Review: Teen Titans: Starfire

Teen Titans: Starfire by Kami Garcia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kori and her sister are ready for their summer job at the beach club.  Kori must watch what she is doing because she has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, which causes severe inflammation in her joints.  Kira, her sister, is having a wonderful summer with her hot boyfriend.  Kira’s boyfriend talks the girls into an EDS study that promises to help with Kori’s symptoms, but when they begin to develop powers, the summer fun escalates.  Will these sisters team up or go their separate ways? 

Teen Titans: Starfire is the fifth graphic novel in the Teen Titans series.  Readers who have enjoyed the development of this story will be satisfied with this portion and those who jumped into this volume will not have any issues following.  The graphics were on point yet the overall story dragged in a few spots.  Starfire was a good bridge to the next book Teen Titans: Together.

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Review: The Debutantes

The Debutantes by Olivia Worley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lily is ready to be the Queen of the Les Masques Ball when a person in a Jester costume makes everything go sideways. When her royal court gets a mysterious text the next day and she isn’t where the text directs, it is reminiscent of last year’s queen … who was dead the next day. The Maids have nothing in common, but they want to know where Lily is and why debutantes are at risk. Is Lily alive? What secrets are hidden within the elite of New Orleans?

The Debutantes is a stand-alone mystery that will grab readers at the start and keep them turning pages throughout. Worley did a wonderful job of showing readers that secret societies are not only something from previous centuries and rich white men still feel entitled to run their world as they see fit. The Debutantes will leave readers wondering what secrets are hidden around them too.


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Review: In Too Deep

In Too Deep by Lee Child
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jack doesn’t know where he is or how he got there.  All he knows is that he is being restrained and he needs a plan to get away.  He gets the chance to talk with one of his captors and he learns that he was in a car crash and the driver is dead.  They want to know what Reacher knows … but that can’t work with his short-term memory loss.  Of course, Reacher gets away and now he wants to find out what is going on.

In Too Deep is the twenty-ninth Jack Reacher novel and it pulls no punches.  We all know that danger and intrigue find Jack, even if he isn’t looking for it.  The cast of characters are devious if not very smart and Reacher must trust strangers while also not letting them too close.  In Too Deep is a fun continuation of the Jack Reacher saga. 

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Review: Twenty-Four Seconds from Now...

Twenty-Four Seconds from Now... by Jason Reynolds
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Neon is now in Aria’s bathroom having a breakdown.  They are about to take their relationship to the next level … that is if he can get out of his head and back into her bedroom.  Twenty-four minutes ago Neon was leaving work; twenty-four days ago Neon’s mom found her bra in his bedroom; twenty-four weeks ago …; twenty-four months ago …. 

Twenty-Four Second From Now is a novel told in reverse.  This book starts with now and slowly backs up to show the reader what was happening in Neon’s life to get him to that point.  Reynolds did a wonderful job leading readers into the thoughts and actions of Neon and the people in his life.  It was a little confusing at first, but once I understood what the story was trying to do, it was great.  This is a short read that can be completed in one sitting.

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Review: The Glass Girl

The Glass Girl by Kathleen Glasgow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bella has a lot of responsibilities.  Her parents are divorced, she seems to be raising her younger sister, and working too.  Bella is also the go-between with her parents and she can’t turn to her grandmother anymore … because she is dead.  She has started self-medicating with alcohol but doesn’t believe she has a problem … until she goes to a party on Thanksgiving and wakes up in the hospital.  Now she must face the consequences of her drinking and go to rehab.

The Glass Girl is a realistic fiction story that takes an issue that plagues humans of every age and puts it into a story that is easily relatable and easy to read.  Glasgow was able to build the story in such a way that readers will know where it is going next and still stick around for the ride.  The Glass Girl is a heart-wrenching story that would be a good fit for teens and adults alike.

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Review: Ruin Road

Ruin Road by Lamar Giles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cade is playing football at a great high school, but his home is in the wrong neighborhood.  No matter where he goes, people steer clear of him … he is a large, black, teenage boy.  One night after his game is canceled, he ducks into a pawn shop and feels drawn to buy a ring.  A statement told in jest is taken as a wish and Cade’s life is turned upside down.  Will Cade be able to get out of his wish?  What price is too high?

Ruin Road is a stand-alone blend of fantasy and thriller as readers try and discover where the story is going next and what side stories are related to the main tale.  Giles has created relatable characters that pull at threads that link to issues in the news today and the story explores dark twists to many of our thoughts.  A fast-paced read for all thriller fans.

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Review: The Heart of the World

The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Selly and Leander have been through a lot and the result is love.  He is now the Messenger for the goddess Barrica and Leander is the only thing keeping him from being taken over by the dark magic.  Unfortunately, Barrica wasn’t the only goddess who woke up and this new god is trying to start a war.  Will these two be able to stop the evil in the world, both immortal and human?  Will their new bond survive what they must go through next?

The Heart of the World is the second book in The Isles of Gods fantasy series.  The beginning of the book has a refresher of the first book so those who have a space of time between novels will be reminded.  This might be too much if you are reading the books close together, though.  Kaufman has taken the world-building from the first book and expanded on these dynamic characters.  A good fantasy read for those who enjoyed the first part.

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