Middle Grade Review: Maggie and the Mountain of Light

As part of my weekly blog posts, I thought it would be fun to do some middle grade (MG) and young adult (YA) reviews. Check back the first Saturday of every month to read a new review.

This month, I selected MAGGIE AND THE MOUNTAIN OF LIGHT by Mark Snoad. Mark is a fellow Monarch author and I was honored to get to read an advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book. Maggie and the Mountain of Light will be out on April 4th, 2023.

You can pre-order now on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

My Review:

Maggie and the Mountain of Light, the first book in the Wayfinder Girls series, is an action-packed adventure full of characters you can’t help but root for.

When Maggie attends a weekend-long apocalypse training camp, she struggles to fit in and perform well in even the simplest of challenges. So, when she’s invited to join the elite and secretive Guardians, she thinks it must be a mistake. Following her friend Anahira’s lead, Maggie accepts and is soon in way over her head when she accidentally binds herself to the fae and is sent on a seemingly impossible mission. But the asthmatic epi-pen-wielding heroine of this story is stronger than she thinks and braver than she knows.

All kids can find a kindred spirit in Maggie and the excitement of this tale will keep them turning the pages way past their bedtime!

Things I loved:

• Maggie’s bravery
• The friendship between Maggie and Anahira Waititi
• The inclusiveness of the Wayfinder Girls and their super secret organization
• Did I mention *secret organization*?
• The way the author wove ancient magic into our modern-day world
• The book has a satisfying ending, while still leaving room for more books in this series

About the Author:

Mark Snoad is an author and teacher living in Aotearoa New Zealand. As a professional make-believer, he strives to find the magic and joy in everyday life. It’s definitely there, at the edges. You’ll soon discover it, if you believe. Mark lives with his wife, two daughters and rascal dog, Wilbur.

(Author bio borrowed from Barnes & Noble)

Follow Mark on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

Don’t forget to add Maggie and the Mountain of Light to your Goodreads “want to read” list!

If you have a book suggestion for my next review, drop it in the comments below 👇 and as always, happy reading!