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Emily and the Spellstone: A Middle Grade Fantasy for Kids (Ages 10-12) Where a Quiet Girl Becomes a Magical Hero
Emily picks up a stone that looks like a cell phone but has unexpected magical powers. It's a Spellstone! Now that she has become an unwilling Stonemaster—one who wields the power of the Stone—she has to figure out Spellstone technology fast if she is to survive a hair-raising adventure among giant dogs, demons, clones, mean girls, and deeply wicked people who want the Stone. A witty tale of a quiet girl who discovers she's a hero when she needs to be. Stonemasters rule!
288 pages, Hardcover
First published June 13, 2017
1 person is currently reading
171 people want to read
About the author
Michael Rubens
9 books110 followersMichael Rubens is the author of the novels The Sheriff of Yrnameer, Sons of the 613, The Bad Decisions Playlist, and Emily and the Spellstone (June 2017). He is a correspondent and producer for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, and has previously produced for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. His writing has also appeared in places like The New Yorker Daily Shouts, Salon, and McSweeney's. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, to help alleviate that area's critical shortage of writers and producers.
Michael is represented by John Silbersack at Trident Media Group.
PS It's pronounced "YUR-nuh-meer."
PPS I'm sure the book "Baking to Get Baked" is a fine publication and all, but while I share the same name as one of the authors, he and I are not (at least to my knowledge) the same person. Meaning, you can contact me for advice on how to make your weed brownies, but be aware that I don't even know how to make regular brownies so any counsel I provide should therefore be regarded with skepticism.
Michael is represented by John Silbersack at Trident Media Group.
PS It's pronounced "YUR-nuh-meer."
PPS I'm sure the book "Baking to Get Baked" is a fine publication and all, but while I share the same name as one of the authors, he and I are not (at least to my knowledge) the same person. Meaning, you can contact me for advice on how to make your weed brownies, but be aware that I don't even know how to make regular brownies so any counsel I provide should therefore be regarded with skepticism.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
February 24, 2025
Very interesting book…(I read this book like 4 yrs ago…)
I actually had to think really hard about this to guess the plot!
That one page was CRAZY…
I loved this book 😆
I actually had to think really hard about this to guess the plot!
That one page was CRAZY…
I loved this book 😆
September 23, 2017
Laugh-out-loud, smart, creative, action-packed, middle-grade adventure!
Emily and the Spellstone claims to be a middle grade novel, but there is wit enough to capture and captivate an older audience as well.
I read this with my 10-year-old daughter and we were constantly rolling over, laughing like crazy! Throughout the day we would quote both Emily and Gorgo -- each clever in his/her own right. Emily's matter-of-fact, reluctant to be involved in any kind of adventure, slightly sarcastic, slightly critical, slightly negative, but ready-to-step-up-when-needed personality combined with Gorgo's bubbly, entertaining, over-the-top hilarious, morally dubious, but inherently helpful personality (or do you say demon-ality?) bring to life a wonderful, creative, witty, entertaining, original adventure!
I received a copy of this book from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Emily and the Spellstone claims to be a middle grade novel, but there is wit enough to capture and captivate an older audience as well.
I read this with my 10-year-old daughter and we were constantly rolling over, laughing like crazy! Throughout the day we would quote both Emily and Gorgo -- each clever in his/her own right. Emily's matter-of-fact, reluctant to be involved in any kind of adventure, slightly sarcastic, slightly critical, slightly negative, but ready-to-step-up-when-needed personality combined with Gorgo's bubbly, entertaining, over-the-top hilarious, morally dubious, but inherently helpful personality (or do you say demon-ality?) bring to life a wonderful, creative, witty, entertaining, original adventure!
I received a copy of this book from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 14, 2017
*Copy received from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review*
Emily finds what she thinks is an ordinary stone on the beach. What she soon finds out is this stone is actually a supernatural phone that dials straight into adventure!
