Nimona by N. D. Stevenson

Nimona by N. D. Stevenson

272 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren't the heroes everyone thinks they are.

But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona's powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.

Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol

Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol

368 pages

⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Jane is incredibly plain. Everyone says so: her parents, the villagers, and her horrible cousin who kicks her out of her own house. Determined to get some semblance of independence, Jane prepares to propose to the princely Peter, who might just say yes to get away from his father. It’s a good plan!

Or it would’ve been, if he wasn’t kidnapped by a mermaid.

With her last shot at happiness lost in the deep blue sea, Jane must venture to the underwater world to rescue her maybe-fiancé. But the depths of the ocean hold beautiful mysteries and dangerous creatures. What good can a plain Jane do?

Wait Till Helen Comes: A Ghost Story Graphic Novel by Mary Downing Hahn (Adapted by Scott E. Peterson, Meredith Laxton, Russ Badget)

Wait Till Helen Comes: A Ghost Story Graphic Novel by Mary Downing Hahn (Adapted by Scott E. Peterson, Meredith Laxton, Russ Badget)

160 pages

⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

When their mom remarries, Molly and her brother, Michael, try to make friends with their new stepsister, Heather. But Heather only wants to make trouble for them. She lies and tattles and misbehaves, and somehow they always get the blame. They know she's trying to drive a wedge between her father and their mother so she can have her father all to herself--and it seems to be working.

Then, Heather starts playing in the graveyard behind their new house. She claims she can talk to a ghost named Helen, and her behavior gets even stranger. Michael doesn't believe in ghosts and thinks their new little sister is just looking for more attention. But Molly isn't so certain, especially when Heather threatens that Helen is going to come for them and make them sorry.

It seems as though things can't get any worse--but they do.

When Helen comes.

Stone Lands by Fiona Robertson

 

Stone Lands: A Journey of Darkness and Light Through Britain's Ancient Places by Fiona Robertson -390 pages

The author shares her fascination with ancient megalithic sites throughout the U.K. through visits ranging from Cornwall in the south to Orkney in the north. Along the way, the reader explores stone circles and mound tombs that are much more obscure than Stonehenge or Avebury. For the author, the visits recounted in the book also served as a way to cope with her husband's terminal illness and grasping with the realization of being a widow and single mother. The book provides details on several interesting sites and their locations and also explores their meaning to contemporary people as places of contemplation and even healing. 

Too Old For This by Samantha Downing

 

Too Old For This by Samantha Downing - 385 pages

A retired serial killer’s quiet life is upended by an unexpected visitor. To protect her secret, there’s only one option left—what’s another murder? From bestselling author Samantha Downing.

Lottie Jones thought her crimes were behind her.

Decades earlier, she changed her identity and tucked herself away in a small town. Her most exciting nights are the weekly bingo games at the local church and gossiping with her friends. 

When investigative journalist Plum Dixon shows up on her doorstep asking questions about Lottie’s past and specifically her involvement with numerous unsolved cases, well, Lottie just can’t have that.

But getting away with murder is hard enough when you’re young. And when Lottie receives another annoying knock on the door, she realizes this crime might just be the death of her…

This was a pretty good book, sometimes I found myself shaking my head but overall it was good.  I like the main character especially, she's a firecracker.

Roaming by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki

Roaming by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki

443 pages

⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Spring break, 2009. High school best friends Zoe and Dani are now freshman college students, meeting in a place they’ve wanted to visit forever: New York City. Tagging along is Dani’s classmate Fiona, a mercurial art student with an opinion on everything. Together, the three cram in as much of the city as possible, gleefully falling into tourist traps, pondering so-called great works of art, sidestepping creeps, and eating lots and lots of pizza (folded in half, of course).

This One Summer: A Graphic Novel by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki

This One Summer: A Graphic Novel by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki

324 pages

⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Every summer, Rose goes with her mom and dad to a lake house in Awago Beach. It's their getaway, their refuge. Rosie's friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had. But this summer is different. Rose's mom and dad won't stop fighting, and when Rose and Windy seek a distraction from the drama, they find themselves with a whole new set of problems. It's a summer of secrets and sorrow and growing up, and it's a good thing Rose and Windy have each other.