Fairy Metal Thunder (Songs of Magic, #1)

Apr 29, 2012 Giselle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, own, paranormal

Fun and quirky; Fairy Metal Thunder is a quick read that you can easily finish in one sitting. After highly enjoying Jenny Pox, I was especially curious to see what JL Bryan had done with his attempt at a YA novel - about fairies nonetheless. First let me tell you that this could not be any more different from Jenny Pox, and I was greatly impressed. This is plain and simply entertaining with an effortless writing style that makes it easy to get absorbed inside this enchanting tale full of music...more Fun and quirky; Fairy Metal Thunder is a quick read that you can easily finish in one sitting. After highly enjoying Jenny Pox, I was especially curious to see what JL Bryan had done with his attempt at a YA novel - about fairies nonetheless. First let me tell you that this could not be any more different from Jenny Pox, and I was greatly impressed. This is plain and simply entertaining with an effortless writing style that makes it easy to get absorbed inside this enchanting tale full of music and magic.

Let's hear it for the Assorted Zebras! Jason, Erin, ~~Mitch~~ Mick and Dred can't even get one simple lowly gig. But when Jason comes home with instruments from the Fairy Ream, the tables have turned. Now people can't get enough of them - instant stardom. Like I expected from his previous work, the characters in this novel are all realistically fleshed out. They're flawed and they make reckless decisions. These are teenagers, through and through. The band dynamics are amusing as well with just a tad of romance woven in. Then, we've got the creatures...

Fairies, goblins, elves, and… get this… a unicorn! And this is no ordinary unicorn either! The sweet, pretty, innocent creature is no more! *pets evil unicorn* It was fun to have these exotic mythical creatures bringing in even more life to the party. From delightful commentary on the realm's past wars, to bizarre and disgusting eating habits; there is no lack of comical antics in this story. Overall we've got a great cast with all types of personalities to enliven these pages.

Going from one realm to the other, the plot is pretty straight forward with the Fairy band trying to find their instruments, and the Man-band (teehee) exploiting them. There's nothing too complex; it's a very light read in that regard. The Fairy lore is original and creative, although since we spend much more time in the human world, we don't delve incredibly deep into Fairy technicalities. But we do get plenty of descriptive details when Jason visits the supernatural realm to boost our imagination of this eccentric land, as well as glimpses of what's coming for these kids in the next books.

Magic music! That's what you get inside JL Bryan's charming YA novel. If you want something refreshing and genuinely fun, this is the book for you!

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For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads (less)

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Jul 27, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this foray into faerie. The theme mixed with music really suited me and I feel this is easy enough for the MG crowd as well.

The characters were well formed and they did seem like real teens to me. I also enjoyed the fae and felt that they were just strange enough to be different but simular to connect. I also have to mention the unicorns. Aw so sweet and deadly! Makes me want to meet one. :) I also should mention the world created here. Both the human and magical worlds are qui...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

*more like 3.5 stars*

Fairy Metal Thunder is a fun, quirky read with a storyline that will have you quickly flipping through the pages.

This is my second J.L. Bryan novel and in both novels he has the most unique elements in his stories. In Fairy Metal Thunder there are some rockin' musical fairy instruments that are out of this world. They change everything for the lives of Jason and his band members. I love that this story centers around the power of these instruments and how they are used. I h...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Sandra Glenn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It was ok. I really had high hopes for the series after coming to J.L. Bryan from the Paranormals Series (Jenny Pox, etc). The writing style is very similar, but where Paranormals still translated into a more mature 15-18+ YA novel series despite the simplistic writing style, The Song of Magic Series (of which Fairy Metal thunder is book 1 of) is definitely a very simplistically written series that translates into being meant more for Young Adults in the 12-14 range.

But don't take that as I did...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Aliraluna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks

Jason, Erin, Dred and Mitch want to be rock stars. Problem is Jason is in love with Erin; beautiful singer that has a boyfriend older and with more points at his favor; and let's be real- it seems they aren't that good. Jason mom wants him to clean the house of an old lady that everyone fears, and think of her as a Witch, but he is saved when the old lady; Mrs. Dullahan; yells at him to go away... and he is happy to do- even better he has food. His parents decides to ground him for his behavior...more

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Feb 04, 2012 Jade Eby rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Originally posted at my blog Chasing Empty Pavements

I just finished reading this book and what a wild read! I really enjoyed this novel by J.L. Bryan! It really fits well with young adult audience.

The Good: I was really nervous after reading the blurb as to how Bryan would navigate this novel. I was scared it would either come out too juvenile or completely unreadable...but he totally made everything work! I loved the mixture of the magical world with the real world. When it started I totally go...more Originally posted at my blog Chasing Empty Pavements

I just finished reading this book and what a wild read! I really enjoyed this novel by J.L. Bryan! It really fits well with young adult audience.

The Good: I was really nervous after reading the blurb as to how Bryan would navigate this novel. I was scared it would either come out too juvenile or completely unreadable...but he totally made everything work! I loved the mixture of the magical world with the real world. When it started I totally got a Labyrinth/Alice in Wonderland type of vibe and I loved the main character Jason. I liked his relationship with his sister. It was like a brother/sister ally type of thing and it's refreshing instead of seeing the typical I-hate-my-sibling relationship. The world building was AWESOME in this novel. Bryan totally brought to life the world of Faerie and I almost wish I could visit!! I LOVED LOVED LOVED the goblin Grizlemor and again reminded me of the goblin from Labyrinth. What I think I appreciated most from this novel is that it is such a fun, light read. YA is saturated with such heavy topics right now (not that I don't like that...I do!) but it's refreshing to read something that isn't super depressing or heavy. This is a book that leaves you smiling and happy after the last page. Lastly...I just want to praise the amount of brilliant editing that went into this book. This book is a prime example of what self-published authors need to start doing. Invest in a good editor and cover designer! Even I have taken notes from Bryan on how to produce a brilliant self-published book!

The Bad: I would have liked to see his characters just a BIT more realistic per their age. I felt that whenever Jason talked...he was more along the ages of 14 or 15 and not a junior in high school. Most of the characters seemed much younger than what their supposed age was.

Overall, this was an AWESOME read and I highly recommend it, especially for the younger audience! I give it an A-!!!

**I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review. All the opinions are my own and I was not obligated to write a favorable review.(less)

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Nov 14, 2011 Courtney Cole rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is my daughter's review of Fairy Metal Thunder, book one of the Songs of Magic series.

Hi, I'm Bella and this is my review of Fairy Metal Thunder by JL Bryan. My favorite thing about this book is that nothing in it made me sad. I really hate it when books make me cry. This book is happy- it’s got fairies, goblins a dragon, a unicorn named Buttercup and a teenage rock band. I ended up really loving the book- so much that I changed my Halloween costume so that I could be a Rock Star Fairy.

Fa...more

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Nov 07, 2011 Stephanie D. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fairy Metal Thunder by J.L. Bryan is a fun and light young adult novel that impressed me in several ways.

Prior to this one, I had read a novel in the same genre, also dealing with fairies that frankly irritated me because the teen characters were annoying and had conversations that contributed very little to the story and did not sound real (in fact, I wanted to tear my hair out). Bryan's teen characters felt very authentic to me; the dialogue sounded real, the characters were three-dimensional,...more

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Sep 27, 2011 Rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: from-author, for-review

I am so angry right now. Would you like to know why? It’s because I loved Fairy Metal Thunder! Now I have to wait until December to read more of the story (That’s when Fairy Blues comes out). In case you didn’t know this, I hate waiting. Fairy Metal Thunder took me back to my childhood when I had great dreams of marrying a certain goblin king, yep I had big plans for David Bowie and I. Childhood dreams aside, Fairy Metal Thunder has the same feel that the movie Labyrinth has, this wondrous fanta...more I am so angry right now. Would you like to know why? It’s because I loved Fairy Metal Thunder! Now I have to wait until December to read more of the story (That’s when Fairy Blues comes out). In case you didn’t know this, I hate waiting. Fairy Metal Thunder took me back to my childhood when I had great dreams of marrying a certain goblin king, yep I had big plans for David Bowie and I. Childhood dreams aside, Fairy Metal Thunder has the same feel that the movie Labyrinth has, this wondrous fantasy world that you’re desperate to have at least a small part of, even to the point of stealing.

Jason is babysitting his little sister when she complains about a monster being in their parents room. When Jason investigates he finds a little green something steeling his mothers jewelry. Jason chases after the monster (Who is Grizlemor a goblin.) and that is how he finds his way into the Fairy world. While he’s there he steals instruments that will help his band. I really liked Jason's character. He tries to make everyone happy, I don’t think it’s that he’s a push over he’s just a teenager. Grizlemor returns to our world after Jason has stolen the fairy instruments to hide from the queen since he is the one that led Jason down in the first place. Grizlemor now lives in Jason’s room with him. I thought this was a fun turn of events as Grizlemor is super disgusting, never bathes, and has Jason bring him horrible things to eat like “Whipped cream and Spam on rye”. I guess that’s the kind of roommate you end up with when you steal from fairies.

Bryan has this way of writing that is so descriptive that I would almost forget I was reading and just watch everything unfold before my eyes. I love being able to see what I’m reading especially when there are so many fantasy elements in the story, and that’s what I got in Fairy Metal Thunder. From the music to the creatures it was all laid out perfectly. speaking of creatures there is one in particular I want to talk about, Buttercake. Buttercake is a unicorn. Unicorns are used sort of like blood hounds in this book and their around the same size…well most of the time. After reading Fairy Metal Thunder I want my own Buttercake! To the point that I’m willing to create a sugar cane swamp in my back yard and everything, I wonder what my chances are of getting an actual unicorn here are?

