Name: The Blackstone Ritual
ISBN: 9781942856573

Swearingen Durham

Stableboy and town menace, Arden Ford, learns that magic exists but it is dying. And sets out to restore the balance of nature and bring magic back to the lifeless Bardenwood. The ritual, however, requires the use of blackstone...a rare gem widely regarded as myth. Can Ard find the mythical stone and restore the magical world?

Tales of the Bardenwood

The Blackstone Ritual

Chiara Vitale Zelaia

THE BLACKSTONE RITUAL takes us back to folklore classics: magical forests, lone witches in the woods and unexpected heroes. This story reads like a fairytale, with lessons to be learned as we navigate the mysteries of the Bardenwood and its fantastical creatures. It’s a book clearly meant to touch the hearts of readers of all ages. Ard’s story had a “Peter Parker-turned-Spider Man” vibe which I can see grip the attention of a younger audience, but just enough darkness and mystery to hook a more mature audience as well.

The protagonist, Ard, embodies the characteristics of a teen protagonist. There were times when I wanted to throttle him for his impulsive decisions, his brashness and childish pranks. But the more I read about him, the more I understood that his attitude was a shield protecting him from the judgment of others, and I started to better understand and relate to him. Which of us hasn’t used barbed words as a self-defense mechanism, especially in our rebellious teen phase? As the story progresses, Ard goes through many hardships that force him to mature. The author truly had no mercy for this poor boy, but the trials only aided his character development and I was very satisfied with his arc. 

As every good book often does, The Blackstone Ritual can count on a whimsical cast of secondary characters. I love family bonds and appreciated every scene with Ard’s grandmother and Mr. Brinkley. My favorite, however, turned out to be the unlikely friendship between Ard and Kinn, another very young boy plagued by tragedy by the author. Despite his young age, Kinn was wiser and braver than I expected, and often stirred Ard in the right path. I loved their fun banter and the brotherly friendship between them. Special mentions also go to the witch Emagora and Queen Leonora, two characters that added a quirk to the narrative and plot twists I did not see coming!

Overall I really loved this read! I would have liked to see some plot points more fleshed out and was a bit confused by the introduction of a second POV character quite late into the book, but being this the first book in a series, there’s room to explore more of the world and characters in the following installments. Very excited to see where the next book will take the story!

Maria Elena Vitale Zelaia

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars

“Beware of the Bardenwood! Some trails be never trodden,” they said. And yet, like Ard, I did not heed that warning and I got my heart squeezed into a fist. 

The Blackstone Ritual was better than I could ever imagine. Such an enjoyable read with fun characters and an adventurous plot that occasionally pulled at my heartstrings. I'm very happy I jumped at the opportunity to read this book once I saw there was a readalong for it, since I breezed through it. The interactions between Ard and Kinn were among my favorites. I loved their growing friendship and their bantering that made for some hilarious moments. 

My favorite aspect of the story was indeed the friendships. Ard starts the book as sort of an outcast in his own town, an old man his only friend. (His grandmother, while I loved her, doesn’t count. Or does she?) Avoiding details and spoilers, Ard then meets Emagora and later Kinn, and the fast friendships he strikes with both were beautiful. Kinn, above all else, is the characters I grew attached to the most. He’s a very resourceful and intelligent kid, who doesn’t let the horrors in his life tear him down. His strength of character was very inspiring. There was a subtle hint of romance, but not too much, which isn’t a problem at all since it fit the story well. Still, Ard deserves happiness. It’s all I’m saying. *zips mouth shut*

I also adored Queen Leonora and her hound. Leonora is a very interesting character, and I feel like there’s more to her than meets the eye. I’m intrigued and looking forward to finding out more about her. 

And finally. The plot twist. I’m…broken. I was definitely not expecting it. I may have sat motionless in my bed, trying to understand what had just happened. How I could have missed the signs. It was brilliantly done. 

This book is definitely a book that readers of YA will enjoy. YA, not Middle Grade. I do agree that the author’s narration has a story-telling quality to it perfect for a younger audience, but while there isn’t anything too gruesome, the book does have its dark moments. It’s definitely the sort of story that older readers (like me) would enjoy as well.

Aubrey Erskine

I tried but it was BAD. Where the hell did all these five star reviews come from? So far it's either getting one star or five. Leads me to believe there are fake accounts or friends of the author.

It was clunky and very juvenile. I don't want to say it read like a middle grade because they're written better than this. It was a good first attempt but this was more of a very rough first draft versus an actual published book.

The Blackstone Ritual Tales of the Bardenwood

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