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1.72k reviews by:
purplepenning
First, as others have noted — the harmful strong, angry black woman stereotype. It's... pretty egregious.
Second, I think it's genuinely hard (impossible?) to consistently hit the right level of obvious/subtle for middle school readers, but even being understanding of that tightrope act, I found this uneven. Some things are spelled out so clearly it threatens to take the reader right out of the story. Other important nuances (like the scourge of boys being a victim of fear and how that fear was dismantled to free them) seem rushed and muddled.
Third, the art is SO cute and cool — until it's suddenly not. I thought it was just the adults that were oddly rough and sometimes weirdly positioned, but it pops up in the kids faces sometimes, too.
But overall — a fun, trans-affirming, fantasy quest for middle schoolers? With wise warrior rabbits, gorgeous princess horses with like fashion scarves and over the top names, fierce grassland sprites, an understanding father, a funny friendly open-hearted Junebug, and ... Yeah. More like this, please!
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, War
Moderate: Confinement, Violence, Kidnapping, Toxic friendship
Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Blood
Graphic: Cancer, Death
Moderate: Cursing, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Pregnancy, Alcohol
Minor: Animal cruelty, Dementia, Colonisation
Graphic: Death, Violence, Xenophobia
Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Genocide, Hate crime, Terminal illness, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abandonment
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Violence, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder
Minor: Suicide, Death of parent, Alcohol
In this latest installment, powerful dark sorceress Isidora (Issa) Avramov has to partner with her nemesis, the disgustingly noble and handsome, I mean… wholesome green magic user Rowan Thorn. They're investigating a decidedly unwholesome hex that badly injured a Beltane festival queen candidate. A hex associated with the Avramov family. A candidate from the Thorn family. With magics and personalities that mix like oil and water, can Issa and Rowan find a way to uncover the truth before the growing danger destroys them, their families, and the safety of Thistle Grove?
This is a fun, moderately steamy read with a main character who is allowed to be a whole complicated, strong, dark, powerful, chaotic, creative, cuddly, sweet person — who is finding her way in the world. Her love interest isn't quite as well developed but feels like a good, solid, trustworthy, swoon-worthy match. The characters are mid-twenties (I think?), but overall it reads like new adult to me — which isn't a criticism, since I think it's definitely a niche that needs filling.
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Violence, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Vomit
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol
Minor: Body shaming, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Pregnancy, Colonisation
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Self harm, Torture, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Sexual content, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Antisemitism, Pregnancy, Alcohol