Witty, whimsical, and wonderful, the intriguing cast of characters in Blaze Peppergrove and the Web of Lies spring to life under Lisa Adair’s immersive and animated storytelling. Adair’s urban fantasy is a perfect choice for middle-grade readers looking for an exciting adventure of friendship and fun. In this thrilling tale, Blaze Peppergrove is a “young, wingless, green-skinned fairy” driven by his dream to become a financially independent tooth fairy who can buy his own fairy house. Even when facing the difficulties of living in a destitute fairy encampment, Blaze does not lose hope. To fulfill his expensive dream, Blaze agrees to help his good friend Wolf Turtlewing, a blue-skinned iridescent dragonfly, with a paid but questionable delivery job . . . where things go awry. Hurdles and humorous antics abound as the two friends clash with the Elytra gang, a group of mean swamp fairies whose “hardcover” wings protect them during fights. The skill with which Adair propels the action forward—fairies dart, skid, roll, and tuck—and the vivid images she creates, ones that literally pop right off the pages, dance in the imagination long after the last page is turned. Adair keeps her readers on the edges of their seats. Between the uniquely intriguing characters (such as a weather-faced, scowling leprechaun whose white beard stands at least twenty-four inches) and the added twist regarding the questionable integrity of the Tooth Fairy Agency, readers will be captivated as they connect with the everyday heroes in the Juniper Woods Base Camp. Blaze Peppergrove and the Web of Lies celebrates the positive qualities that every parent wishes for their kids: supportive friendships, honesty, bravery, resilience, and an inner strength to overcome obstacles. Through Blaze Peppergrove, a fairy without wings, Adair shows readers how being different is not a weakness, and that with a “good-natured fairy spirit,” we all have the opportunity to help others. For fans of The Spiderwick Chronicles and The Wings of Fire, this riveting tale is an excellent choice. At eighty-six pages, Blaze Peppergrove and the Web of Lies is a fantasy-centric adventure of high jinks and whimsical scenarios guaranteed to engage young audiences. —CANREADS BOOK REVIEW