I enjoyed this one, but felt like I held it to an impossible standard. I grew up adoring Wrede's Enchanted Forest series, rereading it and sharing it with my siblings. I devoured most of her catalog after that. So, naturally, I was judging this new book in comparison to those reading experiences. This is a good book, but it didn't pull me in as fully as it could have. I do believe the kids in my life will love this - magic, talking dragon skulls, spirits of mountains, castles, and more. The dragons were a highlight for me. I would recommend this to some younger readers - 5th-6th grades.

A fun and adventurous adventure of learning one’s family secrets and magic. I think the book was fine, nothing overly stuck out to me

Patricia C. Wrede is an accomplished fantasy author, and it is a treat to have a new title from her. The Dark Lord’s Daughter wastes no time in whisking away the protagonist, her mother, and her brother to a fantasy world. It is a little novel to have a parent along for the journey, but the interactions between Kayla and her mom feel authentic and add plausibility to the situation. (If one accepts that being whisked away to a fantasy world by magic is a plausible event.)

The spoken dialogue is strong, and Kayla’s mental asides are spot-on, adding some wry commentary. Kayla’s view as an outsider looking at a different culture and traditions and not “getting it” provides for some humorous interactions between groups of people. Because Kayla doesn’t just go with the expected traditions, it sets up some interesting situations. There is plenty of magic, but not a ton of action. Most of the plot progresses through dialogue and character interactions

Particularly charming, are the “excerpts” from the book The Dark Traditions. These little gems are advice to Dark Lords on consolidating their position as they come into their power. Written in complete seriousness, they will put a smile on the reader’s lips.

.Review of a Digital Advance Reading Copy provided by Random House Books for Young Readers

I grew up reading Wrede (Mairelon the Magician was one of my favorites) and was absolutely delighted when I found out she was writing something new. With engaging characters and worldbuilding, this was just as good as her earlier works I was especially happy that, as opposed to the traditional portal plot, Kayla got to bring her entire family. This added another interesting layer to what is, at its base, a pretty simple plot. As it was, I kept running to my husband to tell him what the characters had done next. The only thing that could make this better is if it were the start of a series because, as has been noted in other reviews, this is clearly the setup for greater adventures to come!

This book is so much fun-the characters are interesting and well written. The plot is terrific and the problem solving is awesome. I think kids are going to love this one. And the ending leaves the door wide open for a sequel, THANK GOODNESS!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
While Patricia C. Wrede wasn’t a childhood favorite author of mine, I do remember liking one or two books by her over the years. And I was so charmed by the title and concept of The Dark Lord’s Daughter, after having grown up with so many stories of heroes over the years, highlighting either their simple or divine (usually pure and good) origins, in a similar vein, so why not one that flips the concept on its head?
I loved the whimsy that lures you in almost right away, with the epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter, telling you about the lore of the world and the important things that each child of a Dark Lord or Lady needs to have.
I also loved the group dynamics, especially with Kayla being swept up on an adventure with both her mother and brother, along with some others they meet along the way. It creates such compelling dynamics, with her mother wanting to shield her from it, and Kayla wanting to embrace it, and it makes you really question why so many children’s adventure stories don’t feature parent characters more, especially if the kid is going to be sent to do dangerous things. But I also like that the mother’s a bit out of her depth, and while Kayla doesn’t start off perfectly competent at everything, she is hardly naive, and her mother even comments about her taking on more than she should.
The narrative is fairly fast paced, and it more or less kept me engaged throughout. I did feel that the narrative ended up culminating in a bit of a low-stakes conclusion, but given the general whimsical nature of the book overall, I think it fit, and I don’t think it made sense to throw something super big and epic at the characters.
This is a fun, charming read, and I’d recommend it to readers looking for a fun middle grade fantasy that subverts some of the common tropes.

Imgur Link goes to Instagram image scheduled for August 31st
Blog post goes live August 29th
Youtube Review should be live First or second week of September

I am pretty open about the fact that Portal Fantasy books just simply don’t work for me. I get real twitchy about them in fact. You tell me it’s got portal fantasy in it, and I’ll exit that stage in a hurry. I can happily report however that (not knowing that it would be portal fantasy going in) I wound up loving The Dark Lord’s Daughter. Let me explain.

This follows Kayla, who with her Mom and brother, is whisked away by a man in a funny costume to a fantasy world. There she finds out she’s the daughter of the Dark Lord, and gentleman who brought her (the man who is now wearing a suit of armor) has been searching for her for over 10 years. The story follows Kayla and her family as the adapt to this new world, find out more about Kayla’s birth parents, and her magic and inheritance. It’s funny, fun, and has a good message at it’s core. All while setting up what I genuinely hope is a series because I didn’t get nearly enough of these characters.

Here is where the book sold me. When Kayla and her family is portal’d (if you will) to this fantasy world. Everything they have on them, is changed to match the world they are in. This means her mom’s cell phone became a purple messenger mouse. The ibuprofen in her first aid kit? Magical healing herbs. And the tablet computer in Kayla’s backpack became a familiar. Not only a Familiar but one that still talked in it’s assigned voice, responded to computer style commands, and had the best attitude the whole book. Patricia Wrede made Portal Fantasy work. Not only does everyone involved in the magic know about other worlds, but the worlds themselves will adapt to the portaling individuals.

Thank you Mrs. Wrede. You took my least favorite trope and made it fun.

But seriously, I enjoyed a lot of this book and want so much more. If you’re a fan of Patricia Wrede or Middle Grade Fantasy this is a must read. I will be continuing when more books release, and honestly… I think I’m going to go pickup the Enchanted Forest series again. It’s that good.

Kayla is at the state fair with her Mom and her brother when she is told that she’s the daughter of a “Dark Lord,” and minutes later finds herself and her family in a new magical and dangerous world. Her backpack has become a knapsack and her school tablet is now a talking familiar. She needs to travel to the Dark Lord's keep, learn and master magic so that she can find a way home with her family. But as the Dark Lord's daughter, there's family here too, eager for her to claim her place and enact the evil traditions.

As she ventures closer to her father, Kayla must decide whether to accept her birthright. Is she destined for darkness? Or can she become a new kind of Dark Lady?

Why I started this book: Jumped at the chance to read this ARC. Wrede has been a favorite since I first discovered Dealing with Dragons.

Why I finished it: Charming, and what a refreshing adventure to be whisked away to a new magical world with your Mom and brother... especially since as the new Dark Lady you are going to need people to trust in your corner. Give this book to anyone who's noticed that parents disappear when kids go on their magical adventures.

Patricia Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles played on the conventions of genre brilliantly and created unforgettable characters, and The Dark Lord's Daughter promises to be just as delightful. Kayla lives with her mom and brother in a tiny apartment, still in mourning for their father. On a trip to the state fair, Kayla is approached by a messenger claiming that she is the heir to a magical kingdom, and Kayla and her family are whisked into a new realm with only the things in their pockets. Once in the new dimension, Kayla learns that she is the daughter of the previous Dark Lord, destined to fight the forces of good while wearing dramatic black outfits and ruling with an iron fist. Dark Lady Kayla is less than interested in doing things that way, and sets out to forge her own destiny with the help of her family and the magical familiar who used to be her smartphone. Funny, sweet, wholesome and clever, this is a perfect choice for smart, empathetic kids or people who used to be kids. I eagerly await the upcoming sequel and plan to pick up the complete series. All hail Dark Lady Kayla!

As a kid I really enjoyed the Enchanted Forest Chronicles, and was very excited for a new book by Patricia C. Wrede. This new novel contains a lot of the fantasy-based humor and adventure of those excellent books, while being something completely different. A hilarious, middle-grade mash up of Machiavelli and Cold Comfort Farm (probably most hilarious for those familiar with Machiavelli and/or Cold Comfort Farm), somewhat reminiscent of a Terry Pratchett/Discworld novel. I found it delightful!

I love Wrede’s fantasy style with its humor and satire. It’s a lot of fun to read as she reimagines all the fairytales that we think we know. However, I think I was struggling to get into this book. It is a little more of a slower read, and while I love fantasy stories, I think that it wasn’t quite for me. Unfortunately, I had to DNF it, but I think it’s a great book especially for those who love fantasy stories that keep them guessing.
It has lots of different characters that are unique and exciting. It’s perfect for readers who are looking for an older style fantasy book but are not quite ready for Tolkien yet.


