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How to heal a gryphon
How to heal a gryphon
Meg cannistra | 2022 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Usually, when one turns thirteen, you take an oath to be a guaritrice and use your powers to heal humans. But Giada doesn’t feel drawn to that path, instead, she knows her calling is to heal vulnerable animals, even if that goes against the hundred years of her family’s tradition.

When a group of witches takes her brother, Rocco, down into the magical underground city of Malavita in an attempt to get something they want, Giada is the only one who can rescue him. With the help of her best friend, Alessia and her new familiar, Sinistro, Giada must do everything she can to save her brother, or risk losing him forever.

This book was a quick and engaging read for me - I didn’t want to put it down. I loved Giada and her spunk and love for animals. Giada was who she was and she wasn’t going to change for anybody. I especially enjoyed her love for herself and her body. She would talk about her chubby tummy and how much she loved having it.

I feel like this book is perfect for middle grade readers as Meg Cannistra creates this magical world set in Italy, but it’s not overly complicated. There are all kinds of magical animals and beasts mixed with potions and practices. Not everything is laid out right in front of you, and Giada lets you know stuff as it goes along, which I feel like works well for this story.

I could easily see this becoming a series as we follow Giada in her studies and beyond. Plus, I would be interested in seeing this magical world outside of Italy too.

Overall, this is a cute and wonderful middle grade fantasy novel that I can see readers of all ages enjoying.

*Thank you Inkyard Press and BookishFirst for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
  
A Darker Shade of Magic
A Darker Shade of Magic
V.E. Schwab, Victoria Schwab | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
10
9.2 (19 Ratings)
Book Rating
Super engaging and well rounded characters (2 more)
Great world building
Crisp readable writing
Nothing (0 more)
WONDERFUL Fantasy book!
Gotta recommend this one! It was SO GOOD. The writing is clean and addictive, the characters are unique and engaging, the magic is... well... magically magical and unlike most of the generic magic floating around out there.

A cross-dressing pick pocket pirate, a promiscuous prince, a moody magician with a forgotten past,
a pair of twin villains who make the Lannister twins look like snowflakes, and a vicious blood-enslaved magician. How's that for a cast? Side note -- even the bit players in this book are well drawn and stir emotions when they die. Yes. People actually die in this one...I've read several books lately where SOMEONE obviously should have died SOMEWHERE along the journey and no one did. I was SO ready for some "let's get real and kill people so the stakes are high" reading.

Four different versions of London exist on different planes... each magical in varying degrees, all in danger of destruction from a magical artifact that accidentally smuggled between the veils. This is the scene for the grand adventure.

I was really struggling to get over my book hangover after finishing Queen of Nothing and this was like the nectar that healed me. I can't wait to dive into book 2!

Also, Kell is my new fictitious boyfriend. Move over Rhysand from ACOTAR, we're starting a reverse harem.