Thank you for sending me a copy of this as a raffle win!
This is the first installment in a new middle grade series and I absolutely loved it! Filomena is such a strong protagonist and I love how self aware she was as well as the immense pride in herself and her parents. There was a great mix of fantastical elements with modern retellings and I thought the contrast was incredibly fun and innovative. The pop culture references were excellent and I enjoyed the back and forth between the fairytale world and the modern world of North Pasadena California. I also liked the alternating timelines; the past with Carabosse and the present with Filomena and her newfound friends. The book had a few big reveals and I am definitely looking forward to the next book. The found family trope is huge in middle grade books and it fit perfectly within the story. Overall, this was super fun to read!
This is the first installment in a new middle grade series and I absolutely loved it! Filomena is such a strong protagonist and I love how self aware she was as well as the immense pride in herself and her parents. There was a great mix of fantastical elements with modern retellings and I thought the contrast was incredibly fun and innovative. The pop culture references were excellent and I enjoyed the back and forth between the fairytale world and the modern world of North Pasadena California. I also liked the alternating timelines; the past with Carabosse and the present with Filomena and her newfound friends. The book had a few big reveals and I am definitely looking forward to the next book. The found family trope is huge in middle grade books and it fit perfectly within the story. Overall, this was super fun to read!