Mini Review – Across the Green Grass Fields

From Goodreads:

“Welcome to the Hooflands. We’re happy to have you, even if you being here means something’s coming.”

Regan loves, and is loved, though her school-friend situation has become complicated, of late.

When she suddenly finds herself thrust through a doorway that asks her to "Be Sure" before swallowing her whole, Regan must learn to live in a world filled with centaurs, kelpies, and other magical equines―a world that expects its human visitors to step up and be heroes.

But after embracing her time with the herd, Regan discovers that not all forms of heroism are equal, and not all quests are as they seem…

Sticking to the format of this series where even numbered books introduce us to new worlds and odd numbered books take us on journeys with those we have met before, this book introduces the hooflands. The hooflands will be magical for anyone that grew up with my little ponies cluttering up there toy boxes. It contains all manor of magical hooved beings from unicorns to centaurs, kelpies to fauns. As is always expected the world building in fascinating and detailed. Being Novellas I will always hope for more in the way or worldbuilding but there is always enough to build up a clear picture and get a feel for how the world works for those that live there.

The story is also a really interesting one. It seems a slower pace that previous books, taking longer to build relationships between characters. Like previous books the plot focuses on self identity. The escape to the new world allowing for the Main Character to decide who they are to themselves. it also has tales of bulling from the inside of the clique, recognising your own behaviour, who to trust, finding yourself and that not everything and everyone has to be heroic. Its a story of found family and being proud of who you are and its just nice to see those tales firmly on the page.