Category: Book Review

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Dragon Hoops by Gene Yang

“I’m a story kind of guy”

Gene has writer’s block. He can’t think of anything to write about; nothing is inspiring. And then he overhears chatter about the school basketball team and its chance at competing in the state competition. Gene has no interest in basketball but decides to learn. He works it out with the coach to follow the team on their journey. As the season goes on he becomes much more involved with the boys than he ever expected.

Each chapter looks at a different player and showcases the diversity of the team. Not every black kid has the same backstory, skills, or ambition or are even African-American. Gene shows each boy with all his warts and his glories. He also intertwines his reluctance to feature the disgraced former coach until he realizes that the man deserves to have his story told.

This graphic novel is autobiographical and shines a light on Yang’s creative process as well as his family. The tale is followed by an Epilogue to set facts straight from creative license. His fans, sports-oriented readers, and emerging writers will enjoy the book.

I waited too long to write this review and so did not have access to the preview copy for more details to include. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

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The Queen’s Assassin

By Melissa de la Cruz

Book cover

Caledon’s father swore a blood oath to the queen of Renovia and it has passed to him. It will continue through his line until the oath is completed. The queen’s daughter, Lilac, has been raised by retired soldiers in a rural village and has taken the name Shadow. She has some magic but is not highly trained; she also has a crush on Caledon. When he is thrown into the worst dungeon, she makes plans to rescue him and tag along on his real mission. Together they travel to the neighboring kingdom, Montrice, to find those who are plotting war against Renovia.

The world-building is incomplete as this is the first of a series. Plenty of questions are left open, particularly the queen’s motives. Definitely for a less sophisticated reader (middle school) as it is fairly predictable. There is high-class flirting, and most likely off-page sex (a young reader wouldn’t catch it) and no swearing.

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Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass

By Mariko Tamaki, Illustrated by Steve Pugh

Book Cover
Harley Quinn Breaking Glass

Teen Harley Quinn arrives at her grandmother’s apartment only to find out that grandma has died. The apartment manager, Mama, takes her on and envelops her into his lovely group of drag queens (and surrogate moms). She enrolls in the local high school, makes friends with a passionate activist, Ivy, and enemies with the local little-rich-boy, John Kane. Harley soon finds her friends at odds with the wealthy Kanes who are destroying the neighborhood by tearing down homes, including Harley’s, and building towers.  Harley has a history of violence and retribution, is easily agitated, and has not yet figured out angels from devils. She gets roped by with the enigmatic Joker not realizing he is one of the devils her mother warned her about and manages to get herself in so much trouble that she is forced underground.

As I am not familiar with the Batman universe, I did not know that “historically” Harlequin was the Joker’s girlfriend until they had a falling out. In this rendition of the story, Harley was never friends with the Joker and quickly becomes his enemy. She is a complicated character with a weird vocabulary (booger is often repeated) and a firm sense of loyalty and willingness to fight for what she perceives as right. The title will appeal to younger teens as well as adult graphic novel readers and Gotham fans.

Preview copy provided by NetGalley

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Ashlords by Scott Reintgen

Cover of Ashlords by Scott Reintgen

The ruling Ashlord class ride Phoenix horses – ones that burn up every night and rise again with the sun the following day. A talented rider can add substance to create horses that are tireless, or fighters, or always catch their fallen riders. These horses helped the Ashlords to squash the other classes that live in their Empire- the Longhands who reject the gods and the Dividians who came to raid the land. The Ashlords rule with a tight hand and look forward to The Race every year. A race between riders of all classes. A race that outlaws killing another but not disabling riders or polluting the ashes of the horses. The race this year includes the favorite, a daughter of two former winners; a Longhand riding to start a revolution; and a poor Dividian with a talent for alchemy. Each of these three think they know how to win but as the race begins, they find out they know very little at all.

Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy of this book.

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Nameless Queen by Rebecca McLoughlin

Thanks to NetGalley for the preview copy.

Rule in the kingdom of Sheridan is not transferred by blood but by a magical tattoo that appears on the one named with the king’s last breath. Coin is one of the Nameless who live by theft and con; the people so low they don’t even have names. Yet the magic tattoo burns on her shoulder and is verified by the late king’s daughter. She knows all about surviving in the streets but nothing about living through the politics in the Royal class. She just wants to last long enough to find out why young Nameless are disappearing from the streets and to rescue her best friend from the gallows. She can use her new magic and old swagger to run the ultimate con and perhaps make a difference in the lives of those she loves.

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The Silvered Serpent by Roshani Chokshi

Cover of The Silvered Serpents

“You cannot protect everyone from everything. You are only human, Severin.” With these words Laila inadvertently plants a seed in Severin’s mind: if he were immortal, he could save everyone. All he needs is the book, The Divine Lyrics. All he needs to get the book are his friends, the people he cares most about, the people he must keep at arms-length in order to reach his goal. With reluctance, the team gets back together and travels to the ice-covered location of the Sleeping Palace to find the book before the winter meeting of the magic-wielding Houses convenes. For when they do, the possible will become impossible.

This is the second in a series (hopefully only a trilogy!) It won’t make sense unless you read the first. The characters are individuals with their own quirks, desires, and opinions. Love them, though Severin gets pretty annoying in this title with his one-minded goal that tears his friends apart. I hope the spark remaining in him at the end will burn brighter in the next book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the preview copy. The book is scheduled to be published September 2020.

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Don’t give into hate

I always spend a good portion of the summer reading young adult books for the Evergreen Teen Book Award. I haven’t been too excited about the titles I’ve been reading lately, but this one is worth pointing out, especially since it will be released as a movie this fall.

Cover of Angie Thomas' book The Hate U Give

Starr is an African-American teenager living in two worlds. The community she lives in can be dangerous: a poor, inner-city neighborhood. Her parents send her and her brother to a private school in a suburban area where they are definitely minorities. When she witnessed the shooting of an old friend by a police officer, she is forced to reconcile her place and find her voice in any community.

Her father stands out for me as he shows inner strength and total commitment to his family. Many YA books have “absent” parents or ones that contribute to whatever crisis the teenagers are going through. Starr’s father is integral to her life and to the story.  It is his strength that allows Starr to find her own.

As always, I highly recommend reading the book prior to seeing the movie.

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Cory Doctorow writes a graphic novel

In Real Life by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang 

An internatCover of In Real Lifeional industry has developed where people with more time than money are paid to play for hours on massive multiple player online (MMO) games to earn virtual wealth that can then be sold to people with more money than time. The ethics of this are debatable but the reality is that the “farmers” are often poorly paid and have very little influence on their working conditions. It is this that Doctorow addresses in this graphic novel collaboration with illustrator Jen Wang.

Anda is a socially awkward girl who joins the Fahrenheit Clan, an all-girl team in a virtual world. She distinguishes herself quickly as a fierce fighter and is recruited by another to track and kill virtual “gold farmers”.  Anda doesn’t really know what she is doing but she is getting paid real money for the “work” and continues to earn the respect of other fighters in this alternate reality. When she actually meets and talks to one of the virtual farmers, she finds a real person with real problems. Her perspective changes but her attempt to correct a wrong might create a bigger problem.

I have been a Doctorow fan since “Little Brother” and like his ability to bring up real world problems in young adult stories without hitting them over the head. The graphic novel format complements the storytelling and makes this complex problem accessible to young and older readers alike. It is a worthy purchase for all libraries.

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Heir of Fire

Heir of Fire book coverThe King’s Assassin, Celaena, has traveled to Wendlyn to kill the King and Queen on her employer’s orders. Once again, she finds that she cannot; the rulers of Wendlyn are beloved by their people because they are good. Celaena spirals into a self-pitying depression that lasts and lasts, even when the Fae warrior, Rowan has dragged her to the edge of her aunt Maeve’s Fae kingdom and proceeds to train her to control the magic within her. She will not forgive herself for letting down so many people nor will she accept her true name, Aelin, Queen of Terrasen.

Moran, a Blackbeak witch, enjoys killing. Enjoys the hunt, the fear, the screams, the taste of blood, human blood. She is the heir to the Blackbeak coven and proud leader of the Thirteen, a tight-knit fighting unit of witches. She is heartless, soul-less, and proud. She is training to compete in the War Games on the back of a wyvern but surprises herself by caring about her animal, and quite possibly, other beings.

Aedion, cousin and childhood friend to Aelin, has been outwardly working for the evil King of Adarlan while secretly protecting the rebels and working towards freedom. He meets with Chaol, Aelin’s former lover and captain of the guard, and Dorian, heir to the throne of Adarlan and possessor of forbidden magic. Individually the three have secrets that may help each other but their distrust prevents sharing and might possibly cost all of them their freedom.

Maas has once again created compelling characters and woven their stories into the fabric of Erilea. There are several newly introduced characters which limits the voices of some of the others. The relationship between Chaol and Dorian has unfortunately deteriorated and their interactions have none of the easy banter that made them irresistible in the first books. While it is easy to despise Moran, she is complex and worth watching. The same with fae warrior, Rowan. Celaena/Aelin struggles to deal with her inner demons (but personally, it was tiring hearing her whiny voice for so long.) All in all, an exciting read that will be snapped up by those following the series. Just a little disappointing to find out that instead of a trilogy, the series will encompass six titles. It is just so difficult to sustain interest for that long.

Sarah’s webpage: http://sarahjmaas.com/