Emily and the Spellstone was such a fun book to read with my 9 and 11 year old daughters! We read a lot of books for homeschool - some of them just for fun and to stay engaged in the reading world. This story is smartly written and full of action. It kept my girls (and myself) totally engrossed from beginning to end. We will definitely be looking into more by this author!

A fun 21st century novel with a bit of magic thrown in. My students will love it!

This title started with a great voice, almost reminiscent of Lemony Snicket’s adventures, yet lost that unique narration after the first couple of chapters. It is a sad loss for a generally decent book.
Characters in this novel are mostly lighthearted and developed enough to give a reader full knowledge of daily life around Emily. Emily grows throughout the novel and shows potential to grow more in the sequel.
The action throughout is fast paced and enjoyable to read. This is a great book for beginning readers as it is easy, for the most part, on wording and definitely has an easy to follow plot line.
Back stories are a quite vague and could use a little tending to. Readers feel like they are swept up into the story and do not really have a chance to look back or see deeper into the lives of the characters.
I would recommend this to early readers and maybe as a read along with parents.

Emily is convinced that her parents don't even know how old she is. It's her twelfth birthday and the birthday candle is 11 instead of 12. She is upset as she didn't eat the birthday present that she really wanted - a cell phone. Her parents said no when her older sister had to get physical therapy for her hands due to all the texting she does. She walks along the beach and discovers a stone that reminds her of a cell phone. She hides it in her pocket so her little brother doesn't get it. Being new in school as her parents moved to this new home has left her forlorned. She discovers that her special stone is more special than she thought. She discovers a demon in her spellstone. They become friends. How? When someone succeeds in stealing it, she must find a wat to save her little brother who has been kidnapped besides her stolen spellstone.
How will Emily find him? How will Emily keep her parents from knowing her brother is missing? Will she be able to get her spellstone and brother back?

This is a fun and delightful book to read even with a demon in it. The story isn't slow or boring as something is always happening. Part of it is a true adventure story. I think both boys and girls will enjoy reading it. I did! Will there be another spellstone story? I hope so!

Many readers young and old will relate to Emily and her situation as it relates to family and school. Although the book had a slow and lackluster start for me; I really thought the book was going to be another boring typical genie in the lamp book, I was glad that I kept reading and finished the book. I really got into the adventure and enjoyed the book overall.

I'll admit it took me a long time to read this book. Part of the issue was I read it on my phone. Also, it started off a little slow and it was a bit hard for me to get into (her screen-obsessed older sister and totally obnoxious younger brother who is never corrected by their parents were a bit over the top). Buuut, by about halfway through I was really enjoying myself and I think it got better as the story progressed. I would love to read a sequel.

Emily is an average kid, hoping for a great twelfth birthday. She is very disappointed that she doesn't get a new phone, but instead finds a weird stone at the beach. She eventually discovers it is a magic stone, and she has become a Stonemaster. Mayhem ensues as she almost burns down her school and has to learn to master the stone to save her family and protect the stone from the bad guys.

All Emily wanted for her twelfth birthday was a cell phone. Instead, she got a Spell Stone with apths. Yeah, this book was just adorably funny.

As I read my niece kept stealing the book or reading over my shoulder. It's really a lot of fun. The plays on words and similarities to real life tickle your brain and leave you grinning.

There are a few parental warnings though. One of Emily's constant companions is a demon creature who keeps offering to eat her. Another thing to note is that there is quite a bit of cursing. No actual curse words are used we're just told that there was cursing.

Emily's family really bothered me. I know they're an exaggerated version of decent but uninvolved and clueless parents but they really did bother me. Their selfishness was frustrating and their parenting skills left much to be desired. It was really just sad. Especially since we know there are parents just like that. Yes, they sort of redeem themselves at the end but...

This book was download only, and I find it difficult to have the time to read books on my desk top. I did not notice that in the description. I'm very sorry that I will not have the time to read it in that format.

Another great children's fantastical adventure book!

I think a lot of children would identify with this book because of the interesting premise - a girl wishing for a cellphone for her birthday, finds instead an amazing magical rock that's even better. I'd be happy to trade in my cellphone for a spellstone!

I also identified with Emily's family position - her younger brother gets away with the worst mischief, while she's held to a higher accountability. At the same time, her sister gets all the privileges of being the oldest child, while Emily is treated as a kid, except for when it comes time for punishing her for losing her temper.

The book is geared towards younger readers - maybe ages 8-12, but I'm several years past that expiration date, and I highly enjoyed it too. Also, the plot didn't rely on mythology, which is getting a bit overdone these days, so it's a good change if you're getting bored of all the other Middle Grade books out there.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy though NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Emily and the Spellstone. I can't help it. It had this perfect mix of fun, puns, adventure and excitement. Only pages in, it made me grin. And from there on out I was completely hooked by the story.

Emily and the Spellstone is meant to be a comedic take on the typical middle-grade fantasy adventure, and it accomplishes that perfectly. Even when you were laughing at some of the ridiculousness the author was spewing, you were still interested in the adventure itself.

Emily is not a spunky young heroine looking for adventure. Her two favorite things are hibernating with a book and collecting rocks. Adventure is not her thing. But, when needs must, she'll rise to the occasion. Her sidekick? This isn't a Golden Trio thing, or anything close to that. Emily doesn't want her chosen companion for the adventure she has no desire to have. Especially when he's openly admitted to the fact that he's going to eat her as soon as he is free.

This is not one of those books where fast friendships form immediately or people set off to potential doom with unbridled enthusiasm. It is one, however, where little schoolyard bullies get their comeuppance, Librarians are respected, and bookworms have power. Emily and the Spellstone is a great blend of completely fantastical and strangely realistic.

Emily and the Spellstone does get off to a little bit of a slow start, but that start sets the scene well for understanding where Emily is coming from. Even though events are obviously exaggerated a bit for the drama, you still feel for Emily. Being a tween can suck. Being a tween in a new school? That sucks even more. Then finding out that there's an adventure you don't want to go on waiting for you? Oh, bother.

This was a great book, and the author drags out some ridiculous puns that will have readers cackling. Emily and the Spellstone has material in it that even adults (who don't consistently channel their inner child) can enjoy if they're reading it together with their kids.

Emily and the Spellstone is a fantastic funny read that definitely belongs on your child's shelves.

If I had to choose one word to describe this book, it would be amusing. Either that or charming. It's everything a middle grade fantasy book should be at its core. Fun, charming, exciting, amusing,... And while I enjoyed it very much, I found that it lacked that little extra that would have made it amazing.

Emily and the Spellstone is about the twelve-year-old Emily, a girl that hates adventures. One day when she visits the beach with her family, she finds a cellphone. Only, it's not a cellphone. It's a magical stone. And by picking it up, she has become a stonemaster. Soon Emily is swept up in one of the adventures she never wanted to have, fighting off evil monsters, wicked people that want the stone and befriending a demon. And all that while fending off mean girls at school and avoiding her parents finding out about any of it.

I really enjoy Michael Rubens' writing a lot. He has such a nice writing style with so much humor that's easy to get into. I loved his YA book The Bad Decisions Playlist so I was eager to check out this one and for the most part, it did not disappoint. I loved the overall story and the dynamics between Emily and the demon Gorgo, who was just so very amusing. I loved their banter and their growing friendship. And I loved the friendship that blossomed between Emily and Angela. I also liked the message the book sent.

The story, while exciting and kind of original in some parts, did wrap up a bit easily for me, but it's Middle Grade so I guess I can forgive it for that? The villains seemed a bit... easily defeated. And while the ending was left open just enough for a possible sequel, I don't like that even if it's a standalone, it just ended up basically in the same spot where we started. With just a few details changed. It went back to the status quo instead of raising the stakes a bit. I know, I know, middle grade. But I think we should encourage middle grade fantasy where the stakes are a bit higher.

Also her parents were just... kind of... there. If they'd been left out completely, nothing would have changed. That is something that irritates me more in MG than in YA. And it irritates me A LOT in YA. But in MG the protagonists are even younger so WHUT ARE YOU DOING PARENTS? Seriously. I never could have gotten away with any of this at twelve years old. Never.

All in all, Emily and the Spellstone was a very amusing and charming story that I really enjoyed despite my issues with it overall. if you're a fan of Middle Grade Fantasy, I highly encourage picking it up.

simply an adorable read. Good plot and excellent writing. My niece loved it when I read it to her.

Do not under rate the power of magic… or this book!

This is a five star read and more; I loved it.

Emily is a twelve year old with all the familiar problems; parents that don’t understand her, an over-bearing older sister and an annoying younger brother. Her parents don’t listen to her and the school bully does everything she can to make Emily’s life unbearable. To top it all, the weird new girl at school wants to make friends.

Emily is disappointed that her parents won’t buy her a phone for her twelfth birthday but, walking on the beach, finds something that shouldn’t be more interesting than a phone but actually turns out far more interesting. It’s a stone – with magical powers.

Make no mistake this is a great, adventurous, funny read. The stone contains not a genie but a monster whose sole purpose in life is to eat Emily and yet… it must do as she commands. Then there is the ferocious Dogg- never to be confused with the much more dangerous Doggg,

I don’t have any twelve year olds or even ten year olds to gift this book to at the moment but I will be saving this one for my grandchildren. The author has perfectly combined good, old fashioned adventure with so many great up-to-the-minute twists that modern readers will relate to. The stone has ‘apths’ and behaves like a phone, there are ichildren involved and computer games that can suck you in.

If I have any criticism at all it’s that at the beginning, ( before the adventure begins), Emily’s parents seem to very unfairly single her out amongst her siblings as the one who is always in trouble, rather than just being rather rubbish at parenting in general. I’m not sure if that added anything useful to the story, but I was soon lost in the wider narrative and all comes right in the end!

A highly recommend book due to be published in June 2017

*Many thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group and Netgalley for an ARC of this book*

Emily finds what she thinks is an ordinary stone on the beach. What she soon finds out is this stone is actually a supernatural phone that dials straight into adventure!

Here's what I think: it was an entertaining book and I really liked the message about friendship, but the first half was really slow. I think MG adventure books need to have a good pacing, and I'm not sure if I would have continued reading if I was 10 or 11. The second half was fun and interesting, and I enjoyed the ending. The puns were a bit youngish for me, but I think the target audience might enjoy it.

Great adventure. I read this with my 12 yo son and he enjoyed it but not as much as I did, I think hes getting out of the make believe...a spellstone lol but I loved it

One of the funniest books I have this year! Emily and Gorgo are a hilarious and this book is such a treat!! I loved it! 5 magical stones!!