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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
I really like the story, the one the realistic and the magical aspects. The only reason why I gave it a 4 and not a 5 is because the middle dragged a bit for me, and I wanted to know a bit more about the magic system. Still, I’d recommend it to people who like books like Amari and the Night Brothers and The Marvellers.
I give this first book in a series a solid 4 1/2. It melds the world of magic and witch school, the challenges of Middle School, with YouTuber and SM influencers in a way that will resonate with Middle Grade readers. Good character development and world building. I will be intrigued to see where this series goes.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wanted to like this book.
The representation of Creole culture was really intriguing. Unfortunately, I felt like there were too many plot elements in play. There was her trouble figuring out magic, the trouble making friends at charm school, there was the issue with her mom and dad separating, there were the issues with her magic influencing her friend's YouTube channel...It wasn't that it was hard to follow, there were just too many going on and it felt like nothing was fully fleshed out, likely because it was too much to do in one book.
I also have a hard time with books that make it sound like hitting it big on YouTube is easy and that it's something kids should aspire to (like it's a fully viable career option and the amount of work for that to happen isn't addressed). I'm not knocking those who have made it big on that platform but I do find it problematic because the main character also glossed over the trouble with the harmful comments that are left on the videos by anonymous people. Books can really be reflections of children's hopes and dreams and they can show them the possibilities out in the world that's a lot of unintentional responsibility for an author to take on but should be acknowledged.
The representation of Creole culture was really intriguing. Unfortunately, I felt like there were too many plot elements in play. There was her trouble figuring out magic, the trouble making friends at charm school, there was the issue with her mom and dad separating, there were the issues with her magic influencing her friend's YouTube channel...It wasn't that it was hard to follow, there were just too many going on and it felt like nothing was fully fleshed out, likely because it was too much to do in one book.
I also have a hard time with books that make it sound like hitting it big on YouTube is easy and that it's something kids should aspire to (like it's a fully viable career option and the amount of work for that to happen isn't addressed). I'm not knocking those who have made it big on that platform but I do find it problematic because the main character also glossed over the trouble with the harmful comments that are left on the videos by anonymous people. Books can really be reflections of children's hopes and dreams and they can show them the possibilities out in the world that's a lot of unintentional responsibility for an author to take on but should be acknowledged.
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
adventurous
reflective
tense
slow-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
A lovely addition to the magical school genre, deeply rooted in it's cultural environment. The only thing I didn't love was the "poor girl in a rich school" trope, which I just feel like is overdone. But even though it's overdone in the genre, it was well done in this book, and didn't take over the other narratives. I hope that future books in this series expound upon how the magic works, because there is clearly lot there!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Classism
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Suicide attempt
Hasani has one big goal – become the next big sensation on YouTube for her makeup tutorials. But she’s distracted from that when she finds out her dad, who was recently separated from her mom, is dating another woman. Unable to control her temper, she feels her first surge of magic. It’s not long before she receives an invitation to attend a prestigious magical academy. As she struggles to learn about her magic and maintain her YouTube followers, Hasani begins to realize she has much more to learn about herself.
This was a coming-of-age story that takes place in New Orleans with a focus on some Creole cultural aspects. The author did a good job at incorporating the culture of New Orleans as well as including the actual names of locations. Some of the history of sugar plantations was also brought in with a magical twist, which was an interesting and meaningful inclusion.
I did feel that the author tried to pack too many things into one book. The main focus felt like it should have been on Hasani discovering her magic and learning how it was used, but then there was also the social media plot as well as the family conflict plot. It felt as if none of the plots were as fully developed or in depth as they should have been just because there were too many things going on. This also left some gaps in explanations that should have been included to make a more meaningful read. As this is the first book in a series, it could have easily been split down a bit.
The author did a good job with Hasani. She was flawed but realistically so, and she had meaningful character growth by the end of the work. The rest of the characters I didn’t find to be particularly compelling though, and I would have liked to see a bit more depth to them.
I listened to the audiobook version of this story and thoroughly enjoyed the narrator. She did an excellent job, and the quality was superb. The cover of this book is also gorgeous. This would likely be a compelling read for older children and young adults (ages 9 to 15 probably).
I received a complimentary copy of this work through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This was a coming-of-age story that takes place in New Orleans with a focus on some Creole cultural aspects. The author did a good job at incorporating the culture of New Orleans as well as including the actual names of locations. Some of the history of sugar plantations was also brought in with a magical twist, which was an interesting and meaningful inclusion.
I did feel that the author tried to pack too many things into one book. The main focus felt like it should have been on Hasani discovering her magic and learning how it was used, but then there was also the social media plot as well as the family conflict plot. It felt as if none of the plots were as fully developed or in depth as they should have been just because there were too many things going on. This also left some gaps in explanations that should have been included to make a more meaningful read. As this is the first book in a series, it could have easily been split down a bit.
The author did a good job with Hasani. She was flawed but realistically so, and she had meaningful character growth by the end of the work. The rest of the characters I didn’t find to be particularly compelling though, and I would have liked to see a bit more depth to them.
I listened to the audiobook version of this story and thoroughly enjoyed the narrator. She did an excellent job, and the quality was superb. The cover of this book is also gorgeous. This would likely be a compelling read for older children and young adults (ages 9 to 15 probably).
I received a complimentary copy of this work through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Today I am reviewing Wildseed Witch by Marti Dumas, a middle grade fantasy featuring an all-BIPOC cast. This is about an aspiring and raising makeup YouTuber who learns that she’s a witch and gets sent off to a private Witch Camp/finishing school. While at Les Belles Demoiselles, she learns to be a witch alongside extremely talented and powerful girls; however, she is a “Wildseed” as she comes from a family of non-witches, unlike the other girls who attend the school. Hasani must learn how to succeed and harness her magical abilities in her own way.
I thought that this book was a lot of fun and very thoughtful. Hasani is a very relatable and likeable character that has flaws, insecurities, and also amazing strengths, thus making her an awesome protagonist. You see how she learns to navigate exclusive social groups within her school, forming friendships and facing obstacles within them. You also see her grow personally within domains in her life, be it: accepting responsibility, learning to live with difficult family dynamics, and learning how to forgive others (and herself). Additionally, I enjoyed the incorporation of Creole heritage and New Orleans/Louisiana history into the book.
In regards to pacing, the first half of the book is pretty easy to fall into as you learn about Hasani and her background and I felt like this was fairly quickly paced. Towards the middle it was a bit slow, but then it picked right back up again in the last third of the book.
I’m looking forward to reading more in the series as I want to learn more about how the magic system works and know the range of Hasani’s potential magical capabilities. My cat Olivia and I would also like to see more cat appearances in the future! And, gosh, Erick Davila is such a talented artist. This author illustrated the covers for: The Inheritance of Zoraida Cordova, With the Fire on High, and Clap When You Land (among others!)- I can’t wait to see what book cover number 2 will look like.
Olivia and I definitely recommend this book and hope you will enjoy it! It’s perfect if you would like a book about young witches that ultimately shows character development, friendships, and family.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publish for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Discussed here:
Recent Reads Video https://youtu.be//
Blog Post https://sarasreadingnook.ca/2022/07/2...
Content Warnings: Classism, Toxic Friendship, Bullying, Slavery, Colonisation, Infidelity, Suicide, Abandonment.
I thought that this book was a lot of fun and very thoughtful. Hasani is a very relatable and likeable character that has flaws, insecurities, and also amazing strengths, thus making her an awesome protagonist. You see how she learns to navigate exclusive social groups within her school, forming friendships and facing obstacles within them. You also see her grow personally within domains in her life, be it: accepting responsibility, learning to live with difficult family dynamics, and learning how to forgive others (and herself). Additionally, I enjoyed the incorporation of Creole heritage and New Orleans/Louisiana history into the book.
In regards to pacing, the first half of the book is pretty easy to fall into as you learn about Hasani and her background and I felt like this was fairly quickly paced. Towards the middle it was a bit slow, but then it picked right back up again in the last third of the book.
I’m looking forward to reading more in the series as I want to learn more about how the magic system works and know the range of Hasani’s potential magical capabilities. My cat Olivia and I would also like to see more cat appearances in the future! And, gosh, Erick Davila is such a talented artist. This author illustrated the covers for: The Inheritance of Zoraida Cordova, With the Fire on High, and Clap When You Land (among others!)- I can’t wait to see what book cover number 2 will look like.
Olivia and I definitely recommend this book and hope you will enjoy it! It’s perfect if you would like a book about young witches that ultimately shows character development, friendships, and family.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publish for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Discussed here:
Recent Reads Video https://youtu.be//
Blog Post https://sarasreadingnook.ca/2022/07/2...
Content Warnings: Classism, Toxic Friendship, Bullying, Slavery, Colonisation, Infidelity, Suicide, Abandonment.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-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
Let’s start with the good stuff, because there was a lot of it! First up, Hasani was an incredible MC. She was hilarious and delightful, and her character development was incredible. As well as this, the magic system was amazing. It was based on floral magic, which is a personal fave of mine! As the book went on, it was obvious how much effort Dumas had put into thinking it through; so many different, creative facets were developed. I’m really excited to see more of the magic in future instalments.
The reason for this book’s rating is that the pacing was a little off, and the plot lacked direction; what you thought would be the focus, didn’t actually end up being the focus (if that makes sense). However, I believe that the series will get better and better and that this won’t be a problem in future instalments.
As a side note, I listened to the audiobook for this one. It was really enjoyable, and the narrator, Channie Waites, injected a lot of life into the narrative. I will say it did get a little ridiculous at times, and the English accents were nonexistent. But I far prefer over-the-top narration to robotic narration.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Slavery, Classism
Minor: Ableism, Death, Infidelity, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
2 HP references.
Graphic warning for divorce.