LEGEND OF THE DRAGON SLAYER by Brandon Mull

 LEGEND OF THE DRAGON SLAYER by Brandon Mull. I feel like I'm going to be copying the synopsis when I say this, but this beautifully illustrated story of the Legend we read about in the first Dragonwatch is the perfect addition to the Dragonwatch series. The pictures enhance the legend and bring it more to life. It's a book that is sure to get somewhat reluctant readers interested in this series. It's definitely worth taking a look at this summer. 

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The beautifully illustrated edition of the origin story of Dragonwatch the #1 New York Times best-selling series is an extraordinary collaboration between writer Brandon Mull and series illustrator Brandon Dorman. This exclusive volume also features a never-before-published dragon slayer genealogy, a detailed map of the Kingdom of Selona, and more than fifty full-color illustrations.

In ancient times dragons were the ultimate threat to the rest of the mythical world. At the height of the Age of Dragons, it appeared that dragons might not only gain dominion over the magical races, but could potentially overrun the nonmagical world as well.

A group of specially-trained dragon slayers called Dragonwatch banded together to stand against the dragons. Together, these dragon slayers confined the majority of them to dragon sanctuaries. Legend of the Dragon Slayer is the illustrated story of the very first dragon slayer who took to battle.

This epic legend comes to life with imaginatively rendered full-color illustrations. Powerful monsters have surrounded the Kingdom of Selona. A native and unlikely hero named Konrad, the cobbler's son, accepts the king's challenge to defeat the monsters: fierce yeti, a merciless vampire, a dangerous gorgon, and a deadly phoenix. Even still, Selona's biggest threat will come from the Dragon, and it will take every ounce of wit and experience that Konrad's acquired to stand a chance against such a formidable foe.

Legend of the Dragon Slayer is a stand-alone tale of valor, destiny, and magic sure to reward fantasy lovers.

DRAGONWATCH 4: CHAMPION OF THE TITAN GAMES

DRAGONWATCH 4: CHAMPION OF THE TITANS GAMES  by Brandon Mull. This is a series I wish I had complete before reading. Alas, we have to wait another year for the next one. When that day comes, I will be sitting down with FABLEHAVEN and DRAGONWATCH and bing reading the entire series. This story was wonderful. I enjoyed being in Crescent Lagoon and having characters reunited. I loved the games. I loved the new friends, and I loved the action and twists and turns. It is an amazing addition to the DRAGONWATCH series and I cannot wait for the next one. I highly recommend it to everyone.

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The war against dragons intensifies. Will Kendra and Seth find the help they desperately need from the Giant Queen? This fourth book in a five-book series leaves the underwater dragon preserve of Crescent Lagoon for a gladiator-style arena at Titan Valley—the magical realm of towering giants and enslaved dragons. Our two young heroes have never felt so small or faced a challenge so ... giant!

#bookadayaz

 

My son asked me to read this after he checked it out from the library. It had a surprisingly good storyline which left you on a bit of a cliffhanger, almost literally. It's a very fast read, even for younger readers but fun. I look forward to reading this story with or after my son does.

Graphic novel star Kazu Kibuishi creates a world of terrible, man-eating demons, a mechanical rabbit, a talking fox, a giant robot---and two ordinary children on a mission.

After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great-grandfather, but the strange house proves to be dangerous. Before long, a sinister creature lures the kids' mom through a door in the basement. Em and Navin, desperate not to lose her, follow her into an underground world inhabited by demons, robots, and talking animals.
Eventually, they enlist the help of a small mechanical rabbit named Miskit. Together with Miskit, they face the most terrifying monster of all, and Em finally has the chance to save someone she loves.

THE LOST WONDERLAND DIAIRES by J Scott Savage

THE LOST WONDERLAND DIARIES by J Scott Savage. What a fun way to fall back into Wonderland, literally! Celia and Tyrus take us back to Wonderland in a fantastic way. I loved getting to know the Wonderland characters even more than when Alice went there. The Mad Hatter had a depth that I loved. I will admit that the first couple of chapters were a little bit slow for me, but once it got going, I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this book to anyone, especially those who love Wonderland. It's a great way to introduce the next generation to Lewis Carroll, although it does help to know a little bit about Alice in Wonderland before hand.

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Something monstrous has been found in the magic world of Wonderland and it wants to get out.

Lewis Carroll created a curious and fantastical world in his classic book Alice in Wonderland, but he secretly recorded the true story of his actual travels to Wonderland in four journals which have been lost to the world...until now.

Celia and Tyrus discover the legendary Lost Diaries of Wonderland and fall into a portal that pulls them into the same fantasy world as the White Rabbit and the Mad Hatter. However, Wonderland has vastly changed. A darkness has settled over the land, and some creatures and characters that Tyrus remembers from the book have been transformed into angry monsters.

Celia and Tyrus make their way through this unpredictable and dangerous land, helped by familiar friends including the Cheshire Cat and a new character, Sylvan, a young rabbit. Together, they desperately work to solve puzzles and riddles, looking for a way out of Wonderland. But the danger increases when the Queen of Hearts begins hunting them. Believing the two young visitors hold the key to opening multiple portals to multiple worlds, she will stop at nothing to capture them.

It's up to Celia and Tyrus to save Wonderland and the real world.  It's a race against time before they are trapped in Wonderland forever.

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON HEART by Stephanie Burgis

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON HEART by Stephanie Burgis. I picked this book up thinking it might be a good read for my son's third grade class. Some people believe that if a book has a female protagonist that it's not a book for boys. I strongly disagree. This book would be a great read for boys and girls. It shows the power of loyalty, friendship, and family. It shows that as independent as we feel or want to be, there are those around that will always be there to help with things get overwhelming. This is such a good read to show those life lesson, and it's done with dragons, chocolate, and magic. Who could as for more?

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A chocolate-filled, girl-powered fantasy with a witty heroine who learns what home truly means, perfect for fans of Shannon Hale.

"Will satisfy readers who hunger for feel-good tales that pack a girl-power punch, like Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted or the movie Moana." --School Library Journal on The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart

Silke has always been good at spinning the truth and storytelling. So good that, just years after arriving in the kingdom as a penniless orphan, she has found her way to working for the most splendid chocolate makers in the city as a master promoter. Although Silke loves her work at the Chocolate Heart, she's certain it's not going to last, and what Silke wants more than anything is somewhere to call home--somewhere safe. But when your best friend is a dragon-turned-hot-tempered-girl, trouble is always right around the corner. 

Then Silke gets the opportunity she's been waiting for: the Crown Princess personally asks her to spy on the Elfenwald royal family during their first visit to the kingdom. In return, Silke will have the home she's always wanted in the secure palace. But Silke has her own dark, secret reasons for not trusting fairies . . . and her mission isn't as simple as she hoped. Soon, she discovers that her city is in danger--and that maybe it's more her home than she ever realized.

Can Silke find out the truth about the fairies while keeping her own secrets hidden?

A Mighty Girl Best Book of the Year

WIZARD FOR HIRE: MAGIC REQUIRED by Obert Skye

WIZARD FOR HIRE: MAGIC REQUIRED by Obert Skye. I have been really excited for this book, and it did not disappoint. Well, there was a part in the middle when I began to doubt and was unsure of my predictions. In fact, it carried through till almost the end of the book. However, the ending was perfect and everything is right in the world, at least Ozzy and Sigi's world. I loved it and can't recommend the series enough. 

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Ozzy and his friend Sigi are in more danger than ever before. After being injected with the mind-controlling serum his parents created, Ozzy is learning to control the minds of people, but he is still being hunted by Ray, the power-mad villain who will stop at nothing to find and possess the formula. And on top of that the wizard Rin is missing, leaving Ozzy to wonder once again if magic really does exist. When it becomes apparent that the minds and free will of all mankind are in danger of being controlled by whoever controls the serum, Ozzy and Sigi join forces with four new friends that claim magic-like abilities. When Rin finally returns, Ozzy will discover once and for all what happened to his parents, what really happens at those popular fantasy conventions, and if magic truly exists.

POTION MASTERS: SEEKING SERUM by Frank Cole #shadowmountainpublishing #bookreview #bhbookreview

POTION MASTERS: SEEKING SERUM by Frank Cole. This is a fantastic conclusion to the POTION MASTERS series, although, I secretly hope that there will be more from the same characters. My heart jumped, dropped, pounded, and ached throughout the entire book. The twists, turns, trials, and triumphs keep me turning the pages. It is such a fun adventure that I would highly recommend to anyone who loves magic, potions, adventure, and hereoism. It is a great way to start of the year with an explosion.

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Mezzarix has stolen the Vessel, the source of power for all potion masters, and is preparing to launch his final attack on the potion-making community—which includes his own family.

Gordy and his family have gone into hiding, but when his mom uncovers some new information, she takes Gordy into the underground network known as the Swigs, a haven for renegade potion masters and black-market potions, to secure support in the fight against Mezzarix. But when Scourges, rebel potion makers acting on orders from Mezzarix, attack the Swigs, Gordy barely escapes with his life and is forced to leave his family behind.

As the fight intensifies between B.R.E.W and the Scourges, it falls to Gordy and his friends—Max, Sasha, and Adilene—to locate Mezzarix's hidden headquarters, retrieve the Vessel, save the world, and unite the potion-making community.

The world of Potion Masters is full of fantasy and adventure as Gordy and his friends learn the power of friendship and loyalty, and to trust in their own individual talents.

DRAGONWATCH 3: MASTER OF THE PHANTOM ISLE by Brandon Mull

DRAGONWATCH 3: MASTER OF THE PHANTOM ISLE by Brandon Mull. The hardest part about series as fantastic as this one, is you have to wait for the next installment. I have loved Seth and Kendra since the beginning of FABELHAVEN. DRAGONWATCH has continued the story so well. I was wrapped up in the story and couldn't put the book down. Ideas of how Seth would pull through swirled through my head. I couldn't figure out how Kendra was going find her brother. It felt like I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. The sacrifices others made brought tears to my eyes. It ends just right but at the same time, now I have to wait another year for the next one. It is such a great story that I can recommend to everyone. If you love a great fantasy full of adventure and mystical creatures, this is the book for you.

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Cursed by the Key of Forgetting, Seth has lost all memory of his past—his relationships, his experiences, and who he really is. For now he will align with his new mentor, Ronodin, the dark unicorn, who takes him to the Phantom Isle, the secret gateway to the Under Realm. Though Seth is not formally a prisoner, Ronodin wants to use him and his shadow charmer powers for his own dark ends. Kendra is frantic to find her missing brother, but the quest will take her and her companions, including Warren, Tanu, and Vanessa, far from Wyrmroost to Crescent Lagoon—a recently fallen dragon sanctuary made up of many islands and underwater domains. Its caretaker has regained a foothold on one of the islands. If Kendra and her friends can save that sanctuary, they might uncover the answers they need to rescue Seth. With each sanctuary the dragons overthrow, Celebrant, the Dragon King, comes closer to the dawn of a new Age of Dragons. With the forces of darkness on the march, can Kendra and her allies gather enough power to win the epic dragon war? 

TOUR SCHEDULE:

Is Brandon coming to your town?

WIZARD FOR HIRE: APPRENTICE NEEDED by Obert Skye

WIZARD FOR HIRE: APPRENTICE NEEDED by Obert Skye. This is a great addition to the WIZARD FOR HIRE series, see my review here. Throughout the entire first book and most of this book I found myself going back and forth on whether or not I believed Rin was a real wizard. Everything was so masterfully done that I'm still debating. I loved the continuing adventure Ozzy, Sigi, and Clark are on. And the bombshell that is dropped 3/4 of the way through the book is fantastic! This is a series that just keeps getting better and better. I can't wait for the next one to come out. I would highly recommend this book to any and everyone of all ages.

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Ozzy Toffy's adventure, which began in Wizard for Hire, continues when one dark and windy night, he gets out of bed, jumps out his window, and walks straight into the ocean.

More than ever, Ozzy could really use the services of Rin, the wizard he hired to help find his parents—but Rin is missing, despite Ozzy's continual attempts to contact him. And Clark, the mechanical bird his father left him, is as peculiar and vain as ever.

When a mysterious package arrives, Ozzy and his good friend Sigi are sure that the plane ticket and thumb drive they find inside are from Rin. Trying to get Clark through security at the airport proves complicated—as most things are with Clark. But when they arrive in New York, they discover there's even more adventure in store for them.

Will Rin return and save the day? Will Ozzy figure out why he keeps walking into the ocean? Can Sigi find a way to trust her delinquent father? Will someone please appreciate Clark the way he'd like to be appreciated? For once? Wizard for Hire: Apprentice Needed is a story filled with humor and excitement that shows us the magic in everyday things.

POTION MASTERS: THE TRANSPARENCY TONIC by Frank L Cole

POTION MASTERS: THE TRANSPARENCY TONIC by Frank L Cole. This. This is a fantastic series. The first book POTION MASTERS: THE EXTERNITY ELIXIR was fantastic. Check out my review here. And this next installment is equally as good. The creative potions that are brewed, the twists and turns in the plot, the action level, everything about it is incredible. I had so much fun reading it. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. My kids are sure to love this one, as will all their friends and anyone else who will take my suggestion. I highly recommend this story and can't wait for the third book.

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It has been nine months since Gordy and his friends, Max and Adilene, saved B.R.E.W. (the Board of Ruling Elixirists Worldwide) and the Vessel—the power source for the secret society of potion masters. Now, Gordy is starting the eighth grade, and has been trying new potion brewing techniques, but when he starts zoning out during practice, he knows something is wrong.

Gordy and his friends continue to work on their potions, but when Gordy chooses Max as his lab partner, Adilene starts to wonder if she still has a place with her old friends. She turns to a new friend, Cadence, who might know a way to help Adilene become a potion master on her own.

And in Greenland, Mezzarix has a chance to escape his Forbidden Zone—as long as he agrees to work with the mysterious Ms. Bimini and replicate an unusual solution known as "Silt." It could be just the weapon Mezzarix needs to destroy B.R.E.W. forever.

