The Pennymore sisters (and brother) are the great core of this novel. They are clever and bold. Their dialogue snappy, their affection for each other palpable, and their struggles relatable. It’s incredibly easy to root and care for them. So much so that the muddy world-building (the workings of the kingdom are unclear) largely fades to the background. Plus, there are plenty of unique, magical creatures and settings, exciting (though sometimes hard to follow) action, clever twists, and lessons about the importance of acceptance and learning.

Unfortunately, the novel takes a long time to develop the plot. The sisters don’t leave on their quest to save the kingdom from the evil sorcerer Dagamar until halfway through the book. As such, the book stays stuck in second gear for a long while, and it’s hard to tell where exactly the plot is going. Details pile up and become confusing because it’s not clear why they matter. Some may find this intriguing and mysterious, but for middle-grade fiction—usually so streamlined and to the point—the book’s slow, sprawling start is particularly notable.

The book compares itself to series like Percy Jackson and Narnia and, while I feel young readers of these novels would also like the Pennymores, older readers are less likely to find it appealing. The character depictions and action seem firmly entrenched within the middle-grade age range. I would recommend it for these readers (and their parents) that enjoy a slower plot with dynamic characters and lots of fun, magical details.

I posted this review to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4681705060

Oh. Mylanta. This book was SO good. I can’t even!

I loved reading something entirely different from my norm, and found myself immersed in the world and story quite quickly. The worldbuilding was fantastic (and to a level I’ve not seen in some time–really since Harry Potter).

The read was a bit denser than I expected for a middle-grade read–if I can continue with Harry Potter references, it’d probably be on par with Order of the Phoenix. 🙂 I’m surprised it clocks in at under 400 pages! So, I’d say more advanced readers would probably enjoy and have the patience for it. I loved it, and think adults would too, especially fellow fans of HP, Narnia, Lord of the Rings, Fablehaven, and Eragon.

So, so, so good–and I selfishly really hope the authors make an appearance at a local comic-con. 😉

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

DNF’d this one on the sole reason that it was so dragged out and I felt like it was never getting to the point.

I really enjoyed the world that the author created and their characters were interesting and intriguing but I just thought that for a middle grade novel that it took far too long to hook me in and as a result I lost interest very quickly and feel like their target audience would as well.

Also because the storyline was so dense it made it very hard to follow and keep up with at times and this was disheartening, I wanted more excitement and danger and adventure. I loved the illustrations of the characters throughout the book though and I do think the creators of the book have a great concept, it just really needs edited and polished to make it slicker and make more of an impact on their reader.

2.5 rounded up to 3/5

I just reviewed The Pennymores & the Curse of the Invisible Quill by Eric Koester. #Pennymores #NetGalley. A magical adventure following the 3 pennymore sisters. They set out on a quest to find their bother. They have to uncover secrets along the way. This book remained me a bit of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and a pinch of magic. Over I like that it showed a sting female characters that could inspire other readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Pennymores and the Curse of the Invisible Quill follows the story of Parker Pennymore and her sisters. They live in a society where all writing is banned, especially magical writing. They soon discover that in order to save their missing brother, they are going to need some ancient items and a whole lot of magic. Will they get caught using magic or will they be able to save their brother in time?

Rating: 3/5
Release Date: April 25th, 2022
Age Rating: 7+

Pros:
-The Pennymores has an amazing fantasy world and the book sucks you right in
-There were so many fun magic moments, including encounters with talking animals and other magical creatures.
-The characters were well-developed and I loved how much mischief they got into

Cons:
-I personally found a lot of the writing to be very straightforward which got boring at times, however as it’s a middle-grade read I think this is helpful to appeal to younger audiences.

The Pennymore sisters certainly know how to take on an adventure! I greatly enjoyed reading about this feisty group of girls as they navigate the truth behind their brother's disappearance. With both lighthearted and more serious parts, this story keeps the readers interested.
I do think however, that it may be a bit too long to keep younger readers interested. While the trio was well written and fleshed out, the other characters were not. The plot goes on too many tangents, causing the story to be confusing at times. Overall it's a wonderful read reminiscent of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson that would certainly appeal to readers of this genre.

Original review posted to Goodreads.

What an absolutely, amazingly fun journey! I loved this book so much! It took me out of real life into another world! This book is definitely for kids, teens and adults that want an adventure! My younger brother couldn’t get enough! We are big fantasy fans and this was right up that alley! Will be buying a hard copy asap! I just love a good book with a map!
Thank you NetGalley and New Degree Press for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A fun and magical adventure following the Pennymore sisters and their quest to find out the truth behind their brother's disappearance. It's charming and whimsical in parts, but also has a darker side as the sisters face various perils and secrets. The best part of the book is the central trio of the sisters, fun, fiesty, and powerful female characters to inspire young readers. The other characters aren't fleshed out quite as well, and the storyline regarding the big bad is a little confusing at times. Overall, it's an entertaining read with hints of the likes of Harry Potter and A Pinch of Magic. It's a tad too long and the plot spreads out in too many directions leaving a lot unanswered. It's worth a read for fans of the genre, and I'd happily read a sequel.

The relationship between the three main sisters was my favourite part of this book. Watching the three of them along with their new friend try to get their invisible brother back to visible before he is invisible forever was so much fun. And while the writing style wasn't my favourite style and at times I did feel like parts of it could have been cut and the story will be the same I wasn't completely taken out of the story.

All of the children in my extended family are (or aspire to be ) confident and enthusiastic readers. This book really spoke to them. The older ones enjoyed the book and library references, the younger just enjoyed the story. A really good magical read for a family to enjoy together.

I'm a Potterhead and always loved how that book made you feel connected to the book and it's characters from the moment your wand chooses you, to meeting your classmates to finding your Hogwarts house (I'm a Ravenclaw). There's something incredibly unique about feeling yourself drawn into the book the way Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, or Narnia do.

The Pennymores gave me that exact same feeling. I loved seeing the Plumes rebel against the Illiterates, I enjoyed seeing people learn they were the Order of Poet, Order of Legend, or Order of Enigma, seeing characters uncover their magical abilities, and even how hidden world's exist right before our eyes. The Pennymores has rich characters, a unique and complex world and adventure, and a villain with a story that is complicated and makes you question what is truly right and wrong.

Potterheads, Demigods, and anyone looking for those books that make you feel like you are beside the hero on a quest to find themselves rejoice... Pennymores is for you!