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The dragon of the month club
The Dragon of the Month Club is a new young adult fantasy adventure novel by Iain Reading.
Synopsis:
The Dragon Of The Month Club is the exciting first installment in a new book series that tells the story of Ayana Fall and Tyler Travers, two best friends who stumble across an extraordinarily magical book and soon find themselves enrolled as members of a very special and exclusive club - The Dragon of the Month Club.
On the thirteenth of every month a new dragon conjuring spell is revealed and the two friends attempt to summon the latest Dragon of the Month. The varieties are almost endless: Air Dragons, Paper Dragons, Fog Dragons, Waterfall Dragons, Rock Dragons, Tree Dragons - not to mention special bonus dragons for all the major holidays, including a particularly prickly Holly Dragon for Christmas.
But one day when a conjuring spell somehow goes wrong Ayana and Tyler find themselves unexpectedly drawn into a fantastical world of adventure based on the various books scattered all across Tyler's messy bedroom. Traveling from one book-inspired world to the next with nothing to rely on but their wits and a cast of strange and exotic dragons at their disposal they must try to somehow find their way home again.
Drawing inspiration from some of literature's most memorable stories - from 19th century German folktales to the streets of Sherlock Holmes's London - the adventures of Ayana and Tyler bring these classic stories to life in delightfully strange and unexpected ways. Filled with fascinating detail and non-stop action these books will spark the imaginations of readers of all ages to inspire a life-long love of reading and seeking out books that are just a little bit off the beaten track.
Synopsis:
The Dragon Of The Month Club is the exciting first installment in a new book series that tells the story of Ayana Fall and Tyler Travers, two best friends who stumble across an extraordinarily magical book and soon find themselves enrolled as members of a very special and exclusive club - The Dragon of the Month Club.
On the thirteenth of every month a new dragon conjuring spell is revealed and the two friends attempt to summon the latest Dragon of the Month. The varieties are almost endless: Air Dragons, Paper Dragons, Fog Dragons, Waterfall Dragons, Rock Dragons, Tree Dragons - not to mention special bonus dragons for all the major holidays, including a particularly prickly Holly Dragon for Christmas.
But one day when a conjuring spell somehow goes wrong Ayana and Tyler find themselves unexpectedly drawn into a fantastical world of adventure based on the various books scattered all across Tyler's messy bedroom. Traveling from one book-inspired world to the next with nothing to rely on but their wits and a cast of strange and exotic dragons at their disposal they must try to somehow find their way home again.
Drawing inspiration from some of literature's most memorable stories - from 19th century German folktales to the streets of Sherlock Holmes's London - the adventures of Ayana and Tyler bring these classic stories to life in delightfully strange and unexpected ways. Filled with fascinating detail and non-stop action these books will spark the imaginations of readers of all ages to inspire a life-long love of reading and seeking out books that are just a little bit off the beaten track.
236 pages, Paperback
First published December 18, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
April 28, 2018
Ayana has recently moved to a new town and a new school. To escape the school bully she takes refuge in the local library where she meets Tyler and they soon become firm friends. In the Library they come across a magical book that adds new pages each month with instructions on conjuring a different dragon each time. After filling out a form in the book they soon find themselves enrolled in the Dragon of the Month Club. Some are easy to conjure whilst others will take more time and skill. When one of the spells goes wrong they are pulled into a magical world filled with danger.
I loved the idea that the magical world they entered was actually Tyler’s bedroom which had come to life. As they entered each story book he had on his bed they faced different perils requiring problem solving and team work to overcome.
Tyler’s bedroom had turned into an animated world. The bedspread of islands, palms and oceans were now all real, every book a new adventure from China to Victorian London, where they meet Sherlock Holmes. They encounter the worms and sand hills of Dune and the scissor man from Grimm’s fairytales.
The idea of conjuring dragons from the elements (water, steam, wood, sand) was unique but I felt the dragons could have featured more and been more significant to the story.
Reading’s stories are educational as well as entertaining. The author included fun facts, about the stories the children ventured through, at the end of the book.
I really enjoyed this story suitable for ages 7 – 10 (please see content rating). It was extremely readable but to become a 5 star read it need a few things:
Tighter editing
Explore themes fully – the bullying of Ayana caught my attention and empathy then petered out.
Equality in characters- in the author’s attempt to create a strong female role in Ayana he has inadvertently made Tyler look weak. I’m hoping Tyler will come to the fore in book 2.
Recommended for children that enjoy magical realism.
CONTENT: cautionary tales – may scare sensitive children. Characters say the words “bollocks” (in the sense of meaning nonsense) and “crap”.
My thanks to the author via Book Publicity Services for my review copy.
I loved the idea that the magical world they entered was actually Tyler’s bedroom which had come to life. As they entered each story book he had on his bed they faced different perils requiring problem solving and team work to overcome.
Tyler’s bedroom had turned into an animated world. The bedspread of islands, palms and oceans were now all real, every book a new adventure from China to Victorian London, where they meet Sherlock Holmes. They encounter the worms and sand hills of Dune and the scissor man from Grimm’s fairytales.
The idea of conjuring dragons from the elements (water, steam, wood, sand) was unique but I felt the dragons could have featured more and been more significant to the story.
Reading’s stories are educational as well as entertaining. The author included fun facts, about the stories the children ventured through, at the end of the book.
I really enjoyed this story suitable for ages 7 – 10 (please see content rating). It was extremely readable but to become a 5 star read it need a few things:
Tighter editing
Explore themes fully – the bullying of Ayana caught my attention and empathy then petered out.
Equality in characters- in the author’s attempt to create a strong female role in Ayana he has inadvertently made Tyler look weak. I’m hoping Tyler will come to the fore in book 2.
Recommended for children that enjoy magical realism.
CONTENT: cautionary tales – may scare sensitive children. Characters say the words “bollocks” (in the sense of meaning nonsense) and “crap”.
My thanks to the author via Book Publicity Services for my review copy.
October 24, 2016
The Dragon of the Month Club was a fun and creative read I really enjoyed. Two children going on an adventure and conjuring dragons along the way to help them – as well as all the good and bad people they encounter – truly made magic believable to me in this story.
The first thing I want to clarify, is that this novel read more like a middle grade or upper middle grade novel to me than a young adult novel. It’s the kind which is suitable for any age though – and I’m sure an adult will be able to take just as much enjoyment and life lessons from this one as a child.
I especially loved the adventure Tyler and Ayana embarked on. Imagine getting sucked into a world which is made up of books. You have fiction books, such as the collection of Sherlock Holmes (and yes they do go to Victorian London in that part!), and sci-fi deserts with giant sandworms and people who filter their urine to get water. There’s so much to it! It’s all so creative and different and none of the characters in each place were the same. I loved that variety.
The two characters that did stay the same were Tyler and Ayana. Tyler feels for Ayana so much an is someone incredibly practical when it comes to working with their hands and getting jobs done that way. I could really admire him for that, and how quiet and shy he was. He’s such a sweetheart deep down, and sometimes that shines through his character too.
Then we have Ayana, who is more of a fire-cracker kind of girl. She’s well aware of Tyler’s feelings from time to time, and at others she seems completely aloof. I love how she is working on becoming all the more brave and getting over her past hurts. Because she has so many. Her father walked out on her and her mother, and she’s getting bullied at school. Tyler is one of her only friends. So you can see how getting sucked into a world made up of book settings wasn’t so bad for her in the beginning.
We also have to talk about the dragons. I LOVE all kinds of dragons, and this book certainly has a lot as it’s all about the different types. The dragons were all unique and funky, and had their own advantages and advantages. I loved how they clarified that the dragons were friends and not slaves to their commands and wants. I also really liked the none of the obstacles they faced were easy because of the dragons … the dragons were more so a helping factor with their own talents too.
Oh, and lastly that cliffhanger at the end! So suspenseful! Not cool! It’s smack bam in the middle of the tension. I just know I need to get my hands on book two as soon as possible!
Gif Summary: [image error]
This review and others can be found on Olivia's Catastrophe: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
The first thing I want to clarify, is that this novel read more like a middle grade or upper middle grade novel to me than a young adult novel. It’s the kind which is suitable for any age though – and I’m sure an adult will be able to take just as much enjoyment and life lessons from this one as a child.
I especially loved the adventure Tyler and Ayana embarked on. Imagine getting sucked into a world which is made up of books. You have fiction books, such as the collection of Sherlock Holmes (and yes they do go to Victorian London in that part!), and sci-fi deserts with giant sandworms and people who filter their urine to get water. There’s so much to it! It’s all so creative and different and none of the characters in each place were the same. I loved that variety.
The two characters that did stay the same were Tyler and Ayana. Tyler feels for Ayana so much an is someone incredibly practical when it comes to working with their hands and getting jobs done that way. I could really admire him for that, and how quiet and shy he was. He’s such a sweetheart deep down, and sometimes that shines through his character too.
Then we have Ayana, who is more of a fire-cracker kind of girl. She’s well aware of Tyler’s feelings from time to time, and at others she seems completely aloof. I love how she is working on becoming all the more brave and getting over her past hurts. Because she has so many. Her father walked out on her and her mother, and she’s getting bullied at school. Tyler is one of her only friends. So you can see how getting sucked into a world made up of book settings wasn’t so bad for her in the beginning.
We also have to talk about the dragons. I LOVE all kinds of dragons, and this book certainly has a lot as it’s all about the different types. The dragons were all unique and funky, and had their own advantages and advantages. I loved how they clarified that the dragons were friends and not slaves to their commands and wants. I also really liked the none of the obstacles they faced were easy because of the dragons … the dragons were more so a helping factor with their own talents too.
Oh, and lastly that cliffhanger at the end! So suspenseful! Not cool! It’s smack bam in the middle of the tension. I just know I need to get my hands on book two as soon as possible!
Gif Summary: [image error]
This review and others can be found on Olivia's Catastrophe: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
May 2, 2018
*** Note: I received this book from the author via Kelsey @bookpublicityservices, in exchange for an honest review. I am glad I got chance to read this book. ***
4.5 Stars
The Dragon of The Month Club was a middle grade fantasy, written in third person narrative and totally imaginary story that had everything in it that any kids would love to read – unusual and magical dragon conjuring book that actually conjures a dragon of various types (mentioned in blurb above), unexpected adventure into a literary world with daunting challenges like fighting sharks, riding through water fall and travel through scorching desert. Interesting, right?
Characters-
Ayana – New city. New school. No friends. And a bully in school – Heather van der Sloot (funny is I always read ‘soot’ instead of ‘sloot’ in her name all the time). Life was difficult for her until she met Tyler. She was curious, friendly, sensitive, and lovable girl. She just needed a bit more confidence to fight that bully in school because I felt she was quite brave and quick to act in book world. I loved her cute friendly relation with all the dragons.
Tyler was smart and clever boy who loved to read. I liked the layout of his room scattered with book all over the place. I was amazed by his skill to remember all the book and the world in it. His feelings for Ayana was so pure and selfless which bonded their friendship even stronger.
What I liked-
I loved that cover. Isn’t it cute?
