Tag Archives: Magic

Review: Hearts of Fire and Snow by David Bowles and Guadalupe García McCall

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,
Hearts of Fire and Snow by David Bowles and Guadalupe García McCall

Hearts of Fire and Snow
David Bowles and Guadalupe García McCall
Bloomsbury
Published June 11, 2024

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About Hearts of Fire and Snow

Award-winning authors David Bowles and Guadalupe García McCall reimagine a beloved Aztec tale of star-crossed lovers with one last chance to reunite.

Blanca Montes wants to make a difference in the world, to do more than her wealthy godfather and spoiled boyfriend think her capable of. So when Greg Chan shows up as a new student at her Nevada school, she is more than intrigued by this handsome, brilliant stranger.

But Greg and Blanca are drawn to each other by something stronger–their fates entwined centuries ago. In his first life, Greg was Captain Popoca, and Blanca is the reincarnation of Princess Iztac, who took her own life after believing her beloved Popoca was sent to his death in battle. Greg has spent a thousand years searching for his lost love, and now the fates have given them one more chance to reunite. Will their hearts finally beat as one?

This swoony contemporary fantasy is perfect for fans of These Violent Delights and This Poison Heart.

My Review

Hearts of Fire and Snow definitely captures the feel of star-crossed lovers fighting against time or fate to remember their true selves so they can finally be together. I liked both Greg and Blanca’s characters. Blanca is fierce and independent. She has big dreams, and she is willing to do the work to make them happen. Greg has a big heart and uses his resources to help the people he cares about.

The only confusing thing about the book is why it’s marketed as YA. I don’t know if it’s that the young adult fantasy market/influencers are elevating diverse books more effectively than adult fantasy. (I know almost nothing about the adult fantasy market or influencers, so I have no idea how close or far from the truth that might be.)

Though the characters begin the story as high school students, they’re also reincarnated for several generations. They don’t really behave as high school students– they’re functionally adults making their own choices and running their own lives. I wish it had either been written more as a young adult story or marketed as an adult fantasy.

I really enjoyed the connection to an Aztec tale and references to Mexican history throughout the different lives Greg and Blanca experienced along the way to the present story. This book makes me want to read more and makes me realize that it’s a rich topic.

All in all, I enjoyed the book. Readers who love a star-crossed romance with rich historical context will want to read this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Greg and Blanca are indigenous and Mexican American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Inspired by an Aztec tale. Some characters are the deities the Gods of Chaos and the Goddesses of Fate. A few characters have special abilities. Greg has a connection with volcanoes, and they respond to his anger, heating up and eventually erupting if he loses control. Other characters have the abilities to freeze things. The Goddesses of Fate devour sins, making someone blameless again. Some characters are reincarnated from previous lives.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. References to suicide and some suicidal ideation. Someone finds the body of a murder victim. Battles between people.

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: Sleep Like Death by Kalynn Bayron

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Sleep Like Death
Kalynn Bayron
Bloomsbury YA
Published June 25, 2024

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About Sleep Like Death

New York Times bestselling author and TikTok sensation Kalynn Bayron returns to fairytales with a lush, thrilling and original YA Snow White retelling that brings a new and exciting voice to this familiar tale. Perfect for fans of Cinderella Is Dead.

Only the truly desperate—and foolish—seek out the Knight, an ancient monster who twists wishes into curses. Eve knows this firsthand: one of her mothers was cursed by the Knight and trapped in the body of a songbird. With the unique abilities to communicate with animals and conjure weapons from nature, Eve has trained all her life to defeat him.

With more and more villagers harmed by the Knight’s corrupt deals, Eve believes she’s finally ready to face him. But when Queen Regina begins acting strangely – talking to seemingly no one, isolating herself, and lashing out at the slightest provocation – Eve must question if her powers are enough to save her family and her kingdom.

My Review

Wow. I wasn’t sure in the first couple chapters of this book how closely it would resemble the fairytale about Snow White, but as the story continued to unfold, so many things fell into place in familiar yet really imaginative, fresh ways.

I was just talking with a group of bloggers about how many stories, especially fairytales, include an evil mom or stepmom, and I want to rush back to the group waving this book. In Sleep Like Death, instead of the usual bad mom, we celebrate motherhood and a community of women who mentor and care for Princess Eve. I love that there are several women Eve feels close to, and each one contributes different things to her life. Her relationship with her mom is especially sweet.

