I received this book for free in exchange of an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Disclosure here.
Reading age
8-12
Genre
Fantasy
Publisher
Walden Pond Press
Publication date
June 27, 2023
After her grandmother gets sick, a girl discovers her family heritage on an island off the South Carolina coast.
Delphinia Baker, or Del, an 11-year-old girl, is used to moving around with her father and grandmother because of Del’s father’s military job. They soon settled into their new house in Delaware, and that’s when disaster struck. Her grandmother gets seriously ill, and Del is forced to travel to be with her great-grandmother (Nana Rose), whom she has never seen or heard of before. How will Del adapt to her new situation? And will she fit in with the other kids on the island who practice magic called Southern Conjure?
This magic school book is sure to bewitch you. The school Southern conjure magic will enchant you with teachers called Sorcells, students with strange abilities, and magical brooms.
I read another book from Eden Royce, Root Magic (which I liked a lot), and Conjure Island was good. Though, I prefer Root Magic. This book had the School for Witches vibe, and the characters were well-done. Although I wished the other kids got more representation in the story because it felt like the others were being treated like background characters.
The setting was well-imagined, a unique isolated island with a magic school for Gullah children.
Del is a hardworking and curious young girl. She is also a very relatable character for being the new kid. Her grandmother was quirky, and her great-grandmother reminded me of the grandmother in The Okay Witch. The reason why is the vibe she has that everyone has to lean on her to support the magical community, making her the leader. Del’s best friend, Eva, was a very kind and loyal friend. Del’s father is as hardworking as Del.
Give this book to anyone who loves a family mystery with adventure and magic in it with heart.
My rating
