The Secrets of Solace    by Jaleigh Johnson Order:  USA  Can Delacorte, 2016 (2016) Hardcover, CD, e-Book     Reviewed by Ricki Marking-Camuto Jaleigh Johnson returns to the world of Solace with her second novel, The Secrets of Solace. Although it is set in the same world as The Mark of the Dragonfly, it can be read as a standalone. Ever since her parents died, Lina Winterbock has felt alone in the Archeivers stronghold of Ortana. Basically ignored by her mentor, Zara, who is busy helping refugees from the war between the Merrow Kingdom and the Dragonfly Territories, Lina spends her time investigating all of the ventilation shafts and abandoned passages of Ortana. Her curiosity leads her to two major discoveries: an airship unlike any that she has ever seen, and Ozben, the youngest prince of the Merrow Kingdom. The two will have to work together if they want to get the airship working ... and save all of Solace. Unlike The Mark of the Dragonfly, The Secrets of Solace did feel like a middle grade novel, which did not help with the pacing. There were too many feel-good moments and moments of self-discovery that took away from the adventure. However, the story was still enjoyable, Lina and Ozben were fun characters, and the action passages did fly by. Solace is a very creative world full of fantasy, science fiction, and steampunk, and I hope Jaleigh Johnson continues to visit it. The Secrets of Solace is a good addition and helps flesh out the world even more. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Teens books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews