The Luthier's Apprentice

Violinist Detective Series #1

by Mayra Calvani

Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840), one of the greatest violinists who ever lived and rumored to have made a pact with the devil, has somehow transferred unique powers to another…

When violinists around the world mysteriously vanish, 16-year-old Emma Braun takes notice. But when her beloved violin teacher disappears… Emma takes charge. With Sherlock Holmes fanatic, not to mention gorgeous Corey Fletcher, Emma discovers a parallel world ruled by an ex-violinist turned evil sorceress who wants to rule the music world on her own terms.

But why are only men violinists captured and not women? What is the connection between Emma’s family, the sorceress, and the infamous Niccolò Paganini?

Emma must unravel the mystery in order to save her teacher from the fatal destiny that awaits him.

And undo the curse that torments her family—before evil wins and she becomes the next luthier’s apprentice…

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Mystery, Supernatural, Music, Horror

190 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 15, 2014

About the author

Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults and has authored over a dozen books, some of which have won awards. Her stories, reviews, interviews and articles have appeared on numerous publications such as The Writer, Writer’s Journal, Multicultural Review, and Bloomsbury Review, among many others. When she’s not writing, reading, editing or reviewing, she enjoys walking her dog, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a touch of magical fantasy, both of the musical and mysterious kind, Mayra Calvani’s The Luthier’s Apprentice is the perfect invitation for younger readers, heck ALL readers to enjoy the intrigue of another realm, the legend of Master violinist, Niccolo Paganini, and the adventures of three teens, one who may be destined to carry on the cursed magic of creating violins with soul, literally.

Emma is a gifted violinist, destined for a rewarding life in the world of music. She is also apprenticing with her dour grandfather to be a master luthier or violin maker, but when violinists are disappearing and her teacher is among the missing, Emma can’t help but be intrigued. Something is going on and she is determined to find out what. With the help of two friends, she discovers a world of evil magic ruled by a twisted entity who steals the souls of the masters in order to imbue their gifts into the wood needed to create the “soulful” sounds of the world’s finest violins. Is this to become her world or can she rescue the tortured souls of the greats?

Mayra Calvani manages to create a dark scenario that follows a twisted, yet exciting path while keeping her tale youthful and magnetic! Her characters are endearing, adventuresome and often brilliant as they willingly fore go what is known to embrace the possibilities of the unknown and seemingly impossible! Careful planned this journey is well-paced, the dialogue is real, and each character plays their part to perfection! With a light touch on teen romance, as well as a little history and legendary greats, I was caught in the spell of her writing and the “what ifs” she gives us! Ms. Calvani has built a fascinating world to journey to, and believe in! I highly recommend this as the perfect way to enjoy the magic of reading!


I received this copy as part of the The Luthier's Apprentice Tour & Giveaway stopping at Tome Tender May 15, 2014.

Publication Date: May 10, 2014
Publisher: Twilight Times Books
Genre: Middlegrade/Teen Fantasy Mystery
Print Length: 190 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

[Manon · Rating 4 out of 5]

More reviews on my blog, Exploring Pages.

"They spent the next hour talking "violin talk"-harmonies, favorite composers and violinists, trills, pizzicato, vibrato and other techniques. Time just flew by. He was just as passionate as she was and she couldn't wait to see him playing Brahms in a tuxedo."
- Mayra Calvani, The Luthier's Apprentice

Thank you Mark My Words Publicity and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book!

The Luthier's Apprentice surprised me in more ways than I imagined. If this book has been bad then I would have been able to say that I was fooled by the beautiful cover. This novel, however, has plot twists at every corner and is above all, filled with mystery. It's unlike any other book in the young-adult genre I've ever read, and definitely deserves the four stars I didn't think I would have given.

A book of which its main storyline is centered around music and violins usually gives the impression that it's not made for everyone. I can agree on certain terms. You will always have these people who are not into classical music or don't want to read about it. I would have considered myself to be a part of that group, if not for this book. There are still many names and musical definitions in here that I have never heard about. I really am not the biggest fan of classical music and its history, nor do I know much about it. Still I enjoyed this part of the story very much. It's different in a good way, and it's obvious that the author combined her real-life passion with writing. I can honestly say that I learned so many new things while reading, and yet I never felt like I was reading a textbook.

The actual plot itself has, as it's obvious by now, a lot of musical elements to it, but also lots of mystery. From the start of the book when I thought this was going to be a slow read, the story started progressing and it built up lots of mystery. There's a continuous flow of questions and answers, and still I found myself to be desperate near the end of the book. I was trying my very best to retrieve the last pieces of the puzzle just because I was so intrigued. My guesses were therefore sometimes very close, yet in the end I never got it right. There are just a lot of plot twists involved that kept the story going. On a side note, I also loved how the author combined facts and historical figures with a paranormal storyline. There are so many options to continue with if that's the case, and it's clear that Calvani used it well.

It doesn't happen very often when I read a book where almost all the characters are lovable. Ranging from protagonists to side kicks to minor characters, they all had a personality of their own. They all had their flaws and they call came across realistically. Some maybe more developed than others, but I didn't pay that much attention to it as I was already gripped by the story. If it wasn't for the characters themselves, I often found myself being very interested in certain characters's backstories. Corey's background with his dad and other ancestors is a great example of that, especially it eventually all comes together in the end.

