Book Review for The Mighty Odds by Amy Ignatow

A copy of the book was provided by SocialBookCo.

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SocialBookCo - The Mighty Odds

4/5 STAR RATING

I had never read anything by Amy Ignatow before, even though I see her Popularity Papers series checked out from my library all the time. It just seemed like another Diary of a Wimpy Kid rip-off series. But going by this book, she has a unique take on children’s literature that I think should be heard. It’s funny and serious and relevant to how kids think and what they enjoy.

A group of kids, who are not friends, get into a bus accident coming home from a field trip. They all walk away with some pretty distinctive powers. For example, Farshad has super human strength but only in his thumbs .The other kids: Nick, Martina, and Cookie, also have weird powers that they’re learning to control. Its little quirks like that that make this book such a joy to read. I’m sure any middle school aged pre-teen would love to acquire super powers. But Ignatow shows how you should be careful what you wish for. Since now they have someone (possibly evil) looking for them.

I don’t think I’ve ever read a juvenile fiction book quite like this one. I either read regular fiction or graphic novels. Ignatow is known for combining words and art into her books. The pictures are not the dominant feature for her story. They act more like highlights to the narrative. This would be a good way to “trick” kids into reading this book, with the promise that there are pictures scattered about. And I know you’re supposed to let a child read what they want but sometimes they need a push. So I wouldn’t be above using ulterior motives to get someone to read this book.

The dialogue was well written. To my surprise, a few curse words were sprinkled throughout Cookie’s POV. I appreciate the realism to how she talks. As a young black female, I expect a certain amount of sass from her character. I know that may sound like I’m stereotyping her but I’m not. It’s instinctual for me to gravitate towards any character of color and I desperately want them to be authentic without being a caricature of their race. Cookie and Farshad both hold their own and exceed my expectations when it came down to their speech and representation.   

The ending of the novel seemed a bit rushed to me. I was really enjoying the book and then before I knew it, it was over. I think the author could have handled it better. I do understand that this is the intro to a series though, so some themes have to be fleshed out in the next book. I just feel like you barely get to know these kids before their story is wrapping up and trying to set up the mystery of who's after them. This is why I plan on reading the next book when it is released. I look forward to some more bonding between the reluctant superheroes.

Reading Challenge 2016 # 9

As always, I'm overdue with my completion of my monthly challenges. I finished this book in early October instead of in September. The short story format through me off and there were A LOT of them. But I did finish and now I can be late with finding a book for this month's challenge.


Scary Out There by Jonathan Maberry

This anthology of short stories kinda disappointed me. Once I read the intro, I realized I would not be getting the typical scary stories I was expecting and anticipating to read. Some entries did have classic horror and thriller themes to them. But most were a different take on the genre that I couldn't fully comprehend or appreciate. I will say that I extremely enjoyed the following stories :

What Happens to Girls Who Disappear by Carrie Ryan
As Good as Your Word by Ellen Hopkins
The Invisible Girl by Rachel Tafoya
Death and Twinkies by Zac Brewer
Danny by Josh Malerman
The Whisper-Whisper Men by Tim Waggoner
Chlorine-Damaged Hair... by Kendra Blake
Corazon Oscuro by Rachel Caine

Reading for Pleasure

Now that I have completed my year end goal, I can just relax and read what I want...JK. I am still a stressed out bibliophile who has other challenges and obligations to finish. But these books on this post were read only because I wanted to. I reread some of my old favorites and graphic novels that I hadn't before.

Pleasures of the Night by Sylvia Day
The first book in the erotic Dream Guardians series
REREAD
OLD FAVORITE
5 STAR RATING

Yep, this book is still awesome. I'm pretty sure this is the first book I've ever read by Sylvia Day and it started a long lasting relationship. It's a great blend of romance and erotica. 
Lyssa and Aidan are the perfect couple. They have an instant connection that's explained away by mind reading and mind blowing sex. Speaking of, the sex scenes are hot. I'm not a fan of the word cock but that's a minor flaw to deal with for these steamy scenes. The ending leaves it open for a second book, which I enjoyed as well. If Day ever decides to write the third book in this trilogy, I'll be one of the first people in line to get a copy.










Stuck in the Middle by Ariel Schrag
A collection of comics about the awkward pre-teen years
3 STAR RATING

The first couple of comics left a bad taste but after a rough beginning, I really enjoyed reading this book. It's overwhelmingly relatable. Middle school is easily more awkward and awful than high school, in my opinion. These collection of stories captures that tween state well. 
I liked the comics that ended on a hopeful note more than the ones that had no real resolution. It made sense for an open ended conclusion with some of the stories, seeing as they had no lessons or point to make. But they left me feeling a bit sad. Either way, this is a good book for anyone out of high school. It'll bring back memories, good and bad.











