The Marvelous Adventures of Gwendolyn Gray was a delightful read and I enjoyed being back in the world Williamson created. This book is just as adventurous and fantastical as the first, with darker beats as Gwendolyn grapples with a world that didn't change much after she saved it in the first book.

"A new normal had developed. A worse one. Saving the world was not all it was cracked up to be."

The Fantastical Exploits of Gwendolyn Gray does a great job of maintaining hope while depicting a realistic expectation of big change through dedication and perseverance. I particularly appreciate that it shows what comes after what's thought of as revolutionary acts: she destroyed the mind control things in the last book, but the status kept on quo'ing and that's a lot for anyone to take... and Gwendolyn just turned thirteen, too. (I'd never want to be 13 again.)

"Moments like this are the hardest to share with you. Monsters and dangers are well and good, but it breaks my heart to show you the struggles that Gwendolyn holds inside, struggles that many of us must face."

Fast paced and full of adventure, this is a darker tale of the power of imagination that highlights the difficulty in enacting real change. The narrative voice feels like being read a story before bedtime and Gwendolyn is a heroine you can't help but root for. This book and series is a true gem that is perfect for middle grade and lower YA readers alike.

eARC provided by the publisher, Jolly Fish Press, for my consideration. This does not affect the content of my review. Quotations are from an uncorrected proof and subject to change upon final publication.

My rating scale:
5☆ - I loved this book and it brought out true emotion in me (laughter, anger, a good cry, etc)
4☆ - I loved this book.
3☆ - I liked this book.
2☆ - I didn't really care for this book.
1☆ - I did not like this book at all and probably did not finish it.

I had happily anticipated this book, but found it less charming on the whole than the first in the series. It didn't grip me the same way, and I was disappointed.

3.3 spread-your-imagination stars

“Everyone is born different. None of us are born to fit in.”

When the heroine of a story defeats the bad guys, derailing their evil plans, the story ends with a happy ending, right? Well, Gwendolyne hoped it would be like this, not even caring that anyone knew what she had been through or done, or was she? However, she feels depressed and misses her friends and fellow adventurers. Her world continues to be mostly gray and it continues to follow the same operating laws, not like the world of pirates and adventure. Like all the kids, maybe she expected a radical change and not a small change here and there, like her friends from school who want to hear stories now. And I think Gwendolyn fails to acknowledge her parents' love for her.

But the gray men have not yet given up on reordering the world as it should be.

Gwendolyn is once again haunted by enormous powers and must jump to another world to escape and seek help.

The library thing is great, although not very original. The thing about the doors also reminds me of some science fiction series.

I liked the character of the inventor who lives inside the tree, and the little taunt that would have changed her gender by remembering her legacy. On the other hand, I love sentient trees, so that's a plus.

clockwork-fairy-wings

The Fairy Court thing provides an entertaining fantasy factor that adds a dangerous element to the story, apart from teaching about being careful with our words, but Gwendolyn is so impulsive and never listens to advice (that although I know she is part of the plot and the growth to mature of the character and blah, it is really very frustrating)

I really wanted to read the continuation of Gwendolyn's adventures, because several questions remained and the author here tried to give those answers. This has evolved in fantasy kitchen sink - dystopia, faes, steampunk pirates, different worlds, magic, light/dark sides.

However, I must confess that I spend half the book wanting to give Gwendolyn a few cuff, and giving thanks for not having teenage children. She was the epitome of the teenager who does not listen to anyone, 'nobody understands me', 'I am alone', and 'I do as it seems to me no matter what advice they give me'. Another reviewer mentioned a insighful idea about another issue: (view spoiler)

Anyway, it seems that headstrong heroes or heroines are not easy with bystanders.

B.A. points to several books, easter eggs calls them, and it's easy to find at first glance a Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare), Alice in Wonderland (Carroll), Peter Pan (Barrie), and hints of Michael Ende and even of The Wachowskis (Matrix)

The end is open to what will happen now in the city. It is true that the inhabitants will have to make decisions that they may not understand, knowledge is very important to face these challenges and I do not know if they will be prepared for it. Also they are hints of other factors (view spoiler)

Romance? Sorta. Some kisses.
Diversity? LGBTQ. The inventor talks about issues of gender. And that she had wives.
Puck is genderfluid.

-------------------------------------------
(This time in Spanish)

Cuando la heroína de una historia derrota a los malos, descarrilando sus planes malvados, la historia termina con un final feliz, ¿verdad? Bueno, Gwendolyne esperaba que fuera así, sin importarle que alguien supiera por lo que ella había pasado o hecho, ¿o sí? Sin embargo, se siente deprimida y extraña a sus amigos y aventureros. Su mundo sigue siendo mayormente gris y sigue las mismas leyes operativas, no como el mundo de los piratas y la aventura. Al igual que todos los niños, tal vez ella esperaba un cambio radical y no un pequeño cambio aquí y allá, como sus amigos de la escuela que quieren escuchar historias ahora. Y creo que Gwendolyn no reconoce el amor de sus padres por ella.

Pero los hombres grises aún no han renunciado a reordenar el mundo como debería ser.

Gwendolyn es nuevamente perseguido por enormes poderes y debe saltar a otro mundo para escapar y buscar ayuda.

Lo de la biblioteca es genial, aunque no muy original. Lo de las puertas también me recuerda algunas series de ciencia ficción.

Me gustó el personaje de la inventora que vive dentro del árbol, y la pequeña pulla de que habrían cambiado su género al recordar su legado. Por otro lado, me encantan los árboles sentientes, así que eso es plus.

Lo de la corte de las hadas proporciona un factor de fantasía entretenido que agrega un elemento peligroso a la historia, además de enseñar a tener cuidado con nuestras palabras, pero Gwendolyn es tan impulsiva y nunca escucha consejos (que aunque sé que ella es parte de la trama y el crecimiento para madurar del personaje y bla, es realmente muy frustrante)

Tenía muchas ganas de leer la continuación de las aventuras de Gwendolyn, porque quedaban varias preguntas y el autor aquí trató de dar esas respuestas. Esto ha evolucionado en un fregadero de la cocina de fantasía: distopía, faes, piratas steampunk, mundos diferentes, magia, lados luminosos / oscuros.

Sin embargo, debo confesar que me pasé la mitad del libro queriendo darle unos buenos chirlitos a Gwendolyn y dando gracias por no tener hijos adolescentes. Ella era el epítome de la adolescente que no escucha a nadie, "nadie me entiende", "estoy sola" y "hago lo que me parece sin importar los consejos que me dan". Otro revisor mencionó una idea perspicaz sobre otro tema: (view spoiler)

De todos modos, parece que los héroes o heroínas testarudos no son fáciles con los espectadores.

El autor apunta a varios libros, huevos de Pascua los llama, y ​​es fácil encontrar a primera vista el Sueño de una noche de verano (Shakespeare), Alicia en el país de las maravillas (Carroll), Peter Pan (Barrie), y pistas de Michael Ende e incluso de The Wachowskis ( Matriz)

El final está abierto a lo que sucederá ahora en la ciudad. Es cierto que los habitantes tendrán que tomar decisiones que quizás no entiendan, el conocimiento es muy importante para enfrentar estos desafíos y no sé si estarán preparados para ello. También hay indicios de otros factores (view spoiler)

¿Romance? Algo asi. Algunos besos
¿Diversidad? LGBTQ. La inventora habla sobre cuestiones de género. Y que ella tenía esposas.
Puck es de género fluido.

This is the much anticipated second book of Gwendolyn Gray! In this book Gwendolyn learns more about her powers and the kids will love the adventure! The cover is amazing and will draw the kids into this incredible book!

I began and finished this book not realizing that it was second in a series. Oops! However, I still enjoyed Gwendolyn's character and don't feel that I missed out on too much from book one. I still plan on reading the first though. A very enjoyable Middle Grade!

Gwendolyn had helped to save her City, but it left its mark behind as well. She is angry and lost, and not very satisfied with how her City is now. When the Faceless Men return to menace her, she escapes to one of the Fae realms. It's dangerous there as well, and Gwendolyn has to learn how to control her magic, rediscover Sparrow and Starling, and then save those she has grown to love.

