Thank you to the publisher and the author for this ARC of the Griffin's Egg middle grade book! Overall, I found it to be an enjoyable read. The book opens up with Phoebe Gray being lost in the woods and sporting a distracted goblin who is currently fleeing with a stolen griffin egg. As Phoebe calls out to the goblin and begins to ask it questions, she quickly becomes involved with the situation of safeguarding the stolen egg from Lucinda, the evil mistress. Phoebe must travel with Gnish to his home world to save it from the forces of evil.

I gave this book 4 stars out of 5. The world building was there and you could tell the author took time to craft his world. He also introduces young readers to a myriad of mythical creatures that exist in this alternative universe. My only two complaints (why a star was docked as a result) is that there needs to be someone to re edit the book in regards to the frequency of POV changes. There was a few areas where there was no three (***)'s to separate the POV changes.

The other complaint is that I hope the author adds 2-3 "downtime" scenes in the book. I became mentally fatigued with the back to back battles occurring in multiple chapters in the book itself. I would LOVE to see fun character building opportunities with our heroic traveling party as a way to help their friendship grow and strengthen their bonds. This form of caring and compassion could be the source and the drive for Phoebe's magic to grow from a novice witch to an advanced skilled witch.

Also, I hope the publisher considers adding a reader's discussion guide that teachers and parents can use to help their kids with reading comprehension skills as well as learning the story morals in which they can apply to their lives.

All in all, I found this to be an enjoyable book. I can see this being in kids homes, the classroom mini libraries in addition to school and public libraries for kids to read and enjoy. Again, thank you Netgalley, Cole Poindexter, and Wild Rose Press for allowing readers the opportunity to read and review this children's book. In exchange for an honest review, you've allowed me an opportunity to become better familiar with the Net galley server features and start putting in book reviews in the hopes of being allowed to read requested books from other publishers at a later date.

4.5 stars!

This was a fun and exciting fantasy novel for middle-grade readers. My 4th grader and I enjoyed this book about a girl (Phoebe) who travels into an alternate/magical world (Lerch Hollow) to save the last of the griffin species from being eaten by an evil witch. Of course, she has many adventures on her mission to save the griffin and she makes new discoveries about herself and her family along the way.

The only part of the story that was unbelievable for me, which was also mentioned by another reviewer, was the fact that Phoebe was supposed to be a typical human girl who has no prior knowledge of this magical realm, yet she somehow takes this whole situation in stride without batting an eye. This is an adult criticism, however, as my daughter did not mention this as an issue to her, and she was enchanted by the excitement and fast pace of the plot.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher, The Wild Rose Press, for this arc to read and review!

Phoebe Gray lives quite an exciting, if isolated, existence. Her mom and dad are wildlife biologist and she travels with them in the holidays as they help the animals in their care. When she gets lost in a forest in West Virginia she has no idea what is about to happen but meeting up with a bad tempered goblin in a place called Lerch Hollow does make her realise things have changed!

When the goblin, known as Gnish-Gnash, tells her he is looking for the last Griffin egg to prevent Dark Mistress Lucinda using it to become the most powerful being of all Phoebe finds herself searching too. Before long, as she discovers the magic hidden within her, she comes across trolls, mermaids, and satyrs, not all of whom are exactly as they seem! Can Phoebe help find the egg and save this mystic kingdom or will the dark magic prevail and prevent her from ever returning home?

This is an original take on the usual fantasy themes with a slightly younger than normal main protagonist who is instantly likeable and very easy to root for. Phoebe's main ally, Gnish-Gnash is also fun and their journey together is full of adventure and camaraderie as they work well together. If I have a criticism it is that there are a lot of mystical creatures included and the storyline gets a little overcrowded at times. This is written as a standalone but there is a tiny portal of possibility should the author wish to revisit and if that happens I would happily travel with him.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, The Wild Rose Press, but the opinions expressed are my own. This is a lovely book which I happily recommend.

What worked:
Gnish-Gnash is an intriguing character as he likes to overstate his abilities and is clearly reluctant to share some information about his past. This goblin is in possession of the last griffin egg but there’s some uncertainty surrounding how he’s gotten it. The vagueness in his comments indicates he’s hiding things from Phoebe which may make readers wonder if he’s good or bad. He’s also done something wrong among the goblins because he may not be welcome if he tries to return home. The uncertainty of his past makes him an interesting character to watch.
The plot has continuous action as Phoebe and Gnish-Gnash try to stay one step ahead of the Dark Mistress Lucinda. She’s forced some characters to recover the griffin’s egg and others hope to gain her favor once she controls all the lands. Other characters are enchanted into supporting Lucinda and are unaware of their own behaviors. The positive part of her evilness is Phoebe and Gnish-Gnash are constantly on the run which allows readers to constantly discover new magical settings and characters. Whenever the characters enter new settings, there’s always doubt as to whether they’ll encounter helpful friends or dangerous foes. The conflict between Phoebe and Lucinda is the focus of the story.
Some vagueness in Phoebe’s past makes her the most interesting character. She’s given her grandfather’s purple cape when her grandmother decides she’s responsible enough to have it. It’s a little wacky to wear a purple cape and why would she need to wait to receive it? After she enters a portal into the magical world, Phoebe discovers she’s able to change into different kinds of animals. This ability is attributed to the purple cape although other characters posit that Phoebe’s actually a witch. Maybe it’s due to the magical world itself. Readers begin to assume she’ll be able to use her powers to escape every situation but they may also wonder if she has other undiscovered abilities. It turns out that she’s a pretty smart young girl since she uses her quick thinking to come up with creative ways to use her powers. Her unending kindness creates its own form of magic.
What didn’t work as well:
Phoebe doesn’t bat an eye when she discovers a goblin, a griffin’s egg, and a portal to an enchanted world of magic which is hard to believe. The author doesn’t provide any time for Phoebe and readers to adjust to the change from reality to fantasy. There are quick transitions in action and events throughout the plot, more so in the beginning, which seems too abrupt and underdeveloped
The final verdict:
The fast-paced plot and Phoebe’s character are highlights of the book. The griffin’s egg is the catalyst for the conflict but the story goes beyond that. Overall, this book is very entertaining and I recommend you give it a shot.

An enjoyable story for young readers to explores a rural setting dear to my heart, as well as fantasy (a genre dear to my heart). Recommended for young readers and classroom shelves.