PEARL: A Graphic Novel, by Sherri L. Smith and Christine Norrie, Graphix, Aug. 20, 2024, Paperback $11.99 (ages 10 and up)

A Japanese-American girl must survive years of uncertainty and questions of loyalty in Hiroshima during World War II in Pearl, a graphic novel by Sherri L. Smith and Christine Norrie.

Amy is a 13-year-old Japanese-American girl who lives in Hawaii. When her great-grandmother falls ill, Amy travels to visit family in Hiroshima for the first time. But this is 1941.

When the Japanese navy attacks Pearl Harbor, it becomes impossible for Amy to return to Hawaii. Conscripted into translating English radio transmissions for the Japanese army, Amy struggles with questions of loyalty and fears about her family amidst rumors of internment camps in America — even as she makes a new best friend and, over the years, Japan starts to feel something like home.

 Torn between two countries at war, Amy must figure out where her loyalties lie and, in the face of unthinkable tragedy, find hope in the rubble of a changed world. —Synopsis provided by Graphix

I received an advanced copy of Pearl earlier this summer, and my daughter took it with her on a weeklong camping trip. She had five books with her, but she read and reread Pearl at least 16 times (that’s what she says!).

Why did she read it so many times?

“Because it had a good story,” my daughter told me. “I like how the character improves over each year in Japan. And… I like that she almost explodes.”

She has two favorite parts. The end where it says “Life is a treasure… thrive.”  She also liked how Amy is known as many things — a monitor for the Japanese Imperial Army; an atomic bomb survivor; a daughter; a sister; a cousin; a friend.

Pearl “shows the struggles of real people and war conflict,” she explained. “The illustrations are really good. The artist is really creative. I like how she put many different pictures into one panel.”

Copyright © 2024 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

The post Sherri L. Smith’s Pearl is compelling WWII graphic novel appeared first on www.crackingthecover.com.

THE PERILS OF LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH (MR. DARCY & MISS TILNEY MYSTERY), by Claudia Gray, Vintage, June 18, 2024, Paperback, $18 (young adult/ new adult/ adult fiction)

The young Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney join forces to solve a crime once again in The Perils of Lady Catherine De Bourgh, by Claudia Gray.

Someone is trying to kill Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Esteemed aunt of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, generous patroness of Mr. William Collins, a woman of rank who rules over the estate of Rosings Park with an unimpeachable sense of propriety—who would dare? Lady Catherine summons her grand-nephew, Mr. Jonathan Darcy, and his investigative companion, Miss Juliet Tilney, to find out.

After a year apart, Jonathan and Juliet are thrilled to be reunited, even if the circumstances—finding whoever has thus far sabotaged Lady Catherine’s carriage, shot at her, and nearly pushed her down the stairs—are less than ideal. Also, less than ideal: their respective fathers, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Mr. Henry Tilney, have accompanied the young detectives to Rosings, and the two men do not interact with the same felicity enjoyed by their children.

With attempts against Lady Catherine escalating, and no one among the list of prime suspects seemingly capable of committing all of the attacks, the pressure on Jonathan and Juliet mounts—even as more gentle feelings between the two of them begin to bloom. The race is now on to provoke two confessions: one from the attempted murderer before it is too late—and one, perhaps, of love. —Synopsis provided by Vintage

The Perils of Lady Catherine De Bourgh is the third book in Claudia Gray’s Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney Mystery series, which follows Jane Austen’s famous characters from multiple novels. The first two books, The Murder of Mr. Wickham and The Late Mrs. Willoughby, are great fun. And so is The Perils of Lady Catherine De Bourgh.

Author Claudia Gray has crafted a timeline in which all of Austen’s characters fit: Darcy and Elizabeth have a grown son, and Catherine Morland and Henry Tilney have a grown daughter. Charlotte and Mr. Collins have two children and Lady Catherine’s daughter, Anne has married Colonel Fitzwilliam.

Gray has expertly created a world that is an extension of Austen’s. Her writing style is warm and comfortable but in keeping with the source material and progression of time.

In this latest offering, Jonathan and Juliet are beginning to realize just how much they admire each other and perhaps their hopes for the future. That’s an undercurrent that flows seamlessly with their shared goal of saving Lady Catherine.

Though this book isn’t a “page-turner” it does — like many of Austen’s novels — progress at a comfortable pace with lots of ups and downs to keep interest. And Gray had me guessing to the end who the real culprit was.

You could, in theory, read The Perils of Lady Catherine De Bourgh without reading its predecessors. But with a series this delightful, it’s worth reading them all — in order.

While not specifically a young adult novel, The Perils of Lady Catherin De Bourgh is an enjoyable mystery perfect for Jane Austen fans of any age.

Copyright © 2024 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

The post The Perils of Lady Catherine De Bourgh is Austenesque mystery appeared first on www.crackingthecover.com.

KILL HER TWICE, by Stacey Lee, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, April 23, 2024, Hardcover, $19.99 (young adult)

Sisters investigate the murder of a movie star in Kill Her Twice, a YA murder mystery noir by Stacey Lee.

LOS ANGELES, 1932: Lulu Wong, star of the silver screen and the pride of Chinatown, has a face known to practically everyone, especially the Chow sisters—May, Gemma, and Peony—Lulu’s former classmates and neighbors. So, the girls instantly know it’s Lulu when they discover a body one morning in an out-of-the-way stable, far from the Beverly Hills home where she lived after her fame skyrocketed.

The sisters suspect Lulu’s death is the result of foul play, but the police don’t seem motivated to investigate. Even worse, there are signs that point to a cover-up, and powerful forces in the city want to frame the killing as evidence that Chinatown is a den of iniquity and crime, even more reason it should be demolished to make room for the construction of a new railway depot, Union Station.

Worried that neither the police nor the papers will treat Lulu fairly—no matter her fame and wealth—the sisters set out to solve their friend’s murder themselves, and maybe save their neighborhood in the bargain. But with Lulu’s killer still on the loose, the girls’ investigation just might put them square in the crosshairs of a cold-blooded murderer. —Synopsis provided by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

I’m a fan of Stacey Lee (The Downstairs Girl). Add her flair for historical fiction and a murder mystery noir, and you’ve got a recipe for an enticing read.

Kill Her Twice revolves around May and Gemma, Chinese sisters who are trying to keep the family floral business afloat while their father is sick. The two are as close as can be, but their different temperaments make for some conflict. The story unfolds from their alternating points of view.

Set against the backdrop of anti-Chinese sentiment and the move to get rid of Los Angeles’ Old Chinatown, Kill Her Twice is more than just a who-done-it. Competing interests mean the only people actively trying to solve Lulu’s murder are May and Gemma.

With lots of great banter, sticky situations and suspenseful twists, Kill Her Twice almost plays out like a film itself. At nearly 400 pages, the book reads a lot faster. That’s all down to Lee’s smooth writing and excellent pacing. Lee transports you to another place and time — one where you don’t want to leave.

Copyright © 2024 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

The post Stacey Lee’s Kill Her Twice is enticing YA murder mystery appeared first on www.crackingthecover.com.

TRAJECTORY, by Cambria Gordon, Scholastic Press, April 2, 2024, Hardcover, $19.99 (young adult)

A young woman finds herself working on a top-secret project for the US Army during WWII in Trajectory, by Cambria Gordon.

Seventeen-year-old Eleanor is nothing like her hero Eleanor Roosevelt. She is timid and all together uncertain that she has much to offer the world. And as World War II rages overseas, Eleanor is consumed with worry for her Jewish relatives in Europe. When a chance encounter proves her to be a one-in-a-generation math whiz—a fact she has worked hard all her life to hide—Eleanor gets recruited by the US Army and entrusted with the ultimate challenge: to fine-tune a top-secret weapon that will help America defeat its enemies in World War II and secure the world’s freedom. This could be her chance to help save her family in Poland.

Soon, she’s swept from the basement of an Ivy League engineering school, to the desert of California, to an Army Air Corps base at Pearl Harbor, and finally she takes to the skies above the South Pacific.

But before she can solve this complicated problem, she must learn to unlock a bigger mystery: herself. —Synopsis provided by Scholastic Press

Trajectory is historical fiction with a STEM twist that’s fascinating for young adults and adults.

At the center of the story is Eleanor, a girl who loves math but has kept her talent hidden. But it’s hard to keep that sort of ability quiet forever, and when she leans into it, she realizes what a difference she can make.

Because Trajectory is about human computers, readers should expect to see some math. It may not all make sense to readers as far as following the equations, but it does make sense in Eleanor’s story. The book wouldn’t be the same without it.

That said. Author Cambria Gordon’s writing is accessible and entertaining. She draws readers in with a complex main character and an intriguing supporting cast. Her pacing is strong and she does a great job creating tension.

Trajectory is a historical fiction novel where plot points are built from true events. It’s a thoughtful and engrossing read with broad appeal.

Copyright © 2024 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

The post Cambria Gordon’s Trajectory is compelling historical fiction appeared first on www.crackingthecover.com.