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Songs of Magic #1
Fairy Metal Thunder
Stolen magic is the most dangerous kind.Jason Becker plays guitar—not that well, but he's learning—and he's joined a garage band with three other kids from his high school. He's especially impressed by the band's singer and songwriter, Erin Kavanagh, a mysterious girl who didn't grow up in their small town.With lots of enthusiasm but a so-so ability level, the band can't manage to land a gig, and their prospects are looking dim.Then Jason discovers a secret supernatural world when he catches a little green goblin robbing his home. He pursues the sarcastic, pint-sized monster into the dreamlike land of Faerie, where magical Folk of all kinds live, play, dance, and snack in colorful stone cities, treetop suburbs, cutesy flower-filled villages, and treacherous wild places stalked by menacing storybook creatures.Jason returns to the human world with enchanted instruments whose music humans can't resist. Soon the band draws large, strangely adoring crowds, and the band members are having the time of their lives. They almost can't stop playing, as though under a spell themselves.They ride the runaway magic to a level of popularity they never imagined, but they can't control the supernatural powers they've unleashed.Their shortcut to success has also gained them a fearsome enemy—Queen Mab, empress of Faerie, ruler of all the magical Folk, and also a bit of a narcissist. The Mad Queen is determined to find and punish these humans who dared to take magic from her realm, even if she must send her most ruthless and wacky monsters to hunt them down.
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 16, 2011
85 people are currently reading
1191 people want to read
About the author
J.L. Bryan
53 books1,035 followersJ.L. Bryan studied English literature at the University of Georgia and at Oxford, with a focus on English Renaissance and Romantic literature. He also studied screenwriting at UCLA. He lives in the metro Atlanta sprawl with his wife and son. He is the author of the Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper books and some other assorted novels like Inferno Park, The Unseen, Jenny Pox, and basically a lot of supernatural stories, some of it dark, some of it very dark, some of it less dark than that.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
April 29, 2012
Fun and quirky; Fairy Metal Thunder is a quick read that you can easily finish in one sitting. After highly enjoying Jenny Pox, I was especially curious to see what JL Bryan had done with his attempt at a YA novel - about fairies nonetheless. First let me tell you that this could not be any more different from Jenny Pox, and I was greatly impressed. This is plain and simply entertaining with an effortless writing style that makes it easy to get absorbed inside this enchanting tale full of music and magic.
Let's hear it for the Assorted Zebras! Jason, Erin,Mitch Mick and Dred can't even get one simple lowly gig. But when Jason comes home with instruments from the Fairy Ream, the tables have turned. Now people can't get enough of them - instant stardom. Like I expected from his previous work, the characters in this novel are all realistically fleshed out. They're flawed and they make reckless decisions. These are teenagers, through and through. The band dynamics are amusing as well with just a tad of romance woven in. Then, we've got the creatures...
Fairies, goblins, elves, and… get this… a unicorn! And this is no ordinary unicorn either! The sweet, pretty, innocent creature is no more! *pets evil unicorn* It was fun to have these exotic mythical creatures bringing in even more life to the party. From delightful commentary on the realm's past wars, to bizarre and disgusting eating habits; there is no lack of comical antics in this story. Overall we've got a great cast with all types of personalities to enliven these pages.
Going from one realm to the other, the plot is pretty straight forward with the Fairy band trying to find their instruments, and the Man-band (teehee) exploiting them. There's nothing too complex; it's a very light read in that regard. The Fairy lore is original and creative, although since we spend much more time in the human world, we don't delve incredibly deep into Fairy technicalities. But we do get plenty of descriptive details when Jason visits the supernatural realm to boost our imagination of this eccentric land, as well as glimpses of what's coming for these kids in the next books.
Magic music! That's what you get inside JL Bryan's charming YA novel. If you want something refreshing and genuinely fun, this is the book for you!
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
Let's hear it for the Assorted Zebras! Jason, Erin,
Fairies, goblins, elves, and… get this… a unicorn! And this is no ordinary unicorn either! The sweet, pretty, innocent creature is no more! *pets evil unicorn* It was fun to have these exotic mythical creatures bringing in even more life to the party. From delightful commentary on the realm's past wars, to bizarre and disgusting eating habits; there is no lack of comical antics in this story. Overall we've got a great cast with all types of personalities to enliven these pages.
Going from one realm to the other, the plot is pretty straight forward with the Fairy band trying to find their instruments, and the Man-band (teehee) exploiting them. There's nothing too complex; it's a very light read in that regard. The Fairy lore is original and creative, although since we spend much more time in the human world, we don't delve incredibly deep into Fairy technicalities. But we do get plenty of descriptive details when Jason visits the supernatural realm to boost our imagination of this eccentric land, as well as glimpses of what's coming for these kids in the next books.
Magic music! That's what you get inside JL Bryan's charming YA novel. If you want something refreshing and genuinely fun, this is the book for you!
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
October 18, 2023
I will admit that I put off reading this book for ages. I really loved J.L. Bryan's JENNY POX's horror trilogy and his science fiction novel, HELIX, but I just wasn't sure if I wanted to read his foray into YA.
I wish I hadn't put off reading this book for so long.
Not only can J.L. Bryan write kick ass horror and science fiction, he can write young adult fiction as well.
I'm not going to rehash the plot or anything like that. It's a very simplistic plot, but it's the execution that makes it so much fun. The teenage characters are well-developed, the fairy world is AMAZING, the fey characters are funny, scary, and awesome all rolled into one, and the story as a whole just works very, very well. I also loved how you are rooting for the humans and the fairies at the same time throughout the book.
I also want to give J.L. kudos for creating another world inhabited by teenagers that isn't a carbon copy of the dark, horrific world of JENNY POX. The world in this book still feels very real. I especially loved that Jason's parents aren't conveniently missing and that his little sister gets to have an impact on the story.
I liked the book so much, I already bought and downloaded the next one.
P.S. The new cover from Claudia McKinney is AWESOME.
I wish I hadn't put off reading this book for so long.
Not only can J.L. Bryan write kick ass horror and science fiction, he can write young adult fiction as well.
I'm not going to rehash the plot or anything like that. It's a very simplistic plot, but it's the execution that makes it so much fun. The teenage characters are well-developed, the fairy world is AMAZING, the fey characters are funny, scary, and awesome all rolled into one, and the story as a whole just works very, very well. I also loved how you are rooting for the humans and the fairies at the same time throughout the book.
I also want to give J.L. kudos for creating another world inhabited by teenagers that isn't a carbon copy of the dark, horrific world of JENNY POX. The world in this book still feels very real. I especially loved that Jason's parents aren't conveniently missing and that his little sister gets to have an impact on the story.
I liked the book so much, I already bought and downloaded the next one.
P.S. The new cover from Claudia McKinney is AWESOME.
November 14, 2011
This is my daughter's review of Fairy Metal Thunder, book one of the Songs of Magic series.
Hi, I'm Bella and this is my review of Fairy Metal Thunder by JL Bryan. My favorite thing about this book is that nothing in it made me sad. I really hate it when books make me cry. This book is happy- it’s got fairies, goblins a dragon, a unicorn named Buttercup and a teenage rock band. I ended up really loving the book- so much that I changed my Halloween costume so that I could be a Rock Star Fairy.
Fairy Metal Thunder begins when one of the teenagers find some magic instruments from the fairy world and they start using them in their band, which of course they weren’t supposed to do. All kinds of things happen because they did this- and I have to say that J.L. Bryan is very creative. I loved not knowing what was going to happen next.
Until they found the enchanted instruments, the band, The Assorted Zebras, wasn’t very good. Well, they were, but no one knew about them. Once they used the instruments, they became really popular and even though they should’ve given the instruments back, they didn’t.
Jason, the main character, has a crush on Erin, the lead singer in their band. The problem with that is that she already has a boyfriend, a really rich, cool guy. I was really happy when Jason and Erin kissed and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book.
The Fairy World that Jason ventured into when he found the instruments is amazing. JL Bryan described it in such detail that I honestly felt like I was there. I hope in the next books we see more of this world because it was very interesting.
My opinion is that this is a great book- and it is a great book that everyone can and should read. There aren’t any parts that are inappropriate for kids my age and it is also a good book for adults to read, too. I think it is a magical, fun book and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
Hi, I'm Bella and this is my review of Fairy Metal Thunder by JL Bryan. My favorite thing about this book is that nothing in it made me sad. I really hate it when books make me cry. This book is happy- it’s got fairies, goblins a dragon, a unicorn named Buttercup and a teenage rock band. I ended up really loving the book- so much that I changed my Halloween costume so that I could be a Rock Star Fairy.
Fairy Metal Thunder begins when one of the teenagers find some magic instruments from the fairy world and they start using them in their band, which of course they weren’t supposed to do. All kinds of things happen because they did this- and I have to say that J.L. Bryan is very creative. I loved not knowing what was going to happen next.
Until they found the enchanted instruments, the band, The Assorted Zebras, wasn’t very good. Well, they were, but no one knew about them. Once they used the instruments, they became really popular and even though they should’ve given the instruments back, they didn’t.
Jason, the main character, has a crush on Erin, the lead singer in their band. The problem with that is that she already has a boyfriend, a really rich, cool guy. I was really happy when Jason and Erin kissed and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book.
The Fairy World that Jason ventured into when he found the instruments is amazing. JL Bryan described it in such detail that I honestly felt like I was there. I hope in the next books we see more of this world because it was very interesting.
My opinion is that this is a great book- and it is a great book that everyone can and should read. There aren’t any parts that are inappropriate for kids my age and it is also a good book for adults to read, too. I think it is a magical, fun book and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
September 24, 2013
Oh, WOW! When I started reading this book, someone should have told me it was going to be this good because then I would've started it earlier. I just couldn't put it down!
Fairy Metal Thunder revolves around your average teenage garage band who — by some inadvertent fluke — manage to get their hands on magical fairy instruments that draw humans like moths to a flame. But of course, the fairies (especially Queen Mab) will do anything to get them back.
Characters are always important for me in a good book, so I was thrilled when I fell in nearly love with every single one! Jason is just an all-around awesome character with heart and humor and everything you could want in a guy. His little sister is so adorable; his other band mates are hilarious; the fairies are tons of fun to read about.
Plus, there's also a sweet, sweet, realistically sweet romance between Jason and Erin, which I find is a hard thing to accomplish in urban fantasy books.
Everything about this book is so much fun to read! From J.L. Bryan's vivid yet quick writing style, to the perfectly incorporated fairy lore, to the enchanting plot, it all adds up to a book that you HAVE to read, whether you're a fan of fairies of not! :)
BUY or BORROW?: This is definitely a buy! Plus, it's only 99 cents in e-book format right now (which I think is really under-priced for such an awesome book, but oh well)!
(Original review at Mimi Valentine's YA Review Blog)
Fairy Metal Thunder revolves around your average teenage garage band who — by some inadvertent fluke — manage to get their hands on magical fairy instruments that draw humans like moths to a flame. But of course, the fairies (especially Queen Mab) will do anything to get them back.
Characters are always important for me in a good book, so I was thrilled when I fell in nearly love with every single one! Jason is just an all-around awesome character with heart and humor and everything you could want in a guy. His little sister is so adorable; his other band mates are hilarious; the fairies are tons of fun to read about.
Plus, there's also a sweet, sweet, realistically sweet romance between Jason and Erin, which I find is a hard thing to accomplish in urban fantasy books.
Everything about this book is so much fun to read! From J.L. Bryan's vivid yet quick writing style, to the perfectly incorporated fairy lore, to the enchanting plot, it all adds up to a book that you HAVE to read, whether you're a fan of fairies of not! :)
BUY or BORROW?: This is definitely a buy! Plus, it's only 99 cents in e-book format right now (which I think is really under-priced for such an awesome book, but oh well)!
(Original review at Mimi Valentine's YA Review Blog)
September 22, 2011
Fierce fairies, rocking music, magical instruments, complicated romance, badass unicorns, and one grumpy goblin…Fairy Metal Thunder has all this and more!
The Assorted Zebras is made up of Jason, Erin, Mitch, and Dred, four teenagers who are passionate about their music. Unfortunately no one else seems to be. They have no fans, no gigs, and possibly no future as a band…until Jason chases a goblin into the magical world of Faerie and steals four magical instruments. With these magical instruments the Assorted Zebras literally become an overnight sensation and all their dreams seem to quickly come true. But the band soon realizes that they aren’t quite as prepared for their overwhelming fame as they thought they were…not to mention the beings that are sent after them in hopes of retrieving the stolen instruments. Fairy Metal Thunder really reflects the sentiment ‘Be careful what you wish for’.
This is a really fun, lighthearted read and its fantasy elements are more delightful than edgy or dark, which makes it appropriate for even younger readers. It has a great mix of humor, fantasy, romance, and intrigue. The characters are charming, the story is refreshing and entertaining, and the fantasy elements are enchanting.
Fairy Metal Thunder takes place in two worlds- our world and the magical word of Faerie- so there’s a lot going on in the space of one book. But I never found the story overwhelming or too confusing to follow; the story flows at really nice pace that’s not too slow or too fast. The quartet of Jason, Erin, Mitch, and Dred in our world and the quartet of Aoide, Rhodia, Neus, and Skezg- the magical musicians whose instruments Jason steals- in Faerie, both make for two quirky, eclectic and merry bands of misfits. Grizlemor the Goblin is very reminiscent of Dobby the House-Elf from the Harry Potter series, although the goblin is far crankier…but still delightful with his whimsical sarcasm and mischief. There’s a certain absurd silliness that surrounds most of the adult characters, especially Jason’s parents, which I found quite hilarious and fun. All the characters are quite likable.
I was really drawn to the creative idea of a teenage band playing with magical instruments. It’s such a refreshing and fantastical idea that makes for a captivating story. The two distinct worlds in this book-our world and Faerie- add equal parts realism and fantasy, which creates a nice layered storyline. And I found that I genuinely enjoyed and found myself invested in the different plotlines going on in each world, and I really look forward to seeing the ways in which the separate, yet connected, stories and worlds continue to collide and intertwine in the rest of the series.
I really like Bryan’s unique fantasy elements and the way he added his own twists and spins on classic fantasy beings. I especially like Bryan’s fairies, who definitely aren’t your cute Tinkerbell’s. The fairies in this book are fierce, potentially dangerous, and kind of hip. And since this book is about a band, the musical elements have to be cool of course…and they definitely are. I love that the Assorted Zebras aren’t your average, as one non-cool adult in the book would call them, “teenyboppers at a disco”. They listen to classic rock (my kind of people!) and aren’t all about the “rock glam”, they actually care about the music. And the music is pretty sweet! I love that fact that there are actual lyrics and songs included in the book…and I would totally listen to the Assorted Zebras, even without the enchanting magical instruments. Although, the way Bryan describes the band’s music and its effects on people when played with those instruments makes for vivid and sensational scenes.
However, I did find the way that most of the characters were so quick to simply believe in and be ok with the concept of magical instruments and beings to be bit unbelievable. I think I would have liked a little more disbelief, or at least a bit more wariness and/or confusion, coming from people who witnessed what the band could do with the magical instruments. But this certainly didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of this book.
Overall, I found this to be a fun, delightful first volume in a promising new series. I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of the series and learning more about the world of Faerie, seeing if a real romance between Jason and Erin ever blossoms, and finding out just what the heck is up with Buddy McSlawburger’s slaw. You should definitely give this book a read!
The Assorted Zebras is made up of Jason, Erin, Mitch, and Dred, four teenagers who are passionate about their music. Unfortunately no one else seems to be. They have no fans, no gigs, and possibly no future as a band…until Jason chases a goblin into the magical world of Faerie and steals four magical instruments. With these magical instruments the Assorted Zebras literally become an overnight sensation and all their dreams seem to quickly come true. But the band soon realizes that they aren’t quite as prepared for their overwhelming fame as they thought they were…not to mention the beings that are sent after them in hopes of retrieving the stolen instruments. Fairy Metal Thunder really reflects the sentiment ‘Be careful what you wish for’.
This is a really fun, lighthearted read and its fantasy elements are more delightful than edgy or dark, which makes it appropriate for even younger readers. It has a great mix of humor, fantasy, romance, and intrigue. The characters are charming, the story is refreshing and entertaining, and the fantasy elements are enchanting.
Fairy Metal Thunder takes place in two worlds- our world and the magical word of Faerie- so there’s a lot going on in the space of one book. But I never found the story overwhelming or too confusing to follow; the story flows at really nice pace that’s not too slow or too fast. The quartet of Jason, Erin, Mitch, and Dred in our world and the quartet of Aoide, Rhodia, Neus, and Skezg- the magical musicians whose instruments Jason steals- in Faerie, both make for two quirky, eclectic and merry bands of misfits. Grizlemor the Goblin is very reminiscent of Dobby the House-Elf from the Harry Potter series, although the goblin is far crankier…but still delightful with his whimsical sarcasm and mischief. There’s a certain absurd silliness that surrounds most of the adult characters, especially Jason’s parents, which I found quite hilarious and fun. All the characters are quite likable.
I was really drawn to the creative idea of a teenage band playing with magical instruments. It’s such a refreshing and fantastical idea that makes for a captivating story. The two distinct worlds in this book-our world and Faerie- add equal parts realism and fantasy, which creates a nice layered storyline. And I found that I genuinely enjoyed and found myself invested in the different plotlines going on in each world, and I really look forward to seeing the ways in which the separate, yet connected, stories and worlds continue to collide and intertwine in the rest of the series.
I really like Bryan’s unique fantasy elements and the way he added his own twists and spins on classic fantasy beings. I especially like Bryan’s fairies, who definitely aren’t your cute Tinkerbell’s. The fairies in this book are fierce, potentially dangerous, and kind of hip. And since this book is about a band, the musical elements have to be cool of course…and they definitely are. I love that the Assorted Zebras aren’t your average, as one non-cool adult in the book would call them, “teenyboppers at a disco”. They listen to classic rock (my kind of people!) and aren’t all about the “rock glam”, they actually care about the music. And the music is pretty sweet! I love that fact that there are actual lyrics and songs included in the book…and I would totally listen to the Assorted Zebras, even without the enchanting magical instruments. Although, the way Bryan describes the band’s music and its effects on people when played with those instruments makes for vivid and sensational scenes.
However, I did find the way that most of the characters were so quick to simply believe in and be ok with the concept of magical instruments and beings to be bit unbelievable. I think I would have liked a little more disbelief, or at least a bit more wariness and/or confusion, coming from people who witnessed what the band could do with the magical instruments. But this certainly didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of this book.
Overall, I found this to be a fun, delightful first volume in a promising new series. I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of the series and learning more about the world of Faerie, seeing if a real romance between Jason and Erin ever blossoms, and finding out just what the heck is up with Buddy McSlawburger’s slaw. You should definitely give this book a read!
April 5, 2012
You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads
I won this book in a flash giveaway on Xpresso Reads and started it immediately. I didn't read the synopsis, I did not pass go, I did not collect $200, and am I ever happy I jumped into it blind. I admit, if I read the synopsis, I probably wouldn't have picked it up, thinking the fantastical aspect would be a bit too much for me but boy was I ever pleasantly surprised with Fairy Metal Thunder! This book reminded me so much of my favourite movie as a kid, Labyrinth, with it's well created Faerie world and the amazing creatures lurking the land. I love the imagination that went into writing this novel, J.L. Bryan has constructed a tale that sucks you in and makes you long to uncover an Otherworld amongst the trees in your very own backyard.
The characters we meet in Fairy Metal Thunder are about as vast and varied as they come. Jason was a believable teenage boy who was awkward and perpetually nervous. One thing I really appreciated was our love interest being a green haired punk who stood out rather than the usual supermodel types, or the bland normal girls who have become the staple since Bella Swan. Erin was unique, had her own style, and seemed as though she was a girl who knows what she wants. My favourite characters were actually Jasons parents, their banter and old school way of thinking was all too real and had me laughing out loud as they argued with their son about the permanency of things on the internet. The creatures of the Otherworld were spot on! Grizlemor was AWESOME, from his stinky feet to his strong taste for unappealing foods, he was the perfect goblin and there was no arguing with that. I'm left so curious about so many parts of the Otherworld; I long for more about Queen Mab, more about this violent & dark side of the fairies that is hinted at so much, and dying to find out more about the magical instruments and how the land feeds off of energy. I also can't wait to learn more about the creepy guardian of the gate Mrs. Dullahan, I think her story is an interesting one!
This is a well crafted book that is just the start of a very promising series. I can't wait to dig into book 2 and find out more about this unique story. I will definitely be recommending Fairy Metal Thunder to anyone looking for an Alluring Read.
I won this book in a flash giveaway on Xpresso Reads and started it immediately. I didn't read the synopsis, I did not pass go, I did not collect $200, and am I ever happy I jumped into it blind. I admit, if I read the synopsis, I probably wouldn't have picked it up, thinking the fantastical aspect would be a bit too much for me but boy was I ever pleasantly surprised with Fairy Metal Thunder! This book reminded me so much of my favourite movie as a kid, Labyrinth, with it's well created Faerie world and the amazing creatures lurking the land. I love the imagination that went into writing this novel, J.L. Bryan has constructed a tale that sucks you in and makes you long to uncover an Otherworld amongst the trees in your very own backyard.
The characters we meet in Fairy Metal Thunder are about as vast and varied as they come. Jason was a believable teenage boy who was awkward and perpetually nervous. One thing I really appreciated was our love interest being a green haired punk who stood out rather than the usual supermodel types, or the bland normal girls who have become the staple since Bella Swan. Erin was unique, had her own style, and seemed as though she was a girl who knows what she wants. My favourite characters were actually Jasons parents, their banter and old school way of thinking was all too real and had me laughing out loud as they argued with their son about the permanency of things on the internet. The creatures of the Otherworld were spot on! Grizlemor was AWESOME, from his stinky feet to his strong taste for unappealing foods, he was the perfect goblin and there was no arguing with that. I'm left so curious about so many parts of the Otherworld; I long for more about Queen Mab, more about this violent & dark side of the fairies that is hinted at so much, and dying to find out more about the magical instruments and how the land feeds off of energy. I also can't wait to learn more about the creepy guardian of the gate Mrs. Dullahan, I think her story is an interesting one!
This is a well crafted book that is just the start of a very promising series. I can't wait to dig into book 2 and find out more about this unique story. I will definitely be recommending Fairy Metal Thunder to anyone looking for an Alluring Read.
November 8, 2011
Fairy Metal Thunder by J.L. Bryan is a fun and light young adult novel that impressed me in several ways.
Prior to this one, I had read a novel in the same genre, also dealing with fairies that frankly irritated me because the teen characters were annoying and had conversations that contributed very little to the story and did not sound real (in fact, I wanted to tear my hair out). Bryan's teen characters felt very authentic to me; the dialogue sounded real, the characters were three-dimensional, and the even better, it was funny without trying too hard (like the other one). I liked hanging out with these kids! I even liked the little sister, Katie!
Though my heart went out to poor, lovelorn Jason - who hasn't pined in secret for the unattainable - my favorite character is the goblin. I have never laughed so hard over someone (something?) so delightful yet repulsive at the same time.
I loved how Bryan integrated some fairy lore into the context of the modern storyline. I was intrigued with the brief forays into the magical world, which I hope will be explored further in the coming books.
"The keyboard sprouted silver wires that snaked around and plugged into Mitch's other keyboards, as well as the small laptop he kept connected to increase his range of sample and sound options. The old keyboard and the laptop turned silver, and the fairy runes etched themselves all over the surface of them, as if the magical instrument was infecting them like a virus."
Another thing I have to mention is the great editing - whoever edited Fairy Metal Thunder is sorely needed in mainstream publishing, judging by some YA novels I've read lately. Separate wheat from the chaff are words to edit by.
Goblins, fairies, elves and some bad-ass unicorns (trust me; you want to find out what they do) and magical instruments - Fairy Metal Thunder by J.L. Bryan is an entertaining, original read.
Prior to this one, I had read a novel in the same genre, also dealing with fairies that frankly irritated me because the teen characters were annoying and had conversations that contributed very little to the story and did not sound real (in fact, I wanted to tear my hair out). Bryan's teen characters felt very authentic to me; the dialogue sounded real, the characters were three-dimensional, and the even better, it was funny without trying too hard (like the other one). I liked hanging out with these kids! I even liked the little sister, Katie!
Though my heart went out to poor, lovelorn Jason - who hasn't pined in secret for the unattainable - my favorite character is the goblin. I have never laughed so hard over someone (something?) so delightful yet repulsive at the same time.
I loved how Bryan integrated some fairy lore into the context of the modern storyline. I was intrigued with the brief forays into the magical world, which I hope will be explored further in the coming books.
"The keyboard sprouted silver wires that snaked around and plugged into Mitch's other keyboards, as well as the small laptop he kept connected to increase his range of sample and sound options. The old keyboard and the laptop turned silver, and the fairy runes etched themselves all over the surface of them, as if the magical instrument was infecting them like a virus."
Another thing I have to mention is the great editing - whoever edited Fairy Metal Thunder is sorely needed in mainstream publishing, judging by some YA novels I've read lately. Separate wheat from the chaff are words to edit by.
Goblins, fairies, elves and some bad-ass unicorns (trust me; you want to find out what they do) and magical instruments - Fairy Metal Thunder by J.L. Bryan is an entertaining, original read.
January 26, 2012
When I was approached about reviewing this book I jumped on it because I was ridiculously impressed with Jenny Pox and I wanted to see what J.L. Bryan came up with next. I'm pleased as punch to say that he didn't disappoint. While younger in tone than The Paranormals, this book is both charming and sweetly awkward as Jason and his bandmates navigate the treacherous waters of fame and potential love.
I loved the irreverence of the creatures of the Fairy realm. From the curmudgeon-y old elf who agrees to track down the missing magical instruments (and who is hilariously vocal about his displeasure with the way the Fairy/Elf war turned out) to the goblin who decides to cover his own butt by taking up residence under Jason's bed... well, they're just so fun to read. Add in Jason's bumbling attempts to tell lead singer Erin how he feels (although he does have a couple of suave moments) and you have a passel of fabulous characters.
I'm very curious how Jason and crew will work their way out of the mess they've gotten themselves into. Although they don't exactly see it yet, the instruments are putting them in a situation that can easily crash down on them. How they deal with this new found fame will be interesting and I expect things to spiral out of control on them in a big way before they wise up and straighten themselves out.
More fun than you can shake a stick at, J.L. Bryan has created a fantastical world with characters you'll love. Bring on the shenanigans, fairies! We're ready for you!
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
I loved the irreverence of the creatures of the Fairy realm. From the curmudgeon-y old elf who agrees to track down the missing magical instruments (and who is hilariously vocal about his displeasure with the way the Fairy/Elf war turned out) to the goblin who decides to cover his own butt by taking up residence under Jason's bed... well, they're just so fun to read. Add in Jason's bumbling attempts to tell lead singer Erin how he feels (although he does have a couple of suave moments) and you have a passel of fabulous characters.
I'm very curious how Jason and crew will work their way out of the mess they've gotten themselves into. Although they don't exactly see it yet, the instruments are putting them in a situation that can easily crash down on them. How they deal with this new found fame will be interesting and I expect things to spiral out of control on them in a big way before they wise up and straighten themselves out.
More fun than you can shake a stick at, J.L. Bryan has created a fantastical world with characters you'll love. Bring on the shenanigans, fairies! We're ready for you!
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
October 2, 2014
Cute start to a series.
Jason chases a Goblin into the world of faery. He obviously has never read anything about the Fae or he never would have tried stealing from them, let alone magical instruments.
Now they are being hunted but they really only start to find out how serious it is at the end of the book.
The characters are cute. You have the geek, the cute girl, the angry girl and the cocky friend. Standard ingredients.
The parents were too cleche for me. I like some orriginality to my side characters, something to make them stand out.
I wouldn't recommend this book unless you are picking up the next few in the series. It just.....ends. Not really a cliff hanger but nothing is resolved, they are just driving home after an epic battle. Kinda weird.
Jason chases a Goblin into the world of faery. He obviously has never read anything about the Fae or he never would have tried stealing from them, let alone magical instruments.
Now they are being hunted but they really only start to find out how serious it is at the end of the book.
The characters are cute. You have the geek, the cute girl, the angry girl and the cocky friend. Standard ingredients.
The parents were too cleche for me. I like some orriginality to my side characters, something to make them stand out.
I wouldn't recommend this book unless you are picking up the next few in the series. It just.....ends. Not really a cliff hanger but nothing is resolved, they are just driving home after an epic battle. Kinda weird.
July 27, 2012
I really enjoyed this foray into faerie. The theme mixed with music really suited me and I feel this is easy enough for the MG crowd as well.
The characters were well formed and they did seem like real teens to me. I also enjoyed the fae and felt that they were just strange enough to be different but simular to connect. I also have to mention the unicorns. Aw so sweet and deadly! Makes me want to meet one. :) I also should mention the world created here. Both the human and magical worlds are quite visual which I loved.
In all I give this book 4 stars. It's a fun book and one that anyone of any age can enjoy.
The characters were well formed and they did seem like real teens to me. I also enjoyed the fae and felt that they were just strange enough to be different but simular to connect. I also have to mention the unicorns. Aw so sweet and deadly! Makes me want to meet one. :) I also should mention the world created here. Both the human and magical worlds are quite visual which I loved.
In all I give this book 4 stars. It's a fun book and one that anyone of any age can enjoy.
August 10, 2013
I enjoyed this book very much, even though it is aimed at younger readers(twelve and older).
It was well written and I enjoyed the fast paced plot. I also liked the POV swapping, although it is mostly told in Jason's POV. This way you can see what damage the theft did to the real owners of the instruments, I really felt sorry for them.
There is no real romance, but this book is so action packed and full of drama there is no need for it. I wish more authors would take this as an example.
It was well written and I enjoyed the fast paced plot. I also liked the POV swapping, although it is mostly told in Jason's POV. This way you can see what damage the theft did to the real owners of the instruments, I really felt sorry for them.
There is no real romance, but this book is so action packed and full of drama there is no need for it. I wish more authors would take this as an example.
August 19, 2013
Interesting read, but if you have even a little bit of a moral compass you won't be liking the protagonist and his friends very much by the end of the book.
June 12, 2012
****FINAL RATING: 4.30 STARS****
CATCHALL
I loved this book. I mean, I absolutely adored this book beyond any shadow of doubt. It had awesome characters, a beautifully built Faerie, and an original plot that not only held but captivated my interest. I heard amazing things about it even before I read it and was not disappointed. I was drawn into everything about it and was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it. And no matter what my boyfriend says, he loved it too.
THE HERO
JASON
I love the name Jason, which I suspect has to do largely with the whole July August September October November thing, but whatever. I'm still not even sure how I noticed that in the first place. Anyway! Jason was completely relatable and could absolutely identify with the things he was going through. I really connected with him and I adored town down-to-earth he is, with a boy-in-the-band-next-door air. Sure, he has kind of a big head, but hello, he's a teenage boy. Duh. I can't wait to hear more about him.
THE LOVE INTEREST
ERIN
I liked Erin, too. She has an actual personality, which is great, and I can't help but find myself wishing we'd gotten a glimpse of her POV! She's sweet in some ways but definitely really tough in others. She doesn't seem to know exactly what she wants, but she has time to figure it out. However, I do not approve of her kissing a boy who is not her boyfriend. Not that I've never done that, but that were only when I was in a confirmed open relationship, which is completely different. Erin is an extremely promising character.
THE OTHER BAND MEMBERS
MITCH
So, guess who was awesome? If you guessed Mitch, you'd be right. If you didn't, you are not that dumb and you totally did. Mitch had a spectacular sense of humor and I absolutely love his bubbliness! (I'm not entirely sure that's an actual word, but oh well!) He was crazy in such a good way and he was really a lot of fun! He's definitely one of the most fun characters I've come across in a long time. I would love to hear more about them, maybe a little from his POV too.
DRED
I wasn't too big on her, and honestly I'm not really sure why. There are tons of people out there who would love her, I'm sure of it, but her character simply wasn't for me. Still, I didn't exactly dislike her, and she took nothing away from the enjoyment of the story for me.
THE PLOT
Jeff sure knows how to keep a girl enthralled! The instant I started Fairy Metal Thunder, I didn't want to stop for a moment. Ever. I was irrevocably drawn in and I never wanted to leave the beautiful worlds he created!
Adding to the book's awesomeness for me is the fact that the real world is set in Minnesota, where I was born and spent half of my life. Not that this will apply to most people, but still. I recognized a lot of the town names and such, which was just so cool. I still remember Minnesota pretty well, so I got some really great imagery and I could picture everything really nicely.
Also, it was most definitely original! I've never even heard of anything vaguely like it and I much doubt I ever will. And if I do, no way will it be as good!
I didn't want to put it down, which was a problem as I had to read it on my computer because my ereaders (both of them!) are broken and I have no idea if I can get them to work again. Damn ereaders. I'll have to buy new ones soon. But anyway! Once you get started reading this, I promise it will be hard to stop!
Plus, there is a freaking awesome twist on unicorns and dragons that convinced me of Jeff's absolute genius.
THE ROMANCE
Not a whole lot of romance, but that was good. That's something male writers are really good at in general, actually. Not to be sexist, but many times female writers tend to focus more on the romance part of the story than the actual plot. Sometimes, that's great. In fact, I admit to doing the same thing when I write. But in this book, the light touch of romance is perfect. It develops slowly and sweetly and still isn't fully developed by the end of the novel, but it's definitely blossoming. No instalove, that's for sure, and that's beyond awesome. It doesn't take away attention away from the story but still has a strong presence.
THE WRITING
Jeff has beautiful writing. It flows in the most lovely way and I enjoyed reading it so much. The descriptions of the faerie world especially are gorgeous. I love how he manages to describe everything is minute detail but still not spend to much time on it. The dialogue is artful and the humor is subtle but wonderful. I could read this type of reading all day, every day.
THE ENDING
The ending was perfect! It leaves the conflict unresolved so as to leave room for future installments, but still somehow left me feeling utterly satisfied. I thought it was the best ending and was extremely impressed. It left me wanting more without making me feel cheated, and that's not something you see every day. I liked how there was a cliffhanger but not a really cruel one.
WRAPUP
Sign me up for Jeff's fan club! I completely adored this book and cannot wait to read Fairy Blues, along with the rest of the series! In fact, I would love to read all of Jeff's books. Every single one that he ever wrote. That is how much I loved this, darlings. I rarely fall in love a book as much as I fell in love with this one. Continuing to read these will be no chore whatsoever.
FINE.
Find more of my reviews on Sparkles and Lightning!
CATCHALL
I loved this book. I mean, I absolutely adored this book beyond any shadow of doubt. It had awesome characters, a beautifully built Faerie, and an original plot that not only held but captivated my interest. I heard amazing things about it even before I read it and was not disappointed. I was drawn into everything about it and was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it. And no matter what my boyfriend says, he loved it too.
THE HERO
JASON
I love the name Jason, which I suspect has to do largely with the whole July August September October November thing, but whatever. I'm still not even sure how I noticed that in the first place. Anyway! Jason was completely relatable and could absolutely identify with the things he was going through. I really connected with him and I adored town down-to-earth he is, with a boy-in-the-band-next-door air. Sure, he has kind of a big head, but hello, he's a teenage boy. Duh. I can't wait to hear more about him.
THE LOVE INTEREST
ERIN
I liked Erin, too. She has an actual personality, which is great, and I can't help but find myself wishing we'd gotten a glimpse of her POV! She's sweet in some ways but definitely really tough in others. She doesn't seem to know exactly what she wants, but she has time to figure it out. However, I do not approve of her kissing a boy who is not her boyfriend. Not that I've never done that, but that were only when I was in a confirmed open relationship, which is completely different. Erin is an extremely promising character.
THE OTHER BAND MEMBERS
MITCH
So, guess who was awesome? If you guessed Mitch, you'd be right. If you didn't, you are not that dumb and you totally did. Mitch had a spectacular sense of humor and I absolutely love his bubbliness! (I'm not entirely sure that's an actual word, but oh well!) He was crazy in such a good way and he was really a lot of fun! He's definitely one of the most fun characters I've come across in a long time. I would love to hear more about them, maybe a little from his POV too.
DRED
I wasn't too big on her, and honestly I'm not really sure why. There are tons of people out there who would love her, I'm sure of it, but her character simply wasn't for me. Still, I didn't exactly dislike her, and she took nothing away from the enjoyment of the story for me.
THE PLOT
Jeff sure knows how to keep a girl enthralled! The instant I started Fairy Metal Thunder, I didn't want to stop for a moment. Ever. I was irrevocably drawn in and I never wanted to leave the beautiful worlds he created!
Adding to the book's awesomeness for me is the fact that the real world is set in Minnesota, where I was born and spent half of my life. Not that this will apply to most people, but still. I recognized a lot of the town names and such, which was just so cool. I still remember Minnesota pretty well, so I got some really great imagery and I could picture everything really nicely.
Also, it was most definitely original! I've never even heard of anything vaguely like it and I much doubt I ever will. And if I do, no way will it be as good!
I didn't want to put it down, which was a problem as I had to read it on my computer because my ereaders (both of them!) are broken and I have no idea if I can get them to work again. Damn ereaders. I'll have to buy new ones soon. But anyway! Once you get started reading this, I promise it will be hard to stop!
Plus, there is a freaking awesome twist on unicorns and dragons that convinced me of Jeff's absolute genius.
THE ROMANCE
Not a whole lot of romance, but that was good. That's something male writers are really good at in general, actually. Not to be sexist, but many times female writers tend to focus more on the romance part of the story than the actual plot. Sometimes, that's great. In fact, I admit to doing the same thing when I write. But in this book, the light touch of romance is perfect. It develops slowly and sweetly and still isn't fully developed by the end of the novel, but it's definitely blossoming. No instalove, that's for sure, and that's beyond awesome. It doesn't take away attention away from the story but still has a strong presence.
THE WRITING
Jeff has beautiful writing. It flows in the most lovely way and I enjoyed reading it so much. The descriptions of the faerie world especially are gorgeous. I love how he manages to describe everything is minute detail but still not spend to much time on it. The dialogue is artful and the humor is subtle but wonderful. I could read this type of reading all day, every day.
THE ENDING
The ending was perfect! It leaves the conflict unresolved so as to leave room for future installments, but still somehow left me feeling utterly satisfied. I thought it was the best ending and was extremely impressed. It left me wanting more without making me feel cheated, and that's not something you see every day. I liked how there was a cliffhanger but not a really cruel one.
WRAPUP
Sign me up for Jeff's fan club! I completely adored this book and cannot wait to read Fairy Blues, along with the rest of the series! In fact, I would love to read all of Jeff's books. Every single one that he ever wrote. That is how much I loved this, darlings. I rarely fall in love a book as much as I fell in love with this one. Continuing to read these will be no chore whatsoever.
FINE.
Find more of my reviews on Sparkles and Lightning!
March 16, 2021
Fairy Metal Thunder Book 1.
I wasn't sure if I would like reading about fairies and magic music, but it was so much more than just fairies. It included a group of American rock teenagers who found themselves in possession of fairy instruments that had been stolen by one of the group when he inadvertently found himself in fairyland after entering a magic gate between the worlds.
Fairy Blues Book 2.
This book was about the young group of musicians hitting the limelight and 'making it' over night. Contracts were signed and they were taken to Ireland by their new recording producer, to record their first record. They had become an overnight sensation, publicised all over the world, which included the world of Fae, who now made their move to follow the group and retrieve their instruments back.
I wasn't sure if I would like reading about fairies and magic music, but it was so much more than just fairies. It included a group of American rock teenagers who found themselves in possession of fairy instruments that had been stolen by one of the group when he inadvertently found himself in fairyland after entering a magic gate between the worlds.
Fairy Blues Book 2.
This book was about the young group of musicians hitting the limelight and 'making it' over night. Contracts were signed and they were taken to Ireland by their new recording producer, to record their first record. They had become an overnight sensation, publicised all over the world, which included the world of Fae, who now made their move to follow the group and retrieve their instruments back.
July 14, 2018
Chasing a goblin he caught stealing from his parents' house, teenager Jason unwittingly stumbles into Faerie. On his way out, he swipes a few instruments which when he and his garage band try them out turn their music irresistible and their band into an underground success - while unleashing powerful magic of the destructive kind. Meanwhile, the fairy queen has dispatched hunters to retrieve the stolen instruments, if necessary by force.
Quirky, imaginative fun, but Jason and his friends are a bunch of selfish morons I liked less and less the further I read and the ending was entirely too abrupt.
Quirky, imaginative fun, but Jason and his friends are a bunch of selfish morons I liked less and less the further I read and the ending was entirely too abrupt.
November 20, 2017
I wanted to like this but the characters were stupid. I don't mean that the writer wrote badly. It was well written but she created characters who simply were too unaware of the reality of what they were experiencing to be believable. I mean who thinks it is OK to play an instrument that destroys a whole house when you play it? No one would ever do it a second time no matter how much they want to be famous or impress a girl.
It just was beyond belief.
It just was beyond belief.
June 9, 2024
A story about four not very nice (they lie, cheat, steal and generally don't give a damn about others) high school seniors who have gotten together a fairly average band which starts to take off when one of the members steals a bunch of instruments from a fairyland quartet.
Easy reading and a story that kinda sucks you in. Think I will pick up #2 (don't worry - it can be read standalone) to see where the story goes
Easy reading and a story that kinda sucks you in. Think I will pick up #2 (don't worry - it can be read standalone) to see where the story goes
November 17, 2025
From what I can tell, all the negative reviews are from people taking this book far too seriously.
Do not expect this one to be like Jenny Pox. Make no mistake, it is pure crack from start to finish. As much as I got into the story and the characters, it is so random that I spent a lot of this read in tears of laughter.
Admittedly, it ends very suddenly, but it carries right on in Book 2. I look forward to reading the rest!
Do not expect this one to be like Jenny Pox. Make no mistake, it is pure crack from start to finish. As much as I got into the story and the characters, it is so random that I spent a lot of this read in tears of laughter.
Admittedly, it ends very suddenly, but it carries right on in Book 2. I look forward to reading the rest!
May 2, 2019
Wicked magic instruments lead a young band to find their sound. To bad the fairies are after them because the instruments are stolen. Even after being warned of the terrible dangers that await, the teenagers refuse to return them. A clean and exciting story of what happens when Man and Fairy collide.
December 30, 2022
Stealing from fairies, oh my!
A human teenager chases a goblin down a hole in a tree & by golly; gets himself & band mates into some true & Royal trouble. He finds some fae instruments laying around & steals them back to the earth realm. Fun & chases ensue. Read the book for more in-depth insight into what the story is all about & why it's so intriguing!
A human teenager chases a goblin down a hole in a tree & by golly; gets himself & band mates into some true & Royal trouble. He finds some fae instruments laying around & steals them back to the earth realm. Fun & chases ensue. Read the book for more in-depth insight into what the story is all about & why it's so intriguing!
July 26, 2018
It was kind of awkward the idea itself. I liked the way the book was written though.
March 2, 2022
enjoyable listen
A will written entertaining Sci-Fi novel. Enjoy reading 2019
A will written entertaining Sci-Fi novel. Enjoy reading 2019
January 24, 2025
It was a good read. More for a younger reader but I still enjoyed it
June 13, 2012
I can’t begin to convey how impressed I was by Fairy Metal Thunder, it was a light, totally cheery and FUN read! J.L. Bryan manages to be beautifully descriptive, without being overly wordy. From fairy wings to fairy dwellings, auditions in the city, dwarf merchants and angry goblins- I was totally overcome by word pictures!!
The night Jason has to skip band practice again to watch his little sister Katie, when he discovers a little green man (GOBLIN!!!) stealing his mother’s ruby earrings! Jason chases him out of the house and over the “wall” encasing Mrs. Dullaham’s house and follows him into… well, he ends up in The Land of Faerie.
When Jason finally catches up to the little green man and proceeds to confront him…
To get Jason OUT of Faerie as quickly as possible and without anyone noticing that Grizlemor unknowingly led a HUMAN into the Faerie world, he agrees to give Jason back his things… but while Grizlemor is retrieving Jason’s things- Jason decides to “borrow” four magical fairy instruments that enchant human children!
When Queen Mab discovers that Aoide’s instruments have been stolen and taken out of Faerie, she decrees that Aoide must get them back or she will be put to death! As it violates the Supreme Law to let magic leak into the human world!
The keyboard sprouted silver wires that snaked around and plugged into Mitch’s other keyboards.
Aoide and Rhodia, the fae that Jason stole the instruments from, are then forced to travel with Icarus (a member of the Queen’s guard) through the swamps to illicit the help of Hoke, the ELF and his cornhorses (unicorns!!!!!). Now thousands of years ago there was a Great Elf and Fairy War, and the fae won. So you can imagine how highly Hoke thinks of Queen Mab and fairies in general…
Grizlemor (the Cranky… *hehe*) shows up to try and steal the instruments back from Jason and his friends- before finally giving up and MOVING into Jason’s room!!! Under his bed to be exact. So NOW, Grizlemor is trying to HELP Jason keep the instruments hidden from Queen Mab so as to avoid getting in trouble himself! WIN.
If you can’t tell… While I loved this book, the characters, the world, the setting… Absolutely everything- Grizlemore TOTALLY stole the show for me! He may be a minor and secondary character, but I LOVED him!
One of the main things I LOVED about Fairy Metal Thunder was Jason’s FAMILY. His overbearing, constantly involved, CARING parents. I feel like in Young Adult fiction there are just too many books that have absent parents… For whatever reason. And Katie- Katie was an AMAZING baby sister!
This book, from the characters to the entire plot and setting was just AMAZING. The entire time you’re pulling for Jason and the Assorted Zebra’s, you’re also REALLY feeling bad for the fairies! You completely want them to get their instruments BACK!
J.L. Bryan hit the ball completely out of the park with awesome in Fairy Metal Thunder.
The night Jason has to skip band practice again to watch his little sister Katie, when he discovers a little green man (GOBLIN!!!) stealing his mother’s ruby earrings! Jason chases him out of the house and over the “wall” encasing Mrs. Dullaham’s house and follows him into… well, he ends up in The Land of Faerie.
When Jason finally catches up to the little green man and proceeds to confront him…
“Leprechauns! I spit on leprechauns!! I tie their shoelaces together to make them trip and fall! Leprechauns, indeed!”
-Grizlemor the Cranky (a.k.a. the Goblin when Jason suggests he’s a Leprechaun!)
To get Jason OUT of Faerie as quickly as possible and without anyone noticing that Grizlemor unknowingly led a HUMAN into the Faerie world, he agrees to give Jason back his things… but while Grizlemor is retrieving Jason’s things- Jason decides to “borrow” four magical fairy instruments that enchant human children!
When Queen Mab discovers that Aoide’s instruments have been stolen and taken out of Faerie, she decrees that Aoide must get them back or she will be put to death! As it violates the Supreme Law to let magic leak into the human world!
The keyboard sprouted silver wires that snaked around and plugged into Mitch’s other keyboards.
Aoide and Rhodia, the fae that Jason stole the instruments from, are then forced to travel with Icarus (a member of the Queen’s guard) through the swamps to illicit the help of Hoke, the ELF and his cornhorses (unicorns!!!!!). Now thousands of years ago there was a Great Elf and Fairy War, and the fae won. So you can imagine how highly Hoke thinks of Queen Mab and fairies in general…
Grizlemor (the Cranky… *hehe*) shows up to try and steal the instruments back from Jason and his friends- before finally giving up and MOVING into Jason’s room!!! Under his bed to be exact. So NOW, Grizlemor is trying to HELP Jason keep the instruments hidden from Queen Mab so as to avoid getting in trouble himself! WIN.
“Well, young sir, I can’t live at my home anymore, and it’s all on account of you. So by my measure of justice, it’s your job to provide suitable lodging during my displacement.”
If you can’t tell… While I loved this book, the characters, the world, the setting… Absolutely everything- Grizlemore TOTALLY stole the show for me! He may be a minor and secondary character, but I LOVED him!
One of the main things I LOVED about Fairy Metal Thunder was Jason’s FAMILY. His overbearing, constantly involved, CARING parents. I feel like in Young Adult fiction there are just too many books that have absent parents… For whatever reason. And Katie- Katie was an AMAZING baby sister!
This book, from the characters to the entire plot and setting was just AMAZING. The entire time you’re pulling for Jason and the Assorted Zebra’s, you’re also REALLY feeling bad for the fairies! You completely want them to get their instruments BACK!
“You’ll only draw the fairies attention. And they’ll be quite vengeful.”
“How vengeful?”
“Have you ever been pecked to death by a vulture? Or slowly eaten from the inside by slime worms? Or ripped apart by a blunt-toothed brain bug?”
J.L. Bryan hit the ball completely out of the park with awesome in Fairy Metal Thunder.
September 22, 2011
Fairy Metal Thunder by J.L. Bryan is a One-Sit-Read! Even if I wasn’t a lover of all things Fae, Mr. Bryan would have still captivated me with his dazzling tale of what can happen if you sneak into the world of the Fae and leave with enchanted objects.
The main character, Jason, plays in a garage band named the Assorted Zebras with his pals Mitch, Dred and the girl he secretly yearns for, Erin. They’re good but not good enough to get any gigs. One night Jason is awakened by his younger sister, Katie claiming there’s a monster in the house and when Jason goes to investigate what he finds is unbelievable. He follows a strange little creature to the neighborhood creepy lady’s back yard and follows this creature down a hole only to find he’s in a very strange place, indeed!
The little creature known as Grizlemor-a Goblin, catches on that Jason is following him and becomes extremely upset-If the Queen of Fairy-land finds out he led a human into their world, his goblins cooked! Grizlemor does whatever he can to get Jason out of there. Grizlemor is an expert thief but he’s butt ugly and stinks like Faery Farts from Hell, but he’s very good at what he does. In order to get Jason out of fairy-land, he promises to give back the necklace he took from Erin and goes off to his stash pit, leaving Jason listening to the most enchanting music from four Fairy-land ‘residents’ in a band. When they take their break and leave their instruments unwatched, Jason quickly becomes as good a thief as Grizlemor and absconds with the fairy instruments, leaving before Grizlemor returns with Erin’s necklace.
Jason hides the instruments in his garage and when he goes to get them out, they are super tiny but when he takes out the one that looks like a guitar and runs his fingers over the strings it quickly adapts and grows to form perfectly for Jason. The music Jason makes with this new guitar has the power to evoke powerful emotions. When he shows the instruments to the band members they scoff at him until they try out their own little instrument, each band member ends up with an instrument that is perfectly suited to them. When they make music together it is instantaneous emotional combustion! Before they know it they’re on youtube and are instant celebrities overnight. What happens from there is bizarre, at times frightening and Faery wicked cool.
There’s just one little problem: Queen Mab is furious that magical items have been taken out of Faerie, an elf and his unicorn are sent out into the mans-world to find and retrieve the missing magical articles. Hoke, the elf and Buttercake, his unicorn or cornhorse as he calls them are unrelenting in their search. Things could end up pretty badly for the original four instrument owners and there’s a sympathy factor there, for sure.
I’m not going to go to much further into what else happens in the novel; I’m trying to keep this as spoiler free as possible and even though I’ve shared a lot, there is so much more to this story. Mr. Bryan writes with a keen sense of descriptives, personalization and emotions making his characters and the world(s) they live in so easy to become invested in. The story flows beautifully from chapter to chapter and is incredibly thrilling and exciting but there’s always an undertone of this is to good to last. The cliffie at the end was unbelievable! I’m anxiously awaiting the next book in this series!
The main character, Jason, plays in a garage band named the Assorted Zebras with his pals Mitch, Dred and the girl he secretly yearns for, Erin. They’re good but not good enough to get any gigs. One night Jason is awakened by his younger sister, Katie claiming there’s a monster in the house and when Jason goes to investigate what he finds is unbelievable. He follows a strange little creature to the neighborhood creepy lady’s back yard and follows this creature down a hole only to find he’s in a very strange place, indeed!
The little creature known as Grizlemor-a Goblin, catches on that Jason is following him and becomes extremely upset-If the Queen of Fairy-land finds out he led a human into their world, his goblins cooked! Grizlemor does whatever he can to get Jason out of there. Grizlemor is an expert thief but he’s butt ugly and stinks like Faery Farts from Hell, but he’s very good at what he does. In order to get Jason out of fairy-land, he promises to give back the necklace he took from Erin and goes off to his stash pit, leaving Jason listening to the most enchanting music from four Fairy-land ‘residents’ in a band. When they take their break and leave their instruments unwatched, Jason quickly becomes as good a thief as Grizlemor and absconds with the fairy instruments, leaving before Grizlemor returns with Erin’s necklace.
Jason hides the instruments in his garage and when he goes to get them out, they are super tiny but when he takes out the one that looks like a guitar and runs his fingers over the strings it quickly adapts and grows to form perfectly for Jason. The music Jason makes with this new guitar has the power to evoke powerful emotions. When he shows the instruments to the band members they scoff at him until they try out their own little instrument, each band member ends up with an instrument that is perfectly suited to them. When they make music together it is instantaneous emotional combustion! Before they know it they’re on youtube and are instant celebrities overnight. What happens from there is bizarre, at times frightening and Faery wicked cool.
There’s just one little problem: Queen Mab is furious that magical items have been taken out of Faerie, an elf and his unicorn are sent out into the mans-world to find and retrieve the missing magical articles. Hoke, the elf and Buttercake, his unicorn or cornhorse as he calls them are unrelenting in their search. Things could end up pretty badly for the original four instrument owners and there’s a sympathy factor there, for sure.
I’m not going to go to much further into what else happens in the novel; I’m trying to keep this as spoiler free as possible and even though I’ve shared a lot, there is so much more to this story. Mr. Bryan writes with a keen sense of descriptives, personalization and emotions making his characters and the world(s) they live in so easy to become invested in. The story flows beautifully from chapter to chapter and is incredibly thrilling and exciting but there’s always an undertone of this is to good to last. The cliffie at the end was unbelievable! I’m anxiously awaiting the next book in this series!
March 5, 2012
This review was originally posted at Pages of Forbidden Love
My Thoughts:
I enjoyed JL Bryan’s first book in his Jenny Pox series so I was really excited to try something a bit different from him. I would certainly say that with Fairy Metal Thunder Bryan gives you a different side of his writing, something a little bit lighter than the dark world of the Jenny Pox series.
Fairy Metal Thunder opens up as a nice, smooth going contemporary story about a boy, Jason, who is doing what any teenage guy would love to do…be in a band! While he is in this band he, of course, falls for one of the girls in the band, their lead singer, Erin. The massive problem with this is that she already has a boyfriend and treats Jason just like a good friend. Jason also has protective parents and a cute/annoying little sister to bug him at home. His parents are actually a huge part of this story which shocked me. Most of the time in YA, readers get the classic setting of the parents are dead or don’t care about their children and so they are able to go running around on all of their adventures with no punishment waiting at home. So I actually praise Bryan for not just killing off the parents and letting Jason get away with whatever he wants.
Now the story changes, for the better in my opinion, when Jason has to chase a creature all the way back to a magical world. Once he enters the world of the fae, he quickly catches up with the once small green creature who stole his mother’s earrings. The green goblin is outraged that a human has made it back to his world! Humans are not allowed to know that another world exists and it could mean death at the Queen’s hands if anyone found out. Not only is it bad that Jason is in the world but as soon as he gets the earrings back, he steals the magical fairy instruments that a band left sitting on the stage after performing. This is where the real magic of the story begins because I can’t explain it to you but I have this soft spot for fairy stories. Like I said no clue why but I just love the magical world that they live in and how authors can seem to make any sweet looking fairy be out for vengence in a second flat. I guess the cute but deadly persona of fairies interest me, plus Bryan made it even better by including other creatures and things like unicorns in his story!
Overall, this story was really fun to watch at teenagers try to overtake the music stage by using fairy instruments and it is interesting to see the trouble they find themselves in for what they have done. It was also great to have another cast of characters in the fairy world, I loved those glimpses into their way of life. Plus like I’ve already said I have a soft spot for fairies. So this story was vastly different from the Jenny Pox series and while I still enjoyed it there was just a certain something missing for me. I thought this book was good but there was just a certain spark missing that would have set it over the edge to be a great book or a book that I fell in love with. Since the story continues in another book I think I’m going to have to try book two and see if that book manages to completely capture my heart. This book gets 4 stars from me.
My Thoughts:
I enjoyed JL Bryan’s first book in his Jenny Pox series so I was really excited to try something a bit different from him. I would certainly say that with Fairy Metal Thunder Bryan gives you a different side of his writing, something a little bit lighter than the dark world of the Jenny Pox series.
Fairy Metal Thunder opens up as a nice, smooth going contemporary story about a boy, Jason, who is doing what any teenage guy would love to do…be in a band! While he is in this band he, of course, falls for one of the girls in the band, their lead singer, Erin. The massive problem with this is that she already has a boyfriend and treats Jason just like a good friend. Jason also has protective parents and a cute/annoying little sister to bug him at home. His parents are actually a huge part of this story which shocked me. Most of the time in YA, readers get the classic setting of the parents are dead or don’t care about their children and so they are able to go running around on all of their adventures with no punishment waiting at home. So I actually praise Bryan for not just killing off the parents and letting Jason get away with whatever he wants.
Now the story changes, for the better in my opinion, when Jason has to chase a creature all the way back to a magical world. Once he enters the world of the fae, he quickly catches up with the once small green creature who stole his mother’s earrings. The green goblin is outraged that a human has made it back to his world! Humans are not allowed to know that another world exists and it could mean death at the Queen’s hands if anyone found out. Not only is it bad that Jason is in the world but as soon as he gets the earrings back, he steals the magical fairy instruments that a band left sitting on the stage after performing. This is where the real magic of the story begins because I can’t explain it to you but I have this soft spot for fairy stories. Like I said no clue why but I just love the magical world that they live in and how authors can seem to make any sweet looking fairy be out for vengence in a second flat. I guess the cute but deadly persona of fairies interest me, plus Bryan made it even better by including other creatures and things like unicorns in his story!
Overall, this story was really fun to watch at teenagers try to overtake the music stage by using fairy instruments and it is interesting to see the trouble they find themselves in for what they have done. It was also great to have another cast of characters in the fairy world, I loved those glimpses into their way of life. Plus like I’ve already said I have a soft spot for fairies. So this story was vastly different from the Jenny Pox series and while I still enjoyed it there was just a certain something missing for me. I thought this book was good but there was just a certain spark missing that would have set it over the edge to be a great book or a book that I fell in love with. Since the story continues in another book I think I’m going to have to try book two and see if that book manages to completely capture my heart. This book gets 4 stars from me.
July 5, 2012
Did you know that fairies are bringers of good luck and mischief? They are and I'll explain why in just a moment.
As it turns out, J.L. Bryan is not only good at writing dark and edgy, but he can also write fun stories that border on downright adorable. Fairy Metal Thunder was the latter! It's the story of a guy who rockets to fame, right along with his band mates when he discovers absconds with some magical instruments that turn their music into an experience.
Jason, our main character is the guitarist for a garage band called The Assorted Zebras. Like all bands, they hope to land that one gig that will launch their musical careers but it's just not happening. One evening, while Jason is babysitting his little sister, he finds a little green man stealing his mom's jewelry. The little green man is a goblin named Grizlemor and he led him right into the world of the fae. While he's trying to recover the stolen jewelry, he spies a concert where kids of all ages are entranced and enchanted by the music being played by a band of Folk (fairies, ogres, etc). When the fairy band wraps up their concert, Jason decides to take the instruments back to the human world in the hope that they will help his band.
Of course, these are no ordinary instruments. Once he and his band mates began playing, they realized that the instruments had the ability to change according to the players needs which in turn made their music flawless and attracted an audience. Next thing they know, their music is plastered all over Facebook and YouTube and they are rockstars! But everything comes with a price tag?
Meanwhile back in the land of the fae, the Folk that these instruments really belong to are in pretty deep with their queen for "allowing" their magical instruments to be taken into the human world. They contract the help of an elf and his "don't-let-them-fool-you" unicorns to locate and return the instruments. Now Jason, Mitch (aka Mick), Dred and love-interest Erin not only have to fight off crazy fans, but now they've got a goblin, a dullahan, an elf, and a pissed off unicorn to contend with.
See what I mean about the good luck and mischief?
This is the kind of story you read in one sitting when you're in the mood for something fun and lighthearted that will make you laugh {McSlobberbooger *quietly chuckles*}. The human characters are delightful and yet exasperate you as only teenagers can. They are sweetly awkward and make stupid decisions that make you shake your head. Let's face it though, if not for those stupid decisions, the story wouldn't be quite as much fun. The non-human characters are just as much entertaining from the goblin who warns Jason while trying to save his own hide, the cantankerous elf, the timid/man-eating unicorn and the sweet and worried Aoide (lead of the fairy band).
Thankfully I have books 2 and 3 ready because I can't wait to see how Jason deals with the mayhem that they have brought onto themselves.
~Isalys from Book Soulmates
As it turns out, J.L. Bryan is not only good at writing dark and edgy, but he can also write fun stories that border on downright adorable. Fairy Metal Thunder was the latter! It's the story of a guy who rockets to fame, right along with his band mates when he discovers absconds with some magical instruments that turn their music into an experience.
Jason, our main character is the guitarist for a garage band called The Assorted Zebras. Like all bands, they hope to land that one gig that will launch their musical careers but it's just not happening. One evening, while Jason is babysitting his little sister, he finds a little green man stealing his mom's jewelry. The little green man is a goblin named Grizlemor and he led him right into the world of the fae. While he's trying to recover the stolen jewelry, he spies a concert where kids of all ages are entranced and enchanted by the music being played by a band of Folk (fairies, ogres, etc). When the fairy band wraps up their concert, Jason decides to take the instruments back to the human world in the hope that they will help his band.
Of course, these are no ordinary instruments. Once he and his band mates began playing, they realized that the instruments had the ability to change according to the players needs which in turn made their music flawless and attracted an audience. Next thing they know, their music is plastered all over Facebook and YouTube and they are rockstars! But everything comes with a price tag?
Meanwhile back in the land of the fae, the Folk that these instruments really belong to are in pretty deep with their queen for "allowing" their magical instruments to be taken into the human world. They contract the help of an elf and his "don't-let-them-fool-you" unicorns to locate and return the instruments. Now Jason, Mitch (aka Mick), Dred and love-interest Erin not only have to fight off crazy fans, but now they've got a goblin, a dullahan, an elf, and a pissed off unicorn to contend with.
See what I mean about the good luck and mischief?
This is the kind of story you read in one sitting when you're in the mood for something fun and lighthearted that will make you laugh {McSlobberbooger *quietly chuckles*}. The human characters are delightful and yet exasperate you as only teenagers can. They are sweetly awkward and make stupid decisions that make you shake your head. Let's face it though, if not for those stupid decisions, the story wouldn't be quite as much fun. The non-human characters are just as much entertaining from the goblin who warns Jason while trying to save his own hide, the cantankerous elf, the timid/man-eating unicorn and the sweet and worried Aoide (lead of the fairy band).
Thankfully I have books 2 and 3 ready because I can't wait to see how Jason deals with the mayhem that they have brought onto themselves.
~Isalys from Book Soulmates
August 17, 2012
Fairy Metal Thunder Read-Along & Scavenger Hunt: Week Four
July 27th: Chapters 21-27 Jen of In the Closet With a Bibliophile visit here: http://intheclosetbibliophile.blogspo...
WEIRD eating habits... umm... For my friends my craze for food especially for my favorites is weird there many things that i like but they don't... and my dad thinks that I have weird eating habit when i have sweet and satly (mostly Indian snack: namkeen)
i love to have Indian namkeen and sweets together :)
image:
Few years back I took classes to learn to play synthesizer but due to some reasons couldn't complete it and left at beginner level... but there are times when I love to play my synthesizer especially when I am too happy or sad.
I'll choose either Buttercake (or any-other unicorn from the book)or Michael (or Davin) from Crossroads by Mary Ting.
Yep i was happy that finally Jason and Erin got together :) But now I am also worried what more is in store for the band to face from the fairie world and sad about thinking what Aiode and friends will be facing when queen gets the news that they couldn't find the instruments. >.<
My bad I didn't highlighted my Favorites while reading... :( I liked many quotes and especially the descriptive fairie world... And the character Grizelmore the Goblin was also fun to read. :)
(p.s.: copied week one, two and three post in comments)
1. Grizelmore the Goblin has some really weird cravings and eating habits. Tell us about some of your weird eating habits. Bonus point if you can show me a picure!
WEIRD eating habits... umm... For my friends my craze for food especially for my favorites is weird there many things that i like but they don't... and my dad thinks that I have weird eating habit when i have sweet and satly (mostly Indian snack: namkeen)
i love to have Indian namkeen and sweets together :)
image:
2. In chapter 22 Aiode and her friends try to go and get their instruments replaced at the factory. There are a ton of different instruments there being made for the fairies, but man are they a fortune. Do any of you play any instruments? Have you ever played an instrument? If not, what would you play if you could?
Few years back I took classes to learn to play synthesizer but due to some reasons couldn't complete it and left at beginner level... but there are times when I love to play my synthesizer especially when I am too happy or sad.
3. Jason and the band are finally discovered by the elf (with the crazy long name) and Buttercake the freaking adorable unicorn who turns into something not so adorable. If you were a detective who would you choose for your magical accomplice?
I'll choose either Buttercake (or any-other unicorn from the book)or Michael (or Davin) from Crossroads by Mary Ting.
4. The book ends on a happy but painful note. What do you think of the ending? Were you happy with the turn of events ?
Yep i was happy that finally Jason and Erin got together :) But now I am also worried what more is in store for the band to face from the fairie world and sad about thinking what Aiode and friends will be facing when queen gets the news that they couldn't find the instruments. >.<
5. Tell us your favorite quote(s)/part(s) from the book!
My bad I didn't highlighted my Favorites while reading... :( I liked many quotes and especially the descriptive fairie world... And the character Grizelmore the Goblin was also fun to read. :)
(p.s.: copied week one, two and three post in comments)
August 31, 2014
I became a huge fan of J.L. Bryan's work after reading his horror romance, Jenny Pox. His writing style and plots were very unique without being completely out in left field. I was interested to see what else he could come up with so I agreed to read the first in his Songs of Magic series for young adults. What I found was a highly entertaining story that was about as far from the dark, black humor of Jenny Pox as possible.
I won't go too much into the summary because I don't think I could do it justice. Basically, Fairy Metal Thunder tells the story of a teenage boy named Jason who plays in a band and is trying to get the girl he likes to acknowledge his presence. Through a series of strange coincidences, Jason ends up traveling to the world of fairies and steals magical instruments which helps his band gain rabid fans throughout the city. Meanwhile, the fairy musicians are forced to enter the human world to hunt down their stolen property in order to avoid punishment by the beautiful, but scary Queen Mab.
When I think of Fairy Metal Thunder, the first word that comes to mind is fun! I had a blast reading this and learning about Bryan's twist on fairies. The mixing of the fantasy aspect with the music plot point was well-balanced and made for a unique storyline. I am a huge music fan (despite not having any skill at playing instruments) so I really enjoyed this concept. The story was fairly lighthearted and super funny. J.L. Bryan excels at taking seemingly normal fantasy concepts like unicorns and giving them a much-needed makeover ala Buttercake.
All the characters are entertaining and relatable even the fairies. Most of the story is told in Jason's point of view, but readers do get snippets from Aoide, Neus, Rhodia, and Skezg as they search for their instruments. I really liked Jason as the protagonist and enjoyed watching him try so hard to gain Erin's affection while usually messing it up. It was really sweet how sincere yet hapless he was. As for the other band members, I found their interactions so funny and realistic. I have a special place in my heart for Dred because I love girl drummers.
Overall, this is a well-written fantasy story that gives readers a little something different in the world of vampires and angels. J.L. Bryan's sense of humor and skills at dialogue keep the story going despite its seemingly simplistic plot. I look forward to reading more of this series and finding out how Jason and the rest of the Assorted Zebras deal with their newfound popularity. Highly recommended!
**Thanks to J.L. Bryan for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
For more reviews, check out my blog: http://feministfairytalereviews.blogs...
I won't go too much into the summary because I don't think I could do it justice. Basically, Fairy Metal Thunder tells the story of a teenage boy named Jason who plays in a band and is trying to get the girl he likes to acknowledge his presence. Through a series of strange coincidences, Jason ends up traveling to the world of fairies and steals magical instruments which helps his band gain rabid fans throughout the city. Meanwhile, the fairy musicians are forced to enter the human world to hunt down their stolen property in order to avoid punishment by the beautiful, but scary Queen Mab.
When I think of Fairy Metal Thunder, the first word that comes to mind is fun! I had a blast reading this and learning about Bryan's twist on fairies. The mixing of the fantasy aspect with the music plot point was well-balanced and made for a unique storyline. I am a huge music fan (despite not having any skill at playing instruments) so I really enjoyed this concept. The story was fairly lighthearted and super funny. J.L. Bryan excels at taking seemingly normal fantasy concepts like unicorns and giving them a much-needed makeover ala Buttercake.
All the characters are entertaining and relatable even the fairies. Most of the story is told in Jason's point of view, but readers do get snippets from Aoide, Neus, Rhodia, and Skezg as they search for their instruments. I really liked Jason as the protagonist and enjoyed watching him try so hard to gain Erin's affection while usually messing it up. It was really sweet how sincere yet hapless he was. As for the other band members, I found their interactions so funny and realistic. I have a special place in my heart for Dred because I love girl drummers.
Overall, this is a well-written fantasy story that gives readers a little something different in the world of vampires and angels. J.L. Bryan's sense of humor and skills at dialogue keep the story going despite its seemingly simplistic plot. I look forward to reading more of this series and finding out how Jason and the rest of the Assorted Zebras deal with their newfound popularity. Highly recommended!
**Thanks to J.L. Bryan for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
For more reviews, check out my blog: http://feministfairytalereviews.blogs...
February 16, 2012
This and other reviews can be found at: Dreaming In The Pages
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As a huge fan of the Jenny Pox trilogy I couldn’t wait to read the first book in J.L. Bryan’s newest series. Though it is aimed at a younger audience than the Jenny Pox trilogy was, I loved it no less. One thing I that caught my eye [or ear] the most was the huge aspect the music played in this story. It was incredible to see what a little fairy magic could do to a group of kids. This story is a fast paced read you can’t put down until all is said and done. But be ready for an ending that will leave you hanging in the best possible way.
Just like in his previous books, falling for J.L. Bryan’s characters was an easy feat. Right as the book opened up I knew I was going to love Jason. I mean, how could you not like someone writing a love song for the person he is pining over?! Then once the whole band [who are named The Assorted Zebras by the way] was introduced I was a goner. Each and every character made me crack up in one way or another and I just loved watching the relationship that Jason and Erin did have develop. But what really got this story going was Jason’s little sister Katie [whom I adored!] and his journey into Faerie World. The descriptive writing that J.L. provides us with was so fun to read while he was discovering Faerie.
Another thing I thought was really nifty about this book were the few chapters told from the Fairy’s point of view. You know, the Fairy that Jason stole the instruments from? I wasn’t expecting this but it was interesting to see what she went through after Jason just nabbed her instruments and ran. You also got a lot more background on the faerie world that J.L. had built and I have a feeling it will all come together even more in book two. While I am talking about Faerie World, I can’t tell you how much I loved Grizlemor [who is a Goblin]. He is the one who opened up Jason’s eyes to the world of the Fae and man he had me rolling. I don’t think I have ever enjoyed a dirty goblin more, if ever.
Overall this book is a fun ride to get lost in. Though I despised Jason’s parents I loved everyone else that graced the pages of this musical journey. J.L. Bryan’s witty remarks and fun dialog keep the book moving along and by the time you are on the last page it just doesn’t seem possible. Like I said before, be ready for this ending! You will be surprised at how fast you actually read the book and will be left saying ‘What?! Really?! Where is book two?! I need it NOW!’ I can’t wait to see how Jason’s world will continue to warp in the coming books, and I highly suggest you find out what The Assorted Zebras are all about.
Rating:
★★★★
Four Fabulous Stars
[Get ready to rock the house down]
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As a huge fan of the Jenny Pox trilogy I couldn’t wait to read the first book in J.L. Bryan’s newest series. Though it is aimed at a younger audience than the Jenny Pox trilogy was, I loved it no less. One thing I that caught my eye [or ear] the most was the huge aspect the music played in this story. It was incredible to see what a little fairy magic could do to a group of kids. This story is a fast paced read you can’t put down until all is said and done. But be ready for an ending that will leave you hanging in the best possible way.
Just like in his previous books, falling for J.L. Bryan’s characters was an easy feat. Right as the book opened up I knew I was going to love Jason. I mean, how could you not like someone writing a love song for the person he is pining over?! Then once the whole band [who are named The Assorted Zebras by the way] was introduced I was a goner. Each and every character made me crack up in one way or another and I just loved watching the relationship that Jason and Erin did have develop. But what really got this story going was Jason’s little sister Katie [whom I adored!] and his journey into Faerie World. The descriptive writing that J.L. provides us with was so fun to read while he was discovering Faerie.
Another thing I thought was really nifty about this book were the few chapters told from the Fairy’s point of view. You know, the Fairy that Jason stole the instruments from? I wasn’t expecting this but it was interesting to see what she went through after Jason just nabbed her instruments and ran. You also got a lot more background on the faerie world that J.L. had built and I have a feeling it will all come together even more in book two. While I am talking about Faerie World, I can’t tell you how much I loved Grizlemor [who is a Goblin]. He is the one who opened up Jason’s eyes to the world of the Fae and man he had me rolling. I don’t think I have ever enjoyed a dirty goblin more, if ever.
Overall this book is a fun ride to get lost in. Though I despised Jason’s parents I loved everyone else that graced the pages of this musical journey. J.L. Bryan’s witty remarks and fun dialog keep the book moving along and by the time you are on the last page it just doesn’t seem possible. Like I said before, be ready for this ending! You will be surprised at how fast you actually read the book and will be left saying ‘What?! Really?! Where is book two?! I need it NOW!’ I can’t wait to see how Jason’s world will continue to warp in the coming books, and I highly suggest you find out what The Assorted Zebras are all about.
Rating:
★★★★
Four Fabulous Stars
[Get ready to rock the house down]
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