I loved Fairy Metal Thunder and I am so excited to read more in the Songs of Magic series. The next in the series is Fairy Blues and is due out in December. But why are you still here? Fairy Metal Thunder is just $0.99 for the eBook version. Go get a copy and start reading!

Happy Reading,
Rebecca
www.bendingthespine.blogspot.com (less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Jackie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: on-my-kindle

What an incredibly fun fairytale!

Jason, Erin, Dred, and Mick aka Mitch are members of a band called Assorted Zebras. Jasons adorable little sister Katie is scared of monsters. One night when he's babysitting Katie, she sees a monster go into their parents room. Turns out to be a goblin [Grizlemor]....who is stealing their mom's jewelry! OMG!

Jason follows this 'little goblin thief' all the way back to another realm through a portal in Mrs. Dullahans yard, to a land of faeries and Elves and litt...more

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May 24, 2012 Mandy (I read Indie) Anderson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Jason's band is on the verge of breaking up. Dred and Mitch are about to head out after graduating High School and Jason has just been newly grounded, keeping him from practicing with his friends. When an audition goes bad, the group has given up hope and accepted reality. But one night Jason happens upon some magical instruments and the band hasn't seen nothing yet.

Once Jason presents the instruments to his friends crazy things start happening...the neighborhood kids actually want to stop and...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Amie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Jason plays guitar in a teenage garage band called the Assorted Zebras, but they have no fans, no gigs, and they’re going nowhere. Even worse, Jason has a crush on the lead singer, but she already has a near perfect boyfriend.

Then Jason steals instruments from the fairy world, and soon the band is enchanting crowds, but the new gear is brimming with dangerous and destructive magic. The band struggles to gain control of their instruments and avoid supernatural bounty hunters sent by Queen Mab of...more Jason plays guitar in a teenage garage band called the Assorted Zebras, but they have no fans, no gigs, and they’re going nowhere. Even worse, Jason has a crush on the lead singer, but she already has a near perfect boyfriend.

Then Jason steals instruments from the fairy world, and soon the band is enchanting crowds, but the new gear is brimming with dangerous and destructive magic. The band struggles to gain control of their instruments and avoid supernatural bounty hunters sent by Queen Mab of Faerie to track them down… (Summary courtesy of Goodreads)

Fairy Metal Thunder is a fun, quick read that takes the reader on a wild journey through the land of Faerie and into the world of the rock star. J.L. Bryan leaves no stone unturned in his quest to bring the reader into a world no one has ever seen before. His take on Faerie is creative and intriguing. I especially enjoyed how he brought all sorts of mythical creatures to life, including not only fairies, but also ogres, goblins, elves and even unicorns. There were a couple of parts when Bryan took the story to the land of Faerie that seemed to drag a little, with a bit too much detail thrown in. But I understand that Bryan was trying to create a world that no one has ever seen, so over-explanation is necessary at times.

Perhaps my favorite parts of Fairy Metal Thunder take place in the human world (or man-world as the mythical creatures call it) when the Assorted Zebras are playing the stolen fairy instruments. Bryan manages to capture the excitement and intensity of a crowd of people really enjoying a good rock show and he brings that to life for the reader. He doesn’t rely heavily on descriptions of how the instruments are played or why the crowds reacted they way they did, yet he still manages to get the feeling of intense excitement across to the reader; you just seem to know and understand after reading. I appreciated the fact that he knew his readers would understand what it is like to be swept up by the music and carried away. Bryan keeps it simple.

Bryan also built a good cast of supporting characters, such as Hoke the Elf, Jason’s sister Katie, Mrs. Dullahan and Jason’s parents. I thought Jason’s parents were very well-portrayed. They were your typical “we don’t trust you or your friends with the multi-colored hair who are in a band” parents. I felt sorry for Jason having such mistrusting parents, actually. Jason’s sister was a riot, she kept me laughing. Hoke the Elf was an oddity, but an interesting one and Mrs. Dullahan was just the right kind of scary.

About the only thing that I didn’t like about Fairy Metal Thunder was the abrupt ending. Literally, I am reading along and then BAM, it’s over. It seemed like a strange way to end a book. I know that the book has sequels but I just didn’t care for the way it ended at all.

I think this would be a great book for tweens. I am not sure older, more sophisticated teenagers will take the time to pick it up, but I know quite a few eleven to fourteen year olds who would enjoy it.(less)

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Jan 26, 2013 Stacy Xavier rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Note: Some spoilers. This isn't my first foray into the worlds of J.L Bryan; I also read his Paranormals series, which I enjoyed immensely. This book is almost as good as those! The overall concept is intriguing and creative; a young man steals some magical instruments from the faerie world for himself and his bandmates. Chaos in both worlds ensues. We only catch glimpses of the faerie world in this installment and I am hoping the next ones delve more into detail about that world, which appears...more

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Apr 05, 2012 Rhiannon Frater rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

I will admit that I put off reading this book for ages. I really loved J.L. Bryan's JENNY POX's horror trilogy and his science fiction novel, HELIX, but I just wasn't sure if I wanted to read his foray into YA.

I wish I hadn't put off reading this book for so long.

Not only can J.L. Bryan write kick ass horror and science fiction, he can write young adult fiction as well.

I'm not going to rehash the plot or anything like that. It's a very simplistic plot, but it's the execution that makes it so mu...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Isalys rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, for-review, indie, ya, fairies

Did you know that fairies are bringers of good luck and mischief? They are and I'll explain why in just a moment.

As it turns out, J.L. Bryan is not only good at writing dark and edgy, but he can also write fun stories that border on downright adorable. Fairy Metal Thunder was the latter! It's the story of a guy who rockets to fame, right along with his band mates when he discovers absconds with some magical instruments that turn their music into an experience.

Jason, our main character is the gui...more Did you know that fairies are bringers of good luck and mischief? They are and I'll explain why in just a moment.

As it turns out, J.L. Bryan is not only good at writing dark and edgy, but he can also write fun stories that border on downright adorable. Fairy Metal Thunder was the latter! It's the story of a guy who rockets to fame, right along with his band mates when he discovers absconds with some magical instruments that turn their music into an experience.

Jason, our main character is the guitarist for a garage band called The Assorted Zebras. Like all bands, they hope to land that one gig that will launch their musical careers but it's just not happening. One evening, while Jason is babysitting his little sister, he finds a little green man stealing his mom's jewelry. The little green man is a goblin named Grizlemor and he led him right into the world of the fae. While he's trying to recover the stolen jewelry, he spies a concert where kids of all ages are entranced and enchanted by the music being played by a band of Folk (fairies, ogres, etc). When the fairy band wraps up their concert, Jason decides to take the instruments back to the human world in the hope that they will help his band.

Of course, these are no ordinary instruments. Once he and his band mates began playing, they realized that the instruments had the ability to change according to the players needs which in turn made their music flawless and attracted an audience. Next thing they know, their music is plastered all over Facebook and YouTube and they are rockstars! But everything comes with a price tag?

Meanwhile back in the land of the fae, the Folk that these instruments really belong to are in pretty deep with their queen for "allowing" their magical instruments to be taken into the human world. They contract the help of an elf and his "don't-let-them-fool-you" unicorns to locate and return the instruments. Now Jason, Mitch (aka Mick), Dred and love-interest Erin not only have to fight off crazy fans, but now they've got a goblin, a dullahan, an elf, and a pissed off unicorn to contend with.

See what I mean about the good luck and mischief?

This is the kind of story you read in one sitting when you're in the mood for something fun and lighthearted that will make you laugh {McSlobberbooger *quietly chuckles*}. The human characters are delightful and yet exasperate you as only teenagers can. They are sweetly awkward and make stupid decisions that make you shake your head. Let's face it though, if not for those stupid decisions, the story wouldn't be quite as much fun. The non-human characters are just as much entertaining from the goblin who warns Jason while trying to save his own hide, the cantankerous elf, the timid/man-eating unicorn and the sweet and worried Aoide (lead of the fairy band).

Thankfully I have books 2 and 3 ready because I can't wait to see how Jason deals with the mayhem that they have brought onto themselves.

~Isalys from Book Soulmates (less)

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Jul 04, 2012 MB rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: july-reading-challenge

If I could've given this 3.5 stars, I would have. It was good, but there were certain aspects that keep me from giving it 4 stars.

Plot:
The plot was interesting, and definitely a different take on many of the fairy stories that I've read. Unfortunately, it just didn't seem plausible to me. I know what you're thinking, of course someone stumbling into the fairy world isn't plausible... that's why it's fiction, but there was something extra that bothered me. Jason randomly stumbles into the fairy...more If I could've given this 3.5 stars, I would have. It was good, but there were certain aspects that keep me from giving it 4 stars.

Plot:
The plot was interesting, and definitely a different take on many of the fairy stories that I've read. Unfortunately, it just didn't seem plausible to me. I know what you're thinking, of course someone stumbling into the fairy world isn't plausible... that's why it's fiction, but there was something extra that bothered me. Jason randomly stumbles into the fairy world, sees crazy things, and is completely fine with it. He never once has the feeling that he's going crazy; he just accepts it, and he convinces all his bandmates that fairies exist, as well. I know this is just nit-picky, but it really bothered me.

It seemed a little stereotypical: boy pines after girl, girl has boyfriend, boy does something stupid to impress girl, etc. Of course, there is that little twist about fairies and magic instruments and whatnot.

Aside from that, the plot worked out alright, I think. There's definitely more to the series, since there isn't any real resolution to the problem. Hopefully the other books provide a little more closure.

Charactes:
Jason is the main character, and with him you find an assortment of other characters. Katie (Jason's younger sister), Erin, Dred (short for Mildred), and Mitch (or Mick) are the ones you see the most. None of the characters seem to be incredibly flushed out, though that probably comes in the later books.

I found Jason to be very hard to remember. Several times (including when I sat down to write this review) I had to look up his name, because it just wouldn't stick with me. I think it's because he doesn't really do anything exciting or noteworthy, other than steal instruments from the fairy world.

At times, there are chapters from Aoide's point of view. She is a member of the fairy band whose instruments were stolen. Though there are only two or three chapters about her, I still find her to be a more memorable character than Jason. I hope everything turns out okay for her.

Overall, it was a good book; not one of my favorites, but definitely not one that I didn't like. I don't know if I would read it again, but it's worth the read the first time for sure. (less)

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Apr 05, 2012 Jenni Arndt rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-ebook

You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads

I won this book in a flash giveaway on Xpresso Reads and started it immediately. I didn't read the synopsis, I did not pass go, I did not collect $200, and am I ever happy I jumped into it blind. I admit, if I read the synopsis, I probably wouldn't have picked it up, thinking the fantastical aspect would be a bit too much for me but boy was I ever pleasantly surprised with Fairy Metal Thunder! This book reminded me so much of my favourite movie as...more You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads

I won this book in a flash giveaway on Xpresso Reads and started it immediately. I didn't read the synopsis, I did not pass go, I did not collect $200, and am I ever happy I jumped into it blind. I admit, if I read the synopsis, I probably wouldn't have picked it up, thinking the fantastical aspect would be a bit too much for me but boy was I ever pleasantly surprised with Fairy Metal Thunder! This book reminded me so much of my favourite movie as a kid, Labyrinth, with it's well created Faerie world and the amazing creatures lurking the land. I love the imagination that went into writing this novel, J.L. Bryan has constructed a tale that sucks you in and makes you long to uncover an Otherworld amongst the trees in your very own backyard.

The characters we meet in Fairy Metal Thunder are about as vast and varied as they come. Jason was a believable teenage boy who was awkward and perpetually nervous. One thing I really appreciated was our love interest being a green haired punk who stood out rather than the usual supermodel types, or the bland normal girls who have become the staple since Bella Swan. Erin was unique, had her own style, and seemed as though she was a girl who knows what she wants. My favourite characters were actually Jasons parents, their banter and old school way of thinking was all too real and had me laughing out loud as they argued with their son about the permanency of things on the internet. The creatures of the Otherworld were spot on! Grizlemor was AWESOME, from his stinky feet to his strong taste for unappealing foods, he was the perfect goblin and there was no arguing with that. I'm left so curious about so many parts of the Otherworld; I long for more about Queen Mab, more about this violent & dark side of the fairies that is hinted at so much, and dying to find out more about the magical instruments and how the land feeds off of energy. I also can't wait to learn more about the creepy guardian of the gate Mrs. Dullahan, I think her story is an interesting one!

This is a well crafted book that is just the start of a very promising series. I can't wait to dig into book 2 and find out more about this unique story. I will definitely be recommending Fairy Metal Thunder to anyone looking for an Alluring Read.

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Feb 15, 2012 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Jason, Mitch, Dred and Erin are all members of the Assorted Zebras.

Jason chases after a goblin, Grizlemor, who has stolen his mother's jewellery, and ends up following him into Fairy Land, where he sees a group of musicians playing amazing music. Struck with an idea, Jason decides to steal their instruments for his band mates and himself and takes them back to human world.

The instruments not only have the ability to change to the players needs, e.g. from harp to piano, but also to draw in crowds...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Fallon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, fae, fantasy, magic, series, young-adult

This young adult novel is a little twist of the fairy tales or fantasy world of childhood. Jason discovers a goblin stealing from him and chases him into the fairy world to discover a set of musical instruments that happen to be magical and enchant all those who listen to it. First of all I would be driven nuts if I were Jason, he has some parents that are just not understanding, and they seem to not really care to understand him. Second, Jason seems like a good guy and all he wants to do is mak...more

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Sep 22, 2011 Aeicha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fierce fairies, rocking music, magical instruments, complicated romance, badass unicorns, and one grumpy goblin…Fairy Metal Thunder has all this and more!

The Assorted Zebras is made up of Jason, Erin, Mitch, and Dred, four teenagers who are passionate about their music. Unfortunately no one else seems to be. They have no fans, no gigs, and possibly no future as a band…until Jason chases a goblin into the magical world of Faerie and steals four magical instruments. With these magical instruments...more Fierce fairies, rocking music, magical instruments, complicated romance, badass unicorns, and one grumpy goblin…Fairy Metal Thunder has all this and more!

The Assorted Zebras is made up of Jason, Erin, Mitch, and Dred, four teenagers who are passionate about their music. Unfortunately no one else seems to be. They have no fans, no gigs, and possibly no future as a band…until Jason chases a goblin into the magical world of Faerie and steals four magical instruments. With these magical instruments the Assorted Zebras literally become an overnight sensation and all their dreams seem to quickly come true. But the band soon realizes that they aren’t quite as prepared for their overwhelming fame as they thought they were…not to mention the beings that are sent after them in hopes of retrieving the stolen instruments. Fairy Metal Thunder really reflects the sentiment ‘Be careful what you wish for’.

This is a really fun, lighthearted read and its fantasy elements are more delightful than edgy or dark, which makes it appropriate for even younger readers. It has a great mix of humor, fantasy, romance, and intrigue. The characters are charming, the story is refreshing and entertaining, and the fantasy elements are enchanting.

Fairy Metal Thunder takes place in two worlds- our world and the magical word of Faerie- so there’s a lot going on in the space of one book. But I never found the story overwhelming or too confusing to follow; the story flows at really nice pace that’s not too slow or too fast. The quartet of Jason, Erin, Mitch, and Dred in our world and the quartet of Aoide, Rhodia, Neus, and Skezg- the magical musicians whose instruments Jason steals- in Faerie, both make for two quirky, eclectic and merry bands of misfits. Grizlemor the Goblin is very reminiscent of Dobby the House-Elf from the Harry Potter series, although the goblin is far crankier…but still delightful with his whimsical sarcasm and mischief. There’s a certain absurd silliness that surrounds most of the adult characters, especially Jason’s parents, which I found quite hilarious and fun. All the characters are quite likable.

I was really drawn to the creative idea of a teenage band playing with magical instruments. It’s such a refreshing and fantastical idea that makes for a captivating story. The two distinct worlds in this book-our world and Faerie- add equal parts realism and fantasy, which creates a nice layered storyline. And I found that I genuinely enjoyed and found myself invested in the different plotlines going on in each world, and I really look forward to seeing the ways in which the separate, yet connected, stories and worlds continue to collide and intertwine in the rest of the series.

I really like Bryan’s unique fantasy elements and the way he added his own twists and spins on classic fantasy beings. I especially like Bryan’s fairies, who definitely aren’t your cute Tinkerbell’s. The fairies in this book are fierce, potentially dangerous, and kind of hip. And since this book is about a band, the musical elements have to be cool of course…and they definitely are. I love that the Assorted Zebras aren’t your average, as one non-cool adult in the book would call them, “teenyboppers at a disco”. They listen to classic rock (my kind of people!) and aren’t all about the “rock glam”, they actually care about the music. And the music is pretty sweet! I love that fact that there are actual lyrics and songs included in the book…and I would totally listen to the Assorted Zebras, even without the enchanting magical instruments. Although, the way Bryan describes the band’s music and its effects on people when played with those instruments makes for vivid and sensational scenes.

However, I did find the way that most of the characters were so quick to simply believe in and be ok with the concept of magical instruments and beings to be bit unbelievable. I think I would have liked a little more disbelief, or at least a bit more wariness and/or confusion, coming from people who witnessed what the band could do with the magical instruments. But this certainly didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of this book.

Overall, I found this to be a fun, delightful first volume in a promising new series. I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of the series and learning more about the world of Faerie, seeing if a real romance between Jason and Erin ever blossoms, and finding out just what the heck is up with Buddy McSlawburger’s slaw. You should definitely give this book a read!

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Nov 05, 2012 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another amazing debut, I had a great time reading this book. It moved wonderfully, allowing my mind to immerse in a great story!

What if the instrument you played is magical? It can gather a crowd and make you famous in a instant. I know, right? Imagine what theses instruments could bring you! And that folks, is exactly what the book is like. Jammed packed with great action, instant fame, and of course who can forget those pesky fairies. Pssh!

The love interest is what I expected. I love watching...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Eileen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, paranormal, owned, young-adult

Check out more of my reviews at ***Singing and Reading in the Rain***!

JL Bryan has managed to take two things I am absolutely in love with and put them together into one awesome book: fairies and music. The fairies because the Iron Fey is my favorite series ever, and the villans in Fairy Metal Thunder were fey, and the main characters in the Iron Fey were fey. Music because, well, I technically ama budding musician. If you put that into a book full of action, adventure, andcreativity, then you p...more Check out more of my reviews at ***Singing and Reading in the Rain***!

JL Bryan has managed to take two things I am absolutely in love with and put them together into one awesome book: fairies and music. The fairies because the Iron Fey is my favorite series ever, and the villans in Fairy Metal Thunder were fey, and the main characters in the Iron Fey were fey. Music because, well, I technically am a budding musician. If you put that into a book full of action, adventure, and creativity, then you pretty much have my most latest obsession: Fairy Metal Thunder.

Fairy Metal Thunder may be a short book, but it packs a lot of punch. Every page oozes with a lot of action and adventure. There isn't a dull moment in Fairy Metal Thunder and it's fast-paced and the plot moves really smoothly and quickly. Contrary to what you may think, with the fast pace, you still get to see that character development in the beginning that's key to the rest of the novel. Even though the story is told in third person, which throws me off occasionally, I still felt really attached to the characters and I wanted to know what they were thinking.

The writing style used in Fairy Metal Thunder did throw me off at first, and I didn't feel very invested in the story, but soon after I felt like I had jumped into the story and I was Jason's shadow. As soon as I got into the story the pages flew by and I was at the last scene just like that. The scenes were extremely vivid and well explained, and I really connected to every aspect of the story as soon as I had gotten used to the writing style that was used to write Fairy Metal Thunder.

