<i>"We're a force, Gamora. Warriors in our own right, yes, but together...Maybe the reason Thanos has kept us from fighting side by side for so long is because he know the moment we do, we'd be unstoppable. Stronger than him."</i>

THIS BOOK, Y'ALL.

Not normally what I go in for -- my husband will read any and all of the <i>Star Wars</i> tie-in books and know exactly where they fit into the canon.

Me?

I'm a casual MCU fangirl, but I don't pretend to have any extensive comics knowledge and even I've forgotten exactly where Gamora and Nebula are when we meet them in <i>Guardians of the Galaxy</i>. (Thanks, MCU Wiki for filling in the gaps for me.)

BUT. I adore Mackenzi Lee's writing and devour anything she writes, so I thought I'd give this a go. And I'm *so* glad I did.

This is a non-stop, action-packed, sci-fi thriller that's heavy on the thriller/action and light on the sci-fi (all things considered). Not a complaint, BTW -- just an observation. And when I say "non-stop," I mean *literally* non-stop. The twists are well-executed, we don't linger too long in any stalled plot points, and the kicker: there were 10 minutes left in the book and we were in the middle of something and I had no idea how we were going to finish with, like, 3% of the book left.

But those last few pages? Y'ALL. I loved them. And those last lines...<b>sheer perfection</b>.

Okay. Here's what worked for me:

✔︎ -- First and foremost: almost every character in this book is female. And I don't just mean the main characters -- because, obviously, Gamora & Nebula -- but all the other ones.* When there's a generic guard or important prisoner or the fighting force of the Black Knights -- they're all female. When you might normally see "the guard dropped his blaster," all those masculine pronouns are now feminine and it is, quite frankly, a g*d damn delight. I don't know if the whole planet of Torndune is female and if there are male characters just floating around somewhere, but I don't really mind. What matters is that the default of "male" is consciously overturned and I am here for all of that. (In a novel about sisterhood, I would hope so.)

✔︎ -- *There are a few male characters, namely Thanos and the Grandmaster. I wasn't expecting the Grandmaster to be a character, but I LOVED HIM AND ALL HIS SASSY DIALOGUE.

Exhibit A: <i>"Gamora, sweetheart, put down the pointy thing. Then we can verbally assault each other like civilized adults. Your Exalted Creepiness, please, control your champion."</i>

Exhibit B: <i>"Is there some sort of partnership-slash-fealty-oath here that I'm missing? You make quite the disorganized pair of emotionally shattered beings, I'll give you that."</i>

And I could go on, but it would basically just be quoting every line the Grandmaster has. Seriously, Disney Publishing, if we could get a spin-off about the Grandmaster where it's just Mackenzi Lee writing snarky, witty banter, I would read the crap out of that.

✔︎ -- I would love to know if Mackenzi Lee had a favorite sister to write....the book is split between Gamora and Nebula's POV, but getting a look into Nebula's thoughts was the more fascinating part of the book. I am a Karen Gillan fan, and I think it's easy -- especially early on -- to dismiss Nebula as a side character, but I think her journey is as fascinating and emotionally complex as Gamora's, given Thanos' repeated emotional abuse and constant denigration of her. And Lee did an excellent job in giving Nebula a voice and showing some of that complexity and she gets to where we meet her in GotG. (Totally going back to rewatch now.)

✔︎ -- Obviously, this book is set before any of the events in the MCU, and knowing what happens to each sister enriches the emotional complexity of their storylines, especially when Gamora repeatedly refers to her future death (which she knows will happen because of Thanos, if not the specifics).

﹅ -- Bit confused on Nebula's and Gamora's history and their home planets. In the book, it makes it seem as if Nebula and Gamora are both the last of their kind and that Thanos killed EVERYONE on their planets. But I feel like I'm having Infinity War/Endgame memories where Thanos only kills half of the people on Gamora's planet? (Because that's his thing.) Again, I can't remember the specifics -- casual fangirl -- but maybe Gamora just thinks they all die because Thanos takes her away. *shrug* A minor thing in the grand scheme of it.

MANY thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When Gamora finds herself on Torndune (a mining planet that people only care about for its resources) due to a mysterious mission from an unknown sender, she doesn't  know that Nebula is not far behind. Making new allies, many enemies, and quite a bit of trouble, the two are forced to face their pasts and decide their futures if they both want to make it out free - and alive.

Mackenzi Lee has done it again with a writing style that left me unable to put the book down. Mackenzi writes characters in a way that is so enjoyable to read, even for the bad guys. When I finally thought the twists were over and I had it figured out, I found out I was wrong, and really wrong.

When I read the last page, I had no doubt in my mind that this was another 5 Star read from Mackenzi Lee. This book comes out on June 1st, and if you haven't already preordered, you really (REALLY) should, because this was such an awesome read.

I want to thank NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for allowing me the chance to read and review this book. I also want to thank Mackenzi Lee for creating such an absolutely enjoyable-from-start-to-finish story about sisters.

As expected, we do see Gamora and Nebula put against one another in competition (honestly wouldn't feel right if they weren't - right?). This book explores their relationship and the complicated feelings that come with it.

While I think this book may add the ability to understand the sisters and their relationships on a deeper level I am not entirely sure that there's enough new to it for me to care all that much.


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Thanks to Marvel Press and NetGalley for the eARC of this!

I have been on a Marvel kick lately (rewatching all 23 MCU movies really cuts into reading time lol) so having this book was just perfect. I read Loki last year and enjoyed it, especially since he is one of my favorite Marvel characters, but I actually liked this book a bit more. I think the plot of this book fit a little better for Gamora and Nebula. It felt more natural.

I really enjoyed exploring the sisterly bond between Gamora and Nebula, with all its complications. Their inherent competition to be better than each other since childhood casts a shadow over their relationship and I think Lee did a goo job illustrating how much strain that places on them. I think the plot was clever and made great use of the Grandmaster and his humor. Nebula was the star of this book for me, she has always been my favorite of the two, but I loved her even more after getting more backstory and insight into her character.

My only qualm with this book is that the inclusion of Lady Death. While a nod to her character was nice at first, I think the prolonged metaphor (??) throughout the book was just too much for me, I think. It took away from the relationship between the sisters and Thanos, almost like a buffer of sorts? Also, this did not factor into my rating, but this was the WORST eARC I have ever read. The formatting was just all over the place, so much so it was comical at some points. It was a wild ride.

I would highly recommend this book for Marvel fans!

Thank you to Netgalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for this ARC!

As in the movies, Gamora and Nebula are pitted against each other and forced to compete, Gamora is hired to retrieve the heart of the planet Torndune, and of course, Nebula follows her sister. Nebula's presence is discovered by Gamora.

This book explores the common themes of Nebula and Gamora's relationship, from their jealousy, competitiveness, and desires to have a true sister in the other.

This book is great for those looking to understand the MCU characters deeper and how their relationship developed to where it was. For those who aren't as familiar with the movies, the story is still exciting and enjoyable.


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Gamora and Nebula have been pitted against each other since Thanos stole them and adopted them as his "daughters". Gamora is always the golden child and Nebula is always the casted away one. Thanos plays them against each other to the point that they don't even think of each other as sisters at times. Gamora and Nebula get caught up in all his tests and games. Nebula literally had to saw her arm off to survive and Thanos wouldn't let Gamora free her. It's intense. But when Gamora and Nebula get caught up in the Grand Master's game... things get even more complicated. The game plays out on Torndune: a planet that has been stripe mined to the point where most of the population works for a pittance in the mines and they've almost drilled to the core of the planet. The game: steal the heart of the planet. Oh man. The politics and social commentary of this novel are not a game - it's real life. And I appreciate that.

** A R C R E V I E W **

Gamora and Nebula: Sisters in Arms by Mackenzie Lee
RATING: 4/5 Stars

Thanks, @disneypublishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of McKenzie Lee's best works. The characterization of Nebula and Gamora was on point, as well as their relationship dynamic. The plot of this novel was not just handed to the reader,
it wasn't until I was halfway thru the novel when I realized what was going on. As early as the prologue, I was thrown into the middle of the conflict. There were nonstop action and back-to-back revelations. The plot required my constant
attention and kept super alert, not know where anything was headed. My favorite was Nebula's POV, I love reading about morally grey characters and I've always thought she was an underrated character in the Marvel Universe. So, it was pretty cool to read more about Nebula's history and how her body was replaced with cyber parts. The dynamic between Thanos and the girls was also a highlight for me as it explained a lot in term of his morals and priories. This novel felt more like a prologue to the movies before he and the girls were introduced! A must-read for readers who are into the Marvel Universe.

