My Sparkling Misfortune (The Lakeland Knight series, #1) [Kindle Edition]

Laura Lond (Author), Alla Alekseyeva (Illustrator)

Book Description

***1st place winner of the Reader Views Literary Award 2010 in the Young Reader category***

Lord Arkus of Blackriver Castle readily admits that he is a villain and sees no reason why it should stop him from being the protagonist of this book. After all, Prince Kellemar, an aspiring hero, has defeated him in a rather questionable way. Bent on revenge, Arkus attempts to capture a powerful evil spirit who would make him nearly invincible, but a last-minute mistake leaves him with a Sparkling instead—“a goody-goody spirit that helps heroes, watches over little children, and messes up villains’ plans.” Bound to Lord Arkus for five years of service and sworn to act in his best interests, the Sparkling is not easy to get rid of, and of course his understanding of “best interests” is quite different from what Lord Arkus has in mind.

My Sparkling Misfortune is Book 1 of The Lakeland Knight series. It is approximately 33,000 words (126 pages in the printed edition). Includes 10 black-and-white illustrations. It it also available as an audiobook.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An incredibly fun and funny story.
--Tea and Tomes

One of the reasons the book is so enjoyable is because you never quite know where the plot is going. You are continually surprised. --The Literary Lioness

What a nasty, dreadful, and cruel villain Arkus is. Oh, and don't forget funny. Yes, I said funny! With author Laura Lond's crisp, wry sense of humor, you'll be laughing right along with the scoundrel on almost every page. --The Feathered Quill

Interesting characters and unique twists in the traditional hero/villain stereotypes made for an entertaining reading experience."  --Dark Wyrm Reads

The author manages to pack in an epic's worth of action, adventure, and humor. ... It is one of those rare, great stories when you find yourself rooting wholeheartedly for the villain of the piece. --A Myriad of Books

About the Author

Laura Lond is an internationally published author of several novels and a collection of short stories. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. Having worked for 2 years at a literary museum, Laura entered the world of business, working for large international corporations like Xerox Ltd. and Fluor Daniel. After moving from Europe to the United States, she has been self-employed as a freelancer.

Product Details

• File Size: 551 KB
• Print Length: 127 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: B003Y5H8AS
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004JXVYR2
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #139,193 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Reviews from Brizmus Blogs Books January 27, 2011

By A. Baker

Format:Paperback

Ohman!!!! Gush, gush, gush, gush, gush! I absolutely ADORED this book! And I mean ADORED! It is the cutest book I have read since, well, since I read The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede. And that's appropriate because, with a debut like My Sparkling Misfortune, Laura Lond really might just be the next Patricia C. Wrede. If you've read them, think of Princess Cimorene's quirky primness coming from a bad guy who is actually good but would never want to admit it and replace the dragons with sparklings, and you've got My Sparkling Mifortune.
If you've never read those books, well, what are you waiting for? Pick them up, but only after you've read My Sparkling Misfortune. You won't be disappointed!

The story starts off when evil Lord Arkus of Black River Castle, who is forever chased by a horrible otherworldy beast and can only take refuge in white towers (which are a good guy thing) is tricked and deceived by a prince. In order to redeem his evil name, he somehow finds himself being aided by a Sparkling, a magical creature from another world that can only do good and only help the good guys.

What then ensues is snarky hilariousness, magical wondrousness, and nonstop intrigue. I am not the kind of person who can normally read a book in one sitting, but this one I absolutely did. It's short (because it's aimed at middle grade readers) and every single word was necessary and wonderful. More than that, it's also one of those books with a message. Don't judge people - labeling is just confusing, and there is always more to any given person than a label could ever tell.

Don't be deterred that this was written for younger readers. IT IS FABULOUS (and that's coming from a 28 year old). It is perfect for middle grade readers, of course, but I think it can be enjoyed by adults of all ages, and I do hope you'll give this book a chance!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful Story for all ages January 26, 2011

By ?wazithinkin

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I needed a light fantasy after reading a horribly depressing book with a wimpy heroine. This book fit the bill. It is a delightful story I thoroughly enjoyed. It is not a childish story. I would read a sequel in a heartbeat and I do think Lord Arkus' story should continue. Very well written and is very imaginative. I highly recommend.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Great little read January 6, 2011

A Kid's Review

Format:Paperback

This was a very cute little read. My main complaint is that it's too short! It was a great story about an evil lord who seeks to capture an evil spirit to do his bidding, but ends up capturing a good spirit instead, inadvertantly forming himself into a hero. I thought the main characters were great, but could have used a little more substance. I would have liked to see a little more back story too, as well as some more descriptions of Lord Arkus' adventures. But other than wanting more, this book was an enjoyable, quick read.

More About the Author

Laura Lond is an internationally published author of several novels and a collection of short stories. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. Having worked for 2 years at a literary museum, Laura entered the world of business, working for large international corporations like Xerox Ltd. and Fluor Daniel. After moving from Europe to the United States, she has been self-employed as a freelancer.