Skylight

by Patchree Jones

For fans of Hayao Miyazaki, this middle-grade novel welcomes you to an immersive Thai fantasy where twelve-year-old best friends Sofia and Cara explore the boundaries of family, friendship, and learning to forge your own path.

Sofia Luana longs to fit into her Colorado hometown. Constantly bullied by her classmates, who see her as an outsider, Sofia only has her best friend, Cara Felicity, for support. When Sofia's parents suddenly decide to move to California, her only hope is Cara, who says her family's moving there, too.

On their plane ride halfway across the country, Sofia and Cara see a magical door in the clouds. The girls soon find themselves in a new land filled with a shapeshifting octopus, winged warriors, and the exiled sorceress Muet starting a war to take the throne.

With her best friend, Sofia must learn to embrace her royal Mehk lineage, figure out who can be trusted, and find the courage to make her own decisions to end the war--or else Muet and her Night Army will extinguish Sofia's skylight forever.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade

378 pages, Paperback

Published June 25, 2024

About the author

PATCHREE JONES is Thai-American author and currently lives in Southern California with her husband, two children, and one lazy dog. She has always enjoyed reading and consuming all kinds of stories throughout her entire life.

As a girl, she grew up watching Thai dramas with her mom and dreamt of being a playwright as a teen. While life took her on a different path, her love of stories never faltered. Patchree believes that everyone has a story to tell, and we are all the stars of our own narratives. It takes a fighter to share their vision with the world, and Patchree hopes to blaze the trail for all children to go after their dreams unapologetically. When she is not planning new stories in her head, she is usually reading, binge watching her favorite anime and Asian dramas, or vibing to her Thai Pop playlists.

As a debut author, she believes that writing is not for the faint of heart but every story is written one word at a time. Her forthcoming middle-grade novel, SKYLIGHT, will be her debut work of fiction and is slated for publication on June 25, 2024 with Sorra Books.

Reviews

[George Jreije · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Skylight, Jones delivers a thrilling debut that transports us across realms.

Readers are sure to cheer on heroes Sofia and Cara, both because of their unwavering friendship and the unique strengths they rely on to do what is right. I could not get enough of the Thai-inspired worldbuilding as well as the way the story challenges traditional views of good versus evil!

I’m sure readers young and old will demand future installments of this gripping series!

[Rennae Kletzel-Gilham · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a new, immersive world where characters grow into their own strength with each other, this book is for you. Skylight will sweep readers away into a world filled with magic, secrets, and friendships that make you want to turn the page and see what happens next.

Young readers who enjoying getting a glimpse into the mind of the villain as well as the main character will enjoy the multiple perspectives in this new novel. Not only do we get to follow Sofia’s journey, we experience the emotions of the friends who are supporting her and the magical beings trying to use her for their own ends.

Patchree Jones delights the senses in this middle grade story by weaving elements of Thai culture throughout Sofia’s journey. This adds depth to the intrigue and fun that readers will experience and want to be a part of.

[Kate DeMaio · Rating 5 out of 5]

SKYLIGHT is a sweet story of two best friends who land a unique world they'll quickly become a part of. This book has an intriguing magic system and compelling villains that I found myself simultaneously hating and rooting for.

[quillsandpages · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started reading the book I did not know that it was a middle-grade book. After about 2 chapters I realized it 😂. But I did not stop reading it because it was interesting. I loved the vibe and kept reading. I wanted to know about the story of Sophia and what will happen to her. The ending has somewhat of a cliffhanger. I hope the story continues. I would love to see the story of both princesses and Muet progress further. On the whole, the book is very well-written with no plot holes no discrepancies, or anything out of context. If you are trying your kids to get into the reading habit you should start with this one.

Read My full review here!!
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[Hannah Conrad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Skylight a lot. It was a unique fantasy and I plan to continue the series. It did drag a little bit in the middle and there were moments where I wasn’t quite sure what was going on, which prevented this from being a five star read. But I enjoyed Sofia and Cara’s story and I enjoyed the complexity of the villains. The atmosphere of the world had a very unique feel.

[Rebecca Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story of the power of friendship, and an excellent depiction of how the line between good and evil can often get blurred! I loved all the Thai culture interwoven through Skylight, and would recommend the story to anyone who enjoys middle grade fantasy! What a lovely debut!

[Linn van den Heuvel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story had a kind of Castle in the Sky vibe, which was nice. It had a real fantasy vibe making it quite exciting to read on. I enjoyed the story and gave it 3 stars on Goodreads.

The story is about a tall girl in seventh grade, called Sofia Luana. She is used to being bullied at school and when her parents decide to move to California, she doesn't take this well. But after thinking about it for a while, Sofia decides this might actually be a good thing. And then she finds out her best friend Cara will be moving with her family too! So things might just be alright after all.

While on their plane ride and being halfway across the country, Sofia and Cara think they see some kind of magical door up in the clouds. Ofcourse they don't think this could actually be true, but soon enough they find out it really is. They suddenly find themselves in a new, mysterious land which if filled with the most fantastical things. They encounter a shapeshifting octopus (weird!), winged warriors (who look very young for this odd job) and they even meet the exiled sorceress called Muet. And this sorceress is planning to start a war to take the throne.

Sofia soon discovers that she's royalty and has to learn to embrace her royal lineage. But more importantly, she has to figure out who's to be trusted and who's not. Together with her best friend Sofia gets to learn a lot more about this strange land and its people. She needs to find the courage to make her own decisions so she can make an end to this war. Or else.. Muet and her Night Army will make sure to extinguish Sofia's skylight forever.

[Karen Hammond · Rating 4 out of 5]

The children enjoyed this magical book. They said that it reminded them of one of their favourite Studio Ghibli films. The main character was engaging and the adventure interesting. I can understand why they liked it.

[caffeinated_reads3 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this e-arc.

What I like? I really enjoyed what seemed to be a breath of fresh air amongst the saturated market of YA fantasy that is out there. The dual POV from the FMC and the one villain was a nice change in pace, especially since that there is no resolve between good and evil. It also touched lightly on the emotions we feel and develop, and how we may feel isolated.

What didn’t I like? The lack of back story. I understand that this is more for school age readers and young adult, but it felt as though it was missing some things. Why did the main villain get banished? The timeline skipped around a lot. And though it was wrapped up neatly with a bow, children seemed to rule the narrative.

I would recommend this story to even adults. A solid 4 out of 5.

[allbythebook]

DNF at 13%.

I saw the description and cover for this book and thought ti looked great - but I found it browsing in 'Fantasy', and hadn't clocked it was a 'middle grade' book. I gave it a solid try, but this simply wasn't for me as the writing was too juvenile and the characters felt too one dimensional in that style for me. Things like both girls' parents moving jobs at the same time were glossed over, and we were told rather than shown that the two had such a close friendship.

I don't think this a problem with the advertising, this was simply my problem. I suspect this might be a really intriguing read for someone twenty years younger than me!

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of this middle-grade, fantasy novel sounds like it should have been right up my alley with books I enjoy and recommend. And with a bit more editorial/story development work, it would have been!

THE POSITIVE:
The world building here was unique enough to stand out, and we were introduced to many components that could lead to a successful series built within this world. If this is a standalone book, I would recommend some of this world building condensed to the more relevant plot currently written here. Or even waiting to introduce some other (minor, in passing) characters and lands within this world at a later time to not take away from the current setting and characters.

THE NEGATIVES:
One of the main issues I had with Skylight was with the targeted audience in relation to the writing. The main characters, Sofia and Cara, are supposed to be twelve years old. But their behaviors and thoughts are oftentimes either too juvenile for that age or way too advanced. There are months (maybe even a year?) that gets fast-forwarded in the story where the girls are in a new land with people they don't know, without their parents (who must be worried about them as they disappeared one night??), and that time just skips over any conflict or emotions the characters would be dealing with during that displacement. They were technically kidnapped but then rescued by strangers, and so it sits uncomfortably with me that this isn't addressed more appropriately for younger readers (and even myself).

And then the expectations of these young girls in their new roles in the new land seem too far-fetched to be believable! I love fantasy, fiction, science-fiction. I love fables and mythology. But if you put normal people into a magical world and they no longer have their normal tendencies and you can't cohesively make their normalness work in that magical world, I really struggle with believing the plot and those "hero" characters you've introduced start to quickly unravel for me. So I'm just not sure how middle-grade readers would find the story relatable and believable.

The eBook ARC I was given access to needed at least one more grammatical revision. There were many times throughout the story where I was taken out of the flow of reading because of typos that should have been caught.

Same with revising the pacing and flow. The author would benefit from having a good editor take out the bits that aren't adding to the story cohesion, but instead distracting away from it.

Also, there is a special language used by several characters in the new land we are introduced to, where a glossary or contextual definitions would have been extremely helpful. They seem to be made up words by the author, so they can't be accurately searched for online or elsewhere. Again, as difficult and off-putting as they were for an adult, I can only imagine the struggle the target audience readers will have.

My low rating for this book is for the written condition it's currently in. But with a good editor's help: revising the plot to be most relevant, fixing the grammatical errors, providing definitions for the special language within, and adjusting the dialogue and narration for the target audience (or changing the target audience!), this could be a 4/5 stars book. I hope another stage of revision goes into this story before publication, as there is so much promise for it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced eBook copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Emilija · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publishers for providing an ARC through NetGalley.

2024 52 Book Challenge - 42) Author Debut In Second Half of 2024

This was a really cute story about a young girl and her friend who end up in a world in the sky. While I'm not the target audience, I think that it will suit middle school age very well. It wasn't massively deep, but the characters were engaging.

[Susanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars with the potential to be a 4 or 5

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

There is a great story here, but it needs editing and polishing. There's still some time until its release date, so I hope that happens.

I liked the main characters, best friends Sofia and Cara. Their relationship was central to the story and held a lot of it together. The other characters were good too, I especially liked Lek and Cara's competetiveness. However, my favourite character, despite his generally gross description, was Plaek. He just needs a big cuddle, and I'm prepared to give him it! Justice for danger-bunny.

I was a bit disappointed at the end. I felt like everything led up to a big battle that never occurred. Muet seemed to just give up, and honestly, she wasn't very scary at all. Her character could definitely be developed, especially with such an interesting backstory.

I'm excited to see what happens with this one, I'll have to reread it once it's out!

[Vik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Arc provided by NetGalley
This could have been a great story... if it was written by a teenager. The fact that it is not knocks it down to merely okay. It had a lot of promise and potential to do something new, great and interesting, and simply did not deliver.

I´ve got several issues that pulled me out of the story. First is the very simplistic writing style. I know this is a middle grade. I read middle grade, and it´s usually more complex than this. This is on par with my writing at age 14.
Tied to the general style is the characterization. Nothing is really described, imagining either characters or setting is almost impossible, and we are consantly told people´s personalities and feelings insead of being shown. Which is a pity, because the book promised a thai inspired world and mythology, yet beyond using some words, remained very superficial and nothing was explored.
My biggest issue is the switching between points of view. We jump from character to character with no warning, difficult to keep track of or orient oneself. Not to mention there is very little need to switch POVs in the first place and it would work just fine limited to just Sofia and maybe Plaek.
As for characters, most of them are really confusing and lack depth and characterization, as I mentioned already. They are more like dolls walking around just so there is someone in the scene rather than real people. The biggest standout is Plaek, and i expected him to do something interesting, but then that lead nowhere as well. Oh and the issue that everyone talks like a modern teenager, even the royals. They lack maturity, seriousness, or even sense of "this is a different world".
The story itself is a bit meandering and spends 70% being just slice of life and showing daily life of characters that lead nowhere. The villain is eluded to have some dark past that actually gives her a justification and motivation, and yet... it is never revealed? Then she just... gives up and disappears and the plot solves itself just like that, no weight to anything at all

This book could have been good if the author took her time to actually delve deep and explore all the things she introduced into the story, or at least chose something to focus on. Definitely needs some maturing and growing on the part of the author and a good editor for guidance

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Skylight by Patchree Jones is a multi-POV contemporary Middle Grade portal fantasy featuring a Thai-inspired kingdom in the sky and winged humans. Sofia and Cara are best friends living in Colorado when their moms’ job moves them to California. When they get there, the girls are taken to the kingdom in the sky where Sofia is revealed to be the lost princess and Cara learns how to fight.

