The Kindling

Jul 18, 2012 Gina Denny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: lds-authors, bedtime-stories, supernatural-and-paranormal, ya

This book is in the same boat as Percy Jackson for me. If Harry Potter had never existed- turning the concept of juvenile/middle grade fiction on its ear in the process- this (and Percy Jackson) would be a five star book.

As it stands, I'm gonna have to go ahead and say this: if you have a child under the age of 15 in your family/circle of acquaintances, this is a perfect fit for them. And it really doesn't matter who the kid is, this book will really be a perfect fit.

There's a little smatterin...more

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Jan 12, 2013 Dan Rogers rated it 5 of 5 stars

Conner Dell and his twin sister Lexa, along with their best friend Melanie Stephens find themselves involved in a battle between good and evil. Things begin to get weird for them at school when Conner accidentally sets the school bully's gym shorts on fire. They have no idea how this happens and then wonder what is up as they hear several of the teachers conspiring against them, becoming convinced that they are out to kill them. Little do they know what is really going but it doesn't take long f...more

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Sep 10, 2012 Shannon O'Donnell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Love that cover!! As a huge fan of Cedar Fort's middle grade titles, I jumped at the opportunity to review this release by Braden Bell. I wasn't disappointed!

I l-o-v-e-d this book, folks. It's fast-paced, brilliantly original in its take on magic, loaded with awesome MG humor and voice, and full of fantastic characters. It was a tough one to put down. For me, this was an easy 5 STAR rating. Two of my three kids (ages 15 and 10) also read it and loved it. It's a sure-fire hit, so don't miss it....more

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Nov 29, 2012 Tamara rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful contemporary fantasy story for tween and young teen readers (and as an adult I enjoyed it, as well). Mr. Bell has done a great job creating a unique magic system, realistic and comprehensive middle school characters, and a very fun, action-packed story.

There are plenty of summaries out there already, so I'll skip that part and just tell you what I really enjoyed:

#1. More and more books geared towards the tween/teen audience seem to feel the need to add sex, swearing, and oth...more

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Nov 08, 2012 L_manning rated it 5 of 5 stars

Connor lives a pretty average life. He, along with his twin sister Lexa and her friend Melanie, are looking forward to their trip to Disney World and tryouts for different things at school. One day though, strange things begin to happen. It seems like they can make things happen just by thinking about it. Then, they notice a stranger following them around. He really seems like a bad guy, but their teachers stop him from getting to them. Connor, Lexa, and Melanie find themselves caught in a world...more Connor lives a pretty average life. He, along with his twin sister Lexa and her friend Melanie, are looking forward to their trip to Disney World and tryouts for different things at school. One day though, strange things begin to happen. It seems like they can make things happen just by thinking about it. Then, they notice a stranger following them around. He really seems like a bad guy, but their teachers stop him from getting to them. Connor, Lexa, and Melanie find themselves caught in a world they never even knew existed. This world is full of Light and Dark, and the teens will have to use everything they have to keep themselves and everyone they love safe.

I loved this book! It draws you in fairly quickly, and I read it pretty fast. Even though it is a more of a middle-school book, it is not too childish. The use of Light and Dark in this book were fairly unique. There was a lot that wasn't explained though, so I'm hoping there's another book (at least) coming so I can learn some more about the world. Connor, Lexa, and Melanie were great friends. I liked that they squabbled some while they were going through all of this. That made things seem much more realistic, and it also allowed them for some growth. I also liked that all 3 of the kids were given a chance to shine. There wasn't one "hero" taking care of the danger; all of them had a part to play.

Of course, I was also very intrigued by the teachers. I think I would read an entire book just about them! I really loved the use of particular skills to harness the Light (also big points for having one of the girls love math). The use of music was particularly awesome, and it showed the author really knows his stuff where music is concerned. The songs all fit in different ways. Overall, this was a super fun book. It was unique, and it had some great parts in it. Watching Connor having to fight the darkness within himself was particularly interesting. This is a book that younger and older people will be able to enjoy, and it will leave them dying for more.

Galley provided for review.
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Aug 07, 2012 Mary rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Kindling by Braden Bell is exciting and intense. It is written for mid grade readers, but as an adult it kept me fully engaged and wanting to keep reading.
The story features twins Connor and Lexa and their best friend Melanie, all normal 13 year olds until they all Kindle (develop magic powers) at the same time attracting the attention of both the forces of light and darkness.
The kids know something strange is happening, its not everyday you wish the school bullies shorts catch fire and th...more

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Jul 20, 2012 Rhonda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review: The Kindling by Braden Bell
5 STARS The Kindling is a fun,nail biting adventure. About three middle grade students that weird things are happening around them. Thier teachers are stalking them. Everywhere they go the teachers follow them. Conner Dell is 13 he is worried about passing pre-algebra. trying out for the lacrosse team. His twin sister Lexa and thier best friend Melanie. The three hangout a lot together. Thier mothers are good friends since collage. Connor hates that the bullys...more Review: The Kindling by Braden Bell
5 STARS The Kindling is a fun,nail biting adventure. About three middle grade students that weird things are happening around them. Thier teachers are stalking them. Everywhere they go the teachers follow them. Conner Dell is 13 he is worried about passing pre-algebra. trying out for the lacrosse team. His twin sister Lexa and thier best friend Melanie. The three hangout a lot together. Thier mothers are good friends since collage. Connor hates that the bullys are picking on his friend and wishes something bad would happen to him like his pants would catch on fire. Then they do. Other things happen around them when they think things. They can see this guy stalking them but no one else seems too see him. In thier part of town all the dogs die at the same time. It does not matter if they are outside or inside. Lexa thinks its the stalker. They are noticing other things around them that are wierd. They fear that the teachers and stalker are working together. When one of them hears part of the conversation she thinks the teachers are going to kill them after school. The three of them are never in trouble and all of a sudden they get 7 demerits each in one day and after stay for detention. But they figure out how to get away from them and take off running after the bell rings. Connor gets seperated from the girls and two teachers are chasing him when others appear in front of him and trap him or do they? This is a classic fight light against darkness. They have different gifts that happen when someone is about to Kindle or come into power. The teens have to decide if they want to join the battle and fight for the light side or not. Other teens thier ages are turning up missing all over thier town. Also in that part of town weird robberies are happening. No one is saying anything. I liked the storyline the characters, thier disneyworld vacation is ont they will never forget. I would read a sequal if one comes out in the future. I was given this ebook to read in exchange for honest review from Netgalley. 7/10/2012 PUB Cedar Fort Imprint Sweetwater 304 pages suggested ages 13-17 (or 49) (less)

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Jul 20, 2012 Laurie rated it 5 of 5 stars

MIDDLE SCHOOL MAGIC: THE KINDLING

By
Braden Bell

Homework? Of course. Crushes? Sure. But who knew seventh grade included superpowers?

Author Braden Bell’s long awaited, and highly heralded Middle-Grade fantasy The Kindling launched this week, and it was worth the wait . . . and all the hype. This is family entertainment at its best, a smartly-written, fast-paced, gripping spot-on, tour-de-middle school, with one exception—some of these tweens are developing special powers.

Twins Conner and Lexa Dell,...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Dorine White rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Story- Conner and his sister Lexa are in seventh grade. They do the typical type of teenage things like playing lacrosse, doing homework and hanging out with their friend Melanie Stephens, but one day that all changes.

Conner gets ticked off about a bully in PE, and by just thinking about it, Conner makes the bully’s shorts catch on fire. Lexa and Melanie are quick to follow, discovering magic powers of their own. But, with their magic’s discovery, a strange man in black begins stalking them....more

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Jul 15, 2012 Meagan Myhren-bennett rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, family, friendship, fiction, school

The Kindling
by Braden Bell

When Connor Dell, his twin sister Lexa, and their friend Melanie Stephens notice a stranger stalking them they little realize that life as they know it is about to dramatically change. But no one else seems to be able to see their stalker and he seems to have a strange power that seems to draw them to him. Could this stranger have anything to with the kidnappings that have started occurring?

When the English teacher Mrs. Grant overhears Lexa and Melamie talking about th...more The Kindling
by Braden Bell

When Connor Dell, his twin sister Lexa, and their friend Melanie Stephens notice a stranger stalking them they little realize that life as they know it is about to dramatically change. But no one else seems to be able to see their stalker and he seems to have a strange power that seems to draw them to him. Could this stranger have anything to with the kidnappings that have started occurring?

