The Kindling Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for The Kindling by Braden Bell!

All thirteen-year-old Connor Dell wants to do is pass pre-algebra, play lacrosse, and possibly kiss Melanie Stephens, but when a run-in with the school bully ignites strange powers inside him, Connor’s normal teenage life goes up in flames. Now he’ll need his new powers to defeat the Darkness that’s coming for him. Fast-paced and original, this book’s guaranteed to keep you guessing!

Meet the Author:

Braden Bell grew up in Farmington, Utah and graduated from Davis High School. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theatre from Brigham Young University and a Ph.D. in educational theatre from New York University. He and his wife live  with their five children on a quiet, wooded lot outside of Nashville, Tennessee, where he teaches theatre and music at a private middle school. An experienced performer, Braden enjoys singing, acting, reading, gardening, and long walks with the dog.  You can learn more about Braden’s writing at www.bradenbell.com.


Review:


Connor lives a pretty average life. He, along with his twin sister Lexa and her friend Melanie, are looking forward to their trip to Disney World and tryouts for different things at school. One day though, strange things begin to happen. It seems like they can make things happen just by thinking about it. Then, they notice a stranger following them around. He really seems like a bad guy, but their teachers stop him from getting to them. Connor, Lexa, and Melanie find themselves caught in a world they never even knew existed. This world is full of Light and Dark, and the teens will have to use everything they have to keep themselves and everyone they love safe.

I loved this book! It draws you in fairly quickly, and I read it pretty fast. Even though it is a more of a middle-school book, it is not too childish. The use of Light and Dark in this book were fairly unique. There was a lot that wasn't explained though, so I'm hoping there's another book (at least) coming so I can learn some more about the world. Connor, Lexa, and Melanie were great friends. I liked that they squabbled some while they were going through all of this. That made things seem much more realistic, and it also allowed them for some growth. I also liked that all 3 of the kids were given a chance to shine. There wasn't one "hero" taking care of the danger; all of them had a part to play.

Of course, I was also very intrigued by the teachers. I think I would read an entire book just about them! I really loved the use of particular skills to harness the Light (also big points for having one of the girls love math). The use of music was particularly awesome, and it showed the author really knows his stuff where music is concerned. The songs all fit in different ways. Overall, this was a super fun book. It was unique, and it had some great parts in it. Watching Connor having to fight the darkness within himself was particularly interesting. This is a book that younger and older people will be able to enjoy, and it will leave them dying for more.

Galley provided for review.

Be sure to check out all the stops on the tour!