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Songs of Magic #5
Fairyvision
The fifth book in the Songs of Magic series!
Jason, Erin, and the other Zebras go on a world tour with their enchanted instruments, only to encounter the mysterious supernatural Folk of India and the Far East. While they tangle with their record company, Erin tries to avoid dealing with the secrets she's learned about herself, while Jason pieces together a mystery surrounding a very special golden guitar called Caliburn.
In Faerie, Aoide the Lutist and her troupe finally return home from their long adventure. They're struggling to get new gigs, but Aoide senses opportunity in the form of special new magic mirrors that can broadcast concerts, plays, and other entertainment all over Faerie...
Jason, Erin, and the other Zebras go on a world tour with their enchanted instruments, only to encounter the mysterious supernatural Folk of India and the Far East. While they tangle with their record company, Erin tries to avoid dealing with the secrets she's learned about herself, while Jason pieces together a mystery surrounding a very special golden guitar called Caliburn.
In Faerie, Aoide the Lutist and her troupe finally return home from their long adventure. They're struggling to get new gigs, but Aoide senses opportunity in the form of special new magic mirrors that can broadcast concerts, plays, and other entertainment all over Faerie...
247 pages, ebook
First published February 1, 2013
1 person is currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
J.L. Bryan
48 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 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 12, 2023
Awesome. Simply awesome! I love this series so much!
April 12, 2013
I had just finished reading a rather disappointing book when I decided to finally dive into J.L. Bryan's Fairyvision, the fifth book in the Songs of Magic Series. Now, I have plenty of books to read and many I need to read, but, after a super meh book, I knew I needed a great read, so I turned to one of the few series that never disappoints or fails me...and Fairyvision was beyond awesome!
No matter how much time has passed since I read each of the books in this series, each time I open a new one it feels like coming home and hanging out with a group of my besties! I've come to love the Songs of Magic series THAT much,and Fairyvision is another fantastic edition. In this fifth book, the now super famous Rioting Zebras are sent on a world tour and encounter new, fierce magical creatures (and overly enthusiastic fans) in Japan, India, and Australia. Followed by a camera crew taping a reality show, tempers start to fly among the Zebras and fame begins to take its toll. In Faerie, Aoide and her merry group of musicians also find fame and issues when T.V comes to this magical world. Both bands have gotten the fame and wealth they wanted, but the price they have to pay may end up too high.
I love everything about Fairyvision and Bryan does everything right in this book: the world-building, the storytelling, the humor, and the characters. Like books 1-4 before it, Fairyvision is a wild and uber fun ride full of the fantastical and funny.
There's real magic in Bryan's storytelling and he hits ALL the right notes! Even though this is the fifth book in the series, the superb and captivating storytelling hasn't slowed down at all. Bryan still manages to surprise and dazzle me with each new book. The world-building simply rocks! The world of Faerie is created with such vivid imagination and head-spinning creativity, and I just adore it all! This world is all explosive color, sparkle, and whimsy, but also has elements of wonderful eeriness. In Fairyvision we get to explore even more of Faerie and meet new and exciting creatures, places, plant life, and customs , and I have no idea where Bryan comes up with all of the crazy-awesome stuff! Two words: Cupcake Harvest...I like to think my cupcake-ness rubbed off on the dear author ;)
One of the things I love best about this series, is the humor. Silly humor, snarky humor, ironic humor, plain laugh-out-loud humor...these books have it all. Bryan infuses so much great humor in the Rioting Zebra's journey from a nothing band to a world-wide phenomenon and creates such a smart tongue-in-cheek look at materialism, the entertainment industry, and life in general.
The heart of this series remains to be the well-crafted and developed characters. Bryan has created so many layered and believable characters; some that readers will love, some that will make you laugh, some that you love to hate. The four teenage members of the Rioting Zebras continue to be some of my all time fave characters! I love feisty Erin, sweet Jason, friggin awesome Dred, and even ironically whiny Mitch. These are characters that feel real, feel like friends, and who readers will continue to root for.
Fairyvision takes readers on an exciting and unpredictable trip all around our world and Faerie, and has one heck of an ending (seriously J.L. Bryan?! You end it like that?!) that has me SO ready for book six.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: The Songs of Magic series will delight and enchant both older and younger readers (it's totally appropriate for middle-grade readers). Fairyvision is a fantastic fifth edition in a rockin' series that I can't recommend enough. If you're a fan of the series, pick up this book now, and if you haven't started the series yet, get to it! A MUST read book in a MUST read series....you can get book one for FREE for Amazon Kindle.
No matter how much time has passed since I read each of the books in this series, each time I open a new one it feels like coming home and hanging out with a group of my besties! I've come to love the Songs of Magic series THAT much,and Fairyvision is another fantastic edition. In this fifth book, the now super famous Rioting Zebras are sent on a world tour and encounter new, fierce magical creatures (and overly enthusiastic fans) in Japan, India, and Australia. Followed by a camera crew taping a reality show, tempers start to fly among the Zebras and fame begins to take its toll. In Faerie, Aoide and her merry group of musicians also find fame and issues when T.V comes to this magical world. Both bands have gotten the fame and wealth they wanted, but the price they have to pay may end up too high.
I love everything about Fairyvision and Bryan does everything right in this book: the world-building, the storytelling, the humor, and the characters. Like books 1-4 before it, Fairyvision is a wild and uber fun ride full of the fantastical and funny.
There's real magic in Bryan's storytelling and he hits ALL the right notes! Even though this is the fifth book in the series, the superb and captivating storytelling hasn't slowed down at all. Bryan still manages to surprise and dazzle me with each new book. The world-building simply rocks! The world of Faerie is created with such vivid imagination and head-spinning creativity, and I just adore it all! This world is all explosive color, sparkle, and whimsy, but also has elements of wonderful eeriness. In Fairyvision we get to explore even more of Faerie and meet new and exciting creatures, places, plant life, and customs , and I have no idea where Bryan comes up with all of the crazy-awesome stuff! Two words: Cupcake Harvest...I like to think my cupcake-ness rubbed off on the dear author ;)
One of the things I love best about this series, is the humor. Silly humor, snarky humor, ironic humor, plain laugh-out-loud humor...these books have it all. Bryan infuses so much great humor in the Rioting Zebra's journey from a nothing band to a world-wide phenomenon and creates such a smart tongue-in-cheek look at materialism, the entertainment industry, and life in general.
The heart of this series remains to be the well-crafted and developed characters. Bryan has created so many layered and believable characters; some that readers will love, some that will make you laugh, some that you love to hate. The four teenage members of the Rioting Zebras continue to be some of my all time fave characters! I love feisty Erin, sweet Jason, friggin awesome Dred, and even ironically whiny Mitch. These are characters that feel real, feel like friends, and who readers will continue to root for.
Fairyvision takes readers on an exciting and unpredictable trip all around our world and Faerie, and has one heck of an ending (seriously J.L. Bryan?! You end it like that?!) that has me SO ready for book six.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: The Songs of Magic series will delight and enchant both older and younger readers (it's totally appropriate for middle-grade readers). Fairyvision is a fantastic fifth edition in a rockin' series that I can't recommend enough. If you're a fan of the series, pick up this book now, and if you haven't started the series yet, get to it! A MUST read book in a MUST read series....you can get book one for FREE for Amazon Kindle.
August 5, 2014
Book five in the Songs of Magic series finds The Rioting Zebras jetting off to India, Australia, and other points east on their World Tour where they’re worked to exhaustion with little downtime while bigger changes are brewing back in Fairie.
A documentary crew is following Jason, Erin, Mitch, and Dred around during the world tour, filming them nearly twenty-four/seven for a reality show. When they don’t find much drama amongst the band members, the producer decides to create some—and he quickly figures out which weak spots to poke and prod until someone breaks. I’ll just say that Mitch is the easiest target…
Jason and Erin finally get to be a real couple in Fairyvision, and they are so great together. She’s still struggling with her fairy heritage, but when they are in danger, that kind of lineage does come in handy to fight back. Jason is supportive as ever, but will it be enough in the end?
The band encounter good and bad Fairy Folk in the far corners of the world on their tour, but determining who’s a friend and who’s a foe isn’t that easy—especially when Mitch is basically being a douche to everyone. Danger is omnipresent from fans and Folk alike, and the bandmates are on edge that much more.
Aoide and her band travel back to Siddhe City with a wagon full of silver from man world so they can buy new instruments because Aoide and the wolf failed to get the magical instruments back from Jason. Still out of work, the band mates find a new work opportunity at the fair when high-tech mirrors debut, allowing Folk to watch programs from their homes. If Aoide and the fairy band sign a contract to play on the new magic mirrors, will this lead to steady work or the fame and fortune that Aoide secretly craves?
Over the course of the five books in the Songs of Magic series, JL Bryan has taken what started as a fun, campy, young adult series about what kind of shenanigans a band can get into if they stole magical instruments that can entrance humans, and he skillfully molded them into great examples of careful world building and evolving characters that hold your attention while still carrying the main entertaining essence. Fairyvision is a little bit darker in tone (which I thoroughly enjoyed), but the trademark puns are still present in their punny goodness along with interesting parallels between fairy world life and real world items.
I give this fifth installment a solid five out of five. Each book delves deeper while the characters evolve down paths I never thought I’d see. Full of fun, quirky characters and even weirder names for plants and animals in Fairie, this series is a great pleasure to read and draw parallels to real life.
(Also on Bewitched Bookworms. Copy of book provided by author in exchange for honest review)
A documentary crew is following Jason, Erin, Mitch, and Dred around during the world tour, filming them nearly twenty-four/seven for a reality show. When they don’t find much drama amongst the band members, the producer decides to create some—and he quickly figures out which weak spots to poke and prod until someone breaks. I’ll just say that Mitch is the easiest target…
Jason and Erin finally get to be a real couple in Fairyvision, and they are so great together. She’s still struggling with her fairy heritage, but when they are in danger, that kind of lineage does come in handy to fight back. Jason is supportive as ever, but will it be enough in the end?
The band encounter good and bad Fairy Folk in the far corners of the world on their tour, but determining who’s a friend and who’s a foe isn’t that easy—especially when Mitch is basically being a douche to everyone. Danger is omnipresent from fans and Folk alike, and the bandmates are on edge that much more.
Aoide and her band travel back to Siddhe City with a wagon full of silver from man world so they can buy new instruments because Aoide and the wolf failed to get the magical instruments back from Jason. Still out of work, the band mates find a new work opportunity at the fair when high-tech mirrors debut, allowing Folk to watch programs from their homes. If Aoide and the fairy band sign a contract to play on the new magic mirrors, will this lead to steady work or the fame and fortune that Aoide secretly craves?
Over the course of the five books in the Songs of Magic series, JL Bryan has taken what started as a fun, campy, young adult series about what kind of shenanigans a band can get into if they stole magical instruments that can entrance humans, and he skillfully molded them into great examples of careful world building and evolving characters that hold your attention while still carrying the main entertaining essence. Fairyvision is a little bit darker in tone (which I thoroughly enjoyed), but the trademark puns are still present in their punny goodness along with interesting parallels between fairy world life and real world items.
I give this fifth installment a solid five out of five. Each book delves deeper while the characters evolve down paths I never thought I’d see. Full of fun, quirky characters and even weirder names for plants and animals in Fairie, this series is a great pleasure to read and draw parallels to real life.
(Also on Bewitched Bookworms. Copy of book provided by author in exchange for honest review)
March 11, 2013
When I first read Fairy Metal Thunder, I thought it was kind of quirky and cute. As the Songs of Magic series continues, I can’t really say that anymore. Of course it’s still quirky and cute. It’s still centered around a group of teens who stole magical instruments from a troupe of talented fairies. You can’t get much quirkier than that. The difference is that with each installment, J.L. Bryan takes it up a notch. The humor, wit, danger, action, lessons learned… it’s all so much more than it started out to be.
There’s just so much to love about this series, especially the constants. Erin and Jason are still great together. Dred is still the voice of reason. Mitch is still totally ridiculous and the parents of the Zebras are still clueless. Then there are all the new twists and turns, secrets revealed, new character traits and surprises that J.L. Bryan throws into the mix that keep the pages turning. I not a only love the time that readers spend with Eric, Jason, Mitch and Dred, but now Aoide and her troupe have become so much more than the fairies that had their instruments stolen. The bad guys are even fun to hate!
Like I mentioned, the author took this one up a notch. There was sill a lot of silliness, but it was laced with some seriousness too. Despite what’s on the surface, these characters are dealing with real issues. The balance works well and keeps those serious moments from weighing readers down. As for how things were left at the end of Fairyvision? I have to admit that I saw where things were going, but I still wasn’t prepared. The fate of a few characters were definitely in question at the end and there will be a lot of changes that they will all have to deal with in the next book. I can’t wait to see exactly how J.L. Bryan plans on turning this one around….
There’s just so much to love about this series, especially the constants. Erin and Jason are still great together. Dred is still the voice of reason. Mitch is still totally ridiculous and the parents of the Zebras are still clueless. Then there are all the new twists and turns, secrets revealed, new character traits and surprises that J.L. Bryan throws into the mix that keep the pages turning. I not a only love the time that readers spend with Eric, Jason, Mitch and Dred, but now Aoide and her troupe have become so much more than the fairies that had their instruments stolen. The bad guys are even fun to hate!
Like I mentioned, the author took this one up a notch. There was sill a lot of silliness, but it was laced with some seriousness too. Despite what’s on the surface, these characters are dealing with real issues. The balance works well and keeps those serious moments from weighing readers down. As for how things were left at the end of Fairyvision? I have to admit that I saw where things were going, but I still wasn’t prepared. The fate of a few characters were definitely in question at the end and there will be a lot of changes that they will all have to deal with in the next book. I can’t wait to see exactly how J.L. Bryan plans on turning this one around….
March 21, 2013
Man, oh, man. Those poor Zebras are caught up in the whirlwind of their success but they don't get the chance to appreciate it. They're traveling around the world, seeing things that most kids their age will never see and they spend their days running from gig to gig until they're exhausted and cranky. Plus, Mitch is kinda a kiss-butt douche and I have no idea how the other members of the band manage to put up with him since he came into a little money.
I seriously love all the goings on in Faerie. Aoide and her friends journey back to Sidhe City (vampires!), Lia's terrible task (I don't actually like that part, but I like Lia), Icarus and his muscular arms (heh!)... Faerie is FUN! Well, not all of Faerie is fun. Mab's not fun. She's kind of nutty. But all the punny things that happen there. ALL THE PUNS!
Meanwhile, back with Jason and crew, on top of the Zebras' 9 billion city tour, they're forced to take part in a reality show. Which ends up being just as horrific as you'd think. Erin and Jason are getting closer, the director of the reality show is trying to drive a wedge between all the band mates (because what's a good reality show without the DRAMA!), and Erin is forced to be a spokesperson for some really horrific pants.
Also... Ninja fairies. *fist pump*
The crazy is still going strong, Malarkay Records need a swift kick in the pants (along with all the various people who work for them), and the THINGS THAT HAPPEN at the end gave me a case of crazy eyes. Oh, noes, Zebras! The future's not looking so bright at the moment. I expect that only the greatest of shenanigans will be able to get them out of this predicament. Get to it, kiddies!
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
I seriously love all the goings on in Faerie. Aoide and her friends journey back to Sidhe City (vampires!), Lia's terrible task (I don't actually like that part, but I like Lia), Icarus and his muscular arms (heh!)... Faerie is FUN! Well, not all of Faerie is fun. Mab's not fun. She's kind of nutty. But all the punny things that happen there. ALL THE PUNS!
Meanwhile, back with Jason and crew, on top of the Zebras' 9 billion city tour, they're forced to take part in a reality show. Which ends up being just as horrific as you'd think. Erin and Jason are getting closer, the director of the reality show is trying to drive a wedge between all the band mates (because what's a good reality show without the DRAMA!), and Erin is forced to be a spokesperson for some really horrific pants.
Also... Ninja fairies. *fist pump*
The crazy is still going strong, Malarkay Records need a swift kick in the pants (along with all the various people who work for them), and the THINGS THAT HAPPEN at the end gave me a case of crazy eyes. Oh, noes, Zebras! The future's not looking so bright at the moment. I expect that only the greatest of shenanigans will be able to get them out of this predicament. Get to it, kiddies!
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
April 15, 2015
The Rioting Zebras are not on a world tour. They are on their way to India and lands near by. They also have a film crew watching in them 24 hours a day and when there is not enough drama they decide to get to Mitch and cause some. Erin and Jason are officially a couple but Erin is still having a tough time with her fairy background. Jason is trying to be as supportive as he can but that might not be enough.
At the same time Aoide and her troupe have returned with silver from our world but no instruments. They get new instruments and the possibility of new work. Television has finally come to fairy. Aoide and the group have the chance of a lifetime to be part of it. The question is if this can give them work and fame or be something sinister.
I love this series. It started out as a fun young adult read with lots of potential and it has just grown from there. Each book seems to be getting darker with more challenges and I feel like I’m watching the kids grow up. It’s also great the different characters that are introduced and the ending was a surprise for me on a couple characters.
The Songs of Magic is a great series for any age. Make sure to read them from the start or you will be lost. The books just keep getting better and better. Now I can’t wait to see what happens in Fairy Luck.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
At the same time Aoide and her troupe have returned with silver from our world but no instruments. They get new instruments and the possibility of new work. Television has finally come to fairy. Aoide and the group have the chance of a lifetime to be part of it. The question is if this can give them work and fame or be something sinister.
I love this series. It started out as a fun young adult read with lots of potential and it has just grown from there. Each book seems to be getting darker with more challenges and I feel like I’m watching the kids grow up. It’s also great the different characters that are introduced and the ending was a surprise for me on a couple characters.
The Songs of Magic is a great series for any age. Make sure to read them from the start or you will be lost. The books just keep getting better and better. Now I can’t wait to see what happens in Fairy Luck.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
November 20, 2014
Title: FAIRYVISION
Series: Songs of Magic #5
Category: Fantasy, Fairy Tales
Recommended for: Teens, young adults, and anyone who remembers being a teen
Received from: purchased on Amazon.com
Grammar/editing: ungraded – since I was listening instead of reading. I don't know, but Albert said it was well done.
This fifth book in the series picks up right where FAIRY LAND left off. They do need to be read in order.
Albert (my son) and I have continued this series as a read-aloud in the car on our way to and from work.
We're back with The Rioting Zebras, Jason, Mitch, Erin, and 'Dred, in the human world and all of the wild and bizarre creatures of the fairy world that we have grown to love plus many new faces as well. In fact, in Fae, they now have a new invention. It’s a type of mirror that broadcasts Fairyvision shows – news, concerts, and soap operas. Aoide sees this as an opportunity for the troupe. Now that they have new instruments, they just may find their fame broadcast throughout the Realms.
We have continued to love this series. Both of us were laughing out loud throughout this. This series continues to be very good. Mr. Bryan writes terrifically detailed descriptions that bring this fantastic world alive.
Series: Songs of Magic #5
Category: Fantasy, Fairy Tales
Recommended for: Teens, young adults, and anyone who remembers being a teen
Received from: purchased on Amazon.com
Grammar/editing: ungraded – since I was listening instead of reading. I don't know, but Albert said it was well done.
This fifth book in the series picks up right where FAIRY LAND left off. They do need to be read in order.
Albert (my son) and I have continued this series as a read-aloud in the car on our way to and from work.
We're back with The Rioting Zebras, Jason, Mitch, Erin, and 'Dred, in the human world and all of the wild and bizarre creatures of the fairy world that we have grown to love plus many new faces as well. In fact, in Fae, they now have a new invention. It’s a type of mirror that broadcasts Fairyvision shows – news, concerts, and soap operas. Aoide sees this as an opportunity for the troupe. Now that they have new instruments, they just may find their fame broadcast throughout the Realms.
We have continued to love this series. Both of us were laughing out loud throughout this. This series continues to be very good. Mr. Bryan writes terrifically detailed descriptions that bring this fantastic world alive.
July 21, 2014
This took me a while to get through as it had been so long since I finished reading the previous book, that I had forgotten which characters belonged to which creatures, and what their part in the story was.
I did enjoy this book, and the only thing that let it down was really my own inability to remember people and places.
I do have the next book that I am currently reading and things are a lot easier to jump back into this world.
I did enjoy this book, and the only thing that let it down was really my own inability to remember people and places.
I do have the next book that I am currently reading and things are a lot easier to jump back into this world.
Want to read
February 14, 2013Just saw the cover art for Fairyvision. It is so gorgeous!!!
March 15, 2013
You totally can't just end a book like that! Review to come.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews