Alvor

Alvor #1

by Laura Bingham

Erin and her twin brother, Bain, never expected to find that the cabin in the woods near their home is actually a secret entrance to a magical world. Surrounded by pegasi, dragons, and fairies, they discover new powers within themselves and a secret they have unknowingly been preparing they are training to become elves. Now they are faced with the decision to stay in this dream world or return home to the life they knew. A spellbinding tale of fantasy and fairy tale, Älvor draws you into an enchanting world of all things magical.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Magic, Adventure

277 pages, Paperback

First published May 6, 2009

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one!

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The excitement starts about half way through, a bit too late in my opinion. A good (not great) fantasy read for all ages. First book from an Idaho author.

[Krystle]

The dialogue between characters is sort of awkward and stilted. The writing doesn't flow either and focuses on mundane details that the reader doesn't care about. There isn't really a sense of stakes. Okay, I only read about two chapters but there should be a strong pull as to why the characters are doing what they are doing or what they need to do.

All I have is them exploring the woods outside their home and stumbling upon a cottage that is a doorway to a magical realm. But what? There's nothing really that's driving the plot forward.

Going to pass.

[Mieke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book! It is magical and charming. The plot comes into play more strongly in the 2nd half of the book. Whenever I reread this book (because I like it so much) I kind of skim up until then. It's a GREAT read for preteens but also enjoyable for older. I wish I saw it around more! I made sure my library bought it because they didnt have it.

[Kobe Brisant · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am flabbergasted by how bad this book is. The book is more confusing than Iraq’s economy. I’ll rather drag my ass on sand paper than read this book again. Putting 1 star is to nice, wish there was a negative star

[Courtney McClellan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read, interesting characters, story line has its ups and downs but I loved it.

[Laurie D'ghent · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little slow to get going, but absolutely nothing inappropriate. Great for middle grade readers who like fantastical worlds

[Harley]

cool

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Summer has come for fifteen-year-old twins Erin and Bain, and with it their favorite activity of exploring. They delve into the woods near their home quite often, but it is only now that they discover a new trail leading to a cabin. The place seems abandoned, and so they enter, only to find there is so much more to the world than they had thought. Not only is magic real, the magical world has been awaiting the two of them.

They are introduced to this new world slowly, and are trained in magic, swordplay, and in knowledge of this new world. Only after much of this training has ensued do they realize what they are training for—to become elves. But with that realization comes a choice; to become elves, they must give up their old lives.

But it is not only the good of the magical world that has an interest in them. Evil wants to stake its claim as well. Twins are powerful, but can Erin and Bain survive?


Honestly, I found the first two-thirds of this book EXTREMELY boring. I almost stopped reading it multiple times, I was so bored and didn’t care at all about what happened to the characters or what was going on. The first half of the book is basically Erin and Bain training, and there’s one hint at something darker, but that’s pretty much it. Other than that, they’re just training and training and training and it’s boring and there is nothing really at stake.

If they become elves, they give up their old life, and if they keep their old life, they lose their magic and special abilities and all that jazz. I get that, but… I could have cared less. I didn’t feel a strong enough connection to who they were before, and while Erin stressed about the decision, I didn’t connect as to why it was such a big decision. I mean, I know why, but I didn’t feel or care why, which makes all the difference.

It wasn’t until the villains actually did something that the book got more interesting. Even then, it took me a few chapters to care, because I hadn’t really connected with the story or characters. And this book was still kind of slow, because I got the sense that the villains weren’t good guys and that they had an evil plan up their sleeve, but, aside from two spoilery incidents, they didn’t seem to do much… And it didn’t seem that hard to dupe them either. I rarely ever felt as if Erin was in any danger.

Still, the ending wasn’t all bad. The book did get a little better, enough that I am interested in reading the sequel, even though I wasn’t before, and enough that I’ll keep this book, even though I was going to give it away before.

Also, I don’t quite get while Erin and Bain are so special. The prologue clearly indicates they have been awaited and searched for, but why? And why do they get to be elves? It’s never really explained.

Basically, the writing in this book is pretty poor, and the structure/pacing is even worse. It’s kind of like bad LDS fiction, except for the characters aren’t LDS (even though they can’t date until sixteen).


Also, just a little side note/rant that contains SPOILERS…

The whole incident of Erin meeting Pulsar for the first time bothers me. Pulsar gives her magic, which can only be done if she doesn’t have magic of her own… Then, she gets magic of her own anyways, and never really does much with the magic Pulsar gave her. Umm..., what? What was the point in her gaining magic from Pulsar, then? I can understand the needing it to talk to Pulsar/being able to read each other’s minds, but I’m not really sure if that was from the magic or not. It’s not really made clear, what the magic given to her from Pulsar is, especially since she gains her own magic anyways, a few chapters later.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall Review: What do you get when you mix together your favorite elements of ‘Fablehaven’, ‘Eragon’, and ‘Harry Potter’? You get ‘Älvor’! If you are a fan of these series, you will find a kindred spirit in this new series by Laura Bingham. Erin and Bain discover a beautiful cabin in the woods at the beginning of their summer vacation, only to find that it is merely a doorway to a whole new world and way of life. They are given amazing super powers—abilities to see truth and magic, to run at incredible speeds without tiring, they’re even taught swordplay! I really enjoyed their training. They both had the same ‘super powers’, but they had definite likes and dislikes and were still very different and individual. I loved the dragon and the pegasi who are more than just ‘dumb animals’ and teach them, well, at least Erin, the joys of flight. They meet the Älvor: fairy friends, and even a fairy Godmother, who help them along their way. In order to keep their newfound powers, though, they must leave their old lives behind and become one of them: an Älv. Even beyond deciding to stay or not, there is (as always) a darker side who wants to exploit the abilities and strengths of Erin and Bain. The ‘bad guys’ do all they can to capture the twins and use their powers. I enjoyed the growth and development as one of the twins disappears without a trace and the remaining twin must step up to find the other. It’s always so amazing to discover all the strength that is already there inside—one only needs a bit of peril and the opportunity to think outside of yourself to find it. I loved the fact that when Erin loses the person who makes her life happy and whole—her best friend and the one she loves more than anyone else and can’t live without—it’s not just some guy she just met and likes a lot. It’s her twin brother! I loved that family connection; that your siblings can be your best friends and the people who bring out the best in you. What a wonderful theme! There is even a slight strain of romance, but not too much so as to rule out male readers! ‘Älvor’ is an exciting book that has all the imagination, action, and adventure that lovers of fantasy could want. Overall rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars!


Content Review:

PROFANITY: None

VIOLENCE: A few mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT: None

MATURE THEMES: Mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 12+

A very engaging read that is super clean! There are a few instances of violence when a few characters are kidnapped and there are some intense chase/hide and seek scenes. Some of the creatures are a little scary. On the whole, though, this is a Squeaky Clean read for ages 12+!

This review was written by Emily
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Cedar Fort for a review

To see more great books on review, visit us at Squeaky Clean Reads!

[Christy Dorrity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alvor is just the kind of book I love to read for myself and then dangle in front of my eight-year old bookworm son and say, I have a book for you! It backfired on me this time because he took it from me before I was finished. Both he and I enjoyed the book very much and are looking forward to the sequel, Wings of Light that comes out this April.

Food to Eat While Reading: Popping Water (www.dearestdreams.com)

The setting and characters remind me of Fablehaven by Brandon Mull--so much creativity and adventuring in an imagined land that I would love to visit. Like Fablehaven, Alvor is also about a brother and sister who find a magical world practically in their backyard. Erin and Bain are twins who find a house in their grandpa's woods that leads them to a place where it seems they have been destined to travel to all along.

The banter and love that Erin and Bain show each other is genuine and heartwarming. They were easy together and after they were seperated for a time, their reunion was sweet. The two of them form a stronger magic than each of them alone. I love how their magical abilities branched from their natural tendencies and desires.

Halfway through the book my son snatched it to his room and wouldn't let me have it. I have to admit that it took awhile for me to get back into the plot. It slowed way down for me in the middle, but that could have been due to the long break I had between reading sessions. I'm glad I stuck with it because the second half of the book is filled with adventure and more wonder.

Even though the characters were supposed to be sixteen, I had a hard time seeing them that old. They felt much younger to me. I know that an author should write a protagonist a few years older than the intended audience, but to me Erin and Bain felt closer to fifteen, or even fourteen years old.

The romance in the book was perfect for a middle grade age group. There was enough to keep me interested, but it was sweet and lightly frosted.

Just a few more things:
Did you see the cover? Brilliantly done. I love how the red light and the blue light shine into the forest from different directions, giving an image of good vs. evil.
And the book has a dragon. Come on, how can you resist a dragon story?

[Chelsie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I enjoyed this book, there were some issues I had with it.

For one thing, it had a really slow opening. For example, I love the Fablehaven books, though several people have said to me that the opening is a bit too slow for them. This book is worse. The first two thirds (or even three fourths) were spent on the abilities that the twins were gaining. Training. Just training. As a (loose) example, imagine a Harry Potter book where the first two thirds were about the classes and homework that Harry had. No excursions to the Black forest, no accidental run-ins with Fluffy, and no serious run-ins with Snape or Malfoy. Just classes. And homework. And classes. And homework. It got really dull. The climax was pretty good, though. Although that ended rather quickly, too.

The other problem I had was that the training was entirely too easy. I mean, they walked through a door, and suddenly they had superspeed. It was more of a "let's practice our suddenly newfound talents" than a "let's gain new talents". As a result, it felt a bit like a Mary Sue syndrome going on. Although the two twins did gain different talents and had (slightly more) difficulties with some things than the other did. Still, I would have liked a bit more weaknesses and struggles to be shown.

I do plan on reading the second book, which will likely move quicker since the introductions and everything have been taken care of.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was really cute. I enjoyed Erin and Bain's relationship. They are twins who grew up with their grandpa until they discovered the world that they were destined to join. They were destined to be elves. They learned about their abilities and learned how to use magic.

I was sad when it ended because I felt like there could be so much more to the story, but then I read she is writing another book. That makes me happy. I will for sure read it.

I put 3 stars because during the training part it was kind of slow, but half way through the book I really really got into it. I wanted more and I just know that her next book is going to be so much better. So I liked the book.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A charming story about 15-year old twins Bain and Erin who are destined to join the alvor race (think elves). A good portion of the book is the twins training in developing their own magical skill bestowed upon them, other magic, sword play, etc., that they will need to know to defend the race. Bain befriends a shady alv in the woods and is kidnapped by an evil faction of the alvor.

Slow to start, but becomes exciting as the story progresses.

Readalike to Fablehaven. Also some elements reminded me of the Inheritance trilogy.

[Pixie/PageTurners Blog(Amber) C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clean, fun fantasy, with strong characters, great read for preteens. Alvor starts out slow, but about half way through it picks up. I hope this becomes a series.

Erin and Bain are orphaned teenagers who live with their grandpa Jessie. They spend most of their time alone, while grandpa is at work. Erin is the brainy bookworm, and Bain is a jock- one summer day, while exploring the forest around their home, they stumble across an enchanted house in the woods.

You can read the rest of my review here -
Page Turners

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alvor is a great read for the entire family! The author spends a great deal of time developing the characters and creating a picture in the reader's mind of the world of the faeries. I am anticipating some great fan art to come out of reading the story. The last third was very exciting and the ending leaves the reader looking forward to the next book in the series. I especially liked the lessons about love, honesty, loyalty, and friendship that are weaved into the story. Well done!

[Karalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first impression of this book was it’s similar to fablehaven (this is not a bad thing). This story is full of elves, fairies, imps, and a fairy godmother (yes, I said fairy godmother) but it has a different twist. Overall this is a great YA book. A couple of problems I had were; there were too many people with unusual names and it was hard to follow, the story was about a set of twins - who has heard of sibling rivalry well there wasn’t any.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book. At first I didn't think it would be that good because it was "just another magic book". But she makes it different enough and interesting enough that I really liked it and am excited to read the next one. I don't know when that one will come out. It was a fun read.

[Justin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Everything comes far too easily to the characters. They accept things no sane person would accept and hardly ever have to try for anything. The few things they supposedly do have to work for are barely mentioned until they have become experts. To top it off, the book does not flow well at all. Their home life is hardly mentioned, only what happens in the magic cabin.

[Karyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My grandma gave me this book to read and said that it was something she thought I would enjoy. She was completely right! I loved the story line and the way it was written. It was also a quick and relatively fun read. At times I was extremely frustrated with the main character, Erin. However, overall I liked it and look forward to the next book.

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't finish this before it had to go back to the library. I was almost half-way through it and it was an interesting idea and an interesting world, but it just didn't have a problem big enough for me to care about yet to keep me going in the story.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book. I hope that there is a sequel to it. I still think that this is a good book, even though I have read it more that once. I am still hoping for a sequel. I still like this book.

[Lark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished this. And if you like fantasy and Fairies, and elves you will love this book. If you have ever pretended you were an elf and had these amazing magical abilities you will totally LOVE this book!!!!

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually was introduced to this author
(at costco, of all places), she was sweet woman. I read the back of her book and was about to pass on, but then I saw her sitting there and felt pressured... so I bought it. I can't wait for the 2nd book.

[Debbie Barr · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the premise was good the execution of the plot was confusing. The first 150 pages lagged and did nothing to move the story forward. While the last 100 or so pages were better, the ending felt unsatisfactory.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only read 100 pages and was bored. The characters were flat and the book movement was slow. Written for a very young readers so very simple. The conversations between the characters was not done well.

[Courtney]

For the life of me, I could not finish this book. Slow pace, forgettable characters, not so good writing and predictable plot. I'm sure younger readers would enjoy this, but not so much older readers.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book! Local author makes it even more special. Hope she writes more.

[Sadie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book!!!! It is now my ultimate favorite!!!

[Esther Clegg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Laura Bingham's first book. I LOVED it and can't wait for the second book in the series!! Everone should read this book!