Tessa Miyata is so Unlucky by Julie Abe

What worked:

The book is immersed in Japanese culture and the author includes several sections of information before the story even starts. They include a map, a description of the “magical side of Japan”, vocabulary for the magical and real worlds, and a brief recap of events from the previous book. The recap is told by a character since he’s heard “mortal minds are forgetful” and we might not remember earlier events. The author takes the time to make readers comfortable with the plot even if they haven’t read the previous book. The story moves back and forth between the godly and human worlds  as the characters compete in an immortal competition.

The cast of characters is a unique blend of mortals and immortals competing as “equals”. Tessa and her best friend Jin are the only mortals competing in the first Cycle in four hundred years. They are teamed with a minor god named Mimi and a minor spirit named Hachi. Mimi has a refreshing view of winning that contrasts with Hachi’s need to please his father. Tessa and Jin are God-blessed and they’ve entered the competition to save the Unlucky God named Kit. These three characters teamed up in the previous book but Kit will be demoted and transformed to ether if his team loses. The other seven teams of immortals have no respect for mortals and they combine their efforts to make sure Kit’s team is eliminated. This sets the stage for an exciting underdog story.

An underlying plot revolves around a secret group of rebels called the God Hunters. They want a separation between gods and the mortal world. Most of the immortals don’t believe the God Hunters exist but readers will suspect strange happenings during the Cycle must be connected to them. The immortals can’t explain why some competitors disappear for short times or temporarily lose their abilities during the competition. More information about the rebels is shared later in the book and the author presents a huge twist with one of the characters that will surely affect the next book in the series.

What didn’t work as well:

The author includes Japanese terms in the story but their meanings aren’t always clear from the context. Readers can utilize the glossaries found at the beginning of the book but the confusing vocabulary words might not be there.

The final verdict:

Tessa’s group epitomizes teamwork and support for each other as they struggle to save Kit. It’s admirable that Tessa is the team leader even though two of her team members have immortal powers. The book will appeal to lovers of folklore and Japan and I recommend you give it a shot!

Kelcie Murphy and the Race for the Reaper's Key by Erika Lewis

What worked:

The story follows Kelcie and Lexie in their respective realms of Summer and Winter. The author develops their tales separately across several chapters which prevents the starting and stopping of stories that result from using alternating chapters. The two kingdoms have been at war for generations and the rulers have no interest in seeking peace. Following the events in the second book, Kelcie is honored and respected as a hero in Summer while Lexie is despised as a traitor among her own people. The two girls don’t accept that war between the kingdoms is unavoidable and the story shares their efforts in pursuing peace. Lexie faces greater obstacles since her queen wants to put her in prison although Kelcie’s willingness to work with Winter is treasonous. It’s admirable to see characters willing to defy their rulers to do what’s best for the citizens of their kingdoms.

Kelcie’s life is complicated by her disgraced father even though she holds out hope for him. He’s the biggest villain in Summer. His physical form is now controlled by King Balor and the rulers of the Summer and Winter kingdoms are unaware of Balor’s meddling efforts. Balor is secretly stimulating and perpetuating the Never-Ending War with hopes of eventually releasing an army of evil demons from hell. Kelsie’s father displays some signs of life when he’s able to send visions to Kelcie but she’s not always sure how to interpret them. It’s clear the climax of the story will find Kelcie pitted against King Balor in an epic confrontation. She may have a chance if she can master her elemental powers.

Lexie and Kelcie’s fianas have grown up with different expectations but each group leader faces new challenges. A member of Lexie’s fiana turned against them in the previous book but now wants forgiveness and to be allowed back in. How can Lexie and her friends ever trust him again even though he seems sincere now? Kelcie and Niall, a Summer prince, have been close in the previous books but their feelings go up a notch this time. The new emotions can be a distraction but Niall can mentally send Kelcie encouraging words when she’s anxious. Middle-grade readers can connect with the trust issues Lexie is facing and Kelcie’s blooming boy-girl relationship.

What didn’t work as well:

There is a lot of vocabulary specific to the series that readers will need to learn. There are also many characters to remember from both kingdoms. The author makes references to previous events but I highly recommend readers start the series from the beginning.

