REVIEW City Spies: Mission Manhattan (City Spies #5) by James Ponti

City Spies: Mission Manhattan (City Spies #5) by James Ponti
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: February 6, 2024
Format: Audiobook (Personal Library)
Publisher: Aladdin 

Check out my review of the first book in the series, City Spies!

Check out my review of the second book in the series, Golden Gate!

Check out my review of the fourth book in the series, City of the Dead!

After the ending of the last book, I was super excited to get to read the newest book in James Ponti’s City Spies series, Mission Manhattan. It’s another fast-paced, action-packed book where the diverse group of young spies has another major world mission to complete. Audiobook narrator Lisa Flanagan once again knocked it out of the park with her performance - I have no clue how she does so many voices, but it’s a great listen (and always clear who’s talking). 

Unlike some of the other books in the series, the target of interest in this book is a young climate activist (akin to a Greta Thunberg-type figure). The team succeeds in their initial mission to protect her but realizes there is a much larger and more devious plan going on. This adds a layer of social justice to the book, instead of a stereotypical spy movie plot (like nuclear weapons, or terrorist groups). They travel to multiple locations in Europe and the United States, and it was fun to get to explore New York City through Brooklyn’s eyes (it’s been a little over a year since her induction to the team). 

The characters are always a highlight of the City Spies books, and this book is no exception. Rio is the star of this book, and it was so exciting to see him get his time to shine. As the youngest of the group, he’s struggled to get as many leadership opportunities and step out of his sibling’s shadows. However, he really stepped up to the plate and I appreciated that his talents (charm and sleight of hand) played so heavily into the story. 

Mission Manhattan is a perfect book for readers young and old who enjoy page-turning spy stories. There’s once again a major cliffhanger at the ending of this book, and I can’t wait to see how things play out (especially with the continual Clementine and Umbra sub-plot). I’m really sad that I now have to wait for the next book in the series, but I’m sure it will be well worth it.

REVIEW City Spies: City of the Dead (City Spies #4) by James Ponti

City Spies: City of the Dead (City Spies #4) 

by James Ponti

Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: February 7, 2023
Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library) + ARC (Courtesy of Publisher and Rockstar Book Tours)
Publisher: Aladdin 

Check out my review of the first book in the series, City Spies

Check out my review of the second book in the series, City Spies: Golden Gate

James Ponti delivered another amazing addition to the City Spies series with one of his latest releases, City of the Dead. It’s an inventive and fun take on the spy genre, with a rag-tag group of child spies taking up yet another mission to save the world. This was a great read (and listen), as narrator Lisa Flanagan once again did a great job with her performance in the audiobook. I always appreciate the ability to tell which character is narrating (without having to look at the print version). 

Since the first book’s addition of Brooklyn to the team, the team hasn’t really changed all that much. Each of them have their own special talents, and Kat’s ability to perform math and see patterns where others don’t take center stage in this book. I really appreciated the opportunity to see Kat own her uniqueness, and find a way to make her talents help the team (even when under the pressure of chaos and overstimulation). The team has a good routine going on, however, when a new surprise addition to the team joins the FARM in this book it disrupts all their plans and their current dynamic. It’s really going to change the interactions of the group/family going forward, and I’m curious to see how that plays out in the next book. Especially with the cliffhanger the author leaves readers on prior to going into the usual dossiers included at the end of the book (this time written by teammates).  

While it’s not an overly complex mystery, I was very engaged by the mission that the City Spies get sent on in this book. There’s a very large cast of characters, but they all had a purpose in the story (and I hope to see some of them making a cameo in future installments). As you might guess from the title and the cover, this book takes the kids on a mission to Egypt. I loved getting to learn bits and pieces about the culture there, as well as how many of their artifacts sadly ended up the property of other museums around the world. It was also a reminder that despite the way various travel companies stage their pictures, the pyramids are actually in the middle of urban sprawl in the modern day.

