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Feather Down #1
Taking Wing
Twelve-year-old Freya enjoys karate and is the only one in her class who’s trusted with a part-time job. But everything changes when she meets a boy with yellow eyes. She learns about the guardians, and how an age-old fight has prevented them from fulfilling their purpose.
Freya finds new friends in the Crow tribe, but not everything in the castle is blissful. A destructive shadow lies within her and all she needs to do to release it is close her eyes.
But as the guardians’ war rages on, Freya realises that, although the shadow’s power can be useful, it can’t create peace. To do that, Freya and her friends must solve the mysterious crime that began the war. Can they bring the guardians together before they destroy each other?
Freya finds new friends in the Crow tribe, but not everything in the castle is blissful. A destructive shadow lies within her and all she needs to do to release it is close her eyes.
But as the guardians’ war rages on, Freya realises that, although the shadow’s power can be useful, it can’t create peace. To do that, Freya and her friends must solve the mysterious crime that began the war. Can they bring the guardians together before they destroy each other?
341 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 12, 2019
40 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 28, 2019
Taking Wing is a Middle Grade novel that translated really well to me as an adult! I was glued to the pages. The action was there, the characters were great, and the plot was really captivating.
I love that this novel gets up and running right away. We are right in the action from the beginning, and sets of the intrigue. We meet our characters. I love Freya. She’s a 12-year-old, who still acts like a 12-yea- old, but she has a “wiser than her years,” air about her. Clemency Crow built a cast of well-rounded, genuine characters.
Taking Wing had some fun twists and turns, and kept me turning the pages. I really love when a book that is clearly aimed at a younger audience still reads well for an older audience. If you’re a Middle Grade fan, this is not one to miss!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Enchanted Book Promotions. All opinions are my own.*
Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com
I love that this novel gets up and running right away. We are right in the action from the beginning, and sets of the intrigue. We meet our characters. I love Freya. She’s a 12-year-old, who still acts like a 12-yea- old, but she has a “wiser than her years,” air about her. Clemency Crow built a cast of well-rounded, genuine characters.
Taking Wing had some fun twists and turns, and kept me turning the pages. I really love when a book that is clearly aimed at a younger audience still reads well for an older audience. If you’re a Middle Grade fan, this is not one to miss!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Enchanted Book Promotions. All opinions are my own.*
Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com
August 4, 2019
This is a grabbing fantasy, not only for middle graders but will hook older readers as well.
Freya is a down-to-earth twelve-year-old, who is responsible and gets along fairly well in life, but when she meets a boy with yellow eyes, everything takes a sharp spin at reality. Soon, she finds herself wrapped up in a world of magic, where a war is waging between bird tribes. Not to mention that Freya discovers a power inside of her. Not only does she need to learn about her own shadow power, but in order to help her new-found friends, is determined to get behind the secrets of the war.
From the very first page, this tale hooks. Freya is an average girl who simply is a bit more mature than many of her classmates. She's kind and determined, but never arrogant or acting older than she really is. Her decisions are understandable and age appropriate, making her easy to connect to. But then, many of the characters are a real treat. Each one comes across not only with originality but also with a naturalness, which makes them easy to love or hate.
The realm of the birds and a dab of magic are intriguing and offer an original story. There are many twists and turns along the way as well, keeping the book, for the most part, at a fast-pace. It's a fantasy which not only kids will enjoy, but adults can be drawn into as well.
I received an ARC copy and enjoyed the tale very much. So, I'm leaving my honest thoughts.
Freya is a down-to-earth twelve-year-old, who is responsible and gets along fairly well in life, but when she meets a boy with yellow eyes, everything takes a sharp spin at reality. Soon, she finds herself wrapped up in a world of magic, where a war is waging between bird tribes. Not to mention that Freya discovers a power inside of her. Not only does she need to learn about her own shadow power, but in order to help her new-found friends, is determined to get behind the secrets of the war.
From the very first page, this tale hooks. Freya is an average girl who simply is a bit more mature than many of her classmates. She's kind and determined, but never arrogant or acting older than she really is. Her decisions are understandable and age appropriate, making her easy to connect to. But then, many of the characters are a real treat. Each one comes across not only with originality but also with a naturalness, which makes them easy to love or hate.
The realm of the birds and a dab of magic are intriguing and offer an original story. There are many twists and turns along the way as well, keeping the book, for the most part, at a fast-pace. It's a fantasy which not only kids will enjoy, but adults can be drawn into as well.
I received an ARC copy and enjoyed the tale very much. So, I'm leaving my honest thoughts.
August 23, 2019
I have to admit that I was not sure about Taking Wing when I began reading it. I quickly found that I was hooked within the first few chapters. The characters grew on me and the plot was fantastic. It turned out to be a great read.
I am giving Taking Wing four and a half stars. I would love to read more by Clemency Crow, as well as, the next installment from her Feather Down series. I recommend it.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
I am giving Taking Wing four and a half stars. I would love to read more by Clemency Crow, as well as, the next installment from her Feather Down series. I recommend it.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
March 13, 2020
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Taking Wing
Author: Clemency Crow
Star Rating: 4 Stars
Number of Readers: 15
Stats
Editing: 8/10
Writing Style: 7/10
Content: 8/10
Cover: 7/10
Of the 15 readers:
11 would read another book by this author.
10 thought the cover was good or excellent.
12 felt it was easy to follow.
11 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
8 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
11 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘This author’s so good at fantasy writing. I was excited to turn the page. Freya is the best character in the story. I was happy to cheer her on.’ Boy, aged 12
‘The children in my class mostly enjoyed this book. They liked the tribal bird element very much and Freya was seen as strong and determined. Many of them thought the ending was annoying as it didn’t tell them everything they wanted to know. I suspect book two will be along shortly.’ Male teacher, aged 41
‘Exciting story for middle grade students. Plenty to enjoy here. The birds were particularly well thought-out by the author. The pacing needs a little work here and there and the ending lacks ‘pow!’ factor. But, all in all, it’s an exciting adventure and well-edited in terms of grammar/punctuation. This author has potential.’ Male reader (publisher), aged 55
‘I liked this fantasy story. There’s a little magic and a lot of adventure. The owls and crows were an excellent idea which I loved. I think after reading the ending there must be a book two. I would happily read it.’ Boy, aged 12
To Sum It Up:
‘A thrilling fantasy adventure for 9 – 12 year olds. A RED RIBBON winner and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: Taking Wing
Author: Clemency Crow
Star Rating: 4 Stars
Number of Readers: 15
Stats
Editing: 8/10
Writing Style: 7/10
Content: 8/10
Cover: 7/10
Of the 15 readers:
11 would read another book by this author.
10 thought the cover was good or excellent.
12 felt it was easy to follow.
11 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
8 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
11 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘This author’s so good at fantasy writing. I was excited to turn the page. Freya is the best character in the story. I was happy to cheer her on.’ Boy, aged 12
‘The children in my class mostly enjoyed this book. They liked the tribal bird element very much and Freya was seen as strong and determined. Many of them thought the ending was annoying as it didn’t tell them everything they wanted to know. I suspect book two will be along shortly.’ Male teacher, aged 41
‘Exciting story for middle grade students. Plenty to enjoy here. The birds were particularly well thought-out by the author. The pacing needs a little work here and there and the ending lacks ‘pow!’ factor. But, all in all, it’s an exciting adventure and well-edited in terms of grammar/punctuation. This author has potential.’ Male reader (publisher), aged 55
‘I liked this fantasy story. There’s a little magic and a lot of adventure. The owls and crows were an excellent idea which I loved. I think after reading the ending there must be a book two. I would happily read it.’ Boy, aged 12
To Sum It Up:
‘A thrilling fantasy adventure for 9 – 12 year olds. A RED RIBBON winner and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
November 9, 2019
I received this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read an excerpt and follow the Goddess Fish book tour here.
I found this middle grade fantasy enjoyable to read. There is action, strong emotion, interesting characters, and some really cool intrigue. Toss in an entire civilization made up of nearly immortal people who can shift into birds, warring clans, and the human protagonist in the middle of it all, and you’ve got a complex and fascinating series starter.
I really enjoyed the various characters. They were well-developed with interesting personalities juxtaposed against different roles, like the warrior who is such a sweet person beside the tormented warrior. Freya is a heroin worth cheering for. She’s thrust into this fantastic world, where she initially doesn’t believe what’s happening (realistic). As things unfold, she grows into her role as leader and thinker. She had plenty of internal and external conflict, making her very well-rounded and likable.
The world, too, is fascinating. The various clans brought many different cultures to the table. It was interesting to see crows in a good-guy role and owls as the bad guys. Often, owls are described as wise and good, and crows are rarely depicted as heroic. I did get a little too much of an overwhelming bad guy sense from the owl king, but he also made quite an interesting villain. The crow king also rubbed me the wrong way, and I’m curious about what might happen in future installments. The ending wrapped up things nicely but also introduced questions to be answered in a sequel.
Overall, the story was structured and paced well. I recommend this to middle-school-aged readers (or adults with a love for middle grade books) who want a healthy mix of adventure and magic. There’s even a budding idea of romance in there.
Read an excerpt and follow the Goddess Fish book tour here.
I found this middle grade fantasy enjoyable to read. There is action, strong emotion, interesting characters, and some really cool intrigue. Toss in an entire civilization made up of nearly immortal people who can shift into birds, warring clans, and the human protagonist in the middle of it all, and you’ve got a complex and fascinating series starter.
I really enjoyed the various characters. They were well-developed with interesting personalities juxtaposed against different roles, like the warrior who is such a sweet person beside the tormented warrior. Freya is a heroin worth cheering for. She’s thrust into this fantastic world, where she initially doesn’t believe what’s happening (realistic). As things unfold, she grows into her role as leader and thinker. She had plenty of internal and external conflict, making her very well-rounded and likable.
The world, too, is fascinating. The various clans brought many different cultures to the table. It was interesting to see crows in a good-guy role and owls as the bad guys. Often, owls are described as wise and good, and crows are rarely depicted as heroic. I did get a little too much of an overwhelming bad guy sense from the owl king, but he also made quite an interesting villain. The crow king also rubbed me the wrong way, and I’m curious about what might happen in future installments. The ending wrapped up things nicely but also introduced questions to be answered in a sequel.
Overall, the story was structured and paced well. I recommend this to middle-school-aged readers (or adults with a love for middle grade books) who want a healthy mix of adventure and magic. There’s even a budding idea of romance in there.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews