Present word count of WIP:  60,134

Back Cover Copy

Loud shrieks sliced the air, followed by the smell of burning cloth. Conner looked over in time to see Geoffrey jumping up and down, yelling and shrieking. Smoke poured from the seat of his shorts while blue and yellow sparks snap-crackle-and-popped all around the heater.

All thirteen-year-old Connor Dell wants to do is pass pre-algebra, play lacrosse, and possibly kiss Melanie Stephens. He didn’t mean to set anyone’s gym shorts on fire or make school lunches explode. But now that the strange powers inside him have been ignited, Connor’s normal teenage life is about to go up in flames!

Homework? Of course. Crushes? Sure. But who knew seventh grade included superpowers?

My Review

Bell has created a wizard’s concoction of characters, magical powers, and a world beyond our own set in the middle of an average (or maybe not so average) American prep school for middle graders, plus an entertaining (and dangerous) side trip to Disneyland.

(I knew my father was on to something when he said that the “It’s a Small World” ride was good for nothing but a migraine.)

The book started out with a bang (or, rather, a fire) but then took a while to get rolling for me. Once it did, however, it seemed as if every page introduced either a new character or extraordinary ability, or danger. I almost felt as if Bell had tried to pack a whole series into a single volume.

If you want an imaginative, action-packed read in middle grade fiction, I can recommend Braden Bell’s The Kindling.

In fact, the author is offering a special deal from his website. You can get a signed book there for less than an unsigned version on Amazon. All you need is a PayPal account.

In any case, it’s available in paperback or on Kindle through Amazon. It’s also available at Barnes & Noble and through his publisher, Cedar Fort.

Originally posted 2012-07-16 06:00:43.