Race of Wonders

Magicalia #1

by Jennifer Bell

FEEL THE MAGIC. CONJURE THE IMPOSSIBLE.

From the internationally bestselling author of Wonderscape and The Uncommoners, comes a spectacular new fantasy series set in a world of magical creatures, ancient meteorites and secret organizations, irresistible to fans of Pokémon, Skandar and the Unicorn Thief and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

When her dad is kidnapped by a woman with a giant hamstoceros, Bitsy and best friend Kosh are swept into a secret world of ancient meteorites and strange beasts called magicores, each conjured using a different emotion. Using a powerful beastiary called Magicalia, the friends must quickly become conjurors themselves, before following a trail of clues that will take them from London to India to Paris, in a race to rescue Bitsy’s dad from a mysterious villain…

"ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING WRITERS" Elle McNicoll
"The very definition of a BLOCKBUSTER!" Phil Earle on Legendarium

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Childrens, Magic, Adventure, Audiobook, Friendship

352 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2024

About the author

Londoner Jennifer Bell began working in children’s books as a specialist bookseller at Foyles, Charing Cross Road, one of the world’s most famous bookstores. After having the privilege of listening to children talk about their favorite books for many years, she started writing a book of her own on her lunch breaks.

For other authors with the same name, see Jennifer^^Bell.

Reviews

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magicalia was everything I was expecting and more, it was filled with magic, adventure, friendship and of course magical creatures.

Bitsy’s father is kidnapped by an evil lady who’s convince he has a book that can lead to an ancient artifact known as Arkwright Gyrowheel a long lost object that can help summon powerful magicores.

Magicores are creatures that are conjured from different emotions but Bitsy had no idea of their existence until her father was taken, now she and her best friend Kosh are throw into this brand new world and they need to figure it all out if they want to save Bitsy father.

I loved how Jennifer made Bitsy and Kosh search for the Gyrowheel take place in all different countries, it was amazing seeing the Taj Mahal and the Versailles Palace.

And of course the star of the book was the magicores, the illustrations were so well done and really helped me picture the creatures, my favorite by far was the Hix, so cute!

I truly enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to read the next one.

Thanks Netgalley and Walker Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review

[ems_booknook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magicalia was an incredibly unique middle grade novel, full of fantastical creatures and magic. It is the perfect adventure for younger readers searching for an easy to read story filled with friendship and family. Not a dull page, each page needing to be turned to get to the action! Thank you so much better reading for the opportunity to read this book early!

[✧ Beanie Reads ✧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read: May 16th - May 20th
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 3 stars

Thank you to the publisher and the author for this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book is probably closer to a 2 for me, but it isn't horrible, so I bumped it to a 3. Mostly because I think a lot of my disappointment comes from it not really living up to the magic of Pokemon. Was it bad? No. But promising me that wonder just to fall short is gonna lose you some points v_v One of the best things about Pokemon is seeing the creatures living and breathing in the world, but here they were only present at specific summoned points and felt more like tools than part of the world, you know?

But the plot itself was good, and the creatures were fun. It's a nice, fast read, and has actually interesting twists that lead into a good message about assumptions and judging and stuff. Really, if I think much on it, it's not a bad Middle Grade book at all. But, gaaaah, my hopes going up with that Pokemon comp 😭

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

UPDATE: I read the first chapter with a class of 9 & 10 year olds today and they ATE it up! They all tried to ‘dibs’ my copies for next week. It reminds me how much I’d love to wait to review a MG book until after it’s been tried and tested by the TRUE INTENDED audience! This focus group instantly bought in! I mean I loved Magicalia- it’s a fantastical romp from cover to cover, chockful of imaginative details and humour but with the kids, it became MAGIC!


‘Until a monster swallowed her PE kit, Bitsy’s evening had been going to plan,” is the opening line to Jennifer Bell’s ‘Magicalia’. And, I’ll be completely honest. When I first started I thought, holy moly- I need to buckle up for this one!
It really hits the ground running and the whole novel pretty much hurtles along at terrific speed. I’ve just finished and I need a lie down!

Magicalia is wonderful. The bookishly initiated will detect several sources of inspiration as will fans of pop culture but it is also packed with omega-level imagination. And yes, the pace is electric but don’t worry about retaining every single piece of info: everything falls into place.

Elizabeth Wilder- fabulously known as Bitsy- and her bestie, Kosh (Koshan Ranasinghe), are our brilliant leads with the unfailing energy of my 5-year-old at 6 am on a Sunday. When an incorrectly identified ‘hamstoceros’ and a raven-haired stranger wreak havoc in her house and then kidnap her dad, it’s fair to say that Bitsy’s life is blown open!

