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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
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
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
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
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Love this twist of a magical world from the mundane parents point of view.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
Absolutely my type of read. I loved this whole book with my whole heart. Highly recommend if you enjoy cosy fantasy. I just adored this.
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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
Controlling parents combined with the chaos of a world filled with magic, prophecies and various mystical beings and mages is a recipe for chaos in even the best of settings.
Described as a cozy fantasy, this book follows Aria and her family after a tragic incident in which she is bitten by and changed into a were-wolf. If parenting a young child with behavioural struggles isn't har enough, Aria and her parents now have to face a new magical school which includes sacrificial daggers, spell work, food prep and more with the added stress of the PTA to play nice for politics for our mum as she tries to fit in to this new community. Aria as a character really hit home with me, excluded by others for her differences regardless of her intelligence it's not a smooth journey but the strength and confidence she develops through engaging with her community and the found family of her wolf-pack is something I related to, even if mine was in a less mystical way.
A prophecy which has haunted the town since its founding darkens the horizon, and within the chaos that ensues we see that some parents will do anything for their children, good or bad, trustworthy or deceitful. While I know there had to be a build up of characters and sides with the battle of good and evil seen in this book, the beginning felt like a drag and could've potentially done with more drama or even world-building through deeper engagement in the school system to have been more engaging (although as a 'cosy' fantasy this may be expected and good - it just wasn't up to pace enough for me). The climax of this fantasy was exciting though, and showed that through all the razzle-dazzle of magic and immortals, sometimes all you need is honesty and good parenting, mortal or not.
Personally, I would love to see this world grow, through more of vivian and aria and their family navigating this new world, as well as arias progression within the school system (as personally im a sucker for a good magical academic fantasy), but if this is to remain a standalone I think its a good yet comfortable critque on the powers of good against evil.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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
Thank you to Netgalley and Titan for the eAR
I knew I would love this book, but I was not expecting to be so invested in it. The summary clearly made it feel like a book I would enjoy, with humour and smaller stakes but great tension. Oh boy. It was even more tension than I thought. Like, a lot.
Following Vivian as she tries to her best for her child, to integrate her family in a new community she knows very little about all the while struggling with her own guilt and rejection was way too personal. I felt so much for her and Daniel, her husband. Both are thrown into the unkown after an accident, with their daughter now a werewolf. They move to a new city, a hidden magical community and a special school, who should be able to help them support their daughter, but is quickly revealed to be... not so helpful.
Vivian, like I said, is very relatable and great main character to follow. She has snark, kindness and a huge tendency to be a people pleaser. She has to navigate a new group dynamic with the parents' of the other kids, she makes mistakes out of good faith, and has to learn to delegate a bit to have a healthy balance. Daniel was so touching too, though he is less present, given his job and his position. Aria, their daughter, is a little bomb of energy and fun, despite the challenges she has to face too.
And let's not forget about the rest of the cast, either lovable or loathsome. I really enjoyed how everything plays out, the inner dynamics, how informations are conveyed throughout the story. There are enough room to have breathing space and emotional management, and yet the plot is relentless.
Very good read, Caitlin Rozakis did a very good job at balancing tension, feelings and humour. Definitely recommend this book for readers looking for a fantastical story.
I knew I would love this book, but I was not expecting to be so invested in it. The summary clearly made it feel like a book I would enjoy, with humour and smaller stakes but great tension. Oh boy. It was even more tension than I thought. Like, a lot.
Following Vivian as she tries to her best for her child, to integrate her family in a new community she knows very little about all the while struggling with her own guilt and rejection was way too personal. I felt so much for her and Daniel, her husband. Both are thrown into the unkown after an accident, with their daughter now a werewolf. They move to a new city, a hidden magical community and a special school, who should be able to help them support their daughter, but is quickly revealed to be... not so helpful.
Vivian, like I said, is very relatable and great main character to follow. She has snark, kindness and a huge tendency to be a people pleaser. She has to navigate a new group dynamic with the parents' of the other kids, she makes mistakes out of good faith, and has to learn to delegate a bit to have a healthy balance. Daniel was so touching too, though he is less present, given his job and his position. Aria, their daughter, is a little bomb of energy and fun, despite the challenges she has to face too.
And let's not forget about the rest of the cast, either lovable or loathsome. I really enjoyed how everything plays out, the inner dynamics, how informations are conveyed throughout the story. There are enough room to have breathing space and emotional management, and yet the plot is relentless.
Very good read, Caitlin Rozakis did a very good job at balancing tension, feelings and humour. Definitely recommend this book for readers looking for a fantastical story.
I loved this book more than I thought I would originally. Just from the plot itself I knew it would be up my alley, but it took me by surprise how witty and whimsical this story was.
In this book we follow Viv as she’s struggling with adapting to her daughter’s new abilities. After an accident that turned Aria into a werewolf, her and her parents move closer to the grimoire grammar school to help her settle with kids that are similar to her. Immediately there is conflict and between accepting Aria’s new powers and family dynamics, Viv will have to figure out how to keep her family but most importantly herself safe and happy.
I loved Viv as a main character, I was able to relate to her and empathise with her daily struggles. Aria was a complete gem, she was always creating chaos and I loved every second of it. The school was such a cool setting and I enjoyed exploring the relationship between parents of different species and backgrounds interacting with each other. The drama was always on point.
I also loved the dive into the marital problems between the main couple following the accident and them having to move and restart their life. I thought it was important to show how much lack of communication and empathy for each other can deteriorate even the strongest of bonds.
I really loved the little messages at the beginning of each chapter, I thought they were a great touch and extremely funny. If you enjoyed books like “the house int he cerulean sea” or “the very secret society of irregular witches”, I think you’re going to love this one!
Thank you NetGalley and Titan books for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.
In this book we follow Viv as she’s struggling with adapting to her daughter’s new abilities. After an accident that turned Aria into a werewolf, her and her parents move closer to the grimoire grammar school to help her settle with kids that are similar to her. Immediately there is conflict and between accepting Aria’s new powers and family dynamics, Viv will have to figure out how to keep her family but most importantly herself safe and happy.
I loved Viv as a main character, I was able to relate to her and empathise with her daily struggles. Aria was a complete gem, she was always creating chaos and I loved every second of it. The school was such a cool setting and I enjoyed exploring the relationship between parents of different species and backgrounds interacting with each other. The drama was always on point.
I also loved the dive into the marital problems between the main couple following the accident and them having to move and restart their life. I thought it was important to show how much lack of communication and empathy for each other can deteriorate even the strongest of bonds.
I really loved the little messages at the beginning of each chapter, I thought they were a great touch and extremely funny. If you enjoyed books like “the house int he cerulean sea” or “the very secret society of irregular witches”, I think you’re going to love this one!
Thank you NetGalley and Titan books for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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