Possibly the best gratification you can get, when reading the sequel/second-in-a-series to a good book, is when the sequel actually surpasses the original. My fanboy-ship of William Ritter's work began with Jackaby - to this day in my top-five YA books of all time - and from that series alone Ritter became one of my few auto-buy authors. When I read The Oddmire, Book 1: The Changeling - his middle-grade novel featuring trolls, goblins, pixies and the Wild Wood's mysterious Queen of the Deep Dark (among other creatures, and humans) - I found myself completely caught up in the story of twin brothers Cole and Tinn, and their quest to find out which of them was a genuine human boy and which had been born a goblin. Very well-written, full of action and suspense, and characters (human and otherwise) you really care about ... and this follow-up, in which the young brothers try to help their friend Fable - daughter of the Queen of the Deep Dark, unsure of her own future abilities to rule - when a very bad guy with an even worse agenda seeks to start a war between the simple townsfolk of Endsborough and the creatures of magic that inhabit the bordering Wild Wood. Good as book one was, book two really expands on story, characters, and the world-building of both the human and creature realms. Tinn, Cole, their mom Annie, Fable, even the Queen have all grown since their previous adventure, even as the kids still put doing what they feel is right over listening to their mothers, all as Fable tries to find where - if anywhere - she fits into it all (truly a wonderfully funny, humane character ... especially for a future queen). We also meet new friends and new enemies, (the lines sometimes blurring between which is which), and as battle lines are drawn the reader will find affection for members of both sides, making for an even more tense final confrontation. William Ritter is terrific; never more so than in this fast-moving, action-packed tale that also tackles the meaning of friends and family - and those who become both. A wonderful sequel, better than its predecessor, and this reader couldn't be more tickled that a hint of book three even popped up by The End. 4.5/5 stars

NOTE: I received a free ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

Though I did enjoy the novel, I feel I needed more to the story. I hope to read more, but this was not a book I couldn't put down.

If you look at my review policy page, you’ll note my bias toward one sub-genre: fantasy. Generally, fantasy novels make my eyes glaze over at the first vision of a completely unpronounceable name 150 characters long followed by a sudden onset of unexplained fatigue, severe drowsiness, and immediate napping. It’s like a sleeping pill in book form for this reader. So, for me to gush over a fantasy novel, waxing rhapsodic over the characters, themes, and adventure while not quite the end of life as we know it, is pretty darn close. Semi-kidding. With the Oddmire series, William Ritter has accomplished that feat. He’s made me care about a fantasy novel and it’s loveable characters.

In my review of The Changeling (see my review here), I mentioned that my favorite character was Fable and Book Two in The Oddmire is Fable’s book, much to my delight. This is not to say that the other much-loved character from The Changeling don’t play a huge part, but this is Fable’s turn to shine.

As the book opens, change is coming to the Wild Wood in the form of a greedy man who wishes to exploit its riches. Naturally all of the creatues who call the Wild Wood home are upset and expect the Queen of the Deep Dark to protect them as she always does but hesitation on her part has them acting on their own.

Meanwhile, in Endsborough Tinn and Cole are getting used to their lives again after their adventure in the Wild Wood. And, this gives an opportunity for Fable, who knows no bounds, to attend school with the boys—a completely delightful scene.

Ritter touches all of the emotions in The Unready Queen. A prophecy early on had me cringing while reading subsequent pages expecting something bad to happen. Despite the anxiousness, I was laughing, absorbed, teary and jubilant at the end.

While this calls itself a middle grade novel, I think anyone who reads it would be engaged by the story and the characters. Ritter does a fantastic job with characterization, creating layered characters who the reader identifies with.

Also timely is the theme of an environment being in peril, which every one of us should identify with.

Even if you think you hate fantasy, you might want to give this charming series a read. I am so glad that I have!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I want to say first, thank you to Algonquin for sending me the sequel to the Changeling for an honest review. Now on to the review...

