The Adventurer's Guide to Successful Escapes by Wade Albert White

My name is Anne, and I'm in the middle of a level 13 quest. Not impressed? Well, level 13 is impossible. Penelope and I just escaped from an orphanage, and we'll spend the rest of our lives in a dungeon if we fail... if we survive the quest. Oh, and the Matron wouldn't hesitate to chop off my arm to get the gauntlet and medallion attracted to it. We must follow the clues in a riddle to find our way across the tiers, but it seems there's more than one way to read them. We must trek across a desert, climb, a tower with no door, and survive attacks from a dragon and armored giants. If we successfully complete the quest, the tiers will be saved, and I will claim the throne. However, only one day left to complete it.

I read an advance copy of this book through Net Galley. You know, I really enjoyed this book, but some readers might not. It's a bit silly. For example, the Matron announced that she would be filling the role of antagonist in the story, and a little sparrow provided assistance to Anne. The Adventurer's Guide kept changing to fit Anne's needs; it started off with all blank pages! I was okay with things like that, although I didn't need the periodic, very-short chapters with additional silly comments. The quest needed to be resolved in an unreasonably short time, with extremely severe consequences, by characters with no experience. Silly, but fun. Penelope filled the role of brave warrior, but she had to use a wooden practice sword. Another member of the team could conjure spells, but he couldn't control the power. He blew up the whole school while trying to create a small explosion. Readers who enjoy adventure, mixed with humor, should love this book. It looks like there may be a sequel coming, so I'll be on the lookout for it.