What do you think?
Rate this book
Isle of Ever #1
Isle of Ever
Winner of a 2025 Good Housekeeping Best Kids' Books Award!
A New York Times Bestseller
Read with Jenna Jr. Summer Reading List Pick!
"[An] atmospheric fantasy ride."—Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
"Fast-paced and satisfying."—School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
"I couldn't put it down!"—Stuart Gibbs, New York Times bestselling author of the Spy School series
Two hundred years ago, an island disappeared. Benny has just two weeks to find it.
Everly "Benny" Benedict and her mom have always managed to get by, though they're broke most of the time. But all that could change. Benny's just learned she's the sole heir to the vast fortune of Evelyn Terry, a mysterious ancestor from the 1800s!
There's a catch, though. First Benny needs to play—and win—a following clues that are more than a century old, she must find her way to the tiny island Evelyn wrote about in her diary. It was somewhere off the shoreline of Evelyn's home town, but according to legend, it vanished long ago and hasn't appeared on maps for hundreds of years. Yet Benny has only a couple weeks to locate it.
If she's successful, she'll collect the inheritance. But what if there's more than a fortune at stake in this game? What if Benny has to break an ancient curse to win?
A New York Times Bestseller
Read with Jenna Jr. Summer Reading List Pick!
"[An] atmospheric fantasy ride."—Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
"Fast-paced and satisfying."—School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
"I couldn't put it down!"—Stuart Gibbs, New York Times bestselling author of the Spy School series
Two hundred years ago, an island disappeared. Benny has just two weeks to find it.
Everly "Benny" Benedict and her mom have always managed to get by, though they're broke most of the time. But all that could change. Benny's just learned she's the sole heir to the vast fortune of Evelyn Terry, a mysterious ancestor from the 1800s!
There's a catch, though. First Benny needs to play—and win—a following clues that are more than a century old, she must find her way to the tiny island Evelyn wrote about in her diary. It was somewhere off the shoreline of Evelyn's home town, but according to legend, it vanished long ago and hasn't appeared on maps for hundreds of years. Yet Benny has only a couple weeks to locate it.
If she's successful, she'll collect the inheritance. But what if there's more than a fortune at stake in this game? What if Benny has to break an ancient curse to win?
328 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 25, 2025
93 people are currently reading
10235 people want to read
About the author
Jen Calonita
109 books3,643 followersHi Goodreads!
I'm Jen Calonita, a MG and YA author who loves what I do because it lets me connect with all of you (and no, I wasn't intending for that to rhyme!).
I've been writing ever since I can remember, but it was fourth grade when I put my "three wishes" for a genie down on paper. They were:
#1. Buy all the Cabbage Patch Kids in the world and give them away for free (because apparently that was how I rolled).
#2. I wanted a mansion, limo, lake house, pool and speed boat (still sounds quite nice).
#3. I wanted to be an author for young readers, which I am!
I love writing novels for teens (and for savvy grown ups who know that YA rocks at any age). My first series was "Secrets of My Hollywood Life" and it followed a teen star named Kaitlin Burke who struggled with the fame game. I have also written the stand-alone novels Sleepaway Girls, it's companion book, Summer State of Mind and the Belles series.
I've been writing middle grade too and am having so much fun with my series Fairy Tale Reform School! The fourth book in this series about a school run by former villains is called Tricked and will be out March 2018. Ever wonder what it would be like if your parents got a job with someone like Taylpr Swift? My other middle grade series, VIP, follows super fan Mackenzie Lowell as she tours with her favorite band, Perfect Storm.
I promise to give book updates here, and on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or my website. I hope I hear from you!
xo
Jen
I'm Jen Calonita, a MG and YA author who loves what I do because it lets me connect with all of you (and no, I wasn't intending for that to rhyme!).
I've been writing ever since I can remember, but it was fourth grade when I put my "three wishes" for a genie down on paper. They were:
#1. Buy all the Cabbage Patch Kids in the world and give them away for free (because apparently that was how I rolled).
#2. I wanted a mansion, limo, lake house, pool and speed boat (still sounds quite nice).
#3. I wanted to be an author for young readers, which I am!
I love writing novels for teens (and for savvy grown ups who know that YA rocks at any age). My first series was "Secrets of My Hollywood Life" and it followed a teen star named Kaitlin Burke who struggled with the fame game. I have also written the stand-alone novels Sleepaway Girls, it's companion book, Summer State of Mind and the Belles series.
I've been writing middle grade too and am having so much fun with my series Fairy Tale Reform School! The fourth book in this series about a school run by former villains is called Tricked and will be out March 2018. Ever wonder what it would be like if your parents got a job with someone like Taylpr Swift? My other middle grade series, VIP, follows super fan Mackenzie Lowell as she tours with her favorite band, Perfect Storm.
I promise to give book updates here, and on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or my website. I hope I hear from you!
xo
Jen
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
August 21, 2025
"Find Everly Benedict, age 12, June 2025.
She is the key to saving us all."
✏️ Review ✏️
Isle of Ever starts out on the slower side but certainly finishes with a fast-paced, cliffhanger ending. With many unsuspected plot twists, an intriguing game of hidden clues, a mysterious island, and a deadline that looms ever closer as the story progresses, Isle of Ever provides for an exciting adventure that interestingly enough mostly takes place in the year 2025. So while the plot does feel slow and uneventful at first, it does speed up, especially with the last several chapters.
