Rise of the Evening Star

This is the second book in the Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull, and it was wonderful! This book was non-stop action from the beginning to the end, it was creative and interesting and a great read. Super hard to put down.

In this book Kendra is back in school and is shocked when a horrible goblin joins her class. All of her friends think that the "new kid" is a super cute boy. With the help of a dubious man, Kendra and Seth try to drive the goblin away. Only to find the Society of the Evening Star is rising and that, Kendra especially, is in more danger than ever. After school is out they end up heading back to their Grandpa's house on Fablehaven. Someone is trying to steal the secret artifact there and Kendra's grandparents have a show more great new cast of interesting characters to help them in their battle.

This was just a wonderful book. From the first chapter it is packed with danger and action. The new characters awaiting Seth and Kendra in Fablehaven are great additions to the story. The plot itself was interesting and masterfully written. I had a lot of trouble putting this book down. Creatures and characters from the first book join into the action in this book too. There was also a lot of humor, which lightened up some of the darker scenes. This book might be a bit scary for really young children, but overall I think most kids would enjoy it.

I was also pleased that the main story was nicely wrapped up; while the overall plot continues to deepen and thicken. By the end of the book I just couldn't wait to find out what would happen next; as the Society of the Evening Star gets more bold in their attempts to collect and control all of the secret artifacts. show less

Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star, by Brandon Mull, is the second installment in this exciting children’s series.

When Kendra realizes that the new boy in her class is really a monster, she and her brother are soon approached by a mysterious stranger that claims to know their grandfather and a way to get rid of the monster. When he asks the children’s help for a dangerous mission, can they trust him? And back at Fablehaven, Seth and Kendra’s grandparents have hired three individuals to hunt down an artifact hidden on the grounds. The evil Society of the Evening Star has begun to hunt down the magical artifacts as well. And if the society gets to all of them first, the result would be catastrophic.

It is unusual when a sequel is show more better than the first. But Mull has managed to create an even more exciting and fantastic story than the first Fablehaven book. More danger, more suspense, more mysteries, and more fabulous characters. I have to say that I’m enjoying the Fablehaven series just as much as Harry Potter! The children and the choices they make are believable. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat with the danger continuously escalating. The characters and creatures are incredibly vivid. And the illustrations are wonderful. This was simply one of the best books for youth that I’ve ever read. show less

Even better than the first book, Mull really begins to flesh out the characters and expand on his fantasy world and its interaction with the world we know. It had been several months since I'd read the first book, and I was really pleased with the way Mull inserted his reminders about the previous summer's events - not too much like the sorts of reintro you always got in Nancy Drew books or, hate to say it, like I sometimes feel we get in the first chapter or so of Harry Potter books. I've already begun the third book, with great expectations :)

***Contains Spoilers***

Started strong and then fizzled. The plot wasn't as engaging as in the first book. I did like how Fablehaven was expanded on and we got to see more of the preserve and got an idea of how vast it is. Before finishing this book I thought that I would continue on, but now it's a hard pass. The only black character turns out to be a traitor? Yeah, nope. Also, thanking Orson Scott Card for being a "mentor" in the acknowledgements? Double nope on that.

This is the second book in the Fablehaven series and it was just as engaging and exciting as the first one. In this book Kendra and Seth have returned to their parents house to help fight an evil society that is trying to breach the gates of the preserve to find a magical hidden artifact. This is a series that I would love to read with my kids because its fun and has great dialogue and descriptive language. I was so intrigued by the first book that I have finished the second and plan on reading the third. This book is one that I would absolutely recommend to my students.

Reviewed by Joan Stradling for TeensReadToo.com

In FABLEHAVEN, Kendra and Seth helped save the magical preserve by thwarting Murial's attempt to release the demon, Bahumat. Though they won that battle, the Society of the Evening Star is waging war. If they hope to save Fablehaven again, Kendra must learn to use her fairy gifts and Seth must stay out of trouble.

Unfortunately, trouble has a way of finding Seth.

Seth, Kendra, and more of Mull's amazing characters (new and old) are back in RISE OF THE EVENING STAR as they fight to keep the Society of the Evening Star from obtaining a hidden artifact of great power. If they don't, it could be the downfall of the other magical preserves and possibly the world.

Mull has created a realm of magic show more and mystery that pulls the reader in and won't let them go until the last page. Even then, he leaves us wanting more.

With hidden preserves and all their magical inhabitants, a secret society threatening the world, and a group of unlikely heroes trying to save it all, the FABLEHAVEN series is a must-read for any fantasy lover.

After reading RISE OF THE EVENING STAR, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the third book, GRIP OF THE SHADOW PLAGUE. show less

Rise of the Evening Star is the second book in the Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull. I really enjoyed this book, even more than I enjoyed the first book in the series (Fablehaven). Once again Kendra and Seth go to visit their grandparents at Fablehaven, a secret reserve for magical creatures. The reserve is threatened by the Society of the Evening Star, an organization that wants to destroy all the secret preserves and set dangerous beings loose on the world. There is a lot of adventure in this book and a lot of unexpected twists. There are some strings left over from the first book that are resolved in this one. I like how the author has the two siblings with opposing personalities, Kendra is overly cautious and Seth is overly show more reckless, yet neither one is "better" than the other. The two of them need each other to help temper the extremes of their nature and be successful helping save the day. The book had a lot of adventure and some new characters that I really liked. I also liked how the author ended the book. While it was not exactly a cliff hanger, it leaves the reader intrigued and wanting more. The book is written for kids, but I had fun reading it. I will definitely continue with the series. show less