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The Mighty Odds #2
Against the Odds
In the second title in the slam-dunk new series from bestselling author Amy Ignatow, the Odds are back and trying to figure out just who inflicted these lame abilities on them in the first place. Nick can still teleport four inches to the left, and Farshad’s thumbs are still super strong. Cookie can still read minds, if they’re thinking of directions, and Martina can still change the color of her eyes. But now, Martina can see the invisible, and when Nick is super stressed, he can move a lot farther than four inches. As their powers evolve in possibly dangerous ways, the Odds are even more determined to solve the mystery of their origin, but it means interacting at school—a serious social risk to popular girl Cookie. Soon, it becomes clear that Auxano, the chemical company that employs half the town, is involved. With the help of some renegade Amish teenagers and Ed, the invisible bus driver, this unlikely group of companions will uncover a nefarious experiment in which they’ve become unwitting test subjects. They’ll also begin to become something even more incredible—friends.
240 pages, Paperback
Published September 11, 2018
62 people are currently reading
480 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 9, 2017
I'm not sure how I felt about this book. It felt like a fragment of a story, picking up from the cliffhanger of the previous book and ending with a new cliffhanger to segue into the next. A few things were discovered, and we saw the Odds begin to appreciate each other's strengths and work together very tentatively, but still, no full story arc. I also didn't really know what to think of the racist Amish guy - part of me liked the complexity of how he was portrayed as not meaning harm (he'd never met a black person before but pretty quickly came to realize he'd better get used to being around people different from him) but still not getting let off the hook for his racism (Cookie made it quite clear it was Not Okay for him to be scared of her), and part of me felt like the author was making the Amish guy look bad with his naive bumbling foot-in-mouth statements and that wasn't fair either, and part of me thought she just dropped in something really big that she didn't quite deal with thoroughly.
January 26, 2018
"YOU. HAVE. SUPERPOWERS." "WE. HAVE. OKAYISH POWERS."
This book made me look up wombat poop.
On a more serious note, there is a great combination of fun, action, and mystery in this second book in The Mighty Odds series and I look forward to the next book as well as recommending these to our middle schoolers.
This book made me look up wombat poop.
On a more serious note, there is a great combination of fun, action, and mystery in this second book in The Mighty Odds series and I look forward to the next book as well as recommending these to our middle schoolers.
June 6, 2018
I did not like this entry in the series as well as the first. The characters seemed stuck in their old roles, and granted, the book did start where the last one left off, but I expected more bonding and growth. I will still read the next one, though, to see how things continue.
Book description:
In the second title in the slam-dunk new series from bestselling author Amy Ignatow, the Odds are back and trying to figure out just who inflicted these lame abilities on them in the first place. Nick can still teleport four inches to the left, and Farshad’s thumbs are still super strong. Cookie can still read minds, if they’re thinking of directions, and Martina can still change the color of her eyes. But now, Martina can see the invisible, and when Nick is super stressed, he can move a lot farther than four inches. As their powers evolve in possibly dangerous ways, the Odds are even more determined to solve the mystery of their origin, but it means interacting at school—a serious social risk to popular girl Cookie. Soon, it becomes clear that Auxano, the chemical company that employs half the town, is involved. With the help of some renegade Amish teenagers and Ed, the invisible bus driver, this unlikely group of companions will uncover a nefarious experiment in which they’ve become unwitting test subjects. They’ll also begin to become something even more incredible—friends.
Book description:
In the second title in the slam-dunk new series from bestselling author Amy Ignatow, the Odds are back and trying to figure out just who inflicted these lame abilities on them in the first place. Nick can still teleport four inches to the left, and Farshad’s thumbs are still super strong. Cookie can still read minds, if they’re thinking of directions, and Martina can still change the color of her eyes. But now, Martina can see the invisible, and when Nick is super stressed, he can move a lot farther than four inches. As their powers evolve in possibly dangerous ways, the Odds are even more determined to solve the mystery of their origin, but it means interacting at school—a serious social risk to popular girl Cookie. Soon, it becomes clear that Auxano, the chemical company that employs half the town, is involved. With the help of some renegade Amish teenagers and Ed, the invisible bus driver, this unlikely group of companions will uncover a nefarious experiment in which they’ve become unwitting test subjects. They’ll also begin to become something even more incredible—friends.
October 23, 2017
3.5 stars. The silliness continues (thumb power! psychic directions!) as the four kids try to figure out how they gained their powers, and what role certain adults might have had in this. The kids aren't functioning as a team, as there are still too many differences, and in the cases of Farshad and Cookie, too much recent pain between them still to forge respect and trust.
The action picks up very soon after the end of book 1, and has the kids beginning their investigations. Bullying, homophobia, peer pressure and racism are all present as an undercurrent to the kids' activities (Cookie's handling of Abe's discomfort is priceless.) The book ends on a cliffhanger, so I guess I wait till the next to find out more.
The action picks up very soon after the end of book 1, and has the kids beginning their investigations. Bullying, homophobia, peer pressure and racism are all present as an undercurrent to the kids' activities (Cookie's handling of Abe's discomfort is priceless.) The book ends on a cliffhanger, so I guess I wait till the next to find out more.
June 26, 2025
I think this book is creative and exciting!
It tells the story of a group of children who go on a mission to discover how they got their powers and how to control them.
Nick teleports four inches to the left whenever he gets stressed.
Martina can see Ed, an invisible part-time bus driver.
Cookie has super hearing and can detect even the softest sounds.
Farshad’s thumbs are so strong, they broke his father’s computer!
Their adventure takes them all the way to Philadelphia, where they end up as test subjects!
Read the book to find out what happens next!
It tells the story of a group of children who go on a mission to discover how they got their powers and how to control them.
Nick teleports four inches to the left whenever he gets stressed.
Martina can see Ed, an invisible part-time bus driver.
Cookie has super hearing and can detect even the softest sounds.
Farshad’s thumbs are so strong, they broke his father’s computer!
Their adventure takes them all the way to Philadelphia, where they end up as test subjects!
Read the book to find out what happens next!
July 27, 2023
I liked the cliffhanger at the end :)
June 26, 2021
Once again, I listened to the audiobook if this one and it was stunning! The narrator did a fantastic job yet again at portraying all of the voices and narrating it in such an enthusiastic way!
This one took off just after the last one ended and it was so exciting to see the action of these kids with their “okayish powers” haha.
The humour in this story was once again on point and I loved all of the jokes and funny moments in this story.
However, this book also did a phenomenal job of discussing really serious topics such as racism and sexuality. I am so glad that topics like these are being discussed in literal children’s books and that these conversations are being normalised! The discussions about race were so important and I feel like all of the kiddos reading this are going to learn a lot as we have got quite a diverse cast of characters.
Also, the addition of discussions about sexuality in this book was something that I was not expecting but something that I really appreciated. I will say though that the “f” slur is used in this book (by a bully) so be warned of that. However, there is a really good discussion surrounding it and I really like the way that it was handled and conveyed a clear message of acceptance to the reader, which was really lovely.
This one took off just after the last one ended and it was so exciting to see the action of these kids with their “okayish powers” haha.
The humour in this story was once again on point and I loved all of the jokes and funny moments in this story.
However, this book also did a phenomenal job of discussing really serious topics such as racism and sexuality. I am so glad that topics like these are being discussed in literal children’s books and that these conversations are being normalised! The discussions about race were so important and I feel like all of the kiddos reading this are going to learn a lot as we have got quite a diverse cast of characters.
Also, the addition of discussions about sexuality in this book was something that I was not expecting but something that I really appreciated. I will say though that the “f” slur is used in this book (by a bully) so be warned of that. However, there is a really good discussion surrounding it and I really like the way that it was handled and conveyed a clear message of acceptance to the reader, which was really lovely.
April 27, 2017
Set time aside for this book because once you start it, you cannot put it down. The scenes were easy to visualize, and the story is irresistible. This book, although full of adventure, is relaxing to read. A good book for pre/teens and teens.
Based on a five-star rating, I give it five stars!
1) Buy from the author in the future? Yes
2) Did it keep me intrigued? Yes
3) Story line adventurous, mysterious, and believable? Yes
4) Would I recommend to a family member/friend? Yes
5) Did my idea of the book based on the cover remain the same after I read the book? No, the cover art is good, but the story went deeper than the art led me to believe. (less)
Based on a five-star rating, I give it five stars!
1) Buy from the author in the future? Yes
2) Did it keep me intrigued? Yes
3) Story line adventurous, mysterious, and believable? Yes
4) Would I recommend to a family member/friend? Yes
5) Did my idea of the book based on the cover remain the same after I read the book? No, the cover art is good, but the story went deeper than the art led me to believe. (less)
August 8, 2017
I'm not sure that I got the whole story here. But I read what it got and am basing my review off of that.
Overall, a good story and an interesting premise. I'm glad that read it but I didn't like that it was the second story in a series and seemed to end on a Cliffhanger
would most likely recommend, but Net Galley either didn't give me a full story or I didn't like how it ended on such a huge cliffhanger.
Overall, a good story and an interesting premise. I'm glad that read it but I didn't like that it was the second story in a series and seemed to end on a Cliffhanger
would most likely recommend, but Net Galley either didn't give me a full story or I didn't like how it ended on such a huge cliffhanger.
October 3, 2017
This is a great book about a bunch of middle school students who get in a bus accident and get silly superpowers. They have to put aside their differences to fight the compant Auxano, who is secretly experimenting on their citizens. This book is a quick read and is pretty funny.
September 7, 2020
We continue the journey of the Mighty Odds and their okayish-powers. However, they are becoming more super! A few of their powers are growing! But, are these powers tearing them apart, or bringing them closer?
September 25, 2024
Vague plot overview
Continuing where the last book left off (a group of kids with powers having just seen one of their teachers, together with people in hazmat suits, take away their fire-causing substitute teacher) this addition sees the characters focused on getting some answers (about themselves and about what happened to the substitute, mr. whats-his-name*). The only problem? The newly-powered individuals are far from agreement - and most don't even want to be referred to as a group. With the threat of being caught (by the teacher!), having their secret exposed (by themselves!?), or of getting injured (new power are hard!), they know they have to do something. If only they could agree on a plan...
*not his actual name, I just don't remember it
Review
The first thing to note about this story is that each person is real. Not in the sense that they actually exist (it is fiction, y'all) but in that each character has their own fears, beliefs, concerns, strengths, and hopes. Their stories are connected but not aligned. None of the characters are purely good, nor purely evil, they are just all trying to make the best of their own situation, using whatever means are at their disposal
also, I have decided. Jay is my favorite character
Jay
Not only is Jay able to be so intentionally obtuse as to baffle anyone within earshot, he also does so with such a positive attitude that ..it somehow works?
A few quotes to show off this (rough, unpolished) gem:
Jay (after being compared to "the size of a peanut"): "One small peanut can take down an army, my friend. Providing that everyone in the army has a severe peanut allergy" (chp 20)
Jay: "Do you really think [my sleuthing skills] are renowned? I did find the missing class hamster in the fifth grade."
Nick: "Jay, you're the one who let [him] out."
Jay: "Of course I did! He needed to feel, even for the briefest of times, the sweetness of freedom and self-determination. We've been over this!" (chap 10)
Cookie
In addition to Jay, we get to learn more about the other characters, especially Cookie. While noted in the first book, the spotlight further highlights Cookie's tendency to plan and cultivate everything about her image. Multiple times we see her repeat the mantra she got from her mother: "never let them see that they've upset you." And we see Cookie remind herself before talking to someone to "]do] her best to not look guarded" (chp 11). While it does not excuse her behavior, it helps to explain a bit more about how she thinks and the way she holds herself distant from those around her. I am curious to see how her story will progress, given the personal challenges unfolding in this addition
Tough topics - called out
This book also includes a lot of racist, homophobic, and other crappy remarks, but it also calls them out. Unlike the first book, which included examples but was more quiet in its condemnation, this book includes more direct acknowledgement of the behavior being unacceptable (like in the many conversations where the amish boy -Abe- shows his ignorance through racist remarks and has them identified as such, or where a school bully calls Jay the f slur and gets in trouble)
Misc notes that didn't fit in the other categories
Ok, it wasn't all perfect. Sometimes it was a bit hard to tell who said what. The different voices for the audiobook helped, but I am not sure if there are visuals in the book that I am missing or if the author sometimes forgot how many boys/men where in a scene when using "he said."
Also, it was hilarious and fascinating to get a sliver of a glimpse into the world of this Pennsylvania dutch amish boy - especially when he had to drive a car *chef's kiss* and when he was utterly ignorant of how racist he was being *anti-chef's-kiss*
Also also - we get to meet Abe's sister and hear her story, which could be interesting to explore further as well
Conclusion
This book is silly, rough, diverse, and messy. I love it. It is the perfect read if you want a big splash of silly and a smaller splash of realism to entertain you on a rainy day (or a sunny day, probably, but it was rainy when I read it, so tbd on the sunny-day reading experience). I would strongly recommend this to anyone who enjoys kids' books with powered people
p.s. I look forward to learning more about Martina's abilities in the next book (*fingers crossed*) and seeing what is in store for this motley group of people
Continuing where the last book left off (a group of kids with powers having just seen one of their teachers, together with people in hazmat suits, take away their fire-causing substitute teacher) this addition sees the characters focused on getting some answers (about themselves and about what happened to the substitute, mr. whats-his-name*). The only problem? The newly-powered individuals are far from agreement - and most don't even want to be referred to as a group. With the threat of being caught (by the teacher!), having their secret exposed (by themselves!?), or of getting injured (new power are hard!), they know they have to do something. If only they could agree on a plan...
*not his actual name, I just don't remember it
Review
The first thing to note about this story is that each person is real. Not in the sense that they actually exist (it is fiction, y'all) but in that each character has their own fears, beliefs, concerns, strengths, and hopes. Their stories are connected but not aligned. None of the characters are purely good, nor purely evil, they are just all trying to make the best of their own situation, using whatever means are at their disposal
also, I have decided. Jay is my favorite character
Jay
Not only is Jay able to be so intentionally obtuse as to baffle anyone within earshot, he also does so with such a positive attitude that ..it somehow works?
A few quotes to show off this (rough, unpolished) gem:
Jay (after being compared to "the size of a peanut"): "One small peanut can take down an army, my friend. Providing that everyone in the army has a severe peanut allergy" (chp 20)
Jay: "Do you really think [my sleuthing skills] are renowned? I did find the missing class hamster in the fifth grade."
Nick: "Jay, you're the one who let [him] out."
Jay: "Of course I did! He needed to feel, even for the briefest of times, the sweetness of freedom and self-determination. We've been over this!" (chap 10)
Cookie
In addition to Jay, we get to learn more about the other characters, especially Cookie. While noted in the first book, the spotlight further highlights Cookie's tendency to plan and cultivate everything about her image. Multiple times we see her repeat the mantra she got from her mother: "never let them see that they've upset you." And we see Cookie remind herself before talking to someone to "]do] her best to not look guarded" (chp 11). While it does not excuse her behavior, it helps to explain a bit more about how she thinks and the way she holds herself distant from those around her. I am curious to see how her story will progress, given the personal challenges unfolding in this addition
Tough topics - called out
This book also includes a lot of racist, homophobic, and other crappy remarks, but it also calls them out. Unlike the first book, which included examples but was more quiet in its condemnation, this book includes more direct acknowledgement of the behavior being unacceptable (like in the many conversations where the amish boy -Abe- shows his ignorance through racist remarks and has them identified as such, or where a school bully calls Jay the f slur and gets in trouble)
Misc notes that didn't fit in the other categories
Ok, it wasn't all perfect. Sometimes it was a bit hard to tell who said what. The different voices for the audiobook helped, but I am not sure if there are visuals in the book that I am missing or if the author sometimes forgot how many boys/men where in a scene when using "he said."
Also, it was hilarious and fascinating to get a sliver of a glimpse into the world of this Pennsylvania dutch amish boy - especially when he had to drive a car *chef's kiss* and when he was utterly ignorant of how racist he was being *anti-chef's-kiss*
Also also - we get to meet Abe's sister and hear her story, which could be interesting to explore further as well
Conclusion
This book is silly, rough, diverse, and messy. I love it. It is the perfect read if you want a big splash of silly and a smaller splash of realism to entertain you on a rainy day (or a sunny day, probably, but it was rainy when I read it, so tbd on the sunny-day reading experience). I would strongly recommend this to anyone who enjoys kids' books with powered people
p.s. I look forward to learning more about Martina's abilities in the next book (*fingers crossed*) and seeing what is in store for this motley group of people
December 10, 2017
This follow-up to The Mighty Odds is a fantastic continuation of both the mystery adventure and the characters relationships with each other. The personalities of each of the main characters is developed more fully, and the dangers and teamwork become more complicated and rewarding. I especially liked how the relationships between the characters didn't magically resolve into perfect friendships. The kids all have to work through their own prejudices, assumptions, and personal barriers to be successful. And just like their superpowers, nothing is easy or perfect. Much like in real life. I think kids will appreciate that aspect of the book a lot.
July 30, 2020
It wasn't my favourite but it was definitely a quick and easy read, so I will probably finish the serious.
June 2, 2021
This is more like chapter 2 then a book by itself.
August 10, 2021
Story is good, Oskar (6) likes it better than me. The narrator still kinda sounds like he's narrating a YouTube video.
April 25, 2023
Helpful explanations to book 1. Not to be read or recommended alone.
March 16, 2024
getting more interesting!
November 12, 2019
I think it was a good book and good idea, but it is missing something. Also, on the cover it shows 4 people, when really there are 6 main characters. The end of the book makes you guess. It does not tell you the conclusion. You have to figure it out. Also, they never save Ed and Mr.Friend. They never even find Ed. The book does not really feel complete, but it makes you want to read the rest of the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2021
Thank you audible stories for allowing us to stream for free during the pandemic.
This is more of the same. There seems to be a lot of racist, homophobic, misogynistic, etc comments. I'm guessing they are there to tie in what real people do and say. But it seems odd to have children read that kind of thing. But the characters are fun and interesting enough
This is more of the same. There seems to be a lot of racist, homophobic, misogynistic, etc comments. I'm guessing they are there to tie in what real people do and say. But it seems odd to have children read that kind of thing. But the characters are fun and interesting enough
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews