Book review - Vega's Piece of the Sky

 

Title: Vega's Piece of the Sky

Author: Jennifer Torres

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Out There by Seaerra Miller

                      The Thirteenth Circle by MarcyKate Connolly

Rating:

 

quick and pleasant

Summary (provided by publisher): The space rock is just the latest thing to land, uninvited, in Vega Lucero’s road-stop hometown. But when she discovers how much a chunk of the meteorite might be worth, she realizes it’s exactly the treasure she’s been hoping to find—and maybe a way to convince her mom not to sell the family store to big city developers to help pay for her grandpa Tata's medical expenses.
Determined to find more pieces of the sky somewhere in the perilous desert wilderness, stubbornly independent Vega must set aside her distrust of outsiders to team up with Jasper, a would-be rival—and her own tagalong cousin Mila—on an overnight adventure to find more meteorites before the professional hunters who have descended on Date City do. But along the way, she realizes that she's not the only one with the weight of the world on her shoulders. Jasper and Mila have secrets and worries of their own that has brought them on this journey.
Together, this ragtag group will battle against coyotes, a flood, and scorpions. But what they will ultimately discover is that no treasure is big enough to prevent unwelcome change. Only family and friends can help weather the unexpected that life brings.

My opinion: This book is well suited to middle graders. It reads reasonably quickly and is easy to follow. The characters are reasonably well developed and distinct. Each of the three perspective characters - Vega, Mila, and Jasper - has a clear motivation and flaw and these elements directly affect the plot as they trek through the desert in search of meteorite fragments. With a satisfying and realistic conclusion, this book may not be rocking any worlds but its a solid experience.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Graphic novel spotlight: Maelstrom: A Prince of Evil

 

Maelstrom: A Prince of Evil by Lorian Merriman

Maelstrom is a Loki type figure. Raised to be an evil overlord, his approach to life is more trickster than true evil. When he finds himself in a company of "good guys" who are preparing to mount a revolution against his evil mother, he thinks of it as the most fun thing that could happen. He'll play with these folks, let them think that he's on their side, and turn at the last moment. The plot takes directions we would expect but that's okay. The characters are strong, providing pathos and levity in equal measure. This is a solid quest story with fight scenes and magic. The art style is cartoony without becoming overly silly. There's enough reflection to suit more serious-minded readers.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Listen With Me

 

InvestiGators Collection by John Patrick Green

The InvestiGators graphic novel series is a lot of silly fun and I'm curious to see how it is handled in the audio format. Let's give it a listen and find out.

Graphic novel spotlight - Night Stories

 

Night Stories by Liniers

This is a fantastic way to relay folk tales. The visuals are strong with lots of detailed line work. The collection is framed as a pair of siblings telling each other scary stories before bed. But it's noteworthy that "scary" is pretty loosely used here. Even small kids could read this without becoming overly frightened. So don't read this looking for spooks. But it's a solid expression of some cultural tales.

 Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

Ravenfall by Kalyn Josephson - A girl with psychic powers she's learning to use, raised at a magical inn. A boy on the run from dangers he doesn't understand. The two come together as a magical threat rises against the entire world.

What did you recently finish reading?

Darkness and Demonsong by M R Fournet - When Marius fought monsters and rescued his mother from hell he thought his life would return to normal. But he's starting to realize that his mother came back wrong and he'll do anything to set things right.

What do you think you'll read next?

The Midnight Game by Cynthia Murphy

Book review - Stay Dead

 

Title: Stay Dead

Author: April Henry

Genre: thriller

Similar books: I Am Still Alive by Kate Alice Marshall

                     The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Rating:

 

solidly entertaining

Summary (provided by publisher): Sometimes, the only way to live is to make sure the world thinks you’re dead . . .
In the aftermath of a car accident that claimed the life of her senator father, sixteen-year-old Milan finds herself adrift, expelled from her third boarding school. Milan’s mother, who has assumed the senate seat, diverts her private plane to pick up her daughter. But on their way home, a bomb rips off a wing and the plane crashes in the mountains. In her final moments, Milan’s mother entrusts her with a key. She reveals it will unlock the evidence that so many people have already died for—including Milan’s father. The only way Milan can survive, her mom tells her, is to let everyone believe she died with the other passengers.
​Milan is forced to navigate a perilous descent in freezing conditions while outwitting everything from a drone to wild animals. With relentless assassins on her trail, she must untangle the web of deceit and save herself and countless others. Will she piece together the truth in time?

My opinion: Henry hits the pacing nearly perfectly with this book. Combining a survival story with a political thriller we see Milan up against nature and murderers in equal measure. While some of the plot elements are a bit heavy-handed, the constant movement and new questions raised keep the reader engaged. Its a book that might not hold up to multiple reads but for a vacation or weekend at the cabin this is a strong choice.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Non-fiction book reivew - Shift Happens

 

Shift Happens by J. Albert Mann

 Everybody works. It's a fact of our reality and something we don't think much about. But Mann digs in deep. From the first Europeans arriving in the colonies this book explores the evolution of work and worker's rights. The tone is very conversational to the point of dipping into slang so it will be engaging for young readers but not especially impressive for adults who may take a look along the way. Even so, the information relayed in this text is important enough to be worth reading.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley