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mannybeen's review
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
scarcoll's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
beckywilles's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
colorfulleo92's review
4.0
I always browse my local library English YA section in hope for something new and exciting and this eye-catching cover was definitely hard to miss and the blurb sounded really good. I wasn't disappointed one bit the fast pace, the intriguing plot and interesting characters made this to be a very engaging read and hard to put down.
carolineroche's review
5.0
A wonderful magical realism/fantasy set in an African village. Sheba comes from a long line of royalty, and her village has always been known as one which provides protection to women in distress. However, Sheba's mother is a powerful force for evil, and Sheba needs to draw out the magic within her in order to make the village safe again. Suitable for year 7's and above.
adamskiboy528491's review
4.0
Arise, arise, O sons of Ghana land,
And under God march on for evermore!
Arise, arise, O sons of Ghana land,
And under God march on for evermore!
[b:Lionheart Girl|58361928|Lionheart Girl|Yaba Badoe|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1623949883l/58361928._SY75_.jpg|91522270] by [a:Yaba Badoe|2892443|Yaba Badoe|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1555070197p2/2892443.jpg] takes you places you don't expect them to go. An utterly immersive and evocative account of a young girl's rite of passage within her life, own femininity, body, heritage and connection to the land and her ancestors tangled with magic on her ascent to the future Queen Mother of the village with no name.
Sheba is a descendant of West African Witches, and magic runs through her veins. As she grows up, she starts to discover her powers - her touch allows her to view other people's thoughts, memories and secrets. Oh, and Sheba's a shape-shifter too. But she also learns about her mother and her prophesied destiny which brings conflict to her life. The story moves along nicely as Sheba grows and learns about herself and her family. We meet her friends, her aunts and grandmothers and her absent father, about whom her mother is unwilling to talk. We learn about her heritage and her growing powers.
This book makes me curious about the country it was set in and the mythology that goes along with it. Like their history, African people's traditional beliefs and practices remain largely unfamiliar and unknown to the European and American public compared to more popular worldwide mythologies like the Greco-Roman, Norse, Celtic, Aztec and Mayan pantheons. Though it's a mildly developing country, Ghana has been growing steadfastly in the later years, especially the tourism branch, which attracts all kinds of wealthy Americans, Europeans and others. It also has a bit of a computer industry developing, thanks to many charities sending computers to the country. It's pretty fascinating understanding this country.
bookymac95's review
I felt that there should have been more to it but I felt that there wasn’t a lot of magic feeling to it and not a lot of action in the book. I think I was expecting to much which was a shame. Also didn’t like the main character’s mum who was really awful to her own child. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood for it either.
beelovesreading's review
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC for Lionheart Girl.
Summary:
Born into a family of West African witches, Sheba's terrified of her mother who can turn into a crow. But like mother, like daughter – magic runs through her blood and Sheba discovers powers of her own.
Her touch can unravel people's innermost thoughts; their hopes, their fears – their secrets. Sheba too can shape-shift. Through the communion of ancient magic, blood and friendship, she slowly uncovers the murderous truth about her stolen childhood and steels herself for the future. She must protect the hunted from the hunter – her mother.
My thoughts:
Lionheart Girl was an interesting read, although slightly boring. I liked the book, I liked the plot but it fell a little short for me. I wasn't left with a lasting impression, but that's simply my opinion and I'm sure other people will love it. I went in expecting her mother to be this big bad woman and what I found mostly was a woman who stomped around a lot, smoked, and complained about her family. She acted more like a child than an antagonist and I found myself annoyed by her, rather than concerned for Sheba and her family.
Summary:
Born into a family of West African witches, Sheba's terrified of her mother who can turn into a crow. But like mother, like daughter – magic runs through her blood and Sheba discovers powers of her own.
Her touch can unravel people's innermost thoughts; their hopes, their fears – their secrets. Sheba too can shape-shift. Through the communion of ancient magic, blood and friendship, she slowly uncovers the murderous truth about her stolen childhood and steels herself for the future. She must protect the hunted from the hunter – her mother.
My thoughts:
Lionheart Girl was an interesting read, although slightly boring. I liked the book, I liked the plot but it fell a little short for me. I wasn't left with a lasting impression, but that's simply my opinion and I'm sure other people will love it. I went in expecting her mother to be this big bad woman and what I found mostly was a woman who stomped around a lot, smoked, and complained about her family. She acted more like a child than an antagonist and I found myself annoyed by her, rather than concerned for Sheba and her family.