The Revenge of Magic

The Revenge of Magic #1

by James Riley

When long-dead magical creatures are discovered all around the world, each buried with a book of magic, only children can unlock the dangerous power of the books in this start to a thrilling new series from the author of the New York Times bestselling Story Thieves!

Thirteen years ago, books of magic were discovered in various sites around the world alongside the bones of dragons. Only those born after “Discovery Day” have the power to use the magic.

Now, on a vacation to Washington, DC, Fort Fitzgerald’s father is lost when a giant creature bursts through the earth, attacking the city. Fort is devastated, until an opportunity for justice arrives six months later, when a man named Dr. Opps invites Fort to a government run school, the Oppenheimer School, to learn magic from those same books.

But life’s no easier at the school, where secrets abound. What does Jia, Fort’s tutor, know about the attacks? Why does Rachel, master of destructive magic, think Fort is out to destroy the school? And why is Fort seeing memories of an expelled girl every time he goes to sleep? If Fort doesn’t find out what’s hiding within the Oppenheimer School, more attacks will come, and this time, nothing will stop them!

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Magic, Fiction, Adventure, Young Adult, Childrens

416 pages, Hardcover

First published March 5, 2019

Reviews

[Daniel Shellenbarger · Rating 3 out of 5]

After tearing through James Riley's delightful and oft-hilarious Story Thieves and Half Upon A Time books, I was super-excited to see that he had a third series starting up and got a copy of the Revenge of Magic from the library ASAP. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to its predecessors for me. My biggest problem with the story was that it felt very VERY rote. The story twists and the character arcs practically wrote themselves and the adult characters were all boringly stereotypical. I will say that the opening few chapters concerning Fort (short for Forsythe) and his father and the initial attack was very effective as a set up and Riley's depiction of Fort's subsequent grief and depression feels very genuine. However what followed felt like a terribly generic mash-up of Ender's Game (dog-eat-dog military school for kids who are humanity's only chance against invaders), Harry Potter (school for magic with professors keeping secrets and giving kids impossible tasks and a quest to find all the magical McGuffins), and Lovecraft (well, I mean, the invaders are ancient magic entities of unspeakable power from another dimension with horrific tentacled-bodies who call themselves the "Old Ones," not to put too fine a point on it but that's practically ripped straight from the Cthulhu Mythos). I couldn't decide whether Riley didn't go dark enough or light enough, but I really didn't much care for the emotional attitude of the story. It's not generally fun or funny like his previous books and thus doesn't really feel like a comic adventure fantasy but after an evocative opening it pulls its punches so that a lot of the danger and tragedy feel kind of over-blown (a giant monster sent by unknown attackers devastates the mall in DC and only one guy gets killed?) and it even undermines THAT with revelations later in the story, which means that it doesn't really feel like a horror/revenge thriller, which is probably deliberate, and makes me wonder if it would've done better if he'd wrote this as a darker story for a more mature audience, but this is clearly aimed at middle grade. Without the opportunities for the clever humor that is Riley's strong point or effective horror/revenge themes, what's left is just generic. Not badly written mind you, but also very forgettable.

[Ainsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

YES YES YES YES YES

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Revenge of Magic by James Riley, 400 pages. Aladdin (Simon), 2019. $18.

Language: G(0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (some danger, some fighting)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Fort and his father are visiting the Lincoln Memorial when terrible forces attack and a giant hand drags his father into the underground. After six months of living in a funk, Fort gets an invitation to a very special school – a government-run school to learn magic from books that were unearthed just about 13 years ago. The leaders of the school don’t seem to want Fort there, setting impossible goals for him, but Fort is not only determined to succeed and also uncover the secrets he knows the school is hiding.

Kudos James Riley for the beginning of another Riley is building a great collection of fantasy staples for any elementary or middle school library. If you have Brandon Mull, you also need James Riley!

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...

[TJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Revenge of Magic was a fast paced, captivating, action packed read that I couldn't put down for more than 10 mintues.

I can't wait to start The Last Dragon

[Keefe Sencen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good... I'm so descriptive...

[Ceciliasophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fort und sein Vater befinden sich gerade am Lincoln Memorial, als plötzlich die Erde aufreißt und furchtbare Monster sich ihren Weg nach oben bahnen. Mit Schrecken kann Fort nur dabei zusehen, wie sein Vater in die Tiefe gerissen wird. Voller Trauer lebt er ab dann bei seiner Tante bis vor der Tür ein Mann und ein Mädchen stehen, die Fort Unglaubliches erzählen. Es gibt magiebegabte Kinder, die in einem Internat ausgebildet werden und Fort soll eines dieser Kinder sein!

Der Klappentext klang so interessant, dass ich das Buch wirklich verschlungen habe, sobald es bei mir war.
Der Beginn nahm mich auch wirklich sehr mit. Sehr stimmungsvoll wird der Verlust von Forts Vater für ihn beschrieben, die eine wirklich tolle Bindung zueinander haben. Nach diesen ersten Seiten war ich wirklich absolut begeistert und freute mich auf den weiteren Verlauf. Ich inhalierte die Geschichte quasi innerhalb kürzester Zeit.
Die Charaktere gefielen mir gut. Fort war zwar oftmals sehr verbohrt und starrköpfig, doch hatte stets Unterstützung von tollen Freunden.
Auch wenn der Protagonist in diesem Buch männlich ist, so waren doch die begabtesten Schüler des Internats alles wirklich interessante Mädchen. Das fiel mir beim Lesen wirklich sehr positiv auf.
Das Magiesystem gefiel mir richtig gut, ich hätte gerne noch mehr über dieses gelernt. Denn auch wenn es interessant war, so blieben mir am Ende doch ein paar Fragen zu viel offen. Ich werde mich wohl oder übel bis zum zweiten Teil gedulden müssen.
Für die angegebene Zielgruppe ab 10 Jahren fand ich das Buch wirklich etwas zu brutal. In meinen Augen wäre die Deklaration als Jugend- und nicht Kinderbuch deutlich besser gewesen. Ich habe die Geschichte wirklich genießen können und hatte große Freude an dem Buch, doch Szenen, in denen Kinder anderen Kindern mit erheblicher Gewalt etwas antun, fand ich selber nicht allzu prickelnd.
Insgesamt mochte ich die Geschichte wirklich gerne, doch ein paar Klischees waren mir dann doch zu viel – vor allem die Gruppe von Kindern/Jugendlichen, die die Welt retten, weil die Erwachsenen – mal wieder! – nicht im Stande sind.
Dennoch mochte ich den Schreibstil des Autors gerne und auch die Wendungen in der Geschichte, sowie das Worldbuilding. Von daher bin ich sehr gespannt auf den zweiten Teil und werde mir bis zur Veröffentlichung von diesem die anderen Bücher des Autors einmal genauer ansehen!

[Nicole M. Hewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction

This book is filled with action and adventure right from the very start, and I flew through it! The story follows Fort, who witnesses his father’s death when a giant claw reaches up through the ground and pulls him under. When he’s offered the chance to learn magic and get revenge on those responsible, he jumps at it. But he soon discovers that things aren’t as simple as they seem and there are lots of people at his new school hoping he’ll fail. And, of course, that makes us root for him even harder, knowing that his teachers have put him up against practically impossible odds. Throughout the story, we get clues about the mysterious voice in Fort’s head and what happened in the past that caused the attack that killed Fort’s father. Riley does a fantastic job of spooling out the details so you want to keep reading. This is middle grade fantasy at its best!

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

[Jenn (Jenn’s Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5
Super great read!! Loved the world building, the magic system, and the plot overall. It was so action packed!!!! I need to get my hands on the next one STAT.

[Kaitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, quick read. I read it in two days, my 11 year old finished it in three. It's not my favorite magic lore... But I still enjoyed it, and would recommend it to young fantasy fans.

[Das Bücherwunderland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vor erst möchte ich mich beim PLANET! Verlag und bei die Plattform NetGalley für das Rezensionsexemplar bedanken. Meine Meinung würde aber nicht beeinflusst!

