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Review: Study Hall of Justice (DC Comics: Secret Hero Society #1)

Title: Study Hall of Justice (DC Comics: Secret Hero Society #1)
Author: Derek Fridolfs, Dustin Nguyen
Genre: Middle Grade
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Source: Library
Release Date: January 26, 2016
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Being the new kid at school is tough, especially when your school is called Ducard Academy and your name is Bruce Wayne. There’s a gang of jokers roaming the halls, a muscle-headed kid named Bane wants to beat you up, and your guidance counselor Hugo Strange seems really, well, strange.

This inventive novel follows young Bruce Wayne and his friends Clark (Superman) and Diana (Wonder Woman) as they start a Junior Detective Agency to investigate their teachers and find out what’s going on behind closed doors at Ducard Academy, all before recess.

This all-new story presents a twist on the idea of junior sleuths, using comics, journal entries, and doodles to reimagine Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman as three students in the same school. They’ll try their best to solve their case, but just because you’re faster than a speeding bullet or more powerful than a locomotive, it doesn’t mean you get to stay up past eleven.

Review:

This is a great middle grade story for fans of DC Comics.

This story takes place before the DC Comics characters became super heroes. They give hints to the superheroes that we know they will become. Bruce Wayne loves bats and working in dark spaces. Clark Kent is super secretive about where he comes from and says he knows nothing about Krypton. And there’s also the class clown Joe Kerr who is always pulling pranks in the halls.

The illustrations in this graphic novel were done in grey and white. Some of them looked like pencil sketches. There were some documents in the story, such as Bruce’s electronic journal and flyers from school. These told more of the story in an abstract way so that we can see what is happening around the students without them stating it.

I liked this graphic novel. It was a quick read, and funny too!

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? – September 3

This blog meme is hosted by Book Date. It is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile!

What I just finished:

This weekend I finished Valiant High by Daniel Kibblesmith, Derek Charm, and David Baron.

What I’m currently reading:

I’m currently reading The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden.

What I’m reading next:

Next I will be reading The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton.

What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?

Jill’s Weekly Wrap-Up – September 2

I can’t believe it’s September already! Summer is almost finished… but at least it’s Pumpkin Spice season again!

Here’s my weekly wrap up!

Here are my reviews for the week with my ratings:

Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein ★★★★
Beauty and Bernice ★★★
Quid Pro Quo ★★★★
City of Ghosts ★★★★★
Sheets ★★★★
Three Dark Crowns (Three Dark Crowns #1) ★★★★★

I did 7 weekly blogging memes:

How was your week? What did you guys read?

Sundays in Bed With… Gemina

The meme that dares to ask what book has been in your bed this morning? Come share what book you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today! This meme is hosted by Midnight Book Girl.

This Sunday I reading Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminaecontinues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope.

What book are you in bed with today?

Review: Three Dark Crowns (Three Dark Crowns #1)

Title: Three Dark Crowns (Three Dark Crowns #1)
Author: Kendare Blake
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Purchased
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.

But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose … it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins. The last queen standing gets the crown.

If only it was that simple. Katharine is unable to tolerate the weakest poison, and Arsinoe, no matter how hard she tries, can’t make even a weed grow. The two queens have been shamefully faking their powers, taking care to keep each other, the island, and their powerful sister Mirabella none the wiser. But with alliances being formed, betrayals taking shape, and ruthless revenge haunting the queens’ every move, one thing is certain: the last queen standing might not be the strongest … but she may be the darkest.

Review:

I’m so excited about this series! I wish I hadn’t waited so long to start it, but I’m glad that I can read the next two books right away.

I found the story a little confusing at first because there were so many characters! Each Queen lives with a different guardian family, and they each specialize in a different power, so it was hard to keep track of them. Also, there were some names that looked similar, such as Luca and Luke. This slowed down my reading at first, but once I figured everyone out, it was so good!

The narrative switched between each of the three Queens. I loved reading about each of them, but then I wanted to keep reading their stories when it switched to the next girl. The final chapters were so fast paced. They were each just a few pages long so I flew through them.

I have to admit that I guessed the ending correctly. I was glad that I was right, and now I can’t wait to read the next book!

Stacking the Shelves – September 1

This is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and Reading Reality. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

I received five books from HarperCollins Canada this week at their Frenzy Presents event:

The Black Witch (The Black Witch Chronicles #1) by Laurie Forest
The Iron Flower (The Black Witch Chronicles #2) by Laurie Forest
The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth
A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi
Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa

I received a book from Simon and Schuster Canada:

Blended by Sharon M. Draper

I also three books that I ordered from Indigo:

Two Dark Reigns (Three Dark Crowns #3) by Kendare Blake
City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab
Another Woman’s Husband by Gill Paul

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada and HarperCollins Canada for these books!

What books did you get this week?

Review: Sheets

Title: Sheets
Author: Brenna Thummler
Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult
Publisher: Lion Forge
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Release Date: August 28, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Marjorie Glatt feels like a ghost. A practical thirteen year old in charge of the family laundry business, her daily routine features unforgiving customers, unbearable P.E. classes, and the fastidious Mr. Saubertuck who is committed to destroying everything she’s worked for.

Wendell is a ghost. A boy who lost his life much too young, his daily routine features ineffective death therapy, a sheet-dependent identity, and a dangerous need to seek purpose in the forbidden human world.