The only downfall this book had for me was the villain that shouldn't be named because of possible spoilers. This villain had my eyes rolling way too many times to come across as believable. To be honest, I'm not very picky when it comes to villains in books. There only has to be considered with the fact that villains themselves should have this vibe of evilness and cruelty. With this one, however, I had to constantly wrap my head around the fact that people were actually scared of her. In my mind, she looked like a spoiled princess who's so-called revenge has gone to her head. It just would have been great if she wasn't like any other villain in young-adult books with those typical evil lines and luxurious attire.

To write about something lighter again, I found the romance between Emma and Corey to be sweet and enjoyable. They began to know each other through a friendship, like normal teens would do. The normal frienship soon turned into flirting, so I knew this had to turn into romance eventually. That transition is done well because it was built up slowly and believable. You have your typical teen romance but because of the involvement of the plot, it still felt like something different. The Sherlock Holmes quoting between the two of them felt a little bit over the top in the beginning. There was already so much going on and I didn't need another teen obsession which didn't feel right. It also had to be that the two had to have that also in common. Yet it soon grew on me when I realised I have the same thing, but with many other books I've read.

In other words, The Luthier's Apprentice is a beautiful combination of music, mystery and paranormal. It's not something you find a lot, and because of that you should read it if you're intrigued after reading the synopsis. With characters you surprisingly get to love, a plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat and an eyeroll worthy cliché here and there, The Luthier's Apprentice is an excellent read.

[Anne Bollmann (Annelise Lestrange) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review originally posted on The Book Adventures of Annelise Lestrange :)

I received this copy from Lola’s Blog Tours in exchange for an honest review. Let's go :D


The Story
Goodreads' Blurb

Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840), one of the greatest violinists who ever lived and rumored to have made a pact with the devil, has somehow transferred unique powers to another…

When violinists around the world mysteriously vanish, 16-year-old Emma Braun takes notice. But when her beloved violin teacher disappears… Emma takes charge. With Sherlock Holmes fanatic, not to mention gorgeous Corey Fletcher, Emma discovers a parallel world ruled by an ex-violinist turned evil sorceress who wants to rule the music world on her own terms.

But why are only men violinists captured and not women? What is the connection between Emma’s family, the sorceress, and the infamous Niccolò Paganini?

Emma must unravel the mystery in order to save her teacher from the fatal destiny that awaits him.
And undo the curse that torments her family—before evil wins and she becomes the next luthier’s apprentice…


The Analysis
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader :)

This book was so promising and seemed so different that I couldn’t wait to start reading. Sadly, I was left with only promises. The Luthier’s Apprentice wasn’t able to hold my attention and was too obvious in every small detail. I didn’t care for the characters, the plot and not even the wonders of the violin making present in the story were able to keep me focused. Also, I couldn’t handle well the instalove and overpower presents on the book. However, as the characters didn’t annoy me and the pieces about the art of making a violin were indeed interesting when I could pay attention, I decided it is a three stars book :)

The narrative style was third person with switching points of view between the characters. As much as this is my favorite type, in The Luthier’s Apprentice’s case, I think less points of view would have helped to keep the mystery unsolved for a longer time in the reader’s mind. When I reached 40% of the book (according to my Kindle App), I already got the whole story figured out in the minimal details. It was so boring! Especially considering that the theme of the book was so nice and different. Calvani’s writing style wasn’t my cup of tea either. I felt the story wouldn’t flow, that she was too concern with every small detail and forgot to move on with the plot. Besides, at many times I felt the writing to be a little rough or mechanic :(

The plot was meant to be complex, but it was executed in a way that everything got too simple – especially if you, like me, are a veteran in both YA and Mystery. I’m glad to announce that you won’t find many clichés at this book, but I confess that the one I clearly identify bothered me: instalove.

I simply don’t understand why girls and boys rarely can pull off a friendship in books without it falling into romance. It’s so highly unfair! =O On The Luthier’s Apprentice, as it is the start of a series, there was lots of room for friendship turned into something more with, guess what? TIME!

Anyway, characters. Despite the good background and development, I couldn’t bring myself to care for anyone. Not the not-so-plain protagonist Emma, not for the quick-and-funny Annika, not for the oh-so-handsome Corey. And when you don’t care about what’s happening with the characters… Well, that is such a bad sign! It explains why it took me four whole days to finish a less than 200 pages book. Well, it happens. I simply wasn’t the right YA audience that this book intended to charm, haha!

Nevertheless, I must insist that I loved that the book was set in Brussels and the learning experience about violins and musicians was worthwhile.

Overall, if you like traditional YA books – read this in any way you’d like to – with a handsome Sherlock Holmes’ fan, a cozy mystery to keep your mind busy and a fantasy world hidden on an attic, you probably should give The Luthier’s Apprentice a go :)

Thanks so much for reading my review! Also, thanks once again to Lola’s Blog Tours for my copy, it was an overall interesting experience :)

[Vonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read Mayra Calvani's children's books and have quite enjoyed them. When I learned that she wrote a YA book, I could not wait to read it. The Luthier's Apprentice was a very unique story with a mixture of fantasy and mystery. I was very entertained with this book.

As I mentioned before, the story was very unique. I would not think that a plot concentrating on violins would be exciting. I found myself fascinated to see how Calvani was able to wove a mystery tale of violinists disappearing with a twist of fantasy elements. It was told in an easy, simplistic manner that made it quick to read yet it was filled with very rich details. The descriptions on the curse of the Luthier's family, the reason behind the disappearances, and the world with the trees were captivating. I was eager to learn more about the secrets behind everything and I couldn't wait to find out how the problem would be resolved.

Also, the characters were fun. The protagonist, Emma, was a sixteen-year-old who was smart, brave, and talented. It was interesting to read how she was an apprentice to her grandfather in making violins. Though she was more "sophisticated" than other teenagers, Emma still acted like your everyday teen. This was great because it made her character believable. Unfortunately for me, I don't relate to teenagers as much anymore, so this aspect made me not care as much as I should have about Emma's insecurities when it came to boys. Next, we had the antagonist, who's identity was a little obvious in the beginning. However, I found myself liking her character the most. The reasons behind why she did what she did was something refreshing. I loved how there was a feminist aspect to her, even though she was evil.

Another element that made this book enjoyable was how it alluded to Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock Holmes was the inspiration for Emma's investigation on the disappearance of her violin teacher. Quotes from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's works were sprinkled all over the book. It was nice to come across something familiar while reading this book.

As a whole, this was a wonderful book with a different kind of topic. Other than me not relating to teenagers as much, I highly recommend this book. It is fast, it is clean, and it's simply a great story!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

The Luthier’s Apprentice is a unique, paranormal story. It is wonderfully written and keeps you turning the pages. It is fast paced and keeps you engaged with its gripping storyline and intriguing mystery.

The main protagonist is Emma, a young girl who is a highly talented violinist and destined to go a long way in her musical career. Emma is also an apprentice to her grandfather who is a luthier – a maker of violins. When her mother has to visit a seriously ill relative, Emma has to stay with her grandfather, who is quite grumpy and makes sure she understands not to go into the locked room upstairs. Ever.

Of course, Emma is curious about why she’s not allowed in that particular room, and together with the recent news of a number of missing violinists, including Emma’s own beloved music teacher, a clever and captivating mystery begins.

This fascinating story is full of wonderful characters who are all very likeable - Emma, her mother, her grandfather, her mysterious aunt, and her friends. The writing style is easy to read and the dialogue is really well written and makes the characters all that more believable.

A lot of supernatural elements are packed into this story – dark magic, a sorceress, zombies, psychic powers, an eerie haunted forest, portals, a curse – every paranormal lovers dream come true! Add to that a light sweet romance, the curious mystery of the missing violinists, and the involvement of the infamous musician Paganini, and you have a brilliantly executed paranormal mystery that will appeal to everyone, young and old.

The Luthier’s Apprentice was a fantastic read and I highly recommend it. Younger readers would especially enjoy this story and it’s the perfect book to read at Halloween (because the story takes place around this time)! This book is perfect for those who love paranormal stories, detective stories, mysteries, and for fans of Sherlock Holmes.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mayra Calvani’s “The Luthier’s Apprentice” is an imaginative short novel composed of elements diverse enough to appeal to a variety of readers. As the story opens, sixteen-year-old Emma Braun discovers that her beloved violin teacher, Monsieur Dupriez, has disappeared, as have several other violinists around the world. Determined to emulate her favorite literary hero, Sherlock Holmes, she sets about investigating, forming new alliances and uncovering centuries-old secrets about her family’s luthier craft and her aloof grandfather, to whom she is apprenticed. Suddenly the strange feelings she has been experiencing and the puzzles associated with her heritage begin to become startlingly clear, thrusting Emma into a bizarre realm in which all that she loves becomes endangered.

A mixture of paranormal fantasy and science fiction with a light romantic element, “The Luthier’s Apprentice” provides enough excitement and mystique to engage readers without being overtly frightening, and fans of Sherlock Holmes will appreciate the myriad quotations that Calvani employs. Given the characters and simple yet descriptive writing, the target audience is young adult, although older readers will enjoy this story as well. A slight caveat: there are a few instances of mild profanity during some of the more tense scenes, and Italian phrases and terms are scattered throughout the story, although with either an immediate translation or sufficient context clues to figure out the meaning. Short chapters keep the action moving at a steady pace so that there are no lulls, and the story does come to a logical conclusion, although Calvani cunningly leaves the door (or should I say portal?) open for a sequel.

[Petula · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an A.R.C. of this but that does not colour my review in any way.

Emma is sixteen and studying hard to be a violinist. She is also learning how to make them from her grandfather, a master luthier. Something strange is happening. Several world class violinists have gone missing. The latest is Emma's tutor.
Cory is also a student of the same tutor. When Emma decides to investigate she bumps into Cory. He is a big Sherlock Holmes fan, and they team up to investigate together.

This is a lovely mystery and spooky adventure story for Y.A. or teens. There is magic and a little innocent romance. Good strong characters that make this a very enjoyable read. I will recommend this to my young friends.

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I was given a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.*

What do you do when your music instructor goes missing? You go al Sherlock on everyone and go out and see for yourself what is going on! Well.... at least that's what Emma does in this book!
She finds out that there is a world she never knew or could imagined existed!
She makes her mistakes but she keeps on going!!
Keep on the look out, I have a feeling that there could be more to this one!!
Loved it! It's different and engaging!
~Dowie

[Johnnie-Marie Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far what I have read has really caught my attention, I really like what the story is about! The plot line is very interesting and fun. At first I didn't think I would like the story all that well, but as I'm reading it more and more I'm finding out that I really do like the story. The different POV is another great thing about this story it's actually really helpful as I'm getting almost 2 different stories in 1 but leading into the same thing.


***I received this story for free in exchange for an honest review, see more of my review @ http://jmhoward2007.blogspot.com ***

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know there are some mixed reviews on this book but I actually really enjoyed it. I think the imagination needed to write this book was pretty awesome and I'm glad I took the time to read it. If you want an interesting, fast-paced, highly entertaining paranormal book this is the book for you!

[Kathy Davie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think Calvani has more work to do on this, and as she contacted me with a request to review her book, I'll be sending the review to her and not posting it.

[Linda C · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Emma learns that her violin teacher has disappeared from his locked study, she gets her friend Annika to help her try to find clues. A visit to the study brings her in contact with another student Cory also trying to solve the disappearance. Several events happen involving their families and Emma begins experiencing psychic phenomena. This was a pretty simplistic plot in the YA fantasy genre

[Giada Andolfo · Rating 4 out of 5]

As good As it is, it's clearly a fairytale-like kinda novel and, above all, a YA fantasy mystery not a paranormal mystery. I don't agree with the latter label, because doesn't suit the book so well. Anyway, it was a good read. Four stars!

[Ashten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review - The Luthier's Apprentice The Luthier's Apprentice
Published: May 10, 2014 

Print Length: 190 pages
Publisher: Twilight Times Books

 
Book Description 
 
Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840), one of the greatest violinists who ever lived and rumored to have made a pact with the devil, has somehow transferred unique powers to another… When violinists around the world mysteriously vanish, 16-year-old Emma Braun takes notice. But when her beloved violin teacher disappears… Emma takes charge. With Sherlock Holmes fanatic, not to mention gorgeous Corey Fletcher, Emma discovers a parallel world ruled by an ex-violinist turned evil sorceress who wants to rule the music world on her own terms. But why are only men violinists captured and not women? What is the connection between Emma’s family, the sorceress, and the infamous Niccolò Paganini? Emma must unravel the mystery in order to save her teacher from the fatal destiny that awaits him. And undo the curse that torments her family—before evil wins and she becomes the next luthier’s apprentice…
 
Review 
 
How would a classify this book? Well I would have to say it is a mystery, paranormal, fantasy book.  I have never read a book like this. Mayra Calvani breaths new life into the YA genera of books. I really like the fact that this books did not focus on romance. There is a little flirtation going an but that is all it is. 
 
Our main character Emma is a budding violinist who also happens to be really good at making violins. At the beginning of the book Emma's mom says she is going away to see her dying sister and Emma will be living with her grandfather until she comes back. Emma does not like thus because she feels that her grandfather does no want her there. On top of that her violin teacher goes missing in a weird way. He is the fourth male violinist to goes missing in a matter of months.  
 
So her and her best friend Annakia start to investigate what was is going on and find some unusual things. along the way the meet Corey. Who had the same violin teacher as Emma. so the three of them investigate together. 
 
Another this is I like how this book is not set in America it is set in Brussels.
The characters are very relate able. It is just a fun story and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book. 
 
I want to give a special thank to T.Michelle Nelson who contacted me and told me about this. Thank you to the author who wrote this book. And finally to Royal Street Publicity who is doing the blog tour. 
 
 
Disclaimer this book was sent to me for review but all opinions about the book are my
own. 
 
 
 
Mayra Calvani 
https://twitter.com/mcalvani
http://www.mayracalvani.com/
 
Royal Street Publicly
 https://twitter.com/RoyalStreetPub
http://www.royalstreetpub.com/
 
T. Michelle Nelson 
https://twitter.com/TMichelleNelson
http://www.tmichellenelson.com/

[Cameron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted on the blog: What the Cat Read

I’ll be honest and admit that as I write this review, I’m struggling to describe my thoughts on this title. It was a quick, interesting read, and while I liked it, it didn’t wow me as much as I had hoped it would. To be honest, this was a “meh” read for me. It wasn’t fantastic, nor was it terrible, it was just “meh.” As such, for the sake of this review, I’m going to use a different format to share my thoughts with you about this novel. =^.^=

The Characters:

The one character that I greatly enjoyed reading was Cory, mostly because he quotes Sherlock Holmes a lot, and as a big fan of all things Sherlock, this appealed to my sense of fun. It also made me want to reread all of the stories mentioned in this book. Beyond this enjoyment though, I found the majority of the characters to be rather basic and lacking growth and depth as the story progressed. This isn’t to say that Emma or any of the other characters were unlikeable, they just didn’t stand out for me all that much. I liked Emma’s natural curiosity and investigative nature, found Niccolo to be rather mysterious, and was rather intrigued by Sonia. Unfortunately, none of these characters are complex and as a result, I found that I didn’t really care what happened to them in the end.

The Plot:

Intriguing concept and one that shows a lot of potential. There was just enough mystery in this story to keep me reading. I enjoyed learning about what a luthier was and how they related to violins, thought the history on Paganini was interesting (though I have to wonder how much of it is true), and thought Calvani’s take on the concept of selling one’s soul to the Devil rather unique. In particular, I found the sacrifice necessary to maintain the deal to be fascinating. Obviously for the sake of spoilers I won’t go into detail about what is required to fulfill the bargain, but I must say that it is rather surprising.

On the whole though, there wasn’t a lot of complexity to the story itself, and I could have done without the rehashing of important key points at the end between Cory and Emma.

The Setting:

I think this is the first story I’ve ever read that was initially set in Brussles and as such, I wish that I could have seen more of the city and learned about its history in this story. Likewise, I would have enjoyed learning more about the parallel universe that Emma and Cory discover. I do have to give purrs to Calvani for using my favorite color, purple, as the main signature for not only the sky in this parallel universe, but also the antagonists wardrobe. Add to the fact that the castle is designed to look like a violin, and I have to give further purrs for originality.

General Impression:

It’s a great start and one that has a lot of potential. I just can’t help but feel that Calvani needs to delve deeper into this story and her characters. Your mileage is going to vary with this one.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Luthier's Apprentice by Mayra Calvani is a 2014 Twilight Times Books publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


This YA novel is one of the most original and inventive premises I have come across in a good long while. For those who, like myself, are not all that educated on the world on violins, a Luthier is someone that makes the instrument by hand. This is what Emma's grandfather does and Emma is his apprentice. There are often times when Emma wonders why her grandfather seems to behave as though she weren't working with him.

Of course Emma also takes violin lessons and when her teacher disappears, one of several virtuoso violinist that have recently vanishes, Emma is stricken. When her mother leave to care for her Aunt who has been ill, Emma is determined to discover what has happened to her mentor, so she and her best friend decide to investigate. Right away Emma finds out she is not the only one who has decided to find out what happened. Emma literally runs into Corey, a young man that is well versed on Sherlock Holmes. This charming trait bonds the couple together because Emma is also a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes.

As they begin to compare notes, a long running mystery in Emma's grandfather's home gets solved by accident. It would appear the creepy attic that Emma can never seem to gain access to is a portal and she and Corey fall through it. What they discover is horrifying.

You never know what you will learn when you read a book and for me I learned a little about violins and famous violinist. First of all Niccolo Paganini was considered to be the greatest violinist of all time. He practiced fifteen hours a day and yes, there were rumors that he sold is soul to devil and those rumors were never really refuted. ( A quick internet search will give you a more plausible explanation for his incredible talent)
So, the story has some basis in fact, but this is pure fantasy. I enjoyed this novel and thought the author did a great job with plotting and pacing, and character development. There is a door that is left open just a little bit that suggest the story is not as finished as the characters believe it is, so we could see a sequel to his book, which would be fine with me.
There is only a smattering of language, pretty mild stuff, but there are dark themes and adult situations, though there is no SC. I would put this in the mature YA range for those who might need that information. Otherwise I think anyone who enjoys a good story with paranormal elements would enjoy this one.
This one is five stars.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Luthier's Apprentice is a short novel with a very interesting premise. Emma Braun is a sixteen-year-old American girl living in Brussels, a budding violin virtuoso. Her violin teacher , Monsieur Dupriez, has gone missing, as have several other violinists. She and her best friend Annika decide that they are going to investigate, eventually joining forces with Corey Fletcher, another of Monsieur Dupriez' students. The three of them stumble upon a truly imaginative mystery that they have to solve in order to save lives, their own and others.

This book is a wonderful mix of mystery and fantasy, even a little bit of light romance. But it was the intrigue and mystery that was the foundation of the plot. I was initially disappointed because I figured out who the villain was very early in the story and I assumed that it was going to ruin the rest of the book. However, while I figured out the "whodunit" fairly quickly, it was the "whydunit" that was truly the heart of the story.

There was a lot of suspense and anticipation in this story which kept me turning the pages. Sherlock Holmes fans will appreciate the plethora of references to him throughout the novel. The target audience is young adult, but the story is easily engaging for older readers. Although I have found no reference to this book being a part of a series, there is a bit of an opening at the end that would lend itself nicely to at least a sequel.

Things to love...

--Corey. I love that there was a male character who was as much a part of the story as a female character. I have sons and I am constantly looking for books with more male presence and this one fits nicely.
--The interesting take on an old theme. Making a pact with the devil is a common theme, but I liked how Calvani used it in a new way.

Some Quotastic Goodness

--At first she had thought they were a string of coincidences, but not anymore. While scowling at obnoxious Billie Lynam during school recess, for instance, she wished he would fall flat on his face… and half a minute later, her wish was granted (Loc. 60).
--To her horror, someone was already hiding in there. Her gasp was muffled as a strong hand closed over her mouth. Another hand yanked her inside and closed the pantry door (Loc. 565).

My Recommendation: This was a great book with a fantastic new take on an old theme! This is a must read!

This review originally appeared on my blog: http://thecaffeinateddivareads.multif....

[Kayla West · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the sudden disappearance of her violin instructor and mentor from a locked room, Emma, a very talented musician, begins an investigation that will reveal family secrets she never thought existed. Secrets that involve her grandfather's unmatchable talent as a luthier, a strange locked room she is never allowed to go in, and a famous violinist from the 1800s who disappeared over 100 years ago. It will also reveal a magical inheritance that she will have to learn to control.

She will find allies to help her in her quest for answers. One in the form of her best friend, Annika, who is like a sister to her. And the other in the form of yet another of her instructor's students, Corey, a boy who almost rivals her own love of Sherlock Holmes stories and has an enviable memory.But Corey also has his own family secrets that will come to light. Ones that involve his father's death and the disappearance of an old family pet.

A whole other world will be discovered. One led by a very powerful sorceress bent on ridding the world of male violinists and allowing female violinists to reign supreme. Can they stop her in time to save their beloved instructor, and his fellow prisoners in her world, or will their attempts be futile?

I love YA books, sometimes more so than adult books. And, being an adult, I have no embarrassment whatsoever in saying this. Mainly because YA books have a certain quality to them that you just do not see in adult books. Or at least most of the time, anyway. And being the book connoisseur that I am, I am always on the lookout for something fresh and different. And this book is definitely different, but in a very good way.

Disappearing violinists, a pact made years ago, magical singing trees, and a pair of Sherlockians who are definitely after my own heart. What more could you want in a book? Not much, in my opinion.

This book was beautiful. Especially when the world in which the sorceress lives was revealed. Violins are so graceful instruments, and that is definitely how this story felt.

I can honestly say that I was definitely trying to find anything at all to critique about this book. But, much to my very pleasant surprise, I could not find one thing. I absolutely loved it, and was very excited hear that this will only be the beginning for Emma. This book was wonderfully written and had such musicality to it. And not just because it had music in it. It read very easily and I definitely would read it again...and again and again.

And P.S...the cover is absolutely gorgeous!!

[Samantha Kilford · Rating 2 out of 5]

For more book reviews, visit my blog here

I hate writing reviews for books I don't enjoy.

The number one rule of reviewing is to always be honest with your opinions and I brutally am. You only need to see my review of The Murder Complex to know that I will really tear into a book if I don't like it -- even if it's a big favourite among the book community. As The Murder Complex was completely my own purchase and mistake, I had no qualms in ranting about why I didn't like it.

However, when you're gifted a free copy of the book it's hard not feel a little guilty at saying you disliked it.

But I am and always will be a book blogger who stays true to her word and as it happens, I wasn't a big fan of Mayra Calvani's The Luthier's Apprentice.

Published last year, The Luthier's Apprentice is the first book in Calvani's Violinist Detective Series. Sounds intriguing, right? Unfortunately, that's where the intrigue stops.

I greatly enjoy mystery books and the plot to this one definitely peaked my interest. But around sixty pages in I realised that this was perhaps not the book for me. There are probably many out there who loved it and will easily give it five stars. It'll appeal to more musically inclined book readers or Sherlock fans as there are a few references to the famous detective in there. Despite this, our heroin or 'violinist detective' isn't a patch on Holmes.

The book itself is a short read at about 188 pages as an e-book. I was very close to adding this one to the did-not-finish shelf and I'll admit that I did skim my way through towards the end because I did get bored.

My problem was that it was all a little bit rushed. Fast paced books can be excellent, but in The Luthier's Apprentice the action was advancing too fast without really establishing the characters and allowing us to connect with them. Arguably, the characters were a bit flat but what really became tiresome was having information thrown at us without much development.

I'm not going to lie, it could have been better than what it was. The concept is truly interesting, but it was the execution that let me down which is why it's highly unlikely that I will be picking up the second book in Mayra Calvani's Violinist Detective Series.

Nevertheless, I'd probably recommend this for younger teens who enjoy quick reads and perhaps music lovers who can appreciate all the references.

[Terri M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited about The Luthier's Apprentice by Mayra Calvani. The blurb for the book and the cover really caught my eye. I know about Beethoven and Mozart because I played piano when I was younger. So I ventured over to Wikipedia to learn a little about Niccolò Paganini on Wikipedia. And this bit of information caught my eye.

...his widely rumored association with the devil, the Church denied his body a Catholic burial in Genoa.

Ooo, this is gonna be a good one, I thought. Unfortunately, I'm sad to report that The Luthier's Apprentice is not a good one. I don't want to go into too much detail as I don't want to spoil the book for anyone who may want to read it.

Here's a short list of the reasons I did not like The Luthier's Apprentice.
1. The chapter breaks come at the most awkward moments. I think the author wanted to create tension a la Dan Brown, but failed to do anything except make me ask, Why is the chapter ending here?

2. The villain's motivations are not clearly explained and neither is the family curse. The characters all seemed to get it, but as a reader, I felt left out in the cold because the reveals happened in such a haphazard fashion, and I had to go hunting for the crumbs.

3. Too many complicated backstories. Every character had a complicated backstory which lead to awkward conversations and awkward situations. Every action and reaction needed an explanation and as a result, the true motivations of the characters got muddied and muddled leading to confusion and a lack of strength in the plot. Heck, maybe there were just too many characters when all is said and done.

In turn, because every thing about every character had been shared, the characters did exactly what you expected them to do. There is no mystery to their actions. You could see it happen before they acted/reacted.

Unfortunately, The Luthier's Apprentice by Mayra Calvani receives a thumbs down despite my initial excitement about the cover and its blurb. The idea had a lot of potential, but, for me, the author was unable to follow through. The result was a clunky mystery novel that left me feeling flat and disappointed.

[Beverly McClure · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit I knew nothing about luthiers or violins before I read this novel. When I was in fifth grade a teacher was giving violin lessons and I so wanted to learn. My parents said we couldn’t afford it, but now, many years later, Author Mayra Calvani has given me a glimpse into the lives of both the violin teachers and their students, and much more.

THE LUTHIER’S APPRENTICE, a YA dark fantasy novel by Author Mayra Calvani, is set in present day Brussels, Belgium, not long before Halloween, which adds to the mystery of the story. Emma Braun’s violin teacher, Monsieur Marcel Dupriez, is missing, and he’s not the first one to vanish without a trace. Two other teachers have disappeared in the past few months, along with other teachers that vanished over many years. To add to the mystery, Emma’s been having strange incidents lately, as well, and is beginning to wonder if she has psychic powers. When her mother unexpectedly decides to visit her sister, Lili, and leaves Emma with her grandpa, who makes violins, Emma and her best friend, Annika, decide to find out what happened to the violin teacher. Along with Corey Fletcher, another student of Dupriez, they set off on a journey of magic and danger on their quest to discover the fate of their missing teacher.

Mayra Calvani has created a world of fascinating characters, some good, some evil, along with interesting information about famous violinists that young musicians will enjoy reading. Told from alternating points of view, we get a look inside the thoughts of several different characters. The author has even thrown in the beginnings of a young romance. Short chapters move the story along and add to the suspense of what happens next. THE LUTHIER’S APPRENTICE would make a great addition to high school libraries, as well as your local library and your own private library. I enjoyed learning about the process that goes into making a violin, also. Good news: This is the first book in a series. I hope we don’t have to wait too long for the next story.
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[Brittney · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*

In The Luthier’s Apprentice a short novel by Mayra Calvani violinists around the world are disappearing, that is to say only the male violinists are disappearing. When Emma’s violin instructor disappears, she is sucked into a mystery that has spanned over the generations. With the help of Corey, they discover a parallel world in which an evil sorceress plans to take over the music world, and they work together to stop her.

This was the first book that I have ever read by Mayra Calvani, considering most of her books are children’s books, so I was not sure what to expect. Just like with any other book there were aspects that I found enjoyable and others that I had problems with. Overall I found the book to be a nice read the characters were easy to relate too and I loved all of the Sherlock Holmes references. I usually enjoy books in which the characters are musicians because when they speak about their music they usually speak about it with such passion it reminds me why I love being a musician as well. Throughout this book there are moments like that and I found myself going to youtube to listen to the pieces mentioned throughout. Although it has nothing to do with the story itself I was happy to see that this book came into being during National Novel Writing Month, it is always nice to see the products that come out of this ‘challenge’.

I had two real issues with the book in general the first, being I thought the characters needed to be developed more. What I mean is they are kind of thrown into this situation and the transition seems too smooth, if that makes any sense. Second the writing does seem choppy in some parts, some sentences do not flow together as nicely as they should and the story/plot itself seems rushed.

So overall I think that you should give the book a chance if you have any interest in the topic, you might find yourself pleasantly surprised.

[Babel · Rating 3 out of 5]

What appealed to me about this book is the music element from a paranormal perspective. I'm drawn to stories that revolve around classical music, especially if there is a pianist or violinist involved.

In this case, violin virtuosi are the main theme. I've learned something new which is very enlightening. Instrument makers are known as luthiers. It sounds so mysterious and folkloric, that term is infused with historical connotations.

First reviewed on Literaria http://sede-literaria.blogspot.com

Many violinists have disappeared over the centuries, but now that Emma's teacher has joined their ranks, she can't sit idle. So she embarks in a personal mission to uncover his whereabouts, oblivious to the dark secrets that she will unearth and how deeply her own family is involved.

My favourite part is the whole mystery around violinists past and present. It's very engaging to learn about their talents being key to an old tale of greed, power and revenge. There are strong elements of dark magic and paranormal fantasy too. The mystery unravels piece by piece in a most Sherlock-type way, a character that also adds his clever touch in the form of quotes from Corey, the charming male protagonist.

Plenty of characters cross their paths in the plot full of little twists. I liked how dynamic it all resulted thanks to that. However, the explanations were a bit too repetitive in the last part. I'd have preferred to find out about the origin and development of the curse by way of scenes from the past, instead of so much explaining.

All in all, it was a very entertaining and imaginative story filled with mystery, dark fantasy, cute pets, a gorgeous dark violinist and the power, both good and bad, of women.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a lovely surprise for me, knowing absolutely nothing about classical music and violins, I found this book to be beautifully described as well as a joy to read. In fact so vivid is the descriptions I found myself dreaming about the characters last night!

The Luthier's Apprentice follows 16 year old Emma who lives in Brussels with her mother, following the disappearance of her violin tutor she finds herself in the middle of a mystery.

She finds out that her tutor is one of several violinist that have just vanished, sensing something off about it she sets of to get to the bottom of it, but before she can do anything she has to move in with her grandfather whilst her mother visits her aunt, a woman who Emma has never met.

Her grandfather is the Luthier in the title, A Luthier is the craftsman who makes violins. Emma has been learning from him the art of making violins but her grandad is hiding something and the constant strange noises in the locked attic have her a little curious.

After her grandfather disappears Emma starts to look for him starting with the locked attic, helping her are her best friend Annika and also a young man named Corey who becomes the Sherlock to Emma's holmes.

What happens next is a fantastical tale as they discover a portal that takes them to a strange parallel world, here they find the answers to the mystery but they also discover that some legends are still alive and kicking.

This is a lovely straightforward mystery with a touch of the paranormal and a tiny smidgen of romance too, it's also quite educational (at least for me!!) I learned a lot about the world of violins!, and the way Mayra has described gives it such a beautiful dreamlike quality.

The Luthier's Apprentice gets 4 out of 5

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 stars) This is a book that kept my attention from the beginning. Emma's violin teacher, Monseiur Dupriez, disappears, and she needs to discuss that and her new psychic abilities with her mom. Before she can, though, she learns that her mom needs to leave suddenly to visit her sister, Lili, leaving her with her grandpa, who exhibits bizarre behavior, especially when it comes to the locked room at the top of the stairs. She's determined to find out what's going on and recruits her friend, Annika, to help. She also meets Corey, another student of Monseiur Dupriez, and they decide to work together to find out what happened to their violin teacher.

This was a fun, quick read! I liked that the chapters were short so it was easy to read just one more chapter before I would need to put it down (but I was quickly picking it back up the first chance I got). I thought the storyline was refreshing and I liked that it was based around violins and music. I also learned something new since I didn't know what a luthier was.

I liked the main characters, Emma, Annika and Corey. Emma and Annika have been inseparable since the first grade and Corey fit in nicely with them. He loves Sherlock Holmes so there are fun references included. I like the way the mystery unfolded. It was clear from the beginning that the mysterious locked door would be the key to unlock secrets and Emma's and Corey's families had quite a few. The ending leads me to believe that there is more to come, so I'm excited to see where this series goes next!

Content: Mild swearing; clean.

I received a copy of this book to review. My opinion is 100% my own.

Mel's Shelves

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talented violinists are disappearing. When Emma's violin teacher, Monsieur Dupriez also goes missing, Emma wants to investigate. Lately, Emma has been having some psychic visions and premonitions and these mysterious disappearances seem to have something to do with the supernatural. On top of the missing violinists, Emma's aunt Lily has fallen ill and her mother has to go to her, leaving Emma in the care of her Grandfather. Emma's Grandfather is a luthier-someone who makes violins, and is training Emma to take his place. In her Grandfather's attic there is a locked door that may hold the answers.

I really liked the premise for this young adult, paranormal mystery book, a string of missing violin virtuosos that stretches back for centuries. When the disappearances start up again, Emma is compelled to investigate since she is tied to the violinists through her teacher and her grandfather. I do think Emma and her friends read a little younger than their sixteen-years, but that did not hinder the story. I enjoyed the mystery of the alternate world, evil magic ruled by a jilted queen bent on revenge. Emma and her friends are adventurous and vaulted into a dangerous world, with many ties back to Emma and her friends families, the suspense builds as they find out that the they will be tied to the alternate world if they can not stop an evil ceremony set to take place on Halloween. This was a surprisingly good read for me, the combination of music, history and paranormal was intriguing and unique.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

[Nicky Peacock · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is really refreshing to read a YA book that exists outside the usually vampires, werewolves and witches. This book gives a completely different lore and a unique perspective for readers to get into. I found the protagonist, Emma a little wet in places, but she is a teen and sometimes you do get a little unsettled and make wrong judgements when you’re at that age (I know I did!)

From a writer’s perspective, I think this reads more like a lower aged YA book. The content was easy to follow and the prose was very basic (I don’t mean that in a bad way, it was just very easy to read) I actually read this book when I was curled in bed with flu, so I really appreciated something easy to follow that quickly took me on an adventure without much work from myself. Also with the age of Emma being 16, I think it’ll appeal more to 11 + readers, as we all know that most YA readers like to read about characters above their own age. That said, it’s still quite accessible to adult readers too.

The front cover is pretty, but kid of cartoon-like and probably won’t compete will with other more dynamic covers. If I were the author I’d be changing that as soon as I could – YA fiction is such a competitive genre, you need every weapon in your arsenal to compete, and a front cover that appeals to everyone is top of that list – perhaps something more like The Mortal Instrument Books?

Overall I’d give The Luthier’s Apprentice 3 out of 5 stars for an adult read and 5 out of 5 stars for a YA read. I’ll be buying it for my nieces for Xmas.

[Amphitrite · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I liked: I’m going to point out that the cover gave me a bit of chills because it looked kinda ominous in a way, like there was something that was going to happen that would be either pretty creepy or bad. I also liked the way things came together. Everything was given to us little by little and not unnecessarily dumped. I also liked the way the violinist were used in the story and how the characters were connected in the end. The characters were interesting and there was a really unexpected twist near the end with one of the characters that made me reread the section against to make sure I had read it right! I liked how we got into different characters head’s with the alternating POV, it let us know a little bit about the different motivations for the characters.

What I didn’t like: I just didn’t feel a lot of emotions with the story. I didn’t connect like I was hoping to while I read it. Action advanced too fast, so it felt rushed. It was a bit unsettling to me. The characters also felt a bit flat which wasn’t good for me, I believe this is the reason I didn’t connect with the story.

Overall Review: While I didn’t connect with the story while reading it, I did find it interesting enough to keep reading and found it an easy and fun read while it lasted. It was a little short to me, I felt it could have been longer and been better than what it was. The action could have been better and the emotions I was hoping for could have been put in.

Recommend?: It was a nice, fast read and it was enjoyable, so yeah!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely original, The Luthier's Apprentice was a fast-paced read that really drew me in to the story. It was written in such a way that the plot kept on moving forward. I found myself completely engrossed and read the book in practically one sitting. That's how engaged I was as a reader when it came to this YA tale. There was always something going on or some new development, and before I knew it, I had come to the end of the book. I also loved the fact the story was set in Brussels, Belgium, and can't think of any other novel that has that as its setting.

The main character is sixteen year old Emma, a talented violinist living in Brussels. I took an instant liking to her, and thought she was a great female lead. I thought she was smart, determined, and overall, a character I really enjoyed reading about. One of my favorite traits of hers is her love of Sherlock Holmes. She meets Corey, a student living in Brussels, who is a violinist and Sherlock Holmes fan as well. I thought they made a great team as they try to solve a mystery regarding the disappearance of their violin teacher, and soon find there are supernatural elements at work.

My rating is 5/5 platypires, and I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes YA supernatural stories.

[Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I was given a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)

This was a lively, fast-paced book, and very imaginative. I usually tend to read more gritty, down-to-earth fantasy, but this was much more fantastical fantasy, so it was nice to read something a bit different. I really like the use of violins and violin making in the plot, and I love Faustian bargains.

The characters were very likeable, and especially Corey, who is always quoting lines from Sherlock Holmes. They were perhaps a little flat in places, especially the "villain", but the story galloped along at a great pace, and it definitely kept me reading. I didn't really like or approve of the villain's motives for doing what they did; in my opinion, it kind of enhances a harmful stereotype, but I really liked parts of the other world that they had created, very creepy and unique.

Overall, it was a quick, fun read which I enjoyed. It also made me wish that I played the violin myself, but I can barely sing in tune on a good day, so I think I'll just stick to reading about violins, rather than inflicting my efforts on everybody else!