I tried multiple times to explain why I would not be offering feedback on this title. For whatever reason, that option is not available. I tried multiple times to read it, but never got further than the first 30 pages — not enough to give constructive criticism. It just never clicked.

This book was an absolute delight. Despite starting slow, I was quickly sucked into Drift and Rook's world. The mystery about why they and the other exiles were sent to the Talhaven kept me intrigued throughout the novel. The lush descriptions of Talhaven and Rook and Drift's powers added so much to the story as well. I also loved the relationship between Drift, Rook and Fox. It was so sweet and refreshing to read about a found family.

For days after I was finished, I thought about Rook and her friends. I haven't heard word about a sequel yet but I would love if there were one. I feel like Rook's story isn't finished and there's so much to enjoy in this world Jaleigh Johnson has created.

In The Door to the Lost, readers follow Rook & Drift through the land of Talhaven as they brave many adventures and pass through dangerous and increasingly curious doors. Jaleigh Johnson crafts a fun, poignant read that reminds readers that, often, it's the most unexpected doors that lead us home.

I loved this book! The full review will be posted soon at kaitgoodwin.com/books! Thank you very much for this wonderful opportunity to connect books to their readers!

Thanks Netgalley for giving me a free copy!

The Door to the Lost follows Rook and her friend Drift as they fight the prejudices of their new world and work their magic. The cover for this is gorgeous and I was immediately drawn into the premise.

However, I personally found it a little difficult to connect with the characters, and I can't decide if that is because of the omniscient third person (which sometimes felt like a lot of telling) or if there is another reason. I think part of my struggle was that this book holds such a vast and obviously well-developed world--but there's so much being introduced in every chapter that sometimes I felt overwhelmed by information when I should have been investing in characters.

Others have raved about the characters, though, so this could just be me.

I think middle grade readers who enjoy fantasy adventures would like this!

Ever since the explosion years ago the people of Talhaven have been losing magic and have been fearful of the children who were trapped in Talhaven as a result. All Rook and Drift want is to find a way to get back to their homes and also get their memories back. When the meet an adult from their world they think she will help them get back but this woman has other plans. Will Rook and Drift be able to find their way back and will doing so destroy the home they have?
This was a decent fantasy - of course, fantasy isn't always my favorite and this isn't as good as Mark of the Dragonfly in my opinion but it was pretty good.

I been a fan of Jaleigh Johnson since i read mark of the butterfly and all the amazing books in the world of solace so when i saw a new fantasy middle grade adventure i of course needed to read it. Their fantastic world building going on in this book and wonderful mystery surrounding our wonderful characters Rook and Drift. I felt for them being exiles in a world that has lost it grip on magic and being the only ones with it and not remembering their home land. I was caught up in the story and made for a fast read. It currently slated as a stand alone but i want more from this world and i hope we get more.

**I am grateful to the publisher for allowing me to review this book. My opinions are my own.**

Imagine magic simply disappearing, with a bang and a ship carrying children who have lost their memories. What do you do? How do you continue? And what might be the cause of such a fallout? Part Oz with all the makings of its own classical tale, The Door to the Lost brings both sorcery and steampunk to a whole new level. I enjoyed the characters, world, and believe both young and old alike will become enraptured in the adventure that ensues.

4.5/5 Stars

First of all, a huge thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Jaleigh Johnson for the opportunity to read this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Jaleigh Johnson's new novel for younger readers, The Door to the Lost, is an amazing gem among fantasy novels for younger readers. From what I can tell, it is a stand-alone, but there are potential opportunities for future adventures with the characters...maybe?

This book contains multiple worlds/dimensions, and in Talhaven, magic suddenly disappeared. In Vora, a magical war leads to the adult wizards sending their children to Talhaven. Hundreds of children find themselves in a world they don't know with no memories of their names or families, but they all have different magical abilities. As these exiles learn to control and use their abilities, the people of Talhaven want to use them for their own needs, since the society that so heavily relies on magic can no longer replenish their own magical resources.

Since the children cannot remember their birth names, they each give themselves their own names, often based on their abilities. The main character of this story, Rook, is able to open gateways to any place in the world...just not to other worlds, like her homeland of Vora. But her doorways keep opening up to the same place against her best efforts, and she can't seem to find out why. Her best friend, Drift, can use magic to fly, manipulating wind currents and air in various ways. The two aim to live a simple life in seclusion until two things happen: a giant magical Fox appears, and an adult wizard claiming to need their help to save the town the children temporarily occupy. 

I vastly enjoyed this book, and for 304 pages, it goes by in a flash! The story is told from Rook's third person limited perspective, and her age resonates with a young adult. Readers both middle grade and high school will find enjoyment in the magic and adventure found in this book. It also deals with the thematic ideas of finding one's own identity and what family means. A book that I would like to have in my classroom, this is a great read for a young adult audience.

Following Rook on her adventure was exhilarating, and despite the fact that this is definitely a conclusive volume, I wouldn't mind seeing further adventures with these characters. Even if you are beyond the years of middle or high school, if you like a quick read and are a lover of fantasy, put this one on your list! This is a must-read book for all ages!