Here's what I think: it was an entertaining book and I really liked the message about friendship, but the first half was really slow. I think MG adventure books need to have a good pacing, and I'm not sure if I would have continued reading if I was 10 or 11. The second half was fun and interesting, and I enjoyed the ending. The puns were a bit youngish for me, but I think the target audience might enjoy it.
Emily finds what she thinks is an ordinary stone on the beach. What she soon finds out is this stone is actually a supernatural phone that dials straight into adventure!
Here's what I think: it was an entertaining book and I really liked the message about friendship, but the first half was really slow. I think MG adventure books need to have a good pacing, and I'm not sure if I would have continued reading if I was 10 or 11. The second half was fun and interesting, and I enjoyed the ending. The puns were a bit youngish for me, but I think the target audience might enjoy it.
August 9, 2017
Why did I read this?
For this quote:
"Adventure, she had learned, was an adult code word that actually meant 'disruption and discomfort and change,' none of which Emily was partial too."
A good adult book.
Not sure actual kids will like it.
For this quote:
"Adventure, she had learned, was an adult code word that actually meant 'disruption and discomfort and change,' none of which Emily was partial too."
A good adult book.
Not sure actual kids will like it.
May 22, 2017
Quite The Novel Idea ~ Words from the Clouds
If I had to choose one word to describe this book, it would be amusing. Either that or charming. It's everything a middle grade fantasy book should be at its core. Fun, charming, exciting, amusing,... And while I enjoyed it very much, I found that it lacked that little extra that would have made it amazing.
Emily and the Spellstone is about the twelve-year-old Emily, a girl that hates adventures. One day when she visits the beach with her family, she finds a cellphone. Only, it's not a cellphone. It's a magical stone. And by picking it up, she has become a stonemaster. Soon Emily is swept up in one of the adventures she never wanted to have, fighting off evil monsters, wicked people that want the stone and befriending a demon. And all that while fending off mean girls at school and avoiding her parents finding out about any of it.
I really enjoy Michael Rubens' writing a lot. He has such a nice writing style with so much humor that's easy to get into. I loved his YA book The Bad Decisions Playlist so I was eager to check out this one and for the most part, it did not disappoint. I loved the overall story and the dynamics between Emily and the demon Gorgo, who was just so very amusing. I loved their banter and their growing friendship. And I loved the friendship that blossomed between Emily and Angela. I also liked the message the book sent.
The story, while exciting and kind of original in some parts, did wrap up a bit easily for me, but it's Middle Grade so I guess I can forgive it for that? The villains seemed a bit... easily defeated. And while the ending was left open just enough for a possible sequel, I don't like that even if it's a standalone, it just ended up basically in the same spot where we started. With just a few details changed. It went back to the status quo instead of raising the stakes a bit. I know, I know, middle grade. But I think we should encourage middle grade fantasy where the stakes are a bit higher.
Also her parents were just... kind of... there. If they'd been left out completely, nothing would have changed. That is something that irritates me more in MG than in YA. And it irritates me A LOT in YA. But in MG the protagonists are even younger so WHUT ARE YOU DOING PARENTS? Seriously. I never could have gotten away with any of this at twelve years old. Never.
All in all, Emily and the Spellstone was a very amusing and charming story that I really enjoyed despite my issues with it overall. if you're a fan of Middle Grade Fantasy, I highly encourage picking it up.
If I had to choose one word to describe this book, it would be amusing. Either that or charming. It's everything a middle grade fantasy book should be at its core. Fun, charming, exciting, amusing,... And while I enjoyed it very much, I found that it lacked that little extra that would have made it amazing.
Emily and the Spellstone is about the twelve-year-old Emily, a girl that hates adventures. One day when she visits the beach with her family, she finds a cellphone. Only, it's not a cellphone. It's a magical stone. And by picking it up, she has become a stonemaster. Soon Emily is swept up in one of the adventures she never wanted to have, fighting off evil monsters, wicked people that want the stone and befriending a demon. And all that while fending off mean girls at school and avoiding her parents finding out about any of it.
