The Golden Frog Games is the sequel to Witchlings, and the second book in Claribel A. Ortega’s ongoing Witchlings series.
[Look out—there are spoilers for book 1 below!]
Being one of the most famous Spares in the Twelve Towns is a lot to live up to. Especially for Seven, who’s heralded not just as the Spare who defeated the Nightbeast but as the future Town Uncle—a Town Uncle who, despite all her best efforts, can hear the voices of dangerous monstruos far louder than the animals that are supposed to be speaking to her. But ever since she, Valley, and Thorn made history as the first true Spare coven, they’ve been the face of all the Spares in the Twelve Towns. And Seven is sure that admitting she’s failing at her most basic Uncle duties is exactly what the growing number of anti-Spare agitators need to prove that Spares were always supposed to be powerless.
Amid a rise in anti-Spare sentiment, Seven hopes that the Golden Frog Games—an anticipated tournament where the Twelve Towns compete in everything from frog racing to magical clothing—will allay the worst of the tension, thanks to Seven’s covenmate and friend Thorn being a prime contender in the costura division. But when a fellow competitor is turned to stone, with Thorn the prime suspect, it’s up to Seven, Valley, and Thorn to find the hexer before they hurt anyone else.
I loved Witchlings, so I was super excited for the sequel—and it didn’t disappoint! Brimming with quirky worldbuilding, humor, and adventure, I didn’t want to put this story down. As before, the characters are awesome—Seven, Thorn, and Valley are one of my favorite literary trios, both for their individual personalities and the way they interact with each other. They feel like such a natural group of friends, and I love reading about them! The new cast was also great (I particularly liked Graves), always bringing energy and quirkiness to the narrative. I particularly loved seeing Seven and her friends stand up to anti-Spare prejudice in this book, and her struggle and determination in the face of it; realistic and thoughtful, it helped make the world of Witchlings come alive. I highly recommend The Golden Frog Games (and the Witchlings series) to readers ages ten and up.