Jax Sheppard and the Seven Mirrors

Volume 1

Children - Preteen
Kindle Edition
Reviewed on 03/10/2015
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Sharon spent twelve years as a middle school math teacher and three years as a school administrator. After having her third child, she retired from education to become more active on the cook/maid/chauffer/homeroom representative/nurse/party planner/counselor circuit. Sharon's three kids, Luke, Zack, and Jillian, love reading everything she writes and always inspire her to flex her creative muscles.


Sharon lives with her hubby, Dave, and the three kiddos in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Kristine Hall for Readers' Favorite

Thirteen-year-old Jackson Sheppard would like nothing more than to live under the radar, spending time with his best friend, Andie, and adding to his chewed gum collection. His aspirations seem easy enough, but the truth is he has some powers that he can't very easily control and they can empty a room and end friendships pretty fast. When Jax, Andie, and Jax's little brother Sebastian sneak out for a late night swim at the local pool, disaster strikes when Sebastian dies, and Jax is thrown into the mysterious world of the Kaptropoten -- a mirror that has been broken into seven pieces, each giving an extraordinary power to the possessor. When Jax learns that all seven fragments together can even resurrect the dead, he goes on an epic journey that takes him around the world and beyond, where he learns who he really is, and aims to set things right by bringing back his brother. Along the way, Jax makes new friends and finds he has evil enemies, discovers fantastic creatures and magnificent places, and finds that he must rely not only on the strength he has from his powers, but an inner strength that he isn't sure he has. In Sharon Warchol's Jax Sheppard and the Seven Mirrors, readers will travel to a parallel, mystical world of danger and deception where things are often not what they seem.

When I agreed to read this book, I scheduled myself to read it about ten days after I received it. I downloaded it and decided to take a quick peek at it -- and ended up reading it straight through! That's how Jax Sheppard and the Seven Mirrors rolls. In it, author Sharon Warchol gives readers just enough background and introduction to get a feel for our protagonist and his life, but then she immerses readers right into the story. One endearing quality about Jax is his humor and how it squeaks out of him at even the most inappropriate of times. Sharon Warchol masterfully wrote very real characters, despite some of their fantastic outward appearances, whose unique styles and personalities will resonate with readers. And Warchol has a real gift for writing imaginative scenarios and uses figurative language to make descriptions even richer. For example: “. . . and darn it if a sneaky, nasty guilt didn’t creep up my leg and around my torso. It snaked over my shoulder and into my ear, poisoning my brain with its venom.” Even the titles of the chapter sub-headings are cleverly written.

Jax Sheppard and the Seven Mirrors has twists and turns and a steady stream of hints to create a satisfying ending that also leaves readers begging for more. I highly recommend this book for tweens and teens, and reluctant readers of all ages.

Author Anna del C. Dye

Jax Sheppard and the Seven Mirrors, Book One by Sharon Warchol is an excellent mid-grade/pre-teens story to entertain young readers that enjoy stories with magic and low-key kids who become heroes. Jax has a couple of special powers that only he and his grandfather know about. He can run super fast, but why and what causes him to be different from his friends? All seems well until the day his younger brother is killed and he can’t live with the guilt. He and his best friend, Andi, get sucked into a strange tale with an even stranger bunch of people who live on an island.

They all think he is the Arc, but Jax knows better. All he wants is the rest of the pieces of a magical mirror so he can bring his brother back from the dead. The leaders pair him up with the most beautiful girl alive, Kat, her brother, William, Jax’s assistant, Cletus, and Andi and send them to save the world from the most powerful wizard alive. In their travels, Jax finds that not all those he calls friends are who they seem to be. He also learns that wishes don’t always come true.

It is a fast paced and age appropriate story that will resonate with kids between eight and fourteen. The characters are believable with real flaws and strengths. It is a clean read that talks about trust, family, friends and the right to choose to be better. A well paced plot is found between the pages of this book. This is a great book to read in summer at the beach, when camping, or on a wintry night in your favorite chair. Warchol did a great job in this story, one that promises much more to come in the sequel. Give it a try.