This is my sixth book by Iain Reading after Kitty Hawk (KH) series. Writing was same- smooth engaging but here ends the similarity. This one is totally different from KH in all the aspects, so it was very difficult for me to come out of KH and set my mind into a totally new series. Book started with interesting introduction to main characters- Ayana and Tyler- and their unlikely friendship in library. I loved the way they met and their friendship throughout the book.
The world building was different. Books discussed in the story was all interesting, it took me along with characters through different settings right from German folktales to Chinese culture and to Sherlock Holmes’s London. I loved the way author blended Sherlock Holmes mystery with dragons. That was the best part in the story that everyone would love to read. The fun facts author added at the end of the book on the stories he covered in creating this world was amazing. I suggest not to miss it and as suggested by author I so need to read Sherlock Holmes series.
Dragons intrigued me more than anything else. There were all kind of dragons you can imagine in the book. None were scary fire emitting dragon, they were cute and kids friendly. ‘THE BOOK’ – Dragon conjuring book was also amazing with the categories, instructions, ingredients and also with some extra detail. I could see kids adding more of their imaginary creation of dragons after reading this book. I so loved Dune buggy and Mango that I wish to have my own pet dragon.
The shift from one book world to another was smooth and lil bit suspenseful, not too surprising or with twist, but it definitely kept me curious to see which world will come next and what character will face in the particular one. There was also a map of the world they gone through. End was most shocking and surprising. It was written so interestingly that it made me grumble when it turned into a cliffhanger.
I loved the activity for the kids as per the theme of the book at the end of the book. You can get more details on the website Dragon of the Month Club.
why not 5 stars-
My only concern was book jumped directly into dragons and book world with lesser detail on character’s life in real world specially Tyler. I couldn’t say I feel connected with characters.
Overall, it was full of adventure, perfectly paced with detailed vivid description, uniquely world and creative dragons. I highly recommend this book to all middle grade kids and those who enjoy reading this genre.
4.5 Stars
The Dragon of The Month Club was a middle grade fantasy, written in third person narrative and totally imaginary story that had everything in it that any kids would love to read – unusual and magical dragon conjuring book that actually conjures a dragon of various types (mentioned in blurb above), unexpected adventure into a literary world with daunting challenges like fighting sharks, riding through water fall and travel through scorching desert. Interesting, right?
Characters-
Ayana – New city. New school. No friends. And a bully in school – Heather van der Sloot (funny is I always read ‘soot’ instead of ‘sloot’ in her name all the time). Life was difficult for her until she met Tyler. She was curious, friendly, sensitive, and lovable girl. She just needed a bit more confidence to fight that bully in school because I felt she was quite brave and quick to act in book world. I loved her cute friendly relation with all the dragons.
Tyler was smart and clever boy who loved to read. I liked the layout of his room scattered with book all over the place. I was amazed by his skill to remember all the book and the world in it. His feelings for Ayana was so pure and selfless which bonded their friendship even stronger.
What I liked-
I loved that cover. Isn’t it cute?
This is my sixth book by Iain Reading after Kitty Hawk (KH) series. Writing was same- smooth engaging but here ends the similarity. This one is totally different from KH in all the aspects, so it was very difficult for me to come out of KH and set my mind into a totally new series. Book started with interesting introduction to main characters- Ayana and Tyler- and their unlikely friendship in library. I loved the way they met and their friendship throughout the book.
The world building was different. Books discussed in the story was all interesting, it took me along with characters through different settings right from German folktales to Chinese culture and to Sherlock Holmes’s London. I loved the way author blended Sherlock Holmes mystery with dragons. That was the best part in the story that everyone would love to read. The fun facts author added at the end of the book on the stories he covered in creating this world was amazing. I suggest not to miss it and as suggested by author I so need to read Sherlock Holmes series.
Dragons intrigued me more than anything else. There were all kind of dragons you can imagine in the book. None were scary fire emitting dragon, they were cute and kids friendly. ‘THE BOOK’ – Dragon conjuring book was also amazing with the categories, instructions, ingredients and also with some extra detail. I could see kids adding more of their imaginary creation of dragons after reading this book. I so loved Dune buggy and Mango that I wish to have my own pet dragon.
The shift from one book world to another was smooth and lil bit suspenseful, not too surprising or with twist, but it definitely kept me curious to see which world will come next and what character will face in the particular one. There was also a map of the world they gone through. End was most shocking and surprising. It was written so interestingly that it made me grumble when it turned into a cliffhanger.
I loved the activity for the kids as per the theme of the book at the end of the book. You can get more details on the website Dragon of the Month Club.
why not 5 stars-
My only concern was book jumped directly into dragons and book world with lesser detail on character’s life in real world specially Tyler. I couldn’t say I feel connected with characters.
Overall, it was full of adventure, perfectly paced with detailed vivid description, uniquely world and creative dragons. I highly recommend this book to all middle grade kids and those who enjoy reading this genre.
September 4, 2016
3.5 stars.
When this book was offered to me, I knew I couldn't say no to magic and dragons and spellbooks! The combination of all these things was something I had never heard of before, and I was intrigued.
From the beginning I loved Ayana and Tyler's friendship. It really seemed like they had finally found something good in their lives and they had this strong bond. I also enjoyed seeing the dynamics of the friendship, seeing who took the lead and who followed.
However, I did find this story hard to follow at times. A lot of characters were introduced throughout the book, probably too many, and that made it difficult to follow the plot. I did like the different settings that Ayana and Tyler were pulled into and seeing references to other literary characters, as that may make the reader want to explore them too.
I would recommend this book to younger readers who love adventure, as it was full to the brim of it.
When this book was offered to me, I knew I couldn't say no to magic and dragons and spellbooks! The combination of all these things was something I had never heard of before, and I was intrigued.
From the beginning I loved Ayana and Tyler's friendship. It really seemed like they had finally found something good in their lives and they had this strong bond. I also enjoyed seeing the dynamics of the friendship, seeing who took the lead and who followed.
However, I did find this story hard to follow at times. A lot of characters were introduced throughout the book, probably too many, and that made it difficult to follow the plot. I did like the different settings that Ayana and Tyler were pulled into and seeing references to other literary characters, as that may make the reader want to explore them too.
I would recommend this book to younger readers who love adventure, as it was full to the brim of it.
December 15, 2017
I couldn't resist when I was offered a chance to read this book. I love fantasy and dragons, plus I'm a sucker for books that use other books as part of their plot (like Inkheart, for example). All in all I was really happy to have read this book.
First, I would like to clarify that this book is more of a middle grade level than a young adult level. It doesn't matter to me, but it might if you have a child.
Anyway, I really liked the friendship between Ayana and Tyler. I felt that it was well thought out and it seemed like they really care about each other. I love that they get into these dragon-summoning shenanigans together.
A lot of detail and planning went into this book, and I appreciate that. Each dragon that Ayana and Tyler summon is an individual, with its own personality, traits, and story. It was kind of cool, because honestly who really pictures a dozen different kinds of dragons? Not me! There's also the detail that comes into play as the pair find themselves in a booklover's dream- a fantasy book land. There's so many references and it makes my literary heart happy.
It got a little muddled at times, because there's so many worlds and dragons and things going on, but ultimately it didn't detract from my reading experience very much.
I recommend this to the late elementary/middle school crowd, to any kid who loves fantasy, magic, dragons, or who loves books in general. It's an engrossing adventure that kids are sure to love.
I received a copy in exchange for my honest review. This can also be found on my blog.
First, I would like to clarify that this book is more of a middle grade level than a young adult level. It doesn't matter to me, but it might if you have a child.
Anyway, I really liked the friendship between Ayana and Tyler. I felt that it was well thought out and it seemed like they really care about each other. I love that they get into these dragon-summoning shenanigans together.
A lot of detail and planning went into this book, and I appreciate that. Each dragon that Ayana and Tyler summon is an individual, with its own personality, traits, and story. It was kind of cool, because honestly who really pictures a dozen different kinds of dragons? Not me! There's also the detail that comes into play as the pair find themselves in a booklover's dream- a fantasy book land. There's so many references and it makes my literary heart happy.
It got a little muddled at times, because there's so many worlds and dragons and things going on, but ultimately it didn't detract from my reading experience very much.
I recommend this to the late elementary/middle school crowd, to any kid who loves fantasy, magic, dragons, or who loves books in general. It's an engrossing adventure that kids are sure to love.
I received a copy in exchange for my honest review. This can also be found on my blog.
July 29, 2017
This was really fun!
This review was originally posted on Lazy Day Literature
I accepted a free physical copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ayana and Tyler meet for the first time in the dusty stacks of the local library. Though they attend separate schools, they quickly become best friends and end up discovering an extraordinary book that teaches them how to conjure dragons from everyday elements like water, earth, and steam. After joining the mysterious 'Dragon of the Month Club', they start conjuring different types of dragons in their spare time. But when one of their conjuring experiments goes terribly wrong, they end up inside a storybook. Or many storybooks, to be exact.
This was a really fun and unique adventure that is perfect for middle-grade readers. I always gravitate towards books with dragons and this one had tons! I loved that the characters could conjure a specific dragon to help them with whatever hurdle they needed to cross but at the same time they really needed to use their wits to get out of each predicament.
Tyler and Ayana were great characters. Ayana is dealing with being bullied as well as a missing parent and Tyler is such a kind, intelligent young man who has a bit of a crush on Ayana despite that they are best friends. Their interactions together were more friendly than anything but they interact so well together. Their friendship was such a huge part of this story and so well written.
Beyond all of the different dragons, Tyler and Ayana end up in so many different literary settings, from the endless desert sands of Dune, to Sherlock's Victorian London. Because of this, I think this book would be perfect for weathered readers but also a great starting point to get young readers interested in these older novels. I, for one, am much more interested in reading Frank Herbert's Dune now.
Overall this was a fantastic adventure. I did find some of the dialogue to be a bit repetitive but it had good pacing and kept me interested with all the new dragons and the different books that they found themselves cast into.
This review was originally posted on Lazy Day Literature
I accepted a free physical copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ayana and Tyler meet for the first time in the dusty stacks of the local library. Though they attend separate schools, they quickly become best friends and end up discovering an extraordinary book that teaches them how to conjure dragons from everyday elements like water, earth, and steam. After joining the mysterious 'Dragon of the Month Club', they start conjuring different types of dragons in their spare time. But when one of their conjuring experiments goes terribly wrong, they end up inside a storybook. Or many storybooks, to be exact.
This was a really fun and unique adventure that is perfect for middle-grade readers. I always gravitate towards books with dragons and this one had tons! I loved that the characters could conjure a specific dragon to help them with whatever hurdle they needed to cross but at the same time they really needed to use their wits to get out of each predicament.
Tyler and Ayana were great characters. Ayana is dealing with being bullied as well as a missing parent and Tyler is such a kind, intelligent young man who has a bit of a crush on Ayana despite that they are best friends. Their interactions together were more friendly than anything but they interact so well together. Their friendship was such a huge part of this story and so well written.
Beyond all of the different dragons, Tyler and Ayana end up in so many different literary settings, from the endless desert sands of Dune, to Sherlock's Victorian London. Because of this, I think this book would be perfect for weathered readers but also a great starting point to get young readers interested in these older novels. I, for one, am much more interested in reading Frank Herbert's Dune now.
