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michalice's review
4.0
Fairy Blues is the second book in the Songs Of Magic series and picks up straight where Fairy Metal Thunder ended so you are straight back into the action. The Assorted Zebras are still together, recovering from a dragon attack and a rise in the popularity ladder. They are still in possession of the magical instruments and Grizlemore is still hanging around, unable to return home without the instruments. After their amazing concert they are offered a contract with Squid Ink Records, but turn it down for Malarky Records and soon end up biting off more than they can chew.
Fairy Blues takes this series one step further and ups the ante for the next books. It has multiple points of view and moments that I couldn't help but laugh at. One of them being Mitch reading 'The Travellers Guide to Getting Insulted in the United Kingdom', this really had me laughing and it seems that I don't know every insult over here ;). There are new creatures to meet, Depressed Cypresses, giant Jack-O-lanterns, Dark fae and a bad luck leprechaun to name a few.
I thoroughly enjoyed Fairy Blues, and although it has taken me a while to actually get around to reading it once I started I was hooked and I am jumping straight into Fairystruck as I need to find out what happens next. I really liked seeing how the band reacts to their rise in stardom and how it affects each one as an individual and the people close to them. Zach is annoying as ever, possibly even more so now that Erin is famous and I really wish that Erin would see him for what he is and get rid of him. I love the band and enjoy the banter between them and the antics they get up to together. I don't even have a favourite member, although I do feel sorry for Jason more than the others.
Once again the world J.L Bryan has created was easy to fall into and easy to love. The characters are not only believable but also realistic. It just gets better with each book and I am looking forward to reading Fairystruck and the fourth book in the series when it is released.
Fairy Blues takes this series one step further and ups the ante for the next books. It has multiple points of view and moments that I couldn't help but laugh at. One of them being Mitch reading 'The Travellers Guide to Getting Insulted in the United Kingdom', this really had me laughing and it seems that I don't know every insult over here ;). There are new creatures to meet, Depressed Cypresses, giant Jack-O-lanterns, Dark fae and a bad luck leprechaun to name a few.
I thoroughly enjoyed Fairy Blues, and although it has taken me a while to actually get around to reading it once I started I was hooked and I am jumping straight into Fairystruck as I need to find out what happens next. I really liked seeing how the band reacts to their rise in stardom and how it affects each one as an individual and the people close to them. Zach is annoying as ever, possibly even more so now that Erin is famous and I really wish that Erin would see him for what he is and get rid of him. I love the band and enjoy the banter between them and the antics they get up to together. I don't even have a favourite member, although I do feel sorry for Jason more than the others.
Once again the world J.L Bryan has created was easy to fall into and easy to love. The characters are not only believable but also realistic. It just gets better with each book and I am looking forward to reading Fairystruck and the fourth book in the series when it is released.
heather4994's review
5.0
****May contain one spoiler if you haven't read Fairy Metal Thunder****
And so the story continues...and it's good!! I really enjoyed the parts of the story that took place in Faerie as Aoide and her band mates walk from Sidhe City through The Haunted Lands and to a small town that might still exist to see if they can get help from Banshee wolves. But no one has ever been able to control a Banshee Wolf. But again, the world Bryan has built is so interesting and different from any of the other Faerie worlds I've ever read about. It is so detailed and fun to read and picture in your mind. Take my word for it, you'll love to read it!
And the Assorted Zebras-they get the opportunity of a lifetime, but what they don't know can hurt them. Possibly even kill them. The feel pretty good about themselves because they defeated the unicorn dragon, but they don't know what's coming for them. Thank goodness they have Grizlemor. That is, when he's not eating, they have Grizlemor. But the dark fae that are hatching plans for them are some I have never heard of and I've read a lot about faeries. I have an encyclopedia, but these are very dark fae!
Bryan weaves a great tale with twists and turns through it that made me wish I was either a fairy missing my instruments or an Assorted Zebra. I really wanted to be in this story. We see a lot more of the characters and their personalities of both the fae and the Assorted Zebras. The plot moves along at a very fast pace. I kept looking at my percentage on my Kindle and thinking "No, I don't want it to finish yet." But it ended and on a really fun twist.
It's a really clean story, no bad words, no sex, light clean romance or hope for it. It's great for all ages. Okay, now I need the next one!
And so the story continues...and it's good!! I really enjoyed the parts of the story that took place in Faerie as Aoide and her band mates walk from Sidhe City through The Haunted Lands and to a small town that might still exist to see if they can get help from Banshee wolves. But no one has ever been able to control a Banshee Wolf. But again, the world Bryan has built is so interesting and different from any of the other Faerie worlds I've ever read about. It is so detailed and fun to read and picture in your mind. Take my word for it, you'll love to read it!
And the Assorted Zebras-they get the opportunity of a lifetime, but what they don't know can hurt them. Possibly even kill them. The feel pretty good about themselves because they defeated the unicorn dragon, but they don't know what's coming for them. Thank goodness they have Grizlemor. That is, when he's not eating, they have Grizlemor. But the dark fae that are hatching plans for them are some I have never heard of and I've read a lot about faeries. I have an encyclopedia, but these are very dark fae!
Bryan weaves a great tale with twists and turns through it that made me wish I was either a fairy missing my instruments or an Assorted Zebra. I really wanted to be in this story. We see a lot more of the characters and their personalities of both the fae and the Assorted Zebras. The plot moves along at a very fast pace. I kept looking at my percentage on my Kindle and thinking "No, I don't want it to finish yet." But it ended and on a really fun twist.
It's a really clean story, no bad words, no sex, light clean romance or hope for it. It's great for all ages. Okay, now I need the next one!
bickleyhouse's review
4.0
This was a continuation of the story that was begun in Fairy Metal Thunder. J.L. Bryan has a fun imagination and a nice sense of humor.
In Fairy Blues, the story picks up right where it left off at the end of Thunder. The kids in the band suddenly start getting contract offers, first from a small-time label, then, suddenly, they get an offer from one of the biggest labels in the world, Malarkay Records.
In the meantime, Queen Mab and her flunkies continue to search for the missing instruments, even going so far as to begin to employ dark fae in the hunt. Aoide (the fairy lute player) and her other bandmates begin to take matters into their own hands, as they are rapidly going broke.
The kids get whisked off to Dublin, Ireland, for a recording session at Marlakay's studios, and begin to realize that they may have made a mistake.
At some point, though, I begin to be pulling for the fairies. I mean, Jason stole their instruments, and now they are being threatened with loss of property, they can't buy new instruments because they can't earn any money, and they are having to stoop to more menial jobs. The human keyboard player, Mitch, is quite annoying.
One example of Bryan's humor is the movies that Marlarkay Pictures has made. "Some of the best loved films of the 1980s . . ." The Cute Little Alien, Back to the Time Machine, and No Dancing Allowed. Of course, these are references to E.T., Back To the Future, and Footloose. He also takes a dig at pop music culture with some of the song titles that Malarkay's producer forces the kids to play. "I Want A Boyfriend," "I've Got A Boyfriend," and "Saturday Night's Are Fun," to name a few.
Just like the first book in the series, Fairy Blues was a lot of good, clean fun. I guess I'll have to break down and purchase the next one, which, I believe, is called Fairy Struck.
In Fairy Blues, the story picks up right where it left off at the end of Thunder. The kids in the band suddenly start getting contract offers, first from a small-time label, then, suddenly, they get an offer from one of the biggest labels in the world, Malarkay Records.
In the meantime, Queen Mab and her flunkies continue to search for the missing instruments, even going so far as to begin to employ dark fae in the hunt. Aoide (the fairy lute player) and her other bandmates begin to take matters into their own hands, as they are rapidly going broke.
The kids get whisked off to Dublin, Ireland, for a recording session at Marlakay's studios, and begin to realize that they may have made a mistake.
At some point, though, I begin to be pulling for the fairies. I mean, Jason stole their instruments, and now they are being threatened with loss of property, they can't buy new instruments because they can't earn any money, and they are having to stoop to more menial jobs. The human keyboard player, Mitch, is quite annoying.
One example of Bryan's humor is the movies that Marlarkay Pictures has made. "Some of the best loved films of the 1980s . . ." The Cute Little Alien, Back to the Time Machine, and No Dancing Allowed. Of course, these are references to E.T., Back To the Future, and Footloose. He also takes a dig at pop music culture with some of the song titles that Malarkay's producer forces the kids to play. "I Want A Boyfriend," "I've Got A Boyfriend," and "Saturday Night's Are Fun," to name a few.
Just like the first book in the series, Fairy Blues was a lot of good, clean fun. I guess I'll have to break down and purchase the next one, which, I believe, is called Fairy Struck.
anjanavasan's review
5.0
Let me re-introduce to you the awesomeness of J.L. Bryan. I've said this before and I'm saying it again, if you haven't read his The Paranormals trilogy yet, you need to get your hands on it, like right now. After that, you need to get your hands on his Songs of Magic series. I came across his books on Amazon randomly last year and loved his writing. You know how among the zillion self-published books available online, there are those very very rare finds that are both exceptional and amazing at the same time? Well, J.L. Bryan's books definitely fall under that category.
So, being the freaky, loyal fan that I am, I read Fairy Metal Thunder (Songs of Magic, #1) as soon as it was published and I loved it! Fairy Blues picks up right where Fairy Metal Thunder ends - The Assorted Zebras are still rocking the magic instruments (now more than ever) and the fairies are still trying to get them back. Jason, however, is left facing the consequences of his fight with the unicorn-dragon.
Fairy Blues is just as fun, humorous and charming as the previous book that makes it insanely hard to put down. We see a lot more of the fairy world as Aiode decides to stop depending on the queen's guards and try to get the instruments back herself with her bandmates. This leads them on a search for banshee wolves - only creatures that're better than unicorns at finding magic. Honestly, I don't even know how the author came up with some of the stuff - he has built an amazing, unique, happy world filled with fairytales and 'magic' ! If someone gave this book to me when I was in middle grade, I swear it would've been my most prized possession!
Jason and Erin are so cute! I loved that all the characters were realistic and believable. The story runs smoothly through out the book, and gets more amusing with each chapter. J.L.Bryan's writing is thoroughly entertaining and I found myself laughing/grinning quite frequently. Grizlemor is still my favorite character - he's freakin' hilarious! Sometimes, Mitch too. I'm actually smiling right now thinking about them.
Songs of Magic is definitely a one-of-a-kind fantasy series and these books make a wonderful, refreshing read not just for middle-graders but anyone with an imaginative mind!
So, being the freaky, loyal fan that I am, I read Fairy Metal Thunder (Songs of Magic, #1) as soon as it was published and I loved it! Fairy Blues picks up right where Fairy Metal Thunder ends - The Assorted Zebras are still rocking the magic instruments (now more than ever) and the fairies are still trying to get them back. Jason, however, is left facing the consequences of his fight with the unicorn-dragon.
Fairy Blues is just as fun, humorous and charming as the previous book that makes it insanely hard to put down. We see a lot more of the fairy world as Aiode decides to stop depending on the queen's guards and try to get the instruments back herself with her bandmates. This leads them on a search for banshee wolves - only creatures that're better than unicorns at finding magic. Honestly, I don't even know how the author came up with some of the stuff - he has built an amazing, unique, happy world filled with fairytales and 'magic' ! If someone gave this book to me when I was in middle grade, I swear it would've been my most prized possession!
Jason and Erin are so cute! I loved that all the characters were realistic and believable. The story runs smoothly through out the book, and gets more amusing with each chapter. J.L.Bryan's writing is thoroughly entertaining and I found myself laughing/grinning quite frequently. Grizlemor is still my favorite character - he's freakin' hilarious! Sometimes, Mitch too. I'm actually smiling right now thinking about them.
Songs of Magic is definitely a one-of-a-kind fantasy series and these books make a wonderful, refreshing read not just for middle-graders but anyone with an imaginative mind!
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