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I received this book for free from TBR & Beyond Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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Batgirl: Possession (DC Super Heroes) by Jade Adia Illustrator: Charly Palmer
Published by Random House Children's Books on November 5, 2024
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Action & Adventure / General, Young Adult Fiction / Media Tie-In, Young Adult Fiction / Superheroes
Pages: 384
Format: Hardcover
Source: TBR & Beyond Tours
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Goodreads
Batgirl™ is on the case when strange attacks start happening at Gotham Academy. The long shadows of Gotham City stretch deeper than she imagined when evidence points to black magic and something more sinister still in this original suspense novel!
Thanks to a scholarship to the prestigious Gotham Academy, Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl, gets to experience how some of the city’s wealthiest teens live with fast cars, expensive clothes, and more. But when these advantages and luxuries are not enough, Barbara discovers that the some of them have turned to dabbling in black magic to get their kicks . . . setting off a series of strange events and deaths. Batgirl quickly steps in to investigate, but finding the killer proves to be more difficult than usual. The prime suspect’s brother is an irresistible distraction from the case at the same her growing relationship with Robin, the Boy Wonder, is hitting an all-time low. If all that wasn’t troubling enough, the hard facts aren’t to be lining up. Batgirl isn’t one to believe in black magic, but there seem to be forces in Gotham City’s shadows growing hungrier and stronger, and if she doesn’t find a way to shed some light on the case soon, the creeping darkness just might take possession of her . . . forever!
Batgirl and supernatural thriller fans will love the mystery and horror lurking in this action-packed original novel!
If you are looking for an action-packed, fast-paced YA mystery novel, then check out Batgirl Possession by Jade Adia and illustrations by Charly Palmer. Fans of the D.C. comic universe and Black girl super heroes will want to pick this up too.
In this version on Batgirl, Barbara Gordon is a Black girl living in Gotham City. She’s relatively new to the bat crew, but hangs tough with fighting crime as Batman’s newest protege. She is also new to Gotham Academy which she has a scholarship to attend, but between kids looking down at her for being a diversity scholarship student and being the commissioner’s daughter doesn’t win her any friends at her new school either.
Action-oriented and fast paced
Action movies are one of my favorite categories to view, so I was all for the fight scenes that kick off the book and keep it going. Batgirl is tough and she knows how to fight! The action scenes keep the book moving at a relatively quick pace. The short chapters contribute to this as well. I think this is important to point out because lots of kids have a short attention span and the structure of the plot and book help keep the reader hooked.
Some Romance too
Of course, amongst all of the mystery -solving and fight scenes, there is romance too! Barbara has to work on her rapidly changing feelings towards Robin, who is also a student at Gotham Academy. Their work relationship is professional and comfortable. But their personal relationship may be taking a change for the more romantic type. In her Batgirl person, she also has another admirer who wants to make some moves on her. But who is the better choice?
Fighting bad guys
If you didn’t guess from the title, the bad guy that Batgirl is fighting is a demon who is going around body hopping and possessing Gotham Academy students. When a student dies at an art show performance, Batgirl takes on the investigation. I thought the ending was very good, but I won’t spoil it.
Educator Recommendation
Add this to your classroom library and book talk it so that students know its there! This is such a great book for upper Middle and YA readers. I hope it becomes a series! It features a super smart and determined main character. She encounters situations many teens face and you get to see her work through them. There are also several situations where she is determined not to give up, but has to fight to hold onto that determination. There is diversity amongst the characters with regards to LGBQT rep as well.
About the Author:
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Jade Adia writes stories about Black nerds, anti-capitalism, and home.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Ethnicity, Race & Migration, and a certificate in Human Rights from Yale University. She recently survived law school, graduating with a specialization in Critical Race Studies from UCLA. Her debut novel, There Goes The Neighborhood, won the 2024 Coretta Scott King – John Steptoe Award for New Talent. Her second novel, Our Shouts Echo, is forthcoming August 2024.
Author Links:
- Website: https://www.jadeadia.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jadeadia/
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21722002
About the Illustrator:
Charly Palmer is known for saying “Art should change the temperature in a room.” And for more than 30 years, his art has spoken for itself. In every painting, Palmer bears witness to African ancestry and contemporary experiences—rhythmic, visual stories that shift what each viewer believes. As a fine artist he has an innate awareness of documenting the intricacies of Blackness with depth, patterns, symbols, and textures.
By existing at the intersection of creative expression and the Black experience and accepting the guidance of his ancestors, he creates, authors, and magnifies the truth and depth of Blackness. From loose sketches and tight lines to blocks of color and nuances of mixed media, his art manifests in visual expressions to the questions, “What came before?” and “What truth must be told?”
Palmer was recently appointed by the USPS to design the 47th stamp in the Black Heritage Stamp series, honoring Judge Constance Baker Motley. In 2020, he was chosen by John Legend to create the cover portrait for his Grammy Award-winning album “Bigger Love”. Additionally, TIME Magazine commissioned him to create the cover art and illustrations for their “America Must Change” issue in July 2020, due to his 20-year expertise in painting on the topic of race. He also designed the cover for the NBA’s 75th anniversary edition of the 2K22 video game, and most recently co-authored the New Brownies Book: A Love Letter To Black Families which won the 2024 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction.
Illustrator Links:
- Website: https://www.charlypalmer.com/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CharlyPalmerMedia
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlylpalmer/
- Threads: https://www.threads.net/@charlylpalmer
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charly.palmer
Tour Schedule:
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