boys. They’re mean, and scary, and they’re always destroying something or saying something dumb or both.

I hate that word. Gay. It makes me feel . . . unsafe.

It's the summer between middle school and high school, and Aiden Navarro is away at camp. Everyone's going through changes—but for Aiden, the stakes feel higher. As he navigates friendships, deals with bullies, and spends time with Elias (a boy he can't stop thinking about), he finds himself on a path of self-discovery and acceptance.

Review:

This book is stunning. The artwork just called to me in a way only some graphic novel artwork does. When I learned that this author/artist is the same one who does the picture books, Little Elliot, it all weirdly clicked for me. I love those books too! I remember telling my friend at a library conference, after picking up Little Elliot, Big City, that this author was going to be HUGE. I just knew it. As a children’s librarian, you sometimes just know which books are going to make it and take off.

I’m so excited to see Curato branch out. This was powerful stuff. Some of it was hard for me to read. There were moments I had to take a breath and put the book down. It got dark. When you’re a kid and it’s not just one bad thing, but several in a row, and each feels like the end of the world….I know what it feels like. I’ve never been that kid alone at the chapel with a knife, but my heart ached for him. And I can see so many hearts aching for him and relating to him.

Not all of this is dark. Some of it is boating under the stars and camping. Some of it is inappropriate dick jokes and camping with friends. Some of it is guys growing up in the woods and figuring out who they are. But some of it is feeling all alone and not knowing how to move forward. And some of it is just learning to go one day at a time and seeing that things aren’t always as bad as they originally seem.

What really makes this book stand out is the art. Curato captures facial expressions and humor so well. It’s like he’s been doing this for years. It was like reading a real pro (like Jennifer L. Holm or Lincoln Peirce). And then there’s other pages, where you get these backdrops of the scenery, and it’s beautiful, like something from a fantasy graphic novel. And then comes in the fire metaphor adding a whole other layer. I keep going back to flip through the pages. That’s how visually appealing the whole thing is. It’ s not every day I’d want to return to such a story. 

This was a dark, yet at times humorous story about growing up. It’s not what I expected. It’s both powerful and beautiful. I can see this story helping a lot of people. The artwork is so impressive, I keep returning to it, wanting to look at it some more. I give it a 9/10.

If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy

Summary from Goodreads:

After having just graduated with a degree in shoe design, and trying to get her feet on the ground, Cindy is working for her stepmother, who happens to be the executive producer of America's favorite reality show, Before Midnight. When a spot on the show needs filling ASAP, Cindy volunteers, hoping it might help jump-start her fashion career, or at least give her something to do while her peers land jobs in the world of high fashion.

Turns out being the only plus size woman on a reality dating competition makes a splash, and soon Cindy becomes a body positivity icon for women everywhere. What she doesn't expect? That she may just find inspiration-and love-in the process. Ultimately, Cindy learns that if the shoe doesn't fit, maybe it's time to design your own.

Review:

I don’t read a lot of Adult Fiction. And when I do, it isn’t typically Romance. However, I love Julie Murphy. She has yet to write anything I haven’t liked. And while I’m not a huge Cinderella fan, I do tend to like Project Runway-oriented shows and stories, so when I got this book for review, it called to me. I also love the cover. I love everything about a plus-size Cinderella. I wish there was a character like Cindy on a show like the Bachelor.

This all being said, I really enjoyed reading this. I needed something light and fluffy. This fit the bill. It reminded me a little of the YA series: The Selection, where I ended up liking more of the contestants than I thought I would. I didn’t hate Cindy’ s step mom or step sisters like you usually do in Cinderella retellings, and this was nice. There was a little more female empowerment and a little less slut-shaming than you tend to see in reality shows about finding Mr. Right.

I’m not sure all the “stolen” moments between the love interests were believable. Like they seemed to get away with quite a bit. With that many cameras and crew people around, would sneaking into hiding places so many times really have been possible? I’m not so sure. Also, there love was bit instant for my liking. I found Cindy way more interesting than Henry. I found Henry’s backstory and family interesting, but all of his time with Cindy seemed kind of generic. I get that a lot of it was on TV, but still…

There’s a lot of little fun details in this book. It was fun reading the behind the camera moments of things, like how the show set everything up -from the dates, to the make up. I liked reading about the crew and how they bet on the girls. The fashion tidbits were fun.  I guess all in all, this was just a fun, light read (though there is a lot of mention of Cindy losing her dad).

Was there anything that really made it stand out as Adult instead of YA? Not really (besides the age of the main character, who was just out of college). And okay, there’s some adult relationship stuff, but it’s not really present. It read very much like a YA book in that regard. I can see a lot of Murphy’s YA fans loving this. I give it a 7/10.

Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

Summary from Goodreads:

Wunder is gathering in Nevermoor ...

Morrigan Crow may have defeated her deadly curse, passed the dangerous trials and joined the mystical Wundrous Society, but her journey into Nevermoor and all its secrets has only just begun. And she is fast learning that not all magic is used for good.

Morrigan Crow has been invited to join the prestigious Wundrous Society, a place that promised her friendship, protection and belonging for life. She's hoping for an education full of wunder, imagination and discovery - but all the Society want to teach her is how evil Wundersmiths are. And someone is blackmailing Morrigan's unit, turning her last few loyal friends against her. Has Morrigan escaped from being the cursed child of Wintersea only to become the most hated figure in Nevermoor?

Worst of all, people have started to go missing. The fantastical city of Nevermoor, once a place of magic and safety, is now riddled with fear and suspicion…

Review:

I was surprised by how much I loved this book. I really enjoyed the first book, but I was putting off reading book 2 for some reason. I guess it’s often the case that sequels are typically weaker than their predecessors in the kid lit world of fantasy novels. I was pleasantly surprised though here. The world building continued to impress me. It didn’t end with book one. Now that the chosen few kids passed the trials, we really get to see what the kids learn in this crazy, magical world of secret abilities.

And oddly, this book 2 reminded me a lot of Chamber of Secrets. There was this same sense of prejudice and ostracizing going on. Morrigan, like Harry, has to prove herself over and over, in a world where it just seems like it would be so much easier for her to be evil. I found myself relating to Morrigan. Who hasn’t been judged for something they cannot control?

On top of that, this is a book where other strong friendships are formed. I loved watching Morrigan branch out a bit. Of course the school, the transportation, and the world were fascinating. But, behind it all, were the relationships. The families and the friendships were just so good. There’s also the overarching villain and supspenseful mystery that involved teachers, creatures, and eventually peers being kidnapped.

There’s mythological markets, secret passages, insane maps, rescue missions, blackmailing, bullying, dragons, propaganda, and Wunder. It’s hard to put this book down. I cannot wait to read the next installment. I already ordered it, so it’s just a matter of time at this point.

All in all, I highly recommend these books to fans of middle grade fantasy. I give this one a 9/10.