I really enjoy Michael Rubens' writing a lot. He has such a nice writing style with so much humor that's easy to get into. I loved his YA book The Bad Decisions Playlist so I was eager to check out this one and for the most part, it did not disappoint. I loved the overall story and the dynamics between Emily and the demon Gorgo, who was just so very amusing. I loved their banter and their growing friendship. And I loved the friendship that blossomed between Emily and Angela. I also liked the message the book sent.
The story, while exciting and kind of original in some parts, did wrap up a bit easily for me, but it's Middle Grade so I guess I can forgive it for that? The villains seemed a bit... easily defeated. And while the ending was left open just enough for a possible sequel, I don't like that even if it's a standalone, it just ended up basically in the same spot where we started. With just a few details changed. It went back to the status quo instead of raising the stakes a bit. I know, I know, middle grade. But I think we should encourage middle grade fantasy where the stakes are a bit higher.
Also her parents were just... kind of... there. If they'd been left out completely, nothing would have changed. That is something that irritates me more in MG than in YA. And it irritates me A LOT in YA. But in MG the protagonists are even younger so WHUT ARE YOU DOING PARENTS? Seriously. I never could have gotten away with any of this at twelve years old. Never.
All in all, Emily and the Spellstone was a very amusing and charming story that I really enjoyed despite my issues with it overall. if you're a fan of Middle Grade Fantasy, I highly encourage picking it up.
August 23, 2017
I LOVE this book!!! I recommend all youths read it!!!
January 15, 2018
This book was charming in a way that I think only Rubens could make work.
The humor throughout the novel is undeniably well-written; I am 25, and my range of reactions varied from snorting to cackling.
I enjoyed the "cell phone"/"spellstone" "app"/"apth" idea. When children today might be exposed to technology at younger and younger ages, it was nice to get a 12-year-old protagonist who was only able to go on an adventure once a cell phone was out of the picture.
I enjoyed Gorgo as a character. Despite not being described to a T, the reader can easily envision a giant demon who turns out to be pretty lovable.
The entire subplot with iDougie and iEmily was one of my favorite arcs in recent MG lit. Funny and clever. The doctor's office scene was very fun!
I intensely enjoyed the Venomüch family. Ridiculously despicable villains, the Venomüch family is what happens when the Addams family goes off the deep end, and they were very entertaining.
There are a few thoughts that nagged at me as I read.
Although the humor was there in abundance, I couldn't help thinking that kids might not click with the dry wit in places; due to this, I would recommend that this book be read to a child, because the parent will find it entertaining.
Without any spoilers, I will say that I wished Angela was a more dynamic character. I appreciate that she is strong and stands up for herself, but the reader hardly knows anything about her aside from the one paragraph we get of Emily and Angela getting to know one another a little, and even then the reader doesn't get to see that side of the characters. The humanization excludes us.
My last note is that I feel this entire novel would almost work better as a movie. I have a habit of reading things written by people who are used to working for TV or cinema, and there is a common theme of "directing in the head"--of micromanaging a scene so hard, that the reader kind of loses interest under the nonstop play-by-play of the characters on the page. Each movement requires attention, and it causes the story to hiccup. Sometimes brevity is better.
Thoughts aside, this was a very cute book, and would undoubtedly be a favorite of any young reluctant reader. The humor, the alternate dimensions, and the idea of a kid commanding great forces could draw in a wide audience.
The humor throughout the novel is undeniably well-written; I am 25, and my range of reactions varied from snorting to cackling.
I enjoyed the "cell phone"/"spellstone" "app"/"apth" idea. When children today might be exposed to technology at younger and younger ages, it was nice to get a 12-year-old protagonist who was only able to go on an adventure once a cell phone was out of the picture.
I enjoyed Gorgo as a character. Despite not being described to a T, the reader can easily envision a giant demon who turns out to be pretty lovable.
The entire subplot with iDougie and iEmily was one of my favorite arcs in recent MG lit. Funny and clever. The doctor's office scene was very fun!
I intensely enjoyed the Venomüch family. Ridiculously despicable villains, the Venomüch family is what happens when the Addams family goes off the deep end, and they were very entertaining.