And the fantastical concepts of this story? Ok, they're cool and fascinating but... (*cringe* 😬) there's some elements that are just plain underdeveloped. If you want to take my word for it, then save yourself some time and skip this paragraph; but if you're interested in more info on this aspect, then by all means keep on reading. Example #1 (I'll be brief, I hope 😉): Two of the characters have the "gift of sight," which allows them to see into people's futures — that last clause is something that has to be inferred because that's not specifically stated and, as I said, it's soooo underdeveloped. So, yeah, although this "gift of sight" is thrown around many times and is central to many of the story's elements, it's never explained on how the characters received this, how it works or what it actually is. Example #2: Now if there's anything in Isle of Ever that should be substantially developed, it would be the mysterious, disappearing island, right? Yup. But it didn't hit me until after reading this book just how much I don't even really know about this island. I mean, it's not even mentioned where this island came from. 🤷🏼 I really was looking forward to some tangible world building here. But, sadly, that doesn't happen. Example #3: The treasure of immortality. Sounds like there's ideas going on there for some exciting potential, wouldn't you think? Sorry, guess again please. 🙃 Because the name is about all you'll know about that treasure other than that it consists of shiny gold coins and can make you immortal if you have a coin in your possession at the same time you're on the island — but then again I'm not even sure if that's totally correct either (because the book isn't really clear on this).... And where did this treasure come from? Who put it on the island? Why do you need to have all the treasure in the treasure chest to break your immortality? As you can see, I was asking myself more questions than I ever got answers for.... But there's more to discuss. Example #4: One of the characters mentions in passing that those individuals who have obtained immortality can never leave the local Greenport area. Why? No answer... and supposedly this is supposed to be another crucial element to the whole immortality thing!? 🤦🏼Example #5: This example is an element that seems just randomly thrown into the story. Here's what it is: Those individuals who have the "gift of sight" can have dreams of revelation: "'I have seen him in my dreams.... Several times in fact.'" Tbh, I felt kinda weirded out by this one. 😬 That's just my take on it and maybe if it would have been explained better I wouldn't have felt this way! But it seems very randomly thrown into the story, although it's not very crucial to the plot. Changing gears now...
Isle of Ever's dual-time storyline does deliver a different sort of intrigue to it, as secrets and mysteries from both times are revealed and connected. The characters and writing didn't stick out to me as super impressive; so kinda average. The plot definitely takes the cake for this story although, sadly, as I explained earlier many elements were very underdeveloped. But there's still a fair amount of intrigue and mystery to the storyline despite the aforementioned deficiencies.
While Isle of Ever steered towards the average median for me, I'd still recommend to others. There's many clues, puzzles, and mysteries waiting to be solved.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📊 A Quick Overview 📊
👍🏼 What I Liked:
• The combination of solving puzzles, clues, and mysteries and the urgency of a looming deadline.
• The last several chapters — heightens the suspense and excitement.
👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• The many underdeveloped elements of the storyline.
• The beginning part of the story — just didn't seem to draw me in too much.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓
— Would I recommend this book? Yes.*
— To whom? To those who enjoy dual-time, middle grade fiction adventures that have a game-themed plot with many puzzles, clues, and mysteries.
*(Note: I leave it up to each individual to decide the maturity and discernment level required to read the books I recommend, based on my content warnings below [in my Book Breakdown]. My content warnings [if any] should always be considered alongside my recommendations when deciding who these books are best suited for.)
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 3/5)
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 3/5
— 📝 Writing: 2.5/5
— 👥 Characters: 3/5
~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)
— 🤬 Language: 1/5
• Two vain uses of God's name, one use of "cr*p," one use of "h*ll," and one use of "heck."
— ⚔️ Violence: 0/5
— ⚠️ Sexual: 0/5
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📣 Random Comments 📣
• Content note: One of the FMCs is described as having premonitions.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
💬 Favorite Quotes 💬
• (None)
She is the key to saving us all."
✏️ Review ✏️
Isle of Ever starts out on the slower side but certainly finishes with a fast-paced, cliffhanger ending. With many unsuspected plot twists, an intriguing game of hidden clues, a mysterious island, and a deadline that looms ever closer as the story progresses, Isle of Ever provides for an exciting adventure that interestingly enough mostly takes place in the year 2025. So while the plot does feel slow and uneventful at first, it does speed up, especially with the last several chapters.
And the fantastical concepts of this story? Ok, they're cool and fascinating but... (*cringe* 😬) there's some elements that are just plain underdeveloped. If you want to take my word for it, then save yourself some time and skip this paragraph; but if you're interested in more info on this aspect, then by all means keep on reading. Example #1 (I'll be brief, I hope 😉): Two of the characters have the "gift of sight," which allows them to see into people's futures — that last clause is something that has to be inferred because that's not specifically stated and, as I said, it's soooo underdeveloped. So, yeah, although this "gift of sight" is thrown around many times and is central to many of the story's elements, it's never explained on how the characters received this, how it works or what it actually is. Example #2: Now if there's anything in Isle of Ever that should be substantially developed, it would be the mysterious, disappearing island, right? Yup. But it didn't hit me until after reading this book just how much I don't even really know about this island. I mean, it's not even mentioned where this island came from. 🤷🏼 I really was looking forward to some tangible world building here. But, sadly, that doesn't happen. Example #3: The treasure of immortality. Sounds like there's ideas going on there for some exciting potential, wouldn't you think? Sorry, guess again please. 🙃 Because the name is about all you'll know about that treasure other than that it consists of shiny gold coins and can make you immortal if you have a coin in your possession at the same time you're on the island — but then again I'm not even sure if that's totally correct either (because the book isn't really clear on this).... And where did this treasure come from? Who put it on the island? Why do you need to have all the treasure in the treasure chest to break your immortality? As you can see, I was asking myself more questions than I ever got answers for.... But there's more to discuss. Example #4: One of the characters mentions in passing that those individuals who have obtained immortality can never leave the local Greenport area. Why? No answer... and supposedly this is supposed to be another crucial element to the whole immortality thing!? 🤦🏼Example #5: This example is an element that seems just randomly thrown into the story. Here's what it is: Those individuals who have the "gift of sight" can have dreams of revelation: "'I have seen him in my dreams.... Several times in fact.'" Tbh, I felt kinda weirded out by this one. 😬 That's just my take on it and maybe if it would have been explained better I wouldn't have felt this way! But it seems very randomly thrown into the story, although it's not very crucial to the plot. Changing gears now...
