Books

[seekingferret]

The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association by Caitlin Rozakis

This book, about the parents at an elite Connecticut private elementary school for magic users, was a blast to read. It had such a sharp sendup of the pressure for parents to make sure their young children are academically successful, and of parents playing pointless low stakes status games against each other.

I also enjoyed a couple of side digs directed at JKR. For all of its issues, the school in this book would make a much better place to send your mage-to-be or werewolf pup than that castle that shall not be named.

And I liked so many of the characters, this is a setting where I would definitely read further books about side characters... the badass werewolf matriarch, the vampire kindergarten teacher, the done with this shit former headmaster, the former warrior mage turned stay at home dad.


A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

A worthy followup to The Tainted Cup, this offered another satisfying mystery and investigation, and deeper worldbuilding and exploration of the Empire and both its virtues and failings.

Lisa and Lottie Erich Kastner

The original source for the Parent Trap! This was adorable.

The House of Found Objects by Jo Beckett-King

Thirteen year old girls go on a treasure hunt in Paris! Delightfully low stakes puzzle adventure with reasonable, fair puzzles.

The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar

Read for Jewish Science Fiction Book Group. Eh...I liked it better than others in the group, I thought it had some good Sachar humor, and the moral enigmas were straightforward but tense. But it wasn't super memorable.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

A piece of garbage. Do not recommend.

Comments

[rachelmanija]

What's wrong with Midnight Library?

[seekingferret]

It's a banal, overly sentimental update of the It's A Wonderful Life type of story, with cardboard thin characters and an oversimplified and preachy moral viewpoint.

[merrileemakes]

Thanks for reccing Grimoire Grammar, that sounds fun. I've stuffed it in my wishlist.

I'm curious to hear your thoughts about The Midnight Library. I read it last year and found it engaging and infuriating in turns. Now my memory has faded I think it left more sour notes than anything else?

[chestnut_pod]

I felt much the same about the Sachar -- perhaps I was more disappointed than I ought to have been, as a result of high expectations.

[tafadhali]

Ooh, the PTA book sounds super fun! Thanks for the rec. Too bad that the Sachar book was a bit underwhelming, he's always been one of my faves.