The Magpie Society by Zoe Sugg & Amy McCulloch

 Who Killed Lola? When tragedy strikes at Illumen Hall the summer before Audrey begins attending the school, all the students are rightfully horrified. Lola's death is labelled as 'death by misadventure', but some feel that this is an inaccurate label. When the school year begins in September, and newcomer Audrey is added to the mix, as well as a suspicious podcast begins to circle the school, tensions rise to the breaking point. With the charm of the setting of an old British boarding school, mixed with suspense, mystery and friendship, the real question is... who killed Lola? And who is next? 

I really enjoyed this book, and read it cover to cover in one sitting! I adored the setting, and the character arc between the two main characters, Audrey and Ivy. From enemies to best friends, the girls work together to try to solve the mystery of Lola's death. 

The book is written partly from Audrey's point of view, and partly from Ivy's, which gives the reader a look into both girl's minds and gives an opportunity to see the problems and each other in a different light. Though an intriguing plot, the writing is quite simplistic, and straightforward, lacking some of the usual, more varied use of vocabulary I have seen in YA books. Additionally, one of the key plot points is solved about halfway through the novel, and the remainder is building up to the overarching main plot point of the series. This approach meant that the book felt a little bit disjointed, where the first half of the book was focused on one issue, and the second half suddenly remembered that it needed to build up to a series-wide storyline. 

Despite the slightly disjointed feeling of the plot, I really enjoyed reading this book. It was intriguing, and I have not read a murder mystery YA that felt truly age-appropriate before, or that did not have romance as a key cornerstone. The Magpie Society checked both those boxes, so it was a win for me!

Rating: 4/5 stars

Vasilisa by Julie Mathison

I have just finished Vasilisa by Julie Mathison. This was a middle-grade book, set to be published 23 February 2021, all about the Russian tale of Baba Yaga. She is known as an elderly woman, or sometimes a trio of sisters who lives in a hut described as standing on chicken legs. 

The story brings us Vasilisa and Ivan, who find themselves embroiled in the tales of old Russia and who must work together to bring Vasilisa's father home from war, and to resolve Ivan's thirst to avenge his parent's deaths. 

The story was well-written, and I was immediately invested in Vasilisa's story. The character development of Vasilisa intrigued me, as she begins as a little girl, longing for her father to return home, but finishes the book as a strong young woman who stands up for herself and for her friends and family. The novel emphasizes kindness over violence and demonstrates that choosing to be caring and kind will always have better consequences than being hateful and violent. 

This theme played out throughout the novel and is an excellent message for middle-grade readers. Vasilia's struggles with mythological creatures may not be relatable, but the way in which she responds to these threats certainly can be. Vasilia's resilience and positive choice are an excellent role model for middle-grade readers. 

The only critique I had whilst reading the book was that I found the story quite linear. There was a very clear path of what was to come, and there was little deviation from this. The straight path meant that the ending was quite predictable.

Overall, the story was sweet, with an excellent message for young readers, and it was an enjoyable read. 

Rating: 4/5 stars.