Nell O’Dell Hates Quests (The Golden Crossroads #1)
by Emily B. Martin

5 out of 5 stars

Nell is sick and tired of quests. She works at the crossroads inn where she constantly hears about chosen ones, grand prophecies, and magic weapons. She sneers at all the questers who pass through the crossroads looking for glory and fame. Nell just wants a quiet life at the inn taking care of her chickens and her garden. But when there is a problem with the deed to the inn, Nell’s parents send her on a “journey” (NOT a quest!) to the capital to present the deed at the Exchequer’s office and prove their ownership of the inn. She is joined by an overly-excitable goblin, Midge, who is delighted to be included on the journey (NOT a quest!). Along the way they run into a mysterious thief, a hermit faun, a dragon keeper, and a sad troll whose name has been stolen by an evil fairy. Their journey (NOT a quest!) is fraught with danger and adventure and mystery, but Nell O’Dell hates quests, so it just CAN’T be a quest… can it? If a quest is “just a trip with a goal that’s important to you”, will Nell embrace the questing legends or find a way to complete her quest on her own terms?

I loved this book so much! The story is perfect in every way! I loved the magic, the world-building, the questing framework, the characters, the writing, the comedy, the mystery, the adventure, and the themes of family and friendship.

I partly read this with my eyes, and partly listened to the audiobook narrated by Laura Knight Keating. She does a perfect sarcastic tone of voice for Nell that really captures the comedy in this book! I definitely recommend the audiobook for this one!

I completely adore Nell’s character! Her inner journey to come to terms with the whole concept of questing was really wonderful. She starts out the book with this superior attitude like she is better than those pathetic questers, but then she begins to realize that they all have something that they are fighting for – their homes, their livelihood, their families, a friend in need, a cause they really care about. Once she is caught in an adventure fighting to preserve her beloved inn, she comes to respect the questers and all they represent. And she learns not to underestimate some of the people she meets, and she starts to really appreciate her friends for all they can offer. I loved her character development!

The adventures are really exciting and funny as we meet all these different fairy tale characters and learn more about the magic of this world. There are so many quirky little details that had me laughing!

The writing is a complete delight from start to finish. Every scene is masterfully crafted with layers of adventure and personal conflict and emotional undertones. Utterly brilliant in every way!

I loved the cute illustrations in every other chapter! It really brought the characters to life and you can see the funny expressions on their faces. We also get to see some of the beautiful sweeping landscapes of this magical world!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review.

I recommend this book for ages from 9 to 90 years old.