There are a few thoughts that nagged at me as I read.
Although the humor was there in abundance, I couldn't help thinking that kids might not click with the dry wit in places; due to this, I would recommend that this book be read to a child, because the parent will find it entertaining.
Without any spoilers, I will say that I wished Angela was a more dynamic character. I appreciate that she is strong and stands up for herself, but the reader hardly knows anything about her aside from the one paragraph we get of Emily and Angela getting to know one another a little, and even then the reader doesn't get to see that side of the characters. The humanization excludes us.
My last note is that I feel this entire novel would almost work better as a movie. I have a habit of reading things written by people who are used to working for TV or cinema, and there is a common theme of "directing in the head"--of micromanaging a scene so hard, that the reader kind of loses interest under the nonstop play-by-play of the characters on the page. Each movement requires attention, and it causes the story to hiccup. Sometimes brevity is better.
Thoughts aside, this was a very cute book, and would undoubtedly be a favorite of any young reluctant reader. The humor, the alternate dimensions, and the idea of a kid commanding great forces could draw in a wide audience.
March 22, 2024
So, this is not my usual read (middle grade fantasy), but I picked it up because I love Michael Rubens' writing and I'm running out of books. While it definitely wasn't my favorite of his (that would be The Sheriff of Yrnameer), and while (again) I'm not the target audience, I still found it to be pretty fun.
Rubens writes excellent characters, which is why I keep coming back. The younger tone of this book made it a little harder to really develop those characters, and I found it harder to connect on a deeper level with anyone in the story. But, the pacing was great. It felt more like watching a movie than reading a book, action, lots of thrills, but not the deep, intimate connections that I was craving.
Which is fine, since this is a kid's book.
But, while I found the tone a little goofier than I would like, there was still a lot to enjoy. Gorgi was great (terrifying, , great) and Emily was a good, solid protagonist. (I've found that Rubens has a special talent for crafting and pairing up hapless heroes with staggeringly powerful and horrifyingly dangerous antagonists). And I liked the idea of a magic stone that's actually like a phone with apps. That was a really clever play on the magical item trope and I thought it was handled very well. The stone doesn't become a deus ex machina because it has its own rules to follow, which kept the tension tight throughout.
I think that kids would definitely dig this book. And some adult readers, too.
Oh! And how could I forget? There was a super-cool librarian in this book, too! Yay for librarians! 😍
Rubens writes excellent characters, which is why I keep coming back. The younger tone of this book made it a little harder to really develop those characters, and I found it harder to connect on a deeper level with anyone in the story. But, the pacing was great. It felt more like watching a movie than reading a book, action, lots of thrills, but not the deep, intimate connections that I was craving.
Which is fine, since this is a kid's book.
But, while I found the tone a little goofier than I would like, there was still a lot to enjoy. Gorgi was great (terrifying, , great) and Emily was a good, solid protagonist. (I've found that Rubens has a special talent for crafting and pairing up hapless heroes with staggeringly powerful and horrifyingly dangerous antagonists). And I liked the idea of a magic stone that's actually like a phone with apps. That was a really clever play on the magical item trope and I thought it was handled very well. The stone doesn't become a deus ex machina because it has its own rules to follow, which kept the tension tight throughout.
I think that kids would definitely dig this book. And some adult readers, too.
Oh! And how could I forget? There was a super-cool librarian in this book, too! Yay for librarians! 😍
June 14, 2017
Emily is convinced that her parents don't even know how old she is. It's her twelfth birthday and the birthday candle is 11 instead of 12. She is upset as she didn't eat the birthday present that she really wanted - a cell phone. Her parents said no when her older sister had to get physical therapy for her hands due to all the texting she does. She walks along the beach and discovers a stone that reminds her of a cell phone. She hides it in her pocket so her little brother doesn't get it. Being new in school as her parents moved to this new home has left her forlorned. She discovers that her special stone is more special than she thought. She discovers a demon in her spellstone. They become friends. How? When someone succeeds in stealing it, she must find a wat to save her little brother who has been kidnapped besides her stolen spellstone.
