Wizard West was dead for nearly an entire day before he noticed.
That intriguing first line is a perfect jump start to this fantasy tale. The main character is Faye, a young maid and the groundskeeper daughter. She has been chosen to tell the wizard that he is indeed a ghost and has no magical powers left.
He responds by trying to transform Faye into a cat with disastrous results. The news gets even worse because Faye’s home, the enchanted castle of Celurdur, will fall apart soon if it’s foundation spells can’t be renewed.
Wizard West reluctantly accepts his death and hosts a competition to pick his successor. It doesn’t go well, and it’s up to Faye to work mostly behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly.
A bigger problem surfaces when she discovers a servant of the evil Shadow Queen has sabotaged the contest that will not only destroy the castle but the entire kingdom of Solum. Faye tests her bravery by doing anything to stop the imposter and save her home.
Faye is an endearing lead and must serve under the long standing rule that girls are never to become apprentices to the land’s four wizards (North, South, East, and the ghostly West). She proves everyone wrong with her leadership prowess throughout the story.
THE GIRL WHO KEPT THE CASTLE stands tall as the first book in a to-be-continued adventure. The plot wraps up nicely leaving hints that there may be future stories. Readers will anxiously be waiting its’ arrival.
Fantasy lovers have a new friend set in an enchanting, magical setting.
BOOK BIRTHDAY: June 18, 2024 PAGE COUNT: 336
FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: THE GIRL WHO KEPT THE CASTLE by Ryan Graudin
- A great supporting cast including a talking cat. This feline has a few things on her mind and makes for a much needed friend for Faye.
- Kind, caring, and brave make Faye one of the best lead female, fantasy characters in recent memory.
- A dragon is always a draw and this story has a good one to entertain readers.
- The magic is often connected to food which provide many surprises.
- The potential apprentices vying for the chance to become the new wizard were surprisingly different and not all were your typical boy characters.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ryan Graudin is the award-winning author of eight novels, including the Carnegie nominated Wolf By Wolf duology, Invictus, The Walled City and the The World Between Blinks series. She resides near Charleston, South Carolina with her husband and two daughters. You can find her online at www.ryangraudin.com.
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COMMENTS ARE WELCOME BELOW!
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Always in the Middle... 
This sounds like a super fun fantasy story. I hope I can get it at my library. Thanks.
What a fun premise and I think MG readers will LOVE the talking cat! Thanks for the review.
This title intrigues me. Thanks for sharing!
What a unique fantasy series! At first the cover reminded me of Tuesday of the Adams Family. What a great plot. I always love to read your 5 More Things to like about the book as it adds to your review.
This sounds a fun story, thanks for sharing!
This sounds fun and I love the opening line. Definitely curious about this one and adding it to my list. 🙂
Love that first line!!