Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow

The continuing saga of the Nevermoor series. More magic, adventure and intrigue follow Morrigan and her friends as they begin their first year in the Wundrous Society. Excellent middle grade fantasy series! ( )

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

I really enjoyed the first book, Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (read my review here), and have been looking forward to the sequel for months! There's a lot of world-building in the first book (which was a little overwhelming at the start), but it didn't take long for me to fall in love with the story! I had no trouble with Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow, and happily fell back down the rabbit hole.

All of the characters are fantastic! Morrigan is really relatable, and I think she's a wonderful representation of children her age. She didn't have the easiest life pre-Nevermoor, but she worked hard to find her place in a new world. However, despite all of her efforts, trouble finds Morrigan and her friends. It wasn't what I expected, which only made things more interesting!

I love that the world felt like another character that was developed over time -- truly amazing! Nevermoor is full of secrets and magic just waiting to be discovered! (Confession: I read this on my own before reading it to my son. I couldn't wait to dive back into story, and finished the entire book in just a few hours.)

I absolutely adore the world Jessica Townsend has created, and I really hope there will be more books in the future. I'm sure Morrigan still has an adventure or two to go on! The ending definitely left room for more. Also, Jupiter North might be my favorite person in the world! I love that he calls Morrigan "Mog" as a nickname, and the way he's so fiercely protective of her. He's everything an adult should be, and just an amazing person in general.

This is definitely a series I would recommend to everyone! It's fun, magical, and something you'll be thinking about for days after you turn the last page!

Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on November 19, 2018. ( )

This summary contains spoilers for the first book in the series. Read at your own risk.

Morrigan has successfully made it into the Wundrous Society but her abilities as a Wundersmith leave her feeling like as much of an outsider as she ever has. Most of the fellow members of her unit view her with suspicion that isn't helped by the rash of disappearances by various members of the Society. With Morrigan's patron, Jupiter North, drawn into the investigation, she feels particularly alone as she grapples with just what being a Wundersmith actually means.

A really solid second entry in this series that had me pleased although a bit anxious to move on to the next book in the series. Morrigan's challenges with her classes felt like they dragged on a bit longer than really necessary although there's plenty of other events going on that keep the novel from dragging or feel like it's wallowing in Morrigan's worries and envy too much. We slowly get to know some of the other members of Morrigan's unit and while I still haven't got a handle on all nine, I'm getting a stronger feel for at least half of them. Also, Jupiter North remains completely book crushworthy. A satisfying read for those who enjoyed the first book in the series. ( )

Morrigan thought it would be so simple once she was accepted into the Wundrous Society. She would have a place in the world, a purpose, and eight friends who would stick as close as family. She would learn how to use her astonishing abilities. Of course, nothing goes as expected...

This book was just as good as the previous one, with tantalizing hints of future wonders and complexities. I could hardly put it down, and I’m itching to pick up the next one (if only it were published)! For those hesitant to start an unfinished series, let me reassure you that there’s no cliffhanger here — this book’s plot wraps up satisfactorily, though of course there are plenty of hints about future adventures. ( )

Morrigan Crow starts to experience her powers as a Wondersmth while navigating the magical and unusual world of Nevermoor. A series which can be enjoyed by adults as well as children. ( )