River Secrets - by Shannon Hale

Some book club members recently asked me when the next Shannon Hale book is coming out and I realized that I forgot to review River Secrets. River Secrets is the third book in the Goose Girl series about the people of Bayern. This book follows Razo, a boy Isi met in the first book when she worked as a Goose Girl. In an effort to keep peace with the kingdom of Tira, Bayern sends an ambassador accompanied by Enna (a fire-speaker) and a group soldiers. Razo is happy to be included, but he is surprised to be chosen to go when he knows he isn’t a very strong soldier. Razo may be the smallest and the weakest, but he was chosen for the strengths he didn’t know he had and was soon to discover. On the journey he discovers a charred body and doesn’t know if Enna is burning again or if someone wants people to suspect that she is. Through his investigations he’s easily able to make friends with many Tirans high and low in stature and he becomes the best hope the people of Bayern have to keep peace.

As with her other novels, Hale continues to address the issues of classes, war, and prejudice in a way that’s not too threatening to her young audience. Underdogs will relate to Razo and root for him to succeed on his mission and succeed in love.

The romance wasn't as appealling to me as the relationships between Finn and Enna and Isi and Geric, but I think Hale got in right because Razo isn't as mature as the other characters and isn't ready for too much in the romance department.

I’m already wondering when the next book in the series will be released. I can’t wait!