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A review by franuary
Bad Magic by Pseudonymous Bosch
3.0
In Bad Magic, the first in a new series by Pseudonymous Bosh (author of the bestselling Secret Series), 12-year-old Clay is accused of writing graffiti on the wall of his school and is sent to a summer camp for troubled youth on a largely deserted volcanic island. From the moment he arrives at the camp, things seem a little off. Why is a large portion of the grounds off-limits? What’s up with the mysterious, sealed-off library? Who is the young girl who appears in the library’s window? And why do so many of the campers keep accidentally referring to Shakespeare’s The Tempest, a play that Clay studied at school? As Clay uncovers the secrets of the island, he not only learns about his own abilities, but he also discovers information about his long-lost magician brother Max Ernest.
This series is a companion to Bosh’s Secret Series, which details the escapades of Clay’s elder brother Max Ernest. I found the Secret Series to be a little more silly and zany, whereas this book was fairly straight forward and less quirky. I suspect that this direct approach was a set up for the later books in the series, but I had hoped for more whimsy. The book was fairly dry for me, and even after the big reveal at the end, a lot of elements didn’t make a whole lot of sense. Still, I think the middle grade audience, especially fans of the Secret Series, will love this one, and I look forward to seeing where Bosh takes Clay’s story in sequels.
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and to NetGalley for the advance copy!
This series is a companion to Bosh’s Secret Series, which details the escapades of Clay’s elder brother Max Ernest. I found the Secret Series to be a little more silly and zany, whereas this book was fairly straight forward and less quirky. I suspect that this direct approach was a set up for the later books in the series, but I had hoped for more whimsy. The book was fairly dry for me, and even after the big reveal at the end, a lot of elements didn’t make a whole lot of sense. Still, I think the middle grade audience, especially fans of the Secret Series, will love this one, and I look forward to seeing where Bosh takes Clay’s story in sequels.
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and to NetGalley for the advance copy!