Overall this was a fantastic adventure. I did find some of the dialogue to be a bit repetitive but it had good pacing and kept me interested with all the new dragons and the different books that they found themselves cast into.
January 11, 2016
Ayana and Tyler are two young tweens who connect at a library and find they have many things in common. Their journey into the exclusive Dragon of the Month club begins as they find a book hidden away in the older section of the library, the part where the dust mites live.
The book is full of magic and adventure. They conjure dragons using spells from the book. Every month a new dragon appears mysteriously. Sometimes they are simple, sometimes they are complex. One spell leads them on an adventure. They are pulled into Tyler's books. They have to get past a roving tailor, who wants to cut off their fingers. They traverse shark infested waters and travel down a waterfall. What person wouldn't love to go to London during the time of Sherlock Holmes, or travel and see the worms from Dune?
I love the fact that the book focuses on many different types of books and pull kids into new stories that they may want to read. I think it's a great forum for imagination.
I had a hard time connecting to the story and characters. I see a lot of potential in the book and know that even though it may not have been my favorite, for someone else it will be fantastic. Some of the characters may be a little scary for younger readers. This book is written to appeal to a middle grade reader, but I think parents should look at it first. I hated the tailor and cringed when he was chasing the kids. This is a good story that may not be for everyone.
The book is full of magic and adventure. They conjure dragons using spells from the book. Every month a new dragon appears mysteriously. Sometimes they are simple, sometimes they are complex. One spell leads them on an adventure. They are pulled into Tyler's books. They have to get past a roving tailor, who wants to cut off their fingers. They traverse shark infested waters and travel down a waterfall. What person wouldn't love to go to London during the time of Sherlock Holmes, or travel and see the worms from Dune?
I love the fact that the book focuses on many different types of books and pull kids into new stories that they may want to read. I think it's a great forum for imagination.
I had a hard time connecting to the story and characters. I see a lot of potential in the book and know that even though it may not have been my favorite, for someone else it will be fantastic. Some of the characters may be a little scary for younger readers. This book is written to appeal to a middle grade reader, but I think parents should look at it first. I hated the tailor and cringed when he was chasing the kids. This is a good story that may not be for everyone.
September 18, 2017
This was so fun. There be dragons! Just look at that fun cover.
A girl tormented by a bully hides in an old part of the library. She meets a lonely boy. Now they’re best friends. One day they come upon a strange little book about conjuring dragons. Why not try it? Practice makes perfect and soon they’ve conjured their first, a water dragon, which proceeds to soak everything. They practice some more. But, one conjuring goes wrong and they are sucked out of their world and dropped into a magical one. They have to traverse many strange places to get back home. And not everything they encounter is friendly.
I instantly liked Ayana and Tyler. Their friendship is fun and refreshing to read about. They are brave for each other and both need the other. There’s this one scene with a wish tree. Taylor’s wish is just too sweet.
And the dragons. There’s all kinds. Big and little. I think I’m partial to Vapor, the steam dragon. He sneezes steam. And Dune Buggy, the sand dragon. He’s like a large puppy. So eager to please. There’s also another one I’d love to see come to life. A paper dragon. Can you guess what he comes from? An origami dragon. That must be something to see.
The perils these kids face are real. Sharks try to eat them as they cross the ocean on Mongo, a pearangorine tree dragon. And the Great Red-Legged Scissor-Man, a creepy character from German folklore, continues to pursue them, brandishing his giant scissors.
Anyone, young or old, with a love for adventure, fantasy and dragons will have quite the adventure themselves while reading this book. The only thing that could have made this book better is if there had been colorful illustrations. That would have been thrilling. Highly recommend it.
I own a copy. My review is voluntarily given.
A girl tormented by a bully hides in an old part of the library. She meets a lonely boy. Now they’re best friends. One day they come upon a strange little book about conjuring dragons. Why not try it? Practice makes perfect and soon they’ve conjured their first, a water dragon, which proceeds to soak everything. They practice some more. But, one conjuring goes wrong and they are sucked out of their world and dropped into a magical one. They have to traverse many strange places to get back home. And not everything they encounter is friendly.
I instantly liked Ayana and Tyler. Their friendship is fun and refreshing to read about. They are brave for each other and both need the other. There’s this one scene with a wish tree. Taylor’s wish is just too sweet.
And the dragons. There’s all kinds. Big and little. I think I’m partial to Vapor, the steam dragon. He sneezes steam. And Dune Buggy, the sand dragon. He’s like a large puppy. So eager to please. There’s also another one I’d love to see come to life. A paper dragon. Can you guess what he comes from? An origami dragon. That must be something to see.
The perils these kids face are real. Sharks try to eat them as they cross the ocean on Mongo, a pearangorine tree dragon. And the Great Red-Legged Scissor-Man, a creepy character from German folklore, continues to pursue them, brandishing his giant scissors.
Anyone, young or old, with a love for adventure, fantasy and dragons will have quite the adventure themselves while reading this book. The only thing that could have made this book better is if there had been colorful illustrations. That would have been thrilling. Highly recommend it.
I own a copy. My review is voluntarily given.
November 1, 2018
Ayana and Tyler find a magical book that teaches them a new dragon-summoning spell every month. When one of their spells goes wrong, they are whisked into a magic land that manifests from different books and furniture in Tyler's bedroom. They conjure several dragons to help them in their adventures, until they have a little entourage of creatures following them. Travelling across the wilderness, crossing oceans, and encountering strange characters from Tyler's books, the two friends struggle to reach the tower of Professor Mobius, who they hope has the ability to send them back to the real world.
I enjoyed this book so much! The plot is really imaginative and interesting. The writing and pacing are excellent, keeping the reader on their toes with lots of plot twists and surprises.
Every setting is so varied and different, because the characters move from one book world to another, visiting the settings of a fairy tale forest, a Chinese garden, the sandy deserts of Dune, the London of Sherlock Holmes, and every jungle, mountain, and ocean in between!
Tyler and Ayana have wonderful character depth and development. They each have a lot of emotion rolling around inside them, and I love how they protect and support each other. Their friendship is one of the best things about this book!
My only complaint about Tyler and Ayana's friendship is the beginning of their friendship. It's very insta-friends (as opposed to insta-love), and the scene where they meet is quite short. They say, "Hello, I'm Ayana. Hi, I'm Tyler. Nice to meet you." BOOM! They're best friends.
I needed a little more conversation, a little more build-up there. Why couldn't they talk about something they have in common? They meet in a library, so why not have a little conversation about books? At least then, I would have some groundwork for their friendship, and a reason why I should believe that these two are suddenly hanging out and doing homework together and meeting up after school and all that best friend stuff.
I felt really disappointed that I didn't get to see the beginning of their friendship, getting to know each other, realizing they have something in common, and BECOMING friends. It left a big hole in the story that could have easily been filled with just a few paragraphs.
Still... the rest of their friendship is delightful!
I worry that some of the book world settings are a bit too specific in their details of characters and plots, and will spoil anyone who hasn't read those books. I haven't read Dune yet, so I don't know if I got spoiled for anything; but there are definite spoilers for Sherlock Holmes, especially the "Red-Headed League". If you haven't read Sherlock Holmes, then don't read this one yet!
I wish the author had created more generic book worlds without so many spoilery details.
This book ends on a major cliffhanger, which has me itching to get my hands on the next book!
All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading more in this series! Dragons, books, and adventure... what more could you ask for?!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
I enjoyed this book so much! The plot is really imaginative and interesting. The writing and pacing are excellent, keeping the reader on their toes with lots of plot twists and surprises.
Every setting is so varied and different, because the characters move from one book world to another, visiting the settings of a fairy tale forest, a Chinese garden, the sandy deserts of Dune, the London of Sherlock Holmes, and every jungle, mountain, and ocean in between!
Tyler and Ayana have wonderful character depth and development. They each have a lot of emotion rolling around inside them, and I love how they protect and support each other. Their friendship is one of the best things about this book!
My only complaint about Tyler and Ayana's friendship is the beginning of their friendship. It's very insta-friends (as opposed to insta-love), and the scene where they meet is quite short. They say, "Hello, I'm Ayana. Hi, I'm Tyler. Nice to meet you." BOOM! They're best friends.
I needed a little more conversation, a little more build-up there. Why couldn't they talk about something they have in common? They meet in a library, so why not have a little conversation about books? At least then, I would have some groundwork for their friendship, and a reason why I should believe that these two are suddenly hanging out and doing homework together and meeting up after school and all that best friend stuff.
I felt really disappointed that I didn't get to see the beginning of their friendship, getting to know each other, realizing they have something in common, and BECOMING friends. It left a big hole in the story that could have easily been filled with just a few paragraphs.
Still... the rest of their friendship is delightful!
I worry that some of the book world settings are a bit too specific in their details of characters and plots, and will spoil anyone who hasn't read those books. I haven't read Dune yet, so I don't know if I got spoiled for anything; but there are definite spoilers for Sherlock Holmes, especially the "Red-Headed League". If you haven't read Sherlock Holmes, then don't read this one yet!
I wish the author had created more generic book worlds without so many spoilery details.
This book ends on a major cliffhanger, which has me itching to get my hands on the next book!
All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading more in this series! Dragons, books, and adventure... what more could you ask for?!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
November 10, 2017
Rating: 3.5 Stars
With the goofy looks on those dragons faces and the fact that I'd very much at least entertain the notion of having a pet one (before realizing how very bad an idea that would be), I had to read The Dragon of the Month Club, a middle grade novel by Ian Reading in which Ayana and Tyler find themselves in possession of the ability to summon dragons, some inspired by the holidays.
Of course, what would the fun of it all be without a little mischief and mayhem? The dragons themselves aside, things go awry when a spell goes wrong and they find themselves book hopping, sucked into the worlds of the books that Tyler has in his room. It's a bewildering adventure that could easily be a mini-series or Disney epic adventure on Saturday afternoons.
While some avenues might classify this as a young adult, and I certainly wouldn't discourage young adults from reading it, I'd probably nudge this more towards middle grade for shelving purposes in terms of the voice of the book. Ayana and Tyler, the way they interacted and moved through their story, it seems to fit better in middle grade.
Visually I think you can really get a grasp on what the dragons might be like when they appear to the conjurers. If this got a special edition I would have loved to see pop-up portions or something like that to really highlight their characteristics. It was fun imagining their natures and what they were like in our world, with these two kids that said some words and pop! Here there be dragons!
Now, there are a lot of characters in this book aside from the two main ones, especially once they get to book hopping. That makes things a bit muddy in a sense towards the middle, but I didn't mind it terribly. I've seen worse examples of huge casts crammed into tiny spaces and I think the author in this case handled them pretty well.
Readers of The Dragon of the Month Club might in the future like to check out The Young Wizards series by Diane Duane, beginning with So You Want to be a Wizard.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
With the goofy looks on those dragons faces and the fact that I'd very much at least entertain the notion of having a pet one (before realizing how very bad an idea that would be), I had to read The Dragon of the Month Club, a middle grade novel by Ian Reading in which Ayana and Tyler find themselves in possession of the ability to summon dragons, some inspired by the holidays.
