I thought that this book was really interesting, I think that it started off strong and the premise was promising. I did find myself getting really confused in a lot of the story which I found frustrating for a story this short. The world building was beautifully done and I really enjoyed the imagery. I think for me I just wanted more and I would have enjoyed this one more had it been expanded to a full length novel.

"We didn't come this far to do nothing, even if doing nothing seems easier." (Ch 18)

Maura, the youngest of three, helped to keep her family afloat by doing the majority of the chores, tending the goats, and bringing in the meager harvest. They were told never to climb the mountain. With her two sisters gravely ill, Maura wondered what lay beyond. As if in answer to her prayers, their long-lost mother returns and implores her to leave with her to save the people over the mountain. Faced with a dilemma, Maura is torn, but ultimately, she decides to go with her mother. The thought that there might be some chance to save her sisters, her deciding factor. They journey forth to find her father, but it would not be simple. As she would find, nothing in life is ever simple.

There are a lot of puzzling things in this book. So many things unexplained that have me questioning the whys and reasonings behind them. Some things are quite heavy subjects for younger children to deal with - like child abandoment, death ("slaughter"), and kidnapping. Even if it didn't go into depth, I would think a child reading this book might question some things and we, the adults, wouldn't be able to give them a proper explanation for these specifically since they weren't elaborated on or even briefly given a backstory to begin with other than a repeated one paragraph vague fairytale. There is also no sense of lapse in time, one minute Maura is learning how to draw a bow and in the next she's ready to put her skills to the test as they head to a warring kingdom.

Also, why were the girls left to raise and fend for themselves? Said it was for their protection, but with no one to care for and look after them for several years? Why did the king and queen have to separate?

The friendship she had with Dara and his dire wolf was sweet. They made for a great team, and he offered her such good support when she needed it most. I felt like their relationship bond was forged faster and deeper than the fragile brief one she made with her estranged parents.

I love the cover! This might make for a good full-length novel for young or new adult if expanded and elaborated with better world- and character-building.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to love The Pearl Blossom Heart, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. It’s a middle-grade fantasy based on an Irish legend, but I didn’t feel much actual fantasy in the story. The plot is pretty dark for this age group, which was interesting, but the characters—especially the sisters—felt stiff and didn’t sound like real kids. Because of that, I didn’t really connect with Maura or feel the sibling love the story is built around.

The book also touches on some tough issues about adults treating kids badly, but it doesn’t really take a stand or give those adults consequences. It felt like a missed opportunity to make a stronger point. Overall, it was an okay read but didn’t quite grab me emotionally.

For a children’s book it’s okay. I feel there was a lot of information missing. Fang was honestly the best part, he was consistent and had a full complete part in the story unlike others. I feel the ending was rushed for sure.

Like others, I was attracted by the title and the gorgeous cover for the book. I found parts of the story confusing as I wanted and needed to know more about the main characters to help me buy fully into their story. My favourite character was definitely Fang as he had a clear purpose and helped to advance the story.

The book was fine. Since it's for a younger audience, I considered whether my 12 year old niece would enjoy reading it and I think she probably would because she's just starting her reading journey.

The historical influences of the book are great, but I think the issue is more with the characters than the overall plot or subtexts. The dialogue just felt really clunky and not really age-appropriate for the characters, especially Maura.

I think it's a valiant attempt to write a book based on such a niche historical topic, so I do commend the author for doing so.

I'd like to write more for this review, but I genuinely don't have much to say. It was an OK book. 2.5 Stars rounded to 3.

Charming little story. I liked the world building. I loved Fang. I would have liked a little more to this book, but it was a fun light read.
Over all this is a story of a young girl who bravely faces a quest to save her sisters.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

~Thank you to the publisher, Shaherazad Shelves, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions shared in this review are my own. This review is also cross-posted on Goodreads.

What this book did well, it did very well. There is a beauty to the atmosphere, and there was clearly a lot of care and research put to crafting this story together. The storyline is simple, but it flows well, from one event to the next.

However, if I had any qualms, it felt as though the characters in the story were just a step too far removed from it. It's okay if Maura is a quieter character, as she does seem to be, but it just felt like there was something missing, a something that would've made her much more vibrant. At times, it was a little frustrating that so much was happening to her, as opposed to her making the choice to make something happen. Even if she didn't take a more active part in the story, I would've loved to be in her feelings more. She also doesn't really seem grown or changed by the time the story is over.

