Early Reader Review: Gotham High by Melissa de la Cruz

Source: From Netgalley and DC Comics in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review. 

Gotham High by Melissa de la Cruz 
Illustrated by Tomas Pitilli
Colored by Miquel Muerto

Lettered by Troy Peteri
Publisher: DC Comics
Publication Date:  April 7, 2020

 

Format: Ebook


Synopsis: 

From Melissa de la Cruz, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Alex and Eliza and The Witches of East End comes a reimagining of Gotham for a new generation of readers.

After being kicked out of his boarding school, 17-year-old Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City to find that nothing is as he left it. What once was his family home is now an empty husk, lonely but haunted by the memory of his parents' murder. Selina Kyle, previously the innocent girl next door, now rules over Gotham High School with a dangerous flair, aided by the class clown, Jack Napier.

When a kidnapping rattles the school, Bruce seeks answers as the dark and troubled knight—or is he actually the pawn? Nothing is ever as it seems, especially at Gotham High, where the parties and romances are of the highest stakes ... and where everyone is a suspect.

With evocative art by Thomas Pitilli, this new graphic novel is just as intoxicating as it is chilling, in which dearest friends turn into greatest enemies--all within the hallways of Gotham High!

Trailer

Rating:

Review:  

I so wanted to adore this book. If you have visited my reviews and blog before, you know how I feel about DC Comics and the world and characters of the Batman saga... I generally love them so much. This was a good book, it took a lot of liberties that I just found weren't for me and hard to swallow as a follower of this world through the years.

So Gotham High is a new take on the Batman characters. In this book, the narrator is Selina Kyle and we meet her, Bruce Wayne, Harvey Dent as well as Jack Napier (which eventually becomes the Joker from what I remember). Bruce has been moved into the regular high school and is making new friends when weir things start to happen around him and he comes to learn that someone or something is after him. His new friends try to help as best they can, but there is also a love triangle between Selina, Bruce and Jack which is complicating matters. All of this was great, the story line was engaging and the twists were there and well done. The illustration and coloration was really well done as well.

What I found off-putting was how many things were changed, a few is fine and understandable in a retelling, but there were a lot more changes than I expected in this retelling. So first obvious thing is the amount of diversity that has been added into the characters, a great thing, but since the characters have been around for so long it was hard to adapt to. Selina is Spanish, Bruce seems to be at least half Chinese and Ivy is introduced as Korean. Once more diverse character ok, but three! That was  A LOT to take in. Also Alfred... in this installment Alfred was Bruce's uncle, again would have been an ok adaptation to the original canon but as another cherry on the cake of changes, I was not a fan. As an uncle, after what happened to his family, you would think there would have been more bonding and family to help Bruce adjust. 

Overall, if I had not been so enthralled with the normal Batman canon this would have been a good, typical, teenage soap of a graphic novel, but as it stand it was just too many changes for me at one time.  

"For more information on Gotham High or the the World’s Greatest Super Heroes, visit www.dccomics.com, the DC YouTube channel, or follow @DCComics and @TheDCNation on social media."

Trailer Reveal: The Oracle Code by Marieke Nijkamp

About the Book

The Oracle Code
Written by Marieke Nijkamp
Illustrated by Manuel Preitano
Colored by Jordie Bellaire with Manuel Preitano
Lettered by Clayton Cowles
On sale everywhere books are sold on 3/10/2020
MSRP: $16.99

Synopsis
After a gunshot leaves her paralyzed below the waist, Barbara Gordon undergoes physical and mental rehabilitation at the Arkham Center for Independence. She must adapt to a new normal, but she cannot shake the feeling that something is dangerously amiss. Strange sounds escape at night while patients start to go missing. 

Is this suspicion simply a result of her trauma? Or does Barbara actually hear voices coming from the center’s labyrinthine hallways? It’s up to her to put the pieces together to solve the mysteries behind the walls.

In The Oracle Code, universal truths cannot be escaped, and Barbara Gordon must battle the phantoms of her past before they consume her future.

