by Nafiza Azad
ASIN/ISBN: 9781534484993
Publication: October 18, 2022

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DESCRIPTiON

Even the most powerful magic can’t hide a secret forever.

Croi is a brownie, glamoured to be invisible to humans. Her life in the Wilde Forest is ordinary and her magic is weak—until the day that her guardian gives Croi a book about magick from the Otherworld, the world of the Higher Fae. Croi wakes the next morning with something pulling at her core, summoning her to the Otherworld. It’s a spell she cannot control or break.

Forced to leave her home, Croi begins a journey full of surprises…and dangers. For Croi is not a brownie at all but another creature entirely, enchanted to forget her true heritage. As Croi ventures beyond the forest, her brownie glamour begins to shift and change. Who is she really, who is summoning her, and what do they want? Croi will need every ounce of her newfound magic and her courage as she travels a treacherous path to find her true self and the place in the Otherworld where she belongs.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nafiza Azad is a self-identified island girl. She has hurricanes in her blood and dreams of a time she can exist solely on mangoes and pineapple. Born in Lautoka, Fiji, she currently resides in British Columbia, Canada, where she reads too many books, watches too many K-dramas, and writes stories about girls taking over the world. Nafiza is the coeditor of the young adult anthology Writing in Color and author of The Candle and the Flame, which was nominated for the William C. Morris Award, The Wild Ones, and Road of the Lost. Learn more at NafizaAzad.com. 

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REVIEW

I am a fan of middle grade reads and loved how Road of the Lost started like one. It contains a sense of wonder middle grade reads easily capture, then grows into a YA novel as Croi’s journey unfolds. The change mirrors her transformation from a brownie to a not-brownie, her naivety fading like middle grade wonder often making way for YA’s focus on self-discovery.

The beginning of the book requires some patience. It’s slow-moving as the layers of Croi’s story are peeled away. Answers about who or what she is are not forthcoming, and it can get frustrating–I’m not the most patient person when it comes to unraveling mysteries. As Croi gets closer to learning who she is, the tale becomes more complex and engaging.

I would not have loved this book nearly as much had it not been for Croi. She is cheeky and has a big heart. She longs for the warmth of a mother’s love, for the protection of a father’s strength, for the camaraderie of friends, for there to be people who care about her. Her journey to find her past and to discover her identity is accompanied by heartbreak and rage, love and loss. I recommend Road of the Lost to individuals who enjoy fairytales and appreciate adventures that focus on self-discovery.

**Thank you to Colored Pages tours for allowing me to be part of the tour. Remember to check out the schedule and visit more posts. Also, thank you to the publisher and author for providing an eARC.**

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