Wie immer Fange ich mit dem Cover an und ich muss echt sagen ich liebe es. Nicht nur von der Action die es ausstrahlt, sondern es ist eine Szene aus dem Buch. Hallo wie cool ist das den bitte. Es versteht sich von selbst warum ich das Buch lesen wollte. Es lag aber auch an den Klappentext der nur so vor potenzial einer tollen magischen Action reichen Story verspricht. Der Schreibstil von James Riley ist sehr angenehm zu lesen. Man kommt schnell durch das Buch wie ich finde das liegt an der Spannung die bis zum Ende aufrecht gehalten wird es macht süchtig.

Ich wusste schon vom Klappentext das mir diese Buch gefallen wird ich weiß nicht, warum aber es ist einfach so. Die erste Szene die man liest ist das Fort und sein Vater Washington erkunden als auf einmal Riesenkralle aus dem Boden steigt welche einen Riesen angrifft, verübt dabei passiert etwas tragisches Forts Vater wird in die Tiefe gerissen. Das Buch startet also mit viel Action und man lernt Fort in einen emotionellen Moment da er eben und eher währenddessen sein Vater verliert.
zu Anfang ist fort verschlossen was aber auch nachvollziehbar ist ich wusste nicht wie ich mich verhalten wurde, wenn mir das passieren würde. Er lebt jetzt erstmal bei seiner Tante, die leicht überfordert, mit dem ganzen ist aber versucht ihm alles recht zumachen das er sich bei ihr wohlfühlt. Nach einer Zeit taucht ein gewisser Dr. Opps auf er ist der einer schule für besondere Kinder die dort lernen, mit Hilfe von Magie und Zaubersprüchen gegen Monster zu kämpfen. Und genau dort wird Fort zur Schule gehen, denn der Angriff hatte seine Wurzeln viel weiter zurückliegt wie man denkt. Auf der Schule lernt er viele Leute kennen möchte sich aber erstmal auf die Schule konzentrieren, um Zaubersprüche zu lernen. Ihm werden während dessen einginge Steine in den weg gelegt und es scheint so, dass es in dem ganzen mehr Geheimnisse gibt als gedacht. Wie eben gesagt lernt er dort neue Leute kennen einer davon ist Cyrus, welchen ich von Anfang an super sympathisch von und direkt ins Herz-geschlossen habe. Was ich am meisten an ihn möchte war einfach seine witzige Art durch ihn musste ich öfters schmunzeln. Da sind noch zwei die ich wegen ihren starken Persönlichkeiten und ihrer Cleverness super möchte, und zwar sind das Rachel und Jia. Alle Charaktere sind super ausgearbeitet keiner wirkt blass oder nur wie eine Marionette sie wirken glaubhaft und real. Selbst neben Charaktere sind echt glaubhaft dargestellt jeder von ihnen spiel seine Rolle perfekt. Als ich das Buch beendet habe wusste ich das es eins meiner Lieblings Bücher ist ich finde die Idee und die Geschichte hinter der Magie und die Monster einfach großartig. Denn es steckt viel viel mehr hinter allem wie es zuerst scheint. Die Spannung war immer da und fesselt einfach und auch das mysteriöse an diesem Buch war einfach klasse.

Fazit:
Ich möchte die Idee die Charaktere und das Setting ich war von der ersten Seite an Mitte drin und wollte einfach nicht aufhören diese Buch macht süchtig und ich freue mich schon auf den 2 Band der Reihe. Von mir gibt es eine lese Empfehlung!!

[Mark Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been six months since the attack on Washington, D.C. Six months since Forsythe “Fort” Fitzgerald’s world was turned upside down when a giant creature comes up from the ground and destroys many of the monuments there, killing his father in the process. In that time, one thought has kept Fort moving forward – the desire for revenge.

One day, Fort is surprised to be visited by the representatives of a school for magic. Thirteen years ago, four magic books were found and only those born after they were discovered can read and use them. When Fort is offered a chance to study at this school, he jumps on it, figuring this is a chance to learn something to help him extract his revenge. However, not everything at the school is what it seems. Can Fort learn what people are hiding from him? Or will he be kicked out before that happens?