City of the Dead was an excellent read and I look forward to checking out more of the books in the series (though I’m sad I only have one more book before I have to wait for the next release). In the past, I’ve compared the series to a kid-friendly Mission Impossible meets James Bond, but I think it's equally suitable for more mature readers as well. If you or a young reader in your life enjoys mysteries and thrillers with spies, this book is worth a listen. 

REVIEW City Spies: Golden Gate (City Spies #2) by James Ponti

City Spies: Golden Gate (City Spies #2) by James Ponti
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: March 8, 2021
Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Audio 

Check out my review of the first book in the series, City Spies

Check out my review of the fourth book in the series, City Spies: City of the Dead

The second book in James Ponti’s City Spies series, City Spies: Golden Gate, was another great installment in a fun adventure series perfect for middle-grade readers and above. In a setting where Spy Kids meets James Bond and Mission Impossible, it was fun to see our ragtag group of child spies take on jobs even the adult spies of MI6 can’t do. 

While the child spy theme is not a new one, I really appreciate the unique spin the author put on things. As we learned in the first book, each child has their own unique gifts (which were what inspired “Mother” to recruit them). Readers get to learn more about each of the children in this book, and see additional backstory on how some of the others in the team were recruited. The action starts right in the middle of a mission, and it was fun to get to see the team save the world again. It was also fun to see them outsmart various adults in the book. The wit and humor that each of the children demonstrate have had me invested in their characters and their journeys over the course of the books. Found family is a very big theme in the story, and there is a specific part of the ending that left me very emotional. I’m excited to see where the author takes that part of the storyline in the future. 

From the cover of the book and the title, I had assumed that a large chunk of the action would take place in San Francisco. While the city spies do end up in the California Bay Area, they also visit places like London, Australia, Oxford and Australia to help solve a case that’s been confusing MI6 for years. The sub plot of “Mother’s” missing children takes a step forward in this book, though we haven’t actually seen them in person yet. I’m curious to see how that mystery eventually resolves further down the line. 

Overall, this was another excellent read and I look forward to checking out more of the books in the series (I already picked up an audiobook copy of the third book, City Spies: Forbidden City). Lisa Flanagan once again did a great job bringing the voices of Brooklyn and the other characters to life with her performance in the audiobook. If you or a young reader in your life enjoys mystery and thrillers with spies, this book is worth a listen. 

CONTENT WARNINGS: Death, Kidnapping, Murder

REVIEW Drawing Deena by Hena Khan

Drawing Deena by Hena Khan
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: February 6, 2024
Format: ARC (Courtesy of Publisher) and Audiobook (Borrowed from Library) 
Publisher: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Hena Khan’s Drawing Deena is a beautiful middle-grade contemporary read that speaks to the power of family, culture and social media. Narrator Reena Dutt did a great job bringing the story to life with her performance in the audiobook. 

Deena is a young Pakistani girl who enjoys art, yet suffers from worries over her family’s money situation and anxiety. I really appreciated how the author portrayed Deena’s struggles, as it touched on how difficult of a time middle school can be in one’s life. Mental health struggles don’t wait for someone to be an adult, and the way the author approached the topic was very accessible for young readers. Seeing Deena ask for help once the adults realized she had anxiety was also important, as it may inspire other young readers to do the same. Like many middle-grade protagonists, Deena is a kind soul and I found myself rooting for her to find her path and overcome her struggles. I also enjoyed how the author included cultural references, like the different clothing pieces that Deena’s mother sells in her boutique along with references to celebrations like Eid. 

Overall, this was a great read and I would definitely check out more books by Hena Khan in the future. Thank you to Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers and Salaam Reads for providing me with a complimentary copy of the book. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review Drawing Deena immensely. Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way. 

REVIEW City Spies (City Spies #1) by James Ponti

City Spies (City Spies #1) by James Ponti
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: March 9, 2020
Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Audio

Check out my review of the second book in the series, City Spies: Golden Gate

Check out my review of the fourth book in the series, City Spies: City of the Dead

James Ponti’s series opener City Spies was a fun adventure series perfect for middle-grade level readers and above. In a book where Spy Kids meets James Bond and Mission Impossible, an orphan joins a rag tag group of child spies on a mission to save the world. 

While the child spy theme is not a new one to books, I really appreciated how the author put a unique spin on things. Each of the different child spies has their own special gifts (which inspired “Mother” to recruit them) and it’s quite a diverse cast from all around the world. The mystery and the saving the world issue is the main plot, but the author does reveal bits and pieces about each of the individual characters as secondary storylines. “Mother’s” storyline was the most unique (though I’m still not sold on his nickname) and I’m curious to see how that will play out in subsequent books. 

The storyline was also a unique aspect of the book. Instead of having the main character Brooklyn jump straight into spy training after Mother recruits her, she goes almost directly into her first mission with the other children. I did miss getting multiple scenes of training sequences, but in return I appreciated that readers get to jump straight into the action. As a side note, I did want to warn any potential readers that there is some serious stuff happening in the book. The crimes that the kids have to deal with are no joke, there are mentions of murder and other violent acts like dismemberment and explosions (never on page), and there is some mild language in the book (things like freaking and stupid, nothing to the degree of an ‘f-bomb’).  

Overall, this was an excellent read and I look forward to checking out more of the books in the series. Lisa Flanagan did a great job bringing the voices of Brooklyn and the other characters to life with her performance in the audiobook narration of the story. If you or a young reader in your life enjoys mystery and thrillers with spies, this book is worth a listen.

About the Author

James Ponti is the New York Times Bestselling author of three Middle Grade book series: the DEAD CITY trilogy about a secret society that polices the undead who live beneath New York City; the Edgar Award-winning FRAMED! series about a pair of Sherlockian tweens who solve mysteries in Washington, D.C.; and the all-new CITY SPIES about an unlikely squad of five kids from around the world who form an elite MI6 spy team.

James grew up in Atlantic Beach, Florida and lives in Orlando. He's a die hard fan of the Boston Red Sox, the USC Trojans, and the Italian National Soccer Team. He loves travel, writing, and spending time with his amazing family.

BLOG TOUR A Wilderness of Stars by Shea Ernshaw

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the A WILDERNESS OF STARS by Shea Ernshaw Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About The Book:

Title: A WILDERNESS OF STARS

Author: Shea Ernshaw

Pub. Date: November 29, 2022

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 400

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

Deluxe edition with special embellishments on first printing only!

In this magical romance from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Long Live the Pumpkin Queen, an illness cursing the land forces a teen girl astronomer to venture across the wilderness in search of the stars’ message that will, hopefully, save them all.

When all is lost, look to the stars.

Vega has lived in the valley her whole life—forbidden by her mother to leave the safety of its borders because of the unknown threats waiting for her in the wilds beyond. But when Vega sees an omen in the sky—one she cannot ignore—she is forced to leave the protective boundaries of the valley. Yet the outside world is much more terrifying than Vega could have ever imagined. People are gravely sick—they lose their eyesight and their hearing, just before they lose their lives.

But Vega has a secret: she is the Last Astronomer—a title carried from generation to generation—and she is the only one who understands the knowledge of the stars. Knowledge that could hold the key to a cure. So when locals spot the tattoo on Vega’s neck in the shape of a constellation—the mark of an astronomer—chaos erupts. Fearing for her life, Vega is rescued by a girl named Cricket who leads her to Noah, a boy marked by his own mysterious tattoos.

On the run from the men hunting her, Vega sets out across the plains with Cricket and Noah, in search of a fabled cure kept secret by the astronomers. But as the line between friends and protectors begins to blur, Vega must decide whether to safeguard the sacred knowledge of the astronomers…or if she will risk everything to try to save them all.

REVIEW of A Wilderness of Stars by Shea Ernshaw
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Format: ARC (Courtesy of Publisher and Rockstar Book Tours) + Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)

After reading Shea Ernshaw’s Long Live the Pumpkin Queen, I was curious and decided to check out her other titles. Her latest release, A Wilderness of Stars, is a unique young adult tale. A cross between a romance and a dystopian science fiction, It’s not a page turner in the sense of ‘oh my gosh, I need to finish this in one sitting”. Instead, it’s more of a slow build that sinks its teeth into you over time and makes you want to finish the story. 

