The Ifs Return (Volume 2)

By: Pembroke Sinclair

Narrated by: Nathan Bakker

Book 2 in The Ifs series

“Gage escaped.”

These are the worst words Broden could hear from his big brother, Landon - just one day after they battled alongside Slade's Ifs and his army of forest beasts. And Landon has more news....

“Gage has magic.”

As the boys are drawn into another adventure with the Ifs, they find out just how powerful - and dangerous - Gage's magic can be.

©2014, 2017 Pembroke Sinclair (P)2018 Pembroke Sinclair

Not as good as the first

I had listened to the first book and enjoyed it. The book description for the sequel was promising, so I quickly downloaded it.

I didn’t like that the first two chapters were too similar. My first thought was the author had written it from two different POV (Broden & Landon) and submitted them both by mistake.

I really didn’t like this at all. I didn’t like the magic aspect. I’m not sure I ever felt satisfied with the explanations.

I didn’t like the sloppy revelation of the size alterations. It just didn’t quite make sense in my head - how the brothers realized what had happened.

I think the most disappointing piece (because of the behavior and mannerisms from the first book), the reason(s) why the boys were not fully truthful to mom. Had I not read the book, the omission or white lies may not have rubbed me the wrong way.

I also enjoyed the first book more because the narrator brought more to the delivery. This narrator (Nathan Bakkker) read in a very slow and stilted tone, pausing more frequently during sentences than necessary. I also had to increase the speed to 1.25.

I think you’ll enjoy it more if you haven’t read the first book. For those reading or listening to this as a sequel, it doesn’t hold up.

I’ve definitely spent my welcome out in the IFS world and wouldn’t return, even with a free stay.

I regret being the first to listen and review ... with this lower rating.