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"Ooh, fairy floss."

WELCOME TO NEVERMOOR!

"Don't be alarmed. I'm ginger."

How refreshing is it to be back on fantasy... especially after a few months of complete non-fiction. Nevermoor paved the way perfectly to what would hopefully be my mid-year fantasy streak. This is the kind of story that makes a reader compelled to read the entire book in one sitting. Thank you, Miche for the recommendation.

"Good morning, ladies, gentlemen, and Wunimals."

The curiosity-invoking beginning of the book is going to ensure that most of the readers would be hooked from page one, which was creatively oriented by the author using a couple of quick time jumps to enliven us. Then it was followed by a completely unexpected turn of events, which facilitated the recital of an amazing storyline. The character development is fantastic in my opinion, which I was not expecting from a book chiefly aimed at children. The 11-year-old protagonist, Morrigan Crow is a nicely balanced character, the kind that has much potential to grow in a myriad of ways depending on the author's imagination in future. But what's even better is the rest of the cast: it was not too many nor too few, but like the perfect amount for a first book of a series.

"I didn't make my first proper enemy until I was twelve."

Jessica Townsend's writing is quite captivating. It feels like driving on a smooth road without any bumps or potholes irrespective of the twists and turns you encounter all over (in fact, it was so good that as I'm writing this review, I'm already finished with book two!), while further enhancing it all with a perfect amount of humor. You get everything you expect from a first book in a series, in the same time having the assurance of knowing there are plenty of promising ways to take things forward.

"My own dragon? Are you mental? Whose parents can afford to buy them a dragon?"

Now, it may be not fair to make any comparisons (or notice similarities) between Nevermoor and Harry Potter, but if you're an HP fan, you're going to have to do it whether you like it or not: Both protagonists being the same age (11 years) when the story begins, despised by own family members, getting introduced to a magical world they didn't used to know of before, a 'magical school' where each learn new stuff while getting acquainted with the remainder of the society, and a legendary villain who is tied to the protagonist from the very beginning are all going to cause many comparisons. Usually, these kinds of similarities would've bothered me (at least to some extent), but, surprisingly, I have not had any such issues here. If anything, it just made me engaged more with all the characters and events.

"First impressions are important."

And sure enough, Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow made an excellent first impression! Can't recommend enough!!

"Family. Belonging. Friendships to last a lifetime."