Holy guacamole. When I was a little girl I would have LOVED to discover this book. This is such a great fairy tale style story. It has everything you could ask for: magic, dragons, ogres, and at the center of it all, a strong, smart little girl who loves her family. This is the perfect adventure story for little girls that love to read.

I have a 9yr old that is having difficulty reading at her level. She has always loved to have me read her my books (meaning not kid friendly) so I started looking for books that we would both enjoy and that were appropriate. She has loved this story. She reads a page, I read a page. Some of the words are a bit hard, even for me, but the story line certainly kept us both entertained.

This was the first Tracy Barrett novel that I have read and I have to say I'm really impressed. This book has all of the elements I love mashed into one story. On this middle grade adventure book you get to explore the kingdom of Magikos. Magikos is a magic free kingdom. The only magic that is allowed are the "Evils" (AKA magical creatures) that are kept in Zoos, and stables. If you want to experience magic you have to go to the Barrens. The Barrens are where you'll find all sorts of fantastical creatures including but not limited to faeries, ogres, dragons, and giants.

The plot was well thought out and developed and it was fun to join Marabel on her journey through the Barrens. I could go into more depth but I fear that it might contain spoilers so I will just say, that I enjoyed the girl power nature of this book.

Something else that I liked were the characters. Many times an author will make the rightful heir hated and a jerk, what I liked is that Marco was lovable. He seemed to truly care about Marabel and was a good brother. I loved it. Marabel was lovable as well and though there were times where she could have been self pitting she never once stopped with her adventure. My only issue was that the characters didn't have much depth to them. I would have loved to see more growth in all of the characters.

All in all, I enjoyed this book. I'm giving it 4 stars because I loved the fast paced nature of the book but I also wanted a little more depth.

"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."

I was really turned off by the pacing. So much of what happens after Marco, Marabel’s brother, is kidnapped only serves to move Marabel toward the next plot point rather than showing us her character. Her claustrophobic maid conveniently has a key to break her out of confinement and knows a secret way out of the castle.

A path, it is worth noting, that Marabel, the princess, has no knowledge of.

On their way out they meet a unicorn who talks and also has information to provide them as they flee the castle in hopes of rescuing Marco. The opening would have been more successful had Marabel made her own choices and found this information without it falling in her lap.

She has so much potential to be an adorable and relatable character but she’s only painted as a tropey second child. Her brother is The Chosen One and no one pays attention to her. Even the castle guards ignore her when she tells them she saw someone suspicious walk into her brother’s birthday celebration.

So much of the opening forces us to pity her rather than showing me reasons to be sympathetic on my own and the amount of time we spend being told to pity her slows the opening down immensely.

Publication Date: February 6th, 2018

This book is about young Princess Marabel. She is the often neglected twin to her perfect brother, who is said to be the Chosen One.
This book is full of dragons, fairies, ogres and other mythical creatures. Marabel goes on an adventure, and learns who she really is. This is a fun book that shows self confidence and standing up for yourself in a cute (and magical) way. I’d recommend it for ages 8 and up. I think my 7 and 10 year old would love it, but my 12 year old would find it too silly.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGallery.

Moderately cute, but really nothing super special. Very simplistic (it's a young readers edition after all).

Princess Marabel is the twin sister to Prince Marco, "The Chosen One," born one minute after her brother. Whom we don't really meet at all. She's largely ignored by her family, and apparently the rest of the country. In Magikos using magic is illegal, and everything important can be foretold by "The Book of Fate." The book is written in an old language and only a specific set of priests and priestesses can read it (in a weird ceremony).
On their 13th birthday Marco is abducted by their "evil" aunt(who rules the neighboring kingdom) and held for ransom. Their father consults the Book of Fate, which advises the kingdom that The Chosen one will come into his own, so they decide to declare war on his sister's kingdom while they wait.

Marabel knows this is not a good idea, so decides to rescue her brother herself. Along with her maid and a talking unicorn she sets of on an adventure to the ends of Magikos and beyond.

Aside from being simplistic there were a few odd things about this book. Marcos is a very passive "Chosen One" who just lets things happen to him (not a very well developed character), and there's really no good reason for why the characters do anything. There are some eye-rolling parallels to today's world that really don't make sense in the book- elfies, flitter, wizfi, etc. And a talking dragon that sounds exactly like trump. None of those make sense or have any real bearing on the story.

My granddaughter is getting of the age that we are reading to her and not just picture books...I saw this advertised and thought I would see what it was like...she is almost four years old as of this review and can say it is too old for her...but...in a few years it will be awesome...there are many jokes that may not be understood until she is about ten or so...but the book is VERY good...a fun read that was very quick...there are many little jokes...how they are in a world of magic which includes their version of the internet...twitter...interspersed among the book along with the interactions of the adventurers with ogres...fairies...dragons...and the group uses intelligence and wit that is not beyond children to get out of many traps and difficult spots...would very much recommend this book and would definitely buy it for my grandchild ....will definitely appeal to the girls since the main characters are about thirteen years old. Very fun! Review is located on good reads at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2259536988

Imagine being a princess with a twin brother. Doesn't sound so bad, right? But what if your brother was the Chosen One and your parents treated you as an afterthought? That has been Marabel's life so far. But when her brother Marco is kidnapped from their 13th birthday celebration, Mara decides that she has to be the one to rescue him. It doesn't help that her father and the entire kingdom of Magikos depend on the Book of Fate to make all major decisions, or that the book is written in such archaic language that it must be interpreted by special priests and priestesses during a Consultation. When the court decides to sit and wait for the book's prophecy to come true, Mara takes matters into her own hands.

There are many fairy tale tropes present - the prince destined for greatness, the kingdom steeped in tradition, the neighboring kingdom filled with evil/magical creatures and ruled by an evil queen, a quest, a faithful friend, etc. But many of the elements are different than expected. The princess sets out to rescue the prince. Her trusty weapon is a wooden training sword. Her faithful sidekick is her maid. You get the idea. And there are some very obvious references to our world like a magical game called "Angry Phoenixes," a network called WizFi, and something called Flitter.

For middle grade readers who enjoy fantasy stories with danger, humor, friendship, loyalty, and problem-solving, this is an entertaining tale.

From the first chapter, this book had me hooked. I am a huge fan of middle grade fantasy books, and this was a wonderful example of all the best parts of the genre.

Marabel is a strong female character who is, at the beginning, unaware of how strong and powerful she actually is. I loved watching Marabel grow from someone who follows what everyone wants and has planned for her (and the role they have placed her in) to someone who makes her own decisions and speaks up for herself. This is such a powerful message for young readers who are at an age where they are starting to decide how to direct their own lives.

The supporting characters are similarly well developed, and characters you want to cheer on. Everyone from the “not evil” stepmother, to the fencing instructor to the magical unicorn and ogre, each interaction Marabel had introduced someone new to like. Even the antagonist was given a backstory that made sense and showed why she had made the choices she did. At the beginning, I was not thrilled with Aunt Mab, but by the end, after I had learned more about her, she was one of my favorite characters.

I loved that there were two female going on an adventure. In many middle grade fantasy stories, there may be a female protagonist, but she usually has a male counterpart who can often take control of the adventure. Having Marabel and Ellie as the leaders of the adventuring party was a welcome change.

Overall, this is a book I will enthusiastically recommend to the middle grade readers in my life. (both children and adult) Both the characters and storyline are engaging, fun, and such fun to spend time with.

I was charmed from the beginning, this is the sweetest book. I loved Marabel and her entire journey.

Good (if painfully obvious) concept(s), not especially well-written, with some odd errors and jarring transitions. Giving it 3 stars, but not posting detailed reviews.

"Marabel and the Book of Fate" is a wonderful middle grade fantasy that is sure to become a quick favorite. Marabel is a princess of Magikos, where she lives with her father, stepmother (but not an evil stepmother), twin brother, and younger siblings. Magikos has banished most magical creatures, which they call Evils, to the outerlands, which are ruled by her Aunt Mab. Magikos lives under the strict rule of the Book of Fate, which they have taken literally, and the Book says that Marco, born on the thirteenth minute of the thirteenth hour of the thirteenth day, is the Chosen One, who will do great things. As such, Marabel has been ignored in favor of Marco.

Everything changes on Marabel and Marco's thirteenth birthday, when Mab comes and kidnaps Marco, threatening to turn him into a frog or a snake or something like that if Matthew doesn't give her the throne. She could have had it, except that only Kings can get the throne. When King Matthew asks the Book for advice and finds that Marco should save himself, he does nothing. It is up to Marabel to travel to save Marco and prevent Magikos from falling into war.

Marabel sets out with her BFF and servant, Ellie, as well as Floriano, a sarcastic unicorn. As they travel to Mab's castle, they encounter all sorts of magical creatures and some dangers. Marabel learns that maybe the Book doesn't know everything (and shouldn't be taken so literally) - and that the Evils are not always evil, just like humans- there are good and bad ones. This was quite a clever adventure story featuring the smart and spunky Marabel. I also enjoyed that the brother, Marco, was kind and quiet/less prone to action/adventure- it's great to see that a boy can be anything too.

There were also really fantastic details spattered throughout, such as Wizfi instead of Wifi, and a host of delightful characters. Hotshot, the dragon, was probably one of my favorites, but there are so many fantastic side characters. This is a book that girls and boys could easily fall in love with and begs to be made into a movie. I highly recommend to the middle grade crowd- you won't be disappointed with this book!

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a sweet and funny story.The book is written in a very simple manner so it can be read from anyone.The writing was excellent, and I loved the varied cast of characters.This book is full of magical creatures and adventures spread out through the chapters. It was fast paced and I enjoy it a lot!

I was not able to read the book because approval was given the day it was archived. By the time I checked my email (6 hours after the approval email was sent) I was not able to download or send to my kindle.

Before I began reading this book, I read the author's biography, and due to her vast knowledge of mythology and history, I accepted the review copy hoping for a treat. I'm happy that my hunch was correct. 

Princess Marabel lives in a world full of magical creatures and adventures. During this story, we encounter trolls, giants, fairies, ogres, a sarcastic unicorn, and a people ruled by the Book Of Fate. It's very much our world with a magical spin.

In this story, all the answers to problems both now and in the future can be answered by the Book of Fate. One thing the characters learn is that everyone has a bias while reading the book. I think it is a thought-provoking plot line in what is otherwise a "light" book full of funny digs at our current culture. They have a form of Twitter and "elfies" (selfies that are drawn by elves. I found myself laughing out loud while reading. I think teens will enjoy it as well and there is plenty of fodder for a group discussion if you've got a book group going. 

Verdict- Buy. 

I read a DRC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I'm scheduling it into our read aloud schedule, which means I'll buy it if the library wait is too long.

Marabel and the Book of Fate By Tracy Barrett  February 6, 2018

Marvel and the Book of Fate is a clever, interesting read, sure to appeal to middle grade students. It's a delightful blend of old-fashioned magic (dragons, castles, ogres, spells) and modern day touches that kids will recognize (elfies instead of selfies, Wiz-fi instead of Wi-fi, Scari instead of Siri). It would be fun to read aloud or use in small group literature circles.

Marabel and her twin, Marco are the eldest children of the King of Magikos: but while Marco is seen as the “chosen one” as predicted by the Book of Fate, she is almost universally ignored. Not pretty, not girlish, not even particularly friendly with the princesses from other lands, Marabel thrives on her fencing lessons with Old Lucius, her time with her best friend and ladies maid Elle, and wondering just why she’s got no apparent role.

But when on their thirteenth birthday celebration Marco is kidnapped by Marabel’s exiled Aunt, Mab, and the kingdom is given 13 days to make peace or face war, Marabel is determined to rescue her brother and end the chance of conflict. Aided by her best friend Elle and Floriano – a snarky talking unicorn, the three set off on an adventure to cross the wall that separates their kingdom, dividing the non-magical lands that Marabel’s father rules from the Barrens – a land to which all magical creatures (but for a few in the zoos) have been banished.

Clever, fun and completely engaging – I think that Barrett managed to balance that wondrous magical sense with plenty of references to many different and familiar fairy tales, adding instances of today’s technology (Flitter, Game-Boy like games, etc.), and keeping the adventure and dangers clearly available. With a solid sense of ‘doing what needs be done’ even when scared, Marabel’s consistent determination and worry about her brother, and her honest interest in all of the magical creatures that they meet along the way, the story reads quickly and keeps readers interested. Plenty of self-discovery as the story continues: finding the will to move on, recognizing all of the challenges met and conquered, and a true ability to listen and bring agreement between parties that seem at odds all show Marabel at her best, defying the lack of recognition and esteem she holds at home. A great title for grades 5 – 7, when something just fun and unique with references that feel familiar is just what is needed.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-9Be/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

I haven't read much Children's or YA in recent years, but am making it a print 2018 to read more, and this was a delightful way to work towards that goal!

I love that this book featured s strong female protagonist who goes through a journey of self-discovery while on her grand adventure. The author had a fun combination of fairytale archetypes, modern technology references, and original ideas to keep readers of all ages entertained.

I think this book would make a really fun read aloud at bed time for families, or a fun solo read for a kid.

A BIG Thank You to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of “Marabel and the Book of Fate” by Tracy Barrett in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a fun book to read!

The book is written in a very simple manner and progresses so nicely that you never feel like it is dull even for a minute. It was one of those books that I really didn’t want to put down as it was so entertaining! Each adventure that the team faces as they go on their mission to save Marco is thrilling, but is also solved in a charming way that would not scare young readers. There are so many valuable morals mentioned in the book, and I felt it had the perfect blend or adventure, humor, thrills and scares to keep readers of all ages invested in it.

What I particularly loved about this story was all the pop culture references that were included in it. While I assumed the story to take place in a typical medieval setting, it was ingenious of the author to make the setting more modern, by including things like Wi-Fi, selfies, video games and yes, Siri as well with quirky names. Considering that all of these modern gadgets occur in the Barrens, while Magikos is still rooted in ancestral tradition, the author provides a good contrast on showing how important it is for us to be progressive, as well as retain our cultures and values.

Marabel, the main character, is portrayed different from other princesses in that she is depicted as an average girl and doesn’t have any unpleasant upbringing. At first I thought she was going to be one of those whiny characters who the reader feels pity for being neglected, but throughout the book, Marabel is depicted in a very positive manner that the mostly anyone can relate to. In fact, I liked all the supporting characters in the story like Ellie, Cornelius and the others (except for Ginevra) as they were all pleasant to read. However, Floriano is my favorite character in the story. The conceited unicorn not only provides humor, but saves the day for the girls in many occasions. Even Aunt Mab, the villain of the book, is a delight to read.

Overall, “Marabel and the Book of Fate” surpassed my expectations, and I highly recommend and encourage young readers and the young at heart to read this book.