This book is perfect for tiny humans who are fans of the Marvel world but might not be old enough to watch all the movies. This is a middle grade story and the second in Mackenzi Lee's series. The books in this series are standalone, but if I know anything about Marvel they will all weave together is a fascinating way by the end.
This book is centered around two characters from Guardians of the Galaxy: Gamora and Nebula.

Gamora and Nebula's relationship has always been a fight, and usually against each other instead of fighting their adopted father, Thanos. This story leans heavily on these relationships and even though the sisters are not together through most of the story we see their actions and hopes weaving in and between each other.

Gamora is on a mission. Directed to the deteriorating planet of Torndune to retrieve an important object -- as yet unspecified -- on the orders of an unknown person to be delivered to an unknown location -- but Thanos has commanded her to follow through. And you don’t disobey your father when he is known as the Mad Titan.

Nebula is on a mission of her own, one that directly interferes with Gamora’s. Unbeknownst to her sister, Nebula is also on Torndune, after the same unknown object, and determined to beat Gamora to the finish line. And when the two cross paths, they must decide whether to put aside their differences and work together -- or to fight to the end as their father would have them do.

So here we have the once in a blue moon problem of loving a story so much that it’s hard to point out each individual thing adored. But for the sake of all considering whether to pick up this beauty of a book, I shall try.

First off, it should be mentioned that while it’s not necessary to know Gamora and Nebula and their history in the Marvel films, it certainly helps. This novel adds layer upon layer of depth and exploration and explanation as to how these adopted sisters came to be where they are when we first find them in the films.

The cruelty of Thanos knows no bounds. The mental manipulation the Titan employs with Gamora and Nebula -- Nebula in particular -- is on another level.

Mackenzi Lee’s writing is a work of art. Her choice of words paint a picture like no other, while also pulling at heartstrings with each emotional memory and encounter.

You get an exploration of sisterhood and family, chosen or not, and what that means on many levels. We see how the trust between Gamora and Nebula is built up and broken, sometimes in quick succession. And yet the sisters (almost) always find themselves fighting to save the other.

You get your classic Marvel action time and time again, described to perfection, creating a crystal clear picture in your mind of each scene as it unfolds.

You get the addition of a shadowy figure named Lady Death, who stands at Thanos’ side, who often only appears out of the corner of your eyes, who taunts and teases whenever death is near, welcoming and threatening at the same time.

We get glimpses of the Grandmaster, last seen in Thor: Ragnarok, a crossover I never expected but am so grateful to have.

Overall, this read hit every point for me. I was engrossed from beginning to end. I have no complaints.

LOVE, LOVE , LOVED this novel! I never knew how much I needed to read a novel with Gamora and Nebula until today! I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy! Thank you to Disney books and NetGalley for this copy! Off to watch Guardians of the Galaxy!

I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I’ve never been the kind of fan to feel adaptations ruined comics. In fact I’m the opposite. Adaptations have led to the comics I love thriving. I was a huge Iron Man fan for a decade before the movie and I hate thinking about how hard it was to find graphic novels until all at once I had an endless supply. Because adaptations shine a light on characters, and not just the ones we’ve thought of as icons, we wind up seeing greater focus on characters who deserve it.

That’s how I find myself writing a review of a novel focused on Gamora and Nebula. Because you know who they are. James Gunn did a tremendous job making them A list characters in Guardians of the Galaxy to the point I don’t even have to explain them like I did Elsa Bloodstone. You’ve got a clear picture in your head. Granted it’s not fully accurate with Nebula having more depth in film but it’s there.

Gamora and Nebula: Sisters in Arms by Mackenzi Lee isn’t a book I need to sell. If you’re a fan of the characters then you’re already in on the idea of seeing them before their adventures in the MCU. And make no mistake, while there’s allusions to comic threads, this is the MCU interpretation. If you read this book, it’s Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, and Josh Brolin you’re picturing and hearing. That’s great.

The plot is pure simplicity. Both Gamora and Nebula are tasked separately with stealing a macguffin at the core of a planet. Why? It’s a game the Grandmaster (you’re thinking blue soul patch and Jeff Goldblum at his most Jeff Goldblum) set up. Of course it’s not what it seems. There’s twists. Nobody can be trusted. The point is this is a book about the conflict between the sisters.

This is what you hope for in a tie-in defined. It never feels for a second like a book that could be retrofitted for any franchise. This is purely about these characters and it’s quite effective. The book centers correctly on their conflict with one sister despising their father and desperate to escape him despite being his favorite with the other desperate for approval never to come. It’s powerful.

The book has a nice style. Lee isn’t an obtrusive writer but she is definitely a writer you notice the skill of. Characters are richly etched. Every description is top notch. The pacing is finely calibrated. It’s a smooth machine.

That said, the plot is a bit of a bother. It’s simple until the last 1/4 where the twists stack. It gets a bit much after the point was made. We know Thanos is abusive. He’s Thanos! It doesn’t destroy the book but it does feel like we pass a logical ending then go for an extra act.

Gamora and Nebula: Sisters in Arms is a potent read for any fan of the two characters. Highly recommended when it lands 6/1.

Gamora and Nebula: Sisters in Arms is a pure adventure story with some interesting comments on how energy sources are exploited to the detriment of a planet. Torndune is a desolate place in which the population are literally slaves to the planet’s resources. Lee’s descriptions of the cloying atmosphere sand the dangerous Crow dust really put the reader right in the middle of a crumbling planet. Combined with a strange religious cult, Gamora and Nebula find themselves fighting for the heart of the planet with not know who is pulling the strings from above. That answer isn’t a surprising reveal, but what is surprising is how quickly both sisters revert to their past behaviors instead of standing up to their father.

It’s helpful for the reader to have some sort of knowledge of Gamora and Nebula’s history with Thanos. Gamora and Nebula hints at the trauma and distress of being raised by one of the Galaxy’s most dangerous villains and Nebula’s innermost thoughts reflect on her anger at his abuse. Of the most telling parts of the novel is Nebula reminiscing on how she lost her arm and Thanos’ disgust at her failure.

Gamora and Nebula: Sisters in Arms is an exciting addition to these characters histories and the moments of them working together for a common end are brief but satisfying. The level of trust the two have grows towards the end of the story only to have it tragically snatched back. Strong character development and lots of action make Gamora and Nebula Sisters in Arms a must read for Marvel fans.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review, it in no way affected my opinion, my thoughts are my own.

This is a book I was extremely looking forward to, even when I don't love Mackenzi Lee's work, I still enjoy it overall and so when I saw that after Loki we would get Gamora and Nebula I was super excited. I love marvel and this was the perfect read I needed. As per usual her writing style flows and her story telling keeps your attention all throughout the book.

I loved the sister bond, the struggles they faced and how everything unfolded. I loved learning more about how controlled they are by Thanos. I loved all the bits and pieces that made those character more tangible than in the movies, I felt as if I understood their motives more, the way they acted or their thoughts more, which is always the point for me when I read books based on comics or characters that were not the MC's of the story.

The author did a wonderful job at matching the way they acted, the dialogs between them and the story with the original characters. It made them believable, like this is just another aspect of them rather than a whole new set of people. We explore their trauma's and how it changed them, what made them be who we know them as in the guardian of the galaxy movies.

While I preferred the novel about Loki, this is one I really enjoyed and I think a lot of people will love. Fast, fun read that caught my attention from page one !

5/5 stars (more a 4.5)
Bookarina.

This was an interesting read. As a fan of the Marvel cinematic universe, it was hard to set aside the images of Nebula and Gamora that I already had. Still, a good read. Lot's of twists as you would expect from Marvel. I would enjoy reading more like this one.

This was overall not really my cup of tea tbh--this kind of sci-fi story isn't necessarily something I'd be drawn to. But I like these characters and I like Mackenzi's other books so I checked it out. I think it is a great insight into Gamora and Nebula's relationship and I looooved the little bits of Grandmaster cameo. I think readers who are more into exploring these characters' trauma are going to enjoy this, also readers who like a more...traditional? ish? sci-fi story.

This was great! Words can’t describe how good this was. I love how we got to see the two sisters together and I’m excited to see what’s next in this line of books. I will hopefully be picking up Loki sometime in the near future.

This seems to be maybe when Gamora and Nebula are teens? Nebula is still mostly not mechanic.
I didn't like that all of the book was in a mine. I felt like there wasn't much of a plot and nothing was every established because they just went right back to hating each other.

I loved this book! It was a fast paced read from beginning to end, and while the action was great, the characters were amazing! I love the MCU movies and don't really know much about the characters outside of the movies, so this was an awesome way to get more insight into two characters that the movies just can't I've us. I love that this is set up as a prequel to the MCU movies to give us a better understanding of the difficult relationship these sisters have. I am always ready for Gamora to be my favorite character, whether it be the movies or this book, and every time I finish loving Nebula more and more. Both of these fierce women have been through so much trauma in their lives and I love seeing the different ways they have learned to deal with it. Whether you love the Marvel movies or not, whether you're into science fiction or not, this book is a fantastic story of two sisters. I definitely recommend!

I really enjoyed the first book in this series; Loki: Where Mischief Lies and was so excited when Sisters in Arms was announced! It made me so happy to be able to receive a digital ARC through NetGalley in exchange for a review!
I love being able to get a peak into the back stories of well known characters such as these and this book definitely didn’t disappoint!
I thought the scenes with the Game Master and the occasional mention of Lady Death scattered throughout were such great additions!
What I enjoyed the most though was how the relationship between Gamora and Nebula is explored in such an intricate and complex way. It really helps to give you a better understanding of how they became the two characters you see in the movies. I found myself better sympathizing with Nebula especially and came to appreciate her character even more by the end of the book. Mackenzi Lee did a wonderful job with these characters and I’m so excited to see how she further explores the Marvel universe in her next book! Big thanks to NetGalley, Marvel Press, and Disney Publishing Worldwide for the digital review copy ❤️

"Since childhood, their lives had been nothing but battlefields"

I was really looking forward to this book because I had loved the Guardians of the Galaxy movie and its characters, so I enjoyed this take on Gamora and Nebula's backstory by Mackenzi Lee.

Lady Death's appearance was such a great addition, but I mainly loved how this book was focused on the complicated relationships between siblings (Nebula & Gamora and The Collector & The Grandmaster). Thanos is just such a cruel character and I liked how Lee decided to portray Gamora as his mercenary and showed in a deeper level the control he had over her. But even though Gamora is a great and complex character, I always enjoy the underdog's story a bit more, so seeing Nebula's own complexities and inner thoughts/struggles in this book was a treat.

I believe the story could have been a bit more concise and still have the same impact on the reader. The dialogue overall was convincing and matched the expectations I had for each character.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange to my honest review.

This was a fun read about Gamora and Nebula from Guardians of the Galaxy.

After the tragic events of the Marvel movies, I really was looking for a novel that gave us more Gamora and this was just that. I felt that these characters were extensions of themselves in the Marvel movies.

If you are a reader and love super heroes or Marvel movies, make this your next read.

I think this series is such a cool concept and really enjoyed Loki’s book so I was super excited to read this next installment. I thought Lee did a great job giving this book an appropriately more serious tone while still keeping a good amount of the humor she does so well. There are some dark moments in this story that I thought were handled in a way that not only was age appropriate but also true to what we see of the characters in the films. Some readers may have a hard time seeing a more up close look at Thanos’ manipulation and abuse of his daughters and there are several violent fights.

Seeing Gamora and Nebula’s relationship in this book was so interesting and helped set up and explain the tensions seen in the films. It was also interesting to see Thanos earlier in his plot and more of how he pit the girls against each other from both women’s perspectives. All around the characters were well done; the new people and settings were fascinating. I also loved seeing more of the Grand Master which was also where I thought Lee’s humor shone best.

Thank you NetGalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVE Gamora and Nebula. I think that they are great examples of A. Strong Female characters and B. A great example of a complex sister relationship. The book was extremely well written and did a fantastic job of getting the reader to see from both the sisters points of view. They are both beautiful, strong, flawed and alone.

The author, Lee, did a fantastic job of breathing life into the characters with fantastic dialogue and action. I loved getting to see the women as they each took on their mission. I love knowing that in the future, they are actually able to reconcile their differences but watching them in the heat of it as they struggle to communicate and as they are both manipulated by their "father" makes their reconciliation mean so much more.

When I was given this book to review, I actually did not know that it was a series. I am absolutely going to pick up the first installment, Loki: Where Mischief Lies!

I had read the author’s first Marvel book (Loki: where mischief lies), and had enjoyed it, so when I saw that this book was coming out later this year I had to add it to my wish list. So, when I was approved for the e-arc, I was pleasantly surprised. And after getting a chance to read it, I have to say I rather enjoyed it. I wasn’t entirely sure what to think of it at first, as Nebula and Gamora (along with the Guardians of the Galaxy) aren’t my favorite cast of characters from the Marvel/Marvel Cinematic Universe. But I thought that this book gave them a nice little back story for someone like me who doesn’t read much in the way of comics and only has the MCU films to go by. And while I didn’t fall head over heels in love with it, it was an enjoyable read. So, if I had to give it a rating, I’d give it 4 out of 5 stars.

HOW WAS THIS SO FUN!?!?!?!?!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I am familiar with the characters in these books from Marvel movies, but don't have a history with the comic books. I'm also a fan of the author, Mackenzi Lee.

I loved that other than a few other pre-existing characters (like the Grandmaster, which I totally read in Jeff Goldblum's voice), every character in this story was she/her.

There was the right mix story and action, and I enjoyed the dual perspectives of the sisters, especially Nebula.

There was one plot point which made me question some things, but ultimately didn't detract from overall enjoyment.

Decoding chapter titles was endlessly fun!

I’m Coming for You, Sister

Mackenzi Lee weaves an adventurous tale, that hints at the lives of Gamora and Nebula before Guardians of the Galaxy. Sent to retrieve the heart of a dying planet, Gamora just wants to get the job done before it kills her. What she doesn’t know is that Nebula is following her, determined to get revenge. On opposite sides of a deadly mining dispute, which one will win this game of lies?

Mackenzi Lee does a lot of world building, describing the crumbling planet of Torndune with great detail. Including a corrupt Universal Church of Truth, which gives the Marvel Universe a cynical view of religion. There is a whole cast of primarily female characters throughout the book. So, there is LGBTQ flirting if you squint, which is mostly used for humor. Though, the majority of these characters are plot driven and defined by their poor living conditions. Mackenzi Lee half-heartedly, and very inconsistently, gives Torndune characters such as Varsa an uneducated dialect. As for Gamora and Nebula, it is expected that their characterization would be mechanical. All this combined make this book a bit of a depressing and dry read.

Gamora and Nebula’s relationship, is the reason to read this book. Like the movies, they both have to survive living with Thanos, and being sisters is complicated. Gamora is entirely determined to survive no matter the cost, while Nebula wants to be acknowledged. This paired with the discordant desire to be sisters and find kindness, is what makes them interesting characters. Mackenzi Lee does explore this complex relationship well. With plenty of action and fighting, this book is exactly what you would expect a Gamora and Nebula book to be. The ending is not exactly MCU cannon, but there are plenty of marvel AUs that it’s possible.