I is for Icespell

I’m doing folklore and book review posts to reach and please a larger audience. Previous years have shown select interest in both and to minimise blogging throughout the year, I’m focusing my efforts on April.

Focusing on an A to Z of my TBR (to be read) list, each letter will have books starting with that letter on my list, a book I’ve read and reviewed (with the review!) and one of my books matching the letter with a link about more info about the book.

I chose the books this year quite randomly from my Goodreads Want to Read page. Some are quite creatively added to letters.

If you’d rather check out my folklore post for today, go here.

You can read reviews for from previous years for this letter here and here, and my year-end reviews here, here, here and, most recently, here.

My TBR

About the Book I’ve Read

Frogspell by C.J. Busby

Max Pendragon is probably the worst squire in King Arthur’s kingdom – he’d much rather train to be a wizard instead. So when he accidentally invents a spell that turns people into frogs, it seems his wish might come true.

But events take an unexpected turn when Max enters the Novices’ Spell-Making Competition and finds himself helping Merlin fight an evil sorceress. There’s no way Max’s unpredictable frogspell could be of any use. Or is there?

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

A story about a school for witches and wizards set in Camelot in the days of King Arthur’s rule. A young squire accidentally creates a potion to turn a person into a frog and helps Merlin fight an evil sorceress.

A fun story with all the magic and charm of Camelot. The added bonus of weird potions and spells and how they can go awry make this a great adventure. It reminds me a bit of the TV show “Gummi Bears”.

The cover is gorgeous too!

A must-read for young fans of Camelot and the Arthurian legends attached to it.

About the Book I’ve Read

Cauldron Spells by C.J. Busby

Cauldron Spells brings you more thrills, spills and spells in the second book in the Frogspell series of magical Arthurian adventures.

Max Pendragon is not looking forward to attending Morgana Le Fay’s summer Spell School. Not only is his battered cauldron producing slimy sludge instead of perfect spells, but ever since he and his sister Olivia foiled evil Morgana’s plot against King Arthur, they have been wary of her plans for revenge.

Max and Olivia soon discover that Spell School has more in store for them than they ever imagined. With the help of Merlin and a mysterious bard, Caradoc, will they be able to outwit Morgana and save Arthur for a second time? 

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

There’s so much to like about this book: dragons, a hoard of cauldrons, a girl squire, a protective rat, Lancelot who has magic, a trip to Otherworld, and more.

It takes a bit to get into the story, but once the children arrive at Morgana’s castle, the action really starts. Quite an adventure with a mystery to solve in the next book.

About the Book I’ve Read

Icespell by C.J. Busby

Join Max and Olivia for more magical thrills, spills and spells in their third hilarious adventure.
Max and Olivia are loving life in Camelot – not only is Max having magic lessons with the great wizard Merlin, Olivia is finally in training for the Squire’s Challenge. But disaster strikes when Camelot is frozen inside a magical mountain of ice and it’s all Max’s fault!
Can he and Olivia rescue Arthur and Merlin from their icy prison before evil Lady Morgana gets to Camelot and seals their doom?

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

Dragons, magic gone awry and a duck telling everyone what to do – so much fun to read. I liked that Max owned up to his part in the disaster instead of making excuses.

About the Book I’ve Read

Swordspell by C.J. Busby

Max and Olivia have discovered that Morgana Le Fay is plotting to use a mysterious ‘Swordspell’ against King Arthur at the Festival of Chivalry.
They don’t know what the spell is or how to stop it, and Olivia also has her training for the Squire’s Challenge to worry about. But things are made even worse when Merlin is called away unexpectedly, leaving Max and Olivia without his magical protection.

With the help of Sir Lancelot, Sir Bertram and Adolphus the dragon, Ferocious the rat and Vortigern the duck, the Pendragon children must quickly uncover Morgana’s evil plan, before it is too late for Arthur and Camelot.

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

An action-packed, LOL story that ends Morgana’s reign of terror in a very child-friendly way, none of the fights include bloodshed and death, and it has a feel-good ending.

Gawaine and Lancelot have great sword fights; Max and Merlin team up against Morgana; Arthur falls in love with Guinevere; and the bad guys get their just deserts.

I liked that Max had to work for what he wanted, instead of things coming easily to him.

A great series full of Arthurian myth, a dragon who can’t be serious, a rat who is too serious, a brother and sister who works as a team, and a duck who is happy as long as there is bread – and magic.

Highly recommended.

My Book

The Inn (Dark Court Sisters #2)

Remember that you can request all of my books from your local library!

I hope you enjoyed this. For more books I’ve read and reviewed, check out either my Pinterest board about reviews or my Goodreads profile. Alternatively, you can check out my reviews on BookBub. Have you read any of the books? Loved or hated any of them?

You can now support my time in producing book review posts (buying books, reading, writing reviews and everything else involved) by buying me a coffee. This can be a once-off thing, or you can buy me coffee again in the future at your discretion.

*FYI, my reviews are my honest opinion and if something bothers me, I tell it straight. How else will anything change? My opinions are based on being a voracious reader and book buyer, not an attack on the author.*

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