This was a cute, diverse story, and I really liked Sami and the mirror world she stepped into. I liked her adventure with Dorsam and Natela and the infusion of Sami's Lebanese culture and her close relationship with her teta. This is definitely a good middle grade story to share with younger readers <3

The prose are good and I like the characters, but the pacing had me dragging my feet on this one. The fantasy elements were inventive and they were what kept me going but the plot itself felt uneven. I would still recommend this to young readers, but I'd ask them to look at the first chapter or two to see if the narrative catches their attention.

I wanted to love this story because the cover really captured my attention early on. The beginning of the story was interesting but it started to fizzle as it got closer to the middle. By the end it really didn't capture my attention. I thought the world building needed to be stronger. I usually like Middle Grade fantasy and prefer it to YA fantasy but the world this was set in was kind of dull. The only thing that interested me was the mentions Lebanese foods.

Great YA fantasy novel. I thought the focus on the traditions of Lebanon was really cool and unique. I think the plot is original the characters are the best and I would definitely recommend it.

Every now and then I love to read a middle grade book. They are usually filled with fun characters and important messages. This one in particular was a good read but it didn't fully grasp my attention. It was in no way the book's fault since there wasn't anything I could really complain about.

Sami is the main character of this tale and she from the beginning she is trying to cope with her grandmother become older. Sami's mother believes that her grandmother is getting dementia and is thinking of putting her in a home. This is all very hard to process for Sami. I can definitely relate with this as I had this happen with my grandmother. It's a very difficult time and I can understand why Sami would not want it to happen. I don't think I have ever read a book with a plot like this and I appreciated the book discussing it.

As for the magical world, there wasn't much world building but I found what was mentioned to be interesting. Most of the time the characters were just reading each other's mind. There were also shadow stalkers that could change into something else. I liked the concept of everything just wish there was more done with the world in general.

Overall, it was a good read. It all tied up nicely by the end and I think a lot of young readers will enjoy this book.

Samara and her mother and brother have recently moved to Florida, and Samara's Teta (grandmother) lives with them. During the past several months, Teta has had a hard time communicating, and only Sami really can understand her. Her mother, Alia, and her sister, Ivory, want to move the grandmother into a nursing home, since they are concerned that she is weakening and and her health is in danger. Sami, who is very close to her grandmother, disagrees. She and Teta have spent a long time talking about the past, and Sami loves the stories of her grandmother's Bedouin childhood. These stories often incorporate elements of adventure, magic, and creatures like Ifrits, and there is also a book that her grandmother has promised to show her when she turns 12. Fearing that her mother will be moving her grandmother to a facility very soon, Sami searches for the book, finds it, and is suddenly sent through an antique mirror from Teta's past. There, she finds Silverworld, which is a mirror of her own world, but filled with Flickers, Rebalancers, and evil Shadows. With the help of Dorsom and Natala, Sami discovers that Nixie, who is very powerful in the alternate reality, is very unhappy and trying to make everyone else unhappy as well. This is in turn affecting Teta, who is uncommunicative because she is trying to hide from Nixie and keep everyone safe. After a brief visit back to the "Actual" world, Sami starts on a quest to confront the Nixie in order to save Silverworld and her grandmother. This is fraught with peril, adventure, and an array of magical creatures like Bat, mermaids, and even her Teta's alter ego. Will Sami be able to defeat the Nixie and make it back home?

Strengths: Drawing on the author's Jordanian cultural heritage makes Sami's connection with her garndmother's past vivid and interesting, and also makes Sami's feelings of being torn between two worlds very moving. Sami being a Silverwalker, able to travel between both worlds, is exciting, and her mission to save both the world and her grandmother is accomplished by participating in a quest that incorporates a lot of intriguing characters. Dorsum and Natala are helpful and sympathetic companions. I loved the description of food, clothing and artifacts connected to the grandmother.
Weaknesses: World building in a fantasy book is difficult, and there are parts of this that would have been more exciting if we had been shown, rather than told, about the world. Because my mother has been in a dementia unit for the past two years, I am also a little concerned that Sami thinks the nursing home is SO terrible; given Teta's state, it is wise and cautious to send her to one.
What I really think: I enjoyed this, maybe because it is eerily similar to my half finished fantasy novel. Mine was about a grandfather slipping into dementia that was really caused because he was a king in a Grimm's Fairy Tale inspired realm and was being held hostage! This isn't a perfect fantasy novel, but the cultural connections make this well worth investigating. I will probably buy a copy for fans of Crowl's Eden's Wish and other light fan

This YA fantasy novel is primarily unique for it's focus on the mythology and traditions of Lebanon and the unique magic world beyond the mirror that the MC falls into. It's part Percy Jackson and part Alice & Wonderland with a strong female lead bent on helping her grandmother.