3 Brides for 3 Bad Boys by Lucy Monroe
Short stories about the brothers finding love and marriage
REREAD
OLD FAVORITE
5 STAR RATING


I was going back and forth on taking a star away from this book but I've decided to keep it at 5 stars. I remember being totally in love with the holy trinity of romance authors; Lucy Monroe, Erin McCarthy and Lori Foster. I devoured every book they library had by them. This book was at the top of that pile.
It's about a group of brothers who quickly find themselves married. Since each brother has a short story, the romance and happy endings are rushed and underdeveloped. But I still thoroughly enjoyed them. The couples are all sweet and endearing. One change is which story is my favorite. When I first read this book, I loved Colton's story. The one night stand and Vegas setting appealed to my young teenage mind. But now that I'm older, I really like Rand's story. Phoebe is the woman I could most relate to. I feel like their chemistry was the most genuine.







Assassination Classroom Vol 8, 9, 10 by Yusei Matsui

5 STAR RATING

That last panel made me squeal with joy. This book was so good. It was the best volume to come back to after my reading hiatus from the series. The "lessons" from Koro Sensei are always so uplifting, though his teaching techniques leave me feeling stressed. 
Class 3-E are trying to figure out the mystery of who poisoned them and why. The students who weren't infected take charge and go to meet the foe. It's almost like a video game with how they have to take out bosses to get to the final level. The fact that Nagisa is dressed as a girl is a plus. He's just so darn cute. But shit gets real when the finally get see who's been causing all this trouble. I was pleasantly surprised with the maniac reveal. I just hope Nagisa kicks his ass in the next volume.














4 STAR RATING

I don't have too much to say about this volume. Nothing major happens, except in the beginning with the battle with Nagisa. He is such a bad ass. I think he's my favorite character. He has a swag to him that I adore. The fact that he can pass as a girl cracks me up every time. 
With this being a filler book to the series, I could just sit back and enjoy a slow read since I wasn't excited and falling out of my chair while reading. I liked that a student had the opportunity to leave the class and ended up learning the value of friendship and studying and blah blah blah. Koro Sensei is too good a teacher to pass up on. Even though he is planning on destroying the world if someone doesn't kill him first.















3 STAR RATING

I'm not gonna lie, I was a bit bored with this book. The rainbow cover is eye catching though. I just wanted more. Itona had a little back story which I appreciated. He's finally just a student now, still very much intent on killing Koro Sensei. And that foreboding ending with Nagisa had me on edge. They better not mess with my baby.

100 BOOKS

I did it. I have met my quota for the year. I have read over 100 books since my last post. Now I did cheat a little. I changed my goal from 150 to 100. I couldn't quite get to those high numbers. But I think I'll stay at 100 from now on. It's a more realistic and easily achievable number.

How to Set a Fire and Why by Jesse Ball
Adult (young adult?) fiction
3 STAR RATING

I really wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. The cover, the title, the bad ass protagonist. It had me very eager to read it and my expectations were very high. Unfortunately, I was left feeling a bit disappointed. 

Lucia doesn't have the greatest of lives but she has enough. She has a roof (of a garage) over her head, an elderly aunt who loves and cares for her, and is borderline genius. But the high school arson club sparks something in her that she didn't even know was there. See how that description sounds awesome? It doesn't get very exciting until more than halfway through the novel. The layout for the chapters are interesting but I found Lucia's voice lacking in passion. Despite the sometimes weird and stimulating situations she finds herself in, I was bored reading about them. I kept waiting for something to happen. And technically, nothing really did SPOILER since the last chapter was a prediction and we never find out if she started her big fire or not. SPOILER

But I still very much enjoyed Lucia and her antics. Shout out goes to her friend, Lana. She's a great side character and I wish she was featured more in the book. I have a hard time seeing this novel as a young adult book, even though the main character is a teenager. This is definitely for a more mature audience, which probably explains why my local library has it categorized as adult fiction.

Spider-Man/Deadpool Vol 0: Don't Call it a Team-up by Rob Liefield

A comic book mash up

4 STAR RATING

So this was awesome. I've never read anything about Spider-Man or Deadpool. But when I saw the cover, I couldn't pass up reading this collection of comics. 

So it appears that both characters jump in and out of each other's individual comics. This book puts them together in a somewhat cohesive storyline. Each chapter gives a little background story, which I found extremely helpful. What took me by surprise the most is how annoying Spider-Man can be. I know he's a teen, and then at one point was actually Doctor Ock, but I didn't really like him like I thought I would. Deadpool was what I expected though. But now I automatically hear Ryan Reynolds voice when I read about Deadpool. If another volume is released, I'll more than likely read it. Mostly for more Deadpool.

Little Robot by Ben Hatke

A children's graphic novel

4 STAR RATING

There are not many words in this graphic novel but that's what makes it so amazing to me. The amount of emotion and meaning that came through the artwork spoke volumes. This is a great book for visual readers, meaning they prefer pictures over words. 

I'd recommend this book to younger readers, probably 2nd graders. It's a cute story with very detailed art that will quickly be read in less than 20 minutes.

The Wicked by L.A. Banks

8th book of the Vampire Huntress Legend series

BOOK CLUB READ

5 STAR RATING

Banks had really outdone herself with this book. It's just all around amazing. The big baddie, the fight scenes, the ending. I literally cried during some scenes. And I have never cried while reading this series. I kinda almost wish the story ended here, on such a high note.

Damali and Carlos have their work cut out for them when Cain decides to leave the Land of Nod and go for his father's throne in Hell. All the stops have to be pulled to overcome his literal reign of terror. The council of kings, council of queens, other squads, and angels are brought in for the final battle. It was gut wretching. Some of the deaths scenes had me hollering. I had to put the book down in several occasions. 

Everything was just awesome, all of the elements came together for an amazing story. I wasn't even mad at the over detailed writing style or how long the book was. From the first page, I was hooked. The pacing finally felt natural. I now have high hopes for the rest of the series. My standards are at an all time high right now.

And I Darken by Kiersten White

The first novel of the Conquerors Saga

5 STAR RATING

NEW FAVORITE

Holy shit, this book was fantastic. The writing was lyrical. The characters were complex. The ending made me squeal. I am in desperate need of the second book to this series. 

The book follows the lives of Lada and Radu, the children of ruler Vlad Dracul. With that name, I was expecting a fantasy novel but this is just historical fiction. I can only imagine the amount of research and planning that went into this book. It's very detailed and everything means something. I probably missed out on some information with how fast I read it. But I couldn't help myself. 

I don't wanna write a long review, because I could go on and on with every little thing I loved about this book. I will say that Lada is a heroine to behold. She's not entirely likable but you can't help but root for her. Her brother is equally important but Lada stole my heart.

Waiting for Fall

Though it is technically still summer (and hot as hell), I am in full autumn mode. I am so eager to see the leaves change colors and for the weather to drop and I can rock my librarian sweaters again without sweating profusely. For pumpkin spice fever to take hold and annoy everyone once more. I'm more of a sweet potato pie kinda person but to each their own. Either way, I am looking forward to curling up with a good book under my covers with the heat cranking in my little bedroom. Some hot chocolate or mead will definitely be sipped on and fuzzy socks will be worn.

Baba Yaga's Assistant by Marika McCoola
A children's graphic novel
3 STAR RATING

     The art is definitely the high point of this children's graphic novel. It was both endearing and creepy. I love the dialogue boxes and font. It gave the book a playful vibe. The story was lacking depth, even for its intended younger audience. The angst of the main character didn't feel deserved and the resolution did not give me any satisfaction.

     I picked this book up on a whim, mostly for the cover and I'm glad I read it. It's a one day read that didn't completely waste my time. But I just wish it were better.







The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chohski
A young adult fantasy novel
2 STAR RATING
BOOK CLUB READ

     Finally finished this and and I hate to say that I was disappointed. The characters were well enough developed and the fantasy parts were great to read. But the heroine failed to make me care for her. I was definitely on her side in the beginning but once she's married to Amar, I found her unlikable. All of the issues she faces are her own fault. 

     The synopsis for the second book sounds to good to pass up though, so I'll be reading that one when it's released. I just hope it's way better than this book was.







Soul Eater Vol 8 by Atsushi Ohkubo
8th volume of the graphic novel series
3 STAR RATING

     I was hoping for a bit more action in this book but I'm still very pleased with it. The fight scenes with Kid and his guns were awesome. The little seed of doubt towards his father will definitely come back up again. And poor Crona can't seem to catch a break. Once it seems like they're getting settled, Medusa rears her big ugly head and messes it all up. I hope Crona will decide not to spy for her. She needs to die, for real this time.











All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
The One Maryland One book choice for 2016
A young adult novel about police brutality towards black people
4 STAR RATING
BOOK CLUB READ

     Here we are, sooner than I would have expected. Lately I've been dragging my feet with reading full length novels but I quickly tore through this book in just one day. And what a day it was. To read about Rashad's attack by a police officer from his POV made me uncomfortable, which I'm sure was the goal. You feel like you're right there with him, getting hit over and over again without a valid reason why. Then it immediately switches to a bystanders POV which is just as unsettling. This whole book is one huge sore that you can't help but pick at. I know that's a horrible simile but it's the only way I can describe it.

     Rashad and Quinn are the voices of this story, two kids that go to the same school but are worlds apart. One is assaulted to the point of having internal bleeding and the other struggles with what he saw and who he saw committing the attack. It such a captivating read from the very first page. The flow between the two authors never skipped a beat. It was clear that they have different writing styles but they never clashed, only meshed. The last chapters which was written in prose was the perfect ending to the story. These two characters finally connect and see that having your voice heard in a positive way can make a difference, even if it's only within yourself.

     I will definitely recommend this to anyone who's not afraid or wary to shy away from tough topics. All readers 10 and up should read this. It's real and it's completely relevant to the world we live in today.