Magical Girl Dandelion, Volume I

 

Rating: 3 out of 5| Both creepy and cute?

My Thoughts:

Tampopo (dandelion in Japanese) loses both her parents when they were killed by a fiend. She is raised by her grandfather and her "best friend" Shade, who is himself a fiend. He has always protected Tampopo by killing other fiends, which is both creepy and cute because again, he is a fiend, complete with razor sharp teeth and psychopathic smile. 

As she gets older, she is sought after because she will be a magical girl. Her scores are off the charts. This is not good for Shade. How can he keep her to himself if they are going to make her into a fiend killer? 

Read more volumes as Tampopo learns about her growing "magical girl" powers. 

From the Publisher:

Tanpopo Ohanami’s quiet days are interrupted by a life-changing offer to become a magical girl! But she has one big, bad, serrated-toothed secret: Her best friend, Shade, is a fiend in a world where fiends are villains to humankind.

Shade is none too pleased with the idea of Tanpopo joining the ranks, but there’s more than their friendship at stake when Tanpopo’s grandpa falls victim to fiendhood!

Publication Information:

• Author: Kaeru Mizuho
• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
• Publication Date: March 3, 2026
• Print Length: 160 pages

Kingdom, Volume 1

 Rating: 3 action, adventure, orphan to hero

My Thoughts:

This is an English translation of a manga. It has also been an anime series and the story comes originally from a Chinese historical text. All of that does not matter. It is an adventure story of two orphans, Piao and Xin who train themselves as warriors by practicing in the fields after they are done with their chores. When a high ranking general seems they fighting in the field, the boys explain that they have sparred over 1,000 times and their win/loss record is very close. The general takes Piao to the court and Xin is left in the country to train on his own. The next time Xin sees Piao, there has been a coup and Piao, before he dies, sends Xin to a small shack in a dangerous town. 

The story gives us just enough to rush to get the 2nd volume before more assassins come looking for Xin and his new companion. The graphics are exciting. The drawings of the court officials are grossly exaggerated which makes this even more appealing. 

From the Publisher:

Xin is a war orphan in a poor village in the kingdom of Qin. He has big dreams of becoming a great general, and when his best friend’s life is cut short by political machinations, Xin sets off to find a deposed ruler and help restore his place on the throne, while working his way up through the ranks of the Qin kingdom’s army to do what no one has ever done before—unify China.

Xin’s journey begins when his friend Piao, another war orphan who imparts to Xin the same dream of becoming the Greatest Generals Under the Heavens, is offered a position in court in the capital. He leaves Xin behind to train on his own, and to meet him there one day. One fateful night, Piao returns bloodied and on the brink of death, with his dying words being for Xin to go meet a boy who turns out to look exactly like Piao. But this is no ordinary boy—it’s the king of Qin, Ying Zheng! And assassins are hot on his tail!

Publication Information:

Author                    Yasuhisa Hara

Publisher                Viz Media LLC (November 11, 2025)

Print length            224 pages

The Reckoning of Roku, Book 5

Rating: 3, more if you are fans of Avatar the Last Airbender series

My Thoughts:

My Goodreads reading summary of 2025 showed me that I started the year off with Randy Ribay's Everything We Never Had, so I wanted to start with another Randy Ribay book. I can't imagine that he is still teaching based on the kinds of projects he is doing, both original work like Patron Saints and Everything as well as being a team writer for a series like this. 

I think what he brings to this series is the angsty complex "hero" voice of Roku. I have seen that same voice in Patron and as a writer he is good at showing that complexity of character. I miss the playful Aang, but I think I love Aang because he reminds me of the Japanese comic series of the monk boy Ikkyū-san. 

This is a different kind of story in a good way mostly because Roku is fairly new at this Avatar role, but he is trying (sort of). He also has a cast of characters, like his best friend Prince Sozin, as well as his airbending master who refuses to teach him any airbending because he cannot figure out how to "let go." 

I actually listened to the audiobook since I gave back my iPad which I use as a Kindle for my ebooks, so I have the information on the ebook too. The ebook narrator, Nancy Wu, is easy to listen to. That is a good thing because this is a long listen.

