Title: High School Magical: September
Author: Deirdre Riordan Hall
Rating: 4/5 Stars (I loved it!)
I received a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review. This is a spoiler free review.
Summary
When Maija Marie Wessels awakens on Monday morning, she is expecting to start her junior year at Hamilton High. She has a great group of friends, a crush, and is the captain of the soccer team. However, she is visited by Certified Witch Caretakers who inform her that she is a witch… seriously! She is then taken to a school for the magical called Applemoor Academy for the Magically Talented. Here, she encounters things she always thought were fantasy, including unicorns, centaurs, elves, werewolves, vampires, and more. However, with the new rule allowing all magical creatures to attend the school, tensions rise and drama ensues. Following Maija through her first weeks of classes, we see her increased workload, new classes, social drama, and mystery surrounding other students and faculty.
Review
The High School Magical series will be updated every month. It is a “litcom,” a sitcom but for books. This idea fills me with so much joy. I love TV shows and I love reading so now I can do both at the same time! This story is easy to digest, like a TV show, while still containing all of the descriptiveness and creativeness that is characteristic of Deirdre Riordan Hall’s writing. It is easy to imagine this as an episode of a TV program. I love the humorous style of writing that comes and the references to pop culture, especially Harry Styles 😉
I find it incredibly important the reference to systematic prejudices and oppression when it comes to the integration of the school with various magical creatures. The tension is introduced in the September issue of the High School Magical series and I look forward to seeing how it is addressed as the series progresses.
Who doesn’t love a good magical boarding school? I will never get tired of this and High School Magical brings this to readers. Also, who doesn’t love a mysterious and brooding guy dressed in Edwardian style clothes? I sure do and I am so excited to learn more about JJ and all of his secrets and his interest in Maija. And why he is always wearing a top hat.
This series is going to be a perfect series for lovers of fantasy, drama, and magic. It is like Return to Halloweentown in book form with the drama and tension of Gossip Girl. I am looking forward to the next installment and you should be too!