Justine Manzano

Jacklyn Madison is the superhero teen-me needed.

There's so much to say about this book. Let's start with the cast. Jacks is our MC: tough yet vulnerable, with a quick mouth and more than her fair share of stubbornness. She turns out to be a part of the Order of the Key, a shadowy secret superhero organization designed to stop alien bad-guys from ruining our days, due to her parents also being in the Order. From her parents, she's been gifted special abilities just awakening which she needs to learn to use. But this isn't just any magic school story.

For one thing, Jacks' mom and sister Gana join her in the Order, though her mom has tried to keep them out of it since she ran away with them years ago. Why? Find out by reading the book. :D

For another thing, there's not as much emphasis on training and studying and testing and more emphasis on rules, safety, and when and how to break those rules to keep loved ones safe. Especially when questions are raised about the worthiness of following those in charge.

The cast is well-rounded, with each side character having a clear role, from Jacks' mom to her sister to other members of the Order, to Jacks's love interest, Kyp. Questions are even raised about Jacks' father and his loyalties, and family is a running theme through the book (as is running, and the comic book mentions all throughout that had me squeeing). The plot was easy to follow, with enough twists on familiar tropes and immersion into Jacks' fantastic character that I didn't want to put the book down at all. I totally screwed up dinner because I was reading instead...

I really enjoyed the magic system, and I'm a sucker for strong female protagonists (you can be strong and vulnerable or ignorant of a brand new system at the same time, and Jacks accomplishes that without being standoffish, making her super relatable). I'm trying to leave out spoilers, so suffice it to say I love the turns the plot took and the way it ended was thrilling, struck me deep, and also was so satisfying. I'd love to read more in this universe!… (meer)

I received an ARC through NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Never Say Never is an imaginative contemporary fantasy with a cast of memorable characters and a healthy dose of YA snark. Justine Manzano's signature sass comes through just as clearly in this, her latest book published through Sword and Silk Books, as it did in her debut, The Order of the Key. Brynn has a lot of Jaclyn's attitude, though she's her own character, and she was entertaining to read along with.

Brynn has sworn off love. Too bad her friend Val turns out to be the goddess Aphrodite--and she takes that as a challenge. Amidst the emotional storm of discovering her mother's affair and weathering her parents' divorce, Val's incessant, embarrassing attempts to set her up with every possible guy their age wear on Brynn. Val's boyfriend Adam ends up being a source of solace, and when Brynn realizes she's uncovering feelings she really shouldn't have for her friend's boyfriend (even if that friend wasn't a jealous love goddess), she back pedals as fast as she can.

I really loved the diverse cast of characters and the strong friendships shown here, especially between Brynn and Nina, although I'm not a huge fan of Greek mythology in real life. That just means this book wasn't written for me, and that's ok! It's still a solid book and the ending ramped up the tension like crazy. It was a quick read, and the characters stuck with me between readings, too. I love Nina's family-- they're so wholesome, and I love seeing examples of wholesome families in literature. Brynn's family dynamics felt real to me too, and her motivations made sense even when I disagreed with her actions.

Overall, if you're looking for a cast of vibrant characters that feel alive, especially if you love Greek mythology, you should definitely try Never Say Never.

Indie Story Geek review: https://indiestorygeek.com/story/662… (meer)

Justine's left me with so many feelings--again! Coming off the back of The Order of the Key, though, it's really no surprise. This is the perfect pairing to the Order, like bread and butter, coffee and coffee cake, or chocolate and anything. We have more geeky comic book references filling the pages, which I adored to no end.

Jacklyn and Kyp are as amazing as ever, even though now we see them broken around the edges, trying to hold on by their fingernails. When they do finally truly come together, however, the way they hold each other up is simply gorgeous, and the strength they bring to their pages kept me hooked all the way through. Like the Order of the Key, I barely was able to set this book down at all. I love where the story went, and while it was a wild ride, I was all in, all the way. I especially loved the way Justine dealt with mental health and trauma with such a deft hand. And frankly, the way the word "adorable" is fit in 100% organically so many times in such a dark, grief-and-pain filled novel is downright inspirational. The ending made sense even though I'd have preferred (personally) a different one--but it fit perfectly, so I still left feeling fulfilled, especially after the Epilogue!

If your geeky heart needs a sassy heroine of its own, grab The Order of the Key and the Skeleton Key and read them back to back if you can!… (meer)