Sophia Freeman and the Gate of Jade (Book 2) Paperback – May 7, 2021

T. X. Troan does a great job writing a book that pre-teens. He picks up from the first book and easily pushes the story forward. While the story is written for pre-teens, it a story that anyone can get into and enjoy. It's a good book to introduce the fantasy genre to a young reader.The only downside is that Troan doesn't provide any backstory and not much worldbuilding in this book. For that information, he is relying on you to have read the first book.Still, I have to say good job on a well-written story.

It was great getting to tag alongside Sophia and her friend. The action was rapidly building since scene one. I could imagine each scene vividly as I read the chapters. So, bravo on great imagery and character development! The illustrations were pretty neat and colorful too. I really enjoyed it!

This was a great sequel. It was even better than the last. It's a really good book and series for children. They will be captivated!

Upon learning that the sophomore book from the Sophia Freeman series had been released I had to buy it and immediately read it. I was not disappointed! The only problem with finding a fun series is having to wait until the next one comes out. As this book ended in a cliffhanger as well I’m sure you too will be hanging on the edge of your seat until the next one comes out.The book pretty much starts up where the last one ended. Miss sassy-pants Sophia, “the chosen one,” is still with her good friend Tim who has landed himself in hot water by (****spoiler***). As a punishment, Tim and Sophia will be sealed away forever if they do not win a special tournament. In order to reverse the curse and change the fate of the island, Tim and Sophia endeavor to do just that! We follow the two as they, the only humans in the competition, prepare to compete. Sophia is not only learning to use her magic but also still struggling to show respect to her elders and the rules.This three part competition (which I couldn’t help but compare to “The Hunger Games” at times) tests Sophia and Tim in many different ways. The two learn multiple lessons along the way while serving up an action packed adventure full of monsters, magic, and many obstacles. Definitely a must read if you enjoyed the first book.I’ll end this review with my favorite quote of the book and perhaps the most important lesson learned;“One of the most important things about being a great leader is to make the best decisions for all your followers… Do not destroy the forest to save only one tree.”

This is a fun and exciting fantasy/adventure story; written at the perfect level for pre-teen readers. The main character, Sophia Freeman, is clever, courageous and sassy. Her best friend, Tim, is kind and brave, and obviously cares a great deal for Sophia. This story takes them on an adventure where they compete in a huge tournament, with a prize that will clear Tim of a murder charge. Even though they are capable of using magic, the rules of the competition forbid it. I enjoyed seeing the characters rely on their wits instead of magic. The story comes to a satisfying conclusion, with a bit of a cliffhanger to lead into the next book. sopThis is the second book of a series. I felt like this story could've benefited from a little bit of exposition/backstory for readers who might not have read the first book. All of the characters, and their world, are engaging and interesting, but a little bit more description would've helped to bring this story to life. Still, I think pre-teens who enjoy fantasy-adventure stories will love these books.

This was such a neat read! The illustrations were charming, the story was great, and the characters were amazing! I wish this had been around when I was younger!

Troan has a knack for pacing in this quick read! Starting from the very beginning, the action starts and doesn’t let up. No points felt like they dragged for too long.I enjoyed Sophia’s sass and spunk as well. She makes for a fun protagonist, and it was great seeing how she would react to things!A greater inclusion of world building would have strengthened this book. Even though I realize that this is the second book in a series, it would be fantastic reading how it builds and expands on what was established in the first.The illustrations are a nice touch.Consider picking this up for your middle grade reader!

This is a decent book and has a lot of great stuff going for it, it's just sometimes really hard to read (a lot of run-on sentences) and also sometimes hard to follow.Otherwise, the characters are well rounded and relatable to its teenage audience.Important to read the books in the right order to understand all the different characters and elements of the fantasy world.