Access Today Tristan Strong Destroys The World (Tristan Strong, #2) Designed And Illustrated By Kwame Mbalia Compiled As EText

as good as the first, but still wonderful, Maybe I'm just biased because that first book changed my life, Real review to come.

EDIT

You can find more of my reviews here at my blog: sitelinkTake Me Away, . .

This series is amazing, I wish I had a Gum Baby, Please someone give me a Gum Baby, Shes annoying, but shes super also super amazing and funny, I love her. Shes also the reason this series is one of my favorites,

Just when he thought it was finally over, Tristan was spending time with his grandparents, Or rather his grandpa was signing him up for fights he didnt want to do And then out of nowhere, his grandmother is abducted from some monster from Alke.
Hes now with Anansi the web developer, big mouth Gum Baby, and the heroes from folk tales, Can they figure out a way to survive this new quest

The very best thing about this book was of course the characters, From Grandad, Gum Baby, Tristan, and all he folk heroes, My favorite by far was the Kulture Vulture lmao You wont get it unless you read it, They all are so cute and impossible to love, I dare someone to read this series and say they dont like a character like Gum Baby,

The plot itself was also amazing, There was something crazy in every chapter, This quest wasnt as wild as the last one, but it was definitely just as fun, I cant say this was as good as the first one, but thats because that one changed my life, There was so much going on in that one that I wasnt expecting it, This one had me expecting more of the same, so I was ready for the crazy goodness, I loved it.

The only reason I didnt give thisthis time was the end, I dont know, it just seemed kind of rushed Maybe its just me, but I felt like if the rest of the book was so descriptive, the ending should be also But it seemed like it was just there, and then it was quickly over.
I did like the tree house situation, but thats really all, It kinda made this feel like a sophomore filler book,

Im so excited to see what else is going to happen to Tristan, This series is quickly becoming one of my favorites, I cant wait to see where his story takes him in this last story! c/p from my review on TheStoryGraph I am full on obsessed with this series.
The through line of the diaspora, the sending to stories across worlds, across cultures, across generations just really hit me, This is such a good example of how to tell a beautiful and interesting and uniquely black story that isn't focused on racism, There is so much power between these pages, so much hope for young black men, It is so great that this kind of story exists, I am only upset that I now must WAIT for the last book in the series,.This is absolutely one of my favorite middlegrade series ever! And it's hard to imagine my liking a book better than the first one, but this comes really close! Tristan is home after the showdown in the other world and is struggling with symptoms of PTSD as he deals with the trauma of what he experienced in book.
But the problems brought up in bookare not over and he gets pulled back into it all, He must find the courage to face scary and traumatic things in order to save his grandmother,

There are so many things so well woven into this story! And all done in a way that is still understandable for the age range this book is written for.
From the African diaspora to a literal "Kulture Vulture" appropriating stories and the achievements of Black folks, Also, like in the first book, I love how well it addresses mental health, how it can look different for children, and how it's okay to be vulnerable.


One of the things I love most about this series is the writing and just how much Mbalia writes from the HEART! Tristan is such a welldeveloped character! As in the first book, this one is nonstop action and humor and I'm just obsessed! And the book ended with a lot still at stake so I cannot wait to get to the final installment! Wowza! This one was just as phenomenal, if not even better! Im so in love with this story, amp these AMAZING characters! I love this writing style, amp it has so much heart behind it amp it shows.
We meet some new Gods, Goddesses, amp legends from folklore in here, amp I loved that! Keelboat Annie has my heart! Wow! Tristan is still just the best perspective to read from.
His humor is on point, amp is heart is so fierce, amp hes just the best kid, We meet another kid as well who joins this adventure, amp I loved the twists amp turns in here, Those along with the adventure amp danger, kept me on the edge of my seat, So many great themes/messages in this one as well, Like African Diaspora, amp the way the author weaves that into the story is just, . its just amazing. Then you have a “character” Kulture Vulture, who takes the stories amp the accomplishments of others as their ownvery symbolic, I like how the author didnt leaveissue just in the first booktrauma, He continues to have Tristan deal with it throughout the books, which makes it even more impactful, believable, amp relatable, Trauma is a tough demon to deal with, amp I love how the author is handling this, I also learned about important, but horrible things from history, I was googling away with many things, Like Clotilda for example. Then, the humor is next level, Lol Maybe more for me, because its MY kind of humor, amp feels like home when Im reading, I laughed out loud so many times, amp HARD too, I had to explain to my husband because he thought I was losing it lol, When Tristan thinks a joke, amp then thinks something like“Hahahah Im here all week!” Or “, . need to stop living in the past” when its about something he caused lol Thats so the humor I love amp things I say all the time.
Lol amp his ”ANYWAY”. The best. amp the “working my last nerve”man I got that so much as a kid, amp hes right, . it makes no sense! Lol I also never thought sewing amp boxing could have so much in common, but here we are, Haha. . Gum Baby still has my heart, but even more so, The love grows for these characters amp their stories the more you read, Im having the best time with them, amp also learning so much at the same time, HIGHLY recommend! Another STUNNING cover by Eric Wilkerson amp map by Robert Venables as well! I am waiting for Tristan Strong to save the world He got this!!!

