The Fantastical Exploits of Gwendolyn Gray

This story is, as I think, very well done. The cover is really beautiful. It looks high quality and appealing. The color combination and the design are a perfect match for the book. This novel has a very good and interesting storyline that quickly captivates you. All of the characters were very nice and all had very different characters. The descriptions of the emotions, the environment and the individual scenes are extremely well done and you can imagine everything very well pictorial. I also like the very nice writing style of the story. The novel is also very fluid to read. The story told in it is really well written and to the last page a good read.

I loved the cover art of this book. It really draws the eye. The story was great an very detailed. I loved Gwendolyn and her fight to escape, stay safe and learn to control her magical abilities. Despite of every obstacle she has to face.

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The Fantastical Exploits of Gwendolyn Gray has adventure much like the first one, but we learn more about Gwendolyn and her powers. I like the idea of how she is exposed to various characters and what she learns from each one will help mold her in future books.

When it comes to children's entertainment, there's always two categories: the stuff kids will like and the stuff grown-ups want them to like. It's a rare work that fits into both, yet Gwendolyn Gray does so with ease. The book has so many nuggets of wisdom that not only kids need to hear but adults, too. Bring up an image of the one inspiration poster that hit you with exactly what you needed to hear exactly when you needed to hear it. (After which, if you're like me, you walked away pretending it had no effect on you whatsoever.) If that moment could somehow be captured in a middle grade novel, Gwendolyn Gray is it.

Gwendolyn is a protagonist with very human struggles. The book opens with her facing the possibility that everything she's done to help people might not only be undone, but it might not have even been helpful to begin with. Now on the run from the same blank-faced "mister men" from the previous book, she finds her only escape is through a portal where the magical creatures on the other side might be just as dangerous as the ones she's running from.

I read this book knowing it was the second of the series, but the narration caught me up quickly, and there was never a point I felt lost. I connected to Gwendolyn right away. There's times when she fails to see her self-worth and times when she's childishly overconfident. She's a character who both succeeds and fails, often the latter at the worst possible times. And while she has incredible powers, but she doesn't always have access to them, certainly not when she's feeling down on herself. She makes mistakes that are entirely her fault and doesn't always want to own up to them right away. She also has a series of emotional struggles that are portrayed in both a realistic and sympathetic way.

The settings in this book are just as strong and well thought out as its protagonist. The descriptions are rich, creative, and vivid, pulling the reader through amazing worlds that feel completely real, no matter how many magical, implausible things are happening. When an author directly tells the audience (paraphrasing here) that "I've got quite a way with words, and even I can't quite describe how this felt," it displays a level of confidence I would otherwise be really put off by...except that B.A. Williamson really is that good with words.

This book was an absolute pleasure to read, and I will be picking up the first one for sure. Both to read it for me and to read it with my kids.

This is a marvelous series, full of magic and surprises and more than a little social commentary buried in the narrative for good measure. Gwendolyn's exploits are well-crafted and well-presented. The various worlds she encounters - and the various personalities populating them - are cleverly constructed and keep things just a little off-balance (in a very good way).

There's an epic battle of conformity vs. originality here, and it's delivered with heart and more than a little pointed invective against the soul-numbing nature of the obsession with fitting in. It's a great message for its intended middle grade audience - and one that behooves adults to heed as well...

There's plenty of opportunity for further adventures here, and I for one hope to join Gwendolyn and her friends on many more of them!

A great sequel. Gwendolyn is left struggling after returning from her adventures. Her home in the City remains gray and bleak, fully unimaginative, and she still doesn't fit in. She also misses her friends and adventures. And then, new adventures begin. I love the focus on imagination, but also on depression and struggles. The importance of clearing your mind and dealing with stress and depression are handled beautifully. An enjoyable story with a fun writing style.

I had a bit of trouble remembering events from the previous book and I think the experience would have been better if I were to read the books one after the other. But this adventure pretty much stands on its own, so that isn’t such a problem.

Gwendolyn Gray is back in her dystopian gray world, the Lambents are gone, but also is her key to leave this world and find her friends. Even so, she manages to stumble in a whole new world, with talking trees and fairies.

I enjoyed the Fae world and its quaint inhabitants, the way Gwendolyn is growing, but my favorite character was Cyria Kytain:
“Is this the part where I tell you everything, and you say you understand completely, and that everything will be fine?” Gwendolyn said sarcastically. “Heavens no, love. Who would say such a silly thing? No one will ever completely understand you, just as no one will ever fit into your skin. And if someone told me that everything would be fine, I’d smack them for lying. But I can listen, or talk a bit.”

I totally loved B.A. Williamson’s writing style, and I very much enjoyed how he constantly breaks the fourth wall.

☆꧁Gwendayn Books꧂☆

ARC provided by the publisher, Jolly Fish Press, in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect the content of my review. Quotations are from an uncorrected proof and subject to change upon fina publication

Gwendolyn Gray must learn to master her magic in the second installment of this stunning fanatical world. We jump back into Gwendolyn Gray’s lovely dystopian magical realism world with all new adventures.
Thank goodness Lambents are gone, but something disastrous has happened the key to leave this world and find her friends is also gone.. The Faceless Gentleman adds more drama giving it a creepy darkish elements.

Even so, she precocious delightful girl manages to stumble in a whole new world, all with fantastical with talking trees and vibrant fairies.
The author has expanded Gwendolyn character further, she still is our spunky and always snarky, Heroine.The authors writing flows seamlessly and the wonderful wonderful is incredible atmospheric with stunning imagery.

My only wish is I had both first and second installment in hardback!

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