The Girl Who Kept the Castle

Faye #1

by Ryan Graudin

Wizard West was dead for nearly an entire day before he noticed. And it is up to Faye, the daughter of West’s groundskeeper, to inform the wizard that he is a ghost who has lost all of his magical powers. (But not before the wizard tries transforming her into a cat!) To make matters worse, the enchanted castle of Celurdur—the only home that Faye has ever known—will fall apart at the next full moon if its foundation spells can’t be renewed.

After (sort of) accepting his demise, West decides to host a competition to choose his successor. Faye finds herself fighting to keep the tournament running smoothly behind the scenes: putting out kitchen fires, feeding the compost dragon, and making sure competitors stay away from the cockatrice pen.

But killer roosters soon become the least of her worries. A servant of the evil Shadow Queen has sabotaged the contest—set on destroying not just Celurdur but the entire kingdom of Solum. It is up to Faye to stop him, but she’ll need more than a mop. Will a maid’s magic be enough to save everything she loves from utter destruction?

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Audiobook, Magic, Cozy Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens

336 pages, Hardcover

First published June 18, 2024

About the author

Ryan Graudin was born in Charleston, South Carolina, with a severe case of wanderlust. When she’s not traveling, she’s busy writing and spending time with her husband and wolf dog. She is the author of Invictus, the Wolf By Wolf duology, The Walled City, and the All That Glows Series.

Reviews

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up

This was so charming! Perfect for fans of Miyazaki films, The Girl Who Kept the Castle is a middle grade fantasy about a servant girl who works for a powerful wizard, and then has to inform him that he has died and is now a ghost. One who needs to find an heir in order to keep their kingdom safe. This is the perfect blend of magical whimsy, adventure, delightful characters, and lots of heart- all with an unlikely heroine.

Faye is the daughter of the groundskeeper and has done every job imaginable in her short years. Including feed old vegetables to their composting dragon. But she is capable of far more than anyone realizes, including herself. Even in a society where girls aren't supposed to do powerful magic. I thoroughly enjoyed this and think other middle grade fantasy readers will love it as well. I received a copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own.

[Lastblossom]

tl;dr
Part cozy fantasy, part magical adventure, and entirely fun.

Thoughts
Oh, this one was fun! I enjoy stories about royalty and chosen ones as much as the next reader, but I especially love a story about the workers who keep the wheels turning behind the scenes. Faye is exactly that - overworked and overlooked, she's smart, competent, and a genuine pleasure to read. Detail's about her daily life spark the imagination, with quick but clear world building, and plenty of magical creatures and plants to fill the world. It would be downright cozy if not for the kingdom-ending threat creeping around the edges of the story. And Faye knows this too, as she has to find a way to defeat the Shadow Queen sometime between gardening, cleaning, and covering up for the Wizard West's untimely death. It's a big adventure for a small girl, but she rises to the occasion. Supporting cast are all fun as well, with a talking cat being the standout for me. Oh hey, did I mention the talking cat? Because we've got one of those too, and he's great.

Thanks to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cozy, middle grade fantasy was very entertaining. We follow Faye, the daughter of the gardener, who has to tell the wizard that he is dead. In order to protect the land from bad magic. In order to protect the world from an evil source the wizard needs to choose a new successor before he's gone. Enter some crazy competitions, a sentient house that is falling apart, a brilliant talking cat, a couple clever and resourceful kids, and a lot of heart. It was a bit over the top at times, but in the best possible way for a middle grade. I found it to be a delightful and charming read.

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a whimsical novel!

We follow Faye a maid in the castle of Wizard West, one of the four wizards who maintain the balance of power in the kingdom. After Wizard West dies in his sleep and continues on with his day unknowingly as a ghost, Faye is forced to give him the news that he is no longer alive. In anger he tries to transform her into a cat, but his powers give up halfway through! Now stuck with cat ears, eyes, and tail she must aid Wizard West in hosting a very publicized tournament to choose his new apprentice while keeping his demise a secret. However, issues arise and a particularly dark spirit is set on sabotaging the tournament. Faye must do everything she can to ensure a new Wizard is chosen and can reinforce the magical foundation of her home before it crumples.

I always enjoy fantasy novels that rub up against modernization. While there are magical beasts, royalty, and swords there is also zeppelins, automobiles, and cameras. This mixing of fantastical and technological elements really aided in the whimsical nature of this book. And this was highlighted the most through the interactions Faye had with Prince Max and Princess Illian.

I loved Faye as a character so much, especially how she was the glue that kept the entire castle together. She single handedly ran the place by staying on top of her chores, solving the many problems that arose, while also completing some of the Wizard duties West found tiresome. She was quick witted, courageous, and deeply knowledgeable about every corner of the castle grounds. From compost dragons to harvesting plants to potion making, she had a solution to every question or problem that popped up. A very clever little girl that I think will be a great inspiration to many readers.

Thank you Quill Tree Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

[Esme · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

Honestly this was really entertaining! It's obviously a middle grade and it reads like one for sure, it has a very fun and silly plot, I loved the characters and the competition aspect. It was really a fun quick read.

[Rebekah Hendren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faye Gardner is a groundskeeper of the magical estate Celurdur. She is chosen to inform its master, the great (and self-absorbed) Wizard West, that he is regrettably... dead. What ensues is a charming romp through a grandiose competition to name Wizard West's successor, led by the ghost of the Wizard himself. As the tournament unfolds however, Faye discovers that great danger lurks behind the scenes. Can she find a way to save Celurdur and the inhabitants of their entire kingdom?

I really enjoyed this read. The fantasy elements were lightly explained, giving this book a bit of a cozy feeling. The characters and plot were well-written and contained several nods to other fantasy media. Studio Ghibli fans rejoice! This story reminded me greatly of Howl's Moving Castle, and the author names Dianna Wynne Jones as an inspiration in her acknowledgements section.

I would recommend this read for anyone who enjoys the lighter side of fantasy stories. This was a solidly done middle grade read. I will be interested to see where the rest of the series goes given the "To Be Continued" note at the end of the book!

[Jaimes_Mystical_Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing middle grade fantasy. This book told an imaginative story that was hard to put down. I loved the characters in this book, especially Faye. I also loved the author’s descriptive and engaging writing style. This was such a magical read that kept me smiling throughout the time I read it. This quickly became one of my favorite middle grade reads.

Read this if you like:

📖 Brave & Smart FMC
📖 Magical Competitions
📖 Magical Middle grades

Thank you to the author and publisher for sending me a copy of this book for an honest review.

[BoringBookLover · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️’s

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was DELIGHTFUL—the perfect cozy fantasy story.

It's been a minute since I read a middle-grade fantasy, but this book has made me want to pick up more! If you love Studio Ghibli and Diana Wynne Jones, this book is for you. The story was so vibrant that it felt like watching an animated movie!

We're following a girl named Faye, the daughter of the groundskeeper at Celurdur Castle. Through her eyes, we learn about how magic works in Retnec and find out that she and the other servants are the ones holding everything together, while the Wizard West hasn't even realized he has died. Alas, his death could lead to even more death and destruction, as there must always be a Wizard West residing at Celurdur to prevent the kingdom's collapse.

This story has a lot of heart—you have girls who want to be more than what is expected of them, a talking cat who is more than he seems, and a magical competition—it's a fantastic time!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harper Collins for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Celeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance digital copy of this novel from the publisher, Quill Tree Books, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl Who Kept the Castle is the epitome of cozy fantasy, especially for middle grade to young adult readers. It feels like being dropped into a Studio Ghibli movie — in fact, one of the regions of the kingdom is called Ghibli. (And the capital city is Retnec, an anagram of center. Can you guess where on the map that city might reside?) There are lots of tiny nods to other classic fantasy stories, like the works of Tolkien and Diana Wynne Jones. But even outside of the fun little Easter eggs, this is a delightful book in its own right. I stated above that it’s cozy fantasy, but it might be more fitting to call this cozy-adjacent. Because while the setting and storytelling feel very cozy, there are definite stakes to this tale.

Our story begins with Wizard West waking up dead. Faye, the twelve year-old daughter of the groundskeeper, has been selected by lot to inform him. He does not take the news well, and makes his displeasure known by halfway cursing Faye, leaving her with an extra set of (cat) ears, a tail, and golden cat eyes. And yet, even though she has every reason to resent him, Faye does everything she can to help West when a distressing side effect of his death is revealed: if he does not find a successor by the full moon, Celurdur will crumble. And should Celurdur fall, the rest of the kingdom will not be far behind. What follows is a kooky tournament, lots of accidental hijinks, and a wonderful story about a girl bucking societal expectation to do what needs to be done.

I fell in love with Faye, and with Celurdur. I have a thing for sentient houses, and this castle was a wonderful iteration of that trope. Faye and the castle, West and the rest of the supporting cast, all had so much character. I was charmed pretty immediately. I found Faye such a believable heroine. She wasn’t trying to turn society on its head. She didn’t have any kind of hero complex. Instead, she saw problems that needed to be solved, saw that no one else was going to step up, and did her best to solve those problems. She was also very kind and caring, even to those who didn’t deserve her kindness or care. She was incredibly clever and hardworking, and had such a core of goodness. But she never felt like a Mary Sue, or insufferable in any way. She was someone I would love to have in my corner.

The rest of the cast was great, as I stated above. They had a lot of personality between them. Wizard West, Prince Max, Princess Illian, and Puck the cat were the standouts. But, in my opinion, Faye was definitely the star of the show. This was her story. And I can’t wait to see where her story goes next. I’ll definitely be doing everything I can to get my hands on the sequel as soon as it’s available. If there's a sequel. I really, really hope there's a sequel!

The Girl Who Kept the Castle was nowhere on my radar before the author reached out to me. She compared the book to Nevermoor and Howl’s Moving Castle, both of which I love. And she was spot on with her comparison! I don’t always accept review requests directly from authors, as I have so much to read and feel guilty about making promises I’m not sure I can keep, but I’m so glad I made an exception for this book. It was an absolute delight. I can see myself getting my niece a copy for her birthday or Christmas!

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
Faye is the groundskeeper’s daughter and a maid; her father works for the Wizard West, in a land ruled by a King. There are three other wizards; all four wizards banded together years earlier to defeat the Shadow Queen, an evil witch.

In response to her rule and defeat, rules were put in place such that only boys could train in magic and can only men can rule the land.

At the beginning of this novel, the Wizard West dies, and his ghost decides to choose an apprentice, using a tournament, where all the contestants are wealthy young male adolescents.

One of the contestants is the Prince, and he does not want to be a wizard. In fact, his sister the Princess is much more capable of magic and of leadership, and the two plan to sabotage the Prince’s efforts in the competition, with Faye’s assistance.

As things progress, it's revealed that a servant of the Shadow Queen is attempting to sabotage the tournament, as well as harm the kingdom, complicating the tournament and raising the stakes for whoever wins.

Faye is likeable, and remarkably tolerant of the irritating Wizard West, who attempted to transform her into a cat sometime earlier (she still sports the ears and tail). Faye is also well versed in cleaning up after the wizard, and in magic knowledge, which proves to be vital at each stage of the competition, where Faye and the Princess work together, solving each challenge, and besting the competition.

The pace is fast, the humour frequent, as Faye and the Princess save the day, and demonstrate repeatedly that restricting positions of power only to men does not serve the kingdom, or the world, well.

[Kecia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Faye is not the quiet, nondescript girl that Wizard West has overlooked for the entirety of Faye's life. She's brave, smart, and possesses a wee bit more skill with magic than is truly safe for a young girl in Celurdur. When she finds herself in a situation where her skills are needed to save her home, will she step up and do what needs to be done or will she hide behind the rules and guidelines?

I requested this title because I read Graudin's "Wolf by Wolf" and was an established fan of her writing. Plus the cover looked super cool. Graudin's writing and Faye's narration kept me opening the book any chance I had in an attempt to finish it and see where Faye's journey took her, only to be semi-devastated when I realized that there is a sequel for which I now have to wait. This title will be added to our school library and my personal library as well.

***Thank you to NetGalley for the digital review copy.***

[Emily Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been in a lull on finding an engaging, fun, and addictive Middle Grade fantasy lately (my favorite genre). But this book totally fulfilled this yearning for me from the very first page.

Wizard West didn't seem to notice that he died. Faye, the groundskeeper's daughter, was chosen to tell him and was rewarded with a half transformation of a cat. Now with cat ears, eyes, and a tail, Faye has to help Wizard West find a successor or the magic imprisoning the evil Shadow Queen will be weakened enough for her to escape. A competition is started to choose the next Wizard West with some unexpected challenges along the way. This book was fun with great characters and I hope to find myself lost in this world again with a sequel?

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun, feminist middle grade fantasy. Faye is the groundkeeper's daughter of Wizard West's castle. There are four wizards who play a vital role in ensuring the continued, centuries-long imprisonment of the evil Shadow Queen witch. Because of her, women aren't allowed to practice magic. But Faye is quite good at magic and practices it to help the castle grounds. She's also quite good with the castle's lazy dragon and the topiary.

When the hapless Wizard West dies, his ghost haunts the castle. When Faye informs him that he's dead, he curses her to become part cat. He has to pick a successor fast, or else the castle will fall. He decides to host a tournament for wealthy male tweens to compete to become the next Wizard West.

I did like this and would've really enjoyed it as a kid. Actually, I did read books like this as a kid! I've probably read dozens, if not more like 50+, books with the same premise as this. I could tell what was going to happen from start to finish, but obviously 10-year-olds will not have read as many books with this premise as I have. :)

[Amina (ⴰⵎⵉⵏⴰ) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded
This made it to my 2024 favourites!
Reviewing soon!

[Pip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute, fun, and quick. I have no complaints

[Rhea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is kinda weird, but it is also so much fun!

[Andrea Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun magical story and it even has a talking cat and a sentient castle!! Can’t wait for book 2!

[Dottie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this was the cutest thing ever! need book 2 expeditiously

[Jess Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, funny, and feminist, this is a great book for fans of The Dark Lord Clementine and Terry Pratchett’s Tiffany Aching books.

[Cathy | A Case Full of Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps 3.5 stars

The beginning was really great. I was engaged, I laughed out loud multiple times. And then it just...I don't know. I can't put my finger on just why I didn't remain as interested, it it felt like it dragged on for too long. Although overall a fun read.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a wonderful start to a new series! The setting was, well, magical, and the characters were so much fun! The friendships and the snark were perfect. I cannot wait for book 2 to come out in September

[Haila Mirto · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good! My kids and I can't wait to read the next one.

[Christaaay · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the wizard of Celurdur dies peacefully in his sleep, his ghost enlists young but responsible Faye to host a grand tournament to select his next hair. Faye and an imaginative cast of humans and creatures explore the picturesque castle grounds in a charming series of magical encounters. Yet even beyond the vibes, there is substance. I would absolutely recommend this perfect, cozy fantasy to any middle grader just discovering the genre.

Thank you to the author and publisher for a review copy!

[Nico · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous middle grade, which seem to be winners for me this year. Fantastic themes for younger ones and I especially liked how it features a father-daughter relationship (even though we don’t really see dad on page). Faye is a servant and the daughter of the groundskeeper, who trained his daughter well. While he’s away gathering supplies their egotistical and aloof wizard passes away in his sleep, but he doesn’t know it yet and everyone is scared to tell him. Faye finds herself having to take charge and protect the living castle and its creatures that she loves so much, while trying to keep secret that she is a witch. Just super cute with friendship and cute creatures, and is fast-paced without being too fast-paced that I got a headache. Perfect.

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, imaginative

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

The castle staff have chosen Faye, the groundskeeper's daughter, to notify the Wizard West he's dead. He's been proceeding like normal all day, not realizing he's a ghost and his body is still in bed. The Wizard is horrified to learn he did something as boring as dying in his sleep, so naturally he unleashes his anger at the messenger and Faye ends up with cat ears, eyes, and a tail. But then the Wizard realizes he only has so much magical energy to spare and he stops her full transformation at that. And it is a good thing he does, because he needs an apprentice and pronto. There's this tricky thing in the land if the magic isn't balanced between Wizards North, South, East, and West castle Celurdur of the West could fall apart and a certain evil sorceress, the Shadow Queen, could make a reappearance once the new moon hits. And no one wants to return to the world under her reign. So he needs an apprentice yesterday, which means he's going to pretend he's still alive, hold a grand contest for 10 eligible young men. And the castle staff has to get everything ready within days for this contest, since a ghostly wizard can't do much. With Faye's dad on a quest for a special ingredient in the conservatory (something that may take days or weeks), there's just a small staff left at the castle to handle the various needs. Puck the cat-like being is keeping an eye on the castle's foundations. The cook has her hands full whipping up a feast for 500. The head butler and cleaning maids have to get rooms ready for guests, and Faye has to handle all the groundskeeper duties, ...and much of the magical duties Wizard West can't do any more. Which isn't anything new. She does these regularly, as a certain wizard is often a bit forgetful, even if legally no one but wizards is supposed to do magic. Can they keep up the ruse of Wizard West's status long enough for a new apprentice to be chosen, are any of these spoiled boys in the competition worthy new wizards, and will things get fixed in time to save the magic and the kingdom?

This was a humorous and very imaginative fantasy romp with an extremely memorable cast of characters. Wizard West reminds me of Nearly Headless Nick in his current state (which I don't think is accidental given Graudin's thank yous notes). The castle has a bit of a personality and magic and reminds me of several other enchanted castles. The premise reminded me a bit of Martinez's Too Many Curses. But the overall world building and broader issues felt pretty unique and fresh. And though I could see the ending a mile away, it was watching how it all unfolded and would end up there that was the fun and kept me turning pages (and there's a bit of a twist in how it ends up I didn't foresee, but really liked). There's a whole bit of gender equality addressed in the story as since the former evil sorceress was a woman, girls and women are severely limited in their roles whether intentionally or whether this happened subconsciously by that earlier generation. No witches can be apprentices for the 4 wizards' positions. And only men can inherit the throne. The king's son Max is one of the boys who enters the apprentice competition, and his twin sister Illian comes along to watch. She makes things more complicated by trying to recruit Faye to help make sure Max looses. They have a deal that he'll take the throne, change the law that says women can't be queens, and then abdicate the throne to her so he can invent full time (which will make them both happier), but that only works if he doesn't get chosen as Wizard West's apprentice. There's also another side plot that a rogue wizard has been weakening the foundations of the Shadow Queen's prison and has shown up at the competition to influence the results. Faye is a delightful heroine to follow around. She's constantly putting out fires and addressing issues Wizard West fails to see (he's a bit of a flighty guy who doesn't think things through very well). She's also wise beyond her years, very unselfish, and loves the castle and staff fiercely, and sees solutions no one has thought of or dared to think of to various issues. I liked her a lot. Wizard West may be mildly incompetent, but Faye starts to understand some of his hardships and paints him as a more sympathetic, if somewhat bumbling, character. Puck is full of surprises, and a deliciously mysterious side character who fits the talking cat persona to a T. While Wizard West's successor issue and the imminent magical containment of the Shadow Queen is resolved in this book, she's still a threat and there are some broader questions about what is going on in this kingdom (for example, they are surrounded by an impenetrable storm...there are rumors there are other lands and people out there, but how to break through the storm...) so I am very excited more books in this world are promised. Highly recommended to anyone who likes stories like Howl's Moving Castle or Jessica Day George's books or Barnhill's The Girl Who Drank the Moon.

Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: There are some magical battles, but most injuries are non-bloody and cured magically.
Ethnic diversity: This is a fantasy world where everyone in the land is pretty much of the same cultural heritage. Wizard West's body is dead of nonviolent causes.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified
Other: Wizard West is a ghost but he isn't spooky...it just seems like he took a new magical form. There is a point in the story when an evil shadow creature takes up residence in his dead body and masquerades as West in front of the guests, and Faye and gang have to work to capture it and remove it.

[Jester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cozy fantasies aren't my preferred genre, but I took a chance with this book and enjoyed it. It was like a Studio Ghibli story. I loved the characters and the plot. Fay has a good heart, and turning her half-human, half-cat was adorable. Wizard West was pompous and even funny at times. I liked the talking cat; you can't have a story about magic, witches, and wizards without a black cat. Overall, this was a great read, and I highly recommend it.

Note: Using new rating system starting 2025.

[Carina Olsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was too cute for me to not read it the moment it came out. It was such a cute read. I enjoyed it so much. But I also had a few issues with it, so a three star for me. But there were parts that I really loved. And some parts that were a bit meh. Overall this book was great and I can't wait for the second one to come.

I shall start with the writing. Most of the time is was pretty great. But there were times it was a little too silly for me, even though I love middle grade books. And I very much disliked the overused exclamation mark. This was in another middle grade I read too, and I can't stand it. As there was no need for it most of the time.

This was very much a magical book. Which I really loved. I liked learning about the world this took place in. There is a kingdom in the middle of the land. And then there were four wizards keeping everything together. In the North and South and East and West. This book tells the story of the castle of Wizard West. I also just enjoyed getting to know more about this place. Their world was not very large. As there were storms across the oceans, making it impossible to cross. Hoping there will be more of that in book two. But I loved this world of magic. There was a big dragon, Neil the compost dragon. He was adorable. There was a talking cat, Puck. I loved him too. Though he was a bit weird too. I liked the other characters who worked in this castle too, the little we got to see of them. I also loved the way magic was done in this.

This book tells the story of Faye. She is the daughter of the groundskeeper in the castle of Wizard West. She is a maid, making sure it all runs well. Taking care of messes and doing pretty much everything else. I loved Faye. Most of the time. She was pretty much adorable and I enjoyed reading about her. I wish we had gotten to know her a little better, though. Felt like the book was a bit too short, a bit too little about the actual characters. As I could have loved her more. But she was awesome and I did adore her a whole lot.

The book begins with Wizard West being dead. And not knowing it himself, as he is now a ghost. Faye is tasked with telling him. Which ends up with him turning her halfway into a cat. I wish there had been a bit more about what she looked like, as I found it pretty adorable, though Faye did not agree at first. Things get complicated when the wizard is dead. As he's the one keeping the castle standing once a month with a spell. And now he can't do this. And so he decides to host a tournament to look for a new Wizard West.

Which is what this book is about. Trying to find the next boy to take over the castle, keep it safe. As it has begun to fall apart. I found all of this to be a little weird, honestly. I did not like the actual tests that West came up with. But it was interesting enough to read about. And of course there was one mean boy, out of the ten that was competing. I found him boring. He was supposed to be mean and cruel, but I thought his comments were a bit too tame. But he was mean enough. Though, well, I just wish he hadn't been there.

We did get to know two other characters, though. The royal twins. Prince Max and Princess Illian. They became friends with Faye right away, as Illian liked her. And I did like the twins too. But I felt like I got to know them a bit too little. I wanted to know more. I wanted them to hang out more, have some fun. But they were cute enough. Max is competing to become the next wizard. Though he doesn't want to. Girls are not allowed in this world, because of an evil witch over two thousand years ago. It was a little weird.

Because I forgot to mention it, I have to add it on. I did not talk about Wizard West at all. He was over two hundred and fifty years old. Then he died in his sleep. He seemed pretty self-centered and not very nice at all. He never remembered what Faye was called. And he seemed to do nothing at all. But he got better, I think. I started to like him as well. He was a pretty good person, after all. Despite now being dead and a ghost. Faye is also now a part of trying to change the world for the better, changing laws. I liked that a lot.

But I did like the plot of this story. I liked the world. And I adored most of the characters. I just found this book to be a little meh at times. Wanted it to be more epic, more exciting, more feelings. It was simply a bit too little for me. But I did enjoy it. And I'm glad that I read this. The Girl Who Kept the Castle was an adorable read. Not perfect for me, but fully great even so. I really liked Faye. And I so can't wait to read more about her in book two. I also liked the creatures in this book. Hope there will be more of them too.

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This review was first posted on my blog, Carina's Books, here: https://carinabooks.blogspot.com/2024...