Royalslinger by Graci Kim

Fifteen-year-old Aria is about to start her second year of magical training at the Royal League of Dreamslingers. She and her bloom dragon, Rio, must pass the final exam to become fully fledged Fellows. But before training can begin, the king of Royal Hanguk gives Aria and the other novices a mission. They are to help the League reclaim the Touch of Death, a powerful ancient relic stolen from the kingdom by Aria’s own mother.

But then Aria experiences a devastating loss and her dream of becoming a royalslinger evaporates. How far is Aria prepared to go to regain what she’s lost and will her decisions result in the end of the League?

Graci Kim returns with the sequel to her fantastical Dreamslinger, where dragons and phoenixes roam the skies of Seoul, meals magically appear based on your mood, and dreams literally come to life.

Royalslinger picks up where Kim left Dreamslinger. While she provides just enough background and context for this to be a standalone, readers will have a far better grasp on the world and characters if they read it as a series.

The story is exciting and action-packed, and Kim continues to build a rich world. 

The series is a fresh, Korean-inspired take on the magical school genre. I loved the pops of tradition and culture within the story. This time around, there's more of a New Zealand connection, too, with Aria visiting Tui at home.

At times, the pacing felt a little bit off, going too deep into some parts and skipping over others to keep the action rolling.  

The characters are interesting, with even the supporting characters memorable in their own way. For the intended audience, it was refreshing for the three main characters to just be friends - there's no love story blooming. 

Kim tackles some deep themes within the story in an age-appropriate way. The story gently nudges readers towards self-growth and empathy. We've been reading the series aloud to our tween daughters, and it's led to some interesting and important conversations that delve deeper into Aria's world and how it mimics ours.

Blending imagination and heart, Royalslingers is an exciting and original read.

Reviewer: Rebekah Lyell

Penguin RandomHouse