Reading Recommendations: Magic & Mischief
A new month means another batch of reading recommendations! I’m focusing on stories that feature magic, mischief, and whimsy. I hope you enjoy the picks!
Last Call at The Nightshade Lounge
Bailey Chen is fresh out of college with all the usual new-adult demons: no cash, no job offers, and an awkward relationship with Zane, the old friend she kinda-sorta hooked up with during high school.
But when Zane introduces Bailey to his monster-fighting bartender friends, her demons become a lot more literal. It turns out that evil creatures stalk the city streets after hours, and they can be hunted only with the help of magically mixed cocktails: vodka grants super-strength, whiskey offers the power of telekinesis, and rum lets its drinker fire blasts of elemental energy. But will all these powers be enough for Bailey to halt a mysterious rash of gruesome deaths? And what will she do when the safety of a “real world” job beckons?
An action-packed urban fantasy novel from beginning to end! The concept of a magic-wielding bartender was a unique concept as it ties into the world of alchemy that exists. Bailey is at a crossroads in her life after college and being thrown into her new job helps to process the past but also to find her own path too. I enjoyed the dictionary sandwiched in between chapters to showcase the mixology and power of each concoction (while giving a glimpse of alternate histories). The novel is fast-paced and keeps the readers on their toes with suspense and intense battles with supernatural creatures.
Witches of Brooklyn
Effie lost her mom.
Lost her home.
And now she has to live with two strange aunts who she’s never met before.
Life in Brooklyn takes a strange twist for Effie as she learns more about her family and herself. With new friends who will do whatever they can to be there for her, a cursed pop-star, and her new magically-inclined family — Effie’s life is about to get interesting.
Effie and her aunt’s bond grows strong over the course of the story even though at first, they don’t know too much about one another. It’s an entertaining graphic novel about family and self-discovery (along with magic too). Though all three main characters stand out with their strong personalities Effie’s aunts, Carlotta and Seilmene, really stole the story for me. They are spunky, lively, and keep the comedic aspect alive throughout the course of the story. The magical elements add so many surprises to this story and I can’t wait to read what happens next in this series!
Iron Cast
In 1919, Ada Navarra—the intrepid daughter of immigrants—and Corinne Wells—a spunky, devil-may-care heiress—make an unlikely pair. But at the Cast Iron nightclub in Boston, anything and everything is possible. At night, on stage together, the two best friends, whose “afflicted” blood gives them the ability to create illusions through art, weave magic under the employ of Johnny Dervish, the club’s owner and a notorious gangster. By day, Ada and Corinne use these same skills to con the city’s elite in an attempt to keep the club afloat.
When a “job” goes awry and Ada is imprisoned, she realizes they’re on the precipice of danger. Only Corinne—her partner in crime—can break her out of Haversham Asylum. But once Ada is out, they face betrayal at every turn.
An interesting concept set in early 1900s America and tales of magic and hemopaths. Though Corrine and Ada come from different backgrounds their sisterly bond can’t be denied. Their friendship is tested many times through the multiple obstacles they face in the novel. Their work at the club provides them with a place of solace while they try to get to the bottom of why people like them are going missing. There are many elements of mystery and suspense as the readers try to figure out what is happening. The book is immersive in its time period setting and discusses everything from immigration, race relations, class, and more.
Every Heart a Doorway
Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere… else.
But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.
Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced… they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.
But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter.
No matter the cost.
This story had such a unique concept as for years readers have read stories about being whisked off to fantasy worlds like Narnia, but no one ever talks about what happens after they return. This novel explores what happens to these children afterward and what effects they might have depending on where they have traveled to. The boarding school itself seems like such a serene place and is full of many people. There are talks of doors, rainbows, and nonsense vs logic in the story that make this short novel an engrossing read. The students are not only struggling to cope with the real world but when tragedy strikes a mystery must be solved as well.
Manu
Manu and her best friend, Josefina, live at a magical school for girls, and Manu is always getting into trouble. The headmistress believes that Manu has the potential to help people with her magic, but Manu would rather have fun than fall in line. One day, a prank goes seriously wrong, and Josefina gets angry and wishes for Manu’s magic to disappear… and it does. Manu uses a dangerous spell to restore it, but it makes her magic too powerful and nearly impossible to control. Great power comes at a cost, and it may be a price that Manu isn’t able to pay!
Set against the backdrop of a magical school for girls, besties Josefina and Manu are always getting mixed up in wild shenanigans. All the girls including the nuns have such vibrant personalities that will make the reader smile. I also felt the two main characters are something younger readers can see themselves in as they are growing up and trying to figure out their magic and where they belong. The moral of the story is love yourself and the plot is a testament to the power of friendship. This story is fun and inspiring, especially to its younger audience.
The Ex Hex
Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths…and a curse on the horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way, but with only an “orchard hayride” scented candle on hand, she isn’t worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two.
That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival turns disastrously wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless after all.
Suddenly, Graves Glen is under attack from murderous wind-up toys, a pissed off ghost, and a talking cat with some interesting things to say. Vivi and Rhys have to ignore their off the charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the break-up curse before it’s too late.
This romance follows a reconnection trop as Rhys and Vivi try to deny that they are each other’s first love. They harbor such deep feelings for each other and when they meet again years later the spark between them ignites. This romance was entertaining from beginning to end and I enjoyed the cozy small-town vibes of Glen Graves. The setting alone was immersive, and I loved the gimmicky play on Halloween tropes. The dialogue is full of fun banter (with a bit of spark) and many tricky situations providing many laughs for the reader. A cute read with multiple steamy scenes as well.
That concludes my list of reading recommendations! What books with amateur sleuths do you recommend or what are your favorites? Comment below!