 

DC’s New Young Adult Graphic Novel by New York Times Bestselling Author Marieke Nijkamp and Artist Manuel Preitano Hits Stores Everywhere Books Are Sold March 10, 2020!

In celebration of International Wheelchair Day March 1,­­ DC revealed the official trailer for the publisher’s highly anticipated young adult (YA) graphic novel, The Oracle Code, written by Marieke Nijkamp and illustrated by Manuel Preitano. Set within a mysterious thriller, this moving coming-of-age tale follows teenager Barbara Gordon as she adapts to a new normal after a tragic accident and begins her path to becoming Oracle, one of DC’s fiercest Super Heroes.
Nijkamp is the author of bestselling YA novels This Is Where It Ends and Before I Let Go and has built a celebrated career advocating for and writing stories that elevate disabled voices. She is the editor of the YA anthology Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens, and is also a co-founder of We Need Diverse Books, a nonprofit organization created to promote diversity of multiple forms in children’s literature and publishing. Now, Nijkamp brings her thoughtful and authentic storytelling expertise to DC to put a fresh twist on one of the publisher’s most beloved disabled characters.
 
“The Oracle Code is my love letter to Barbara Gordon, to Oracle,” said Nijkamp. “It’s a book for everyone who’s ever felt like the puzzle pieces don’t quite fit, whether they’re in a creepy Arkham institute or simply figuring out themselves. And it’s for every disabled reader who knows they can be a hero too.”
 
The Oracle Code marks Nijkamp and Preitano’s first work with DC. Preitano is an Italian illustrator and graphic designer, best known for the Destiny, NY, series he co-created with author Pat Shand.
 
“Illustrating The Oracle Code was a great challenge and an opportunity to grow as an artist,” said Preitano. “The strength Barbara, Yeong, Issy, and the other characters displayed was truly inspiring, which reflects Marieke’s attention to details. The script really made me feel the mood of the scenes I was going to draw and we worked together to get the best out of each sequence.”
 
Nijkamp added, “Manuel’s art brought the story to life in a way that was beyond my wildest dreams. He got the characters from the very first sketch and his eye for detail made their whole world shine!”
 
“I hope readers will see the incredible work the whole team (writer, colorist, letterer, editors…and maybe this humble artist, too!) did with this book, reflected in every page!” said Preitano. “And I hope this will inspire them too!”
 
The Oracle Code is available to preorder now and hits stores and online retailers everywhere books are sold March 10, 2020.

Trailer Reveal: Riven by Jane Alvey Harris

http://www.jeanbooknerd.com/2019/06/trailer-reveal-riven-by-jane-alvey.html  

About the Book

Which reality would you choose? Seventeen year-old Emily's dad is in prison for securities fraud and her mom's strung-out on pain meds, leaving Emily to parent herself and her younger brothers and sister. She's got things mostly under control until a couple weeks before Dad's release, when voices start whispering in her head, and Gabe, the hot lifeguard at the pool, notices the strange brands engraved on her arm...the ones she's trying desperately to hide. Emily doesn't know how the symbols got there or what they mean. They appeared overnight and now they're infected and bleeding. She's pretty sure she's losing her mind. Stress, insomnia, and her wounded egos drive Emily to self-medicate, which has to be why the nightmares from her childhood have resurfaced, why they're commandeering her conscious even when she's awake. It has to be why the fairytale creatures she created as a little girl insist they need her help. Triggered by the return of her childhood abuser and unable to cope with reality, Emily slips completely inside her elaborate fantasy world. She's powerful in the First Realm, maybe even more powerful than her attacker. It would be so easy to stay there, to lose herself in enchantment...to lose herself in love. But something sinister lurks in the forest shadows. Emily soon discovers her demons have followed her inside her fairytale. They're hunting her. With the help of the Fae, she frantically searches for the weapons she needs to defeat her greatest fears and escape back to reality before the man who tortured her can prey on her younger brothers and sister, too. Time is running out...

*Non-explicit Trigger Warning: This book deals with issues of child molestation and abuse.  

