Over the Dragon’s Wall by Alanna Vane is a sweet, coming of age saga of a young girl who learns about life and death at a young age. Sage, our FMC, must deal with her mother’s death and abandonment by her father, while taking care of her young siblings. Her mother told Sage from an early age that she needed to lean into the music of her life, but Sage ignored her mother until she entered the secret kingdom behind the Dragon’s Wall. Here Sage learns about love, sacrifice and strength and helps her family discover the meaning of those too. This book is written for middle grades, and it is a life lesson that they will appreciate while reading about these enjoyable characters and the struggle they have. The book will invoke all the emotions as Sage goes through her journey.

I gave this book 4 stars as it was very enjoyable for a middle grade read.

Not what I was expecting from the cover and the title, but this is a heartwarming path towards healing your own grief.
Perfect for boys and girls who loved A monster call by Patrick Ness.
Writing style is easy but not boring, and the adventure per sé is fascinating.

Over the Dragon's Wall is an example of originality and creativity in a book. I rated it 4 stars and I recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can because it's really good and the characters are fantastic.

Sage is barely a teenager, and her life has taken a terrible downward turn. Her mother, an accomplished violinist, recently passed away. Her father, angry and unable to provide for his children, abandons them. Now Sage has been separated from her siblings Wren and Violet by the foster system. But in her darkest hour, she receives a key that could answer all her questions: one that unlocks the door in the wall separating the world from Nytari, the dragon who rules over fate.

Now in a world of ghosts and talking animals, Sage finds herself in the company of Igor. But this musician-turned-priest doesn't know how to help the dead move on, or how to wake Nytari. In her time at Nytari's mansion, she struggles with what she wants. More than anything, she wants to find her mother and heal her family. But she also feels the pull of music: learning to play the violin in her mother's absence. Overshadowing both, though, is a fear of taking up space: a belief that she is unlovable and selfish. As she navigates riddles and paranormal dangers, she discovers new truths about fate, suffering, and herself.

Over the Dragon's Wall is a weighty, but beautiful, book for young readers. It's a pitch-perfect examination of grief amidst emotional abuse: the desire to ask for what you need, dampened by the belief that having needs makes one unlovable. This is one of those rare books that will find the people it's meant for; some may not fully comprehend Sage's struggle, but those who have struggled similarly will feel seen and benefit from its gentle message. The fact that this appears to be the first in a series is exciting; I can't wait to see what other experiences will be dissected in this close-to-home fantasy world.

This was a heartfelt story of a young girl who has faced many troubles and hardships. She lost her mother, her father left, and then she was separated from her two younger siblings. This story follows her as she confronts the guardian of fate to attempt to change her but finds herself fighting to protect him instead.

This was a whimsical tale that I enjoyed a lot! I think many of my students will be able to relate to the protagonist and will find the world building solid. I will say that I felt a lot of the sentences were stilted and unnatural, but I appreciated the plot line/organization of ideas immensely.

Let me start off by saying, at first, I saw the publishing date, and thought, “Ooh this is being released on my birthday!” And decided, hey why not try and request to read it, the description made it look like a pleasant read.

And then I was whisked away into a Narnia-like book. Of course, the start was slow, and I wasn’t sure when the magic would play a part in this, actually, I began to think it wouldn’t. But as I immersed myself in Sage’s character, oh boy. Was I in for a pleasant surprise. Listen, if Narnia and Alice in wonderland, were combined, this would be it. I was in for an emotional rollercoaster, and that kept me reading. The representation of how the effects of children growing up faster than they should be, left my NetGalley shelf notes looking like a madman’s writing. Safe to say, when the true plot began, I was having a blast.


Now, the only reason I gave this a 4 star, is because I believe that there was more that could’ve been done, and I personally felt that the beginning felt a little bit childish and messy, but the payoff was worth it.

P.S. there were only two minor spelling mistakes that I spotted throughout the entire 70 chapters