Isle of Ever's dual-time storyline does deliver a different sort of intrigue to it, as secrets and mysteries from both times are revealed and connected. The characters and writing didn't stick out to me as super impressive; so kinda average. The plot definitely takes the cake for this story although, sadly, as I explained earlier many elements were very underdeveloped. But there's still a fair amount of intrigue and mystery to the storyline despite the aforementioned deficiencies.
"I know now that you can break the curse[, Evelyn].
Find the island.
Save them.
All of them.
I'm counting on you."
While Isle of Ever steered towards the average median for me, I'd still recommend to others. There's many clues, puzzles, and mysteries waiting to be solved.
"'"The game is far from over. In fact, it's only just begun."'"
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📊 A Quick Overview 📊
👍🏼 What I Liked:
• The combination of solving puzzles, clues, and mysteries and the urgency of a looming deadline.
• The last several chapters — heightens the suspense and excitement.
👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• The many underdeveloped elements of the storyline.
• The beginning part of the story — just didn't seem to draw me in too much.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓
— Would I recommend this book? Yes.*
— To whom? To those who enjoy dual-time, middle grade fiction adventures that have a game-themed plot with many puzzles, clues, and mysteries.
*(Note: I leave it up to each individual to decide the maturity and discernment level required to read the books I recommend, based on my content warnings below [in my Book Breakdown]. My content warnings [if any] should always be considered alongside my recommendations when deciding who these books are best suited for.)
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 3/5)
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 3/5
— 📝 Writing: 2.5/5
— 👥 Characters: 3/5
~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)
— 🤬 Language: 1/5
• Two vain uses of God's name, one use of "cr*p," one use of "h*ll," and one use of "heck."
— ⚔️ Violence: 0/5
— ⚠️ Sexual: 0/5
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📣 Random Comments 📣
• Content note: One of the FMCs is described as having premonitions.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
💬 Favorite Quotes 💬
• (None)
October 25, 2024
When is the next one coming out???? LOVED THIS!
November 18, 2024
Started off slow but I really appreciate this magical realism multigenerational mystery
Want to read
May 21, 2025guys the e-book is only $1.99 on amazon rn!! and I’ve heard its clean :)
November 2, 2024
Phenomenal book written by Jen Calonita. I’m so happy I got the privilege to read this book early thanks to NetGalley. I didn’t want to put it down. When the book is officially out, I will be purchasing it immediately! And I am looking forward to the rest of the series as this book had me on the edge of my seat.
March 27, 2025
I'm not the target audience for this book, but it was an enjoyable and entertaining read. The pacing was quite high, the characters were relatable, the adventures were intriguing and I absolutely loved the diary fragments from the past. I also liked the scenery and how vivid this place felt. I will also for sure check out the sequel as soon as it's available. Some questions were answered in this book, but I have quite a few more questions and I hope those will be answered in the next one. I'm sure another great adventure is waiting for us!
December 18, 2024
Who wouldn't want to inherit a fortune?? You just have to find a secret island. This should be a breeze for 12 year old Everly "Benny" Benedict who is a whiz with riddles. Two weeks to break a curse? Psshh. Easy peasy.
An incredible new middle grade I read with my son, can't wait for book 2!!!!
An incredible new middle grade I read with my son, can't wait for book 2!!!!
March 22, 2025
First received an eARC from NetGalley.
Finished book in one sitting while getting hair done. I personally hate books that go back in forth in time at least most of the time. It doesn’t usually flow well. However, it didn’t bother me this time. I enjoyed the characters and the story. It had some nice twists that you wouldn’t suspect right away. Love the puzzles and how it doesn’t magically solve in a minute.
Looking forward to the next chapter in this port to see how it plays out.
Finished book in one sitting while getting hair done. I personally hate books that go back in forth in time at least most of the time. It doesn’t usually flow well. However, it didn’t bother me this time. I enjoyed the characters and the story. It had some nice twists that you wouldn’t suspect right away. Love the puzzles and how it doesn’t magically solve in a minute.
Looking forward to the next chapter in this port to see how it plays out.
May 28, 2025
I received an ARC copy from Source books. This is my honest review.
This book is amazing and very well written.
At the beginning, it’s a little slow, then it gets suspenseful.
And not just that, but it ends on a cliffhanger too!!(which I am still fussing over).
At first, I liked Ryan better than Zara. But at the end it switched.
Anyway, this totally is 5 stars and seriously, I can’t wait for book 2!!!
This book is amazing and very well written.
At the beginning, it’s a little slow, then it gets suspenseful.
And not just that, but it ends on a cliffhanger too!!(which I am still fussing over).
At first, I liked Ryan better than Zara. But at the end it switched.
Anyway, this totally is 5 stars and seriously, I can’t wait for book 2!!!
March 26, 2025
~ this is such a fun book!! Magical realism is some of my absolute favorite works so this was right up my alley, especially with the pirate atmosphere we had going on! I loved the mystery and eery yet generational atmosphere of the island and the game she has to play.
Thank you to source books kids!
Thank you to source books kids!