The final verdict:

This book resolves the war between Summer and Winter and ends the covert threat of King Balor. The wonderful blend of characters, action, and humor will entertain lovers of elemental abilities and adventure. I recommend you give this book, and series, a shot!

Sylvia Doe and the 100-Year Flood by Robert Beatty

What worked:

Effective hooks in a book’s opening pages immediately capture the attention of readers. This book’s first page finds Sylvia hiding in the back of a truck, fleeing from unknown pursuers. She survives flood waters from a powerful hurricane before readers learn she’s run away from a foster family and is returning to an orphanage she considers home. There’s no information about Sylvia’s parents which begins to create a mysterious aura to her character. Doe is a name commonly used when identities are unknown. Glowing blue water raging through a river near the orphanage adds to the strange world. Sylvia can’t understand the animals she sees caught up in the torrents like jaguars, grey wolves, and an extinct Carolina Parakeet. There’s no rational explanation for the presence of these creatures in the mountains of North Carolina.

The plot shifts when Sylvia revives a young boy who’s drowned in the floodwaters. She’s happy that she remembers enough CPR training to get his heart beating again. Jorna is thankful Sylvia saved him but he’s frightened and insistent that she not tell anyone about him. Sylvia finds it odd that he’s reluctant to share information about his circumstances and readers will notice other small details too. Sylvia wonders how Jorna starts a campfire in the wet woods without matches and he casually says he does it the usual way. He doesn’t recognize hot dogs wrapped in tin foil but he recognizes large rocks of sapphire, emerald, and ruby that are washed up on shore. The pasts of these two characters offer mysteries to tantalize readers’ minds.

The author is a word master and piques readers’ emotions. The descriptions of Sylvia struggling to rescue Jorna and to survive the hurricane and flooding will have readers experiencing the distress right along with her. They’ll feel her desperation when she can’t get Jorna to breathe and she still can’t feel his pulse. Sylvia also has a tight bond with her horse, Kitty Hawk, and she’s terrified of losing him in the deep, churning waters. Horses can’t hold their breaths underwater but Kitty Hawk won’t stop facing danger and death if the option is leaving Sylvia behind. Sylvia wrestles with conflicting feelings of loneliness and belonging as she searches for her place in the world.  

What didn’t work as well:

The story doesn’t offer much emotional relief as the whole ordeal seems like life is constantly in the balance. There are moments of rest but then the characters are back fighting the storm. Much of the book evolves into life-and-death situations. While readers may be trying to catch their breaths, they’ll enjoy the non-stop mystery, drama, and action.

The final verdict:

The plot centers on returning Jorna to his home and trying to discover Sylvia’s origins. The author guides readers on a treacherous adventure in the mountains of North Carolina that culminates in an emotional reunion. I highly recommend you give it a shot!

Monster Movie! by Chuck Wendig

What worked:

Many book characters suffer from anxiety or phobias but Ethan takes it to the extreme. The opening chapter finds his mind spiraling out of control as he thinks about how a squirrel might have rabies, or maybe a weird human-hybrid squirrel disease, or maybe The Plague, or maybe… He’s also terrified of being around classmates because he doesn’t know how to behave around them (of course they also carry diseases and infections). Much of the first fourth of the book builds tension as Ethan insists he’s not going to a movie even though all of his classmates will be attending. His best friends try pressuring him into going and the author shares his obsessive thoughts about why that won’t be happening. Kids say people became hysterical and died watching the movie!

Luckily, Ethan has two best friends, Olivia and Harley. Olivia is cool and calm and she’s the one who helps Ethan navigate his panic attacks. She’s also the one who tries using Ethan’s own fear, like the fear of missing out, to convince him about going to the movie. Harley adds humor to the story as he’s goofy and free-spirited. Ethan says Harley always thinks things will work out, no matter what, which leads him to do wacky things, like having a squirrel leave his cellphone on a tree branch. Much of the levity readers will experience comes from Ethan’s vivid imagination and the extreme scenarios his mind comes up with.

