“We carry those we love in our hearts always.” – 3.25/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: feathers, songs, talents, alkonosts, islands, division, magic, swamps, friendships, soldiers, sinking sand and alligators. 

The Island of Morovia is shaped like a broken heart. The humans live on one side of the island, and the alkonosts – the bird-people – live on the other. But it wasn’t always this way…

Linnet wishes she could sing magic, like her father, Nightingale – and bring the two sides of her island together again. For her land has been divided by a terrible tragedy, and Linnet has been banished with her father to the deepest swamps, leaving behind her best friends, Hero and Silver.

So when her father is captured, Linnet must be brave and embark on a treacherous journey. Through alligator pools and sinking sands, she finds new friends. Yet without her singing magic, Linnet discovers something even more powerful. Something that could save her father, and heal the broken heart of her island once more…

With themes of grief, trust, love, and that we have more in common than that which divides us, this is a heartfelt book filled with adventure and stunning storytelling from bestselling Sophie Anderson.

Another great middle grade from the amazing Sophie Anderson! She continues to be one of my favorite middle grade authors of all time, and this beautiful book comes to prove me right.

This book in particular is very special because of the different topics it talks about. The main character puts her efforts on rebuilding the community and uniting the nation… while she is grieving her mother. There’s also a clear message to just be kind to one another and believe in yourself. See what I mean?

Once again, I loved the characters in this book. Linnet is a strong young bird-girl who is fighting injustice and discovering her true voice (no pun intended). The sidekicks are very kind and supportive and have her back at all times.

The writing was good, just like I was expecting it. There were a few moments where the pace slowed down a little, but it didn’t bother me that much. It was a very atmospheric reading experience full of magic and adventure.

But by far, my favorite thing about his book is its message. While I was reading this, I kept thinking of how different this book felt in comparison to her other books. And then I read the author’s note and I finally understood why. According to the author, the Ukraine/Russia war inspired this book. With all that’s going on with the world, Sophie Anderson created a beautiful story about unity, compassion and how we sing magic when we’re all together. We have more in common than what divides us. It was such a heartwarming and wholesome read, and I really appreciate the message behind it.If I were to recommend a book from her, I would probably say for you to read “The House With Chicken Legs” because it’s one of my favorites. This was good, but I just like some of her other books better. In conclusion: I will always read anything she writes and you should too.