Release: April 2, 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Ichigo Black Books
Source: Netgalley
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N
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She never believed in fairies… until one set its sights on her little brother. Now, she must risk everything to get him back.
On her twelfth birthday, Cricket Kane uncovers a chilling secret–tooth fairies have stopped collecting single teeth and have resorted to kidnapping children instead. When her brother is taken, the fairy leaves a changeling and a toxic black dust in his place. The dust soon infects the rest of her family, but to her surprise, she’s immune!
Further, with the guidance of a mysterious cat, Cricket follows the fairy to a magical land where legendary creatures are real. When Santa himself takes her under his wing, Cricket learns she’s the only one who can harness the power of the dust to rescue her brother and the other missing children. But doing so might cost her life.
To that end, can she summon the courage and strength to save her family and herself?
Find out now in this middle-grade fantasy for fans of Nevermoor and The Land of Stories!
About the Author:
S. O. Thomas is the author of the middle grade novels #GraveyardChallenge, book 5 in the FrightVision series, and The Slug Queen Chronicles. She was part of the 2018 summer #WriteMentor program.
Evidently, with her infectious energy and a penchant for the peculiar, no one has ever accused S. O. of being mundane. She has a B.F.A. in Fashion Design. She spends her days designing creepy-cute clothes. At night, she dreams of magical places that end up spilling out of her brain and onto the page. She lives on the edge of a haunted forest in a small town in Massachusetts with her husband, their two cats, and a real life gremlin.
The Slug Queen Chronicles Review:
Hobgobs, giants, and Slugwumps, oh my! Reading “The Slug Queen Chronicles” was a delight!
Kudos to the author for writing such a delightful middle-grade fantasy. While the story starts as a simple one where Cricket reads her mom’s journal, it soon takes a creepy turn of events when her brother Tristan gets replaced by a slugwump. From there, we explore the various worlds the author has created, from the Wandering Woods to Faeryland to Polaris. The illustrations included also complement the story wonderfully, and I loved the details.
Moreover, the author wrote the characters so dynamically that you feel strongly towards them. Cricket is excellent in the lead as she finds herself in a world of pixies and spider creatures. Although she is scared, she shows courage and determination to save her friends and family. Similarly, I was not too fond of Janice for the way she treats Cricket. Even the whimsical characters like Kibben and Nokomis, who Cricket meets, are fascinating. I also liked Alfrigg and Fenlick.
Moreover, the author weaves a touch of everything into the story that a reader of any age would enjoy reading. Some of the scenes made me laugh, like the incident between Miss Rivera and the cat. While some scenes also shocked me, like when Cricket finds herself talking to a door. Some parts also gave me goosebumps, like when terrors try to rip Cricket apart. It is clear that the author has weaved an intricate story with many possibilities, and I didn’t notice the time fly by once I started.
Overall, “The Slug Queen Chronicles” is a beautiful middle-grade fantasy novel worth checking out if you are a fan of the genre.
