Fyre: Septimus Heap Book 7 by Angie Sage

***THIS IS A SERIES BOOK***

PLEASE DO NOT READ UNTIL AFTER SYREN!

Overview:
Now that Septimus, Jenna, and Beetle are fourteen years old, they have assumed larger roles in their Magykal world. Beetle has become the Cheief Hermetic Scribe of the Manuscriptorium and Jenna is waiting to be crowned Queen, but Septimus is still battling the remnants of the Darke Domaine, which will remain until the power of the evil Two-Faced Ring is destroyed forever. To accomplish that, the ancient Alchemie Fyre must be relit-a task that sends Septimus to the very origins of Magyk and Physik, testing both his skills and his loyalties to ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand and Alchemist Marcellus Pye.

In a journey that encapsulates the entire Septimus Heap series, Septimus continues to discover who he is and to expand upon his Magykal power and skills. Septimus Heap, Book Seven: Fyre weaves together every singular character from the entire series and incorporates many of the Magykal places from each book. Written with Angie Sage's distinctive humor and heart, Fyre is the grand finale that celebrates the greatest Magyk of all: When the Fyre inside is kindled and when the Time Is Right, anything is possible.

Review:
For those of you who insist on reading the review on this one without reading the review for the previous books, this is a children's book, I recommend ages 7+ for the earlier books, but this book should be placed at a 9+ or possibly even more, but keep in mind this is a very long book, and best read with an adult. It contains "Old English" and thus might confuse some adults, let alone children. To read the previous book reviews: Please Select the image for Magyk for book 1, Darke for book 6, and Syren for book 5.

Now, onto the review! Fyre, is a bit harder to handle than Darke or Queste were, because of the amount of death that accompanies this book. I would actually recommend that you just read it yourself before bringing it in front of your child, just to be safe. There are scenes where disfigurement is noted on two of the characters, as well as bringing up how a set of wizards kill several people and that some of the beloved characters come to an end in this book, but luckily, those characters are let go of peacefully. The more disturbing ones are more centrally located when the two wizards (whom I will leave you to find out yourself) first appear in full and leave a wake of a few bodies.

Angie Sage, wonderful writer that she is, gets yet another set of happy hearts, she fulfills all the needed points of character development, mystery to even experienced readers such as myself, as well as scene ambiance. She never ends a book without tying up all loose ends of minor characters so that you know what has happened to every person whom you ever meet in her worlds. Her books are morals based, and help children to critically think about how to handle a situation and how to determine self reliant skills to know how to make hard choices and what would be the better route to take in a difficult situation.


Thanks for listening to my opinion! ***And be sure to check in tomorrow for our Halloween Special!***

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Darke: Septimus Heap Book 6 by Angie Sage

***THIS IS A SERIES BOOK***

PLEASE DO NOT READ UNTIL AFTER SYREN!

Overview:
Alther Mella has been Banished, a Darke Domaine engulfs the Castle, and a Darke dragon is on the loose. Septimus Heap must use all of his skills to save the Castle and the Wizard Tower from destruction: He must enter the Darke. But he cannot do this alone. With the help of Jenna, Alther Mella, Marcellus Pye, and Septimus's estranged brother, Simon Heap, Septimus and Marcia Overstrand battle the spreading Darknesse. Will Septimus succeed in protecting his Magykal world?

Review:

For those of you who insist on reading the review on this one without reading the review for the previous books, my age suggestion is going to be around 9+, but I do recommend, as I did for the last book, that the parent read over the book to help know what your child does and doesn't understand or might be fearful of. It contains "Old English" and thus might confuse some adults, let alone children. To read the previous book reviews: Please Select the image for Magyk for book 1, Queste for book 4, and Queste for book 4. In this book there are points where Septimus encounters a Dark(e) Dragon who is quite ferocious, evil spirits, and even a skeleton. This is not what I would say works for ALL 7 year olds as the last books have...so I might suggest that it would do better in the hands of a 9+ child rather than the 7+ but it is again, up to the parent to decide what your child can or can't handle. 

Now, onto the review! Darke, is just about as hard to handle as Queste was, because of the amount of "Darke" things in store during the whole book actually.

Merrin Meredith, or as he likes to remember himself still as the "Real Septimus Heap" due to his upbringing by DomDaniel, is at it again. Trying to thwart the life that Septimus has feeling like it should be his glory and happiness and that the "rotten boy" has stolen it all from him. His hatred for Septimus, and all Heaps, is furthered by Simon's anger issues being placed on him. With the help of a dark(e) book stolen from Simon/DomDaniel and the two-faced ring, he decides to find yet another way to attack Septimus and rid himself of all Heap family members. At the start of the book, you find Marcia trying to permanently rid the castle of Tertius Fume once and for all, but in the process, she also sends Alther Mella.

As Septimus' training continues, he reaches his Dark(e) week, where he decides that it is time for him to save Alther from the banishing he was accidentally pulled into. This is a task not taken lightly, and is something that only Extraordinary Wizards (and their apprentices) go through, it is what separates them from the Ordinary Wizards. As if that isn't enough, its birthday time for Jenna and Septimus! Though the question is put out there that maybe Septimus is actually past his birthday due to the 6 months spent in the past before Jenna arrived. Marcia and Marcellus are still at odds with each other because of the whole "kidnapping" bit, as well as their unrelenting need to stand taller than the other as they compete for who TRULY has Septimus as an apprentice.

This book receives a full 5 heart embrace, it has a beautiful presentation and the plot-line is, as always, a wonderful set of morals to abide by. Learning to deal with those who have wronged you, mending bonds with family members, as well as learning to take a break and breathe after a long and busy time of work are all great things that Sage brings up in her stories. She continues to amaze by the different styles of her writing and the character development and growth as they age from book to book. You see budding romances but are also able to see romantic flops along the way. It is an overall great book to read, and without cursing and/or sexual content, it really is great for younger children.

Thanks for listening to my opinion!

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Syren: Septimus Heap Book 5 by Angie Sage

***THIS IS A SERIES BOOK***

PLEASE DO NOT READ UNTIL AFTER QUESTE!

Overview:
Septimus ends up on a captivating beautiful island. He's stranded there with his badly injured dragon, Spit Fyre, along with Jenna and Beetle. There are some strange things about the island, including a Magykal girl named Syrah, a lighthouse that has lost its Light, and an eerie presence that sings to Septimus - can he escape the persistent call?

Trouble is also brewing for Lucy and Wolf Boy, who have become entangle with nefarious sailors at sea, and for Milo Banda, Jenna's father, who is harboring a mysterious treasure chest in his ship's hold..

Review:
For those of you who insist on reading the review on this one without reading the review for the previous books, this is a children's book, I recommend ages 7+ for the initial books, but this (just like the previous book) might need to go up in age. Please keep in mind this is a very long book, and best read with an adult. It contains "Old English" and thus might confuse some adults, let alone children. To read the previous book reviews: Please Select the image for Magyk for book 1,  Pysik for book 3, and Queste for book 4.

Syren, is a delves even deeper than Queste did with its reaches into scary, possibly nightmarish things. Now, in no way am I saying the book is like the grim reaper scary, but to warn you there are some parts where the idea of possession comes into play and this thought can be quite intimidating to younger children. I know my initial review for Magyk was to be for 7+ but like Queste, I would actually say that this book moves up in scale for children 9+. Again, I recommend that parents pre-read chapters that they will read to their children. I will assume, since I am no longer physically reading the books, but rather listening to the audiobooks, that the Old English is still a point of learning for children. Please be sure to explain to your child that not all spellings in this book are the correct current spellings.

This book received a very grand 5 stars, this would be because I am no longer actually seeing the Old English spellings and twitching every few seconds, so I was able to thoroughly enjoy the book. The character development with Beetle across these books is beautifully woven into his growing up and having feelings for someone. Now, I won't give away who or if anything happens! But I will say that it stays G for the entire book. So no worries that your child will be overly exposed to romantic episodes. That being said, there are a few new characters introduced in this book, and some that were slightly touched on in previous books are also brought in and to the front lines. These characters do well for both the story arch, as well as giving the reader someone else to focus on rather than always paying attention to Septimus and his adventures, but not taking away from his adventures either. More like a small reprieve. This story did a wonderful job of surprising me, (which doesn't happen often) and puts good morals into view. I would absolutely recommend this book to be a read, as I have recommended all its predecessors.


Thanks for listening to my opinion!

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Queste: Septimus Heap Book 4 by Angie Sage

***THIS IS A SERIES BOOK***

PLEASE DO NOT READ UNTIL AFTER PHYSIK!

Overview:
There is trouble at The Caste. Jenna and Septimus have returned from 500 years in the past, but they did not bring Nicko and Snorri with them. Meanwhile, Merrin has returned with Darke plans for Septimus.

Sent on a deadly Queste, Septimus must find a way to survive what no other Apprentice has: he must find the House of Foryx where All Times Do Meet.

With the help of Jenna, Beetle, and a mysterious scribe named Ephaniah Grebe, Septimus sets off on a journey of adventure danger and Magyk.

Review:
For those of you who insist on reading the review on this one without reading the review for the previous books, this is a children's book, I recommend ages 7+ for the initial books, but this book does get a little deeper into dark items. Please keep in mind this is a very long book, and best read with an adult. It contains "Old English" and thus might confuse some adults, let alone children. To read the previous book reviews: Please Select the image for Magyk for book 1, Flyte for book 2, and Pysik for book 3.

Now, onto the review! Queste, is a bit harder to handle than Physik was, because of the amount of "Darke" things in store during the whole book actually. I would actually recommend that you just read it yourself before bringing it in front of your child, just to be safe. I would actually say that this book moves up in scale for children 9+ just because of the deep shadow figures that they could conjure up in their minds.

This book does get a full five hearts however. I was able to listen solely to the audiobook, which makes a large difference in the making of the atmosphere. Gerard Doyle is a wonderful narrator and I would actually recommend that you check out some of his other work as well. He sets a smooth tone, but isn't afraid to give attitude and frustration to his characters as he reads them. 

In Queste, you are introduced to several new areas of this world that Sage has created and it allows you to see everything all over again, the scenery that she creates is actually quite well drawn out without being boringly explained. It allows your imagination to take over where needed, but gives you enough so that the person sitting next to you reading Quest will have a mostly similar mental visualization of the same area that you do. The characters are growing up! This means that they are developing habits, mannerisms, and quirks that are present in this book more than the previous ones. These things aren't dominating nor are they scarce, they are just the perfect medium blend of character spice. So overall I do recommend this book (as well as its audio partner) to be read (listened to).

Thanks for listening to my opinion!

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Physik: Septimus Heap Book 3 by Angie Sage

***THIS IS A SERIES BOOK***

PLEASE DO NOT READ UNTIL AFTER FLYTE!

Overview:
When Silas Heap unSeals a frogotten room in the Palace, he releases the ghost of a Queen who lived five hundred years earlier. Queen Etheldredda is as aweful in death as she was in life. Her diabolical plan to give ehrself everlasting life requires Jenna's compliance, Septimus's disappearance, and the talents of ehr son, Marcellus Pye, a famous Alchemist and Physician.

Septimus is transported 500 years back to serve marcellus and help Queen Etheldredda in her awful quest. Can septimus get back home, or will he be a prisoner in Time forever?

Review:
For those of you who insist on reading the review on this one without reading the review for the previous books, this is a children's book, I recommend ages 7+ but keep in mind this is a very long book, and best read with an adult. It contains "Old English" and thus might confuse some adults, let alone children. To read the previous book reviews: Please Select the image for Magyk for book 1 and Flyte for book 2.

Now, onto the review! Physik, is a bit harder to handle than Flyte was, while the Witches in the Port Witch Coven are a bit hard to handle, and a bother or two might get you down, here we actually travel to a totally different time and the idea of having to deal with a cat that turns into a panther at night might very well scare some children. Please be sure to read ahead of your child so that you can anticipate each scene and skip over what needs to be skipped.

Sage still uses far too much Old English for my English Major brain to handle without having a spasm that doesn't stop on my face so I prefer to listen to the audio book (plus it is much easier when you have a three year old and school vying for your attentions!) So again I give it a four hearted review. Some people may disagree that it still deserves the full five hearts simply because the storyline is so well written and explainable that the spelling is easy to get past. I don't agree, but then again that is my OPINION! *Note, I say this because every so often I must remind my readers, that this is an opinions blog and therefore not a fact that this book can only ever be a four heart review, it simply means that is how I feel.*





Thanks for listening to my opinion!

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Flyte: Septimus Heap Book 2 by Angie Sage

***THIS IS A SERIES BOOK***

PLEASE DO NOT READ UNTIL AFTER MAGYK!

Overview:
It's been a year since Septimus Heap discovered his real family and true calling to be a wizard. As Apprentice to Extra Ordinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand, he is learning the fine arts of Conjurations, Charms, and other Magyk, while Jenna is adapting to life as the Princess and enjoying the freedom of the Castle.

But there is something sinister at work. Marcia is constantly trailed by a menacing Darke Shadow, and Septimus's brother Simon seems bent on revenge. Why is the Darke Magyk still lingering?

Review:
For those of you who insist on reading the review on this one without reading the review for the previous book, this is a children's book, I recommend ages 7+ but keep in mind this is a very long book, and best read with an adult. It contains "Old English" and thus might confuse some adults, let alone children.

Sage does it again, creating an interwoven story that tells a tale of adventure, fear, pain and triumph, and overall teaches a great lesson. Don't give up! By now you should have read Magyk, but in case you haven't, there is a link at the bottom to its review and you should stop reading here. Seriously, stop reading. In the last book you learn the true identity of Septimus Heap and Jenna, or Princess Jenna. You also follow the Darke Wizard, DomDaniel, which is quite grotesquely shown at the end of the book as a skeleton that rises from the marsh. *shudder* that freaked ME out and I am an adult. So please be sure to censor your children as needed!

This book gets a solid four heart review. I love the world created, but from book one to book two, you start seeing more and more "Old English" popping up and it can become a bit tiresome. I personally switched to audiobook at this time so as to avoid constant eye twitching each time words were spelled "wrong" You can follow in my footsteps, or you can teach your child how the English Language has evolved to not have an "E" on nearly every word's ending, or that usually a "Y" isn't needed in nearly every word either. That being said, I still think that the character development, as well as the dastardly deeds of a deranged delinquent (my choice of words not hers and I LIKE THEM :D Lol) are quite well written. You are able to watch as Princess Jenna, gets to grow feelings for the title she suddenly has, and how Septimus starts to learn that maybe Marcia Overstrand is a bit Over dramatic? Again, I suggest this read as a beautiful follow up to Magyk.

Thanks for listening to my opinion!

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Magyk: Septimus Heap Book 1 by Angie Sage

***THIS IS A SERIES BOOK***

Overview:
The seventh son of the seventh son, aptly named Septimus Heap, is stolen the night he is born by a midwife who pronounces him dead. That same night, the baby's father, Silas Heap, comes across a bundle in the snow containing a new born girl with violet eyes. The Heaps take this helpless newborn into their home, name her Jenna, and raise her as their own. But who is this mysterious baby girl, and what really happened to their beloved Septimus?

Review:
This book is a very well written children's book, and while I do believe that it is safe enough for children of all ages to read, I would have to believe that only children who are developed enough to sit down through very long stories would be able to actually comprehend and connect the dots to this lengthy, but beautifully woven piece of work. So I would have to say that this is a 7+ book and I say seven very loosely. Not all seven year olds will be able to handle the girth of this book, but for sure, they would enjoy having it slowly read to them night by night. Keep in mind however, that the Old English type, may very well have an affect on the child's development of spelling, and be sure to explain that to them thoroughly.

I will have to give this book four stars, as its length might very well be it's downfall in the younger readers category. However, the world Sage creates is unlike most I have ever read. It has an "old time" feel to it allowing for you to delve into the world and get lost in its ancient need for candle lights and the "Old English" spellings. I rather enjoyed the play on words that Sage brings into this world, giving a realistic feel to the time-frame she wants you to live in with the characters. The character development is phenomenal. She genuinely creates a hate for characters you're meant to hate (much like "Taddy Dearest" in the Celestra Series by Addison Moore and Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter) as well as a respect for others. It's almost palpable the atmosphere she gives in the small details and the creation of different "unknowns" that aren't real items in this world, but, once explained, make absolute sense in the world of Septimus Heap.

Thanks for listening to my opinion!

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