Furthermore, by: Tahereh Mafi

       There are only three things that matter to twelve-year-old Alice Alexis Queensmeadow: Mother, who wouldn’t miss her; magic and color, which seem to elude her; and Father, who always loved her. The day Father disappears from Ferenwood he takes nothing but a ruler with him. But it’s been almost three years since then, and Alice is determined to find him. She loves her father even more than she loves adventure, and she’s about to embark on one to find the other.
       But bringing Father home is no small matter. In order to find him she’ll have to travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. It will take all of Alice's wits (and 

every limb she's got) to find Father and return home to Ferenwood in one piece. On her quest to find Father, Alice must first find herself—and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of loss.

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My Rating: ​★★★★★

       Furthermore (95%) is a fantastic middle-grade fantasy novel by Tahereh Mafi. It was the perfect book to start off my year! I hadn't read any middle-grade for a long time, (This summer...?) and I am so glad I decided to pick this one up. It was also my first book by Tahereh Mafi since I haven't read her Shatter Me series. (Still contemplating this. Leave your thoughts in the comments. I need an outside opinion.)
       First off, I loved Alice and her quirky personality. She was such an awesome girl to read about. I loved her fiery personality and cleverness that she presents throughout the book. She doesn't ever give up, even when things look really bad for her and her friends in Furthermore.
       I also really liked how Mafi wrote the narration. 3rd person narrators with their own personality are one of my favorite things in books. It adds another dimension to the story like you've sat down around a campfire to listen to someone tell the tale.
       My favorite part(s) of this book, however, are the magic systems of both of the worlds that Alice is a part of. Color, as a system of magic, is a great concept, especially for a middle-grade novel. I loved learning and exploring this new system of fantasy.

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       Did you enjoy Mafi's latest novel? Let me know in the comments below!

As she rediscovers her love for middle-grade,
Ashton

Why must you look like the rest of us? Why do you have to be the one to change? Change the way we see. Don't change the way you are.

― Tahereh Mafi, Furthermore