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

Winner: 2016 Moonbeam Gold Medal, Young Adult Fiction

Winner: 2017 Royal Dragonfly First Place, Young Adult Fiction

Winner: 2017 Reader Views Reviewers Choice Award

Nominated for the 2018 IndieNext List  

About the Author

Jane Alvey Harris has a Humanities degree from Brigham Young University with

emphases in Art History, Italian Language, and Studio Art. She's CRAZY about the visual and performing arts! Jane enjoys playing classical piano, painting & sketching, singing & acting, and especially writing poetry & prose.

But her real passion is PEOPLE. She loves to watch and study what makes us tick as human beings. Jane is definitely a dreamer. Her favorite thing to do is weave together sublime settings and stories for characters to live and learn in...herself included.

She currently lives in an enchanted fairy-princess castle in Dallas, Texas, with her three often-adorable children and their three seldom-adorable cats.  

PHOTO CONTENT FROM JANE ALVEY HARRIS

Find the Author

WEBSITE / TWITTER / GOODREADS / FACEBOOK /INSTAGRAM /YOUTUBE

ABOUT FILM 14

Film 14 is an LA-based film studio.They produce cinematic book trailers, author’s videos, short films, and more.

Cinematic Book Trailers leave that lasting impression on the viewer, and remain with the book for as long as it’s in print. They’re stand-alone works of art, and at the same time they compliment the book perfectly. We create these cinematic trailers to give a poignant vignette of the book, which leaves the viewer curious. The tone, the pacing, the details, all generate tangible interest in the book and its author.

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter
Ends: July 15, 2019

- 2 Winners will receive a Signed Copy of RIVEN by Jane Alvey Harris.
- 1 Winner will receive an Exclusive Basic Book Teaser from Film 14 (Valued at $500.00)
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Cover and Trailer Reveal w/ Giveaway! - A Midnight Clear

Cover and Trailer Reveal Tour

JUNE 10, 2019

Publisher: Black Spot Books

Release Date: November 15, 2019

Six stories of not-so-merry Yuletide whimsy from the authors of Black Spot Books.

A woman so cold she hardens to ice on a winter’s eve. Risen from his grave before his time, a winter god alters the balance between seasons. A wolf’s holiday season is interrupted by a strange curse. From a murder at the Stanley Hotel to demons of Christmas past, present, and future, and a mad elf and Santa’s Candy Court, the authors of Black Spot Books share their love for winter holidays in this collection of dark winter tales, destined to chill your bones and warm your heart for the Yuletide season.

You can purchase A Midnight Clear at the following Retailers:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

EXCLUSIVE GIVEAWAY

FANTASTIC NEWS BOOK NERDS!! First 100 PRE-ORDERS  directly from >>>BLACK SPOT BOOKS<<< will received a Signed Bookplate from ALL the authors! Starting NOW! Click Link Above!

About the Authors

All Photo Content from Black Spot Books

Sam Hooker writes darkly humorous fantasy novels about thing like tyrannical despots and the masked scoundrels who tickle them without mercy. He knows all the best swear words, though he refuses to repeat them because he doesn't want to attract goblins.

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | GOODREADS

Alcy Leyva is a Bronx-born writer, teacher, and pizza enthusiast. He graduated from Hunter College with a B.A. in English (Creative Writing) and an MFA in Fiction from The New School. He has been published in Popmatters, The Rumpus, Entropy Mag, and Quiet Lunch Magazine.

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | GOODREADS

Laura Morrison lives in the Metro Detroit area. She has a B.S. in applied ecology and environmental science from Michigan Technological University. Before she was a writer and stay-at-home mom, she battled invasive species and researched turtles.
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | GOODREADS

Cassondra Windwalker is a poet and novelist writing full time from the coast of the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. She is supported by a tolerant husband, three wandering offspring, a useless dog, and a zombie cat. Her hobbies include hiking, photography, and having other people's demons over for tea. 

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | GOODREADS

Dalena Storm  has lived in India, Japan, Germany, and on both coasts of the United States. She currently resides in a converted general store in the woods of Western Massachusetts with a rare Burmese temple cat, a purring black fluff-beast, a professor of magic, and an infant with an astonishing ability to resist sleep.
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | GOODREADS

Seven Jane is an author of dark fantasy and speculative fiction. Seven is a member of The Author's Guild and Women's Fiction Writing Association. She also writes a column for The Women's Fiction Association and is a contributor to The Nerd Daily.

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | GOODREADS

Giveaway is open to International.

 Must be 13+ to Enter

1 Winner will receive Selected Print Copies of titles by the Authors.

*JBN is not responsible for Lost or Damaged Books in your Nerdy Mail Box*

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Trailer Reveal: Realm by Alexandrea Weis

About the Book:

Based on a true story.
When her homeland is conquered by the mighty Alexander the Great, Roxana—the daughter of a mere chieftain—is torn from her simple life and thrown into a world of war and intrigue.
Terrified, the sixteen-year-old girl of renowned beauty is brought before the greatest ruler the world has ever known. Her life is in his hands; her future his to decide.
Without formal education or noble blood, Roxana is chosen by the Greek conqueror to be his bride. Soon she comes to know profound happiness and unyielding desire in her warrior’s arms.
However, being the king’s consort comes at a heavy price. To survive her husband’s treacherous kingdom, she must endure continuous warfare, deadly plots, jealous rivals, victory-hungry generals, and the stigma of being a barbarian. Persian blood will keep her from claiming the grandest title of all—queen—but her reign will seal the fate of an empire.
History tells his story. This is hers.  

AMAZON 

About the Author:

Alexandrea Weis, RN-CS, PhD, is a multi-award-winning author of over twenty-seven novels, a screenwriter, ICU Nurse, and historian who was born and raised in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Having grown up in the motion picture industry as the daughter of a director, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective and began writing at the age of eight. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her novels, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story moving and memorable. A member of the Horror Writers Association and International Thriller Writers Association, Weis writes mystery, suspense, thrillers, horror, crime fiction, and romance. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans where she is a permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries and rescues orphaned and injured animals.  

PHOTO CONTENT FROM ALEXANDREA WEIS 

Find the Author

WEBSITE /  TWITTER /GOODREADS / FACEBOOK /INSTAGRAM

- Giveaway is open to International.  

- Must be 13+ to Enter

- 1 Winner will receive a $20 Dollar PayPal/Amazon Gift Card.

- ENDS: MAY 28, 2019

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Trailer Blast: The Journal of Angela Ashby by Liana Gardner

Blog Tour

About the Book

I have great power.
That’s what she told me. The old fortune-teller at the school carnival.
I thought I was doing the right thing … with the magic journal she gave me. But nothing could prepare me for what happened next.
Or, for what I unleashed.

At a school carnival, a mysterious fortune-teller gives twelve-year-old Angela Ashby a journal and warns her to use it wisely. Nothing prepares Angela for the journal’s power—when she pours her heart onto its pages her desires come true.

She tests the journal by conjuring a gnome, a unicorn, and a farting fairy and then uses it to stop the school bullies in their tracks. But the unintended consequences alienate her best friend and puts her favorite teacher in danger of losing her job.

After she shares her deepest desire of all—that her parents get back together—her adversary steals the journal, and Angela fears she will use it to bring mayhem to the entire school if she doesn’t get it back.  

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

Praise for THE JOURNAL OF ANGELA ASHBY

"Gardner has created a likable character in Angela, who faces off with the class bully in defense of herself and her best friend. Alternately full of sass and seriousness, Angela quickly learns that writing in her new journal may lead to some unintended consequences, some hilarious and some grave. An enjoyable tween romp about the familiar world of bullies mixed with a bit of magic, this one would be great for a class read or group discussion." ―Seattle Book Review

