ennagirl's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
wordinessa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Instructions for Casting the Spell This Book Cast On Me
-Begin your preparations at a magical high school that's high on drama and low on innocence
-Infuse the air with a dash of noir murder mystery
-Conjure up a lead detective who is not at all jealous of her estranged magical twin sister who teaches at the school, not even one tiny bit
-Splash in a love potion that encourages a touch of deceit and spells of slight spice
-Cast an air of self-doubt that smells vaguely of disappointment
-Drink heavily
-Sprinkle in a cast of magical teenagers who may or may not be murder suspects
-Finish it off with narration by Xe Sands
I'm not sure how to express how much I enjoyed this experience of an audiobook. I'm sure the narration had a lot to do it. I felt teleported to Osthorne Academy, and was fully immersed in Ivy's world of trying to blend in as a non-magical person in a magical world beyond her comprehension - yet full of all of the same flaws she faces in her "normal" life as a PI. Our lead character, Ivy Gamble, is far from perfect herself, and full of self-doubt. She constantly tries to create a second self, who had the opportunity to grow up in this world - like her sister did. Her flaws make her all the more authentic, and while I usually prefer narrators I actually like, in this case it was easy to identify with Ivy's ever-present need to prove that she was "good enough". The style of this novel (and Sands' narration) makes it special - I never knew that I needed a noir Hogwarts, but it turns out I absolutely did.
-Begin your preparations at a magical high school that's high on drama and low on innocence
-Infuse the air with a dash of noir murder mystery
-Conjure up a lead detective who is not at all jealous of her estranged magical twin sister who teaches at the school, not even one tiny bit
-Splash in a love potion that encourages a touch of deceit and spells of slight spice
-Cast an air of self-doubt that smells vaguely of disappointment
-Drink heavily
-Sprinkle in a cast of magical teenagers who may or may not be murder suspects
-Finish it off with narration by Xe Sands
I'm not sure how to express how much I enjoyed this experience of an audiobook. I'm sure the narration had a lot to do it. I felt teleported to Osthorne Academy, and was fully immersed in Ivy's world of trying to blend in as a non-magical person in a magical world beyond her comprehension - yet full of all of the same flaws she faces in her "normal" life as a PI. Our lead character, Ivy Gamble, is far from perfect herself, and full of self-doubt. She constantly tries to create a second self, who had the opportunity to grow up in this world - like her sister did. Her flaws make her all the more authentic, and while I usually prefer narrators I actually like, in this case it was easy to identify with Ivy's ever-present need to prove that she was "good enough". The style of this novel (and Sands' narration) makes it special - I never knew that I needed a noir Hogwarts, but it turns out I absolutely did.
plantgaljill's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bmce01's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
moonlette's review against another edition
dark
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
joepyeweed's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Like if Aunt Petunia became a detective and then had to solve a magic mystery. The main character was a bit annoying and self-absorbed, and it was obvious that she shouldn’t lie about who she was. The ending of the mystery was good though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Cancer, Blood, Murder, Abortion, Body horror, Death of parent, Death, Gaslighting, and Grief
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Self harm and Sexual harassment
mamabeardteacher's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
moira_b's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Murder in a magical school with a vibe of dark academia, what's not to like? I found myself hooked in the mystery and invested in the feelings of the characters. It's a great balance of fantasy in a more modern sort of environment, with a sprinkle of theoretical and ethical consideration of magic itself. A good exploration of belonging and grief from different perspectives. Definitely a very compelling story to listen to in audiobook format and a perfect read if you are into this genre and atmosphere!
salemander's review against another edition
maybe i’ll come back to this one some day but this shit is toooooo sad!! like i’m sorry love Ivy, my pathetic queen, but the desperation she feels makes it just really hard for this book to not ruin my day a little bit. I’ll probably try her again when i’m in a better headspace for her inner monologues lmao