Monday, March 11, 2019

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday (#MMGM) Book Review: The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens

Siblings Kate, Michael, and Emma, are whisked away one Christmas Eve when the oldest, Kate, was only four. Someone was after them, and for their protection they were given only the last name of P. They don’t know who they are and if they will ever see their parents again. Going from one orphanage to another and never being able to find a home was discouraging, but Kate as the oldest, did her best to make things okay for her younger brother and sister no matter where they were. When they were finally sent to the last orphanage, Cambridge Falls, it was far away and dismal. There they met Dr. Pym and his housekeeper. They lived in a large home and the siblings seemed to be the only orphans in the place, which they thought was odd. They do love the amazing food and the kind adults. It isn’t long before they discover a magical book. This book transports them back in time to when Cambridge Falls was ruled by the Countess, an evil, witchy woman who imprisoned the children of the town. The Countess wants the book and will stop at nothing to get her way. Can Kate Emma and Michael ever get back to the present time? What will happen if the Countess gets the book? What exactly can the book/atlas do? Take a journey through time and space to find out!

I have had The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens on my list of books to read for at least two years. I am thrilled that I finally got to it. I listened to the audio book version read by my favorite narrator, Jim Dale (narrator of the Harry Potter series). Kate, Emma, and Michael are siblings unified by their family bond, but they also have very different personalities. They fight, but they love each other. I felt bad for Kate because her life involves being so grown-up and responsible because their parents are gone and she’s the oldest. I love the fantasy aspects of the book because it was very exciting to learn about the magic and how it worked. The atlas intrigued me and I am very curious about the other two books in the set. I would recommend this book to kids and adults who like fantasy, magic, and time travel. Those are some of my favorite things! I enjoyed the fantastical characters, and the evil ones were done very well because I didn’t like them at all. I look forward to reading more books by this author and I already have the next book in the series.

Has anyone else read The Emerald Atlas? Or have you read another book by John Stephens? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~ L

For other MMGM posts, please visit Greg Pattridge's blog.

46 comments:

  1. This sounds like something for me! Hugs, Valerie

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes! I did read this book, but it was a long time ago, so the details were a little vague in my mind until I read your review. Nice job!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne- Glad to remind you of The Emerald Atlas. :) ~L

      Delete
  3. Sounds like a thriller in a way with a lot of intrigue. I haven't read it but now I do!

    betty

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Betty- It is a great book and there's a lot of tension. I hope you enjoy it. :) ~L

      Delete
  4. I love Jim Dale as a narrator too. He was awesome at adding just the right amount of suspense and voice characterization was spot on for me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brenda- I could listen to Jim Dale read anything. He is awesome! He is a master. :) ~L

      Delete
  5. When you don't like the bad guys, done well indeed

    ReplyDelete
  6. I haven't read this and want to get back into audio books. I'll check it out. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Natalie- This is a great series to help you get back into audio books. Enjoy! :) ~L

      Delete
  7. Many thanks for the info and review on this … I must say it sounds an intriguing book.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks for the review. I haven't read this book. It sounds interesting and the cover is great, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Janet- It is a wonderful fantasy book. Glad you think it sounds interesting and I agree that the cover is intriguing! :) ~L

      Delete
  9. I like the sound of this book. Time travel is so interesting. Will have to take a look. Thanks, Jess, for sharing it with us. Have a great week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Beverly- I love reading about time travel. I hope you get to read this one soon (or listen to it). :) ~L

      Delete
  10. I too have had this on my list of books to read for much too long. Your enticing review had me tracking down a copy today. Thanks for the post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Greg- I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! :) ~L

      Delete
  11. This book really captures a reader's imagination. It is intriguing and action-packed. Sounds fun! Enjoyed your review.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Patricia- So happy you enjoyed the review. It is a great book and it will really get imaginations going! :) ~L

      Delete
  12. Sounds like an intriguing story. Magic and time travel are always fun.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I haven't read it but it sounds good.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I don't read much fantasy, but you make this sound pretty enticing. Thanks for the review.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosi- I enjoy fantasy- but think this book has a lot going for it that will appeal to those that aren't that into fantasy. :) ~L

      Delete
  15. I should put "The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens" on my list of books to read.

    Have a great day

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tanza- Excellent! I hope you enjoy it! :) ~L

      Delete
  16. Love fantasy in books, and another great choice to share with my granddaughter! Hugs...RO

    ReplyDelete
  17. This sounds like a good book to share with grand children. And read with them. Thanks for the intro!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Romance Reader- It is a great fantasy story for kids and adults. :) ~L

      Delete
  18. This one was not on my radar... thanks for sharing it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sue- Glad to introduce you to this book and series. :) ~L

      Delete
  19. Thanks for introducing me to this book!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Sounds like a very interesting book!!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love MG books with adventure and fantasy. I haven't heard of this one, but now that I have it's on my radar to read. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lee- I think you will really enjoy this series. :) ~L

      Delete
  22. I haven't read The Emerald Atlas, but it sounds like a fun one! I love magic or hints of magic in middle-grade novels!

    Have a nice weekend! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dawn- I think you will enjoy this series. Lot of magic and adventure. I really loved it. :) ~L

      Delete

Thank you for stopping by and commenting. We love to hear your thoughts! We had to turn on comment moderation due to a high volume of spam. Fairday's Blog is no longer accepting awards. We appreciate all the nominations that we have received and are honored to have been mentioned! Happy Reading!

Twitter Bird Gadget Twitter Bird Gadget