Lexicon Chase and the Riddle Song (Lexicon Chase and the Kingdom of Everhope, Book 2) by Jonathan Fore continues with the adventures of Lexi in Everhope. After everything she has been through, all she manages to recover are three scrolls. No one believes any other copies of the scrolls exist anywhere else in Everhope. Now she must find a lost tribe of people, the last keepers of the Riddle Song, learn its forgotten secrets while trying to rule competently, and survive more assassination attempts by her enemies.

The strength of the story that charms readers from the first installment has been deftly maintained. The characterization upholds its substantial depth, where the characters’ growth is well-developed. The strong willed Lexi and the skillful assassin Milk never cease to amaze me. It’s fun to be reacquainted with my two favorite characters again. The continuation of the plot is well-written and the engaging prose retains its substantial fantasy flair. The fight and battle scenes are vivid and exhilarating. That said, it is not quite a standalone, so it would benefit readers who are new to the series to read Book 1 first to familiarize themselves with the story and all its characters.

Overall, Lexicon Chase and the Riddle Song is another enjoyable and commendable installment from author Jonathan Fore. Fans of the series won’t be disappointed and I highly recommend it to other readers. This series is not just for young adults. I truly enjoyed it and look forward to Book 3.

Jonathan Fore’s Lexicon Chase and the Riddle Song is the second book in the Lexicon Chase series. We first meet Lexicon as an unhappy little girl who lives between her grandmother’s humble home and her mother’s trailer. Bullied and harassed in school, her life takes a completely different turn when her grandmother passes on to her a family heirloom: the kingdom of Everhope. Transformed into a princess, she lives between two worlds, as a normal human being who gets bullied in school and a princess in a fantasy land. After going on a quest and successfully saving her kingdom from destruction, she survives an assassination attempt. In this book, she decides to follow rumors and an unwritten history. And this means fleeing her besieged castle to find a lost tribe that possesses a riddle song that will save her people. 

Lexicon Chase and the Riddle Song by Jonathan Fore is very delightful fantasy story about a girl who suddenly finds herself transformed into a princess in the kingdom of Everhope. All is not that well in her kingdom, however, and she has to find a way to save herself, her people, and her family heirloom from destruction. Lexicon can be considered as a modern day Cinderella, and instead of finding her charming prince, she finds a kingdom to rule and govern. Aided by colorful characters like the assassin Milk and Steven, the ogre of Bramblebottom, Princess Lexi faces the challenges of being a princess whose kingdom is being invaded by trolls. This is a book that teaches valuable morals without trying to and this should make it easier for its message to resonate to children of all ages. As such, it has all the elements of great bedtime stories.

I was delighted to return to the wonderful world of Lexicon Chase. I reviewed the first book in the series and I gave it a very high rating. I am happy to report that Lexicon Chase and The Riddle Song keeps up the high standard set in Lexicon Chase and The Scrolls of the Harlequin. Having said that, let me assure readers that this book is a complete story unto itself and you don’t have to read the first book in order to enjoy it or understand what’s going on. But I strongly suggest that you read them both. They are worth it. They are that much fun! Jonathan Fore starts this novel right after the conclusion of the first adventure. That adventure was successful, but did not end in the happily ever after way Lexicon had hoped for.

Everhope is a wonderful magical kingdom, but the magic is still dying. Only three of the scrolls that may be able to save the kingdom were found in the lost library. So after a short period of brooding, Lexicon does what heroines do. She continues the struggle. I love that about her. Another quest is in order and she doesn't hesitate to take up the struggle again. We have some of the same wonderful characters in Lexicon Chase and The Riddle Song: Maybelle, Lady Grace, Miguel, Barnacle the librarian, and of course, Stephen. The plot is good. The characters are simply great and there are enough new ones to keep the adventure fresh. In short, Jonathan Fore has done it again. I hope he keeps doing it. He may be creating a legend that young girls will be reading and talking about for years to come.

