Author: Anna Staniszewski
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky (November 1, 2011)
Source: ARC
From GoodReads:
You know all those stories that claim fairies cry sparkle tears and elves travel by rainbow? They're lies. All lies." Twelve-year-old Jenny has spent the last two years as an adventurer helping magical kingdoms around the universe. But it's a thankless job, leaving her no time for school or friends. She'd almost rather take a math test than rescue yet another magical creature When Jenny is sent on yet another mission, she has a tough choice to make: quit and have her normal life back, or fulfill her promise and go into a battle she doesn't think she can win.
This is the first book I've read since I started doing these reviews that I didn't really love. Summed up, this book was just "fine" to me. I think I was expecting a more adult book, so once I adjusted my brain to a story for middle-grader/early YA readers, I found myself enjoying Jenny's adventures as an adventurer.
Jenny's story is both funny and sad at the same time. Her parents are gone, and she lives with someone who doesn't really understand her. Her friends don't act like they even remember her, and every time she attempts to have a normal day, she is called away on another adventure. When she gets fed up after a particularly dangerous trip, she quits. But then she realizes that her "new" life isn't really any better than her adventurer life really was.
The one thing I found very creepy about this book was the villian - a giant, demented clown. YUCK! As someone who doesn't love clowns to begin with, I wanted to skip ahead through all his scenes, because CREEPY!
This book won't take the average reader more than a few hours to read. While it didn't leave me a lasting impression with me, I don't regret taking the time to read it. If you have younger girls in your life, it would be a great read-aloud book for them. If I had read it in middle school, I would have loved Jenny and Prince Lamb and all the characters (except the creepy clown).
Final Thoughts: Younger readers will love it. No language or sex or questionable things you would have to explain.
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