Today, I’m reviewing two YA historical fantasies, a MG fantasy, a MG fantasy graphic novel, and a MG historical verse novel! I hope these bite-sized reviews will be enough to feed your fiction addiction!
Bloody Fool for Love: A Spike Novel by William Ritter Published by Disney Publishing Group on August 2, 2022
Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 256
Source: NetGalley
My rating:
Bloody Fool for Love from New York Times best-selling author William Ritter marks the beginning of an all-new series that explores prequel stories about fan-favorite Buffy characters.
Spike just wants to enjoy the spoils of his new badass reputation. He’s now a legendary slayer-killer, and he’s returning to London—the greatest city in the world. Unfortunately, his new abode is far from ideal (mostly a dank basement), and the rest of his strange little “family” is reeling from the fact that their patriarch, Angel, abandoned them. Spike’s love, Drusilla, seems especially heartbroken over the loss and spends her time lost in her tarot cards and planning their next gruesome family dinner when they all can be reunited.
Desperate to break Dru out of her melancholy, Spike vows to steal a powerful relic that will help her focus on their dark future together. It’s the perfect plan—that is until a monster named Gunnar, leader of the demon underworld of London, steals the relic first. Forced to form his own ragtag group of mercenaries, Spike plans an epic heist against a ruthless gang of undead criminals. Confronted with paranormal plots, royal black ops, and tea (they may be abominations, but they’re British abominations, thank you very much), Spike soon realizes that his homecoming is about to get bloody.
This rompy, action-packed novel inspired by one of Buffy’s most infamous bad boys is part Bonnie and Clyde, part Sherlock and Watson, with just a bit more bloodsucking.
Bloody Fool for Love is a historical fantasy prequel to Buffy the Vampire Slayer that focuses on Spike, the vampire we all know and love! Spike has always been my favorite character from the Buffy franchise, so I’m pretty much automatically interested in any story that involves him. This was no exception. The aptly named novel focuses on Spike’s escapades in the early 1900s in London, just after he killed his first Slayer during the Chinese Boxer Rebellion. He’s on a bit of an ego high after his victory, but he still can’t seem to capture Drusilla’s full attention. He’s worried she’s too focused on getting Angel to come back to them. In order to prove his love, he faces down a demon gangster and rocks the balance of supernatural power in London. (There’s also a bit of a sub-plot involving Darla wanting to make sure Spike and Drusilla will be taken care of if she leaves them.)
Fans of Buffy will appreciate all the nods to the original series, but I have no doubt the book would be enjoyable for people who don’t know anything about Buffy at all. The book is full of heists, devious demons and vampires, and plans gone ridiculously awry. William Ritter was a perfect fit to pen this book, as he’s already a master of the historical fantasy genre after his Jackaby series. Best of all, Ritter captures Spike’s voice, style and humor perfectly. As always, Spike is a perfect blend of villain, hero, and bumbling idiot. It makes for great reading!
They say this series will explore our favorite characters from the Buffyverse, so I can’t wait to see who’s featured next!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun by Tọlá Okogwu Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books on June 14, 2022
Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Science Fiction
Pages: 320
Source: The Publisher
Cover Artist: Brittany Jackson
My rating:
Black Panther
meets X-Men in this action-packed and empowering middle grade adventure about a British Nigerian girl who learns that her Afro hair has psychokinetic powers—perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers, The Marvellers, and Rick Riordan!Onyeka has a lot of hair—the kind that makes strangers stop in the street and her peers whisper behind her back. At least she has Cheyenne, her best friend, who couldn’t care less what other people think. Still, Onyeka has always felt insecure about her vibrant curls…until the day Cheyenne almost drowns and Onyeka’s hair takes on a life of its own, inexplicably pulling Cheyenne from the water.
At home, Onyeka’s mother tells her the shocking truth: Onyeka’s psycho-kinetic powers make her a Solari, one of a secret group of people with super powers unique to Nigeria. Her mother quickly whisks her off to the Academy of the Sun, a school in Nigeria where Solari are trained. But Onyeka and her new friends at the academy soon have to put their powers to the test as they find themselves embroiled in a momentous battle between truth and lies…
An exciting contemporary sci-fi/fantasy set in England and Nigeria, Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun features a girl who learns to embrace her least favorite feature, her hair. Onyeka has always hated her impossible to tame hair and the attention it brings. Until one day, when tragedy almost strikes, and her hair comes to life and saves the day. This is when she discovers her missing father’s ties to a group of superhumans in Nigeria called the Solari. The blurb calls the book X-Men meets Black Panther, and I think that’s pretty apt. It features supernatural action and adventure, a secret society tied to Nigeria, and secrets and betrayals. And the story hums along at a breakneck pace, especially in the second half! I particularly loved that much of the book takes place in Nigeria. I’ll confess that I didn’t know much about the country, and the vivid descriptions in the book made me want to learn more (I felt the need to do a little research on my own after I read, always a good sign when it comes to worldbuilding). The theme of learning to love something about yourself that you originally considered a flaw is great for middle grade readers, and the bonds of friendship are another strong theme for the book. (I loved that Onyeka thought about her best friend when she needed to center herself and she realized that she could form other strong friendships like this too!) A great read that kids will love!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
Bravely by Maggie Stiefvater Published by Disney Press on May 3, 2022
Genres: Fantasy, Retellings, Young Adult
Pages: 367
Source: NetGalley
Cover Artist: Charlie Bowater
My rating:
Merida goes on an all-new, life-changing adventure in this original YA novel set several years after the close of Brave!
What if you had one year to save everything you loved?ONE PRINCESS. Merida of DunBroch needs a change. She loves her family—jovial King Fergus, proper Queen Elinor, the mischievous triplets— and her peaceful kingdom. But she’s frustrated by its sluggishness; each day, the same. Merida longs for adventure, purpose, challenge – maybe even, someday, love.
TWO GODS. But the fiery Princess never expects her disquiet to manifest by way of Feradach, an uncanny supernatural being tasked with rooting out rot and stagnation, who appears in DunBroch on Christmas Eve with the intent to demolish the realm – and everyone within. Only the intervention of the Cailleach, an ancient entity of creation, gives Merida a shred of hope: convince her family to change within the year – or suffer the eternal consequences.
THREE VOYAGES. Under the watchful eyes of the gods, Merida leads a series of epic journeys to kingdoms near and far in an attempt to inspire revolution within her family. But in her efforts to save those she loves from ruin, has Merida lost sight of the Clan member grown most stagnant of all – herself?
FOUR SEASONS TO SAVE DUNBROCH – OR SEE IT DESTROYED, FOREVER.
This is a YA follow-up to the Disney movie Brave, showing what becomes of Merida and her family years later and sending Merida on an all-new adventure. As always, Stiefvater’s gorgeous writing shines through, and she captures the setting and the Scottish voice of the characters perfectly. In this story, Merida makes a deal with the gods to save her family when they are slated to be destroyed because of their stagnation. She is given one year to prove that her family truly can change, but guiding them toward that change proves more difficult than she imagined. The pacing is a bit slower than I expected, as Merida’s journeys end up being largely more personal than over-the-top adventures. Still, I found myself drawn in by the inevitable sense of the family’s approaching doom and the mesmerizing characters, especially Feradach, the god who has caused all the trouble in the first place. There are some interesting twists at the end of the book that I didn’t see coming as well. I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the Disney film and wants to see more of Merida!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
Aru Shah and the End of Time: the Graphic Novel by Roshani Chokshi, Joe Caramagna Illustrator: Anu Chouhan
Published by Rick Riordan Presents on April 19, 2022
Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Middle Grade
Pages: 128
Source: The Publisher
My rating:
The graphic novel adaptation of the fantasy adventure by Roshani Chokshi, inspired by the great Hindu epics she grew up on.
Twelve-year-old Aru Shah has a tendency to stretch the truth in order to fit in at school. While her classmates are jetting off to family vacations in exotic locales, she'll be spending her autumn break at home, in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture, waiting for her mom to return from her latest archeological trip. Is it any wonder that Aru makes up stories about being royalty, traveling to Paris, and having a chauffeur?
One day, three schoolmates show up at Aru's doorstep to catch her in a lie. They don't believe her claim that the museum's Lamp of Bharata is cursed, and they dare Aru to prove it. Just a quick light, Aru thinks. Then she can get herself out of this mess and never ever fib again.
But lighting the lamp has dire consequences. She unwittingly frees the Sleeper, an ancient demon whose duty it is to awaken the God of Destruction. Her classmates and beloved mother are frozen in time, and it's up to Aru to save them.
The only way to stop the demon is to find the reincarnations of the five legendary Pandava brothers, protagonists of the Hindu epic poem, the Mahabharata, and journey through the Kingdom of Death. But how is one girl in Spider-Man pajamas supposed to do all that?
This graphic novel version of the first book of the Pandava Series gives readers a dynamic new glimpse into Aru Shah’s world! I think this is a great way to introduce a new set of readers to the Roshani Chokshi’s series based on Hindu tales–it incorporates all the important elements of the story, and the full color artwork is superb! I would still encourage kids to pick up the original books because this version doesn’t showcase Choksi’s gorgeous writing style and we lose out a bit on some of the humor from the books (especially when it comes to the character of Boo the pigeon). But this would be a great way to get kids interested in the story or for kids who already love the books to experience them in a new way!
Check out my review of the original book if you’d like to know more about why I love this series so much!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
Ultimate Book of the Future by Stephanie Warren Drimmer Published by National Geographic Kids on June 1, 2021
Genres: Middle Grade, Non-Fiction
Pages: 192
Source: Blog Tour, The Publisher
My rating:
Robot dogs! Jet packs! Cyborgs! Super-sleek space suits! It’s not science fiction, it’s science reality. And soon, it may be part of everyday life. This book is a jam-packed collection of the coolest tech and wildest ideas that are shaping the world of tomorrow.
Blast off for an unbelievably fascinating journey through time, space, and even a holographic pop concert (or two)! With chapters on future cities, space travel, high-tech entertainment, and even saving the world, Future World is a thorough, fun compendium of high-tech gadgets being built today and the coolest stuff tomorrow has to offer, plus the amazing dreamers making it all happen.
Special “Could It Happen?” features tackle kids” burning hypothetical questions, like whether Jurassic Park could really exist, or whether a robot could become president. Each chapter also includes a “Future Fail!” that profiles one thing we thought we'd have by now, but don't (like everything from The Jetsons.) And kids will see where they might fit into the picture through the “Jobs of Tomorrow” profiled in each chapter. (Job titles include mind reader, space pilot, and robot-human communicator. Seriously!)
This is the perfect book for fans of sci-fi, budding engineers and scientists, lovers of futuristic movies and pop culture, and anyone who has ever dreamed about what tomorrow might look like.
Ever wonder what the world might look like in 10, 20, 50 or 100 years? Well, this book takes a look at actual futuristic technologies being developed and imagines how those technologies might eventually shape our future! As always with National Geographic Kids books, the information is all presented in neatly categorized small sections with stunning photos and/or realistic artwork, so kids can flip through and see what piques their interest. But I actually ended up reading this straight through from cover to cover because I found it so fascinating. There’s lots of cool tech and scientific discoveries happening all over the world! I thought the “Could It Happen?,” “Future Fail!” and “Jobs of Tomorrow” features mentioned in the blurb were especially fun (take a look at my spotlight on the book from June to read one about whether or not a Jurassic Park situation could really happen). I definitely recommend this book for any kid who’s into STEM topics, or really any kid at all—because what kid doesn’t want to read about robot dogs and possible future theme parks?
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Media Masters Publicity so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
I really loved Onyeka too. Natalie @ Literary Rambles
OOoh nice! I was curious about Spike’s book myself, but didn’t immediately add it to my TBR! It sounds like it is a fun read though because who doesn’t love Spike after watching the series? Angel included! Bravely is another one I want to read and is in my TBR! I thought it sounded fun to actually have a continuance of a Disney movie! I’ll brace myself for the slower pace whenever I get to this one, but glad to hear it was still a fun read!
I haven’t read any of these, but I have Braverly on my TBR. I love these little bite sized reviews.
Lovely reviews! I was just about to ask if a non-Buffy person would enjoy the books when you answered my question heh. I feel like I would probably like Buffy the show AND the books, if I had time. One of these days, I hope, especially since you enjoyed it so much! I want to get that Future book for Sam, he’d love that (and frankly, so would I!) Onyeka sounds wonderful, I will need to add that one to my radar for sure. I don’t think I have ever seen the movie Brave, actually? So I’ll probably pass on that one heh.
William Ritter was a great choice to write Spike’s story. I could see him doing it well (being familiar with his Jacaby books). Spike is such a fan favorite too. It’s wonderful to see him grab the spotlight.
I’m so far behind on commenting! But yeah, the two here that I read I loved too! Bravely and the Spike book were so good! Glad you enjoyed them as well, and great reviews on all of these books!