Since this is the first in the series, there is some world building that happens here. However, it is mixed into the story so well that it never really slows things down. It borrows a few fantasy tropes, but it mixes them up in such a way that it makes you forget where you might have seen them before. The characters have layers to them, and, while they feel developed for a first book in a new series, I suspect we will be seeing much more depth to them as the series progresses. The story moves forward quickly, and I never wanted to put it down. This is a little darker and has less humor than James Riley’s earlier series, but it isn’t really that dark. I’m intrigued by the threads left dangling at the end of this book and can’t wait to see where things go next. Pick this book up today so you won’t be left behind on this magical ride.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more than I did. There were a couple of problems that got in the way for me.
1. There was too much yelling. I listened to the audiobook, and the reader was actually yelling and the editor failed to equalize it, leading to a very jarring experience. But every time the reader yelled, it was because the text explicitly stated that the main character was doing so. I may not have noticed it without the audiobook, but it was literally the way the main character responded to anything even remotely undesirable.
2. It falls too neatly into a common trap for middle grade/young adult stories. Because the expected audience is young, all major plot-furthering action must done by a character the same age. And in order to accomplish this, the main character must do stupid things, despite repeated, though cryptic warnings by adults. Supposedly the adults in question are withholding information because they are concerned what the characters will do with it, but by not telling them anything, the characters just do their own thing anyway. And despite the adults being right, everything turns out great in the end, because the main character is just that stubborn
Overall, it was still and interesting story, but I'm not sure how excited I am to read the next book.

[Beth Mendelsohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this e-ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
The Revenge of Magic is the latest series from author James Riley. Twelve-year-old Forsythe, or Fort, is visiting the Lincoln Memorial with his father when the unimaginable happens! Monsters the size of dinosaurs erupt from the earth. Fort hears a girl’s voice in his head telling him to run but he resists, refusing to leave without his father. Fort’s father is dragged underground by one of the enormous creatures and Fort is compelled to leave by the voice in his head.
Fast forward six months later, Fort is living with his aunt, feeling withdrawn and miserable. Fort receives a visit from Dr. Opps, the headmaster of a school that his aunt found for him. Fort learns that the government has unearthed 2 magical books and he has been invited to attend the government school to learn magic. Fort want to learn magic so that he can avenge his father. But some do not want him at the school and there are many secrets. Will Fort learn enough magic before the monsters return?
This book is great ride from start to finish. I had not read the other 2 series by Riley but The Revenge of Magic is aimed at the same target audience. I would recommend this new series for grade 3 and up.
#TheRevengeOfMagic #Edelweiss

[Ariel · Rating 1 out of 5]

A resounding MEH. This is a mish mash of SF and fantasy. There are alien critters invading the earth. But the only way to fight them is with magical books of power that can only be read by kids which all appeared the same day as the alien critters. Our hero is uniquely angry at the critters for grabbing his father before they disappeared. Anyway, there's a school for kids with nascent magical powers where our hero winds up. Then it turns out the aliens gave us magic back in the day and then took it back because we weren't docile enough. Confusing story, borrows from every formerly successful children's fantasy or SF you can think of, and the world building is not great either. But what I really didn't like about it is...no character development. Everyone remains the same cardboard cut-out figures they were at the beginning: smirking bullies, badass warrior chicks, angry, self-righteous heroes, etc.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Monsters, magic, mystery... what else does a reader require? possibly some believability. Too far-fetched, too anti-government, too full of stereotypes. Also, a not-unexpected start to a new series, so an unsatisfactory ending.

