Amber Shadows and the Missing Wands (Paperback)

~ Wendy Willett (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Enter a magically hidden world of White Magic, secrets, and danger!

Two secrets have remained hidden and protected within a trunk in the Shadows attic. However, unbeknownst to them, hidden within the rings of wood just beyond their backyard, is a third secret. Amber Shadows, the youngest of three, discovers two of these secrets while searching for information on a White Magic witch or wizard relative she must write about in an essay. During a birthday campout, Amber is awakened by an apparition, who leads her to discover the third secret. Having no understanding as to how dangerous possessing these three secrets interlaced by the same quill truly are, Amber convinces her two best friends to journey along with her on a dangerous quest. Terrifying events unfold during her quest to find her parents, grandparents, and two wands with the greatest of magical powers. Amber and friends must overcome obstacles, take on conjured up beasts, find their way out of traps, and manage to return home safe and sound. But will they?

Product Details

• Paperback: 460 pages
• Publisher: Outskirts Press (July 20, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1432703544
• ISBN-13: 978-1432703547
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,760,677 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good For Parents!!, August 17, 2007

By	D. Matiasek (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is great. I read it to my kids before they go to bed, and they can't get enough. I have to acutally give it to them slowly, or they would stay up all night!

I suggest this book for any parent who suffers from remorse from the Harry Potter series being over. This book picks up the genre and themes that my kids love, especially my daughter, who, of course, wants to be just like Amber in the book.

A good buy.

5.0 out of 5 stars BOOK REVIEW FOR MY FAVORITE BOOK, September 29, 2009

A Kid's Review

I could never have believed another book series would be capable of capturing my imagination as the Harry Potter series did. Then several friends of mine in school convinced me to buy and read Amber Shadows and the Missing Wands. At first I was leary of buying another fantasy novel based on magic because I didn't know if I was going to be hooked on the series or disappointed. In talking to my friends, they told me there was a website called [...] which I could download 10 chapters of the book. After reading the chapters I was anxious to buy the book.

The plot was amazing! The magical world the author created was beyond anything I could ever have imagined! This book has a wizard cat that can transform into a wizard, talking owlsnakes, vampire bats, a two-headed lion with heads the size of eight watermelons each, a two headed dragon that explodes from spilling poisonous potion. I'd never heard of such creatures and yet I could imagine them as I read the book. Then there's the six doors where Amber steps into rooms of illusion, most are dangerously life threatening. The characters are brought to life in the beginning through detailed description. I couldn't help but feel I knew them. Amber and her sister and brother are on their own for almost a year and their parents and grandparents are missing. I could feel Amber's abandonment from her parents and later on when her friends wouldn't go with her to find her family. The dialogue for the dwarves and faires are written as they would speak which really brought their personalities out and made the story realistic even though it is magical fantasy.

I never expected this book to be two stories in one, or that it would have me up all night reading until I finished it. Being an fan of fiction fantasy, I would sooooo recommend this book to boys and girls and anyone looking for a magic adventure.

Don't let the main character being a girl fool you into thinking it's only a book for girls. This book is full of adventure and risk taking. The creatures and danger in this book had me on edge. And the main character, Amber Shadows is a character teenagers can relate to. I know I did.

I can honestly tell you that if you loved the Harry Potter series, you'll love this book too. I can't wait for book two to come out!

5.0 out of 5 stars Winner Spinetinglers Book of the Year Award 2008, December 11, 2007

By	Spinetinglers Committee "Spinetinglers Reviews" (Ballygowan) - See all my reviews

"Whosoever is in possession of thy book, read thy words carefully, take a second look.... Thou shall falter if thy heart is untrue...."

Are you reeling from the loss of Harry Potter? Do you miss Hogwarts, Dumbledore, and Hagrid? Fear not! Amber Shadows and the Missing Wands has arrived!
Amber Shadows is your typical "Magia" teenager. She likes to read, she doesn't completely hate school, and she is training to be a white witch. When researching a paper on her family history for her "Magia" Session (White Magic class), she is slightly disappointed by the lack of information. She cannot find any "Shadows," past or present, who are remotely interesting. Disheartened, she ventures up into the attic - a place where she knows she is forbidden to go. While there, she finds the journal of one of her ancestors, Jocelyn Shadows. As Amber Shadows reads this journal, the secrets of her family's past are unlocked. Amber is driven by voices from antiquity to begin a dangerous quest. Amber and a couple of trusted friends must face the evil Lady Gondara. Gondara is an ancient enemy of the Shadows and of every white witch. For the sake of her family and of all the people of Magia, Gondara must be stopped. Can Amber save her family from an ancient curse? Can she return the missing wands to their rightful owners? You will have to read the book to find out!
Amber Shadows and the Missing Wands is not your typical children's book. For one thing, it does not patronise its readers. Instead, it opens up a magical world, filled with dwarfs, two- headed beasts, and talking cats. Every page enchants the reader with thrilling detail and wonderfully drawn out characters. Amber herself is heroic, courageous, and perhaps a little bit precocious. Lady Gondara is wickedly wise, but hopefully, no match for Amber. The book brings to life these fascinating characters and knits them together beautifully with a bewitching and thoroughly intriguing plot.
The problem that writers in this genre must inevitably face is a comparison to Harry Potter. Potter caused such a global sensation that most authors who write stories about teenage witches and wizards will have to put up with this. And, most books will regrettably suffer from such a comparison. Fortunately, Wendy Willett will not have to worry about this problem, as she has written a book that will stand up to any such comparison. And, as the Harry Potter story draws to a close, there is a gap in the market for another magical teenager. Amber Shadows may be just the book to fill this void.
Amber Shadows and the Missing Wands is a must-read for any fan of magical adventure. Wendy Willett's first novel will charm and enthral its readers, and will leave you wanting to hear more from these enticing, fresh characters. The only question left to ask is, "When will Book Two be published?"