Chasing the Valley. by Skye Melki-Wegner!

Chasing the Valley 
by  Skye Melki-Wegner.


Escape is impossible. Escape is their only hope.

Danika is used to struggling for survival. But when the tyrannous king launches an attack to punish her city – echoing the alchemy bombs that killed Danika’s family – she risks her life in a daring escape over the city’s walls.

Danika joins a crew of desperate refugees who seek Magnetic Valley, a legendary safe haven. But when she accidentally destroys a palace biplane, suddenly Danika Glynn becomes the most wanted fugitive in Taladia.

Pursued by the king’s vicious hunters and betrayed by false allies, Danika also grapples with her burgeoning magical abilities. And when she meets the mysterious Lukas, she must balance her feelings against her crew’s safety.

Chasing the Valley is the first book in an epic trilogy of magic, treachery and survival.

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Characters-

Danika Glynn- Main Character.  Sixteen year old orphan, parents and brother killed in bombing. Be living as a scruffer (street kid). 

Teddy- scruffer, and pickpocket, with the proclivity of Beast! (totally love him)

Clementine and Maisy- Twins, richies.

Radnor- kinda the leader of the group.

Lukas- is a mystery, ( as least to you, i read the book)

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Chasing the Valley by Skye Melki-Wegner surprised me. The cover led me to assume it would be a fairly stock-standard and and unoriginal read.  

But I was wrong, and it was evident from the first few pages. Danika became a street kid after losing her parents at the age of eleven. For reasons that we only begin to understand in this first book, the King enjoys bombing some of his subjects to keep them in their place. They're not ordinary bombs, however, they're alchemy bombs which can cause all sorts of weird and unpleasant things to happen on impact (as well as killing people). After hearing about a group of teenagers planning to escape the city for the fabled and safe Magnetic Valley, Danika falls in with them and the bulk of the story is about their dangerous journey south to the Valley.

Danika joins the crew of desperate refugees who seek Magnetic Valley, a legendary safe haven. But when she accidentally destroys a palace biplane, suddenly Danika Glynn becomes the most wanted fugitive in Taladia.

What I loved was that there were  Foxaries- these were basically massive giant foxes that people ride around on.  were possibly one of my favourite bits in the book — (I so want one!)  
Another thing I loved, was proclivities, this is the Magic abilities that develop as you mature, (and is showed in the appearance of a tattoo on the back of the neck to the back).  It can include the control of, birds, rocks, darkness, shadow, fire, water, ect.. for example, one proclivity is Beast. This means that you can understand and command animals. 
But what i didn't get was why it was such Taboo to show the Proclivities (Tattoo) before you were eighteen! 

This book reminds me of "Tomorrow when the War Began" and 'The Hunger Games" and a bit of "Percy Jackson".
I can't wait for the next installment 



I'd rate this 5 out of 5 stars! 

And recommend to anyone who loves dystopian,  fantasy and adventure, more for ages  12 and up! (but again, depends on the reader)





 Enjoy the Read!