Solid second book in a series, more interesting and complex than the first!

4-4.5 stars

I definitely liked this better than the first book. It was a bit more complex and less frustrating than the first book. The exciting rescues that occurred also didn't seem quite as contrived although they were just as exciting! There were some very sad parts, but they were realistic and made sense in the context of the story. I liked that things didn't resolve in a need package tied up in a bow, the way it felt sometimes with the first story. I also liked that the divide between "good" and "bad" wasn't quite so clear cut and that some of the "good" guys did evil and some of the "bad" guys were actually pretty cool (Maraly, for instance). We also see where some of the Fangs come from and it makes me feel sorry for them (and extra mad at the ones who are responsible). Overall, this is a darker, more serious book than the first one, but I like the direction it's taking as the original characters become more complex and less cliched and we meet some very interesting new characters. My favorite was probably Maraly! She was totally kickass. For the older characters, I like how Janner sees the connection between himself and Artham, and I love what happens with Artham. Podo's backstory was somewhat unexpected, but it explains a lot and I love Leeli's magical music and the impact it has on everyone.

I am now looking forward to further adventures in this series!

Special thanks to #AndrewPeterson, #NetGalley, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Once again, Andrew Peterson surprised me by his writing abilities. Not just a songwriter (though I do enjoy his music), Peterson has crafted a unique world with fascinating (and hilarious) creatures and beautiful characters.

While the first book in the series, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, was a fun introduction to the Wingfeather family, Peterson's writing and creativity advanced tremendously in this second book, in my opinion. His characters were better developed, and his plot was built on more thoroughly. Peterson continues his tongue-in-cheek rendition of the fantasy genre, though a little less heavy handed in this second book (though the Toothy Cows are still a thing, which is great).

If you're looking for a light introduction into allegorical and (mildly) philosophical writings, this is a fantastic series. With moral and faith-based themes woven throughout, it is a fun way to enjoy deeper concepts such as family loyalty, trust in God (or "the Maker"), repentance from evil, forgiveness, hope and standing for truth, especially for young adults.

I'm really looking forward to book three in the series.

So we are back with Tink, Janner and Leeli, who now know who they are and why they are being chased. The book picks up right where the first book left off and it is immediately gripping and exciting to read. I loved this a lot more than the first one! I actually loved this surprisingly much. It has a lot more action and the plot was always driven forward by something I did not see coming, which was fun.

This book also follows one of the sibling more than the others: Janner. I personally loved this! It made it a lot more interesting to read the book, to know how he experienced it and what he thought about things. Janner, who now knows he is The Throne Warden, tasked with protecting his brother. But his brother seems to be so ungrateful and uninterested in his sudden role as king, and Janner can’t help but be annoyed. We see Janner grow a lot as a person in this book, he becomes a lot more independent and more secure in himself. He’s slowly but surely learning to trust himself.

Another thing I loved about North!, as opposed to the first book, is that the world-building grew a lot. Because the characters are running through foreign lands, we get to experience more of the world alongside them, which was a lot of fun. We also finally got to know more about Podo’s past, and why he knows everything he does. We, alongside the characters, get to experience being chased by monsters in the woods, trying to outsmart the thieves known as Stranders, being caught and separated and having our wits and loyalties put to the test. This was a proper exciting book to read, and I think it is perfect for the younger audience and families. The book also has fun illustrations, footnotes and maps, which makes the world seem all the more real.

I would highly recommend this book, and this series, to anyone looking to go on an adventure! It’s a perfect read for parents reading to their children or for youngsters reading on their own. It is also a lot of fun for the older audiences, like me! I really loved it and I will most likely be continuing on with the series, to read book 3 and 4.

