A review by naomiysl
Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith

adventurous emotional inspiring lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

 Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston, by Esme Symes-Smith is the successor to Alanna the Lioness in a lot of key ways. Sir Callie is a nonbinary kid who wants to be a knight, befriends the evil regent's daughter and the downtrodden young king who is into "girly things" like magic and dancing, and makes impassioned speeches about justice. They are a wonderful hero, living in a world with some supportive grownups alongside the unsupportive ones, and it's just a feel good story all around. Plus it's the first in a projected series, so you get to look forward to future books! It's the gen z Alanna, and while I won't claim there are no issues with it (for example there doesn't seem to be any racial diversity in this magical world, and I'm also not a huge fan of the plot's ending) there is a lot going for it and I'm rooting for more. 
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