"The Journal of Angela Ashby is a middle grade fiction by Liana Gardner and is perfectly written for the target audience. A combination of magic, childhood troubles, social messages, and the need to think before acting is prevalent, and a lesson well ingrained into the pages, There is some good tension building, injections of humour, and character development. Angela and Mallory make a great team, perfectly complementing each other in the way close friends do. This is certainly a book I will read with my son when he is older, as I think it instills some important lessons and values,much like the old 80's and 90's cartoons used to do. While the book itself has a clear beginning and end, there are hints that a sequel may follow, and it's certainly something I would consider picking up. If you're looking for a story of friendship, childhood problems, and a healthy sprinkling of magic in everyday life, then look no further." ―K.J. Simmill, Award-Winning British Author

"The Journal of Angela Ashby by Liana Gardner is a charming story of action and consequence. Gardner presents her characters and their problems with an equal touch of magic and reality. This allows the message of the tale to come through while entertaining instead of preaching. Gardner does a great job of taking what could be a clichéd story and putting a few twists in it to keep it fresh and humorous." ―Kris Moger, Readers' Favorite

"The Journal of Angela Ashby is an engaging and fun coming-of-age story about a twelve-year-old girl who is suddenly the possessor of great power. I loved following as Angela began to appreciate her journal's powers and realized the importance of carefully considering everything she wished for.Throughout the story, Gardner addresses the issue of bullies and bullying, which is something all kids and most adults have to deal with at some point, and she shows how Angela learns to differentiate between solving the problem and descending into bullying behavior herself.Gardner also admirably addresses the stress and confusion felt by kids and tweens when their mom and dad get divorced. The Journal of Angela Ashby is a marvelous fantasy that brings up real-life issues without lowering the magic and fun potential for a moment, and Sam Shearon's illustrations really make it all come alive most brilliantly." ―Jack Magnus, Author  

About the Author

Liana Gardner is the award-winning author of 7th Grade Revolution and the Misfit McCabeseries. Daughter of a rocket scientist and an artist, Liana combines the traits of both into a quirky yet pragmatic writer and in everything sees the story lurking beneath the surface. Engaged in a battle against leukemia and lymphoma, Liana spends much of her time at home, but allows her imagination to take her wherever she wants to go.

She fostered her love of writing after reading Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women and discovering she had a great deal in common with the character Jo. The making up of stories, dramatic feelings, and a quick temper were enough for her to know she and Jo would have been kindred spirits.

Liana volunteers with high school students through the International Trade Education Programs (ITEP). ITEP unites business people and educators to prepare students for a meaningful place in the world of tomorrow. Working in partnership with industry and educators, ITEP helps young people “think globally and earn locally.”  

PHOTO CONTENT FROM LIANA GARDNER

Find the Author

WEBSITE /TWITTER /GOODREADS /FACEBOOK /INSTAGRAM

Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter

- 1 Winner will receive an Award-winning 2017 MG, 7th Grade Revolution Swag (Mugs, Playing Cards, T-Shirts) by Liana Gardner.  

- 1 Winner will receive a $25 Dollar PayPal/Amazon Gift Card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Trailer Blast w/ Excerpt & Giveaway! Death by the River by Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor

Tour Links

About the Book
Some truths are better kept secret.
Some secrets are better off dead.

Along the banks of the Bogue Falaya River, sits the abandoned St. Francis Seminary. Beneath a canopy of oaks, blocked from prying eyes, the teens of St. Benedict High gather here on Fridays. The rest of the week belongs to school and family—but weekends belong to the river.

And the river belongs to Beau Devereaux.

The only child of a powerful family, Beau can do no wrong. Handsome. Charming. Intelligent. The star quarterback of the football team. The “prince” of St. Benedict is the ultimate catch.

He is also a psychopath.

A dirty family secret buried for years, Beau’s evil grows unchecked. In the shadows of the ruined St. Francis Abbey, he commits unspeakable acts on his victims and ensures their silence with threats and intimidation. Senior year, Beau sets his sights on his girlfriend’s headstrong twin sister, Leslie, who hates him. Everything he wants but cannot have, she will be his ultimate prize.

As the victim toll mounts, it becomes crystal clear that someone has to stop Beau Devereaux.

And that someone will pay with their life.

WARNING: Readers of Death by the River will encounter situations of violence and sexual abuse which could be upsetting. 

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY