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Lona Chang: A Superhero Detective Story

AshleyRose Sullivan (Goodreads Author),

Karen M. Leet (Editor)

3.82 · Rating details · 11 ratings · 6 reviews

When one of the world's greatest superheroes dies in her arms, Lona Chang takes it upon herself to investigate his murder. Armed only with a power she barely understands and a mysterious coded book, Lona begins a quest for answers that leads her down a dark rabbit hole of secrets—secrets the ancient organization known as the Guild is determined to keep hidden at all costs. ...more

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Kindle Edition, 323 pages

Published September 8th 2017 by Seventh Star Press

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· 11 ratings · 6 reviews

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Oct 17, 2017 Becky rated it it was ok

Lona Chang and Awesome Jones are good. They're to be married, Awesome has taken on the mantle of his father - even though the Guild says he's not allowed, and Lona herself has come into a power she's just beginning to learn about. But all that changes when a good friend and fellow superhero dies in Lona's arms. His death shakes Arc City to its core, but none are more affected than Lona herself. The hero's cryptic final words, the strange circumstances of his death, and an odd book with seemingly Lona Chang and Awesome Jones are good. They're to be married, Awesome has taken on the mantle of his father - even though the Guild says he's not allowed, and Lona herself has come into a power she's just beginning to learn about. But all that changes when a good friend and fellow superhero dies in Lona's arms. His death shakes Arc City to its core, but none are more affected than Lona herself. The hero's cryptic final words, the strange circumstances of his death, and an odd book with seemingly hidden clues are more than enough to force her to investigate. And what she finds could mean bad news for all of Arc City.

Lona Chang is a cute idea - a story told in comic book style complete with bold faced lead ins like you'd see in a comic panel. There are even comic panels throughout the book. Of course, it's also a story about superheroes, which is always fun. And it's got within the story as Lona takes her investigation further and finds more clues in different books.

And the story is fun. A murder mystery, flashbacks to a story that began some years ago, and even Lona and Awesome's relationships with one another and their friends all make this an entertaining read. And yet, the execution wasn't as polished as I would have liked.

I found myself a bit confused by the progress of the book from the start, rereading sections in order to try and get a grasp on what was happening. I often felt, too, like more effort was put into the mystery than the characters themselves - I wanted to spend less time in the pages of the books Lona was reading, for example, and more time with Lona herself.

Lona Chang is the second book in the series, following Awesome Jones: A Superhero Fairy Tale. Character development aside, Lona Chang can be read as the starting point quite easily. I say character development aside because I assume there's maybe more emphasis on their development in that first outing. And yet, it doesn't mean it's not needed in the second.

Lona Chang is a great concept and a fun afternoon read, but I found wanted more depth overall. ...more

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Jan 29, 2018 Kay Kuever rated it really liked it

I really, truly, and deeply adore this book (as well as its predecessor Awesome Jones) and AshelyRose Sullivan’s writing style. Sullivan has this knack for creating a style all her own, by combining the elements of longer prose with the brevity and straight to the point style of comic books, illustrations included, which really resonates with me as a reader. For all intents, I do consider Lona Chang more of a comic book in a sense, but by writing it out in a longer form adds a certain amount of ...more

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Nov 17, 2017 Ricki Treleaven rated it really liked it

The book begins with Lona and her fiancé Awesome Jones adopting a mutt, Trulie, and making a comfortable, peaceful home together. They've been sanctioned by the governing body of superheroes and agents called The Guild because Awesome broke the rules in the previous book by using deadly force against one of the most vile villains ever. They continue to train and hone their unusual superpowers; Jones trains and works with the "sheets," superheroes who aren't officially "capes," or Guild sanctione The book begins with Lona and her fiancé Awesome Jones adopting a mutt, Trulie, and making a comfortable, peaceful home together. They've been sanctioned by the governing body of superheroes and agents called The Guild because Awesome broke the rules in the previous book by using deadly force against one of the most vile villains ever. They continue to train and hone their unusual superpowers; Jones trains and works with the "sheets," superheroes who aren't officially "capes," or Guild sanctioned superheroes (the explanation of the distinction between both groups is a lot of fun). On their wedding day at Arc City's courthouse, super villains The Alchemist and Ironhide disrupt their nuptials while they attempt a bank heist.

Soon after their botched wedding, Captain Lightning lands on Jones and Lona's patio after being fatally shot with an unknown weapon. He dies in Lona's arms, and she and Jones are devastated. Lona is determined to solve the murder mystery of Captain Lightning. Lona was adopted, and she learns that her father was a detective of sorts. Her adoptive mother gives Lona her father's journal, but unfortunately it's written in an indecipherable code. Lona spends a lot of time reading in Lona Chang...reading a popular detective series and a rare, obscure allegory that becomes the key to solving Captain Lightning's murder. I thought this was an interesting aspect of the book, and the obscure, rare book is certainly helpful. The detective series doesn't seem to help, but it does provide Lona with a few humorous tips she incorporates into her investigation. Lona's gift of always finding luck is interesting to read because even when it seems like she's experiencing bad luck- like when she gets a flat tire- these events serendipitously lead to lucky discoveries.

The Guild rules the superheroes with an iron fist. We don't like them, and we saw in Awesome Jones how they separated Awesome from Lona while he trained. They also control the news media, so public opinion is manipulated and often based on lies. Comic books are also used to propagate narratives created by the Guild. This book is all about sticking it to the man. The underdogs are bullied by an ancient organization that needs to be taken down. The book ends on a cliffhanger, and I can't wait to read the next installment because I believe between Awesome Jones, the sheets, a few of the honest capes, and Lona's emerging mad detective skills, they can set the corrupt Guild aright.

I highly recommend this uniquely fun series!

Disclosure: I received a copy of Lona Chang from the writer via TLC Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.
...more

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Nov 29, 2017 Melissa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, science-fiction-fantasy, urban-fantasy, mystery

Lona Chang is a secretary in a print shop, but she’s also a budding superhero and an amateur detective. Her partner – in love and and saving people – is Awesome Jones, also a superhero, but a normal guy, as well. Together they fight crime.

Okay, this book is more than that. In concept Lona Chang and it’s predecessor are comicbooks (Stan Lee insists that it should be one word, and I refuse to argue with him on a such a topic) in novel form, but they’re also a bit more complex than an actual comic, Lona Chang is a secretary in a print shop, but she’s also a budding superhero and an amateur detective. Her partner – in love and and saving people – is Awesome Jones, also a superhero, but a normal guy, as well. Together they fight crime.

Okay, this book is more than that. In concept Lona Chang and it’s predecessor are comicbooks (Stan Lee insists that it should be one word, and I refuse to argue with him on a such a topic) in novel form, but they’re also a bit more complex than an actual comic, because in a novel there’s time to dig into people’s inner monologues and really explore the details of a world.

Author AshleyRose (also one word) Sullivan has given us a fairy tale for adults, one rich with characters and backstories and interconnected relationships, as well as diametrically opposed goals and desires. She’s given us a compelling mystery and two people who are ordinary people on the surface, until they let their extraordinary selves take over.

The writing style is contemporary and upbeat, riding the blurred edge between sophisticated Young Adult/New Adult fare and general fiction. The dialogue is snappy and believable. The world of Arc City is as vivid as Gotham, Star City, or Metropolis ever were, and the plot is well-paced, and truly interesting. From opening to ending, I was hooked on this story.

While I enjoyed Lona Chang as a stand-alone (I’m pretty good at extrapolating things from context) there are a lot of relationships and details that are better understood if you read Awesome Jones first. This review was actually rescheduled so I could have time to go back and read the first novel, and I’m not sorry. Both books are enjoyable, but the second is so much better after having read the first.

If you (like me) used to tie your hoodie over your head and let the rest of it flow free so you could have a cape, or if you tucked a beach towel into the collar of your t-shirt (also as a cape) – if you have perfected your delivery of the phrase “I’m Batman” – if last summers Wonder Woman movie made you cry, you will love Lona Chang and Awesome Jones – the characters, and their stories.

Goes well with a hot dog and a Coke, purchased from a street vendor and – hey! Did you see someone WOOSH by just now?
...more

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Nov 14, 2017 Sara rated it liked it

Having read Awesome Jones: A Superhero Fairy Tale the week prior, I was fully prepared for the unique writing style of Sullivan. She chooses to write in short snappy paragraphs that are reminiscent of reading comic book panels, very fitting for a book about superheroes if you ask me.

I am also glad I chose to reschedule my tour, as though you could technically read Lona Chang: A Superhero Detective Story as a standalone, I felt I got more out of the plot having read the first in the series.

As thi ...more

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Oct 14, 2017 Gia rated it it was ok

Shelves: arc-copies, to-review, blog-tour-book, books-by-female-authors-2017, supernatural-comic-like

Full review to come soon.

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About AshleyRose Sullivan

AshleyRose Sullivan

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Born and raised in Appalachia, AshleyRose Sullivan has a BS in Anthropology and an MFA in Creative Writing. She lives, writes and paints in Los Angeles with her husband and their many imaginary friends.