This book absolutely wrecked me. 

It was another book where I started it in the afternoon and then kept telling myself, "just one more chapter" as I would finish each one and the clock kept creeping into the wee hours of the new day. I couldn't put it down. Then, the closer to the end of the book, I absolutely couldn't put it down for the night and I finished reading it barely before dawn with tears streaming down my face. I cried myself to sleep that morning.

This book is the culmination of Wingfeather Saga. Most series lose my interest after the second of third book, but this series stayed strong and held me captive through to the very end. Masterfully written, it the story takes you into the story and you are right there with Janner, Kalmar and Leeli as the fight for Kalmar's very self and soul and for the identity of all Annerians. And ultimately for all the people of the conquered lands. We find out what happened to Sara Cobbler and the Fork Factory. Pete the Sockman deals with his identity and PTSD (if ever I have ever read an account of PTSD that mirrors the struggles most excellently, this is it), Nag the Nameless is dealt with and Bonifer Squoon must face the consequences of his decisions. And the Wingfeathers face the past with the hope of the future. The adventure starts as soon as the book begins and continues after the book ends. 

This book really dives into the themes of family and identity. Balancing the biological who you are, who you are raised to be, what you are told to be and who you want to be. This book wrecked me and shook me to my core.

You see, I was raised in a home where I was told I would be nobody. That no one would care if I ever followed my childhood dreams and that my dreams were stupid. I had no destiny to fulfill except the whims of those who were supposed to love me and help me become who I was meant to be. So I grew up and tried to become what they wanted for me. And I was miserable. No matter what I did, I never met with their approval. And it damaged me greatly. These books helped me to finally internalize that I was made for more. That my identity isn't the false one I was forced to mold myself into in order to please and gain the love of my family. That I was worthy because I am created in the image of God. After finishing The Warden and the Wolf King, I realized that my identity is way more than I ever dreamed it could be. And while I know this journey is far from over, this book brought about healing that I was finally ready to realize. 

The end of the book leaves you wanting more. I wish there was another book in the series detailing the return of Anniera. But it ended in a way that was absolutely perfect for the series. It ended on the notes of hope and faith and that the adventure is still going on.  

This is now my most favorite series of books that I have read, and I have read a lot in my life. They belong on the shelves of everyone. And they need read more than once. For we are all Annierian.

This series was masterful. I loved it more than Narnia (there, I said it!).  It took me some time to get into this final volume, but once I did, it was nearly as wonderful as book 3 of the series.  I appreciated the deep character development, the fascinating world building, the moral lessons, and even the conclusion.  I will buy this series and read it to my son. I will also gift this series to my nephew.

Thank you Net Galley for the free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Andrew Peterson--I am ready for book 5!

** “He wanted a home. He wanted to live for just one day without any fear of evil, within or without. Rest. That was what he wanted. He was so tired of running, so tired of the constant fear that each day held some new danger or treachery or lie.” **

Sometimes, when you finish a book, you must sit in the quietness, digesting what you’ve read and allowing it to sink into your soul. Such is Andrew Peterson’s “The Warden and the Wolf King,” the fourth and final installment of his “Wingfeather Saga.”

This story picks up immediately after the series’ third installment, with a call to war as the Wingfeather family seeks to work with the residents of Green Hollows to defeat the evil Fangs and their leader, Gnag the Nameless. Siblings Janner (Throne Warden), Kalmar (High King) and Leeli (Song Maiden), along with their grandfather Podo, mother Nia, friend and book lover Oskar, and uncle Artham all use their various gifts to defeat the forces of evil.

Told in four parts, “The Warden and the Wolf King” follows several storylines — the war in the Hollows; a Fang invasion in Skree where Artham and Janner’s friend Sara lead a resistance; more war in the Hollows while Janner and Kal attempt to find and defeat Gnag; and a return to the Wingfeathers’ ancestral home, the Shining Isle of Anniera.

Once again, Peterson fills his tale with delectably adorable and reprehensible creatures. Readers will continue to fall in love with his characters and their plucky fortitude. He is also incredible at developing a fantastical world with very allegorical meanings.

“The Warden and the Wolf King” is a story that will leave the reader holding it close to his heart for quite some time. It is a story of compassion, loyalty, courage, sacrifice, mercy and a sense of home. It reveals many deep themes, like the importance of protection; good can come from grief, the power of love; finding strength to overcome fear; putting others first; and finding your way out of the darkness.