Disclaimer: I received the earc for this book from the publisher and then bought my own copy.
Thanks! All opinions are my own and support your authors!

Book: Tristan Strong Destroys the World

Author: Kwame Mbalia

Book Series: Tristan Strong Book

Diversity: Black MC and side characters

Rating:/

Recommended For.
. . : Middle grade, fantasy, mythology, African mythology and lore

Genre: MG Fantasy

Publication Date: October,

Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents

Pages:

Recommended Age:Violence, Grief, Trauma

Explanation of CWs: Punching and there are some weapons used.
There are very scary moments and the subject of trauma is brought up literally and in an allegorical sense,

Synopsis: Tristan Strong, just back from a victorious but exhausting adventure in Alke, the land of African American folk heroes and African gods, is suffering from PTSD.
But there's no rest for the weary when his grandmother is abducted by a mysterious villain out for revenge, Tristan must return to Alkeand reunite with his loudmouthed sidekick, Gum Babyin order to rescue Nana and stop the culprit from creating further devastation, Anansi, now a "web developer" in Tristan's phone, is close at hand to offer advice, and several new folk heroes will aid Tristan in his quest, but he will only succeed if he can figure out a way to sew broken souls back together.


: I really liked this sequel, While the first book felt like it could stand alone this book picked up well from the first and the ending led me to want more of it.
The characters are all well developed, the world building is well done, and I loved the African mythology and lore, I love the stories and I love how the author condenses these stories for this book,

The only thing I had issue with is that the book was very fast paced, There's a lot going on in the book and you gotta pay attention or you'll be lost,

Verdict: Highly recommend! I received a copy of Tristan Strong Destroys the World from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review,

And honestly I loved it, It was wonderful to be with Tristan and his cohort of African folktale heroes again, His voice the sarcasm and witty humor of a preteen came through so clearly and kids will be laughing out loud at his asides to the reader.
And dont get me started on the pure joy I felt at reading the return of Ayanna and GUM BABY!!! You know you were hoping shed be there.

The plot was complex, yet deftly handled by Mbalia, and I could feel how much work hes put into his craft to grow as a writer from Hole in the Sky to its sequel.
He wove in characters from the first book, while introducing new ones on the second, and I loved them all, There were even a couple of scenes in the book that were so beautifully written okay, chapterthat I had tears streaming down my face,
The climax was riveting couldnt put my Kindle down and the denouement left me wanting SO, MUCH. MORE. And I am so grateful there will be another one, The only problem is that I have to wait,
I cant WAIT to introduce Tristan and the gang to my fifths this fall, Im feeling like the first book may even be our read aloud during our fantasy book club unit,
Bravo, Kwame!!!!!!! You can read my full review on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Den, sitelinkhere,

Many thanks to Rick Riordan Presents and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review,

In case youve missed it, Ive only spent the past year going on about how much I was looking forward to this book and couldnt wait to get my hands on it.
Ive only mentioned it once or twice a week so you may have heard Oh, good, Lets move on, then.

Tristan Strong Destroys the World is a masterful sequel that picks up the comedy and adventure from the first book, yet packs a harder punch to the feels with its focus on trauma and healing.
Also, theres Gum Baby, who deserves her own shoutout, obviously,

I loved the first book so freaking much, so did the second book live up to the first In a way, yes, In a way, no. This book is definitely darker than the first, but in a way that felt important and genuine, After all, Alke has suffered major trauma as a world and is still grieving, Its only been a few months since the world was almost destroyed, This book felt deeper somehow, while still being funny and full of adventure and shenanigans,

My Thoughts:

The whole gang is back for another adventure but WAIT, THERES MORE. More gang. More adventure. More danger. More shattered feels. Just MORE, okay The adventure in the first book felt fastpaced and very actiony to me, probably because its the first time Im seeing this world and its wondrous.
This book, though The adventure felt darker, less focused on the wonder of the world and more on the cumulative trauma of the world, In a positive way, though, as people are trying to heal and move forward, Its just easier said than done, obviously, If you thought you knew Alke, though, prepare to broaden your horizons with some new locations and a few new faces, I wont say anything about either, except that if you thought the gods in book one felt just a teensy bit overwhelmingly male, you may be pleasantly surprised with some of the new gods.
I absolutely loved the new additions, and as with the first book, it kept me guessing as to who or what would pop up next,

Whereas Tristan Strong Punches A Hole in the Sky was about overcoming grief, Tristan Destroys the World is about trauma collective and otherwise and how to heal and move forward.
This is easily my favorite aspect of this book, Theres so much to love about this particular story, but I love the way Mbalia handles traumawith a raw, delicate honesty that exposes all the cracks and flaws of a world thats attempting to rebuild.
Its not always pretty, but Mbalia doesnt shy away from that, Its hard work. Its exhausting. Sometimes therell be steps forward, and sometimes therell be steps backward, Perhaps the best thing about this scenario is the way it smacks Tristan in the face unexpectedly and forces him to realize that his actions have consequences.
Like I tell my offspring all the time actions have consequences, Tristan left Alke before seeing the real aftermath from the last book, As it turns out, a global war sort of wreaks havoc on a population, Surprise! This

feels like a real eyeopening moment for Tristan, and its a lot of emotions for a kid to deal with, but I loved the awareness it forced him to have about the greater world in general and think beyond himself.


The Big Bad in this is just chefs kiss, Everything you could possibly want in a villain and then some, Theyre super dark, more so than the first book in my opinion, but in a way that kind of makes sense Mbalia makes it really easy to both root against them but also empathize with them.
Its such a weird feeling, No, I dont agree with their actions, buuuut is their grievance legitimate Heck yes! Again, this goes back to the trauma all of Alke is dealing with.
People deal with trauma in different ways, and sometimes not so healthy ways, so this really fit the overall narrative beautifully,

I liked Nana Strong in the first book, but whooo, I loved Nana Strong here, Good news: even Papa Strong gets a bit of a revamp in book two, Oh my gosh, not gonna lie, I hated him in the first book and maaay have slightly rooted for him to fall into Alke and just be swallowed by a bone ship.
Not a huge loss, right Thankfully, both Tristan and Papa Strong seem to have grown and grown together, and it was so nice to see, Theyre not quite there yet, but theres movement in the right direction, Nana Strong, though man, she steals the show, Nana Strong is the epitome of all the things many of us think of when we think of our grandmothers: wisdom, elegance, a quiet sort of fierce strength, and somewhere buried under the surface, a whole host of secrets.
As the blurb says, Nana Strong ends up kidnapped, but at no point is she a victim, per se, The character is absolutely amazing and reminded me so much of my own grandmother who passed two and a half years ago now that it made my heart hurt.
But, you know, in a good way,

This book, like the first, had the possibility of becoming really heavy and overwhelming, yet it manages to be funny and heartfelt and hopeful, despite the slightly darker content.
I mean, I think we can all agree by now that Mbalia is really good at humor, Gum Baby is a testament to that and also a treasure, okay!, He blends humor and heart so naturally that even as your feels hurt, youre still laughing over some of the crazy antics the characters get up to.
Thats not to say that it diminishes from the seriousness of the circumstances, because thats not at all the case, Theres a time for trauma discussion and a time for laughter, and Mbalia strikes the perfect balance between the two, .