The Questory of Root Karbunkulus by Kamilla Reid

Written By: Kamilla Reid
Copyright: 2007
ISBN: 978-1-4196-6404

BOOK SYNOPSIS:

Young Root Karbunkulus gets an invitation to participate in ‘the coolest scavenger hunt of all time!’ Finally, her chance! She can escape the Aunts and prove once and for all there’s no stinkin’ “L” on her forehead! So what if she’s up against hundreds of other kids. It can’t be worse than murder ball. The rules say teams of three. Okay, okay her appointed team mates, Lian and Dwyn are screws-in-the-temples annoying…but livable…and really no worse than Goatface Kor or Hilly Punyun who, forget the panties, has a tiara for each day of the week. More rules: Can’t use magic on competitors. Doh! Oh well, at this point her magic is of the non-existent variety anyhow so…next! The first item up for grabs is the Miist of Kalliope, apparently some dead magician’s elixir. No prob. But wait. Out of hundreds of teams, there are only six of these Miists to be found? Leaving only six teams left to go after the next item? Then five, four, three, two…woah…this could get ugly….hmmm…compete and win…or go back to exfoliating those hard, crusted entities called Auntie Octavia’s feet?

Root Karbunkulus accepts the invitation. It will be a race of many, many hated things. But it will also be a contest of courage, friendship and the rising of soul. Within it Root will learn the terrifying truth behind the mysterious items. She will also discover, to her horror that she is not a player in an innocent kid’s race but a pawn in a vicious adult game that will readily send its champion into the profiteering hands of the enemy.
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MAMA BEAR'S OPINION:
Kamilla Reid has a smashing, break-through hit with her book The Questory of Root Karbunkulus and J.K. Rowling may have some competition as readers who loved Harry Potter will find Root all that much more entertaining.
Reid develops outstanding, colorful characters in every person who enters the story. Characters you pity, those you adore, those you abhor, and those you cannot wait to get to know even more.
The world of DréAmm is spectacular, filled with natural wonders and brilliant locations, and the reader is eager to picture these spots in their mind.
Root is a little girl's dream heroine, what Harry Potter did for little boys, root Karbunkulus can easily do for the young lasses. She is not a sidekick, she is a show stopping wonder, yet realistic.
When we first meet Root we find her trapped in a pitiful existence with two crusty old gals who call themselves her aunts. She is basically nothing more than a glorify slave to them until she discovers she has a past, a magical, marvelous past. Invited with 196 other youth to partake on the great quest for The Miist of Kalliope, she is brought to the land of her birth DréAmm where she discovers she is a special young lady with wonderful magic. Together with the young fellows she is teamed with they are faced with peril and pleasure, and struggle to discover not only where the item is, but much more.
I believe readers from age 8 - 108 will easily find this book entertaining and a must have for their personal library. Reid is currently at work on the second book in the series, and I know I am chomping at the bit hoping it arrives very soon.

MY OVERALL RATING:

What do those STARS Mean?

And now for the best NEWS yet!
The wonderful Kamilla Reid included a bonus copy of her book for me to give away to one lucky reader.
Details:
1. Open to US Residents only
2. Entries must be received by midnight August 27th.
How to Enter:
1. Leave a comment on this review, telling me your favorite book as a youth.
2. Subscribe to Mama Bear Reads, leave me a comment that you have.
3. Post about this contest, linking to this review on your own blog.
This gives you 3 chances to win this outstanding book, so don't miss out!

Up Next: An exclusive interview with Kamilla Reid.

Until next book, keep on reading!