Review Detail

Goldeline has found a rag tag family with Gruff and his bandits. They live in the forest and steal food and supplies from travelers. However, life wasn’t always like that. She used to live with her mom…until a town lead by the Preacher attacked them for witchcraft. Goldeline managed to get away, but the Preacher is coming for her, and in order to save herself and her new friends, she will have to channel everything she learned from her beloved mother.

GOLDELINE is an unexpected, dark, magical read that I couldn’t put down. Jimmy Cajoleas writes with stunning prose that wraps you up in a blanket made of old fairy tales and spells. From the first chapter, I found myself getting more comfortable in my chair and settling in for a long reading session. This is exactly the kind of magical, fantasy middle grade story that I love to find.

What makes this story so wonderful, beyond the great writing, are the themes: finding your own family, learning to be a friend, connecting to your past, and discovering the everyday magic. Goldeline is an easily lovable character, and you hope for the best for her the entire journey. She has an incredible spirit that leaps off the page, and readers shouldn’t be surprised to feel more than a little sad when her story is concluded.

The Preacher makes a scary, if not surprising, villain. His rhetoric is frighteningly familiar, which is perhaps what is most scary about him. He is the kind of villain you can find in real life, not just in a story.

Overall, Jimmy Cajoleas has become an auto-buy author for me after reading GOLDELINE. This story is brimming with magic, excitement, and adventure.