 This is book 1 of 2026. #2026.1

From the Publisher:

Roku never expected to be the Avatar. Even his best friend, Crown Prince Sozin of the Fire Nation, doubts the accuracy of the Fire Sages’ announcement. After all, Sozin is the strongest Firebender of their generation, while Roku struggles to grasp basic airbending principles—even after months of training under Sister Disha, his airbending master.

 
When Sozin requests the new Avatar’s aid in preventing the Earth Kingdom from claiming a remote Fire Nation island, it doesn’t surprise Roku that Sister Disha advises him to decline. Convinced the Earth King’s aggressive expansion of territory points to a more insidious agenda, Roku steals away with the help of an irritating young Airbender named Gyatso. As the reluctant companions delve deeper into their wayward mission, they realize the fog-shrouded island harbors a secret that could lead to catastrophe in the wrong hands.
 

Plagued by self-doubt but eager to confront the dangers ahead, Avatar Roku must learn where to place his trust and what it means to be a spirit of no nation . . . even if the lesson comes at a great personal cost.that makes this series entertaining. 

Publication Information:

Author: Randy Ribay

Publisher for print book: Amulet Books (July 23, 2024)

Print length: 368 pages

Audiobook narrator: Nancy Wu

Publisher audio: Blackstone Publishing

Listening length: 11 hours, 27 minutes

Source: Hawaiʻi Public Library, Libby app

 

Icon and Inferno (Stars and Smoke #2)

 

Stars: 4 Unexpectedly good action and chemistry in this second novel

My Thoughts:

The first book, Stars and Smoke , is actually a good stand alone, but like Ms. Lu’s second Warcross book, Wildcard, this second book surprised me in how much more the author could add to this story. The additional characters made this more believable. In addition, the shocking loss put this out of the realm of YA bubblegum romance and into the realm of spy intrigue and loss. I actually liked this more than the first book, even if you need to read the first book to get a feel for the characters. 

From the Publisher:

A year has passed since superstar Winter Young last saw secret agent Sydney Cossette. After barely surviving their first assignment together in London -- and their intense chemistry – the two haven’t spoken at all. Though they’re never far from the other’s thoughts, or fantasies.

So when Syndey shows up at Winter’s studio one day with a new mission from Panacea, he has no choice but to accept. With the clock ticking, the duo prepares to head to Singapore to rescue an operative in danger -- only to learn he’s none other than Sydney's ex, a rogue agent known as the Arsonist.

Of course, nothing is ever simple when it comes to Winter and Sydney. Especially not with the glamorous Gavi Ginsburg, a globe-trotting socialite and Winter’s one-time girlfriend, in the mix. Is she back for Winter’s heart – or does she have her eye on another prize?

The smoldering sequel to New York Times-bestselling Stars and Smoke follows Winter and Sydney on yet another treacherous mission that grows more sinister with each twist and turn. To make it out alive, they'll have to figure out how to be partners again -- and if they can resist the burn of something more.

Publication Information:

Author: Marie Lu

Publisher: Roaring Books Press (June 11, 2024)

Hardcover: 320 pages

Grade level: 10-12

Raybearer: Audiobook

 

4 stars: Good if you like fantasy, magic, a different kind of world building, afrofuturism.

My Thoughts:

“You don’t have to help me change the world. But you mark my words; when I get going, this world will change. And you can be a part of that...or you can stand back and watch.”

16 year old Tarisai wants a family, wants to love and be loved. But the Lady, her mother, who for some reason I thought was a figment of her imagination, has other ideas for Tarisai. When Tarisai tries to kill the crown prince who she actually loves, she has to do what she needs to do to actually stop being a pawn and remove herself from all hope of family, love and goodness. Readers will feel for her as she fights for love. It is more than a 16 year old should bear.

The storytelling is lush and diverse for YA readers who are used to reading western centered novels. I think that is why I say it is a kind of world building. As our own country is in turmoil and unrecognizable as a civilization and nation of dreamers, it is good to be in a different culture and world to escape. This is a good escape. 

As far as the narrator, this was an easy listen, even at 13  plus hours. 