Michelle Mollohan

Jax Sheppard and the Seven Mirrors (Volume 1) by Sharon Warchol is a spell-binding (pun intended) tale full of magic and mischief. Jax has always wondered why he possesses super human strength, which has been somewhat of a burden at times (dropping a clown on your best friend can really destroy a friendship!). Sneaking out with his BFF Andie and younger brother Sebastian one fateful night, Jax is horrified when Sebastian meets his untimely demise. Suffering with guilt and remorse, Jax finds a mysterious piece of mirror that turns out to belong to an enchanted mirror with special powers. Jax learns why he has extraordinary strength and what his destiny holds as he embarks on a journey to find the rest of the mirror fragments in the hopes he can resurrect Sebastian. Danger lurks around every corner as he and his companions fight evil forces and an unexpected betrayal.

Packed full of intriguing characters, magical places and mystical beings, Jax Sheppard and the Seven Mirrors (Volume 1) by Sharon Warchol is a delightful, entertaining tale. Readers of all ages will enjoy getting lost in the depths of this story. Jax is a lovable klutz who stumbles along trying to find his path, making him an endearing and sympathetic character. Jax Sheppard and the Seven Mirrors (Volume 1) is a great edition to the fantasy genre and will be loved by fans of series such as Artemis Fowl and Harry Potter. I look forward to reading additional volumes as Sharon Warchol writes them!

Jack Magnus

Jax Sheppard and the Seven Mirrors is a fantasy for preteens written by Sharon Warchol. Jax Sheppard has special talents that he keeps to himself, mostly. He's super powerful and can run at incredible speeds; a talent his grandfather called 'flashing.' Jax lives with his grandmother now but before that, he lived with his mom, his dad and his little brother. Then his dad left, his mom and his grandfather died, and, after that, his brother died in a freak accident when the two boys and Jax's best friend, Andie, were swimming in the town pool after hours. Jax has always felt guilty about Sebastian's death because he was supposed to take care of him, and he wishes he had died instead. When he returns to the pool a month later, he sees something sparkling down on the bottom of the pool.

Sharon Warchol's preteen fantasy, Jax Sheppard and the Seven Mirrors, is an entertaining, quirky and fast-paced story. Jax collects vintage pre-chewed gum and has some rare specimens, but I could never figure out just how he was able to date his treasures. It's all part of a fun and slightly goofy story that's filled with action and adventure. Warchol creates a unique and compelling mythology around the seven fragments of a mirror, which is all-powerful, and the forces of good and evil contending for control of it. I especially liked the setting of the Island of Mirrors in the middle of the Adriatic Sea, and the mingled histories of the Murano glass artisans and the makers of the mirror. Jax Sheppard and the Seven Mirrors is the first volume in a series, and I'm looking forward to reading about Jax's further adventures. This preteen contemporary fantasy is highly recommended.

K.C. Finn

Jax Sheppard and the Seven Mirrors is a preteen fantasy novel by Sharon Warchol. It centres on thirteen-year-old Jax, a misfit with incredible strength and supernatural abilities, who is just trying to blend in at school when disaster strikes. After his brother is killed in strange, unfortunate circumstances, Jax sets forth with a fragment of a magical mirror that promises adventure and resurrection. What follows is an epic quest to recover the remaining pieces of Kaptropoten mirror where Jax’s abilities will be tested, along with his own sense of strength, and the insecurities he faces as someone who stands out from the usual crowd.

This was a stunning book. Easily placed among the realms of Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl and Darren Shan, author Sharon Warchol had created a voice which speaks to the child in us all. Jax’s adventures are fraught with intrigue and interest at every turn, and there is a never a dull moment in this well-told tale. Jax Sheppard and the Seven Mirrors will delight the young teens and more advanced tweens that it’s aimed at, but for those like me who hark back to the days of vivid, captivating fantasy tales with excellent characters, this is also a great read for adults. If it’s adventure, warmth and plenty of magic you seek, then I’d highly recommend Jax Sheppard and the Seven Mirrors as a whole-family read. The engaging plot and realistic characters of this talented author should serve to melt even the most critical heart.