Elle Burton and the Reflective Portals

By: Peggy M. McAloon

Narrated by: LC Kane

Elle Burton is an ordinary kid... or so she thinks. She loves to wear pretty clothes, play with her friends, and finish her homework. On her 10th birthday she encounters Eunie Mae, a tiny, fairylike being who comes from a world called Fiori. She begins a journey that leads her from this world into another dimension through reflective portals where winged creatures called Fiorins are linked to all human life. Other than some children under the age of eight, the only human beings who can see Fiorins are guides - humans who have been chosen to help the inhabitants of Fiori protect the children of Earth.

Being a guide seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. Elle loves helping others, and now she'll have magical assistance. There are those who don't want her to succeed. Evil forces do everything in their power to keep the guides from offering support to those in need. Will Elle be able to unleash the magic in the pendant she has been given by the Fiorin leader Mother Blue or will she have to depend on others for solutions?

Elle is not sure she has what it takes to be a Guide. She questions everyone's belief and trust in her, especially when she stumbles into trouble. In spite of her fears and insecurities in her new role as a guide, she is always there when called upon to help children in trouble

Join her as she enlists the Fiorin warrior Amadeus and others to help her protect human children against bullying and physical abuse. The children Elle encounters are dependent on her decisions and quick responses. Travel with her to Fiori and discover magical foot lockers, spider elevators, and the beloved Pegasus. Join her crusade to protect the world's children.

Her journey to adulthood begins as she attempts to complete the three challenges, predicted centuries ago. She is a modern-day role model who embodies everything that is good in this world. Will she be strong enough to combat the problems children face in the 21st Century?

©2014 Peggy M McAloon (P)2015 Peggy M McAloon

Elle Burton and the Reflective Portals

Any additional comments?

This is a really good book.There are SO many books where the boys are the heros,it's nice for girls to have a heroine that promotes kindness and helping others.Elle is just a girl.A helpful girl to her mum who is going to have a baby.Dad is in Afghanastan.Elle sees a fairy type creature and her life changes immediately. L.C.Kane is wonderful as narrator.
"I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast or MalarHouse dot com"

Bravo!

What did you love best about Elle Burton and the Reflective Portals?

A whimsical fantasy colliding with real-world trauma. So much of it is completely delightful while other parts will have you looking for the broken pieces of your heart. All the little girls who read or hear this story will want to be Elle. Parents will see the good of their own children in her. But don't let the cover fool you. This story touches on real-world issues that children and families face every single day. If you have a child dealing with emotional trauma or loss, there's a good chance they'll be able to connect with this story.

What did you like best about this story?

Love the fantasy vs. the real world issues.

What does LC Kane bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I've listened to plenty of books while working, so I know good audio books from bad ones. The reader for the audible version of this book is just as delightful as the story is. She brings the characters to life and is very consistent with character voices. Some readers can kill the story, but this one did it justice.

Not a children's book

Despite the cover this is not a children's story book. This is about a child but it touches in way to many adult situations to be called a child's book. Death, cancer, fraud, child abuse, bullying are just a few. While the story itself is done in an extremely wonderful way I find it hard as a mom to place what age I would want my child to hear or read it? Just was such an over load of information in one book. Perhaps if it had touched on just one subject and been multiple books it would have been better? I can't even believe I said that as I'm not a huge fan of multiple series books but in this case I would think so. Because yes it is a good story and done in a really good way. I received this book at no charge in exchange for an honest review.

Good book to teach kindness

Any additional comments?

So let me state up front that I know the audio book narrator and I listened to this book for that reason.

This book is definitely not the normal type of book I would listen to, but that being said, I found myself enjoying this book a lot. It is targeted at a young teenager/tween age group and creates a magical world of Ferries and Zorin's to help teach the lessons of kindness, caring, and compassion. There are some heavy topics in this book (parent dies in military, childhood abuse, angered father trying to kill his family, bullying, etc) but I think it is good to bring these up to kids so that they can see how lucky they are. Plus, i think this book can really help kids to try to look deeper and understand that there are normally reasons people act certain ways and that we shouldn't be too quick to judge.

Anyway, long story short, i found myself caught up in this book and enjoyed it thoroughly. Elle is probably the most well behaved 10 year old I have ever heard of but that being said maybe it will be example of kids who read this book.

About the narrator. I think L C Kane did a great job narrating this book. Occasionally her Man voice sounds a little bit silly, but 99% of this book is from the perspective of a girl and she nailed it. I would definitely listen to a book that she narrates again.

Amazing Fantasy Adventure

Would you listen to Elle Burton and the Reflective Portals again? Why?

Yes. I love this book. I have read the paperback version of this book a while back, but this recording has improved on McAloon's wonderful story. I love the different voices Kane creates. Listening to the story, I feel more connected to all the characters, as if I was there, invisible and present in every adventure.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I like so many characters I cannot pick only one. Elle (because she is not perfect even though the writer sometimes wants us to believe she is) and Amadeus are probably my favourite, but I also love Ms. Erma, Nextra, Mother Blue, Olivia, Jimmy Bacchus, Nathan... I honestly don't have a favourite character at this time. I can't wait for the continuation of the story!

What does LC Kane bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The different voices! Ms. Kane is an amazing actress. I cannot believe that one person can create that many different distinct characters. I love her Irish accent, and the smooth soft, yet sometimes cracked and very masculine, voice she created for Amadeus.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I did tear up and chuckle at certain moments. At others I was terrified, and was rooting for the characters.

Any additional comments?

This is a wonderful book. I believe it should be a part of every school's curriculum. It is the only book I have read/listened to where the issues of child abuse, bullying, and kidnapping, are shown as real, as if they could happen to anyone, and are currently happening to someone. Without being preachy this book gives us, the ordinary people, possible solutions to manage these problems with a little courage and a lot of love and understanding. Even though it is a fantasy, it feels real. I keep wishing that Fiorins have chosen me to be a guide.

A refreshing read.

Any additional comments?

This was such a refreshing read. The summary says it all, so let's get down to what I thought!

Elle (pronounced Ellie) is an awesome and worthy heroine. She is chosen to be a Guardian and despite being only 10, she takes on the huge responsibility. She has such a heart of gold that it's impossible not to like her. Being a guardian comes with a lot of responsibilities and hardship but Elle takes it all in her stride. She is definitely an amazing role model for kids.

Plot wise, its quite fast paced. There is so much going on in this book, that it's hard to say too much more in case I spoil something so all I'll say is that I really liked the idea of the Fiorins and what they are there for. They are there to keep the children of Earth safe. They can only fly through a childs reflection and to most kids, look like butterflies. When a child is born, it's their job to reach the baby and kiss them, which gives the children kindness etc. The times they don't make it in time are the times that the children grow up to be bullies etc. It was such a unique and awesome concept!!

Anyway, this was such a sweet book that it's hard not to like it. Everything about it will catch you imagination and not let go. It's a magical adventurous read and one that will stay with you when you finish. It's definitely a great book for kids to read and gives them an amazing role model as well.

I listened to the audio and LC Kane did an amazing job with Elle. She really brought her to life, which is hard to do because Elle is 10!! It shows the narrators abilities to do a broad range of voices. She was a great choice for Elle and captured her perfectly.

Mystical creaturess. Issues children might have.

this story combines mystical creatures with issues children might deal with. .death of a parent, kidnapping, abuse, bullying, and other issues are covered.. a good story for children that might need the confirmation that they are not alone in their feelings. This could be used as aiscussion for these topics too. Not for the very young.. Some sad parts, some happy, some fantasy. A good mix. Well done.

Beautiful Story Full Of Compassion

If you could sum up Elle Burton and the Reflective Portals in three words, what would they be?

An Epic Story..

What other book might you compare Elle Burton and the Reflective Portals to and why?

Harry Potter... Both Main Characters Were The "Chosen Ones" But Had To Endure A lot Of Tribulations In Order To Hold That Title...

Have you listened to any of LC Kane’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I've Listened To The Second Book Of Elle Burton And Both Performances Were Outstanding!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Most Definitely!!

Any additional comments?

This Book Was Deemed A Children's Fantasy But The Story Line And Characters Made An Easy Read For Young Adults Readers..I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.”

A book with a big heart.

I thought this was going to be a whimsical book about fairies. It turned out to be a lot deeper then that. This book follows a girl who has to face some pretty heartbreaking situation. This was a good book, but I highly recommend, that the parent read the book first to see if your child is ready to read about such big topics. There are a lot of fun caricatures and a strong religious belief that the caricatures hold dear to their hearts.
"This book was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com."