[Salma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y'all I actually can't wait for this 😁😁

[Lieblingsleseplatz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Das Cover hat mich im ersten Moment an Percy Jackson erinnert – und damit neugierig gemacht. Der Klappentext deutet mehr auf Harry Potter hin… Allerdings entwickelt sich dieses Buch schnell in eine ganz andere Richtung…

Forsythe Fitzgerald – genannt Fort – will eigentlich nur einen schönen Ausflug mit seinem Vater machen, als sich sein Leben durch das Auftauchen eines furchterregenden Monsters und dem gleichzeitigen Verschwindens seines Vaters sein Leben komplett auf den Kopf gestellt wird. Er hat diesen schrecklichen Tag noch gar nicht richtig verarbeitet als er auf ein Internat gehen soll, das sich angeblich auf traumatisierte Kinder spezialisiert hat. Doch schnell stellt sich heraus, das diese sich auf was ganz anderes spezialisiert hat…

„Ein klein bisschen Mühe hätten sie sich schon geben können, um diesen Ort hübsch zu zaubern, oder etwa nicht? Vielleicht mit ein paar lebenden Porträtgemälden oder sich bewegeneden Treppen oder so?“
S.71
In Dr. Oppenheimers Internat lernen Kinder mit Magie umzugehen – Magie, die nur Kinder anwenden können.
Fort trifft dort auf neue Freunde und interessante Weggefährten. Wie Cyrus, der in die Zukunft sehen kann. Meistens jedenfalls… oder die sehr von sich überzeugte Rachel die es mehr mit handfester Verteidigung hat. Oder Jia, die viel zu viel verbirgt. Aber da ist sie nicht die Einzige. Der Schulleiter und das Militär haben noch viel gefährlichere Geheimnisse vor ihren Schülern…

Ein interessanter Plot, bei dem ich mir nicht sicher bin ob die Bösen wirklich nur böse sind, oder einfach nur wütend, dass die Menschen so dumm sind… Das mit der Magie und deren Anwendung ist nicht ganz durchdacht. Hier finden sich doch kleine Widersprüche im Text. Aber das Gesamtpaket stimmt. Die Sprache ist zeitgemäß und die Geschichte liest sich einfach so in einem Rutsch weg. Der Spannungsbogen ist ideal aufgebaut. Das Ende ist natürlich wie bei einem Reihenauftakt üblich recht offen gehalten, aber der Band zufriedenstellend in sich stimmig. Ich hatte wirklich sehr viel Spaß beim Lesen!
Harry Potter meets Stranger things

Der Verlag empfiehlt das Buch ab 10. Zu Beginn kann ich dem auch gut zustimmen. Da ist es echt noch mehr Harry Potter – doch gerade gegen Ende hin wird es mehr Stranger Things und schon ganz schön gruselig. Also eher 12jährige Leser und aufwärts – oder hartgesottene 10jährige ;-) Die Protagonisten sind 13 Jahre und aufwärts – also auch super auch für ältere Magiebegeisterte prima geeignet!
Ein tolles Leseabenteuer – ich vergebe gerne 5 von 5 Lieblingslesesessel – die kleinen Unstimmigkeiten fallen gegen den Lese-Spaß nicht ins Gewicht. Ich freue mich wirklich sehr auf die Fortsetzung von GIGANTEN!

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

I have to say, usually I have a pretty good idea of (overall) where a story is going or how it's going to end. But this is one of the few books I've read in which I really did not know where it was going. Overall gist? Yes. But I was constantly surprised and impressed -- the plot and characters kept me guessing (in a good way, not in a "I'm way too confused to figure this out" or "these characters aren't acting in a consistent manner" way). I felt pretty much everything was justified, and while I didn't 100% connect with all the characters or feel they were 100% developed, overall I was thoroughly impressed. Each chapter presented me with a new surprise that kept me intrigued, but not in an annoying cliffhanger way. And, especially for a middle grade book, it was refreshing that the plot never felt dummied down or too simplistic or predictable.

While we've seen a school for powers/magic before, the rest of this plot felt super unique and original, especially in the details. Almost a Harry Potter meets Arrival (the Amy Adams movie) meets... gosh, I don't know what! Not in tone, per say, but in concept.