From the Publisher:

Nothing is more important than loyalty. But what if you’ve sworn to protect the one you were born to destroy?

Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as the Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the crown prince’s Council of Eleven. If she’s picked, she’ll be joined with the other council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But the Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: kill the crown prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won’t stand by and become someone’s pawn - but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself?

With extraordinary world-building and breathtaking prose, Raybearer is the story of loyalty, fate, and the lengths we’re willing to go for the ones we love.

Publication Information:

Author: Jordan Ifueko

Narrator: Joniece Abbott-Pratt

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing (August 18, 2020)

Listening Length: 13 hours, 48 minutes

Wrecker

 

My Thoughts:

Middle level books are great examples of good literature that tells a good story, teaches lessons of ethics and morality, and/or shows the gumption and creativity of young adults. In addition, middle level books are full of authors that I trust, including Carl Hiaasen.  Like his Newbery Honor book Hoot, Hiaasen mixes ecology (reef preservation, ban on large cruise ships) and mystery with humor (iguana poop) and contemporary issues. I mistook the cover for a science fiction book, but now that I see it on a larger computer screen, I realize that there are fishes on the cover. I blame it on reading on my phone. 

Here is what I like about Hiaasen's writing style. He grabs interest right away, especially younger male reluctant readers. There is enough intrigue and action to keep readers reading, even if they struggle. This would also be a good book to read at the beginning of class or the beginning of SSR, SURF or any other sustained silent reading protocol teachers do.

If they like this, I would try other YA books by Hiassen, or go old school to Gary Paulsen or Lemony Snickett. 

From the Publisher:

Valdez Jones VIII calls himself Wrecker because his great-great-great-great-great-grandfather salvaged shipwrecks for a living. 

So is it destiny, irony, or just bad luck when Wrecker comes across a speedboat that has run hard aground on a sand flat? The men in the boat don't want Wrecker to call for help—in fact, they'll pay him to forget he ever saw them. 

Wrecker would be happy to forget, but he keeps seeing these men all over Key West—at the marina, in the cemetery, even right outside his own door. And now they want more than his silence—they want a lookout.

He'll have to dive deep into their shady dealings to figure out a way to escape this tangled net. . . .

Publication Information:

Author: Carl Hiaasen

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (September 26, 2023)

Pages: 329 pages

Girl Haven

 

Oni Press

Lilah Sturges (author), Meaghan Carter (illustrator), Joamette Gil (cartoonist)

My Thoughts:

Graphic novels, comics, manga, have always been gender fluid and Girl Haven is no exception with the main character, Ash, being at the brink of a personal realization that he is a trans girl even if others see him as a boy. It is not shocking to bring this type of resource into a middle school classroom. What I know for sure is that comics, especially manga have androgynous and even feminine male characters with big eyes and high cheekbones. It never was a shock and I have been reading manga (in Japanese and in Japan) since the mid 1970s. 

What is different about this book, though, is the note about identity at the end of the book. It makes it more obvious that this is for a younger audience who would like some questions answered around gender identity, gender expression and sexuality. When the stories put characters in a fantasy world to work out issues around fears, gender and the power of love, we are able to get away from the trauma around social "norms" that haunt our children who are targeted as "different," "abnormal," and "queer."

This is another have in the classroom and let it wait for the right child kind of book. Thanks to Oni Press for continuing to allow stories to unfold like this without plastering LGBTQIA and queer youth on the cover or in the merchandising, which sometimes scares the curious reader who just wants to learn more, but also enjoy an adventure. 

From the Publisher:

Full of wonder, humor, and heart, Girl Haven is the newest original story from the author of Lumberjanes.

Three years ago, Ash’s mom left home and never returned, leaving behind a husband and child and a shed full of mystical curiosities related to the all-girl fantasy world she’d created as a child—Koretris. One day Ash invites a new group of friends from Pride Club over, and they try one of the spells to enter Koretris. To their amazement, they’re all transported to a magical realm filled with human-sized talking animals who are fiercely protective of their world and are ready to fight to protect it. But if Koretris is real, why is Ash there? Everyone has always called Ash a boy—shouldn’t the spell have kept Ash out? And what does it mean if it let Ash in? 

