Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Firebird Song

Author: Arnee Flores

Book Series: Standalone for now

Rating: 5/5

Recommended For...: MG readers, fantasy lovers

Publication Date: May 18, 2021

Genre: MG Fantasy

Recommended Age: 10+ (slight violence, some scary moments)

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Pages: 304

Synopsis: The Kingdom of Lyrica was once warm and thriving, kept safe by the Firebird, whose feather and song was a blessing of peace and prosperity. But the Firebird disappeared, and Lyrica is now terrorized by the evil Spectress who wields her powers from within a volcano. All that remains is a mysterious message scrawled on the castle wall in the Queen's own hand: Wind. Woman. Thief.

Young Prewitt has only known time without the Firebird, a life of constant cold, as his village is afraid to tempt the volcano monsters with even the feeblest fire. But he has heard whispers that the kingdom's princess survived the attack . . . and he is certain that if he can find her, together they can save Lyrica.

Princess Calliope has no memories beyond living on her barge on the underground lake. But as she nears her twelfth birthday, she is certain there is more to life than the walls of a cave. When Prewitt finds her, he realizes that she is the missing princess: the only hope for Lyrica. Determined to decipher the meaning of her mother's strange message and find the Firebird, Calliope and Prewitt set off on a quest that puts them in more danger than either of them ever anticipated.

Review: I really liked this one! The book has a fairybook feel to it but it never really felt stale at any point. The pacing was great, the world building was amazing, and the characters were well developed. I also liked the episodic feel to the read.

The only issue I had with the book is that the plot was a bit too predictable for me.

Verdict: Recommend!