Sam Subity

Disclaimer: I received a free ARC of this book (generously, hard-cover and signed).

Iris, a young girl from England, has befriended a dragon despite the lingering animosity of her town after driving the other dragons away. When her brother enlists to fight the Nazis in France, she has to figure out how she can ensure his safe return. However, the dragon, Galahad, has been taken captive by a military leader in her town with the threat that, if he does not prove useful for the war effort, he show more will be killed.

Valor Wings is impressively well-written and kept me on the edge of my seat. I am not sure what the target age demographic is meant to be but, while still obviously containing violent themes, the author avoided anything graphic. I assume it was written for people around middle school age. However, the writing really impressed me on multiple occasions and, while there is a bit of childish simplicity in many places, it was still a fun read as an adult. The characters are likeable and believable, and I really cared about what happened to them all in the story. [ Therefore, while I usually lean toward books with less satisfying endings, I enjoyed how neatly everything was tied up by the end. (hide spoiler)] Every part of the plot was sufficiently built up without the book being very long. I definitely recommend this book for a younger audience as long as the parents are okay with war themes, but it is still a fun read for any adults looking for something easy.

Writing: 5
Characters: 5
Plot: 5
Setting: 4
Enjoyment: 5 show less

The Last Shadow Warrior is a fast-paced, fun, and dynamic loose retelling of Beowulf. 12-year-old Abby is the descendant of a long line of Viking warriors, whose powers have yet to manifest themselves, yet she's drawn into a quest to fight Grendel, a monster from Viking myths, while unraveling the mystery of her mother's death and saving her father from a coma-like illness. Set in a mysterious Academy, she makes friends with unlikely allies and embarks on a swashbuckling adventure with both show more humor and heart. A must-read! show less

I loved this thrilling, adventurous historical fantasy reimagining the evacuation of Dunkirk with dragons. Sam Subity has crafted a compelling story with brave girls and boys fighting for their country and their families, while using their ingenuity and empathy, and friendship with dragons. What more could a reader ask for? I highly recommend it.