booksfmradio 's review for:

Nawlins by Deric Augustine

4.5

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

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📚✨ BOOK REVIEW: Nawlins by Deric Augustine ✨📚

ARC provided by: Pretty Girls Do Read

What do you do when one of your favorite actors drops a debut book that feels like it was written for you?

You lose your absolute mind, that’s what. And that’s exactly what happened to me with Nawlins.

The story follows Donna Marie, a Bronx teen whose world gets flipped upside down when she discovers she’s a wizard and is invited to attend a high school designed for magical youth. Yes, it sounds familiar if you grew up on Harry Potter, but Nawlins quickly carves out its own lane and leaves the comparisons behind.

Deric Augustine creates a world that’s so rich in culture, history, and authenticity, it practically hums off the page. Not only does he bring the magic, but he also brings the real New Orleans, its legacy, its pain, its joy, its roots. I learned so much while devouring every chapter, and yet it never felt like a lesson. It felt like love.

Donna Marie is that girl. She asks all the questions we’d ask if we found out we had powers, and she’s surrounded by a cast that feels like friends, cousins, classmates; you know these characters. You are these characters.

I read this book in one sitting. Obsessed.

And let’s talk about THAT. ENDING.

Respectfully, Deric... we need Book 2 IMMEDIATELY.

🔥 If you’ve ever wished for a magical world that reflects you, your roots, your people—Nawlins is it.

📖 Drops August 5th, grab your copy before the FOMO hits. You’ve been warned, babes.