Let’s Get Excited for…Zaria Fierce and the Enchanted Drakeland Sword by Keira Gillett!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in NO WAY sways my thoughts and opinions.

If Zaria Fierce had her say, being a princess would mean you’d never have to wait for news. In the eight months since Olaf tricked her, Zaria has felt a near constant mixture of restlessness, listlessness, and hopelessness. When the time comes to fix past mistakes, she is more than ready to climb aboard the ship sailing towards the giants. Summertime in Norway promises many more adventures, but also many more perils… something sinister lurks beneath the surface following her every move, haunting her, disturbing her dreams, and stealing her peace. Can Zaria figure out what it is and stop it before it’s too late?

To add book 1 (Zaria Fierce and the Enchanted Gloomwood Forest) to your Goodreads click here.

To purchase book 1 (Zaria Fierce and the Enchanted Gloomwood Forest) click here.

To add Zaria Fierce and the Enchanted Drakeland Sword click here.

To learn more about the author, Keira Gillett, click here.

WAIT! If you haven’t read this series yet then I HIGHLY recommend you do so (see my thoughts on book 1 here). With that being said I promise this post will be spoiler free!

Initial reaction upon finishing:

This was a great continuation of the series and I was so excited to be able to dive back into the magical world of Norway. Keira has a way of telling the story that is straightforward. I can easily picture the world (even though I have not once been to Norway) and feel like I am transported there while reading it. My 3 points from my review of the first book CARRIED OVER to this one, which is not always typical. Sometimes you may think the main character is amazing in book 1 and then continue on to the next book only to find that you really don’t like them. That did not happen, and I applaud Keira for that! Here are a few things I loved about this book and reasons you should look for it on it’s release day (November 6th!).

1. NEW ADVENTURES: This seemed like a new batch of adventures for Zaria and the gang. Yes, it was a bit of a continuation off of the adventures in the first book, but they faced new challenges. Fresh obstacles. It had the same general feeling as far as an adventure with Zaria does, but at the same time it was completely new and there were many things I did not see coming. I loved that Keira was able to stick with something and yet keep it fresh at the same time.
2. EARN IT: I think this story is an AWESOME example of working hard to get what you want in life. Each challenge is an actual challenge for Zaria and all she travels with. Nothing is just handed to them as they waltz through like you sometimes expect. No, they work their tails off to accomplish things. They are challenged both physically and mentally to get to the end of their mission. I think it’s awesome for readers (especially in the age group that this is targeted at) to see that nothing in life comes easy, and that a main character in a book that they can look up to is proof of that.
3. ZARIA: Oh gosh, Zaria is still awesome. I felt that more depth was added to Zaria in this book. She discovered who she truly is, and now she has to face some facts because of it. She has a whole new level of self discovery going on while this book takes place, and she struggles. She is still awesome, even at her worst moments. She is kind, brave, honest, and adventurous. She is truly fierce!

BONUS: The prologue was a recap (super helpful for someone who seems to need recaps, such as myself), magical/mystical creatures FTW!, you are still reminded that these kids are KIDS (you see them behave as kids do and not just as someone on a magical quest).

I really enjoyed getting lost in this book and in this world one more time. It was just so easy to get lost there and to feel like I was also going on these adventures. Loving this book at this age makes me wonder just how much my 13 year old self would love it (and the answer is probably that my 13 year old self would love it a lot, because this is definitely something that I would be all over). I love the relate-ability of the main character and the easy flow to the story. I love that I can get lost in the adventure from page 1. I love that I can look at Zaria and see a positive fictional role model for kids. 

If you haven’t read this series then I most highly recommend it. And then I recommend you give it to your kids (or nieces, or your friend’s kids, or your younger siblings or cousins). I think this is a PERFECT story for anyone that loves adventure and I really hope that this series gets in the hands of more and more people.

Thanks so much for writing an awesome continuation of Zaria’s adventures Keira! I am very excited for what comes next!