Book Review: The Book of Chaos (Starfell #1)

Hey wizards, witches, and sorcerers,

I hope you’ll all hanging in there. My anxiety was through the roof, but I saw the doctor yesterday and now have some tools to see some relief soon.

Whenever I’m having a hard time I always read a bit more, so naturally it’s time for another book review!

This time I read The Book of Chaos (Starfell #1) by Jessica Renwick.

Fun fact, this was one of my recent library title picks. I wanted something a bit easy to read but still fun, so I settled on this one. I also had a couple interactions with this author on Instagram, and they’ve been so nice and supportive of my recent health issues. Sometimes it’s good to know that you’re not alone.

Needless to say, I jumped right in on this read, so keep on reading to find out how I felt about it!

 

Blurb

Not all books are meant to be read.

Twelve-year-old Fable Nuthatch lives a quiet, safe life in the village of Larkmoor, full of regular people leading normal lives. There is no magic here. None except for the spark that runs through Fable’s veins. Living under the roof of her over-protective aunt, her magic is kept secret, hidden inside the walls of their cottage.

When a strange book lands in Fable’s lap and her cousin disappears into its pages, she follows, hurtling into an enchanted forest far from the rolling hills of her home. This is a land filled with strange people, magic and more danger than Fable has ever dreamed of.

She must battle for not only a way home, but for the lives of those she loves dearest. With the help of her peculiar new friends, Fable must learn to trust in herself or risk losing her cousin forever. Can she save him before it’s too late?

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***Brief disclosure***

I am an Amazon affiliate and earn a tiny commission for purchases made through the Amazon links in this post at no cost to you. It’s a great way to help me keep things running on my blog if you’re already intrigued enough to make a purchase. 

 

The Review

Four and a half fabulous stars for this book!

I’ve never read anything by this author before, but I needed something light, fun, and magical. That’s exactly what I got with The Book of Chaos.

In this novel we follow a twelve year old named Fable. She lives at Rose Cottage with her Aunt Moira and cousin Timothy peacefully until one night a mysterious book she’s never seen before falls off her bookshelf. When the book spirits Timothy away with magic, Fable follows after, finding herself in a strange land. Can Fable find her cousin and help her unlikely new allies in the process, or is Timothy gone forever?

I loved this book. So many elements just worked for me.

The characters were great. Fable is rambunctious, curious, and speaks her mind, all admirable traits for a MC. I liked her personal journey. It made sense since Timothy is family, and in the process she learns more about herself and her magic.

There were some really great supporting characters along the way too. My favorite is Thorn. She’s a Folkvar, a tall being with copper hair and practically superhuman strength. I loved that proper manners are lost on her and that she doesn’t always play nice. Star the fire hen was a close second. I just loved her personality, and I hope we haven’t seen the last of her.

I greatly enjoyed the world of Starfell. It’s got tons of magic, which makes a great break from reality. The magic system may be a bit simple for my taste, but it’s full of whimsy and won me over pretty quickly. This fun world made for a great adventure, and that’s exactly what you’ll get should you try this book out. I can’t wait to continue on this journey with Fable.

Highly recommend!

 

That’s A Wrap!

Well that’s it for this book review. I hope you enjoyed it!

Have you read this book? Are there other similar books you’ve read that you simply have to gush about? Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to start a conversation!

Have a great day!

 

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19 Comments »

    • Thanks so much, Priscilla! I’m already feeling really optimistic about things so far. I tend to just tough things out, but sometimes that’s not the answer.

  1. I’m sorry to hear you’ve been having a hard time lately, I hope you’re able to find some peace and balance with it soon.
    Great review, btw! This book sounds like a fun and interesting read so it’s going straight to my must reads list. 😋
    Thanks for sharing, hun, feel better!

    • Thanks for reaching out Sheri. 🙂 I’m in the first 24 hours of my new medication and everything’s going okay so far. They said I won’t notice a difference for a while, but hopefully it’ll help!

      Thanks on my review. Jessica is such a pleasure to speak with, and I think she put a ton of effort into making this novel unique and captivating. Definitely worthy of putting on the TBR!

      Hugs!

      • I’m glad, I really hope it’s been helping.. I know a lot of those medications can be hit or miss. I’m just sorry you’re going through it in the first place.

        And I’ll be keeping an eye out, it sounds exactly like something I would enjoy.
        Thank you!

        Good vibes your way and prayers that you feel better soon! ❤️

      • Thanks! So far I’ve noticed a mood boost, though I’m not sure if it’s the placebo effect or not. Either way, I’m feeling a bit better and keeping myself in check.

        No problem! I just started the next book in the series and am having a good time. 🙂

        Aww, thanks so much friend. Digital hugs!

      • Hey, whatever works, I’m just glad it seems to be helping. How you feel is what’s important.

        Nice! I hope you enjoy it as much as (if not more than) the last one!
        I’m in limbo at the moment.. I just finished a book and am now attempting to figure out what I’m in the mood to read next.

        Any time! Stay safe and I hope you have a beautiful week! 😊

      • Totally. Well I’m feeling good and haven’t been freaking out nearly as much since starting, so I’ll attribute that to the pills. Yay, drugs! lol

        Thanks! I’m about 3/4 done with the second book. It’s not quite as good as the first (very hard to pull off) but I still feel just about the same, so I’m definitely going to keep going.

        Oh that’s a toughie! Look through that TBR and see what strikes ya! At least that’s what I do when I can’t quite decide.

        Thanks, you stay safe and well too! *hugs*

      • Good. I don’t know about ‘yay, drugs’ (I always feel like a labrat when I start a new one) but if they’re helping, that’s what matters.

        That’s why I like the first book in a series to be just a little less than brilliant.. it gives the rest of the books a chance to surpass it. 😆

        And that’s pretty much what I did. I was hoping to receive the ARC I’ve been waiting for so I could start on it but no luck..

        Any time and I’ll do my best! *big return hugs*❤️🙃

      • Exactly. I haven’t had any side effects whatsoever, so I’m just really happy right now.

        Haha, that actually makes sense. Honestly they were just small things I had quips about. Nothing major. About to start the third one!

        Oh no, how lame! Well you know, I have ARCs right now for BEK Curse if you want something short and scary but not too scary.

        Yay, huggems!

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