Rosie Malezer

Lexicon Chase and the Riddle Song by Jonathan Fore is a tale of magic and intrigue. Through the use of a magical rose which is gifted to her by her grandmother, Lexicon Chase is able to travel between worlds. At home, Lexi is a teenager who is forever bullied, but in the land of Everhope, Lexi is the crown princess, and next in line to the throne. Lexi has returned from her previous adventures, having restored the castle library back to its original form, only to find that she is now being targeted by an unknown enemy. Under the protection of Milk – a highly efficient, trained female assassin who lives in the shadows and had previously tried to kill her – Lexicon runs for her life from a new threat.

Speculation grows as to who has sent the monstrous Night Terrors after Lexi, and with the trolls suddenly being uncharacteristically organized recently during their attacks on the castle, it is suspected that somebody has taken them under his command. Whilst trying to lift a curse on Everhope which prevents her grandmother (Everhope’s queen) from returning, Lexi discover that the answer lies in the form of a riddle song, the language of which is so old that it cannot be understood, and the song is only known by one tribe of people in the land. With dangers lurking in every corner of the castle, Lexi and Milk escape through secret tunnels leading into the forest to seek out those who can help in breaking the curse.

Never before have I read a book so full of twists and turns in a non-stop adventure. Lexicon Chase and The Riddle Song is a tale of a girl with two lives. When she sleeps in one realm, she wakes up in the other, enabling her to be a child and an adventurer at the same time. The love she has for her family is strong, keeping her mission-oriented in finding a way to break the curse so that her grandmother can return to the throne. Many different mystical beings appear in this tale of fantasy, and the unlikely alliance between Lexi and her former enemy brings an added thrill, keeping the reader wondering if Milk is truly Lexi’s friend or if she is leading her to her doom. Jonathan Fore has built an enchanted world which will hail Lexicon Chase as an enigmatic, yet determined heroine for generations to come – someone who will do whatever it takes to ensure the safety and well-being of the people she loves.

Lexicon Chase and the Riddle Song by Jonathan Fore is a fast-paced fantasy novel with a lot of strong and evocative characters. We are introduced to Lexicon Chase, the princess, at the beginning of the story as she recounts her companions from previous adventures and, now that she is returned, her life seems completely different. She is overwhelmed and inundated with daily problems, but we start to get an introduction to her as a character as she interacts with people, standing up to bullies and introducing herself to people, but insisting she's nothing more than an ordinary girl. Everything changes, however, when there is an attempt made on her life and she is nearly killed. Terrors are sent after her, and she is forced to flee from her own home as it's the only chance she has to save her own life.

This is a well-written story with a lot of interesting moving parts. There is intrigue and many exciting moments. The action is described with eloquent detail and there are enough fantasy elements and tropes to keep anyone who is a fan of the genre more than pleased. I liked the way the author was able to tie in previous details and cleanly wrap up loose ends, and I really enjoyed the character of the princess. I thought Lexicon was well-written and very heroic, but without being made too unbelievable. Lexicon Chase and the Riddle Song by Jonathan Fore is a real winner, and fans of the genre will be thrilled to have stumbled upon this gem.

Never before, have I read a book so full of twists and turns in a non-stop adventure. ‘Lexicon Chase and The Riddle Song’ is a tale of a girl with two lives. When she sleeps in one realm, she wakes up in the other, enabling her to be a child and an adventurer at the same time. The love she has for her family is strong, keeping her mission-oriented in finding a way to break the curse so that her grandmother can return to the throne. Many different mystical beings appear in this tale of fantasy, and the unlikely alliance between Lexi and her former enemy brings an added thrill, keeping the reader wondering if Milk is truly Lexi’s friend or if she is leading her to her doom. Jonathan Fore has built an enchanted world which will hail Lexicon Chase as an enigmatic, yet determined hero for generations to come – someone who will do whatever it takes to ensure the safety and well-being of the people she loves.