The dramatic build-up in the early chapters eventually reveals the malevolent movie monster, a television coming to life. The author conjures strange scenes and events as the monster movie emerges. The whole idea of a movie becoming a monster is very creative and bizarre all on its own. The way it attacks its victims is surprising and a little disturbing. The plot takes an unexpected turn in the later chapters when Ethan finally decides to face the monster and his fears. This twist leads to new characters with a separate, but related, conflict of their own. Ethan knows he must solve this problem if he’s ever going to save his friends and family.

What didn’t work as well:

Ethan freaking out becomes redundant as the plot develops further into the book. Anxiety and panic control much of his behavior and decisions but there are only so many ways the author can describe it. Emphasizing his fears is important in showing how brave people move on despite their fears.

The final verdict:

This book tells a charming tale of an anxiety-filled boy overcoming his fears to become a hero. The entertaining, humorous plot leads readers through spooky confrontations and surprising twists. It will appeal to monster lovers and I recommend you give it a shot.

Spooky, Scary Skeletons by Andrew Gold

I rarely review picture books but here's one about Halloween.

What worked:

The entire narrative uses the same song lyrics as a 1996 YouTube video with the same title. The book begs to be read aloud as the lyrical lines take on a whole new life when they’re heard. Even better, readers should watch the video first so the tune is fresh in their minds. The descriptive words touch on different senses and young readers should be encouraged to notice this. “Shivers”, “shrieking”, and “screech” are a few examples.

The imaginative illustrations are the highlight of the book as they tell the real story. It begins with a group of kids applying their skeleton costumes before heading out for Trick or Treating. The background shades of color create the feeling of sunset which perfectly fits the story’s setting. Readers’ attention will focus on these children going door to door but be sure to look for other costumed characters and details in the setting. Drawings of skeletons mirror the children’s movements and help connect the book to the video.

What didn’t work as well:

The illustrations don’t clearly communicate the plot described in the book’s synopsis and they don’t directly reflect the narrative. It’s hard to see how the children “take their scares too far”. Young readers will probably need help interpreting facial expressions and summarizing the sequence of events.

The final verdict:

The author perfectly captures the mystique and frolicking of children on Halloween night. The colorful pictures will enchant young readers and I recommend you give it a shot!

Fathomless (Spineless) by Samantha San Miguel

What worked:

Two of the main characters, Lulu and Vic, share a common problem. They both feel underappreciated as individuals and that others, especially their fathers, don’t expect anything from them. Vic is only able to see hazy shapes after battling a disease at the age of ten so his father is overly concerned about his son’s blindness. Lulu views herself as Frankie’s little sister so she’s used to Frankie always taking control whenever she’s around. Lulu is surprised when Frankie lets her captain a small sailboat to a spooky island but perhaps capsizing the boat shows she isn’t ready. Or perhaps things going on with Frankie that Lulu doesn’t know.

The plot is a wonderful blend of mystery and adventure with a touch of supernatural tossed in. The seaside town tells tales of a pirate from long ago and rumors say the ghost of Captain Ale has been seen searching for a new crew. These stories get Lulu’s imagination going especially when she sees an eerie, green light in a castle window. Vic’s father is a member of the harbor police and he’s in town investigating a smuggling ring. The idea of criminals lurking around the seashore and ghosts haunting the area at night will pique the interest of most young readers.

Much of the plot centers on Lulu and Vic as they search for the lost treasure of Captain Ale. The kids encounter a new fishing company that’s killing other wildlife and harming the environment and Frankie is especially motivated to stop them. Readers will follow Lulu and Vic as they uncover coded clues and a map that leads them to dark, hidden places. It turns out Vic’s blindness can be an advantage in some circumstances. The story includes many scenes where the characters are sailing small boats and Lulu helps Vic rediscover some unused skills from his past. The author throws in additional issues surrounding Lulu’s father as he runs for mayor and reveals some questionable business decisions.

What didn’t work as well:

There are a lot of things going on, maybe too many. It feels like some things are red herrings and readers’ attention will shift as the plot moves along. Everything works well together but that’s not clear as readers encounter different predicaments.

The final verdict:

The story uses the sea and sailing throughout so lovers of boating and beaches will easily connect with it. It will especially interest readers who enjoy mysteries as Lulu and Vic overcome self-doubt to uncover secrets. Overall, it’s a stealthy adventure and I recommend you give it a shot.