Monday, February 3, 2020

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday #MMGM Book Review: The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson

Piper is a scrapper; she collects metal and anything the meteor storms bring so she can sell them to make money for food and shelter. She’s been all alone since her father died working in a factory. When Piper goes out one night, to rescue a friend who shouldn’t be out in the meteor storm, she stumbles upon a caravan and a girl who seems injured and barely alive. Under Piper’s care the girl comes back to life and doesn’t seem to remember who she is or where she’s from. But she has the Mark of the Dragonfly, which means she is under the king’s protection. Only very important people have the tattoo.  When a strange man comes to Piper’s house asking for Anna things become more complicated. Anna is terrified of the man and keeps calling him the wolf. With some tricky maneuvering Anna and Piper make an escape and hop aboard the 401 train. Piper figures if she can get Anna back to the king she may get a reward that will give her enough to live on for the rest of her life. The security guard, G, nearly throws them off the train, but is stopped by the sight of Anna’s tattoo. They’re allowed to stay on the train. But their struggles aren’t over and the dangers are real. From people trying to kidnap them to the strange man hot on their heels, things have more twists and turns than Piper ever could’ve thought possible. Will Piper and Anna be able to out run the man? Will Anna ever remember who she is? And how will Piper deal with everything when she finds out the truth about Anna?

I have had The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson on my list of books to read for a long time! I am so glad I finally got to it because it was a fantasy story that I absolutely loved. The world Piper lives in is filled with interesting beings and magic. The adventure made the story exciting and I never knew exactly what to expect. I really liked Piper because she had a good heart and gave people a chance. I could easily see why Piper wanted to take care of Anna and their bond was very sweet. I liked seeing how G and Piper developed a respect for each other and a deep friendship. It was a unique blend of items and ideas from long ago, ones from present times, and things from the future as well. I would recommend this book to people in fourth grade and up who enjoy fantasy, dystopian, adventure, and a little sci-fi as well. This is the first book in the trilogy, and now I know I’ll be looking for the second and third book! I can’t wait to see what new adventures await them.

Has anyone else read The Mark of the Dragonfly? Or have you read another book by Jaleigh Johnson? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~L

For other MMGM posts, please visit Greg Pattridge's blog

48 comments:

  1. This sounds like my kind of story! Thanks! Hugs, Valerie

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    1. Valerie- It really is an interesting and fast read. :) ~L

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  2. Wonder if the series will continue to follow Piper?

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    1. Alex- I am curious about that too. I am guessing it will or at least one of the three main characters. :) ~L

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  3. Sounds like a cute story! I'll have to look for it!

    betty

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  4. I don't read a lot of fantasy, but you make this sound very enticing. Thanks for your thoughts.

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    1. Rosi- Glad you enjoyed the review. This was a great read! :) ~L

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  5. I read this one a few years back, and appreciate the reminder to look it up and see if there are sequels! Many thanks for the great review, and happy MMGM!

    --Suzanne
    www.suzannewarr.com

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    1. Suzanne- From what I can see there are three books in the series. I haven't gotten my hands on either book two or three yet- but hopefully soon. :) ~L

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  6. This sounds like an interesting read for fans of fantasy. Thanks for sharing this with us for MMGM!

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    1. June- Fantasy fans will be very happy. :) ~L

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  7. Oooh, I would love this fantasy! Great charachters and an exciting plot. Thanks for the recommendation!

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  8. I've heard of this book before, but never read it. Sounds like I was missing out on a good story!

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    1. Andrea- It is an excellent story. If you get to it you won't be disappointed. :) ~L

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  9. Sure sounds like a great fantasy winner with a few other elements to boot.

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  10. Sounds very good to me …
    Happy February Wishes.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Glad it sounds good to you, Jan. Hope you are having a fabulous February. :) ~L

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  11. I haven't started this one yet but have had it in my to be read pile for much too long. Your review was a compelling statement that I need to give this one a go ASAP. Thanks for sharing on our MMGM celebration this week.

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    1. Greg- Wonderful to be a part of the MMGM! I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did. It was on my list for far too long. :) ~L

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  12. This has been on my list for a long time too. It sounds like a fantasy story with a different twist. Thanks for sharing it!

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    1. Natalie- I hope you get to it soon- you will love it. :) ~L

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    1. Mary- Isn't the cover pretty? I love dragonflies! :) ~L

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  14. Piper sounds like an amazing character, the world she inhabits truly memorable. I can see why you'd enjoy this book so much. I think I would too.

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    1. Felicity- Yes! I loved how memorable her world is and she is a very strong character who you can't help but root for! :) ~L

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  15. Another MG to take notice of! Thanks for the review. These are always appreciated.

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  16. Sounds like beautiful and rich world-building in this one! Thanks for the tip!

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  17. I haven't heard of it but added it to my list because I really like the sounds of it. Thanks for telling us about the story.

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    1. Beverly- It is a great book and the audio version is excellent as well. Enjoy! :) ~L

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  18. Thanks for this review. I like the sound of this book!

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    1. New Release Books- It's an exciting read for sure. :) ~L

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  19. Sounds like a great story! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Sherry- You are welcome. I really enjoyed this one. :) ~L

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