Kiki Kallira Breaks a Kingdom

 

Release date: July 6, 2021

My Thoughts:

This book is kind of a cross between Inkheart and Harold and the Purple Crayon with Indian mythology and a mental health/self care theme. 

This is a great tween adventure for readers who love girl power stories. What makes this more cheer worthy is that the "heroine, Kiki feels that her anxiety and OCD has taken over so much control of her world that she truly believes that her brain is broken and nothing can help her. Her self shame keeps her from reaching out for help, so the only way she feels she can quiet her mind is by drawing another world filled with the kids who know how to be brave and heroic for her. 

But when an ancient Indian demon that she drew starts creating havoc in her created world and in her own world, Kiki can no longer hide behind the heroes she created. In order to keep both worlds safe, she needs to conquer her brain and find her own source of strength. This sliding glass door story will also be a mirror for young readers who need to see beyond their own anxiety to the potential and strengths that they always possessed.

From the Publisher:

A rich fantasy-adventure that sees a girl's drawings of Indian mythology spring to vivid life--including the evil god who seeks to enter the real world and destroy it.

Kiki Kallira has always been a worrier. Did she lock the front door? Is there a terrible reason her mom is late? Recently her anxiety has been getting out of control, but one thing that has always soothed her is drawing. Kiki's sketchbook is full of fanciful doodles of the rich Indian myths and legends her mother has told her over the years.

One day, her sketchbook's calming effect is broken when her mythological characters begin springing to life right out of its pages. Kiki ends up falling into the mystical world she drew, which includes a lot of wonderful discoveries like the band of rebel kids who protect the kingdom, as well as not-so-great ones like the ancient deity bent on total destruction. As the one responsible for creating the evil god, Kiki must overcome her fear and anxiety to save both worlds--the real and the imagined--from his wrath. But how can a girl armed with only a pencil defeat something so powerful?

The Last Fallen Star

 

From the Publisher:

Riley Oh can't wait to see her sister get initiated into the Gom clan, a powerful lineage of Korean healing witches their family has belonged to for generations. Her sister, Hattie, will earn her Gi bracelet and finally be able to cast spells without adult supervision. Although Riley is desperate to follow in her sister's footsteps when she herself turns thirteen, she's a saram--a person without magic. Riley was adopted, and despite having memorized every healing spell she's ever heard, she often feels like the odd one out in her family and the gifted community.

My Thoughts:

This is another Rick Riordan presents book like Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, except this one, by Graci Kim, weaves in Korean mythology into her tale of magic clans living amongst the saram (muggles in Rowling world or people without magic). Ms. Kim checks all the boxes for a tween best selling adventure story: a character or characters that feel like outcasts, misunderstood, odd balls and a very important quest that relies on loyalty, sacrifice and bravery. 

Riley reminds me of Chaya from The Girl Who Stole an Elephant. Like Chaya, Riley is headstrong, stubborn, and very brave. She has fiercely loyal friends (including a sister, Hattie, in Riley's case) and she puts them in danger. However, true to contemporary Disney princess  form, Riley (and Chaya) does everything they can to save their friends and repair the disasters that they caused, including, in Riley's case, sacrificing herself.  This is another great read aloud for the 5th, 6th grade classroom as well as a middle level enrichment class.  I hope to see more of Riley. I think she has a Percy Jackson like series of adventures in front of her. 

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky (Tristan Strong, 1)

 

From the Publisher:

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents Kwame Mbalia's epic fantasy, a middle grade American Gods set in a richly-imagined world populated with African American folk heroes and West African gods.

Seventh grader Tristan Strong feels anything but strong ever since he failed to save his best friend when they were in a bus accident together. All he has left of Eddie is the journal his friend wrote stories in. Tristan is dreading the month he's going to spend on his grandparents' farm in Alabama, where he's being sent to heal from the tragedy. But on his first night there, a sticky creature shows up in his bedroom and steals Eddie's notebook. Tristan chases after it--is that a doll?--and a tug-of-war ensues between them underneath a Bottle Tree. In a last attempt to wrestle the journal out of the creature's hands, Tristan punches the tree, accidentally ripping open a chasm into the MidPass, a volatile place with a burning sea, haunted bone ships, and iron monsters that are hunting the inhabitants of this world. Tristan finds himself in the middle of a battle that has left black American folk heroes John Henry and Brer Rabbit exhausted. In order to get back home, Tristan and these new allies will need to entice the god Anansi, the Weaver, to come out of hiding and seal the hole in the sky. But bartering with the trickster Anansi always comes at a price.

