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When Magic Follows Midnight: Where Fantastic Creatures Roam
◆ When Magic Follows Midnight is the enchanting first tale in the Hemoertha Chronicles of magical children's novels ◆
Camp Arbor is different to the other boring summer camps Artie knows—it is magical and home to many mystical creatures. Some are beautiful and friendly, others are nasty and treacherous, but all are incredible beyond imagining.
But just as Artie gets the knack for beastcraft and spellmanship, his best friend, Rockston, vanishes in the middle of the night. Now, with the help of magical creatures and newly learned spells, Artie must solve the mystery before he becomes the next kid to disappear.
Camp Arbor is different to the other boring summer camps Artie knows—it is magical and home to many mystical creatures. Some are beautiful and friendly, others are nasty and treacherous, but all are incredible beyond imagining.
But just as Artie gets the knack for beastcraft and spellmanship, his best friend, Rockston, vanishes in the middle of the night. Now, with the help of magical creatures and newly learned spells, Artie must solve the mystery before he becomes the next kid to disappear.
105 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2020
4 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Michael Dane
11 books70 followersM. Dane was raised in outback Australia, where he grew up on a farm with cattle, pigs, and his siblings—who were just as wild. In his isolation, he fell in love with novels as they offered unlimited adventures at the turn of a page. After finishing school, he traded fields for far-off lands, joining the army and embarking on a journey that took him around the world.
His foray into writing wasn’t a sudden leap, but a gradual shift that began with scribbles that evolved into his debut novel, The Traitor in the Trees. While he jokingly says his writing career started with struggling to spell his own name at fifteen, the truth is, the seeds of storytelling were planted long before then, in the dusty paddocks of his childhood.
Seventeen years in the army taught him more than just discipline; it opened his eyes to the wonderful cultures and experiences that shape our world. Now, having switched the uniform for a writer’s desk, his focus is on writing stories that capture the essence of his travels and the diverse beauty of the places he's seen. He hopes to bring a piece of the world to his readers, encouraging a curiosity and appreciation for the diverse cultures that enrich our planet.
His foray into writing wasn’t a sudden leap, but a gradual shift that began with scribbles that evolved into his debut novel, The Traitor in the Trees. While he jokingly says his writing career started with struggling to spell his own name at fifteen, the truth is, the seeds of storytelling were planted long before then, in the dusty paddocks of his childhood.
Seventeen years in the army taught him more than just discipline; it opened his eyes to the wonderful cultures and experiences that shape our world. Now, having switched the uniform for a writer’s desk, his focus is on writing stories that capture the essence of his travels and the diverse beauty of the places he's seen. He hopes to bring a piece of the world to his readers, encouraging a curiosity and appreciation for the diverse cultures that enrich our planet.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 31, 2020
Upon magical branches of beasts and spells, for Artie, something is definitely not adding up.
Welcome to the wonderful adventures of Camp Arbor—they’re dying to meet you! When Magic Follows Midnight is a fast paced, easy read with a delightful twist threaded throughout. Every page is filled with relatable characters and charming friendships.
“Dying was horrible.”
Artie, When Magic Follows Midnight
With those three opening words, Dane’s middle grade fantasy leaps straight into the whodunnit action. Artie is human. Artie is scared. He’s the first human at a magical camp and feels like he might fail or stand out too much. Ironic, if you know how the rest of this story goes! At least we can place the blame on his peers—dwarves and elves—who insist he do the wrong thing, time and again. Ah peer pressure, you are a heartless beast!
It’s lovely to see Artie continually acknowledge and work through various anxiety symptoms. Young readers will recognize and connect with their own struggles, normalising some tough emotions that can be hard to admit in real life. Right from the first night, his anxiety and fear go to war with the burning desire to fit in. Let’s face it folks, who can say they’ve never been there? For this character, every poor choice and disastrous consequence accelerates his growth in confidence and asserts his right to be at camp.
“But I didn’t feel remorse at the decision, instead—for the first time in my life—I felt a part of something, doing what needed to be done because it was right, not because it was safe.”
Artie, When Magic Follows Midnight
Each character is unique in their personality and recognisable in those we know. The many ups and downs of emotion are laid out in an obvious way, so there’s no chance young readers could miss the cues. The same easy language helps this colourful story dip into a lighthearted commentary on some challenging themes. Elves and dwarves don’t get along, yet their witty banter often lit my smile while simultaneously displaying how racism can be overcome in the simplest relationships—such as the school yard—by getting to know those who are different from you. Dane encourages readers to take the chance; that you never know who might turn out to be your best friend.
“You’re not too bad, for an elf.”
Murney, When Magic Follows Midnight
I love that grown-up mental health gets a look in with this book. The bad guys aren’t nearly as fantastical as you might expect, and honestly the story is all the better for it. Artie and the gang witness the struggles of adults in various situations. Some of these are your basic good vs evil—quests for power—others throw some light on the sorrow and desperation of loss. Dane portrays that adults don’t always have it together, nor are they always what they seem, and sometimes shouldn’t be trusted. Every one of these messages is simple in its delivery, letting the reader unpack them a bit at a time, along with what a wogle is, and why dwarfs like cherry pie so much.
When Magic Follows Midnight throws us into a fascinating world of magic, beasts and friendships, while ensuring the harder themes are easily digestible for younger audiences. The pages never stop turning. Each chapter drops a mini cliffhanger, artfully designed to make even the big kid in me late to bed! Needless to say, Artie and his tree of unearthly delights will capture your young readers and hold them all the way to the final page.
Riv ♡
July 17, 2020
Book Review:
A fantastical world called Hemoertha returns in “When Magic Follows Midnight” by M. Dane. What a fun and truly magical world we find ourselves in. We encounter Elves, Dwarfs, Humans, and so many more other worldly characters.
The book begins with Artie, a human boy telling his tale of what transpired at Camp Arbor to a council of elves and dwarves. He is not alone because he is with his friends Murney and Rockston, dwarves and Astrohein an elf. Camp Arbor is no ordinary camp and it is not often a human is asked to join. This camp is one where all creatures invited are there to learn magic.
Let’s step back to discover who and why Artie is invited to the camp. Artie is the son of a cobbler and his mom is very ill and her medicine is very expensive. Artie feels a responsibility to succeed at camp because in this way he can help his mother. A great deal of pressure especially since Artie feels his magical powers are minimal. All he feels he is able to do is make his hands sparkle.
Camp Arbor looks like a magical tree and is run by the Camp Director Lithean or Lith as they call him. He is an elf. We learn that Lith has suffered the Severed Disease and no longer has his magical powers. The children are told that the council is watching him closely to see if he still can run a camp.
Lith also is the one who warns all the children that no one is to go to the tenth branch after dark because to do so would mean an extremely painful death. For the most part the children are fearful of this but curiosity can often get the better of both children and adults.
Artie, Murney, Rockston and Astorhein come together when they are told they will be sharing a stalk together. Now elves and dwarves have no love lost for each other but when it comes to mischief they will often do what they told not too. Artie who wants to fit in finds himself dragged into going to the tenth branch.
Ahhh but what will they find there? First this branch is guarded by an old grizzled dwarf named Ragno who is the zookeeper. Before running into Ragno the children find the most amazing creature. This special creature is called a Wogle. Wogle’s are larger than an elephant and in the shape of a dog with wings. Wogle’s are rare and this one is very ill. The name on the tag the children discover is Bluegum. The children are very sad and only wish to help the possibly dying Wogle. Unfortunately the zookeeper catches them. Hmmm what do you think happens?
Now we encounter two other characters who play a large role in this story and they are Gorghen and AOD. Gorghen is dark and frightening and AOD is a light and airy dwarf. What will happen to all when they encounter these characters? Well it’s time for you to read this wonderful magical book and learn for yourselves.
Mr. Dane never fails to surprise us with his whimsical and magical fantasy books for children. This book would be perfect for children ages 9-12. Mr. Dane writes in a way that captures your imagination and has you wanting to know what will happen next. I give this book 5/5 stars. Looking forward to this books release.
A fantastical world called Hemoertha returns in “When Magic Follows Midnight” by M. Dane. What a fun and truly magical world we find ourselves in. We encounter Elves, Dwarfs, Humans, and so many more other worldly characters.
The book begins with Artie, a human boy telling his tale of what transpired at Camp Arbor to a council of elves and dwarves. He is not alone because he is with his friends Murney and Rockston, dwarves and Astrohein an elf. Camp Arbor is no ordinary camp and it is not often a human is asked to join. This camp is one where all creatures invited are there to learn magic.
Let’s step back to discover who and why Artie is invited to the camp. Artie is the son of a cobbler and his mom is very ill and her medicine is very expensive. Artie feels a responsibility to succeed at camp because in this way he can help his mother. A great deal of pressure especially since Artie feels his magical powers are minimal. All he feels he is able to do is make his hands sparkle.
Camp Arbor looks like a magical tree and is run by the Camp Director Lithean or Lith as they call him. He is an elf. We learn that Lith has suffered the Severed Disease and no longer has his magical powers. The children are told that the council is watching him closely to see if he still can run a camp.
Lith also is the one who warns all the children that no one is to go to the tenth branch after dark because to do so would mean an extremely painful death. For the most part the children are fearful of this but curiosity can often get the better of both children and adults.
Artie, Murney, Rockston and Astorhein come together when they are told they will be sharing a stalk together. Now elves and dwarves have no love lost for each other but when it comes to mischief they will often do what they told not too. Artie who wants to fit in finds himself dragged into going to the tenth branch.
Ahhh but what will they find there? First this branch is guarded by an old grizzled dwarf named Ragno who is the zookeeper. Before running into Ragno the children find the most amazing creature. This special creature is called a Wogle. Wogle’s are larger than an elephant and in the shape of a dog with wings. Wogle’s are rare and this one is very ill. The name on the tag the children discover is Bluegum. The children are very sad and only wish to help the possibly dying Wogle. Unfortunately the zookeeper catches them. Hmmm what do you think happens?
Now we encounter two other characters who play a large role in this story and they are Gorghen and AOD. Gorghen is dark and frightening and AOD is a light and airy dwarf. What will happen to all when they encounter these characters? Well it’s time for you to read this wonderful magical book and learn for yourselves.
Mr. Dane never fails to surprise us with his whimsical and magical fantasy books for children. This book would be perfect for children ages 9-12. Mr. Dane writes in a way that captures your imagination and has you wanting to know what will happen next. I give this book 5/5 stars. Looking forward to this books release.
July 23, 2020
When Magic Follows Midnight - Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Where to begin with this one? As a fellow Australian nothing makes me happier than to see our Aussie’s shining through the way M. Dane does with this beautiful story.
A compelling children’s fiction in a magical mythical land called “Hemoertha”. We follow our main character Artie, a human boy, who goes to Camp Arbor. This camp is normally for elves and dwarves but decides to allow Artie to attend. Artie’s mother is ill and he hopes he can learn enough at this camp to help her as he lacks a lot of magical abilities.
We meet our camp director Lith, an elf, outside of Camp Arbor which is a beautiful magical tree with many branches. Unfortunately Lith is very ill as well and his every move is being watched by the council. We soon learn that the tenth branch of our magical tree camp is dangerous after dark. So dangerous that death is a high possibility. But we can all relate to wanting to fit in and follow the crowd, so our main character Artie decides to go with his two friends, Murney and Rockston, the dwarves and Astrohein, the elf.
We meet new characters during this adventure. A guard of the branch, a very sick, very rare creature called Bluegum. Bluegum is the cute little dog with wings character depicted on the cover of this book. I want to take Bluegum out of the book and keep him for myself. He is so cute.
Artie and his friends decide it’s their duty to help Bluegum and their journey continues. But what about the guard of this area? You’ll have to read to find out.
The next characters we meet I would describe as the “devil and angel” on our shoulders. The dark and the light.
How will this story end? Will Artie and his friends save Bluegum? Will Lith get better? Will Lith still be in charge of Camp Arbor after the events of this book?
This really is a beautiful story for children and preteens. I can’t recommend this enough. I will be suggesting it to all my friends with children!
Huge congratulations to M. Dane for the launch of “When Magic Follows Midnight” today!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Where to begin with this one? As a fellow Australian nothing makes me happier than to see our Aussie’s shining through the way M. Dane does with this beautiful story.
A compelling children’s fiction in a magical mythical land called “Hemoertha”. We follow our main character Artie, a human boy, who goes to Camp Arbor. This camp is normally for elves and dwarves but decides to allow Artie to attend. Artie’s mother is ill and he hopes he can learn enough at this camp to help her as he lacks a lot of magical abilities.
We meet our camp director Lith, an elf, outside of Camp Arbor which is a beautiful magical tree with many branches. Unfortunately Lith is very ill as well and his every move is being watched by the council. We soon learn that the tenth branch of our magical tree camp is dangerous after dark. So dangerous that death is a high possibility. But we can all relate to wanting to fit in and follow the crowd, so our main character Artie decides to go with his two friends, Murney and Rockston, the dwarves and Astrohein, the elf.
We meet new characters during this adventure. A guard of the branch, a very sick, very rare creature called Bluegum. Bluegum is the cute little dog with wings character depicted on the cover of this book. I want to take Bluegum out of the book and keep him for myself. He is so cute.
Artie and his friends decide it’s their duty to help Bluegum and their journey continues. But what about the guard of this area? You’ll have to read to find out.
The next characters we meet I would describe as the “devil and angel” on our shoulders. The dark and the light.
How will this story end? Will Artie and his friends save Bluegum? Will Lith get better? Will Lith still be in charge of Camp Arbor after the events of this book?
This really is a beautiful story for children and preteens. I can’t recommend this enough. I will be suggesting it to all my friends with children!
Huge congratulations to M. Dane for the launch of “When Magic Follows Midnight” today!
August 11, 2020
‘Dying was horrible’
When Magic Follows Midnight by M. Dane
*I was kindly given a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*
This book pleasantly surprised me! As an avid reader of historical fiction I don’t usually look at middle grade fantasy. Besides, I don’t really do ARCs. However when asked to review this book the name caught me. Let me give you a run down: Artie, a human, is a asked to join Camp Arbor - a place where creatures learn magic. Artie is the first human to be asked to attend. But what happens next (hint: there is a twist), and the relationships formed, is where the adventure really starts ✨
Peer pressure, friendship, odd-one-outness and a healthy dose of whodunit prevail throughout the book. It was generally refreshing to read something fun, fresh and different. It was very fast paced, which I absolutely loved, and the author managed to keep me hooked. Its a remarkable skills considering this is a genre that I never usually look at.
Friendship is, to me, what defines the book. It made me feel charmed and anyone who is interested in middle grade fantasy will have found a worthy and remarkable little story here. If you have any children in your life this is a great introduction to the wonders of fantasy to youngsters.
The writing style was accessible and glided of the page. I think the biggest strength of this book is its characters. The vast majority had well developed personalities. I find that in many middle grade books that characters tend to be one dimensional but Dane showed that character development and middle grade books are not mutually exclusive.
My only minor critique is that I didn’t connect much to Artie. Although his reasoning for attending the camp with regard to his mum was touching.
A highly recommended story for everyone who loves fantasy with charm. ❤️
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
#bookish #books #bookreviews #whenmagicfollowsmidnight #bookstagram #bookishnerd #booknerds #bookworms
When Magic Follows Midnight by M. Dane
*I was kindly given a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*
This book pleasantly surprised me! As an avid reader of historical fiction I don’t usually look at middle grade fantasy. Besides, I don’t really do ARCs. However when asked to review this book the name caught me. Let me give you a run down: Artie, a human, is a asked to join Camp Arbor - a place where creatures learn magic. Artie is the first human to be asked to attend. But what happens next (hint: there is a twist), and the relationships formed, is where the adventure really starts ✨
Peer pressure, friendship, odd-one-outness and a healthy dose of whodunit prevail throughout the book. It was generally refreshing to read something fun, fresh and different. It was very fast paced, which I absolutely loved, and the author managed to keep me hooked. Its a remarkable skills considering this is a genre that I never usually look at.
Friendship is, to me, what defines the book. It made me feel charmed and anyone who is interested in middle grade fantasy will have found a worthy and remarkable little story here. If you have any children in your life this is a great introduction to the wonders of fantasy to youngsters.
The writing style was accessible and glided of the page. I think the biggest strength of this book is its characters. The vast majority had well developed personalities. I find that in many middle grade books that characters tend to be one dimensional but Dane showed that character development and middle grade books are not mutually exclusive.
My only minor critique is that I didn’t connect much to Artie. Although his reasoning for attending the camp with regard to his mum was touching.
A highly recommended story for everyone who loves fantasy with charm. ❤️
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
#bookish #books #bookreviews #whenmagicfollowsmidnight #bookstagram #bookishnerd #booknerds #bookworms
August 1, 2020
This is the story of Artie, a human, son of a cobbler who’s mom is really sick.. he has learned he has some magic (twinkle fingers).. he thinks if he learns how to use his magic he can help his mother get better. He doesn’t think he will be able to do much but he wants to learn all he can.. so he and his dad set off to Camp Arbor.
The story begins with Artie retelling the story of his camp adventures to the council of elves and dwarves. While the camp allows all magical creatures, Artie is one of the only humans to be invited there.. to learn about his magic.. there he meets Murney a dwarf,Astrohein an elf , and Rockston another dwarf.. and together they embark on the journey of discovering the magic within themselves as well as other magical creatures, their magic and all that Camp Arbor has to offer.
Camp Arbors camp director Lith is an elf who no longer has magical powers due to an disease, and the council doesn’t have a lot of faith in Lith to run the camp anymore.. when Artie, Murney, Rockston, and Astrohein are told not to go to the tenth branch of the camp after dark, of course curiosity gets to the rest of his crew, and Artie wanting to fit in follows..
Bluegrum the Wogle is an amazing magical creature and is also very ill.. the children want to help him but the zookeeper Ragno an old grazzly dwarf catches them ..
There are more magical creatures that they come across and they are the light (air) and the dark. The children decide they must help Bluegrum but will they be able to? Will they be able to solve the mysteries they encounter? Artie knows some new spells and beast craft but will that be enough? Find out in this excellent magical book!
This is the first book I have read by author M. Dane.. it was a pretty quick read and well written and age appropriate!
The story begins with Artie retelling the story of his camp adventures to the council of elves and dwarves. While the camp allows all magical creatures, Artie is one of the only humans to be invited there.. to learn about his magic.. there he meets Murney a dwarf,Astrohein an elf , and Rockston another dwarf.. and together they embark on the journey of discovering the magic within themselves as well as other magical creatures, their magic and all that Camp Arbor has to offer.
Camp Arbors camp director Lith is an elf who no longer has magical powers due to an disease, and the council doesn’t have a lot of faith in Lith to run the camp anymore.. when Artie, Murney, Rockston, and Astrohein are told not to go to the tenth branch of the camp after dark, of course curiosity gets to the rest of his crew, and Artie wanting to fit in follows..
Bluegrum the Wogle is an amazing magical creature and is also very ill.. the children want to help him but the zookeeper Ragno an old grazzly dwarf catches them ..
There are more magical creatures that they come across and they are the light (air) and the dark. The children decide they must help Bluegrum but will they be able to? Will they be able to solve the mysteries they encounter? Artie knows some new spells and beast craft but will that be enough? Find out in this excellent magical book!
This is the first book I have read by author M. Dane.. it was a pretty quick read and well written and age appropriate!
July 23, 2020
When Magic Follows Midnight is a story of a human boy, Artie, who is accepted to attend Camp Arbor. Camp Arbor is a camp for ‘the best of the best, the mightiest spell-casters and bravest beast-riders’. Artie is excited and nervous. You see, this is the first time a human has been accepted into this unique camp of magic and mystical creatures.
Shortly after arriving at Camp Arbor, Artie makes friends with a few adventure seekers who convince the cautious Artie to tag along on their investigations of the forbidden levels of the camp. Once the newly made friends embark on their journey the adventure really begins.
After one of them goes missing, Artie and his friends are forced to work together to solve the mystery of the missing child while trying not to get into trouble or worse.
Will they succeed in finding their lost friend and solving the mysteries of Camp Arbor?
This book is wonderfully written. The author’s imagination is easily pictured with his descriptive writing. There is humour as well as some scary bits which make it a perfect read for children. The plot is engaging. As the mystery of Camp Arbor unfolds, the reader is drawn to the characters and their unique personalities. The characterisation allows the reader to empathise with Artie and his friends and hope that they solve the mystery and remain at the camp, intact.
Because this book has themes of self-confidence, embracing fear and challenging oneself, it would be a great book to share with children to discuss these areas of mental health. Artie struggles with his self-confidence throughout the book so he’s a great character to contrast with the very confident Murney. The author really delves into Artie’s emotional turmoil as he struggles with friendship, and his confidence. Ultimately, it is the support of friends and a few adults that help Artie overcome his fears and self-doubts.
This book will be a great addition to your children’s summer reading list.
This book was gifted to me by the author.
Thank you so much for this ARC copy you lovely human!
Shortly after arriving at Camp Arbor, Artie makes friends with a few adventure seekers who convince the cautious Artie to tag along on their investigations of the forbidden levels of the camp. Once the newly made friends embark on their journey the adventure really begins.
After one of them goes missing, Artie and his friends are forced to work together to solve the mystery of the missing child while trying not to get into trouble or worse.
Will they succeed in finding their lost friend and solving the mysteries of Camp Arbor?
This book is wonderfully written. The author’s imagination is easily pictured with his descriptive writing. There is humour as well as some scary bits which make it a perfect read for children. The plot is engaging. As the mystery of Camp Arbor unfolds, the reader is drawn to the characters and their unique personalities. The characterisation allows the reader to empathise with Artie and his friends and hope that they solve the mystery and remain at the camp, intact.
Because this book has themes of self-confidence, embracing fear and challenging oneself, it would be a great book to share with children to discuss these areas of mental health. Artie struggles with his self-confidence throughout the book so he’s a great character to contrast with the very confident Murney. The author really delves into Artie’s emotional turmoil as he struggles with friendship, and his confidence. Ultimately, it is the support of friends and a few adults that help Artie overcome his fears and self-doubts.
This book will be a great addition to your children’s summer reading list.
This book was gifted to me by the author.
Thank you so much for this ARC copy you lovely human!
July 23, 2020
When Magic Follows Midnight is a wonderful fantasy story written by Australian Author M Dane.
It follows our young hero Artie as he begins both his summer at Camp Arbor (a camp where you can learn about magical creatures and how to control and capture them as well as learning magic of your own!) and a life changing adventure. This story is full of charming characters that come to life off the page and wonderful depictions of a magical world that begs you to keep reading. The camp is a little bit faraway tree and little bit Hogwarts; It is an intriguing and perfect setting for this adventure.
M Dane has done a great job telling this story through simple language and tackles the (sometimes heavy) themes at an age appropriate level.
When Magic Follows Midnight would be a great addition to any middle grade readers book collection; the story is full of adventure, wonder, and friendship. It will keep young readers hooked until the very last page.
I enjoyed this story a lot!
It follows our young hero Artie as he begins both his summer at Camp Arbor (a camp where you can learn about magical creatures and how to control and capture them as well as learning magic of your own!) and a life changing adventure. This story is full of charming characters that come to life off the page and wonderful depictions of a magical world that begs you to keep reading. The camp is a little bit faraway tree and little bit Hogwarts; It is an intriguing and perfect setting for this adventure.
M Dane has done a great job telling this story through simple language and tackles the (sometimes heavy) themes at an age appropriate level.
When Magic Follows Midnight would be a great addition to any middle grade readers book collection; the story is full of adventure, wonder, and friendship. It will keep young readers hooked until the very last page.
I enjoyed this story a lot!
August 5, 2020
I read this in one sitting! I absolutely loved it, I couldn't put it down!
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The author has created a magical world called Hemoertha. This land is home to all manner of mythical & magical beings. Artie is the first human to be invited to Camp Arbor where the students learn magic and how to work with magical creatures.
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Camp Arbor is in a magical tree that has never ending branches & levels. The imagination here blew my mind. Think The Far Away Tree crossed with Hogwarts.
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I won't give the plot away, but Artie, wanting desperately to prove himself, gets caught up in an epic adventure with an amazing twist.
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This is a great middlegrade read. It's well written, the pace is perfect & the imagination is incredible. I loved it!
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I'm so excited for this book and can't wait to read more of Artie's adventures.
.
The author has created a magical world called Hemoertha. This land is home to all manner of mythical & magical beings. Artie is the first human to be invited to Camp Arbor where the students learn magic and how to work with magical creatures.
.
Camp Arbor is in a magical tree that has never ending branches & levels. The imagination here blew my mind. Think The Far Away Tree crossed with Hogwarts.
.
I won't give the plot away, but Artie, wanting desperately to prove himself, gets caught up in an epic adventure with an amazing twist.
.
This is a great middlegrade read. It's well written, the pace is perfect & the imagination is incredible. I loved it!
.
I'm so excited for this book and can't wait to read more of Artie's adventures.
July 25, 2020
'When Magic Follows Midnight' has all the spectacular features of a fantasy novel and it really captures the reader's attention with its fast pace and wonderful storyline.
We follow the main character, Artie, as he attends Camp Arbor with the hopes of becoming a beast-wrangler and the one thing I love, in particular, is the dialogue between the characters. I find it just so humorous to read and it really makes the story what it is.
The ending keeps you on the edge of your seat and answers questions that pop up during the story and it does so beautifully. It's like putting together difference pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
I think people would be enchanted by this story and I definitely want to see more of the world building and magical creatures, so I look forward to future books!
We follow the main character, Artie, as he attends Camp Arbor with the hopes of becoming a beast-wrangler and the one thing I love, in particular, is the dialogue between the characters. I find it just so humorous to read and it really makes the story what it is.
The ending keeps you on the edge of your seat and answers questions that pop up during the story and it does so beautifully. It's like putting together difference pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
I think people would be enchanted by this story and I definitely want to see more of the world building and magical creatures, so I look forward to future books!
August 9, 2020
The magical world created by M. Dane is unparalleled!
If you are looking for a children’s fantasy adventure novel; look no further. This story whisks you on a journey into a world with fantastic creatures and a summer camp unlike any seen before. You follow Artie, a young boy, who is the first human to attend Camp Arbor which is a magical summer camp. There he learns how to find, capture and ride magical animals, learns how to cast spells, how to bake food with magical properties, and much more. I loved this book and recommend it for adults and children alike.
If you are looking for a children’s fantasy adventure novel; look no further. This story whisks you on a journey into a world with fantastic creatures and a summer camp unlike any seen before. You follow Artie, a young boy, who is the first human to attend Camp Arbor which is a magical summer camp. There he learns how to find, capture and ride magical animals, learns how to cast spells, how to bake food with magical properties, and much more. I loved this book and recommend it for adults and children alike.
July 23, 2020
I have enjoyed reading many adventure books with my child over the years but this is the first time I’ve felt compelled to write a review.
We were captivated with this novel from the very first page! It captivated my imagination and that of my child. Great novel, with plenty of mystery, adventure and captivating mystical creatures!
We were captivated with this novel from the very first page! It captivated my imagination and that of my child. Great novel, with plenty of mystery, adventure and captivating mystical creatures!
August 6, 2020
A middle grade fantasy that gave me the warm and fuzzies. The story is set in a land of witty Dwarves, cunning Elves, innocent Humans and brave Angels. It immediately captivated me with the first sentence:
“Dying was horrible”
This chilling start to the story immediately sets up the reader for an existential adventure of surprises and dark magic with nothing but humour and lightheartedness.
“Dying was horrible”
This chilling start to the story immediately sets up the reader for an existential adventure of surprises and dark magic with nothing but humour and lightheartedness.
August 30, 2020
I enjoyed the story very much. That twist in the end was shocking and I had forgotten that Artie was telling the story of how they died. I feel that if it wasn't mentioned in the beginning that they were going to die, it would have been more thrilling. Nevertheless, I loved the story. Murney and Astorhein were so funny.
July 23, 2020
I read this book in less than a day! I loved it, it’s really entertaining and fun fast read! If you are looking for something that will Get you lost in a fantasy world I recommend you read this! The writing is really good and world building itself is a whole other level of amazing! I loved it! ❤️🥰
July 25, 2020
As of yesterday, this book is out in the world! Congratulations to the author and I’m so thankful I got to read this arc!
I immediately loved the cute characters and the witty banter from page one. Banter always makes me so happy in books and this book had it for sure! I thought the worldbuilding was also well done, not overly complicated, but I felt like I totally understood the world and the characters’ motivations.
I will say that a few of the plot twists were ones that I saw coming, but then some of them I didn’t! This is probably just because I read so many YA thrillers and I think that for a middle grade reader this probably wouldn’t be an issue.
I would definitely recommend this to any looking for a super quick and entertaining MG read!
I immediately loved the cute characters and the witty banter from page one. Banter always makes me so happy in books and this book had it for sure! I thought the worldbuilding was also well done, not overly complicated, but I felt like I totally understood the world and the characters’ motivations.
I will say that a few of the plot twists were ones that I saw coming, but then some of them I didn’t! This is probably just because I read so many YA thrillers and I think that for a middle grade reader this probably wouldn’t be an issue.
I would definitely recommend this to any looking for a super quick and entertaining MG read!
August 17, 2020
This story really had a Harry Potter vibe to it, with the magical creatures and magic school/camp for children. Though I really liked the idea and the plot, the execution could have been so much better... This book is only 140 pages long, while the story would have fitted better in a 300+ page book for me. The descriptions of the places and creatures could have been much more extensive, so it would have been much easier to imagine the world.
Of course this is a childrens series, so I can’t compare it to the YA fantasies I normally read. Overall enjoyed the story and the little twist it had in the ending. It definitely would have been a 4 star read for me if the book took some more time with explaning the world.
Ps: I want Bluegum as my pet😍
Of course this is a childrens series, so I can’t compare it to the YA fantasies I normally read. Overall enjoyed the story and the little twist it had in the ending. It definitely would have been a 4 star read for me if the book took some more time with explaning the world.
Ps: I want Bluegum as my pet😍
August 4, 2020
A Must Read
I have always had a soft spot for magic schools, but I had never read a magic camp novel. This was an amazing from the first page: magical creatures, mystery and a MASSIVE plot twist. Well done, M. Dane
I have always had a soft spot for magic schools, but I had never read a magic camp novel. This was an amazing from the first page: magical creatures, mystery and a MASSIVE plot twist. Well done, M. Dane
August 1, 2020
Awesome read
A magical summer camp, incredible creatures, and a mystery that needs to be solved--this book was AMAZING. I read it in one go, and even though it written for kiddies, adults can definitely find enjoyment in it too!
A magical summer camp, incredible creatures, and a mystery that needs to be solved--this book was AMAZING. I read it in one go, and even though it written for kiddies, adults can definitely find enjoyment in it too!
July 24, 2020
This book is about a boy called Artie who is finally given the chance to attend a special camp. Artie is desperate to go on camp so he can learn a special skill. This skill will give him the ability to earn enough money to purchase medicine for his dying mother.
However he has some hurdles to overcome at camp before he can even start to learn the new skill.
You see, Camp Arbor is not your average run-of-the-mill summer camp. For starters it’s in a different world/land. Artie makes three new friends at camp who are dwarfs and elves. Whilst they take a while to accept each other’s unique behaviours they end up becoming a formidable force. And they need to be, because they find themselves pitted against the darkest evil.
A wicked plot is unfolding at camp and Artie and his friends show great courage to fight this evil.
The author is a brilliant writer and I really enjoyed the fast moving plot and bursts of humour. The main character shows real growth and moves from being a timid boy into a brave hero.
I particularly loved the world this book was set in. It ignited my imagination and I enjoyed the descriptions of the camp and its creatures. It was pure fantasy and very well done.
The tale includes elements from the dark side, fighting, evil forces and murder (implied rather than explicit). Whilst this is not to my particular taste I understand some children may well be able to handle it.
I gave the book four stars because I felt that one of the main plot points wasn’t fully resolved. Perhaps there is another book coming.
I highly recommend it for children aged 8-12 who love fantasy and humour.
However he has some hurdles to overcome at camp before he can even start to learn the new skill.
You see, Camp Arbor is not your average run-of-the-mill summer camp. For starters it’s in a different world/land. Artie makes three new friends at camp who are dwarfs and elves. Whilst they take a while to accept each other’s unique behaviours they end up becoming a formidable force. And they need to be, because they find themselves pitted against the darkest evil.
A wicked plot is unfolding at camp and Artie and his friends show great courage to fight this evil.
The author is a brilliant writer and I really enjoyed the fast moving plot and bursts of humour. The main character shows real growth and moves from being a timid boy into a brave hero.
I particularly loved the world this book was set in. It ignited my imagination and I enjoyed the descriptions of the camp and its creatures. It was pure fantasy and very well done.
The tale includes elements from the dark side, fighting, evil forces and murder (implied rather than explicit). Whilst this is not to my particular taste I understand some children may well be able to handle it.
I gave the book four stars because I felt that one of the main plot points wasn’t fully resolved. Perhaps there is another book coming.
I highly recommend it for children aged 8-12 who love fantasy and humour.
August 17, 2020
💫Book Review 💫
“Its amazing the places you discover when you are running for your life”
I've read this book during reading rush and it didn't disappoint me.
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Author: M.Dane
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Short,quick pace and a great start for a short adventure❤
The fact thay the first sentence hooked me.
“Dying was horrible”
I wasnt attatch much for the characters,since this book was short, but I wanted to be with them more, the adventure was quick, the characters are fun to be with 😂. There are laughable conversations and the characters were so cute!
The plot was really surprising! If this one is being read by a kid, they would love it because I did!❤
»“Also the mind scrambles after you die, it takes a while for you to beckme stable again. Think back the night you died—you can't remember it can't you? Its the minds way of protecting itself from the stress of death.”«
***
Overall, I highly recommend it to anyone!
// rn ❤
“Its amazing the places you discover when you are running for your life”
I've read this book during reading rush and it didn't disappoint me.
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Author: M.Dane
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Short,quick pace and a great start for a short adventure❤
The fact thay the first sentence hooked me.
“Dying was horrible”
I wasnt attatch much for the characters,since this book was short, but I wanted to be with them more, the adventure was quick, the characters are fun to be with 😂. There are laughable conversations and the characters were so cute!
The plot was really surprising! If this one is being read by a kid, they would love it because I did!❤
»“Also the mind scrambles after you die, it takes a while for you to beckme stable again. Think back the night you died—you can't remember it can't you? Its the minds way of protecting itself from the stress of death.”«
***
Overall, I highly recommend it to anyone!
// rn ❤
August 31, 2020
When Magic Follows Midnight is an absolutely adorable middle grade fantasy novel (by a fellow Aussie!!) that follows our main character Artie into a world of elves, magic and mischief! Whilst at times I found the plot to be fairly predictable and the character development to be slightly lacking, this was a very enjoyable quick read and a much needed form of escapism! Cute, fun and a good book to pick up if you struggle to find the time to read. I enjoyed this so much and I hope you will too!
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Thank you so much to M. Dane for the ARC, I really appreciate you putting your trust in me and for allowing me to read and review your novel ☺️
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Thank you so much to M. Dane for the ARC, I really appreciate you putting your trust in me and for allowing me to read and review your novel ☺️
July 28, 2020
𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 is a wonderful fantasy ride, which takes us to the land of Hemoertha. It is a middle-grade fantasy, in which Artie, the first human to attend Camp Arbor, which teaches students, on how to find, capture and ride magical creatures. The story circles around the adventure he has with his friends to save the camp.
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It's very fast-paced and I 💜ed it! A thoroughly enjoyable and interesting read! It has many dramatic plot twists and very well-written!
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It's very fast-paced and I 💜ed it! A thoroughly enjoyable and interesting read! It has many dramatic plot twists and very well-written!
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