Before too long Bitsy and Kosh discover a magical community has been living a secret parallel existence on Earth. A world of magicores, supernatural transport systems and a heartless villain who can create the deepest of deep fakes awaits them. Well, no, they rush towards adventure at 500mph, actually!
Bitsy and Kosh realise they too possess the powers to summon magicores and the quest begins to rescue Bitsy’s dad. As the lead duo delve further into the mystery, suspicion falls on several characters and paranoia enters the game. Meanwhile, a most terrifying enemy strives to find a magical item that will give them an ultimate weapon.

I love the magicores with all of their unique physical characteristics, personality traits and special abilities. I love the creative use of names in the book & the way individual magicores are given their names. Amongst all the chaos and questing, there are some lovely tender moments that seem to hit harder because of the frenzy of action and mayhem surrounding them.

I look forward to the next instalment of Magicalia. When I first saw the cover I was very intrigued as to what ‘Magicalia’ was? The magicalia? A magicalia? A magic land? A system of magic? I’ll leave it to you to find out!

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

My gosh, this was a total and utter adventure from the word go! Round the world, through magical quests and theft, with family and friends, a totally villainous bad guy, and some delightful drawings of the creatures, I have gobbled this up in no time at all. I genuinely can’t WAIT for more! This is everything I love about stories!

[Rebekah · Rating 2 out of 5]

SPOILERS:
The parallels between this and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone just get a bit ridiculous by the end. I'm actually surprised this made it through the edit. The last two hours (I listened to it on audio), read like fanfiction of it. Really odd. The puzzles, the villain in disguise, the manipulation to get the kid to solve the puzzle, the mc having to solve it on her own, the design of the final puzzle done so that someone with good intentions could find it. And it's not concluded in as satisfying a way as Rowling did.

One thing that really started to irritate me was the inclusion of gender ideology, projected on to the magical beasts in the story. It was so absurd.
'She could tell it identified as a girl.' I'm sorry, but the idea that this animal might identify as anything other than its sex is just weird. And how does the main character get these impressions? We're not told. She just sees them and decides that they must identify as a girl or a boy beast, or neither, and starts calling it a 'they'.
Maybe some parents will love and celebrate this in books for their children, but I know some won't. But it personally felt so odd coming out of a child's mouth, as if that was the most natural thing to say, when no child talks that way or sees the world that way unless they've been taught it.

The other thing is that the story goes in one direction for a massive proportion of the book and then just switches, and we all get whiplash. It just didn't work for me, and made the whole momentum and drive of the narrative just fizzle out.

This kind of story on paper reads like my favourite sort, but it just fell flat for me.

[Enairolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il y a des livres qui nous rappellent pourquoi on aime tant lire : pour s’évader, rêver, s’émerveiller… Magicalia, fait partie de ceux-là. Ce roman jeunesse nous plonge dans une aventure captivante, pleine de magie, de mystères et d’émotions, portée par une héroïne aussi courageuse qu’attachante. Avec son bestiaire enchanteur, ses secrets enfouis et son rythme entraînant, ce premier tome a tout pour séduire les jeunes mais aussi les plus grands qui aiment encore croire à l’impossible. Dans un monde où les émotions prennent vie sous forme de créatures fantastiques, Jennifer Belle nous invite à embarquer pour un voyage extraordinaire autour du globe, entre découvertes, danger et espoir. Et si les livres pouvaient réellement ouvrir des portes sur d’autres mondes ? Et si nos sentiments les plus profonds étaient en réalité la clé de pouvoirs insoupçonnés ?

Jennifer Belle adopte un style fluide, parfaitement adapté à un jeune lectorat, sans jamais tomber dans la simplicité. Les phrases sont rythmées, les dialogues dynamiques, et l’humour y est par petites touches bienvenues. L’auteure parvient à évoquer des thèmes profonds comme le deuil ou la quête d’identité, tout en gardant une légèreté bienvenue. Sa plume a ce petit quelque chose de pétillant qui donne envie de tourner les pages encore et encore. Elle sait créer des ambiances, faire passer les émotions et installer du suspense sans jamais en faire trop.

