A magical chapter book for kids and their parents! This is a solid middle grade fantasy novel, and I can think of several of our patrons who would be so happy to get their hands on this one.

I appreciated the writing in this book. When reading, I wasn’t overly aware that it was a middle grade book—I didn’t find the writing to be simple or obnoxious. In that way, I was reminded of Harry Potter—this is a book that parents would gladly pick up with their kids.
The plot is well paced and interesting, and I enjoyed the themes throughout the book.
A good ending to a good duology.

Elle McNicoll does it again in this genre, it had that magical element that I was looking for and enjoyed how well everything worked. It worked as a children’s fiction book and was a great conclusion in the Like a Charm duology. The characters felt like they were supposed to and glad they continued the story.

Like a Curse is the follow up to Like a Charm. We follow Rayma as she is suppose to be learning Magic from her Aunt Opal but is preoccupied with trying to save the things she loves.

I love being able to read a good middle grade fantasy novel. This book is a really good mix of Magic and realism. Rayma is such a great character that brings great representation to the neurodivergent community. This is a really great novel for middle grade readers that help teach lessons of diversity and acceptance.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6464557454

The sequel wraps up the series in a satisfying way. Solid pacing - I read this one quickly and appreciated how the story clicked together. Readers will appreciate the neurodiverse representation in this exciting MG novel. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the e-arc,

I’ve rarely read an incredibly satisfying, self-contained book followed by an equally brilliant sequel. Like a Curse, though, is exactly that. I truly loved Like a Charm, blending fantasy and realism into something I couldn’t help but adore, and the sequel fully lived up to my expectations.

Once more, I unabashedly adore Ramya. Her determination, anxiety, and struggle to prove herself made it difficult to put down her story, and her relationships (especially with Opal) truly gave the book shine with new depth. Although I don’t want to spoil the book, I will say that I particularly loved the ending. McNicoll manages to bring together this duology’s many threads—friendship, magic, neurodiversity, forgiveness, understanding, secrets—and create an incredibly satisfying conclusion that put a spin on fantasy unlike anything I’ve ever read.

I highly recommend Like a Curse (and the Like a Charm duology) to readers who enjoy middle-grade fantasy and are looking for a book that puts a twist on the genre.

First-thank you so much to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Second-this was such a thrill to read! I have been wary of reading middle grade novels as they often underestimate their readers and end up frustrating me to no end. This, however, was the opposite. I found that both adults and the intended audience could fall in love with this magical world and heavily empathize with each character. Not only were the characters well developed, but they tackled important topics without it becoming the sole plot of the book. McNicoll does an excellent job of handling discrimination and recognizing that children and teenagers face/distribute strong opinions. I only wish to have seen more development between Ramya and her parents as that felt as though it would be a strong plot point. Overall, I found this book to be the perfect middle grade read!