I received an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.
Genre: Fantasy
Age Range: MG
Star Rating: 4 stars
Series: first book
Blurb:
Rusty Fizzbang, vet to magical beasts, needs an apprentice. Ember Spark, looking for adventure, is his newest recruit – and together with an unlikely friend, Arno, she is sent to help a baby dragon whose parents have gone missing.
But keeping magical beasts a secret isn’t an easy task, especially with arch-villain, Jasper Hornswoggle, hot on their heels and keen to derail them…
Blurb taken from Goodreads. Add to your shelves here.
Review:
EMBER SPARK AND THE THUNDER OF DRAGONS is the start of a charming adventure full of magical creatures and a magical bathtub.
It’s such a fun book, bringing all sorts of mythical creatures to life right under our noses. Ember and her new friend Arno have an epic adventure in one night, trying to save two creatures from a dangerous villain. I sped through it, whisked away in the flying bathtub that gives you exactly what you need – but you might need to do some thinking to work out how to use the objects.
There’s so much imagination in the book, working out what veterinary care would be like for dragons and griffins. The book is set in Scotland, so the Loch Ness monster features! There are also creatures the author has made up, like the nibblesqueak, that give it a unique flair.
This is a lower MG book, like THE DREAMSNATCHER series, for readers who are a bit youngers and wanting to push their reading confidence. It’s charming tale of making a new friend and discovering a whole new magical world. Not to mention discovering the adults trust you with the secret and trust you with looking after such amazing creatures!
The book is illustrated by Kristina Kister who brings alive both rain-soaked castles and magical caves. The illustrations were mostly on the larger side, rather than lots of small, single object illustrations scattered about, which is what I prefer.
This is the first book in a new series and it’s not too long to wait for the sequel, out later this year!
Read my reviews of other books by Abi Elphinstone:
The Unmapped Chronicles:
- EVERDARK (#0)
- RUMBLESTAR (#1)
- JUNGLEDROP (#2)
- THE CRACKLEDAWN DRAGON (#3)
The Dreamsnatcher:
- THE DREAMSNATCHER (#1)
- THE SHADOW KEEPER (#2)
- THE NIGHT SPINNER (#3)
Standalones:
Sifa Elizabeth Reads 