We’re back in another adventure after a well deserved break. Kelcie Murphy is excited to be back with her finna at the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts. But that’s not without spending time with her family and bringing in three Saiga’s to enroll. However, peace doesn’t last long because the Lands of Winter have sent in students to infiltrate the Lands of Summer and steal the Heart of Danu. Now, it’s a race against time for Kelcie and her finna to get back what was stolen or risk losing those they hold dear.

I enjoyed reading this installment in the Kelcie Murphy series. I felt like it went faster because most of the foundation was laid out in the first book. However the world building surrounding the Lands of Winter fell flat for me. Although it was simple to understand, its setup was similar to the Lands of Summer. I would have loved it if there was some difference between the two lands in an effort to show the beauty and personality of each season.

The plot in this book is quite common and the execution is interesting. I have trouble with the writing style because I cannot feel the individual character personalities but the story is fast paced and engaging. Throughout the story there are multiple twists and turns that are quickly conquered to move the plot forward. That said, I felt that there were some unnecessary events that didn’t add value to the story.

Surprisingly I wanted to read more about Elliot Blizzard and I started to dislike Niall. This book made me do a complete 360 degree turn regarding these two characters. I wanted to read more about Elliot’s past and his relationship. In this installment, it was clear he wasn’t an inherently bad character but possibly someone forced to do what he did. Niall on the other hand, had a questionable personality change in this book. It went unexplained but his rude behavior made me feel bad for Kelcie throughout.

Friendship is a key theme in this series alongside family. However, there is also diverse character representation both in the romance and the character profiles. This series does an amazing job by introducing them so naturally into the story and making sure to remind the reader gently from time to time.

Overall, this was a good story. I struggle with the writing but the story is interesting and I’m looking forward to continuing the story. At the end of this book, our characters have started to pair into romantic relationships indicating a possible happy ending for everyone. Although I enjoy romance, I hope the action continues and we get the answers to our many unanswered questions.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

As usual, things are both up and down for Kelcie Murphy. She now lives with her gramma and has spent most of the Summer with her cousin and uncle. But, another Realm is trying to invade hers, ancient evils are talking, goddesses are leaving cryptic messages, and her new friends have tried to drown her to get her to access her new powers.

Which is pretty par for the course for Kelcie.

We spent a lot of time learning new powers and establishing that the woods are dangerous. We were there for more than a few chapters and it took us quite some time to get back to the Academy.

Despite a rather slow opening, and not getting to the titular problem until halfway through the book, Kelcie Murphy and the Heart of Danu is actually action packed.

(Slow and action packed, what a strange review, I know.)

All in all, it’s a solid sequel, and continues to touch on themes of friendship, forgiveness, and family.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This series gets better and better, and I felt like this one explained more of what we didn’t get in the first place, like why Kelcie’s last name is Murphy (since it’s not from her parents). I also love how when one character introduces a guy as his husband, the surprise is “you’re married?” and not that he’s gay.
We also get new characters in this, one of whom has alternating points of view.

Another great installment in the Kelcie Murphy series. If you are a fan of Rick Riordan, JK Rowling, Kelley Armstrong, or Holly Black then this series is for you. Kelcie and friends go on another epic adventure to save the Lands of Summer. I love that Kelcie finds out so much about her past in this novel and is able to start the process of healing. Looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

This series continues with a familiar premise but executes it with charm and a memorable cast of characters.

This is a fun series. Some parts are similar and put me in the mind frame of other series, such as the “Percy Jackson” series. It’s not a bad thing; I love that series. The difference is the mythology. I’m unfamiliar with Celtic mythology, which made it exciting and fun to read. Celtic mythology was a little confusing for me, but that’s because I wasn’t familiar with it; however, it didn’t take me out of the story.

Much of Book 1 is spent in the academy, which makes sense. It was interesting to see the school setting and the magic system. Book 2, however, is a little action-packed, especially since Book 1 is more background. The stakes are raised, so the tension is high. There’s much more happening in Book 2, so it’s a little longer. It took me a little while to get into the book, but once I did, I enjoyed it. You get to see what Kelcie is made of, and that was exciting.

This series has every marker of becoming my oldest daughter's all time favorite series. She is my Harry Potter and The Keeper of the Lost Cities obsessed girlie and is CONSTANTLY rereading those books. I will definitely be buying every book in this series as they come out in hardback for her. I've learned the hard way that her paperback favorites basically disintegrate after her tenth time rereading them.

For anyone with children absolutely obsessed with magical middle grade books, this series is an absolute MUST HAVE!!

It was a fun, adventurous read, start to finish. This book has first love and adversaries to friends, which are perfect for your middle grade children or for yourself! I can't say enough good things about this fun series! I would recommend this series to all readers ages 8 and up.

Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions shared in this review are my own.

After a summer spent reuniting with some of her family, Kelcie returns to school along with some new friends. But the war between Summer and Winter continues to brew new troubles. A traitor sneaks into Summer and into Kelcie's life. Her mother finally speaks to her, but only to bring ominous warnings. And despite all her efforts, Kelcie is unable to contact her father, and instead messes up her relationship with her best friend.

There's a lot packed into this book. The plot is fast paced and continuously changing. New creatures, characters, and places are introduced. Nice as it is to see so many new ideas, the constant action and new info was a job to keep on top of, especially if one doesn't read the entire book in a short and continuous time period.

I liked how several characters were given their own redemption arcs. This book is intended for a younger audience, so several ideas are a bit juvenile, like the awkward pre-teen romance, and the plot is somewhat simplified, but it's prefect for its intended audience.

When Winter strikes a dangerous blow, Kelcie and her friends embark on a desperate mission to save Summer. Taking along lots of magical weapons and their own special abilities, Kelcie and her fianna come face to face with old and new enemies. But in the process of saving their home, Kelcie and her friends face the results of the long war, and begin to question their beliefs. Are they on the right side of this war, and what are they truly fighting for?

Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu is the second book in Erika Lewis’ Academy for the Unbreakable Arts series. And it’s imperative that you read the first book prior to its successor. In fact, it’s a good idea to read them one right after another, as there’s a lot of details and nuances that can be forgotten.

As with Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts, there’s a lot of action in Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu. This keeps the story moving forward at a strong pace. Lewis continues to build on a unique storyline that utilizes Celtic mythology.

Lewis has created a complex world that is fascinating. It’s also fairly complicated. The suggested age range is 8-12, but it’s a better fit for more mature 9- or 10-year-olds. I could even see readers into their teens gravitating toward this one.

I loved the first book in this series and this sequel did not disappoint! It is loaded with action and intrigue right from the get-go. I love that it starts just dropping you into this foreign viewpoint of unknown characters and twists what you might have thought about Winter in the first book. You quickly realize the Summer isn’t exactly as good as they are leading everyone to believe and Winter is more complicated as well. Just like in real life, conflicts have two sides and it’s not always an good vs evil kind of thing.

I really enjoyed the switching viewpoints in the book. It gave great perspective from both sides and made you realize how Kelcie and Lexis were both seeing things more similarly than they might have expected. Both are torn and conflicted about whether they really should be enemies. They both had great growth over the book and became heroes in their own right. I’m excited for the next book that will hopefully bring them together again.

There was lots of battles in this book. I felt bad for these kids at some points as it seemed they couldn’t catch a break. The foes they faced in thsi book were much darker and creepier than the first. Vampire owls, banshees, a headless horseman and bloodthirsty seers and bodachs with their tentacles and decaying bodies. The battle scenes are pretty epic and Kelcie and her fianna have definitely upped their skills. There were a few times where I said whoa out loud while reading almost picturing the scene as if it was in a movie. Like that moment where everything slows down and then speeds back up as Kelcie twists her twin blades in anticipation of attack. Loving those swords and how Kelcie is now able to combine her magic with them. Really hoping they are in the next book and we get more explanation about why she is so bonded to them.

I felt slight frustration with Niall’s distance through the book and how it wasn’t ever really talked about. At one point I thought something more magical must be up since when we left them in book one they were so close and just starting to develop into maybe more than friends. Throughout this book he is distant and sometimes seems mean towards her and never really explains a good reason why. I really enjoyed their bond in the first book and missed it in this.

I am excited to see what happens next as this book ends with us pointed toward something I think will be epic and will unite both fiannas to achieve. Again the magic and world building was incredible and I can’t wait to discover more about the world that Erika has created for us readers.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor Publishing for the early reader copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

In the second novel of Erika Lewis’ series, The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts, she has created a novel that is in some ways far better than the first book. Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu is complex and engaging. It creates a conflict that is bigger than the first book. Kelcie is just as fun and engaging as a character but with the addition of Lexis from Winter, we learn more about the world, the conflict between Summer and Winter, and see more of the complexity of the war and its impact on different individuals in both places. We also see how the Fomorian’s are treated after the actions of Kelcie’s father. And while Kelcie once again has to try and save her world, she has to accept help from unexpected places and learn how to forgive others much as she was forgiven for her actions in the first book. 

The characters and the world are fantastic. I love that Kelcie is able to use her abilities even better in this book and you see true growth in her both as a person and as a leader. All of the characters grow but Kelcie and Lexis grow the most. Both are complex and engaging. And both are incredible characters that will appeal to middle grade readers. This fun book will keep readers on the edge of their seat but also enthrall readers because it is complex and engaging. If you like mythology, you’ll love this novel. It teaches how to work together but also how to change and grow, to accept others. And that’s a lesson all of us can use from time to time. Middle grade readers will love this sequel.

Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu is the sequel to the first book I reviewed last year, Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts. This second story continues capturing readers with action, danger and mystery in a memorable fantasy world.

Kelcie is such a likeable heroine and when you throw in mythical creatures and villains, the story exceeds one’s expectations. It’s like a roller coaster ride full of ups, downs and thrilling turns. Solid readers will not be bothered by the length of over 400 pages, although this is one of those sequels where you’d benefit from reading the first book before diving into this one.

Themes of friendship and not fitting in will resonate with the MG audience. Yes, there will be a third book in the future given the enticing ending to book 2. Kelcie is one of my favorite characters and I’m looking forward to seeing her character ARC expand even further.

FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: KELCIE MURPHY AND THE HUNT FOR THE HEART OF DANU by Erika Lewis

1. The lands of Summer and Winter and the characters in each bring many dynamic qualities to the tale.
2. New character, Lexis, arrives undercover from the Land of Winter and has similar abilities to Kelcie, although more controlled. Her actions had me guessing the entire way as to what the end result would bring: whether it be allies or enemies with Kelcie.
3. Celtic mythology once again is a wonderful backdrop to the the plot.
4. Action, action, and more action. It made the small typeface and page length fly by in a hurry.
5. The glossary is a fantastic addition, with all the new terminology and understanding how this world works. You might even start there to learn about the intricacies of what you will read.

After spending summer break with her grandmother, Kelcie Murphy is back at The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts with a whole new cast of characters and mystical creatures. But this time around things are a bit different – Kelcie and Brona receive dire warnings about the future from a surprising source, there’s a Winter spy in their midst, and Niall, who has become an overnight celebrity, is acting distant.

When the traitor is revealed and the plot to steal The Heart of Danu is exposed, Kelcie and her Fianna band together for another action-packed expedition to save The Lands of Summer.

I absolutely love this cast of characters and the captivating plot will keep you glued to the pages. I can’t wait to read the next installment of this series to see how this story ends!

Here's the thing. The plot is interesting and I love fantasy books with magic systems. But this sequel is unfortunately very similar to the first book – hard to follow PLUS like 10 new characters to try and keep up with and remember.

The action scenes are especially difficult to follow, and the characters are referred to by their first name, last name, rank/species, OR nickname; and it constantly changes from chapter to chapter.

I'd expect that from a YA or adult book. But for a middle grade book, I just can't see most kids being able to keep up with what's going on.

For what it's worth, my kiddo will definitely want to read the next book in the series. He wasn't constantly questioning why the adults were putting the fate of the planet in a bunch of 13-year-olds' hands 😆 I'm definitely a harsher critic than he is.

Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and Erika Lewis for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Welcome back to the world of summer and winter and two schools warring on behalf of the queens that rule each. Kelcie is working on controlling her rare ability Pulse which allows her to hold all four elements of land, water, air, and fire, but usually, this results in a disaster or two. We know from the prologue that the Land of Winter has set a young girl named Lexi to destroy Summer by stealing the heart of Dandu. This series is action-packed, has a heart in its characters, and will fascinate any middle-grader reader who picks it up.

Thanks to NetGalley & Tor Publishing Group for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Fantastic sequel! My favorite part is how the author adds a NEW point of view--Leixs! She's a new character with her own chapters and the twist you find out in the first chapter is that she's got something bad up her sleeve...but you end up understanding her motivation and she becomes a sympathetic...antihero? Or something like that.

Kelcie and her misadventures continue and it goes even deeper with the worldbuilding which I LOVED! I really don't have a single complaint about the series, it's so good. I love how fast-paced it is and how vibrant Kelcie is as a protagonist, the magic system is so fun...I could go on. Damn good series. :)

I wouldn't try to read this book without having read the first one because you'd miss out on a ton of character & plot development. This book does a decent job of catching you up quickly but it's still a lot of lore to cram in the sequel.

Kelcie Murphy is preparing to enter her second year at the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts, and she is finally getting the hang of her magical ability that was hidden from her for most of her life. This year, there are an assortment of new friends joining her at school, and one new student in particular is not like the others. Lexis secretly comes from the Land of Winter, and she has an important and secret task to complete in addition to her studies. And when an evil omen threatens the people of the Land of Summer, Kelcie and her companions must combine their abilities to prevent the worst from happening.

This second in the Kelcie Murphy series picks up shortly after the first book ends, launching into another school year after a busy summer. The narrative alternates perspectives between Kelcie and Lexis, often showing two sides of a similar coin, and revealing secrets to readers that other characters do not initially realize. Throughout the novel, the question of good versus evil is frequently referenced, especially as characters compare what they have been taught to what they see happening around them. Young readers will recognize this experience in their own lives as they reconsider the messages they have received in their youth and begin thinking for themselves.

Readers who enjoyed the first book in this series will fall easily into this second installment, especially as there is enough backstory to remind readers of what happened before without being overwhelming. Lengthy chapters and small font can be intimidating at first, but as readers get deeper into the narrative, it flows smoothly thanks to its frequent action sequences and plentiful dialogue. Celtic culture and language surround Kelcie’s experience, and as magic and identity intersect, several modern conflicts become visible in an entirely different context. Throughout the story, readers will find themselves transported along with Kelcie as she navigates the challenges of youth, first romance, and the larger events happening around her, and they will enjoy returning to Kelcie’s world to watch her grow. This is an immersive tale that is well suited to mature middle grade readers.