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4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It is truly amazing to see a neurodivergent character as an MC in a children’s book. I saw myself in Ramya, and I saw people I know.
I laughed so hard I cried at some points, and others I was welling up. Her grief- over her family, the difficult relationships, how she’s treated- is so well portrayed. I’m excited for the next book!
I laughed so hard I cried at some points, and others I was welling up. Her grief- over her family, the difficult relationships, how she’s treated- is so well portrayed. I’m excited for the next book!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Death, Gaslighting
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is another Superb McNicoll book and a Fairy tale for the modern day. Ramya loses contact with her maternal grandfather after she refuses to play the piano for a beautiful & charismatic woman who is at a family party. Ramya’s mum is furious, but grandad tells Ramya she is brave and clever. Mum throws grandad out telling him she, “Can’t go through all that again!” Ramya has no idea what this means and is distraught at the thought of never seeing grandad again. Fast Forward 7 years and Ramya is pulled into her Family Secrets and on the move to Edinburgh things start to change. She attends the same school as her cousin, who she connects with. School is not easy for Ramya; she has a diagnosis of dyspraxia.
Elle has a way within each of her books to make you fall in love with neurodivergent main characters and this book is in no way different to that. Ramya is such a Character that you can see how her mind works and It’s lovely to see the ND Community have books that we can fall in love with.
A beautiful story that yet again gives a voice to those who are often ignored, or told they are wrong. This book is all about Magic! Witches, Sirens, Kelpies, Vampires… oh and greyfriars Bobby. This book also makes me want to go to Scotland even more!
“When you’re wired a little differently,” she says quietly. “You learn pretty quickly to rely on yourself. You can only be told ‘that’s a stupid question’ too many times so you stop asking. You go it alone”
I can’t wait for the sequel next year!
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I absolutely adored this book, the characters were so wonderfully developed and felt so real to me. Elle's books are so beautiful and give me the representation that I want and need, and that many other NDs want and need too.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I always find it hard to talk about books I really enjoy, this being one of them.
The book is another amazing diverse read focusing on a Neurodivergent MC who has dyspraxia. I was really excited to read this as I, myself, am dyspraxic. However, I was diagnosed a lot later in life. Ramya has just moved to Edinburgh and when she meets a stranger, a whole other world becomes unveiled!
A beautiful story that yet again gives a voice to those who are often ignored, or told they are wrong. I cried a few times… but this book is more than that, it has Magic! Witches, Sirens, Kelpies, Vampires… oh and greyfriars Bobby. This book also makes me want to go to Scotland even more!
I wish I could talk about this more but a great middle grade book that has so many elements and also is so important in more ways than one. I can’t wait for the sequel next year!
The book is another amazing diverse read focusing on a Neurodivergent MC who has dyspraxia. I was really excited to read this as I, myself, am dyspraxic. However, I was diagnosed a lot later in life. Ramya has just moved to Edinburgh and when she meets a stranger, a whole other world becomes unveiled!
A beautiful story that yet again gives a voice to those who are often ignored, or told they are wrong. I cried a few times… but this book is more than that, it has Magic! Witches, Sirens, Kelpies, Vampires… oh and greyfriars Bobby. This book also makes me want to go to Scotland even more!
I wish I could talk about this more but a great middle grade book that has so many elements and also is so important in more ways than one. I can’t wait for the sequel next year!
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
[4.5]
Elle McNicoll is fastly becoming one of my favourite authors.
Elle's sophomore novel, Show Us Who You Are, was the closest I got to crying at a book. All of the characters, even the villain, were so well-developed and the discussions on neurodivergence were so good. Like A Charm once again has a neurodivergent heroine, Ramiya Knox, who has dyspraxia. I loved how she wasn't afraid to tell people what she actually thought about the situation, rather than trying to be polite for the sake of not getting into trouble, and Ramiya definitely gets into some scrapes in this book.
The setting of this magical Edinburgh was wonderful, and made me want to visit the city. Prior to this, I don't think I've ever read a book set in Edinburgh before. All of the different magical creatures Ramiya meets in this book were excellent. You can see where Elle draws on from popular creatures like vampires and fae but writes them in her own way, and I loved the frequent use of bookshops to send information to the main character. The writing was brilliant and worked with the story & Ramiya's voice, you can easily see the evolution of Elle McNicoll's writing from A Kind of Spark to Like A Charm, despite the books being published a mere two years (approximately) apart from each other. Also, I loved the friendship that Ramiya forms with her cousin Manny after previously not talking to him much at all.
So overall this book was brilliant and I look forward to seeing what direction it takes in the sequel! I can't wait to read more of this magical Edinburgh!
Elle McNicoll is fastly becoming one of my favourite authors.
Elle's sophomore novel, Show Us Who You Are, was the closest I got to crying at a book. All of the characters, even the villain, were so well-developed and the discussions on neurodivergence were so good. Like A Charm once again has a neurodivergent heroine, Ramiya Knox, who has dyspraxia. I loved how she wasn't afraid to tell people what she actually thought about the situation, rather than trying to be polite for the sake of not getting into trouble, and Ramiya definitely gets into some scrapes in this book.
The setting of this magical Edinburgh was wonderful, and made me want to visit the city. Prior to this, I don't think I've ever read a book set in Edinburgh before. All of the different magical creatures Ramiya meets in this book were excellent. You can see where Elle draws on from popular creatures like vampires and fae but writes them in her own way, and I loved the frequent use of bookshops to send information to the main character. The writing was brilliant and worked with the story & Ramiya's voice, you can easily see the evolution of Elle McNicoll's writing from A Kind of Spark to Like A Charm, despite the books being published a mere two years (approximately) apart from each other. Also, I loved the friendship that Ramiya forms with her cousin Manny after previously not talking to him much at all.
So overall this book was brilliant and I look forward to seeing what direction it takes in the sequel! I can't wait to read more of this magical Edinburgh!