Scan barcode
librarydreams's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Bosch is back! This book (and probably the rest of the series) reads a lot like Bosch's Secret series, except this time we follow the adventures of Max Ernest's little brother, Clay. There's not much to say about this book that won't give things away. Bosch masterfully guides the reader through a maze of twists and turns, all leading to a very surprising conclusion. Old faces make brief appearances, which hopefully means we'll see more of them later on.
I was personally delighted to discover how much of the story revolved around Shakespeare's The Tempest. The Tempest was the first Shakespeare play I encountered (while reading A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle), and it led to a lifelong love of Shakespeare. Hopefully, Bosch's work will do the same for a new generation.
I was personally delighted to discover how much of the story revolved around Shakespeare's The Tempest. The Tempest was the first Shakespeare play I encountered (while reading A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle), and it led to a lifelong love of Shakespeare. Hopefully, Bosch's work will do the same for a new generation.
annushka79's review against another edition
5.0
Ok, I was reading this to my son at bedtime but i must admit i became captivated by this story which has interesting plot twists and lots of literary references.
thestoryowl's review against another edition
4.0
An action-packed adventure that follows a young man named Clay, who swore off magic ever since his older brother disappeared.. Clay gets shipped off to the mysterious Earth Ranch where his resolve will be tested by the extraordinary hints that keep happening.
franuary's review against another edition
3.0
In Bad Magic, the first in a new series by Pseudonymous Bosh (author of the bestselling Secret Series), 12-year-old Clay is accused of writing graffiti on the wall of his school and is sent to a summer camp for troubled youth on a largely deserted volcanic island. From the moment he arrives at the camp, things seem a little off. Why is a large portion of the grounds off-limits? What’s up with the mysterious, sealed-off library? Who is the young girl who appears in the library’s window? And why do so many of the campers keep accidentally referring to Shakespeare’s The Tempest, a play that Clay studied at school? As Clay uncovers the secrets of the island, he not only learns about his own abilities, but he also discovers information about his long-lost magician brother Max Ernest.
This series is a companion to Bosh’s Secret Series, which details the escapades of Clay’s elder brother Max Ernest. I found the Secret Series to be a little more silly and zany, whereas this book was fairly straight forward and less quirky. I suspect that this direct approach was a set up for the later books in the series, but I had hoped for more whimsy. The book was fairly dry for me, and even after the big reveal at the end, a lot of elements didn’t make a whole lot of sense. Still, I think the middle grade audience, especially fans of the Secret Series, will love this one, and I look forward to seeing where Bosh takes Clay’s story in sequels.
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and to NetGalley for the advance copy!
This series is a companion to Bosh’s Secret Series, which details the escapades of Clay’s elder brother Max Ernest. I found the Secret Series to be a little more silly and zany, whereas this book was fairly straight forward and less quirky. I suspect that this direct approach was a set up for the later books in the series, but I had hoped for more whimsy. The book was fairly dry for me, and even after the big reveal at the end, a lot of elements didn’t make a whole lot of sense. Still, I think the middle grade audience, especially fans of the Secret Series, will love this one, and I look forward to seeing where Bosh takes Clay’s story in sequels.
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and to NetGalley for the advance copy!
paragraphsandpages's review against another edition
4.0
Stars (Out of 10): 8/10 Stars
Overall Thoughts: Pseudonymous Bosch was an author I read a good while ago, when I was a good bit younger. I enjoyed the creativity and uniqueness of those books, and even all these years later, their books still have the same qualities! I was actually looking forward to finally reading this book after having it on my bookshelf for a while, but then kept putting it off and reading other books first. In the end, this book did live up to the expectations that built up over the three months I put it off! It was quirky, different, and mysterious, and all these traits combined to an extremely intriguing book!
The Good: I always liked the voice this author/narrator had, and this book was no exception! The little jokes kept sometimes otherwise boring scenes more interesting, and I felt connected to both the narrator and the characters. I’ve also always liked when an unattached narrator seems like it’s own characters (which was part of why I liked the Romantics by Leah Konen so much!) In addition, I really enjoyed the mysterious plot, and was not expecting that from the description of the book! The ending was also quite different than anything I could’ve predicted!
The Bad: While mostly I loved the author interventions, at some points it did kill the mood of the book, especially near the end. The end was building up, and being super mysterious, but then a few tidbits from the author kind of ruined that mood. The ending also felt less grand than it was made out to be.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Characters: I wasn’t completely amazed with the characters, and they weren’t what kept me so interested in the book. But they worked with the plot extremely well, and I did like how Clay remained distrustful after all that happened!
The Plot: I really enjoyed the mysterious feel this book had, at least in the beginning! It kinda died around the end, and while the end was a great reveal, it felt unimportant, or less grand, than it should’ve been made out to be? However, I really enjoyed the first 90% of the book, with all the mysteries, clues, and puzzles there were! It was definitely an intriguing book, and I’m excited to read the next one!
The Favorite Character: Clay (and Leira seems like she’ll be cool!)
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Buy it, especially if you liked Bosch’s other books!
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress.com/
Overall Thoughts: Pseudonymous Bosch was an author I read a good while ago, when I was a good bit younger. I enjoyed the creativity and uniqueness of those books, and even all these years later, their books still have the same qualities! I was actually looking forward to finally reading this book after having it on my bookshelf for a while, but then kept putting it off and reading other books first. In the end, this book did live up to the expectations that built up over the three months I put it off! It was quirky, different, and mysterious, and all these traits combined to an extremely intriguing book!
The Good: I always liked the voice this author/narrator had, and this book was no exception! The little jokes kept sometimes otherwise boring scenes more interesting, and I felt connected to both the narrator and the characters. I’ve also always liked when an unattached narrator seems like it’s own characters (which was part of why I liked the Romantics by Leah Konen so much!) In addition, I really enjoyed the mysterious plot, and was not expecting that from the description of the book! The ending was also quite different than anything I could’ve predicted!
The Bad: While mostly I loved the author interventions, at some points it did kill the mood of the book, especially near the end. The end was building up, and being super mysterious, but then a few tidbits from the author kind of ruined that mood. The ending also felt less grand than it was made out to be.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Characters: I wasn’t completely amazed with the characters, and they weren’t what kept me so interested in the book. But they worked with the plot extremely well, and I did like how Clay remained distrustful after all that happened!
The Plot: I really enjoyed the mysterious feel this book had, at least in the beginning! It kinda died around the end, and while the end was a great reveal, it felt unimportant, or less grand, than it should’ve been made out to be? However, I really enjoyed the first 90% of the book, with all the mysteries, clues, and puzzles there were! It was definitely an intriguing book, and I’m excited to read the next one!
The Favorite Character: Clay (and Leira seems like she’ll be cool!)
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Buy it, especially if you liked Bosch’s other books!
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress.com/
caro_c's review against another edition
5.0
Pseudonymous Bosch is amazing. His Secret series was one of my favorites I have ever read. I was so excited to read this book, and I wasn't disappointed. You should read the Secret series first, because even if they don't sound connected, it's good to know the first books. I love Bad Magic, the ending was perfect!
allisonmae's review against another edition
5.0
holy crap i loved this book so much it just made me want to reread the secret series because i love the authors writing style so much
honeyplot's review against another edition
5.0
i loved it and if you like a certain playwriter, you should really read this book
angely_elaine's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ylshelflove's review against another edition
4.0
As a fan of the Secret series, I picked up this book only because Paul-Clay was in it. As it turns out, my AP English mind thoroughly enjoyed this middle school level book. I think that the magic of it speaks to the inner child of us all, however hidden we may think it is. The plot was pretty good, and the characters were amusing. There wasn't quite so much in the way of character/relationship development, but for this wild plot line it was okay. Bonus points for references to the Secret series!
Child Guard
Language: A bad word in the first line. Okay, not really. It's mentioned, though, without specifying what particular word it was.
Romance: Mention of crushes and a girlfriend, but only in like two conversations in the whole book
Gore:A boar was killed for roasting. Only described as muddy and bloody.
Child Guard
Language: A bad word in the first line. Okay, not really. It's mentioned, though, without specifying what particular word it was.
Romance: Mention of crushes and a girlfriend, but only in like two conversations in the whole book
Gore:A boar was killed for roasting. Only described as muddy and bloody.