If you guys haven't read the first book The Changeling or Oddmire book 1 then let me fill you in a bit. In The Changeling, we meet two boys (twins) Tinn and Cole. These boys are special because they are the only pair of boys that have ever been found after a Changeling has been dropped off at a human's house. For Anne Burton when she entered her sons room one night when he was just a babe, she was expecting to check in on one son. As she crept to the crib she found two. Although shocked...she considered this a goodness and raised both boys as her own. She of course could tell the boys apart being their mom, but she never knew which one was the real changeling (goblin). Over the years the boys were picked on a bit for being different, but Anne loved them both the same. One day the boys are playing in their favorite tree when they came upon a note addressed to The Changeling and urged to return back to the wild wood. The boys don't know who is the changeling so they decide to both go. They get lost, they are found, and a dark force needs to be slayed. It was a great book that left me on the edge of my seat and crying with happiness for the boys and their mother.

In book 2: The Unready Queen, we shift gears away from the boys a bit (they are still very much a part of the story) and focus on our favorite bear cub, Fable. Fable is a friend that Tinn and Cole met in the Wild Wood when they were lost and walking in circles. Fable was the one that helped them when they were lost in the oddmire and Fable was the one that helped in the end to keep this family together. Fable is the daughter of the Queen of the Deep Dark, The Wild Witch of the forest. Fable has a hard time with her studies and finds the "queen life" a bit boring. She hates having to learn "her mother's magic" and she doesn't want to stop and listen to the trees. There are fights between Fable and her mother that cause Fable to get more comfortable with the Human side of the village. Fable has friends there and doesn't need her mom bossing her around. Cole and Tinn are back at school and happy to have something normal in their lives for a change. But the Un-normal always seems to find the boys. Their friend Evie for instance believes the stories of the forest and when she finds out about the boys and the fact one of them is a changeling she is all the more invested to being their friend. So Fable, Tinn, Cole and Evie set off to help save the forest from an all out war among the fairy folk and the adults of the village. With their belief that they can do anything and Fable getting more confidant in her magic the children charge into battle to save everyone.

That is just a quick synopsis of the story. It's mostly a growing up book. Fable needs to learn that one day she will have queenly duties and will have to protect those that can't protect themselves. The boys have to learn that together with the help from their friends they can do anything and to not be ashamed of who they are. Evie learns that some people can be really bad, but there can be forgiveness and redemption. The children help the Wild Wood and the adults see that their can be harmony among both kinds.

This is such a sweet series of love, family and friendship. That all things must change and that is okay. Change happens and it can be different than what we expect, but that is a goodness. Stick up for yourself and what you believe in even though it might be scary.

Thanks again Algonquin for sending me the sequel in the series. 100 stars!!

5 stars

What a FANTASTIC middle grade series. Wild woods, magical creatures, conflicts, and a girl with the power of a queen inside her - oh my!

Plot: ★★★★★
Character development: ★★★★★
Pacing: ★★★ 1/2
Enjoyment: ★★★★★

So let's start of with a simple "wow," because this was such a great read. The Unready Queen picks up on the threads of the Wild Wood's story left behind at the end of Changeling and expands them in new directions. And not just any new direction, but toward a testy one: the Wild Wood's relationship with humans.

Fable is the daughter of the Queen of the Deep Dark, the protector of the Wild Wood and its magical inhabitants. At the end of the first book, when twins Tinn and Cole restore magic to the magical folk of the woods, they think their problems are over. Magic has returned, Fable can now be friends with humans, and all is well.

Well, not exactly.

There's a new man in town, and his name is Jacob Hill. He's interested in oil drilling—a topic instantly triggering for environmentalists, so I can bet you can see where this is going—and yep, you guessed it, he's decided to start crumbling away at the borders of the Wild Wood for financial gain. What could go wrong? To Hill, the woods are woods and the townsfolk's hesitation to go into the woods is a weakness he can exploit.

Rousing the town against the Wild Wood, Jacob Hill makes one very big, unforgivable mistake: he takes down an ancient magical tree.

Now the folk of the Wild Wood are pissed, and with their magic returned to them it is time for a reckoning—and the half-human Queen of the Deep Dark isn't to be trusted.

But what about Fable?

With the threads of destiny twining Fable, Tinn, Cole, and the usual cast tighter and tighter, it's only a matter of time before Fable has to decide who she's going to be and how that decision will impact those around her.

My thoughts:
As this is a sequel, my initial reading experience was comparing it to the first one, and to answer the obvious, YES, this one was not only just as good, but better. I loved that this novel did not rehash the same messages or tropes—whereas the first novel deal with self-identity and ideas of family, The Unready Queen tackles concepts of responsibility, environmentalism, and finding your voice. This is very much Fable's story.

I will say that this novel is not as laugh-out-loud funny as the first one, but given the subject matter that makes a lot of sense. I appreciated the more somber tones interspersed with small moments of humor, love, and typical pre-teen antics.

My only real complaint is that it took a while for the story to get off the ground. I'm not sure if that was a pacing issue or just a personal thing for me as a reader, but I found the beginning much slower than the first book and extremely slow compared to its second half.

Thrilled to hear there will be a third book in 2021. Can't wait!

Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review, which has not altered my opinion of this book.

This book was such an adventure. There was so much going on but it was handled beautifully. The characters developed beautifully and I really feel as though this book really expanded and did so in a logical way. This story follows the same set of twins but focuses more on their new friend Fable, who I grew to really appreciate and love. She is so unique and interesting and full of surprises, yet nothing is a surprise either. Her and her mother have such a sweet relationship and I loved how close her and Cole got as well.

I really loved how this book showed a lot more about the different creatures that are found in the Oddmire wood. The new additions are so interesting and really add another dimension and force the creativity to show. This is the type of writing that I am used to and have enjoyed from William Ritter before.

I think that the top three themes of this book are acceptance, tolerance and believing. This series has a diverse set of characters in a solid story and I can’t wait to see how it continues! This moved up to 4 out of 5 for me.

The Oddmire is a cute and well-written fantasy for the Middle Grade age group. I have often found that some MG reads for the younger or older, but does not always seem to flow in a way that ages 8-12 will enjoy. This is not the case for the The Oddmire series. The Unready Queen continues a fun and adventurous story that left me ready for the next one.

THE UNREADY QUEEN shifts focus more on the story of Fable – and while I loved the boys, I love this little girl even more. She’s unruly, she’s magical, she’s other. She’s a force no one quite expects and no one quite knows how to deal with and that makes her so endearing in my eyes.
Fable does not want to be like her mother and she makes that more than clear. Oftentimes she wishes to be more human, it seems, while her human friends would love to wield magic like she does.
I loved to see even more of the Wild Wood in THE UNREADY QUEEN – so many creatures of the forest to learn about!

William Ritters writing was comfortably familiar for me and I actually missed the world he created. There are some hints at JACKABY, even old characters making an appearance again, but I am sure even new readers will enjoy this book – without having read his older series prior.

In fact, I believe THE ODDMIRE is perfect for introducing younger readers and then gently nudging them towards JACKABY.

I am already excited to read book 3 in the future!

After falling in love with these characters and the sweet morals that these books contain, it was a no brainer to say yes to participating in the blog tour for The Unready Queen. I knew I would love this one just as much as the last! And I wasn't wrong! This book is mostly from the POV of my #1 favorite character from the first book, Fable. The way she sees the world, her innocence and want to feel like she belongs are some of my most favorite qualities about her. She is such a pure heart with a want to always seek adventure and to find her forever friends, and every time she talks I just want to gather her up and hug her because she deserves all the love in the world! I was so excited when I found out that this story she would be our main character, but even so, we still get plenty of chapters of our beloved "twin" duo from book one, as well as some other key characters that fit in right all with the rest of these beautiful fictional beings.

This book reminded me of a Ferngully / Avatar (not the last Airbender but the other movie) mashup with the main focus of the plot being that there is a force of humans who want to destroy a beloved forest in their mission to develop and take from its resources. But like in these all time favorite moves, there are beings who live in these forests and they will do whatever it takes to save their homes before they are destroyed forever. This is always one of those situations for me where I really tend to HATE the characters who are out to tear down the forest. There is some inherent evil in anyone who could destroy such a beautiful part of nature and maybe its just my childhood heart tearing up over the trees and forest dying in Ferngully but I don't think I've ever gotten over those trees being cut down. So when evil mister Hill starts cutting down trees in search of his precious soil samples and oil, I wanted to kick him in the face. Thankfully Fable was on the same page as I was and went to work saving her precious Wild Wood. With the help of Cole and Tinn and the rest of the Wild Wood's inhabitants of course.

These books always tend to have such a strong underlying moral to them that I absolutely love. They feel extremely wholesome and make your heart happy once you've finished the last page and close the book happily with a smile on your face. It was perfect for the crazy times we are going through right now where you never know what might happen the next day. Fear not when you have the folks of The Oddmire and their beautiful families and friendships. I would love to live in this town and be surrounded by so many interesting and lovable characters. Even the crazy old folks!

I'm not sure if there is another book set to be published in this series, but if there is I will a thousand percent be adding it to my TBR because these books are just good for the soul. I will save these for years to come so that one day I can read them to my kids and feel that special bond that a mother has for her children that is so evident throughout these stories. I highly recommend this series and the author. You won't regret it, I do suggest reading the first book before this one because then you will already know most of the characters, and what could be better than more Fable dialogue!? Happy Reading!

The Unready Queen starts off soon after the events of the first book. Tinn is receiving Goblin lessons and Fable is receiving magic lessons from her mom. Tinn’s lessons are going well. Fable’s are not. Fable would rather spend time in town with Tinn and Cole and even make new friends, such as Evie. While Fable is spending time in town, odd incidents involving fairy folk/forest creatures begin to manifest in town. Things start to escalate after new townsfolk start cutting down forest trees. As a result, tensions rise between not only the forest creatures and townspeople, but also between the forest inhabitants themselves.

Like the first book, the children’s mothers play a important role. But instead of Annie it is Raina, Fable’s mother, that is more central to this narrative. The story explores the relationship between Raina and Fable and parallels what many mother/daughter relationships struggle with. A mother trying to hold on. A daughter wanting more freedom.

What won me over to this book is how multiple story lines are interwoven together to create an overarching plot about the forest vs townspeople. Instead of a single story like last time, Tinn and Cole begin to have their own separate story lines. Fable begins to spend time outside of the forest and is able to learn more about the world. She is still naive, but the experience can only benefit her personal growth. Then various forest creatures, such as spriggans, take a more prominent role that is sure to continue into the next book.

The story ends with a feeling of foreboding and a cliffhanger that immediately makes you want to grab the next book.

Rating: 4 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Algonquin Young Readers for the advanced reader copy and opportunity to provide an honest review.

"Don't fret so much about the bad luck that you forget to see the good."

This sequel to Changeling picks up shortly after the events of its predecessor, with our characters learning to navigate their newly found relationships and abilities. While the focus of the story is still pretty evenly distributed between Cole, Tinn, and Fable, it's Fable's story that is being told here.

There's more development of the Wild Wood, Endsborough, and the history of the Witch of the Deep Dark, as well as introduction to new creatures from the woods and the politics of the various peoples within its bounds.

While I did enjoy this read, I'm not sure that this series is one that I will continue reading. I think many people would love these books, though, as they are well written and enjoyable. And who knows, that ending has me wanting answers, so book three may find its way onto my reading list when it hits shelves.

I was told that both of these books can be read as standalones, but I do really recommend to read changeling before this one! Since this book does follow the same characters and there are mentions to things happening in book one. Also it assumes you know what happened to these characters in the previous book!
This was another fun adventurous story! I flew through the book!
Book one really focussed on the family relationships, while this book was more a mystery/adventure book. I did like book one a bit more for that reason.
For me it was very easy to guess the ‘bad guy’ from this book, but that might be because I’m older then the target audience!
I still really liked all of the characters! I really liked the addition of Evie to their little group! We do follow the same group of characters, but book one focusses a bit more on Cole and Tinn, while this focusses a bit more on Fable!
In this book we got to see more creatures from the woods, which was really nice!
I’m not sure if this series is finished with this book, but there could definitely be another book!

This is the second book in the series and I just devoured it. I absolutely loved it! It was such a great read, from awesome, well-written characters to a relatable and action-filled plot. I love how each character has their own way of speaking and you just automatically know which character it is. Fable in particular is so precious, I loved her character. The battle scene was so epic and the ending was perfect with all loose ends tied up. My heart stopped at one part regarding the Queen of the Deep Dark (you’ll know what I mean when you read the book). But seriously guys go check out this amazing series 😍

In Book 2 of The Oddmire Series, we follow Fable as she learns how to control her powers while somewhat running on teen angst.

If you’ve read The Changeling, The Unready Queen picks up right where this left off. The Burtons are once again adjusting now that they know Tinn is a goblin. This makes certain aspects of their lives a challenge. Annie starts a new job, and Tinn has been spending time with his goblin family to learn his background and learn how to control his magic. Fable, on the other hand, is such a wild spirit. She’s so glad she has friends from town to hang out with. I especially love how she calls everything outside of the Wild Wood: people-this, people-that. It’s a different take on what we humans have, which also constantly reminds us that Fable is different from the rest of us.

This story also minimally touches on Tinn and Fable’s attitude regarding their magical abilities. Due to being raised by humans, Tinn longs for time spent in the goblin horde. It allows him to learn more about his powers, hone his abilities, and learn more about his goblin heritage. Despite being born with incredible magic, it doesn’t come naturally to him. He had to work with it, understand how to make it work with him, and constantly practice. He takes in all of his lessons with the understanding that he needed this; he needed to learn how to control it. This determination is clear when he pleaded he needs all the help he can get when his hand turned the color of the ink he accidentally got on his finger and he couldn’t transform it back to normal. Fable’s magic, however, comes naturally to her to a point where the Queen deemed magic lessons necessary and mandatory – something Fable isn’t a fan of.

I found this story to heavily lean on Fable being “The Unready Queen” because she’s about 13 or 14 years old, with basic magic knowledge. Imagine if something happened to her mother. It’s a situation no kid should be thrown into. At the same time, the term could’ve easily defined the Queen of the Deep Dark. The prophecy showed Fable, blood, and a gunshot / bullet. Imagine if something happened to Fable. It’s a situation no mother, no parent, should be thrown into. Until that prophecy is fulfilled, they’re both unready queens.

The Unready Queen is a story of friendship, family, and bravery. It’s understanding why things needed to get done a certain way. If The Changeling is Tinn and Cole’s story, Fable’s is The Unready Queen.

The Unready Queen doesn't leave off right after the ending of Changeling, but it's pretty close. This book reunites us with all of the characters we came to love in the first book. The adventure isn't as focused on Tinn and Cole, but it's just as fun!

We now get more of Fable's story. She's half-fae and will eventually be Queen. Her mother is trying to teach her all about her magic, but Fable just wants to have fun and be free. Things aren't always easy for her to pick up and it get frustrating. I loved the feisty and playful Fable. She loved with her whole heart and just wanted to befriend Tinn and Cole and discover more of the human world.

I think Fable grows a lot in The Unready Queen. When things turn badly and people threaten the forest, Fable really finds her strength and shows us that she will be the amazing Queen we know she will be. I love how curious she is and thinks that everyone should be friends. I loved that about her!

On top of an amazing adventure we get to see Tinn and Cole settle in their new lives while Tinn learns more about his magic. He's trying to find where he belongs and that's not always easy. Friendship and family play a big role once again and I love that about middle grade books. I also mentioned this before, but it was so nice to see that the mothers are such strong and supporting characters. We don't get enough books that include that.

I think my only "issue" was that I would've loved just a little more time with Fable and her mother learning magic and maybe even more of her history! Same with Tinn! I would've loved to have seen more of that as well. The history behind them and their magic is something that really got my attention, so I would love to know more. All in all, The Unready Queen was another interesting adventure in The Oddmire. I really hope we'll get more from him in this world!

This book is so...so good. You may remember my review of Changeling from last summer, book one in the Oddmire series. The Unready Queen picks up a little after where Changeling left off, with Cole and Tinn finally knowing the truth of which one of them is a goblin child. We learn a bit more about Fable's father, and how/why she is so powerful.

We see the boys start to develop crushes and honestly, it's so pure and sweet and cute! There are a lot of analogies between learning how to control magic and like...puberty. But it's not as heavy handed as I'm making it sound! It's handled so very well.

Another lovely aspect to this story is the environmentalist vibe. Obviously the Deep Dark means a LOT to our trio, but of course, in the name of industry, the woods are under attack. Not from a monster, but from, well, us. And of course that pisses off the rest of the magical creatures in the woods. So it turns into an all out war for the good of the forest.

The perfect counterpart to another series about a magical trio, The Unready Queen continues the delightful story William Ritter started last year. I give it 5 out of 5 spriggans. Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers for providing a copy in exchange for review!

I really enjoy this author - the Jackaby series is one of my top ten favorite series ever [and oh how I wish there were going to be more of those], so when I saw that he was writing a new series, I wanted to dive right into it. After reading [and really enjoying] the first book of this series, I was really ready to dive right in and read this one. This one took a bit longer to read [there is a LOT more to get through and the themes are much more adult], but it was still a very good book and it really sets up the next one without being a cliffhanger [which I despise and are gross and IMO are just lazy writing].

That all said, it must be mentioned that this book is much darker than the first book. MUCH darker. As I said above, there are more "adult" themes in this book and if you have children who are easily frightened, I would suggest that you either read this with them *OR* that you read it first and then be ready for the questions that will come after your child reads it. Not all children will be affected by these theme's [though I was and I am an adult - there are just somethings that never fail to make me so very angry], but if you know your child will be, you can now be prepared.
Some of the themes in this book are:
*Parent's leaving [or being stolen away, or walking away, or dying or almost dying]
*Adults doing B A D things for their own benefit with no regard to others and what they feel
*ANGRY monsters, fairies, goblins, forest folk along with an angry mob of humans
*War [see above], and the use of guns and violence
*"drug" use [but not in the traditional sense]
*Disobedience and defiance [Oh Fable, how I love you, but oh how you need a smack upside the head. Same with Finn and Cole. My GOSH. I had a single parent, and while I was not a changeling, I was still a rather defiant kid at times and my mom did not stand for that garbage. I love the Annie Burton character, but I'd love her to be bit stronger in that area. Even though I do love that she is raising two boys who see the difference between true right and wrong and want to be helpful in making things right].

NONE of these things listed above are meant to be detractors to this book and story. When you are reading it, you will see that they are all needed to move the story along. There are so many people in real life that are like the "bad" people in this story and this is a good way to introduce good and bad to kids in a way that isn't quite as dramatic as the news is these days. This is an excellent book and clearly shows the lines between good and evil and also how sometimes, those lines can get squigged at times.

I highly recommend this series - it is a good one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The second book in the Oddmire series exceeded my expectations and delivered spectacularly on its promise of even more magic. Picking up about a month after the events of the last book, we see the changeling brother coming to terms with his goblin magic and learning how to navigate his new sense of self. But the real star of this story is Fable. As the daughter of the Queen of the Deep Dark, Fable must prepare for the day that she becomes Queen by learning how to channel her wild and immensely powerful fairy magic. Her trademark humor and chaotic energy are a delight as always, and they serve her well in her quest to become the kind of witch-queen that she wants to be, not who anyone else thinks she ought to be.

Humans are encroaching on the Wild Wood. They are losing respect for the forest and the old ways. They no longer leave offerings for fairies or understand that some parts of this world belong to magical beings. Led by a certain Mr. Hill, the villagers of Endsborough begin to break the unspoken truce between the human world and the magical world, tearing down sacred trees and treating the creatures of the Wild Wood as enemies. Our heroes on both sides of the magical barrier must band together to stop the destruction and prevent an all-out war between humans and the denizens of the enchanted forest.

This series continues to surprise me, in the best way possible. I was not expecting a variation on The Music Man, nor was I expecting Fable’s wise and benevolent solution to the problems plaguing both the village of Endsborough and the Wild Wood.

There are places where the forest meets the town. What if that’s our world?

Author William Ritter continues to explore the theme of straddling different worlds; the story he began telling with a young changeling has gotten even deeper with this closer look at a young half-fairy who is destined to be Queen. The twins’ stories are far from over—it’s thrilling to watch the changeling embrace his goblin side, and the epilogue suggests that the human brother will take center stage in the next book—but in this series entry, Ritter finds new ways to pull meaning and inspiration from Fable’s journey.

Figuring out who you are and how you fit into the world is a huge part of growing up, but it’s not a process that stops once you reach adulthood. Fable’s mother, the infamous Queen of the Deep Dark herself, struggles with both her daughter’s identity and her own sense of self as she realizes how powerful Fable truly is. The Queen may be my favorite character in the series (though it’s a tough call to make, with so many rich and fascinating characters to choose from), and it’s a pleasure to see so much more of her inner thoughts in this book. It’s also a pleasure to watch the Queen and Fable channel true magic as they become one with the forest and with the universe in their own unique ways.

The barrier between the mundane and the magical is not as clear as we think it is, and we owe it to ourselves and to each other to make sure we’re not harming anyone or anything on either side of that barrier. Tackling themes of identity, prejudice, family, and duty, The Unready Queen is another stellar entry in the Oddmire series. It displays the same heart, humor, and wonder of the first book while also expanding its lore in exciting and surprising ways. I loved this book even more than the first one, and I can’t wait to see what Ritter has in store for the next adventure.

After reading and loving The Oddmire: Changeling, I couldn’t wait to read The Unready Queen. The series continues wonderfully, combining the fantastical with the everyday wonder of childhood.

Cole and Tinn are still a large part of this book, but Fable takes center stage this time. Oh, wow, I love that character! She has a self-confidence and a desire to believe the best of everybody that is refreshing. Each character is nuanced, and Fable is no exception. She doesn’t feel ready to take on the responsibilities her mom is training her for, completely unaware that her unique way of doing things is exactly what the Wild Wood needs.

Of course, Tinn and Cole each have their own obstacles. Tinn is learning how to be a goblin after discovering that he is, in fact, a goblin changeling. More importantly, he’s learning how to be himself, without fading into his brother’s shadow. Cole, on the other hand, is learning that there are places his brother goes where he can’t follow. He is discovering how to be his own person. I really love Tinn in particular. He reminds me of my oldest in many ways.

As with the first book, a lot of attention is paid to relationships. I absolutely love that both the boys’ mom and Fable’s mom are very involved in this book. Not only that, it’s apparent that they are caring and involved, subverting the “hero alone” trope. From an adult standpoint, I love seeing positive relationships between parents and children in literature.

The fantasy aspect of this book is epic. Spriggins, and goblins, and hinkypunks, oh my! I adored the sheer variety of fantasy creatures that show up in these books. It’s not often that I read a book that includes hinkypunks. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The adventure is fabulous, the story moves quickly, and there’s never a dull moment.

This series is so much fun! William Ritter is an excellent author (I highly recommend the Jackaby series to adults) and I can’t wait to see what happens as the Oddmire adventures continue.

4.5 stars! What an amazing continuation of this series and 😱😱 the end. I can’t wait for more now!

I think this would be the perfect book for fans of Brave - a young, vibrant, tenacious princess has very different ideas from her mother, who loves her and just wants her to be a good queen someday.