This launches into the fallout of the first book, which includes Gwendolyn's irritable mood varying with emptiness and a numbness, as well as isolating behaviors and decreased interest in things she used to love. It's outright stated several times throughout the book that she is depressed, and that she needs to reach out to others. She doesn't disagree with that assessment, though she frequently argues that she has more control over herself and her creative ability than she actually does. Like most teenagers, she alternates between confidence and fear of failing, which doesn't help when she's up against adults and otherworldly beings.

As with the first one, my daughter and I both read it. She was so excited to know that a sequel existed, and started reading it on my kindle in the car while I was driving to an event for my sons. It didn't matter to her that she was risking car sickness, she had to know what would happen. I enjoyed the book just as much as she did, and it was a great way to start conversations about some Serious Topics. The description of depression for Gwendolyn was an approachable one for children, and fairly accurate for what it looks like in them. Her periods of mania as labeled by others in the novel are also worth discussing for the children that have such rapid highs and lows, and how to deal with them.

There are still risks and adventure for Gwendolyn, as well as real dangers between the different worlds of stories. She's still got features of her childhood, but she's growing up and realizing more about herself and the important lessons that she has to learn to make her world make sense. It's a great continuation of Gwendolyn's tale, and still has the possible plot hook for future tales. I'd love to see how things develop in her city and with her friends.

This is one of those books I would have liked to read when I was a child.
Gwendolyn is a great and strong willed character and I couldn't help rooting for her.
The plot is engrossing and entertaining.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I am still in love w/this story!! It ended like there will be another book, & I hope so!! I could use 10+ more actually! The story just takes you away from the very beginning. There is no point that is boring or dragging, or feels like is put there to make space. Every sentence is important, had meaning, & makes you want more. I love Gwendolyn so much! From reading all these books this past year, I have found out how much I surprisingly love clockwork things as well! We still have all that in this story, along w/the pirates, but this time we also get fae! Ughhh such a great story! This author is amazing you guys! This comes out soon! April 28th. And of course the first one is already out. 💜









Synopsis of the 1st of 2 so far: Gwendolyn Gray faces an overwhelming battle every day: keeping her imagination under control. It’s a struggle for a dreamer like Gwendolyn, in a city of identical gray skyscrapers, clouds that never clear, and grown-ups who never understand.

But when her daydreams come alive and run amok in The City, the struggle to control them becomes as real as the furry creatures infesting her bedroom. Worse yet, she’s drawn the attention of the Faceless Gentlemen, who want to preserve order in The City by erasing Gwendolyn and her troublesome creations.

With the help of two explorers from another world, Gwendolyn escapes and finds herself in a land of clockwork inventions and colorful creations. Now Gwendolyn must harness her powers and, with a gang of airship pirates, stop the Faceless Gentlemen from destroying the new world she loves and the home that never wanted her—before every world becomes gray and dull.

The Fantastical Exploits of Gwendolyn Gray is the second book in a series by B. A. Williamson. It is currently scheduled for release on April 28 2020. While I do recommend reading the series in order, the author does a good job of giving newcomers a starting point, which helped remind this returning reader of what happened so far.

Heroes never return from adventure unchanged, and Gwendolyn Gray knows this better than anyone. She faces a new darkness within herself—with no help or comfort from her friends Sparrow and Starling. On top of that, the City is only getting worse. When the Faceless Gentlemen return to menace her again, Gwendolyn escapes to the lands of the Fae. But even the dreamlike Faeoria holds dangers that even she could never have imagined. Gwendolyn must learn to master control her magic and manage her internal struggles if she ever hopes to defeat the villainous forces that control the City, find Sparrow and Starling, and save the people she loves.

The Fantastical Exploits of Gwendolyn Gray is a nice second book to a series, and I look forward to what will follow. It took me a few pages to remember which story this was, and who everyone was. However, I really liked that the author gave subtle hints and not so subtle summaries in the story, allowing newcomers to the story to catch up, and those of us with failing memories to remember what we have read previously. I also liked the narration breaking the forth wall, although there might be some readers that do not enjoy that style as much as I do. I thought the action and twists and turns of the plot were very well done, I just wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next. I also liked that none of the characters are perfectly good or evil, they are changeable and imperfect just like everyone in the real world. Gwen continues to grow up, and her realizations about herself, stories, other people, and life in general were engaging and sometimes hard to read emotionally. I think the book was very well done and look forward to following the story in whatever book comes next.

The Fantastical Exploits of Gwendolyn Gray is a solid middle grade fantasy that will have readers looking for whatever might come next from Williamson.

I read book one, The marvellous adventures of Gwendolyn Gray, last year and quite enjoyed it. It was a fun and quick read. So when the publisher asked me if I would liked to read the sequel I of course said yes!
But unfortunately I was a bit disappointed in this one.. It felt a bit all over the place and I feel like there were too many storylines going on so they all felt a bit ‘underdeveloped’.
I book one Gwendolyn saves her city from something she imagined (if I remember correctly), and while saving this city she makes to friends, Starling and Sparrow.
In this book we went to a different world, we did that in book one as well, but from there we travelled to other worlds. Then Gwendolyn has to learn magic, gets kidnapped, has to save places again. There was just a bit too much. I really did not understand this magic, it was barely explained, and when we start to learn about it, this part is already over again..
I did really like that Sparrow and starling came back in this book, made it more related to the first book!
Just because the storylines were so rushed and because of thar confusing. I was just not very compelled to picking the book back up after I put it down.
Something I mentioned in my review for book one is that I had a hard time ‘classifying’ this book. I just have no idea if this book is Middle Grade or Young Adult. It feels a bit too childish for Young Adult, but some parts just don’t feel like Middle Grade. So I guess this is really an ‘in-between’ book

I loved the cover of this book, so I requested a review copy without realizing it was book two in a series. The good news is that I was able to follow the story just fine without reading book one. Gwendolyn is a delight. She is also a little girl with all the brattiness that is her right as a little girl. She also has an imagination to rival Alice and her Wonderland.

The Fantastical Exploits of Gwendolyn Gray took her to numerous worlds - all very real, although she is never sure if they are real or she imagined them. She made friends everywhere she went, while being chased by those who wanted to prevent her imagination from impacting the world. She really was a very special girl. She also reconnected with friends she had made in the previous book, which is when readers were caught up on the back story. The story was adorable, and the only reason I couldn't give it five stars is that I was able to put the book down. I'm not sure if it was the pacing or the overload of characters or perhaps simply that I wasn't reading it aloud to a child with a wild imagination.

I recommend the book to anyone who likes Alice in Wonderland, to children, and to children at heart. I also recommend that it be read out loud in the company of like-minded listeners.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and have reviewed it willingly.

The best features of middle-grade books, for me, are (1) friendship and (2) adventure. Gwendolyn Gray series definitely has both, with some magic and deep character study sprinkled on top.

Gwendolyn Gray lives in a dystopian world that has no imagination or color. People who live in the City are bleak and uninterested. They are kept from exploring their creativity and imagination by the authorities. Of course, Gwendolyn Gray with her wild red hair and mind that creates world of its own won’t be a “good” citizen.

In the first book, we saw Gwendolyn’s first adventure and her attempt to help the citizens of the City. Both books read very easily of their own, each one has that sense of conclusion at the end as most middle-grade stories do. However, I wouldn’t advise reading them out of order, as the first book introduces very important characters and events that carry on into the next installment.

«The Fantastical Exploits of Gwendolyn Gray» had many interesting elements. But sadly, I didn’t like it as much as the first book. And I feel like it will be the case of whether you like or dislike stories about Fae.

I don’t dislike Fae in books, but I’m a little bit tired of them and want something else. I had a big dose of faeries and Fae worlds with Sarah J. Maas and Cassandra Clare, that I tend to stay away from fae-focused books at the moment.

At no point did I expect for B.A. Williamson to also explore the Fae world. It was still very interesting and very well done, but once again, the trope of beautiful but cunning Faes didn’t really appeal to me.

In the second book, Gwendolyn is also a little bit older and we see that transition from middle-grade to YA. There is a big focus on her mental state and how she deals with it. While I liked the use of magic to emphasize her mental struggles and angry outbursts, I didn’t like the mopping around and everyone staying on their tip-toes around her.

As you can see, this book had a lot of elements I loved [friendship, magic, inventions, different worlds], but also had elements that put me off [Fae, Gwendolyn’s character path].

Overall, it was a very solid middle-grade to YA transitional book. If you love Fae and their tricks, you will enjoy this book way more than I did. The next book in this series will probably be even more YA than this one, and I don’t think that I will be continuing with this series.

The Fantastical Exploits of Gwendolyn Gray

I really enjoyed this middle grade read. This is the 2nd book in the series and I do recommend that you read them in order. I liked how it has a bit of a darker feel and that it openly talks about depression. The way the book talked about the struggles of depression and ways that Gwendolyn deals with it was really well done. The story quickly grabbed my attention and overall a very enjoyable read.

Thank you Jolly Fish Press and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

"After saving the world, Gwendolyn might have expected some kind of "happily ever after." But...things seemed to be worse than ever. It was not the end to her story that she'd expected." Gwendolyn returns home and finds that her efforts are being undermined and that the Faceless Men are after her once again. She sets off on another round of adventure that lands her in the realm of Oberon and Titania, in the company of the legendary inventor, Cyria Kytain. (It turns out that the legends were a bit wrong on a few details.) Gwendolyn must find her missing friends, Sparrow and Starling, deal with the mischievous faerie Robin, and try to find a weapon to defeat the power behind the Faceless Men.

But there are some really fun parts, too. Discovering the Library of All Wonder is a treat, with its rows and rows of shelves and book carts that can move themselves and even climb stairs. There are the beautiful faerie parties and clothing, battles with pirates, clockwork gadgets, spells... So I suppose the good and the bad balance out, enough that Gwendolyn can get on with saving the world again, anyway.

Titania's realm is a completely different setting than Tohk, and the library itself is a truly wondrous place. Gwendolyn and the other characters have done some growing and maturing, so there are shifts in the relationships from the previous book. The typical angst of moving into the teenage years and wondering about whether one is liked, or loved, is mixed into the struggle with the powers that hold the city in such a grey dreary state.

A word of warning to those whose patrons are uncomfortable with characters who behave outside strictly hetero-normative bounds. Robin is a gender fluid faerie who presents as either Puck Robin (feminine) or Robin Goodfellow (masculine), as they choose. And Cyria Kytain laughs at being referred to as a man in the legends. "Of course, the tales of my many wives may have had something to do with it..." she says.

Those who read Gwendolyn's first book will be delighted to see her back in action and having new experiences as she continues in her efforts to liberate her home. If you haven't read The Marvelous Adventures of Gwendolyn Gray yet, try to find a copy. I know they have one in the Library of All Wonder, but they may also be found closer to home.

P.S. I love the cover art showing Gwendolyn with one foot in the Library and one in the realm of Faeoria.

I first had the pleasure of meeting Gwendolyn Gray in her Marvelous Adventures (of GG). I write and mostly read YA and adult fantasy and science fiction, but I had recently delved into reading Middle Grade. To my delight I found that literature for this age group has all the adventure and self-discovery I love, plus a simplicity and directness that adds depth and honesty. Yep, honesty. Kids this age are hard, if not impossible, to fool when it comes to emotional truth. They’re old enough to have attained a considerable degree of agency in their own lives, which connects them with characters, but young enough to not yet be smothered in hormonal angst. The best Middle Grade books trust their young readers to figure out what’s going on and how they feel about it. I love that! I should also add that no matter what the target audience, the most powerful ideas are best communicated in simple, direct language. Nowhere is that more true than in Middle Grade.

So, to Gwendolyn. When I first met her, she was a flame of color and imagination in a city of unrelenting conformity. Specifically, she lived in a City – the one and only City – where everything is gray and monotonous, literally as well as chromatically, and where children and adults alike spend the better part of their lives under the control of soporific lights called “lambents.” What distinguishes Gwendolyn, besides her delicious name, is her imagination, which is so vivid as to constitute a superpower. In that first book, she battled the Faceless Mister Men, traveled across worlds with her maybe-not-imaginary friends, Sparrow and Starling, rescues a snarky teenage pirate king, saved the City from the vile Abscess, and destroyed the lambents.