If you ever wandered about the origin stories for Gamora and Nebula this book is for you. I will admit if the reader doesn’t have prior knowledge of Guardians of the Galaxy they may not know who the characters are but the resounding following of Marvel proves that is t going to be an issue. My teens at the library will love this!

I've always been a fan of how Mackenzi Lee writes siblings, and this book did not disappoint. I'm a huge marvel fan, and I really enjoyed Loki: Where Mischief Lies, so I loved diving into these characters and their relationship as well. This book was so very heartbreaking; the sister's upbringing is tragic by itself, but knowing how it all ends made any of the happier moments bittersweet to me. Not that this is a bad thing, I'm impressed with how much the author is able to make me connect with these characters, since they were far from my favorite in the MCU. Overall, I'm still happy with Lee's work, and I look forward to her next novel in the Marvel universe.

Thank you to Netgalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for this ARC!

I just finished the book less than five minutes ago and I'm dying inside. Usually I wait a few days to write reviews so the novel can really sink in, but this isn't something I can wait to discuss.

Gamora and Nebula are constantly pitted against each other, and it's no exception in this novel. Gamora is hired anonymously to retrieve the heart of the planet Torndune, and Nebula follows not long behind her sister. Nebula's intent to remain hidden from Gamora and her new friend, Versa Luxe, does not pan out well, and soon Gamora lightly kidnaps her. But will the tenuous friendship they craft last, or can they truly trust no one in the entire galaxy?

First off, let me say I am a huge fan of the MCU and Marvel in general, so getting approved for this ARC was wicked cool. Now. Onto the good stuff.

After this point, I make no promises of a spoiler free review.

So me being team good guy always, I was distrustful of Nebula once she showed up. She usually works against Gamora, so I was excited to see the way her plot line played out. By the ending, my heart bled and wept for her more than it ever has. I've never hated Nebula, but she's never been my favorite either.

The storytelling was phenomenal, the imagery and emotions elicited made me feel things, and the Grandmaster was fabulous, as always. The video transcripts of the Grandmaster's Game Room reminded me of ILLUMINAE's formatting, which I loved. I loved the subtle intrigue of who the Grandmaster's players were. I did not see the plot twist coming at all, which I suppose I should have. I knew something was going to happen to fudge the plans, but betrayal was not it.

My heart really hurt for both Gamora and Nebula, who both really just wanted a sister and to make their own choices. Communication is not their strong suit, but I was hoping they would persevere and this book would have a happy ending.

SPOILER ALERT: it does not.

The entire book, I imagined Nebula as she is in the movies, but it took a few pages for me to realize she was mostly human at this point. When this book starts, she's only lost her arm. I loved the story aspect of Nebula trying to build her own arm and losing it just to gain a new arm and losing that, before going back to her original arm once again. Honestly, Nebula deserves much better than she gets. Poor baby deserves some love and not a giant wrinkled grape as a father, but I digress.

For a book with material foreign to the MCU movie screens, it was insanely easy to immerse myself back into this world. I have two sisters, so watching this and imagining myself with one of my siblings in this scenario pulled on my heart strings a lot. I truly enjoyed this novel and look forward to picking up LOKI, this one when it releases, and the third installment when it is released as well. Marvel fans, this won't disappoint.

I have mixed feelings about this book.

On the one hand there was PLENTY to love about the interactions between sisters Gamora and Nebula.
On the other hand there was a lot of sequences on the planet Torndune that really just dragged along.

I was pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of the Grandmaster, and his dialogue was easily read in Jeff Goldblum's swishy play on the character. Ms. Lee capture his voice PERFECTLY!!! Also the dour Topaz makes a brief pleasant appearance, along with Thanos and his beloved Lady Death.

On the main stage, Gamora and Nebula.

You'd think from the title of the book Gamora is the main character but in my opinion Nebula steals the show. Nebula's inner dialogue and her desperate desire for a sister to respect and yes, cherish her presence in her life shines thru with every interaction. She's still the dour spitfire we've all come to love from the MCU. But presented in a much kinder light. Gamora on the other hand does not come off so well. Everything she says and does is perfectly in character but she comes off as the less likeable of the sisters. As Nebula states in Guardians 2, "you ALWAYS have to WIN! I just wanted a SISTER!" and that really comes across in this book.

The action takes place on a decimated planet Torndune. Ravaged by mining corporations and with the indigenous population reduced to indentured servitude with no hope of escape from the toxic, corrosive Crowlite. A miracle mineral that one single drop can power a starship the size of a capitol ship across the known galaxy and back. Gamora has accepted a blind contract to attain the heart of the planet and deliver it to a specified location. Unbeknownst to her, she's a pawn in a game of the Grandmaster's design. Thanos and the Matriarch of a religious cult devoted to the Magus sic. Adam Warlock (?) are competing for a prize that the Grandmaster possesses and they'll sacrifice all to possess it. Even those they profess to love the most.

Many thanks to Goodreads for the eARC for my honest review.

Gamora and Nebula are both such interesting characters and it’s fascinating to see things through each of their perspectives. This book displays the competition between the two sisters in there fight to be the best but you can see that it’s not all hate between the two. I really enjoyed this book and the ties it has to the Marvel movies that are so popular and I loved getting to see even more Gamora and Nebula. This book also gives us some insight as to how the sisters have reached the point the point they’re at on the movies. I think this book is a great read for any fan of the MCU but also for people looking for a wonderfully written sci-fi story with great characters!

Gamora & Nebula corresponds with the amazing and large Marvel universe. For anyone familiar with the comics or movies, you will find this book enjoyable. I've always liked Gamora and Nebula (comics Nebula is even more complex). This book has Thanos but also Lady Death. Anyone familiar with the comics knows the storyline for Thanos and his desire to court Lady Death. This book seemingly takes place before Gamora becomes one of the guardians of the galaxy. I think the author did a good job of capturing all of the key characters and further illustrating the complex relationship between Nebula and Gamora as daughters of Thanos. I don't want to spoil the book, but it does add to the appearance of Nebula by giving it some context on why so many parts of her are mechanical. It also does a good job of setting the tone for why Nebula becomes very determined to defeat Gamora. I liked this book, but I did have to dock a star because there were some points where the pacing was too slow for me and it felt like the story was moving forward very slowly.

Oh man.

What a great book.

I mean....

Ok, so I'll qualify everything by saying I'm a HUGE comic book/movie nerd. It helps when you're reading a book like this. After seeing Gamora and Nebula in the Marvel movies, it was really interesting seeing into their past and what made them the heroines they turned out to be.

That being said, ANYONE could read this book and truly enjoy it. A galaxy-sized tale of two sisters, forced to be competitors, not just in this story, but throughout their lives together.

**This story takes place shortly before Guardians of The Galaxy in the MCU timeline.**
SPOILERS!

Gamora, the orphaned warrior, raised as a living weapon by the Mad Titan himself, Thanos. Always just a little faster, a little stronger than...

Nebula, Thanos' other "daughter", also raised as a living weapon, but always 2nd to Gamora in her father's eyes.

Forced to compete for a prize neither understand, can the sisters put their harsh upbringing and forced animosity aside and NOT get killed finishing the job?

I won't tell. But you'll enjoy finding out.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mackenzi Lee and Marvel Press for the opportunity to read this wonderful ARC. All opinions are my own.

Trigger warnings: bloody violence, self-inflicted amputation, LGBTQ+ overtones

Huge Marvel fan here, so was definitely excited to start this book. Was not disappointed. Would highly recommend to anyone.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe excels at telling stories of brotherhood, be it familial or in the more spiritual sense. But in Mackenzi Lee’s Gamora and Nebula: Sisters in Arms, as the title suggests, it is sisters that take centre stage.

Set years before we ever meet them, Gamora and Nebula follows the titular sisters on their separate, yet equally mysterious trips to the mining world of Torndune. Gamora has been sent there on a mission by an unknown entity, while Nebula arrives in pursuit of her sister. Both however, share the same goal: retrieve the heart of the planet.

The action scenes and the state of the planet Tordune work just fine, and set the mood very well, but it is the fraught relationship between the two Daughters of Thanos that is the driving force and the beating heart of the narrative. I was rooting for the two of them to join forces, and cheered when it happened, only to realize with a sinking heart that I was only at the halfway point of the book and there was no way this could last.

The tragic - and toxic - thing about being a child of Thanos is that neither girl ever really knows where she stands. They definitely know where they stand with their father - Gamora is the favourite, Nebula is the one he detests. What neither of them know for certain is where they stand with each other. And the fault with that lies entirely with Thanos. He constantly plays the two of them against one another, preying on their insecurities to ensure that they play his game exactly as he wants them to. Both have become equally proficient weapons for him, but only one is allowed to flourish, while the other is left to languish in the dark, unwanted and forgotten.

Though the book isn’t technically about him, we do get some development of the Mad Titan himself, as seen through the eyes of his daughters. Interestingly, author Mackenzi Lee works in an aspect from the comic books that was entirely absent from the MCU movies, and that is Thanos’ relationship with Death - or Lady Death, as she’s called here.

Lady Death is a shadowy, omnipresent being that never speaks yet seems to have an undue influence over Thanos and his actions. Her addition to the novel and to the MCU in general is a chilling one, and is a wonderful way to lure in both comic readers, and fans of the films, to tell a story that will satisfy both.

This story broke my heart in the best kind of way. Not only the tragedy of the relationship between Gamora and Nebula, but the struggles each faces at the hands of a father who enjoys messing with their heads and hearts for nothing short of his own amusement (and that of his deathly paramour). Their incessant competition with one another brought to mind Nebula’s line from the second Guardians of the Galaxy movie: “You were the one who wanted to win, and I just wanted a sister.”. That, if nothing else, is the thesis statement for the book as a whole.

There are parts of this story that shocked me with how dark and upsetting they were. Not that I believe it’s inappropriate for a Young Adult audience, it’s very in line with the kind of thing you would see in the MCU. But with it being a book, we have that added benefit of reading what a character is feeling at any given moment that really drives the emotion home.

As someone who is very familiar with the MCU, I knew going in that no matter what happened, Gamora and Nebula would not walk away from this story as friends or even allies. What I was not expecting was to fall hook, line, and sinker for their shared hope that maybe this time they could be sisters for real, only to be absolutely crushed when things returned to the expected status quo. That’s how you know it’s a well-told story: when you know how it’s going to end, but it doesn’t stop you from enjoying the ride.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney/Marvel for an advance copy of this book for review purposes.

I received a early copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review and I wasn't disappointed. This book was filled strong characters and a wonderful plot line that didn't leave you bored. While I don't normally read comics and this was my first book from this author this book was a wonderful 5 star book that everyone should read.

The best thing about this book was getting to explore some of the characters that I didn't know very well, especially Nebula. Their personalities and backgrounds really come through. I did have a bit of an issue with the pacing; it took quite awhile to get going and then it felt like the author all of a sudden realized they needed to wrap things up quickly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing for this eARC!

CW: psychological and verbal abuse
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Rating: more of a 3.75, but that’s not really an option!

I could see this as something that a young reader moving between middle grade and YA would really enjoy, especially if they’re a comic fan!
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Characters
I requested this eARC because as a Marvel entertainment fan, I had seen the interaction between the two MCs, Gamora and Nebula, and always wanted to know more about their history and broken sisterhood. Author, Mackenzi Lee, does an amazing job exploring their history of verbal and psychological abuse at the hands of Thanos and how that trauma manifests in their sisterhood now.

Plot and Pacing
The events of this take place sometime before Gamora is introduced in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie. I find the book versions of comic stories don’t often add much to the characters and overall story but this plot did. Not only was it a great way to explore their relationship but it also had commentary on ecological destruction and colonial impact. The pacing however felt off, the majority of the first half of the book felt overly detailed and stretched out and the latter half sped up, the last few chapters losing some impact with how quickly the events happened.

Style
The first half of the book had echoes of a more middle grade/much younger writing style that was really jarring to read as the themes the majority of the writing are surprisingly a mature YA. Honestly, every bit of writing connected to the Grandmaster was immature and felt forced. The rest of the book had some amazing moments that I enjoyed despite that!
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Very excited that Disney Publishing is giving book versions of some character stories and giving their backgrounds room for exploration that might not happen otherwise!

My husband and teenage son really enjoyed reading this book. Thank you for the arc they highly recommend it