I CAN'T EVEN COPE RIGHT NOW. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME ANDREW PETERSON???!!!! *endless screaming*

My heart is tangled in knots. Again. As if it wasn't enough to absolutely destroy me the first time, you had to do it again. Only this time you scared me so bad I put off reading it for a week. :P

*Side Note* This review is full of spoilers for those who haven't read the first book. 😃

Only amazing storytellers cause such emotion to rise in me, and I doubt I could relay to you my joy at the torture finally being over. 😂 The torture of watching these beloved characters suffer through so much. It's like we just get bad thing after bad thing after bad thing and FINALLY, the ending helps heal us...a little bit. *sigh*

Andrew Peterson reminds me of C. S. Lewis and Robin McKinley combined (in some weird way). Both are masters at storytelling and yet can be so deep. I don't think Mr. Peterson gets as deep as either of them, but his style is similar. He adds his own taste of humor as well. :) I've really enjoyed being immersed in his world.

Setting ~ The ice prairies, all manner of lands and experiences. I felt like the setting was always changing (because they were always on the move) and keeping you excited. The surrounding elements definitely added color and suspense to the adventure.

Plot ~ Well...I've noticed a lot of mixed opinions on the pacing, but to me, it was really fast-paced--especially because the chapters are so short. The action, emotions, decisions, etc that the characters dealt with really effected the story nicely.

Description ~ My heart is invested in Andrew Peterson's details. His way of describing things is unique, and I really liked that. The scenery and hard choices Janner had to make were really detailed well, and forced you to see--feel--like you were really there.

Content ~ Ehhh....it can get violent. And there were somethings that could definitely be triggering for anyone who has controlling fears. I'd rate it PG 13 mostly for the action and violence.

Characters ~ They twisted my heart in knots. They're epic. And honestly, Podo's secret surprised me...but I wasn't surprised if those contradicting statements make sense. 😂😂😂 The development was amazing.

Janner ~ I love how he's grown into his Throne Warden instincts and allowed them to build him. His love for his siblings is so heartwarming. I weirdly like how he fought with Tink because it shows that he himself is flawed, and I love flawed characters. 😏

Kalmar (AKA Tink) ~ I felt bad for him. He doesn't have a father figure to guide him into his role as King. He's alone in a way that other people can't fix. He now has a weight of responsibility that has nearly strangled his youth from him...and because of this struggle, he now suffers for a fatal mistake. 😭😭😭

Leelie ~ Again. I loved her so much. She's so adorable and yet acts all grown up. A mature young Song Maiden that her mother has raised perfectly. If she has any faults I haven't discovered them yet...and I'm kinda disappointed by that. . .TBH. But I overlook that often because of her gift in music. 😂😏

Podo ~ I wanna strangle you rn. Why? I mean why on the face of God's green planet would you go and do a thing like that? *headdesks multiple times*

Overall ~ Nothing cliche or annoying. I really loved this hard-worked tale that left me screaming. Although I hope for some slight reprieve at the beginning of the next book before everything picks up pace again. ^.^

**FTC DISCLOSURE** I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review (you're awesome NetGalley!!). This is my personal review (aka my opinion), so if you were offended by anything that was said don't take it personally. It wasn't meant to offend. Thanks! :)

Andrew Peterson is one of the very best modern YA writers I have read. His command of language, his ability to paint you into the story, and his storylines are fabulous. While the first book in the Wingfeather saga began painfully slow, albeit with a lot of wit and amusement, this one begins smack in the action of the life of Tink, Janner, Leeli, Nia, and Podo. The story gets increasingly exciting. I will not reveal any spoilers, but know that these books are WELL worth your time in reading, even as an adult. Especially one such as I. I love YA and particularly fantasies. Introducing my son to the Hobbit has been lovely. While these are slightly more intense they are on the docket for future reading and I will likely purchase all of the audiobooks.

North! or be eaten, isn't as quick a read as the first in the series. This is mainly because so much is happening. We are following along in the adventures of Leeli, Tink, Janner and their family. In book one they are finding out who they are and the story is based in their town. In this book the adventures are fully in action. The family are separated, captured, torched, saved, betrayed and escape over and over.

I love this series and shall be buying them all to share with my daughter and nephew when they are available to buy.