Overall this is fairly tame compared to a lot of the older Middle Grade books out there. But there are some sad themes (losing family members, though it's not dwelled on too intensely), and some kinda disturbing moments that pretty much verge on torture. Again, it's not necessarily inappropriate, but it would likely be too much for more sensitive readers. It's dealt with, I think, well, and is given the weight it needed (instead of thrown in for drama but never intellectually or emotionally explored).

So yeah, overall, I was thoroughly surprised and impressed and am eager to start the second book!

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was different than I expected. More creepy than the Story Thieves series, it felt more along the lines of sci-fi than fantasy, to be honest. Sure, there's "magic", but also alien-tentacle creatures, telepathy, and government secrets. So it really wasn't what I thought I was getting into at first, but that's okay. Fort (the main character) is sort of flat. Yes, he wants revenge, but really that's all there is of him in this book, and that was a bit of a let down because I was expecting another Owen Conners. I think this series has a lot of very interesting places it could go, but is definitely more, shall we say, threatening than previous books by this author that I have read. Otherwise, this book is obviously a set-up book for the things to come, so the rest will most probably be better. I'm looking forward to it.

[Ashley Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

A really easy and quick book. I’d suggest a slightly older middle grade range for this considering there are a few scenes that may be scary or disturbing to a very young middle grade audience (nothing super graphic but still enough to ponder).

Examples of this: loss of family members. Reanimating the heart of a dead cow. Inflicting pain on an enemy as it continues to cry out in pain. Etc.

I wasn’t really invested or interested until the later half of the book. At that point I wanted to know more about the books and spells. Cyrus is my favourite character so far but I’m hoping to see more of the others in the rest of the series.

I’ll continue it and see how I feel. For now I’ll give the second book a shot and see where this story goes.

[Blue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Want to see more...

Bookstagram

Website

The friendship in The Revenge of Magic was adorable, honest and makes the character relatable.

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I NEED THE NEXT ONE RIGHT NOW!!

[Audrey Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was very good, sometimes it was harder to remember what happened before because so much hapened throughout the book. it also ended on a cliffhanger so i guess i'll have to read the next one.😊

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantasy novels remain perennially popular among young readers as well as older readers. I have a special fondness for them myself. At the same time, I've read enough of them that sometimes the plot lines tend to overlap and even blend. It's always refreshing to come across a book that that is creatively different in terms of plot and characters. James Riley's new The Revenge of Magic combines flawed characters with a refreshingly different plot line. I'm more than eager to see where the story goes in the next volume.



Fort is heartbroken after his father is captured and taken underground by a giant creature. He blames himself for not being able to save him. But a voice in his head had told him to run and taken control of him, and after fighting it off the first time, he was unable to make it back to help his father. When he is offered a chance to learn magic to defend against such creatures, he leaps at the chance to attend the Oppenheimer School. But when he arrives at the campus, he's startled to realize that it's on a military base and the soldiers seem more on guard against him than ready to protect him. He quickly realizes that their are many secrets floating around, including his own presence. Learning magic turns out to be much harder than he expected and he isn't even learning the kind of magic he's interested in. When it becomes clear that there's a plot to send him away, he determines to fight to stay. When he starts experiencing the memories of a girl that no one will speak of, he's puzzled by their connection and what she has to do with the original attacks. Eventually, he realizes that he needs to find this girl or he may never get answers to his questions.

A fascinating concept and world well-developed into a compelling story of secrets, magic, and revenge. Riley's created a fascinating new magical story that middle grade readers are bound to enjoy reading.

[Aeicha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thirteen years ago, on a day now known as Discover Day, the bones of magical creatures guarding magical books were discovered. Six months ago a horrific monster emerged from the ground and attacked Washington, DC, killing Fort’s father. Now Fort finds himself a student at a very top-secret school run by Dr. Oppenheimer. At this school, kids born after Discovery Day are taught to harness the magic found within the strange books. Fort soon learns that magic is more complicated than he thought and for every answer he finds even more questions pop up.

The Revenge Of Magic is book one in James Riley’s exciting new middle-grade series. Fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, and adventure all collide in The Revenge Of Magic, as James Riley takes readers on a twisty, turny thrill ride!

From the magical spells found within the books to the creatures from below and their spine-tingling masters, The Revenge Of Magic is chock full of cinematic and innovative fantasy/sci-fi elements sure to excite and impress. Once at the school, Fort slams into one mystery after another- mysteries about the attack, mysteries about his peers, mysteries about the school itself – and these clever, twisted mysteries will keep young readers riveted until the very last page. Riley fills The Revenge Of Magic with capable, engaging young characters. From stubborn Fort; witty Rachel; determined Jia; endearing Cyrus; and more, there are plenty of characters for readers to admire, laugh with, and root for.

Fast-paced, smartly written, and a lot of fun, The Revenge Of Magic is thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end, and epic battles, shocking reveals, and captivating new quests will leave readers wanting more!

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great start to a new middle grade fantasy series!

At first, I thought I could predict what would happen in this book. It reminded me of Rick Riordan stories, where there is a big event that happens to the main character, causing them to find their mysterious powers. However, I couldn’t have predicted the rest of the story!

This story was so exciting. There was a lot more to the story than what happened in this book. There were events leading up to the monster attack at the beginning of the story, which we just learn a little about at the end. It was just a taste of some world building, which I’m so excited to read about!

I loved this story, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Gmr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right from the start, the story grabs you by the heart and doesn't let go.

What happens when the world we know is shaken to its core? What happens when we push people too far? They fight back for all their worth. They avenge those that were unjustly taken. They try to resist the darkness of revenge that is creeping into their soul like a thief in the night...but how long they can hold out, remains to be seen. Seriously, there is SO MUCH TO LOVE here, and it's just the beginning! Oh and I don't blame Fitz for leaning towards the "dark side", after all...his father, and that whole situation with his aunt, is a bit much for anyone to take.

The story is well written, the action will keep you on the edge of your seat, but the heart at the center of it all binds it together into SUCH A GREAT READ.


**ARC received for review; opinions are my own

[P.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was somewhat reminiscent of the Percy Jackson series without quite the humor of Rick Riordan. I did enjoy it and will continue reading the series. My favorite character had to be Cyrus of the Clairvoyant Skill. He seemed to be more fully developed than some of the others. My one gripe is with the printing using different fonts. I understand why it was done but found it distracting.

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

December 18-19, 2019

Needed a quick read while I sit on a waiting list for so many books that will likely be the ones to welcome me into 2020.
That being said The Revenge of Magic being a J novel was still super fun.

If Harry Potter, The Lightning Thief and all the other YAs joined together.
They get sorted into groups based on affinity. There's a trio of bullies a la Malfoy and friends. There's a secret school (not camp) for people who are chosen to focus on these powers. They accept students around 11-12 years of age.
All very cute and a good read.

One comment - the fonts. It really helped to distinguish characters and narrative voices but oy.

Cute book, don't know if I'll continue the series but I wish the best to Fort friends in what will inevitably be a messy adventure.

2019
The Bear and the Nightingale
The Hazel Wood
Olivia Twist
To Kill a Kingdom
Save the Date
Ever the Hunted
The Fortune Teller
The Empress
Thunderhead
Heart of Iron
The Reluctant Queen
The Night Gardener
Stealing Snow
The Price Guide to the Occult
Space Opera - DNF :(
The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1: The Apocalypse Suite
Ink and Bone
The Sisters of the Winter Wood
The Star-Touched Queen
Courting Darkness - DNF :(
The Hidden Power of F*cking Up
Girls Made of Snow and Glass
Magic of Blood and Sea
The Second Mountain
A Curse So Dark and Lonely
All Systems Red
My Sister, the Serial Killer
The Wicked King
Artificial Condition
Animal Farm
Archenemies
By Light Alone
The Queen of Sorrow
Little Darlings
The Psychology of Time Travel
Yiddish for Pirates
The Chef's Secret
The Starless Sea
The Revenge of Magic
Orhan's Inheritance

[Emperor Ember · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had read Story Thieves by this author before and didn’t really enjoy it, but I kept seeing this book so I decided to try reading it, and it was actually pretty good.