Mere Enchantment (The Enchantment Series Book 1)

The first was Miss. Peregrins Home for Peculiar Children. It was a fun book, but there was no warning that it would leave me hanging from a cliff of unresolved story, with no signs of book 2 coming to rescue me. And so I continue to hang. The second violation was for Mere Enchantment, although this time I did with full knowledge of what I was getting into AND for a good reason. Alicia Rivoli is a friend of mine, and I was excited to know that she had finally finished her long rumored book! Who wouldn't be excited to read a book written by someone you actually know? If only I could figure out a way for her to sign my Kindle book.

Enough of my rambling, on with the review! I love the world Alicia has created! The story is original and fun--I felt like I was reading the dreams of every 8 to 14 year old boy or girl coming true on paper--or eInk anyway! When I found myself turning the last page, I felt a twinge of disappointment that I have to wait to learn the rest of the story.

Or maybe Alicia will give me a peak into the future of my new friends from Mere Maybe? As an adult, reading Mere Enchantment felt very similar to the first time I picked up Fablehaven. Which also earned three stars from me btw, so Mere Enchantment is in good company! Like Fablehaven, there are inconsistencies that my perfectionist mind got hung up on, pacing that felt off, some grammar mistakes that can easily be corrected, and terminology that I might have wielded differently.

Certainly all things that can and should be corrected in future editions--for me these elements distracted from the story. Alicia, if you'd like a more detailed explination, I'd be happy to share my notes and thoughts with you. As a child, however, I suspect reading Mere Enchantment will also feel similar to reading Fablehaven--magical and exciting and hard to put down! Brava Alicia for seeing through to the end what has certainly been a labor of love. I am completely impressed that you have created a new world and new characters and a story that is fresh and unique, but still feels familiar because view spoiler [finding out you are a prince or princess hide spoiler ] is the dream of every child!

Thank you for creating a wholesome and uplifting story. I picture kids 8 - 14 and their parents enjoying your story for years to come! Alicia Rivoli has built a world that expands and grows like Harry Potters did. With new creatures and beliefs that she writes so well you don't question them for a minute. The beginning of the story is developed as you learn who the four main characters are. They are meeting each other and then learn together through some rather extreme events who they really are!

And then you go to Mere: I love Mere and the people already! The last half of the book was definitely the most exciting but it's a story worth getting to. It does have a part one feel, so be ready to move right on to Rings of Enchantment! I haven't read that one yet but am thoroughly excited to see how these quickly growing characters are able to fill the huge destinies set out for them. It's a very engaging story with description that fills the imagination and makes immersing yourself in Alicia Rivoli's world as easy as opening the pages.

Better written than some I have read lately. Would recommend to the people that I know are into this genre. What an Enchanting story.

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It was a very creative and fun read. Jun 28, Anna Hargett rated it it was amazing Shelves: If you love all things fantasy, you will LOVE this book. Alicia Rivoli has the coolest imagination! She really brings this book to life and the characters are a lot of fun too. Can't wait for the second book to come out! Part Two continues the story beautifully.

Personally, I couldn't read one book without the other and therefore would recommend to any reader to obtain both copies. Aside from not feeling myself, this was also another reason for my belated review, as I had to read the sequel as soon as I finished Mere Enchantment! The Enchantment series takes you into another world. The world of Mere. Under attack from the dark traitor, Jacan, and his army of Umbra, the Kingdom of Mere is struggling to survive. Jacan and his army have already taken over the city of Nebula and if nobody stops him, Jacan will strive to take over the whole Kingdom!

It is therefore up to the five main characters, Preston, Chloe, Jason, Megan and Zach to prevent Jacan with the use of magic and their new-founded abilities in Mere to defeat Jacan and his army. Mere Enchantment Book 1 begins with Preston living in a cabin with his parents overlooking Mirror Lake. When Preston's parents rent out their second cabin, across the other side of the lake, to two families, each with two teenagers, Chloe, Jason, Megan and Zach, Preston seems happy to have kids of a similar age visit.

He quickly builds up a bond with them, in particular Chloe. Preston takes them to a cave nearby and little do they realise at the time that this cave is where the magic really begins for them! There were a couple of instances in the very beginning that made me question why Preston's parents treated him like a younger child, when he was an older teenager. I couldn't quite connect to all of the characters, especially Preston's parents, as I didn't understand their behaviour.

However, as this magical epic tale unfolds this question was answered very clearly, especially once the main characters entered the cave! One example of this is Preston's father reading him what appears to be bedtime stories and yet, once he is in the Kingdom of Mere, Preston realises that those stories are most likely to be true and his father had been preparing him for his new journey to help the Kingdom of Mere as his new-found self, along with his magic and friends.

When they first enter the Kingdom of Mere they notice changes with one another, such as changes of appearance, age, clothes and later their powers. I particularly like the way in which they discover their powers in an instinctive manner as opposed to having be taught them through magic.

The characters adapt to their new surroundings very quickly and, with the help of some wizards, they soon become aware of what they need to do save the Kingdom of Mere! The group find themselves separated once they arrive in Mere, as Preston is with Megan and Zach, and Chloe is with her brother, Jason.

I become a little lost when main characters are separated as I like to keep everyone together, however it adds the tension as the reader constantly pushes for them to reunite. But with Jacan and the Umbra taking over, controling the weather and using shadows for cover it becomes quite eventful. War is taking place and it doesn't seem to be too long before Jacan will completely take over the Kingdom of Mere. Rings of Enchantment The Enchantment Series, 2 In Rings of Enchantment Book 2 I found the story to be slightly more action-packed as by now the reader is familiar with the characters, some of their abilities and the Kingdom of Mere.

I also found the sequel to be a quicker read, with more dialogue and more magic being used and more involvement with the dragons. Jacan and his army are really beginning to close in on Mere, destroying the underwater kingdom of Rill and using everything he possibly can to win the Kingdom for himself. This sequel is darker and most certainly more intense. Towards the end I found myself tensing as Alicia Rivoli leaves the reader on tenterhooks between chapters as she visits the different characters and picks up their story from a chapter or two before!

This definitely teases the reader and makes you feel like you have to know more, encouraging the reader to quicken their speed, along with the action of the book! I also found the glossary in Book 2 to be useful as the reader follows so many different characters in different cities and, as the main characters are slightly different people in Mere than they are in Oklahoma, it was nice to be able to check up on the characters and places once I finished.

I really enjoyed reading this fun series and I would recommend it for readers of the age 8 years and over. Kids would absolutely love the magic, the dragons, princes and princesses in secret kingdoms, the wizards and the whole adventure. Not forgetting the main plot to save the Kingdom from this terrible, dark traitor! I actually had my own daughter age 8 read a chapter as she had forgotten to bring home her school book. I was delighted when she read a whole chapter really well and was able to tell me afterwards what had happened.

Even though I had her read from the middle of the sequel she was still able to tell me in her own words what had happened and what type of characters she had been reading about! My hat goes off to Alicia Rivoli for writing a fantastic modern-day magical, fun and adventurous fairytale!

It is clear to the reader that the author has spent a great deal of time creating the wonderful world of Mere, as well as beautiful characters with princes, princesses, wizards, dragons, merpeople and an army of darkness with a traitor as their leader. At the same time as being in a strange, magical land with dragons and wizards and trying to learn their own abilities, Preston, Chloe, Jason, Megan and Zach fight to be reunited again and to free the Kingdom of Mere! I received both books from the author, Alicia Rivoli in return for an honest and fair review.

DNF at around page The first ten pages or so were okay, but it rapidly started going downhill from there. The writing was bland, average, and lacking. The characters were so generic and two-dimensional, like mere illusions of what teenagers actually act like. The parents were equally stupid. Last but not least, the plo DNF at around page Last but not least, the plot By about page 40, I wanted to throw this book across the room.

By page 50, I wanted to rip it to shreds. I want nothing to do with Mere Enchantment ever again. Yup Better written than some I have read lately. Would recommend to the people that I know are into this genre. May 20, Nic rated it really liked it. Preston has lived his entire life secluded from the outside world. He was born and raised in a cabin on the banks of a large lake, called Mirror Lake, in the Rocky Mountains. When Preston was younger, his father would tell him stories of a fantasy world called Mere. Yet what happens if stories become reality? As a new family arrives at the cabin across from the lake, a storm blows in and the children are lured into the entrance to a secret kingdom.

With no hopes of going back, they must work to Preston has lived his entire life secluded from the outside world. With no hopes of going back, they must work together in order to survive in a foreign land and help the kingdom from peril!

Mere Enchantment had a great start. The introduction was really well done and the families had a strong, believable relationship. The scenes given by the author were well described and that was what stood out. At no point in the story was I confused of the characters surroundings or what they were wearing. Sadly, I thought that the beginning could have used a little bit more pace and have gotten onto the next part of the story rather then build minimal suspense. For the most part I enjoyed the characters. They seemed to be realistic but sometimes they made me feel like they were somewhat bipolar.

The characters could bond together really well and then say that there little brothers were brats. That was excusable because aren't we all like that in our teenage years? So if you think about it, the author really did a good job with the moods and expressions of the characters. The amount were a bit useless. I believe that the novel contained way too many characters to begin with and even the parents names shouldn't had been necessary for this type of story.

I had a hard time figuring out who was who and that was very confusing. What makes a fantasy world become a fantasy world? Of course the magic does! This was a huge theme in the novel, and Alicia could not have done better!

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The spells and the background of the whole kingdom is very ingenious and while it still is a typical fantasy story, it contains that spark that keeps the reader from putting the book down. Even the monsters and enemies were well done and there powers reflected off of their own personality. For my last point! I would like to point out the cover. The art work is so amazing and reflects so many scenes in the book! This is a kind of cover that attracts my attention and makes me want to read the first few pages. We give illustrators minimal credit and I would like to congratulate Danijel Firak for the beautiful art work.

Children and YA fans of fantasy. This was a nice story with a lot of potential. Alicia Rivoli certainly gives us a unique and interesting fantasy world full of magic and enchanting imagery. There are some intriguing characters, however the main characters fell a little flat for me.

Based on their dialogue and actions I kept wanting to think of them as between the ages of 12 and 14 that is Preston, Megan, Chloe and Jason instead of their actual older ages. Also, I understand the premise that they were each born with natural ma This was a nice story with a lot of potential. Also, I understand the premise that they were each born with natural magical or fighting abilities, however it felt a little unauthentic and predictable.

For instance, Chloe and Megan are each able to almost immediately perform "complex" magical feats such as fighting with fire or making strong illusions. I also had issues with the writing. While I would never say it was bad, it definitely needs some work. I struggled when starting this book because it had the feel of just reciting facts.

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It felt more like a children's book because of the simple writing style. I did feel that the writing got a little better as the book progressed, and hope the next in the series does the same. I hate giving negative reviews and I feel like this one is straying that direction, but I have to discuss my other major issue with the book.

It felt totally incomplete. Cliff-hangers are fine and it can usually be expected in a series, however Mere Enchantment just stopped and I felt like I should have only been half-way through. This leads me to think that perhaps the stopping place would have been fine if there had been more development along the way. I felt at the end that I had barely gotten a glimpse into this fantasy world and the characters.

All of that being said, the story was interesting and I do want to finish out the series. I would encourage the author to really concentrate on the writing for the next book, and make sure it feels full and satisfying. Not bad for Alicia Rivoli 's first, and there is definitely room for the story and characters to grow.

Description du produit

May 12, Martha rated it really liked it Shelves: Imagine your children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews, and taking them to bed or putting them on your knee to tell them a story. An enchanting story about mermaids and mermen, magic, lakes, caves, kings and queens, smart large red birds and many other fantastic creatures.

Imagine telling them a story about all these things and more. Now how would said child react? Begging you to tell them more? All of the above? That is what I saw everytime I picked up this book to read some mo Imagine your children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews, and taking them to bed or putting them on your knee to tell them a story. That is what I saw everytime I picked up this book to read some more.

Although I personally never had these types of stories growing up it certainly took me back to those story time days as a young girl. I was reading this book at a friends house one night and when I fell asleep I dreamt of Chloe, Megan and the others. It was like I was there as an observer watching them go through these adventures. It was simply fantastic. The teens all start out young but quickly find out that they are all a little bit older then they'd thought and had been led to believe.

There were a few things I didn't like. Preston falling in love with Chloe so fast. I mean two days? I might have said that they felt like they knew each other from a past life or something so that it didn't seem so rushed. The fact that they all seemed to all accept so easily that they were from a a different world when they never seemed to have felt different before was a bit weird for me. Also there were a lot of different POV's. It wasn't too annoying because it was very easy to tell who was speaking so that made it tons easier and a bit more entertaining. Overall I would recommend this book to parents, grandparents, and whoever reads to kids in general to pick up this book and read to their kids because I'm fairly certain these kids WILL have big round eyes simply from imagining all the adventures Preston, Jason, Megan, Chloe, and Zach go through.

Review of Mere Enchantment by Alicia Rivoli I received a review ebook copy from the author in exchange for my fair and impartial review. Preston, almost eighteen, has lived exclusively in a cabin on the lake which belonged to his grandfather, who also owned another cabin on the opposite shore. Preston of course always assumed these were bedtime stories, intended to soothe a fretful child to sleep. Little does he realize they are factual. This summer Jack has rented the other cabin for the first time, to two families, each of whom has a son and a daughter.

Preston, who is ordered into an arranged marriage as soon as he turns eighteen soon, instead falls for Chloe, one of the daughters. Almost immediately terrible things occur: Quickly he is joined by the four other adolescents, and an entirely new world unfolds to them. Oct 12, Cassandra Giovanni rated it really liked it Shelves: Honestly, I did not believe that I would finish the book. The writing is great first off, but it's very technical.

For me this caused the dialogue to feel choppy. The description was very intricate and detailed down to every piece of food the characters consumed. This was a bit much for me, and I found myself skimming many parts. The reason I didn't feel I would finish was because of the slow start and high levels of description. The storyline is great, and I really enjo 3. The storyline is great, and I really enjoyed the ending. As I got deeper into the book I was able to become accustomed to the flow and detail level, but I also noticed that the character's maturity didn't match their ages-- especially once they reached Mere.

One thing that struck me was the third POV, why? I normally hate it and here I didn't. It flowed well in this form and allowed for two stories to be made into one. I loved the budding romance between Megan and Zachi. At first when I started feeling it, it was creepy. However, as you grow to see that he was her guardian, you understand. I'm also hoping that Chloe and Preston can be together, although their insta-love was a bit unrealistic to me.

I can understand the instant attraction, but saying "deeply in love" after what accumulates to a few hours? The title is very fitting-- the story is enchanting, and the ending made it so I know I will come back for more.