I love a story that tackles what comes after the win and this is exactly that. In Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston, Callie is allowed to become a page and the bad guy is banished from the kingdom but in this sequel we see how progress is often followed by an oppositional backlash. The story is still full of hope but I love how this book shows young readers that progress isn't linear and that healing is a journey. I also love the way the events of this book can be used to explain some of the real-world politics of today in a way that children understand.

While I still personally have a preference for shorter middle grade books, I did find the pacing of this one more consistent throughout than I did the first book. I also love the introduction of neopronouns and the way Symes-Smith writes characters finding "their words" when it comes to pronouns and labels.

I didn’t realize when I requested this that it was a sequel because I’m notoriously bad at investigating that before requesting things. But I’m a completionist and was delighted to read the first book in the series before this one. Sir Callie and the Dragon’s Roost picks up where Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston leaves off, with twelve-year-old nonbinary knight Callie still fighting against misunderstanding and smallmindedness. They’ve accomplished a win in Helston - that children are allowed to pursue their interests, regardless of gender - but there is still a lot of fear and anger from those around them. Callie must create a greater understanding around magic use and especially around the longtime beliefs of the town around the nearby “dragon’s roost,” the landing place for a woman who was ousted from Helston years ago and created her own community as a result.

This is such a powerful story, especially for middle grade readers. I’m so glad that this series exists for the young people who will be looking for representation in their libraries and other bookish places. More than that, it also holds up as an adult reader. It doesn’t feel infantalized. Callie is dealing with **big** problems, problems that even adults have a hard time with, and they are steadfast and true in their belief of what’s right - and what is wrong. It can be hard as a kid to feel like your voice matters, but Callie shows that it does. Symes-Smith tackles these incredibly grownup issues with such care and attention. Even though I’m not the target audience for this, it is healing something in me to read these, and I know that will be true for many people my age and beyond. I can’t wait to go on more adventures with Callie.

Wonderful continuation of Callie’s story! They are such a great character and have so much to give to the reader. Plus dragons!

I really appreciated the growth in the characters and the development with the story line from the first book to the second. I wanted a little bit more umph but I felt he representation of the trauma these individuals experienced was phenomenal.

This book was top notch! The world building, character progression and storytelling just keep getting better! For a second book in a series, I was blown away by how good it was! Honestly this is my favorite of the series and the first book was fantastic as well

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

I think this series is an excellent example of how kids can handle so much more than many adults think they can. They are resilient, smart, kind, loving, and they care about the world around them. I love books that truly understand what it means to be a kid, especially in a world that is getting more complicated by the day.

This book, the second in the series, was a beautiful continuation of the first. It was heavy at times, but beautiful too. I really appreciated how diverse the characters were, especially in terms of their gender identities, and their acceptance of others. I am excited to recommend this book to tweens especially, because I think this will fill some gaps in our current fantasy canon. I do also think this series is exactly what the world needs to read right now.

THERE'S GONNA BE MORE BOOKS????

I'm legitimately a little bit upset because I thought this was a duology But I didn't actually do any research to back that thought up It was just what my brain decided on So imagine my surprise when I finish this on a freaking cliffhanger realizing there's going to be another freaking book. I had feelings.

As much as I am really enjoying this book series, this one did fall into a little bit of a middle book trap we're not a lot happened. I'm really enjoying seeing the characters discover who they are and I really love all of the queerness and discussion about dismantling systemic systems of abuse but I feel like more could have happened in this book.

I'm a little late to the party but in this case, it truly is better late than never because this book is incredible! I went into it knowing that it held at its heart a message that every person--regardless of age or demographic--needs to hear. But what I got in addition to that was an epic story that was equal parts fun, thrilling, and heartwarming. And it's just so well-crafted with an amazing voice and pacing that made it nearly impossible to set the book down! I'm so glad it's a series because I was not ready to leave Callie's world at the end of this book!

While I loved the first book this one just wasn't for me. Where the first book helped build up characters in lower positions, it just felt like this one was constantly beating us down into having no hope.

Phew, this book was a hard one to get through!! This is absolutely not a fun, light book. It’s really about a bunch of traumatized queer kids, looking for their place in their world and trying to save their kingdom, while fighting injustice and intolerance. Safe to say it’s pretty heavy…. but it deals with some really important things like healing and overcoming trauma.

The main character, Callie, is written really well. I appreciate that while they are the main character and we’re in their head, a lot of the focus on this book is on the friend group as they reconcile with their identities and the kingdom they live in.

Ultimately I knocked off a star because this book is just so dang intense, and definitely does NOT feel like a middle grade novel. And while it has elements of queer joy as these kids find some safe spaces, it explores homophobia, transphobia, magic-phobia, and dragon-phobia. So…. it’s intense. But a very important novel to read!

I listened to the audiobook, and I REALLY loved the narrator!

🌈Queer rep: Main nonbinary character (they/them). Secondary characters include nonbinary individuals (using xe/xim, she/they/ and they/them), bigender individual (he/she), a lesbian woman, and a MM gay couple.

tl;dr
A sharply realistic tale (even with the dragons!), with a lot of heavy emotions at play and some clean world building.

Thoughts
Well, dang. I already noted that the previous book was a very stressful read for me, despite the fact that it was very good. The good news is this book was not stressful in the same way. The bad news is, it was stressful in entirely different ways. But at least it's accurate, and I appreciate that. Progress is often slow and incremental, and it would be disingenuous to suggest after the first book that every problem has been fixed with a single victory. Instead, Callie and their friends are still met with suspicion and animosity. Even the adults who love them spend most of their time placating other adults. Edwyn's story, in particular, means a lot to me, and I only want good things for him. But despite all the stressors, there's a lot of hope, and a lot of joy in here too. The world is not over, even when things are difficult. And the joy in being one's self is so great. We also get to The Roost, which is beautifully described. I also appreciated the lesson that even heroes are not necessarily immune to propaganda, and it's important for all of us to question our assumptions. There's a cliffhanger at the end of this, so now I have to sit around and wait for the next one.

I have raved about Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston since I finished it the first time. And I’ll be doing much the same with this book as well. I’ve got a minor obsession with this series and I adored being allowed to receive an advance copy of the book and being accepted onto a tour for this book.

I struggle very hard to put all my thoughts together for this book. This book gave me so many emotions and thoughts that it was very hard to remember them all. I’m sure there are things that I’m going to forget in this review and I apologize. Because I want everyone to know all the amazing thoughts I have about this book. Especially since, unlike many other books I’ve read, I really don’t remember any negatives from this book. I adored every second of it, even the parts that left me emotional and with a tight chest.

One of Esme’s greatest strengths is that they write the characters so well. These characters are learning a lot of new information and are confronted with a lot of difficult choices. They keep doing what they believe is the best option but they are also (I hesitate to use the word children when referring to them) young so there are limits to their knowledge and what they can accomplish. They are young and they’ve been traumatized and lied to by the people they were supposed to be able to trust. So they struggle to consider all choices and to realize what all can and cannot be done. They are strong though and determined to fix the mess made by the adults.

The characters that I loved so much from the first book are even more amazing in this book! They all get more depth to their characters and stories and we get introduced to Teo (xe/xem)! These characters grow and develop in this book much the same way many of them did in the first. They are fully fleshed-out characters who are trying to heal from their traumatic experiences while also trying to stop a war and figure out who they are as well. It’s a lot for them to handle but they have people who love them and want the best for them, even if they don’t fully believe that. Which is understandable considering what they’ve been through. I worry about one in particular because I worry that they are too sunken into a feeling and that it will be one hell of a journey to get them to realize that.

The settings in this book are absolutely marvelous!!! Helston is…a place. I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone so I won’t say much, but we do get some more information about what Helston is like post-Peran. We also travel outside of Helston in this book into the Roost. The Roost honestly sounds like an absolutely gorgeous place and I want to move in there. The people we are introduced to in there are even better, for the most part!

There are a few messages that carry through from the previous book into this one. One being that family isn’t necessarily who you are born to. Another message is that winning doesn’t necessarily look the way you may expect it to. And that people and situations aren’t exactly black-and-white. One of the things that is repeated throughout (not 100% sure whether it should be referred to as a message, but probably) is that the children should have a say in what is going on because it involves them too. And when not taken into consideration, they are willing to fight to have their voices and opinions heard. This is a very, very rough wording of what I’m trying to get across, but I think it gets the idea. They want to be involved because it concerns them. Even if that means that they have to fight for themselves when no one else appears to be willing too.

Esme writes gut-wrenching emotions very well. They’ve made me cry with both of their books. The sheer emotions that are in this book is astronomical. There were so many moments where I was on the edge of my seat because I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next or if everything was going to be okay. The shock I got from some of these scenes was unreal and I absolutely loved every twist and turn of this story!

Marking as a spoiler, because I’m pretty sure it is. I absolutely adore Kensa in this book. Xe just appears to be trying very hard to keep xyr people safe. Xe is struggling but is still trying! I don’t know if this is true or not, I’ll admit I trust very few adults in this book, but I want to believe that it is. I want to believe that xyr has Callie and their friends’ best interests at heart.

I was also glad to discover that the magic system got a little more depth to it in this book as well! I’m not one who needs a full magical system, but I like little notes and information when possible. Slight spoiler warning so tagging it here. We learn that magic needs (rough paraphrasing here) light and air and freedom to grow and be accessible. I really liked that fact! Plus it feels a little like what you would expect from any hobby. It needs room and freedom and nourishment to properly grow, it can’t thrive in darkness.

I love this series! Book 1 did a great job at starting to establish the characters and show what they were fighting for. Book 2 then showed the aftermath of book 1 as well as what happened after the start of Book 2. Esme didn’t shy away from the nitty gritty details of the war between Helston and Dumoor. The way people change when confronted with a situation where they feel like they are losing control of everything. I adore these books and I cannot wait until I get the chance to read book 3! Labyrinth Road, Penguin Random House, please send me a copy!

You've heard me gush about Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston as the perfect little trans/queer found family story where the young characters go through some stuff but come out of it stronger, more secure in themselves, and bonded together more strongly, right?
-
Well, now there's a sequel that builds upon those themes even more. At the end of the previous book, it seemed that things were getting better in Helston; boys could explore magic and girls could train as warriors. But it's not enough. Overt and hidden prejudice and bigotry still exist and it soon becomes clear that Callie and their friends' only chance at maintaining their identities and friendship is to flee the kingdom, only to find that their closely held beliefs about who is right and who is wrong in their kingdom's struggles with Dumoor might have been wrong.
-
This book is a bit darker than the previous, with more overt references to psychological trauma, but still finds itself overflowing with queer and trans joy and found family. The importance of queer elders and the ways that even well-intentioned individuals in positions of power can harm those who they wish were different is a clear theme. While the book on the whole still reads as middle grade, I would place it in slightly older middle grade/younger YA easily. This is a personal favorite series and it's so incredibly important that it exists.

So much for peace. Helston declares war! Callie and friends are once again involved, this time with a new addition. While in Dumoor, they learn secrets about Helston and one of their own that changes everything. I enjoyed this book as much as the first one, with even more exploration of gender and sexuality. While the main characters face even more challenges, you’ll ride the roller coaster of emotionally charged situations while cheering for Callie and their friends as they try to do what’s right. I would have liked to dive deeper into Edwyn’s story and healing. But very much enjoyed the story. There is familial death, abuse, and misgendering.

The second Sir Callie book was absolutely marvellous. It's so important to be seeing books that emphasise the importance of children having autonomy, especially when they're from marginalised backgrounds.

I loved every one of these characters even more the second time around, from soft boy Willow finally being allowed to embrace not only his softness but also femininity and Edwyn's emotional depth being uncovered by vulnerable conversation, to Elowen's desperate hunger for revenge after a life of struggle and Callie's confusion when battling the conflicting desires to follow their friends and make the world better—safer—and to stay comfortable with their loving dads.

The time Callie and their champions spend in the Dragon's Roost is magnificent. It was heartwarming to see the different life of dragons to be embraced despite the children being raised on hatred, and the purposeful parallel with LGBTQIA+ identity that was highlighted with multiple dragon character's use of neopronouns xe/xir. Most of all, I adored the casual and seamless conversation regarding identities such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans, as many second world fantasies opt not to use these words for worldbuilding reasons, though this often results in lacking representation. Reading about young queer characters being allowed to pick a label if they so choose—and particularly the multiple lesbian characters that addressed the nuances of trans and nonbinary lesbians—was a rare experience I'll always cherish.

Moreover, the beginning of the fight bled perfectly into the growing battle in the second book, with every act of sword to sword to magic to magic combat heightening the stakes and audience appeal. I was on the edge of my seat during every argument, every time a character brandished a weapon, and all the occasions where anger and spite and passion overtook all else on the children's minds.

Best of all, the ending came to close on a sudden, brutal cliffhanger, and I'm terribly angry in the best way possible! I'm already eager to get my hands on the third book and see more of this terrific story, its characters, and the various platonic, familial, romantic relationship dynamics.

What an exquisite series. I'll recommend it to everyone I possibly can, including you!

This 2nd book in the Sir Callie series is just as delightful as the first one, and even more courageous! I highly recommend it although would caution sensitive readers to check the content warnings first, as it's a much darker book than the previous one, and explores a variety of heavy themes.

12 year old non-binary knight in training Callie is a force to be reckoned with! Their loyalty and bravery is so special, and the relationships they have with their family and friends, including new ones, warmed my heart. There is nothing Callie can't do, and I rooted for them and their band of misfits throughout the entire story.

I adored Prince Willow and the twins, and enjoyed meeting new friends especially Teo!

Lots of plot twists and a big reveal at the end, and of course a massive cliffhanger means I'll be eagerly awaiting book 3.

Don't miss out on this second installment of Sir Callie.

Recommended for ages 9+.

My favorite redheaded pre-teen knight is back! I really love Sir Callie. And I love that Sir Callie is Sir Callie because characters that aren't male using "sir" or "prince" as titles is one of my favorite things. Callie also continues to be one of my favorite characters in general because they have no qualms about facing adults and letting them know when they're wrong.

This story moves us on to what happens after the happily ever after. The villain is defeated (seemingly anyway) and Callie and friends are starting to bring change and be accepted for who they are. But things aren't fixed so easily and the kids quickly learn change is hard. And that everything is not always so black and white/right and wrong. A lot of the story is about recognizing and working on internal bias and even though this is done in a fantasy setting, it's an important lesson to learn.

As much fun as it is for books to come up with their own terms for the queer community, I really appreciated that the vernacular used for the queer characters was from the real world. I think knowing the real words for things is important, especially at an age when there's so many new things happening. There was a character who used she/they pronouns which I loved since I feel like it's rarer to find characters who use more than one set of pronouns.

The ending of this did rip my heart out a bit, so I eagerly await the next Sir Callie adventure.

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!

Wow. Wow. Wow. Symes-Smith is such a fantastic storyteller. The plot is strong and compelling. The writing clean and uncluttered. Fast-paced. Diverse and dynamic characters that are so well-developed that you can't help but feel their plight. So many tear-jerker moments because they are so relatable.

And what makes this story even more exceptional is the subtext. It's rich, deep, layered. Symes-Smith challenges readers not to be complacent, to think for yourself. Challenge authority and rebel against injustice. Be your authentic self and stand up for what you believe in.

We can all learn how to be better humans from this book. It is one of the few books that has left me feeling inspired and uplifted.

Sir Callie and the Dragoon’s Roost asks the question “is it possible to change the system from within?” At the end of The Champions of Helston, Callie and friends have defeated Peran and are excited to finally have a chance to take their rightful place in the world.

The Dragon’s Roost opens with the gilt paint of hopeful ideology already cracking and flaking away.

I loved that we got to spend more time exploring the wants, needs, and traumas of Callie, Willow, Edwyn, and Elowen and the ways that they are recovering from everything they experienced in the first book (and let’s be real, most of their lives) and reclaiming their identities. Elowen’s thirst for revenge, Willow’s hopeful trust that people will do the right thing if only given the opportunity, Callie’s staunch belief in her people, and Edwyn being strong armed into not beating himself up.

I loved the first book so much and I was so honored to be accepted as part of Sir Callie’s street team for the second book! Thank you to Esme, PRH, and NetGalley for the ARC. I had high expectations going into this and I was not disappointed!