Exiting, thrilling and a jolly good old fashioned adventure.

This second book of the Wingfeather Saga begins shortly after "On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness" and carries on in the same vein with adventure, humor, and the fight between good and evil. What Peterson does well is present the darkness of real evil while making the good utterly appealing. More Igiby family secrets come to light by the end, more amazing creatures and fascinating characters are introduced. I'm very glad Waterbrook is reprinting the whole saga. My only issue - waiting for the final two volumes to be published. Highly recommend for all fantasy lovers. Review based on an ARC received through NetGalley.

In my review of the first book in this series, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, I said that the book started too slow. If anything, this book started too fast and never stopped! The story was full of twists and turns that kept readers on the edge of their seats. I have heard this series touted as a great read out loud, and I can see how that is true. The book chapters are short and action packed. The hardest part would be knowing when to stop each night.

While I did enjoy this story, it is not without its sadness and darkness. I would be mindful of that in deciding when a kiddo might be ready for the story. But there are invaluable lessons about family, love, and selflessness.

Thank you publishers and netgalley for the e-ARC!

An engrossing and well written book that can be appreciated by adults and children.
The cast of characters is well written and the world building is amazing. The plot kept me hooked till the end.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I remember reading the Wingfeather Saga as a child, so I was excited but also nervous about reading it again. I requested this book because I love the new covers (although I will always be partial to the originals) and because I wanted to see if it still held the same magic it did when I was a kid. Thankfully, I was not disappointed!
Andrew Peterson’s writing is lyrical—a nod to his songwriting talent—and full of wonderful imagery, transporting me into the world of Aerwiar all over again. The characters are dynamic and I love them all. Janner is a preteen who wants to do what’s right, but doesn’t want the responsibilities he’s given as a Throne Warden; Tink wants his kingship even less, getting into a lot of trouble; Leeli is a brave, kind girl with a big heart; Podo is a gruff pirate with a soft spot for his grandchildren and a dark past that comes to surface; Oskar N. Reteep is a bookseller with an appreciation for the Strange, the Neat, and/or the Yummy; and the Florid Sword is an enigma, full of grandiose words that don’t always make sense (and my favorite character). They must head north, or be eaten or captured by the Fangs of Dang and delivered to Gnag the Nameless who wants the Jewels of Anniera for his own cruel ends.
It's humorous, it's dark, it's an adventure. It was exciting even though I already knew how it ended due to my multiple rereads during my childhood. My only problem was that Nia, the kid’s mother, went down in my esteem because of the subtly sexist things she said. She insisted that she and Leeli wanted to be clean as the ladies of the group, even though Leeli was content being all gross and muddy, and looked down on Maraly’s life as a Strander as unladylike (although she was rather uncouth). There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be clean or wishing a child raised in the forest had better manners (or manners at all), but it shouldn’t be chalked up to being a certain gender. Yet, that’s the only thing that changed in my opinion from when I was young. Everything else is unique and perfect.
Overall, it’s a great book for kids, and adults. In the words of C.S. Lewis, “A children’s story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children’s story in the slightest.” This book passes that test for sure! I was glad I got the opportunity to read this book again, and I’m hoping to reread the rest of these books as soon as I can!

Andrew Peterson is an amazing writer. His musical abilities and lyric genius are fantastic.
It is very difficult to place an age on this book. My 10 year read the entire series and loved it. My 12, 15, and 17 year olds all read the series. Then I picked it up. I am a fan of Tolkien (Two of my children are named after characters from LOTR), I read the MacDonalds, Lewis', Lawheads and many more when I was growing up and fell in love with those who create realistic worlds.
I grew up and began to see new talents and stories of space by Asimov, or stories of Gunslingers from King.
Peterson writes a story that is engaging to every age group. He writes with such brilliance that you are captured from the introduction. His created world is amazing, breath taking and also captures you instantly.
This is a work of art on par with Lewis, Tolkien and Asimov. Don't call it only a children's book.
I not only read it, but found the audio book to hear it read!