Magical Girl Blues by Russell Isler ~ a Review

by MK French

Xenia Findlay survived the crash that killed her parents and best friend Bethany. She moved to Porter Valley to live with her great aunt, and she is plagued by headaches and hallucinatory visits from her dead friend. Students of Porter Valley High are disappearing, and Xenia is starting to see them along with Bethany in her visions. She starts to suspect that magic and ghosts are real, and that a monster is lurking in the shadows. She has a brand new power that might allow her to save herself and her town.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

November 2024; Bottled Monster Press; 9781961479029
ebook (436 pages); horror

Magical Girl Blues is the second book in the series "The Clandestine," though I haven't read the first book in the series. It isn't necessary to have read that to understand this one. Xenia deals with intense grief as well as headaches from head trauma from the accident that killed them. She sees auras and ghosts, and a raven seems willing to help her figure out what these powers are. There are other magical creatures in Porter Valley, as well as people who know about this hidden world. Xenia tries to figure out how her vision works, and what the auras are. It's a struggle on top of high school, but it's also hilarious that Xenia was working on her magic to try making a wand like magical girls of anime. 

I really enjoyed this book, and my heart went out to Xenia and the teen victims. The grief is well portrayed in the novel, as well as the connections and activities that can draw people out from under its weight. Teens deal with a lot, maybe not monsters, but it will help them to see how others deal with major issues. 

Buy Magical Girl Blues at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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