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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
⭐️⭐️⭐️ ☆☆☆
Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy
I went into this one expecting whimsy, rivalry, and a slow-burning romance, but came away feeling… mostly "meh." It's not a bad book—it's perfectly readable!—but for me, it never quite came together memorably.
The Premise:
An impulsive sorcerer of "small magics," Leo Loveage, and his grumpy rival, Sebastian Grimm, are bound together by a forbidden curse. To break it, they venture into a dangerous magical forest filled with monsters, outlaws, and secrets. Naturally, working together means sparks should fly… but do they?
What Worked:
✨ Leo's characterization. He's frustrating, chaotic, and often a disaster—but that felt intentional and layered. His arc of growth, fear, and learning to lean into his strengths was the strongest part of the book.
🌲 The setting had hints of something fascinating—the Unquiet Wood/Wilderlands with its bizarre flora and fauna could have been incredible if fleshed out more.
💗Loved the side characters: Sybilla and Jayne- short time in the story but memorable
What Didn't Work:
🔮 The magic system was confusing and vague. I never really understood how music-based casting worked, and the book often handwaved it as "art is mysterious."
💔 The romance was billed as a slow burn, but there wasn't much actual yearning. However, the potential for a deep, slow-burning romance was there, leaving readers hopeful for a more invested and satisfying romantic subplot.
🌍 The worldbuilding skimmed the surface. Cool ideas (giants, deadly flowers, monsters), but not explored in depth.
⚖️ Pacing issues. Big emotional beats and romantic moments felt either rushed, not given enough attention, or abruptly ended, leaving the reader wanting more.
Final Thoughts:
The story was fine. It kept me reading, but I closed the book feeling underwhelmed when I wanted to be enchanted. If you're in the mood for a light rivals-to-reluctant-partners story with quirky banter and a messy, chaotic main character, you'll enjoy it more than I did. For me, the lack of depth in romance and worldbuilding left it at a solid three stars.
Exactly what I needed: cozy fantasy, an interesting magic system, and a duo that clashes in fun ways. I enjoyed this a lot and I’d love to read the sequels (since I think this will be a trilogy). There are plenty of threads to pull at in the future.
I’m often annoyed by rich-kid nepo baby characters but Leo surprised me. He isn’t a lackadaisical go-with-the-flow type like so many other annoying protagonists are. He does struggle and he does have a sense of drive, which I appreciated. Grimm unfortunately didn’t get as much of a spotlight, though that’s to be expected with 1st person narration.
I’m hoping the second book dives a little more into the worldbuilding, particularly the classism mentioned briefly in this book. The beginning section set at The Fount had so few characters and settings that the world felt a little limited. I have faith in the second installment 🤞
I’m often annoyed by rich-kid nepo baby characters but Leo surprised me. He isn’t a lackadaisical go-with-the-flow type like so many other annoying protagonists are. He does struggle and he does have a sense of drive, which I appreciated. Grimm unfortunately didn’t get as much of a spotlight, though that’s to be expected with 1st person narration.
I’m hoping the second book dives a little more into the worldbuilding, particularly the classism mentioned briefly in this book. The beginning section set at The Fount had so few characters and settings that the world felt a little limited. I have faith in the second installment 🤞
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed this so much more than I thought I was going to. For some reason, I'd got it in my head that this was going to have flowery and lyrical writing and therefore be a DNF, but alas, I was wrong. I had fun with this, I was also a little distressed at the end. Very much so looking forward to book 2.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Considering I didn’t like either of the main characters for most of the book, I’m surprised I enjoyed this book so much. I’ll definitely be reading the next book. The grumpy/sunshine trope is so cute and I loved the magic system. This kind of whimsical cosy fantasy adventure is exactly what I need right now.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I absolutely love this book! It's witty and sarcastic and fantastic and magical. I laughed out loud multiple times while reading and was completely absorbed in the story. By the end I wanted to flip back to page 1 and start it all over again. The witty banter with the grumpy/sunshine characters and a really fun magic system really made this a top tier read for me.
I really wanted to like this but I kind of can't stand Leo... he strikes me as a sunshiney alcoholic and is not likeable (to me). I wish we got Sebastian's perspective but it hasn't happened yet and I'm not sure if it will, so I'm DNFing.