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Review: A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

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A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

A Fragile Enchantment
Allison Saft
Wednesday Books
Published January 30, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About A Fragile Enchantment

In this romantic fantasy of manners from New York Times bestselling author Allison Saft, a magical dressmaker commissioned for a royal wedding finds herself embroiled in scandal when a gossip columnist draws attention to her undeniable chemistry with the groom.

Niamh Ó Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her. Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family, Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland.

But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class. The groom himself, Kit Carmine, is prickly, abrasive, and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn. But when Niamh and Kit grow closer, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more—until an anonymous columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry, promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets. The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep, but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of, and a love she never thought possible.

Transporting readers to a Regency England-inspired fantasy world, A Fragile Enchantment is a sweeping romance threaded with intrigue, unforgettable characters, and a love story for the ages.

My Review

I’ve been a fan of Allison Saft’s books since her debut, DOWN COMES THE NIGHT. She is so good at delivering intricate story worlds and complicated characters navigating some kind of mysterious circumstances. In A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT, a tailor who can imbue the clothes she makes with magic and a younger prince fight their growing attraction to one another as an entire kingdom seems ready to crumble around them.

It’s got a bit of a grumpy vs. sunshine vibe, which I really enjoyed. The story also explores chronic illness and addiction pretty openly. Neither of those is often explored in fantasy novels, so that was nice to see.

The romantic arc absolutely hooked me. I read this book in two sessions because I really could not stop thinking about it and needed to know how it would end. I loved the directions the story took, especially the ones I hadn’t anticipated. There were a couple of times that things took me by surprise. That was fun.

All in all, I had a fabulous time reading this book, and I’m as big an Allison Saft fan as ever. I’m already excited about whatever story she has coming up next. I think fans of Kiera Cass would like this book a lot.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
Regency-England inspired. Some people groups seem to be inspired by Spanish or Irish people. The main character had a past relationship with a girl. Some characters are interested in same-sex relationships, but it’s stigmatized in their society. One character is an alcoholic in recovery. Another is chronically ill.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Kissing between two girls. One scene contains explicit sexual content.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic. This is passed down in families from the old days when the Fair Ones walked among people.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. One character can control plants and threatens violence through them. Another can control lightning and tries to kill someone.

Drug Content
One character is a recovering alcoholic who has been sober for a year. In several scenes, people around him drink alcohol. Sometimes, people make disparaging remarks about his drinking or assume he is drunk again.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

MMGM Review: Squire & Knight: Wayward Travelers by Scott Chantler

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Squire & Knight: Wayward Travelers (Squire & Knight #2)
Scott Chantler
First Second
Published October 15, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Squire & Knight: Wayward Travelers

In the second volume of this middle-grade graphic novel series, our heroes search for the mysterious school of wizardry, but are thwarted at every turn by thick mist, winding woods and fearsome creatures!

Our heroes are lost.

Squire and Sir Kelton have promised to get Cade to the school of wizardry. Strangely though, the path they’ve taken has brought them into a bewildering, misty forest, rife with fearsome gnolls and a boisterous rival knight. To get them out, Squire tries every trick in the book, but books don’t hold all the answers. Can he muster up his confidence, remember his duties, and find a way to escape the forest?

My Review

This fun continuation of the Squire & Knight series delivers more of the humor and thoughtfulness from the first book. One of the things I liked a lot is that this is a different story from the first one. In the first book, the squire uses intelligence to figure out whether a dragon is the true source of a village’s problems. In this book, the squire still depends on intelligence and things he learned from books to aid him when he’s in trouble, but the story points up the fact that not every problem can be solved that way. And, intelligent people are as vulnerable to overlooking things out of pride as strong people are.

This story has a small cast of characters, with a few notable new ones. Cade, the boy that Sir Kelton has promised to accompany to Wizard School, is a cute character who adds a lot to the story. He seems in awe of Sir Kelton at first, but as the journey continues, he adds many of his own observations to the story. I liked him and especially enjoyed the surprising comments he made later in the book.

I’m still a fan of the series, and I’m excited to see what adventures Squire and Sir Kelton get up to next.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Human characters are white. There are some monster characters each based on a different breed of dog.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The story contains fantasy characters and monsters. Some monsters believe they need to sacrifice captives to appease their god.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. A group of dog-like monsters threaten to kill and eat their captives.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday

I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday. Check out other blogs with posts about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle with Greg Pattridge.

Review: We Are Hunted by Tomi Oyemakinde

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We Are Hunted
Tomi Oyemakinde
MacMillan Children’s
Published August 29, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About We Are Hunted

The White Lotus meets Jurassic Park in We Are Hunted by Tomi Oyemakinde, a compulsive speculative thriller about the lengths we go to for power – and to survive.

When seventeen-year-old Femi and his brother accompany their father on a top-secret business trip to a remote and mysterious island, they are looking forward to a summer they’ll never forget.

Filled with spectacular species of animal and out-of-this-world technology, the island resort welcomes them with open arms, as does its impressive curator Richard Jenkins. But beneath the sparkle and the wonder, the island is hiding a terrible secret – and it’s biding its time. When the unthinkable happens and the island is put on lockdown, Femi realizes he is somehow at the centre of an operation that seeks to expose Jenkins’ resort for what it really is.

But the truth comes with a price. And when the bodies start to fall, Femi must decide who on the island he can trust with his life – and how far he will go to survive.

My Review

This novel begins fast and keeps a brisk pace throughout. I definitely see the comparison to Jurassic Park, though I like the characters in We Are Hunted better than those in Crichton’s novel. The unresolved conflict between Femi and his family and Femi and Deja add layers of interest to the story. The crisis brings them closer together but simultaneously highlights the rifts in the relationships. That kept me even more engaged.

The story has the high sense of creepiness and tension you’d expect in a thriller, too. Several scenes had me on the edge of my seat. Because of the nature of the story, there’s quite a bit of gore as Femi witnesses several people’s injuries and deaths and stumbles over the remains of others.

There are a couple of chapters that show scenes from another character’s perspective. While that added some interest or context to those characters, I think that information could have been inserted into the narrative in other ways. I appreciated that they were set apart as “interlude” scenes.

Femi is a musician, and there are lots of references to sound and sensitivity to sound throughout the book, which adds some interesting details. I liked the references to his music and the way that sound impacts different components of the story.

On the whole, I think readers looking for an international thriller will not want to miss this one. I flew through this book. It’s really easy to read. I probably would have read it in one session if I’d had the time to do it.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Representation
Femi has tinnitus. Several characters are Black and British.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One f-bomb. Infrequent use of other profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Femi goes on a date with a girl.

Spiritual Content
References to prayer and Bible verses.

Violent Content
Graphic descriptions of injuries and death.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: What is This Feeling? by Robby Webber

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What is This Feeling?
Robby Webber
Inkyard Press
Published September 17, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About What is This Feeling?

This joyful romp from Robby Weber, perfect for fans of Jason June and Morgan Matson, follows a boy who will do anything to win his drama club’s scavenger hunt in New York City, even if it means teaming up with a tech crew loner…and discovering unexpected sparks between them.

Theater star Teddy McGuire is ready for all his dreams to come true. He and his best friend, Annie, have been counting down the days to the end-of-the-year drama club trip to New York City. To make it even more magical, if they can win the annual scavenger hunt, they’ll get a chance to meet their popstar idol, Benji Keaton.

But the universe has other plans: when Annie can’t go on the trip, Teddy is forced to room with tech crew loner Sebastian, who has no interest in the scavenger hunt—or Teddy—and seems to have a secret agenda of his own.

On a larger-than-life adventure across the city, the boys will discover a lot more than what’s on their checklist, including masquerade mishaps, obstacles of Jurassic proportions, Hollywood starlets, and, most surprisingly of all, sparks beginning to fly between them. In a story about chasing your destiny, Teddy and Sebastian are about to learn the secret to making their own luck.

My Review

This is the most fun book I’ve read in a while. It’s not the first field trip to New York City that I’ve read this year. There’s a Wednesday books title about a band trip that had some similarities to this one.

Teddy is a really fun narrator. He’s so in his head, which I appreciate as a person with a lot of mind spirals myself. I also liked that his identity wasn’t really a focus of the story. Don’t get me wrong– the books about coming out or grappling with identity are important, and I love them, too. But it was nice to read something that sidestepped those themes and simply told a story about unexpected romance without stopping to explain or justify itself.

The only thing that was hard was how often Teddy’s best friend and brother minimized his feelings. They tended to assume he was being dramatic and kind of roll their eyes at him in a loving way, but still. It makes sense within the context of the story, and it’s realistic. I guess it hit on some old wounds for me, so I really felt for him in those moments.

What is This Feeling? is the first book by Robby Webber that I’ve read, but I can tell you that it will NOT be the last! I can’t believe I’m just now discovering his books. I love the balance of sweetness and realism in this one. The relationships aren’t perfect. The characters are flawed but not so deeply that it interferes with my ability to connect with them. It’s a great fall romance.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Two characters are queer.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A couple F-bombs. Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys.

Spiritual Content
Teddy believes the friendship bracelets he and Annie made together years ago bring them luck, but only when they’re wearing them or have them on their person.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
Teddy (a high school senior) drinks champagne at a gala and sips a cocktail at an event with college students.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

MMGM Review: Wildflower Emily by Lydia Corry

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Wildflower Emily: A Story About Young Emily Dickinson
Lydia Corry
Godwin Books
Published October 15, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Wildflower Emily: A Story About Young Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson is one of America’s greatest and most original poets of all time. When you hear her name, you may imagine the famous recluse whose withdrawal from society became legendary. But it’s time to meet a new side of Emily, one that is powerful, adventurous, and joyful.

Follow along as we delve into Emily Dickinson’s childhood, revealing a young girl desperate to go out exploring―to meet the flowers in their own homes. Wade through tall grasses to gather butterfly weed and goldenrod, the air alive with the “buccaneers of buzz.” And, don’t forget to keep a hot potato in your pocket to keep your fingers warm.

This is Emily Dickinson as you’ve never seen her before, embarking on an unforgettable journey in her hometown of Amherst, Massachusetts, with her trusty four-legged companion, Carlo.

My Review

I am in love with this book! It really blew me away. I was expecting something cute that would give kids a connection with the poet through an imagined story of her childhood. And this book is that.

It’s also so much more. I love the color palette. Most of the illustrations outside are done in warm tones that evoke a sunny day or sunset. The illustrations inside have this soft plum-colored cast to them that feels appropriately dated. I found even the colors of the pictures engaging. It’s a graphic novel-style story, which at first might seem like an odd choice for a book about Emily Dickinson, but it really worked.

It’s a gentle story that follows Emily and her dog as they explore the fields and woods collecting flowers. A lot of the dialogue that Emily speaks comes directly from her writing, which emphasizes her creativity and the poetic way that she saw the world.

The back of the book includes some facts about Dickinson’s dog, her family life, and the ways in which she relates to others despite being known as a recluse. Those tidbits of information seem carefully chosen to inspire readers’ interest and further curiosity about Emily Dickinson’s life.

I can already tell this is going to be one of those books I can’t stop recommending. It’s one of those rare works in which the author started with an incredible concept and then executed it perfectly. I would love to see other books like this about young writers’ or poets’ lives.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
All characters are white. (The only people appearing in the book are Emily Dickinson and her family members.)

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday

I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday. Check out other blogs with posts about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle with Greg Pattridge.

Review: Dragon’s Flight by Jessica Day George

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Dragon Flight (Dragon Slippers #2)
Jessica Day George
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published April 29, 2008

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Dragon Flight

The second book in New York Times bestselling author Jessica Day George’s charming, light-hearted fantasy series.

With the Dragon Wars over, Creel finds herself bored with life as a seamstress. Then word comes that a bordering country has been breeding dragons in preparation for an invasion. Never one to miss out on the action, Creel throws herself headlong into an adventure that will reunite her with Shardas, the king of the dragons, pit her against a vicious new dragon, and perhaps rekindle a friendship with Prince Luka.

Funny, heartfelt, and action-packed, new readers and returning fans alike will dive headlong into this exhilarating follow-up to Dragon Slippers.

My Review

I recently reread Dragon Slippers (though it was like a fresh read, since I remembered almost nothing from my original reading), and discovered that Creel and Shardas’s adventures continue in this and another book. Since I have access to the audiobooks through my library, and I needed something lighter to read over the summer, I decided to finish the series.

A lot of the characters from the first book reappear here in the second one. (Including one goofy monkey seller.) We also get to know the dragon characters more, and see the progression of Creel and Luka’s relationship.

What’s really interesting to me is that the cover art and copy age Creel down quite a bit. In the story, she is running her own business and preparing for her business partner’s wedding. I can’t remember if the text specifies Creel’s age, but I’d guess she’s probably fifteen or sixteen.

The writing feels very middle grade, though, so I think the book is marketed appropriately, it’s just interesting that the book description and cover age the story itself down a bit. For example, Creel isn’t just friends with Prince Luka– there’s definitely some romance happening there, though it stays very sweet and a small component of the story.

Readers who enjoy dragon books will find a lot to love here. The dragons play a bigger role in this book than in the first one and appear in a majority of the scenes. This is a sweet, fun series for upper middle grade readers or middle grade readers interested in stories with a little romance.

Readers who enjoyed Goose Girl by Shannon Hale should check out this series.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
One prominent character speaks through sign language.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Creel’s best friend is engaged to be married.

Spiritual Content
Some characters are dragons. A few characters use alchemy, which operates like magic through potions or special objects.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some brief references to and scenes showing battle. Creel wants to punch more than one person in the face, but she wisely resists.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. All opinions are my own.