My first review- Lake City Way Ninja Girl

The other day I got a request to review a book on twitter - my first one ever! The book Lake City Way Ninja Girl was written by Cait Moore, wife of horror writer Michael J. Moore. From the minute I read the first chapter I was hooked. I read this book, and the chapter of the next book (previewed at the end) in one evening and a morning. No joke. 

Image from Book Sprout

The tale of a 12 year old girl, mentally haunted by the shooting of a man beside the food bank in Lake City Way, becoming a vigilante had me on my seat from the first five chapters and made me want more by the end. It isn't a "happily ever after" ending, I'll just tell you that now, but it is worth every penny, should you ask me if you should invest in it. It would make a fantastic addition to any personal or public library. 

This is a dark, young adult novel, but not so dark that isn't young adult. It is realistic to what might happen to a 12-year-old vigilante going after drug dealers in the street. It has several Batman references and characters that could come alive and actually be real people. I found myself sympathizing with the young girl throughout the book, much like when I read Hunger Games or Maximum Ride in high school. I connected deeply with this 12-year-old girl, Gaby, who was frustrated by the violence in her streets and decided to do something, reckless or not. 

What was truly unique was the various colored words that could be found throughout. I almost wanted to write them down and decipher them like some sort of code later, but I suspect that they represent her innermost thoughts. "My mom" and "my dad" are often in a red color, as well as other phrases that come up throughout the book. 

What really hit me like a ton of bricks was the ending, and because I want you to read it for yourself, I'm going to tell you nothing about how it ended. Nothing at all, except that her story will continue on in the next book, from a place you'd never expect her to end up. It was a plot twist that made me want to grab the next book and keep on reading. 

Thank you Michael J. Moore for asking me to review this book. I enjoyed it immensely and will be putting this series on my reading bucket list from now on. Thanks for putting it on my reading radar!