When their worlds collide, Marjorie is confronted by unexplainable disasters as Wendell transforms Glatt’s Laundry into his midnight playground, appearing as a mere sheet during the day. While Wendell attempts to create a new afterlife for himself, he unknowingly sabotages the life that Marjorie is struggling to maintain.

Sheets illustrates the determination of a young girl to fight, even when all parts of her world seem to be conspiring against her. It proves that second chances are possible whether life feels over or life is over. But above all, it is a story of the forgiveness and unlikely friendship that can only transpire inside a haunted laundromat.

Review:

Marjorie is in charge of her family’s business, a laundromat. She struggles because she had to take over their business when her mother passed away. She doesn’t have friends at school. It gets worse when Mr. Saubertuck starts sabotaging her business so that he can build a resort on their property.

I found this story so sad. It was sad that Marjorie’s mother passed away, and her father didn’t really do anything after because he was so depressed. Marjorie didn’t have time to explore her feelings because she had to look after the family.

Wendell and the land of ghosts were also sad. Wendell is starting to forget his former life. The ghosts have a whole world, where they float around in sheets. The idea of the land of ghosts in sheets was funny sometimes. They had support groups and jobs. But it was still sad to think that all of those people had died and they were beginning to forget their former lives.

This was an emotional story with a positive ending about the power of friendship and forgiveness.

First Lines Friday – August 31

This is a weekly meme hosted by Wandering Words, where you give the first few lines of a book to hook your readers before introducing the book.

Here are my first lines:

“Walking to school over the snow-muffled cobbles, Karou had no sinister premonitions about the day. It seemed like just another Monday, innocent but for its essential Mondayness, not to mention its Januaryness.”

Do you recognize these first lines?

…

And the book is… Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.

Goodreads synopsis:

Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious “errands”, she speaks many languages – not all of them human – and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Have you read Daughter of Smoke and Bone? What did you think of it?

Review: City of Ghosts

Title: City of Ghosts
Author: Victoria Schwab
Genre: Middle Grade
Publisher: Scholastic
Source: Purchased
Release Date: August 28, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Cassidy Blake’s parents are The Inspectres, a (somewhat inept) ghost-hunting team. But Cass herself can REALLY see ghosts. In fact, her best friend, Jacob, just happens to be one.

When The Inspectres head to ultra-haunted Edinburgh, Scotland, for their new TV show, Cass—and Jacob—come along. In Scotland, Cass is surrounded by ghosts, not all of them friendly. Then she meets Lara, a girl who can also see the dead. But Lara tells Cassidy that as an In-betweener, their job is to send ghosts permanently beyond the Veil. Cass isn’t sure about her new mission, but she does know the sinister Red Raven haunting the city doesn’t belong in her world. Cassidy’s powers will draw her into an epic fight that stretches through the worlds of the living and the dead, in order to save herself.

Review:

I absolutely loved this book! I couldn’t put it down!

This book reminded me of The Mediator series by Meg Cabot. In that series, Suzannah can speak to ghosts, and she has one particular ghost, Jesse, who follows her around. Cass and Jacob’s relationship reminded me of Suzannah and Jesse. There were also loads of Harry Potter references in this book, which is always a plus for me!

This story was very fast-paced. A lot of things happened in a short amount of time. The ending also left it open to become a series. The only problem is that I want to read the next book now!

I’ll definitely be recommending this book to YA and middle grade readers!

TBR Thursday – August 30

TBR Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly Faye Reads, where you post a title from your shelf or e-reader and find out what others think about it.

My pick this week is Sea Witch by Sarah Henning.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Everyone knows what happens in the end. A mermaid, a prince, a true love’s kiss. But before that young siren’s tale, there were three friends. One feared, one royal, and one already dead.

Ever since her best friend, Anna, drowned, Evie has been an outcast in her small fishing town. A freak. A curse. A witch.

A girl with an uncanny resemblance to Anna appears offshore and, though the girl denies it, Evie is convinced that her best friend actually survived. That her own magic wasn’t so powerless after all. And, as the two girls catch the eyes—and hearts—of two charming princes, Evie believes that she might finally have a chance at her own happily ever after.

But her new friend has secrets of her own. She can’t stay in Havnestad, or on two legs, unless Evie finds a way to help her. Now Evie will do anything to save her friend’s humanity, along with her prince’s heart—harnessing the power of her magic, her ocean, and her love until she discovers, too late, the truth of her bargain.

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Fort Solitude (DC Comics: Secret Hero Society #2) by Derek Fridolfs, Dustin Nguyen

Wonder Woman at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee

What I just finished:

What I’m currently reading:

What I’m reading next:

Goodreads Synopsis:

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Review:

What to read next:

One Dark Throne (Three Dark Crowns #2) by Kendare Blake

Red Queen (Red Queen #1) by Victoria Aveyard

The Black Witch (The Black Witch Chronicles #1) by Laurie Forest

The Iron Flower (The Black Witch Chronicles #2) by Laurie Forest

The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa

Blended by Sharon M. Draper

Two Dark Reigns (Three Dark Crowns #3) by Kendare Blake

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

Another Woman’s Husband by Gill Paul

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki

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Review:

What to read next:

Shadowland (The Mediator #1) by Meg Cabot

The Field Guide (The Spiderwick Chronicles #1) by Toni DiTerlizzi and Holly Black

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