Onyii and Ify live as sisters in an all-girls refugee/war camp on the edge of the Redlands, an area riddled with radiation from a long-ago nuclear disaster. Nigeria, their home, is in the midst of a civil war. Children are conscripted as soldiers and pilots for mechanized warrior robots. Onyii and Ify are separated, and as truths are revealed to each of them, they must decide where, and with whom, their loyalties lie all while trying not to die a terrible death in a bloody civil war.

Going into this, I knew nothing about the Nigeria - Biafran civil war of the 1960s, which is at the heart of this novel. Personally, I enjoy learning about parts of history that I know nothing about (I typically don’t gravitate to one of the 1,983,784,767 WWII novels, for example), and I really enjoyed the unique setting. The book is set in the future, and the futuristic elements really added a lot to the plot and were well employed by the author. Onyii, for example, is an Augment, meaning that she’s a little bit of a bionic woman. While I didn’t really relate to the main characters, I did really like them. They didn’t always make the best decisions, but their decisions made sense to their characters and their respective arcs. They were easy to root for. Really, my only complaint was that it felt overlong, and I skimmed through some of the battle scenes, but that’s more a matter of personal preference.

TLDR: Looking for something to read after Children of Blood and Bone? You’ve found your next great Nigerian inspired read! (And, honestly, if you haven’t read Children of Blood and Bone but it’s on your TBR, I’d suggest replacing it with War Girls, which is a much more original, engaging book). For readers who like apocalyptic novels and futuristic sci-fi battles. 4 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and Razorbill for the eARC which I received in exchange for an honest review. War Girls will be available for purchase on 15 October, but you can put your copy on hold today!

Fantastic! Ahmed is a 14 year old Syrian refugee that has been orphaned and left with no money and no place to go. He ends up in Brussels and hides in the wine cellar of a house. Max, whose family lives in the house, discovers him and they strike up a friendship. What follows is a story of loyalty, determination, and desperation. The ending almost made me cry. The book brings up questions about whether or not countries should accept refugees and how to determine who is good and who is a terrorist. I definitely recommend it to everyone, as the plight of middle eastern refugees should be known to all.

A modern take on Jane Austen's "Pride and Predjudice", "Pride" focuses on Brooklyn proud Zuri who writes poetry and hates seeing her neighborhood change. Zuri deals with the introduction of a rich new family to her block and the subsequent gentrification of her neighborhood. With themes of romance, reluctance, and pessimism, "Pride" makes for an interesting exploration of modern romance. Along with that, there is an interesting insight on the idea of what a neighborhood is: people you know, places where you know what to expect, and the true feeling of home. "Pride" is a great read for those who want a romance but also relate to the struggles of high school and family as a teenager.

"Mirage", an immersive and captivating book, tells the story of a girl stolen from her home to become identical stand-in for an intergalactic princess with a target on her back. The main character Amani is a simple and traditional girl who is kidnapped and tortured for the soul fact that she looks exactly like the hated princess of the galaxy. An incredibly intriguing story about self, love, and revolution, "Mirage" captures the conflict of learning to love someone you shouldn't and coming to love the person who enslaved you. "Mirage" incorporates South-East Asian culture along with subtly hinting at the tensions between Europeans and South-East Asians. A beautiful book, "Mirage" is certainly a great read if you want a beautiful and empowering story.

Sequel to "H2O", "The Storm" continues the story of a newly distopian Earth where the rain kills. This book focuses on the bonds of family in crisis, or lack thereof, and the pursuit of survival. Like "H2O" I would call "The Storm" a dystopian thriller with a hint of romance. Not only are all the characters in peril, but they are on their own without any governmental aid.

Truly a fascinating story that will make you uneasy around water.

Seventeen year old Emily lives a life full of curiosity. Curiosity of her biological father and his whereabouts. Curiosity of her father's motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror. Her curiosity overcomes her and she agrees to an extended summer vacation to visit her father and her relatives she has never met before. While with her father she becomes intrigued with her fathers motorcycle club, and the young and gorgeous boy OZ whose apart of it. They lead a forbidden romance filled with adventure and love, but when a rival club comes to town will it destroy their future plans, or is their love strong enough to overcome challenges? I adored this book, its twist and turns kept me glued to the page and urged me to read the sequels. The danger mixed with the romance was a brilliant way to keep readers interested.
Reviewer Grade: 12

The third book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Everblaze, is awesome! This is one of my favorite books in the series, with all the action.
If you like Fitzphie, this will be one of your favorite books too! Through this book, we have to make BIG decisions, escape danger, help the city, and have tons of action packed moments! No inappropriate language or content.

The second book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Exile, is hands down AMAZING! This is probably my favorite book in the series, starring my top 2 favorite characters, Sophie and Keefe. Even if you don't like Team Foster-Keefe, this book is still awesome! We get to see new places, take a look into the past, find new creatures, discover new abilities, and have lots of action and humor! No inappropriate language or content.

Starting off another series by Shannon Messenger called Keeper of the Lost Cities, the first book, Keeper of the Lost Cities, was amazing! It is adventurous, cliff-hanging, action-packed, and great for ages 8-teens! While reading this book, I can guarantee you will meet some of your favorite, funny, awesome fictional characters! This book series has a VERY good chance of becoming your favorite. No inappropriate content or language.

Reading through the 7th book of the Keeper of the Lost Cities series was amazing!!! The Mysterious Miss F and her friends are on another adventure! While going through this adventure, we meet new characters, face dangers, train, and fight! This book is super exciting and if you have read any of the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, you won't want to miss reading this book! Also, no inappropriate content or language!