While the events did make sense to happen in the order that they did, I wish the pacing was a little more balanced, and that in certain parts, the story wasn't afraid to linger more to really flesh out the background characters and the background plot. I understand that this book is fairly short, but in exploring its minor characters and world, Maura and her world would've felt far more full and impactful.

Overall, it was a fine, quick read! It was competent- it told a complete story, with a main character it was easy to root for, and utilized fairy tales in an interesting way. The research that went into the environments and landscapes was easy to see from the writing, and the author even included a note at the note explaining more. However, I didn't finish it feeling particularly struck by anything that happened in it, even as I wish the story had just been a little bit more.

I always feel bad leaving a lower review on an ARC, so let's start with the positives. There were some aspects of this book that I really enjoyed. I loved the way the sibling dynamics were portrayed, and I enjoyed being able to explore an era of history that I really haven't spent much time in.

There were a lot of aspects, however, that I really struggled with. The characters felt choppy. They seemed to make decisions and arrive at conclusions based on plot convenience and not because of who they were as individuals. When horrible things happened, they would move on quickly or immediately jump to forgiveness and understanding without ever wrestling through the consequences of what had happened and the hurt that would naturally arise--even if they did still choose forgiveness in the end. There were also a decent amount of plot holes where characters were told they were the only people who could accomplish certain tasks or suddenly gained skillsets that they hadn't had previously without enough worldbuilding and explanation to make things make sense beyond plot convenience.

I'm also not sure who marked this as fantasy because there wasn't any... It is straight historical fiction, which is still fun, but it's not what I expected given how this has been listed on StoryGraph, Goodreads, and even NetGalley.

When I read and review middle grade fiction, I like to ask myself, "Would the younger version of me have enjoyed this book? Does the older version of me enjoy this book? Where do we agree? Where are we different?" I think this is one of those books that a younger version of me would have enjoyed, but not one that would have made a lasting impact. I'd recommend it for elementary students who want something fast-paced and easy to read, but I think older readers are going to struggle more to stay engaged and accept the amount of suspension of disbelief that's needed to make some of the plot holes and character arcs make sense.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately I did not love this book as I'd hoped. The Pearl Blossom Heart is a fantasy middle grade story retelling of an Irish legend. But I never saw much fantasy in the book itself, apart from being based on a myth, which disappointed my fantasy-loving heart.

The plot is interesting - and very dark for MG, with adults willing to abandon, manipulate, and outright sell their own children - but the story lacks emotion. The dialogue in particular doesn't work for me - the story starts with 13 year old Maura and her two older sisters living together on Irish cliffs after being abandoned by their mother since Maura's birth. The way the girls talk to each other is not how children talk, it's definitely not how siblings talk, and I dare to say it's not how real people talk. It's very stiff and formal, and so I can't believe the story's driving premise - that Maura loves her sisters so much that she'll venture into a war-torn world to find a cure for their illness. I never feel that sibling love. And while many horrible things happen to Maura over the course of the story, I never feel much about any of that, either.

I think this novel raises some unique - and important - issues about adults being terrible to children, but it also never really seems to give any moral lesson about it, let alone comeuppance to the bad adults. It feels more like an afterthought, "ah yes, adults are terrible, but what can you do about it? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ " I would have liked it more if I felt that the story was taking a stance on the issue rather than a hand-wave of "well, these things happen... moving on!"

Other things I liked:
1) The author running with the speculation that an ancient Irish king was Muslim. I'm not sure I believe it, but it's an original take and MG always needs more POC representation.
2) Maura's friendship with Dara. I just wish it had been built more organically. Much like the problem with Maura and her sisters, I don't ever really *feel* the connection. A good idea that didn't nail the execution.

Readers hoping for a fantasy MG story will be disappointed due to the lack of fantasy and/or magic present. Children hoping to see themselves in a novel will be disappointed by the lack of realistic young-teen behaviour or speech, and the lack of emotion to let them become invested in Maura's journey.


Rating: 2 stars - An interesting plot, but lacks emotion & believability. No real fantasy here, either.

2.5
A story that attracted me by its beautiful cover, but its content left me lost.

In this youth fantasy we have this girl who lives in times of war in the mountains with her goats and sisters, since her parents abandoned them many years ago, but with her sick sisters she is forced to leave her routine and enter a world outside which is totally unknown to her and with the “guide” of the mother who abandoned her.

The cover and the synopsis promised a great story that caught my attention, but I must say that I don't know if it was the moment I read it or if it wasn't my kind of reading, but it left me very confused and with many questions that never get answered.

But it may be the kind of reading that others are looking for and may like everything the author has to offer in this fantasy.

I thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC.

Unfortunately this story did not do it for me. The pacing was really off for this book and the plot didn't fully make sense. The characters themselves weren't relatable in any way or really thought out. Almost every character truly seemed to be lacking emotion beyond Dara. I know this is a middle grade story however, there are plenty of good examples of quick paced, middle grade stories that are wonderful.

The family dynamic was strange here. Her parents had abandoned their daughters and randomly one day her mother comes to take her on a journey to save the kingdom, yet what drove this. It's never answered as to why now her mother returns. There's a lot of the plot moving forward here with no reason for why. It didn't make sense that she needed to go find her father to save the kingdom all of the sudden. Just for them to find him and it really led to nothing.
Her mother did stay on brand though, as a neglectful mother, by selling her daughter out to the bad guy for no reason.

I wanted to like this book, however this was unfortunately one of those where I judged the book by it's cover. The books cover is wonderfully designed but I feel it's a little misleading.

Overall this book wasn't terrible just needed more to the story and the characters to really make it magical.

“The Pearl Blossom Heart” is the debut novel of Arthena Hall. It is a fantasy set in the magical land of Ireland. I have always loved middle grade novels especially fantasy fiction, I really liked the story but there were elements I didn’t love. In the beginning, it narrated the heartbreaking struggle of a little girl named Maura and her two sisters as they do their best to survive on their own. Their parents abandoned and sold them as they live through an age of war. Unfortunately, I don’t think this is a safe topic for middle-graders to read on their own as they reflected the ugliness of adults and contained some dark themes. Guidance is advised.

Thank you Net galley for this advanced copy. The opinions in this review is entirely my own.

Ahhh, what a letdown this one was.

DO NOT LET THE COVER FOOL YOU!

This whole story was dry, with no emotion in the characters whatsoever. They were just there, existing within this world and were moved around and about to fulfil whatever they had to fulfil. The whole plot was badly executed, the idea was there, but privying characters from any individuality and development is always going to be a no for me. I really liked the beginning, it was interesting and was a promising adventure, family dynamics and just something to look forward to. But there were so many potholes, things thrown here and there, just because I don't know why? Things were disjointed and made no sense. A father and a mother who abandoned their children and never came back for 15 or so years, and then suddenly they remembered they have kids lol this was so bizarre, no emotion from the mother, the only glimpse of any feelings I got from was from Tyne and the other billy goats...

I was more interested in the goats and her sisters' fate than the whole rest of this book.... what a let down, pity the cover and the legend it was based on are the only cool things about it. Definitely not suitable for any children, they will not understand what is going on, and it will not be interesting since they won't be able to relate to any of the characters.

Overall, 2 stars because of the goats, the cover and the Afterword behind the inspiration for the whole story, which was more interesting than the whole book was.

Sometimes the best adventures begin in the quiet moments. Like confiding in your beloved goats while worrying about your sick sisters. That's where we find thirteen-year-old Maura in Arthena Hall's enchanting tale, and honestly, I was hooked from that cozy mountainside start.

The familial bond in this book is everything. Maura's determination to help her sisters breathes life into every page. When she's thrust from her simple goat farm into a war-torn world, her journey becomes not just about saving her family but discovering who they really are.

The worldbuilding caught me off guard in the best way. We're not treading the usual fantasy path here; instead, Hall weaves together druids, dire wolves, and aurochs in a world that feels refreshingly unique. It's like stumbling across an old fairy tale you somehow never heard, especially knowing it draws from forgotten histories. The way nature is described had me feeling the wind and seeing the landscapes as if I were walking alongside Maura.

Watching Maura grow throughout her journey was deeply satisfying. She might start as a simple goat girl, but her development into someone who faces impossible choices about destiny versus family loyalty was beautifully handled. What really resonated was how faith is portrayed. Not as a plot device or something to critique, but as a natural part of these characters' lives. It's subtle, authentic, and adds another layer to this rich world without ever feeling preachy.

This book succeeds because it takes familiar elements and infuses them with genuine heart and distinctive touches. It's the kind of story that makes you want to find your own mountainside to daydream on, hugging a goat while contemplating adventures yet to come. For readers who love feminine protagonists, sister bonds that make your heart ache (in the good way), and fantasy worlds that don't feel like copies of everything else out there, "The Pearl Blossom Heart" is an absolute treat.

An easy to read middle grade fairy tale following thirteen year old Maura who lives in a valley caring for a herd of goats and her two sick sisters. Her mother who has been gone reappears and tells Maura she is needed to end a years long war, find her long lost father and reunite a kingdom. Desperate for a cure for her sisters Maura agrees to go. Along the way Maura meets Dara and his dire wolf and has a run in with the “king” who overthrew the kingdom. This one only took a few hours to read and I liked seeing Maura discover her inner strength.

I love middle grade novels and I really wish we had more magical stories. In Portugal, middle grade is a level that is often forgotten, but some of my favourite books are from this age group and while I am an adult reading these books, I can tell you I have a lot of fun reading them. This is one reason I requested this book - I had a huge nostalgia for books like the Fairyland series and even Gaiman’s work has brought me immense joy (that I no longer support).

“The Pearl Blossom Heart” is a middle grade novel that takes the reader to the depths of a magical Ireland. The first chapters are heart breaking as we witness Maura and her two sisters barely surviving on their own. Their parents have disappeared and the three young girls are barely making ends meet. The two sisters get sick until one day Maura finds her mother, who is returning to help Maura brave war to find a cure for them.

The book delivers a very important and unignorable message: adults are terrible! They are greedy, they lie, and they have no regrets abandoning three girls on their own. Maura must navigate a world at war where humanity’s ugliness is on full display. Maura’s parents abandoned them, the mother has no issues selling her daughter for something, the father hides from war and avoids it knowing people are dying. “The Pearl Blossom Heart” has a lot of themes to talk about with its readers regarding how the adults behave.

Unfortunately, a lot of elements in the book were very confusing, especially since a lot of the adults were using Maura as their pawn. The writing conveyed little emotion and Maura was often used to drive the plot forward even though it made little sense for her to do so. I was hoping for a beautiful narrative about a legend, but the plot was very dark with no plot points tying everything together.

“The Pearl Blossom Heart” carries a slightly dark tone for a middle-grade novel and offers numerous themes that readers can explore. If you enjoy something more serious, then this book is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

This is a story set in the wilds of Ireland where a young girl has to free a kingdom in order to help her sisters. I really wanted to love this book but I just really didn’t enjoy it.

The two younger characters and the sisters are characterized well and their actions and motivations make sense. However, all of the adult characters are not fleshed out and I really didn’t understand their motivations. It felt kind of like when an adult tells a child “Because I told you so”. This story is also told in their person but it’s really close to our main character. However, we automatically know the adults' names without them having introduced themselves. It was strange.

The pacing of this book was also really strange because most of it is spent traveling but most of the traveling is done off-page. So we would just get random time skips and then it would be weeks later for seemingly no reason. We also just seemed to move from plot point to plot point without many connections. Decisions were made instantly and without much thought. I understand that this was a middle-grade book but middle-grade books can be written well.

Finally, there was almost no world-building in this book. It’s said to be fantasy but there aren’t any fantasy elements within this book. There are fantastical elements but I wouldn’t call this a fantasy book. There is also a religious element to this book that isn’t fully explained until the author’s notes about the book. After reading the author’s note this book is basically a hodgepodge of interesting elements that aren’t connected super well so the book feels a little scattered.

Overall, I really didn’t like this book. I will note that I am an adult reading a middle-grade book but these books are allowed to be written well.

This is an easy, cosy read. I liked the premise of this book but I feel it’s a tad too short. A little more elaboration on certain key points would have elevated it that much more! But I did enjoy it as my first ever Net Galley ARC. Thank you to Net Galley for letting me read this one 😊

A heartfelt, fast-paced fantasy full of cozy Celtic vibes, sweet sisterhood, and quiet magic. Perfect for younger readers who love adventure, healing, and stories rooted in love and loyalty.