Review of the Candy Shop War

Relax and enjoy good light reading. Experience a delightful storyline for all ages. Children will especially love this adventure. Tastes of candy as a kid are that much sweeter. It just seems like we appreciate a lot more of the wonderful subtleties. But adults may also enjoy returning to magical days, as evidenced by the release of each new Harry Potter novel. If you have been wondering what your next read should be-that even could compare-you are bound to discover Brandon Mull, New York Time's bestseller of the Fablehaven series.

Great characters bring childhood to life

Oh, to be a kid again. Sure there were the bullies, who make for good villains in a book. There was the awkwardness, which makes for silly moments. There were friendships. And then there was the insecurity, a natural challenge following characters through a storyline. Orson Scott Card, author of Ender's Game (Among many other best-selling novels) raves that "Mull's characters are real...likable and entertaining." The dialogue progresses through many funny moments and suspense-filled events. Beyond the kids are mysterious characters that present curious motives to explore. The main characters are developed well and the interaction with parents is humorous, though they are less developed, but understandably so, given their roles.

The plot is a great childhood adventure

Brandon weaves natural parts of growing up with an adventure most of us would have loved to experience in our youth. The sights, sounds, smells, touches and tastes of imagination come to life in a what-if world of candy with magical powers that give temporary ability to do impossible feats. Kids are able to temporarily immerse themselves in this fantasy that makes real life exciting. But beware! Where there is power there are those who seek to manipulate its wiles. The story is a page-turner with a solid, fun plot. The delightful way the experience unfolds makes it worth reading again and again.

Conclusion

Every book needs great conflicts that build to a spectacular climax and then has a breathtaking resolution. The Candy Shop War will not disappoint. It is a must-read in children's classics for me. It is ranked highly on MyLibraryThing you can be sure. I enjoyed reading it personally and I look forward to reading it with my kids.