Wonder Light Blog Tour: Review

Wonder Light: Unicorns of the Mist (Unicorns of the Mist #1)
Author: R.R. Russell
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Description:

Deep in the heart of a mist-shrouded island, an impossible secret is about to be discovered.

Twig is used to feeling unwanted. Sent to live on a pony ranch for "troubled" girls on a misty, haunted island, Twig is about to discover the impossible — someone who needs her.
 
Jolted awake from a bad dream, Twig follows the desperate whinny of a terrified horse out to the stables. There in the straw is a bleating little scrap of moonbeam. A silver-white filly with cloven hooves and a tiny, spiraling horn.

A baby unicorn.

Now Twig knows what secret is hiding in the island's mist: the last free unicorn herd. And a mysterious boy named Ben who insists that this impossible creature is now Twig's to care for. That she needs Twig's love and protection. Because there's something out there in the deep, dense shadows that's hunting for them...

Wonder Light: Unicorns of the Mist is a fun Middle Grade fantasy that follows our young heroine, Twig, as she is sent away to a home for troubled girls on a supposedly haunted island pony ranch. While there, Twig is woken from a dream with the distinct impression that someone needs her help. Following the strange sounds, Twig finds a baby unicorn alone in the forest. The island has exposed it's secret to Twig: it has the last free herd of unicorns on Earth. Along with the help of a mysterious boy named Ben, Twig must care for and help the unicorns before the dark shadows hunting the forest can get them.
 
This was a truly mystical and enchanting middle grade fantasy novel that engages the reader from the first pages. Twig is a wonderful lead character. She's young, vulnerable and feels as though her father and his new family doesn't have a place for her anymore. She's lost, alone, and scared. We see her character grow and mature when she discovers the baby unicorn and the island's secret herd. It gives her a purpose and a secret all her own, which makes her gain confidence and inner strength. She's a very likable character and one that the readers can easily identify with. The setting of the book was a great one - the mysterious island shrouded in mist and secrets. It added a great tone to the story and made the adventure even more fun. I loved the plot of the book - I thought it was magical and interesting. Not just a herd of wild unicorn, but the last herd on Earth? The island and its residents all hold lots of secrets and the mysteries of the island were fun to discover alongside the characters. The writing was fast paced and had a great flow, which definitely keeps the reader engaged and eagerly turning the pages to see what will happen next. This is a great middle grade fantasy novel that readers of all ages will want to dive into.

R.R. Russell lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest. She grew up traveling the world as an army brat and now travels the country as a coach with a non-profit judo club. She loves to read and draw, and like Twig, once spent a lot of time sketching unicorns. Visit her at rrrussellauthor.com.