Want to read
November 5, 2024"The first in a brand new series featuring a girl who will inherit a mysterious fortune if she can break a centuries-old curse!"
i love a game
i love a game
September 2, 2025
I have to write a review for this so I can stop thinking about it, because I was up last night thinking about all the ways it frustrated me, and I need to just be done.
This book has good bones. It is clear that it came from a place of love and Jen's own childhood adventures. Many of the ideas - including the Fountain of Youth, pirates and treasure, eternal life, some history of the Cough Epidemic - are all interesting in their own right. However, the execution of this book is where it fell apart. For me, this started with the many, many basic proofreading errors littered throughout this book. I thought it would be just one, so I went ahead and emailed her agent (she doesn't have a direct contact anywhere) and let him know about the error. Turns out, I should have just finished the whole book and then sent the note because that one was just the beginning.
Here are all the ones I caught.
Pg 144-5th paragraph from the top-the line currently reads "On the island?" Benny wondered for a second. "I guess it could be, but she said we needed the key for the next clue, so it has to be something with can find."
According to the accompanying audiobook, the line should read "so it has to be something we can find."
Pg 149-last paragraph-the line currently reads "Zara grinned. "Bingo." She looked at Benny. This is wild! "
There are quotation marks at the end of this paragraph of Zara talking on the next page, but none to start the paragraph of her talking on page 149. There should be quotation marks between She looked at Benny and This is wild!
Pg 164-In the fifth paragraph-There is a line that currently reads "That's the same year the trust was made Benny realized She flipped it over to see if the painting had a fake back or any openings."
There is clearly punctuation missing in this sentence, likely a comma after "made" and a period after "realized".
Pg 234-second to last paragraph-There is an extra set of quotation marks before Zara's dialogue, which currently reads ""It's a pouch! Like the one in the painting from the attic."
The frustrating thing about this is that it makes the book read like it is an assignment for college where the student decided they were okay with having 3-5 grammatical errors because they would still get a B or a C on the assignment. But this isn't a college essay, and this was looked over by more than just a bleary-eyed college kid burned out because of finals.
This is where I acknowledge that I probably know a sliver of the pressures and crazy constraints that are being put on people, specifically editors, in the publishing industry right now. I've heard that many editors aren't given proper time to review a project and are having to rely on having AI scan their projects for errors at several stages of the process to meet deadlines. Therefore, I am in no way bashing the editor of this book and am pointing out a larger problem with the industry as a whole. However, the editing mistakes made this book go from a fun adventure to one disappointment after another as the mistakes built.
The second thing, which other reviewers pointed out in their reviews of the ARCs, is that a lot of the ideas aren't fleshed out enough (if you take just a second to think about them.)
How did the original pirates get to the island? What really happened with the rest of the Captain's crew? How does he both know that he's been lost in time and also think he can get off the island to go back to the people he loves (which again, he waffles about, sometimes saying they're lost and sometimes expecting that if he sets everything right he can return to them). How did Evelyn make it to the island, because the back route that the kids find at the end isn't the same as the place Evelyn and her friends entered from?
There are many questions about Aggy and her whole "gift of sight" thing (which I swear, every time I read that, I saw the "you have the sight?" meme from the Shadowhunters TV show.)
How did her family get "the sight"? If it's a genetic thing, then why doesn't Zara have it? If it wasn't witchcraft, which is brought up and then shut down, then what alternative magic did they use? What is the delineation between stuff Aggy can see and what she can't (because there are things that caught her off guard, and she says she can't see "the end", but she can see far enough to give Evelyn the clue). Is their magic tied to the Blood Moon? If they are healers, why can't they heal Aggy? Do they let her be sick because she's supposed to motivate Evelyn to get her friends to the island? Also, do they have anything to do with the reason that the eternally young kids can't leave the area? That seems like a random rule, especially if they would probably need to leave to be undetected.
The Letters-If Aggy got to the island and right before that she gave Evelyn the note about Everly, then the island disappeared, how did Evelyn get Aggy the rest of the notes about the rest of the game that Ansel has when they are finally all able to get back to the island in the end? There's no way that she could have gotten that information to her friends by the logic of this book.
Anyway, these are just some of the frustrations I had with the overall plot. Again, I think there's something here. It's just sunken treasure under a sea of unfinished plotlines and poor editing. I have loved a lot of Calonita's writing in the past, which makes this book and its poor execution a bummer.
This book has good bones. It is clear that it came from a place of love and Jen's own childhood adventures. Many of the ideas - including the Fountain of Youth, pirates and treasure, eternal life, some history of the Cough Epidemic - are all interesting in their own right. However, the execution of this book is where it fell apart. For me, this started with the many, many basic proofreading errors littered throughout this book. I thought it would be just one, so I went ahead and emailed her agent (she doesn't have a direct contact anywhere) and let him know about the error. Turns out, I should have just finished the whole book and then sent the note because that one was just the beginning.
Here are all the ones I caught.
Pg 144-5th paragraph from the top-the line currently reads "On the island?" Benny wondered for a second. "I guess it could be, but she said we needed the key for the next clue, so it has to be something with can find."
According to the accompanying audiobook, the line should read "so it has to be something we can find."
Pg 149-last paragraph-the line currently reads "Zara grinned. "Bingo." She looked at Benny. This is wild! "
There are quotation marks at the end of this paragraph of Zara talking on the next page, but none to start the paragraph of her talking on page 149. There should be quotation marks between She looked at Benny and This is wild!
Pg 164-In the fifth paragraph-There is a line that currently reads "That's the same year the trust was made Benny realized She flipped it over to see if the painting had a fake back or any openings."
There is clearly punctuation missing in this sentence, likely a comma after "made" and a period after "realized".
Pg 234-second to last paragraph-There is an extra set of quotation marks before Zara's dialogue, which currently reads ""It's a pouch! Like the one in the painting from the attic."