How will Emily find him? How will Emily keep her parents from knowing her brother is missing? Will she be able to get her spellstone and brother back?
This is a fun and delightful book to read even with a demon in it. The story isn't slow or boring as something is always happening. Part of it is a true adventure story. I think both boys and girls will enjoy reading it. I did! Will there be another spellstone story? I hope so!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Net-galley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
How will Emily find him? How will Emily keep her parents from knowing her brother is missing? Will she be able to get her spellstone and brother back?
This is a fun and delightful book to read even with a demon in it. The story isn't slow or boring as something is always happening. Part of it is a true adventure story. I think both boys and girls will enjoy reading it. I did! Will there be another spellstone story? I hope so!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Net-galley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
May 22, 2017
Another great children's fantastical adventure book!
I think a lot of children would identify with this book because of the interesting premise - a girl wishing for a cellphone for her birthday, finds instead an amazing magical rock that's even better. I'd be happy to trade in my cellphone for a spellstone!
I also identified with Emily's family position - her younger brother gets away with the worst mischief, while she's held to a higher accountability. At the same time, her sister gets all the privileges of being the oldest child, while Emily is treated as a kid, except for when it comes time for punishing her for losing her temper.
The book is geared towards younger readers - maybe ages 8-12, but I'm several years past that expiration date, and I highly enjoyed it too. Also, the plot didn't rely on mythology, which is getting a bit overdone these days, so it's a good change if you're getting bored of all the other Middle Grade books out there.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy though NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I think a lot of children would identify with this book because of the interesting premise - a girl wishing for a cellphone for her birthday, finds instead an amazing magical rock that's even better. I'd be happy to trade in my cellphone for a spellstone!
I also identified with Emily's family position - her younger brother gets away with the worst mischief, while she's held to a higher accountability. At the same time, her sister gets all the privileges of being the oldest child, while Emily is treated as a kid, except for when it comes time for punishing her for losing her temper.
The book is geared towards younger readers - maybe ages 8-12, but I'm several years past that expiration date, and I highly enjoyed it too. Also, the plot didn't rely on mythology, which is getting a bit overdone these days, so it's a good change if you're getting bored of all the other Middle Grade books out there.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy though NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 8, 2017
I'll admit it took me a long time to read this book. Part of the issue was I read it on my phone. Also, it started off a little slow and it was a bit hard for me to get into (her screen-obsessed older sister and totally obnoxious younger brother who is never corrected by their parents were a bit over the top). Buuut, by about halfway through I was really enjoying myself and I think it got better as the story progressed. I would love to read a sequel.
Emily is an average kid, hoping for a great twelfth birthday. She is very disappointed that she doesn't get a new phone, but instead finds a weird stone at the beach. She eventually discovers it is a magic stone, and she has become a Stonemaster. Mayhem ensues as she almost burns down her school and has to learn to master the stone to save her family and protect the stone from the bad guys.
*I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher through NetGalley*
Emily is an average kid, hoping for a great twelfth birthday. She is very disappointed that she doesn't get a new phone, but instead finds a weird stone at the beach. She eventually discovers it is a magic stone, and she has become a Stonemaster. Mayhem ensues as she almost burns down her school and has to learn to master the stone to save her family and protect the stone from the bad guys.
*I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher through NetGalley*
February 23, 2018
I enjoyed Emily and the Spellstone, however I feel as though Micheal Rubens could have made a better impression on readers if he had written form Emily's perspective. Emily is this shy girl who had a fine life until her parents up and moved the whole family to Clearview County. Here she finds an odd object that she later finds out is a Mobile Spellstone. Unless you like a twisted fantasy, multi-universe crazy story, I wouldn't recommend this book to many people. I enjoyed it because I have always loved intriguing fantasy tales like this one, even if they are a bit confusing; I always figure them out! When I picked it up, I read the back, and I thought it a bit confusing, so it made me want to figure it out. As I read the book, it started to make more sense; as it made none in the beginning. By the end, I liked it much more than at the start. I guess it just goes to show that sometimes you need to be patient with a good book before it really shows you what its got.
April 12, 2018
Emily’s 12 year old life is not going very well. She is being bullied at school, her busy family never seems to understand or listen to her, and now she is the unwilling Stonemaster of a Spellstone she finds at the beach. As life with Spellstone becomes more sinister, will she ever be to make friends in her new town or be able return to some semblance of her former peaceful obscurity?
Creatively written, Emily’s adventure has tons of kid appeal with ultra-villains to battle, gross monsters to slay and befriend, and a very real story about acceptance that resonates. Middle grade fantasy readers who like a bit of humor with their adventure may want to pick this title. Author Michael Ruebens has worked in the adult comedy world with the Daily Show, Last Week Tonight and Full Frontal With Samantha Bee. I would recommend this book for public library collections.
This book was provided by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries.
Creatively written, Emily’s adventure has tons of kid appeal with ultra-villains to battle, gross monsters to slay and befriend, and a very real story about acceptance that resonates. Middle grade fantasy readers who like a bit of humor with their adventure may want to pick this title. Author Michael Ruebens has worked in the adult comedy world with the Daily Show, Last Week Tonight and Full Frontal With Samantha Bee. I would recommend this book for public library collections.
This book was provided by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries.
July 8, 2017
Emily and the Spellstone more than just a children's book!
I read Emily and the Spellstone because I hoped it would be good and appropriate for my 7 year old grandson. He is an avid reader and was I surprised to find out that he already had read it and loved it. I finished it myself and can see why he loved it! I think mature 7-8 year olds who read well will enjoy it. It is a great book to read with a parent.You get caught up in the characters and can't stop turning pages to see what happens next. I liked the moral issues it deals with as well as teaching children about emotions and friendship. Now I want to know when there will be a sequel?
I read Emily and the Spellstone because I hoped it would be good and appropriate for my 7 year old grandson. He is an avid reader and was I surprised to find out that he already had read it and loved it. I finished it myself and can see why he loved it! I think mature 7-8 year olds who read well will enjoy it. It is a great book to read with a parent.You get caught up in the characters and can't stop turning pages to see what happens next. I liked the moral issues it deals with as well as teaching children about emotions and friendship. Now I want to know when there will be a sequel?
August 10, 2017
I bought this middle-grade novel because the author is also a writer for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. It's whimsical and funny and has the wonderfully simple but true point: be nice!
"You're not a demon?"
"Would you please? I'd prefer if you'd just think of me as a nearly immortal creature of evil intent with powers that you can't even imagine. Who can bench-press a lot."
He flexed. Emily believed him.
"You're not a demon?"
"Would you please? I'd prefer if you'd just think of me as a nearly immortal creature of evil intent with powers that you can't even imagine. Who can bench-press a lot."
He flexed. Emily believed him.
June 12, 2017
Many readers young and old will relate to Emily and her situation as it relates to family and school. Although the book had a slow and lackluster start for me; I really thought the book was going to be another boring typical genie in the lamp book, I was glad that I kept reading and finished the book. I really got into the adventure and enjoyed the book overall.
February 28, 2018
Emily and the Spellstone was such a fun book to read with my 9 and 11 year old daughters! We read a lot of books for homeschool - some of them just for fun and to stay engaged in the reading world. This story is smartly written and full of action. It kept my girls (and myself) totally engrossed from beginning to end. We will definitely be looking into more by this author!
January 1, 2018
It's a fun but ultimately shallow fantasy for the kids who really want an iPhone and instead get a demon who tries to kill them.
August 13, 2017
It was fine if I was like 10. I like teen fiction, this was for pre-teens. His other books are much better. Rubens is still a creative writer.
November 20, 2017
Uniquely creative modern magic story.
March 27, 2018
It's not a mind blowing book but it's still good. If you like adventure novels I think you should give this book a try but it may not be the best. Happy Reading!
September 25, 2018
is really good, if you like fantasy book, you will really like this book. 😊
July 27, 2019
Really good book!
September 5, 2019
very good read!! my favourite book by far!
May 27, 2020
Just couldn’t catch the flow of this one. Not for me.
July 8, 2020
It was good because it had magic in it and had many interesting qualities. There was an animal called "Dogg" and if you said "Doggg" it was a whole different animal that was a lot more vicious.
June 6, 2024
Pretty good!
December 31, 2017
Full review including teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=1...
It is obvious that Rubens writes comedy for a living. Emily’s story is a perfect mix of laugh out loud moments, puns, and crazy adventures with monsters and evil. And unlike other books this reminded me of, Rubens has created his own monsters and villains instead of using an established mythology which means it made it really hard for me to make predictions, so I was on the edge of my seat (LAUGHING along the way) the entire novel. As soon as I finished, I went on Twitter to make sure all of my middle grade teacher friends knew about this one because I think that fans of Riordan’s books are going to really enjoy this one.
It is obvious that Rubens writes comedy for a living. Emily’s story is a perfect mix of laugh out loud moments, puns, and crazy adventures with monsters and evil. And unlike other books this reminded me of, Rubens has created his own monsters and villains instead of using an established mythology which means it made it really hard for me to make predictions, so I was on the edge of my seat (LAUGHING along the way) the entire novel. As soon as I finished, I went on Twitter to make sure all of my middle grade teacher friends knew about this one because I think that fans of Riordan’s books are going to really enjoy this one.
January 23, 2018
Emily hates adventures, but when she discovers a magical stone that acts as a cellphone, she is thrown into a magical adventure that proves she is strong and resourceful against the greatest of enemies. A fiery monster named Gorgo is trapped in the Spellstone, and vows to eat Emily if he ever gets free. But Emily needs his help to defeat the nasty people who are seeking the stone's power for their own evil purposes.
I loved the wit and humor of this book! The dialogue is snappy and every new magical situation is hilariously weird. The plot is full of action and danger. The characters are beautifully written with plenty of contrast and development.
I adore Emily! She's a whiny piteous brat at the beginning, throwing a pity party for herself, and at the end she's tough and compassionate and full of confidence. Her unlikely friendships with several of the characters, and her silly relationship with her family made me laugh and cry and hug the book!
I took off one star because of the dual perspective in the writing. Some of the scenes follow the villains plotting their evil deeds, and I didn't enjoy that part of the storytelling. Changing POVs is a pet peeve of mine, and very few authors can pull it off, in my opinion. I felt like it broke up the pacing of the story, since we would be following Emily's POV, and then switch to a scene with the villains. It's not badly written; it's fine. But it is a pet peeve of mine, so I didn't like it. Other people probably wouldn't care or barely notice.
This book is an imaginative and playful adventure, bouncing with magic and absurdities!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author 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 loved the wit and humor of this book! The dialogue is snappy and every new magical situation is hilariously weird. The plot is full of action and danger. The characters are beautifully written with plenty of contrast and development.
I adore Emily! She's a whiny piteous brat at the beginning, throwing a pity party for herself, and at the end she's tough and compassionate and full of confidence. Her unlikely friendships with several of the characters, and her silly relationship with her family made me laugh and cry and hug the book!
I took off one star because of the dual perspective in the writing. Some of the scenes follow the villains plotting their evil deeds, and I didn't enjoy that part of the storytelling. Changing POVs is a pet peeve of mine, and very few authors can pull it off, in my opinion. I felt like it broke up the pacing of the story, since we would be following Emily's POV, and then switch to a scene with the villains. It's not badly written; it's fine. But it is a pet peeve of mine, so I didn't like it. Other people probably wouldn't care or barely notice.
This book is an imaginative and playful adventure, bouncing with magic and absurdities!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
February 5, 2017
What if a comedian wrote a coming of age fantasy that was tastefully ridiculous?
Well, here it is. I loved it.
Well, here it is. I loved it.
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