The Shadow Deception (A Pix and Gabe Adventure)

What worked:
The story is told through the eyes of an unruly, feisty, self-centered pixie who’s been sent to the world of humans to atone for her dangerous antics. Pix will be exiled from the faery world if she messes up this chance for redemption. However, the threat doesn’t stop her from making sassy comments to her guardian or being mischievous at every opportunity. Pix’s prickly personality makes her an unusual protagonist. However, readers will become fond of Pix as she gradually changes her attitude and learns to see how her actions affect others.
The plot includes several secrets that add intrigue and mystery to the main storyline. The queen appoints an angel as Pix’s guardian but his patience and understanding are constantly tested by Pix’s sharp tongue and impulsiveness. Gabe won’t share any thoughts with her and she’s getting tired of the strictness of his rules and procedures. Pix suspects something’s going on with him and she wonders if it has anything to do with her missing father. She’s also confused that he’s not more concerned about the imps they find. Why is an imp hiding in a human’s bookbag and why have hundreds of imps congregated inside a human school? Gabe may not be worried but Pix is determined to find out what’s going on.
Pix insists magic doesn’t exist despite the charms and potions that are concocted; she says it’s only science. Gabe can cloak a van from being seen by humans and he masks his physical appearance from them in a similar way. Pix “scientifically” grows in size when entering the van and immediately shrinks to pixie size upon leaving. These constant transformations are annoying for her character and result in mild, fairy swearing. “Dancing dung beetles” and “badger’s buttocks” are examples of her colorful tongue. Pix’s special talent is creating charms, which she uses to cause more mischief and later resolve sticky problems. Pix idolizes her father and watching him create special, powerful charms helps her better understand the growing threat to the fairy, human, and imp worlds.
What didn’t work as well:
The story moves around quite a bit so readers may sometimes have trouble feeling immersed in the different settings. The focus is on the characters and action, as it should be, but the settings may feel generic. This isn’t a large problem or concern as the other story elements are done so well.
The final verdict:
The author creates engaging, amusing characters and relationships in an emotional, fun-filled adventure. Pix’s flamboyant, energetic personality carries the story, and her dynamic character will appeal to most middle-grade readers. Overall, this is a non-stop thrill ride with an unpredictable pixie and I recommend you give it a shot.