Kari@ From the TBR Pile

Talisman of El has the potential to be a great middle grade fantasy series. In the first book, there is a lot of world building. I liked the world of Arcadia. As far as fantasy worlds go, it sounds beautiful, mysterious and intriguing. The characters were fun. Charlie and his friends were written pretty well. The loyalty between them is strong. That is one element of middle grade books that I always like. When a group of "misfits" kids form a family of sorts.

Having said all of that, I felt that the book really needed a bit more editing. Some of the transitions were abrupt and confusing. This really slowed the book down for me because I found myself rereading passages to see if I had missed something. Some of the dialogue felt awkward and out of place. I just wish I liked the book more than I did. I would recommend this series to a middle school reader. It is perfect for that age level as there is nothing too mature in the book.