Can Tristan save this world before he loses more of the things he loves?

My Thoughts:

The publishers call this a middle grade American Gods (Neil Gaiman), but this is a "Rick Riordan presents" so I will sell this as a centrifugal book spinning from or returning back to Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series. True, Tristan is not half god, but when he enters Alke, he will find out that he brings powers with him passed down from his Nana as well as his best friend Eddie. 

Like Riordan's books, a new generation of readers are introduced or re-introduced to heroes and gods of the past, except these are African American folk heroes and West African gods. I recognized some of the characters from folk tales that are still shared with young students, like John Henry with his mighty hammer and Brer Rabbit (currently most known outside of the African American community as part of the Disney ride Splash Mountain - based on Song of the South), as well as Anansi the trickster. But what this book adds is more depth and complexity to even the familiar characters. This book will ensure that these characters stay present with this new generation and hopefully, this book will lead young readers back to the original stories to find out more about Nyame or Nyambe, the sky deity from South Gana, Gum Baby and even Maafa. 

Two of these, Alke (which is the world he lands in) and Maafa intrigued me enough to look them up. What I found was interesting in that perhaps Alke may perhaps represent Africa, but it is also interesting that there is an Alke in Greek mythology and was one of the Amazonians (like Wonder Woman?). Finally, when I looked up Maafa as the source of the malevolence in Alke, I found that Maafa refers to the Black Holocaust, a Kiswahili term for disaster, calamity, or terrible occurrence. It is the term used to describe the Trans-Atlantic slave trade/middle passage, which is why when it finally appears, it looks like a ship and also why the creatures that come from the Maafa to capture the folks in Alke are rusting fetterlings that look like slave shackles. I have more to explore based on the references in this book, but that just shows that the adventure and Tristan himself are motivation to read this, but also as an adult, this tween book gives me a great starting place to do my own research. 

Follow this book with Percy Jackson or if you want to go back to a more "canonical"/centripetal book, read or reread the Narnia series by C.S. Lewis (It starts with The Magicians's Nephew but most children have seen and are more familiar with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe book 2). There is also a second Tristan Strong book out now, Tristan Strong Destroys the World.

Black Wings Beating

From the Publisher:

The people of Uztar have long looked to the sky with hope and wonder. Nothing in their world is more revered than the birds of prey and no one more honored than the falconers who call them to their fists.

Brysen strives to be a great falconer—while his twin sister, Kylee, rejects her ancient gifts for the sport and wishes to be free of falconry. She’s nearly made it out, too, but a war is rolling toward their home in the Six Villages, and no bird or falconer will be safe.

Together the twins must journey into the treacherous mountains to trap the Ghost Eagle, the greatest of the Uztari birds and a solitary killer. Brysen goes for the boy he loves and the glory he's long craved, and Kylee to atone for her past and to protect her brother's future. But both are hunted by those who seek one thing: power.

In this first young-adult fantasy novel in a trilogy, Alex London launches a soaring saga about the memories that haunt us, the histories that hunt us, and the bonds of blood between us.

My Thoughts: 

This book has been on my "read later" list on my Kindle for months and yet when I finally decided to read it, I just devoured it. It is my kind of book with fantasy types of quests, as well as YA characters who must try and save their communities with help from other YA characters and despite their present but not present parents (or dead and still haunting them). I know YA  researchers have looked into the different ways that parents are not present in many YA books, and I don't want to go into another essay on that, but it seems to be a formula that YA readers look for and expect in this category of fiction. The post modernist social constructs of "family" and the immense agency that YA characters are given in these books (Catcher in the Rye, The Outsiders) seem normalized now and readers want to suspend their disbelief. It is one of the charms of being a YA fiction reader. This also has an LGBTQ character and love triangle, but that too seems normalized, so although it is labeled as LGBTQ, like multicultural YA couples, it's not a thing. Love is love. 

What makes this one interesting is the concept of the raptor birds who almost take the place of "dragons" in this genre in that they are elusive, they are the key to winning and the best trainer is best because of some ancient and as yet untapped ability to connect and communicate with the animal (in this case, birds).

I also enjoyed the complicated relationship between the twins, mostly because I have twin grandkids. The dynamic between twins is always unique even over mere siblings and this book captured it well. Add to that adventure, love interests, betrayal and just the first leg in the journey (the hunt for the ghost eagle) and London has done a great job of reeling in and engaging the reader. 

So why did it take so long for me to pick this book up? After all, this is my preferred genre, it is fast paced and grabbed me right away (once I started reading). 

I did not pick this book up because I don't like the cover. It looks more like a horror cover, even a psychological thriller cover than a YA girl power, fantasy/romance/adventure novel. The cover for me conjures plague, Hitchcock's The Birds, Amityville Horror (the scene with the flies) and for some reason ebola. Maybe the whole plague, bird mites horror for me. It is just personal past trauma, but I am sad that I did not get beyond the cover because I was missing out on a great read.

Red Skies Falling, book 2 in this series comes out in the beginning of September 2019, so it will definitely go on my TBR list, even though I still do not like this next cover. 

A digital copy provided by Net Galley and the publisher for an honest review.

Warrior of the Wild

Publication date: February 26, 2019

Description:

An eighteen-year-old chieftain's daughter must find a way to kill her village’s oppressive deity if she ever wants to return home in Warrior of the Wild, the Viking-inspired YA standalone fantasy from Tricia Levenseller, author of Daughter of the Pirate King. 

How do you kill a god?

As her father's chosen heir, eighteen-year-old Rasmira has trained her whole life to become a warrior and lead her village. But when her coming-of-age trial is sabotaged and she fails the test, her father banishes her to the monster-filled wilderness with an impossible quest: To win back her honor, she must kill the oppressive god who claims tribute from the villages each year or die trying.

My Thoughts:

I put this on my TBR list because I like reading this kind of fantasy-ish (no magic), Viking-ish (not really Vikings but it seems cold and they like to fight), girl power Clan of the Cave Bear ish wilderness feminism, survivalist adventure with a bit of YA rated romance. 

It does not disappoint. It has enough relationship angst to appeal to the girls, enough blood, gore and action for the boys and enough disappointing, clueless, rigid adult characters that make up most YA stories.  With these types of books, there is just so much pressure on the young main characters to basically save the world or die trying. Enter strangers who become friends and allies, including the first LGBTQ character in this type of genre. **Note - the fact that here is an LGBTQ character has nothing to do with the story and it does not add any kind of contemporary agenda which is how it should always be. 

Having said that, this book is not original, but it is still entertaining in its familiarity. Like the Hunger Games' Primrose "Prim" Everdeen who is the healer to her older sister Katniss' warrior, Rasmira in this book has her older sister Irrenia who is the nurturer and healer of the family.  The landscape reminds me of the also fantasyish girl power book Sky in the Deep, and finally, like Kagawa's Iron Fey series, Rasmira, like Meghan, seems to be the main person to save the day for everyone else. If readers devoured any of these, they will devour this too. 

Closing Words:

I am Rasmira Bendrauggo. . . I am both a woman and a warrior. . . And I will not let anyone cause me to forget.

An advanced copy provided by Net Galley for an honest review

Empress of All Seasons

Publication date: November 6, 2018

Tags: fantasy, feudal Japan, supernatural, YA, adventure, romance, action

My thoughts:

Hooray for the new breed of Japanese female warriors cropping up in YA fantasy! They bring their culture and their collective ferocity and loyalty to a genre that sometimes makes the men weak in order to raise up the women. 

The two books that will introduce the YA/Fantasy audience to feudal Japanese, strong, female characters are Empress of all Seasons and Julie Kagawa's October release Shadow of the Fox.

I don't think their stories, although both fantasy, are similar in plot, however, the main characters have similar dispositions and the supernatural element as well as the time period is so similar that for a little while I felt like I had read this book before. 

Also, once the competition starts in the season rooms, things start feeling a bit like Catching Fire.

So yes, this book feels familiar, but it is a good familiar and I enjoyed the read. 

Description:

In a palace of illusions, nothing is what it seems.

Each generation, a competition is held to find the next empress of Honoku. The rules are simple. Survive the palace’s enchanted seasonal rooms. Conquer Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Marry the prince. All are eligible to compete—all except yōkai, supernatural monsters and spirits whom the human emperor is determined to enslave and destroy. Mari has spent a lifetime training to become empress. Winning should be easy. And it would be, if she weren't hiding a dangerous secret. Mari is a yōkai with the ability to transform into a terrifying monster. If discovered, her life will be forfeit.  As she struggles to keep her true identity hidden, Mari’s fate collides with that of Taro, the prince who has no desire to inherit the imperial throne, and Akira, a half-human, half-yōkai outcast. Torn between duty and love, loyalty and betrayal, vengeance and forgiveness, the choices of Mari, Taro, and Akira will decide the fate of Honoku in this beautifully written, edge-of-your-seat YA fantasy.

An advanced copy provided by Net Galley and the publisher for an honest review.

And I Darken

This trilogy is touted as YA's answer to Game of Thrones. Set in the Ottoman Empire, this first book  has all the necessary elements that will keep readers connected. If teen readers like the backstabbing, court intrigue, spying and naked ambition of the Westeros folks, this book has all of that, minus the supernatural threat of the white walkers.

The female protagonist, Lada Dragwyla will remind readers of a mix of Cersei's ambition, Daenerys' leadership and Arya's brutal fighting skills. Although she goes soft for Mehmed and her brother Radu, unlike some of YA's bad ass heroine's like Katniss Everdeen and Beatrice Prior, she is willing to more quickly turn her back on others who do not giver her what she wants, even if it means being alone.

Description:

NO ONE EXPECTS A PRINCESS TO BE BRUTAL. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who’s expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.
But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.
From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes the first book in a dark, sweeping new series in which heads will roll, bodies will be impaled . . . and hearts will be broken.

Last words:

"Not Dragwyla," she said. "Lada Dracul. I am no longer the daughter of the dragon." She lifted her chin, sights set on the horizon. "I am the dragon."

13 Little Blue Envelopes

This is almost like the best of the 39 Clues series. Instead of Grace Cahill changing her will and sending her descendants on a wild chase around the world for her inheritance, this story is about Ginny and the 13 envelopes left by her aunt that leads her not to treasure, but to finding out more about herself through a series of tasks through Europe. She cannot open the next letter until she finishes the task in the previous letter so built in curiosity. 

This is a good book suggestion for SSR (sustained silent reading) or whatever teachers are calling that when they give their students a little bit of time to read in class from a book of their choice. The chapters are short enough to finish quickly and the story is not complicated enough if you are only giving yourself 20 minutes, 3 times a week to read. I say 6th grade because no one older would really believe that parents would allow a 17 year old to just leave and travel alone in Europe. Who knows? Maybe parenting has changed, but the parents are not in this book at all nor do they seem concerned about her whereabouts, so perhaps this is unrealistic at any age. Still, the story begged to be read to the end so I'm passing it on. 

Marabel and the Book of Fate

From the Publishers:

Free-spirited Marabel must defy expectations to rescue her brother--and their kingdom--in this charming, action-packed, and magical story perfect for fans of Ella Enchanted and Dealing with Dragons.

In Magikos, life is dictated by the Book of Fate's ancient predictions, including the birth of a royal Chosen One who will save the realm. Princess Marabel has grown up in the shadow of her twin brother, Marco, who everyone assumes is the true Chosen One. While Marco is adored and given every opportunity, Marabel is overlooked and has to practice her sword fighting in secret.

But on the night of their thirteenth birthday, Marco is kidnapped by an evil queen, and Marabel runs to his rescue. Outside the castle walls for the first time, accompanied by her best friend and a very smug unicorn, Marabel embarks on a daring mission that brings her face-to-face with fairies, trolls, giants--and the possibility that all is not as it seems in Magikos.

My thoughts:

Although I normally read books for middle schoolers, sometimes tween books are just as engaging. Most tweens want to read about a character that is older than they are, so the fact that Marabel and Marco have just turned 13 is perfect for the tween female reader (4-5th grade). Like Ella Enchanted, Marabel is independent and fiesty, even if she is also misunderstood and mostly forgotten by her parents. 

I don't think this will appeal to the males of this age because although there is adventure and humor, there is not enough of the gross factor. The main appeal of this book is that her twin brother Marco, the golden child is one of the characters who really sees her and believes in her strength and intelligence. He does not need to grow throughout the book to see her value to him and to others. He sees it from the beginning, even when she does not see any value in herself. 

The one negative is that the title just did not grab me. I understand the whole Book of Fate connection, but I did not see this as a strong enough theme or connection to put in the title. I almost wanted the title to be just about Marabel or the three of them like Marabel of Magikos, Shadow Princess, something more intriguing. I don't know if I want to read a book with the word book in it, especially if the cover looks so young and non-mysterious. With the title and the picture together, it could be about a girl who fantasizes that the is a princess in this "Book of Fate" when in reality she is a sad, lonely girl who reads to escape and the adventures are in her mind, like a story about a girl who is reading a "choose your own adventure" tale.

Tween Answer to Game of Thrones

Publication date: April 12, 2016 by Disney-Hyperion

About: (from the publisher)

Thorn, an outlaw's son, wasn't supposed to be a slave. He never should have run away from home, leaving his mother and siblings to fend for themselves. Now he's been sold to Tyburn, an executioner, and they're headed to Castle Gloom in Gehenna, the land of undead, where Thorn will probably be fed to a vampire. Lilith Shadow wasn't supposed to be ruler of Gehenna. But on the terrible day her father, mother, and brother were killed, young Lily became the last surviving member of House Shadow, a long line of dark sorcerers. Her country is surrounded by enemies and the only way she can save it is by embracing her heritage and practicing the magic of the undead. But how can she when, as a girl, magic is forbidden to her?
Just when it looks like Lily will have to leave her home forever, Thorn arrives at Castle Gloom. A sudden death brings them together, inspires them to break the rules, and leads them to soar to new heights in this fantasy with all the sparkle and luster of a starry night sky.

My take:

Shadow Magic by Joshua Khan is the tween answer to Martin's Game of Thrones. Some reviewers have likened it to Harry Potter, but the main character, Lily, reminds me of Arya Stark. Although she is orphaned and an unlikely ruler of her people, she accepts her enormous responsibilities and is fiercely loyal to her people. That does not keep her from being head strong and untamed, or taking risks that sometimes turn out badly for her or others, but readers can see her evolve and grow into the leader that she will become. She is more tomboy than girly, more fighter than princess. 

Tired of girl-heavy action heroines? Thorn is not a side kick hero, but a "batman" in his own right. He is fully formed with a backstory that pulls at your heart. It's almost as if he too is like Arya Stark. Similar personality, taken hostage (or bought) by Lily's executioner Tyburn (a more morally developed character than the Hound), and skilled in using his talents to his advantage. I must admit that I slowed my reading down to keep from getting to the end.

An advanced copy of this book was provided by NetGalley.com and the publishers for an honest review.

Windy Hollows

Authors: Neo Edmund and Adira Edmund

Publisher: Zenoscope (April 2012)

Paperback: 80 pages

Genre: Kids's Graphic Novel

Tweet Summary:

4 kids at a wizardry school - misadventure, hilarity, a boy who turns into a frog. Family-friendly fun and activities and stickers to boot.

My thoughts:

I don't bother rating books because with my schedule, I only share what I like. With two 5-year old grandsons, this is the perfect book to read together. The adventures are short and problem-based. There's also non-scary magic. We also got to use the activity pages at the end for some quiet time art therapy before nap time.

The art is very reminiscent of super saturated kids manga which sets a nice tone for the book, and for the 5-year olds, there's enough text to read together.