The frustrating thing about this is that it makes the book read like it is an assignment for college where the student decided they were okay with having 3-5 grammatical errors because they would still get a B or a C on the assignment. But this isn't a college essay, and this was looked over by more than just a bleary-eyed college kid burned out because of finals.
This is where I acknowledge that I probably know a sliver of the pressures and crazy constraints that are being put on people, specifically editors, in the publishing industry right now. I've heard that many editors aren't given proper time to review a project and are having to rely on having AI scan their projects for errors at several stages of the process to meet deadlines. Therefore, I am in no way bashing the editor of this book and am pointing out a larger problem with the industry as a whole. However, the editing mistakes made this book go from a fun adventure to one disappointment after another as the mistakes built.
The second thing, which other reviewers pointed out in their reviews of the ARCs, is that a lot of the ideas aren't fleshed out enough (if you take just a second to think about them.)
How did the original pirates get to the island? What really happened with the rest of the Captain's crew? How does he both know that he's been lost in time and also think he can get off the island to go back to the people he loves (which again, he waffles about, sometimes saying they're lost and sometimes expecting that if he sets everything right he can return to them). How did Evelyn make it to the island, because the back route that the kids find at the end isn't the same as the place Evelyn and her friends entered from?
There are many questions about Aggy and her whole "gift of sight" thing (which I swear, every time I read that, I saw the "you have the sight?" meme from the Shadowhunters TV show.)
How did her family get "the sight"? If it's a genetic thing, then why doesn't Zara have it? If it wasn't witchcraft, which is brought up and then shut down, then what alternative magic did they use? What is the delineation between stuff Aggy can see and what she can't (because there are things that caught her off guard, and she says she can't see "the end", but she can see far enough to give Evelyn the clue). Is their magic tied to the Blood Moon? If they are healers, why can't they heal Aggy? Do they let her be sick because she's supposed to motivate Evelyn to get her friends to the island? Also, do they have anything to do with the reason that the eternally young kids can't leave the area? That seems like a random rule, especially if they would probably need to leave to be undetected.
The Letters-If Aggy got to the island and right before that she gave Evelyn the note about Everly, then the island disappeared, how did Evelyn get Aggy the rest of the notes about the rest of the game that Ansel has when they are finally all able to get back to the island in the end? There's no way that she could have gotten that information to her friends by the logic of this book.
Anyway, these are just some of the frustrations I had with the overall plot. Again, I think there's something here. It's just sunken treasure under a sea of unfinished plotlines and poor editing. I have loved a lot of Calonita's writing in the past, which makes this book and its poor execution a bummer.
July 22, 2025
Good but the inconsistencies tried to take me out🫣🤣
February 21, 2025
3.5 starsTold in dual timelines and perspectives, this 'mystery with some fantastical adventure' follows a 12-year-old girl in her quest to find a mysterious island that could lead to a BIG inheritance that she and her mom desperately need. That is IF Everly 'Benny' Benedict can find the island, steer clear of pirates and other people wanting the treasure AND break the curse in the next two weeks. No biggie, right?!
With only a penchant for winning board games and a deep need for the mysterious inheritance, Benny embarks on the quest with a couple of new friends armed only with journal entries from her ancestor Evelyn Terry that will lead her from clue to clue and give Benny (and readers) background information on the island and Evelyn's link to it. But Benny isn't the only person vying for the treasure!
This was a nicely paced story that blends a few genres. My teeny wee beef with the story was its ending which was abrupt and left me with many unanswered questions. It wasn't a conclusion per se, more of a brief pause since it appears the second book in the series will pick up immediately after this book.
While it felt more mystery than adventure to me, and sometimes its pace slowed due to dialogue, I think this book with its fantasy elements, quest and Benny's tenacious personality will appeal to middle grade readers who enjoy finding clues in the beginning of this big adventure.
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Sourcebooks Young Readers for the complimentary paperback copy of this book which was given to me in exchange for my honest review.
January 24, 2025
I’m going to start by noting: this is a youth fiction book and I’ve rated it against other youth fiction, not as adult fiction. Also noted: I won this book from Goodreads as an ARC. This is no way swayed my review, I am always honest.
Benny and her mother move from town to town barely getting by on her mother’s meager wages. She’s spending an afternoon in the restaurant where her mother waitresses when a lawyer shows up to inform her she is the sole heir to a fortune left by a distant relative from 200 years ago. But Benny doesn’t have time to ponder the questions going through her mind (how did someone 200 years ago know she would exist and leave her something IN HER NAME?) because she only has 2 weeks to find the clues and solve the riddles leading her to an island that has disappeared and isn’t on any map - or she’ll forfeit it all.
Family fortune, secret treasure, pirates, maps, and adventure - what more could a kid want in a book? I read this with my 9 and 12 yr old boys and we all enjoyed it immensely. Full of suspense and mystery, we didn’t want to put it down and read through it fairly quickly. My boys especially loved the newspaper clippings and journal entries included throughout the story as we pieced it all together alongside Benny and her friends.
We were VERY disappointed and yet excited to find the story is far from ending and there will be a book 2. We cannot wait for the next one to come out and will be anxiously awaiting its release. This one is scheduled to be released in March and I highly recommend it!
Benny and her mother move from town to town barely getting by on her mother’s meager wages. She’s spending an afternoon in the restaurant where her mother waitresses when a lawyer shows up to inform her she is the sole heir to a fortune left by a distant relative from 200 years ago. But Benny doesn’t have time to ponder the questions going through her mind (how did someone 200 years ago know she would exist and leave her something IN HER NAME?) because she only has 2 weeks to find the clues and solve the riddles leading her to an island that has disappeared and isn’t on any map - or she’ll forfeit it all.
