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Bards Of Birchtree Hall
Neala Moran knew that moving to Ireland would change her life...but she never imagined this.
From the moment she arrives, strange things start to happen - things she cannot explain.
Why did her unusual birthmark - the pale one in the shape of a leaf - start hurting the moment she touched that tree? How is a gigantic horse with glowing yellow eyes materialising from the ocean? And who is the mysterious visitor who speaks to her in her dreams calling her 'Neala Stormbringer?'
Neala also discovers a long held family secret - she is a Bard. Part-human, part-Faerie - ancient magic flows in her blood and she now must learn to control her elemental powers to discover the meaning behind her affinity with thunderstorms.
Because danger is coming...a threat that no one is prepared for.
The Otherworld - home of the Fae and other magical creatures - has been sealed off for centuries by a magical barrier known as 'The Gate.' But it will not hold forever...
The Guardians are being summoned.
Their purpose is to protect.
Will Neala risk everything to save the ones she loves? Or will she turn her back on her destiny?
Neala Moran knew that moving to Ireland would change her life...but she never imagined this.
From the moment she arrives, strange things start to happen - things she cannot explain.
Why did her unusual birthmark - the pale one in the shape of a leaf - start hurting the moment she touched that tree? How is a gigantic horse with glowing yellow eyes materialising from the ocean? And who is the mysterious visitor who speaks to her in her dreams calling her 'Neala Stormbringer?'
Neala also discovers a long held family secret - she is a Bard. Part-human, part-Faerie - ancient magic flows in her blood and she now must learn to control her elemental powers to discover the meaning behind her affinity with thunderstorms.
Because danger is coming...a threat that no one is prepared for.
The Otherworld - home of the Fae and other magical creatures - has been sealed off for centuries by a magical barrier known as 'The Gate.' But it will not hold forever...
The Guardians are being summoned.
Their purpose is to protect.
Will Neala risk everything to save the ones she loves? Or will she turn her back on her destiny?
From the moment she arrives, strange things start to happen - things she cannot explain.
Why did her unusual birthmark - the pale one in the shape of a leaf - start hurting the moment she touched that tree? How is a gigantic horse with glowing yellow eyes materialising from the ocean? And who is the mysterious visitor who speaks to her in her dreams calling her 'Neala Stormbringer?'
Neala also discovers a long held family secret - she is a Bard. Part-human, part-Faerie - ancient magic flows in her blood and she now must learn to control her elemental powers to discover the meaning behind her affinity with thunderstorms.
Because danger is coming...a threat that no one is prepared for.
The Otherworld - home of the Fae and other magical creatures - has been sealed off for centuries by a magical barrier known as 'The Gate.' But it will not hold forever...
The Guardians are being summoned.
Their purpose is to protect.
Will Neala risk everything to save the ones she loves? Or will she turn her back on her destiny?
Neala Moran knew that moving to Ireland would change her life...but she never imagined this.
From the moment she arrives, strange things start to happen - things she cannot explain.
Why did her unusual birthmark - the pale one in the shape of a leaf - start hurting the moment she touched that tree? How is a gigantic horse with glowing yellow eyes materialising from the ocean? And who is the mysterious visitor who speaks to her in her dreams calling her 'Neala Stormbringer?'
Neala also discovers a long held family secret - she is a Bard. Part-human, part-Faerie - ancient magic flows in her blood and she now must learn to control her elemental powers to discover the meaning behind her affinity with thunderstorms.
Because danger is coming...a threat that no one is prepared for.
The Otherworld - home of the Fae and other magical creatures - has been sealed off for centuries by a magical barrier known as 'The Gate.' But it will not hold forever...
The Guardians are being summoned.
Their purpose is to protect.
Will Neala risk everything to save the ones she loves? Or will she turn her back on her destiny?
402 pages, Paperback
Published November 13, 2020
About the author
Amanda Maynard-Schubert
3 books8 followersBorn and raised in the Riverland region of South Australia, Amanda is an artist and author with a passion for all things fantasy. An avid reader as a child, it was Amanda’s dream to one day write and publish her own series of books. Inspired by authors like Tamora Pierce and J.R.R. Tolkien, Amanda’s writing weaves magic, mythology and elemental mysteries to create enchanting worlds and stories. A highlight of her career so far was attending a writing retreat at Crom Castle in Ireland, hosted by Serenity Press.
A talented artist and illustrator, Amanda was named as a top-5 finalist in the 2019 Roar Success Awards for her artwork and has provided illustrations for several authors across multiple publishing houses.
A creative soul, Amanda spends much of her day with a pencil in hand - just in case inspiration strikes. Part of her unique process of writing involves sketching characters and scenes from her stories to help find the words to describe them – reverse illustrating, if you will!
When not writing or drawing, Amanda enjoys spending time in the garden with her husband and two children.
Amanda’s debut novel, The Bards of Birchtree Hall, will be released in late 2020; the first book in The Stormbringer Chronicles trilogy.
A talented artist and illustrator, Amanda was named as a top-5 finalist in the 2019 Roar Success Awards for her artwork and has provided illustrations for several authors across multiple publishing houses.
A creative soul, Amanda spends much of her day with a pencil in hand - just in case inspiration strikes. Part of her unique process of writing involves sketching characters and scenes from her stories to help find the words to describe them – reverse illustrating, if you will!
When not writing or drawing, Amanda enjoys spending time in the garden with her husband and two children.
Amanda’s debut novel, The Bards of Birchtree Hall, will be released in late 2020; the first book in The Stormbringer Chronicles trilogy.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 27, 2021
Mesmerizing!
Thinking this might be interesting for my high school students, I began the novel. Soon I was drawn into the characters and plot. This book is a non-stop page turner for readers of all ages. I can't wait to read the next one!
Thinking this might be interesting for my high school students, I began the novel. Soon I was drawn into the characters and plot. This book is a non-stop page turner for readers of all ages. I can't wait to read the next one!
March 24, 2021
The Bards of Birchtree Hall, grabbed my adventurous heart from the get go and took me on a journey of intrigue as the pages turned.
Schubert is my kind of Author, where I got to feel each characters pain, excitement and growth as I learnt more about them, and the amazing world of Bards.
CONGRATULATIONS to Amanda Shubert on her fabulous debut novel.
Cannot wait for book 2.
💛🙏🧡
Schubert is my kind of Author, where I got to feel each characters pain, excitement and growth as I learnt more about them, and the amazing world of Bards.
CONGRATULATIONS to Amanda Shubert on her fabulous debut novel.
Cannot wait for book 2.
💛🙏🧡
October 7, 2020
Neala and her mother, Dana, have left a dead farm and dead father/husband behind in Australia to start a new life in the land of Dana’s childhood - Ireland. As soon as they arrive, Neala starts getting weird dreams and visions of music and horses seem to haunt her – but its just the jetlag, right? The stress of it all?
When she’s encouraged to apply for Birchtree, a musical academy so prestigious Neala can barely even find any information about it, all the secrets start to come out. Her new friends tell her of the magic of Bards, and Dana confesses she deliberately kept all knowledge of the magic from Neala, along with the significance of Neala’s birthmark.
Despite her anger at being kept in the dark, an attempt of her life, an unbelievable rescue, and the encouragement of her friends convinces Neala to accept her place at Birchtree. Once there, more questions seem to come than answers. Semi-sentient plants, a little black fox that seem to defy all laws of magic, and Bards disappearing, only to reappear again shortly after, create questions of their own. Even with her friend, Áine’s, strange headaches an old woman entering her dreams, they all seem little more than distractions, although almost overwhelming one, or maybe precursors to something else.*
Something big is coming. Something bigger than the oddities Neala is experiencing, that threatens to break centuries-old protective barriers. And the birthmark, the old woman in her dreams, the fox, and the disappearances; they all seem to connect to it. As Neala gets deeper into the world of the Bards, book one of the Stormbringer Chronicles sets up an epic tale of clashing worlds to come, and I am all in for the sequels!
* Oh, and there are boys, which are distracting enough, but as anyone who knows me will know, that is not my field of expertise. So, I’m assuming its been done well, and moving on.
Okay, so onto the review bit. First and foremost, the TL:DR: It’s a great story, and well told. It is a debut, and some technique things will be ironed out with time, but overall it’s a fantastic entry in to the YA Fantasy world that I thoroughly enjoyed.
For anyone who’s lived in regional Australia, you’ll be able to see Amanda’s lived experience really shines in Neala. All the main characters really get the ‘genuine’ treatment, and I’m a sucker for multi-dimensional characters. Nanna is a blast, as are Torin, Áine, and Finlay. The magic system is quite unique, but not overly complicated so as to confuse – Neala is new to this too, and the author does a great job of introducing us to the world of Birchtree through Neala. As far as the plot goes, it really is setting up for something greater. There is a great story of a young girl being separated from her parents in one of the harshest ways at the start, and in an entirely foreign way when she attends Birchtree, but the (no spoilers) cliffhanger ending successfully achieves the difficult task of closing some of the mysteries of the book, while simultaneously using them to build a far greater – and more disturbing – mystery.
As an avid fantasy fan, I really enjoyed the world, the magic, and the way all the threads pulled together. I’m very appreciative of getting an early copy for review, and looking forward to the Book 2 come July 2021!
When she’s encouraged to apply for Birchtree, a musical academy so prestigious Neala can barely even find any information about it, all the secrets start to come out. Her new friends tell her of the magic of Bards, and Dana confesses she deliberately kept all knowledge of the magic from Neala, along with the significance of Neala’s birthmark.
