Excerpt from review: This is not to say that no kids will enjoy this - plenty of kids enjoy silly stories and they will giggle and groan over the jokes about goat poop and Matt's lack of cleanliness, while happily enjoying the thought of friendship saving the day.
Verdict: Lengthy, silly fantasies do not do well in my library - if you have fans of this genre, this is a perfectly acceptable addition, but it does not stand out from the genre and is not an essential purchase.

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

From the moment I turned the first page, I knew I was in for an epic story. I mean, it's not often you met kids with such curious names, yet a wizard with such a common one (certainly makes it harder to stand out!) that has a cat with the same issue. It's not often you come across a little boy visible at times and yet invisible to most that doesn't simply seemed overlooked, but truly forgotten (something that's addressed more deeply down the line with a takeaway lesson for all). It's not often there's a place where evil schemes seem the norm, and yet the townspeople still try to prevent what they can, until they can't because the chance to seems taken away from them... all because of a misguided wizard with a chip on his shoulder and a cursed gumball machine.

The zaniness doesn't stop there either! No sir, the adventures have only begun as the connection Bobert seems to have made just before the curious incident seems to have been made with just the right person...Candelabra. Yes, Candelabra. 🕯 It seems she was touched by a curse, or rather an evil scheme on a smaller niche scale, and so is much more leary of strange things... not to mention she has a big heart so I think even without that sad advantage, she may have still felt a pull. Watching her stand her ground and fight for what's right was uplifting. Seeing her friends stick by her was moving. Finding out that they get stuck with...or, wait. Can't tell you that part, but suffice it to say her never-give-up attitude takes her and her friends far, while lending a bit of courage to put already brave soul, Bobert.

There's wordplay and witt, feelings galore, lessons to learn, mountains to climb, and kingdoms to fall, but through it all, it's a tale about friendship, and taking chances. It's a tale about letting people in as much as letting ourselves out. It's a reminder that we are all truly capable of extraordinary things, but whether they be good or evil is for our heart of hearts to determine. It's a story that just doesn't stop giving, and for that I am ever grateful, and hope you will be too!

I’ve read a couple of young adult books by Adi Alsaid, and when I heard about his middle grade debut, I could totally see how his writing style would suit middle grade as well as young adult. He has this incredible sense of when to shift point-of-view and how to piece scenes together to show all the important moments in a story.

THE BRAVEST WARRIOR IN NEFARIA is packed with silliness. Think A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS in a fantasy landscape. The characters’ names are silly, from the main character, Bobert, to the kids he hopes to call his friends, Candelabra, Stanbert, and Jennizabeth. They live in a kingdom in which evil schemes are as common as Mondays and sometimes annoying but harmless.

Before the story truly gets underway, Bobert already has a problem in which he is invisible to the people around him. He mostly winds up following other kids around and staying near them, but not really interacting with them, until one day, he plows right into the back of a group of kids walking toward town. I loved the way the story resolves this particular problem of Bobert’s and the way what he experiences changes how he feels about his invisibility.

On the whole, the absolute refusal to take itself too seriously and the never-ending antics make this book lots of fun. It’s got subtle messaging wrapped in humor, a fabulous combination. I hope Adi Alsaid writes more middle grade– though I thoroughly enjoy his young adult novels, too!

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Whimsical imagination meets tension and action in this fun read, which promises evil schemes, awkward invisibility, and going beyond comfort zones.

Nefaria is an odd kingdom with flying goats, singing spiders, and daily emergencies surrounding quicksand. All of this is thanks to some citizens' desires to bend the world to their evil schemes...which never turn out to be as evil as planned. Like everyone else, Bobert isn't really phased by any of it. He has his own problems and just wishes he could find some friends, but it seems like he's invisible. Literally. Until he's not. When he finally finds friends, fate plans against him and has him disappearing into a gumball machine. Another villain has an evil scheme, but this time, that villain might succeed.

While the Phineas and Ferb promise wasn't really on mark, I did get Despicable Me vibes while caught up in this tale. The villain, Matt, has a round-about-way of being evil, but then, even Bobert and his friends tend to misstep here and there. There's a bumbling and oddness which is simply endearing and keeps the tale light and humorous despite some tenser action and high-ish stakes.

Bobert is an enjoyable character. He doesn't feel comfortable in his own skin and has no connection to anyone except for his parents. It's not clear why he's invisible (or if he truly is, at times), but it makes him easy to sympathize with, especially since he does try his best to make friends...or at least, be noticed. The characters around him have enough depth to make them interesting without heading in too deep to give way to boredom. It's a light, fast-paced, and imaginative read the entire way through.

There are some messages about not fitting in, making friendships, and learning to like ones self...as well as a look at what it means to be a hero or villain. But all of this flows seamlessly into the plot and lets the action maintain control. I did find myself reading this in one sitting and enjoying it quite a bit. There are several scene jumps, which leave some of the action to be assumed...something I've never run across before and am not sure what I think of it. But it works well enough not to leave any hiccups and does push the story along. The resolution came across a little hollow, but still wrapped up the tale quick and on a good note with lots of warmth.

It's a fun read from start to finish and will have readers smiling as they hope Bobert finds a way to save the day. I received a DRC and smiled the entire way through this read

This was a cute read! There were a lot of silly and fun elements like flying goats that made the book feel light hearted. On the other hand, there were also great underlying messages about being true to yourself and standing up for what you think is right. In terms of the plot, I felt that it was slow at times and could have benefitted from some more action. However, the writing was easy to follow and flowed nicely. I also enjoyed reading from the perspective of a variety of characters throughout the book.