I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

I've been a fan of Patricia Wrede since reading Dealing with Dragons back in the 90s and I was super excited to read her latest book! Kayla is at the Minnesota State Fair with her adoptive mother and brother, when they find themselves suddenly whisked to an unfamiliar world. They learn that Kayla's birth father was a Dark Lord and Kayla was sent to Minnesota by jealous aunts. Now that she has been found, they expect her to claim her inheritance and become the Dark Lady of her father's land. Kayla is not the kind of Dark Lady they have been expecting, choosing kindness over executions. With her mother to keep her on track and her tablet-turned-familiar providing important info, Kayla is about to turn their whole world upside. This was very clever, with some good messages underneath. Recommended for grades 4 & up.

Kayla knew her whole life that she had been adopted, but she never thought that her birth parents were from another world entirely. Her father was a Dark Lord, and the man sent to find her spent ten years looking for her so she could go back and claim her heritage. Along with her adopted mother and brother, Kayla has to learn about the role she is expected to take and how to operate in a completely different world.

Things I loved:
-The mom is an active part of the story! None of that missing parents so the kid can have an adventure stuff here. The mom is (rightfully) concerned and protective as her daughter goes through things that are scary, but the mom also tries to understand that her daughter is growing up and facing new responsibilities too.
-The family she meets has some fun variety and characters, and like any family, has annoying relatives, fun relatives, and so on.
-This book had a lot of small touches to the world that added adventure and fun, like her computer turning into a familiar.
-The dragon heads.
-How Kayla learns how to be true to herself and how she feels about things instead of going along with traditions.
-Reminded me of that what to do when I'm an evil overlord list that I couldn't get enough of as a teenager.
-I loved the sibling dynamic between Kayla and Del. Again, it's great to see a fantasy adventure story where the sibling gets to come along.
-I loved how it challenged traditions and expectations, much like The Enchanted Forest Chronicles did.

What I wanted:
-While there's a lot of discussion about possible high stakes and the threats of someone coming to try to take the Dark Lord position, there isn't a lot of that happening. Most of the book is talking about details for the beginning of her reign and it becomes more of a party planning book than anything else. I would love to have seen more stakes and danger. Maybe in a sequel? I wonder if my reaction in this way is just that the book is in something of a different style than a lot of current fantasy. It has a, for lack of a better way to phrase it, "old-fashioned" feel that is very similar to The Enchanted Forest Chronicles.

Overall, I loved the book and found it a joyful adventure. It's a great read for Patricia C. Wrede fans of all ages, and it's a great way for new readers to be introduced to this wonderful author's work.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for giving me an advance copy of this book to review. On a personal note, I discovered Patricia C. Wrede's books for the first time when I was about 13. I have read her books over and over again through the years since then, always charmed and delighted to be in her worlds of words. To be able to review this book has been an incredible honor for me.

Fourteen-year-old Kayla Jones has always known she was adopted. But she is surprised to learn that she is the daughter of the Dark Lord of Zaradwin. She learns this when a man who has been searching for her for more than ten years finds her at the Minnesota State Fair with her mother and younger brother and takes them to the alternate universe so that she can become the newest Dark Lady.

Kayla has dealt with a lot in her young life including watching her adoptive father die of cancer when she was ten. But dealing with a new world and unwanted expectations might be too much for her without the support of her mother and younger brother.

This story had excellent worldbuilding. I especially liked how her computer turned into her familiar when she switched worlds. I also liked Kayla who was a mature and responsible young woman who wasn't going to let anyone push her around no matter how often she was told that something was Tradition.

Kayla is determined to be a new kind of Dark Lady and to make her new world better than it is when she arrives in it. This was an engaging story with well-rounded and interesting characters including a ten-year=old brother who wants to do magic so that he can make things explode.

3.5 stars
Dealing with Dragons was one of my favorite series ever when I was younger. I was so excited to read Wrede's new book. Unfortunately, I think I had set my expectations too high.
Within the first chapter, we meet our 3 characters from Earth, Kayla, her adoptive mom Riki and her brother Del. They are at a fair and are suddenly whisked away to another world because Kayla happens to be the daughter of the last Dark Lord but she had been sent away when she was a baby. It was rather confusing and I felt like I was thrown into the middle of a book. I think it maybe would have worked better as a first book being from Waylan's POV (the person who was tasked to search for Kayla) and having him find Kayla and then having the second book be after Kayla is found and whisked away.
Overall, the plot was interesting, but the first impression I got was the confusion and disorientation. The beginning felt SO fast, and then the rest of the book stretches out over 5 days. Kayla is exploring the castle and learning about the dark magic she didn't know she had. Despite the confusion, it was a good way to learn about this new world. We were learning everything with Kayla. There are a ton of "traditions," things that other Dark Lords are "supposed" to do and Kayla brings a new perspective. The ending was really interesting and I actually really did enjoy the ending.
We meet some great characters, I loved Rache who is Kayla's cousin and I also loved her brother Del. I think those were my 2 favorite characters as well as Macavinchy. Macavinchy was what Kayla named her tablet on Earth and then when they were brought to Zaradwin, it turned into her familiar (a monkey-type creature) who could still tell her information, similar to Siri/Alexa. The one character I didn't really like was Riki, Kayla's adpotive mom. Like I understand that she's in a strange world trying to keep both her children safe, but it seemed like she did not trust Kayla at all who is 14 and I felt should have been given a little more trust. And everyone from Zaradwin said that they would definitely be stuck there for probably months, but when Kayla brought this up, Riki would get super angry at her which I thought was a little childish.
Like I said, overall I did enjoy it, there were just a few things that either confused me or rubbed me the wrong way. I would definitely continue if this turns into a series.

Kayla was adopted as a baby by Rikita and Michael Jones, and hasn't thought too much about her birth parents, even after her father's recent death from cancer. Her mother, Riki, has tried to keep things pretty much the same for Kayla and her younger brother Del, but it's a struggle. When the fair rolls around, the three go, and Kayla isn't too thrilled about it. She has even brought her school tablet, which she has named Macavinchy, along with her, hoping to play some games when her mother is off seeing exhibits, and it does come in handy when accessing information about the fair. When an odd guy turns up, identifying himself as "Waylan, second commander of the Dark Horse of Zaradwin" and claiming that Kayla is really Xavrielina, the daughter of the Dark Lord Xavriel, they all think he is nuts... until they find themselves transported to an odd, quasi medeival world. Not everything in their possession has something analagous in that time, so some things transmute; Riki's cell phone becomes a lavendar messenger mouse, and Macavinchy becomes a familiar in the form of a winged monkey-type animal. (Although he's sensitive about being portrayed as such). The three head off through the woods to the castle, and meet Archibald along the way. He actually hopes to become the Dark Lord himself, even though he has Light magic, but even so, Kayla allows him to come along. After they get settled in the very decrepit castle, they learn the back story; Kayla's aunts sent her to another world so that she wouldn't pose a threat to them (and exile is better than murder!), but since her father has been gone ten years, and things have deteriorated in the kingdom, they're willing to have her back. Riki isn't thrilled with a lot of this and wants to go back home, but it proves difficult for Kayla to figure out how to accomplish this. She thinks that learning magic from the castle librarian, Harkawn, might be the way to go. There are a number of people at the castle who have an interest in what happens to Kayla, but an investiture is scheduled and preparations are made. There are a lot of traditions to uphold, although Kayla feels comfortable fighting many of them, and a lot of secrets of the Dark Lord that have to be figured out before Kayla can rule the kingdom.
Strengths: I absolutely adored the fact that her mother and brother went along with her on the magical journey! This should happen a lot more in middle grade literature. There are a lot of good details about what it takes to rule a kingdom; all of the Dark Traditions are very clearly laid out, and it reminded me a bit of Terry Brooks' Magic Kingdom for Sale: Sold! Of course one has to think about the castle budget, whom to invite to the investiture, how to deal with disloyal family members; being a Dark Lady is hard, and Kayla has to meet with different people to figure out how to proceed. The best part of this was how the technology of Macavinchy translate into magic in Zaradwin, and the clever way that Kayla manages to repair the castle and remove the threats using not only Macavinchy but also the forces in the castle. There's plenty of set up here for another book; now that Kayla has settled into the castle, I'm sure that people from the kingdom will try to challenge her!
Weaknesses: I wanted this to have a lot more action and adventure, like Dealing with Dragons. It's such a great concept, and I understand why Kayla has to spend so much time in the castle just getting ready for her reign, but it... felt a bit like a faculty meeting. A lot of details, like having clothes made for the investiture, that should have been fun but ended up being dreary. This will appeal to hard core fantasy readers who like every little detail, but I would have liked this better if we had gone straight into a quest. Some reviewers complained that the mother was too involved and a bit whiny; I didn't think that at all. It seemed perfectly reasonable to me that she made sure the castle got cleaned up and stepped in to make breakfast. If I had gotten sucked into a world that proclaimed my daughter the Dark Lady, I probably would have tried to move things along a bit more quickly.
What I really think: This was very different from something like Dark Lord: The Early Years; it wasn't really played too much for laughs. I don't know WHY the concept of a Dark Lord should be treated in this way, but I was surprised that this didn't. Of course, Kayla was rather appalled that she would have to kill people, and earn money by pillaging, but it would have been a lot more fun if she threw herself into the role. I have a feeling that Del would, if he were given a similar chance. I'm curious to see where the next book takes us.

