Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire

Very fun new YA series! I like that the majority story does NOT hinge on the notion that Arlo is a “boy with a destiny.”

The characters are cute and likable and the overall story is fun and exciting.

Two minor complaints:
- I feel like it's on the short side
- The emotional importance of the race probably should have been played up a little more.

Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this and I can't wait for Book 2!

I really liked this book. The beginning was quite confusing for me in terms of the actual fantasy world, but I understood it a little more the more I read. Arlo and his friends were such likable characters and despite it having some typical tropes (a chosen one who is attacked by an unnamed enemy), I really felt like John August was able to breathe a new life into that trope and make it feel new and refreshing regardless. The cliffhanger at the end makes me look forward to the second book, which I already have a hold on at the library. I definitely recommend this one for people who are looking for a good, middle-grade paranormal/magical fantasy.

While it's a bit reductive, it's hard not to describe this book as “Harry Potter in the woods”. There are a lot of similarities, but only in plot/character archetypes. I think arguing about which is better does a disservice to both books, but the fact that an argument could be made at all says something about the quality of Arlo Finch's first adventure.

I wish Arlo's friends had been rounded out a little more, but Arlo and his family are very well-drawn and complex characters. The writing is really really good. Minor descriptions of things from Arlo just walking down the street are evocative and fun to read, and when the action scenes kick in, they are truly intense.

I'd easily recommend this to anyone, Harry Potter fan or not.