Tour Schedule
Welcome to the blog tour for the Alexander Drake series by Elizabeth Parkinson-Bellows!
Alexander Drake's Extraordinary Pursuit
Meet Alexander Drake, a curious young man living in a drab, oversized mansion with his secretive father. He spent his days playing alone. In the back of his mind he wondered what happened to his mother, and why his father was tight-lipped about the past; but secrets have a way of getting out. It all started with a stay at his grandmother’s cottage. Alexander found strange clues tucked away in his father’s old bedroom. With a mysterious key and several maps in his pack he set off on an innocent search for answers about his family. When he discovered a secret passageway the search took a dramatic turn. He suddenly worried about what was searching for him. Alexander was being hunted by a sorcerer from his father’s past. Answers lead to more questions and the journey of his life. Join Alexander for a thrilling adventure in Azra’s Pith, a place of beauty and magic… but beware—something evil lurks in the shadows.Amazon
The Return of General Drake
When Alexander arrived in Verhonia, something went terribly wrong. A dark spell delivered from the mountains of Acadia sent him on a dangerous journey in the middle of the night. As he marched into the mountains, the great city of Verhonia was ambushed and burned to the ground by Roman's army of vicious giant murks. With the safety of the realm in jeopardy, General John William Drake was asked to come back to Azra's Pith. He swore he would never return. But after discovering his son was under a spell and in the grips of a dark sorcerer, he had no choice. Things take a wild turn in the mountains, with runaways, a hungry wolf and a mysterious, young empyrean wizard thrown into the adventure. A tight race against time and evil is in full swing. With faith and a little magic, they just might come out on top.Publisher
Author Elizabeth Parkinson-Bellows
Being the frizzy-haired tomboy with buck teeth gave me a slight case of shyness as a kid. A colorful imagination meant escape and adventure at the drop of a hat.
Over the years I learned that the insecurities I carried around were a waste of time. I still prefer a football game to a manicure any day of the week. That indispensable imagination has found its way into my writing providing a sense of joy and a true purpose.
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Review for Alexander Drake's Extraordinary Pursuit:
Alexander Drake has an interesting life to say the least. He lives in a giant house with a father who's never around. He spends a lot of time with his grandparents as his mother passed away. All that's about to change. While staying in his Dad's old room he finds some strange things that soon lead him into an even stranger world. Talking frogs and dirt pips are the least of his worries. Something is out to get him, something bad. Alexander is determined to make it to Verhonia and get some answers though. He just has to live long enough to do it.
Alexander Drake was a fun kid. You really felt bad for him as he longed to be closer to his father, but he never got it. Alexander certainly has a taste for adventure though. It's no surprise that Alexander has close ties to this new world he's found, much closer than he could have ever imagined. I liked Ferdinand and felt he was a great sidekick. He's someone I'd like to have around if I was wandering in a strange new world.
I did feel a little dropped into the story, and it seemed a bit skippy at first. It all smoothed out though, and this made it much more enjoyable for me. The dirt pips were a fantastic set of creatures too, and I wanted to learn more about them. Overall this is a book that i think a lot of kids and adults can enjoy. It's a fast read, and it's written in a way that I think will keep kids interested and ready to read more. I know I certainly am!
Book provided for review.
Review for The Return of General Drake:
Alexander Drake is back, but he's in a bit of a pickle. Imperius is still determined to capture Alexander, and he uses a spell to draw Alexander away from his home. Meanwhile, Imperius sends his servant Roman to take over Verhonia. With things falling apart around him, Alexander's grandfather calls for Alexander's father to come help. Alexander's father was a great general at one time, but he's hesitant to return to that life. Alexander and his father must both come to terms with what must be done if they are to survive.
This story starts immediately with the action, and it doesn't slow down until the end. I enjoyed the pace of the book. It managed to be fast without being too frenzied. Alexander's new friends were pretty awesome! I wanted to be running around with them. I was especially interested in Sarah and her abilities. She had a lot of interesting things going on, and I wanted to know more.
The storyline of Alexander's father was also intriguing and a bit sad. You can see he is really struggling to find a life that suits him and that he can live on his terms. This book has a fairly solid ending, but it still leaves some mysteries to be solved. Once again, it's a quick read that makes it a great choice for young readers. There is action and adventure and magic, and it all makes for a super fun read.
Book provided for review.
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