This was utterly delightful! Our main character Kayla discovers that she is the daughter of the Dark Lord and is whisked off into a fantasy world. She is not pleased with this recent development as she was quite settled with her adopted mother and brother. Her displeasure amusingly intensifies when she discovers the rundown nature of her father's castle and the "weird" traditions that abound. This was super entertaining to read and felt very timeless. I think this would also translate wonderfully into an animated tv show or movie.

Kayla didn't know anything about her birth parents until the day a man accosted her at the state fair. While many orphans in fiction dream of being the scion of royalty, Kayla's actually very happy with her adoptive mom and little brother (even if she misses her dad, who died of cancer), so finding out that she's the daughter and heir of the Dark Lord of a fantasy kingdom isn't necessarily a great discovery. That goes double when it comes with a filthy castle, an overbearing aunt, and a whole lot of people who are really, really hung up on "Tradition."

This is very much in the vein of Wrede's <i>Enchanted Forest Chronicles</i> series (staples of my middle school days), and for older readers it also has a lovely dash of the old "If I Was An Evil Overlord" list from the internet's infancy. Kayla is a protagonist it's easy to get behind as she struggles to figure out her new reality with her mom and brother in tow, and Wrede makes it very clear that Riki and Del are her family, full stop, blood ties notwithstanding. Not all of the characters are fully developed (Archie specifically), but the story is a fast read and a very enjoyable one. Combining the sensibility of older children's fiction with the modern isekai tale, this is a welcome return by a middle grade master.

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House Children's for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this book! It's got a very unique angle with family being sent to magical world and everything they had with them being "transformed" to adjust to the magical world. The iPad turned into a flying monkey familiar which was absolutely INGENIUS. It was hilarious to see the "As Is Tradition" argument people kept insisting that Kayla follow and say it's just "normal dark lord behavior" to behead everyone, ha.

I will say that I would've rated it higher if it were not for Kayla's adopted mom and brother. They were driving me up the wall and not in a good way. I feel like the story would have benefited without them there at all. Everything else about the story was very fun, fast-paced, and imaginative.

Thank you Randomhouse Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the ARC! I grew up on Patricia C Wrede’s books, so this was a trip down memory lane, and one that didn’t disappoint!

Kayla is attending the state fair with her adoptive family when a strange man shows up, tells her she’s the long lost heir to a dark lord, and kidnaps her, her mom, and her brother to a magical world. Her only chance of getting back home is to play along.

But how can she play along when everything that is Traditional goes against what she believes in? Plus she’s got to juggle her mom’s overprotective (understandably protective) instincts with the dangerous magic she has to learn.

I loved the sibling dynamic between Kayla and Del—constant bickering while still having each other’s backs against the world.

Beneath the magic, it’s an insightful look at what it means to have to grow up too fast, that light doesn’t always mean good, and that magic is what you make of it.

If you like talking dragon skeletons, magical mayhem, and breaking the cycle of bad traditions, this book is for you!

4.25/5 stars