Recent Fantasy Reads: Mini Reviews ➳ HP and the Cursed Child, This Savage Song, & More

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! Not having liked The Young Elites much (3/5 stars?), I only decided to give its sequel a try because of the oh-so-persistent Nani, our local Young Elites enthusiast. But I am so, so glad I did. The Rose Society wasn’t perfect, but I really enjoyed reading from Adelina’s point of view. It showcased her descent into a very black, very bad place, and although it was hard to watch her push people away and make bad choices, it was so, so deliciously devilish.

The Rose Society had much more direction and plot than The Young Elites, and I really enjoyed the characters who were introduced and the secrets we uncovered throughout the story. A solid 4/5 stars (and a very real need for The Midnight Star).

Victoria Schwab never serves to disappoint. Another anti-hero story, this follows two drastically different people (monsters) Kate and August, living in drastically different places. One, the monstrous daughter of a man who runs a city of monsters, the other a human-y monster and member of the resistance and the fighters. Nothing’s black & white: it’s a fantastically gray-area book. I gobbled it up so quickly that I already need to reread it.

It was fast paced, entertaining, and enthralling, all while maintaining depth and fantastic imagery and character development. This book definitely deserves to be added to the favorites list, and I highly recommend that you give it a go.

This was a weird read for me. The book itself wasn’t weird (well… it IS Maggie Stiefvater, so “not weird” should be taken with a grain of salt), but my feelings for it were jumbled. The first half of the book was repetitive and slow, even boring. But, the magical, whimsical, wonderful world that Maggie weaved was entirely captivating, and I truly loved the story, characters, and beautifully crafted setting.

In the end, it was one of those books that’s flawed, but I loved with all my heart, and for that, I gave it a 4/5 stars.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was also an interesting read for me. I enjoyed it for what it was: a play. But it also felt silly at times, and the plot, although intriguing, left plot holes and confusion in its wake.

It didn’t feel the same as classic Harry Potter, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I think I was expecting it to be like a glimpse back in time, but the thing is, while it (of course) is a reminder of the past, it’s also not. It’s a play; it’s different than reading a book. Gone are the lengthy descriptions and magical prose that J.K. Rowling is known for, replaced by the shenanigans and imaginings of a stage.

If you think of this play as a fun adventure, then you’re sure to love it. While Albus was occasionally annoying, cinnamon-roll Scorpius was fantastic, and getting to see all of the characters as adults was heartwarming and fun. It stayed true to the original Harry Potter, full of fun little cameos and easter eggs, and for that, I really enjoyed it.