Book Review: The Revenge of Magic by James Riley

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Book received at no charge to facilitate review.

A vacation day visit to Washington, DC by Fort Fitzgerald and his father ends tragically with his father's kidnapping by a monstrous creature who breaks through the earth. 

Fort struggles to make sense of his father's disappearance and vows to avenge his father's death. Six months later, a man named Dr. Opps shows up to his aunt's house and invites him to the Oppenheimer School to learn magic. Fort jumps at the chance with visions of Hogwarts running through his mind. He quickly discovers the school is a government run military school and nothing like Hogwarts with guards everywhere.

The school is full of secrets and Fort wants to solve the mysteries laid at his feet, like why everyone thinks he's trying to destroy the school and who the girl he sees when he sleeps that seems to take over his mind. The only problem is that Fort is given three days to master three spells in three days or he will be sent home. He learns it's nearly an impossible task but is he up to it? Will he be able to find out what's hiding within his new school before attacks? And what is with the books of magic discovered around the world next to bones of dragons? Who will have the power to use the magic and will Fort's friends, Jia, Rachel and Cyrus be able to help Fort?

While the idea of military magic academy is an intriguing take, the book lacks the magic of a strong protagonist that we see in the Harry Potter novels. Since the novel mentions Hogwarts, it's fair to compare the two and the reader will probably not connect as much to Fort as they do Harry. However, older middle grade readers who don't mind wading through the length of the novel, will find some fascinating tidbits of magical information.

Rating ★★★★☆

Publishing Information

Publisher: Aladdin (March 5, 2019)
ISBN: 978148148577
Ages: 8-12
Pages: 416

Book Giveaway: City of Demons by Kevin Harkness

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Announcing the City of Demons by Kevin Harkness book giveaway.

About the book from the book cover.

Demons are invading the Midlands for the first time in centuries.

The farmers have no defences against the murderous creatures. Swords in the hands of ordinary soliders have no effect against demons, for the ability to resist a demon's power - a projection of paralyzing fear - cannot be taught.

Garet's life is forever changed the night his midlands family is attacked. Demonstrating a rare talent for resisting demon fear, Garet is taken to the city of Shirath to become a Demonbane: one who can withstand the demons' psychic assault, trained in combat, and learned in demon lore.

But the ancient city isn't a safe haven, it's a death trap. While opposing political forces vie for the throne, a new demon terrorizes the citizens. To save Shirath, Garet must find friends and allies quickly, because the biggest threat to the city isn't the demons, but the people living within the city's walls.

Giveaway Details:

Winner will receive a copy of City of Demons by Kevin Harkness. Please use the Rafflecopter form to enter. By entering, you acknowledge you have read the terms on the form and agree to them. Contest ends 11/22/2013 at 11:59 EST.

**No compensation was received for this post either monetary or in free product. Contest fulfillment by publisher, not blog owner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What is a Book Genre?

Tweet A book genre means putting books into categories. There are two main book genres: non-fiction and fiction. Non-fiction are factual books and fiction are made-up stories. Under each of the main genres there are sub-genres or sub-categories. Some of the sub-categories have sub-categories as well. It can get confusing for a child when they are asked to categorize their book into a genre. Sometimes a book will fit under more than one category like a fantasy adventure.

Non-Fiction
 Informational Factual Books - These are books about a variety of factual topics such as animals, science, weather, history, etc. Some examples of these books good for boys are Secrets of a Civil War Submarine and  Candy Bomber: The Untold Story of the Berlin Airlift's "Chocolate Pilot"

 Biography - Books about a real person written by another person. Examples include Leonardo Da Vinci and
Who Was Martin Luther King Jr.?

Autobiography - A story of a real person written by that person. Includes: Through My Eyes and Have Heart: David Eckstein

Fiction
 Action/Adventure - A story in which there is an element of danger and risk. Examples include: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Wildfire Run
 Fantasy - A story with elements that are impossible. It often involves magic. Some familiar fantasy books are Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone and  Beyonders
 Historical Fiction - A made-up story that takes place in the past. The setting is real, but the characters are fictional. Examples: Al Capone Does My Shirts and A Single Shard.
 Horror - Fiction where the events cause dread for both the characters and reader. Examples: The  Haunting of Derek Stone and Goosebumps
 Mystery - A suspenseful story that involves an event that isn't solved until the end of the book. Examples include Hardy Boys Series and Ravens Gate (The Gatekeepers) by Anthony Horowitz.
Realistic Fiction - A made-up story that could happen in real life. Examples include: Hatchet and Maniac Magee  
 Science Fiction - A made-up story that involves the use of science and technology. Examples:  Ender's Game and Star Wars 
 Traditional Literature - Stories that are passed from one generation to another and include tall tales, folklore, fables and fairy tales. Examples include: Paul Bunyan and The Ugly Duckling.

Some other terms you might hear that are sub-genres of those listed above, namely science fiction.

Dystopian - Fiction in which the setting is a nightmare world. Examples include: Lord of the Flies and Hunger Games.
Steampunk - World where steam power is still in use. Usually the 19th century and/or Victorian Era. Examples: The Clockwork Three and The Anubis Gates.
Utopian - Fiction in which the setting is the perfect world. Examples include: The Giver