the last shadow warrior – sam subity | blog tour + arc review + giveaway (US only)

The Last Shadow Warrior by Sam Subity

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Standalone
Expected publication: May 4th 2021 by Scholastic Press 
Age Range: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy

Rating:

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

Synopsis:

Twelve-year-old Abby Beckett is proud to come from a long line of elite Viking warriors known as the Aesir. She’s spent her entire life training to hunt the horrific creatures known as Grendels – the ancient foe of the Aesir – just like her mother did before she died. But there’s just one, small problem: No one has seen a Grendel in centuries, and the Viking Council wants to disband the Aesir… forever. 

When her father is injured in an attack that leaves him in a coma, Abby is forced to take refuge at Vale Hall, a mysterious school in Minnesota where nothing is quite as it seems. She soon discovers the tables have turned and a Grendel is hunting her, but when she tries to alert the Viking Council, they accuse her of making up stories for attention… just like her mother did. 

Desperate to protect her father and clear her mother’s name, Abby goes on a dangerous quest to discover the truth–a journey that brings her face-to-face with some unlikely foes, including a Ping-Pong-playing sea monster with a wicked backhand, and a dark Valkyrie with a fondness for bingo. Abby quickly realizes that someone at the school is trying to stop her progress and destroy the Aesir for good. And only she can unravel the sinister plot before it’s too late. 

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Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tour for choosing me as one of the participants in the #TheLastShadowWarrior tour. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. If you’re interested in the other tour stops, check out the schedule!

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trigger and content warnings:

• Main characters’s mother has died four years earlier and her father is critically injured and hospitalized for most of the book

Abby Beckett’s life was disrupted one day when she and her father were chased by an eyeless giant on a motorcycle. With her father’s comatose state, Abby’s determined to find the cure to his endless sleep. In Abby’s journey, she encounters death in various ways including a sea monster that loves Ping-Pong, a dark Valkyrie for a penchant for bingos and even coming close to her line’s sworn enemy, the Grendels.

While the school isn’t an exclusive Viking training school, the Grey Council and Asgard have their presence everywhere. When she finds out that the Viking Council is deciding to disband the Aesir due to the lack of Grendel presence in centuries, Abby couldn’t believe that her training would be gone to waste and she could never do what her mother had died trying to do. Knowing that someone within is trying to destroy everything she has ever known, things get direr.

At Vale Hall, Abby befriends a human and a Valkyrie who supported her throughout the search for the truth. Grimsby’s optimism and happy-go-lucky disposition are influential in keeping Abby’s mind away from her father’s situation and coming up with ideas when they encounter danger. Finding out more about Norse mythology from Gwynn, a Valkyrie, added so much more to the experience. Though they might not have known each other for long, this trio’s friendship warmed my heart.

The Last Shadow Warrior was inspired by the story of Beowulf which I didn’t know much about until reading this book. Sam Subity created an action-packed adventure for Abby and her friends. Also, I loved Abby’s relationship with her father who is dorky and incredibly supportive of his daughter’s dream to be an Aesir.

Overall, I really liked The Last Shadow Warrior and learning more about Norse mythology and its legends. Abby’s a brave and independent young girl who would do anything to make sure her father wakes up. Her Aesir training taught her to be quick thinking and flexible when the situation deems it. I’m hopeful that there might be upcoming books because that ending just makes me want more.

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author information

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giveaway (US only)

One winner will received a signed finished copy of The Last Shadow Warrior. This giveaway ends on May 31st.

Click here for the giveaway!