Tag Archives: Magic

Review: The Spell for Unraveling by Rochelle Hassan

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The Spell for Unraveling by Rochelle Hassan

The Spell for Unraveling (The Buried and the Bound #3)
Rochelle Hassan
Roaring Brook Press
Published April 28, 2026

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About The Spell for Unraveling

Author Rochelle Hassan delivers a pulse-pounding conclusion to her dangerous and alluring trilogy, The Buried and the Bound, inviting readers into the realm of witches that churns beneath the surface of the mundane—just as it threatens to boil over. . .


After the chaos of the summer solstice, elder hedgewitch Anne Sterling steps in to take Coven Blackthorn under her wing—and to enlist their help. There’s damage control to be done as threats of a fairy war loom and the upheaval in Elphame spills into the human realm. Leo, in particular, is uniquely positioned to influence the course of events.

But Aziza’s top priority is to rescue her oldest friend and former librarian, Meryl, a selkie whose mysterious captor may have closer ties to Blackthorn—and Aziza herself—than she ever realized. To find him, Aziza will venture into the secretive community of witches hidden beneath the surface of mundane society and confront her deadliest foe yet.

Meanwhile, Tristan delves deep into the study of necromancy, certain it will be their best defense against the danger closing in on all sides. But mastery of the infernal arts is not without its own risks. And there are some things you can’t come back from.

My Review

I have been a huge fan of Rochelle Hassan’s books since I read her really imaginative middle grade debut fantasy, The Prince of Nowhere. This young adult series has been a lot of fun to read. The magical world is intricately built and contains so many facets. There are Fae courts. Selkies. Witches. Hags. All kinds of magical creatures with their own alliances and values.

The point of view alternates between the three main characters, Tristan, Aziza, and Leo. Each of them has a different connection to the magical world and different reasons to protect it. Across all three novels, we get to know each of them pretty deeply. Leo is a hopeless romantic searching for the true love he is cursed to forget. Tristan’s connection to magic also came through a curse when he was bound to a vicious hag. Aziza is the daughter of powerful witches, and she travels the borders between magical lands and the regular world, fostering peace between the creatures who live there and pursuing her own magical ability.

The Spell for Unraveling is the third book in the series, and one of the books I most looked forward to this year. Once I got the book, though, I almost dreaded reading it. This always happens to me with a series conclusion. I desperately want to know what happens, but I don’t want the story to be over.

Once I actually started reading, all the things I love about the series came rushing back. The relationships between Tristan, Aziza, and Leo are lots of fun. I love the way Aziza teases Leo, and how Leo protects Tristan. The three of them together make a pretty well-balanced team.

As the last book in the series, this one brings a potential romance to conclusion and hints at a new romance beginning as well. Though there’s a lot of pining and romantic tension across the series, this is largely a closed-door romance. Characters may fall into bed together, and the story picks up when they wake the next morning.

This isn’t the kind of series you could pick up from the third book. If you like the sound of the characters and story world, definitely start with book one, The Buried and the Bound.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. Characters in a relationship sleep in the same bed.

Spiritual Content
Some characters can do magic. Fae and other mythological creatures exist within the story.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Scenes depict battles with injuries and fatalities.

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: Tides of Fortune by Lauryn Hamilton Murray

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

Tides of Fortune (Storm Weaver #2)
Lauryn Hamilton Murray
Roaring Brook Press
Published July 21, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Tides of Fortune

“Bears all the hallmarks of addictive YA fantasy. . . This is going to be huge.” —Laura Steven, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Our Infinite Fates, on Heir of Storms

Return to the spellbinding world of Heir of Storms in the explosive second installment of the Storm Weaver trilogy, perfect for fans of Red Queen, Throne of Glass, and The Rose Bargain.

Having survived three treacherous trials to win her crown, Blaze is now Queen of the Aquatori. But before she can take the throne, she must set out to find the Eye of the Soul, one of the realm’s most powerful weapons, before another claims its power for themself.

Her journey will take her deep into the forests of Ostacre and into a temporary alliance with the infuriating but undeniably compelling Fox. She can’t help but feel drawn to him. . . but can she trust him? Fortune favors the brave, but will it protect the Storm Weaver on her most dangerous mission yet?

Narrated by not just Blaze, but her brother, Flint, and the newly-discovered Shadow Magi, Elva, the epic journey that began in Heir of Storms continues in the sweeping adventure of Tides of Fortune.

My Review

I think this series is just not for me. I can see how a lot of elements are on trend and will appeal to other readers. It’s definitely got a strong romantasy vibe, and the fact that this follows three different characters, offering readers three different romances, means there’s very likely something for everyone.

It also has some elements that I’m discovering are personal pet peeves. I really struggle with books where part of the romance hinges on her reverence for him because he knows her better than she knows herself. Here, one way this plays out is that she wants to follow her quest to a certain endpoint. He has inside knowledge that this is a bad idea. Rather than confronting her with his inside knowledge, he drugs her and simply takes her where he wants to go. His explanation is that it would have been too hard to convince her to drop her plan in favor of his. While she’s frustrated with his tendency to keep secret knowledge to himself over and over, she never really confronts the way that he doesn’t treat her like a partner in their quest but rather someone he can overpower when he wants to.

Another of the couples in the story is a prince and someone his kingdom has enslaved. He privately offered this woman her freedom, and she has “chosen” to stay and operate as a servant. The whole private freedom thing seemed odd to me. Like, if she did try to leave, how would she be protected? Wouldn’t anyone else see her as an escaped servant? I get that the offer of freedom was supposed to make the romance something other than a master and enslaved person romance; I just had a hard time seeing that it materially changed anything for the enslaved character.

There’s room in literature for all kinds of romantic relationships, but I think I’ve just reached a point where I can’t enjoy or root for a romance in which the characters don’t at least confront these kinds of toxic behavior patterns rather than romanticizing them.

All that said, the plotlines surrounding the magic and the brewing war between the prince and his uncle continue building here. We learn more about Blaze’s past and why she is such a pivotal character in the upcoming war. I can see how the story would appeal to readers interested in stories with big, sweeping fantasy elements and political intrigue. For me, I think some of the story’s other elements will deter me from continuing the series.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. References to sex.

Spiritual Content
Some characters can perform magic.

Violent Content
Some characters have been enslaved by a colonialist culture. References to torture. Someone drugs a woman because she doesn’t want to go where he wants to take her. Situations of peril. Brief battle scenes. Some instances of trauma responses related to past battle experiences.

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.

MMGM Review: The Shark Prince by Malia Maunakea

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The Shark Prince
Malia Maunakea
Penguin Workshop
Published May 5, 2026

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About The Shark Prince

From the award-winning author of the Lei and the Legends duology comes a sharp new fantasy about a Hawaiian boy who can transform into what people fear most: a shark.

Why go to school if you’re destined to die?

In a small Hawaiian village, Nohea is the latest son in a long line of male ancestors with a horrible secret: he’s half-human, half-shark. After his father—also cursed as a shark—kills someone who is surfing and subsequently disappears, Nohea is left isolated with only his mom as company. He knows he’ll suffer the same fate one day, so he can’t go to school or make any friends.

Worse yet, when he eventually succumbs to his shark-like cravings, he’ll be put to death and his family will be kicked out of their home on the Hawaiian homelands. But when Nohea sees a flyer for a surf competition three valleys over, he realizes the prize money might be enough to move his family to a new home when he’s gone. The catch? The competition is for school teams only.

So taking the biggest risk yet, Nohea joins the local public seventh-grade class, where he makes new friends, contends with a school bully, and gets so angry, he discovers a new row of supersharp teeth in his mouth! But this is only the beginning of Nohea’s problems.

Because soon, Nohea realizes that, one by one, his surfing friends are disappearing. Is Nohea killing his classmates without knowing it? Or is something even more dangerous afoot?

My Review

As a kid raised in the era that heavily emphasized sharks as beautiful, intelligent creatures rather than violent man-eating monsters, this book started out a little rough for me. Nohea lives in fear of the inevitable moment that he’ll become a monster, turn into a shark, and most likely kill people. He spends the first portion of this book with that mindset about his ability.

Eventually, he meets others who invite him to challenge that perception and think of his heritage as a gift rather than a curse. I love the way that this unfolds and the emergence of the character who turns out to be his mentor. I also love that Nohea meets others who aren’t afraid or judgmental about who he is.

Another great element of the book is the surfing. I’m not a surfer, so I can’t weigh in on any of the technical descriptions (though it sounds like the author researched this well). The surfing descriptions were dynamic and easy to follow. I loved the scenes showing both Nohea surfing to relax and his competition experiences. It was nice to see a fantasy novel feature sports, too.

This novel bridges contemporary and fantasy fiction, but it also bridges middle grade and young adult age groups. Nohea is thirteen in the story, and the content of the book is appropriate for middle grade readers. The themes and tension and the length of the book will make it appealing to readers at the older end of the age group and even some readers who’ve aged into young adult reading.

All in all, this book has a lot of great elements to offer readers, from its fantasy components inspired by Hawaiian mythology to its surfing scenes.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Nohea is a descendant of the Shark King, a god. He has been told that if he eats meat or becomes too angry about something, he will “shark out”… turn into a shark and eat whoever is in his way.

Violent Content
References to someone turning into a shark and killing someone. (Not shown on scene.)

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.

Review: The Dragon’s Apprentice by James Riley

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , ,

The Dragon’s Apprentice (The Dragon’s Apprentice #1)
James Riley
Labyrinth Road
Published April 1, 2025

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About The Dragon’s Apprentice

In this hilarious fantasy adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of the Story Thieves series, a girl strikes a deal with the ancient, cranky dragon she accidentally summoned to teach her the forbidden magic she needs to save her mother.

STOP. Don’t read any further. There are magic spells in this book, and the Emperor has forbidden anyone from learning magic, because it’s way too dangerous! If you try one of the spells, any number of terrible things might happen (or so the Emperor says). 

Don’t be like Ciara, a twelve-year-old girl living in the tiny village of Skael. When she used a spell from within this book, she ended up summoning a dragon. A DRAGON! Those things breathe fire! From their mouths! She’s obviously doomed. 

And don’t listen if Ciara tells you that dragons won’t hurt humans, and that they even once taught us magic, a thousand years ago. Definitely don’t pay any attention to the fact that the dragon she summoned, Scorch, might be willing to help rescue Ciara’s mother and free her village from the Emperor and his Warden, because it’s all obviously a big lie. So put this book down, and forget about it. Magic is just way too dangerous. After all, you wouldn’t want to summon your own dragon, would you?

My Review

My daughter picked this book when we were shopping at a book sale recently. We weren’t familiar with the author, but I think the cover art and the characters’ expressions in that illustration drew her in.

The story begins with an excerpt from Bianca’s diary and then connects readers to Ciara, the main character, who is interrupted while reading it. Both Bianca and Ciara are upbeat narrators with a little bit of spunk to them.

Ciara’s mom is sick with a potentially fatal illness caused by her mining work. Ciara and her mom hope to sell their farm in order to buy the medicine that will cure her. The warden, who holds the town in his iron grip, refuses medicine to the villagers without a hefty fee. His soldiers trash crops and property looking for Bianca’s journal. They have the classic thoughtless bad-guy vibe, basically doing everything to make the villagers’ lives miserable.

When Ciara discovers that she can use magic, she thinks of all the possibilities of how the magic could be used to drive the warden out of her village. What she doesn’t realize at first is that magic can’t be used to directly harm humans, and using magic comes with a price.

The relationship between Ciara and the dragon, Scorch, really drives this story forward. There’s a playful energy to it that keeps the overall narrative upbeat, despite the warden’s cruelty.

I read this book aloud to my eight-year-old, and she really enjoyed it. We’re hoping to continue the series with the next book soon.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Some characters can do magic. Dragons exist in the story. References to mysterious, malevolent creatures called revenants.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. References to abusive working conditions and torture. Soldiers intend to execute someone they’re told is an enemy.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: The Game of Oaths by S.C. Bandreddi

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The Game of Oaths
S.C. Bandreddi
Candlewick Press
Published June 2, 2026

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About The Game of Oaths

In this heart-pounding, richly imagined fantasy set in the Belle Époque, a trapeze artist fights to win a deadly tournament amid the glamour and illusions of a magical circus. But survival isn’t her only goal—she wants revenge.

It’s 1896. Beneath a hotel in the heart of Paris is the famed le Cirque des Ombres, led by ringmaster and Enchanteur Jean-Pierre. But behind the dazzling spectacles, the circus performers are bound by magical contracts, also making them potential players in the annual Game of Oaths, an underground bloodthirsty tournament watched by the wealthy elite. Twelve will compete. Eleven will die.

Seventeen-year-old trapeze artist Falan Sunkara is out for revenge. After her sister ended up as one of the unlucky eleven last year, Falan wants nothing more than to make Jean-Pierre pay for her death. When she’s chosen to compete in this year’s tournament, Falan is not above playing dirty and forging unlikely alliances. But to be the last one standing, she has to determine whom to trust and whose motives to question. Vengeance on top of survival is a dangerous gamble—and in games like this, the house always wins.

My Review

While a competition in the midst of a magical circus isn’t entirely new, this book explores how a magic system could exploit magic users and how that might fit into a colonizer society. Falan is from India, and another character is from Algeria. All are living in France in an alternate 1896. The heist components paired with the Paris setting made me think of The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi. There are some strong similarities in the feel of the book, though it’s a completely different story.

The point of view rotates between several characters, including Falan. Some characters’ perspectives, like that of another young player, Ary, appear only a few times, while others, like Bellamy’s, appear more often. Falan’s point of view appears most often.

The back cover copy doesn’t lie: Falan’s main goal is vengeance for her sister’s death, and she’s willing to do just about anything to deal out justice on her terms. She’s a ruthless competitor, though she’s far from the only one. There are some pretty gruesome moments, both in the arena and outside it.

The story includes some light romance, mainly in the vein of attraction and pining. I found that refreshing, honestly. It felt a lot more realistic to me that someone like Falan would recognize feeling attracted to someone else but push her feelings aside until she’s achieved her primary goal. That feels very true to her character.

If you like the magical circus competition as a story framework, you will definitely want to check out this book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some pining and obvious attraction between characters.

Spiritual Content
Some characters can perform magic and have magical affinities.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. The Game of Oaths involves players fighting in a magical arena and facing deadly obstacles, including armed players. Players fight to the death. Some scenes show players injuring or killing one another. Another character is tortured and threatened with torture and execution.

Drug Content
Falan drinks a potion that puts her to sleep before and after every round in the arena.

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: The Lure of Wolves and Whispers by Amanda Connolly

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

The Lure of Wolves and Whispers
Amanda Connolly
Sarah Barley Books
Published July 7, 2026

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About The Lure of Wolves and Whispers

A darkly addictive romantasy debut about a girl who sacrifices everything to buy the dangerous magic that could save her sister—the first in a trilogy perfect for fans of Powerless and Throne of Glass.

On the mist-shrouded Isle of Eireann, buying magic comes with a price.

But when her beloved older sister is gravely injured, Maeve risks everything to buy the forbidden magic that might save her. In exchange, Maeve trades her life to a ruthless and dangerously alluring rebel leader. Bound to do his bidding, Maeve finds herself thrown into a deadly competition to become the next queen and stand beside a prince rumored to be more brutal than his tyrannical father.

With the isle on the brink of war, trust and survival come at a terrible cost—one that will tear Maeve’s world, and her heart, in two.

What would you sacrifice to survive?

My Review

There are a lot of elements about this book that appeal to me. The wrestling with how to take down an unjust government, and how to figure out whom to trust. Maeve struggles against the idea that she’s simply a pawn in the hands of the rebellion. What agency does she have? How can she serve her own ends while protecting herself and her sister?

The romance between a rebel leader and Maeve, an unwilling spy, reminds me of the kinds of romances we’ve seen in Divergent by Veronica Roth or Heir of Storms by Lauryn Hamilton Murray.

Several scenes contain extended gratuitous violence. Guards maim and murder simply because they can. Prisoners and accused magic users are tortured and executed. I’m probably toward the more sensitive side of the scale as a reader, so the long descriptions and repeated reminders of the cruelty of those in power were a lot for me to take.

As I read, I found myself asking, is this book marketed as young adult fiction because of genre trends and not because it’s actually young adult fiction? The magical contest and scrappy rebel romance remind me of The Red Queen or Throne of Glass, so I can see why this book could do well on the YA shelf.

Besides those themes, though, the story seemed very adult to me. Maeve didn’t read as much like a teenager as she did like a repressed young woman escaping an oppressive home life. I could see this appealing to fans of Fourth Wing with the emphasis on political maneuvering and the hate-to-love romance.

I certainly think there are teens who would read this book and enjoy it. It just hits a particular nerve for me to continue seeing books that seem like adult fiction pushed onto young adult fiction shelves. (This happens more often when the books are written by women.)

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 18 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used fairly frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. An extended scene shows explicit sex.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic. It’s woven into the lore and religious practice, though magic has been outlawed now.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Gratuitous violence and torture. Battle scenes show graphic injuries and fatalities.

Drug Content
One contest involves drinking poison.

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.