L’univers de Magicalia est à la fois original, magique et étonnamment profond. L’idée des magicores, ces créatures nées des émotions humaines, apporte une vraie touche de poésie et de fraîcheur. Chaque émotion peut donner naissance à une créature différente, et cela pousse le lecteur à réfléchir à ce qu’il ressent lui-même. On découvre tout ça en même temps que Bitsy, ce qui nous donne l’impression de vivre cette aventure à ses côtés. Jennifer Bell a su créer un monde cohérent, riche sans être compliqué, où l’aventure et le merveilleux se mêlent naturellement. On sent qu’elle a pensé à chaque détail, sans jamais perdre le lecteur. C’est un univers qui donne envie d’y plonger, d’en apprendre plus, et surtout d’y croire. On sent qu’ici nous en sommes qu’au début, il reste encore tellement de choses à découvrir par la suite.

L’histoire de Magicalia est avant tout une grande aventure, pleine de mystères à résoudre et de secrets à découvrir. Elle commence par une découverte inattendue, presque banale, qui va bouleverser la vie de l’héroïne et l’entraîner dans un monde qu’elle ne soupçonnait pas. Très vite, le lecteur comprend que cette quête dépasse le simple cadre du fantastique : c’est aussi une recherche de vérité, de liens perdus et de compréhension de soi. Le rythme est bien dosé, alternant entre des moments de calme et de réflexion, et d’autres plus intenses, où l’action prend le dessus. On voyage, on explore, on doute, on s’émerveille. L’auteure parvient à maintenir un vrai suspense tout au long du récit, sans tout dévoiler d’un coup, ce qui donne envie de continuer et de découvrir ce qui se cache derrière les apparences. C’est une histoire riche, à plusieurs niveaux, qui parle autant d’émotions que d’aventure.

Les personnages de Magicalia sont l’un des grands atouts du roman. Bitsy, l’héroïne, est une jeune fille de douze ans à la fois curieuse, courageuse et profondément humaine. Elle ne cherche pas à être parfaite : elle doute, elle se trompe, elle a peur… et c’est justement ce qui la rend si attachante. On suit son évolution avec beaucoup d’intérêt, car au fil de l’histoire, elle gagne en assurance et en maturité.Kosh est un personnage qu’on apprécie immédiatement. C’est le meilleur ami de Bitsy, mais il est bien plus qu’un simple compagnon d’aventure : il est son soutien, sa voix de raison, parfois même son moteur. Toujours prêt à aider, avec une bonne dose d’humour et une vraie fidélité, il apporte une touche de légèreté et de chaleur au récit. Kosh a lui aussi ses failles et ses peurs, mais il les cache souvent derrière son enthousiasme ou ses remarques pleines de bon sens. Sa présence constante renforce le lien d’amitié sincère qui l’unit à Bitsy, et ce duo fonctionne à merveille. Autour d’eux gravitent plusieurs personnages secondaires bien construits, aux personnalités variées. Certains deviennent des alliés précieux, d’autres sont plus ambigus, voire menaçants. Ce mélange rend l’univers vivant et réaliste, même dans un cadre fantastique. Chaque personnage semble avoir sa place et son rôle, avec ses propres motivations et parfois ses propres blessures. On sent que l’autrice prend le temps de les développer sans les caricaturer, ce qui donne de la profondeur à l’ensemble du récit.

En refermant Magicalia, on garde en tête l’impression d’avoir vécu une aventure riche et lumineuse, portée par une plume fluide, un univers magique plein de poésie, et des personnages profondément humains. Jennifer Bell signe ici un premier tome prometteur, qui mêle habilement émotions, mystère et émerveillement. Bitsy, héroïne courageuse et touchante, embarque le lecteur dans une quête aussi personnelle qu’universelle, entourée de figures marquantes comme Kosh, son fidèle ami. Le concept des magicores, créatures nées des émotions, offre un regard original et sensible sur ce que l’on ressent, tout en nourrissant un récit captivant. C’est une lecture qui parle autant au cœur qu’à l’imaginaire, et qui donne envie de découvrir la suite sans tarder. Un vrai coup de cœur pour les petits et les grands rêveurs.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Magicalia” is a lively novel that will appeal to young readers from about eight years. It’s fun and adventurous, with appealing characters and plenty of action.

Bitsy and her friend Kosh are having a very ordinary morning, until a magician and her giant hamstoceros appear in her kitchen and kidnap her father. Before that moment, Bitsy didn’t know magic was real, but now she has irrefutable proof.

Bitsy and Kosh accept this without too much trouble: they’re focused on how to get her father back. And so begins a quest that plunges them into a world of magic they’d never known existed. A quest that will teach Bitsy things about her parents that change her understanding of their lives and hers.

The quest to find Bitsy’s Dad is like a treasure hunt, with clues leading them from place to place. Many readers will enjoy following along with this: although the clues aren’t really solvable by the reader, it’s an engaging quest that will feel within the capabilities of most readers – if only they were there to help!

As they search, Bitsy and Kosh also discover a few things about their own abilities and capabilities. There’s something of a sense of a coming of age here. It’s partly from the kids’ realisation that they can do and be more than they thought. It also bounces a bit off the idea that kids don’t really believe their parents had a life before them, and how stunning it can be to find that’s not true.

Although the novel presents some strong values (such as being loyal to family), it isn’t at all moralistic. It’s just a story about a couple of pretty decent kids doing the best they can.

My Miss Eleven felt that the novel started a little slowly, but after a few chapters she found it very absorbing. Her complaint about the early chapters was that “there’s a lot of action, and it comes at you really fast. It doesn’t stop for long enough for you to get to know the characters.” She found that got better as the novel progressed.

Her other minor complaint was that sometimes characters didn’t seem to react enough to things. She felt they were blasé, and sometimes took things at face value where they should have asked more questions. She also felt that they found some of the things they needed too easily.

She appreciated the reference to Taylor Swift – this is a very contemporary novel – and said that despite her complaints, her overall feeling was that she really liked the book.

The language is accessible to quite young readers. It’s an easy read, and I think even if a few words are challenging, they should be understandable in context. The world is well visualised and believable, with our reality overlapping a hidden magical world. Older readers may have one or two questions about the world building, but I don’t think the intended audience will have any trouble accepting what’s offered.

I really enjoyed this novel, as did my Miss Eleven. It’s a good fun romp, with a fair bit of substance. It’s volume one in a series, and we’re both looking forward to reading the next one.

If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What worked:
A Magicalia once belonged to Bitsy’s mother, but Bitsy doesn’t find out until after her father is kidnapped. The Magicalia reveals the world of magicores and offers brief bits of information about them. Bitsy’s copy of the book includes her mother’s notes, but they can only be read by three people. Bitsy and her best friend Kosh discover hidden portals to different areas of the world and follow clues to rescue her father. However, a ransom note warns them not to tell anyone else, so they’re left to fully discover the world on magicores mostly on their own. A new antagonist arises in the middle of the book, who will become the source of future problems in the series.
The various magicores are aligned with specific emotions, so conjurers must visualize past experiences that elicit those feelings. The creatures have different strengths that range from alpha to omega. Beginners like Bitsy and Kosh summon simple magicores, while it takes six conjurers working together to summon an omega. The characters can only conjure one magicore at a time, so they must think carefully about which one to choose. Sometimes, Bitsy and Kosh aren’t sure exactly what their magicores can do, so they offer surprises, too. It’s curious to witness Bitsy’s memories, as she tries to find the right emotion to conjure. Kosh’s motivations usually include a moment from watching his favorite soccer team.
The conjurers divide themselves into guilds that work together to form the Alliance. However, one guild called the Hunters wanted to use magicores to rule humans, so the Alliance banished them from the conservatoire. Now, these guilds still oppose each other, which has allowed a new group to grow in power. This small collection of conjurers is committed to creating chaos and dissension between the Alliance and the Hunters. One character can change appearances, so no one, including readers, knows when this person might pop up. Gilander Arkwright is the original conjurer, and the plot’s conflict centers on a search for his gyrowheel. The finder will hold a powerful artifact that will change the world as they know it.
What didn’t work as well:
It’s hard to believe Bitsy and Kosh can select memories with just the right emotions to conjure appropriate magicores. They’re often needed immediately, and they never make a mistake. That’s not to say their choices are always perfect, but it seems like they should have some kind of learning curve.
The final verdict:
The author creates a creative, exciting story with an abundance of unexpected turns. Summoning strange creatures using emotional memories is fascinating, and young readers will become engrossed in the search for the gyrowheel. Overall, I recommend you give this book a shot.

[Mana traverse les Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bitsy avait un quotidien tranquille, rythmé par les cours, son podcast et ses journées avec son meilleur ami Kosh. Enfin ça s'était avant qu’un hamster avec une corne (et la stature) d’un rhinocéros ne ravage sa maison et qu’une femme inconnue au bataillon n’enlève son père. La jeune fille découvre qu’il existe des créatures naissant des émotions, nommés magicores, qu’elle et Kosh peuvent en invoquer et qu’une organisation peu recommandable refait surface…

Si j’avoue ne pas avoir été attirée par la couverture, j’ai par contre craqué pour le résumé. Je connaissais l’autrice, mais seulement de nom, puisqu’elle se trouve dans ma PAL… et je compte bien l’en sortir avant la fin de l’année, car sa plume m’a convaincue. Niveau récit, j’ai trouvé que l’action était bien dosée, avec des coupures plus calmes qui sont souvent peu présentes dans ce type de récit jeunesse, même si tout se passe très vite dans le temps. J’ai bien évidement adoré le bestiaire loufoque, qui n’est pas seulement là pour accompagner les personnages, mais qui a un véritable impact sur l’histoire. Le fait que ces créatures proviennent des souvenirs d’émotions ressenties, à un bon potentiel pour le développement des héros dans la suite de la série.

Coté personnages, j’ai adoré la dynamique entre Bitsy et Kosh : l’amitié qui les lie est puissante et purement bienveillante. Le jeune garçon est d’ailleurs mon chouchou : il est solaire, clairement casse-cou, mais surtout présent et impliqué dans la quête, les difficultés et les peines de son amie. Je n’ai pas pu m’empêcher de penser à Salim dans l’univers de Pierre Bottero, qui est également un de mes personnages préférés partageant une personnalité similaire. Cette amitié m’a rappelé mes amitiés d’enfance qui étaient le centre de mon univers au même âge.
Las adultes sont présents et contrairement à la traditionnelle opposition avec les plus jeunes, l’autrice a choisi de présenter des figures d’autorités qui prennent en compte les sentiments, les besoins et notamment qui écoutent les enfants. Cependant, on fait face à des héros qui ne font pas leur âge : très débrouillards, ils ont une maturité et une capacité de réflexion qui est en décalage avec leur façon de parler par exemple. Ils ont aussi une liberté de mouvement qui me parait peu crédible dans notre contexte actuel (mais c’est souvent la magie de la littérature jeunesse).

Bref, si je pensais apprécier ce premier tome, j’ai été agréablement surprise par ma plongée dans cet univers. Je vais d’ailleurs pouvoir lire la suite le mois prochain (merci à la maison d’édition pour l’envoi des deux premiers volumes) et la série va peut-être rejoindre ces séries que je recommande vivement à mon entourage… affaire à suivre !

[Mama ant dviračio · Rating 2 out of 5]

Liūdesys ir nusivylimas. Vaikui, jei ne reiklus, tikriausiai sueis - bet suaugusieji ir daugiau skaitę vaikai nuobodžiaus.

Skaičiau dešimtmetei. Jau trečiame puslapyje "atsijungiau" iš nuobodulio, skaičiau ir tik viena ausim klausiau, ką skaitau. Daug veiksmo, daug spalvų... bet kas iš to? Kodėl mums turėtų rūpėti pagrindiniai veikėjai ir jų likimas?

Girdėjau, kad netflixe veiksmas turi prasidėti per septynias sekundes - nes dažniausiai tiek užtenka, kad žiūrovai perjungtų vaizdą. Septynias SEKUNDES, Karlai. Tiktoko smegenų puvėkas. Ši knyga verčia svarstyti, ar ta pati taisyklė galioja ir knygoms - bent jau toms, kurios reklamuojamos kaip garantuotas būsimas blockbusteris. Veiksmas veja veiksmą, bet pala.. kodėl? Kas? Kaip? Ką? Na ir dar pakeliui infodumpų porcijos.

Dialogai labai mediniai. Skaitytojas laikomas dunduku. Pasakoma, ko tikėtis, tuomet sakoma, kas vyksta, o veiksmui pasibaigus pasakoma, kas kątik nutiko.

Ne, velniop, trijų žvaigždučių per daug.

Negaliu pakęsti, kai knygos bando būti "šiuolaikiškos" ir kalbėti apie "modernias" problemas. Esu numetusi keletą knygų, nes jos pasakojo ne istoriją, o bandė užsidėti varneles prie "svarbių šiuolaikiniam žmogui" temų. Pirmąsyk tą matau vaikų literatūroje, ir tikiuosi, kad paskutinį. Nes WTF? Kadangi skaičiau lietuviškai, galiu tik spėlioti, kokie žodžiai buvo parinkti originale anglų kalba. Jei spėju teisingai, mintys kyla įvairios.

sužadintieji - woke?
kosmotipiški - neurotipiški?
kosmodinamiškas - neuroįvairūs (neurodiverse)?
"Bitsė pajuto, kad iškerėta magikorė tapatinasi su patele" - tapatinasi????

Blogietis Ridldžeksas - akivaizdus linktelėjimas Rowling ir Hario Poterio pusėn. Ir vaikus globojusi sena moteris - iš tiesų užsislėpusi blogietė.

Jo.

Joooooooo.

Gal ir dviejų žvaigždučių per daug. Bet tiek to, tebūnie ta antroji žvaigždutė tiems, kas nežino, apie ką aš. Laimingi esate žmonės, ir tikiuosi, kad taip ir nesužinosite.

[Sifa Poulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.

RACE OF WONDERS is the start of a MG series about magical creatures conjured from emotions.

I loved the breadth of imagination on show in this book through the myriad of magical creatures introduced. Conjured from emotions, they can be helpful or scary - depending on who uses them. They bring s a bright dash of magic to the world (book set in ours) with lots to explore - and plenty of scope for later books to introduce new ones.

Each chapter begins with an illustration of a magicore, one who will probably play a role in that chapter. The illustrations were done by David Wyatt and were such a useful little touch. These creatures are ones imagined by Jennifer Bell and I found a visual interpretation more useful for imagining them than a drawn one, so I'm glad the option was there.

The book is a quest, which I love. Bitsy and Kosh dash around the world following clues to find out where exactly the mythical gyrowheel is in order to stop the villain getting it - and to heal those hurt by the villain. The clues take them to cultural landmarks like the Taj Mahal and the Palace of Versailles. I enjoyed the tourism aspect of it.

The book also explores judging people without knowing them through the hunter's guild, who have all been banished for 300 years. New members don't get a chance to show they're not all the same as the villain. There are a few fun twists about who is a goodie and who is a baddie woven into it.

The book ends with the gyrowheel found, but in doing so, the world of magicores could be about to change - for the better, if everyone can let go of their prejudices.

[Agapanthus.books.100 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you got Magicalia by Jennifer Bell on your wish list yet?

Well, if you haven't, you definitely need to pop it on there!

Bitzy is living a very normal life trying hard to find interesting events to cover in her quest to follow in her mother's footsteps as a journalist. Creating exciting podcasts with her best friend Kosh is proving difficult in her quiet home town of Oddington, when out of the blue, her world is turned upsidedown.

Their home is invaded by a conjuror with a magical beast in tow, and her beloved dad is kidnapped. Bitsy discovers she is descended from these magical conjurors who can create magicores - magical beasts - summoned by using their emotions.

A hidden notebook, magical stones and a set of intriguing coordinates, lead Bitsy and Kosh on adventure that takes them from Oxford to London, then India to France on a mission to rescue her dad and find out more about her mysterious past.
But with danger around every corner, will they make it without one, or both of them, getting hurt?

If you love a quest adventure, then you'll love this tale. Littered with a whole host of magical creatures who are linked to your emotions, each has different abilities and powers, making it such a clever and unique plot. The characters are a mix of 'goodies and baddies', the goodies are likeable and have you spurring them on in their mission, whilst the baddies are truly devious and wicked.

Jennifer's writing style is fast paced and easy to read, keeping you hooked with every page. I loved this story and am already looking forward to a sequel! Fantastic!

Thank you to Toppsta for this proof copy of the book.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a fun and magical read! I really enjoyed this one and the world that Jennifer Bell has created. There is lots of action and adventure as Bitsy and Kosh try to track down Bitsy's kidnapped father and solve the mystery that unravels as they do. My favourite part was the whole concept of magicores and how they are conjured. I don't think I have read anything like that before. There are other parts that feel borrowed from other fantasy type books but that's pretty common. It is hard to completely innovate all aspects.

I found the action to be well paced and loved that while trying to track down the gyrowheel they traveled all over the world and visited some famous landmarks. I always love when middle grade books do this so kids will be encouraged to look up these places and learn more about them.

I really enjoyed the audiobook version of this book since the narrator brought life to the characters and the action but after reading some other reviews of the print book and mentions of the illustrations at the beginning of each chapter, I wish I had the print copy to enjoy those. Either way I think kids of all ages will enjoy this new series by Jennifer Bell and will be anxiously awaiting the next book just like I am when they finish.

I received an advanced audio book edition of this book through Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for my honest review.

[Yamini · Rating 4 out of 5]

this world, they’re called Magicores, mystical creatures conjured by people with rare gifts.

When Bitsy finds her dad kidnapped by a stranger, she begins to piece together secrets her parents had been hiding from her. Now, to rescue her father, she has to develop the ability to conjure Magicores by going to a magical school. But this new world has complexities of its own, as one of the guilds that wield such powers are hunters who would destroy anyone and anything that comes in their path.

This middle-grade adventure reminded me of too many things at once: The Pokéballs from Pokémon, the familiars, and the Hogwarts school along with an antagonistwho is highly skilled. Even though the concepts felt borrowed, I enjoyed the new twists that the author tied them with in this story. There is also a mention of India and the Taj Mahal as one of the quests taking place, which was a happy encounter for me.

The energy of the MC (Bitsy) is infectious, which also reflects in her narrator's voice, and many times I found myself smiling as I was listening to the audiobook. The story is fast-paced and nothing short of hilarious escapades. It tugs at the child within you and amuses you all the way through.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not since Morrigan Crow have I been so enamoured with an introduction to a magical world. Magicalia grabs you from the moment a purple hamster with a horn appears unexpectedly to the thrilling creature battle with the villain at the end. Bitsy and Kosh are a likeable duo; thrown into an adventure filled with magic; navigating an extraordinary world where emotions are used to conjure magical creatures. Evoking Pokémon, Inside Out and His Dark Materials the creatures are complex, unique and incredibly charming. I could not wait to see which creature would be introduced next and how this connected to the emotion. The plot was quick paced and suspenseful, with a couple of twists and turns which didn’t seem forced and lent well to the story. I thoroughly enjoyed the travel to locations around the world and the exploration of the conservatoire and its history. The world is fully realised and rich in possibilities for future books. I was left how I want a book to make me feel; a bit fuller but also completely bereft that the journey was over…for now. I am already wondering which guild I would join and I cannot wait to see more of the wonderful world of Magicalia!

[Bookread2day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magicalia is part fiction, with a lovely fantasy theme, interwoven in the storyline that grips you, and then the story becomes even more interesting with a flair of magic that happens when you are least expecting it. Sadly Bitsy mum who was an investigating reporter passed away in a car accident. Someday Bitsy wants to follow in her mum’s footsteps. With Bitsy’s laptop, microphone and headphones she starts reporting about the community she lives in, until a strange looking monster appears inside her house. The monster and a wicked raven-hair woman are looking for something in Bitsy’s house. Mayhem is about to take place, Bitsy’s dad vanishes, with the monster and the raven-haired woman. I was absolutely clueless in how Bitsy could safely get her dad back. I for one absolutely just loved this new fantasy fiction novel with loving every single page, so much so, that I would definitely read the next in this fantasy series by author Jennifer Bell. This book is splendidly, a first class fictional tale, with a mixture of fantasy and magic that any 8 to 13 years will sure will find unputdownable.

[Yvonne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Normalt holder jeg meget af at læse børnebøger beregnet til mellemtrinnet og op. Særligt de magiske af slagsen, men denne bog og jeg var ikke et match. 

Vi følger to børn som opdager at de kan magi og at der findes et magisk samfund rundt om dem. Detbene barns far kidnappes og det sætter gang i en hæsblæsende jagt efter en særlig magisk genstand som bringer dem verden rundt. 

Fortællingen savnede for mig troværdighed. Hovedpersonen acceptere lidt for hurtigt de prøvelser hun sættes overfor, den nye magiske verden, som var hende ukendt, stiller hun ingen spørgsmål til og da "Den store afsløring" kommer ca halvvejs så acceptere hun også det uden at løfte et øjenbryn. Magien er for let at lære, og har stort set ikke begrænsninger og det fungerer heller ikke rigtig for mig. 

Jeg kan dog godt forstå hvorfor den yngre læser måske vil kunne lide historien. Der sker en masse og de magiske skabninger er ekstremt nuttede - her hjælper de små illustrationer i bogen. 

Ikke en god bog for mig, men jeg vil dog alligevel anbefale at læsere på 10-13 år giver bogen en chance. Den kunne meget vel være noget for jer.

[Nerelle Donnelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating and adventurous right from the start….

I received my ARC from Better Reading and Walker Books Australia for an honest review and I can honestly say I loved it.

I can see this series being a favourite for many kids, and it took me by surprise so much so that I can also see it being loved by many adults as well. All you need is a willingness to enjoy a great tale and to explore a magical secret world.

Jennifer has used her incredible skill and imagination to create a fabulous secret world with extremely unique magicores. I love how they are conjured from different emotions, and seriously, there are just some you want to cuddle.

Bitsy and Kosch are fantastic characters that are prepared to go above and beyond to find Bitsy’s dad and help save the day, with the other characters giving the story balance and intrigue, and of course someone has to be the bad guy.

I would highly recommend it to both primary school and early high school age groups, and to any adult looking for a fun read….give it a go, you might just find out there is still fun to be had.

Publication date 3 July 2024 | 9+ years old

#BRPreview
#magicalia
#jenniferbell
#magicalmayhem
#walkerbooksaustralia

[watermelonreads · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm really disappointed that this book didn't resonate with me as much as I expected. While I appreciate the detailed worldbuilding, it felt overwhelming at times, and I found myself skimming over it as the story progressed. However, I understand the author's focus on creating a foundation for a series.

My biggest frustration lies with the central mystery. For almost two-thirds of the book, both the characters and the reader are invested in a lead that ultimately turns out to be irrelevant. It feels like the entire premise, built on what seems like a major miscommunication, was essentially a waste of time. After 150 pages of following this lead, I couldn't help but wonder, "So what was the point?" This shift significantly impacted my interest, and I realized I wasn't the target audience for this particular story.

It's a shame, because the author is undeniably talented. I'm just sad this book wasn't the right fit for me.

[Farah G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a whirlwind-paced and wonderfully creative adventure involving exotic imaginary creatures, meteorites and more magical madness than you can shake a stick at.

As Bitsy and Kosh ride to the rescue of her kidnapped father, they are in a race against time and travel across the globe from Europe to India.

In the process, not only are they introduced to beasts like the hamstoceros and ozoz, they encounter an entire menagerie of magical creatures at the Magicalia bestiary.

A thrilling story with plenty of twists, this will have wide-ranging appeal for young (and not so young) readers. Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Sinéad O'Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know it's early in the year, but... I think this will be my book of 2024. I'm a huge fan of Jennifer Bell, and I've loved all her previous work, but Magicalia: Race of Wonders is a step up from her already high bar! A thrilling, fascinating, expertly plotted, brilliantly nuanced, endlessly imaginative story that had me gripped from the very first line, this book really is superb middle-grade wonder. I hope it finds ALLLL the readers! (My thanks to the author and her publisher for sending me an electronic proof of this book, without obligation to review.)

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun adventure story for older children, with lots of cuddly (and not so cuddly!) magical creatures, and a whole new magical world to explore! The author takes us around the world on a race against time to find the gyrowheel, a magical instrument that mustn't fall into the wrong hands. On the way, there are plenty of twists and some fun creatures that help Bitsy and Kosh, the two protagonists.

Kids will be enthralled with this action-packed story, and the characters feel like old friends right from the start. A great story that I hope will become a series. Highly recommend!

[Shauna Morrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good start to the Magicalia series.

The story is fast-paced and readers jump right into the adventure. Magicores sound pretty interesting and I look forward to seeing which Magicores are featured in the next book of the series.

Penelope Rawlins did a good job narrating this story. I think it would be hard to narrate children's voices as an adult and Penelope did a great job of bringing them to life.

[John Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stellar 10/10 middle grade fantasy from the extraordinaire that is Jennifer Bell.

Magicalia is an explosive start to what I’m sure will be truly magical series. The imagination that is laced through every page, in every magicore description is unmatched in the kids world.

There are twists and turns, relatable creatures and loveable characters.

It is Pokémon meets Inside Out!

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fast-paced story about two children's attempts to rescue the kidnapped father of one of them. It is well-written with bits that could be a bit challenging for younger children. Sometimes I think it can be a bit too fast-paced and hard to follow. But on the whole, it is a great fun-read.

[Bookgirl888 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fabulous. Magic, adventure, friendships, and family all happen in this book. It had an Indiana Jones feel as they were looking for an ancient artefact, and on their journey, they came across traps aimed to test them. There were so many magical creatures that I hope there's another book so we can see mor

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of fun if you love books with an intricate magical system, plenty of cool magical creatures and a race against time to save a trusted parent. Hand to readers who love animals, fantasy, and especially animals that you can conjure up with special spells and have powers that are related to energy, emotions and anything a kid can imagine.

[Mrs Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting one. It was lovely entering in to such a magical world. Lots of twists and turns throughout. There were a few points I felt the book was padded out a bit, but overall a good read.

[Alyce Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hugely successful start to a new middle-grade series.

It’s taken us nearly a year to get through this as I’ve been reading it to my children at bedtime until they fall asleep, but we’ve finally finished at the perfect time to move straight on to book two!