Reviewed by Delene Vrey for Readers' Favorite

Escala's Wish (Tales of Valla) by David James tells the story of a young Pixie from the Court of Dreams, raised by her stepmother and her father, the King of the Court of Dreams. Escala’s birth mother was human, and she left so Escala could have a better life with the Fae. Escala is inquisitive and seen as reckless. One day she and her friend decide to cross into Valla, the human world, where Escala kisses a young man. When a wolf suddenly attacks and kills her friend and the young man, Escala is severely wounded. Her stepsister finds her, and the court judges her to be exiled. She is given a quest that cannot be completed: to remove boulders from the True Cycle. Escala is positive, seeing boulders as problems that she can help solve. She meets Roedyn and Harper, two scouts who decide to accompany her to see Wigfrith Foreverbloom, a bard who knows almost everything. On their way to him, the trio meets Stiggy, a druid, who joins them on their quest. Together they travel through Valla, fighting dragons and other magical creatures. But when Escala realizes that her stepmother and stepsister have been scheming to take over the throne, it will take all her courage and the help of her friends to fight for the home where she never felt completely comfortable.

David James has written a wonderful fairytale. Escala’s Wish has a few fantasy tropes woven throughout the story. We have the true heir facing the challenges of an evil stepmother and stepsister, as well as the unsolvable quest, and the small group of companions that work together to complete Escala’s quest. Themes such as unrequited love and how it turns to hate are juxtaposed with a love willing to sacrifice everything for the safety of a loved one. Innocence and the consequences of naivety are also highlighted. The plot is well structured and easy to follow; the action and suspense are palpable, and the story is an amazing example of a true fairytale. There is no profanity or sexual situations, and I would feel comfortable having my tween and teen listen to it. They will experience the magic of a fairytale and also take away some valuable life lessons.

The narrator is Tom Garland. The story is told in a way that grabs attention and makes the listener hold their breath and sigh with relief as the action unfolds. Garland does an excellent job of switching his voice among the different characters and conveys their emotions and personality traits successfully. I strongly recommend Escala's Wish.