A very interesting take on magic with a sprinkle of science fiction (multiverse). It's rather short, which can be good or bad, and does seem to move at a fast pace. For the age group it targets, it hits some important lessons about friendship, trust, and believing in yourself. While it ends nicely, I do hope for another book and answers to questions that aren't important to the story, but my curiosity needs!

Rook and Drift are two best friends with particular magical skills trying to survive in a world that doesn’t trust magic after an incident that caused mass destruction and left behind “the exiles”, children from a world full of magic. Rook, our MC, can open doorways to wherever, or she could if she had a better hold of her magic. She, along with Drift who can create winds and fly/float/fall with style, use their skill sets to stay ahead of those who don’t want them around. After one memorable incident she accidentally opens a door that lets in Fox, an exile, a boy who can shift into fox form and uses shadows.
One day they come across a woman who claims to come from the same world they did, an adult who survived, and tells them they can use their magic to save this world and return to their own. Tempting of course, but these things are never easy and the truth less so.
It’s a fun magical ride. I loved the relationship between Rook and Drift and how easily Fox fell into their dynamic.
Fun fast read. Recommend fo someone looking to add some magic to their reading.

Rook and Drift are exiles, forced to live in hiding because they possess magic from another world. Rook has the ability to open doors that will transport her to any place she can imagine, but when she opens a doorway to a mysterious snowy forest, a creature comes bounding into her life that will change her forever. Unable to trust anyone, hunted down by a government that hates their other-worldly magic, Rook and Drift try desperately to control the unreliable magic buzzing around their city. The magic of the world is poisoned and twisted, and only Rook and her friends have a chance at controlling the magic before it destroys their city.

I devoured this book, and was utterly fascinated with every scene! The characters, the world-building, the beautiful magic, the masterful writing, the adventure, the mysteries... I loved it all!

The world-building is incredibly imaginative! I loved the way the magic works, the deep history of the wizards from another world, and the poor exiled children stranded with no memory of their home. The whole scene unfolded before me in this wide tapestry of people and events and magical history.

The main characters are adorable and pitiful and strong, and my heart was wrenched for them in so many ways. Their miserable search for answers about their past lives made me very emotional, because aren't we all searching for the answer to that same question: "Who am I?"
The way the exiles desperately cling to one another and form a little family all their own was so touching and sweet. I was cheering for them, and crying for them, and laughing with them!
Rook is so dependent on Drift, two little girls trying to find a way to keep food in their mouths and shelter over their heads. Drift is smart and savvy, while Rook is the heart of the group. I just adore their friendship!

The adventure was glorious! Running, hiding, and barely escaping from the bad guys, then comes a big twist and everything is changed. The characters can hardly keep up with each new dangerous situation, and the reader is kept on their toes through every chapter. Even the quieter scenes were full of mystery and unanswered questions that kept me reading and reading into the wee hours.

I want to pick up more books by this author!

Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

★★★★☆

yes please thank you

+ THE COVER DELIVERED -- I GOT EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED FROM A BOOK WITH THAT COVER. THAT NEVER HAPPENS.

Ahem. All over the top excitement aside, I'm in love. I suppose there wasn't anything super duper exciting or magical about this book -- but I'm just very excited that I got pretty much exactly what I expected it when I picked it.

+ One of my favorite parts is that this has so many good little details that I feel like I found little, handwritten notes throughout the whole thing. Kinda like I was sitting next to a cozy fire while this book swept me away on an adventure.

+ Ok one of my favorite animals is a fox so I'm very much a fan of Fox (the character).

+ The plot was intriguing, entertaining, and pretty exceptionally well-paced. The author pulled off the whole moving-MC-away-from-group with grace. I was impressed because the group didn't stall despite no longer holding the narrative, but you could easily figure out what they had been doing while the narrative was following the MC.

+ I honestly wish that Kaz Brekker was in this universe because you can bet that Dirtyhands would have jobs for those kids.

+ There's a not-so-recent trend of pirates being awesome role models and it makes me very happy.

Please tell me I get to see more of that part in the next book (also, please let there be a next book).

+ I kept expecting people who made promises to die - which shows you what kind of books I've been reading lately! 

+ I could see pretty much all the little surprises coming, but I still loved them. And sometimes there were little twists on the twists which took me by surprise.

I'm so definitely going to recommend that my library order this book.


Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read this novel.

A BIG Thank You to NetGalley, Delacorte Books for Young Readers and Random House Children’s for providing me a copy of “The Door to the Lost” by Jaleigh Johnson in exchange for my review. Before I begin, I would like to say that I’m not a fantasy reader in any way. It’s not that I don’t enjoy it, but it takes quite some time for me to finish a fantasy novel. I prefer to read realistic fiction for the most part. Having said that, I selected this book in NetGalley because I LOVED the cover design! I am glad I selected it because Wow, this was a roller coaster of a read!

Let’s start off with the characters. For a fantasy adventure, the characters are down to Earth that we can relate to. All the three main characters, Rook, Drift and Fox have endearing qualities that make them naive and charming. I loved that we directly jump into the adventure and learn about the characters, instead of getting a proper introduction. My favorite character was Fox. He’s so adorable the moment he bumps into Rook and Drift! Even though he doesn’t have much of a dialogue, his ardent support throughout their journey makes him very memorable. I also loved the other exiles that the team meets in the ship, and wished they also had a backstory. The author has also written Dozana very well and you cannot help despise her for the crooked villain she is.

Now let’s talk about the story-line. From the get go, we travel with Rook as she tries to survive in the land of Talhaven. The whole book is action packed and there is never a dull moment in the story. There are some great suspenseful moment like when Rook and Drift hide in Mr. Baroman’s attic, or when Rook hears knocking on the other side of the door or when she gets trapped in the giant spider web. I really couldn’t predict what was going to happen next, and was completely engrossed in the book till the climax.

This is the first book I have read by Jaleigh Johnson, and I really like her style of writing. She beautifully blends the progression of the characters while keeping the fast pace of the story. My only question is, is this a standalone book or part of a series? The only part that could have been better was if the author provided more details of the characters and the history of the land. As much as I loved the story, I felt that the author cut down a lot to keep it in pace with a middle grade novel. Perhaps that is why I would love to read about more of these characters and hope there is a continuation. I want to pick out her “World of Solace” Series to see if that is equally good.

Overall, I completely enjoyed this book and give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Enjoyable read of an unusual society! Middle schoolers and high schoolers will probably really enjoy it! Kids being on the outs of society is a good theme for that age! Enjoyable!

Fantastic book. Great characters with awesome magic. I loved the MC, who grew a lot throughout the book. And I'm a sucker for orphans and magic, which this book definitely has.

The non stop action and character building and magic make this book hard to put down. The girls' friendship was very well done. I fell easily into the story, fearing for the orphans' everyday struggle to get by, and hoping the adults don't discover or betray them. Or that their magic could save them in time.

I highly recommend this book for middle grade and older readers.
Disclaimer: I received an advance copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Door to the Lost, by Jaleigh Johnson, is a magical fantasy that is packed with action and filled with heart. Written for middle-grade readers, it will delight young readers with its mixture of magic, adventure, strong young characters and well-built fantasy world. A page turner filled with excitement, this story wraps you in tightly with each turn of its doors.

In the world of Talhaven, magic is a tricky thing. It exists in pieces, hidden and often tainted - traded in black markets where, if caught with it, you could face serious consequences. No one knows this better than young orphans Rook & Drift, who live as exiles among the people of Talhaven, having lost their own home years before during a mysterious explosion. Rook & Drift take care of each other, trading their magical skills as a means to survive. Their names reflect their looks & powers - Drift can conjure and control wind, and Rook, who has the black & white hair of a Rook-bird, can draw doors that lead to other worlds.

Rook has been drawing doors for years as means to escape the constables and live on the run. But her ultimate goal is to draw the door that will lead her home, to the place where magic exists freely - and where the family she cannot remember may be waiting for her.

A book that kept me rapt in every heart-pounding chapter, this door turning story was a page-turner for me. A middle-grade fantasy that swept me up into magic and adventure, it is also a story of friendship and perseverance. Easily a 5 star read; I recommend this to readers young and old - and will be looking for more from this author.

This was a good read. The plot moved quickly and keep my students attention during a read aloud. The characters were great and had a lot of depth (at a kids level).I would put this in the class library and recommend it to students.

First of all, this cover is outstanding! I am really starting to think that Middle-Grade covers are designed better than Young Adult and by far more interesting! I really enjoyed this book and the characters! I was hooked from the time I read the blurb and I was not disappointed! Middle-grade books have really emerged into the light and seem to be bursting with possibilities!
This magical world is so easy to fall into and will leave the reader wanting more! The MCs Drift and Rook find themselves exiled in an unforgiving realm. They have to do things that they may or may not agree with to survive and earn cash in the black-market bazaar. I really connected with both characters and their mysterious third, who I won’t give any spoilers about. I feel like their struggles and hardships and perseverance will give the reader hope and aspirations to achieve whatever they feel is out of reach. It is so easy to become emotionally invested in this book.
I did not like the way the narration changes, thus the reason for the four stars. I feel like the author could have portrayed this part of the book in a less confusing way through the eyes of one of the actual characters or through a new character but not as a third person narration. The action scenes throughout the book were also weak and I didn’t feel like they helped the MC’s instead they hindered them.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves magical adventures and a tale of friendship. Overall the book was highly developed and well thought out and the few things that I didn’t like are not enough of an issue to stand in the way of recommendations.
Thank you, NetGalley, the publisher, and author for allowing me to read this book. The thoughts and opinions portrayed are my own and in no way influenced by these parties.

At first I wondered if this was going to be the same old familiar story of worlds separated by magic but no! The author created a unique, interesting storyline with memorable characters. I can’t wait to share this book on my blog.