Race to the Sun

Standard hero quest plot but well-paced and engaging; bonus points for being funny.

Almost abandoned, then realized this isn't YA, it's for littler kids. Shifted my expectations, gave it a chance, and okay, it was fun. Standard Hero's Journey with sidekicks, over-the-top evil villains, benign wise forces helping along the way, you know the drill – what you may not know are the characters and the mythology. The book was worth reading, even as an adult, for its rich treatment of Diné lore. I also found myself drawn in by Roanhorse's kind, gentle voice. (Unrated, because I'm not in the target audience, but I would definitely recommend this to parents of young children.)

The Rick Riordan Presents books are still killing it! I read Roanhorse's adult sci-fi book and found it a bit too gritty for my personal tastes, but this middle-grade story was just right for my delicate sensibilities. Nizhoni is a great narrator and this was a really fun quest with a very satisfying conclusion, though still setting itself up for a sequel (that I can't wait to read)!