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Faith Herbert Origin Story #2
Faith: Greater Heights: A Body Positive Young Adult Superhero Story of Friendship, Powers, and Self-Discovery
From Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin', comes the exciting conclusion in the origin story of fan-favorite comic character Faith--a fierce, plus-size superhero.
Faith Herbert can finally admit that she's not a regular teen--and take advantage of her new flying superpowers. After the chaos of her first semester, Faith just wants to end her senior year in a normal way--enjoying all the hallmarks of graduating high school, like prom, with her best friends Matt and Ches.
But a cryptic warning about psiots going missing and a rash of inexplicable fires means things are off to a strange start. Life goes from weird to worse when Colleen Bristow, the quiet nerd-turned-supervillain, reappears, acting like nothing ever happened.
As if that weren't enough, rumored sightings of Faith's ex, the beautiful Dakota Ash, who was thought to have died months ago in the warehouse fire that exposed more than a few secrets, start to emerge. Faith can't seem to shake Dakota's betrayal from that tragic day, but she also can't help hoping the rumors are true. . . .
As Faith tries to balance her quest for a memorable senior year and the heartbreak of Grandma Lou's increasing decline, she learns to have faith in herself--and that sometimes fate will point you in the right direction.
Faith Herbert can finally admit that she's not a regular teen--and take advantage of her new flying superpowers. After the chaos of her first semester, Faith just wants to end her senior year in a normal way--enjoying all the hallmarks of graduating high school, like prom, with her best friends Matt and Ches.
But a cryptic warning about psiots going missing and a rash of inexplicable fires means things are off to a strange start. Life goes from weird to worse when Colleen Bristow, the quiet nerd-turned-supervillain, reappears, acting like nothing ever happened.
As if that weren't enough, rumored sightings of Faith's ex, the beautiful Dakota Ash, who was thought to have died months ago in the warehouse fire that exposed more than a few secrets, start to emerge. Faith can't seem to shake Dakota's betrayal from that tragic day, but she also can't help hoping the rumors are true. . . .
As Faith tries to balance her quest for a memorable senior year and the heartbreak of Grandma Lou's increasing decline, she learns to have faith in herself--and that sometimes fate will point you in the right direction.
368 pages, Paperback
Published November 1, 2022
About the author
Julie Murphy
43 books7,184 followersJulie Murphy lives in North Texas with her husband who loves her and her cats who tolerate her. After several wonderful years in the library world, Julie now writes full-time.
When she’s not writing or reliving her reference desk glory days, she can be found watching made-for-TV movies, hunting for the perfect slice of cheese pizza, and planning her next great travel adventure.
She is also the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the young adult novels Dumplin’ (now a film on Netflix), Puddin’, Pumpkin, Ramona Blue, and Side Effects May Vary. Her middle grade novels include Dear Sweat Pea and a forthcoming 2023 title. She is also Disney's If The Shoe Fits, a modern day romcom retelling of Cinderella. Her writing partner is Sierra Simone and their romance debut is A Merry Little Meet Cute.
Julie has been featured in places liek Good Morning America, The New York Times, and Teen Vogue. Dumplin' was also named one of the best young adult books of all time by Time Magazine.
When she’s not writing or reliving her reference desk glory days, she can be found watching made-for-TV movies, hunting for the perfect slice of cheese pizza, and planning her next great travel adventure.
She is also the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the young adult novels Dumplin’ (now a film on Netflix), Puddin’, Pumpkin, Ramona Blue, and Side Effects May Vary. Her middle grade novels include Dear Sweat Pea and a forthcoming 2023 title. She is also Disney's If The Shoe Fits, a modern day romcom retelling of Cinderella. Her writing partner is Sierra Simone and their romance debut is A Merry Little Meet Cute.
Julie has been featured in places liek Good Morning America, The New York Times, and Teen Vogue. Dumplin' was also named one of the best young adult books of all time by Time Magazine.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
November 5, 2021
This does a great job of picking up where
Faith: Taking Flight
left off. It's the second semester of Faith's senior year. She's still coping with what her ex, Dakota, did to her in the last book while also dealing with her Grandma Lou's dementia. (Yeah, it's a lot for a teenager, especially while also recently gaining the power to fly.) Meanwhile, pyrokinetic Colleen has returned to school and seems all kinds of shady. Of course, there's still the larger mystery out there about the drug, A+, and its dealers.
I really like how Murphy writes Faith. She's really capable but with plenty of self-doubt, fun, nerdy, and comfortable in her own skin. The end does seem to come a bit out of nowhere. All these things are still a mystery and then it all hits Faith in the face and things get really crazy. Maybe too crazy for what's occurred up to this point. Things get resolved a little too easily too. I would have liked to seen another 50 pages added to the book to resolve everything on page instead of having all the big things introduced wrapped up off page.
This is a great YA book that stays true to Faith's character in the comics even if it takes a few minor liberties with the comics canon. If you do like this, Faith is one of the main characters in Valiant's Harbinger comics and the Faith comics take place immediately after the end of this book. The Faith comics particularly are terrific and I urge you to check them out if you enjoyed this.
Received a review copy from Balzer + Bray and Edelweiss.
I really like how Murphy writes Faith. She's really capable but with plenty of self-doubt, fun, nerdy, and comfortable in her own skin. The end does seem to come a bit out of nowhere. All these things are still a mystery and then it all hits Faith in the face and things get really crazy. Maybe too crazy for what's occurred up to this point. Things get resolved a little too easily too. I would have liked to seen another 50 pages added to the book to resolve everything on page instead of having all the big things introduced wrapped up off page.