The story of Fairy Metal Thunder was so original that you fell in love with the story as soon as you flipped that first page. The premise of these fey musical instruments was so out of the box and I haven't seen anything else like it. Fairy Metal Thunder is an extremely fun book that would appeal to almost any young adult out there looking for a nice, short paranormal read in between heavier books. While many paranormal books are extremely dark, Fairy Metal Thunder is shrouded with a lightness despite the overall concept. However, the concept of Fairy Metal Thunder is fairly dark and there are unicorns, trolls, and so much more.

A fun, thrilling fairy book, Fairy Metal Thunder will have you captured by the originality of the idea and the amazing storyline.

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Jul 01, 2012 Anastacia Knits rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, fantasy, series, young-adult-childrens, e-books

This was a kindle book I picked up for free earlier this year. It was a quick read, only took a few hours to read. It starts off real enough, & then rather abrumptly shows its fantasy side, & that's when the story really starts to take off.

As with most first books in a series, there's a certain amount of world & character building, which I did enjoy. There are lots of hints of action, but other than the climax at the end of the story, nothing really happens in the story, & all th...more

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Oct 02, 2011 Aimeekay rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Hokealussiplatytorpinquarnartnuppy Melaerasmussanatolinkarrutorpicus Darnathiopockettlenocbiliotroporiqqua Bellefrost.
No I did not lose control of my keyboard. That is a name. Specifically, that is the name of the elf who is sent to hunt down Jason,Erin, Mitch and Dred, and the fairy instruments that Jason stole. His unicorn's name is Buttercup. Those two things alone say everything. The effort the author put into just this one characters name is proof alone of the thought she put into the rest...more

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Nov 20, 2011 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Meet the Assorted Zebras: Jason, Erin, Dred, and Mitch. Jason Becker is an average teenager who just wants to jam with his band, have his feelings for Erin reciprocated, and have his parents understand him. Jason finds out that his life isn’t that average when he chases a thieving goblin into another world. Jason steals some magical instruments from a fairy band. Almost overnight Jason and his friends are in an awesome rock band with an instant fan base. Jason and his band may not be ready for a...more

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Sep 22, 2011 Kristi-The Book Faery rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fae, indie-books-publishers, one-sit-reads, series-to-watch-for, ya-arc-for-2011, ya-fantasy, ya-pnr-5-star, ya-pub-date-sep-11, ya-series

Fairy Metal Thunder by J.L. Bryan is a One-Sit-Read! Even if I wasn’t a lover of all things Fae, Mr. Bryan would have still captivated me with his dazzling tale of what can happen if you sneak into the world of the Fae and leave with enchanted objects.

The main character, Jason, plays in a garage band named the Assorted Zebras with his pals Mitch, Dred and the girl he secretly yearns for, Erin. They’re good but not good enough to get any gigs. One night Jason is awakened by his younger sister, Ka...more Fairy Metal Thunder by J.L. Bryan is a One-Sit-Read! Even if I wasn’t a lover of all things Fae, Mr. Bryan would have still captivated me with his dazzling tale of what can happen if you sneak into the world of the Fae and leave with enchanted objects.

The main character, Jason, plays in a garage band named the Assorted Zebras with his pals Mitch, Dred and the girl he secretly yearns for, Erin. They’re good but not good enough to get any gigs. One night Jason is awakened by his younger sister, Katie claiming there’s a monster in the house and when Jason goes to investigate what he finds is unbelievable. He follows a strange little creature to the neighborhood creepy lady’s back yard and follows this creature down a hole only to find he’s in a very strange place, indeed!

The little creature known as Grizlemor-a Goblin, catches on that Jason is following him and becomes extremely upset-If the Queen of Fairy-land finds out he led a human into their world, his goblins cooked! Grizlemor does whatever he can to get Jason out of there. Grizlemor is an expert thief but he’s butt ugly and stinks like Faery Farts from Hell, but he’s very good at what he does. In order to get Jason out of fairy-land, he promises to give back the necklace he took from Erin and goes off to his stash pit, leaving Jason listening to the most enchanting music from four Fairy-land ‘residents’ in a band. When they take their break and leave their instruments unwatched, Jason quickly becomes as good a thief as Grizlemor and absconds with the fairy instruments, leaving before Grizlemor returns with Erin’s necklace.

Jason hides the instruments in his garage and when he goes to get them out, they are super tiny but when he takes out the one that looks like a guitar and runs his fingers over the strings it quickly adapts and grows to form perfectly for Jason. The music Jason makes with this new guitar has the power to evoke powerful emotions. When he shows the instruments to the band members they scoff at him until they try out their own little instrument, each band member ends up with an instrument that is perfectly suited to them. When they make music together it is instantaneous emotional combustion! Before they know it they’re on youtube and are instant celebrities overnight. What happens from there is bizarre, at times frightening and Faery wicked cool.

There’s just one little problem: Queen Mab is furious that magical items have been taken out of Faerie, an elf and his unicorn are sent out into the mans-world to find and retrieve the missing magical articles. Hoke, the elf and Buttercake, his unicorn or cornhorse as he calls them are unrelenting in their search. Things could end up pretty badly for the original four instrument owners and there’s a sympathy factor there, for sure.

I’m not going to go to much further into what else happens in the novel; I’m trying to keep this as spoiler free as possible and even though I’ve shared a lot, there is so much more to this story. Mr. Bryan writes with a keen sense of descriptives, personalization and emotions making his characters and the world(s) they live in so easy to become invested in. The story flows beautifully from chapter to chapter and is incredibly thrilling and exciting but there’s always an undertone of this is to good to last. The cliffie at the end was unbelievable! I’m anxiously awaiting the next book in this series!
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Jan 30, 2012 Shirley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fairy Metal Thunder is such a cute read. I know, I don’t say that very often about any of the books that I review. There just isn’t any other way to describe it. Jason’s cute, the situations that he and his friends find themselves in are cute and I found myself laughing out loud more than once. It was simply a fun read. That’s a welcome diversion sometimes, don’t you think?

Adults will shake their head at some of the ridiculous decisions that Jason and his friends make. I was shaking my head, but...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, young-adult, read-in-2012, urban-fantasy

When I was approached about reviewing this book I jumped on it because I was ridiculously impressed with Jenny Pox and I wanted to see what J.L. Bryan came up with next. I'm pleased as punch to say that he didn't disappoint. While younger in tone than The Paranormals, this book is both charming and sweetly awkward as Jason and his bandmates navigate the treacherous waters of fame and potential love.

I loved the irreverence of the creatures of the Fairy realm. From the curmudgeon-y old elf who agr...more

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Jun 11, 2012 Annabelle Marie Veronica rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, gorgeous-cover, love-triangles, romance, i-own, e-books, fairies, fantasy, best-books-in-the-world, i-love-a-guy-in-this-book, magic

****FINAL RATING: 4.30 STARS****

CATCHALL
I loved this book. I mean, I absolutely adored this book beyond any shadow of doubt. It had awesome characters, a beautifully built Faerie, and an original plot that not only held but captivated my interest. I heard amazing things about it even before I read it and was not disappointed. I was drawn into everything about it and was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it. And no matter what my boyfriend says, he loved it too.

THE HERO
JASON
I love the n...more

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May 29, 2012 Grace Fonseca rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A unique way of telling a story. Love that this is told from a guy’s point of view. It’s a story that seems simple and it really is, but it’s so much deeper once we really get into the world or worlds that we are entering.

What appealed to me, was that Jason is your typical teenage boy who wants him and the band that he is part of to be rock starts, but has typical problems. Mainly his parents are his issue. You kind of relate to that. A teenager is always having conflict with his parents. I lik...more A unique way of telling a story. Love that this is told from a guy’s point of view. It’s a story that seems simple and it really is, but it’s so much deeper once we really get into the world or worlds that we are entering.

What appealed to me, was that Jason is your typical teenage boy who wants him and the band that he is part of to be rock starts, but has typical problems. Mainly his parents are his issue. You kind of relate to that. A teenager is always having conflict with his parents. I like that the author portrayed this very realistically.

The other thing that happens is when Jason enters the fairy world quite by accident that things don’t exactly go as expected. He brings back things that he never expected to, but shouldn’t have. Yet he figures by grabbing the musical instruments that these will help them. When he sees what they do in fairy land, he thinks this will be a good way to get fame and fortune not realizing the trouble that will ensue from this. This is a good example of teenagers thinking like it’s literally a good idea, but not really.

Like that he has good intentions, but sometimes Jason’s good intentions come back to haunt him. These instruments cause all kinds of chaos. This was very cool and awesome, but also a little scary at times. I like how they know, being the band that this is a problem, but don’t care until it starts becoming obvious, maybe this is not all they thought it would be.

Also like that certain people are not what we thought they were. The musicians whose instruments were stolen are pissed and coming after them. We get glimpses of what the Fairy World is like. These instrument can cause all sorts of chaos and they do sort of.

These instruments really help Jason and his band get what they want. Plus Jason starts to develop some courage to ask the girl he wants out. I like that there is a love story between Jason and Erin. Erin and him didn’t have much of a relationship to begin with in the story, but start to find they actually have some common ground. Plus I like that he wrote a song for her. Shows that he has some creativity for song writing.

I like the end sequence when they have to face the angry Fairy Musicians and use the instruments to kick their buts. I really loved the surprise with the unicorn. It certainly was different and a unique take on the unicorn myth. I wonder what the future for this series will have.

A good solid book that has a fairy world, human world. Plus some rock n roll with magic thrown in. What’s not to love.

Rating: 4.5 Hearts(less)

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Fairy Metal Thunder (Songs of Magic #1)

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