When Sophie and her twin brother, Josh, get summer jobs across the street from each other, they think that things are working out perfectly.
Josh loves the bookstore, and Sophie adores the coffee shop. Everything is going great, until they witness something that changes their lives forever!
From out of nowhere, strange beings pull up outside the bookstore.
Sophie watches them on the street, and then suddenly smells sulfur in the air.
Josh runs up the stairs in the shop when he hears a commotion, but he quickly feels like he needs to clear his eyes.
His boss, Nicholas Fleming, is throwing colored mist at some strange man in the store. The man is Dr. John Dee, and he is after the Codex, an ancient book with many secrets.
A major fight breaks out between the two and ends in an explosion. Books are everywhere, and Josh is on the floor with the Codex in his hands. John Dee grabs it from him and flees the store.
Once he is gone Josh realizes that he has the last two pages of the book stuck in his hand.
Knowing Dee will come back, Nicholas takes Josh and Sophie (who has come over to see if her brother is still alive after the explosion) away. This is when Mr. Fleming begins to tell Josh and Sophie who he really is, and it turns out that he's Nicholas Flamel, a 14th century alchemist!
It takes some convincing, but when the twins are witness to more bizarre happenings they realize that he is telling them the truth.
The only problem is that their lives are now in danger, and they will be dealing with magic like they have only read about in books.
Will they be able to get away from John Dee?
How will Josh and Sophie adjust to the magical world that they are thrown into?
Is it possible for their lives to ever return to normal? When they enter the Shadowrealm, will either of them ever be the same? Read this page turner to find out what happens next. This is just the beginning of an unpredictable adventure!
The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott has a lot of magic and fantasy elements that will appeal to anyone in fifth grade and up. The reading level may be a little high for some ten year olds, but if they enjoy fantasy, then this is a book they are sure to enjoy.
Reading it with a teacher or parents would be exciting because the story contains characters that have shown up in mythology and other tales throughout the ages.
It was fascinating to see the way the story came together.
I thought that the twins, Josh and Sophie, were both very likeable. I like how they tried to take care of each other, and it was great to witness their special bond.
I was fascinated by the Shadowrealm and had a clear image in my mind of the setting and its unique features.
The story has lots of adventure and elements that will keep the movie in your mind playing for hours. This is the first in a series, and I look forward to reading the rest of them!
Has anyone else read The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel? Or another book by Michael Scott?
Happy Reading!
~L
I/ve been seeing this book around but haven't read it yet. Your review makes me think I should. NIcholas Flamel and his work on the philospoher's stone has always been an interesting idea, even before Harry Potter (I originally wanted to be a medievalist)
ReplyDeleteAlex- After reading HP and then reading this book- I found it interesting to learn more about Flamel and his wife. I hadn't heard of him before I read HP- but I have to Google him to find out more about him. ~L
DeleteHaving had a quick flick through this I agree that many 10 years may well struggle with it - I know my friends daughter (11) is.
ReplyDeletePetty- Definitely a tough book for more ten year olds to read on their own, but many could read it with a teacher or parent. Your friend's daughter might enjoy listening to it on audio- it is read very well and it might be easier to comprehend. :) ~L
DeleteI’ve read it and loved it. Excellent review the kind that makes me want to read it again.
ReplyDeleteBarbara- So happy to hear that you enjoyed it, too. I think if I read it again I would probably notice things I missed the first time. :) ~L
DeleteSounds like a great fantasy adventure!
ReplyDeleteCate- It is! :) ~L
DeleteYou know I've been meaning to give this one a try since it first came out now after reading your review I'll hvae to put it on hold at the library! Thanks for reminding me about this one.
ReplyDelete-Kimberly @ Turning The Pages
MissKimberlyStardust- I hope the library had it! The audio is great, too! Glad the reminder was helpful. :) ~L
DeleteI loved the entire series and never tired of it and was sad when I read the last book!
ReplyDeletePatty- I am so excited to hear that the whole series is great. I can't wait to read them! :) ~L
DeleteSounds great. And I do have it on my list of books.
ReplyDeleteLee- It is fabulous! Enjoy! ~L
DeleteI've read the entire series. Well, except for the latest one. :D Quite an enjoyable read! Also got to meet Michael Scott twice. Fun guy!
ReplyDeleteNutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
Nutshell- How cool that you not only have read most of the series, but that you also met Michael Scott! So fun! ~L
DeleteSounds like a great book for my son to read (he's 14) - and then of course I can borrow it too!