This is a great YA book that stays true to Faith's character in the comics even if it takes a few minor liberties with the comics canon. If you do like this, Faith is one of the main characters in Valiant's Harbinger comics and the Faith comics take place immediately after the end of this book. The Faith comics particularly are terrific and I urge you to check them out if you enjoyed this.
Received a review copy from Balzer + Bray and Edelweiss.
Want to Read
March 22, 2021I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS.
I'm excited to see what adventures Faith goes on this time around :)
The cover is beautiful!
If you see this Mrs. Julie, Your one of my favorite authors, I've read all your books and loved them all!
Love you queen. <3
I'm excited to see what adventures Faith goes on this time around :)
The cover is beautiful!
If you see this Mrs. Julie, Your one of my favorite authors, I've read all your books and loved them all!
Love you queen. <3
September 15, 2022
It isn’t her best work, but I’m always here for more fat and happy superhero 💕
Read
May 19, 2022Oh man I really liked this one too! I can't say much without spoiling the first but it does a really great job of providing a continuance from the first book. my one qualm was that the big drama happens near the end and then it all just gets summarized as to how things unfold afterward. It felt a but like cheating tbh but I still enjoyed and will read the next book.
Read
January 17, 2022
Trigger & Content Warnings
Strangulation
Physical assault
Fire
Loss of autonomy (mind control)
Strangulation
Physical assault
Fire
Loss of autonomy (mind control)
October 19, 2022
3.5*
Rep: plus size sapphic MC, biracial (half-Latina) lesbian love interest, plus size Puerto Rican gay side character, achillean side character, Black side characters
I'm not sure how to rate this book. On one side this has gorgeous cover and I liked the writing. On another side however I felt there were too many new characters. Liam, Benji, Liam's father, Benji's grandfather, Rowen... and most of them are connected to something in some way but as readers we don't have all the pieces but at the same time we can see Liam is obviously shady and it's frustrating how long it takes Faith to see it.
I also didn't like the ending for Dakota and Faith... I'm just not okay with how the author resolved their relationship.
I enjoyed the book as a whole but this is a contemporary not SFF author and it shows.
Rep: plus size sapphic MC, biracial (half-Latina) lesbian love interest, plus size Puerto Rican gay side character, achillean side character, Black side characters
I'm not sure how to rate this book. On one side this has gorgeous cover and I liked the writing. On another side however I felt there were too many new characters. Liam, Benji, Liam's father, Benji's grandfather, Rowen... and most of them are connected to something in some way but as readers we don't have all the pieces but at the same time we can see Liam is obviously shady and it's frustrating how long it takes Faith to see it.
I also didn't like the ending for Dakota and Faith... I'm just not okay with how the author resolved their relationship.
I enjoyed the book as a whole but this is a contemporary not SFF author and it shows.
April 29, 2022
I do not understand all the negative reviews. This is a book for high schoolers set in a high school. Not sure why people were expecting something else from a superhero YA. The story arc leading up to and through prom felt tropey in a comforting way, not an overdone way. And it didn't end with everything nice and tidy but still satisfying enough for me to cope while waiting for book three (hopefully)!
November 29, 2021
An exact secondary novel for this series. Just okay, but I didn't overly love or hate it. I was thankful for all the subtle refreshers to help me recall moments that didn't last in my memory from the first book. Guess that's a sobering realization that Taking Flight also didn't leave a lasting impression other than the freak out the first few chapters gave me.
November 15, 2021
I liked this sequel to Faith: Taking Flight. I love what Julie Murphy does with faith as a fat and queer character! This was a little slow in parts and sometimes felt like not all the information was needed, and more action would have been better. I'm excited to see where Faith goes next!
February 19, 2022
This was such a great read! Really enjoyed Faith's continuing story, and she does deal with a lot of life changes! Though I am sad, because it seems like the comics that this duology is a prequal series to, goes in a different direction for Faith. Bah!
August 21, 2024
The plot was a little all over the place in this one. But I did enjoy Faith’s relationship with her grandmother.
December 30, 2024
4/5
These novels made me fall back in love with the Valiant world. Faith is a joy and I love her so much.
These novels made me fall back in love with the Valiant world. Faith is a joy and I love her so much.
August 6, 2021
Thank you to both the publisher, Harper Collins, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an advanced copy of Faith: Greater Heights. I read the first book, Faith: Taking Flight, about this time last year and quite enjoyed it. This sequel does a fantastic job picking back up, where it reminds you of all the characters and plot points you need to follow without wasting any of the action on recapping everything. I was drawn right back in to Faith's world and was excited to see where she would go next. Julie Murphy is also fantastic at making me read at lightning speed and pouring through pages without realizing how quickly I'm invested.
So much of this story revolves around Faith's grandmother, and finding her appropriate care. I do feel this is a critical portion of her "origin story" as the series goes. I was surprised at how much time was dedicated to this - not in a bad way, just that it's not as superhero-y as the rest. I think a lot of readers will easily relate to the family side of this story, whether they've had to find care for a loved one or are even dealing with turning 18 and obviously still needing tons of family and adult help in literally every area of life but also kind of aging out of official guardianship. Plus, living alone vs. *being* alone is such an important contrast that gets fantastic page time. This is all a sticking point to me, and it's not lost on me that Faith's efforts to help others and keep disasters at bay in her town and school are a whole different kind of guardianship.
(I could see though, unless you're hot off reading the first book, how you wouldn't feel like you're dipping into a fast-paced adventurous read though. I don't think this story would work as a standalone or as your first introduction to Faith.)
I was surprised, in a less great way though, how little Faith's history with fandom and conventions and writing/pop culture etc. played into this part of the story. I know the story is focused on a lot and it's not like Faith has time to be blogging while literal dumpsters are on fire, but I actually gasped with recognition when my Kindle clicked over to 50% of book read and there was a fandom reference in the chapter, which hadn't occurred until then. It's one of those things that felt important to nod to, since it's so foundational in the first book.
Without any spoilers, I do think that most of the "action" is reserved for the later quarter of the book. I like getting to know more about Faith's friends and family and her ambitions (or even fear of having them, given all that's going on -- which is so relatable) but if readers are looking for action sequences galore, they're later (with a few tastes throughout.)
So much of this story revolves around Faith's grandmother, and finding her appropriate care. I do feel this is a critical portion of her "origin story" as the series goes. I was surprised at how much time was dedicated to this - not in a bad way, just that it's not as superhero-y as the rest. I think a lot of readers will easily relate to the family side of this story, whether they've had to find care for a loved one or are even dealing with turning 18 and obviously still needing tons of family and adult help in literally every area of life but also kind of aging out of official guardianship. Plus, living alone vs. *being* alone is such an important contrast that gets fantastic page time. This is all a sticking point to me, and it's not lost on me that Faith's efforts to help others and keep disasters at bay in her town and school are a whole different kind of guardianship.
(I could see though, unless you're hot off reading the first book, how you wouldn't feel like you're dipping into a fast-paced adventurous read though. I don't think this story would work as a standalone or as your first introduction to Faith.)
I was surprised, in a less great way though, how little Faith's history with fandom and conventions and writing/pop culture etc. played into this part of the story. I know the story is focused on a lot and it's not like Faith has time to be blogging while literal dumpsters are on fire, but I actually gasped with recognition when my Kindle clicked over to 50% of book read and there was a fandom reference in the chapter, which hadn't occurred until then. It's one of those things that felt important to nod to, since it's so foundational in the first book.
Without any spoilers, I do think that most of the "action" is reserved for the later quarter of the book. I like getting to know more about Faith's friends and family and her ambitions (or even fear of having them, given all that's going on -- which is so relatable) but if readers are looking for action sequences galore, they're later (with a few tastes throughout.)
February 28, 2022
I was rather hard pressed to rate this. It's not technically a badly written but there are so many irksome things to it that it's lucky I didn't rate it lower. I know Murphy is writing around an established comic book series (that I somehow missed in spite of it being out at a time I very actively haunted comic book stores) but so much of this felt open ended and unsatisfying but that wasn't my biggest issue.
What bothered me most is Faith is frankly a crappy friend, there I said it. She was sort of one in book one and definitely in book 2. In the first book her besties Matt and Ches accuse of her of dropping them as soon as Dakota Ash, her celebrity crush shows up and likes her back. They aren't wrong. In spite of Dakota's role in hurting Ches and nearly destroying her life, that's all Faith wants back. Matt works his new boyfriend into their friendship, Faith slices them out the moment she gets wind Dakota might be back. (Dakota needs her, she's on the run after all).
The more human side of Faith is her dealing with Grandma Lou's insistent on going to assisted living because her dementia is getting worse. That is a lot of anyone to deal with especially an 18 year old girl and this is her only relative left. She doesn't want it to happen, suspects everyone at the home but at least that feels real.
There isn't much plot to this thing. We get Coleen, the girl who disappeared in a fire last book, is back with no memories and a total personality change and Faith naturally thinks she's a villain (as she can shoot fire from her hands).
As the blurb leads you to believe Dakota is back and then it's all Dakota all the time (Sorry BFF Ches, I know she like nearly killed you but I'm more concerned with her than you). It was sort of dull and predictable and then just confusing at the end.
The idea of using prom as they did was pretty cool though but getting Faith there was just eye rollingly bad (it's a stretch to think anyone could go from what Faith was doing in regards to some of the villains and then go oh right, better hurry to prom)
Faith also has nearly zero of the geekiness that made her endearing in the first half of the duology. I guess this one just didn't work for me and the biggest disappointment
What bothered me most is Faith is frankly a crappy friend, there I said it. She was sort of one in book one and definitely in book 2. In the first book her besties Matt and Ches accuse of her of dropping them as soon as Dakota Ash, her celebrity crush shows up and likes her back. They aren't wrong. In spite of Dakota's role in hurting Ches and nearly destroying her life, that's all Faith wants back. Matt works his new boyfriend into their friendship, Faith slices them out the moment she gets wind Dakota might be back. (Dakota needs her, she's on the run after all).
The more human side of Faith is her dealing with Grandma Lou's insistent on going to assisted living because her dementia is getting worse. That is a lot of anyone to deal with especially an 18 year old girl and this is her only relative left. She doesn't want it to happen, suspects everyone at the home but at least that feels real.
There isn't much plot to this thing. We get Coleen, the girl who disappeared in a fire last book, is back with no memories and a total personality change and Faith naturally thinks she's a villain (as she can shoot fire from her hands).
As the blurb leads you to believe Dakota is back and then it's all Dakota all the time (Sorry BFF Ches, I know she like nearly killed you but I'm more concerned with her than you). It was sort of dull and predictable and then just confusing at the end.
The idea of using prom as they did was pretty cool though but getting Faith there was just eye rollingly bad (it's a stretch to think anyone could go from what Faith was doing in regards to some of the villains and then go oh right, better hurry to prom)
Faith also has nearly zero of the geekiness that made her endearing in the first half of the duology. I guess this one just didn't work for me and the biggest disappointment
November 9, 2021
Faith: Greater Heights is the second novel in Julie Murphy's Faith Herbert Origin Story series. If you don't know who Faith is, I would strongly recommend going and checking out the graphic novel series (by Valiant) surrounding the character.
