Tag Archives: Magic

Review: The Last Best Quest Ever by F. T. Lukens

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,
The Last Best Quest Ever by F. T. Lukens

The Last Best Quest Ever
F. T. Lukens
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published May 26, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Last Best Quest Ever

A fraudulent teen quester must team up with a brooding, royal rival on a perilous adventure to save her brother’s life in this cozy young adult romantasy full of mythical creatures by the New York Times bestselling author of Spell Bound and So This is Ever After.

Seventeen-year-old Ellinore has the best questing record of anyone in the kingdom’s history. She also has a secret: her fame is built entirely on lies. Tired of the charade, she shocks the kingdom by retiring at a royal feast. But her plans for a quiet life are disrupted when her twin brother Zig bets his life that Ellinore can retrieve the horn of the mythical Elder Beast. To save Zig, she reluctantly sets out on one last, perilous quest.

Accompanying her are Zig, determined to help despite his recklessness; Aven, her envious rival eager to prove their superiority; an ambitious bar maiden turned adventurer; and a young, magic-wielding bard. Together, they face an arduous journey fraught with mythical challenges and shifting alliances. As they search for the Elder Beast, Ellinore grapples with her growing feelings for Aven, her fear of losing Zig, and her identity as a reluctant hero.

With time running out, Ellinore must confront not only the legendary creature but also her own truths. Can she save her brother, embrace her potential, and finally decide her path?

My Review

This was my most-anticipated read for 2026, so I was delighted to get a free copy from the publisher. I’ve been a huge fan of the author’s books since I first read Spell Bound in 2023. I think all three of their books that I’ve read would be considered contemporary fantasy, so I was excited to try this more traditional fantasy story. Though the story doesn’t make any overt Dungeons and Dragons references, it very much felt like the kind of quest one might play.

I grew up reading Blue Moon Rising by Simon R. Green, and though this story is more on the cozy side of fantasy, some of the humor reminded me of that book. I love a fantasy that pokes fun at genre tropes, and Lukens does that beautifully, if more subtly here.

The romance between Ellinore and Aven develops believably. It takes some time for Ellinore to recognize the feelings she’s having about Aven, and then it takes time for the two to actually talk about or acknowledge their feelings, but things roll out in a satisfying way.

I wish that the whole confrontation to acquire the horn of the Elder Beast had a little more going on in it. I won’t say it was anti-climactic, but it definitely kept to the cozy fantasy landscape rather than building to a peak of tension. The confrontation between Ellinore’s party and the mages toward the end of the book is really funny, though. I appreciated the humor in that scene and the tension that built up in that moment quite a bit.

All in all, I would say this only further cements my love for Lukens’ books. I think I have copies of the two they’ve written that I haven’t read, so hopefully I’ll get to those soon.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
Mythical creatures and the use of magic. Some creatures are deities and created others. There’s a simple heirarchy in the story that’s very easy to follow.

Violent Content
Situations of peril and brief battle violence. It’s all pretty PG level.

Drug Content
References to visiting a tavern where people are presumably drinking alcohol, though none of the main characters do this.

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: Charmed and Dangerous by Shelly Page

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

Charmed and Dangerous
Shelly Page
Joy Revolution
Published March 24, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Charmed and Dangerous

A teen mystic will do anything to solve a series of love-related magical mishaps plaguing her high school, including fake dating her boss’s daughter, in this charming sapphic romance.

Magic lingers in the cozy town of Fair Glen, Illinois, and it’s up to the agents at the Bureau of Mystical Affairs to keep it in check. Monroe Bennett, a junior recruit at the Bureau, is ready to ace her first tracking down the source of a rogue love charm.

Protecting her charmed classmates, including the bureau director’s daughter Iris James, is top priority. But when Iris asks Monroe to fake date her to make her ex jealous, things get complicated. 

Monroe believes in duty, not romance. Yet the more time she spends with Iris, the harder it is to ignore the very real sparks flying between them. Can Monroe protect herself from love long enough to solve this case, or will her growing feelings get in the way?

My Review

This is the cutest book. I love how the premise involves these goofy charmed objects gone wrong and this serious government agency (Think Men in Black, but for magic gone awry) stopping them.

The romance has a hint of grumpy-sunshine vibes, which I find endearing. I like that each girl has something to learn through the course of the story, though. It’s not simply a tale about a girl who doesn’t like romance learning that love is pretty amazing. Iris also has to learn some things about the difference between romance and love.

The magical items going haywire add a lot of comedy to the scenes and keep things light. The romance develops at a good pace, which also made this a really fun read.

I liked that the story features an inclusive cast and adds complexity to the characters’ relationships with their parents without letting those relationships dominate the story. I loved Monroe and Iris as a couple, so it was easy to root for them from their first scene together.

If you like contemporary fantasy or romantic comedy, I highly recommend this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
Charmed objects use magic for convenience or havoc. Even the helpful charms can go awry as they degrade over time. When used inappropriately, charms can harm others.

Violent Content
Situations of peril.

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: Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell

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

Impossible Creatures (Impossible Creatures #1)
Katherine Rundell
Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published September 10, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Impossible Creatures

The day Christopher saved a drowning baby griffin from a hidden lake would change his life forever. It’s the day he learned about the Archipelago, a cluster of unmapped islands where magical creatures of every kind have thrived for thousands of years—until now. And it’s the day he met Mal, a girl on the run who desperately needs his help.

Mal and Christopher embark on a wild adventure, racing from island to island, searching for someone who can explain why the magic is fading and why magical creatures are suddenly dying. They consult sphinxes, battle kraken, and negotiate with dragons. But the closer they get to the dark truth of what’s happening, the clearer it becomes: no one else can fix this. If the Archipelago is to be saved, Mal and Christopher will have to do it themselves.

My Review

Every time I see this book, I pick it up, intent on dropping everything and reading it just then. I finally ended up borrowing a copy from the library and squeezing it into my reading schedule, and I’m so glad I did.

This book didn’t feel long at all. I loved the descriptions of magical creatures (be aware that an important one dies in the book), and the different roles they play in the story. I was fascinated by the opening, in which we meet Christopher, a boy who has a special gift with animals. Everywhere he goes, animals seem to crowd around him. I liked how that ties into his role in the story.

Christopher and Mal end up with a small crew of people helping them, and I liked each one of them. It was interesting that not all of the people helping them are doing so for benevolent reasons. In some ways that made the story feel more realistic.

There are some sad moments in the story that I’m still not okay about. Haha. They made sense in the larger context of the story, but I’m still upset that they happened.

The second book in the series came out in September 2025, but I’m not sure how long it’ll take me to get to it. I want to read it, but I’m not sure I’m ready to move on to a new story in that universe, if that makes sense.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Two instances of mild profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to romantic love.

Spiritual Content
Magical creatures exist in a fantastical land, but the magic is fading and the are creatures disappearing or dying. The back of the book contains an illustrated glossary of magical creatures.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. A man chases a child, intent on killing her. He kills someone else who gets in his way. Brief battle violence in a fight between people and dangerous magical creatures. Death of an animal. Death of a child.

Drug Content
A character must drink a dangerous potion that at first causes them to be sick and unable to walk.

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

Review: The Grace of Wild Things by Heather Fawcett

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , ,

The Grace of Wild Things
Heather Fawcett
Storytide
Published February 12, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Grace of Wild Things

An inventive and fantastical reimagining of Anne of Green Gables—with magic and witches!—that explores found family, loss, and the power of a girl’s imagination, from the acclaimed author of The Language of Ghosts and The School Between Winter and Fairyland. Perfect for readers who loved The Girl Who Drank the Moon and Serafina and the Black Cloak.

“A magical, witchy, and thoroughly successful homage to a classic.” —Kirkus Reviews(starred review)

Grace has never been good at anything except magic—not that anyone believes her.

While other children are adopted from the orphanage, nobody wants Grace. So she decides to make a home for herself by running away and offering herself as an apprentice to the witch in the nearby woods. After all, who better to teach Grace to use her magic? Surely the witch can’t be that bad.

But the witch is that bad—she steals souls for spells and gobbles up hearts. So Grace offers a deal: If she can learn all 100½ spells in the witch’s grimoire, the witch will make Grace her apprentice. But if Grace fails, the witch can take her magic. The witch agrees, and soon an unexpected bond develops between them.

But the spells are much harder than Grace expected, and when a monster from the witch’s past threatens the home Grace has built, she may have to sacrifice more than her magic to save it.

My Review

I didn’t read the back cover copy before I read this book. I remembered that a friend had read and loved it, so I’d had it on my reading list. The only thing I remembered about the book was that it was a reimagining of Anne of Green Gables. So, at first as I read, I assumed the witch-y things were Grace’s imagination. Ha! Then she woke up in the oven, and I was like, wait a minute.

At first, I wasn’t sure I liked the idea of a Marilla character as an evil witch. The story really won me over, though. I liked the way that her grumpiness and solitary nature gave way to fondness for Grace over time. And Patrick, the rain cloud! I thought that was a very clever way to introduce a character like Matthew from the original story.

The character I was immediately sure about was Grace. She was so thoroughly Anne, from her imaginative nature to her daydreaming and tendency to goof things up. I loved her friendship with Serena, too. That reminded me a lot of Anne and Diana.

Grace’s commitment to work through the spells in the grimoire gave the story more structure than I imagined. I loved those adventures and ways in which the spells worked out differently than Grace intended.

The Grace of Wild Things is the only book by Heather Fawcett that I’ve read so far, but I have already added others to my reading list. I’m excited to check out more of her books, and I wholeheartedly recommend this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Vague reference to an adult who became romantically involved with a man until she learned he was married.

Spiritual Content
Some characters are witches. One character is a faery.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Grace wakes in an oven of a witch who plans to cook and eat her. Other bones indicate that she’s done this before. A tree appears to try to devour a boy. Nightmares appear in a forest.