Of course, the resulting good times cannot last, and all Gwendolyn’s achievements have only made matters worse. As she embarks upon her new adventures, the Mister Men are closing in and matters go from bad to worse until she’s been erased from the memories of everyone she cares about. She flees the world of the City for the Library of All Wonder, gateway to every world ever dreamt of, and ends up in the lands of the Fae, ruled by Titania and Oberon. That Titania and Oberon, straight out of “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” attended by a smart-ass, gender-switching Puck and given to random quotes from Shakespeare. Titania and Oberon are, of course, fairies of the most dangerous kind, and the bargains they strike are more dangerous still. Here Gwendolyn aided by a Victorian “inventress,” who turns out to be the creator of (among many other things), the Library of All Wonder.

Gwendolyn’s Fantastical Exploits are just as dramatic and entertaining as her Marvelous Adventures. Perhaps a bit more so, when she finds her own story in the Library, and when she must reflect on how the things that make her extraordinary have set her apart from her City and created a lingering sense of unworthiness. For young people trying to figure out who they are in their own world, and who they want to become, nothing could be more resonant.

Gwendolyn and her friends came along long after my own children were grown up, but I hope we are never too “mature” for a rollicking good story that leaves a sweet yet thoughtful afterglow long after the last page is turned.

☆꧁Gwendayn Books꧂☆

ARC provided by the publisher, Jolly Fish Press, in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect the content of my review. Quotations are from an uncorrected proof and subject to change upon fina publication

Gwendolyn Gray must learn to master her magic in the second installment of this stunning fanatical world. We jump back into Gwendolyn Gray’s lovely dystopian magical realism world with all new adventures.
Thank goodness Lambents are gone, but something disastrous has happened the key to leave this world and find her friends is also gone.. The Faceless Gentleman adds more drama giving it a creepy darkish elements.

Even so, she precocious delightful girl manages to stumble in a whole new world, all with fantastical with talking trees and vibrant fairies.
The author has expanded Gwendolyn character further, she still is our spunky and always snarky, Heroine.The authors writing flows seamlessly and the wonderful wonderful is incredible atmospheric with stunning imagery.

My only wish is I had both first and second installment in hardback!

#TheFantasticalExploitsofGwendolynGray #gwendalyn_books_

This is a marvelous series, full of magic and surprises and more than a little social commentary buried in the narrative for good measure. Gwendolyn's exploits are well-crafted and well-presented. The various worlds she encounters - and the various personalities populating them - are cleverly constructed and keep things just a little off-balance (in a very good way).

There's an epic battle of conformity vs. originality here, and it's delivered with heart and more than a little pointed invective against the soul-numbing nature of the obsession with fitting in. It's a great message for its intended middle grade audience - and one that behooves adults to heed as well...

There's plenty of opportunity for further adventures here, and I for one hope to join Gwendolyn and her friends on many more of them!

A great sequel. Gwendolyn is left struggling after returning from her adventures. Her home in the City remains gray and bleak, fully unimaginative, and she still doesn't fit in. She also misses her friends and adventures. And then, new adventures begin. I love the focus on imagination, but also on depression and struggles. The importance of clearing your mind and dealing with stress and depression are handled beautifully. An enjoyable story with a fun writing style.

I had a bit of trouble remembering events from the previous book and I think the experience would have been better if I were to read the books one after the other. But this adventure pretty much stands on its own, so that isn’t such a problem.

Gwendolyn Gray is back in her dystopian gray world, the Lambents are gone, but also is her key to leave this world and find her friends. Even so, she manages to stumble in a whole new world, with talking trees and fairies.

I enjoyed the Fae world and its quaint inhabitants, the way Gwendolyn is growing, but my favorite character was Cyria Kytain:
“Is this the part where I tell you everything, and you say you understand completely, and that everything will be fine?” Gwendolyn said sarcastically. “Heavens no, love. Who would say such a silly thing? No one will ever completely understand you, just as no one will ever fit into your skin. And if someone told me that everything would be fine, I’d smack them for lying. But I can listen, or talk a bit.”

I totally loved B.A. Williamson’s writing style, and I very much enjoyed how he constantly breaks the fourth wall.