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Thunder Girls #1
Freya and the Magic Jewel
From the authors of the Goddess Girls series comes the first book in a brand-new series steeped in Norse mythology, magic, adventure, and friendship.
“Gold and Gullveig I cannot see. But here is a vision that comes to me; Adventure for you is about to start. Near Asgard you must find the heart. A Secret world there hides away, which holds the power to stop doomsday!”
When eleven-year-old Freya hears that prophecy from her magical jewel, she isn’t sure what to make of it. Doomsday? She will find the key? Mere seconds after that prediction, she receives a mysterious invitation to Asgard Academy from the powerful Odin, who commands her to “bring her magic” to Asgard.
With encouragement from her twin, Frey, Freya reluctantly heads out on their new adventure. And Freya’s first challenge begins before she even steps foot in Asgard. While trying to navigate the treacherous Bifrost Bridge, she drops her magical jewel off the bridge, and a sneaky pair of dwarves take her jewel down to the world of Midgard!
Without that jewel, Freya thinks she is powerless. But with the help of her pod-mates at Asgard, Freya discovers a world that is bigger and more mysterious that she ever imagined! There, she learns the true terror that Ragnarok—the doomsday her jewel warned her about—could mean for Asgard Academy if she and her new friends, the Thunder Girls, don’t stop it!
“Gold and Gullveig I cannot see. But here is a vision that comes to me; Adventure for you is about to start. Near Asgard you must find the heart. A Secret world there hides away, which holds the power to stop doomsday!”
When eleven-year-old Freya hears that prophecy from her magical jewel, she isn’t sure what to make of it. Doomsday? She will find the key? Mere seconds after that prediction, she receives a mysterious invitation to Asgard Academy from the powerful Odin, who commands her to “bring her magic” to Asgard.
With encouragement from her twin, Frey, Freya reluctantly heads out on their new adventure. And Freya’s first challenge begins before she even steps foot in Asgard. While trying to navigate the treacherous Bifrost Bridge, she drops her magical jewel off the bridge, and a sneaky pair of dwarves take her jewel down to the world of Midgard!
Without that jewel, Freya thinks she is powerless. But with the help of her pod-mates at Asgard, Freya discovers a world that is bigger and more mysterious that she ever imagined! There, she learns the true terror that Ragnarok—the doomsday her jewel warned her about—could mean for Asgard Academy if she and her new friends, the Thunder Girls, don’t stop it!
272 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2018
57 people are currently reading
1160 people want to read
About the author
Joan Holub
347 books1,236 followersNY Times bestselling children's book author:
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
May 15, 2018
I picked this arc up as a freebie at Mysterious Galaxy. Joan Holub can be relied on to do good quality work and she did here as well. She and coauthor Suzanne Williams are starting a series similar to Goddess Girls, only this will cover Norse goddesses. First up is Freya. As girl goddess of beauty, she is likely a good place to begin. I did have a moment's uneasiness when she was referring to a myth that is definitely PG-13, but she blithely avoided all that and told a tame acceptable version of the story. The world building is nicely done and it is told from the point of view that seems authentic to likely the way Freya would have thought. Holub and Williams actually touch on several myths in this story and keep the basic of the myths as in the original but still tame enough to be acceptable as grade 5-6 fiction. Quite a feat when you consider how bloodthirsty Norse mythology can be! This will be a fun pleasant series to recommend to Riordan female fans not yet ready for Magnus Chase!
July 31, 2018
Cute, if uneven, introduction to Norse mythology. The book didn't get really interesting until about halfway through, partly due to all the world-building in the first half. Freya herself was also lacking in personality, which I guess is somewhat understandable since we know very little about most of the female gods, and Freya's main role in mythology was to look beautiful and have men fawn over her. Once Freya met the other gods and goddesses (including the always entertaining Loki) and found a purpose beyond fashion and deciding who had a crush on whom, the story picked up. I liked how the authors made some of the myths more kid-friendly and attempted to flesh out the Norse goddesses more. I think the next book should be even better, as it is focused on one of my favorite stories from Norse mythology!
March 18, 2018
Exactly like the Goddess Girls series, but with a whole new cast of characters. I'm so looking forward to more books in this series! Full review to come.
May 9, 2018
You may recognize the authors of this novel from their other popular series, Goddess Girls, about Greek mythology. Thunder Girls is the first book in a series about Norse mythology.
Freya and her brother Frey get invited/commanded to attend a new school in an enemy world. Understandably, Freya is reluctant to go. She doesn't want to leave behind her friends, her world, and everything she knows to attend a school in enemy territory.
To make matters worse, the trip to Asgard Academy doesn't go as planned. She makes a few enemies, meets the mischievous Loki, and loses something important to her.
But Freya isn't just a godgirl of love and beauty, she's also a brilliant fashionista, a seer, and a formidable driver of a flying kitty cart.
Just like the other books from these authors that I've read, I enjoyed this one quite a bit. It's an easy read, geared toward girls and boys in fourth and fifth grades as well as those in middle school.
If your child hasn't ventured into the world of Harry Potter yet, this book is a good segue. It's similar in that the story takes place at a magical boarding school and everything from students to paintings can surprise you. But the feeling is much lighter than HP.
I loved the Norse mythology in this story and I'm interested to see what else the authors have in store for us in the next books. My ten-year-old daughter also read this book (in about half the time it took me) and really enjoyed it. She's just discovered the Goddess Girls books, so she was thrilled to find out there was another series with similar themes coming out.