There’s a hint of romance in the story as well, and I liked the way that played out. It’s present but not forefront to the tale. This book is Eve’s adventure from start to finish, and she takes an active role at every step of the way. I love that.

I think Kalynn Bayron has become one of my favorite writers to watch because she constantly amazes me. Reimagined fairytales with fierce women at the center? Yep, she can do that. Quirky, fabulous middle grade? Uh-huh. She’s got that, too. Wild slasher novel that somehow also makes fun of itself? You bet. A reimagined classic set in 1885 London? Check!

She’s amazing, y’all. Truly.

Anyway, this might be my favorite version of Snow White that I’ve ever read. I think it’s a hard story to tell, and this version does it absolutely beautifully. If you like fairytales, definitely don’t miss this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
The main character is Black.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One instance of mild profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Eve has two moms. A woman confesses to Eve that she is in love with another woman.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic. Eve can create magic from nature. For example, she pulls the night sky down and wraps a piece around her like a cloak. A mysterious Knight grants wishes for a price.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Eve and another character hunt and kill a deer. Eve and her allies battle against foes.

Drug Content
References to someone drinking too much while grieving over the loss of a child.

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: Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George

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

Dragon Slippers (Dragon Slippers #1)
Jessica Day George
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published February 1, 2011 (Orig. 2007)

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About Dragon Slippers

Creel, the heroine of Dragon Slippers is hardly a damsel-in-distress. After her aunt totes her out to the local dragon in desperation (with the hope that the local prince will rescue her from certain death and marry her), Creel refuses the haughty prince and finds friendship with the dragons, who set her on a journey to the center of the kingdom with a pretty pair of what only seem to be ordinary slippers.

Along the way we discover Creel’s enormous talent at embroidery, and you can’t help but linger over the rich descriptions of her lovely tapestry-like gowns, which quickly make her the most sought-after dressmaker in the kingdom. But soon enough those mysterious slippers begin to wreak havoc, and it’s up to Creel to save the kingdom from disaster and defend the dragons from certain doom.

Creel’s feisty spirit breathes fiery new life into this epic world at every turn, making this one of the most memorable and fun fantasy debuts to hit shelves since Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart.

My Review

I know I read this book before, but I have absolutely no memory of my previous reading. I remember that I liked it so much that I gave it to two people, but reading Dragon Slippers again was like reading it for the first time. This time, I still loved it. I have some thoughts about a couple of elements that I think we took for granted or weren’t having conversations about in the mid-2000s when the book was published.

Disability and Discrimination

One of the minor characters, Larkin, walks with a limp. We never learn what causes it, but she faces discrimination for her disability. Her employer restricts her to the back room of the dress shop, refusing to allow customers to see her, as though her limp is shameful. This character makes some choices later in the book that are viewed as bad, and they do promote harm to the main characters in the story.

What I couldn’t help thinking about, and what never comes up in the course of the story is how the discrimination Larkin faced set her up to make those choices. For the first time, someone treated her as valuable and worthy. Sure, it was part of a manipulative scheme. But the narrative treats her like she’s a morally bankrupt character because she made the choice to follow someone in power who treated her well rather than addressing the societal problems that might have led her to feel those choices were her only opportunity for a better life.

Again, this was published almost twenty years ago, so we weren’t having some of the conversations about discrimination in children’s literature or having them so broadly then as we are now. I want to acknowledge that content in light of the conversations we are having and point out that even though we were perhaps less aware culturally, the discrimination was no less harmful and wrong.

A Girl and Her Dragon

One of the things I still love about the book is the relationship between Creel and the dragons, especially Shardas. I love that the dragons each collect different things. One collects shoes. Another continually adopts dogs. Shardas, Creel’s closest dragon friend, collects stained glass windows.

The connection between Shardas’s windows and Creel’s success in embroidery was also really cool. She models her first sample pieces after some of the windows in Shardas’s hoard, and those become a sensation in the town where she settles.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
One minor character speaks through sign language. Another has a disability that makes it hard for her to walk.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used once. The book uses some language that’s outdated and now considered derogatory to describe characters with disabilities.

Romance/Sexual Content
Reference to a kiss between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Creel’s people worship a trio of deities called the Triunity. It’s made up of two brother gods and a sister goddess. Creel prays to them in times of need. Other characters make reference to the Triunuty or individual gods/goddess.

Some characters are dragons, who have a kind of magic. They speak to one another through pools in their caves. They share a mysterious, powerful connection to a pair of slippers.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Creel witnesses a battle between two armed forces. She finds a dragon injured by spears and other weapons. Two dragons dive into a poisonous sea, one carrying a person.

Drug Content
References to people drinking ale to escape troubles and to celebrate an engagement.

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: Darkness and Demon Song by M. R. Fournet

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Darkness and Demon Song (Marius Grey #2)
M. R. Fournet
Feiwel & Friends
Published June 18, 2024

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About Darkness and Demon Song

A cemetery-boy-turned-monster-hunter must race against time to save his recently-resurrected mother in Darkness and Demon Song, M.R. Fournet’s eerie middle grade follow up to Brick Dust and Bones.

Marius Grey’s mom is back from the dead. After hunting monsters and performing forbidden spells, Marius is just happy she’s there, helping him to take care of their Louisiana cemetery again.

But it soon becomes clear that something has gone wrong. Marius’s mother is growing more distant and strange things start happening around her. Worse yet, sometimes it feels like she’s a completely different person–one who definitely isn’t his mom.

If Marius wants to save her, he’s going to need help. Serious help. Good thing he has a flesh-eating mermaid for a best friend and a classmate with extra strong magic. Add in mysterious clues for new hunts, graveyard hopping from Louisiana to Texas, and a tough ex-hunter he doesn’t know if he can trust, and it’s clear that Marius has his work cut out for him.

My Review

The first book in this series took me completely by surprise last year. I received a copy from the publisher and really didn’t know anything about the book itself before opening it up. I’m not a big horror reader, so that also gave me pause. I couldn’t figure out how horror would work in middle grade.

Once I started reading the book, though, I totally got how it could work. It’s definitely not something I would have been able to read in elementary school myself. I have always been something of a sensitive reader. But now, reading the book, I felt like I couldn’t put it down.

Marius is such a compelling character. He’s doing everything he can do to make the world a safer place and take care of the people counting on him, from his mom to the ghosts in the cemetery in their care.

In the first book, Marius does a lot on his own or with only the help of his best friend, Rhiannon, the flesh-eating mermaid. In this second installment in the series, a community develops around Marius. Partly, this happens because his mom is back, and people try to reconnect with her as well. Partly, it happens because things go sideways, and Marius needs help.

The book focuses on some really cool relationships. Of course, we learn more about the friendship between Marius and Rhiannon. But Marius also makes a new friend his age who harbors her own secrets. He also learns to take risks by trusting a few adults in his life who have helped him in the past.

All in all, I enjoyed this second adventure into the dark, scary world of New Orleans, complete with fishing in the swamp, a Texas entrance to Hell, and an exploration of what truly makes someone a monster. I’ll be eager to see what M.R. Fournet writes next.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Marius is described as being basically shades of gray rather than a member of a specific race. Minor characters are POC.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
A magic book captures monsters through a recited spell. Marius visits various magical shops and encounters other magical creatures and people who possess magic, like witches. His family is responsible for the care of the ghosts in the graveyard where he lives. Some humans open themselves up to possession by a demon through bargains gone wrong or other circumstances.

Violent Content
Situations of peril and scary imagery, such as monsters trying to attack a child. One character relives another’s memories in Hell. Characters fight demons and other monsters.

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: The Spindle of Fate by Aimee Lim

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

The Spindle of Fate
Aimee Lim
Feiwel & Friends
Published June 4, 2024

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About The Spindle of Fate

When Evie Mei discovers that her recently passed mother was the head of a guild of magical weavers, she enters the Chinese netherworld to try and bring her back in this middle-grade debut.

Twelve-year-old Evie Mei Huang never did like helping in her mom’s tailor shop. She hated helping to mend fraying clothes, how the measuring tape got all twisted up, and how pushy her mother’s clients were. Most of all, she hates that her mother is dead and isn’t here to help anymore.

But when the universe sends a life preserver, Evie knows to grab it. So yes, it’s weird when a talking monkey shows up and tells her that her plainspoken, hardworking tailor mother was actually the head of a Guild of magical weavers who can change the fate of a person with only a spool of thread. Very weird. But he also comes bearing news that her mother is trapped in Diyu, the Chinese underworld, and that only Evie can get her back. No pressure.

The important thing is that Evie’s mom isn’t dead. And if she’s got this one shot to bring her back and save her family, she’s got to take it.

Inspired by Chinese mythology, Aimee Lim’s debut middle grade peers into the dark and gritty underworld, while showcasing the unbreakable bond between a family and the lengths we’ll go to save them.

