Justice Jack

I recently read Sammy Keys and the Wedding Crasher, and absolutely loved it. I loved the voice, the plot, and all of the characters.


I am sad to say, Sammy Keys and the Power of Justice Jack wasn't as good. It was still enjoyable, but the plot was rather thin. It centers on the character Justice Jack, who imagines himself a super hero, ridding the community of evil doers. At times Sammy thinks he may truly be up to no good, or creating the problems he then solves.


The characterization was still good, but some character developments were resolved a little too neatly. I felt there wasn't truly a huge mystery here, more little inconsistencies that didn't develop much.


I do of course have my suspicions on Justice Jack's future role in the series, and hope the book after that brings him to a nice resolution, as well as bringing back the story quality that Wedding Crashers had

Red Heart Tattoo

I have loved all of the McDaniel books I have read. As I was reading Red Heart Tattoo I became quite anxious, fearing a central character would be found guilty. At times it seemed more a very well developed outline, the characters seemed a bit sketched out versus fully developed, but in the long run, it all made sense, and perhaps not much more will be edited prior to publication on July 24th. The story is set in a typical high school. Initially a prank comes under fire, and then a horrific bombing takes place. As we and one of the victims discover more and more about the plot, and who is responsible, McDaniel successfully builds suspense, while at the same time creating empathy for numerous characters. A good read; perfect for the YA community, and adults who enjoy this genre.