Friday, 1 November 2013

REVIEW: The Mysteries of the Magical Horse by P J Flynn + GIVEAWAY

RATING: ***

Vicky was a fortunate thirteen-year-old girl who lived on a small farm on the outskirts of Northampton. Her passion was horses so when she was old enough to be responsible, her parents brought her a handsome stallion called Pandoer but because of his dark red coloring she nicknamed him Red.Now this is where The Magic Horse adventures began, as Red turned out to be a Magic Horse.
This is a remarkable tale and stories that will hopefully go on forever through the ages of time, and of course we shall find out the real truth about history as they are both whisked through time in the twinkling of an eye, actually living in the time they travel into.There is another twist to these stories, as they reach their destination Red turns into a teenager called Jack, wow this is only the start to these exciting adventures you will find yourself in, and somebody with the same imagination as the author will particularly enjoy these books, imagining you are actually in the same adventures as Vicky and Jack.  (7-12 year old).


I liked the plot to this book; it was very engaging and exciting. As a lover of horses and animals I really liked the descriptions of the animals as it worked to create a really good scene. The characters were also built very well with them becoming very likable. The characters are also very relate-able which I believe is very important in a book. Despite the obvious unreality of a magic horse, the other parts seemed very realistic especially the characters. Within the novel, there is a great sense of adventure and the historical aspects also make it very educational - a great read for those in primary school especially. It is also very fast paced which kept me interested by changing the time periods regularly to keep variety. However, I must say, at many points in the book I came across parts which seemed very boring. There were areas which reminded me of a very young writer as rather than showing the story, it came out and said it directly. For example, right at the beginning, instead of integrating the characters in a mature style, it begins with: "My name is Victoria but most people call me Vicky. I'm thirteen years old and live with my Dad, Mark .." Within the book, there are some great illustrations by Hayley Nicholls that really add to the story. I know I shouldn't judge a book by it's cover but I do believe this cover does not fo the book justice and needs a more professional approach. Overall, this book is a fun, light read for younger children with educational values.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Until 10 years ago the author, from Northamptonshire, England, worked as a plasterer but two serious operations gave him the opportunity to pursue a challenge he never thought possible.With the help of numerous friends and family members the dream of writing a book became a reality. He was encouraged by teachers when he first began writing. Teaching history suddenly became easier because the children began asking questions about the events and people they were introduced to through his books. As one Head teacher put it, "They seemed inspired to learn more about history. It was no longer something they had to put up with. Their thirst for knowledge almost became unquenchable!"The author doesn't just delve into ancient history; his characters visit the 'swinging sixties', The Second World War London, The Roman occupation, Victorian times, Elizabethan times and historical legends. He introduces children to the times of their parents and grandparents as well as stories and events that moulded our country. His growing army of readers' constantly write to him asking when another adventure book will be published and where it will take them. His books don’t just delve into ancient history; his characters visit the 'swinging sixties', The Second World War London, The Roman occupation, Victorian times, Elizabethan times and historical legends. He introduces children to the times of their parents and grandparents as well as stories and events that moulded our country. His growing army of readers' constantly write to him asking whenanother adventure book will be published and where it will take them.

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

LINKS

Amazon UK – Click here

Amazon US – Click here

Smashwords – Click here

Website – Click here

Goodreads – Click here

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