Family fortune, secret treasure, pirates, maps, and adventure - what more could a kid want in a book? I read this with my 9 and 12 yr old boys and we all enjoyed it immensely. Full of suspense and mystery, we didn’t want to put it down and read through it fairly quickly. My boys especially loved the newspaper clippings and journal entries included throughout the story as we pieced it all together alongside Benny and her friends.
We were VERY disappointed and yet excited to find the story is far from ending and there will be a book 2. We cannot wait for the next one to come out and will be anxiously awaiting its release. This one is scheduled to be released in March and I highly recommend it!
June 9, 2025
4.5 stars
This book was so much fun! It was the perfect adventure book for a middle grade reader (or an adult!).
Our main character Benny is trying to make ends meet with her mom. She ends up learning she has an immense inheritance to claim IF she can win a game set by Evelyn Terry in 1850. As Benny finds clues and riddles from Evelyn, she also gets journal entries Evelyn (Sparrow) wrote in 1825 near the Blood Orange Moon. Her and her friends found an island not on any maps - and there is a supposed 200 year old pirate living on it. Now, in the present, the Blood Orange Moon is happening again for the first time in 200 years. Can Benny find the island and win Evelyn's game?
I really liked Benny. She was responsible and really wanted this inheritance so her and her mom don't need to worry about if they will have enough rent money that month. She moved around a lot so she didn't have any friends, but she really put her trust into 2 kids she met in town, Zara and Ryan. It was cute seeing her gain confidence in telling them important things. Zara and Ryan really took her in and wanted to help her figure out the clues and riddles, which was so sweet since she had just come into town. Benny's relationship with her mom kind of confused me. It mentions that her mom spends money on things she doesn't need instead of rent or bills, which I feel like would make Benny resent her a little, and I feel like at times it did, but it also seemed they really loved each other. It's just not my favorite when parents are absent or don't do the right thing and I don't know, it was just weird.
The plot had me hooked from the beginning. I love a good quest and the mystery of this island just had me 110% intrigued. It was a predictable, but this is also coming from an adult reading a middle grade book. I love middle grade books and how their plots are just to the point. They are so easy to follow and blow through (in the best way). I loved the dual timeline. Evelyn's 1825 timeline was basically her figuring out what this island is while "the Cough" (whooping cough) ravages her town and her friends. It was so fun to watch this timeline unravel through the journal entries that Benny gets. And Benny's timeline (the quest one) was obviously fantastic.
The writing style was like the plot. Easy to follow and to the point. I really enjoyed that we would get a journal entry from Evelyn, and then Benny would follow the riddles to get those journal pages. So we knew what the journal pages said before Benny found them and they kind of tied into each other. I thought that was clever.
The ending was actually insane. It's something I was not expecting and I'm so excited to read the second book already!
This book was so much fun! It was the perfect adventure book for a middle grade reader (or an adult!).
Our main character Benny is trying to make ends meet with her mom. She ends up learning she has an immense inheritance to claim IF she can win a game set by Evelyn Terry in 1850. As Benny finds clues and riddles from Evelyn, she also gets journal entries Evelyn (Sparrow) wrote in 1825 near the Blood Orange Moon. Her and her friends found an island not on any maps - and there is a supposed 200 year old pirate living on it. Now, in the present, the Blood Orange Moon is happening again for the first time in 200 years. Can Benny find the island and win Evelyn's game?
I really liked Benny. She was responsible and really wanted this inheritance so her and her mom don't need to worry about if they will have enough rent money that month. She moved around a lot so she didn't have any friends, but she really put her trust into 2 kids she met in town, Zara and Ryan. It was cute seeing her gain confidence in telling them important things. Zara and Ryan really took her in and wanted to help her figure out the clues and riddles, which was so sweet since she had just come into town. Benny's relationship with her mom kind of confused me. It mentions that her mom spends money on things she doesn't need instead of rent or bills, which I feel like would make Benny resent her a little, and I feel like at times it did, but it also seemed they really loved each other. It's just not my favorite when parents are absent or don't do the right thing and I don't know, it was just weird.
The plot had me hooked from the beginning. I love a good quest and the mystery of this island just had me 110% intrigued. It was a predictable, but this is also coming from an adult reading a middle grade book. I love middle grade books and how their plots are just to the point. They are so easy to follow and blow through (in the best way). I loved the dual timeline. Evelyn's 1825 timeline was basically her figuring out what this island is while "the Cough" (whooping cough) ravages her town and her friends. It was so fun to watch this timeline unravel through the journal entries that Benny gets. And Benny's timeline (the quest one) was obviously fantastic.
The writing style was like the plot. Easy to follow and to the point. I really enjoyed that we would get a journal entry from Evelyn, and then Benny would follow the riddles to get those journal pages. So we knew what the journal pages said before Benny found them and they kind of tied into each other. I thought that was clever.
The ending was actually insane. It's something I was not expecting and I'm so excited to read the second book already!
March 11, 2025
Review to come on 3/11I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Isle of Ever by Jen Calonita is a mixed third and first person-POV Middle Grade speculative mystery. In 1825, Evelyn Terry is called to a mysterious island that holds the secret to living forever and even has a pirate who has lived there for 200 years. In 2025, her descendant, Everly, who goes by Benny, could inherit Everlyn’s estate and the security it would provide as long as she solves the game Evelyn left behind for her. But not only is Benny directly named in this game, but Evelyn gave Benny only until June 12th to solve the puzzles left behind.
The puzzles are all via Evelyn’s letters left behind for Benny. It does take some knowledge of classic literature and how Victorian houses were often constructed to solve a few of them. A young reader who has this knowledge might be able to solve it with the characters, but a reader who doesn’t know will learn some new things along the way, such as when Treasure Island and Robinson Crusoe were published. Because of the dual-timeline aspects and the details from Evelyn’s POV (such as Whooping Cough), I would definitely recommend this to kids who are more interested in history rather than young readers who want books about the future.
A major theme in Benny’s story is the hunt for security. Her mother has struggled to hold down a job Benny’s whole life and Benny doesn’t have a relationship with her father. There’s references to Benny not always having food and having to argue with landlords over rent or her mother not always being responsible. Even during the mystery Benny is solving to keep her new home, her mother is spending more time with a potential new boyfriend rather than helping her daughter. Some kids will probably see themselves in this and it’s important to show all kids the impact of poverty and monetary and food insecurity. It’s not comfortable and I’m sure some people would read the book and feel that Benny’s mother is neglectful rather than this being a characteristic of Middle Grade (so kids can have control of the narrative), but this is how some children live and they also deserve books validating their experiences.
Of the two POVs, I actually would have loved more time with Evelyn. While I did love seeing Benny make friends with Zara and Ryan and slowly open herself up to people her age, I’m fascinated by this time period in American history while England is in the midst of the Regency period. Evelyn and her friends also obviously have a very rich history and I would love to see how Axel became their friend, if he ever was, and how he got close enough to Evelyn that he could ‘call on her’ (more to get information from her) without arousing suspicion from her parents. There’s an interesting story in that dynamic and I hope we learn more in book 2.
I would recommend this to Middle Grade readers who love history, young readers who want a bit of fantasy with their mystery, and those looking for something like The Inheritance Games for younger readers
Isle of Ever by Jen Calonita is a mixed third and first person-POV Middle Grade speculative mystery. In 1825, Evelyn Terry is called to a mysterious island that holds the secret to living forever and even has a pirate who has lived there for 200 years. In 2025, her descendant, Everly, who goes by Benny, could inherit Everlyn’s estate and the security it would provide as long as she solves the game Evelyn left behind for her. But not only is Benny directly named in this game, but Evelyn gave Benny only until June 12th to solve the puzzles left behind.
The puzzles are all via Evelyn’s letters left behind for Benny. It does take some knowledge of classic literature and how Victorian houses were often constructed to solve a few of them. A young reader who has this knowledge might be able to solve it with the characters, but a reader who doesn’t know will learn some new things along the way, such as when Treasure Island and Robinson Crusoe were published. Because of the dual-timeline aspects and the details from Evelyn’s POV (such as Whooping Cough), I would definitely recommend this to kids who are more interested in history rather than young readers who want books about the future.
A major theme in Benny’s story is the hunt for security. Her mother has struggled to hold down a job Benny’s whole life and Benny doesn’t have a relationship with her father. There’s references to Benny not always having food and having to argue with landlords over rent or her mother not always being responsible. Even during the mystery Benny is solving to keep her new home, her mother is spending more time with a potential new boyfriend rather than helping her daughter. Some kids will probably see themselves in this and it’s important to show all kids the impact of poverty and monetary and food insecurity. It’s not comfortable and I’m sure some people would read the book and feel that Benny’s mother is neglectful rather than this being a characteristic of Middle Grade (so kids can have control of the narrative), but this is how some children live and they also deserve books validating their experiences.
Of the two POVs, I actually would have loved more time with Evelyn. While I did love seeing Benny make friends with Zara and Ryan and slowly open herself up to people her age, I’m fascinated by this time period in American history while England is in the midst of the Regency period. Evelyn and her friends also obviously have a very rich history and I would love to see how Axel became their friend, if he ever was, and how he got close enough to Evelyn that he could ‘call on her’ (more to get information from her) without arousing suspicion from her parents. There’s an interesting story in that dynamic and I hope we learn more in book 2.
I would recommend this to Middle Grade readers who love history, young readers who want a bit of fantasy with their mystery, and those looking for something like The Inheritance Games for younger readers
June 13, 2025
Benny and her mother are used to a life on the move, always scraping by. But when a lawyer tracks them down with astonishing news — Benny has been named in her 7x great-grandmother’s will and stands to inherit a fortune — their world suddenly changes. The catch? To claim the inheritance, Benny and her mother must move into the family estate and solve a centuries-old puzzle… before the deadline runs out.
What a fast-paced and fun story! This book ticks all the right boxes:
- Historical fiction: We get glimpses into her ancestor’s life through beautifully written journals
- Mystery: How did her ancestor know her name?
- Thriller elements: Someone is clearly working against them, and she does not know whom to trust.
The dual timelines, engaging plot, and compelling riddles make for a quick and immersive read that middle-grade students will absolutely love. Benny is a relatable and sharply drawn protagonist — resourceful, curious, and easy to root for. The supporting cast shines in both past and present timelines, adding depth and personality to the narrative.
It ends on a cliffhanger, so readers will be eagerly awaiting the next installment — myself included! This is a fantastic choice for readers who love puzzles, family secrets, and stories that blend the past and present in clever ways.
A highly recommended purchase for school and public libraries!
What a fast-paced and fun story! This book ticks all the right boxes:
- Historical fiction: We get glimpses into her ancestor’s life through beautifully written journals
- Mystery: How did her ancestor know her name?
- Thriller elements: Someone is clearly working against them, and she does not know whom to trust.
The dual timelines, engaging plot, and compelling riddles make for a quick and immersive read that middle-grade students will absolutely love. Benny is a relatable and sharply drawn protagonist — resourceful, curious, and easy to root for. The supporting cast shines in both past and present timelines, adding depth and personality to the narrative.