A huge theme deals with finding strength and “kick(ing) despair in the rump,” as Podo tells us. It reminds us to pray to the Maker for strength and if you are in the Maker’s keeping, there’s always a way out of bad circumstances. As the Florid Sword, an heroic swashbuckling character, tells the people: “Now is the time for courage. We meet the enemy with steady hearts, for dawn has conquered dark since the Maker spoke the world. The night is deep, but light runs deeper.”

The “Wingfeather Saga” has been truly sublime and a real delight to read. These are definitely not standalone novels, though, and must be read in order. As always, the illustrations in this re-release are fun and glorious, and the cover is fantastic.

Fans of the fantastical worlds created by C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, The Spiderwick Chronicles, or Matt Mikalatos’ Sunlit Lands series will love these stories.

WaterBrook re-released Peterson’s “Wingfeather Saga” as hardcovers with new cover art and illustrations. The first two novels released in March 2020 and the final two on Oct. 6.

Five stars out of five.

WaterBrook provided this complimentary copy for my honest, unbiased review.

I am about one-third of the way through The Warden and the Wolf King and I can tell it's going to be a five star book for me. The writing is of the same quality as the preceding books in the series. We're getting to spend time with several different characters and in several different places. I'm excited to see how everything is going to come together. 

A full review will be available on my blog within the next week.

I have been eager to read this series for ages, unfortunately, I might not finish the whole series before the time limit to read this part expires. I shall do my best — still at the beginning of the first book, but it is so captive.

I started to love this saga, but I didn't enjoy this part, I wasn't that greatful with the plot, and the cover is still beautiful. And I'm getting in love with the characters

The Warden and the Wolf King was written by Andrew Peterson.  It is book four in The WingFeather Saga.  This is not a standalone book.  You need to read the first three in order to understand the storyline.

Summary: The Igiby family knew that Gnag the Nameless would come for them eventually, and the day has finally come.  The Green Hollows are under attack, and the Fangs of Dang are more powerful than ever.

Can Janner, Kalmar, and Leeli defend The Green Hollows, and reclaim their homeland?  Or will they be forced to give up everything in their quest to save the last of the free lands?

My Thoughts:  This book was a wonderful conclusion to the series.  Each book has gotten better and better, and I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

The main characters are incredibly brave, the creatures are so inventive, and the battle scenes are fantastic.

The plot also does a great job of tying all of the books and characters together.

After finishing the series, I could actually think of several ideas for books that could be written as offshoots of the main series.  BUT, I think it was my wishful thinking that the series wasn't actually over.  :)

This epic series is one to have on your shelf so that you and your family can read it over and over again.  It's definitely worth purchasing, and would even make a great gift.

I would like to thank WaterBrook & Multnomah for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.  Thank you!

The epic conclusion to a fabulous series that I know my children will enjoy. I can't wait to read it with them or let them enjoy their own pace and then talk non-stop about the whole series. 

I was provided with an electronic ARC through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

WOW. I have so many feelings now that I finished these books, but I think the greatest praise I can give them is that I cannot wait to read them with my kids one day. Filled with beautiful life lessons woven into the narrative, these books whisk you to the world of Aerwiar and lets you ride the rollercoaster of emotions that is three children fighting forces of evil and finding out who they are in the process.

The Warden and the Wolf King is the perfect ending to this saga. I stayed up way too late finishing this one and kept telling my husband, “Shhh! I’m in the middle of reading a battle!” I was so absorbed in the story and finding the fate of everyone involved. 

Andrew Peterson has created magic in these books that isn’t just about the extraordinary powers used for good and evil in these stories. The magic lies in the actions and choices of the characters to be loyal, to be kind, and to be selfless. When you can see beyond evil and “ugly” to provide love, it can maybe change the heart of even the worst monster.

A continuation of the first three books. This is the book before the finale. God and grace are heavy themes, there are some heavy scenes so beware. Some will love this book and others will not. It is a good read.

In this final book of the series, it was very good. Entertaining at times, frightening at others. I couldn't help but be a little disappointed with the ending.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
One of my favorite things about quarantining this year was Andrew Peterson's nightly read-alouds of the first two books in this series. I am beyond excited that he is picking that back up in October. My daughter is waiting until then to read these with him. I highly recommend purchasing books 3 &4 to follow along as he reads. This was just as excellent and I can't wait to hear it read by him.  You don't want to miss this excellent series.

The final book in this series was just as amazing as all the others! I'm so sad to see it end! I loved this fantasy fairy tale with all the elements that make a wonderful story. The fight against evil, detailed drawings the help to enhance the story. Siblings uniting together to fight for what they believe in and not being afraid to face the hard things that they know are right. 

I loved being led through the story from multiple viewpoints providing me with a closer connection to the characters and believing I was getting the "whole story." I also loved all the fantastic creatures that just kept getting better and better in every book. I also loved the lessons that could be learned from the characters in the book.....how to be a better sibling, parent, teacher, leader and hero. 

Again, I HIGHLY recommend this series to anyone! Especially to those who love Harry Potter, a good fantasy story, or just a WONDERFUL series!

The Warden and the Wolf King is a wonderful culmination of The Wingfeather Saga, with beautiful writing, edge-of-your-seat excitement and heart-changing depth of message.  By the time you reach the end of this fourth book of the saga, you will know each character as friends, loathe the ones who seek to destroy for evil's sake, and realize that you, yourself, want to be as brave, humble, forgiving and selfless as Janner, Kalmar(Tink) and Leeli.  Andrew Peterson has penned a series that deserves to be included in discussions with the likes of The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings...fantasy, adventure, and inspiring message.

What a ride this book takes you on. I loved the conclusion to this series and couldn’t put it down. The story itself is entertaining and the deeper meanings the author weaves in is truly beautiful. This is a new favorite of mine and I will be purchasing this series for my personal bookshelf. It gave me Narnian vibes and I was enraptured with the characters. 5 stars for sure!

I had not read the previous 2 books in the Wingfeather series and I am not part of it's juvenile target audience.  I am, however, a teacher and have read many books directed at this audience.  That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this 3rd book in the series.   So enthralled did I become in the plot, that I stayed up to finish the book.  I was drawn in by the well developed characters who displayed courage and care for themselves and others throughout their struggle to survive in the face of an evil onslaught. 
     This story addresses themes such as bullying, mental illness, war, loneliness, the human need for acceptance and belong with a light touch.   For 3rd to 6th graders, the word plays employed in naming foods lend a humorous twist.  there was also some gross smells and creatures thrown in to add interest.

This is a well written book that you don't want to miss. If you've read the other three books in the Wingfeather series this book is a "Must Read"! This entire series was outstanding and the author makes all the books come to life. They are all full of excitement, adventure and twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. I highly recommend this book and the entire series. Thank you WaterBrook & Multnomah via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

WHAT!?? THAT CAN’T BE THE END!!!

After traveling across the Dark Sea of Darkness, being chased and battered by Fangs, the Wingfeathers thought they had finally found peace in the Green Hollows. But that was not meant to be, for once again, they were attacked. But this time, the Wingfeathers have formed an alliance with the Hollish peoples.

And the Hollows are preparing for war. Thus, begins The Warden and the Wolf King, the amazingly epic last installment of the Wingfeather Saga.

I have absolutely no words. The book begins with peace, lulling the reader into a false sense of security, before sending the Wingfeathers into one outlandish adventure after another. It was both amazing and satisfying to see ancient enemies become fast allies and the whole world’s rules turned upside down.

Mr. Peterson is an amazing author, and this last book left me in tears. Again. (He needs to stop doing this!!) There are so many things I want to say, but I can’t without spoiling the entire plot, but this is a book Wingfeather fans, both new and old, will NOT want to miss!

NOTE: I received an advanced reader’s copy from the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes only. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a delightful book series!!
This fourth book in the series continues the adventures of Leeli, Kalmar and Janner. The family continues to face adversity but individually, and together , they work to solve the problems. The children are really growing into their royal roles. They are finally finding some sense of normalcy in their mother’s hometown.  Unfortunately, troubles continue with the Fangs and Gnag the nameless. I was surprised by the ending but found the last few pages filled with hope. A big thank you to Andrew Peterson and NetGalley for the copy. I will be recommending this book series to friends with young children so they can also enjoy the adventure. . I will definitely be buying the series in hardcover and rereading this wonderful series! Pick up book one and let the adventure begin!

Wow. I'm still recovering from this truly epic end to a wonderfully written series.

So much I didn't see coming and so much I wish I hadn't because Dragons help me? There was sorrow when I didn't want there to be.

The Wingfeather series is a wonderful set of books and this final (Noooooo!) book had everything you could wish for and some you wish wasnt there, to complete a series which the author has given so much to.

If you love magic and fantasy, The Wingfeather series is for you - I would also recommend it highly as a series to be read to your children (or grandchildren). I can guarantee that they will be asking for one chapter more well after bedtime should have happened and will be on the edge of their seats in anticipation.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Go get your copy of book four - or books one to four and lose yourself in the adventures of the Wingfeather children.