Prisoners of Thornbrill

What a miraculously immersive novel! With the fantastical prowess so reminiscent of the Narnia books, reading this really felt like being transported to a fantasy world! The relationships, the action, the humor, everything was just amazing and I had so much fun. Laughed SO MUCH which i really love to do the more fantastical a novel gets and Hannah really delivered! The characters, particularly the main two were so dang relatable in their own ways and I found so much of myself in them and it wasn't hard at all! Right from the start I was interested in the mysteries of the world and getting to know more about the characters I'd be following inside it. The banter is probably my favorite part! That and the clever use of the omnescient POV! You get to know what everyone in any given scene is thinking and it adds so much to this book - the author made a great decision to add that! For all it's coziness though this book was NERVE WRACKING! My family gave me very weird looks several times from my untimely outbursts during so much of this book. The twists and turns really had me by the throat! I know I said the banter is the best part but the magical feeling of the world is if I'm honest. It made me so giddy in all the right ways and made me hungry for more! So excited (and a bit scared) to read the sequal!

-Goodreads Review

I couldn’t put it down!!! Well written and easy to follow!! I felt like I was transported into the fantasy realm!

-Goodreads Review

I saw this book on Instagram - there was a freebie from the author. There were 4 free chapters on that freebie.

I was on a reading slump for 7 months. This book took me out of that reading slump. Couldn't be more grateful, Hannah.

I love every bit of it of this book.

Who would've thought that reading the freebie out of boredom could get my soul sucked into the book's world.

I really wish I can read it again like the first time!

Prisoners of Thornbrill's first part feels like Eragon and Lord of the Rings but with a cleaner touch. It's more focused on the relationship between the characters, their growth, and friendship. If you're into action, there were plenty of them here too. There were also some emotional elements here regarding the characters. Pacing is fast to medium. Which I love because I literally die when I read slow paced stories.

Overall, this is like a fresh story to me compared to the overrated books I read that have the same ideas.

Hannah did well. And guys, she also responds on IG and very sincere with people she communicates with 😭

-Goodreads Review

Narnia Chronicles meets How to Train your Dragon with some Lord of the Rings/Hobbit vibes in this fantasy adventure appropriate for virtually all ages. I really enjoyed reading this book. I found it entertaining and couldn't stop reading once I started. I liked the pacing of this story.

The world building is incredible. We are introduced to this new world as the characters are and we learn along with them about how it works without wasting too much time on explanations. I loved all of the main characters in this story. Melanie and Jason have such a good sibling bond which I absolutely loved and they both grow together and individually throughout this journey. If you like books about dragons, a bit of magic, good relationships, more dragons and lots of adventure in new lands with species you've never heard of and want a book your entire family can read then this book is for you.

-Goodreads Review

This book has all the requirements for a strong start to an epic fantasy series. Dragons, magic, shape shifters, mythical weapons. I love it all! Tindoria has some strong Narnia vibes, and I am already obsessed with it. When is the second book coming?

The first couple of chapters are set in Arizona and show the relationship between Scalaed, the dragon, and siblings Melanie and Jason. Some fun, minor adventures happen, but these chapters are more of a slow burn before the three arrive in Tindoria and the real adventure begins.

Once in Tindoria, Melanie and Jason meet both foes and friends. They are tasked with freeing the prisoners from Helnah of Thornbrill before all the kingdoms fall to her evil plot.

I was impressed with the pacing of the story, and the writing style is unique. The pronunciation guide and the map at the beginning were very helpful.

It felt like a bold choice to have the main protagonists be older than usual for a book targeted for teens, but it makes sense in terms of what Jason and Melanie are up against. It also makes the story feel more accessible to adults. This would be a good option for an audiobook on a family road trip (though maybe not for younger school aged kids).

I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Narnia, Middle Earth, and fairy tales in general.

-Goodreads Review

Prisoners of Thornbrill is a fun, clean fantasy romp through the magical world of Tindora. The main protagonists, Melanie and her brother Jason, start off in the real world with the discovery of a strange egg. What turns out to be a dragon egg starts the two on a journey which will take them out of their world and into the alternate world of Tindora.

The characters are interesting and likeable. The author fleshes out the relationships between them and their internal struggles rather nicely. I especially liked the interaction between Melanie and the dragon, Scalead. It is difficult enough to show emotions with a verbal character. A non-verbal one is an even greater challenge. There are also some challenging issues the author touches upon including loneliness, heartbreak, and perseverance. They do not, however, diminish the entertaining feel of the story, but rather enhance it.

Overall, this is a nice introduction to a fun portal fantasy. There is magic, mystical creatures, battles, and an overarching plot. Through it all, however, the author does not forgot her characters and what drives them. I received this book as a free ARC, but after reading it, went out and pre-ordered it anyway. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes clean, fun fantasy. Can’t wait for the next in the series!

-Goodreads Review

I like the characters of Melanie, Jason and Scalaed, they have distinct personalities but they share something very special: they fight for the good against the evil. The main antagonist, Helnah, is really frightening. All of the characters are believable.

Also, I like that there is a lot of magic in Tindoria. There is a great contrast between Arizona and Tindoria. Having these two siblings living in a specific place on Earth makes it easier to feel identified with their experiences, their family dynamics and school, which makes them relatable, but also they share more epic traits in Tindoria which makes you admire them at the end.

It has a simple but yet rich vocabulary, something I really appreciate. Being non-native English speaker myself, it was easy for me to follow the narrative.

The title has many layers of meaning, which you discover while the plot develops.

I recommend it 100%, especially for kids and teenagers.

-Goodreads Review

One of the things I really liked was the relatability of the Melanie and Jason. The romance is to die for! I found myself shipping the side characters and loving the entire dynamic. If you’re not a romance person this book is still amazing! The intensity and the pace of the book is gripping. I was reading this book to escape reality. I was looking for an amazing book that would make me forget about the world for a while, and this book delivered! This is an awesome book for any fantasy reader. I loved the world building and the characters.

-Goodreads Review

This was quite an interesting read. At the start of this book, I was as clueless as Melanie when she finds the dragon egg.

The author has done a great job of writing a captivating story, just when you think you know it, you don't.

The individual chapters were neither too long nor too short. The story also gave insights into multiple characters, making it more fun to read.

Loved the sibling bond, their shared moments with the dragon were probably my favorite.

The vocabulary used is easy to follow. It even has a pronunciation guide.

Another rather interesting fact was that the book was a "clean-fiction".

All in all a very well-written book.

-Goodreads Review

So many good things about it. It’s a portal fantasy, but the characters spend enough time in their home world to let you they to know them, their family, friends, and situations well enough to where the portal change has a real impact. I also really liked how it took time for them to find their footing in the new surroundings - no Mary Sues here. The new features and characters are well written and memorable. The stakes for the characters continue to ramp up throughout. Excellent beginning to a new trilogy, can’t wait for the next installment!

-Goodreads Review