My Review

I’ve read a couple of other middle grade books in which someone must journey into the underworld to save a family member or the world, but what makes this story fresh and different is the complex relationship between Evie and her mom. While Evie’s mom was alive, she complained about her, wasn’t interested in her mom’s work, and felt that her mom didn’t understand her at all.

As Evie learns about her mom’s secret life as the leader of a magical Guild, she starts to rethink things she took for granted. Perhaps there was a lot more to her mom than she knew. And if she has a chance to save her, Evie realizes she desperately wants to take it.

I also like the boy who comes with her on her quest. He’s a bit goofy, but the story doesn’t lean too far into that goofiness. He has knowledge and abilities that help Evie, but he provides some comedic relief, too.

Another great element of this book is that her mom’s magic is through sewing. She can sew messages that appear on special fabric in someone else’s possession. She can use thread in magical ways. I loved how this was used in the resolution of the story.

Readers who enjoyed Dragon Warrior by Katie Zhao or Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit by Jesse Q. Sutanto will enjoy another chance to delve into Chinese mythology and celebrate family connections.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Most characters are Chinese.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
A man embraces a woman.

Spiritual Content
Evie meets a monkey who is also a powerful spiritual being or demon. She and another person make the journey to Diyu, the Chinese underworld. There they meet several supernatural “staff” members who run Diyu.

Violent Content
Situations of peril and brief battle sequences. Evie and her companion witness people being tortured on the various courts of Diyu. For example, they encounter people who appear to be starving, whose bowls are filled with uncooked rice they can’t eat. They don’t witness any graphic torture.

References to murder.

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: Greenwild: The City Beyond the Sea by Pari Thomson

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Greenwild: The City Beyond the Sea (Greenwild #2)
Pari Thomson
MacMillan Children’s Books
Published June 4, 2024

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About Greenwild: The City Beyond the Sea

Daisy Thistledown’s epic adventure continues in the spellbinding sequel to New York Times bestseller The World Behind the Door by Pari Thomson.

In a land ruled by water, treachery runs deep . . . Daisy Thistledown and the Five O’Clock Club might have defeated a terrifying foe, but their journey to find the missing Botanists is only just beginning.

Desperate to join the long-awaited expedition to the heart of the Amazon, Daisy and her friends abandon the safety of magical Mallowmarsh –only to fall face-first into danger on the high seas when they find themselves pursued across the waves by Grim Reapers. Their only to find the legendary Iffenwild, a mysterious pocket of the Greenwild hidden and lost to time.

But beneath the waves, a strange botanical magic stirs. And it will take all of Daisy’s courage and determination – and the trust of an unexpected new friend – if she is to discover the truth that haunts Iffenwild, and save the Greenwild from a terrible fate.

My Review

I’ve been looking forward to this book all year. Daisy’s new adventure picks up not long after her last one ends. The early chapters offer quick refreshers on some of the key events from the previous book for readers whose memories may have faded a bit. These recollections don’t slow down the action, though, as Daisy immediately has an urgent quest to sneak aboard a ship ultimately bound for Amazeria to rescue her mother.

The story alternates points of view between Daisy and Max, whom I loved immediately. Kidnappers stole Max from his home, injuring his mother, and he’s been desperate to escape since. When his opportunity comes, he seizes it, leaping from a ship into the water without taking time to factor in that he cannot swim. Thankfully, Daisy spots him in time, which leads to the two unwillingly joining forces.

Indigo and Prof, Daisy’s close friends from book one, also help Daisy on her mission. I loved getting to see both of them again. Indigo shines in moments when they discover animals who are injured or in danger, and Prof reminds the group to think things through and study for an important exam that awaits them at home.

One scene late in the book left me in tears, in a good way. Someone who’d grieved so many things had this moment of belonging and things making sense in a new way, and it hit me right in the feels.

I barrelled through this book, so eager to read each page, all the way to the very last one. This series is one of my current favorites, and I’ll absolutely be counting down the days until book three comes out!

Perfect for fans of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A. F. Steadman or The Storm Keeper’s Island by Catherine Doyle (a long-time favorite of mine!)

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Daisy’s mom is Iranian. Other characters are described as having amber or brown skin.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic involving plants or water.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Someone kidnaps a boy and knocks his mother out. Dangerous criminals called Reapers chase Daisy and her allies. One brief battle sequence in which it appears someone gets stabbed. An extended battle sequence in which someone fatally stabs another person.

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 posting about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle with Greg Pattridge.