Book review of “Penumbras” by Braden Bell

I’m delighted to share my insight on a wonderful new book, “Penumbras” by Braden Bell. It is the second book of the series, following the delightful “The Kindling.”

Bell sets out to tell a tale of “Middle School Magic” and he nails it. The characters Conner, Lexa, and Melanie are realistic and grounded enough for the fantasy elements to shine.

Too often, in my opinion, authors forget the basic concept that characters need to be interesting or people won’t care what happens to them. In reading “Penumbras,” I felt like I was getting back together with friends I’d not seen in a while and I loved the visit.

I don’t want to spoil the details of the book. And boy, are there some wonderful surprises and great moments waiting for you in these pages! I will say that Braden Bell has a gift of making the magical elements of the book work within the framework of the story. Yes, magic is a big part of the story, but at its heart, it’s about the characters—and that’s what made this book a wonderful read!

For more information on Braden Bell, click here.

Braden Bell

To order “Penumbras”, click here. (And hurry! You won’t regret it!)