What I really liked was the use of Thai culture, language, and cuisine and how it’s integrated with the sky kingdom. The veil between the sky, land, and sea kingdoms is an idea that I would love to see explored in future books as we have seen how it impacts land and sky and land and sea kingdom relations but not so much sea and air kingdom relations.

Sofia and Cara are very different characters and the POVs all felt different to me, with each character’s motivations and flaws on display as we got the chance to see the situation through their eyes. Sofia’s POV was my favorite with Muet’s at a close second because I love a villain.

I would recommend this to readers looking for a longer Middle Grade fantasy and readers looking for more Thai-inspired fantasy.

[Nancy Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been itching to increase my tally of AAPI author reads this year. And it is really cool to see a Thai-American author getting a trad book release for a story with a very heavy South-East Asian cultural influence. The vast majority of books getting trad deals in the US are either people that grew up in English speaking countries or the big 3 East Asian countries of Japan, South Korea and China.

I am trying to remember whether I have read SE Asian fantasy before, but chances are I have not. So, this book seemed quite enticing and I decided to give it a shot.

Just like plenty of fantasy books, Skylight is the Coming of Age story starring a seemingly ordinary girl living in the US named Sophie. She is treated like an outcast because of her darker skin and tall height. And news flash: we discover she is really the missing princess of a magical realm in the clouds!!! While the blurb states this book has a strong Ghibli influence, quite frankly it resembles a Thai version of Sleeping Beauty with a large focus on the Maleficient POV.

Most of the story focuses on the friendship between Sophie and her more assertive friend Cara. Unlike plenty of books, this friendship has zero toxicity to it. They might bicker once or twice, but the interactions are very supportive and definitely not focused on drooling over boys. While their conversations never really become particularly deep (which is a surprise given the truths that are unraveled as the story progresses), this wasn't a deal breaker for me because this book is aimed at a Middle Grade audience.

Violence is not gratuitous, and the scant deaths that occur in the story aren't particularly gruesome. I think Mufasa's death in Disney's the Lion King was far more violent than any scene in this book. In case anyone notices something amiss, no, the words peppered all over the book are not fantasy words. They are real words and phrases of the Thai language. Since Thailand doesn't have much cultural influence in the Americas in comparison to East Asia, it doesn't surprise me the average reader never connected the dots.

I recognized quite a handful of the words because I watched some introductory Thai language videos on youtube. If I ever have the time, I would like to continue learning more Thai script. I only learned Nanul very well. ^_^'

Regarding the Thai words, none of them are italicized, which as a Spanish speaker was very nice because to me, it feels like Thai is not being othered. I think this was a purposeful decision by the publisher because it caters to Muslim authors, so editors are quite used to working with billingual books. Don't worry, there is a nice glossary at the end of the book with English translations.

The scenes where Sophie and Cara mingle with Sophie's 3 bodyguards Chai, Song and Lek are the highlights of the book. This is more of a character driven story, and not so much plot. In fact, the first third of the story doesn't seem to have any conflict at all. The scant sense of danger doesn't start until the halfway point of the book and never becomes particularly dark. I liked how the antagonist and villain of the story aren't just cookie cutter 'insert generic villain here' characters, they have their own motives, weaknesses and good aspects. In reality, I don't think there is a villain at all in the book. Kind of the same as in the Princess Mononoke movie where every character is somewhat morally grey.

Now, here's the bad news. Since I read the finished book, I can't say if it had editing improvements over the ARCs. While I didn't spot any typos or book formatting issues, I do feel the book is good but it just needed more dev editing to really shine. I love bodyguard tropes, and this book fulfills that well. What the book doesn't do nearly as well is a bit more line editing and a rather anemic lack of description.

Some paragraphs in the book are slightly confusing and I had to read them a second, and even a third time to know just exactly what was happening. The palace is touted to be large and elegant, but we never quite know if it is made out a specific material. Cloud cement? Fluffy hardened cloud? Or is it a normal building that floats on the cloud land? Is there real soil? The book mentions there is soil and caves, but is it mixed with clouds? Cloud mud? I spent an inordinate amount of time having no idea if this magical realm is hardened cloud or floating buildings. We also never visit the city and meet the peasants. It is insinuated there is a city, but nothing is ever mentioned. I felt that missing. The technology was another thing I would have wanted to learn more about. There are steam engine carriages with high tech robotics and missles in one chapter, and yet over 90% of the novel, nobody uses any kind of modern technology. There is one tv screen in the palace. While the cloud world called Mehk is separated from the human world, everyone in the palace should be knowledgeable about modern human technology. The 3 bodyguards knew how to operate the mechanical carriage without any issue.

A few more dev editing rounds would have really ironed the scope of technology of the Mehk world. The fact that the Mehk people have developed combat styles for their peers that had their angel wings chopped off in the battlefield means they don't have the technology to create prosthetic wings or airplanes. There is never an explanation why Sophie doesn't have any scars on her body from her missing wings or her lack of horns. There are no scenes where she asks someone if they were removed with magic and that's the reason for the lack of markings.

Anyhow, chances are the target audience of this book won't pay too much attention to these issues, but I do think some readers would have wanted Cara in particular to have felt greater culture shock. The combat training scenes are quite well done, but I did feel learning how two humans adapt to a floating invisible cloud world could have used additional screentime.

Despite these issues, I like the author's writing style and the way the book ends. I will certainly like to read book 2 when it comes out.

[Crimson Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to say a huge thank u to Netgalley for an advanced ARC of this book

This is a middle grade fantasy book and is very gast Paced and very character focused, the story for me was fun and I enjoyed seeing the character growth and how rhe story played out.... its fun and many characters u get to like. I am glad I read this

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

What worked:
The plot will be familiar as a baby is sent to another world to protect her from an evil sorceress. Sofia is unaware her “parents” have been protecting her on Earth since she’s the princess of a kingdom she’s never known. Upon her return to the skies, Sofia manifests previously unknown powers that connect her with nature although she struggles to control it. The author adds the possibility that a spy may be lurking in the palace so readers will begin suspecting every character they meet. The palace is supposed to be impenetrable so how did the sorceress know Sofia was coming? The author includes something unusual about Sofia’s best friend Cara which hints that her character may have a secret. It’s not uncommon in middle-grade books where seemingly innocent characters turn out to have devious intentions.
Sofia’s personality and relationships will endear her to young readers. She has an open mind about her new life in Skylight but she misses the “parents” she grew up with on Earth. The kingdom is at war with the sorceress and her Night Army so Sofia is being trained to fight. However, she doesn’t want to hurt others and she doesn’t do well on her combat tests. Sofia and Cara have grown up almost as sisters on Earth and they remain inseparable in the sky kingdom. Sofia may be the taller, larger character but Cara quickly masters new fighting skills and will defend the princess whenever needed. Cara’s extremely competitive and won’t back down from any challenge.
The author includes some unexpected twists after Sofia is captured by the sorceress. People inside the palace think she’s behaving strangely and wonder what’s caused the changes. Sofia begins to wonder who she can trust and doesn’t understand what’s made Muet want to attack the royal family and the kingdom. Why was she exiled? Being new to the conflict means Sofia doesn’t have any preconceived ideas regarding who’s right or wrong. She considers Muet’s grievances without judging and is willing to consider the possibility that Muet may have some valid reasons for being angry. Sofia doesn’t make a formal decision about Muet but she believes there must be a way to end this war. Readers shouldn’t assume the “good guys” are always right as the story provides some food for thought.
What didn’t work as well:
The author includes some Skylight vocabulary and speech that isn’t necessary as the plot moves along. It helps to develop the setting and most of the words and phrases can be figured out through context. Most of the narrative is in English so the Mehk vocabulary isn’t necessary as the story goes on. Also, some of Sofia’s thoughts about who to trust are irrational based on previous descriptions and experiences of the characters.
The final verdict:
The adventure in the sky is entertaining with the interactions between Sofia and Muet being the most intriguing part of the story. Cara’s competitive nature contributes humor to the narrative and adds action scenes to spice things up. Overall, young readers should enjoy the book and I recommend you give it a shot.

[Nimph Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this, in return for an honest review.

Skylight is a beautiful Middle Grade book.

I think, this is a great entry to get younger readers used to the sort of things they will find in books outside of the Middle Grade books. We have some hints and uses of Skylight vocabulary, which although does not add to the plot, this is part of making you feel part of the world. The worldbuilding has a little more depth to it than other Middle Grade books I have read.

The story itself is familiar, it has tropes we are all used to encountering, making it feel homely, but at the same time, it doesn't feel like the "same" story. We have some interesting character development, and I regularly see the comment that "the character has internal thoughts, that are irrational". They are not, not really, just because people around you do something, and act a certain way, that doesn't have the same impact on everyone. The thoughts make sense for the character, the decisions they make can be unexpected because we expect them to do something we want, rather than what they should. This is a great experience to teach.

I love the twists and turns that this one took. I love the questions we have to ask ourselves, and wait for the answers to develop. Overall this journey was great fun. I loved it. I really recommend this to younger readers who will love it.

[Weslei Oliveira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got an eArc with NetGalley and this is definitely a series that I want to follow, there were some problems with pacing, but it's an eArc, thats kinda expected it will probably have some changes in the final version, but this one is really interesting, the description says it's similar to Aru Shah but honestly the plot of the book reminds more of the Cameron Battle Duology. I'm latino so I didn't knew too much about Thai culture and I did had the same thing with the Cameron Battle series and Igbo inspiration, where in most of the book I was questioning "Is this a part of the irl mithology/culture of them or something that the writer created specifically for the series?" But honestly this book was great, I liked the two main characthers, the Muet and the shapeshifter were interesting villains, there's a lot of explore about them. I still don't know how Plaek is supposed to look, I imagined him kinda like Vilgax from Ben10, like an humanoid creature but with the face of a octopus, but some of his chapters were interesting, The second book seems like we are gonna see the mermaid kingdom, definitely will check it out.

[Lia Anshar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story about Sofia Luana who is used to being bullied in her Colorado school. After her parents suddenly decide to move to California, Sofia's only hope is her best friend, Cara Felicity, who says her family's moving to California, too.

On their plane ride halfway across the country, Sofia and Cara see a magical door in the clouds. The girls soon find themselves in a new land filled with a shapeshifting octopus, winged warriors, and the exiled sorceress, Muet, starting a war to take the throne. 

With her best friend, Sofia must learn to embrace her royal lineage, figure out who can be trusted, and find the courage to make her own decisions to end the war, or else Muet and her Night Army will extinguish Sofia's skylight forever.
This book has a good story but I think it can be polished to be much better. The story moves quickly and I felt like I was in the middle of the story with no back story to help explain what I was reading. I think it would be better if there was some explanation of what was going on with the characters.

[Amy Wolford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skylight follows two best friends, Sofia and Cara, who find themselves in a magical land reminiscent of Castle in the Sky. It is a unique world that is easy to follow perfect for middle grade readers. The story is told from different POVs we even see glimpses of the villains as well.

Sofia is a very relatable character. She is a young girl learning who she is and not liking when adults make decisions for her without discussing it with her. I remember feeling like that when I was her age.

The story does move quickly which I felt hindered it. It felt like I was in the middle of the story with no back story to help explain what I was reading. I would have liked more explanation of what was going on around the characters.

I am interested in the next in the series in hopes that we get more exploration of this world. This is a good read if you like fantasy in the same vein as a Studio Ghibli film.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of Skylight.

[R Kilpatick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book.

Skylight is a book of discovery and change. It is a book of embracing who you are. It is a book of love. I was on a hunt to find a book similar to one I read maybe 7 years ago ,when I was 12 years old. I was searching for this magical but still childish feeling. And if you search for that feeling too, then this book is perfect for that. It definitely delivered what I was searching for and it was a fresh taste of childhood that I needed. I do think some of the writing did read a bit young but obviously, as a 17 year old, I am not the intended audience of this book. However, putting myself in the mind of an 11 year old, I loved it. I am rating this 3 stars, purely based off of how much I enjoyed the book. I did enjoy it, however there were parts which made me cringe which I understand people of the intended audience would find fun.

[alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such an enchanting and sweet read! Skylight follows two best friends who are whisked away to a magical land where they begin a journey full of discoveries. I found the writing easy to follow and enjoyed the unique world building. I also loved the bonds that are developed between characters, and how the book touches on friendship and family.

I really enjoyed being reading from the perspectives of various characters, but there were moments I would find myself confused when the perspective shifted mid chapter. There were times I also wished the story would show rather than tell what happened between characters, which I think would've made me more invested in the story. However I did like how the last few chapters of the story unfolded, and how it all concluded nicely. Overall, this was a fun, lighthearted story that I think I would've loved even more when I was younger!

[Haleigh Gravgaard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skylight, blending elements from 'Aru Shah' and Hayao Miyazaki's 'Castle in the Sky,' introduces readers to the magical world through the eyes of twelve-year-old best friends Sofia and Cara. The premise holds promise, but the execution leaves room for improvement.

Introducing magical creatures and the exiled sorceress, Muet adds an exciting layer to the story. Still, the narrative occasionally feels rushed, leaving little room for readers to fully immerse themselves in the fantasy. The complexities of embracing royal lineage and navigating trust issues are hinted at, but they could benefit from deeper exploration.

In summary, Skylight's blend of fantasy and real-world challenges shows potential. Still, it needs more pacing, world-building, and character development refinement to fully deliver on its premise's captivating promise.

While I know I am not the book’s target audience and the book isn’t for me, it won’t stop me from recommending it to my nieces, who are within the book’s target audience.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Our world is full of beauty and grace that has withstood the trials of anger and chaos. Even the brightest rainbow needs a torrential storm to fill the skies before it arrives..”

A fun and adventurous MG fantasy book unlike any I have read before full of Thai mythology and culture, beautifully sprinkled with Thai language throughout the dialogue.

I really enjoyed following both Sofia and Cara, loved their friendship and how they both navigated the twists and turns befalling them as they transported from the home as they knew it to a whole new realm.

Fast paced with intriguing plot that leaves you with a very interesting end that is a bit of a cliffhanger but holds you well enough to the next book.

A great read, highly recommend to fans of middle grade fantasy derived or inspired by cultural mythology and strong cultural representation.

[Tales Untangled · Rating 3 out of 5]

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Shush Books.
I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Romance: Some of the characters like each other and it causes some jealousy
POV: Omniscient (meaning the narrator can hop into anyone's head for their emotions and thoughts)

SKYLIGHT reminds me of a simplified version of an epic fantasy to meet its audience's needs. It's a little long for reluctant readers. But kids that are searching for new books and eat them up will love the chunkiness of this one.

Things to look forward to:
- Portal fantasy
- Lost royalty
- Fantastical creatures
- Wicked antagonist
- Betrayal
- Training sequence

I think kids will enjoy this adventure fantasy.
Happy reading!

[‎‧₊˚✧tes✧˚₊‧‎]

I do acknowledge that I am 17% into this. HOWEVER, I will unfortunately put this down. The writing style isn't really something that impressed me from the beginning so I couldn't get into the story. I know this is middle grade and am starting to think I shouldn't pick up middle grade books from now on. All in all I am very sorry I had to DNF but I felt like it was better to stop in time and not leave a bad review solely because it's not the writing style I like and usually lean to.
So I am just deciding not to continue because of all that.

[Sails and Scales]

DNF’d around 45%.

The characters seemed to act far too young for the age, and they don’t seem to mind that they were kidnapped and then rescued. They’re like emotionless, hollow shells of characters. There were also some world-related vocabulary words that were too hard to keep track of to be able to understand what was going on. That, combined with the constant “telling” of things instead of showing anything finally sent me to the point where I was no longer interested in finishing.

[Gayle Krause · Rating 4 out of 5]

SKYLIGHT is a wonderful story about two best friends and the power of their friendship. Both girls are moving to a new town, and they have no idea that they will find more than a new place to live. They land in a unique world where the lines between good and evil are hard to distinguish. With its intriguing magic system and Thai culture, Jone’s Skylight is an excellent middle-grade fantasy.