Book Review: Snake in the Grass by M.E. Sutton

Title: Snake in the Grass: Hero’s Sword Vol. 4
Author: M.E. Sutton
Genre: Middle Grade, Adventure, Fantasy
Age Group: Middle Grade
Rating: 4 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by Enchanted Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review.

Things are getting interesting at Tanner Middle School. The only official candidate for student council president is Jaycee’s nemesis, Trina Poppelman. Plus there’s a new girl in school. At first glance, she looks like she’d fit right in with the cheerleaders, but Jaycee senses something different about her.

Things are getting interesting in Mallory, too. Lady Starla is expecting an Imperial envoy to discuss new taxes. She plans to oppose the measure and asks Lyla to stand by her side in a show of support. However, when the envoy goes missing, the situation becomes a lot more serious than a proposed tax increase.

In this fourth installment of the Hero’s Sword series, Lyla and Roger hit the road to find a missing envoy before Starla pays the ultimate price for his disappearance. Along the way, Jaycee learns that winning isn’t always the end-game result.

I had some trouble with Snake in the Grass first, because it’s the fourth book in a series, and I hadn’t had time to read the other parts before I started this one. But once I got the hang of things, and figured out who was who, the book turned out to be a pleasant read. I’m sure kids will love it.

The characters are interesting and three-dimensional, in particular Jaycee. She’s very authentic, a good representation of middle school girls, what they care about, what they don’t care about, and what matters to them. Yet at the same time she’s not generic, but special, creative and imaginative, and also quite brave.

I particularly liked the scenes in Mallory, the whole storyline with the missing envoy. The plot worked, in Mallory as well as in the regular world, and you soon feel for these characters, and want them to succeed. The dialogue is spot-on, and sounds very realistic, especially Jaycee’s dialogue. The book also has an appropriate amount of humor, which kids will like too.

It’s an imaginative, well-plotted adventure that I’d recommend to middle graders and young teens. And occassionally, an adult who enjoys middle grade books (like me, for example).