"Bloodstone" by M.J. Mallon is a unique and imaginative mystery that takes readers on a riveting adventure filled with magic, dark elements, and a touch of the paranormal. The story revolves around fifteen-year-old Amelina Scott, whose life takes an unexpected turn when she receives an invitation to visit the Crystal Cottage, setting her on a forbidden path where she encounters mysterious characters and discovers her family's secrets.

Mallon's writing is rich in detail, creating a vivid and atmospheric setting in Cambridge. The dysfunctional family dynamics, the mysterious black cat, and the imprisoned girl within the mirrors add layers of intrigue to the narrative. The author skillfully blends fantasy and mythology, crafting a world where magical paint sets and crystal wizard stones play crucial roles in uncovering the truth about Amelina's family.

The character of Ryder, a charismatic and perplexing stranger, adds an element of unpredictability to the story. Amelina's journey of self-discovery and her quest to unravel the mysteries surrounding her family captivate the reader's attention from the beginning. The magical elements are woven seamlessly into the plot, creating a sense of wonder and fascination.

It's important to note the trigger warning provided by the author, addressing sensitive topics such as self-harm, mental health issues, and the potential dangers of sexual attraction. Mallon handles these themes with sensitivity and care, making readers aware of the content.

"Bloodstone" is a compelling read for those interested in fantasy, mythology, and the paranormal. The book's imaginative mystery, combined with its well-developed characters and magical elements, makes it a captivating adventure. M.J. Mallon's storytelling prowess shines through, earning "Bloodstone" a solid four stars for its creativity, atmospheric writing, and the exploration of complex themes within the fantasy genre.

I really wanted to like this book. The story and plot line were ok. There was a lot of jumping around and trying to keep track of what was going on made this a difficult read. The characters and writing style were a bit juvenile given the description.
I did finish this book because I really wanted to know what happened, but it just fell for me.

2/5 stars


Thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.

Such an interesting read. I love the magical elements put in this book, the characters are lovable. Simply, I couldn't put this book down because I always craving for more.

I wanted to love this book - the description sounded great - I thought it was wonderful idea.

Unfortunately, the writing is really juvenile and sounds like it has been written by one of the middle school students at our school. It is not something I would ever accept from a high school student as good writing practice. It is very repetitive, with an incredible overuse of adjectives and adverbs. The main character is illogical and doesn't seem to behave like a rational person - yes, teenagers can be irrational, but this is beyond. Her reactions and decisions seem contrived and artificial. I could not finish this book, despite the promising idea.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this book.

Unfortunately this was not for me. It had a lot of promise but I could not get into it. Too much jumping about and too many random ideas shoved in. I felt anxious reading it, and will most likely not continue with the series.

Think I have the same opinion as other readers. I couldn’t finish it. Sorry :( just one of those occasions when I can’t get into a story

A magical invitation, that doesn't tear up, urges Amelina to go to Crystal Cottage to seek out the hidden secrets of her family. Amelina Scott knows her family isn't what you call normal and neither is her house. No one she knows has a girl trapped in the mirrors. When she receives an invitation to visit Crystal Cottage, she doesn't know what to make of it. Is it a prank? Is it a trick? She decides to ignore it and throws it in the trash. Only it doesn't stay in the bin. She tries to cut it up but it doesn't cut. It sings, it dances, it is somehow alive. She finally decides to travel to the Crystal Cottage to see what happens. Along the way, she meets Ryder and discovers magic (both light and dark) is all around. She interacts with magical people, beings, and objects while learning the truth of her family. What happens next will astound you, the reader. Are you ready for an adventure?

Bloodstone is an imaginative fantasy adventure I enjoyed from start to finish. From the first page, I connected with Amelina. She's a delightful heroine. I could relate to her on so many levels. Everything from her curiosity to her reactions to her emotional state rang true. While it's tricky these days to write an original fantasy story, M.J. Mallon wrote one of the most original fantasy books I've read in a long time. Taking bits from fantasy authors of the past, M.J. Mallon adds her own blend of magical realism and emotional coming of age to make Bloodstone a gem. The plot moves at a good pace with each chapter starting with a puzzle. What a creative way to keep the reader invested. The world-building is intricate and riveting. The characters are engaging and easy to connect with. Overall, Bloodstone is a brilliant story and when I finished, I wanted to read it all over again. If you're a fantasy reader, you need to read Bloodstone. Highly recommend!

Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in the hopes I'd review it. My thoughts are all my own.

My Rating: 5+ stars

I did not enjoy the story.. I read the feedback from other readers, also since this has been published already.. there's a lot of jumping scenes for me. Events are happening without explanation how did it start. Being Krystallos is like the character immediately knew she is but how did she knew it? Her relationship with her mother is somewhat crazy, i don't understand. I tried finishing but I can't......

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I have to stay this book was a little strange in the best of ways. It has all the part of being a magical and crazy YA fantasy novel with a paranormal twist. She has a friend that is trapped in a mirror named Esme. I hope as the series goes on we get to learn more about her. This is all about Amelina finding herself and the curse that plagues her family. I think it was a great start to a series. There are so many interesting little tidbits in this novel that just keep me wondering what is going to come next.

Although I could didn´t have the opportunity to download it before it was archived, this book has made me curious to check it out in the future! A fantasy with dark elements and mythology does sounds promising!

A story about a girl, Amelina, and her friend Esme, who is trapped in her mirror and appears as her reflection. In this story, Amelina meets and starts dating a cruel yet sweet boy who rescues her at the riverside. Amelina falls into bizarrely strange events, as she is invited to visit the Crystal Cottage, a place where she receives powerful crystals. Stranger events unfold and Amelina discovers pieces of the puzzle which is her family's curse.

The story got really interesting at about halfway through.
This is just part 1 of a series.

I am sorry to say that I had to DNF this one which I HATE to do, but I just couldn’t get into it.

I found the storyline confusing (it didn’t really feel like what the blurb was selling), the characters were unbelievable or irritating and the writing style was clunky and hard to follow.

A shame as I thought the book concept (from the blurb was intriguing - hence the download) but the book itself didn’t live up to the claims.

#bookreviewsbymrsc #bloodstone #mjmallon

I tried desperately to like this book. I eventually gave up about halfway through. The concept itself was very good with the disappearance and return of the protagonist's father and the misfortunes that happen thereafter. However, I did not like the way in which the story was told. There seemed to be too many random things at odd intervals and quite a bit of repetition. The concept was good, but I felt the execution was poor. Younger readers may have a better experience in reading it.

A great YA novel that will resonate with many young teenagers, as it touches on problems with feeling different, lack of self confidence, and difficult relationships with friends. The story is told through Ameline's voice, with her anguish and confusion at her life, and the teenage characters are believable and well written. It touches on issues such as self harm and depression, but the author has written those scenes in a sensitive and compassionate way that is appropriate to the age of the readers.

I loved all the characters, but Esme, the girl in the mirror was the most intriguing. I hope we find out more about her in future books! The mysterious cottage, the crystals, and Ameline's dormant powers coming to life all added to the mystery of the story.

The descriptive narrative and suspenseful story line make this a great read. I look forward to reading the next instalment!

I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

There are so many elements of this book that immediately draw you in--strange details, uniquely described characters, more than a hint of mysery and oddity that creates suspense, and a question that hangs over everything. This is a book that you could stay up all night reading, just to find out what happens.

Unfortunately, all these promising elements are severely hampered by a writing style that seems much more suited to a children's book than an extended YA novel. Many paragraphs, scenes, and even entire chapters were entirely unnecessary, and there was so much repetition of thoughts and circuitous dialogue that the pacing was skewed to the extent that it was painful to read. I found myself skipping entire pages in search of something actually happening, rather than plodding through the somewhat juvenile melodrama.

All in all, though, it's worth a read if you want an original storyline and more than a hint of suspense.

It took me a short while to get into the swing of the story, but once I was there, I really enjoyed the tale.
Drawn into the life of the main character, Amelina, you are quickly whisked off into a world filled with supernatural happenings, people in mirrors and crystals. Lots of crystals!
There is an element of change evident in Amelina as the book progresses, showing her development as a person who is capable of having a huge effect on those around her, as she learns of the powers she has had bestowed upon her.
I didn't like Ryder... not that you are really meant to. Ryder is someone who she meets, and who influences her negatively. The fact that I didn't like him shows that his character was written well within the story.
Over all, a book brimming with supernatural happenings, a mysterious cottage and a family problem that needs solving.

Many thanks to NetgGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fifteen-year-old Amelina Scott lives in Cambridge with her dysfunctional family, a mysterious black cat, and an unusual girl who is imprisoned within the mirrors located in her house.

Bloodstone is the first book in The Curse of Time series written by M.J. Mallon. This is a young adult fantasy / paranormal, coming-of-age story of Amelina Scott. This book is a rollercoaster of a tale about a young lady working to find her own identity. Along the way she has to start to learn who she can trust and that the world is not at all what she believed it to be growing up.

When I first got the book I was more than hesitant about reading it. I am not into young adult fantasy books so to say. This was not my normal reading genre of tales to whisp me away in to hold my attention and keep me flipping the pages. I am very proud to say that I am pleased to have started and stayed with the book. Mallon is such an extremely talented author and really draws the reader into the book and the life of Amelina. After a while though, the book grabs you by the shoulder collar and just can not put it down!

Amelina is a really good character, as the story progresses her development, is a person who is capable of having a huge effect on those around her, and she learns of the powers she has had bestowed upon her. And then there is her Story companion who is Ryder, and he becomes very dislikeable as the pages turn. He is a negative influence on Amelina. I am very pleased you don't realize he is a villain at his introductions since he is far from the normal build of the bad guy. It isn't until the story unfolds you see his much darker side.

The last few chapters of the book actually had me on the edge of my seat and I want to know what will come next for our young heroine. I am very pleased to see that M.J. Mallon is already working on the sequel to this book and I know I will be getting my copy when it does.

This review was made possible by a copy provided to me by NetGalley.

For someone who doesn't usually read fantasy, this YA novel caught my interest. The teenage characters in the book are very real with typical issues such as lack of confidence, jealousy, confusion, parental disagreements, and volatile friendships. Amelina comes from a dysfunctional family with a paranormal twist. If she can figure out the curse, perhaps her family could be happy once more. In her quest, she meets a self-harming girl locked in a mirror, a heartthrob boy with a mean side, a cottage full of amazing crystals and an old woman with sage advice. I like that the story is based on a real clock, the Corpus Chronophage clock, in Cambridge, England. (Chronophage means time-eater). There is some time travel in the story, which I love. There's a lot happening in this very descriptive book and not everything is explained. But that is because it is the first book in a series. I look forward to reading more about Amelina and her quirky friends. I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and the author. The review is my own.

At the time of downloading Bloodstone, I did not realize it had already been released. As it's currently on Kindle Unlimited, I have downloaded it there and will be updating my review after I read it.