CHARLIE BROOKSRecensioni

A cute kids' story, spoiled (at least for me) by rather too many continuity or logic errors. Things like - the book begins with Sarah telling herself a story of the Emerald Enchantress, and continues with two more. Then she encounters the legend of the Enchantress - and her comment is, I've heard of her somewhere. Nothing about the stories she tells herself, just "somewhere". Or when she meets the (only?) female dragon, and is very surprised that the dragon knows her name - and never notices that she knows the _dragon's_ name without being told. The story runs a bit conveniently, but not too badly - though I was very surprised that a girl who reads as much fantasy as Sarah is supposed to was as genre-blind about traveling to another world as she was. Ok, but not good - and I'm not interested in reading her next adventure. The more I think about the story, the more annoyed I get - for one thing, given the revelation at the end, just why is her mother so upset (to the point of sending her to therapy) about her reading fairy tales? Sheesh. And I didn't like the original Puddleglum, so Dax drives me nuts. One incompetent who's convinced he's wonderful, one very competent person who does his best to convince everyone around him that he's incompetent, and Sarah...who doesn't know what she knows. Bah.½

Very cute fantasy, but rather typical themes. Middle readers will enjoy the adventure and the main character's growth.

I absolutely LOVE this book. I wish I had it in print! This story is well-written, captured my imagination and is full of adventure, danger, magic and friendship. I highly recommend this to middle grade readers who love adventure and mystery that keeps the reader guessing til the very end. With intriguing twists and turns this story of friendship, determination and personal growth will capture the imagination of even the most skeptical reader.

The characters are well-developed. The strained relationship between Sarah and her mother is realistic, and explains the reasons for her constant fantasizing well. Her desire to escape leads to her ultimate adventure and her learning some valuable lessons along the way. The emotional roller coaster that Sarah and her new-found friends experience kept my interest from start to finish. I can't wait to see what the author comes up with next. Hopefully there will be another adventure in Greystone Valley for Sarah real soon.

*I received an early review copy of Greystone Valley by Charlie Brooks from Grey Gecko Press as part of Librarything Early Reviewers program. all reviews are my personal opinion -see my blog for more info momloves2read(dot)com

* I received a free copy of this book from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers Program*

This is a cute coming-of-age adventure fantasy where an imaginative little girl finds out that her daydreams may actually be based in reality. When Sarah wishes herself out of her own world, she turns up in Greystone Valley and learns that magic is real, as are fairies and dragons. However, she learns that villains are also real and must come head-to-head with a warlord intent on conquering every land he can find.

Greystone Valley is cute and fun, but also predictable and fairly standard for this sort of story. I liked the interweaving of different fantasy elements; such as Sarah's encounters with the fey and then the dragons. It's also nice to think of a castle in some distant land that holds the gateways to all different sorts of worlds. I could definitely see this becoming a series of some sort, though it works just fine as a stand-alone.

Overall, this is a fairly enjoyable story. I think children who like fantasy will like this; it's a fast-paced and straightforward story with lots of action involved. For older readers, it may be too simple and predictable, but younger readers are sure to love exploring the world of Greystone Valley and discovering all the fantastical elements it has to offer.

Sarah escapes reality by imagining adventures and reading her fantasy books. She doesn't want to deal with the fact that her father is gone and it's just her and her mother.

After an explosive encounter with her mother about not going to the psychiatrist anymore, she has a very realistic dream. She finds herself in the midst of a fantasy. She wakes up in a strange bed in a medieval inn. An army awaits the capture of the teen with the spell book. He is a wizard apprentice who is not very talented. The friends she makes in her journey are a motley crew. They are the heroes that are not the epic kind, but the good kind to have your back.

They meet a warlord, trolls, dragons, fairies, every possible creature that you would find in a fairy tale. She has the adventure she has always dreamed of, but realizes in the end that there is "no place like home."

This is story is told very well. It's fun for kids of all ages (that includes grown ups).

This was a charming young adult story that I enjoyed as much when reading it by myself as my 8 year old nephew did when we read it together. The story is well crafted with enough twists and turns to remain interesting but without losing the younger reader.
The cover illustration is also worth a mention - and in fact this is one instance of choosing a book due to its cover and not being disappointed!

Greystone Valley is a quaint little story about a young girl who wants to leave her everyday problems behind and run away into a world of fantasy.Nothing new in the concept, but the author has been able to still make the book a very interesting read by giving small twists to the characters. Keeley the dragon is bound to be loved by anyone reading this book, be it a child or an adult.

Though meant for young tweens, this book can be read to younger kids as the violence element is quite less. The ending is a bit of a let down, but with opportunities for a prequel/sequel, I would definitely hope the author can come up with something. Its a good book to start someone into this genre before moving onto heavier titles like Artemis.

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

Yet another in a long line of fantasy books for juvenile readers. This one lands somewhere in the middle of the pack for readability and interest. It has good components and a good heart and it is a fine way to pass the afternoon, but there is nothing amazing or new within these pages.

Pajamas and dragons - and of course a wicked bullying usurper trying to take over the Valley where Sarah has found herself, and a boy her own age who is trying to protect and use his father's spellbook to protect it.

With a nice amount of tension and delicious danger Greystone valley an excellent 'read along' book for those too old for bedtime stories but not too old for sharing special time. Like another of the reviewers I was reminded of Narnia (Dax seems very Puddleglum). For those who perhaps liked the movie versions but find the books hard to read, Greystone Valley could make an introduction to reading the genre.

Nitpickiness: The book is slim (ok, slimish - but it feels like fast read), with a certain amount of 'stock' characters and situations - something most genre books share and not necessarily a drawback! A series to follow is, I think, highly likely and will probably be enjoyable.

The main problem i see with it is getting the book into the right hands. It is not (in my opinion) either for either young adult nor primary readers although the themes and characters would resonate with them. It *is* one of those books where the language and story, however, could be just what a parent of librarian looking for an advanced-for-age or slow-for-year/reluctant reader might find worth a try (and then introduce them to Artemis Fowl when they're ready).

An enchanting tale of a young girl who must face challenges and learns a thing or two about herself and friendship. This story will appeal to a tween audience.

This is a quest novel written for a young audience. Some of the details, like the pajamas and the surprising cuteness of some of the creature characters will be endearing to younger readers and their parents. The violence is appropriate to the setting and characters. It's not amazing writing, and the plot is predictable, hence a 3 star rating.

Sarah dreams of a world in which dragons exist and she is the Emerald Enchantress. One morning, she wakes up to discover she has somehow been transported to a magical world except she is still just a little girl in her blue pyjamas. Soon, she discovers this world is at war and she is on the run with a rather incompetent boy wizard, an old warrior who is afraid of blood and is only happy when he's sad, and a six-inch dragon named Keeley. But she may have been here before and she may have to save this land if she is ever to get back home.

The best word I can think of to describe this tale is charming. Aimed at middle graders, there is enough adventure and danger to keep the older reader happy while not being too scary for the younger reader. Plus there are dragons, lots of dragons, who come in all shapes and sizes and who can resist a dragon.

Sarah is having a difficult time after her father left (or did he die? That seemed unclear.) One night she goes to sleep and she wakes up in another world full of magic and dragons. I liked how this book ended (it seems open to a sequel), and overall, enjoyed the story very much. It is definitely of interest to fourth and fifth graders who enjoy fantasy. My only complaint is that the readers don't learn enough about Sarah and her family in our world to really care initially. I received this book for LT's Early Reviewers.

Sweet, coming of age story with youngsters and wizards and dragons, oh my! Quick read as it was too hot to play outside today....got this as an advanced reader copy (ebook), Thanks LIbrary Thing and Charlie Brooks.

The main character, Sarah, has lost her father and has isolated herself from her friends and family with fairy tales - until she gets trapped in a story and has to find her way back.

This was a quick read and a fun story for kids that reminded me of the fantasy books I read and the movies I watched when I was a child - The Labyrinth, The Never-ending Story, Willow, Narnia. The world feels more like the land of Once Upon a Time and isn't as developed as Narnia but it works because it carries the fairy tale theme through out the story.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Greystone Valley tells the story of Sarah, who suddenly finds herself in a fairytale world full of magic and unusual creatures. She gets acquainted with a rather clumsy little wizard and discovers she has stumbled upon quite the adventure and actually has somewhat surprising abilities herself.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were what one expects from a children’s book: full of life, individuals very distinct from each other and all incredibly charming in their own way. The main character was easy to relate to and the chemistry between her and the other characters was brilliant. All dialogue was plausible and natural and the writing style altogether very nicely flowing and lovely to read. The ending was happy and left the reader with the nice possibility of a sequel hanging in the air without really leaving any unresolved issues lying about.

Personally I would’ve liked some more depth into the story and to read more descriptions of the magical world and it’s creatures and history. But considering the age group the book seems to be aimed at, I think it was perfect. This is a book I will most certainly read again and kindly recommend to fantasy loving children and adults alike. For those who have kids willing to sit down and listen to a good story, I think it would also make a great book to read aloud.

What do you do when you wake up and discover that you are still clad in your pajamas but are no longer in your bedroom? If you are 12-year-old Sarah and prefer fantasy to dreadful reality, you go adventuring! Teaming up with the awkward wizard-wanna-be Kay, the pessimistic fighter Dax, and powerful young dragon Keeley, she must fight the evil overlord Baelan and his army in order to win her way back home ... preferably before her mom misses her.

The story is very fun to read, is not gory (so it is suitable for squeamish tweens), and delivers a message about believing in yourself without being preachy. I am putting this on my 10-year-old's summer reading list. She will adore Keeley!

Greystone Valley, by Charlie Brooks, is a tween fantasy concerning Sarah, a 12-year-old girl who recently lost her father and who prefers to spend her time in her own children's fantasy world, where she stars as the Emerald Enchantress, a wizard who has wonderful adventures all the time. Imagine her surprise when, after hearing a midnight clock strike thirteen bells, she wakes up in a strange land - a land of incompetent boy wizards, 6-inch long dragons (who can still breathe a hefty fireball) and an evil warlord who wants to force the boy wizard to give up his enchanted spellbook so that the warlord can escape this strange valley and wreak havoc in larger lands. Sarah is nothing if not resourceful and meeting those individuals and the challenges they present is both simpler and far more complicated than she would have imagined, particularly as she seems to have a natural knack for magic herself.... This is not quite a YA novel, as the main characters are a bit younger than that, but neither is it strictly a children's novel; it's somewhere in-between. Sarah is feisty and sometimes irascible, boy magician Kay is bumbling but endearing, and Keeley the diminutive dragon is a terrific ally and companion; and the ending leaves things open-ended, room for the author to continue Sarah's adventures if she returns to Greystone Valley. I don't think this is destined to become a classic, but it is certainly a fun read. Recommended.½

A charming and entertaining story about a young girl who suddenly finds herself in the Magical land of Greystone Valley. I'd recommend this for girls especially. Well-written and easy to read, a touch of humor and lots of exiting moments, plus a happy ending.½

Twelve-year-old Sarah likes to stay in her room, read and avoid human contact. One night she awakes from a dream in a new world--Greystone Valley. Sarah travels around the valley trying to return to her home, and while she does, she encounters myriad magical creatures such as dragons and trolls. While this book is aimed at younger readers, I had no problems reading it. I fell in love with the characters.

Brooks’ fantasy novel is your standard coming of age story. Greystone Valley is filled with characters: wizards, warriors, fey, trolls, humans and even a darker character filled with evil. Sarah is twelve and fed up with her life as it is but soon finds that not all dreams are what they seem.

This is a great book for readers of all ages but I would definitely recommend it to younger readers.

My Review
4 STARS

I am always surprised at myself for picking what ebook to read based on cover. I have tons of ebooks to read on my kindle but this cover drew my eye since I received it yesterday. Covers that are bland or no picture I have harder time choosing, even if I like the author better.

Greystone Valley as lots of different characters. Some human and most from a different land that has magic, dragons, wizards, warriors, fey, trolls and Evil man who wants to conquer worlds not just where he is or the place he is from. It is full of action, drama, heroes, magic and accidents.

Sarah is the main character. She is twelve. She wants to live in her room reading books. She does not want to face reality. Her mom is worried about her and is trying to get her to face the world.

One morning Sarah wakes up to a boy about her age yelling at her to get out of his room. He is wearing a big purple robe and a pointed hat carrying a big book. He threatens her and turns himself into a frog.

Kay is a sorcerer who has lots of problems reading his book of magic. He is being chased by bad guys wanting his magic book. Sarah follows him when he runs from the villagers who are going to turn him in. She thinks she is dreaming till she is hurt.

Kay and Sarah are on the run and meet some others who are willing to help them.

Baelan is a warlord and comes from a different world. He has conquered some of Greystone and wants to get into the Greystone castle. It is supposed to open doors to lots of different worlds. He wants to go and conquer more worlds. But the door is sealed and can only be open with magic. He believes Kay with his book of magic can be forced to help him.

Aries is a general and helps Baelan he is half human and half horse. He is mean, big and tough. He is leading an army to capture Kay and now Sarah. He evens has captured dragons working for him.

Every time Kay reads a magic spell it does not work like he thinks it should. Sarah has a easier time reading his magic book than Kay does. Kay has been learning from his father but now he all alone. Kay really can't read the book but she knows what the spells are for and how to pronounce the foreign words.

They go from one problem to the next and make friends and enemies all along the way. It is a fun adventure fantasy book. It is a clean book. I look forward to reading more from Charlie Brooks in the future.

I was given this ebook to read as part of Librarything Early Reviewers program. Asked to give honest review of it in exchange.

Publication date: 4/15/2013 Publisher: Grey Gecko Press ISBN-13: 9781938821332 166 pages

Charlie brooks has probably been better known recently as the husband of News International femme fatale Rebekah. However, he is clearly a more than competent writer in his own right.
This is an intriguing spy novel though I did feel that Brooks seemed to go out of his way to add unnecessary discontinuity by introducing brief flashbacks that do little to advance the plot. Brooks' protagonist, Max Ward, is certainly a likeable character, even if his story is different from most of his readers (expelled from Eton, barred from most of the leading casinos throughout Europe and with a liking for wine in the £700 per bottle bracket), and one is rooting for him from the start..
The novel moves around Europe as Ward struggles to unmask an MI6 colleague who has certainly strayed from the paths of righteousness, and we meet a fascinating cast of art forgers, Russian mafia oligarchs and enforcers, whip-wielding prostitutes and Oxbridge dons. The one slight failing was that Brooks failed to impart any sense of urgency to the novel.