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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I think upper elementary and middle schoolers will love this original, magic boarding school tale that is rooted in Creole and Black American culture of the Deep South. It has a fresh and mesmerizing magic system, and taps into relevant social, family, and friend issues. As an adult reader, I felt like there were some pacing issues and then realized that I was just frustrated by the way Hasani has to struggle to piece together information about the school, her magic, the social cues of her classmates, and even what's going on in her own family — which is a pretty realistic portrayal of a middle schooler's life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Classism
Minor: Slavery, Colonisation
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
I loved Channie Waites, the narrator. Channie did a great job of differentiating the voices making it easy to tell who was speaking. Latoya is a lot for Hasani to deal with and Channie did a great job of making her voice grating. Hasani's voice is smooth and relaxing, even when she is freaking out. I hope Channie Waites does the narration for book 2.
The book was great! Marti Dumas did a great job of encompassing all of the struggles that 12 and 13 year olds face on a daily basis - making friends, social anxiety, bullying, divorce, trying to fit in, and more, all while telling a story that makes you want to keep reading. I am truly looking forward to book #2 as Hasani possibly learns more about her magic and herself.
The book was great! Marti Dumas did a great job of encompassing all of the struggles that 12 and 13 year olds face on a daily basis - making friends, social anxiety, bullying, divorce, trying to fit in, and more, all while telling a story that makes you want to keep reading. I am truly looking forward to book #2 as Hasani possibly learns more about her magic and herself.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I liked the sound of a middle grade witch storyline with a POC main character but the story was actually much more than that. Themes like fitting in, making friends, pressures of social media, divorced parents and their new partners were all prevalent and weaved seamlessly into the plot alongside the magic. The narration on the audiobook was great too.
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
"Wildseed Witch" is a great middle grade story with a focus on self growth and support of friends! I loved that the magic was linked to flowers and could envision the gardens growing all around. Throughout the story Hasani is faced with a number of obstacles in which she must work through, sometime relying on herself and other times getting support from others. There are numerous messages woven into this magical story from internet privacy to coping with divorce. Marti Dumas is a new to me author but I will be checking out more books as I enjoyed the flow of the writing, the character development and the rich setting. Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for an advanced copy of the audiobook! All thoughts and opinions are my own! The narrator was a perfect fit and the story came to life while listening to it!
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I listened to this audiobook via @libro.fm's Educator ALC program. While it wasn't a personal favorite, I can see it being a favorite book for many students who enjoy watching YouTube or are creators themselves. There is magic involved, but more of the major conflicts of the book deal with friendship issues, figuring out who you are, and online behavior (both positive and negative).
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
No
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
Being a child of divorce is not the change that many of us are told to anticipate as we grow up, even less so for us who miss the signs of disquiet in the relations of the adults around us. In Wildseed Witch, a debut middle grade novel by Marti Dumas, young Hasani must contend with conflict on many fronts: in her family life, in her newly-noticed abilities, in the magical communities she finds herself part of, and in her presence online as a beauty influencer.
The conflicting feelings that Hasani has about the change in her family dynamic grows to a new height when her father introduces a new girlfriend, leading to the manifestation of magical powers no one in her family knew existed. From this major magic spurt, a program for Black girls with similar abilities is able to track her down and enroll her in their summer school at Les Belles Demoiselles, a hideaway outside of Hasani’s hometown of New Orleans. Hasani can’t help but be entranced by this whimsical opportunity, but has concerns about keeping her small YouTube channel, crafting beauty through dollar store makeup, running while she’s away. Her commitment to maintaining both passions while at Les Belles Demoiselles runs her into trouble and also becomes a point of derision for her classist classmates and instructors who look down on her for being a Wildseed Witch—a person with magical abilities that have no direct family lineage or traditions.
Find the full review here: https://blackgirlscreate.org/2022/05/the-plot-thickens-wildseed-witch/
The conflicting feelings that Hasani has about the change in her family dynamic grows to a new height when her father introduces a new girlfriend, leading to the manifestation of magical powers no one in her family knew existed. From this major magic spurt, a program for Black girls with similar abilities is able to track her down and enroll her in their summer school at Les Belles Demoiselles, a hideaway outside of Hasani’s hometown of New Orleans. Hasani can’t help but be entranced by this whimsical opportunity, but has concerns about keeping her small YouTube channel, crafting beauty through dollar store makeup, running while she’s away. Her commitment to maintaining both passions while at Les Belles Demoiselles runs her into trouble and also becomes a point of derision for her classist classmates and instructors who look down on her for being a Wildseed Witch—a person with magical abilities that have no direct family lineage or traditions.
Find the full review here: https://blackgirlscreate.org/2022/05/the-plot-thickens-wildseed-witch/
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
tense
fast-paced