The middle book in a Middle Grade Fiction trilogy can be a funny thing. Sometimes they are simply there to fill the space between the beginning and the end...and sometimes they make an impact of their own that's SO great, SO powerful, and SO mesmerizing, you never see it coming. I'm happy to report that THIS particular "book two" falls into the latter category. While I was enchanted by the first in The Wild Magic trilogy, this second release was nothing to shy away from...in fact, it reminds us very much to not shy away from those things we'd rather forget, to embrace the past for what it was, and move forward with the lessons learned through those trials and tribulations. Despite the absence of their presence in our reading lives since book one's release (not truly THAT long ago), the wild magic is recaptured with Mup, Crow and a new friend (or not?) or two along the way. Go in with a stalwart heart though...you're gonna need every beat to defeat the shadows within!


**ARC received for review; opinions are my own ( )

I loved the story as a whole. I just was confused at first until I read the first book which was also really good ( )

The Little Grey Girl is the second book in The Wild Magic trilogy. It follows a girl named Mup as her family is moving from the normal realm to the magical realm.

This book seemed much darker than the first in the series and it was pretty spooky. Mup and her friend Crow are trying to figure out what is happening at the castle - there is a weird presence and it has people acting funny. I really liked the world building in the first book, this book does not have too much of that, but it worked more on the character development of Crow and some other characters which was nice.

The story, like I mentioned, was a bit spooky and dark, but very interesting and the pace was good. I really liked how it all wrapped up and am excited for the final book in the series. ( )

Firstly, I didn't read book one and that was a mistake. Book two continues after where the first one left off, leaving a bit of a lost feeling and light confusion during the first chapters. So, read this one as a series.

After defeating the queen and witches of book one, Mup's family lives in her castle—a home Mups has trouble settling in to thanks to the experiences. An strange blanket of snow, however, changes the situation from uncomfortable to threatening thanks to a ghost. Mups with Mam must find a way to defeat this new, powerful threat.

The author has created a beautiful, enchanting world which holds many corners of shadows and darkness. Mup's uncertainty and uncomfortable situation comes across in poetic vividness and makes her very easy to relate to. While I really should have hit the first book before reading this one, I did find myself drawn into the tale and it's alluring atmosphere. The magic takes over and mixed with the danger, creates a chilling realm. Just right for fantasy fans who love to hide under their blankets with flashlights.

While Mup's isn't in for an easy battle and the dangers have the reader swallowing more than once, it's a story of hope and friendship as well. Mup's determination and wonderful moral compass make her a true heroine to root for. This is a series definitely worth a read.

I received a copy through Library Thing and thoroughly enjoyed this gorgeous fantasy. ( )

I received a gratis copy of this book through NetGalley.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first tale in this middle grade fantasy series, Begone the Raggedy Witches. It introduced Mup, an intelligent, compassionate girl whose father is kidnapped--by her maternal grandmother, a witch and cruel despot who is trying to lure Mup's mother back home. I don't think it's too much a spoiler to say the family survived, and is now trying to settle into their new magical home. This is where The Little Grey Girl begins, and to my surprise, I enjoyed it even more than the first book.

The first book spent a great deal of time exploring the dark, quirky realm and its citizens. The Little Grey Girl is about the long-term consequences of a dictatorship. That sounds like a heady theme for a middle grade book, and it is--and the novels handles it with impressive grace. Mup's mum doesn't want to rule or be anything like her mother, but the people in this magical realm don't understand the concept of democracy. They want strong leadership. And as much as they suffered under the grandmother's rule, there is comfort in familiarity. They lived under strict rules about magic for many decades: only the raggedy witches were allowed to become elite and explore their full powers, while regular folks could shapeshift--but only into specific creatures. If they didn't, well. They suffered. They died.

This is where the book truly awed me. Mup encounters the little grey girl and quickly realizes she must be a ghost, but the reason she's a ghost--and why she's doing what she is--emerges with a perfect pace. Again, the book delves into heady stuff: death, suffering, and erasure--being oblivious to or forgetting the horrors people have endured. All of this is handled with respect and grace.

Of course, the book isn't all serious. Mup is full of brightness. Her voice shines. Her baby brother still insists on being in dog form much of the time. Her parents are wonderful, loving people; this book never brought up the interracial nature of the family, but I still love how the first book casually mentioned that Mup's father is Irish and his parents came from Nigeria.

Truly, this series handled so many things in a lovely way, even as it's a fantastic fantasy adventure. I sure would have loved these books as a kid, and I'm glad I get to enjoy them as a grown-up, too! ( )