Of course, what would the fun of it all be without a little mischief and mayhem? The dragons themselves aside, things go awry when a spell goes wrong and they find themselves book hopping, sucked into the worlds of the books that Tyler has in his room. It's a bewildering adventure that could easily be a mini-series or Disney epic adventure on Saturday afternoons.
While some avenues might classify this as a young adult, and I certainly wouldn't discourage young adults from reading it, I'd probably nudge this more towards middle grade for shelving purposes in terms of the voice of the book. Ayana and Tyler, the way they interacted and moved through their story, it seems to fit better in middle grade.
Visually I think you can really get a grasp on what the dragons might be like when they appear to the conjurers. If this got a special edition I would have loved to see pop-up portions or something like that to really highlight their characteristics. It was fun imagining their natures and what they were like in our world, with these two kids that said some words and pop! Here there be dragons!
Now, there are a lot of characters in this book aside from the two main ones, especially once they get to book hopping. That makes things a bit muddy in a sense towards the middle, but I didn't mind it terribly. I've seen worse examples of huge casts crammed into tiny spaces and I think the author in this case handled them pretty well.
Readers of The Dragon of the Month Club might in the future like to check out The Young Wizards series by Diane Duane, beginning with So You Want to be a Wizard.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 14, 2016
Title: The Dragon of the Month Club
Author: Iain Reading
ISBN: 9781505633665
Rating: 7/10
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Teen
"The sudden transition into the brilliant light was painful, and it took a lot of squinting and gradual eye opening before they were able to get a proper look at the world around them.
They were on a long sandy beach at the barrier between the trees and the water that stretched off into infinity in both directions from where they were standing. Something about it reminded Ayana of the beaches her father used to take them to on Vancouver Island during summer vacation. The scene was a neverending wall of green trees, golden sand and blue ocean beyond.
The waves were lapping at the shore a short distance from where the two of them had landed. Crystal clear water stretched out to the distant horizon, dotted here and there by the tiny deserted islands that they'd seen the night before. It was Tyler's bedspread brought to life.
'It's beautiful,' Ayana breathed as she shielded her eyes against the glare of the exquisite blue water.
'What do we do now?' Tyler asked, looking left and right along the seemingly endless expanse of beach on either side of them.
As if to emphasise Tyler's point, they both suddenly heard the far-off snipping of the tailor's giant scissors descending through the forest above them."
Once again I was requested by the fabulous author Iain Reading, to review his first installment of the Dragon Series. Iain is the author of the Kitty Hawk series which I am sure you will remember my reviews from when I read them last summer.
I will admit I have had this book for a while but have simply not found the time to sit and read it with work commitments and other things in life getting in the way. However, I was reminded of the book and I found that my time in Switzerland was the perfect time to start and read this book. I am so glad I did, I really enjoyed it. There are times when you wonder if Tyler and Ayana will make it back to their homes or if they will be forced to stay in this make believe fairyland. They decide to skip school for the afternoon to work on their dragon conjuring skills. The pair creates a range of dragons of all types and abilities. It is following the conjuring of Vapor, the steam dragon, where they spill boiling water onto a pop-up book. This water then creates a spiralling vortex which pulls both Ayana and Tyler into a mysterious land.
Tyler and Ayana are an unexpected friendship. They meet in a library after Ayana is forced in their by the bullying she experiences at school. It is in this library where their friendship develops and they stumble across a book. The Dragon of the Month Book. Ayana and Tyler are not your usual expectation of two friends because they are both very different characters with very different personalities. Tyler is quiet, reserved and shy, Ayana is outspoken, brave and courageous, or so she perceives. As the book develops we find out that Ayana is in fact, a very confused and hurt girl. Her father has "abandoned" her and her and her mother without reason or explanation. There are many times in the story where Ayana reveals her true feelings. She becomes aggressive towards her father who are represented by the sharks attacking her beloved dragons, could this be imagery of her mother being hurt and injured by her father? Ayana fights with all her might to save the dragons from the brutal attack of the sharks.
This is only one of the many adventures Ayana and Tyler find themselves on throughout the story. They become trapped in a forest where they encounter someone who plays with matches and a thumb cutting barber. They visit a desert, where only sand worms and smelly Fremen live. Next, they arrive at a very remote and tranquil Chinese garden. The adventures continue with a stop in Victorian London where they are lucky enough to stay with Sherlock Homes and Dr. Watson. Before finally arriving at the home of Professor Mobius. The only person who Tyler believes will help our two characters get home again. How wrong they could be!
Once Professor Mobius promises to help Tyler and Ayana, he suggests a nice relaxing sleep. Tyler has told him absolutely everything, everything about the dragons and the book and the mysterious lands they have been travelling across in order to get to the Professor. The Professor uses this knowledge against our characters and takes the dragons away and locks the two in a bedroom where they are unable to leave. This is where we leave Tyler and Ayana screaming and shouting for Professor Mobius to let them out of their prison cell. Iain Reading leaves the book at this stage and does not allow the reader to know any further information about what will happen to Tyler and Ayana. I will only be able to find out from the next book. Professor Mobius now has a map to the mysterious land, the dragons Tyler and Ayana have worked hard to look after and the book where all sorts of future dragons can be conjured. What will happen next?
In the fun facts at the end of the story, Iain Reading admits that he does not know how many more stories will be in this series about Tyler and Ayana but I do hope he creates another book to answer the questions which have come to mind. What will happen to them? What will happen to the dragons? Will Tyler ever admit that he has feelings for Ayana? Or does she already know? Will the dragons return? Only another book will tell.
Rating: 7/10
10-word-review: Mysterious! A great fantasy book which left you wanting more.
Check out other reviews at
http://threeminutesfortyfiveseconds.b...
Author: Iain Reading
ISBN: 9781505633665
Rating: 7/10
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Teen
"The sudden transition into the brilliant light was painful, and it took a lot of squinting and gradual eye opening before they were able to get a proper look at the world around them.
They were on a long sandy beach at the barrier between the trees and the water that stretched off into infinity in both directions from where they were standing. Something about it reminded Ayana of the beaches her father used to take them to on Vancouver Island during summer vacation. The scene was a neverending wall of green trees, golden sand and blue ocean beyond.
The waves were lapping at the shore a short distance from where the two of them had landed. Crystal clear water stretched out to the distant horizon, dotted here and there by the tiny deserted islands that they'd seen the night before. It was Tyler's bedspread brought to life.
'It's beautiful,' Ayana breathed as she shielded her eyes against the glare of the exquisite blue water.
'What do we do now?' Tyler asked, looking left and right along the seemingly endless expanse of beach on either side of them.
As if to emphasise Tyler's point, they both suddenly heard the far-off snipping of the tailor's giant scissors descending through the forest above them."
Once again I was requested by the fabulous author Iain Reading, to review his first installment of the Dragon Series. Iain is the author of the Kitty Hawk series which I am sure you will remember my reviews from when I read them last summer.
I will admit I have had this book for a while but have simply not found the time to sit and read it with work commitments and other things in life getting in the way. However, I was reminded of the book and I found that my time in Switzerland was the perfect time to start and read this book. I am so glad I did, I really enjoyed it. There are times when you wonder if Tyler and Ayana will make it back to their homes or if they will be forced to stay in this make believe fairyland. They decide to skip school for the afternoon to work on their dragon conjuring skills. The pair creates a range of dragons of all types and abilities. It is following the conjuring of Vapor, the steam dragon, where they spill boiling water onto a pop-up book. This water then creates a spiralling vortex which pulls both Ayana and Tyler into a mysterious land.
Tyler and Ayana are an unexpected friendship. They meet in a library after Ayana is forced in their by the bullying she experiences at school. It is in this library where their friendship develops and they stumble across a book. The Dragon of the Month Book. Ayana and Tyler are not your usual expectation of two friends because they are both very different characters with very different personalities. Tyler is quiet, reserved and shy, Ayana is outspoken, brave and courageous, or so she perceives. As the book develops we find out that Ayana is in fact, a very confused and hurt girl. Her father has "abandoned" her and her and her mother without reason or explanation. There are many times in the story where Ayana reveals her true feelings. She becomes aggressive towards her father who are represented by the sharks attacking her beloved dragons, could this be imagery of her mother being hurt and injured by her father? Ayana fights with all her might to save the dragons from the brutal attack of the sharks.
This is only one of the many adventures Ayana and Tyler find themselves on throughout the story. They become trapped in a forest where they encounter someone who plays with matches and a thumb cutting barber. They visit a desert, where only sand worms and smelly Fremen live. Next, they arrive at a very remote and tranquil Chinese garden. The adventures continue with a stop in Victorian London where they are lucky enough to stay with Sherlock Homes and Dr. Watson. Before finally arriving at the home of Professor Mobius. The only person who Tyler believes will help our two characters get home again. How wrong they could be!
Once Professor Mobius promises to help Tyler and Ayana, he suggests a nice relaxing sleep. Tyler has told him absolutely everything, everything about the dragons and the book and the mysterious lands they have been travelling across in order to get to the Professor. The Professor uses this knowledge against our characters and takes the dragons away and locks the two in a bedroom where they are unable to leave. This is where we leave Tyler and Ayana screaming and shouting for Professor Mobius to let them out of their prison cell. Iain Reading leaves the book at this stage and does not allow the reader to know any further information about what will happen to Tyler and Ayana. I will only be able to find out from the next book. Professor Mobius now has a map to the mysterious land, the dragons Tyler and Ayana have worked hard to look after and the book where all sorts of future dragons can be conjured. What will happen next?
In the fun facts at the end of the story, Iain Reading admits that he does not know how many more stories will be in this series about Tyler and Ayana but I do hope he creates another book to answer the questions which have come to mind. What will happen to them? What will happen to the dragons? Will Tyler ever admit that he has feelings for Ayana? Or does she already know? Will the dragons return? Only another book will tell.
Rating: 7/10
10-word-review: Mysterious! A great fantasy book which left you wanting more.
Check out other reviews at
http://threeminutesfortyfiveseconds.b...
August 25, 2018
Cute book! Great representation of friendship and, of course, awesome dragons.
March 17, 2016
Based on the title, The Dragon of the Month Club, my first impression was “this is going to be a silly kid’s book,” I am thrilled to say, I was wrong! I accepted this book, in exchange for an honest review; I decided it would be a book to share with my 10 year old daughter; being a mini nerd like me, she loves fantasy, and dragons! We have shared a nightly “story time” routine since she was 2; and yes, we still do this at age 10, only now, we share the reading. Thanks to Ian’s exceptional writing, my daughter wants to start reading earlier now; this doesn’t mean an earlier bedtime, but a longer reading session. She could not wait to get back into Ayana and Tyler’s adventure!
The characters were well developed, and imagery was superb. The Dragon of the Month Club brought several classic children’s novels and today’s popular movies together, creating a perfect marriage. All the elements of a great children’s book were multiplied times 10 in this book; there were many different adventures in one book, I feel like I read several books at once! I highly recommend this book to all readers, both young and older.
From a teacher’s point of view, I can easily see The Dragon of the Month Club as an excellent late elementary or early middle school English project. I plan to create an entire Units worth of lessons from this book; there’s fantasy/reality, compare/contrast, and several analytical aspects to be studied with this book. To be more specific, from an English teacher’s point of view, there are so many vocabulary building benefits of this book as well. My daughter is reading at a 6th grade level and she really enjoyed this book, she found it easy to read and enjoyed the occasional challenge in reading. The “higher level” words were place perfectly within the story, allowing the young reader to maintain confidence, while learning new vocabulary through content clues.
As a bonus to this review, I asked my daughter what she thought of this book. From a 10 year old girl’s point of view, The Dragon of the Month Club “was very exciting and I really liked Ayana. I really liked the adventures and want to read more books like this one!” She did say she wishes there were a few pictures in the book, and wants me to get a “real” (hard copy) book so she can read it again.
As a teacher and mother, I feel 5+ Boundless stars to be a fair rating; and my 10 year old completely agrees!....Beth
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https://www.facebook.com/BBReviews
The characters were well developed, and imagery was superb. The Dragon of the Month Club brought several classic children’s novels and today’s popular movies together, creating a perfect marriage. All the elements of a great children’s book were multiplied times 10 in this book; there were many different adventures in one book, I feel like I read several books at once! I highly recommend this book to all readers, both young and older.
From a teacher’s point of view, I can easily see The Dragon of the Month Club as an excellent late elementary or early middle school English project. I plan to create an entire Units worth of lessons from this book; there’s fantasy/reality, compare/contrast, and several analytical aspects to be studied with this book. To be more specific, from an English teacher’s point of view, there are so many vocabulary building benefits of this book as well. My daughter is reading at a 6th grade level and she really enjoyed this book, she found it easy to read and enjoyed the occasional challenge in reading. The “higher level” words were place perfectly within the story, allowing the young reader to maintain confidence, while learning new vocabulary through content clues.
As a bonus to this review, I asked my daughter what she thought of this book. From a 10 year old girl’s point of view, The Dragon of the Month Club “was very exciting and I really liked Ayana. I really liked the adventures and want to read more books like this one!” She did say she wishes there were a few pictures in the book, and wants me to get a “real” (hard copy) book so she can read it again.
As a teacher and mother, I feel 5+ Boundless stars to be a fair rating; and my 10 year old completely agrees!....Beth
http://www.boundlessbookreviews.com
https://www.facebook.com/BBReviews
July 27, 2018
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. A book to conjure a dragon? I would so love to be a part of this club
The Dragon of the Month Club by Iain Reading is a book that I liked a lot. This book follows the moment that Ayana Fall and Tyler Travers became friends to having an accidental trouble moment when they are trying to conjure a dragon. This book is in third person point of view and is a pretty great book with a surprising twist that I never excepted at all. I devoured this book in almost a day which means that I loved it a lot.
What I liked about this book:
The fact that we get some background knowledge of Ayana and with how she and Tyler met.
I also liked the fact that they are friends and believe they will be able to conjure these dragons.
I love the different dragons that appear in the book, but I do wish that one of the bonus dragons made an appearance.
To me, this book is perfect for any kid in middle school looking for a new book to read. It's a fun story.
What I disliked about this book:
What I disliked about this book was that we didn’t see much of when Tyler went to school. Just the short little moments either at the library or the two meeting up at a park to look at their new dragon entry.
What I am curious about for the next book:
Will Ayana and Tyler be able to make it back to their world?
Five Stars
The Dragon of the Month Club by Iain Reading is a beautiful book that kept me guessing throughout the entire thing. I loved the different characters, especially the dragons, and how he was able to bring to life some of the characters that everyone knows about, like Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. Although, I am very curious about the next book though. I am giving this book a five-star review and recommend this book to any middle school grade readers.
Anyways until the next time enjoy this review brought to you by
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
The Dragon of the Month Club by Iain Reading is a book that I liked a lot. This book follows the moment that Ayana Fall and Tyler Travers became friends to having an accidental trouble moment when they are trying to conjure a dragon. This book is in third person point of view and is a pretty great book with a surprising twist that I never excepted at all. I devoured this book in almost a day which means that I loved it a lot.
What I liked about this book:
The fact that we get some background knowledge of Ayana and with how she and Tyler met.
I also liked the fact that they are friends and believe they will be able to conjure these dragons.
I love the different dragons that appear in the book, but I do wish that one of the bonus dragons made an appearance.
To me, this book is perfect for any kid in middle school looking for a new book to read. It's a fun story.
What I disliked about this book:
What I disliked about this book was that we didn’t see much of when Tyler went to school. Just the short little moments either at the library or the two meeting up at a park to look at their new dragon entry.
What I am curious about for the next book:
Will Ayana and Tyler be able to make it back to their world?
Five Stars
The Dragon of the Month Club by Iain Reading is a beautiful book that kept me guessing throughout the entire thing. I loved the different characters, especially the dragons, and how he was able to bring to life some of the characters that everyone knows about, like Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. Although, I am very curious about the next book though. I am giving this book a five-star review and recommend this book to any middle school grade readers.
Anyways until the next time enjoy this review brought to you by
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
August 22, 2015
After her father walked out and because her mother lost her job, Ayana Fall and her mother have relocated to a small town in Alberta. Ayana misses her home in Vancouver, the majestic Rockies, and her friends. To make matters worse she’s being targeted by a school bully. After a particularly horrible encounter with the very unpleasant and vicious Heather van der Sloot and her cohorts, Ayana seeks solace in the dim and dusty reaches of the library. Emotion overwhelms her, tears falling in earnest and thoughts swirling. Only when she was cried out did she notice a boy watching her from behind a shelf of books. And that’s when the friendship between Ayana and Tyler Travers begins.
The pair become the best of friends and meet up most days, spending time in various places, including the library. Which is where they find, quite by accident as Ayana lets off steam after yet another run in with horrid Heather, a magical book – how to conjure your very own dragon in six easy steps.
After several unsuccessful attempts Ayana and Tyler manage to conjure their first dragon. But when one spell goes horribly wrong Ayana and Tyler find themselves in strange, magical worlds having even stranger adventures, all related to the books in Tyler’s room. As one book world leads them into another they make some good friends who do their best to assist Ayana and Tyler in finding their way back home. The friends also find themselves in dangerous situations, needing their wits about them along with the help of the dragons they conjure as they are targeted by an evil Roving Tailor, giant sand worms, sharks and other evil creatures.
As with all Iain Reading’s books this is full of imagination, action and lots of research. The book worlds are described vividly and are taken from classic stories, including nineteen century German folktales. I especially enjoyed a very inventive Sherlock Holmes segment. There’s many a book I’ve wished I could disappear into and I think this story would give young readers’ imaginations free rein. The dragons are brilliant too, who wouldn’t like their own little paper, water or fog dragon, just to mention a few. Ayana and Tyler are great characters and their friendship is lovely. I’m not sure I’d class this as young adult though, it seems a better fit for pre teens.
I received this book from the publisher/author. This does not affect my opinion or the content of my review.
The pair become the best of friends and meet up most days, spending time in various places, including the library. Which is where they find, quite by accident as Ayana lets off steam after yet another run in with horrid Heather, a magical book – how to conjure your very own dragon in six easy steps.
After several unsuccessful attempts Ayana and Tyler manage to conjure their first dragon. But when one spell goes horribly wrong Ayana and Tyler find themselves in strange, magical worlds having even stranger adventures, all related to the books in Tyler’s room. As one book world leads them into another they make some good friends who do their best to assist Ayana and Tyler in finding their way back home. The friends also find themselves in dangerous situations, needing their wits about them along with the help of the dragons they conjure as they are targeted by an evil Roving Tailor, giant sand worms, sharks and other evil creatures.
As with all Iain Reading’s books this is full of imagination, action and lots of research. The book worlds are described vividly and are taken from classic stories, including nineteen century German folktales. I especially enjoyed a very inventive Sherlock Holmes segment. There’s many a book I’ve wished I could disappear into and I think this story would give young readers’ imaginations free rein. The dragons are brilliant too, who wouldn’t like their own little paper, water or fog dragon, just to mention a few. Ayana and Tyler are great characters and their friendship is lovely. I’m not sure I’d class this as young adult though, it seems a better fit for pre teens.
I received this book from the publisher/author. This does not affect my opinion or the content of my review.
July 13, 2016
In the back shelves of the local library, Ayana Fall and Tyler Travers find a book that not only lets them conjure a dragon, but allows them to become members of the Dragon of the Month Club. Now, on the 13th of every month, they receive instructions for conjuring a different type of dragon. The book warns of the dangers of not performing the spells correctly, but that doesn’t stop our heroes from trying out as many spells as they can.
Of course, one of the spells eventually backfires and the pair wind up in a strange, yet eerily familiar land with pop-up forests, oceans, deserts, waterfalls, and towering plateaus. And their only chance of returning home involves finding Professor Mobius, a genius who lives in a tower on the other side of the land. Together, Ayana and Tyler must stay calm and keep their wits about them as they journey through a land filled with many wonders and dangers.
Things I liked:
Despite the initial impression that this book was simply another story about dragons, it was more about Ayana and Tyler’s adventures as they trekked through the mysterious land in their quest to find a way home. Dragons did play a role helping out here and there, but mostly it was about the two heroes figuring their own way out of trouble.
Having Ayana and Tyler interact with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson was a refreshing twist I didn’t see coming. Sherlock Holmes, you ask? You’ll just have to read the book.
Things I didn’t like:
The writing style seemed to be aimed toward (early?) middle schoolers, although many of the references and terms which appear later in the book would probably require older readers to appreciate, so I’m not sure if this story would be considered middle grade or not.
I was also quite disappointed with the end of the story—mostly because there wasn’t one. You’ll have to read the next book in the series (not yet published) to find out what happens. If this kind of thing bothers you, it might be better to wait until the next book is out before you buy this one. You’ve been warned!
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Of course, one of the spells eventually backfires and the pair wind up in a strange, yet eerily familiar land with pop-up forests, oceans, deserts, waterfalls, and towering plateaus. And their only chance of returning home involves finding Professor Mobius, a genius who lives in a tower on the other side of the land. Together, Ayana and Tyler must stay calm and keep their wits about them as they journey through a land filled with many wonders and dangers.
Things I liked:
Despite the initial impression that this book was simply another story about dragons, it was more about Ayana and Tyler’s adventures as they trekked through the mysterious land in their quest to find a way home. Dragons did play a role helping out here and there, but mostly it was about the two heroes figuring their own way out of trouble.
Having Ayana and Tyler interact with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson was a refreshing twist I didn’t see coming. Sherlock Holmes, you ask? You’ll just have to read the book.
Things I didn’t like:
The writing style seemed to be aimed toward (early?) middle schoolers, although many of the references and terms which appear later in the book would probably require older readers to appreciate, so I’m not sure if this story would be considered middle grade or not.
I was also quite disappointed with the end of the story—mostly because there wasn’t one. You’ll have to read the next book in the series (not yet published) to find out what happens. If this kind of thing bothers you, it might be better to wait until the next book is out before you buy this one. You’ve been warned!
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
July 25, 2016
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I think it's obvious that the cover might give the impression this book is probably for children and that wouldn't be completely false - this book can be read by anyone and they can enjoy it. (I sure did!)
The plot follows the story of two friends that slowly make their way through the magical word of books. There's a little magic in the mix and, you guessed it, dragons. And those dragons are probably my favourite characters. This is the first book of series, so the journey is nowhere near its end yet, but I'm hooked and would love to read the series.
The writing style is simple in a way - easy to digest so you can hungrily continue reading and having a blast with the characters. I felt connection with them, as they are so well developed, I could say they are like real - they have dept, they have thoughts and aren't perfect, which makes them even better. And I'm always in for a friendly adventure.
The story line moves from one small story to another, each of which stories has its own message that's presented very beautifully, which again makes the book enjoyable not only for kids but for adults as well - it doesn't come on a silver plate, yet it's short and clear. You have the feeling that the main characters are your friends and you're taking this journey with them. And we get sucked in a bookseption of books in the book in a small magical word.
And the dragons! They were just so cute and lovely. Can we get THE BOOK, too? I'd really like e dragon for a pet and friend.
In conclusion, I wasn't sure what to expect, but the book was amazing. I read it in two sittings and laughed almost all of the time. The story was very compelling and I'd love to soon read more and find out whatever else comes the way of Ayana and Tyler and the cutest dragons on the word. I'd recommend this book to anyone, who would like to give it a shot - it's, in one word, awesome.
I think it's obvious that the cover might give the impression this book is probably for children and that wouldn't be completely false - this book can be read by anyone and they can enjoy it. (I sure did!)
The plot follows the story of two friends that slowly make their way through the magical word of books. There's a little magic in the mix and, you guessed it, dragons. And those dragons are probably my favourite characters. This is the first book of series, so the journey is nowhere near its end yet, but I'm hooked and would love to read the series.
The writing style is simple in a way - easy to digest so you can hungrily continue reading and having a blast with the characters. I felt connection with them, as they are so well developed, I could say they are like real - they have dept, they have thoughts and aren't perfect, which makes them even better. And I'm always in for a friendly adventure.
The story line moves from one small story to another, each of which stories has its own message that's presented very beautifully, which again makes the book enjoyable not only for kids but for adults as well - it doesn't come on a silver plate, yet it's short and clear. You have the feeling that the main characters are your friends and you're taking this journey with them. And we get sucked in a bookseption of books in the book in a small magical word.
And the dragons! They were just so cute and lovely. Can we get THE BOOK, too? I'd really like e dragon for a pet and friend.
In conclusion, I wasn't sure what to expect, but the book was amazing. I read it in two sittings and laughed almost all of the time. The story was very compelling and I'd love to soon read more and find out whatever else comes the way of Ayana and Tyler and the cutest dragons on the word. I'd recommend this book to anyone, who would like to give it a shot - it's, in one word, awesome.
October 4, 2015
I really enjoyed reading this book.
The Dragon of the Month Club threw me back to the good old days of my teenage years. I remember back in my elementary days when I used to read these kinds of books, where the chapters are titled and they hint you what is going to be about. It's that kind of read that is entertaining, educational, easy to read and just plain awesome. I knew I was going to love it at the moment that I read Iain Reading's dedication: "this book is dedicated to lost friendships".
Let me tell you a little bit of what's about. It starts with the sudden and instant friendship of a girl and a boy named Ayana Fall and Tyler Travers where they meet at a dusty corner of their small city's library. In one of those days, they come across with a peculiar book named THE BOOK. Ayana and Tyler discovered that it showed instructions in how to conjure your own dragons and that every 13th day of every month, new instructions appeared in how to conjure a new dragon.The possibilities are endless, however, in one time that they were conjuring a new dragon, something went wrong. Ayana and Tyler got sucked into a strange world that was resembled as Tyler's bedroom and all the books that he had scattered around.
Ayana and Tyler kept hopping from book to book in search of a way out, meanwhile, having wonderful adventures along the way. They start with German folktales, then they jump to a dessert of the Dune series, to a Chinese garden, to Sherlock Holmes ...Wow. I have to admit that I didn't know some of the books that were mention, but find myself wanting to read them. It is true what it says in the back cover, this book is magical and it inspires the love of reading and sparks the imaginations of readers.
The Dragon of the Month Club threw me back to the good old days of my teenage years. I remember back in my elementary days when I used to read these kinds of books, where the chapters are titled and they hint you what is going to be about. It's that kind of read that is entertaining, educational, easy to read and just plain awesome. I knew I was going to love it at the moment that I read Iain Reading's dedication: "this book is dedicated to lost friendships".
Let me tell you a little bit of what's about. It starts with the sudden and instant friendship of a girl and a boy named Ayana Fall and Tyler Travers where they meet at a dusty corner of their small city's library. In one of those days, they come across with a peculiar book named THE BOOK. Ayana and Tyler discovered that it showed instructions in how to conjure your own dragons and that every 13th day of every month, new instructions appeared in how to conjure a new dragon.The possibilities are endless, however, in one time that they were conjuring a new dragon, something went wrong. Ayana and Tyler got sucked into a strange world that was resembled as Tyler's bedroom and all the books that he had scattered around.
Ayana and Tyler kept hopping from book to book in search of a way out, meanwhile, having wonderful adventures along the way. They start with German folktales, then they jump to a dessert of the Dune series, to a Chinese garden, to Sherlock Holmes ...Wow. I have to admit that I didn't know some of the books that were mention, but find myself wanting to read them. It is true what it says in the back cover, this book is magical and it inspires the love of reading and sparks the imaginations of readers.
November 9, 2015
I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
The 13th of each month is a very special date for Ayana Fall and Tyler Travers. They are brand new members of The Dragon of the Month Club. Their adventure begins when Ayana, hiding in the library after a run in with her worst nightmare, Heather van der Sloot, who constantly bullies her. It was because of her hiding in the library that she meets and becomes best friends with Tyler. While sitting in the library she finds a magical book. They take the book and try to conjure up a dragon. They are finally successful. One bad spell attempt and they find themselves traveling through strange worlds. These worlds are related to the books lying around Tyler’s world. Now all they need to do is find a way back home. They meet several people along the way who try to help them, and some not so nice people.
Iain Reading has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I started reading his Kitty Hawk books and now I’m introduced to a fantastical world. This is the type of book I would have spent hours in my room, wishing I could slip into the pages and have an adventure.
He does an excellent job when it comes to creating characters that the reader can relate to. His world building, as always is excellent. I loved the idea of being able to call up different kinds of dragons. They aren’t your ordinary dragons. I loved the idea of a fog dragon. Even more than that, I loved the idea of a dragon of the month club where you could summon a dragon each month on a specific day.
I am really looking forward to the next book in the series. More importantly, I’m looking forward to sharing these with my students.
The 13th of each month is a very special date for Ayana Fall and Tyler Travers. They are brand new members of The Dragon of the Month Club. Their adventure begins when Ayana, hiding in the library after a run in with her worst nightmare, Heather van der Sloot, who constantly bullies her. It was because of her hiding in the library that she meets and becomes best friends with Tyler. While sitting in the library she finds a magical book. They take the book and try to conjure up a dragon. They are finally successful. One bad spell attempt and they find themselves traveling through strange worlds. These worlds are related to the books lying around Tyler’s world. Now all they need to do is find a way back home. They meet several people along the way who try to help them, and some not so nice people.
Iain Reading has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I started reading his Kitty Hawk books and now I’m introduced to a fantastical world. This is the type of book I would have spent hours in my room, wishing I could slip into the pages and have an adventure.
He does an excellent job when it comes to creating characters that the reader can relate to. His world building, as always is excellent. I loved the idea of being able to call up different kinds of dragons. They aren’t your ordinary dragons. I loved the idea of a fog dragon. Even more than that, I loved the idea of a dragon of the month club where you could summon a dragon each month on a specific day.
I am really looking forward to the next book in the series. More importantly, I’m looking forward to sharing these with my students.
July 21, 2016
This was a good start to a promising series. I liked Ayana and Tyler. They become friends in the library and in the back, dusty shelves find their treasure. A book that tells them how to summon dragons. There are different kinds of dragons and the summoning has to be done just right. When they make a mistake, they wind up in a different world and have to use their wits to get home.
I was expecting this to be a typical children's book but it was more. The two kids the book is about are well written and their friendship grows mainly because of the book. While the book has dragons, it's main focus is Ayana and Tyler. I like how there are several stories all twisted up into this one story. There were characters that I never expected to meet in this book there and written into it so well!
It was a 4/5 for me. I like the author's writing style and am looking forward to more.
Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.
I was expecting this to be a typical children's book but it was more. The two kids the book is about are well written and their friendship grows mainly because of the book. While the book has dragons, it's main focus is Ayana and Tyler. I like how there are several stories all twisted up into this one story. There were characters that I never expected to meet in this book there and written into it so well!
It was a 4/5 for me. I like the author's writing style and am looking forward to more.
Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.
September 10, 2015
Readers of all ages love to become so invested and wrapped up in their favorite books they forget everything around them and sometimes wish they could vanish into their book-world. I can remember feeling that way as I struggled with bullies and moving around, often getting lost with Alec astride The Black. I love how the children in this book are going through what so many kids go through and how they handle their situations. They are well crafted and fleshed out as children should be. The writing is solid and easy to follow. Iain has a great grasp on imagination and storytelling and it shows in this book. My son (10) enjoyed the read, laughing several times and spent hours telling his Grandma about the dragon book. Overall this is a fun read full of adventure with no filters needed. I received a copy of the book through Book Publicity Services in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced our opinions.
April 24, 2016
This book was definitely a fast read, considering the simple yet exciting writing style of the author. It was refreshing to read another Middle Grade book since the last time I read one was back in 2014!
This tells the story of bestfriends, Ayana and Tyler, and how their daily routine changed because of one book which taught them how to conjure dragons.
Dragons, honestly! I'm really fond of dragons and I do love watching shows/movies with dragons. I did enjoy reading this book because it really made an honest effort to incorporate dragons into the story. It was also nice to see how the author stringed different classic stories such as Sherlock Holmes into the story.
As much as I wanted to love it, I had a bit of a hard time trying to relate to the characters. It had tons of potential though. I liked the visuals in the book. I also think that younger audiences would like it better than I did. I would recommend this book if you're really fond of dragons and adventure.
This tells the story of bestfriends, Ayana and Tyler, and how their daily routine changed because of one book which taught them how to conjure dragons.
Dragons, honestly! I'm really fond of dragons and I do love watching shows/movies with dragons. I did enjoy reading this book because it really made an honest effort to incorporate dragons into the story. It was also nice to see how the author stringed different classic stories such as Sherlock Holmes into the story.
As much as I wanted to love it, I had a bit of a hard time trying to relate to the characters. It had tons of potential though. I liked the visuals in the book. I also think that younger audiences would like it better than I did. I would recommend this book if you're really fond of dragons and adventure.
July 7, 2016
I truly enjoy reading because books take me to new worlds but this book took me to many worlds. The main characters are Ayana and Tyler. Ayana has recently moved and is having a hard time fitting in when she meets Tyler in the library. While spending time together in the library they discover "THE BOOK." It is called How to Conjure Your Very Own Dragon in Six Easy Steps.
They join the dragon of the month club and begin getting instructions to conjure new types of dragons. One day when they are conjuring a dragon in Tyler's bedroom something goes wrong and they are transported to an alternate world. They have so many exciting adventures in different worlds that are tied to books Tyler has in his room. Their goal? They are trying to reach the home of a scientist named Professor Doctor Linus Aloysius von Mobius so he can help them return home.
They join the dragon of the month club and begin getting instructions to conjure new types of dragons. One day when they are conjuring a dragon in Tyler's bedroom something goes wrong and they are transported to an alternate world. They have so many exciting adventures in different worlds that are tied to books Tyler has in his room. Their goal? They are trying to reach the home of a scientist named Professor Doctor Linus Aloysius von Mobius so he can help them return home.
February 13, 2017
It all changes in Ayana and Tyler's lives once they find a book that says they can conjure dragons, yes! real and alive dragons. What starts as a simple test to see if the book works soon becomes an extraordinary adventure through a magical world.
This book is fantastic, it has two kids as main characters but anyone can enjoy it. They both have sweet and genuine personalities and their lives needed a bit of fun in it.
As other Iain books, this one has an excellent writing style, the rhythm is steady and the story is so good you keep turning the pages. The author also includes stories we all know which is fascinating.
I really liked and enjoyed this book and can wait to read more about the cute dragons.
* I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. *
This book is fantastic, it has two kids as main characters but anyone can enjoy it. They both have sweet and genuine personalities and their lives needed a bit of fun in it.
As other Iain books, this one has an excellent writing style, the rhythm is steady and the story is so good you keep turning the pages. The author also includes stories we all know which is fascinating.
I really liked and enjoyed this book and can wait to read more about the cute dragons.
* I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. *
November 25, 2015
For full review please go to: 5girlsbookreviews.blogspot.com, Twitter @camartinez, Facebook "5 Girls Book Reviews"
REVIEW BY: Michaela, age 11 years, 5 months
MAY CONTAIN SPOILER:
Oh my goodness, I absolutely LOVED this book! I cannot wait for the second book to come out!!!
This book was beyond awesome, my favorite dragon is Dune Buggy because he sounds so cute. My favorite part is the wolf part because he is mysterious.
REVIEW BY: Michaela, age 11 years, 5 months
MAY CONTAIN SPOILER:
Oh my goodness, I absolutely LOVED this book! I cannot wait for the second book to come out!!!
This book was beyond awesome, my favorite dragon is Dune Buggy because he sounds so cute. My favorite part is the wolf part because he is mysterious.
December 25, 2015
My review can be found here: http://www.bookbunnys.com/2015/12/25/...
July 29, 2016
Review to come!
December 1, 2017
2/5 stars
PG for a frightening fairy tale villain said to cut off children's thumbs.
Recommend to children getting into fantasy.
The Dragon of the Month Club is a fun adventure story for kids, though older or more particular readers may find it a bit bland. While the premise is interesting, the story is mostly fluff -just cute and sometimes silly fun.
Kids will like exploring the worlds of other books along with Ayana and Tyler, though they will likely not be familiar with most of them. Sherlock Holmes -Tyler's literary hero- is the most recognizable in the company of Frank Herbert's Dune, an underrated and super creepy villain of German fairy tales, and a whole little world springing out of Chinese folklore. The Chinese folklore bit was my favorite, though it was a sluggish point of the book plot-wise.
Reading is creative with the dozens of dragon types he comes up with for Ayana and Tyler to conjure every month. Wooden dragons, paper dragons, fog dragons -with their wits and this variety, Ayana and Tyler can conjure a dragon to help them out of most of the scrapes they find themselves in. Mostly, these were creative solutions to their problems, but occasionally they felt a little contrived. The dragons themselves are adorable -almost as adorable as Tyler's crush on Ayana.
As far as crushes in middle grade fiction go, I'm pretty picky, but Tyler's crush on Ayana is a solid win for me because it mostly takes the form of Tyler recognizing the emotional pain Ayana's in and caring so much for her he just wants her to be whole again. While it does talk about Ayana's anger over her father's leaving, what initially felt like good character depth and the foundation of an arc petered out without offering up any real substance on the matter. I've no doubt Reading plans to pick up this arc in the next book, possibly carrying it over the whole series, but without any attempts at resolving or advancing this depth made the book weak in the character department.
The writing and style can be stiff and inflexible, which makes it a tough read for me. For the amount of plot and story, the book is also a bit dense, which could make it a tricky read for others as well.
This first installment feels more like an introduction to the real story Reading wants to tell, rather than a full story on its own. While Tyler and Ayana make their way through this magical mish-mash world, neither of them are asking the really interesting questions I am: Where did the dragon of the month club book come from in the first place? Who made it? Is there a reason it came to Tyler and Ayana, or was it random? Are there other books and other kids out there with the same book? But Tyler and Ayana take the magic book -and the whole adventure- easily in stride without dwelling on these kinds of questions and it makes the story feel a bit flat and unrealistic.
While Ayana and Tyler get into their fair share of adventures and dodge a few brief antagonists, the apparent villain of the series isn't introduced until the very last page, so I feel a bit robbed by the cliffhanger.
While I'll be skipping the rest of this series, I have no qualms about passing it along to any of my younger niblings, either.
PG for a frightening fairy tale villain said to cut off children's thumbs.
Recommend to children getting into fantasy.
The Dragon of the Month Club is a fun adventure story for kids, though older or more particular readers may find it a bit bland. While the premise is interesting, the story is mostly fluff -just cute and sometimes silly fun.
Kids will like exploring the worlds of other books along with Ayana and Tyler, though they will likely not be familiar with most of them. Sherlock Holmes -Tyler's literary hero- is the most recognizable in the company of Frank Herbert's Dune, an underrated and super creepy villain of German fairy tales, and a whole little world springing out of Chinese folklore. The Chinese folklore bit was my favorite, though it was a sluggish point of the book plot-wise.
Reading is creative with the dozens of dragon types he comes up with for Ayana and Tyler to conjure every month. Wooden dragons, paper dragons, fog dragons -with their wits and this variety, Ayana and Tyler can conjure a dragon to help them out of most of the scrapes they find themselves in. Mostly, these were creative solutions to their problems, but occasionally they felt a little contrived. The dragons themselves are adorable -almost as adorable as Tyler's crush on Ayana.
As far as crushes in middle grade fiction go, I'm pretty picky, but Tyler's crush on Ayana is a solid win for me because it mostly takes the form of Tyler recognizing the emotional pain Ayana's in and caring so much for her he just wants her to be whole again. While it does talk about Ayana's anger over her father's leaving, what initially felt like good character depth and the foundation of an arc petered out without offering up any real substance on the matter. I've no doubt Reading plans to pick up this arc in the next book, possibly carrying it over the whole series, but without any attempts at resolving or advancing this depth made the book weak in the character department.
The writing and style can be stiff and inflexible, which makes it a tough read for me. For the amount of plot and story, the book is also a bit dense, which could make it a tricky read for others as well.
This first installment feels more like an introduction to the real story Reading wants to tell, rather than a full story on its own. While Tyler and Ayana make their way through this magical mish-mash world, neither of them are asking the really interesting questions I am: Where did the dragon of the month club book come from in the first place? Who made it? Is there a reason it came to Tyler and Ayana, or was it random? Are there other books and other kids out there with the same book? But Tyler and Ayana take the magic book -and the whole adventure- easily in stride without dwelling on these kinds of questions and it makes the story feel a bit flat and unrealistic.
While Ayana and Tyler get into their fair share of adventures and dodge a few brief antagonists, the apparent villain of the series isn't introduced until the very last page, so I feel a bit robbed by the cliffhanger.
While I'll be skipping the rest of this series, I have no qualms about passing it along to any of my younger niblings, either.
June 1, 2020
I think this book is having a bit of an identity crises. It feels like a YA in the body of a Mid-Grade but also a Mid-Grade stuck in the body of a YA.
Cover (It's a Battle of the Books edition)
I actually really like this cover. The bright green with the purple text is pretty nice. That makes the cover have this strong pop to it. I did notice that each of the dragons on the cover are sprinkled through the chapters nicely. Back cover has a really nice dedication to Drayton Valley on it. With that I'm going into this book completely blind, not knowing a single thing about and no expectations.
Interior
This identity crises I caught on to two things. Coarse Language, I don’t expect mid-grade to swear. No matter tone and this had two instances also there are instances that words that went over my 26 y-old head. But the Traveling and what they did and how they did it throughout the book felt Mid-grade.
Not knowing anything about the book’s direction going through the first four chapters I honestly expected it to be a bullying focused book from how it focused on the three brats but they only mention them once after chapter four. Starting it up as a new girl at school in Drayton Valley was cool and having the local schools being acknowledged is a very smart touch. Once in the world of books it didn’t impact me because since I literally haven’t read any of them.
I think this book needed a touch longer in the oven. Personally, the biggest issue for me was inconsistency in Ayanna and Tyler’s personalities.
I also expected a subtle moral lesson or at least grow tougher somewhere but mostly they ran from book to book. With that being said I’m realizing this is more of a, for imagination, and lighthearted adventure. I’m just realizing, for me, what threw the whole story off kilter was how serious the beginning was, deadbeat dad running away and some pretty heavy bullying made me think lesson learning.
I feel like I should comment about Qiaohui’s wisdom. Nice try, there is a fine line between wisdom and manipulation, but nice attempt. (It is a clever way to teach Qiaohui actually means wisdom though)
There were these interesting call backs mainly to the good times Ayanna had with her dad. From how their written I’m seriously wondering if he actually ran away or if that’s just what she is telling herself.
Can this book pull off multiple books? Absolutely!
This whiplash twist ending comes right out of nowhere. I don’t know how I feel about it but it can be pull off into a really interesting sequel.
Cover (It's a Battle of the Books edition)
I actually really like this cover. The bright green with the purple text is pretty nice. That makes the cover have this strong pop to it. I did notice that each of the dragons on the cover are sprinkled through the chapters nicely. Back cover has a really nice dedication to Drayton Valley on it. With that I'm going into this book completely blind, not knowing a single thing about and no expectations.
Interior
This identity crises I caught on to two things. Coarse Language, I don’t expect mid-grade to swear. No matter tone and this had two instances also there are instances that words that went over my 26 y-old head. But the Traveling and what they did and how they did it throughout the book felt Mid-grade.
Not knowing anything about the book’s direction going through the first four chapters I honestly expected it to be a bullying focused book from how it focused on the three brats but they only mention them once after chapter four. Starting it up as a new girl at school in Drayton Valley was cool and having the local schools being acknowledged is a very smart touch. Once in the world of books it didn’t impact me because since I literally haven’t read any of them.
I think this book needed a touch longer in the oven. Personally, the biggest issue for me was inconsistency in Ayanna and Tyler’s personalities.
I also expected a subtle moral lesson or at least grow tougher somewhere but mostly they ran from book to book. With that being said I’m realizing this is more of a, for imagination, and lighthearted adventure. I’m just realizing, for me, what threw the whole story off kilter was how serious the beginning was, deadbeat dad running away and some pretty heavy bullying made me think lesson learning.
I feel like I should comment about Qiaohui’s wisdom. Nice try, there is a fine line between wisdom and manipulation, but nice attempt. (It is a clever way to teach Qiaohui actually means wisdom though)
There were these interesting call backs mainly to the good times Ayanna had with her dad. From how their written I’m seriously wondering if he actually ran away or if that’s just what she is telling herself.
Can this book pull off multiple books? Absolutely!
This whiplash twist ending comes right out of nowhere. I don’t know how I feel about it but it can be pull off into a really interesting sequel.
January 1, 2016
I would like to thank author Iain Reading for a copy of this book to review. Though I received this book for free, that has no impact upon the honesty of my review.
Goodreads Teaser: The Dragon Of The Month Club is the exciting first installment in a new book series that tells the story of Ayana Fall and Tyler Travers, two best friends who stumble across an extraordinarily magical book and soon find themselves enrolled as members of a very special and exclusive club - The Dragon of the Month Club.
On the thirteenth of every month a new dragon conjuring spell is revealed and the two friends attempt to summon the latest Dragon of the Month. The varieties are almost endless: Air Dragons, Paper Dragons, Fog Dragons, Waterfall Dragons, Rock Dragons, Tree Dragons - not to mention special bonus dragons for all the major holidays, including a particularly prickly Holly Dragon for Christmas.
But one day when a conjuring spell somehow goes wrong Ayana and Tyler find themselves unexpectedly drawn into a fantastical world of adventure based on the various books scattered all across Tyler's messy bedroom. Traveling from one book-inspired world to the next with nothing to rely on but their wits and a cast of strange and exotic dragons at their disposal they must try to somehow find their way home again.
Drawing inspiration from some of literature's most memorable stories - from 19th century German folktales to the streets of Sherlock Holmes's London - the adventures of Ayana and Tyler bring these classic stories to life in delightfully strange and unexpected ways. Filled with fascinating detail and non-stop action these books will spark the imaginations of readers of all ages to inspire a life-long love of reading and seeking out books that are just a little bit off the beaten track.
This is a fantastic book, and not just for middle school readers! The characters of Ayana and Tyler are sweet, engaging, and very realistic. Possibly a bit naive, but then again maybe not. Tyler is from Medicine Hat, Alberta, while Ayana hails from Vancouver. The two cities, if one can call Medicine Hat a city, are nothing alike. Aside from sheer scale, Vancouver has mountains, forests, and rivers to spare, while Medicine Hat has dry prairie land. That's it, just dry prairie as far as the eye can see. Or at least in Ayana's eyes, though Tyler probably wouldn't put up much of an argument. But now Ayana lives in Medicine Hat, Alberta too. And she's not happy about it. She and her mom had to move back in with her grandparents after her dad left the two of them. So now, because he walked out on them, she's stuck in a podunk town, starting over in a new school. Meanwhile all her friends are still back in Vancouver, and no doubt taking advantage of all the amazing opportunities it has to offer.
Ayana is the new girl in school with the sad misfortune of being targeted by the class bully, Heather van der Sloot, plus her mean friends/followers. Heather is the most popular girl in school, who just happens to come from the most powerful and wealthiest family in town. This of course means that Ayana has no friends in school, as no one is willing to stand up to the snooty, but powerful, Heather and crew. So it isn't long before the local library becomes Ayana's refuge and hiding place. It also is where she meets Tyler, and where they discover the book that will change their lives forever.
Tyler goes to a private school. He's a brainiac, loves to read, and also loves designing things. And he may even love Ayana. But that's not the point. Or not yet anyway; who knows what might happen in the future? So Ayana and Tyler meet in the library. They become best friends, and find a magical book. A book about dragons. They conjure their first dragon and can't believe it when a dragon actually appears. Pretty soon all their time revolves around magical dragons. Soon they are members of a mysterious, but awesome, dragon of the month club. Every month they anxiously await the arrival of the instructions for their newest dragon. But they don't always have the necessary ingredients to create that month's dragon, so sometimes they have to wait for what feels like forever before they get a dragon they can conjure.
They're always very careful when conjuring their dragons, because that's just the way they are. Well, actually, Tyler is more cautious and careful while Ayana is more spontaneous and daring. But neither one wants to mess up a spell, or find out what the mysterious warnings could mean. Because there are warnings about being very careful and precise when conjuring a dragon. If you do the wrong thing at the wrong point. . . well just don't. But one day, despite their best efforts, something happens. They conjure their dragon, but are all sucked into a strange vortex. They discover that they're still in Tyler's room, but everything has changed. For example now they're tiny. So small in fact they fit right into the pop-up book that was open next to them on the bed when all this happened. Yup, I said into. Not onto, but into. And that the mountain in the distance? That's actually Tyler's desk.
Now they must find a way to return to normal size and fast! All of their adventures revolve around the books they step into, books that were open on Tyler's floor, bed, and desk. From Chinese proverbs, to German fairytales, to Sherlock Holmes; the two friends and their dragons must travel through all these and more in search of a way back to the real world. But it's not just the books that have changed. Things in Tyler's room take on a life of their own, making their journey that much more exciting, scary, and exhilarating. As they travel through each different story they learn something new, even if they're not yet aware of it.
The characters are so well thought out, so beautifully created, that you simply can't help but enjoy the ride with them. As they travel through other stories their experiences remain true to the story they've stepped into, granting them access to information and experiences most only dream about. Though the beginning of their story is a bit slower before the arrival of their first dragon, it is widely used to give both of them background and depth. The pacing of this story is right on, and will be sure to keep anyone's attention, no matter how long or short that span may be. This book is a winner for any and all readers, regardless of age. Go, get your hands on this book now - but make sure you've got some time for reading, because once you start you won't want to stop until it ends. And then you'll only stop because there are no more words on the page. Which means you'll end up like me, anxiously waiting for the next book of their adventures to come out!
Goodreads Teaser: The Dragon Of The Month Club is the exciting first installment in a new book series that tells the story of Ayana Fall and Tyler Travers, two best friends who stumble across an extraordinarily magical book and soon find themselves enrolled as members of a very special and exclusive club - The Dragon of the Month Club.
On the thirteenth of every month a new dragon conjuring spell is revealed and the two friends attempt to summon the latest Dragon of the Month. The varieties are almost endless: Air Dragons, Paper Dragons, Fog Dragons, Waterfall Dragons, Rock Dragons, Tree Dragons - not to mention special bonus dragons for all the major holidays, including a particularly prickly Holly Dragon for Christmas.
But one day when a conjuring spell somehow goes wrong Ayana and Tyler find themselves unexpectedly drawn into a fantastical world of adventure based on the various books scattered all across Tyler's messy bedroom. Traveling from one book-inspired world to the next with nothing to rely on but their wits and a cast of strange and exotic dragons at their disposal they must try to somehow find their way home again.
Drawing inspiration from some of literature's most memorable stories - from 19th century German folktales to the streets of Sherlock Holmes's London - the adventures of Ayana and Tyler bring these classic stories to life in delightfully strange and unexpected ways. Filled with fascinating detail and non-stop action these books will spark the imaginations of readers of all ages to inspire a life-long love of reading and seeking out books that are just a little bit off the beaten track.
This is a fantastic book, and not just for middle school readers! The characters of Ayana and Tyler are sweet, engaging, and very realistic. Possibly a bit naive, but then again maybe not. Tyler is from Medicine Hat, Alberta, while Ayana hails from Vancouver. The two cities, if one can call Medicine Hat a city, are nothing alike. Aside from sheer scale, Vancouver has mountains, forests, and rivers to spare, while Medicine Hat has dry prairie land. That's it, just dry prairie as far as the eye can see. Or at least in Ayana's eyes, though Tyler probably wouldn't put up much of an argument. But now Ayana lives in Medicine Hat, Alberta too. And she's not happy about it. She and her mom had to move back in with her grandparents after her dad left the two of them. So now, because he walked out on them, she's stuck in a podunk town, starting over in a new school. Meanwhile all her friends are still back in Vancouver, and no doubt taking advantage of all the amazing opportunities it has to offer.
Ayana is the new girl in school with the sad misfortune of being targeted by the class bully, Heather van der Sloot, plus her mean friends/followers. Heather is the most popular girl in school, who just happens to come from the most powerful and wealthiest family in town. This of course means that Ayana has no friends in school, as no one is willing to stand up to the snooty, but powerful, Heather and crew. So it isn't long before the local library becomes Ayana's refuge and hiding place. It also is where she meets Tyler, and where they discover the book that will change their lives forever.
Tyler goes to a private school. He's a brainiac, loves to read, and also loves designing things. And he may even love Ayana. But that's not the point. Or not yet anyway; who knows what might happen in the future? So Ayana and Tyler meet in the library. They become best friends, and find a magical book. A book about dragons. They conjure their first dragon and can't believe it when a dragon actually appears. Pretty soon all their time revolves around magical dragons. Soon they are members of a mysterious, but awesome, dragon of the month club. Every month they anxiously await the arrival of the instructions for their newest dragon. But they don't always have the necessary ingredients to create that month's dragon, so sometimes they have to wait for what feels like forever before they get a dragon they can conjure.
They're always very careful when conjuring their dragons, because that's just the way they are. Well, actually, Tyler is more cautious and careful while Ayana is more spontaneous and daring. But neither one wants to mess up a spell, or find out what the mysterious warnings could mean. Because there are warnings about being very careful and precise when conjuring a dragon. If you do the wrong thing at the wrong point. . . well just don't. But one day, despite their best efforts, something happens. They conjure their dragon, but are all sucked into a strange vortex. They discover that they're still in Tyler's room, but everything has changed. For example now they're tiny. So small in fact they fit right into the pop-up book that was open next to them on the bed when all this happened. Yup, I said into. Not onto, but into. And that the mountain in the distance? That's actually Tyler's desk.
Now they must find a way to return to normal size and fast! All of their adventures revolve around the books they step into, books that were open on Tyler's floor, bed, and desk. From Chinese proverbs, to German fairytales, to Sherlock Holmes; the two friends and their dragons must travel through all these and more in search of a way back to the real world. But it's not just the books that have changed. Things in Tyler's room take on a life of their own, making their journey that much more exciting, scary, and exhilarating. As they travel through each different story they learn something new, even if they're not yet aware of it.
The characters are so well thought out, so beautifully created, that you simply can't help but enjoy the ride with them. As they travel through other stories their experiences remain true to the story they've stepped into, granting them access to information and experiences most only dream about. Though the beginning of their story is a bit slower before the arrival of their first dragon, it is widely used to give both of them background and depth. The pacing of this story is right on, and will be sure to keep anyone's attention, no matter how long or short that span may be. This book is a winner for any and all readers, regardless of age. Go, get your hands on this book now - but make sure you've got some time for reading, because once you start you won't want to stop until it ends. And then you'll only stop because there are no more words on the page. Which means you'll end up like me, anxiously waiting for the next book of their adventures to come out!
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