Age Range: 9 and up
Series: Middle School Magic
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Sweetwater Books (July 10, 2012)
Language: English
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Author for review
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars
About the Book:
All thirteen-year-old Connor Dell wants to do is pass pre-algebra, play lacrosse, and possibly kiss Melanie Stephens, but when a run-in with the school bully ignites strange powers inside him, Connor's normal teenage life goes up in flames. Now he'll need his new powers to defeat the Darkness that's coming for him. Fast-paced and original, this book's guaranteed to keep you guessing!
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About the Author:
Braden Bell holds a Ph.D. in educational theatre from New York University. He and his family live on a quiet, wooded lot in Tennessee, where he teaches middle school theatre and music. An experienced performer, Braden enjoys singing, acting, reading, gardening, and long walks with the dog.
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My Thoughts:
I liked this book much more than I expected to! It is action packed, but not particularly violent. There are lots of fights and battles, but the author has managed to keep it clean and appropriate for the age group. The story is suspenseful and exciting, and middle school kids will love it.
Much of this book fits into the standard for middle grade fantasy novels. There is the eternal struggle of good vs evil, the main character(s) wake up one day with strange and amazing abilities, and they must fight to save the world. The story may not be a new one, but Bell delivers it with humor and thought.
The characters, while typical of these kinds of novels, are very likable and you can't help but find yourself cheering along for them. Conner, Lexa, and Melanie are average kids that discover an existence that is anything but ordinary. They rise to the challenge and become better as they do so. The teachers are also very entertaining, especially Dr. Timberi.
Ultimately, this is the kind of book that will be loved by most kids that read it.
Content: clean
Cover: I'm actually not a big fan of this cover. I don't think it really captures the book that well and I think there are so many other, better possibilities for a great cover.
I love the cover of this book and the plot sounds so interesting. I have been wanting to read about it since I first heard about it! I have it on my list and hope to get to it sooner rather than later. :) Awesome review! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete~Jess