Jeff Madison and the Curse of Drakwood Forest

Jeff Madison Series #2

by Bernice Fischer

“Punch fear in the face. Be a true friend. Do what matters.” Jeff Madison--dream catcher, loyal friend and fearless teenager--must save his best friend Rhed from a devastating spell which was cast on him during their last visit to Drakmere.

But from this dark kingdom, two evil witches send forth unspeakable horrors. Can Jeff overcome Wiedzma’s terrifying screatures and Zorka’s flesh-eating shadowraiths? As Wiedzma’s screatures endanger Jeff’s family and Zorka’s Zombies call for blood, the curse on Rhed becomes life threatening … time is running out. By fine-tuning the dream-catcher abilities that can save his friends who journey to Drakwood Forest in search for Rhed’s cure, Jeff unknowingly sinks ever deeper into darkness. In this new action-packed fantasy adventure, we meet up again with the brave Sandustian warriors Rig and Madgwick, new warriors Khrow and Horrigan, the cranky and hilarious witch Angie, and the very hungry dragon Watroc. Ultimately it is Angie who must negotiate for Rhed’s life. Will she succeed or will Rhed be lost to the Prince of Drakwood Forest forever?

“From the very first page the reader races off on an adventure filled with magic, scary creatures, and fierce warriors. It’s a great pleasure to accompany Jeff and his gang on their wild ride. I rooted intensely for Jeff, and came to love him and his crew. Jeff Madison is a terrific roller coaster of a story with a bang-up, wonderfully satisfying ending.” –James Thayer.

309 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 5, 2015

About the author

Best-selling Teen & Young Adult Fantasy Author and 2015 Voice Arts™ Awards Nominee for "Best Voiceover" Audiobook narration for Jeff Madison and the Shimmers of Drakmere (Book 1). http://sovas.org/2015-nominees/

Bernice grew up reading all sorts of books and believes that the best stories happen in books as they so rarely happen in real life, for they allow you to enter a world of fantasy and imagination needed to survive the reality of today.
Bernice likes to laugh, and hopes that her readers enjoy a good breeze of humor, for her books are written with an impish, yet barely-suppressed humor that peeks out at odd moments.
Finding voices for her book's characters is one of the most inspiring events Bernice experiences as a writer. She believes that the magic of dialogue can sweep readers away from their everyday lives, transporting them through time and space to a kingdom she has created.
The talented voice actor, Matt Wolfe, narrator of her 2015 Voice Arts™ Awards nominated audiobook, has given each character a different voice, thereby creating a movie in the listener's head.
Bernice's descriptive writing style, compelling dialogue and riveting action make this book "a page turner" "a must read" for fans of young adult fantasy, adults and children alike!
To learn more about her books go to: http://BerniceFischer.com

Reviews

[Bernice Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second instalment in the Jeff Madison Series is an action-packed nail-biter that will keep you hooked right to the very last page. With Shimmers of Drakmere, Bernice Fischer established herself as a name to watch on the fantasy scene for younger readers. But with Curse of Drakwood Forest, she has done what very few writers achieve, namely, writing a 2nd book that outshines its predecessor.

Bernice is a master of suspense, giving the reader just enough and then reeling them in again. She is a natural storyteller with a phenomenal imagination, a knack for dialogue and a most delicious, wicked sense of humour. Her characters shine. From the human to the magical, each character is absolutely alive - even those that qualify as The Living Dead!

Jeff realises that his friend Rhed is in serious trouble. On their previous visit to Drakmere, Rhed was adopted by a tree. While it seemed funny at the time, by Book 2 no one is laughing about it anymore, as Rhed's limbs stiffen and even his fingernails start turning to bark.

Thanks to a Sandustian warrior, sent to protect Jeff's home, the friends discover that Rhed is being summoned to Drakmere by the Prince of Drakwood Forest. What's worse is that, listen to the call or not, Rhed is destined to turn into a tree. Jeff uses his dream catcher abilities to once again enter Drakmere. Of course his friends just don't listen when he tells them not to follow. And this is where the adventure begins.

Jeff Madison and the Curse of Drakwood Forest is a gem. While it ventures into dark places, the humour is a wonderful antidote to the tension. Although written for younger readers, adults will enjoy this fantasy world as much as any child would.

[Jason Hubbard · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first installment was a little off-putting because the zany humor flew over my head since the conflict was so dire. Since I knew what to expect in the second installment, I liked it better than the first. It's a multi-layered story that gets the job done, although there are moments of plot convenience and some over-powered characters (a witch who could win a war with her pinkie finger). A good choice for people who like plenty of humor in their fantasy tales.

[Skyla Liebenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read! The perfect balance between funny and creepy and adventurous. I can't read it at night, though...

[Lean3 Smit · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was my favourite one so far and i cant wait to start book 3
absolutly in love with this series

[v.v · Rating 4 out of 5]

How on Earth is it that the best books have so few review? I don’t mean that this is the best book in the world but it is amazing! It is special and sad to see that it only has three reviews. I would highly recommend this series (this is the second book), especially this book. The first book was not as captivating, comparatively, because we are getting into this new world. Fischer has clearly found her writing style that builds and strengthens this fantasy world.

From the moment this book starts, we are off to a fast start. Full of action and adventure right in the first chapter, and boy is it good! Contrary to the first book, this isn’t such a light hearted read. With Rhed becoming a tree no matter what Jeff chooses, plus all the perilous encounters the unlikely group encounters it seems like a hopeless journey. That is the best part of this book because we start off with no hope but Jeff manages to brings us up. With the gang’s quirky humor, the mood was uplifted and with it the hope that the would come out alive.

The one scene that is really memorable to is in the final chapter. It is fitting that the final chapter is the most memorable and the first chapter started the whole adventure off, itself being remarkable. It is a really funny scene that will put a smile on your face. You realize at this point that this book is for kids because of the childish way it ends, but it works in this novel. It’s has a satisfying element that is sometimes lacking from adult or young adult books.

Warning: Spoiler below in the quote.

"'Rhed!' Jeff laughed as he grabbed his friend and phoebe collided with both of the and they hooted and yelled while they jumped around in a circle. They had to hold Rhed up has his balance was not very good yet. The warriors had wide eyes as if they three of them had just lost all their senses.
'You're alive,' Rhed called to Jeff.
'You're not a tree,' Jeff hollered at Rhed.
"I still have all my blood,' Phoebe yelled to both of them.
'Man, you missed so much!' said Jeff. 'You should have seen Madgwick and Rig fight. They were phenomenal.'
Phoebe said, 'You should have seen Angie, Harley and Watroc. Watroc ate the Shadowraiths. It was gross!'
'I want to hear all about it but,'' his voice dropped low and he asked, 'Who's the cute girl with Rig?'"

Overall, it was a fantastic, four star read. It wasn’t perfect but it is a spectacular fantasy read. If you want to try out the fantasy, try out this series. It has a childish simplicity that is great for all ages! Also, don't worry if you don't remember much from the first book because Fischer does a wonderful job recapping what previous happened as she moves the plot along. Again, I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to try out something new!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Charlène · Rating 4 out of 5]

"En conclusion, Jeff Madison et la Malédiction de Drakwood a été une excellente lecture, une très bonne surprise aussi, puisque je ne m’attendais pas à autant aimer. Bernice Fischer nous propose de nouveaux mystères, une nouvelle intrigue pleine de complications (pour mon plus grand bonheur), de rebondissements et de situations cocasses, mais aussi de frayeurs qui auront de quoi tenir le lecteur en haleine ! Tous les personnages sont bien forgés, parfois hauts en couleur, et la plume est juste, fluide, nous proposant en plus de beaux messages au milieu d’un environnement pour le moins difficile. On ne voit pas les pages défiler et c’est un pur bonheur, quoi !
Je vous recommande chaudement ce deuxième tome, et ce sera un 18/20 pour moi !"

Chronique entière ici :
http://leden-des-reves.blogspot.fr/20...

[Heather Burns-Schmidtke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent read for the pre-teen boy who wants fantasy and adventure with creatures galore and a splash of magic and mayhem. Characters are well written if a little dramatic and overblown at times. The witch's could have used a little more dialogue with the characters for being such a large part of the plot but it worked.
I would recommend this for my pre-teen readers and the series in general for all libraries.
I read this as an ARC through netgalley.com for an honest review.

[Vlad-Lompaleur · Rating 5 out of 5]

not bad ç_^