I enjoyed this book more than the first! Twice Magic by is the second book in The Wizards of Once and picks up in the middle of the action (featuring Xar….who else?!). Xar is in Gormincrag (like a prison) due to the mistakes he made in book one and Wish is behind a giant wall. Will these two kids who were never meant to meet meet again?

I love Xar and Wish! Xar is a the son of a wizard, though he never came into his magic (see book one for details of what he does about it). Wish is the daughter of the Queen of the Warriors. Neither really fit into the society they were born in and both rebel against it in their own ways. After a daring escape, Xar returns to the warrior castle to retrieve his spellbook. This results in him breaking in and stealing it and also kidnapping Wish in the process. Though is it really considered kidnapping when she goes with him willingly?

Adventure abounds in this book, much like the first. However I enjoyed this installment much more. The world building is done, the characters know each other and have formed a friendship so the reader gets thrown right into the action. I love it! There is a quest for a giant’s last breath, a war (like an actually, full on war) between the Warriors and Wizards and the Witches thought dead, and a magical backstory for two characters I didn’t expect. I loved that last bit 😉

Overall I really enjoyed Twice Magic. Like the first, I listened to an audiobook which features the immensely talented David Tennant as narrator. Y’all it is fantastic! He really brings the characters to life in a way that wouldn’t translate if you read it on your own. If you enjoy medieval fantasy, I highly recommend grabbing a copy asap.

This review first appeared on Mom with a Reading Problem.