Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for an egalley of ‘Into the Windwracked Wilds’.

This is the third instalment in ‘The Up-and-Under’ series by A. Deborah Baker (an open pseudonym for Seanan McGuire of the ‘Wayward Children’ series)—and maybe my favourite so far?

I definitely needed to sit with this one for a while before confirming my opinion, as the pacing of these sometimes feels rather directionless. Honestly, it was not until I fully completed my read and took time to ponder that I could finally see the thread running throughout, providing a centre and binding for this arc of the children’s journey along the improbable road. And that thread: the Crow Girl.

I will not say more than this as I do not want to spoil the adventure—but if ‘Along the Saltwise Sea’ explored Niamh’s history, then ‘Into the Windwracked Wilds’ is all about our Crow Girl (and introduces a whole new companion for the group into the bargain).

I can also say that the further entrenched we become in the Up-and-Under, the more fascinating this world becomes! So many little hints and teases and tidbits of things to come… Waiting a year between sequels is torture!!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Fantasy read with a lyrical and whimsical writing style. In my mind, I picture a very old storyteller narrating this book, if that makes sense LOL! This is book 3 in the series The Up And Under (Over The Woodward Wall). It's a slower paced fantasy adventure that instead of just getting straight to where you're going, the reader is taken on a meandering walk. Feels a bit like Lemony Snicket. So if you're a fan of that style of writing, go for it!

I barely have an iota of Seanan McGuire's talent, so I can't put into words how utterly excited I was to find out that my first NetGalley review would be for a book by one of my favorite authors (just know that there was lots of screaming and bragging involved). I love how the Up-and-Under series manages to exist within the Alchemical Journeys series and still be so complete - and completely wonderful - by itself. A. Deborah Baker feels like the perfect marriage of L. Frank Baum and Lemony Snicket, but still keeps the ephemeral quality that only Seanan McGuire can provide. This latest installment maintains the excitement and adventure from the first two Baker books, and I so look forward to seeing what happens to Avery and Zib next - but not as much as I look forward to seeing how this story from the Up-and-Under plays into the next chapter in Roger and Dodger's Alchemical Journeys in our world!

👍🏻 Best of the book: Aside from McGuire's magnificent prose (which I could rave about all the way to the Impossible City and back), this series also showcases her talent of making you fall more deeply in love with each character in each successive book of a series while also falling completely in love with the new characters that pop up in each installment. I've loved the crow girl since Over the Woodward Wall, but now I love Jack Daw almost as much.

👎🏻 Worst of the book: The only thing that detracts from McGuire's prose is her vocabulary; I had to tear myself out of the Up-and-Under a few times to sate my curiosity and define some new words. Not enough to ruin my enjoyment, but enough to dull the magic a tad.

That was the best Up-and-Under book yet, easily. I enjoyed the other two, gave them both 4 stars, but things are set up really well for book 4, which will be the fire book. I'm curious to see if we'll get a 5th book, an aether book, but given how closely this is related to the Middlegame series, I suppose it depends on where that goes?

Relatedly, read Middlegame before picking up this series. Also, don't just pick up the third book and expect to know what's going on. No, there isn't some grand plot that needs to be followed, but nor are these standalone titles.

I really love Seanan's writing, in this series and Alchemical Journeys, even if I didn't enjoy Seasonal Fears as much. It's fairy tale and metaphysical, while being distinct from the Wayward Children type of fairy tale? That being said, this one did remind me somewhat of In An Absent Dream.

I'm glad to see Zib and Avery continuing to develop as characters, and to become more aware of the world they're in? Actions have consequences, whether externally or interpersonally, and they're finally understanding that. Also, that ending? I can't wait for book 4, and to see where we may go on the alchemical journey.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

I just love this series. Charming and introspective and thoughtful. A great series for fans of the Fairyland books.

If you didn't like the first two in this series (which are must-reads, this is not a standalone), there's nothing for you here. If you did, it's more of the same (in the most delightful way).

For people who read Seasonal Fears and hated it the way that I did, I also should note - for me, personally, everything that didn't work in SF works in this series much better. While it came across as condescending and overly explanatory in SF, McGuire's writing style is baked in to the lore in this series. It also works much better in a series aimed at children rather than adults.