Drug Content
One spell makes a character act silly, and someone assumes the character is drunk.

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

Review: The Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , ,

The Poisoned King (Impossible Creatures #2)
Katherine Rundell
Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published September 11, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Poisoned King

Return to the magic of the Archipelago in the dazzling sequel to the runaway, #1 New York Times bestseller Impossible Creatures, hailed as “an instant classic” (Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal Winner for The One and Only Ivan)!

Christopher Forrester woke to find a dragon chewing on his face—and his heart leapt for joy! He’d been dreaming of going back to the Archipelago, the secret cluster of islands where all the creatures of myth still live, and here was his summons.

But there is a poison spreading in the Archipelago. Rooting it out will involve a daring rescue mission on the back of a sphinx, a stealthy entrance to a dragon’s lair, and a death-defying plan to save a prisoner held in the heart of a castle. At the center of this storm is Anya: a small girl with a flock of birds at her side, a new-hatched chick in her pocket, and a ravenous hunger for justice.

Katherine Rundell’s second thrilling installment in the Impossible Creatures series involves castles, dragons, and revenge—the things of which great stories are made. The splendors within are brought to life with more than fifty illustrations, including a map and a bestiary of magical creatures.

My Review

The cameos from some of the minor characters from Impossible Creatures were one of my favorite parts of this book. I really enjoyed getting to see what happened to Irian and Nighthand, but I loved that the tiny dragon, Jacques, was back in this story, too.

I have to say that after the painful losses in the first book, I was braced for tragedy in this one. While I don’t want to spoil anything, I will say that this book wasn’t as devastating as the last one.

The hardcover edition has beautiful artwork throughout. The endpapers have a map of the Glimoria Archipelago surrounded by some of the different mythical creatures. Like the first book, this one has an illustrated glossary of creatures in the back.

The story moved forward at a smooth pace, keeping me engaged all the way through. I am really enjoying the series and definitely want to read the next book when it comes out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
The narrator sees two adults kiss (from a distance).

Spiritual Content
Magical creatures exist in the story.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Someone poisons several others as part of a power grab. Some magical creatures intend to kill or eat the main characters. One character vows to get revenge on the person who framed her father for murder. The characters hear that someone falsely accused of murder is sentenced to be executed.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: Sparking Fire Out of Fate by Brigid Kemmerer

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

Sparking Fire Out of Fate (Forging Silver into Stars #3)
Brigid Kemmerer
Bloomsbury YA
Published January 27, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Sparking Fire Out of Fate

Broken loyalties. Uncertain fates. Two kingdoms hanging in the balance. . . The exhilarating finale in bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer’s Forging Silver series will leave readers breathless!

Callyn has grown closer to Queen Lia Mara in Syhl Shallow, bonded by the secret magic they share. But their magic can stay hidden only so long, especially when a dangerous plot on the Queen’s life forces Callyn to work with the man who betrayed her.

In Emberfall, Tycho and Jax are struggling to rebuild their connection after months apart, complicated when they learn of Truthbringers causing trouble at the borders. Sent to investigate together, Jax and Tycho soon discover that the rebellious faction has formed a devil’s bargain with the magical scravers to destroy human magic once and for all.

When their missions bring them together, Tycho, Jax, and Callyn find themselves facing threats from all sides. With one last chance to save their magic and their kingdoms, they must work together, or lose everything.

War has erupted. Love is tested. And without sacrifice, magic could destroy everyone.

My Review

It’s so weird to finally reach the end of this series, which is itself a spinoff of the Cursebreaker series, which started in 2019. (I think the first book in that series is still my favorite of them all, but I’ve enjoyed all the books. It’s hard to beat watching Harper and Rhen fall in love.)

By this point, so many books into this fantasy universe, I felt like I knew Kemmerer’s writing and the rules of the world, so I felt pretty confident that I knew what to expect from the book. And for a story like this, I feel like that’s a pretty great place to start reading. The series had made certain promises, and this book delivered on them all.

I liked the way that all the threads of the story (both stories, really) came together in the end of this one. I liked seeing the evolution of Tycho and Jax’s relationship as well as Callyn and Alec’s. There was a time when I did not think I could give Alec a chance, so it was cool to see how the story softened my feelings toward him and made me start rooting for him and Callyn to truly open up to one another.

I’m glad I stuck this series through to the end. It’s been a fun one to read, and really cool to follow especially the characters who appeared in Cursebreakers across both series to the end.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used somewhat infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. A couple of scenes include explicit sexual contact.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic. In certain circumstances, magic can be used to control others, which causes a lot of fear. Scravers are humanlike with wings, sharp claws, and long fangs. They have their own magic.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Battle scenes in which people sustain serious or fatal injuries. A group of soldiers discovers a courier who was murdered. A mob clearly intends to kill mages.

There are a couple of vague references to sexual assault that happened to one character long before the story began.

Drug Content
Characters drink alcohol. References to one character drinking way too much and sort of absenting herself from her life and responsibilities for a time.

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