Despite her anger at being kept in the dark, an attempt of her life, an unbelievable rescue, and the encouragement of her friends convinces Neala to accept her place at Birchtree. Once there, more questions seem to come than answers. Semi-sentient plants, a little black fox that seem to defy all laws of magic, and Bards disappearing, only to reappear again shortly after, create questions of their own. Even with her friend, Áine’s, strange headaches an old woman entering her dreams, they all seem little more than distractions, although almost overwhelming one, or maybe precursors to something else.*
Something big is coming. Something bigger than the oddities Neala is experiencing, that threatens to break centuries-old protective barriers. And the birthmark, the old woman in her dreams, the fox, and the disappearances; they all seem to connect to it. As Neala gets deeper into the world of the Bards, book one of the Stormbringer Chronicles sets up an epic tale of clashing worlds to come, and I am all in for the sequels!
* Oh, and there are boys, which are distracting enough, but as anyone who knows me will know, that is not my field of expertise. So, I’m assuming its been done well, and moving on.
Okay, so onto the review bit. First and foremost, the TL:DR: It’s a great story, and well told. It is a debut, and some technique things will be ironed out with time, but overall it’s a fantastic entry in to the YA Fantasy world that I thoroughly enjoyed.
For anyone who’s lived in regional Australia, you’ll be able to see Amanda’s lived experience really shines in Neala. All the main characters really get the ‘genuine’ treatment, and I’m a sucker for multi-dimensional characters. Nanna is a blast, as are Torin, Áine, and Finlay. The magic system is quite unique, but not overly complicated so as to confuse – Neala is new to this too, and the author does a great job of introducing us to the world of Birchtree through Neala. As far as the plot goes, it really is setting up for something greater. There is a great story of a young girl being separated from her parents in one of the harshest ways at the start, and in an entirely foreign way when she attends Birchtree, but the (no spoilers) cliffhanger ending successfully achieves the difficult task of closing some of the mysteries of the book, while simultaneously using them to build a far greater – and more disturbing – mystery.
As an avid fantasy fan, I really enjoyed the world, the magic, and the way all the threads pulled together. I’m very appreciative of getting an early copy for review, and looking forward to the Book 2 come July 2021!
September 19, 2021
An unexpected journey into the world of Fae for Neala Moran brings friends and foes along with much learning about her future as a stormbringer. She is thrown into the world of Birchtree hall to learn her craft and to control the elements of her stronger uncontrolled side. With a huge task of rescue ahead of her she must learn all she can to save her magical school and life.
Well done Amanda on your debut novel, I've heard number 2 is almost here.
Well done Amanda on your debut novel, I've heard number 2 is almost here.
March 15, 2021
I found this book to be a delight to read. Neala’s discovery of her new life and abilities, and how events unfold around her was told in such an engaging way that it was hard for me to put the book down. I’m eagerly awaiting the next one.
December 10, 2021
The Bards of Birchtree Hall by Amanda Maynard-Schubert – as number one in a trilogy it’s going to be a struggle to wait – it is the beginning of the story of Neala ‘Stormbringer’ Moran as she discovers she’s part-faerie – I fell immediately in love with this book. Neala’s voice was just so relatable, open and honest, it felt like home. Each character introduced intrigued me and the relationships felt so genuine. It’s Harry Potter in flavour but wonderfully different. The elemental nature of the magic, the importance of music and the learning styles at Birchtree are truly unique. And the ending.... An amazing book
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February 10, 2022A really magical read!
We follow Neala as she moves from Australia to Ireland with her mother. Once there she helps out her Nan and works in her cafe...however strange things start happening and Neala can't quite figure out why.
Neala begins seeing things, hearing voices, and even an old birthmark of hers starts to burn when she touches a certain tree. She does make some new friends (including a super cute little animal fox friend!) and discovers she is a Bard, part human, part faerie.
Neala and her friends start attending this kind of magical school where she meets others like her and we get some background info on what a Bard is. But all is not as it seems, there are some strange and dangerous powers at play as Neala her friends are about to find out and they'll have to work out how to deal with it together.
A creative, magical story with some detailed characters and settings. Well done!
This was sent to me by Daisy Lane Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank -you.
We follow Neala as she moves from Australia to Ireland with her mother. Once there she helps out her Nan and works in her cafe...however strange things start happening and Neala can't quite figure out why.
Neala begins seeing things, hearing voices, and even an old birthmark of hers starts to burn when she touches a certain tree. She does make some new friends (including a super cute little animal fox friend!) and discovers she is a Bard, part human, part faerie.
Neala and her friends start attending this kind of magical school where she meets others like her and we get some background info on what a Bard is. But all is not as it seems, there are some strange and dangerous powers at play as Neala her friends are about to find out and they'll have to work out how to deal with it together.
A creative, magical story with some detailed characters and settings. Well done!
This was sent to me by Daisy Lane Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank -you.
May 10, 2021
Couldn't get into the story ...
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews