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Curse of the Phoenix
The creatures of legend are real—and it’s up to twins Zac and Lu to save them.
Twins Zac and Lu grew up on their mother’s stories of the Wildewoods, an imaginary land where mythical beasts roam free. These creatures fill the pages of Zac’s sketchbooks and inspire Lu’s love of animals, and on most days, they’re the only thing the twins have in common.
When their mother dies, a heartbroken Lu and Zac are shipped off to England to spend the summer with relatives they’ve never met. But it doesn’t take the twins long to uncover the incredible secret tucked away in the forest behind their ancestral home: their mother’s wonderful tales about unicorns and dragons and centaurs weren’t make-believe after all. Their family serves as keepers of the Wildewoods, the last place on earth where these mythical creatures can live safe from human harm.
But there are also many dangers in these lands—as well as a terrible curse. When Zac and Lu fall victim to it, their only hope is finding the very last living phoenix left in the world. But will breaking the curse mean the end of the Wildewoods?
Twins Zac and Lu grew up on their mother’s stories of the Wildewoods, an imaginary land where mythical beasts roam free. These creatures fill the pages of Zac’s sketchbooks and inspire Lu’s love of animals, and on most days, they’re the only thing the twins have in common.
When their mother dies, a heartbroken Lu and Zac are shipped off to England to spend the summer with relatives they’ve never met. But it doesn’t take the twins long to uncover the incredible secret tucked away in the forest behind their ancestral home: their mother’s wonderful tales about unicorns and dragons and centaurs weren’t make-believe after all. Their family serves as keepers of the Wildewoods, the last place on earth where these mythical creatures can live safe from human harm.
But there are also many dangers in these lands—as well as a terrible curse. When Zac and Lu fall victim to it, their only hope is finding the very last living phoenix left in the world. But will breaking the curse mean the end of the Wildewoods?
352 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2021
23 people are currently reading
383 people want to read
About the author
Aimee Carter
44 books4,857 followersAimée Carter is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the author of over a dozen books, including The Goddess Test series, the Blackcoat Rebellion series, and the Simon Thorn series for middle grade readers, now a #1 international bestselling series under the title Animox. Her newest middle grade book, Curse of the Phoenix, will be released in June from Margaret K. McElderry Books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
September 26, 2021
I absolutely LOVED this! What a brilliant idea for a story. I just found this family, & their whole backstory & current situation so FASCINATING! I was hooked from the start. This brother & sister have been through so much, & it was so great to see that relationship find it’s way back to where it should be, & see them start to heal from the grief & even guilt they share.
I felt so bad for Zac. I can’t imagine having to live with all of the health issues he did. I loved seeing him find his strength, & realize he is emotionally & mentally stronger than he ever gave himself credit for. You also have to be sympathetic to his sister Lu-yes she’s healthy, but she missed out on so much because of his health issues as well(not his fault at all). You get to see both sides, & experience what it was like to be each of them in their family-completely different. The chapters alternate between the 2 of them, & I loved having 2 unique & different perspectives to this adventure.
The whole idea of the woods, the mythical creatures, the family curse & the mark, & the Phoenix was so creative, magical, & powerful. The Phoenix has my whole heart. What an amazing creature he is. The writing, the story/world/character building, & atmosphere were superb. I flew through this. There is so much grief being dealt with as well, & the author expressed the 2 totally different, yet totally the same, grief process each sibling was dealing with amazingly. I thought the memories shown to them were beautiful, & couldn’t even imagine that feeling.
This is full of suspense, adventure, magic, love, grief, hope, loss, bravery, family, & vivid imaginative magical writing. It does get a little darker with a character who is scared & angry, but I loved this. Highly recommend. STUNNING cover by a favorite, Vivienne To also!💜
I felt so bad for Zac. I can’t imagine having to live with all of the health issues he did. I loved seeing him find his strength, & realize he is emotionally & mentally stronger than he ever gave himself credit for. You also have to be sympathetic to his sister Lu-yes she’s healthy, but she missed out on so much because of his health issues as well(not his fault at all). You get to see both sides, & experience what it was like to be each of them in their family-completely different. The chapters alternate between the 2 of them, & I loved having 2 unique & different perspectives to this adventure.
The whole idea of the woods, the mythical creatures, the family curse & the mark, & the Phoenix was so creative, magical, & powerful. The Phoenix has my whole heart. What an amazing creature he is. The writing, the story/world/character building, & atmosphere were superb. I flew through this. There is so much grief being dealt with as well, & the author expressed the 2 totally different, yet totally the same, grief process each sibling was dealing with amazingly. I thought the memories shown to them were beautiful, & couldn’t even imagine that feeling.
This is full of suspense, adventure, magic, love, grief, hope, loss, bravery, family, & vivid imaginative magical writing. It does get a little darker with a character who is scared & angry, but I loved this. Highly recommend. STUNNING cover by a favorite, Vivienne To also!💜
August 8, 2022
Eigentlich die klassische Kombination. Quasi elternlose Kinder entdecken ein magisches Land und bestehen etliche Abenteuer, um dieses zu retten. Und trotzdem ist mir die Geschichte ans Herz gewachsen mit den beiden sympathischen Geschwistern, die sich eigentlich so fremd geworden waren und sich erst zusammenraufen müssen. Mit dem ständig kranken Jungen und den Auswirkungen, die dies auf seine Familie hat. Auch die Nebenfiguren sind interessant, hätten aber ein bisschen mehr Zuwendung vertragen. Allgemein hätte sich das Buch auch gut als Trilogie gemacht, und dadurch sicher noch einiges an Tiefe gewonnen. So liest es sich aber schön flott weg, bleibt spannend bis zum Schluss und bereitet ein kurzweiliges Leseabenteuer.
July 6, 2020
Nach dem Tod ihrer Mutter verbringen die Zwillinge Zacharias und Tallulah den Sommer bei ihren Verwandten in England. Ihr Vater hat den Verlust noch nicht wirklich verarbeitet und braucht Zeit für sich alleine. Die beiden 12-jährigen sind wenig begeistert und haben ehrlich gesagt überhaupt keine Lust auf den Urlaub bei den Verwandten. Aber dann entdecken die beiden das Tor in eine andere Welt voller Fabelwesen und der Sommer wird zum riesigen Abenteuer für die beiden.
Das Hörbuch ist insgesamt 8 Stunden und 48 Minuten lang und wird von Peter Kaempfe vorgelesen. Der hat bereits die Animox-Reihe der Autorin vorgelesen und auch dieses Mal hat mir seine Stimme richtig toll gefallen, er liest wirklich super. Bei dem Buch handelt es sich übrigens um einen Einzelband.
Erzählt wird hier die Geschichte von Lu und Zack, die in diesem Sommer ein Familiengeheimnis lüften, von dem sie bisher überhaupt gar keine Ahnung hatten. Die Autorin entführt ihre Leser in eine Welt voller magischer Wesen und voller Magie und konnte mich mit ihrer Geschichte richtig fesseln.
Lu und Zack sind sehr unterschiedlich. Zack ist eigentlich gegen alles allergisch und auch ständig krank, seine Schwester Lu kümmert sich um ihn. Den Verlust ihrer Mutter haben beide noch nicht verarbeitet, aber durch ihre Abenteuer in England erfahren sie viele Dinge über ihre Mutter, von denen sie bisher gar keine Ahnung hatten, was ihnen bei der Verarbeitung des Verlustes hilft.
Von mir bekommt diese tolle Geschichte natürlich die volle Punktzahl.
Das Hörbuch ist insgesamt 8 Stunden und 48 Minuten lang und wird von Peter Kaempfe vorgelesen. Der hat bereits die Animox-Reihe der Autorin vorgelesen und auch dieses Mal hat mir seine Stimme richtig toll gefallen, er liest wirklich super. Bei dem Buch handelt es sich übrigens um einen Einzelband.
Erzählt wird hier die Geschichte von Lu und Zack, die in diesem Sommer ein Familiengeheimnis lüften, von dem sie bisher überhaupt gar keine Ahnung hatten. Die Autorin entführt ihre Leser in eine Welt voller magischer Wesen und voller Magie und konnte mich mit ihrer Geschichte richtig fesseln.
Lu und Zack sind sehr unterschiedlich. Zack ist eigentlich gegen alles allergisch und auch ständig krank, seine Schwester Lu kümmert sich um ihn. Den Verlust ihrer Mutter haben beide noch nicht verarbeitet, aber durch ihre Abenteuer in England erfahren sie viele Dinge über ihre Mutter, von denen sie bisher gar keine Ahnung hatten, was ihnen bei der Verarbeitung des Verlustes hilft.
Von mir bekommt diese tolle Geschichte natürlich die volle Punktzahl.
July 3, 2022
You can read my full review on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Den, here.
Many thanks to Margaret K. McElderry Books and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
This cover is so utterly charming that there really wasn’t any way I could not read this book. Unicorns and dragons and phoenixes, oh my! Mix that with some heartwarming sibling bonds and yes, right onto my TBR it went.
Curse of the Phoenix is an adventure filled with mythical creatures, dark family secrets, and plenty of adventure, featuring sibling bonds, chronic illness rep, and a heartwarming story about grief and healing.
I came for the adventure but was pleasantly surprised to find that this also has chronic illness rep (which I hadn’t realized). One of the protagonists has asthma and severe allergies to . . . well, most things, actually. It’s the sibling bonds, though, that really stole the show with this one! Zac and Lu make quite the team, and I loved going on this adventure with them.
My Thoughts
- Animal lovers are sure to love all the mythical creatures that call the Wildewood home! They’re mythical, they’re magical, and sometimes they’re quite dangerous. After all, what would be an adventure without a bit of danger, right? The creatures that live in the Wildewood, as Lu and Zac’s family stresses, are wild. There are those that are less likely to harm humans, certainly, but that doesn’t make them tame. I particularly enjoyed this distinction, as well as the healthy dose of respect given to the creatures and the fact that the humans are trespassing on their habitat and they’re just responding as they do. Lu, especially, as an animal lover who’s used to approaching wild animals (generally in the form of stray cats and the like, of course) repeatedly reminds Zac that you shouldn’t just walk up to an animal you don’t know. I’m especially partial to this narrative because it’s something I need to remind Minion all the time! There’s a little of everything when it comes to creatures, from unicorns to dragons to centaur and all sorts of things in between. I would’ve enjoyed spending a little more time in the Wildewood and learning more about the creatures. I feel like there are a lot mentioned, but they’re sort of episodic and in passing. Still, it’s a wonderful setting for a middle grade book, and certainly somewhere I’d love to visit. I can easily imagine middle grade readers will be as charmed as I was with this world!
- After the death of their mother, Lu and Zac spend the summer with family they didn’t even know they had on their mother’s side . . . and this family isn’t without its secrets. The dark kind. Carter does such a wonderful job building up tension and suspense around these secrets. When Zac and Lu arrive at their family’s mansion (because how’s that for a surprise?!), they soon realize things aren’t quite what they seem. Never mind the fact that their mother never even told them that she had family (which is kind of a big omission), but the family seems divided on whether the twins should be there in the first place. Lu especially is really good at eavesdropping (and honestly, what kid isn’t?!), which makes for some interesting overheard conversations! I don’t know if it was just me being utterly oblivious, but I didn’t even guess the couple of family plot twists in the book, and I was pleasantly surprised when they were revealed! I may have suspected a few different things, but I’m always a fan when plot twists sneak up on me but still make sense at the same time. I mean, they’re not major plot twists, but they definitely change the feel of the book in a couple places, which is always fun! I do enjoy a book that keeps me guessing.
- There’s a beautiful theme of grief and healing, both among adults and the twins, at the loss of their mother. It’s guaranteed to tug at heart strings! The book is set shortly after Zac and Lu’s mother dies suddenly. Zac, unfortunately, is the one who finds her collapsed on the kitchen floor, and he has a lot of grief and trauma around that. Not to mention the guilt, as misplaced as it is, that he didn’t take better care of his mother or look after her more. The stages of grief that Lu and Zac go through just tugs my heart strings. What I love the most is that they eventually need to come together to help each other forgive themselves and understand that it’s neither of their faults. It isn’t just the kids grieving, though. Their father is, too, and that was probably the hardest part for me to read. Their father does some really crappy things, like shipping them off to family they didn’t know in the summer. It made me so freaking angry, but at the same time, it was clear he was basically having a nervous breakdown at that point. I think this is such an interesting plot point that I don’t see in middle grade that much, and it’s so important! Adults grieve, too, and they need permission and space to do so. And sometimes they make choices they later regret while they’re grieving.
