Overall, I enjoyed this book, however I don’t know that it has a start that will just grab readers and encourage them to keep reading. I love the diversity and inclusion that this book tries to promote. And teaching kids that just because something is different doesn’t mean it should be something you fear but instead encourages kids to learn about and maybe embrace. I also like how it talks about nature and how what happens in one place can cause a ripple effect to other areas throughout the world. There is a lot of positive about this book, the ending is great. I just am not sure how many kids will get drawn in.
Thank you to Quirk Books and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.

My son and I were very excited to read this based on the premise. And I think he loved it, however both of us struggled with a lot didn’t happen for the first chunk of the book. I think it could be due to all of the world building. Normally I love world building in fantasy, I just wish there would have been a balance. We both agreed we look forward to other books by this author.

One of the reasons why I love reading middle grade is the different adversities and trials our characters face and how they are able to conquer them. The Secrets of Underhill shows their reader that even if kids are facing adversities and trials, they are able to come up with valid solutions.

I enjoyed reading about our main character a lot. Nick Sixsmith is an arborist apprentice, and her mother Theo is her teacher. They are on the road a lot and that’s how Nick has been raised. Until one day a mysterious blight start causing the trees to perish and making their magic disappear. So they pack up their van filled with all sorts of critters and animals and her beloved dog to Theo’s home. There she meets family members she never knew she had and the adventure starts taking a very odd but incredible journey. I loved the aspect of kids having an apprenticeship and having vast knowledge of nature.

Especially when the towns people aren’t taking the blight seriously and fill face consequences. The atmosphere and magic system were so unique as well, I feel like after reading this book you’ll appreciate nature and the power of friendship.

This reminded me a lot of GREENWILD by Pari Thomsen, which is one of my favorite middle grade books ever, combined with THE LIARS SOCIETY by Alyson Gerber.

Thank you to Netgalley for the free e-arc!

Reviewing this book proved very difficult for me. On the one hand, it had so many things I absolutely loved: plant magic, cool trees, casual LGBTQ+ rep, and a poignant metaphor for how capitalism and climate change go hand in hand. If I could rate just the core premise of this book, I'd give it a 5/5.

But the execution of the plot was really frustrating. I spent the entire first half of the book waiting for some kind of inciting incident--something that would make the larger world problems personal to Nick, something that would establish her stakes and a deadline. And it never came. Nick just kept whittling away at a mystery that was certainly important to the greater world, but without any real reason why she had to solve it, or what would go wrong if she didn't. She also lacked agency throughout the book. The plot was a lot of her reacting to other people's actions, or gaining new information and then just... going home to think about it. And when she did finally take action and gain agency toward the end of the book, another character came along and took over her whole mission! Arg! It was really frustrating.

So, yeah, I really considered rating this lower. But the plant magic, underhillers, and entire premise was wonderful, and the writing was great too. This is yet unpublished so some things might get changed/fixed before it hits the shelves!

Oh man, I'm so torn on this book. I really like the IDEA of it and the premise. I love reading middle grade but this one confused me a lot. I ended up DNF'ing the book because when it felt like the plot should pick up, it slowed down. I needed some more!

Did not completely finish this book, immediately from the beginning the plot buildup and world building was overbearing and attempted to be established far too soon, without any context or previously established relationship with our characters. The beginning ultimately felt jarring but at the same time not intriguing enough to draw me in? I think there is potential here, but it needs a lot more editing and tweaking.

I really struggled reading this book. I found it slow and difficult to continue to read.
I didnt feel the magic and what magic was there was not very impressive.

Lush, evocative, and bursting with adventure, THE SECRETS OF UNDERHILL is eco-fantasy at its best. I loved exploring Mistwood and Underhill alongside Nick and her friends; Kali Wallace writes setting like nobody else! There's also an excellent heaping of intrigue, humour, and heart, with a gorgeous cover to match.

Very grateful for the opportunity to read an advance copy <3