Definitely a good read for kids that like magic, adventure, boarding school stories, and strong female characters!
Content: Clean
Source: One of the authors sent me an advanced reader's copy of this book.
Freya and her brother Frey get invited/commanded to attend a new school in an enemy world. Understandably, Freya is reluctant to go. She doesn't want to leave behind her friends, her world, and everything she knows to attend a school in enemy territory.
To make matters worse, the trip to Asgard Academy doesn't go as planned. She makes a few enemies, meets the mischievous Loki, and loses something important to her.
But Freya isn't just a godgirl of love and beauty, she's also a brilliant fashionista, a seer, and a formidable driver of a flying kitty cart.
Just like the other books from these authors that I've read, I enjoyed this one quite a bit. It's an easy read, geared toward girls and boys in fourth and fifth grades as well as those in middle school.
If your child hasn't ventured into the world of Harry Potter yet, this book is a good segue. It's similar in that the story takes place at a magical boarding school and everything from students to paintings can surprise you. But the feeling is much lighter than HP.
I loved the Norse mythology in this story and I'm interested to see what else the authors have in store for us in the next books. My ten-year-old daughter also read this book (in about half the time it took me) and really enjoyed it. She's just discovered the Goddess Girls books, so she was thrilled to find out there was another series with similar themes coming out.
Definitely a good read for kids that like magic, adventure, boarding school stories, and strong female characters!
Content: Clean
Source: One of the authors sent me an advanced reader's copy of this book.
February 9, 2019
I don’t read a lot of middle-grade literature, especially novels meant for the lower end of the 8-12 reader age range. But if there are a couple things that working in Barnes and Noble taught me, they’re: 1. The covers of most young reader books are awesome, and 2. Their plots are wildly imaginative. I’m many years past the intended age for this book, but “Thunder Girls: Freya and the Magic Gem” didn’t disappoint on either of those fronts because it was the cover that drew me in, but the creative story that kept me reading. Spoilers follow.
The war between Vanaheim and Asgard has ended, but life for Freya, the girlgoddess of love and beauty, is far from easy. She and her twin brother, Frey, have been invited by Odin to attend the Asgard Academy, an institution designed to bring the most promising students of the nine worlds together to create unity, which the great tree Yggdrasil requires. Freya finds herself in a tenuous position. She’s ready to enter her next year at Vanaheim Junior High as a Rockstar: valedictorian, fashion expert for the ice-skating team, and master of jewelry creation…but instead she’s called to Asgard – the land of her enemies – to usher in the students for an experimental year. She yearns for nothing but to return home…and to find her grandmotherly figure, Gullveig, who started this war to begin with and has been in hiding since. And then tragedy strikes. As she’s crossing into Asgard, her magic jewel, Brising, breaks away from her and rolls into the hands of the dwarves of Drakalfheim. Without Brising, Freya believes that she is unable to do any magic, but she’ll learn that magic comes from places deeper than a gem and can be even greater than seeing into the future.
Given the decidedly not kid friendly nature of Norse mythology, I was really curious how Holub and Williams would adapt it in a way that not only made it appropriate for their audience, but also interesting, and I think they did a fine job of that. Admittedly, I had some initial reservations about the Norse world being turned into a middle school setting (I tend to like my mythology a little more serious), but those melted away as I become engrossed in the story and world. The authors had to be very creative and thankfully, they were up to the task. I honestly can’t claim to know much about the stories adapted here, so I’ll leave that commentary to more knowledgeable readers, but the setting itself is handled well and presented in a way that’s fun and relatable to younger readers (and I, as a very not young reader, also enjoyed it for its whimsical qualities and creativity).
This is a cute, fun story. It clips along at a good pace, and the more middle grade elements often had me smiling. I can easily see young readers getting caught up in Freya’s quibbles with Angerboda, an ice girlgiant, her struggle to get Brising back, the intrigue of the secret world, and her desire to return home. There’s a lot going on in this book and there’s never a boring moment. Given that I’m many years beyond the target audience, the plot wasn’t as complex as I’m used to, but that definitely isn’t a bad thing! I was still eagerly turning the pages to see how things would turn out. It’s easy to enjoy the urgency of the story as well as the numerous elements that tie into it. It takes readers to different parts of the world and never stops moving forward. From an adult perspective, I liked how the more “actiony” elements (travelling to Asgard, confronting the dwarves of Darkalfheim, searching for the magic door in Yggdrasil, to name a few) were balanced well with the more “peaceful” parts (Freya making friends with her podmates, her talks with Odin and Frigg, and trying to work through her crush on Od). There’s definitely enough story to fill the 250 pages or so of the book and it never disappoints.
My one…I guess you could call it an issue?...is with some of the writing. For the most part, it’s very suited to the intended age of the reader (though I could see many kids – Hell, I would have been one at that age! – having some trouble with the foreign vocabulary), but sometimes it feels like the authors were trying a little too hard to connect with a younger reader. For example, a character was described as having, “walked in, looking all cool.” The constant references to things being “cool” or “totally awesome” tended to draw me out of the story because they’re so jarring. I get that the novel is intended for a younger audience than me, and I can accept that a book geared toward that audience won’t read the same for me, but some of the really modern phrasing just didn’t fit in. Otherwise, I thought the word usage was fine and very appropriate for someone in the 8-12 range, and there’s definitely some witty writing in here to enjoy.
Our main character is Freya, the girlgoddess of love and beauty, and I think the authors did a good job of taking this mythological figure and adapting her to an eleven-year-old. I enjoyed Freya’s positive attitude, her proactivity in getting what she wants, and her desire to not hurt anyone. The references to her goddess status with things like her fan mail and other students having crushes on her are entertaining and lend a level of humour to the character. There’s a certain kind cleverness to Freya that’s endearing – she doesn’t want anyone to be upset with her and she doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, so she tries to find ways to right any wrongs she’s done, even if she has to be creative about it. That all being said, she’s a little bland throughout the story. I’d have liked to see just a tad more personality from her. I’m sure that this was done to help the reader connect more to her (the “blank slate” idea)…and possibly because women in mythology tend to be more than a bit passive, even in their own stories, but I wish she’d have had a bigger persona to accompany her story.
The other characters, most of whom are gods and goddesses from Norse mythology, are well done. Loki is a prominent character, presented as a mischievous boygod who loves pranks and stirring the pot – I think this is exactly like what the mythological Loki would have been like as a boy, and he’s pretty likeable, even when he’s causing trouble. Freya’s podmates are an interesting bunch with plenty of quirks and personalities of their own while Angerboda is the perfect social rival to Freya. Young readers will probably be able to connect quite a bit to these characters. I was impressed by how much the recent war coloured some of Freya’s interactions, particularly with the students from Asgard. The characters all feel very genuine as tweens and don’t fall into the trap of children acting too old for their age (writing younger characters convincingly is quite a feat!). Some characters are perhaps a little more whimsical than others (Mimir comes to mind), but all do their part to make Asgard Academy and the nine worlds a more interesting, colourful place.
“Thunder Girls: Freya and the Magic Jewel” is an entertaining, enjoyable middle-grade adventure. The authors expertly take Norse mythology and transform it into a fun setting for young readers while telling a delightful story of self-discovery and excitement. The writing, while occasionally jarringly modern, is humourous and easily devoured and the characters are a quirky, colourful group. Freya is a relatable main character with a big heart, though I wish she’d had just a little more personality as our protagonist. At the end of the day, I enjoyed this book, even though I’m not even remotely close in age to the target audience…and I still really like the cover. Four stars.
The war between Vanaheim and Asgard has ended, but life for Freya, the girlgoddess of love and beauty, is far from easy. She and her twin brother, Frey, have been invited by Odin to attend the Asgard Academy, an institution designed to bring the most promising students of the nine worlds together to create unity, which the great tree Yggdrasil requires. Freya finds herself in a tenuous position. She’s ready to enter her next year at Vanaheim Junior High as a Rockstar: valedictorian, fashion expert for the ice-skating team, and master of jewelry creation…but instead she’s called to Asgard – the land of her enemies – to usher in the students for an experimental year. She yearns for nothing but to return home…and to find her grandmotherly figure, Gullveig, who started this war to begin with and has been in hiding since. And then tragedy strikes. As she’s crossing into Asgard, her magic jewel, Brising, breaks away from her and rolls into the hands of the dwarves of Drakalfheim. Without Brising, Freya believes that she is unable to do any magic, but she’ll learn that magic comes from places deeper than a gem and can be even greater than seeing into the future.
Given the decidedly not kid friendly nature of Norse mythology, I was really curious how Holub and Williams would adapt it in a way that not only made it appropriate for their audience, but also interesting, and I think they did a fine job of that. Admittedly, I had some initial reservations about the Norse world being turned into a middle school setting (I tend to like my mythology a little more serious), but those melted away as I become engrossed in the story and world. The authors had to be very creative and thankfully, they were up to the task. I honestly can’t claim to know much about the stories adapted here, so I’ll leave that commentary to more knowledgeable readers, but the setting itself is handled well and presented in a way that’s fun and relatable to younger readers (and I, as a very not young reader, also enjoyed it for its whimsical qualities and creativity).
This is a cute, fun story. It clips along at a good pace, and the more middle grade elements often had me smiling. I can easily see young readers getting caught up in Freya’s quibbles with Angerboda, an ice girlgiant, her struggle to get Brising back, the intrigue of the secret world, and her desire to return home. There’s a lot going on in this book and there’s never a boring moment. Given that I’m many years beyond the target audience, the plot wasn’t as complex as I’m used to, but that definitely isn’t a bad thing! I was still eagerly turning the pages to see how things would turn out. It’s easy to enjoy the urgency of the story as well as the numerous elements that tie into it. It takes readers to different parts of the world and never stops moving forward. From an adult perspective, I liked how the more “actiony” elements (travelling to Asgard, confronting the dwarves of Darkalfheim, searching for the magic door in Yggdrasil, to name a few) were balanced well with the more “peaceful” parts (Freya making friends with her podmates, her talks with Odin and Frigg, and trying to work through her crush on Od). There’s definitely enough story to fill the 250 pages or so of the book and it never disappoints.
My one…I guess you could call it an issue?...is with some of the writing. For the most part, it’s very suited to the intended age of the reader (though I could see many kids – Hell, I would have been one at that age! – having some trouble with the foreign vocabulary), but sometimes it feels like the authors were trying a little too hard to connect with a younger reader. For example, a character was described as having, “walked in, looking all cool.” The constant references to things being “cool” or “totally awesome” tended to draw me out of the story because they’re so jarring. I get that the novel is intended for a younger audience than me, and I can accept that a book geared toward that audience won’t read the same for me, but some of the really modern phrasing just didn’t fit in. Otherwise, I thought the word usage was fine and very appropriate for someone in the 8-12 range, and there’s definitely some witty writing in here to enjoy.
Our main character is Freya, the girlgoddess of love and beauty, and I think the authors did a good job of taking this mythological figure and adapting her to an eleven-year-old. I enjoyed Freya’s positive attitude, her proactivity in getting what she wants, and her desire to not hurt anyone. The references to her goddess status with things like her fan mail and other students having crushes on her are entertaining and lend a level of humour to the character. There’s a certain kind cleverness to Freya that’s endearing – she doesn’t want anyone to be upset with her and she doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, so she tries to find ways to right any wrongs she’s done, even if she has to be creative about it. That all being said, she’s a little bland throughout the story. I’d have liked to see just a tad more personality from her. I’m sure that this was done to help the reader connect more to her (the “blank slate” idea)…and possibly because women in mythology tend to be more than a bit passive, even in their own stories, but I wish she’d have had a bigger persona to accompany her story.
The other characters, most of whom are gods and goddesses from Norse mythology, are well done. Loki is a prominent character, presented as a mischievous boygod who loves pranks and stirring the pot – I think this is exactly like what the mythological Loki would have been like as a boy, and he’s pretty likeable, even when he’s causing trouble. Freya’s podmates are an interesting bunch with plenty of quirks and personalities of their own while Angerboda is the perfect social rival to Freya. Young readers will probably be able to connect quite a bit to these characters. I was impressed by how much the recent war coloured some of Freya’s interactions, particularly with the students from Asgard. The characters all feel very genuine as tweens and don’t fall into the trap of children acting too old for their age (writing younger characters convincingly is quite a feat!). Some characters are perhaps a little more whimsical than others (Mimir comes to mind), but all do their part to make Asgard Academy and the nine worlds a more interesting, colourful place.
“Thunder Girls: Freya and the Magic Jewel” is an entertaining, enjoyable middle-grade adventure. The authors expertly take Norse mythology and transform it into a fun setting for young readers while telling a delightful story of self-discovery and excitement. The writing, while occasionally jarringly modern, is humourous and easily devoured and the characters are a quirky, colourful group. Freya is a relatable main character with a big heart, though I wish she’d had just a little more personality as our protagonist. At the end of the day, I enjoyed this book, even though I’m not even remotely close in age to the target audience…and I still really like the cover. Four stars.
January 12, 2018
I’m a sucker for Norse mythology and always excited to see a book that features the characters or the stories, this book does not disappointment. A wonderful book that introduces the middle grade reader to Norse Myth. The author explains the unusual words and characters that are from the original stories so you don't have to know Norse Mythology to enjoy this book but knowing a little does make it that much more fun. This story features Freya and her jewel Brising though it does not follow the original story and does intertwines other myths it does give a nice story line for an introduction to the girlgoddess and well as the boygods Loki, and Thor. I'm sure her adventures to come in the other book of this series will be just as enjoyable.
DRC received to write this review.
DRC received to write this review.
November 7, 2019
Freya and the Magic Jewel (Thunder Girls #1) by Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams, 257 pages. Aladdin (Simon & Schuster), 2018. $17.
Content: G
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS -- OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Freya, the young Norse goddess of beauty and fashion, is off to a boarding academy in Asgard. And she's not happy about it, since she's leaving behind her popularity in order to attend school with her sworn enemies. Freya vows not to be away for long, though. She just has to rescue her grandmother, who has disappeared, and then she's out of there. Well, that's the plan, at least. If only it were as easy as that...
I was excited to read this one, since I've heard a lot about the Goddess Girls series, and Norse myths have long been of interest to me, but there was SO MUCH telling instead of showing in this book that it was hard to feel truly invested. In addition, Freya's goals kept shifting; it felt as if the authors hadn't really nailed down her character and what she truly wanted. Although there was plenty of action (highlighted with over-generous use of exclamation marks), by the end of the book, it felt as if very little of value had happened.
Sydney G., K-6 Library Media Specialist
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...
Content: G
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS -- OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Freya, the young Norse goddess of beauty and fashion, is off to a boarding academy in Asgard. And she's not happy about it, since she's leaving behind her popularity in order to attend school with her sworn enemies. Freya vows not to be away for long, though. She just has to rescue her grandmother, who has disappeared, and then she's out of there. Well, that's the plan, at least. If only it were as easy as that...
I was excited to read this one, since I've heard a lot about the Goddess Girls series, and Norse myths have long been of interest to me, but there was SO MUCH telling instead of showing in this book that it was hard to feel truly invested. In addition, Freya's goals kept shifting; it felt as if the authors hadn't really nailed down her character and what she truly wanted. Although there was plenty of action (highlighted with over-generous use of exclamation marks), by the end of the book, it felt as if very little of value had happened.
Sydney G., K-6 Library Media Specialist
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...
December 14, 2018
This book was adorable. Almost too adorable considering the brutal mythology that inspired it. Freya was "meh" as a protagonist, but I enjoyed the characterisations of the other gods and goddesses of the Norse pantheon. I especially liked Mimir as the "head" librarian and Frigg with her knitting. Oh, and there was this one boy who really annoyed the heck out of everyone, but I found him completely charming. Some random kid named Loki or something. ;)
November 28, 2017
First in THUNDER GIRLS series about middle school age goddesses and gods, who Odin gathers together to attend an academy set high in the World Tree (Yggdrasil) of Asgard. Follows the Freya myth(s). Disparate groups of kids from the various nine Norse worlds are thrown together in a situation that force them to cooperate in order to save their world.
October 31, 2018
You can read more of my reviews at my blog Pages Unbound.
As a fan of Holub's and Williams's Grimmtastic Girls series, I had to check out their new books based on Norse Mythology: Thunder Girls. The premise is basically the same as Grimmtastic Girls and Goddess Girls (which is based on Greek mythology): young versions of mythological/fictional characters attend school together (here, Asgard Academy) and short adventures ensue, with each book focused on a different main character. A loose overarching plot vaguely ties things together.
Although I was excited about Thunder Girls because I am interested in Norse mythology but actually don't know that much about it, I think the audience's lack of familiarity with the subject matter is a downfall here. Holub and Suzanne know this is likely to be unfamiliar territory for a lot of readers, so there's a lot of background information. They have to explain not only who the main god/goddess/giant/elf/dwarf/human characters are but also the structure of the world, the geography, the general mythology, etc. I definitely feel more informed, but I'm not 100% convinced I read a great story.
And I was even less convinced I'd read a great story when it very suddenly ended. I actually hadn't realized that there was a main plot point that had been solved because I was expecting to reach the climax of the book when BOOM! I was reading the acknowledgements. (In my defense, it was a ebook, and I had no idea what percentage of the book was supposed to be left.) Suffice to say, this may not be my favorite book by these two authors.
However, I do like the Grimmtastic Girls series, and I have enough faith in the authors that I think this book might just suffer from being the first in the series. These are chapter books, not upper middle grade, so they're meant for a fairly young audience and need to be kind of short. The authors used up a lot of their space giving out background information in this first book, which is fair considering most of their audience won't really know anything about Norse mythology (kids this young probably even haven't seen the Thor movies from Marvel). So I have some optimism here, and I think the rest of the series has the potential to be quite strong. My library has the ebook for book 2, so I may be checking it out soon.
As a fan of Holub's and Williams's Grimmtastic Girls series, I had to check out their new books based on Norse Mythology: Thunder Girls. The premise is basically the same as Grimmtastic Girls and Goddess Girls (which is based on Greek mythology): young versions of mythological/fictional characters attend school together (here, Asgard Academy) and short adventures ensue, with each book focused on a different main character. A loose overarching plot vaguely ties things together.
Although I was excited about Thunder Girls because I am interested in Norse mythology but actually don't know that much about it, I think the audience's lack of familiarity with the subject matter is a downfall here. Holub and Suzanne know this is likely to be unfamiliar territory for a lot of readers, so there's a lot of background information. They have to explain not only who the main god/goddess/giant/elf/dwarf/human characters are but also the structure of the world, the geography, the general mythology, etc. I definitely feel more informed, but I'm not 100% convinced I read a great story.
And I was even less convinced I'd read a great story when it very suddenly ended. I actually hadn't realized that there was a main plot point that had been solved because I was expecting to reach the climax of the book when BOOM! I was reading the acknowledgements. (In my defense, it was a ebook, and I had no idea what percentage of the book was supposed to be left.) Suffice to say, this may not be my favorite book by these two authors.
However, I do like the Grimmtastic Girls series, and I have enough faith in the authors that I think this book might just suffer from being the first in the series. These are chapter books, not upper middle grade, so they're meant for a fairly young audience and need to be kind of short. The authors used up a lot of their space giving out background information in this first book, which is fair considering most of their audience won't really know anything about Norse mythology (kids this young probably even haven't seen the Thor movies from Marvel). So I have some optimism here, and I think the rest of the series has the potential to be quite strong. My library has the ebook for book 2, so I may be checking it out soon.
June 1, 2018
I've read several books by Joan Holub and wasn't disappointed by this one either. With girl fun and gentle but exciting adventures, she and Suzanne Williams bring Norse mythology a little closer to young readers.
Freya isn't sure what's wrong with her magical stone. It claims that she will move to Asgard (an enemy her people just made peace with) and thwart Doomsday. Obviously, she's not moving to Asgard—she has her own things to do, not to mention school. But when she arrives, her twin brother tells her Odin has basically ordered her and her brother to attend a new school in Asgard. Freya isn't sure what to think; especially Frost Giants aren't the kind she wants to rub shoulders with. But soon she discovers that those giants are the least of her worries.
Although this book is based on Norse mythology, it takes a very original and loose spin on the ancient tales. Freya does have problems to solve and things to work out, but each and every adventure is also packed with humor and fun. The result is a gentle adventure which holds tension, excitement, tons of friendship, and giggles too.
Freya is a self-assured girl, who thanks to being the goddess of love, has a flock of admirers (and tons of fan mail). Still, she hasn't let it go to her head. She's kind, develops friendships easily and has a good handle on the feelings of those around her. In other words, she's easy to like and never comes across as someone who is overly special, although others try to put her on that pedestal in this tale (at least, Odin does).
This is an easy read. At over 250 pages, it might make younger middle grade readers swallow, but the pages flow quickly. The vocabulary and subject is especially appropriate for the younger side of the intended age group (ages 9 to 12). Even the plot will thrill yet never push the borders for more sensitive readers. Friendship is always key in this story and warms like a huge hug. Even when small irritations arise between the characters, these are handled with calm finesse and lots of care.
Fans of girl power, gentle adventures, friendship and Norse mythology are sure to enjoy this one. It's a great beginning of what promises to be a fun series.
I received a complimentary copy and loved it so much that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
Freya isn't sure what's wrong with her magical stone. It claims that she will move to Asgard (an enemy her people just made peace with) and thwart Doomsday. Obviously, she's not moving to Asgard—she has her own things to do, not to mention school. But when she arrives, her twin brother tells her Odin has basically ordered her and her brother to attend a new school in Asgard. Freya isn't sure what to think; especially Frost Giants aren't the kind she wants to rub shoulders with. But soon she discovers that those giants are the least of her worries.
Although this book is based on Norse mythology, it takes a very original and loose spin on the ancient tales. Freya does have problems to solve and things to work out, but each and every adventure is also packed with humor and fun. The result is a gentle adventure which holds tension, excitement, tons of friendship, and giggles too.
Freya is a self-assured girl, who thanks to being the goddess of love, has a flock of admirers (and tons of fan mail). Still, she hasn't let it go to her head. She's kind, develops friendships easily and has a good handle on the feelings of those around her. In other words, she's easy to like and never comes across as someone who is overly special, although others try to put her on that pedestal in this tale (at least, Odin does).
This is an easy read. At over 250 pages, it might make younger middle grade readers swallow, but the pages flow quickly. The vocabulary and subject is especially appropriate for the younger side of the intended age group (ages 9 to 12). Even the plot will thrill yet never push the borders for more sensitive readers. Friendship is always key in this story and warms like a huge hug. Even when small irritations arise between the characters, these are handled with calm finesse and lots of care.
Fans of girl power, gentle adventures, friendship and Norse mythology are sure to enjoy this one. It's a great beginning of what promises to be a fun series.
I received a complimentary copy and loved it so much that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
May 22, 2019
I have read Joan Holub's other mythology series, The Goddess Girls series, and when I saw she did Norse series I had to read it! Overall, I thought it was a cute a little book, but I do not know my Norse Myths well enough to pick out what stories the author is retelling. I will say that this series makes more sense on which gods and goddesses are viewed as adults and who is viewed as children. Odin as the principal of Asgard Academy makes total sense. Loki and Thor as students also make sense. This is different from The Goddess Girl series. While Zeus is the king of the Greek gods, he is the younger brother of Hestia, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, and Demeter. Hestia, Poseidon, and Hades are all children in the Goddess Girl series, which made no sense to me.
I am not sure if I like this version of Freya. This version of Freya focuses on her beauty, love, and popularity aspects, but it did not focus on her war aspect. This made her seem similar to Aphrodite, which is not right for I do not think you can confuse Aphrodite with Freya if you look at the myths. Yes, she is supposed to be the queen of friendship, but she felt a little self-centered and not grounded. Rick Riordan's Freya has her a little haughty with a dash of maternal with an overlay of self-center and very much an adult, but I do not remember if he mentioned her war-like tendencies. Then there is Matthew Laurence's version. He covers all of her aspects and has her grounded. Unlike the other versions, this Freya knows what she is and her flaws. She knows she can be self-center and egotistical, but she can also be loving and friendly. I will admit that I read Laurence's book first and I really liked it, especially his portrayal of Freya. This means I am bias toward other versions of Freya.
Verdict: A cute, fluffy early middle school read about the Norse Myths that may bother older readers depending on the reader.
I am not sure if I like this version of Freya. This version of Freya focuses on her beauty, love, and popularity aspects, but it did not focus on her war aspect. This made her seem similar to Aphrodite, which is not right for I do not think you can confuse Aphrodite with Freya if you look at the myths. Yes, she is supposed to be the queen of friendship, but she felt a little self-centered and not grounded. Rick Riordan's Freya has her a little haughty with a dash of maternal with an overlay of self-center and very much an adult, but I do not remember if he mentioned her war-like tendencies. Then there is Matthew Laurence's version. He covers all of her aspects and has her grounded. Unlike the other versions, this Freya knows what she is and her flaws. She knows she can be self-center and egotistical, but she can also be loving and friendly. I will admit that I read Laurence's book first and I really liked it, especially his portrayal of Freya. This means I am bias toward other versions of Freya.
Verdict: A cute, fluffy early middle school read about the Norse Myths that may bother older readers depending on the reader.
May 4, 2018
Ye Gods - ever since reading the Goddess Girls series, I wasn't sure if the Thunder girls could warm my heart. The beginning was cold - because we get into the Norse winter wonderland. It is a bit similar to Athena the wise, but this time we start with the goddess of beauty and love. Freya is a fashionista, but not pink and glamourous as Aphrodite was. We get to know Asgard Academy and three goddess friends for Freya: Sif, Idun and Skade. And of course, there are godboys, but also giants, dwarfes, elves and animals.
I'm really amazed how much research the authors dir for this book. We get not only a lot of characters, but also some Norse words. In the beginning there's a map, in the end a glossary. I must admit that this was a very good idea and helpful to find my way through nine(!) worlds. And I put my good, old, illustrated book about Norse mythology out of my shelf to compare the characters and places. And it made me smile, thinking about possible adventures and crushes. Norse mythology is mainly adventurous and male-focused. That's why I really appreciate this new series that strenghthens the girls' view. It was a slow beginning, but this is really necessary for this new multiverse. It seems that the characters are less childish or fancy than the Greek ones and it reminded me a bit of "Princess Academy" by Shannon Hale and "The Faraway tree" by Enid Blyton. There was also a famous myth including Freya and a wall and I really liked the way of retelling it. A story full of friendship, fantasy and peace-making that gave me a lot of knowledge and also interest. I think I will also read Sif's story and hopefully Idun's and Skade's one. But please don't forget Goddess Girls! With so much work for Thunder Girls, the Greek mythology should be not neglected or rushed, even if a very amazing new series is rising.
I'm really amazed how much research the authors dir for this book. We get not only a lot of characters, but also some Norse words. In the beginning there's a map, in the end a glossary. I must admit that this was a very good idea and helpful to find my way through nine(!) worlds. And I put my good, old, illustrated book about Norse mythology out of my shelf to compare the characters and places. And it made me smile, thinking about possible adventures and crushes. Norse mythology is mainly adventurous and male-focused. That's why I really appreciate this new series that strenghthens the girls' view. It was a slow beginning, but this is really necessary for this new multiverse. It seems that the characters are less childish or fancy than the Greek ones and it reminded me a bit of "Princess Academy" by Shannon Hale and "The Faraway tree" by Enid Blyton. There was also a famous myth including Freya and a wall and I really liked the way of retelling it. A story full of friendship, fantasy and peace-making that gave me a lot of knowledge and also interest. I think I will also read Sif's story and hopefully Idun's and Skade's one. But please don't forget Goddess Girls! With so much work for Thunder Girls, the Greek mythology should be not neglected or rushed, even if a very amazing new series is rising.
February 24, 2024
I didn't like it because Freya lost her magic jewel two times,but I like it because she had a interesting journey.There was nine worlds,It was about a girl named Freya and she had a jewel called a brising.That brising that she has can give her powers that are that she can tell the future.She also had a brother named Frey.Frey and Freya went to the same school.She lost brising first time it was a time that they saw a fire giant in front of the school.Everyone went run as fast as they can.Freya was also running and when a while of running everyone realized that the fire giants weren't chasing them.She realized herself that she dropped her jewel on a ice bridge.When she notice she ran to get it back.She ran,ran,and ran to get the jewel back.If she doesn't have her jewel then she can't do her powers.Once she got to the ice bridge her jewel was in the middle of it.Once she took a step on it a voice came out.Once the voice is done Freya got teleported in front of a door.She was curious what was behind it so she went through the door and she got into a tunnel and in the tunnel she was going up.She landed in the in the most powerful person out of all the nine worlds.They talked and Freya found out that the trolls (the trolls like to steal shiny things) stole her jewel.She was wearing ear warmers and one of the trolls found out.All the trolls wanted one and Freya got her jewel back but didn't give them the ear warmers.She was so happy to get her jewel back and she promised the jewel the she will never lost it or drop it ever again,but when she said that it dropped out of her hand and she couldn't find it.She went back to the real world a and said hi to her friends.THE END.
April 23, 2018
I'm going to start off by saying I won this book as a Goodreads giveaway.
Next, I'm going to say that I wanted to like this book more than I actually did.
Unfortunately this book falls into the same trap that a lot of kids books do. Firstly, in many cases the vocabulary used was far beyond what the age range would be expected to know. This is the only time you will ever hear me suggest that an author needs to dumb it down for their readers. Further to this, there were instances where it was written 'X (where X is some foreign term), as you know means Y (where Y is the definition). This is just both lazy and sloppy writing at the same time.
And second, just because it's a kid's book doesn't mean that deus ex machina is now allowable. Throughout the book, Freya just seems to be along for the ride and doesn't do a whole heck of a lot to get herself out of anything.
All in all, I did kind of enjoy it, and will be passing it along to my neices.
Next, I'm going to say that I wanted to like this book more than I actually did.
Unfortunately this book falls into the same trap that a lot of kids books do. Firstly, in many cases the vocabulary used was far beyond what the age range would be expected to know. This is the only time you will ever hear me suggest that an author needs to dumb it down for their readers. Further to this, there were instances where it was written 'X (where X is some foreign term), as you know means Y (where Y is the definition). This is just both lazy and sloppy writing at the same time.
And second, just because it's a kid's book doesn't mean that deus ex machina is now allowable. Throughout the book, Freya just seems to be along for the ride and doesn't do a whole heck of a lot to get herself out of anything.
All in all, I did kind of enjoy it, and will be passing it along to my neices.
March 21, 2020
The goddess girls series quickly became a guilty pleasure for me, so I was really excited when I heard about Thunder Girls (since Norse mythology interests me more than Greek). Although I am way outside the age group of the target audience for these books, I appreciate their simplicity.
For example, in this particular book, they have shrunk down the ending of a war to the idea of going to a new school and making new friends. It’s light-hearted and refreshing for all ages to sometimes read a book where things are put simply and everything works out.
I also feel the world created in this new series is far more interesting and imaginative than that of goddess girls. So, even though some of the dialogue might make me cringe, I will definitely continue reading about the Thunder Girls.
For example, in this particular book, they have shrunk down the ending of a war to the idea of going to a new school and making new friends. It’s light-hearted and refreshing for all ages to sometimes read a book where things are put simply and everything works out.
I also feel the world created in this new series is far more interesting and imaginative than that of goddess girls. So, even though some of the dialogue might make me cringe, I will definitely continue reading about the Thunder Girls.
December 20, 2018
From the author of the very popular Goddess Girls series comes a brand new spin-off with Norse gods & goddesses- Thunder Girls! Featuring Freya, the Norse goddess of love and beauty, this book starts readers off with a great introduction to Norse mythology and stories. I love anything to do with mythologies, but I absolutely go nuts when I see stories other than Greek or Roman (sorry guys, but it's just so overdone!). So when I saw that Holub was branching out into Norse mythology I knew I had to read it. This book is perfect for any fans of Holub, or mythology, or powerful butt-kicking girls! I will be recommending this book to all my middle-grade readers.
August 5, 2024
I wanted to love this book. It starts out chock full of great Norse mythology—lots of detail about Norse gods/goddesses & legends & lore, with a relatable young girl protagonist. However, for this mom, there is too much “who likes who” and crushes and giving away your heart-type stuff. Also the storyline begins strong but kind of fizzles out. I was expecting more action/adventure but things are resolved quickly and w/o much work on the protagonist’s part. Kind of disappointing because my 8 YO was so eager to read this & I was eager for the introduction into Norse mythology for her. But it just fell flat.
October 4, 2024
When she and her brother Frey are invited to attend Asgard Academy - Odin's attempt at bringing an age of peace after a recent war - Freya attempts to back out, only to lose a precious gem that gives her the power to seer, which may also be the key to understanding the truth behind the war! Williams and Holub offer young readers a decently enjoyable take on Norse mythology, some likeable characters in a pretty realm, unfortunately hindered by its overexplanatory nature and bland wrap-up. Will Freya be able to get back home...or is there more in store for her at this new school?
May 14, 2018
I received this through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Cute kid-friendly exploration of the Norse myths. Freya is sent to a new school with her brother and a few friends in a new world. On the way there, she looses her magic jewel and is desperate to get it back. Freya needs to help those around in her in the Norse world.
Goddess girls fans will have a great time with this book.
Cute kid-friendly exploration of the Norse myths. Freya is sent to a new school with her brother and a few friends in a new world. On the way there, she looses her magic jewel and is desperate to get it back. Freya needs to help those around in her in the Norse world.
Goddess girls fans will have a great time with this book.
July 14, 2018
I actually gave this book to my young niece. While she is still reading it at this point, she is absolutely loving this book and was asking if I knew if and when there might be some more books like this. Some of the words are a little hard for her, but her parents are reading along with her, they are enjoying the book too.....
Found out that the next book to this series will be available in October 2018.
Found out that the next book to this series will be available in October 2018.
January 5, 2021
I read this to my daughter (4.5 years old). The names weren't easy for her to keep straight, we had to refercne the map in the book several times but she loved it. We are going to tackle the rest of the series.
Some of the themes are probably a little above her age-level but the world that is being built was right at her speed. I'm guessing we'll come back to this again in a year or two and probably take different aspects from the stories.
Some of the themes are probably a little above her age-level but the world that is being built was right at her speed. I'm guessing we'll come back to this again in a year or two and probably take different aspects from the stories.
June 2, 2021
I loved this book. It was different enough from Goddess Girls to be a fun read without feeling like a carbon copy yet similar enough to have the same magic that attracted me to these series. There are many nods to various events, objects, and relationships but with a fun and age-appropriate twist. The themes of learning and choosing to trust others without being stupidly naive are prominent without being overly didactic. Excellent book!
December 12, 2018
it was a very good book. the myths and characters were spot on. and the myths were very well explained in good detail. and the gods and goddesses work very well from middle-grader. the emotions like friendship, family, moving to a new place and other emotions were very well written. I give it 4.5 stars. good for kids who want to learn about Norse myths.
November 21, 2020
This was cute. Only complaint is it is clearly setting up a larger world plot so Freya’s boy-crush and even her jewel/power/prophecy part felt a bit rushed.
Love her silver kitty cart though and it definitely makes me want to read up on the actual Norse myths!
Fun if you loved Goddess Girls (based on the Greek mythology).
Love her silver kitty cart though and it definitely makes me want to read up on the actual Norse myths!
Fun if you loved Goddess Girls (based on the Greek mythology).
November 2, 2018
A little immature for me but I also realize this would appeal to a younger set of girls who are looking for a low key fantasy series to get started with rather than jumping straight into something like Percy Jackson.
December 7, 2018
I loved it 😍☺️I haven't finished reading the goddes girls, but i still wanted to read this new series and I don't regret it. It has a good story, good development and I want to see what will happen next with the thunder girls ⚡️⚡️.
March 22, 2019
Great book that I read with my 8 year old daughter. There were a few difficult words in there that even I as an adult struggled with, but we sort of knew there would be some of those since this is based off of nordic mythology. Not a bad story overall.
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October 18, 2019Could have used this book when I was 12, but glad I got the change to read it anyway xD
We're missing one eight-legged horse, but ah well, it's an excellent retelling of the story of how Asgard got its wall back.
We're missing one eight-legged horse, but ah well, it's an excellent retelling of the story of how Asgard got its wall back.
April 7, 2020
Freya has to go to school at Asgard Academy, but she doesn't want to. When her jewel starts talking, she and the other Thunder Girls go on a journey to get Freya's jewel back from the evil dwarves that stole it.
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