Tag: middle grade fantasy

REVIEW: No One Leaves the Castle by Christopher Healy

REVIEW: No One Leaves the Castle by Christopher Healy

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free, electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Walden Pond Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

The Emerald Axe of Angbar has been stolen from Baron Angbar, and he thinks Runar the sorcerer has stolen it. So he sends a servant to hire a bounty hunter. The servant hires “the Lilac” after hearing a bard sing about her accomplishments – only to find out that the Lilac is a teenaged girl. The Lilac, and bard/best friend Netta, are hoping to make a name for themselves – and finding the Emerald Axe would be a great way to do that!

Unfortunately for the Lilac, the axe returns on its own, and the Baron weasels out of paying her. But at least she and Netta will get a fancy dinner out of their trip to the castle.

When the axe goes missing again, Runar magically seals the whole castle until the axe is found and he is cleared of suspicion once and for all. And he wants the Lilac to find the real thief!

But then Runar is found dead, and the Lilac’s first case goes from solving a theft to solving a murder.

Review

This was a treat to read from start to finish. The voice and fun-but-chaotic story reminded me why Christopher Healy’s The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom has long been a favorite. In fact, reading this made me want to pick that book up again some time soon. The Lilac and Netta are a fantastic team – I would love to read more stories about their adventures together.

Nearly everyone in this book is hiding a secret, so there’s a LOT to uncover here besides a thief and a murderer. But each reveal keeps the frantic pace of the story up – and I loved that high energy. It made me want to get right back to the book each time I had to put it down.

I would absolutely read this again. This would make for a high-energy classroom read-aloud. Kids will beg for one more chapter. For the same reason, it would be a fun bedtime read, too. I think reading groups would get a kick out of digging into this mystery, too. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: Eowulf: Of Monsters and Middle School by Mike Cavallaro

REVIEW: Eowulf: Of Monsters and Middle School by Mike Cavallaro

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Eowulf is back from a summer of monster hunting and adventuring, and it puts her regular kid life in a new light. It also changes her thinking about the town black sheep, Amadeus Hornburg. When Eowulf befriends Amadeus, her D&D friends pull away, telling her to choose between him or them.

When a monster attacks Eowulf and Amadeus outside his house, Eowulf discovers her parents have been keeping secrets from her that could change her understanding of her friends, Amadeus, and even her herself.

Review

This was spectacular! I knew it was a spin-off of the Nico Brave series, but I struggled to connect with those stories. But I clicked with Eowulf immediately in this. I loved this nuanced friendship story with fun fantasy elements. The artwork is great, and the story was captivating. I hope Eowulf will have more adventures in the future – I will absolutely be watching for more!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: The Night Librarian by Christopher Lincoln

REVIEW: The Night Librarian by Christopher Lincoln

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Dial Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Twins Page and Turner love going to the New York Public Library. In fact, one day they take their father’s rare copy of Dracula to the library for some research.  Page feels like their dad spends more time with his collection than he does with his kids. Taking his book feels like “revenge.” But when the rare – and expensive – book CRAWLS away and disappears in the library, the twins need help.

They meet the Night Librarian and discover that books, especially old books, have magic. And their characters can sometimes leave their stories! And Dracula, and others, have done just that.

Page and Turner team up with some other book characters to see if they can find the escapees, especially Dracula, before their parents get home.

Review

I loved the artwork in this graphic novel, and the magical library premise is a lot of fun. I was frustrated at times, though, when the main plot – the lost book and escaped characters – took a long backseat to establishing the world building. In addition to significant world building, the author is also trying to establish the character dynamics for the twins and their parents. It’s an ambitious undertaking. I loved it in principle, but didn’t always like it in execution.

Page is hard to like, and Turner’s negative self-talk and low self-opinion even makes him hard to root for at times. The escaped book characters are mostly fun, and the choices of books to highlight in the story were good. There’s one moment where the storytelling hits a hiccup – a twist in the story that is “told” rather than “shown.” It felt abrupt, and like a missed opportunity to develop Turner’s character a bit more. Thankfully, the final solution, while similar in it’s suddenness, was laid out in a more satisfying way.

So this was uneven for me in a lot of ways. Would I suggest it to kids? Sure. Graphic novel fans, book lovers, library lovers, and fantasy lovers may all find something enjoyable here. But I personally didn’t love it enough to pick up a sequel if there ever is one.

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥ = Good, solid, fine

REVIEW: Punycorn by Andi Watson

REVIEW: Punycorn by Andi Watson

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Clarion Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book will release on Tuesday, November 14th.]

Summary

Punycorn lives in the land of Carbuncle which once vanquished evil and now enjoys peace. Punycorn trains like the other, majestic unicorns. But Punycorn is small and struggles at times.

Sir Ogre has received some magical “gauntlets” to help him defeat Carbuncle once and for all. He schedules his attack, but the unicorn fighting force is away on training maneuvers. Only Punycorn remains behind.

Punycorn is sent on a quest to assemble a Kinship of Heroes to help him save the day. But Sir Ogre has someone spying on Punycorn and trying to thwart his every move.

 

Review

What a fantastic adventure! I loved Punycorn and the Kinship. This is a great team, and I would definitely read more of their adventures. Good thing Punycorn and the Princess of Thieves is in the works!

For me this feels like a story in the vein of Max and the Midknights or Hilo – two graphic novel adventure series that I have adored! Fans of those series definitely should check this book out. There’s a classic quest setup here but with a quirky “party” which I thoroughly enjoyed. The artwork here is fantastic – something readers are going to want to pour over. Classroom teachers with students who love graphic novels do not want to miss this one! Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Gina and the Last City on Earth by Judd Winick

REVIEW: Gina and the Last City on Earth by Judd Winick

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Hilo has been captured by the magical rulers of an alternate Earth. They want to prevent a prophecy that says two magical humans will take the Earth from them. And they believe those humans are Hilo’s friends.

Gina has connected with her ancestor, Regina, who has been serving as a magical guardian for ages. She has kept countless magical creatures from invading Earth. But with the arrival of Gina and her friends, Regina realizes things aren’t what they seem in her magical world.

Review

I wasn’t supposed to be reviewing this book today. I’m having a hard time catching up on my reading from the first of the year. But when the library notice came through that this was in my hold list, I dropped everything to read through it. This is one of my “ride or die” graphic novel series. And this entry did not disappoint.

I continue to be awed by how this funny, action-packed series can also deal with grief and loss so well. There’s just the right amount of heart-tugging  that comes from how much readers care about these characters. But that is well-balanced with the action and humor. Graphic novel fans should definitely start this series at the beginning – there’s just too much to catch up on if you were to jump in here. But it’s worth the time because this series is amazing. I already have book 10, Rise of the Cat, on my wish list for 2024.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Moon Rising by Tui T. Sutherland

REVIEW: Moon Rising by Tui T. Sutherland

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The War of Sandwing Succession is over and the Dragonets of Destiny have started a school so other dragons can learn about one another and old animosity might someday be overcome. But someone seems to be trying to cause trouble at the school – and commit murder. One Nightwing, Moon, has the legendary mindreading and prophecy gifts of her ancestors, so she’s getting clues about the culprit. But she’s afraid everyone will hate her if they find out what she can do.

Review

This is the graphic novel adaptation of the 6th novel in the Wings of Fire series. This kicks off my favorite arc of the series, and I was pleased with how this turned out. The artwork is gorgeous and does a great job with the story. But it’s still an adaptation of a larger story. This really whet my appetite to revisit the series again so I can enjoy the full experience.

Newcomers should probably start with book 1 to understand the references to the first arc, but I think this can stand alone. But to truly experience the story, I still think the full middle grade novel is the best bet. This graphic novel can be a great introduction for newcomers to the story, and it can also be a great visual experience for readers who already love the novel.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Map of Flames by Lisa McMann

REVIEW: The Map of Flames by Lisa McMann

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Louis was the only “parent” the kids had known for years. While he was Brix and Birdie’s biological father, he’d filled the role for Tenner, Seven, and Cabot too when their parents had not returned.

Three of the superpowered adults had left the island first, in search of supplies. When no one heard from them, four more left as well. And now Louis is dead, leaving the five kids alone.

Birdie’s father left her a map and told her to find her mother. Her ability to talk to animals would be an asset in the journey. But some of the kids don’t want to leave the only home they’ve ever known – and risk anyone back in Estero City discovering they have powers. But Birdie can’t resist the pull of finding out what happened to their missing parents. They all want to know why they’ve been left alone, forgotten, all this time.

Review

I was captivated by the start of this one, but after a few chapters of the kids alone on the island, the book started to drag. I think this is something tricky about first books in a new fantasy series. There’s a lot of world-building and character introduction to do, and it can feel slow.

Section 2 of the book picks up with some danger situations. And section 3 was great. I was all in by the end. There are some nice twists and tons of unanswered questions to carry readers to book 2 in the Forgotten Five series – The Invisible Spy (November 2022).

Fans of fantasy stories like McMann’s other series – The Unwanteds, Going Wild, etc. – will find a lot to connect to. And I’d encourage readers to push through section 1 if they feel things are starting to slow down. It’s worth it to stick with the story. The ending is easily a 4 or 4.5 star adventure. (Grief and loss)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +

REVIEW: The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy by Anne Ursu

REVIEW: The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy by Anne Ursu

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Walden Pond Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Marya has grown up in the shadow of her two brothers – the younger brother who died and the older brother, Luka, destined to be a great sorcerer who protects their kingdom. But when Luka’s magical assessment doesn’t go as planned, and Marya is blamed for everything that went awry, she is taken to Dragomir Academy. While Marya’s not sure exactly what it means to go to a school for “troubled” girls, no one in her family seems inclined to try to stop it.

Once she’s there, Marya’s curiosity leads her to ask questions – and those questions only lead to more trouble.

Review

It’s hard to talk about this one because a lot of the punch and power comes from the whole. To talk about it with someone who hasn’t read it would ruin it for them.

In some ways, this went exactly where I expected it to go. But it went farther – almost to a bleak and disturbing place. Not disturbing like the content is bad, but disturbing like it holds a mirror up to things we might want to pretend don’t exist. If readers will let it, this book will force them to look unflinchingly at some things. And I encourage it. Take it in – see and hear what the story has to say. Sit with it and then ask yourself what you’re going to do with what you’ve seen.

I know this is written with middle grade readers in mind. But I’d love to hand this to a group of high school girls and talk with them about it. I think their take on the story, with a little distance from being Marya’s age, would be fascinating. It also would be interesting to talk about this with other adult women.

I highly recommend this one, especially for book groups because this begs to be discussed with other readers. (TW: Gaslighting)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Thornwood by Leah Cypess

REVIEW: Thornwood by Leah Cypess

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Delacorte Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

If you went by the standard fairy tales, you might think Sleeping Beauty was an only child. After all, she’s the focus of the story and all you hear about. But Rosalin – Sleeping Beauty – has a younger sister, Briony.

On Rosalin’s 16th birthday, she’s supposed to prick her finger on a spinning wheel and sleep for 100 years along with the rest of the castle. And Briony remembers the start of that day. But when she wakes up in the tower with a spinning wheel and a fairy, she has no memory of the birthday or what happened to Rosalin or the kingdom.

While the prince is there when Briony wakes up, and he wakes Rosalin with a kiss, the Thornwood surrounding the castle is as robust as ever, even trying to grab Briony and pull her in. But when she starts to work on a plan to get out of the castle, Briony discovers that nothing is what she expected – not the curse or the castle or the prince.

Review

This was so fun! I’ve read other “fractured” or re-imagined fairy tales (I love them!), and this one felt fresh and had some nice twists to it.

I liked Briony and her friend Edwin. I found the repeated dismissals of Briony by her family and others in the castle to be frustrating. It fits with the kids fiction emphasis on protagonists who save themselves, which I love. But this felt cruel, and I didn’t like it for Briony.

The reaction of the other folks in the castle to their plight was a clever piece of this story. I don’t want to give anything away, but it was probably my favorite feature. It’s a great example of what makes this story feel fresh and different.

Fans of The Wide Awake Princess series, The Hamster Princess series, The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom, and other fractured fairy tales should not miss this one! This is the first book in a new series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Gina: The Girl Who Broke the World by Judd Winick

REVIEW: Gina: The Girl Who Broke the World by Judd Winick

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Random House Children’s in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This post contains SPOILERS for the Hilo series.]

Summary

In the final battle with Razorwark, Izzy gave all her energy to Hilo. And now DJ, Hilo, and Gina are still missing their friend. Hilo is adjusting to his new existence as a human (with some… extra features). And Gina doesn’t want to do magic or be a hero any more. She understands the risks all too well now.

But magical creatures keep showing up on Earth. And Gina is the only one who can see them. They are hunting beings known as the Nestor. And Gina is torn between protecting the Nestor and giving up magic for good.

Review

This is book 7 in the Hilo series, but it launches a new story arc. And Gina is the star, which is awesome! This was exceptional. I have loved this series from the beginning (The Boy Who Crashed to Earth – ♥♥♥♥♥). I loved how the author gave space in an action-packed, funny book for the kids to also grieve the losses from their last adventure. It doesn’t overwhelm this story, but it’s also not rushed either. Those scenes were beautiful – and necessary. Hilo fans will appreciate the acknowledgement of the six book journey that has already taken place.

There’s a nice summary in the book of those adventures so that new readers have some context for what’s going on with Gina and Hilo in this book. I think new readers will be able to track this story, but I also think they will want to go back and get the full Hilo experience.

I LOVE the characters in this series. Gina really gets to shine here which was excellent. I was thrilled when I finished book 6, All the Pieces Fit (♥♥♥♥♥) and saw that the new book was going to feature Gina. DJs sister, Lisa, whom I adore, also gets to join the gang for this adventure. The family pieces in this – DJs family, his older brother who comes to stay with the kids, Gina’s sisters – are a hoot! This series is truly exceptional.

The ending of this is quite the twisty cliffhanger. This is especially painful because it looks like we will be waiting a year for the follow up (and I read this book in November of 2020, so I have had an even longer wait already!). But every book has been worth the wait. Do not miss this series, and this new story arc launch starring Gina! (TW: Grief/loss)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

 

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