The second book in the Wonderscape series and another great 'gaming adventure', this time with Arthur, Ren and Cecily having to enter the Irontide tournament to rescue some deadly time-travel technology to enable them to return home safely.

The relationship between the children felt really realistic - not always getting on but eventually working together and using each other's strengths to solve problems and overcome challenges. The worlds and games they entered were brilliantly imagined and their competitors in the story were just mean enough that you really rooted against them. The levels of danger were well balanced for this age group and there was plenty of drama throughout.

This definitely felt like a unique book - not something I have read before but really enjoyed and would recommend for readers who enjoy gaming and science fiction.

This is the second instalment in the Wonderscape series.

The trio who centred in the first book in this series accidentally find themselves returning to both the future and the virtual world crafted there. Another set of trials appears before them and if they fail in the completion of any then their demise is soon promised.

I love the challenges that feature throughout this and how they continually spur the pacing and alter the setting of the story. Well-known historical or legendary places and figures appear, which made this both an exciting and educational read.

The cast proved just as lovable as in book one and it was a joy to witness their individual characters grow and adapt as their adventures challenged them in different ways.

I am afraid I am unable to fully review this title as it expired in my library before I was able to renew it. I think it would have been better for me if I had re-read Wonderscape before starting this. It's been quite a while since the first book, and it took some time for me to remember what had happened previously, which was a shame because within a couple of pages of starting Legendarium, Arthur, Ren and Cecily are immediately transported through a portal and find themselves back in the Wonderscape, although farther into the future. Although I did not finish this, I would have no hesitation in recommending this book, as it was shaping up to be another exciting, puzzle filled adventure.

I received this book from the publisher, via Net Galley, in exchange for an honest review.

i loved book one of this, but am fairly sure it was intended as a standalone, so when I found out about Legendarium, I was excited but apprehensive. Well, I need not have worried, the set-up here landed us straight back in the action in a way that worked and gave us all sorts of fun.

There was less learning about past historical figures, which made sense with the plot but I was a little sad about it as I loved that in the first book. But this time we got lots of great puzzle solving, and fun new toys for our heroes to play with.

I also feel tournaments are hard to write and Bell did an amazing job of keeping the action going without allowing it to get repetitive.

4 stars.

Legendarium is the sequel to Jennifer Bell’s brilliant book, Wonderscape. It’s as action-packed as its prequel and the world building contained within it is nothing short of epic. We are reunited with some familiar faces in the form of Arthur, Ren and Cecily as they find themselves once more drawn unwillingly into a game of life and death.

This is a brilliant sequel - perhaps even better than the first in the series. I would recommend it for readers in Year 5 and above. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thankyou to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an early e-arc of this book, i adored Wonderscape, the first book in this series and was very much looking forward to this release. It is safe to say that it did not disappoint, I loved the direction that this book took and the challenges that the characters faced. i do wish that it was a little longer and that the challenges had more in them but i still enjoyed what i read, Cannot wait to see what comes next.

The three friends are sucked even further forward in time, where they are now (mysterious) legends and have to enter a tournament in order to regain the key to get home. The tournament really helped this book feel different, given the fact of how they ended up in the future and the goal of getting home are virtually the same across the two books. Rather than trying to stay out of the spotlight and uncover corporate secrets, they have to compete to keep getting through rounds while trying to uncover who is subverting it all, using it as a cover for their black market enterprises.

There's still the fun gaming feel to it all, with the mini-quest for each "level" of the tournament, but not all are as you might expect. The world itself is inspired by legends, rather than historical figures. We have outlaws, pirates, vikings, hidden temples, and more! The premise is so much fun and it does feel like falling into games, that feeling of worlds spreading far beyond this quest. If the kids weren't on time challenges, it felt like they could have wandered for months on little side quests.

We have another ticking clock for the kids to get home or die, which lends itself to another snappy read, packing a lot of punch and adventure into an even shorter book this time. I gobbled this down in an evening, a bundle of escapist fun.

I haven't read the first book, but I really enjoyed this one anyway. It was easy to get in to, and you feel like you already know the characters right from the start.

Ren, Cecily, Arthur and Cloud the mimic dog get sucked through a portal to the future and end up in Legendarium, where they have to go through a series of quests in order to find the device that will take them back to their own time.

There's plenty of adventure and tension, and the characters' friendship grows as they help and support each other. A great story for older children (and adults!). Highly recommend.

Following the events of Wonderscape, Arthur, Ren and Cecily had thought their lives were back to normal…except for Cloud their mysterious dog (well not really a dog). But when Cloud disappears through a portal, the friends have no choice but to follow him into another adventure. Arthur, Ren and Cecily end up in Legendarium in the year 2493 and unfortunately, secretive villain Deadlock gets hold of their time key! To save the universe, and themselves, they must enter the Irontide Tournament (a real life esports game) where legends are real and their lives are at stake.

Wonderscape was one of the first books I read when I was really getting into reading children’s books again and I loved the fabulous theme, so I knew Legendarium would be an absolute winner too. Most kids I know (or at least most of my class) love video games and so reading a book where the characters are playing through a video game will most certainly appeal to them – how could it not! Legendarium has a fast paced dynamic plot with twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. I enjoyed the trials sort of separating the book into sections, like levels in a video game. The theme of myths and legends was interesting and could spur interest in reading about the real life legends that they relate to.

All three heroes are important within the group, but I must say I still love Cloud and his mysterious abilities (sucker for an animal sidekick!). The added dynamic between other competitors and the heroes within the Legendarium made for some interesting characters, but I don’t want to give away too much about any of them! Let’s just say, no one is quite what you expect!

Absolutely heaps of fun in this fast paced thrilling novel! 5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to Walker Books and NetGalley for this e-book review copy.

I didn't realise that this was a sequel, however, it didnt stop me enjoying this book. I read it in one very short setting. It was well written with well developed charcaters and an appealing storyline full of adventure. I will definitely look for more from this author.

I really enjoyed this middle grade sequel. Maybe even a bit more then the first in the series. The cast of characters got on another great adventure. Hard to say more without spoiling the first book.