Rate this book

My Sparkling Misfortune (2000)

by Laura Lond(Favorite Author)

4.01 of 5 Votes: 5

languge

English

genre

Fantasy

series

The Lakeland Knight

review 1: This was a fun book with an interesting twist on the fantasy genre. The story was told from the POV of the self confessed villain Lord Arkus of Blackriver Castle. After being outwitted by an aspiring hero, the neighboring Prince Kellemar, by less than heroic means, Lord Arkus decides he needs some help to gain revenge. He aims to do this by capturing an evil spirit and bending it to his will. Unfortunately his plan goes awry and he captures a Sparkling instead. The Sparkling is a goody-goody spirit that helps heroes, watches over little children, and messes up villains’ plans. Arkus is initially outraged but decides to retain the services of Tulip, the Sparkling, after Tulip fends off the monster that has been hunting him for years. After his defeat by the Prince and his... more disastrous capture of a Sparkling instead of an evil spirit Lord Arkus decides to lie low in the next kingdom over until he can regroup. Only with Tulip looking out for his best interests his villainous plans go hilariously awry and before long he is being hailed as a local hero! His own belief in manners and courtesy do not help him convince the Royals of the Kingdom that he is not the hero they think him to be. All in all this was a fun read that had a similar feel to a Disney movie. Despite his denials Lord Arkus proved to be a likable and worthy hero. I loved how Arkus developed over the course of the story and how he learned the value of loyalty, honor, and friendship. The secondary characters like Tulip and Philip were entertaining and likable. The "hero" of the story Prince Kellemar was an interesting adversary for Lord Arkus.The only problem with this book was that it was too short! Thankfully there is a sequel. Rating: 4 starsAudio Note: This was narrated fantastically well by A. T. Chandler.
review 2: I was first introduced to author Laura Lond through her novella, A Merman’s Kiss which I very much enjoyed so I was happy to have a chance to dive into another one of her books. My Sparkling Misfortune was such a fun and humorous read! The story revolves around Lord Arkus of Black River Castle, who is determined to make sure the reader sees him as nothing less than a villain mastermind. Lord Arkus is visited by Prince Kellemar who wants to strike up a truce with Lord Arkus in order to come off as a hero without actually having to defeat the villain. Lord Arkus agrees but secretly plans to take down Prince Kellemar. But Lord Arkus plans don’t go as planned. He is forced to leave his own kingdom when he chased down by a beast that is determined to kill him even it takes till the end of time. Lord Arkus comes up with a plan to get rid of the beast by catching a Morgon but instead winds up with a Sparkling, a magical creature who helps heroes. Lord Arkus wants to get rid of Jarvi, the Sparkling, but Jarvi made a promise and he intends to keep it. Lord Arkus and Jarvi set out on a crazy adventure which may end up proving that Lord Arkus is more hero than villain—much to his horror.Even though My Sparkling Misfortune is geared toward middle grade age, I think many who love the Young Adult genre will have a fabulous time reading it. Lord Arkus is the oddest and hilarious villain I have ever read. Lord Arkus is definitely a villain enjoying backstabbing other villains (who have betrayed him first) and double-crossing princes. But he also has manners and a certain sense of nobility and elegance to his character. I love the way he describes everything around him and the characters he interacts with! He is sarcastic and amusing, offering many laugh out loud moments. Jarvi is just as fun. He knows how to push the right buttons to drive Lord Arkus crazy. Jarvi is also kind-hearted, caring and even-tempered. I love the relationship between Jarvi and Lord Arkus. The story is filled with great action and absolutely amusing characters. The pacing and writing are both fairly well. The dialogue offers many amusing quips as does the plot but there were moments the writing could have flowed better, seeming a bit choppy. I also wanted more of a backstory to Lord Arkus past and why he chose to become a villain. I was also disappointed in the fact that story was novella length once again. Author Laura Lond has great ideas but she continues to create stories so short in length, which in reality is a hindrance to her, since it limits what she can do with a story and becomes frustrating for those who do enjoy her books.My Sparkling Misfortune is filled with great moments filled with laughter and moments that will touch your heart. The story and writing is suited for a much younger audience but that shouldn’t stop older fans of the young adult genre from enjoying this novella. A story told from a very witty and well-mannered villain, an original concept you won’t want to miss out on! less

Download links for: My Sparkling Misfortune

Advertising