At the beginning of the story, readers meet Vega, the last Astronomer in a world destroyed by a mysterious illness known as the “consumption”. After the appearance of twin stars in the sky that have been foretold for generations, Vega leaves home and sets out to find the Architect and fulfill the purpose passed down from her ancestors. However, their path to the sea is perilous and they must race against the clock to get to the sea before it’s too late. 

Ms. Ernshaw’s writing is undoubtedly poetic and vivid. The mystery she wove throughout the story left me confused for a large chunk of the book. Vega, Noah and Cricket live in a world that is reminiscent of Western movie meets dystopian landscape. Those few details are about all readers get at the start. The author throws out a few bread crumbs here and there, but it's not enough to actually solve the mystery of what's going on or even understand what the end goal is till closer to the end of the story. Once you hit that point, things start to fall into place like dominoes. I think the lack of clarity was what intrigued me, because there were just enough hints to make me want to figure out what was going on. 

The romance, on the other hand, is a little weird and off-putting. I did enjoy Noah and Vega’s friendship. However, I’m not a fan of “insta-love”. I think I would have responded more positively if their relationship were more based on the impending destruction of their world, rather than some “fated in the stars” dynamic that was dependent on their roles as the Architect and the Astronomer.  

Overall, A Wilderness of Stars was an enjoyable and unique read. The audiobook narrator, Ferdelle Capistrano, did an excellent job with her performance. Readers who enjoy vivid imagery and don’t mind books that move at a slower pace should definitely pick up this book today. Please note that the advertising is a bit misleading - A Wilderness of Stars has more elements of the dystopian genre than fantasy, in my opinion.  

Thank you to the author, the publisher Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, Jaime at Rockstar Book Tours, and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary review copy as part of my participation in the blog tour. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review A Wilderness of Stars immensely. Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way. 

About Shea Ernshaw:

Shea Ernshaw is a NYT bestselling author and winner of the Oregon Book Award. Her books have been published in over nineteen countries, and her novels A History of Wild Places, The Wicked Deep, and Winterwood were Indie Next Picks. She lives in a small mountain town in Oregon, and is happiest when lost in a good book, lost in the woods, or writing her next novel.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of A WILDERNESS OF STARS, US Only.

Ends December 20^th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

11/21/2022	YA Books Central	Excerpt/IG Post
11/22/2022	Kait Plus Books	Excerpt/IG Post
11/23/2022	Wickedbeebooks	Review/IG Post
11/24/2022	Eye-Rolling Demigod's Book Blog	Review/IG Post
11/25/2022	Nerdophiles	Review
11/26/2022	Karen Dee's Book Reviews	IG Review

Week Two:

11/27/2022	A Dream Within A Dream	Review/IG Post
11/28/2022	pluvioreads	Review/TikTok Post
11/29/2022	@froggyreadteach	IG Review
11/30/2022	OneMoreExclamation	Review/IG Post
12/1/2022	@lexijava	Review/IG Post
12/2/2022	The Book Nut	Review
12/3/2022	My.Bookish.Mind	IG Review/TikTok Post

Week Three:

12/4/2022	A Backwards Story	Review/IG Post
12/5/2022	@readerofthewrittenword	IG Spotlight
12/6/2022	onemused	IG Review
12/7/2022	Celia's Reads	Review/IG Post
12/8/2022	Book Briefs	Review/IG Post
12/9/2022	@thebookishfoxwitch	IG Review
12/10/2022	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic

Week Four:

12/11/2022	Momfluenster	IG Review/FB Post
12/12/2022	A Court of Coffee and Books	Review/IG Post
12/13/2022	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post
12/14/2022	@drew_ambitious_reading	IG Review/TikTok Post
12/15/2022	The Book Review Crew	Review/IG Post
12/16/2022	popthebutterfly	Review/IG Post