Hey bookworms! Sara has been busy reading lots of books and she has another review ready for us! She recently read Windsworn: Gryphon Riders – Book One by Derek Alan Siddoway.
Synopsis: Eva has never swung a sword. She’s never flown through the open sky on a gryphon or dreamed of being a hero. She’s content with a quiet life — two feet firmly on the ground, working in her foster-father’s forge. But that’s all about to change.
When Eva discovers a young thief hiding in her woodshed with a stolen gryphon egg, the shy, timid girl is forced to leave everything she’s ever known to become Windsworn — elite warriors who ride fierce gryphons into battle. As she struggles to learn the ways of the Windsworn, Eva finds herself caught in a plot to destroy the gryphon riders and plunge the kingdom into war, a plot that somehow involves her deceased parents.
In the face of growing danger, can Eva conquer her fears and unravel the secrets of her past in time to save the Windsworn?
This book is about a young blacksmith’s daughter named Eva. Through a strange series of events, she finds herself in possession of a Gryphon egg, which hatches only for her. She is then swept off into an adventure to learn about her new life, as a trained Gryphon Rider, protectors of the kingdom.
This book was a really fun read. I was engaged and staying up too late to read JUST ONE MORE CHAPTER for the whole book. I really enjoyed Eva as our main character and her struggles with what should have been a dream, but really felt like a chore. All the main characters in this book were unique and well developed.
I enjoyed that the plot never felt predictable. I never knew exactly where it was going next, or what was coming around the corner. The world that the author created feels cozy and believable. I’m eager to learn more about it in the sequel, as well as the implications of Eva’s special Gryphon.
My only complaints about the book would be the fact that the author seems to have leaned too heavily into their other favorite series for their inspiration. The beginning feels a lot like Eragon, and the final chapters felt a lot like the final chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. I think the author has created their own world here with unique characters and needs to be more careful with pulling elements from others in the genre, as it felt very familiar.
Overall, I really enjoyed it, and I’m looking forward to the sequel. Where this world goes and how Eva develops after the ending of this book can only get more intense and engaging. Great book! Wonderful for junior readers too.
Book Rating: 4/5
You can buy this book on Amazon or find it on Goodreads.
Disclaimer: This book was sent to us by the author in ebook format in exchange for an honest review.
I made my latest TBR video where I talk about all the books I will be reading in June and the buddy reads I will be taking part in. The new TBR jar also commences its journey with me.
Love the cover
I know right! I do too 🙂