ReplyDeleteSharon- If your son is 14, I think he will like it! My 14 year old cousin (boy) is listening to it on audio and loves it. :) ~L
Delete*prays that comment powers that be allows my comment this time* Michele says: I love the sound of this one! I think this is something both Katertot and I can enjoy! The fact that the author's name is Michael Scott (I'm a huge Office fan) is enough to make me want this on my shelf! Excellent review!
ReplyDeleteKatertot says: This sounds so exciting! I think I will really love this story! Thank you so much for letting us know about this one. Fabulous review, ladies! <3 <3 <3
Cheles Bells- Yeah! Your comment went through.
DeleteMichele- I think it is funny that the author has the same name as Michael Scott on the Office. I smiles when I read the name of the author. It is a great book!
~Katertot- It is exciting! I am so glad you enjoyed the review. Happy reading! :) ~Stephanie
Sounds great! Especially sounds like a good one to read aloud with my students! :)
ReplyDeleteJemi- It is! This is a great fantasy books that kids will enjoy. A book that has lots of references that adults can help kids understand. :) ~L
DeleteThis sounds like a wonderful story!!! Will have to see if we have it around here, would make a cozy autumn read <3
ReplyDeleteM.A.D. This really is a fantastic story. It would be a great season to dive into this fall. :) ~L
DeleteI enjoy fantasy and this sounds good!
ReplyDeleteThe Desert Rocks- If you like fantasy then I think you will really like this book! ~L
DeleteSounds like a great book annd a great series. I've had my eye on this one. I'll have to finally check it out! Great review as usual.
ReplyDelete~Greg
Greg- It is a great book and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I hope you enjoy it. :) ~L
DeleteOoh, I have to read this!
ReplyDeleteKelly- It is very well written! ~L
DeleteYes I HAVE read this one...actually picked it up once upon a time when I was waiting for a Harry Potter book to release at midnight....think it was the last book. ^_^ After that, I had to come back to the store and buy the book to continue the adventure. Hint: If you haven't read the rest of the series (of which I've read one or two but not all) it keeps getting better! Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteGMR- I loved getting my HP books at midnight. It was so exciting. I am glad you picked this one up and I am thrilled to hear that the series gets even better. Can't wait! ~Stephanie
DeleteOur reviewer, Kole, has read the entire series and it's one of his favorites (along with The Ranger's Apprentice). I've only read the first one so far and really enjoyed it too!
ReplyDelete- Jessica @ Book Sake
Book Sake- How cool that Kole loves the entire series and that he loves it. I have also heard great things about The Ranger's Apprentice!
Delete~L
I enjoyed this series. I thought it was very imaginative!
ReplyDeleteElaine! I am so glad to hear you like the whole series. The first one was definitely imaginative! ~L
DeleteHi Heidi- I am glad you enjoyed this one! The ending did leave me with lots of questions, but I am glad the whole series is out now- so I can read them without waiting to fill in those gaps. :) ~L
ReplyDeleteMy cousin's wife is obsessed with this series and I have to admit when I read an excerpt on the beginning of the book I can see myself being obsessed with it also.
ReplyDeleteAdriana- I can see how someone could become obsessed with the series. So far it is fascinating. ~L
DeleteHave to say THANK YOU! I'd been meaning to read the Nicholas Flamel series someday, but after reading this, I think I'm going to borrow it from my library to read with my little sister after my blog event ends and I have some breathing room :)
ReplyDeleteIronic Lady- Yeah! Glad to have reminded you of the series. It is an imaginative tale with lots of references to tales of the past. A great book to read together. How fun! ~L
Deletethank you for this review. looking to get it right now.
ReplyDeleteAnnmarie- You are welcome! Enjoy! ~L
DeleteI've always loved the study of Alchemy. Thank you for talking about this book, and this story sounds darling. I love the whole idea of it.
ReplyDeleteDonna- I agree with you that Alchemy is fascinating! This is a wonderful book and the start of what I hope is a fabulous series (I have heard great things about it). ;) ~L
DeleteAlchemy is indeed an interesting topic, which is the primary reason I placed this book in my soon-to-buy list. Thanks for the great review. It just fueled my excitement! :)
ReplyDeleteNancy- It is an interesting topic and series. If you have the opportunity to listen to the book- the reader does a nice job and you can listen while you are working on something else. :) So glad you enjoyed the review! ~L
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