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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
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:
Yes
I checked this book out after seeing a Booktuber mention it - unfortunately, I cannot remember which one - and enjoying my read of Rozakis' debut Dreadful. I really enjoyed this "magical school" type story. This book approaches the school from teh side of the parents, in this case, completely mundane parents whose daughter is now a shifter after a traumatic bite a year and a half before. The main character volunteers for the treasurer position on the PTA as a way to try to make her way in as an outsider to this tight circle of highly competitive parents. AT this school students face trials in kindergarten, third and eighth grade to see if they could move on to the next section of the school. Of course, the main character's daughter is in kindergarten. I really appreciate Rozakis' voice as well as the way that she unfolds the mystery of what is actually going on at the school. I highly recommend this novel.
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
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
challenging
lighthearted
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
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
Also, last chance to contribute to the Teachers Appreciation Fund! (Last year's blood donations were accepted in the spirit in which they were given, but we respectfully request that contributions be in a currency this year.)
This book just precisely hit some of the little things I do love in a fantasy book and i had so much fun with this. I'm not sure it's a perfect book, but I am giving it five stars nevertheless and can't wait for the next thing Caitlin Rozakis puts out! (At this point I checked and she has another book coming out next year and it looks amazing!)
Anyway, I loved the worldbuilding in this one. I love the little mundane-magical details, it's one of the reason I fallen in love with a certain other wizarding series that can't be named and for a standalone, I think this book manages that side even better. I actually felt this was in conversation with HP quite a lot - the different school system (I mean, we do have a kindergartener!), the criticism of the non-sensical exams. Sometimes the references were direct - as with Lucius - and I kind of wished the book didn't include it, because that felt like giving it too much credit, but... I mean, it does help that all the references are scathing.
I also loved the casual inclusivity in this one - we have some same sex couples raising kids, we have a solid amount of BIPOC characters, we have mental health discussions, we have intersectionality discussions, I was very into that and it definitely made me feel safer in Rozakis's hands!
I wished the book would lean even harder into some aspects, especially the found family vibes with
I could continue nitpicking because there are some details that bother me a little - like mentally ill werewolf being the cause of Aria being turned - but there is a lot of great stuff that balances that out and ultimately I just had so much fun with this. I'm getting a copy for myself if I can!
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Was unsure between 3.75 and a 4, decided to settle on the lower rating. While I did thoroughly enjoy the book overall, it wasn't flashy. A nice swing for in-between.
Somewhere around the halfway mark I started really disliking most characters for some time. Everyone seemed annoying, especially Daniel kept bugging me. Eventually Vivian also got on my nerves with how oblivious she seemed? Although I absolutely understood where they were coming from, having experienced similar things myself (friendship struggles, connection loss, the such), I just couldn't deal with them not settling it or understanding it.
Thankfully, around the 75% mark it settled down again as the plot picked up and everything fell into place (although latest then the story and ending felt extremely spelt out for you).
Maybe a few more chapters could've helped in some places to elaborate some things in the world and rush the plot less, but I feel like overall, the book settled itself well enough to be an enjoyable read overall and was exactly what was promised.
Somewhere around the halfway mark I started really disliking most characters for some time. Everyone seemed annoying, especially Daniel kept bugging me. Eventually Vivian also got on my nerves with how oblivious she seemed? Although I absolutely understood where they were coming from, having experienced similar things myself (friendship struggles, connection loss, the such), I just couldn't deal with them not settling it or understanding it.
Thankfully, around the 75% mark it settled down again as the plot picked up and everything fell into place (although latest then the story and ending felt extremely spelt out for you).
Maybe a few more chapters could've helped in some places to elaborate some things in the world and rush the plot less, but I feel like overall, the book settled itself well enough to be an enjoyable read overall and was exactly what was promised.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Child death, Racism, Xenophobia, Mass/school shootings
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-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