It ends on a cliffhanger, so readers will be eagerly awaiting the next installment — myself included! This is a fantastic choice for readers who love puzzles, family secrets, and stories that blend the past and present in clever ways.
A highly recommended purchase for school and public libraries!
December 15, 2024
4.5 stars ⭐️
Isle of Ever by Jen Calonita is a fun, engaging mystery in which we follow Everly (Benny) Benedict as she explores Long Island in search of Everly Terry's, her ancestor, hidden fortune that was left to her. Along the way, she solves riddles left by Everly in hopes of finding Everly's secret Island. She gets help from her new friends Zara and Ryan, who are town locals.
This book reminded me a lot of The Inheritance Games; however, it was unique in that it held a lot of surprising magical realism aspects. While I found some aspects of the book to be a bit lackluster (cough cough her mom), I think the book was strung together beautifully and held my attention the entire time. Benny is a fierce and intelligent main character, and I can't wait to see where the rest of her journey will take her!
Thank you to Jen Calonita and Sourcebooks for an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book! This book will be published in March 2025, and I highly recommend for any middle-grade book enjoyers!
Isle of Ever by Jen Calonita is a fun, engaging mystery in which we follow Everly (Benny) Benedict as she explores Long Island in search of Everly Terry's, her ancestor, hidden fortune that was left to her. Along the way, she solves riddles left by Everly in hopes of finding Everly's secret Island. She gets help from her new friends Zara and Ryan, who are town locals.
This book reminded me a lot of The Inheritance Games; however, it was unique in that it held a lot of surprising magical realism aspects. While I found some aspects of the book to be a bit lackluster (cough cough her mom), I think the book was strung together beautifully and held my attention the entire time. Benny is a fierce and intelligent main character, and I can't wait to see where the rest of her journey will take her!
Thank you to Jen Calonita and Sourcebooks for an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book! This book will be published in March 2025, and I highly recommend for any middle-grade book enjoyers!
March 25, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the advance Kindle copy of this book. It’s out today! All opinions are my own.
•
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5, even though I’m super mad about the cliffhanger ending. Everly, who goes by “Benny” (her last name is Benedict), learns just after her twelfth birthday that she is the heir to a fortune. Every generation has had an Everly, and the original Everly named her - BENNY! - the heir to her fortune two hundred years ago. Now, Benny and a couple new friends must solve riddles in time to break a curse in order to win the fortune. It’s like The Inheritance Games for a slightly younger audience.
•
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5, even though I’m super mad about the cliffhanger ending. Everly, who goes by “Benny” (her last name is Benedict), learns just after her twelfth birthday that she is the heir to a fortune. Every generation has had an Everly, and the original Everly named her - BENNY! - the heir to her fortune two hundred years ago. Now, Benny and a couple new friends must solve riddles in time to break a curse in order to win the fortune. It’s like The Inheritance Games for a slightly younger audience.
June 24, 2025
Ok so I got the arc at Yallwest book festival and my sister read the book first and she LOVED IT!!
So I decided I would make some room in my to-be-read book stack. And the beginning was a little slow but it picked up fast, and it was getting better and better. So before I know it, I have THREE CHAPTERS LEFT!!
How is this book going to end in THREE CHAPTERS!?!!?!
Well, it did and I can’t wait to read the next book!
(Can I get an arc for the second one too?)
So I decided I would make some room in my to-be-read book stack. And the beginning was a little slow but it picked up fast, and it was getting better and better. So before I know it, I have THREE CHAPTERS LEFT!!
How is this book going to end in THREE CHAPTERS!?!!?!
Well, it did and I can’t wait to read the next book!
(Can I get an arc for the second one too?)
January 10, 2025
The Isle of Ever was delightful and just the right amount of fantasy for this RF reader. I have several students that came to mind as I read Benny’s story, and I will definitely be putting this on my shelves.
I wish there had been a little more time spent on character development, and I’m not buying the fact that Benny’s mom is so nonchalant about the quickly approaching deadline to find the treasure. Perhaps book two will reveal more about the characters.
I enjoyed following along on this first part of Benny’s journey and will be watching for the release of book two!
I wish there had been a little more time spent on character development, and I’m not buying the fact that Benny’s mom is so nonchalant about the quickly approaching deadline to find the treasure. Perhaps book two will reveal more about the characters.
I enjoyed following along on this first part of Benny’s journey and will be watching for the release of book two!
May 7, 2025
This fun treasure hunt novel has dual storylines that switch between the present and the 19th century. It didn’t all come together for me in the end, possibly because of the large cliffhanger that leaves several threads dangling, but I’m sure a lot of it will get hashed out in the rest of the series when it comes out.
October 14, 2025
This was a fun read. The mystery was engaging though I felt the answers to riddles/clues were given to us more than were things the reader could solve but it wasn't done in such a way that I found it off putting.
Our characters were fun, loveable, and 3D. This was a perfect set up for a series and I'm excited to see where we go next!
Our characters were fun, loveable, and 3D. This was a perfect set up for a series and I'm excited to see where we go next!
eligible-in-2025
March 24, 2025Thanks Ms. Yingling! https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
April 10, 2025
an amazing mystery action thriller! a treasure hunt, a series of clues and a race against time :) i would highly recommend this to anyone.
April 21, 2025
Fun quick adventure, definitely ends on a cliffhanger.
August 15, 2025
This story was wild from start to finish, so many hidden clues. We couldn't put it down because we had to know what happened next.
My only complaint is that our copy has a bunch of grammatical errors in it, it obviously wasn't edited well.
My only complaint is that our copy has a bunch of grammatical errors in it, it obviously wasn't edited well.
September 13, 2025
Loved this juvenile fiction mystery for young readers who love stories that have riddled to solve!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews