Consumer Critique: Journey to Rainbow Island

Disclosure: I received complimentary products to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.

I recently got a chance to read Journey to Rainbow Island by Christie Hsiao. I love fantasy fiction books, and I have always had a soft spot for books with dragons. This one had a little different flavor than some of the books I've read in the past, and my daughter and I actually had very different responses to the book.

I found the book a bit simplistic for my tastes, but my daughter loved it. Since the target audience is tween readers, I think that makes sense. It shows a strong female role model, it allows for exploration in a fantastical world, and the whole point of the book is that the light in our hearts is stronger than the darkness. The book had a good level of conflict for readers that are just getting into more complicated books but aren't yet ready for the intricacies of an adult fantasy fiction plotline. For an adult reader, some parts of the plot seemed abrupt or not properly developed, but again, a younger reader is going to want a plot that keeps moving forward and keeps them engaged.

I'd recommend this book as an intro to fantasy fiction, especially for tween girls. The book isn't necessarily only feminine, but I think it's important for girls to read books with strong female main characters. Someone who has read more established fantasy fiction authors will probably be disappointed, but as a newer author, I think it's a good start.