Greta will be released on September 10, 2024.

The world around Greta is changing far too quickly for her to keep up. Between an upcoming move, entering middle school, and her longtime best friend, Lotti, getting distracted by boys, Greta feels left behind by the fierce, never-ending changes around her that she doesn’t feel part of. When a boy finally takes notice of her, she thinks maybe this is her chance to become part of this incomprehensible new world. But instead, she’s left shattered, scared, and even more lost than before.

As she struggles to put words to what’s happened to her, even to Lotti, Greta starts to change, in ways utterly different than everyone around her. But while her newfound differences are looked at askance by those around her, for Greta, they’re a way to become herself at last: to find beauty, and freedom, with a kind of change that finally feels right.

If you like straightforward, predictable stories with familiar characters and beats to provide escapism and a quick laugh, Greta is absolutely not something you’ll want to read. But if you’re more like me—someone who enjoys deep, thoughtful, and fundamentally unexpected stories—I highly recommend this book.

I finished this book a week ago now, and I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve thought about Greta every day during that time period. I’ve read hundreds, maybe thousands, of middle-grade books, and I can think of few others that possess the same combination of incredible oddity and incredible humanity.

It took me several chapters to get into the story, as the uncanny, almost surreal aspects of it only begin appearing once Greta’s normal life is established. However, I was so interested in the premise that I didn’t even consider stopping reading, and it definitely lived up to that. The whole story has a dreamlike quality overlayed on a fundamentally realistic portrayal of middle school which gave it a truly unique atmosphere, and I particularly loved how the characters, including Greta, responded to the changes in her life.

Greta is the rare book that truly leaves you with more questions and answers, and yet imparts such a fundamental sense of peace and well-being that you can’t help but feel satisfied after finishing it. I highly recommend Greta to readers ages eleven and up, particularly those who enjoy unique and thought-provoking stories.

​An e-ARC of this book was provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Impossible Creatures will be released in the US on September 10, 2024.

When Christopher fishes a griffin out of a mysterious lake, he hardly expects an even more remarkable girl to follow it. But Mal does just that—and she needs his help.

Mal and the griffin are from the Archipelago, a hidden pocket of magic in the modern world where creatures out of storybooks thrive. Despite its glorious possibilities, though, not all is well in the Archipelago; magic is vanishing, and the creatures that rely on it to survive are vanishing too. Mal is determined to uncover what’s going wrong, and to do that, she needs Christopher.

Together, they traverse the islands in search of an answer to the waning magic, which will require not just human allies but aid from the Archipelago’s hidden creatures to uncover. But when the cost to cure the islands is revealed to be one Mal and Christopher may not be willing to pay, they must rely upon all their wits—and their friendship with one another—to save the Archipelago, and the world, before the damage becomes irreversible.

Impossible Creatures effortlessly calls to mind the character-driven, worldbuilding portal fantasies that made me fall in love with middle-grade fantasy to begin with, while balancing a plot original enough that I never was even tempted to roll my eyes at a cliché turn of phrase or twist. Recalling elements of, at turns, The Neverending Story, The Book of Three, and The Dark is Rising, all accompanied by a set of gorgeous illustrations that made me think of Greenwild, I’ll definitely be recommending this beautiful, timeless story.

To be honest, I was a bit skeptical of reviews that heralded Impossible Creatures as a modern classic, but within a few pages I understood immediately what they meant. Rundell’s writing is absorbing and immersive, with the kind of open, uncomplicated prose that makes it easy to get lost in without even realizing it. I really loved the cast, particularly Mal and Nighthand, whose dimensionality helped make the whole world feel more believable. I was a bit startled by the ending, but the promise of a series makes me believe that my initial reaction will be thoroughly resolved in later books.

Overall, I highly recommend Impossible Creatures to readers ages ten and up who are looking for a new fantasy series to obsess themselves with, or anyone who loves a good fantasy story with well-thought-out characters and twists.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed here are my own.

By Nico

The Night Compass is the fourth book in the ongoing Wilderlore series; it is preceded by The Accidental Apprentice (book 1), The Weeping Tide (book 2), and The Ever Storms (book 3).

After the death—or murder—of the Tundra’s Keeper, Barclay and his friends head straight there to investigate. But it’s soon clear that far more is afoot: Audrian Keyes is on track to find Navrashtya, the missing Legendary Beast of the Tundra, and the only way to stop him is to find her before he does.

Alongside a team of talented Lore Keepers, Barclay and his friends set out for the unmapped northern regions of the Tundra, searching for any hint of Navrashtya. But Barclay soon finds his own way to track the Beast—a mysterious wild lore that no one else can feel…no one else, that is, except Audrian Keyes.

As they draw closer to Navrashtya and Barclay struggles to control the wild lore, he and his friends must stop Keyes before he deals irreversible damage to the Tundra—and shakes their confidence in the world they’re all determined to protect.

I’ve loved every book in the Wilderlore series, and The Night Compass was no exception. The halfway point is where too many series falter, but Wilderlore does the opposite here; it feels as though Foody has hit her stride in this series and with these characters, and I can’t wait to see where it goes next. Fast-paced, multifaceted, and with Foody’s trademark incredible worldbuilding, I sped through this book and was left wishing book five—and books six and seven, for that matter—had already been released.

The characters, as always, are awesome. At this point in the series I feel like I know all of them so well, which gives each of them the opportunity to grow and change and connect with each other in unexpected ways. In particular, I need to give a shout-out to Yasha and Keyes, and the developing relationships between both of them and Barclay. The twist with the wild lore is truly brilliant, and not only does it add extra depth to Barclay’s character, it gives Yasha and Keyes so much more complexity—and dangerousness.

I also loved this chance to dig more deeply into the world of Wilderlore. The journey through the Tundra puts Barclay and his friends closely in touch with the wilderland even without the addition of wild lore, and I can’t wait to learn more about this world in the next few books. I highly recommend The Night Compass (and the entire Wilderlore series) to readers ages ten and up, particularly anyone who loves multi-part fantasy series and fast-paced narratives. 

By Nico

For Ty, getting through the day means standing up to a couple of middle school bullies, not defeating a magical dictator. But that’s before he follows a crow through a portal that leads him to Arcania—a parallel world where magic is not just real, but expected.

At first, it seems a dream come true, but there's a catch: for years now, Arcania has been ruled by Emperor Blackthorn, whose army of sorcerers and crows keeps down any dissent. An emperor who, as soon as he learns of Ty's presence in Arcania, will hunt him down.

Alongside Ayslenne, a girl from his school whose constant talk of magic makes much more sense now that he knows she's Arcanian, Ty sets off to find a way to get home—and save Ayslenne's brother, who was abducted by Blackthorn's crows. But as he learns more about Arcania, and his place within it, Ty finds himself questioning whether he can turn his back on this world so easily, and if he might be the one who can change everything.

River of Crows is a great read for fantasy lovers who are just beginning to fall in love with the genre. Though set primarily in another world, the story felt very accessible to readers less used to complex fantasy worlds. Following along with many familiar tropes—tyrannical ruler, Chosen One prophecy, portal fantasy—allows the details of Arcania to stand out without becoming confusing or convoluted, and helps keep readers engaged. That said, because of these tropes I believe people who frequently read fantasy might find it a little harder to get into. I particularly enjoyed the character relationships in River of Crows; the conflict between Ayslenne and Ty, as well as the supporting cast, made everyone feel more realistic. I recommend River of Crows to readers eight and up who are looking for a fast-paced, accessible fantasy series starter. 

Thank you to N P Thompson for sending an e-copy in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own. 

By Nico

The Last Ice Phoenix is the second book in the ongoing Heroes of Havensong series by Megan Reyes, which began with Dragonboy.

After a face-off with Chancellor Cudek that nearly destroyed the Meraki’s island, the four friends heralded as the Heroes of Havensong should be ready to face whatever comes next. Instead, with Blue stuck in a deep slumber, Wren on the verge of exile, River dreaming of her lost home, and Shenli struggling to come to terms with his new life, the four are more fractured than ever.

But Chancelor Cudek isn’t interested in giving them time to regroup, and events have already been set in motion. Back on the mainland under Cudek’s thumb, Shenli must grapple with his own history—and his priorities—to choose a path that will alter the course of the future. After exile by the Meraki elders, Wren finds herself among strangers whose secrets might be the key to unlocking Cudek’s weakness. And when an unexpected sickness sweeps across Meraki Island, Blue and River must seek out the last ice phoenix to provide a crucial piece of the remedy—even if neither is quite sure that they’re heroes after all.

There’s nothing I love more than a fabulous sequel that lives up entirely to the expectations set by the first book. The Last Ice Phoenix does this exactly. Although it took me a bit to dig into this story, probably because it’s been close to a year since I read the first book, before long I truly couldn’t put it down. A fast-paced plot, fascinating worldbuilding, and great characters have made this series one I’ll keep highly recommending, especially to fans of series like Wilderlore or Septimus Heap.

It’s often hard to get to know all the characters when a book is told from multiple points of view, but especially in this book I felt like I was able to connect with Blue, Wren, River and Shenli all so deeply. I particularly love how the characters—particularly Shenli—have some of the most developed and thoughtful character arcs I’ve read in this genre lately. Although this book often stepped into more intense territory, placing it solidly in upper middle-grade, I felt that it was essential to turning what easily could’ve been a predictable story into one with so many unique twists and characters that I can’t believe I’ll have to wait another year for book 3! I highly recommend the Heroes of Havensong series to readers ages eleven and up.