Readathon Mini-Reviews: Ms. Marvel and Submerged

Kamala Kahn is living a normal kind of teen life - she navigates her friendships, tries to get all of her schoolwork done, and bristles under the stern rules of her parents. One night, she sneaks out to a party and has an encounter with a strange mist. Suddenly, she is super strong, super stretchy, and can heal herself when injured. Kamala embarks on some amazing adventures, meets a longtime hero, and tries to make it home before curfew.

I was really glad to meet Kamala and I'm thrilled that kids (and adults) have a superhero to admire who is both female and Muslim. Wilson checks a lot of reader's boxes with a heroine who is both plucky and unsure of herself, a lot of references to and visits from other Marvel characters, and plenty of adventures to keep the reader and Kamala on their toes. I enjoyed reading this, but I don't feel the immediate need to run out and get the next one. The balance between superhero action and insight into Kamala and her friends and family just didn't work for me as well as I had hoped. 

Ms. Marvel, Volume 1, No Normal
By G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona
Marvel October 2014
120 pages
From the library

Bailey vowed she would never return to her hometown of Yancey, Alaska. But when a beloved relative passes away, she has to go back for the funeral. The stay becomes even longer when evidence suggests that the plane crash was not accidental. Cole was one of the divers who dove to recover the wreck. He is surprised when Bailey returns to town. She broke his heart when she left town and never looked back. Can the two solve the mystery and repair the broken relationship between them?

This is one of those mysteries with romance that makes for a good read in a day or during one weekend. But a few weeks later, I'm having trouble remembering exactly what happened. I know that my reading preferences are not the same as everyone else. If you like clean romantic suspense with interesting locations and a dash of history thrown in, this might be the book for you! Submerged is the first book in a series of related books that follow Bailey, Cole, and their family members and friends in Alaska.

Submerged
By Dani Pettrey
Bethany House Publishers May 2012
313 pages
From my shelves