Inspired by Susan Schaefer Bernardo

Publication Date: February 3rd 2018 

Publisher: Inner Flower Child Books

Read Date: January 31st 2018

Genre: Urban Fantasy / Greek Mythology

Pages: 275

Stars: 4/5

Meet Rocket Malone: a smart, sensitive teen whose life, friends, family and body keep changing with every breath she draws, until it’s hard for her to breathe at all. As if life weren’t complicated enough, she discovers that her mysterious Aunt Polly is actually Polyhymnia, a Greek Muse who desperately needs Rocket’s help to protect Earth from Zeus and an angry nymph named Echo.

Juggling middle school In Los Angeles and apprentice Muse training on magical Mount Helikon seems daunting for a girl who hates art (despite being the daughter of a famous glassblower), but Rocket struggles to master the science of inspiration, so she can ride Pegasus and heal Ryan, a tormented (and adorable) teen who lost his home in a fire. As she strives to inspire others, Rocket learns to trust her own voice and realizes that the most important spark she must tend is her own — because the brighter she shines, the more she lights the way for those around her.

That blurb says all about the book. It’s Middle grade Fantasy focuses on 14 old Rocket and on Greek Muses. Book is about self-confidence, believing in your own ability, friendship, growing up, to get inspired and spread inspiration, and how creativity is very important in everyone’s life (that is the basically job of all 9 Muses).

Rocket– this 14 year old heroine was smart, valedictorian (I like this word in book), witty, rude (most of the time), who was being teased for her name and her nerdy nature. She was so angry with the changes in life- her mother marries to Rick whom she doesn’t like much, they soon going to have baby, she has to leave her beautiful cottage, her best friend started hanging out with other girl, then there is this mysterious mirror that keep glowing and pretty soon she found out she was apprentice muse. Pheww! Too much for a teen, no doubt she was grumpy. As the story progressed she started to turn from grumpy teen to kind and warm mature young lady. She lacked inspiration in herself and she learned how to find that inspiration in herself by the end. I liked development in her. She was such a nice character that every teen would end up loving her.

“Honestly, if I had a dollar for every half-witted joke people have made about my name, I could afford to build an actual spacecraft and zoom off to Mars. Where I could form a colony consisting of two residents: Me and Moo.”

Muses were so fun and entertaining in the book, especially Thalia. I liked her ranting on her father, Zeus, how inconsiderate he has been with them. Oh and I loved her witty answer to why he never came on Mount Helikon. They all were so witty and amazing and yeah a bit girly in the book. This book is better to know about Muses.

 I liked all secondary characters especially Niko and Rocket’s step dad.

Inspired was narrated by Rocket whose voice made the book so appropriate for readers of her age. In fact even as adult I liked her voice in the book, it was very entreating, light-hearted and refreshing. Her emotions were remarkable throughout the book. I’m sure many middle grade reader can relate to this character and with the things happening in the book. There was a feel good factor in the book that left me smiling.

“Only boring people get bored.”

Author did a very good in turning the main theme- self-confidence, inner strength- into a beautiful inspirational middle grade novel. When Rocket was losing her friend and was not happy with changes in her life, I thought this book was going to be little sad and whiny but I’m glad it was not. The ups and downs in the life of Rocket was smooth and well balanced.

“Without hope and passion, the facial features soon putrefy youthful beauty into ugliness and decrepitude.”

Talking about Greek Muses– Their introduction in the Museum was cool and unique. All things that readers need to know about them was told nicely. All info about Muses was not dumped at once, it was represented a way that as you progress in the story you know more about them, which made it intriguing. I loved to know their story at mount Helikon, why they were living there, their issues with Zeus, what was their aim or job or goal as being Muse, and little more stories. This was my second book about Muses and I suggest to read this one if like to know about them.

Where there are muses there will be talk about astral form and astral travel (I don’t know why, if anyone know please let me know). Astral thing was like time travel which was very nicely explained in the book, it was easy to understand for any age group. I liked Rocket’s astral travel and things she learned from Muses. There was mention of all sort of legendary persons in different kind of creative skills and gifts like Homer, Amelia Earhart, and many other. There was also mention of Greek stories here and there in the book like story of Prometheus, Daedalus and Icarus, Narcissus, Echo, Artemis and so more. Overall mythical part was good.

“As Muses, we gather creative energies, amplify them, and send them back into the Universe.”

I loved the message in the book that creativity is there in all of us, we have creative spark in us. We just need to find it out, should keep it burning and spread it to others. There will always be a negative people who try to suck our creative energy that can make us unhappy (it was represented amazingly by zombie effect on everyone in the school) but should not be discouraged by that. I also liked what Rocket learned by her guitar lesson. Many other little things were said in the book that left me inspired at the end of the book.

I loved the climax and that little tour with Pegasus, it was a nice tiny twist in the end. End was good. That small drop of romance was totally not required and that is too with that Grossman! no…!

It was easy to guess the story. It was totally focused for middle grade audience.  The learning part at Mount Helikon was confusing at some points, I kept thinking what they were trying to teach her. But I liked when muses started coming to main point as story progressed and at the end I understood it.

Overall, it was amazing inspirational and entertaining mythological urban fantasy for Middle Grade readers. Those who like to read about Muses and Greek Mythology will enjoy this book.

Author: Susan Schaefer Bernardo

To Know More About Author Click⇒  here ⇐

*** Note: I received ARC via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to publishers and NetGalley. ***

What do you think about this book and my review? Have read this book already or any book by this author before? Have you read any books on Muses? Share your thoughts in comment-box below.