ARC Review: City of Thirst by Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis

Title: City of Thirst Series: The Pirate Stream #2 Author: Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis Published: October 13, 2015 (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis transport readers back to the boundless world of the Pirate Stream in this engaging and exhilarating sequel to the highly acclaimed The Map to Everywhere that is equal parts adventure, humor, and heart!  When the magical waters of the Pirate Stream begin flooding Marrill's world, the only way to stop the destruction is to return to the Stream and find the source of the mysterious Iron Tide. Reunited with her best friend Fin--who has been forgotten all over again--Marrill, her disbelieving babysitter, and the Enterprising Kraken crew must make the treacherous trek to the towering, sliding, impossible world of Monerva and uncover the secrets of its long-lost wish machine. Only there can Fin wish to finally be remembered. Only there can Marrill wish to save her world and all the people she loves. But to get everything they've ever wanted, Marrill and Fin may have to give up on the most important thing they already have: each other.

**** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ****

This is such a fun series. I read the first book, The Map to Everywhere, last fall and I fell in love with this world and the characters. I don't read a lot of Middle Grade but from time to time I like a good portal fantasy as a palate cleanse and this series is so perfect for that.

This is so very Fin if you ask me.

One of the things that I like so much about this series is the characters and it was great to catch up with them. Usually in a book my favorite characters are the secondary ones, and while The Pirate Stream has some really fun ones including wizards, pirates, and all many of crazy creatures they are not the ones that made the biggest impression on me. In this series it is all about our main characters who I found so endearing in the first book. So I was excited in City of Thirst to pick up with Marrill and Fin, two characters who are quirky in the best possible way. You can't help but want to see them to succeed and laugh along with them as hilarity and hijinx ensue. They are intelligent, resourceful, and funny. And as much as I love Marrill and her happy go lucky attitude, I like Fin a little bit more. But that's mostly because he's such a unique character being that no one can ever remember him. His so memorable in that he's so forgetful. But that's also what makes his so fun and quirky. All the characters in this series are fun and quirky.

But that is not the only thing about this book that is unique in a fun and quirky way.  The setting and world of this book is like that as well. It's such a creative world that I have loved exploring. It is a portal fantasy so the Pirate Stream is reminiscent of some other Middle Grade fantasies but while it feels familiar it is also so creative and silly in the best possible way. We get to explore more of the Pirate Stream in City of Thirst and everywhere that this book takes us within this world is so interesting. Here instead of exploring a lot of different parts of the Stream they stayed in one place but what a complex place it was. It was like peeling away many layers and finding something totally different under the surface. And while they essentially stayed in one place throughout the book it was so far from boring. This world has tons of magic and mystery and I loved being able to explore it.

Which of course brings me to my next point. The plot here was basic but so engaging. Yes, again I say it is a Middle Grade portal fantasy, and if you have read many of those like I have you know that usually those entail some kind of Hero's Journey and epic adventure. And yes, that's what happened here. It was really well plotted and paced. Little things from earlier in the book came together in the end to lead us to a conclusion that was full of surprises and fun. It built to a pretty high stakes climax that actually had me concerned and curious as to how it would all end. But it's not all sunshine and roses, there are some struggles along the way. I'm not sure if they were playing with the tropes or I'm reading too much into it but I really like that everything doesn't go perfectly. The characters make mistakes, they take risks, they do rash things that often get them into more trouble. It makes things all the more realistic and interesting. But on the whole, this book is full of tons of action that people for all ages will love.

I'm really enjoying this series and it seems to be the perfect palate cleanse for me to read during the fall when I tend to read more atmospheric and complex reads. This is just such a fun and quirky read that is full of adventure and great characters that I am becoming so invested in.

I give City of Thirst by Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you are looking for a book to get for the middle grade loving child in your life I would definitely recommend this one. But it's not just for kids. Definitely check this out if you are looking for a fun and unique Middle Grade fantasy that will make you laugh, have you on the edge of your seat, and remind you of the books you loved as a kid.

ARC Review: The Map to Everywhere by Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis

Title: The Map to Everywhere Series: Pirate Stream #1 Author: Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis Published: November 4, 2014 by Little Brown Children's (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: To Master Thief Fin, an orphan from the murky pirate world of the Khaznot Quay, the Map is the key to finding his mother. To suburban schoolgirl Marrill, it's her only way home after getting stranded on the Pirate Stream, the magical waterway that connects every world in creation. With the help of a bumbling wizard and his crew, they must scour the many worlds of the Pirate Stream to gather the pieces of the Map to Everywhere--but they aren't the only ones looking. A sinister figure is hot on their tail, and if they can't beat his ghostly ship to find the Map, it could mean the destruction of everything they hold dear! In Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis's first installment of a fantastical new series, adventure, magic, and hilarity collide in the treacherous skies and dangerous waters of the Pirate Stream. Heart-pounding escapades and a colorful cast of characters will have readers setting sail through this wholly original and unforgettable tale.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review in return. That fact has not changed my opinion ***

I was immediately attracted to The Map to Everywhere when I saw it on Netgalley. I mean the name map is right there in the title. You guys know, I love maps. But more than that it has been awhile since I read a Middle Grade Portal Fantasy and those are always books that I enjoy. The Map to Everywhere did not disappoint. It is a fun and engaging Middle Grade Fantasy with interesting characters and an action-packed plot.

I was quickly hooked on the tale of Marrill and Fin and their struggles to get back to and find their families. They were the perfect characters for this story. At first I was a little worried that they were going to be a cliche MG adventure story characters. The exposition set them up as kind of angsty but that changes pretty quickly into the story. I found them to be likable and sympathetic heroes with the perfect blend of adventurous and intelligent. I would say that I liked Fin a little more. He was just slightly more complex and quirky, he had this oddity about him that made me laugh and made me empathize with him at the same time. But the book also had some really interesting secondary with odd names. Among them the wizard Ardent, a creature called the Naysayer who was pessimistic but a realist, and a pretty sinister villain.

And these interesting characters seemed to perfectly fit in with the engaging and creative world of the book. Most of the book took place on the "Pirate Stream," a waterway that connects all worlds, think the "Wood Between the Worlds" in the Chronicles of Narnia but with water. And some of these worlds were so unique and for lack of a better word, fun. Everywhere that they traveled was and interesting and fun place with it's own quirks. The world-building did a have a bit too much info-dumping for my liking but I can let it slide in a Middle Grade novel. Plus the authors' did a phenomenal job in creating the setting. I could perfectly visualize everything they were explaining from a world of ice where even your words freeze, to a pirate world where you can sail through the wind, to an iron ship within a treacherous storm. I had an eARC copy and it looks like the finished copy is going to be full of amazing art work that will help create the world. Even without the artwork, I could visualize it so much, that it even seemed plausible. I will now be forever searching for my entrance into the Pirate Stream so I can sail it's waters and discover new lands.

As far as the plot goes, for me it was incredibly reminiscent of the classic MG Portal Fantasies like The Phantom Tollbooth, His Dark Materials, A Wrinkle in Time, The Chronicles of Narnia, and even Harry Potter. But these were the books that I used to love as a kid, the books that got me excited about reading. The plot in The Map to Everywhere, like these other books, is full of action and adventure. I found it extremely well plotted with a mysterious prophesy (which I am a sucker for in MG Fantasy) setting up the plot for the book. But the climax of the book brought it all together with little things being important and even ended up surprising me with it's twist, something some adult Mysteries haven't been able to do. For the first time in a long time I wasn't worried about solving the mystery and I was just along for the ride. I think this is a testament to how entertaining the plot of this book is. But it did feel a little long. There was a little too much exposition and some moments in the middle when things slowed down a little too much. By the end however, it was a page-turning adventure and I was so glad to be along for the ride!

I give The Map to Everywhere by Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis 8.5 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. I would definitely suggest picking this one up if you are a fan of MG Fantasies or looking for a gift for that reading loving pre-teen in your life. I think this would make the prefect book to read aloud to your younger children before bedtime. The characters are interesting, the world is creative, and the plot is engaging. On top of that the chapters are short so you can get through a few at a time without much hardship.

Have you read The Map to Everywhere? What did you think? If you haven't read it, what is your favorite Middle Grade Portal Fantasy? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!