- The sibling bonds in this book are so fraught with tension and grief and emotion that as much as I enjoyed the adventure, I think I enjoyed Lu and Zac working through their grief together the most in this book. I’m sure middle grade readers will probably disagree with me . . . unless they’ve experienced grief and loss themselves? I’m a big advocate for books that tackle this, because most middle grade readers will lose someone in their lives. The way Zac and Lu fall apart after their mother’s death and then slowly grow together is just *chef’s kiss*. All the feels. The healing process is even further complicated by the fact that Zac is chronically ill, which means a lot of things can make him sick or even prove to be fatal. For Lu, the idea of losing her brother after losing her mother is extra terrifying, and she goes into ultra protective mode. Her mother isn’t around to take care of Zac anymore, so it falls to her, of course. For Zac, he harbors a bunch of guilt over his limitations and fears he’s holding his sister back. He’s also often frustrated about his illness and the things he can’t do. Both of them have such valid and relatable fears, and watching them grow together and heal each other was so rewarding!
Many thanks to Margaret K. McElderry Books and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
This cover is so utterly charming that there really wasn’t any way I could not read this book. Unicorns and dragons and phoenixes, oh my! Mix that with some heartwarming sibling bonds and yes, right onto my TBR it went.
Curse of the Phoenix is an adventure filled with mythical creatures, dark family secrets, and plenty of adventure, featuring sibling bonds, chronic illness rep, and a heartwarming story about grief and healing.
I came for the adventure but was pleasantly surprised to find that this also has chronic illness rep (which I hadn’t realized). One of the protagonists has asthma and severe allergies to . . . well, most things, actually. It’s the sibling bonds, though, that really stole the show with this one! Zac and Lu make quite the team, and I loved going on this adventure with them.
My Thoughts
- Animal lovers are sure to love all the mythical creatures that call the Wildewood home! They’re mythical, they’re magical, and sometimes they’re quite dangerous. After all, what would be an adventure without a bit of danger, right? The creatures that live in the Wildewood, as Lu and Zac’s family stresses, are wild. There are those that are less likely to harm humans, certainly, but that doesn’t make them tame. I particularly enjoyed this distinction, as well as the healthy dose of respect given to the creatures and the fact that the humans are trespassing on their habitat and they’re just responding as they do. Lu, especially, as an animal lover who’s used to approaching wild animals (generally in the form of stray cats and the like, of course) repeatedly reminds Zac that you shouldn’t just walk up to an animal you don’t know. I’m especially partial to this narrative because it’s something I need to remind Minion all the time! There’s a little of everything when it comes to creatures, from unicorns to dragons to centaur and all sorts of things in between. I would’ve enjoyed spending a little more time in the Wildewood and learning more about the creatures. I feel like there are a lot mentioned, but they’re sort of episodic and in passing. Still, it’s a wonderful setting for a middle grade book, and certainly somewhere I’d love to visit. I can easily imagine middle grade readers will be as charmed as I was with this world!
- After the death of their mother, Lu and Zac spend the summer with family they didn’t even know they had on their mother’s side . . . and this family isn’t without its secrets. The dark kind. Carter does such a wonderful job building up tension and suspense around these secrets. When Zac and Lu arrive at their family’s mansion (because how’s that for a surprise?!), they soon realize things aren’t quite what they seem. Never mind the fact that their mother never even told them that she had family (which is kind of a big omission), but the family seems divided on whether the twins should be there in the first place. Lu especially is really good at eavesdropping (and honestly, what kid isn’t?!), which makes for some interesting overheard conversations! I don’t know if it was just me being utterly oblivious, but I didn’t even guess the couple of family plot twists in the book, and I was pleasantly surprised when they were revealed! I may have suspected a few different things, but I’m always a fan when plot twists sneak up on me but still make sense at the same time. I mean, they’re not major plot twists, but they definitely change the feel of the book in a couple places, which is always fun! I do enjoy a book that keeps me guessing.
- There’s a beautiful theme of grief and healing, both among adults and the twins, at the loss of their mother. It’s guaranteed to tug at heart strings! The book is set shortly after Zac and Lu’s mother dies suddenly. Zac, unfortunately, is the one who finds her collapsed on the kitchen floor, and he has a lot of grief and trauma around that. Not to mention the guilt, as misplaced as it is, that he didn’t take better care of his mother or look after her more. The stages of grief that Lu and Zac go through just tugs my heart strings. What I love the most is that they eventually need to come together to help each other forgive themselves and understand that it’s neither of their faults. It isn’t just the kids grieving, though. Their father is, too, and that was probably the hardest part for me to read. Their father does some really crappy things, like shipping them off to family they didn’t know in the summer. It made me so freaking angry, but at the same time, it was clear he was basically having a nervous breakdown at that point. I think this is such an interesting plot point that I don’t see in middle grade that much, and it’s so important! Adults grieve, too, and they need permission and space to do so. And sometimes they make choices they later regret while they’re grieving.
- The sibling bonds in this book are so fraught with tension and grief and emotion that as much as I enjoyed the adventure, I think I enjoyed Lu and Zac working through their grief together the most in this book. I’m sure middle grade readers will probably disagree with me . . . unless they’ve experienced grief and loss themselves? I’m a big advocate for books that tackle this, because most middle grade readers will lose someone in their lives. The way Zac and Lu fall apart after their mother’s death and then slowly grow together is just *chef’s kiss*. All the feels. The healing process is even further complicated by the fact that Zac is chronically ill, which means a lot of things can make him sick or even prove to be fatal. For Lu, the idea of losing her brother after losing her mother is extra terrifying, and she goes into ultra protective mode. Her mother isn’t around to take care of Zac anymore, so it falls to her, of course. For Zac, he harbors a bunch of guilt over his limitations and fears he’s holding his sister back. He’s also often frustrated about his illness and the things he can’t do. Both of them have such valid and relatable fears, and watching them grow together and heal each other was so rewarding!
June 30, 2020
Eine Geschichte um ein Fabelwesen, welches teils selten in Geschichten vor kommt.
Die beiden Zwillinge machen einen etwas unfreiwilligen Urlaub bei der Tante ihrer Mutter in England.
und dort entdecken die beiden dass die Geschichten ihrer Mutter wahr sind.
Eine schöne Abenteuer Geschichte mit vielen tollen Fabelwesen.
Auch wenn man zu Anfang merkt das sich die beiden Zwillinge von einander entfernt haben, so denken sie immer an den anderen. Und wollen gegenseitig nur das Beste für den anderen. Etwas was die beiden im Verlauf der Geschichte erkennen.
Ich mochte Lu und Zac wirklich gerne. Anders sah es da bei der Tante Rowena aus. Total brummig und auch unfair den Kinder gegenüber und ich habe mich gefragt warum sie die beiden überhaupt eingeladen hat.
Im Laufe der Geschichte lernen die beiden Geschwister sich wieder besser kennen und lernen auch was aus der Vergangenheit ihrer Mutter sowie den Fluch der auf der Familie liegt.
Peter Kaempfe hat zwar eine angenehme Stimme, ich fand nur dass die Geschichte sehr langsam vorgetragen wird. Aber dafür gibt es den Geschwindigkeitsregler.
Die Geschichte entführt nicht nur die kleinen Zuhörer in eine Welt, die man selber als Kind gerne entdeckt hätte. Wer würde nicht gern mal auf einen Einhorn Reiten? :)
Die beiden Zwillinge machen einen etwas unfreiwilligen Urlaub bei der Tante ihrer Mutter in England.
und dort entdecken die beiden dass die Geschichten ihrer Mutter wahr sind.
Eine schöne Abenteuer Geschichte mit vielen tollen Fabelwesen.
Auch wenn man zu Anfang merkt das sich die beiden Zwillinge von einander entfernt haben, so denken sie immer an den anderen. Und wollen gegenseitig nur das Beste für den anderen. Etwas was die beiden im Verlauf der Geschichte erkennen.
Ich mochte Lu und Zac wirklich gerne. Anders sah es da bei der Tante Rowena aus. Total brummig und auch unfair den Kinder gegenüber und ich habe mich gefragt warum sie die beiden überhaupt eingeladen hat.
Im Laufe der Geschichte lernen die beiden Geschwister sich wieder besser kennen und lernen auch was aus der Vergangenheit ihrer Mutter sowie den Fluch der auf der Familie liegt.
Peter Kaempfe hat zwar eine angenehme Stimme, ich fand nur dass die Geschichte sehr langsam vorgetragen wird. Aber dafür gibt es den Geschwindigkeitsregler.
Die Geschichte entführt nicht nur die kleinen Zuhörer in eine Welt, die man selber als Kind gerne entdeckt hätte. Wer würde nicht gern mal auf einen Einhorn Reiten? :)
May 18, 2022
This was fun! It didn’t super blow me away but it was a fun quick read! I liked that one of the main characters had severe allergies, I’ve never read a book where a character struggles with that and it was really eye-opening. I kind of felt like the pacing was off a bit though but overall it was a cute middle grade!
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July 29, 2022In terms of quality, this was really good. It was quite interesting to see the adventure in the eyes of these two characters. But in terms of enjoyment, I wish I had liked it more, which is not the case. All the adventure and mythical creature were interesting, but I did not have the chance to connect with Zac and Lu as I would have preferred.
August 7, 2025
Read this upon June’s recommendation and truthfully liked it.
September 21, 2021
I have been meaning to read this book for a few months now. But then I got into the biggest reading slump I have ever had, and simply did not manage to get started. Until now. And oh, how happy I am that this was the book I chose to read after so long without reading. Because this book was truly perfection.
I have been a fan of Aimée for so many years now. And I own pretty much all of her books, I think. And yet this is still the first book of hers that I have actually read. What. I'm the worst, ha. But I'm also so glad to have started with this one. As I loved it so much. And now I'm ready to finally read all her other books.
I will begin by saying that I very much loved the writing in this book. It was so easy to get lost in and I fully adored all of the characters. The book is told from the point of view of Zac and Lu, twelve-year-old twins living with their dad. Their mom died just a month ago, changing their entire lives. And their dad is having trouble taking care of them, so he has agreed to send them to an unknown family member of their mom's, all the way in England. Neither of them want to go, but they have zero choice. And the story truly begins when they arrive at this new place, meeting family they never even knew existed. I loved that the family wasn't too big, though. Only five new people to meet. Which was awesome, and they were all great to get to know.
But what I loved most about this book was Zac and Lu, and getting to know them both. Lu has been helping and feeding outdoor cats for a long time with her best friend. She loves to take care of animals. And she also has such a huge heart. I loved her so. But I must admit to having loved Zac a little more. Oops. Because he was so sensitive and broken and brave and I adored him to pieces. He has lived his entire life locked up in their house, almost. Because of being allergic to pretty much every single thing.
And so he spent so much time at hospitals with their mom. And all the other time at home, not being able to go out, not being able to go to school or visit anyone. Anything could kill him. And his asthma was bad too. And it was completely heartbreaking to read about. This boy was so precious and my heart ached for him. But he was also so sweet and he tried his very best. The twins were the best of friends during their first five years of life. Until she went to school, and he could not. Aw. They started drifting apart after that.
And it completely broke my heart to read about all of it. Okay, this book was pretty short and a fast read. So there could have been much more details. But I loved what there was. And it was enough to ruin my heart a little, to be honest. Zac and Lu lived together, but were barely together at all. Until they got sent away. And actually started spending some time together. And oh, how badly I loved that. I loved how they started to bond. To care more for each other again. And I loved most how they each protected the other.
Their sibling relationship was truly the sweetest thing. But this book was not just about that. Though them learning to bond with each other again was a huge part of this book. It was also about the magic of the Wildewoods. Which they always thought were just fantasy stories their mom had told them while growing up. Until they arrived with their family in England. And learned just what the real Wildewoods was. And I loved that so much. It was a protected space on their property. A secret place that no one else could find.
A place that their family had been made to protect for such a long time. Though, truly, it was actually a curse. Learning about that was pretty fun too. Okay, kind of heartbreaking, but I loved it. The Wildewoods was fully of mythical creatures. Dragons and unicorns. The last living phoenix. And a whole bunch of other creepy and scary things. I loved reading about all the creatures the most, I think. It was so much fun. The scene with the mermaids was awful yet so good too. Sigh. I loved learning about the animals.
There isn't truly that much happening in this book. I wish it had been longer. I wish it was a whole series, as I would so love to read more about everything. Though, with the ending, there does not need to be more. But I want it even so. This was a book about the siblings learning to love each other again. About them learning about a magical place and creatures they had never known were real. It was a little about them getting to know their family too, which I liked. It was a lot about grief as well. So sad but so good.
Curse of the Phoenix was everything that I had hoped it would be. It was such a magical middle grade story. Stunning writing and the most amazing characters. It was full of heart and full of sorrow. And so very cute. Zac and Lu were both incredible and I loved them so very much. Sigh. I loved how badly she wanted to keep him safe, when pretty much anything could kill him. I loved reading about his different allergies. It was sad, but so exciting too. He was just the best. I loved the story of the phoenix so much.
I may have written too much about this book already. Oops. It really wasn't such a long story to read, but I cared so much for it. And there was still a whole lot to learn. I loved when they visited the woods. Despite how everything was trying to kill them, ha. There was sort of a villain in this book too. It could have been darker, but I liked this story the way that it was too. So good. I would so love to read more from this world. And I am so glad that I read this book. I think you will all love it too, so get to reading. It was so precious.
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This review was first posted on my blog, Carina's Books, here: https://carinabooks.blogspot.com/2021...
I have been a fan of Aimée for so many years now. And I own pretty much all of her books, I think. And yet this is still the first book of hers that I have actually read. What. I'm the worst, ha. But I'm also so glad to have started with this one. As I loved it so much. And now I'm ready to finally read all her other books.
I will begin by saying that I very much loved the writing in this book. It was so easy to get lost in and I fully adored all of the characters. The book is told from the point of view of Zac and Lu, twelve-year-old twins living with their dad. Their mom died just a month ago, changing their entire lives. And their dad is having trouble taking care of them, so he has agreed to send them to an unknown family member of their mom's, all the way in England. Neither of them want to go, but they have zero choice. And the story truly begins when they arrive at this new place, meeting family they never even knew existed. I loved that the family wasn't too big, though. Only five new people to meet. Which was awesome, and they were all great to get to know.
But what I loved most about this book was Zac and Lu, and getting to know them both. Lu has been helping and feeding outdoor cats for a long time with her best friend. She loves to take care of animals. And she also has such a huge heart. I loved her so. But I must admit to having loved Zac a little more. Oops. Because he was so sensitive and broken and brave and I adored him to pieces. He has lived his entire life locked up in their house, almost. Because of being allergic to pretty much every single thing.
And so he spent so much time at hospitals with their mom. And all the other time at home, not being able to go out, not being able to go to school or visit anyone. Anything could kill him. And his asthma was bad too. And it was completely heartbreaking to read about. This boy was so precious and my heart ached for him. But he was also so sweet and he tried his very best. The twins were the best of friends during their first five years of life. Until she went to school, and he could not. Aw. They started drifting apart after that.
And it completely broke my heart to read about all of it. Okay, this book was pretty short and a fast read. So there could have been much more details. But I loved what there was. And it was enough to ruin my heart a little, to be honest. Zac and Lu lived together, but were barely together at all. Until they got sent away. And actually started spending some time together. And oh, how badly I loved that. I loved how they started to bond. To care more for each other again. And I loved most how they each protected the other.
Their sibling relationship was truly the sweetest thing. But this book was not just about that. Though them learning to bond with each other again was a huge part of this book. It was also about the magic of the Wildewoods. Which they always thought were just fantasy stories their mom had told them while growing up. Until they arrived with their family in England. And learned just what the real Wildewoods was. And I loved that so much. It was a protected space on their property. A secret place that no one else could find.
A place that their family had been made to protect for such a long time. Though, truly, it was actually a curse. Learning about that was pretty fun too. Okay, kind of heartbreaking, but I loved it. The Wildewoods was fully of mythical creatures. Dragons and unicorns. The last living phoenix. And a whole bunch of other creepy and scary things. I loved reading about all the creatures the most, I think. It was so much fun. The scene with the mermaids was awful yet so good too. Sigh. I loved learning about the animals.
There isn't truly that much happening in this book. I wish it had been longer. I wish it was a whole series, as I would so love to read more about everything. Though, with the ending, there does not need to be more. But I want it even so. This was a book about the siblings learning to love each other again. About them learning about a magical place and creatures they had never known were real. It was a little about them getting to know their family too, which I liked. It was a lot about grief as well. So sad but so good.
Curse of the Phoenix was everything that I had hoped it would be. It was such a magical middle grade story. Stunning writing and the most amazing characters. It was full of heart and full of sorrow. And so very cute. Zac and Lu were both incredible and I loved them so very much. Sigh. I loved how badly she wanted to keep him safe, when pretty much anything could kill him. I loved reading about his different allergies. It was sad, but so exciting too. He was just the best. I loved the story of the phoenix so much.
I may have written too much about this book already. Oops. It really wasn't such a long story to read, but I cared so much for it. And there was still a whole lot to learn. I loved when they visited the woods. Despite how everything was trying to kill them, ha. There was sort of a villain in this book too. It could have been darker, but I liked this story the way that it was too. So good. I would so love to read more from this world. And I am so glad that I read this book. I think you will all love it too, so get to reading. It was so precious.
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This review was first posted on my blog, Carina's Books, here: https://carinabooks.blogspot.com/2021...
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June 7, 2021Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I was able to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
***
Curse of the Phoenix by Aimee Carter is a middle grade fantasy novel.
Following the death of their mother, twins Zac and Lu, are sent by their father to relatives in England from their mom’s side of the family. Zac, who is allergic to basically everything under the sun and suffers severe asthma, is worried about being away from his home and the medical care he’s grown used to. Lu is worried about being far from her best friend and the animals she’s taken under her wing to care for.
Upon arriving their reception from their family is frostier than they expected and secrets are kept inside the home. Zac and Lu quickly discover that the tales their mother used to share about the Wildewoods weren’t just tales but truth, a place where all sort of mythical creatures exist, and not just exist but are taken care of by their family.
Not everything is rainbows and unicorns, all though there are plenty of unicorns, but plenty of dangers lurk around the Wildewoods and a curse has plagued their family for generations. It’s up to the twins to discover the link to the past and break the curse before they become irrevocably tied to the Wildewoods.
***
This was a fun book. Zac and Lu are very different from one another. Zac, due to all his health problems, rarely goes out and spent most of his time growing up hanging out with his mom, most of the stories of the Wildewoods have been shared with him and he has started to create a graphic novel based on the stories his mom told him.
Because so much time and attention was focused on Zac’s health Lu grew up a bit wild and incredibly independent and while she absolutely loves her brother and family she has a small nugget of resentment, understandably, that shades how she interacts with her brother. She’s always keeping an eye on him and is ready to step in to assist with his care but also really longs to be outside and around animals which is hard when her brother is so allergic to everything.
They don’t necessarily make the best decisions throughout the book but with the rest of the family constantly holding back information from them they can’t be entirely blamed for all their choices. I enjoyed that it was a story focused on family, particularly siblings, and it appears to be a standalone, or at least this story can certainly stand on its own if the author does decide to continue in this world.
It is certainly a book I would recommend to young readers looking for a fun exciting adventure to consume.
***
Curse of the Phoenix by Aimee Carter is a middle grade fantasy novel.
Following the death of their mother, twins Zac and Lu, are sent by their father to relatives in England from their mom’s side of the family. Zac, who is allergic to basically everything under the sun and suffers severe asthma, is worried about being away from his home and the medical care he’s grown used to. Lu is worried about being far from her best friend and the animals she’s taken under her wing to care for.
Upon arriving their reception from their family is frostier than they expected and secrets are kept inside the home. Zac and Lu quickly discover that the tales their mother used to share about the Wildewoods weren’t just tales but truth, a place where all sort of mythical creatures exist, and not just exist but are taken care of by their family.
Not everything is rainbows and unicorns, all though there are plenty of unicorns, but plenty of dangers lurk around the Wildewoods and a curse has plagued their family for generations. It’s up to the twins to discover the link to the past and break the curse before they become irrevocably tied to the Wildewoods.
***
This was a fun book. Zac and Lu are very different from one another. Zac, due to all his health problems, rarely goes out and spent most of his time growing up hanging out with his mom, most of the stories of the Wildewoods have been shared with him and he has started to create a graphic novel based on the stories his mom told him.
Because so much time and attention was focused on Zac’s health Lu grew up a bit wild and incredibly independent and while she absolutely loves her brother and family she has a small nugget of resentment, understandably, that shades how she interacts with her brother. She’s always keeping an eye on him and is ready to step in to assist with his care but also really longs to be outside and around animals which is hard when her brother is so allergic to everything.
They don’t necessarily make the best decisions throughout the book but with the rest of the family constantly holding back information from them they can’t be entirely blamed for all their choices. I enjoyed that it was a story focused on family, particularly siblings, and it appears to be a standalone, or at least this story can certainly stand on its own if the author does decide to continue in this world.
It is certainly a book I would recommend to young readers looking for a fun exciting adventure to consume.
January 27, 2021
Meinung
Der Fluch des Phönix ist ein Kinder und Jugendbuch von Aimee Carter. Sie ist auch die Autorin der Animox Reihe.
Die Zwillinge Zac und Lu haben ihre Mutter verloren und ihr Vater ist komplett überfordert mit der Situation. Zac hat viele Allergien und kann das Haus nicht verlassen, da er sonst einen Anfall bekommt. Der Vater beschließt daraufhin die beiden zu Verwandten, ihrer Mutter, nach England zu schicken. Dort angekommen wundern die Kinder sich, das sie nie etwas von ihnen gehört haben und auch warum sie sich vom Wald fern halten sollen. Als sie ihrem Onkel heimlich folgen, finden die zwei sich in einer anderen Welt, mit vielen magischen Geschöpfen, der Wildlands wieder.
Für ein Kinder Buch hat es sehr viel Tiefe und einiges zum Nachdenken. Ich war positiv überrascht. Die Kinder müssen mit ihrer Trauer fertig werden und haben dann auch noch den Verlust des Vaters zu beklagen, der mit ihnen nicht zurecht kommt. Zac gefällt mir am Besten, da er eine riesen Entwicklung im Buch durch macht. Von einem Kind das außer seinem Haus nichts kennt, wird er in ein fremdes Land gebracht und dann auch noch in eine andere Welt. Er muss über sich hinaus wachsen und sich seinen Ängsten stellen. Lu muss lernen ihren Bruder nicht vor allem zu beschützen und auch sich nicht für alles die Schuld zu geben.
Das Buch selber, auch wenn es für Kinder geschrieben wurde, hat soviel Tiefgang. Der Schreibstil ist flüssig und auch nicht so kompliziert geschrieben, das man direkt in die Geschichte reinfindet. Die Figuren sind liebevoll ausgearbeitet und man kann sich gut mit ihnen identifizieren. Die Geschichte hat auch viele Spannungsbögen drin und es passiert ganz viel, so das man einfach weiterlesen muss, da es so spannend ist und man erfahren will, wie die Kinder aus der Situation heraus kommen.Das Cover ist der Wahnsinn. Der schwarze Hintergrund und der wunderschöne Phönix mit seinen schillernden Farbe passt perfekt auf das Cover.
Fazit
Ich fand dieses Buch sehr gelungen. Eine Fantastische Welt voller magischer Geschöpfe und eine sehr tiefsinnige Familiengeschichte, alles in allem ein sehr gelungenes Buch. Wenn ihr noch mal Kind sein wollt und in eine Welt eintauchen wollt, mit Drachen, Meerjungfrauen und Einhörner, dann müsst ihr dieses Buch lesen.
4 Sterne
Der Fluch des Phönix ist ein Kinder und Jugendbuch von Aimee Carter. Sie ist auch die Autorin der Animox Reihe.
Die Zwillinge Zac und Lu haben ihre Mutter verloren und ihr Vater ist komplett überfordert mit der Situation. Zac hat viele Allergien und kann das Haus nicht verlassen, da er sonst einen Anfall bekommt. Der Vater beschließt daraufhin die beiden zu Verwandten, ihrer Mutter, nach England zu schicken. Dort angekommen wundern die Kinder sich, das sie nie etwas von ihnen gehört haben und auch warum sie sich vom Wald fern halten sollen. Als sie ihrem Onkel heimlich folgen, finden die zwei sich in einer anderen Welt, mit vielen magischen Geschöpfen, der Wildlands wieder.
Für ein Kinder Buch hat es sehr viel Tiefe und einiges zum Nachdenken. Ich war positiv überrascht. Die Kinder müssen mit ihrer Trauer fertig werden und haben dann auch noch den Verlust des Vaters zu beklagen, der mit ihnen nicht zurecht kommt. Zac gefällt mir am Besten, da er eine riesen Entwicklung im Buch durch macht. Von einem Kind das außer seinem Haus nichts kennt, wird er in ein fremdes Land gebracht und dann auch noch in eine andere Welt. Er muss über sich hinaus wachsen und sich seinen Ängsten stellen. Lu muss lernen ihren Bruder nicht vor allem zu beschützen und auch sich nicht für alles die Schuld zu geben.
Das Buch selber, auch wenn es für Kinder geschrieben wurde, hat soviel Tiefgang. Der Schreibstil ist flüssig und auch nicht so kompliziert geschrieben, das man direkt in die Geschichte reinfindet. Die Figuren sind liebevoll ausgearbeitet und man kann sich gut mit ihnen identifizieren. Die Geschichte hat auch viele Spannungsbögen drin und es passiert ganz viel, so das man einfach weiterlesen muss, da es so spannend ist und man erfahren will, wie die Kinder aus der Situation heraus kommen.Das Cover ist der Wahnsinn. Der schwarze Hintergrund und der wunderschöne Phönix mit seinen schillernden Farbe passt perfekt auf das Cover.
Fazit
Ich fand dieses Buch sehr gelungen. Eine Fantastische Welt voller magischer Geschöpfe und eine sehr tiefsinnige Familiengeschichte, alles in allem ein sehr gelungenes Buch. Wenn ihr noch mal Kind sein wollt und in eine Welt eintauchen wollt, mit Drachen, Meerjungfrauen und Einhörner, dann müsst ihr dieses Buch lesen.
4 Sterne
June 1, 2020
Das Buch war wirklich noch gut. Die Grundidee dafür hat mir super gefallen und für ein Buch, welches bereits für Kinder ab 12 ist (oder welches Alter auch immer, das habe ich nicht genau nachgesehen), hat dieses Buch wirklich noch eine gewisse Tiefe und einige dunklere Themen. Man sollte generell solche Bücher nicht unterschätzen, bloss weil sie für jüngere Leser gedacht sind.
Das Buch war einfach und schnell zu lesen, dank des lockeren Schreibstils und ich konnte auch gut einsteigen. Ich wusste nicht, dass es ein Einzelband ist und habe mehr eine Reihe erwartet, aber das Buch war auch so gut und hatte einen zufriedenstellenden Abschluss.
Der Aufbau dieser Welt war natürlich klar das Beste. Die Wildlands wurden sehr interessant dargestellt und ich fand es interessant, alle möglichen Fantasiewesen und Wesen aus Mythen darin zu sehen. Das wurde sehr gut aufgebaut.
Die Charaktere wurden ebenfalls gut ausgebaut. Ich mochte es sehr, wie Luisa irgendwie unbewusst eine Beschützerrolle gegenüber Zac eingenommen hat, nach dem Tod ihrer Mutter. Auch wurde es schön dargestellt, wie sich die beiden wieder annäherten und langsam wieder zueinander fanden. Auch die anderen Charaktere wurden gut dargestellt und ich konnte sowohl Zac und Lus Vater als auch Oliver gut verstehen, auch wenn beide auf den ersten Blick scheint, als ob sie die falsche Entscheidung getroffen haben.
Am allermeisten mochte ich aber den Phönix selbst. Er hat einen sehr interessanten Charakter bekommen. Er war, der der seine wohlverdiente Rache nahm, am Jäger und er war der, der auch mit Nachfahren dieses Jägers Freundschaften geschlossen hat. Der Phönix ist zwar nur ein Vogel und spricht auch nicht, man erkennt in ihm aber seine Schlauheit sehr gut.
Alles in allem kann ich sagen, wirklich nicht schlecht. Der Weltenaufbau war fantastisch. Die Charaktere hatten allesamt ihre Tiefe und das Buch liess sich schnell und leicht lesen. Von mir bekommt es deshalb vier Sterne.
Das Buch war einfach und schnell zu lesen, dank des lockeren Schreibstils und ich konnte auch gut einsteigen. Ich wusste nicht, dass es ein Einzelband ist und habe mehr eine Reihe erwartet, aber das Buch war auch so gut und hatte einen zufriedenstellenden Abschluss.
Der Aufbau dieser Welt war natürlich klar das Beste. Die Wildlands wurden sehr interessant dargestellt und ich fand es interessant, alle möglichen Fantasiewesen und Wesen aus Mythen darin zu sehen. Das wurde sehr gut aufgebaut.
Die Charaktere wurden ebenfalls gut ausgebaut. Ich mochte es sehr, wie Luisa irgendwie unbewusst eine Beschützerrolle gegenüber Zac eingenommen hat, nach dem Tod ihrer Mutter. Auch wurde es schön dargestellt, wie sich die beiden wieder annäherten und langsam wieder zueinander fanden. Auch die anderen Charaktere wurden gut dargestellt und ich konnte sowohl Zac und Lus Vater als auch Oliver gut verstehen, auch wenn beide auf den ersten Blick scheint, als ob sie die falsche Entscheidung getroffen haben.
Am allermeisten mochte ich aber den Phönix selbst. Er hat einen sehr interessanten Charakter bekommen. Er war, der der seine wohlverdiente Rache nahm, am Jäger und er war der, der auch mit Nachfahren dieses Jägers Freundschaften geschlossen hat. Der Phönix ist zwar nur ein Vogel und spricht auch nicht, man erkennt in ihm aber seine Schlauheit sehr gut.
Alles in allem kann ich sagen, wirklich nicht schlecht. Der Weltenaufbau war fantastisch. Die Charaktere hatten allesamt ihre Tiefe und das Buch liess sich schnell und leicht lesen. Von mir bekommt es deshalb vier Sterne.
November 10, 2021
Zac und Lu sind zwölfjährige Zwillinge aus Chicago. Seit dem tot ihrer Mutter hat Zac das Haus nicht mehre verlassen. Lu hilft kranken Tieren zusammen mit ihrer besten Freundin. Auf dem nachhause weg entdeckt sie einen Waschbären und bringt ihn nachhause, doch Zac ist allergisch und hat Asthma und der Vater ist sauer. Er sagt er schafft es nicht mehr und will Merles Angebot annehmen. Merle ist die Tante ihrer Mutter und hat angeboten Lu und Zac zu sich zu nach England zu holen. Sie kommen auf ein Riesen Anwesen und lernen gleich ihre Cousine Penelope kennen. Dort leben auch noch der Cousin Oliver die Großtanten Rowena und Merle. Und Onkel Conrad. Doch Rowena scheint nicht besonders erfreut zu sein das die Zwillinge da sind. Die beiden finden heraus das es eine Familienlegende geben soll. Und so beginnt eine fantastische Geschichte in die Wildlands mit wundervollen und bösen Wesen.
Die Protagonisten sind wirklich sehr interessant. Lu kümmert sich mit ihrer besten Freundin Sophia um streunende Katzen. Hat Freunde und kann zur Schule gehen. Während Zac zu viele Allergien und Asthma hat um das Haus zu verlassen. Die Entwicklung der beiden in der Geschichte ist wirklich spannend.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist flüssig, und sehr bildhaft erklärt. Man denkt wirklich man sei dabei und fiebert richtig mit. Eine wirklich tolle Geschichte die ich nur jedem weiter empfehlen kann.
Die Protagonisten sind wirklich sehr interessant. Lu kümmert sich mit ihrer besten Freundin Sophia um streunende Katzen. Hat Freunde und kann zur Schule gehen. Während Zac zu viele Allergien und Asthma hat um das Haus zu verlassen. Die Entwicklung der beiden in der Geschichte ist wirklich spannend.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist flüssig, und sehr bildhaft erklärt. Man denkt wirklich man sei dabei und fiebert richtig mit. Eine wirklich tolle Geschichte die ich nur jedem weiter empfehlen kann.
May 12, 2021
I received an electronic ARC from Margaret K. McElderry Books through Edelweiss+.
Carter opens the book with an intense look at how a family copes with their mom's death. Twins, Zac and Lu are caught in their own worlds of grief and their father has shut down. He is so buried in pain that he can't face being their dad so he sends them to England to stay with their mom's family. Problem - they've never even heard of these aunts, etc. Zac also has severe asthma and allergies and has spent much of his life in doctor offices and hospitals; Lu has compensated for feeling forgotten by taking on animal care for feral cats, etc. in their area. Both have drifted from each other.
The summer certainly takes some interesting twists and turns when they discover that the stories their mom shared are based in reality. Wildewood is not only real but their family are the sole caretakers of this magical realm where mythical creatures of all kinds are real and protected.
I was captivated from the first chapter as Carter created this family and world. The characters are flawed and realistic and the scenery descriptions pull readers in to be part of the action. Enough adventure and danger for middle grade readers of several genres.
Carter opens the book with an intense look at how a family copes with their mom's death. Twins, Zac and Lu are caught in their own worlds of grief and their father has shut down. He is so buried in pain that he can't face being their dad so he sends them to England to stay with their mom's family. Problem - they've never even heard of these aunts, etc. Zac also has severe asthma and allergies and has spent much of his life in doctor offices and hospitals; Lu has compensated for feeling forgotten by taking on animal care for feral cats, etc. in their area. Both have drifted from each other.
The summer certainly takes some interesting twists and turns when they discover that the stories their mom shared are based in reality. Wildewood is not only real but their family are the sole caretakers of this magical realm where mythical creatures of all kinds are real and protected.
I was captivated from the first chapter as Carter created this family and world. The characters are flawed and realistic and the scenery descriptions pull readers in to be part of the action. Enough adventure and danger for middle grade readers of several genres.
December 29, 2021
The whole time I was reading this, I felt like I had read it before. The storyline is very similar to some others -- two children find out their family has to take care of a mythical creature preserve, similar to Fablehaven or The Menagerie, with a little bit of The Secrets of Hexbridge Castle thrown in as well. It was a fun adventure and will be enjoyed by readers who are obsessed with mythical creatures. For grades 4 & up.
June 10, 2021
After their mother’s death, Zac and Lu’s father sends them to London for the summer to stay with family they’ve never met. There, they find out that the Wildewoods of their mother’s stories is real, and so are the creatures within. They also learn about the curse on their family. While they enjoy helping to care for the unicorns and baby dragons, there is much danger to be found in the Wildewoods.
This is an exciting story of adventure and fantastic creatures, but it is also a story of love, family, and grief. Though Zac and Lu are twins, they are different, each with their strengths and weaknesses. Now they must work together if they are to help save the Wildewoods.
This is an exciting story of adventure and fantastic creatures, but it is also a story of love, family, and grief. Though Zac and Lu are twins, they are different, each with their strengths and weaknesses. Now they must work together if they are to help save the Wildewoods.
August 29, 2020
Also, das war mal wieder spannend.
Die Kapitel sind abwechselnd aus der Sicht der beiden Zwillinge Zac und Lu geschrieben und man leidet mit beiden mit.
Ich besonders mit Zac, weil er aufgrund seiner diversen Allergien fast nicht in der Lage ist, ein "normales" Leben zu führen.
Die Autorin schafft es wieder, dass man mitfiebert und das Buch nur schwer aus der Hand legen kann, bevor man man noch "wenigstens das nächste Kapitel..." gelesen hat.
Die Kapitel sind abwechselnd aus der Sicht der beiden Zwillinge Zac und Lu geschrieben und man leidet mit beiden mit.
Ich besonders mit Zac, weil er aufgrund seiner diversen Allergien fast nicht in der Lage ist, ein "normales" Leben zu führen.
Die Autorin schafft es wieder, dass man mitfiebert und das Buch nur schwer aus der Hand legen kann, bevor man man noch "wenigstens das nächste Kapitel..." gelesen hat.
December 6, 2023
Picked this book up at a book fair because the cover looked so good. It was a quick, fun read. The family dynamics were interesting.
Some of the characters fell flat and I struggled to come to terms with the father just dumping his kids off for an entire summer at a relatives house. The ending was also a little predictable.
Overall this book was fast and fun. I think a younger audience would have loved this initial step into the world of fantasy.
Some of the characters fell flat and I struggled to come to terms with the father just dumping his kids off for an entire summer at a relatives house. The ending was also a little predictable.
Overall this book was fast and fun. I think a younger audience would have loved this initial step into the world of fantasy.
October 16, 2021
Zac and Lu are sent to England after their mother’s sudden death to stay with her family. They discover that these people care for a whole forest of magical creatures, but that they do this as a result of a curse. When an accident happens and difficult decisions must be made the kids have to choose where their true values lie. Interesting story, no real villains, only difficult life choices.
September 30, 2023
DID NOT FINISH
I loved Aimee Carter's Simon Thorne series so I decided to give another one of her books a try. Unfortunately, the twin protagonists were usually not kind to each other and when they go to their mother's childhood home, they find out about their Aunt Rowena who is married to another woman.
I loved Aimee Carter's Simon Thorne series so I decided to give another one of her books a try. Unfortunately, the twin protagonists were usually not kind to each other and when they go to their mother's childhood home, they find out about their Aunt Rowena who is married to another woman.
December 22, 2024
What a great story! This dealt with some big issues, like grief and chronic illness, in a kid-friendly way. It was too slow to begin, but once the twins found the mythical creatures, the story really took off. My 7 and 9 yo boys loved it.
December 31, 2025
4.75* I wish this was a series!! It was SO good but for some of the adventure parts I wish they lasted longer.
Some of the book club kids said it took a while for it to get exciting. I loved it from the first pages though.
Some of the book club kids said it took a while for it to get exciting. I loved it from the first pages though.
August 14, 2020
Schöne, spannende Fantasy Geschichte, die nicht zu lang ist und gut zwischendurch gelesen werden kann.
September 22, 2021
Just finished The Curse of the Phoenix by Aimee Carter, one of my favorite authors. Another heartfelt, magical story by a brilliant author.
November 23, 2021
Wonderful!
May 30, 2022
I thought this was a really beautiful and heartfelt book about grief and healing.
August 4, 2022
Die Erzählung? Wow. Der Plot? Wahnsinn. Echt gutes Buch!
September 15, 2022
Sehr spannend, mitreißend und lesenswert!🥰
November 28, 2022
This was a fun and exciting book! The premise is very similar to the Fablehaven series, but very different and almost as good! I wonder if a sequel is planned?
December 3, 2022
schön zu lesen , oft etwas langweilig und das ende is sehr kurz
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