Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs

by Victoria Williamson, James Brown (illustrator)

When the skies turn deadly, a young heroine must rise from the ashes...

Twelve-year-old Amberley Jain has faced incredible challenges since the crash that took her parents and paralysed her legs. Now, with her best friend Ricardo Lopez about to be sent away and a swarm of mutated insects closing in on the Skyfleet base, the stakes have never been higher. Something monstrous is driving the mutabugs north from the contaminated meteor site known as the Cauldron, and the only plane capable of stopping it - the Firehawk - lies in pieces in the hangar.

Determined to honour her parents' legacy, Amberley hatches a daring plan. With Ricardo's help, they stow away on a supply train, trading his most treasured possession for the parts needed to repair the Firehawk. After secret test flights, the legendary jet is ready for action. Now, Amberley and Ricardo must confront the deadly swarm and save their home, discovering their inner strength and the true meaning of friendship along the way.

Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs is a thrilling tale of adventure and resilience, perfect for middle-grade readers.

Genres: Science Fiction, Adventure

198 pages, Paperback

Published October 24, 2024

About the author

A lifelong storyteller and daydreamer, Victoria Williamson is an author and teacher who has lived and worked in Africa, China, America and the UK.

Victoria grew up in Kirkintilloch, north Glasgow, surrounded by hills on the edge of a forest estate where many of her early ghost stories and fantasy tales were born amid the magical trees and spooky old ruined buildings.

After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real life adventures, which included teaching Maths and Science in Cameroon, training teachers in Malawi, teaching English in China and working with children with special needs in the UK.

A qualified primary school teacher with a degree in Mandarin Chinese from Yunnan University and a Master’s degree in Special Needs Education, Victoria is passionate about creating inclusive worlds in her novels where all children can see a reflection of themselves in a heroic role.

Victoria’s experiences of teaching young children in a deprived area of Glasgow, many of whom were asylum seekers, inspired her debut novel, The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, an uplifting tale of friendship between Glasgow girl Caylin and Syrian refugee Reema.

Victoria writes fantasy, adventure, science fiction and contemporary issue novels for Middle Grade (9-12), Teen, and Young Adult readers. Many of her books have been inspired by children she has met on her travels, both abroad and in the UK. She is currently working on a Middle Grade novel exploring the issues faced by a boy with ADHD who is struggling to fit in with his new step-family, and a spooky adventure novel for Teens, centred around a cast of characters with special needs including deafness, Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy.

Twenty percent of her author royalties for The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle are donated to the Scottish Refugee Council.

You can find out more about Victoria's books, school visits and upcoming events on her website: www.strangelymagical.com

Reviews

[Kealyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs by Victoria Williamson

4.5/5 stars

I read Skyfleet in one go. It is such a fun story. It's about strength and how you make your dreams come true. It's about determination, friendship and never giving up. It seems like the older I get the more I love middle grade books. And this one is an absolute gem.

The book starts with Amberley. She was in a plane crash with her parents. Her parents piloted the plane and they both died and she got paralyzed from the waist down. 
The mutabugs attacked their plane and they went down. 

Years ago radiation spread across the country and created monstrous mutabugs and other buglike creatures. At first the mutabugs stayed in the Badlands. But they started spreading and coming closer to the humans, viciously attacking the settlements in the New World. The Skyfleet is the human's defense against the mutabugs. But the more the mutabugs attack the more resources are getting drained and not a lot is left anymore. Trading is expensive and things are getting dicy. 

Amberley's parents trained her to become a pilot. Amberley is a fierce twelve year old girl and is very close with her best friend Ric. Ric is an engineering genius and he has the ability to calculate complicated fuel combinations in his head instead of writing them down on paper. But Ric is an orphan and about to be sent to farmers to help them there. But all he wants is to become an engineer. And Amberley is considered quite useless in the eyes of the government. But all she wants is to pilot her parents plane, feel free up in the sky and honor their memory. 

But they are both considered kids and no one seems to want to help them reach their goals. So they take matters into their own hands and they fix up the Firehawk, her parent's plane, in secret. Their goal is protecting their people and fighting the mutabugs. 

I love how strong and determined the both of them are. Their friendship gets tested and I love how they both dealt with that. 

The other characters are also very likeable. Sydney Screwball is by far my favorite. She is a free spirit who follows her own path and supports what she deems important. I love how compassionate she is and she doesn't take no for an answer. 

I also love the formatting of this book. After every chapter there were information sheets about the planes, diary entries, and other important messages that added and explained events in the story. 

The book has a great rhythm. It's fast paced, to the point and written in a no-nonsense style. And that really benefited the age and personalities of the two main characters. 

Overall a great and fantastic book. 4.5 huge stars from me for this stunning, exciting and fast paced story. 

[Piper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to @thewritereads for having me on this tour of #Skyfleet, which is a #middlegrade novel.

I read this book with my 7 year old in a day. The short snappy chapters are great and very engaging. This book follows Amberley and Richcrado . I love how their friendships are portrayed in this book and the #disabilityrep. I really loved the New World and the setting of how the two children are working together. The enemies made me laugh as they are bugs and cockroaches.
I loved the breaks with all the information about the aircrafts

#booktours #adpr #books ##middlegrade #Skyfleet #thewritereadstour

[Iseult Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amberley and Ric are great main characters. From reading the author’s other books, I know her characters are always fantastic, and Skyfleet is no different. Amberley and Ric have a believable friendship. They’ve both lost their parents in traumatic ways, and they both have disabilities that makes them different from their peer group. However, their bond goes deeper than this. They are both intelligent, brave children who want to prove their worth.

I loved Amberley’s drive to be a member of Skyfleet. I liked that the negative aspects of her ambition were also shown.

Ric’s enthusiasm and loyalty endeared him to me from the moment he appeared. He’s good at fixing things and looking out for others. His vulnerability beyond his optimism was well shown. It was believable how he could be taken for granted because of his caring and thoughtful attitude. His motivation to stay in Skyfleet and escape the farm was relatable.

I loved Screwball Sydney and her wombat, Mascot. I want to grow up to be her. With her scarf, clockwork ship and knack for being there at the right time, she is my eccentric ideal!

The locations in the story are fabulous. I loved the treehouse base for Skyfleet. All good super teams need an unusual base, and the enormous tree they live in fits the bill. The jungles teeming with giant bugs and the barren desert around the meteor crash site that caused the mutations are evocative and provide appropriate backdrops for the action.

I really loved the notes and reports that fitted in between each chapter. The Scottish engineer, Whistler McTavish, was another great character. I liked reading his report. Details about the bugs were cleverly slipped into the narrative in this manner. The final broadcast by Skipper Maddox at the end of the book is perfection.

There are also great descriptions of the Skyfleet planes and crew with lovely illustrations by James Brown.

Victoria Williamson is a talented, versatile author and I love how she pushes boundaries and tries new things with each book. This is unlike her other books in subject matter and tone, but it still has the great characters, deeper themes, and heart that are present in all her books and keep me coming back for more.

This is a middle grade book and is sure to be a hit with both boys and girls. Adults who grew up watching cartoons in the 1980s and 1990s will get a kick out of it as well.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and the Write Reads book tours for providing me with a copy of the book.

[Fatguyreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun read March if the Mutabugs was. It's young adult sci-fi dystopian at it's very best.

It's an action-packed read, full of adventure, with disability representation, a great, strong, courageous female lead character in Amberley, and Ricardo as a great supporting character too.

There's spacecraft, there's giant mutated bugs, with a clever, engaging plot, and fast paced storyline.

The characters are incredibly well written, and feel real, and I read this in two sittings.

4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.

[karla_bookishlife · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible adventure story for middle grade with a strong 12 year old female protagonist at its core. Amberley displays superb bravery, surviving the crash that killed her parents , dealing with her own paralysis and defying adults alongside her friends Ricardo to help defeat a Swarm of mutated bugs that are threatening their way of life. Their resilience, ingenuity, and friendship is inspiring. Skyfleet is an exciting story that is sure to thrill. #skyfleetmarchofthemutabugs #victoriawilliamson #tinytree #thewritereads

[Cathryn Melani (cat.inspired) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the skies turn deadly, a young heroine must rise from the ashes...

Branching out of my comfort zone reads with this exciting middle grade read!

This was a super cute, fun, action-packed read packed full of great characters and disability representation, which I LOVED.

I adored the strength, courage, and resistance of the two kids in this book. The banter between them was fun, and it was great to read the trouble they got into.

All wrapped up with a futuristic Sci fi vibe, full of space craft, danger, and mega bugs!

Some cool text lay out and spacecraft details throughout.

And what a cute dedication at the front.

This one is now going to be kindly gifted on to the secondary school I work at!

Thanks to the author and the write reads for my gifted book. All thoughts are my own

This book would be a perfect gift.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://sarahreads4.wordpress.com/202...

[Beth Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Victoria Williamson has done it again. She has built a believable, futuristic, dystopian world where mutabugs are taking over, causing chaos and harm. Added to that, new giant mutabugs hatching from a crater caused by a meteor that are threatening all the villages and crops. Giant spiders, immune to the majority of weapons the bedraggled Skyfleet can throw at them, are snatching villagers and cocooning them.

The only craft with strong enough fire power is out of action and irreparable (according to the adults). However, Amberley and her best friend Ric know better. With a little help from renegade pilot Screwball (I couldn’t help thinking of Wacky Races whenever she and Bandit were involved) and her pet wombat, they collect the scraps needed to repair the Firehawk.

Showing determination and skill, they secretly rebuild and test the jet, but end up involved in more than they bargained for when they get caught up in a mutabug attack that could finish everyone off.

Themes of loss, disability, friendship, resilience and courage come through strongly in this adventurous sci-fi dystopian thriller. Highly recommended.

Thanks to @The_WriteReads and Tiny Tree (publisher) for the ARC to read and review for this blog tour.

[Marie Sinadjan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always excited for a new Victoria Williamson book because I'm sure it'll be something different, and this time we have a scifi story! I also like the setup of Victoria's middle grade books where there's a female protagonist and a male friend/supporting character who they might not always get along with but also doesn't hate them or anything. I think that's nice for kids to see.

The story is pretty straightforward for this one, but I really loved these aspects of the book:

* The central characters with disabilities. Amberley is in a wheelchair, Ricardo is visually impaired, yet they emerge as heroes — even if the adults discount them at first, both because of their age and their perceived limitations.

* The epigraphs in the form of transmissions, journal entries and other forms of communication. I love non-traditional prose, so seeing them used more was great.

* The illustrations by James Brown of the different planes, alongside the information and specs. I was never that kid, but I'm sure plenty will enjoy them.

If you have young readers in your life or know of some who could use a bit of reading encouragement, this could be the book for them.

[Linda Fallows · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about Amberley and Ric, best friends, who live on Skyfleet, the New World Colony base. Amberley is a wheelchair user since a horrific plane crash, which killed her parents. Ric is blind and depends on his Opti-kit to see. Their home is being besieged by mutant insects who have eaten all their crops. However there is a new mutant on the prowl, which has a taste for human flesh! Can Amberley and Ric help save their colony by rebuilding and flying the Firehawk, the plane in which Amberley lost her parents?
This book has all the thrills, gory events, and action to keep anyone interested, whether they are 9 or 90. I devoured it in one sitting, it was so good!
I am sure this will interest the most reluctant reader, boy or girl. Think of HG Wells for the 21st century!
This latest book from Victoria Williamson will be a great addition to a home or school library.

[Srivalli (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

One Liner: Read it in one sitting!

New World

Twelve-year-old Amberley Jain lost her parents and ended up in a wheelchair when their Firehawk crashed. With the Skyfleet base repeatedly attacked by mutabugs and villagers mysteriously disappearing in the colonies, Amberley and her friend, Ricardo Lopez (Ric), must do their bit to help their people, even if it means going against the rules and reviving the damaged Firehawk.

The story comes in the third-person POV of Amberley and Ric with snippets from other characters as letters, notes, and journal entries.

My Thoughts:
I admit I didn’t fully read before requesting to join the tour for this book. I saw the cover with a dashing plane shaped like a bird, noted the names of the kiddos, and jumped to grab a copy. (Also, my friend, Rosh, read a few books by the author and liked them, so I wanted to try this one).

Dystopian (or anything around it) is not my thing. I am cynical but I don’t like the morose undertones in the genre. However, this one is quite refreshing. The story is set in the New World where a group of people (those who left the Old World looking for a better life) live in settlements. With the talk of radiation and how toxic waste has resulted in mutabugs, it’s evident that the timeline is futuristic.

The book starts slowly as it establishes the setting and the dangerous situation right away. Though the world-building is not detailed, there is enough to imagine the scenario. Also, all the fighter jets (like Firehawk and Dogstar) are clearly described with an illustration and notes (make, model, pros, cons, pilot, etc.).

Amberley and Ric are easy to like though they have traits one would not want in children – stealing, breaking rules, sneaking out, etc. They do get caught and are reprimanded by elders but that doesn’t stop them. Moreover, we actually empathize with the kids instead of the adults in this case. I could feel their frustration, fear, and grief at how things were being handled.

Also, the rep is great. Amberley is in a wheelie chair due to paralysis from the accident. Ric cannot see and wears a special eye device with IR vision. However, these limitations are not a hindrance. Amberley was born to be a pilot and trained by her parents since a baby. Similarly, Ric was trained to be a mechanic and is such a smart lad that he can convert any piece of scrap into something useful.

Of course, the adults aren’t bad. Here, the enemies are mutabugs, cockroaches, and other dangerous creatures that have become near-invisible by absorbing the radiation over the years. A scary situation, right?

Screwball Sydney is such a fab character. She’s eccentric and the kind of person you would want in your corner, of course, with an assurance that she won’t do something reckless. Rafe is another interesting character. Skipper Maddox was good too but Sydney wins hands down (and so does her pet wombat, Mascot).

As with most MG fiction, this one too relies on kids putting themselves in risky situations (even if it is for the greater good). We can see both (adults and kids) perspectives and know they did what they did.

I don’t know much about mechanics and jets so can’t say if the technical details are accurate. But then, this is set in the future with advanced technology, so anything is possible! On this note, I found it cheeky that a certain jet gives Steampunk vibes (no points for guessing who it belongs to).

The ending is hopeful and positive on different levels. I like how this is presented and balanced with the note at the beginning.

To summarize, Skyfleet is a pacy adventurous, exciting, dangerous, and heartwarming story about two kids trying to prove their worth and helping their community during adversity.

Thank you, TheWriteReads, Tiny Tree Books, and author Victoria Williamson, for a copy of the book. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

[Judith Staid · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story starts off with quite a heavy, thrilling tone of adventure. Great insight into the jet descriptions - sure to help young readers visualize the atmosphere more clearly. Great nomenclature for the skyfleet. Very creative and memorable. You'd want to own one and call it your own. One downside was that there were no strong descriptions or introductions to the main characters. The story starts off with a plane crash that took out Amberley's parents who were two very gifted pilots. She and her friend Ric must now be their own heroes and write their story. The mutabugs are continuously attacking their territory in the new world. They live in a tree trunk whose hollow space acts as a habitat for them. The giant big tree. The mutabugs never reached the cliff before but now something bigger is at work that makes them hunt for food in previously untargeted territory. Something more sinister that might even eat humans. A big secret about a danger beyond what was previously fathomed is looming - a new species of mutabugs far bigger and deadlier than expected. The charred remains of the Firehawk - the aircraft that was handled by Amberley's parents was begging her to come look at it. The story is set on a post-earthquake, radiation field of an environment. Ric is aspiring to be an engineer and avoid getting sent to the farms for groundwork while Amberley's aspiration is to be a pilot just like her parents were. But they gotta do the work for that. The story is about Ric and Amberley running away in an adventure to rebuild the Firehawk. The funky names given to the transportation systems of skyfleet is quite amusing and I think would surely lure in young readers with a bone of adventure. Rick wants to not be a farm hand buried in cow dung and facing the real dangers. But he wants to be an engineer just like his mum trained him to.
But on their new adventure will the dreaded ordeal happen again to the Firehawk?
This story is like Jumanji but with mutabugs.
What was supposed to be a test run turned out to be a mission that tested the children's bravery and guts. Even saving lives. The story revolves around artillery, jets and a little bit of spice.
Bit of a vibe of the vaccines and mutations like Feast of ashes. But more suited for middle grade readers with a hint of fun and adventure.
But through all the hassle, falling outs and disagreements Amberley has to fight for the one thing that matters to her - a true friend.
Togetherness in fighting off the common threat is explored wonderfully in this novel. 
The story excels in making Firehawk save the day and proves that faith in yourselves and a little bit of courage can do wonders. A well written book for young adventurers.

[Cat Treadwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Follow the tale of two young humans as they fight to survive on a settlement being assaulted by giant irradiated bugs, as well as navigating the difficult world of adult politics... and I thought my teen years were difficult.

This book is SO much fun! What comes to mind when you see a story set on an alien planet where humans fight giant monsters? I was, of course, reminded of 'Starship Troopers' in the initial vibe, but this book definitely flies on its own, being smart and wonderfully realistic for the YA audience (and young-at-heart adults too).

The voices and perspectives of our heroes are perfect, as they try to navigate the life-or-death situations around them - because that's what kids do. The world is a strange and bizarre puzzle no matter what planet you're on, and exploring the unknown and tricky parts to establish your own place is a battle that we all have to fight.

The fact that Amberley uses a futuristic (albeit often broken) wheelchair and her friend Ricardo can only see with his special viewer just adds depth to this adventure. Both are fiercely determined even when the going gets tough, and having no reliable adults to help made me root for them all the more. Because yes, I am an adult who would 100% go to bat for the youngsters against their foes. It was a joy to see the representation in this story, be it age, race, gender or ability.

I was also very entertained by the multiple formats in which this story is told. Letters, communications, machine logs, all gorgeously presented and adding even more dimension to this world.

As the story progressed, I was actually reminded a little of the tiny cut scenes from 'Aliens', with a family just trying to make their way on a hostile world - and we know how well that turned out. Help may not be coming, so we have to do the best we can, and that's a good lesson to learn.

The fast-paced action had me cheering, and the thoughtful human connections inbetween made me feel the reality of this story even more fiercely. This book will stick with me, and I'll be recommending it to young family members and other friendly adults with teens who'll appreciate the tale (and likely sneak a peek themselves too).

Smart, engaging and an excellent first step into the world of science fiction. May this book's readers find their way to NASA or other aerospace organisations - or perhaps bug-based studies. Just in case.

I was kindly sent an early copy of this book by the publisher, but the above opinions are entirely my own.

[Valinora Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun story, and a perfect middle grade adventure. With mutated gigantic bugs (nightmare stuff for those of us suffering from Entomophobia/Arachnaphobia!) who regenerate when blasted (yes, they cannot be killed!) advancing onto the villages of the New World, it’s up to the pilots of Skyfleet to defend the people. What a pity the Fire Hawk is down and nobody takes seriously two twelve year old children! Fortunately Amberley and her friend Ric are willing and able to do what it takes to save the colony (or so they believe).

What an exciting adventure and fantastic read for all ages! Things I particularly loved (but not in any particular order):
-The story, especially the futuristic dystopian world full of monsters, and the optimistic, upbeat, good humoured vibe of the plucky Skyfleet team as they head off to battle the creatures, no matter the cost (definitely a 1980’s cartoon vibe!).
-The eccentric characters, especially Screwball Sydney & her wombat.
-Amberley and Ric. Both are orphans, both are facing uncertain futures, both have physical disabilities (Amberley lost of use of her legs in the accident that killed her parents, while Ric depends on a special eye device to see). Both children are resourceful and incredibly brave. They have a strong friendship, but not without its ups and downs, and are both wonderful characters.
-The illustrations of the planes (which are great) with a list of strengths and weaknesses of each adds a lot of fun.
-The extracts from Skipper Maddox, particularly those bookending the story, as well as the snippets between chapters (love how the different fonts are used to distinguish these from the main narrative).
A thrilling, imaginative and totally fun read, with themes of resilience and friendship. As always in stories by Victoria Williamson, the characters are wonderful, and I would love to read more adventures with the pilots of SkyFleet. If you haven't read this author before, you are in for a treat!

[A Voracious Reader (a.k.a. Carol) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
Book source ~ TWR Blog Tour

Amberley Jain and her best friend Ricardo Lopez are what my generation would refer to as: little stinkers. LOL Twleve years old and getting into things they really shouldn’t be, but with good intentions in their hearts. Along with a bunch of colonists from the Old World, the kids are just trying to survive on a planet turned hostile after a meteor strike releases radiation and turns bugs mutant. Or, as they call them, mutabugs. When something else even worse than the mutabugs rises up from the Cauldron (site of meteor strike) it’s all hands on deck. And that includes the kids though the adults don’t know that. Yet.

I had a hard time connecting with the kids. Not sure why really. I’ve enjoyed all of this author’s works previously, so it may just be me. After the first few chapters though I got it into gear and strapped in for a terrifying ride. Mutabugs. Gross! Bugs don’t usually bother me, but even I would probably have a hard time with ginormous bugs that can regenerate. Wut?! That’s just crazy talk! Anyway, the kids are resourceful and clever and they have help from a few rebelish adults. The plot moves fast and is entertaining so that the grand finale is upon you before you know it. If you like MG Sci-Fi Adventure then be sure to pick this up.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reviewing this as part of a tour with The Write Reads.

This is an action-packed middle grade adventure. At the beginning, I felt a connection with Amberley; I felt she was very brave, especially considering everything that she'd been through. I loved her feistiness too; her “come and get us” attitude.

Reading this made me feel twelve years old again, for a little while. I was scared and excited at the same time. The characters were fun to read about, as they had strong personalities. I also really liked how the characters looked out for each other. In particular, the friendship between Amberley and Ric warmed my heart, because everyone needs a best friend like that.

I also enjoyed the general design of the book, with the fonts and illustrations that were striking and fun.

Thank you to The Write Reads, Tiny Tree Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

If there's anything worse than giant mutated bugs, its giant mutated bugs that regenerate!
Amberley and her best friend Ric are determined to show the rest of the base what they can do. Neither wants to be sent away to the farming villages with the other orphans, Amberley knows she can be the best flyer and Ric the best engineer they've ever had. They just need a way to prove themselves!
This is a fast-paced, quick read. Screwball Sydney and her wombat are amusing characters, just the right amount of encouraging and insane. I really enjoyed Amberley and Ric's attempts to fix Amberley's parents old Firehawk jet and make everyone see what they can do. Together they showed that nothing should stop you trying for your dreams and I found the end particularly touching and uplifting.

https://sabrinasbooktails.blogspot.co...

[Kelly Hollingworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fast paced, fun book this is. 13 year old Amberley Jain relies on her 3 wheeler zoomer buggy wheelchair for mobility having become paralysed in an accident that killed her pilot and tail gunner parents. She and best friend Ricardo Lopez are part of a Skyfleet mission to protect the New World from mutabugs, giant meat eating cockroaches which are invading in swarms. With brilliant descriptions of the wild weather, planes, poisonous spiders with wings and names of other team members such as Rake Raffish, Whistler McTavish and Musta Greyfell I was smiling throughout. I loved the diary/journal extracts and the illustrations. A great adventure and friendship read.

[Lydia Timpson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amberley lives on a terraformed world in a small community. There have been communication issues with Earth ever since a giant radioactive meteor crashed onto the planet, causing insects to mutate into terrifying forms of themselves.

Think of enormous flying cockroaches, flies with bullet-proof shells and ants the size of small cars.

Luckily there are several ships with the capacity to defend the community from these mutabugs. Well, there used to be one more but Amberley was in the accident that cost her parents their lives and Amberley her legs. Now confined to a wheelchair, all she can do is wait and watch with her best friend, Ricardo, as something even more deadly begins to emerge from the radioactive crater.

In this apocalyptic story, Amberley is dealing with survivors’ guilt, grief over her parents’ death, as well as the frustration of being seen as less due to her disability. Ricardo, similarly, has to deal with the impact of his blindness and dependence on one fragile piece of technology for his “vision”.

Both children lean on each other to cope with their loss and their need to feel like they can be more than their disability and they have an amazing relationship, sacrificing treasured items and standing by each other even when it seems hard.

I am a sucker for great ride-or-die friendships within books and Victoria Williamson made this one epic. I adore Ricardo. The plot raced along and made it a quick read and the illustrations and snippets of schematics as well as the radio calls from the station to Earth made for great visuals within the book.

I thought it was suitable for ages 8 upwards, definitely one to recommend to boys reading for the adventure and stealth ship. I don’t know if there will be any more but I would enjoy reading more in this world.

[David Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this adventure set in a future dystopian world. Amberley and Ricardo are a great pair of heroes, fully rounded with different personalities and difficulties to overcome. The Skyfleet of futuristic jets gives the vibe of 1980s cartoons. And the mutabugs inject plenty of jeopardy. The stakes keep getting raised as we rush towards a thrilling climax.

[Tracey Vince · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I see that Victoria has published another book I need to read it. So you can imagine my excitement when I got on the tour for Skyfleet. I had not realised that it was a dystopian which normally I can't get on with but this was not the case.

Victoria built an amazing world where there was so much action and danger. I adored Amberley and Ricardo and loved that Victoria showed that even though Amberley who was in a wheelchair and Ricardo was blind that they were more than their disability.

I could write about this all day but I won't all I am going to say is read it you will not be disappointed.


For all the above reasons Skyfleet March of the Mutabugs 5 big fat stars

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Victoria Williamson's books and I've read and reviewed several.

If you would like to read my full review please visit my blog at:

https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...

[Ashlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on https://booksare42.com/

Thank you to the Write Reads for organizing this blog tour and for providing me with the materials for it. Thank you to the publisher (Tiny Tree Press) for providing me with a copy of this book for the blog tour. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs is a fun, fast-paced, middle-grade adventure with some great representation in it.

The Mutabugs are attacking the New World and are destroying everything. The Skyfleet base isn’t sure how much longer they’ll be able to hold on. Amberley, with the help of her best friend Ricardo, are determined to repair her parents’ plane to help save the New World and to prove that they can be valuable to the base.

Skyfleet had some disability rep in it, Amberley is a wheelchair user and Ric is not able to see without his Opti-Kit. These two characters were likeable and easy to root for. Skyfleet was fast paced and full of thrilling and intense moments.

I liked the different planes and their technology. I thought the world-building was creative. I hope there are more books set in this world because I would love to read more adventures featuring Amberley and Ric.

[Mani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skyfleet is an enthralling dystopian sci-fi novel crafted for middle-grade readers, immersing them in the gripping adventures of best friends Amberley and Ric. Amberley, a brave and resilient young girl, navigates life in a wheelchair after enduring a tragic plane crash that not only altered her future but also claimed her parents. Ric, her loyal companion, bravely faces the world as a blind boy equipped with an innovative Opti-kit that allows him to perceive his surroundings uniquely. Together, they share a powerful bond and an unwavering determination to rebuild the “Firehawk”—the very plane that changed Amberley’s life forever.

Their quest extends beyond mere reconstruction; they aspire to rejoin the defence team to protect their beloved colony from the relentless onslaught of mutant bugs that threaten to overrun their world. With each turn of the page, readers are propelled into a whirlwind of action and excitement, as the narrative unfolds at a breakneck pace, leaving them breathless.

The characters are richly drawn and expertly developed throughout the story. Amberley and Ric’s determination and resilience shine through, reflecting their indomitable spirits. I found both characters incredibly relatable, especially Amberley, whose fierce determination resonated deeply with me. She reminded me of my younger self, as I, too, had fought tirelessly against the misconceptions surrounding people with disabilities, eager to prove that being in a wheelchair does not mean being unable to live life to the fullest.

As for the mutant creatures that populate this world, their grotesque transformations are expertly described, evoking a sense of wonder and horror that kept me on the edge of my seat. Despite making my skin crawl, I appreciated the vivid and clever descriptions that brought these terrifying beings to life.

Skyfleet is a wonderful addition to middle-grade literature, appealing to readers of all ages with its themes of friendship, courage, and perseverance.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to  @The_WriteReads/@WriteReadsTours for allowing me to take part in the blog tour and to Tiny Tree Books for providing me with a review copy of this captivating book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own and are shared voluntarily.