That being said, you don't need to be up to date in her story to appreciate these novels – they're origin stories, after all. They're designed to be approachable and fun. So this would be the perfect starting point for new readers! To be super clear - Faith: Greater Heights is not a graphic novel. It's a regular novel based on the graphic novel character! And it is still absolutely worth the read!
Frank Herbert is not a typical teenager; that much is clear. She's actually a secret superhero! Though her closest friends are in on the secret. Faith's senior year is already proving to not be the calm year she had hoped. Not when a classmate goes missing...and it looks like it might be because of an old-classmate-turned-villain!
If you love the vibes from Faith's comic series and have always wanted to see more of her, then you're going to love Faith: Greater Heights. Honestly, even if you haven't read the graphic series but are looking for a chill and different sort of hero, Faith is your girl.
Faith: Greater Heights is such a delightful read, from start to finish. I love how different yet familiar this origin story feels. It's very much grounded in all of the elements I love about Faith's character.
It's also a really approachable series for those that don't usually love superhero stories, as it very much feels like a class all of its own. Though I should be clear here: the series is a good starting point. So go back and grab the first novel (Taking Flight) first. It's worth it, I promise!
This is a fantastic follow-up, one that I really enjoyed. I'm already looking forward to seeing where her adventures go next. Naturally, this means that I am once again motivated to get caught up in her comic series (I've been terrible about that).
Thanks to Blazer + Bray and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read more reviews at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
That being said, you don't need to be up to date in her story to appreciate these novels – they're origin stories, after all. They're designed to be approachable and fun. So this would be the perfect starting point for new readers! To be super clear - Faith: Greater Heights is not a graphic novel. It's a regular novel based on the graphic novel character! And it is still absolutely worth the read!
Frank Herbert is not a typical teenager; that much is clear. She's actually a secret superhero! Though her closest friends are in on the secret. Faith's senior year is already proving to not be the calm year she had hoped. Not when a classmate goes missing...and it looks like it might be because of an old-classmate-turned-villain!
If you love the vibes from Faith's comic series and have always wanted to see more of her, then you're going to love Faith: Greater Heights. Honestly, even if you haven't read the graphic series but are looking for a chill and different sort of hero, Faith is your girl.
Faith: Greater Heights is such a delightful read, from start to finish. I love how different yet familiar this origin story feels. It's very much grounded in all of the elements I love about Faith's character.
It's also a really approachable series for those that don't usually love superhero stories, as it very much feels like a class all of its own. Though I should be clear here: the series is a good starting point. So go back and grab the first novel (Taking Flight) first. It's worth it, I promise!
This is a fantastic follow-up, one that I really enjoyed. I'm already looking forward to seeing where her adventures go next. Naturally, this means that I am once again motivated to get caught up in her comic series (I've been terrible about that).
Thanks to Blazer + Bray and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read more reviews at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
September 15, 2021
This book caught up with Faith as she was trying to resume some semblance of normalcy after the crazy start to her senior year we saw in Faith Taking Flight. She was coming to terms with the crazy turn things took with Dakota. Dealing with Grandma and her failing mind. And planning the remaining part of her senior year and life after high school with best friends Ches and Matt, but for the genesis story of superheroes things can never be quite that clean cut. A string of arsons and the surprising reappearance of some old faces has faith concerned about what this year may actually have in store for her. It looks like the end of the book might just call for Zephyr to save the day one more time.
I love the character of Faith. I just love her. I can see so much of myself in Faith, especially my high school self. From the bubbly personality and long blond hair to the gay best friend, I relate to Faith on a deep level. I think it is because of that I am so happy to see someone like her having sweet love stories and saving the day. When I was younger I think I settled for being the funny, supportive, best friend. That was the best role I could hope for because that was the only role ever portrayed in any form of media that wasn’t harmful and I knew I could shine there, so I did. Stories like Faith’s show a new way for the younger generation. They get to see this big bubbly fat girl being taken seriously. They get to see her fall in love. And they get to solve the mystery and kick some ass. I can’t help but think if I had read or seen stories like this the difference it would have made on my confidence and the things I thought were possible for me. That is why representation are so important. We are giving people options. We are saying that you deserve to be in any story and you have the ability to make your life what you want it to be. So yes, Faith Greater Heights is a wonderful sequel in the genesis story of a superhero, but what it actually does to the audience that reads it is so much more impactful than simply entertainment. Faith opens the door to so many more opportunities for you fat girls by showing them what is possible.
I love the character of Faith. I just love her. I can see so much of myself in Faith, especially my high school self. From the bubbly personality and long blond hair to the gay best friend, I relate to Faith on a deep level. I think it is because of that I am so happy to see someone like her having sweet love stories and saving the day. When I was younger I think I settled for being the funny, supportive, best friend. That was the best role I could hope for because that was the only role ever portrayed in any form of media that wasn’t harmful and I knew I could shine there, so I did. Stories like Faith’s show a new way for the younger generation. They get to see this big bubbly fat girl being taken seriously. They get to see her fall in love. And they get to solve the mystery and kick some ass. I can’t help but think if I had read or seen stories like this the difference it would have made on my confidence and the things I thought were possible for me. That is why representation are so important. We are giving people options. We are saying that you deserve to be in any story and you have the ability to make your life what you want it to be. So yes, Faith Greater Heights is a wonderful sequel in the genesis story of a superhero, but what it actually does to the audience that reads it is so much more impactful than simply entertainment. Faith opens the door to so many more opportunities for you fat girls by showing them what is possible.
August 29, 2021
Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for providing me a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I bought Faith: Taking Flight last year on something of a whim, not knowing what to expect from a novel adapted from a comic series, and written by Julie Murphy at that (my understanding, though I hadn't read them yet, was that her other books were pretty different from that one). It turned out to be a pretty fun and engaging read, which is why I was excited to see this title come up on NetGalley.
Faith: Greater Heights is a good follow-up to the original, building the world out further and incorporating a good deal of mystery. I was a little disappointed that this book didn't have more action in it, but this didn't really impede my progress — the twists that came as the mystery unraveled were enough to keep me wanting more. I remember gasping a couple times and shouting "I knew it! I knew it!" like a maniac.
The ending felt a little anticlimactic and quick to wrap up for me, and maybe this can be attributed to the lack of action I mentioned earlier, but it also felt like it didn't have much to make me want to pick up the third book in the series. I probably will anyways, simply because I enjoy this series, but there was no major cliffhanger or loose end I felt desperate about needing answers for. (And maybe this is something you like! But I felt like I wanted more.)
Overall, this was an easy and fun read that I'd recommend if you enjoyed the first book. I look forward to seeing what nefarious things are sure to appear in the third novel. :')
I bought Faith: Taking Flight last year on something of a whim, not knowing what to expect from a novel adapted from a comic series, and written by Julie Murphy at that (my understanding, though I hadn't read them yet, was that her other books were pretty different from that one). It turned out to be a pretty fun and engaging read, which is why I was excited to see this title come up on NetGalley.
Faith: Greater Heights is a good follow-up to the original, building the world out further and incorporating a good deal of mystery. I was a little disappointed that this book didn't have more action in it, but this didn't really impede my progress — the twists that came as the mystery unraveled were enough to keep me wanting more. I remember gasping a couple times and shouting "I knew it! I knew it!" like a maniac.
The ending felt a little anticlimactic and quick to wrap up for me, and maybe this can be attributed to the lack of action I mentioned earlier, but it also felt like it didn't have much to make me want to pick up the third book in the series. I probably will anyways, simply because I enjoy this series, but there was no major cliffhanger or loose end I felt desperate about needing answers for. (And maybe this is something you like! But I felt like I wanted more.)
Overall, this was an easy and fun read that I'd recommend if you enjoyed the first book. I look forward to seeing what nefarious things are sure to appear in the third novel. :')
July 19, 2021
First off, Goodreads & NetGalley need to stop advertising this series as a graphic novel...it's not...lol.
Secondly, thanks to NetGalley & HarperCollins Children's Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. Sadly, DNF at 15%.
Faith: Greater Heights is a sequel that continues to follow Faith's super-adventures after the first book. Faith has the ability to fly, but in this book, she has to pick up the pieces of the last adventure while juggling her much-changed home life.
I tried reading the first one after finding out this was a sequel and I was already approved for it...I couldn't get very far. I do think that the writing has greatly improved in this sequel and that's a great sign, but I wasn't a fan of Faith as a character and had a hard time reading because of her. I can't really pin it down too much, but I guess I feel like she didn't have too compelling of a personality to keep reading? I could use more of her internal dialogue that isn't about television shows to get a better feel for her.
The dialogue is witty and snappy, the characters interact with one another in a fun way, but this series is just not for me. I like how this one has some darker content in that Faith has to deal with her grandmother's memory issues while thinking about what she wants to do in the future.
I don't really get why Faith doesn't fly half as much as she should, she's really missing out on that sweet superpower...
Secondly, thanks to NetGalley & HarperCollins Children's Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. Sadly, DNF at 15%.
Faith: Greater Heights is a sequel that continues to follow Faith's super-adventures after the first book. Faith has the ability to fly, but in this book, she has to pick up the pieces of the last adventure while juggling her much-changed home life.
I tried reading the first one after finding out this was a sequel and I was already approved for it...I couldn't get very far. I do think that the writing has greatly improved in this sequel and that's a great sign, but I wasn't a fan of Faith as a character and had a hard time reading because of her. I can't really pin it down too much, but I guess I feel like she didn't have too compelling of a personality to keep reading? I could use more of her internal dialogue that isn't about television shows to get a better feel for her.
The dialogue is witty and snappy, the characters interact with one another in a fun way, but this series is just not for me. I like how this one has some darker content in that Faith has to deal with her grandmother's memory issues while thinking about what she wants to do in the future.
I don't really get why Faith doesn't fly half as much as she should, she's really missing out on that sweet superpower...
November 4, 2021
Faith: Greater Heights (Faith Herbert Origin Story #2) by Julie Murphy
MY RATING: 3.5/5 stars
This is the first title I've read by Julie Murphy but I have seen the movie adaptation of her book, Dumplin’. This book is the second and final book in the Faith Herbert series. I've read that there is a standalone movie set to be released about the Faith Herbert character. I had not read the first book of the series before reading this one but I don't think you need to read the first in order to read this book. Faith is finally starting to accept her life as a plus-size, body-positive super-heroine but she is still determined to have those iconic high school moments like prom and graduation with her besties, Matt & Ches.
Check out Faith: Greater Heights by Julie Murphy and be sure to get this YA lgtbqia+ contemporary romance wherever you buy books!
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TAGS: fiction, romance, contemporary, young adult, paranormal, fantasy, super hero, queer, lgbtqia+, body positivity, body positive
*Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books & Julie Murphy for providing a free eARC in exchange for my honest review #NetGalley @NetGalley #HarperChildrens @HarperChildrens #harperkids @harperkids #JulieMurphy @andimJULIE @andimjulie
MY RATING: 3.5/5 stars
This is the first title I've read by Julie Murphy but I have seen the movie adaptation of her book, Dumplin’. This book is the second and final book in the Faith Herbert series. I've read that there is a standalone movie set to be released about the Faith Herbert character. I had not read the first book of the series before reading this one but I don't think you need to read the first in order to read this book. Faith is finally starting to accept her life as a plus-size, body-positive super-heroine but she is still determined to have those iconic high school moments like prom and graduation with her besties, Matt & Ches.
Check out Faith: Greater Heights by Julie Murphy and be sure to get this YA lgtbqia+ contemporary romance wherever you buy books!
✦ Goodreads ➜ https://bit.ly/3Cqtvl9
✦ Amazon ➜ https://amzn.to/3lHc2Ov
✦ Apple ➜ https://apple.co/3nJO9Zz
✦ Google ➜ https://bit.ly/3Exwx9a
✦ Kobo ➜ https://bit.ly/3kkec7w
✦ Nook ➜ https://bit.ly/3hMP7QG
TAGS: fiction, romance, contemporary, young adult, paranormal, fantasy, super hero, queer, lgbtqia+, body positivity, body positive
*Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books & Julie Murphy for providing a free eARC in exchange for my honest review #NetGalley @NetGalley #HarperChildrens @HarperChildrens #harperkids @harperkids #JulieMurphy @andimJULIE @andimjulie
January 30, 2022
I am not sure how I missed that this was an origin story for a comic book character, but I did. Maybe in part because I have never read the Renegades comics; and also because I didn't read the description for this book and (I swear) book 1 didn't mention comic books. Funny too, because I kept thinking Faith would make a good comic book character.
This was a good read and follow up from the first book. Was it absolutely necessary? Probably not, but we did need a bridge to take Faith from discovering her powers to where she joins a super hero squad for sure, and this book is that bridge. I found it a bit slow to start, and there were definitely a few inconsistencies from editing just not being up to snuff. Her grandmother went from knowing who Faith was and being able to make lucid decisions about herself to a pretty sever state of dementia in less than a week? And Bumble started off as a girl, then was a boy, and then went back to a girl.
There were a lot of secondary characters which kind of distracted for me, and I really did wish that Chas and Matt got more page time despite being heavily part of the story.
All in all enjoyable, but I'm also kind of glad that it's probably not going to extend to another book. But who knows, maybe these are the novelizations of Zephyr's story. I certainly was intrigued enough to see if Dakota features in the Renegades or later stories, but it seems Zephyr has a different romantic interest.
This was a good read and follow up from the first book. Was it absolutely necessary? Probably not, but we did need a bridge to take Faith from discovering her powers to where she joins a super hero squad for sure, and this book is that bridge. I found it a bit slow to start, and there were definitely a few inconsistencies from editing just not being up to snuff. Her grandmother went from knowing who Faith was and being able to make lucid decisions about herself to a pretty sever state of dementia in less than a week? And Bumble started off as a girl, then was a boy, and then went back to a girl.
There were a lot of secondary characters which kind of distracted for me, and I really did wish that Chas and Matt got more page time despite being heavily part of the story.
All in all enjoyable, but I'm also kind of glad that it's probably not going to extend to another book. But who knows, maybe these are the novelizations of Zephyr's story. I certainly was intrigued enough to see if Dakota features in the Renegades or later stories, but it seems Zephyr has a different romantic interest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2022
I read and adored the first Faith book by Julie Murphy that came out a couple of years ago and was shocked to find out that a sequel had been written when I was browsing a bookstore last month. So quickly I put a hold on it at Mt library and anxiously waited for it to come in. Luckily this book does a good job of reminding you of the finer parts from the first one because I have to admit I was a but fuzzy going in. However I caught back up quickly and it picks up pretty much right where book one left so it is easy to slip back into Faith's world. After a whirlwind of a first half of her senior year Faith is still coming to terms with her psiot abilities and all the action that happened between her and her ex Dakota and the drug ring Dakota boss brought into Faith's town. She's hoping for a calm second half of senior year to just make it to prom and graduation with her best friends before they go separate ways. Of course it can't happen smoothly, when a thought to be dead or missing classmates (with her own set of powers) returns like nothing has happened Faith can't shake that there is more to the story. She also must deal with her Grandma Lou's declining health and that moving into an assisted living facility might be best even if it hurts the most. I really liked this, the characters are so lovable and Murphy does friend and family relationships so well! It could have been trimmed up a smidge but overall it was a fun lat read of June.
October 31, 2021
3.5 stars
I have to admit to not being at all familiar with the character of Faith Herbert before reading Faith: Taking Flight. I'm sure having some insight into the character prior to reading this two-part origin story would be useful. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Faith and her friends while reading the first book. I'm always happy to see a young person embracing their body as it is, and the world just needs more female superheroes.
While the first Faith book was action-packed as we were introduced to Faith's world and met all of the wonderful side characters, Faith: Greater Heights had less action and had a lot more focus on her relationships with her grandmother and her friends. I was touched by struggles Faith went through after her grandmother's dementia diagnosis, and felt her grapple with the new reality that she may technically be an adult, but she still longs for someone to care for her.
As I said, there is significantly less action in this book compared to the first. And I feel that anyone looking for a straight-up action-packed superhero story may come away a bit disappointed. But if you're open to some really tough emotional stuff with your caped crusaders, this may be the book for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children's Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have to admit to not being at all familiar with the character of Faith Herbert before reading Faith: Taking Flight. I'm sure having some insight into the character prior to reading this two-part origin story would be useful. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Faith and her friends while reading the first book. I'm always happy to see a young person embracing their body as it is, and the world just needs more female superheroes.
While the first Faith book was action-packed as we were introduced to Faith's world and met all of the wonderful side characters, Faith: Greater Heights had less action and had a lot more focus on her relationships with her grandmother and her friends. I was touched by struggles Faith went through after her grandmother's dementia diagnosis, and felt her grapple with the new reality that she may technically be an adult, but she still longs for someone to care for her.
As I said, there is significantly less action in this book compared to the first. And I feel that anyone looking for a straight-up action-packed superhero story may come away a bit disappointed. But if you're open to some really tough emotional stuff with your caped crusaders, this may be the book for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children's Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 22, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the opportunity to review an ARC of this title.
Faith: Greater Heights by Julie Murphy is the sequel to Faith: Taking Flight. This book is the continuation of Faith's story. She's learned to embrace her power to fly and is attempting to get back living her "regular life" and dealing with the challenges that come with that. However, things quickly take a turn as Faith's grandmother decides to move into an assisted living facility, the new journalism teacher seems a bit off, and Faith's nemesis, Colleen, reappears. It soon becomes obvious that Faith's senior year of high school will be far from normal as blasts from the past reappear and new challenges arise.
I did not read Taking Flight prior to reading Greater Heights, but managed to piece together enough backstory for the storyline to make sense. This book does a great job of promoting body positivity. Faith embraces her plus-size figure and remains fabulous. Murphy does a great job of portraying Faith as a "normal teenager" that just happens to have the power to fly. I would recommend this title to teenagers that are interested in action, adventure, and just a little bit of drama and romance.
#NetGalley #FaithGreatHeights #bookreview
Faith: Greater Heights by Julie Murphy is the sequel to Faith: Taking Flight. This book is the continuation of Faith's story. She's learned to embrace her power to fly and is attempting to get back living her "regular life" and dealing with the challenges that come with that. However, things quickly take a turn as Faith's grandmother decides to move into an assisted living facility, the new journalism teacher seems a bit off, and Faith's nemesis, Colleen, reappears. It soon becomes obvious that Faith's senior year of high school will be far from normal as blasts from the past reappear and new challenges arise.
I did not read Taking Flight prior to reading Greater Heights, but managed to piece together enough backstory for the storyline to make sense. This book does a great job of promoting body positivity. Faith embraces her plus-size figure and remains fabulous. Murphy does a great job of portraying Faith as a "normal teenager" that just happens to have the power to fly. I would recommend this title to teenagers that are interested in action, adventure, and just a little bit of drama and romance.
#NetGalley #FaithGreatHeights #bookreview
December 31, 2022
This was a fun sequel to the first origin story about Faith Herbert, but it had some major flaws.
Spoilers....
1) it's ridiculous that Faith has absolutely no emotional growth from the first book in regards to being a good friend. She LITERALLY makes the exact same mistake. She's one of those girls who shuts out her friends as soon as she has a significant other in her life. She went emotionally MIA and kept Dakota a secret from her friends & thus didn't hang out with them in the first book, and she did the exact same thing again in this book.
It's a really ugly personality trait, tbh.
2) She leaves Aunt Lou at the end. I'm sorry, but if my one and only remaining relative is slowly losing her memory to dementia I'd never leave her and move halfway across the country. It's super selfish. And it squanders whatever remaining lucidity she has left. I'd wait a year or two until she was at the point of not remembering who Faith was anymore. We know that point is coming & the book made it obvious her dementia was escalating quicker than normal. Just wait it out.
The self-centeredness of her decision made me feel like Faith is a very shallow person. She she's friendly enough, but time after time, she proves she thinks first and foremost about herself.
Not very admirable.
Spoilers....
1) it's ridiculous that Faith has absolutely no emotional growth from the first book in regards to being a good friend. She LITERALLY makes the exact same mistake. She's one of those girls who shuts out her friends as soon as she has a significant other in her life. She went emotionally MIA and kept Dakota a secret from her friends & thus didn't hang out with them in the first book, and she did the exact same thing again in this book.
It's a really ugly personality trait, tbh.
2) She leaves Aunt Lou at the end. I'm sorry, but if my one and only remaining relative is slowly losing her memory to dementia I'd never leave her and move halfway across the country. It's super selfish. And it squanders whatever remaining lucidity she has left. I'd wait a year or two until she was at the point of not remembering who Faith was anymore. We know that point is coming & the book made it obvious her dementia was escalating quicker than normal. Just wait it out.
The self-centeredness of her decision made me feel like Faith is a very shallow person. She she's friendly enough, but time after time, she proves she thinks first and foremost about herself.
Not very admirable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2021
* Thanks to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! *
Going into this book, I did not realize it was a sequel! I requested it solely because I liked the cover and recognized the author. So when I began to read it I was a little confused. But using context clues I was able to power through the book and enjoyed reading it quite a bit.
My favorite part of this book was definitely the characters. Faith is a lovely protagonist. She has flaws and makes mistakes but ultimately she wants to do the right thing. Her friends and love interest are all good characters too. They have distinct personalities and complement Faith well.
Sometimes I felt like the story moved a little slowly for my taste. And then some things moved super fast which made them feel rushed in comparison.
Overall though I did enjoy this book. It was humorous and mysterious and had its fair share of heartfelt moments. Time for me to go read the first book in this duology! This wouldn't be the first time I've read a series out of order on accident. I highly recommend Faith: Greater Heights to any fans of superhero stories.
Going into this book, I did not realize it was a sequel! I requested it solely because I liked the cover and recognized the author. So when I began to read it I was a little confused. But using context clues I was able to power through the book and enjoyed reading it quite a bit.
My favorite part of this book was definitely the characters. Faith is a lovely protagonist. She has flaws and makes mistakes but ultimately she wants to do the right thing. Her friends and love interest are all good characters too. They have distinct personalities and complement Faith well.
Sometimes I felt like the story moved a little slowly for my taste. And then some things moved super fast which made them feel rushed in comparison.
Overall though I did enjoy this book. It was humorous and mysterious and had its fair share of heartfelt moments. Time for me to go read the first book in this duology! This wouldn't be the first time I've read a series out of order on accident. I highly recommend Faith: Greater Heights to any fans of superhero stories.
September 20, 2021
Faith Herbert is ready to end her senior year as normally as possible- or as normal as can be expected for a teenager who can fly and is compelled to help keep her community safe. Even this semblance of "normal" is disrupted though when her grandmother decides that her episodes of dementia have made it necessary to move into a facility where she can have around-the-clock care. Faith is not ready for this change, but will have to tackle it along with all the other challenges that keep cropping up- like the return of her maybe-girlfriend Dakota Ash.
Julie Murphy has created endearing characters that make you root for them throughout the book. This follow-up to Faith: Taking Flight was a great way to bring readers back into Faith's world. The mystery itself felt a little contrived, but I didn't even care because I love Murphy's writing. I will be adding this title to my school library when it comes out!
Julie Murphy has created endearing characters that make you root for them throughout the book. This follow-up to Faith: Taking Flight was a great way to bring readers back into Faith's world. The mystery itself felt a little contrived, but I didn't even care because I love Murphy's writing. I will be adding this title to my school library when it comes out!
July 11, 2021
Faith is back!
After uncovering a drug ring designed to find psiots, people with super powers, she’s still reeling with all the changes.
Her grandmother, Lou, is sinking deeper into dementia and may need more care than Faith is willing to admit.
When Lou considers a swanky retirement community, Faith’s suspicions are aroused by the owner and other things that just don’t add up.
Faith is left to navigate the final months of her senior year living solo. She’s struggling to figure out mysterious happenings involving fire, the sudden reappearance and changes in Colleen Bristow who disappeared last fall, other surprise guests, her future and more.
Faith is a truly enjoyable character. She is flawed like people are and still figuring out who she is and what she wants. She loves deeply and tries to always fight for the good.
I received an advanced copy for review from NetGalley.
After uncovering a drug ring designed to find psiots, people with super powers, she’s still reeling with all the changes.
Her grandmother, Lou, is sinking deeper into dementia and may need more care than Faith is willing to admit.
When Lou considers a swanky retirement community, Faith’s suspicions are aroused by the owner and other things that just don’t add up.
Faith is left to navigate the final months of her senior year living solo. She’s struggling to figure out mysterious happenings involving fire, the sudden reappearance and changes in Colleen Bristow who disappeared last fall, other surprise guests, her future and more.
Faith is a truly enjoyable character. She is flawed like people are and still figuring out who she is and what she wants. She loves deeply and tries to always fight for the good.
I received an advanced copy for review from NetGalley.
November 10, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
Faith: Greater Heights picks up right where Faith: Taking Flight leaves off! This book is fun and exciting with teenage love, friendship, suspense, mystery, evil geniuses, and super powers! The story is engaging and keeps the reader guessing. I enjoyed following Faith as she solved a mystery as well as the heart-pounding anticipation of her blossoming romance with Dakota Ash, teen heartthrob. I enjoyed the tender moments of her time with her grandmother and I also wanted to see her find her place in the world. Faith is a strong, smart, caring main character and she proves herself over and over again as a friend, as a classmate, as a grand daughter and as a superhero. This is an uplifting read and quick read. I recommend this book to everyone!
Faith: Greater Heights picks up right where Faith: Taking Flight leaves off! This book is fun and exciting with teenage love, friendship, suspense, mystery, evil geniuses, and super powers! The story is engaging and keeps the reader guessing. I enjoyed following Faith as she solved a mystery as well as the heart-pounding anticipation of her blossoming romance with Dakota Ash, teen heartthrob. I enjoyed the tender moments of her time with her grandmother and I also wanted to see her find her place in the world. Faith is a strong, smart, caring main character and she proves herself over and over again as a friend, as a classmate, as a grand daughter and as a superhero. This is an uplifting read and quick read. I recommend this book to everyone!
October 17, 2021
In this sequel to Faith: Taking Flight, it’s the end of senior year and Faith’s beloved guardian, Grandma Lou, is making arrangements to enter assisted living as her dementia worsens, so she can launch Faith into her post high school life without worries. Having discovered she is a psiot with the power of flight, Faith is hoping to finish school without drama and then investigate how she can use her superpower for good. When classmate and fellow psiot Colleen takes to starting fires all over town and ex-girlfriend Dakota reappears in her life, Faith must figure out who she can and cannot trust.
Plenty of action mixed with romance and testing friendship propel the cheerfully fantastic plot. Superhero fans will be especially pleased. EARC from Edelweiss.
Plenty of action mixed with romance and testing friendship propel the cheerfully fantastic plot. Superhero fans will be especially pleased. EARC from Edelweiss.
October 31, 2021
Faith is now in the last semester of her senior year of high school. She has told her best friends, Matt and Ches, everything that happened to her last summer and showed them her powers. Grandma Lou has decided that she needs to go to assisted living sooner than planned, and an old flame gives her a place in his exclusive and expensive senior community. Just as things seem to be getting back to normal, Dakota reappears in Faith's life. Apparently, Margaret was not the boss behind A+, so Faith does some investigating to find Dr. Silk. Things get crazy with the reemergence of Colleen and a hot substitute journalism teacher. Faith must ultimately decide what she wants to do with her future. #FaithGreaterHeights #NetGalley
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