Book Review – Frogkisser! by Garth Nix

The last thing she needs is a prince. The first thing she needs is some magic.

Poor Princess Anya. Forced to live with her evil stepmother’s new husband, her evil stepstepfather. Plagued with an unfortunate ability to break curses with a magic-assisted kiss. And forced to go on the run when her stepstepfather decides to make the kingdom entirely his own.

Aided by a loyal talking dog, a boy thief trapped in the body of a newt, and some extraordinarily mischievous wizards, Anya sets off on a Quest that, if she plays it right, will ultimately free her land—and teach her a thing or two about the use of power, the effectiveness of a well-placed pucker, and the finding of friends in places both high and low.

My rating:

Yay middle grade questing fairytale fantasy!! Basically all the things I love. 😍😍😍😍

Frogkisser is a cleverly thought out and good paced quest, and Anya is brave, loyal and awesome but also seems her actual age which is great. She’s not sure of her actions or their consequences, she’s often scared, and she’s still young. She’s a very lovable heroine as a result.

I also loved the little things that make you smile – like the not really evil step mother, the step step father, the questing dog, the eye of newt and so many more. Plus all the nods to we’ll known fairytales. I’d say with a twist but as they’re not the main story it is more a pleasant way to show a familiar story, and well done too.

The only reason I’m giving this 4.5 stars instead of 5 is the overly typically evil duke (though bonus marks for the improper cackle!!), and the not really a surprise with Shrub. But other than that, this is a brilliantly fun middle grade book and I highly recommend it.

Buy Frogkisser! from Amazon UK.