R. R. Russell

I actually purchased Wonder Light, after realizing that I had the second book in the series to review. The fact that this is a Middle Grade book about unicorns called to me. They are such magical beings! So majestic. I was excited to see where R.R. Russell would go with this topic. An island filled with wild unicorns? Yes please, and thank you very much.

The story started out okay. Twig, our main character, was travelling to a mysterious island for unwanted girls by boat. I was sure that her story would be explained, and I'd find out everything there was to know about Twig. Surprisingly, that didn't happen. This book has an odd organization and pacing that just never seemed to even out. I had no idea why Twig was on this island. No clue why the other girls were there, other than that they were "unwanted" and it frustrated me. It is my belief that the author was holding this just out of reach to reveal later, but when it finally came to that reveal? It was just thrown in haphazardly. This entire read just felt, well, off.

My other issue is that I never really liked Twig after the first few chapters. I'm guessing it's because I still had no idea why she was so closed off, but her personality was too prickly for my taste. By the time she finally started to open up, the story surrounding the unicorns was in full swing. You would think I would have been swept up by all of this, no? The truth is, that the story never enchanted me. The reasoning behind why the unicorns existed, the story behind why Twig was so important to the island, it just all ended up feeling flat. I never fell in love with this book, and that made me so sad.

I reached the ending, and I had to wait a few days to type up this review so I could let my feelings even themselves out. After much thought, I settled on two stars for Wonder Light. While the premise is absolutely enchanting, I feel like it never really delivered on what it promised to give me as a reader. I'm disappointed, and still debating whether I'll give the second book a slot on my reading list.… (altro)

See full review @ The Indigo Quill

Special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Jabberwocky for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lonehorn Island is home to our two protagonists, Ben and Twig (I'm kind of digging this name). In the first novel, we adventured with them to save the unicorn race from danger. In this next installment, there is a thief who steals Ben's loyal unicorn companion, Indy. The duo must venture into the unknown of the island to save him. The plot thickens as Ben is holding a deep, dark secret regarding the Queen of Terracornus that could determine the fate of everyone.

In terms of middle-grade books, this is a fabulous choice for the young library, especially one that is lacking in books about unicorns. You will find several elements that will encourage even the reluctant reader to explore this new land and consume the story to their heart's content. It moves at just the right pace that will keep their attention. I think young readers who enjoy light fantasy will enjoy this series.

I didn't give this book 3 stars because it was bad. Honestly, it just wasn't to my taste. I'm sure children will enjoy it and find it interesting, but this was not a favorite of mine. For the most part, it was well written. The content was at times overly-detailed and a little too simple. I did enjoy the story itself and I'm sure I'll introduce this book to my kids one day.

If your child loves fantasy, adventure, and of course, unicorns, then The Unicorn Thief is a great choice. As for adults who enjoy children's literature, you may not like this as much as others. But really, it all comes down to personal opinion, so by all means, I urge you to see for yourself.

Honorable mentions go to the creators of the cover, Bert Farnslow and Ian Schoenherr. The illustration and design is soft and beautiful. Honestly, the cover illustrations are what drew me to this book!… (altro)

WONDER LIGHT: UNICORNS OF THE MIST by R.R. Russell is the first book in an exciting new middle grade series. Discovering a ghostly boy who is all too real and brings unicorns in his wake at the school for troubled girls that Twig is sent to starts Twig on a path she never could have imagined.

Despite being sent to a school on a pony ranch that has five other girls at it, this story is really all about Twig, Ben (the ghost boy) and Wonder Light, the unicorn that is born in front of Twig. We get to see a bit of the youngest girl, Casey, but barely anything of the others. I’m hoping we’ll get a bit more of them in the sequel(s). Over the course of the book, Twig goes from a near-silent, worried, upset and unsure twelve-year-old to a confident, happy and protective thirteen-year-old. Not to say she still doesn’t have worries and concerns about her life before coming to the Murley’s ranch/school/home, but she’s learning to accept and cope with those problems. Ben helps a lot in that, the mysterious boy who cares for the unicorns on the island and has his own mystery about him that I am crazy curious about. He’s patient with, and kind to, Twig – and the unicorns. He helps show her what she’s capable of when she begins to doubt herself.

It is a bit curious that Twig is able to so easily sneak out of the house at night (for a year) without anyone taking much notice (especially after she did get caught once. You’d think that would make it harder in the future). I also found it strange that these girls are at the ranch for a year, with little mention of going home for visits or family coming to see them. The year does move very quickly in the smaller book (220ish pages) so I’m just assuming there are many moments we don’t get to see.

The unicorn lore in the book is quite interesting and the dark, angry herd leader Dagger a stark contrast to the light and joyous Wonder Light – the unicorn that Twig raises from its birth. Unlike the pure and good unicorns you usually see in stories or mythology (though not all!) Dagger is vicious, attacking other unicorns, the horses and ponies at the ranch and even people. Twig, Ben, Wonder Light, Ben’s unicorn Indy and others are out to stop Dagger and help save the herd.

WONDER LIGHT: UNICORNS OF THE MIST by R.R. Russell brought me back to childhood. I loved unicorns when I was younger, and this is a book that I would have happily devoured and re-read many times. R.R. Russell mixes the fantasy of the unicorns and a parallel world wonderfully with that of Twig’s new home on the ranch, and her journey to finding her own true self, and her courage. I can easily see this book, and series, being a popular one in grades three through six classrooms – with a relatable character, a good mystery and the fun fantasy elements, WONDER LIGHT: UNICORNS OF THE MIST will definitely keep you reading.… (altro)