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The Wishing Spell
(The Land of Stories #1)
by
Alex and Conner Bailey's world is about to change, in this fast-paced adventure that uniquely combines our modern day world with the enchanting realm of classic fairy tales.
The Land of Stories tells the tale of twins Alex and Conner. Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, they leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of won ...more
The Land of Stories tells the tale of twins Alex and Conner. Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, they leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of won ...more
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Paperback, 438 pages
Published
July 2nd 2013
by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
(first published July 17th 2012)
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Tobreth Hansen
This is just fun reading - for the record I am 39.
Mary Ellen
I pretty much love that someone answered your comment. Hopefully Kaitlyn brought it back and you got to read it- a year ago...
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of The Wishing Spell (The Land of Stories, #1)
4.5*
This was SO much fun! Such a quick and engaging read. I loved how all the fairy tales I know and love were incorporated into the story. I actually listened to the audiobook, which is read by Chris Colfer, and it really enhanced my reading experience.
I will admit, I found the writing at times to be a tad lackluster, but that was mostly a problem with showing vs. telling that I think can be attributed to the fact that it's a middle grade novel. I think this is a series I will definitely be co ...more
This was SO much fun! Such a quick and engaging read. I loved how all the fairy tales I know and love were incorporated into the story. I actually listened to the audiobook, which is read by Chris Colfer, and it really enhanced my reading experience.
I will admit, I found the writing at times to be a tad lackluster, but that was mostly a problem with showing vs. telling that I think can be attributed to the fact that it's a middle grade novel. I think this is a series I will definitely be co ...more
In Which I Drink Haterade and Review The Wishing Spell...
I'm not getting my hate on just to hate. I'm getting my hate on because this book was the most painful reading experience I have ever had. I didn't think a book could irritate me so much that it would result in a terrible weight in my chest, but it did. It did.
Colfer's prose is cliche and redundant from the first page. His sentences are short and simplistic with no signs of imagery or depth. Instead of showing emotion and action, Colfer op ...more
I'm not getting my hate on just to hate. I'm getting my hate on because this book was the most painful reading experience I have ever had. I didn't think a book could irritate me so much that it would result in a terrible weight in my chest, but it did. It did.
Colfer's prose is cliche and redundant from the first page. His sentences are short and simplistic with no signs of imagery or depth. Instead of showing emotion and action, Colfer op ...more
The main reason I am writing this review here is because I am tired of hearing only positive things about this book. I find it misleading and I know that there are many other better written stories for our readers. Chris Colfer is an actor on the television show Glee, and this book reads like a long drawn out screenplay. Descriptions are either nonexistent or so basic that my students could paint a far better image. When describing a cavalcade of knights arriving in front the twins, Colfer descr
...more
Actor, Golden Globe winner, 2-time Emmy nominee, one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World, singer, screen writer, producer ... and now author? And all of that at just 22 years old? I understand how some people might be a bit skeptical in regards to Chris Colfer's actual writing talents, but the truth is - the guy just seems to be a natural-born storyteller, and it doesn't matter which medium he uses for it.
His first novel, "The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell", is the f ...more
His first novel, "The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell", is the f ...more
I picked this book up at the airport because I was trying to convince my ten year old brother to start reading more imaginative stories and less... Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
I figured I'd read it first and see what it was like. Then I found out the author was this dude on glee, apparently, and I admit my enthusiasm kind of dipped. And, good thing it did, because this book was very... I don't know. The plot and the fairytale world was good enough, but the whole story was quite bland. Not to mention th ...more
I figured I'd read it first and see what it was like. Then I found out the author was this dude on glee, apparently, and I admit my enthusiasm kind of dipped. And, good thing it did, because this book was very... I don't know. The plot and the fairytale world was good enough, but the whole story was quite bland. Not to mention th ...more
This book was one of the most nostalgic books of my childhood! Want to find out the other nostalgic books? Check out my latest Booktube video
Happy reading!
------------
totally random but this was the first book i ever added to goodreads...
i have grown so much since 2017 but not that much
| Goodreads | Blog | Pinterest | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram ...more
May 27, 2018
Rachel Reads Ravenously
rated it
really liked it
Recommended to Rachel Reads Ravenously by:
Melissa Wike
THIS WAS SO CUTE!
I have to say, I've been very skeptical about this book because to me, one of the kids from Glee wrote it. But now I have to say, I am totally impressed! Chris Colfer is a great author!
I decided to pick up this book because there is not a day that goes by at my job that I am not asked for a book in this series (seriously, everyday they want The Land of Stories, second only to Harry Potter and Dog Man). That and a recommendation from a friend had me purchasing this from a local ...more
The synopsis of this book showed such a fun, interesting idea, and the artwork is done by one of my favorite book artists. I began reading it to see if my daughter would enjoy it, because she gets easily bored with books. I'll not be recommending it to her. Too bad the artist can't write, too. This is obviously a first time writer, and I wonder if he was published so quickly and easily because he's on TV. I dunno. There was too much going on without much consequence. It was supposedly a dangerou
...more
Sep 17, 2012
Molly
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
didnt-finish,
glad-i-got-from-the-library
I wanted to read this book and like it, but I just couldn't finish it. I barely got to the start of Alex's and Conner's adventure, but there were so many things that annoyed me in this book.
The way the book talked about fairy tales made me want to grind my teeth. The emphasis on "all fairy tales have a moral and there is only one correct interpretation" really was what made me give up on this book. It indicates a real lack of research or general knowledge about either fairy tales or literary an ...more
The way the book talked about fairy tales made me want to grind my teeth. The emphasis on "all fairy tales have a moral and there is only one correct interpretation" really was what made me give up on this book. It indicates a real lack of research or general knowledge about either fairy tales or literary an ...more
Charming and highly entertaining!
Witty and fun, with a dash of danger this book comes!
Twins, Alex and Connor Bailey, are just like other children their age. Thier father owns a bookstore, their mother is a pediatric cancer nurse, and they've grown up with among the fairy tales that were read to them by their grandmother.
Then, two days before the twins' eleventh birthday, their dad is killed in a car accident.
Thier father's loss hits them all very hard and their mom must work double shifts to ...more
Witty and fun, with a dash of danger this book comes!
Twins, Alex and Connor Bailey, are just like other children their age. Thier father owns a bookstore, their mother is a pediatric cancer nurse, and they've grown up with among the fairy tales that were read to them by their grandmother.
Then, two days before the twins' eleventh birthday, their dad is killed in a car accident.
Thier father's loss hits them all very hard and their mom must work double shifts to ...more
So, was that ending exactly like the Narnia ending or what?
A part of me thinks I would've enjoyed the book more if I was a bit younger. The other part of me is saying "uhm Therese you read a lot of children books, and you don't have any problems with them." So who knows? Maybe I would've liked it more if I was 10. Maybe not.
The good parts:
* There were some really good and funny quotes.
The bad parts:
* The teacher at the start made me really, really angry. She was just extremely pretentious, and w ...more
A part of me thinks I would've enjoyed the book more if I was a bit younger. The other part of me is saying "uhm Therese you read a lot of children books, and you don't have any problems with them." So who knows? Maybe I would've liked it more if I was 10. Maybe not.
The good parts:
* There were some really good and funny quotes.
The bad parts:
* The teacher at the start made me really, really angry. She was just extremely pretentious, and w ...more
This story was filled with so much. Magic. Unbreakable sibling relationship. Danger. Escapes. Adventure. Love. Compassion. Forgiveness. This book had everything and I can't wait to continue with the series. 5 stars. I definitely recommend this series to everyone.
...more
3 Silver Stars
With Golden Sparks
Thank goodness! It was way better than A Tale Dark & Grimm. Because of that awful experience, I was so afraid to read this, another middle grade with fairytale vibes. I opened this book with cautious & fear, but the moment I’ve read the prologue & the first few sentences of the first chapter, I got absorbed into this lovely cute story with these great funny characters.
Cute, fun & simple
I felt like it was kind of a retelling in a different way, because actually it ...more
With Golden Sparks
Thank goodness! It was way better than A Tale Dark & Grimm. Because of that awful experience, I was so afraid to read this, another middle grade with fairytale vibes. I opened this book with cautious & fear, but the moment I’ve read the prologue & the first few sentences of the first chapter, I got absorbed into this lovely cute story with these great funny characters.
Cute, fun & simple
I felt like it was kind of a retelling in a different way, because actually it ...more
The Land of Stories book one follows two twins, Alex and Connor Bailey, who one day after hearing so much about a world full of fairytales, end up in that world.
I really enjoyed this! It took me a very long time to read. For some reason, despite reading quickly and the story going by smoothly, every time I looked at my page numbers I felt like I had only read 10 pages. I think that's because so much happens in these pages and none of the events themselves were particularly long, so it went by " ...more
I really enjoyed this! It took me a very long time to read. For some reason, despite reading quickly and the story going by smoothly, every time I looked at my page numbers I felt like I had only read 10 pages. I think that's because so much happens in these pages and none of the events themselves were particularly long, so it went by " ...more
This is one of my #1 favorite series of all time, I am now ashamed to say that I didn't even want to read this book at first. I disgust myself. But now I have up for that and read those books so many times that its hard to count. Sadly, I do not own these books so I got them from the library. This is my dream: to own the entire series some day. I wish that the Land of Stories could be real, it would be so AMAZING! In the series my favorite characters are: (WARNING: get ready to sit here for an h
...more
If I had only one word for this book it would be "boring." There are problems with this book at every level. I bought it because I like Chris Colfer and was interested to see what he wrote like. He sings way better than he writes.
However, all the problems I have with this book are age-related. He writes like a teenager. His diction is painful, problems are CONSTANTLY being solved through happy coincidences, the tension is poorly handled (basically non-existent), there are italics and ellipses ev ...more
However, all the problems I have with this book are age-related. He writes like a teenager. His diction is painful, problems are CONSTANTLY being solved through happy coincidences, the tension is poorly handled (basically non-existent), there are italics and ellipses ev ...more
Writing felt annoyingly clunky, and not in a juvenile way (though I did think the writing explained EVERY LITTLE THING. I am not stupid here!)--in a messy way. I listened to the audiobook, and I am surprised Chris Colfer didn't feel the urge to clean his weird sentences. The dialogue felt too rigid, and all those he said, she saids annoyed me (maybe more because it was an audiobook, complete with voice actors?) I have a feeling Colfer made Alex and Connor twins just so he could refer to them as
...more
Being a fan of Glee and generally supportive of all the cast (and being a huge fan of children's fantasy novels) I decided to read this book.
I found the writing to be of extremely poor quality for several reasons.
1) The sentences were far too simplistic, even for a children's book
For example he uses "Connor said" or "Alex said" every single time they speak.
2) As someone else mentioned, Colfer simply tells the reader what is happening rather than showing us, as the writing completely lacks imagi ...more
I found the writing to be of extremely poor quality for several reasons.
1) The sentences were far too simplistic, even for a children's book
For example he uses "Connor said" or "Alex said" every single time they speak.
2) As someone else mentioned, Colfer simply tells the reader what is happening rather than showing us, as the writing completely lacks imagi ...more
Jul 21, 2012
Bianca
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
all-time-favourites,
reihen
“It doesn’t matter how greatly you’ve been hurt or how much you’re hurting, it’s what you do with the pain that counts. You could cry for years, and rightfully so, or you could choose to learn and grow from it. Take it from me: I spent years hiding in a hole, afraid to come out because of what people would think of me. But one day I decided to leave, and I ended up saving lives!”
"The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell" is the most incredible book I've read since "The Never-ending Story", and tha ...more
"The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell" is the most incredible book I've read since "The Never-ending Story", and tha ...more
IT'S SO INCREDIBLY GOOD WHERE IS THE NEXT ONE!?
...more
Well-intentioned but clumsy. So many little things bothered me, and would totally have bothered me when I was young, too. What did the twins eat? Why were there so many castles and so few villages? How did a maiden give birth (maybe her name was Mary)? Otoh, many good messages about courage, honor, respect, second chances, alternative points of view. Not for jaded & impatient me, but good for some.
Oh, a little confusion about the intended age of the child reader. It's written as if for age 6 & u ...more
Oh, a little confusion about the intended age of the child reader. It's written as if for age 6 & u ...more
Right off the bat, this book captivated me. After years and years of my sister begging me to read this, I picked it up and I was SHOOK.
This would seem like the stereotypical fairytale book, but I really like the plot building, and the way the twins made their choices. And the plot twist I did see coming, after the author made it super obvious. It seems so obvious in hindsight, and currently, I am waiting to get the second book in his second series. I love the way the story twists and turns, and ...more
This would seem like the stereotypical fairytale book, but I really like the plot building, and the way the twins made their choices. And the plot twist I did see coming, after the author made it super obvious. It seems so obvious in hindsight, and currently, I am waiting to get the second book in his second series. I love the way the story twists and turns, and ...more
This was just as much fun as I remembered. I can't wait to finally dive into the sequels. Perfect for fans of the TV show ONCE UPON A TIME.
...more
I can see why many wonder about it being another celebrity using a ghost writer but Chris Colfer has been into writting for far longer than you think. While not professionally, and it's fun because he didn't do professional acting before Glee and a short movie and ressulted excelent on it, he's done work adapting musicals and being on the writers club at his school. While that is cute and all, there's then that he's done the scriptwritting for Struck By Lightning, a movie which he stars and prod
...more
I was recommended this book by quite a few people when I did my middle grade recs video. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this at all and ended up DNF'ing pretty early on. This is the first book I've DNF'd this year but I just couldn't do it. I think I'd enjoy this book if I were a lot younger. It's not bad by any means, I just don't think I'm the intended reader. The writing style read a little young for me, but I think if you're someone who absolutely loves fairytales you might like this.
...more
I really tried to like this book. I just couldn't do it. The dialogue and narrative is stilted, and the descriptions are just weird sometimes. (I'm still trying to figure out how metal chains "rustle".) Despite all this, I might have liked the book if the characters were even remotely likable or realistic. They weren't. Every character was so fake. I couldn't make it past chapter three.
I tried. I really did, but this book just had too many fundamental problems. ...more
Absolutely and totally loved reading this!
Jun 22, 2012
Adam Silvera
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
70-reads-for-2012,
shelf-awareness-reviews
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AS A STARRED REVIEW ON SHELF AWARENESS
Chris Colfer is the Golden Globe–winning actor with a soprano's pitch on Glee, but his enchanting storytelling will earn him an audience beyond those who've enjoyed his renditions of "Defying Gravity" and other hit songs.
This story does not begin with "Once upon a time." A prologue reveals Snow White visiting her imprisoned stepmother, the Evil Queen, in a dungeon, ready to explain her cruel intentions.
The protagonists, the Bailey twins, ...more
Chris Colfer is the Golden Globe–winning actor with a soprano's pitch on Glee, but his enchanting storytelling will earn him an audience beyond those who've enjoyed his renditions of "Defying Gravity" and other hit songs.
This story does not begin with "Once upon a time." A prologue reveals Snow White visiting her imprisoned stepmother, the Evil Queen, in a dungeon, ready to explain her cruel intentions.
The protagonists, the Bailey twins, ...more
May 02, 2018
Izzy
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
fantasy,
retellings,
middle-grade,
fiction,
magic,
read-in-2018,
favourites,
favourites-2018,
siblings,
humorous
*The reason as to why it took me so long to read this is because I was caught up in college work and didn't have the time to sit down and read*
This book was so much fun! It was fast paced and kept me hooked!
At first I was a little hesitant as I stick to YA and don't read middle grade books. This was marketed as a middle grade/YA and sounded interesting and so I picked it up.
This book was amazing! It pulled me right out of my slump and I really enjoyed it.
The main characters, Alex and Conner, wer ...more
This book was so much fun! It was fast paced and kept me hooked!
At first I was a little hesitant as I stick to YA and don't read middle grade books. This was marketed as a middle grade/YA and sounded interesting and so I picked it up.
This book was amazing! It pulled me right out of my slump and I really enjoyed it.
The main characters, Alex and Conner, wer ...more
Other reviewers have gone over the plot and how horrible the writing is, so I won't waste my time with that. However, there are some other things that I haven't seen in reviews that I think parents should know.
1. During an argument over Jack (as in, and the Beanstalk) Goldilocks and Red Riding Hood call each other the following words: floozy, harlot and hussy. How is this okay for a children's book? It's as if the editor said, "Well, you can't say 'slut' or 'whore', since this is a children's bo ...more
1. During an argument over Jack (as in, and the Beanstalk) Goldilocks and Red Riding Hood call each other the following words: floozy, harlot and hussy. How is this okay for a children's book? It's as if the editor said, "Well, you can't say 'slut' or 'whore', since this is a children's bo ...more
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Readers also enjoyed
Chris Colfer is an Emmy-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actor best-known for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on the FOX television series "Glee".
He is also a New York Times bestselling author whose books include the first three novels in the "Land of Stories" series ("The Wishing Spell", "The Enchantress Returns" and "A Grimm Warning") as well as "Struck By Lightning: The Carson Philips Journal" ...more
He is also a New York Times bestselling author whose books include the first three novels in the "Land of Stories" series ("The Wishing Spell", "The Enchantress Returns" and "A Grimm Warning") as well as "Struck By Lightning: The Carson Philips Journal" ...more
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The Land of Stories
(6 books)
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