When the English teacher Mrs. Grant overhears Lexa and Melamie talking about the stranger her summons Dr. Timberi to the classroom. The next day everything the three do seems to earn them demerits and detention that afternoon. Melanie is convinced that the teachers are going to kill them because of a partial conversation that she overhears. When the three try to escape the teachers and the campus they are pursued by the teachers and black hooded men whom the the teachers refer to as Darkhands.

When Dr. Timberi tells them that their lives are all in danger they are surprised to learn that it's because they've all just Kindled. The three are then put through intense training to help them to fight off the the Darkhands and their attempts to kidnap them. The teachers are guarding them at night to stop any attempts on them so that they will not be captured.

The Magisterium decides to send the Phalanx to guard Connor, Lexa, and Melanie from the Darkhands. When Notzange sends a sigil to Lexa, Lexa becomes a high priority target because of her link. The Darkhands redouble their efforts to capture the three children as Melanie's mother, under the direction of Dr. Timberi, races home. But when all the parents were brought together at the Stephens' home they forbid the teachers and the kids from continuing their training.

When the Dell and Stephens families go to Disney World for spring break their parents befriend Kelli and Kyle Black. But something about the Blacks unsettles Conner and Lexa. The fun at Disney World is soon forgotten as the families are attacked by Darkhands. A battle takes place in the Small World ride. With their parents permission a sigil is sent to Dr. Timberi. With the arrival of Dr. Timberi, Mrs. Grant, Madame Cumberland and the Twilight Phalanx the attack is ended but not before the Blacks, Madi, and Connor are missing. Madi is located, but according to her Kyle took Connor as he saved Madi. Soon the Phalanx receive reports that the Umbra are moving on the park so everyone except Mr. Dell is taken to a sanctuary called Mockingbird Cottage.

When Connor is taken into one of the tunnels by an agent of darkness he rescued by the cherubim who give him a choice. Connor can return to his family or enter the realm of darkness to free those imprisoned by the darkness. Connor decides to continue on with Mr. Stanley to the realm of Lady Nightwing. Connor stops them from capturing the energy of a kindling boy, but at a terrible cost to himself. He is tortured and then told that he has become a Darkhand!

To try to determine Connor's location Lexa sends out her sigil that the other Magi are tracking. But Lexa and Melanie are soon trapped just as Connor is. Can they break through the darkness that threatens to destroy them or will they lose their souls to the evil that is closing in?

The Kindling is an exciting page turner sure to capture and hold the attention of middle grade readers. Fast paced excitement will have you anticipating book 2!

I received a digital loan of this title from the publisher for the purpose of this review.(less)

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Jul 13, 2012 J. Morgan rated it 5 of 5 stars

First of all, bravo! Bell has written an engaging, creative story. It’s geared toward middle-grade readers, though, as an adult, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

There are three primary characters in the book: Conner Dell, his twin sister Lexa, and Lexa’s best friend Melanie Stephens. Each one of them has a distinct, unique voice. As the story unfolds, it is told from their separate viewpoints which gives a greater depth to the extraordinary events around them.

While the three young teenagers are the focu...more First of all, bravo! Bell has written an engaging, creative story. It’s geared toward middle-grade readers, though, as an adult, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

There are three primary characters in the book: Conner Dell, his twin sister Lexa, and Lexa’s best friend Melanie Stephens. Each one of them has a distinct, unique voice. As the story unfolds, it is told from their separate viewpoints which gives a greater depth to the extraordinary events around them.

While the three young teenagers are the focus of the story, it is the supporting characters that make this book shine. Dr. Timberi is an altogether fascinating character. While Braden Bell states that he is not Dr. Timberi, I can’t help believe that Timberi wasn’t heavily influenced by Bell. I love the line where Bell writes, “While I’ll admit to some similarities in appearance, he is not me. Although, I would love to be him.” I dare say that if Dr. Timberi was real, he’d make the reverse claim after reading this book.

One thing Bell does in The Kindling is create a whole world of “magic”—though it isn’t quite that. He starts with basic concepts and builds on them. The end result is rather complex and, in turn, more believable than many stories I’ve read where things “just happen because it’s magic!”

My favorite part of the book happens on a trip to Disneyworld. I don’t want to spoil it. Let me just say, it was written in a way that I was laughing and holding on tightly to the edges of the book at the same time.

In fact, that is a great way to describe the whole book. It’s filled with creative humor while at the same time being suspenseful. That’s a fine line to walk, but Bell does it perfectly.

Who would like this book? I hope you notice that I left out any references to other middle grade books with magic and young characters. Why? Because this book is different enough that I didn’t want people go into it with the notion of, “Oh, it’s going to be just like…” It’s a clean read and safe for younger readers, and rich enough for adults to enjoy.

Bell has left the door open for more adventures with these characters. Again, bravo! I enjoyed my time with them and look forward to hanging out with them again.
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Jul 06, 2012 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you have Middle Grade kids that love to read, Braden Bell's newest novel is a great book to suggest to them (it's actually quite enjoyable for parents too).

All thirteen-year-old Conner Dell wants to do is pass pre-algebra, play lacrosse, and possibly kiss Melanie Stephens. He didn’t mean to set anyone’s gym shorts on fire or make school lunches explode. But now that the strange powers inside him have been ignited, Conner’s normal teenage life is about to go up in flames!

Several years ago if s...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Cathy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Thirteen-year-olds, Conner and Lexa Dell and their friend Melanie Stephens thought that they were normal teenagers, then strange things started happening. Things like middle school bullies pants starting on fire in the middle of gym class and the lights flickering on and off when they are upset or excited. These things seemed a little strange, but then Conner, Lexa and Melanie started noticing other things. There was a huge storm one night and Lexa and Melanie saw a strange man dressed in black,...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Susan Dayley rated it 5 of 5 stars

From bending locker doors to battling Darkhands while trapped where the incessant music of “It’s a Small World” plays (that alone is scary to me), to the soul-scarring Shadow Box, The Kindling keeps the reader turning pages (or scrolling down their reader).

What I liked about The Kindling:
1. There is great suspense, danger, courage, and adventure perfectly geared to middle-school readers (and the parents who prefer to preview what their children read).

The Stalker stared right at them.
He wore a...more

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Jun 26, 2012 Aliraluna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks

At the age of thirteen years old, three young kindling named Melanie, Conner and Lexa are changing. Conner, the twin of Lexa is getting sick of a bully named Geoffrey and because of the situations that Geofrrey is making Conner pass, the changes had started by "weird" situations like turning his pants on fire, doing holes by punching the lockers and such as getting the three friends in problem. They think their teachers wants to kill them, as they are sending each other emails, and worst of all...more

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May 10, 2012 Shirley rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read this to my 12-year-old son at night, and he hated it when it was time to stop. He declared this as his co-favorite book in the whole world.
The Kindling captivated me from the first, with an evil presence and a seemingly normal life for three middle school aged children who attended a gifted school. As events progressed to where the children realized they had powers, the danger also escalated to life-threatening situations.
I was quite impressed with the way Braden Bell managed to weave in...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Stuarts rated it 5 of 5 stars

Conner Dell, along with his twin sister Lexa, and her best friend Melanie Stephens, have noticed strange things going on lately, such as gym shorts on fire, exploding lunches, and mysteriously, the whole neighborhood's dogs dead at the exact time of the day in the middle of a storm. It reached it's peak when they get detention before the last class of the day. The next day, the school is attacked by mysterious hooded figures, and the teachers fight back with what looks like some sort of magic....more

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Jan 09, 2013 Kristina Cardoza rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Kindling by Braden Bell is a great middle school fantasy read! Conner Dell, Lexa Dell, and Melanie Stephens are three "normal" 7th graders...until now.

It all started that night. The night of the storm.
The kidnappings...of random children in their area.
The deaths...of every. Single. Dog. In. Their. Neighborhood.
The stalker...that no one else could see.
The teachers...acting suspicious.
The strange supernatural events happening to the trio.

And it all leads up to one thing...
They've kindled.

Now t...more

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Jul 10, 2012 Lizzy Lessard rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mg, fantasy, reviewed

(Some middle of the book spoilers, but not the ending)

I think this is the first book where I feel like it deserves two reviews, written in opposing perspectives. One for the actual targeted audience of pre-teens and the other for the adults who adore this genre. So here it goes:

Attention MG students: (5/5)

This is a fun book to read. Buy it. There’s magic, whimsical characters, and a whole lot of kick-ass. Dr. Timberi is the ringleader in this circus of people defending the Kindled students again...more (Some middle of the book spoilers, but not the ending)

I think this is the first book where I feel like it deserves two reviews, written in opposing perspectives. One for the actual targeted audience of pre-teens and the other for the adults who adore this genre. So here it goes:

Attention MG students: (5/5)

This is a fun book to read. Buy it. There’s magic, whimsical characters, and a whole lot of kick-ass. Dr. Timberi is the ringleader in this circus of people defending the Kindled students against the Darkhands. There are many references to pop culture splattered through the book that will get you giggling.

Attention MG adults: (3/5)

Certain discrepencies and cliches will drive you bonkers. There are far too many characters for this book to handle and nearly all the adults are useless and have no depth. Only Dr. Timberi feels like an actual person. He’s a pretty cool character and definitely the star. Also, some of the events aren’t logical. No matter how magical a universe, if children disappear from their homes on the way home for school, there is zero chance that parents will continue to send their kids to school day after day, particularly when more and more kids disappear each day. Not going to happen. Also, if all of your children’s teachers tell Mommy and Daddy that there is an evil man behind these disappearances and only will proper training can they survive…they’re either going to skip town or they’re going to believe the teachers. Mommy and Daddy aren’t logically going to tell the teachers that they’re full of BS and yet continue to allow their kids to go to that school.

I’d like to warn Braden Bell of a potential PETA picket for managing to euthanize the entire dog population of Nashville, Tennessee in a single sentence. I’m not quite sure why Fluffy, Fluffy’s family, and all of Fluffy’s friends deserved to die. But they did.

The plot itself is fairly action pack and fun. The action scenes are probably my favorite part of the novel, as they feel authentic to what I’d imagine a MG would experience caught in a similar situation. The author does put the characters in harmful, suspenseful situations, while still keeping the novel PG. Overall, it is an entertaining story that middle grade students will like. Adults will find the cracks in this story, but I doubt pre-teens will.

**I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Jun 07, 2012 Monique Bucheger rated it 5 of 5 stars

“The Kindling” by Braden Bell is a great story that can be enjoyed by all and is sure to become an instant hit to middle-graders.

How great would it be to summon supernatural powers by embracing the things you love, whether that be quoting lines from your favorite play, singing a favorite song or even by solving pre-algebra problems?

Sixth grade for Connor, Lexa, and Melanie is proving to be far more interesting, as well as far more dangerous, than any of them had ever imagined. When the threeso...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, juvenile-lit

Recommended Age:
12+

Overall Review:
I enjoy a good magical middle-school adventure story as much as the next reader, so I was excited to pick up The Kindling—and it didn't disappoint. With an interesting plot and unique system of magic, likeable characters, and plenty of heart-stopping moments, I found it to be a quick, fun read. My only complaint about The Kindling was that sometimes the pacing was uneven; there were moments where certain scenes seemed to drag on a little too long, and I found m...more

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Jun 26, 2012 Julie Ford rated it 4 of 5 stars

I’m not much for reading middle grade literature but this story sounded particularly interesting and fun. And it was! When a brother, sister and best friend discover, much to their surprise, that they have unusual powers, their otherwise ordinary middle school days take a very drastic turn toward the unknown, barreling headlong into a conflict between darkness verses light.

There are two forms of power in the world Bell has invented, light verses darkness/good verses evil. Embracing one or the ot...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Rebecca McKinnon rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5/5 stars

This is one of the better middle grade books out there. Full of mystery, adventure, and (dare I say it?) magic, this book is full of excitement.

The characters are jump-off-the-page real, and they're great! I'd love to have them living next door. Well, maybe not . . . I don't really want the Darkhands to show up in my neighborhood.

Parents will like the way the story includes good morals (honoring decisions made by the parents, looking out for siblings/friends, not getting bogged down b...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Karen Yingling rated it 3 of 5 stars

10 July 2012, Sweetwater Books
E ARC courtesy of the author.

Connor and his friend Pilaf (really Olaf) have a hard enough time dealing with bullies like Geoffrey at their school, but when a mysterious man starts stalking him, his sister Melanie and his friend Lexa, things get weird and scary fast! Terrible storms start popping up, and Connor finds that his anger can often storm out of control-- he didn't really mean to set Geoffrey's pants on fire, did he? It is soon revealed that Connor, Lexa and...more 10 July 2012, Sweetwater Books
E ARC courtesy of the author.

Connor and his friend Pilaf (really Olaf) have a hard enough time dealing with bullies like Geoffrey at their school, but when a mysterious man starts stalking him, his sister Melanie and his friend Lexa, things get weird and scary fast! Terrible storms start popping up, and Connor finds that his anger can often storm out of control-- he didn't really mean to set Geoffrey's pants on fire, did he? It is soon revealed that Connor, Lexa and Melanie all are Magi (warriors for the Light)who powers have just Kindled, and they are in danger because the forces of the Dark are trying to get them. Luckily, most of their teachers are also Magi, and are working hard not only to keep them safe, but to teach them survival strategies and lots of magic! After a few large mishaps, there is a "Parent-Teacher Conference From Heck", and the parents decide that they don't want their children to have anything to do with the Light. Then they take them to Disneyland. Silly parents! That won't work. Soon, Connor is kidnapped and at the mercy of Lady Nightwing, who is doing awful experiments on children who are on the cusp on Kindling. Will his teachers have the power to save him? Will Melanie and Lexa also be at risk? More importantly, how will all of them make sure that the gateway to the Otherworld won't stay open and make it easy for the Dark to come into our world and wreak more havoc?
Strengths: Funny, funny lines! Any book with the first line "Connor Del didn't mean to set anyone's gym shorts on fire" will be a popular book. I also thought that the world of magic was realistically and clearly defined. Using a school setting more than home worked well in this instance. The magical names and activities were all coherent and cohesive, which is a big plus, since so many magical realism books struggle to get this right. There is a nice blend of action and strategy. Very pleased.
Weaknesses: This is published by a small press (Sweetwater Books, Cedar Fort, Inc.) and might be hard to find, although paperbacks are available. This book could have used a bit more editing-- with some more polish and attention to pacing, etc., it would be absolutely brilliant.(less)

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Aug 24, 2012 Gina (My Precious) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade, magic

** Full Review to Post to the MY PRECIOUS blog @
the callawayfam.blogspot.com on 8/30/12 **

SUMMARY

Conner Dell just wants to fly under the radar and make it through seventh grade without making too much of a fool of himself. He has a comfortable group of friends and may just be developing a crush on his twin sister's best friend, Melanie. But then, strange things start to happen around town. One night all the dogs die mysteriously after a stranger is seen lurking in the dark. Next, some kids end...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Charlotte rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult-and-children, recent-fiction

Three middle school students notice strange things happening in their life and their teachers suddenly seem to know more than they let on. Will they be able to figure out what is going on before it is too late?

This book was a cute, fun read. It makes the middle school main characters seem like, well, middle schoolers. My friends and I were just talking about how authors always make their protagonists act years older than they should, and it was refreshing to see more accurate portrayals.

I've pas...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Talmnak rated it 5 of 5 stars

A most excellent book. Liked it when we got the first draft, but when we all got our copies of the book here, I snapped it up in a day. I really liked the part that gave more details on the Darkhand base- more info and more to consider. I think that the "magic" (it is described as not being magic by a teacher) system is an interesting and new one. No books similar in that way so far as I can think of.

I think that this could be described as Star Wars meets Percy Jackson- a couple kids being taugh...more

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Mar 19, 2013 Jen Lindberg rated it 4 of 5 stars

I purchased the Kindle edition of this for my daughter. I promptly forgot about it for several months. Then one night, I noticed she was still reading it. When I asked why it was taking so long, she told me that she was reading it for the SEVENTH time! I decided to read it and find out what she loved so much about the book. I was very pleasantly surprised. This book was very entertaining and also provided a lot of opportunities for discussion about good and evil; light and dark; and "What would...more

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Sep 12, 2012 JoAnn Arnold rated it 4 of 5 stars

Branden Bell's imagination is the reason he meets success with the young readers. He keeps the suspense intriguing. His heroes and heroines are teenagers, who conquer the evil.

Conner, Lexa and Melanie all share a special gift and they find out what that gift is when they find themselves aware of the evil that protrudes from inside a hooded man, who suddenly seems to be wherever they are and the fact that they are the only ones who can see him. This man is only the beginning of the suspense that...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Kylie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Review will be posted soon!

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The Kindling (Middle School Magic #1)

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