How to Free a Leviathan

Giada the Healer #3

by Meg Cannistra

It’s Giada against C&C Medicinals in the fight to protect a leviathan—and all magical creatures.

Do you know a fairy with a fever? Or a sasquatch with a stomachache? Giada Bellantuono is the one to call. She’s no ordinary veterinarian. She has the power to heal all kinds of fantastic creatures!

Now she and Sinistro, her black cat familiar, have left their home in New Jersey to train with magical veterinarians around the world. And a conference in Argentina has come just in time. A company called C&C Medicinals is kidnapping and hurting magical animals to make medicine for humans. Giada knows firsthand how dangerous the company can be. She saved a unicorn from one of their henchmen just last month. Once Giada gets to Argentina, she’ll spread the word.

But there’s something suspicious going on at the conference, and Giada and Sinistro suspect that C&C Medicinals is at the root of it. Before they can do anything about it, Sinistro is kidnapped. With help from old friends and new ones, including a shy young leviathan, Giada will do whatever it takes to bring down C&C Medicinals and save Sinistro.

This third and final installment in the Giada the Healer series, which award-winning author Laura Ruby called “perfect for fans of Rick Riordan,” perfectly blends action-packed thrills with a tender exploration of grief.
 

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 14, 2025

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really wonderful third installment in the Giada the Healer series. We have loved the series and were excited to see what happened next with Giada, Sinistro and her friends. This third book is filled with lots of action and adventure as well as heart warming parts that touch on grief. I enjoyed that the author explored more than sadness when talking about grief and how it can manifest differently for each person or even day to day.

I listened to the audiobook version of the book and really enjoyed the audiobook narrator's performance of the material. She really brought Giada to life for me as well as the other characters in the story.

I won't lie and say I'm a little bummed that this is third and final installment in the series but I did love to hear that ending because it leaves the door open just in case. I would love to hear about more of Giada's adventures in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers of this book for the early audiobook access in exchange for my honest review.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This trilogy wraps well with hints for future books if the author chooses.
Readers join Giada as she travels the world with Mrs. Calamoneri on her musical tour. She is joining other magical vets for a conference and gets to meet the people in charge of the facility. After setting up the background, Cannistra brings readers along as the action unfolds. We see Giada experience an incredibly painful loss and observe how it changes her. Fortunately, she had friends who hold strong and she snaps away from the grief and anger. It's a tremendous example of continued growth in both her craft and her life.

[Emzy Strong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written piece. I made the mistake of picking up the last book first but you can still follow everything really well. The world building is wonderfully done. The characters are delightful. The plot beautifully complex and I love the multi levels of meaning. Even though I may not be the age demographic aimed for, this story still spoke to me. I will be going back and reading the other books! Please give this amazing story a chance, not matter your age!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice end to the series. Giada goes up against the evil pharmaceutical company that is killing magic animals for their magic. As usual, she and Sinistro are delightful, as is the leviathan. A little more drawn-out crisis than I like, and a little preachy about how to handle feelings at the end. But I agree with it, so worth it for kids to read. I also like how the villains she encounters are always, at least to a point, actual people (of whatever variation) and are redeemable.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to my students and they absolutely loved it! The magical creatures won over their hearts and they found themselves wanting to help!