dj_is_reading 's review for:

The Secret World of Maggie Grey by Granger

3.5

adventurous dark funny sad fast-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

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 I am an alumna of Drew Collins University. Let’s just start there. A magical HBCU?! Their school colors are my actual HBCU school colors! It was destined to be. Buddy read with my bestieboo 

Maggie Grey: Imagine being told this outlandish story of an underground world of mythical Black who attend an HBCU and not only is there magic, but your family is “The First Family” to discover this mythical place just before Civil Rights and they are royalty. It wouldn’t sound outlandish to me because I spend my holidays in Crystal City 😉

Throughout book 1, my girl Maggie was just as confused as I was because what is this place?! Why are am I here? What are my powers? Instead of her regular life as a graduate student, she's sent to The Underground. Her white hair and dark skin made her stand out amongst the other vampires, werewolves, witches, and sirens. Her signature white hair, a trait of The First Family, puts so many targets on my girls back, even when crimes are committed and I just need everyone to leave her alone!

Luckily, Maggie meets Souxie and she decides that they will be best friends. Love that energy. To me, there's an overall theme of community, secrets, and the desire to belong in both novels. A lot of the men we meet carry secrets because their position in power. And isn't that a reflection of real life? Unfortunately these secrets are at the detriment of the women and their bodies.   

Like every college campus, everyone wants to belong to something. Clubs, status, & sororities are important. But this crew has established their own found family. Asha & Isis complete the anti-club/crew & Quan the Cat & Hillary are here for the ride. Their adventures are chaotic, hilarious, magical, & deadly😧

It wouldn’t be a favorite of mine if there wasn’t a love story intertwined. I need Namir & Maggie to stop playing & move forward because their connection is earth shattering. Literally! 🌙🩸

I’m so glad I met Maggie, Souxie, Asha, & Isis. They’re the crew I would want to hang out with & I'm excited to see their powers, magic, & adventures at Drew Collins & Club Asylum👀🧛🏾‍♀️

✨Fantasy/Magical Realism

✨Slow Burn 

✨TW - Violence/SA

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Sexual harassment