You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Fast moving fantasy adventure. This book has everything: Magic, mythical creatures and a little steampunk mixed in. A real page turner. MSBA nominee 2015-16.
I loved, loved, loved, loved this book. Great characters, great adventure and a really interesting storyline. A part of me hopes there's a sequel, but at the same time I'd settle for just the this one!
Fascinating world-building in this one! I look forward to future books in the series--while the plot ties up satisfactorily the window is certainly open for more books set in this world with these characters.
Johnson, Jaleigh. The Mark of the Dragonfly. Delacourte BFYR, 2014.
Piper lives in a world where most of the people barely eke out an existence by being scrappers, scavengers who dig through the remains after the monthly meteor showers, hoping to find treasures. Piper herself is a tinkerer who repairs some of the treasures people find. Her father died of lung disease from working in the factories, and Piper's mother died long before Piper was old enough to remember her. So when Piper rescues a mysterious girl after a meteor shower and discovers the girl bears the mark of the dragonfly, a special tattoo given only to the king's favored, she hopes she can return to the girl to her home and earn a reward that would pull her out of poverty. Will Piper be able to outrun the man who is seeking the girl and return her to her home? And will this girl ever remember why she has the mark of the dragonfly or what makes her so important?
This book started out a bit slowly and lacked in world-building that would have helped it along, but once I had read a few chapters, I was hooked. This wasn't a book I could pick up and read for fifteen minutes at a time; I needed extensive time to sit and focus on the world Piper lives in to truly enjoy the story. And I did enjoy it. I think my students would enjoy it, too - with the fantasy, mystery, and adventure elements, this book has something for every reader.
Recommended for: tweens, middle grade
Red Flags: violence - the girls are kidnapped and almost sold to slavers and several other times face what movie raters would call "mild peril"
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purposes of review.
Piper lives in a world where most of the people barely eke out an existence by being scrappers, scavengers who dig through the remains after the monthly meteor showers, hoping to find treasures. Piper herself is a tinkerer who repairs some of the treasures people find. Her father died of lung disease from working in the factories, and Piper's mother died long before Piper was old enough to remember her. So when Piper rescues a mysterious girl after a meteor shower and discovers the girl bears the mark of the dragonfly, a special tattoo given only to the king's favored, she hopes she can return to the girl to her home and earn a reward that would pull her out of poverty. Will Piper be able to outrun the man who is seeking the girl and return her to her home? And will this girl ever remember why she has the mark of the dragonfly or what makes her so important?
This book started out a bit slowly and lacked in world-building that would have helped it along, but once I had read a few chapters, I was hooked. This wasn't a book I could pick up and read for fifteen minutes at a time; I needed extensive time to sit and focus on the world Piper lives in to truly enjoy the story. And I did enjoy it. I think my students would enjoy it, too - with the fantasy, mystery, and adventure elements, this book has something for every reader.
Recommended for: tweens, middle grade
Red Flags: violence - the girls are kidnapped and almost sold to slavers and several other times face what movie raters would call "mild peril"
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purposes of review.
This book was fascinating to read. Just enough of the details were realistic enough to make you believe much of the action possibly could happen. It was a great book for exploring the possibilities that can come with technology and advances in science, as well as some of the possible risks. Most of all, Johnson wrote characters that I found I cared deeply about, and I was very invested in seeing how their lives would play out in this story. A solid book that I could highly recommend to most students.
Good enough, but never quite gripping. My OBOB book club seems to like it though.
Hmm. Not bad, not bad at all. (Pretty obvious that *spoiler* Anna was a machine though. I guess I am just smarter than your average middle schooler!)
3.5 stars
I was torn between giving this 3 stars and 4, so I split the difference. (If only Goodreads offered a half-star option!)
This was a great fantasy, steampunk-lite book. My biggest complaint is that I felt like the characters were MUCH older than their designated ages (13). They acted, spoke and behaved like older teens (except for Anna, who was fine as is). I would have definitely preferred if they had been presented as 16-17 instead of 13. I know...it's a weird thing to nitpick, but it bugged me!
The book contains some common YA tropes - orphaned children, special people with special, one-of-a-kind abilities, kid/teen stops horrible event from happening, etc., but it's done well and I don't mind that it covers well-worn ground.
The story is fun, unique and engaging. I love that the female protagonist is strong, and even when she's being rescued by the male love interest, she turns around and rescues him right back.
I was torn between giving this 3 stars and 4, so I split the difference. (If only Goodreads offered a half-star option!)
This was a great fantasy, steampunk-lite book. My biggest complaint is that I felt like the characters were MUCH older than their designated ages (13). They acted, spoke and behaved like older teens (except for Anna, who was fine as is). I would have definitely preferred if they had been presented as 16-17 instead of 13. I know...it's a weird thing to nitpick, but it bugged me!
The book contains some common YA tropes - orphaned children, special people with special, one-of-a-kind abilities, kid/teen stops horrible event from happening, etc., but it's done well and I don't mind that it covers well-worn ground.
The story is fun, unique and engaging. I love that the female protagonist is strong, and even when she's being rescued by the male love interest, she turns around and rescues him right back.
3.5 stars. Interesting plot and decent story that should appeal to some fantasy readers.