All About Middle Grade Review: Eden's Escape [Blog Tour]

Eden's Escape (Eden of the Lamp, 2) by M. Tara Crowl, September 6, 2016. 320 pages. Published by Disney-Hyperion. Source: Author/Blog tour*. Age Range: 9-12.

Eden's new life on earth begins in New York City under the guidance of her new guardian: Pepper, a petite, bubbly genie alum who's also a Broadway actress. Before she has a chance to settle in, though, Eden is whisked away for a granting--only to find herself trapped in a laboratory. David Brightly, owner of the world's leading tech company, cares more about tapping into the lamp's power than making a wish and starts performing tests on Eden. With Brightly's plasma shield around the lamp, Eden has no way home. Left without a choice, she escapes the lab and goes on the run. After her daring exit, Eden finds herself on the streets of Paris--home to Electra's headquarters. Left in a strange city with a price on her head (courtesy of scheming Brightly), Eden has to keep her wits about her. She dons a chic disguise and flits around Paris incognito, investigating Brightly Tech. Assisted by Pepper and her old adversary Bola, as well as some new friends, Eden embarks on a quest to retrieve the lamp and protect the secrets of the genie legacy.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Indiebound

 First Sentence:

This time, Eden landed on her feet.

Last week, I shared my thoughts on Eden's Wish, the first of M. Tara Crowl's Eden of the Lamp series. Today, I am ecstatic to be featuring Eden's Escape, which was delightful and entertaining, as part of the blog tour celebrating it's release earlier this month. 

• As much as I loved Eden's Wish. I really think Eden's Escape was just as good if not better. Why, because I enjoyed seeing a different side to all the former genies, as well as the way the story progressed concerning them. Yeah, the genie alums were interesting and the way their story melded with Eden's was engrossing. 

• One of the things that made Eden's Escape, one of many things that is, was the progression of Eden's character. While she may not have been entirely used to the way things worked outside of the Lamp, she was definitely one of those characters that thinks on their feet. I really enjoyed reading about a character that easily, even with mishaps, adapted and overcame the obstacles in their path. You could really see how much she grew as a character from one book to the next. Even though the two stories take place in a short time-frame. Trust me, you are going to love her escape...it's unexpected and thrilling.  

• Seriously though, I gained much delight from reading Eden's Escape because it was a)  hilarious and b) because the plot was intriguing. I wanted to know why this unlikely, dare I call him, villain was so besot with owning the power of the Lamp. You'll think the same as you read it. That and who this shadow character was that was pulling the strings making Alums and Electric dance to their song...yeah, lots of twists that just pulled me into the story.

• There is so much more I could, and want to, say about this book. Except it would be spoiler city!! The writing is really enjoyable as is the plot and characterizations; all these things made it virtually impossible to put down. I'm also hoping that a third book is in the works because the end totally left room for yet another adventure for Eden!! PLEASE SAY IT IS SO!!

Final Verdict: Eden's Escape- I will say it again, this book is witty, hilarious and well written! I believe even the most reluctant readers will be absolutely charmed and absorbed into the delightfully funny read!!

As a bonus, I am so excited to share the following excerpt from Eden's Escape with y'all! Especially since its from one of my favorite parts of the book!!

EXCERPT #3

            “Wow,” Eden said. “You do love clothes.”

            “I told you.” Melodie started to sift through the racks. “Now, what we’ve got to do is find something that looks like the opposite of anything you’d ever wear.”

            “Isn’t the point for me to go unnoticed?” In Eden’s line of sight were an orange jumpsuit that looked like a prison uniform, a shiny green skirt like a mermaid’s tail, and a feathered Native American headdress. “I don’t think I’d blend in wearing most of this stuff.”

            “We’ll put you in something subtle.”

            Taking it all in, Eden wondered where exactly Melodie planned to find that.

            Though Melodie’s wardrobe seemed chaotically disorganized from an outsider’s perspective, she seemed to know precisely where everything was. After careful consideration, she pulled out a white collared shirt, a navy blazer, a pleated green-and-navy skirt, shiny black shoes, and a navy beret to top it all off. Eden put all of it on as instructed.

            “See?” Melodie said delightedly. “You’re just a regular student in Paris!”

About the Author:

M. Tara Crowl grew up in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She studied Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California, then received an MA in Creative Writing at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. She lives in New York City.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Website

*A copy of this book was received in consideration for review. All thoughts are my own.