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cwritesu's review
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
5.0
- I really enjoyed this entry in the Explorers saga!!
The adults get taken out early in the book, & I really appreciate that it was part of the plot through a "disaster of circumstance". Its rare for adults to be removed from middle-grade in a thoughtful way, or as part of the story, and this was done well. I loved seeing that! We got to explore a "forbidden" land, one that was well-established and setup since Book 1. I think this plot point was well-timed; I appreciate that it was neither too soon nor too late in the series, and the stakes were high - death of primary character forces us to go to the greatest place of danger. & I deeply appreciate that this had a payoff and changed the story dynamics going forward. Excellent job!! We have an arch-nemesis!! Yay! Book 3 feels like decent timing for one to emerge from the shadows, & this nemesis is diametrically opposed to the POV of the protagonist, while still having sympathetic motivations. Again, excellent!! I like that you can make an argument in favor of the antagonist, as they are not entirely wrong. I enjoy the nuance in this series: despite all manner of magic and wonder, we still have greed, bias, racism & lack of empathy to deal with, same as our world. Not a book rolls by that there isn't a character I want to adopt and take home, which just goes to the excellence of the world cultivated. It's brushed past super-quick (the author doesn't spend even a page on it) but I loved the concept of the "wishing fish" and how, to have your wish granted, you must leave behind one of your bad memories . . . and our characters (specifically Beanie) conclude that they won't sacrifice their memories for a wish, because their memories -even the bad ones!!- have made them who they are.
That's profound & awesome, & I kinda wish the author spent more time on it. Sort of the opposite of what happens in The Neverending Story, where Bastian makes endless wishes but loses all his memories and sense of self as the penalty and it torments him.
silversparkles50's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
ketchikrista's review against another edition
5.0
This series just keeps getting better. This third book was so charming. I would have finished it faster if I didn’t get a migraine one day.
blue_hill's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely amazing... I loved everything about this book. It's such a whimsical and wintery vibe. The characters are the absolute best and enjoy following along on their adventures. The plot is so engaging. I would highly recommend reading this series! If you aren't already... :)
booksandlemonsquash's review
4.0
In this instalment of the trilogy, things are more perilous than ever - they've been banned from expeditions, but must search for the spellbook to save Shay!
I really loved getting to see more of the world, and also find out a lot more about some of the little mysteries that had been teased in the first two books. Plus the journey over the bridge was perfect - full of peril but also some truly lovely moments.
As before, the jokes and silly moments really help to keep things light, even when our gang are in some serious trouble!
I really wish I could travel with this gang, despite all the danger they seem to find! And the ending is perfectly tying off everything from the first three books while leaving open the possibility of more. Wonderful. 4.5 stars.
I really loved getting to see more of the world, and also find out a lot more about some of the little mysteries that had been teased in the first two books. Plus the journey over the bridge was perfect - full of peril but also some truly lovely moments.
As before, the jokes and silly moments really help to keep things light, even when our gang are in some serious trouble!
I really wish I could travel with this gang, despite all the danger they seem to find! And the ending is perfectly tying off everything from the first three books while leaving open the possibility of more. Wonderful. 4.5 stars.
cookiecat73's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Grief, Blood, and Death of parent
lilymurph's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
marta_correia's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
the_fabric_of_words's review against another edition
5.0
And finally, in the third book, Stella's guardian, Felix, is put on trial for all he's done incorrectly in the Explorers Clubs and stripped of his membership, which means he can no longer mount expeditions. Officials then want to arrest Stella, just for being an Ice Princess. That simply can't be allowed to happen, as Shay and Koa are suffering from the Witch Wolf bite and don't have much time left.
To find the cure they must mount an expedition immediately to the Black Ice Bridge, where Beanie's father was lost eight years ago. Beanie has his father's journal, but the man was never heard from after his last entry. The bridge is an imposing and evil magic construction and was the roadway for another Ice Queen's escape after turning on her village and freezing the inhabitants. No one knows what lays on the other side.
There are subtle clues dropped along the way of a bigger, nefarious plan at work. In particular, pay attention to what areas on the "maps" disappear, completely, and just file them away for reference as you get closer to the end.
Stella conjures a sled and polar bears to whisk the exploring company, including herself, Felix, Beanie and his mom, Joss, Shay and Koa, and budding magician Ethan, into the freezing ocean. But Stella can't keep the magic going forever, and when the sled and bears fade, Ethan conjures…an inflatable hippo? Yes, which they ride until a band of mermaids finds them and very likely will drag them to their watery deaths until Beanie cures one with his elven healing magic.
That gets them a tow to the shore, and they walk to the village closest to the bridge -- the one that's inhabited by more than frozen statues. They push on to the Ice Queen's fortress, and as soon as Stella steps inside she brings it to life. They find a hidden staircase in the library and the queen's sleighs and gargoyles to pull them. The gargoyles try to warn them, but Stella comes face-to-face with an ice dragon, angry at being woken up, or so she thinks. She puts it back to sleep, but not before it conveniently walls the adults, Joss and Felix, behind a block of ice so they have to bow out of the expedition. The party that leaves for the Black Ice Bridge is all teen.
Once on the Bridge, the company encounters obstacle after obstacle, including a screeching red devil squid nest of eggs that splatters ink all over them and summons their mother! They next find Beanie's father's camp, and …right about here I'm going to stop, because if I say more, you might be able to put two and two together and figure out what's going on -- the bigger, evil machinations, I mean. I didn't see all the plot twists, just because the author's imagination is so fantastic, but you'll appreciate reading and discovering them all on your own.
Just know, it's a satisfying, imaginative end to this bit of the trilogy, and as is typical in middle grade, everything works out just fine in the end. Read and enjoy!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
To find the cure they must mount an expedition immediately to the Black Ice Bridge, where Beanie's father was lost eight years ago. Beanie has his father's journal, but the man was never heard from after his last entry. The bridge is an imposing and evil magic construction and was the roadway for another Ice Queen's escape after turning on her village and freezing the inhabitants. No one knows what lays on the other side.
There are subtle clues dropped along the way of a bigger, nefarious plan at work. In particular, pay attention to what areas on the "maps" disappear, completely, and just file them away for reference as you get closer to the end.
Stella conjures a sled and polar bears to whisk the exploring company, including herself, Felix, Beanie and his mom, Joss, Shay and Koa, and budding magician Ethan, into the freezing ocean. But Stella can't keep the magic going forever, and when the sled and bears fade, Ethan conjures…an inflatable hippo? Yes, which they ride until a band of mermaids finds them and very likely will drag them to their watery deaths until Beanie cures one with his elven healing magic.
That gets them a tow to the shore, and they walk to the village closest to the bridge -- the one that's inhabited by more than frozen statues. They push on to the Ice Queen's fortress, and as soon as Stella steps inside she brings it to life. They find a hidden staircase in the library and the queen's sleighs and gargoyles to pull them. The gargoyles try to warn them, but Stella comes face-to-face with an ice dragon, angry at being woken up, or so she thinks. She puts it back to sleep, but not before it conveniently walls the adults, Joss and Felix, behind a block of ice so they have to bow out of the expedition. The party that leaves for the Black Ice Bridge is all teen.
Once on the Bridge, the company encounters obstacle after obstacle, including a screeching red devil squid nest of eggs that splatters ink all over them and summons their mother! They next find Beanie's father's camp, and …right about here I'm going to stop, because if I say more, you might be able to put two and two together and figure out what's going on -- the bigger, evil machinations, I mean. I didn't see all the plot twists, just because the author's imagination is so fantastic, but you'll appreciate reading and discovering them all on your own.
Just know, it's a satisfying, imaginative end to this bit of the trilogy, and as is typical in middle grade, everything works out just fine in the end. Read and enjoy!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/