I was very excited to read Marabel and the book of fates. It started well, and then I just lost interest. Marabel's character is interesting, but the supporting cast feels very one-note. I understand that this is a fairy tale, but I never really understood why adults hated her so much or why they acted, quite frankly, like idiots. As much as I liked Marabel, I found myself uninterested. This might appeal to younger middle-graders, but I don't know that I'd go out of my way to recommend it. After giving it multiple chances, I decided to move on to something else.

I liked it! Marabel is a thwarted fema-hero in the shadow of her twin brother, Marcos. This fairy tale had a modern flavor to it with the feminine twist on the strong, smart, warrior being the sister of the two twins. Marco needs saving and Marabel is cleverly attacking the situation, with the help of her life-long friend and maid and others who recognize her talents! The adults, mainly her father the kind, are moving way too slow for her liking. The false queen, Mab, will meet her match in Marabel!

Thanks to Ms. Barrett, her publisher and Netgalley.com for allowing me the opportunity to drop in on the special world of Magikos.

I received a free ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. There were a few parts that make me roll my eyes with trying to bring some of the 'hip' stuff currently in real life into the book, just twisting the name a different bit. But I love magical type books. Sometimes reading not super in depth books is great. I like that there is going to be more of these as it was left open for more. Not in a huge plot what if but a nice ooooh there will be more. Marabel was a good character, Ellie was her friend on the trip (I think the cover should be changed to not show the brother but her friend), they enjoyed a few other traveling companions and it was a fun read to watch them grow into themselves some.

A princess, magic, a best friend, a talking unicorn (who is quite funny and easily distracted), an invisible wall, a feuding aunt, goblins, ogres, giants, The Book of Fate, wizards, secret passage way, caves, dungeons, a wooden sword, siblings, fun and adventure.

I have a household of fantasy lovers and book readers and this is one that I am excited to share with them all. I think many young girls (boys too) will enjoy reading about the adventure of princess Marabel and her friend Ellie as they set out to rescue Marco, Marabel's twin brother.

In a kingdom almost afraid of magic (maybe saying overly cautious would be better) and committed to following the Book of Fate, Marabel finds herself to be almost invisible. Her brother is the prophesied Chosen One that everyone has talked about and she's just the twin who was born after him. She secretly trains with old Lucius and learns to sword fight and protect herself. But what if she could train with her parents' support? Life is good, but it's sometimes hard being a princess and one that isn't well liked by neighboring kingdom's princess'. But she loves her brother and he loves her. He's good at making sure she's noticed. Even with the invisibility, her life is still happy and good.

When their 13th birthday celebration arrives, Marco is taken hostage by their aunt and a wizard. If their father doesn't act quickly, aunt Mab will turn Marco into a frog or a snake. When King Matthew consults the Book of Fate, they are told to wait and everything will work out fine. But Marabel can't just let their aunt steal her brother and threaten him. She's not going to sit around hoping everything will work out. Armed with her wooden sword, her best friend and the king's unicorn (who just happened to see them secretly leaving), this trio will encounter many adventures, struggles, joys and surprises along their way to rescue Marco.

What they discover is more than what they ever thought or bargained for. And just might be the first step to healing a kingdom and saving the day.

This was a fun middle grade book about friendship, stepping out of comfort zones, being courageous even when it's scary and hard, paying attention, using the gifts and talents we have, trusting ourselves, being kind and understanding and much, much more. I think this will be a fun fantasy book that will appeal to younger readers. I had fun seeing what would happen next in the rescue adventure. Even though Marabel is a princess and the main character, this is geared towards any reader, male or female. This is not just a fluffy princess story type read. This would be a really fun audiobook if done with a great narrator who does voices and sound affects. I think it would be a well listened to story with my family.

Dive into the adventure of Marabel and discover who you are along with Marabel's discovery of herself, her kingdom, her friends and her family.

Content: Clean

I received a copy from the publisher, Little, Brown books for young readers, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

4.5 stars for this fun fairy tale-ish story in the vein of The Wide-Awake Princess series or the Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom. Great twists on the classic fairy tale stories. Marabel is a terrific character and her adventure was a treat to read.

Marabel is a princess in the land of Magikos, but she is overshadowed by her twin brother Marco, who has been proclaimed the Chosen One (according to interpretations of the Book of Fate, which the people of Magikos consult and live by). Everyone adores Marco and ignores Marabel, but the siblings still love each other. On the night of their thirteenth birthday, Marco is taken away by their banished aunt Mab, Queen of the Barrens, and Marabel sets out on an adventure to save him with two good friends. Can Marabel save her brother in time, or will Queen Mab's evil plan prevail?
I thought this was a cute middle grade fantasy, and I couldn't stop reading it because I wanted to find out what happened. A couple of issues I had: I thought the incorporation of modern technology was out of place, and the author seemed to force the messages of gender equality and self-esteem into the story a little too much. Other than that, I thought the characters were well developed and the adventure and dangerous elements were appropriate for a middle grade book. There was a good level of humor, and there was nothing inappropriate that would keep me from recommending it.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I read this entertaining mid-grade fantasy with my own mid-graders and not only did they enjoy it, but I did as well. The story has a good flow and is fast paced and exciting. It's full of magical creatures and a quest to save a kingdom. Marabel's journey is perfect for sparking the imagination of young readers and keeping them engaged in the story.

What if you lived in a world where your fate was dictated by a book of fate? That everything that was interpenetrated from was how your future would be played out and that you had no say in if that fate would be changed.  I loved Marabel and at times saw myself in her as young child seeking for approval from my parents and being shoved aside as the less important child. 

The author does a spectacular job with this middle grade novel that will delight those of all ages.  I was kept guessing up to the very end exactly how the fate of our characters would play out.  It was wonderful adventure to read.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC! This book was quite cute. It was a nice tale of friendship and loyalty, and I thought it was good for any child who might feel overshadowed by a sub,in (although this tale is an extreme case!). I liked that the brother was nice even though he was placed ahead of his sister because it showed he obviously did not feel it was his right. It was also a good book to show the bravery and strength of girls. It was clever and funny at times, and I think tweens will enjoy it, especially girls.

Fantasy. Mythical creatures. Adventure. Magic Strong, young female protagonist. Unicorns! I loved this book! Written for a middle grade audience, it was adventurous and everything flowed nicely. There was never a dull, boring moment.
Marabel is a princess in the land of Magikos. Her life has always been overshadowed by her twin brother, Marco. I’m happy to say she is not a whiny character that moans about not being recognized. She is a smart girl who is just discovering who she is.

On their 13th birthday, Marco is kidnapped because he is believed to be the Chosen One. Marabel sets off on her quest to help bring her brother home. Throughout the journey, she meets several magical creatures and discovers how brave she is.

Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading Marabel and the Book of Fate. At first I was angry with Marabel's father and mother for their treatment of Marabel compared to Mario, her twin. After taking a step back and realizing that he was doing what was expected- his son was "the chosen one". This treatment did lead her to take things into her own hands and begin the adventure of a lifetime.

I really enjoyed the book and hope there are more! I was given the opportunity to read Marabel and the Book of Fate by Tracy Barrett, by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

A fairy tale story about a princess but with a twist. In this story, the princess is hero and the prince is waiting to be rescued. The story was easy and fun to read. The characters were full of personality, especially the unicorn and the dragon. The author was inventive with incorporating modern day references to social media and technology in this fantasy world. I think this would be a good book for young children to read.

Marabel lives in a world where events are seen as pre-determined by Fate and in particular by a Book that foretells the fate of individuals and nations. But when her brother is put into peril and the interpretation of the book says to sit back and do nothing, Marabel, moved by her love for her brother, decides that she needs to act on his behalf. What if the book is wrong? What if there is no pre-determined fate? Or what if there is and it’s being interpreted incorrectly? These are some of the questions that Marabel is asking as she takes fate into her own hands.

First, the things I liked:
1. The book is light hearted and easy to read. I believe it would be engaging for young readers. Even as an adult I didn’t have any trouble staying engaged with the story.
2. The author is creative.
3. Despite how other people see them Marabel and her brother Marco have a great relationship.
4. Marabel is challenged to exercise discernment. I particularly liked that she is challenged to discover that the opinions of culture aren’t always correct and that groups can’t be judged broadly, but that each individual should be judged as an individual. There is a challenge here to racist views and the idea that everyone who lives on the other side of the wall (in another culture) is evil.

The things that I found troubling:
1. The adults, particularly the parents are portrayed as “less than” the children. The father and mother act arrogantly, ignorantly and even cruelly toward their daughter on multiple occasions. Then at the very end of the book they all of a sudden are portrayed in a positive light. Even the aunt is portrayed as both selfish and doting, but never particularly wise. I don’t appreciate children’s books that make the children out to be smarter than the adults, not that children can’t be brilliant, but adults are meant to teach and guide and stories that elevate children and reduce adults to incompetent characters aren’t actually helpful for a child’s development.
2. The idea of fate verses self-determination was unclear. At very least I’d hope an adult would read this alongside a child and discuss this concept. As a Christian myself I believe that we are made in the image of God with the ability to choose. In some ways Marabel demonstrated the idea of choice verses pre-determination. And yet, the wisdom of her choices is in questions as is her own idea about whether she was simply helping along what was “meant to be” or making her own fate. The author played around with the idea that Marco was not the chosen one and yet never clarified if Marabel was the chosen one. Or was there never a chosen one and Marabel simply became who she believed she could be? I felt the underlying philosophical questions that the author scattered throughout the book were left in confusion and honestly I can’t tell you what the point of the story actually was. Personally, I don’t care for books that lack clarity in their underlying philosophies, even if they are children’s stories. Children can be brilliant and I think they deserve stories that have a clarity of purpose to the tale that is being told.

My Review: As with so many other books lately, I was completely drawn in by the unicorn on the cover and then the synopsis sounded like a grand and magical adventure. The book starts off great setting Marabel up as a completely ordinary princess, but then we are led to feel bad for her for being ignored in favor of her brother. I always have difficulty with when we are basically told to have sympathy for a character, but this seems to be common in middle grade books. After that the adventure takes off. I do like how Marabel cares so much for her brother, even if she is brushed aside for him, in my opinion family should always have a priority in your life and this does a great job of giving that message in a fun way. The underlying message of following your heart and being true to yourself while seeking your own destiny was interwoven throughout the story beautifully. I loved all the unique characters that are introduced in the story, the friendships that are built with that variety of creatures and characters is a great example to set for the young readers.

My Rating: While the adventure was a little slow and a bit anti-climatic, it was the people that Marabel meets and the unique way of solving problems that kept me reading. I think that young readers will really enjoy this book. I give it a rating of Three Paws and a Stump Wag.

Cute, fun, humorous, and an excellent read!

The MC is a girl who's always been second best and pushed down by her family in favor of her special twin brother.

The writing was excellent, and I loved the varied cast of characters - magical and not. This is a children's book, so obviously things always work out for the best, but it's great to see how the MC works her way through the sticky moments, keeps her head, and comes to accept herself for her abilities, without allowing others' expectations to lead her life. There are some pretty good funny moments too

I really enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it for young and old readers. .

Disclaimer: I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Archived before I could read it. I don't understand why it was archived in mid January when the book won't be published until February.

Maybe I've been spoiled by Harry Potter, but this book was a letdown. Marabel's character was fairly well developed, but the rest of the cast felt one-dimensional. I was sure I knew how the Chosen One issue would turn out, but I was wrong; in the end it was wrap-it-up-with-a-bow sidestepped. None of the characters ended up being truly evil, which detracted from the book, in my opinion. In a fairy tale, I want good guys and bad guys. The plot was a little simplistic, and would appeal to middle graders. Anyone older is likely to be bored.

*ARC via netgalley*

I was excited about this book, when I heard about it. I wanted to like it, I really did. There were some good parts, but I had a hard time really getting into this story. I wouldn’t tell a kid not to read it, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it, either. Some of the problems that Marabel faces can be entertaining, some were a bit ridiculous and not really necessary for moving the story forward. The technological parallels between our world and Magikos seemed out of place. I am not a fan of stories like this where nobody is really evil, just misunderstood, but I can understand why others might like a storyline like this. I also did not like the convenient ending of the story.
*I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.

Who doesn't love a girl-has-to-rescue-her-brother tale with talking unicorns and magic-world tech like WizFi? Princess Marabel, her maid and close friend, and a blue unicorn sneak out of the kingdom rescue her brother Prince Marco and bring him back from the land of the Evils after Queen Mab captures him. While their father the King is abiding the Book that tells him the future, Marabel knows staying put and waiting for Marco to return is not okay. She and her crew meet all sorts of fairy tale beings that aren't quite what they seem at first and learn that a lot of what they thought they know isn't quite right. Fun read!

Description
Free-spirited Marabel must defy expectations to rescue her brother--and their kingdom--in this charming, action-packed, and magical story perfect for fans of Ella Enchanted and Dealing with Dragons.

In Magikos, life is dictated by the Book of Fate's ancient predictions, including the birth of a royal Chosen One who will save the realm. Princess Marabel has grown up in the shadow of her twin brother, Marco, who everyone assumes is the true Chosen One. While Marco is adored and given every opportunity, Marabel is overlooked and has to practice her sword fighting in secret.

But on the night of their thirteenth birthday, Marco is kidnapped by an evil queen, and Marabel runs to his rescue. Outside the castle walls for the first time, accompanied by her best friend and a very smug unicorn, Marabel embarks on a daring mission that brings her face-to-face with fairies, trolls, giants--and the possibility that all is not as it seems in Magikos.

My thoughts:

Although I normally read books for middle schoolers, sometimes tween books are just as engaging. Most tweens want to read about a character that is older than they are, so the fact that Marabel and Marco have just turned 13 is perfect for the tween female reader (4-5th grade). Like Ella Enchanted, Marabel is independent and fiesty, even if she is also misunderstood and mostly forgotten by her parents.

I don't think this will appeal to the males of this age because although there is adventure and humor, there is not enough of the gross factor. The main appeal of this book is that her twin brother Marco, the golden child is one of the characters who really sees her and believes in her strength and intelligence. He does not need to grow throughout the book to see her value to him and to others. He sees it from the beginning, even when she does not see any value in herself.

The one negative is that the title just did not grab me. I understand the whole Book of Fate connection, but I did not see this as a strong enough theme or connection to put in the title. I almost wanted the title to be just about Marabel or the three of them like Marabel of Magikos, Shadow Princess, something more intriguing. I don't know if I want to read a book with the word book in it, especially if the cover looks so young and non-mysterious. With the title and the picture together, it could be about a girl who fantasizes that the is a princess in this "Book of Fate" when in reality she is a sad, lonely girl who reads to escape and the adventures are in her mind, like a story about a girl who is reading a "choose your own adventure" tale.