With both B.R.E.W. and the Vessel in danger, and with the potion world in chaos, it's up to Gordy, Max, and Adilene to rally the remaining Potion Masters before it's too late.

WIZARD FOR HIRE by Obert Skye

WIZARD FOR HIRE by Obert Skye. I was really excited to see a new book from this author, and I jumped at the opportunity to review it. This captivating book had me turning the pages well into the night. I loved getting to know Ozzy as well as his robotic bird. Rin is a fantastic character but as the book moves on, he has me wondering who he truly is. I hope Skye does another one to help us know the true nature of Rin better. I would highly recommend this book to anyone of any age who loves a magical adventure.

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What if there was a wizard in your hometown who offered his services to anyone in need? What if you were scared because your scientist parents had been kidnapped and you couldn't tell the police?

What if you stumbled across a classified ad in your local newspaper that read, "Wizard for Hire. Call 555-SPEL"? Would you call?

Fourteen-year-old Ozzy is desperate to find his parents, but he's not so sure about the ad....He's read about wizards in books like Harry Potter, but they couldn't actually exist in the world today, could they?

Enter Labryinth, aka "Rin," who dresses the part. Sort of. His bathrobe and high-top tennis shoes seem unorthodox. At least Rin acts like a wizard, but Ozzy has his doubts. Do real wizards write notes on their shoes and eat breakfast for every meal? Most of all, Ozzy just wants to know if Rin can cast any magic spells.

With the help of a robotic-talking raven invented by Ozzy's father, a kind and curious girl at school who decides to help Ozzy, and, of course, a self-proclaimed wizard who may or may not have a magical wand, Ozzy begins an unforgettable quest that will lead him closer to the answers he seeks about his missing parents.

POTION MASTERS: THE ETERNITY ELIXIR by Frank C Cole

POTION MASTERS: THE ETERNITY ELIXIR by Frank C Cole. I love books that create a curiosity  about other books the author has written. This middle-grade fantasy did just that. Gordy, Max and Adeline make a great team in a new world where potion masters aide our everyday technology. But watch out for those who misuse those potions. Gordy and his team might grow a third limb or make it so rats love you in order to defend themselves.

This is a fantastic read that anyone will love, especially youngsters that love fantasy. I enjoyed every page. Not only will I now look into other books by this author, but I will be reading this with my boys. I highly recommend it.

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Twelve-year-old Gordy Stitser is one of the few people who knows the truth about the secret society of potion masters, because not only is Gordy's mom on the Board of Ruling Elixirists Worldwide (B.R.E.W.), but she has also been training Gordy in the art of potion-making.

Gordy is a natural, and every day he sneaks down to the basement lab to invent new potions using exotic ingredients like fire ant eggs, porcupine quills, and Bosnian tickling juice.

One afternoon, Gordy receives a mysterious package containing an extremely rare potion known as "The Eternity Elixir." In the right hands, the Elixir continues to protect society. But in the wrong hands, ti could destroy the world as we know it.

Now, sinister potion masters are on the hunt to steal the Eternity Elixir. It's up to Gordy, his parents, and his best friends, Max and Adeline, to prevent an all-out potion war.

ADVENTURERS WANTED: THE AXE OF SUNDERING by M. L. Forman

ADVENTURERS WANTED: THE AXE OF SUNDERING by M L Forman. This is a series I have thoroughly enjoyed. Each book is definitely a fantastic adventure. I enjoyed being back with Whalen and Alex. It did take several chapters for me to get into the story, but once I was invested, I didn't want to put it down. In trying to figure out why it took me awhile to get into the story, the only thing I can think of is I had been out of that world for to long. I think if I had read all five books back-to-back it would have flowed better for me. I thought there was a very powerful lesson taught toward the end of the book about success and failures. Too often kids want to get up and the world judges us based on our successes. Alex learned a great lesson about the two. I would recommend this book and series to any fantasy lover.

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Whalen Vankin is a great an honorable wizard, and he has only ever personally trained two other wizards. One is Alexander Taylor, a young man who has earned a reputation as a brave adventurer, a warrior, and a man of honor. The other is Jabez, Vankin's nephew—a man whose choices have led him down a different, darker path.

Dark magic has covered Westland, and evil is stirring. Whalen and Alex must journey together into the heart of danger, confronting a sea serpent, and facing down more than one dragon. Alex must find the legendary Axe of Sundering—the one weapon that offers a chance to defeat Jabez—and protect the land from the dark wizard's plans. But finding it will be an adventure of its own as the only pathway to the Axe leads through the underground tunnels and secret passages of the Castle of Conmar.

But Jabez has a final weapon at his disposal: the powerful Orion stones, which could spell the end to Whalen and Alex both.