Reviewed by Hailey Chen, age 16

Flowerheart by Catherine Bakewell

Clara Luca’s magic has always been a topic of discussion amongst the witches and wizards in the community. Uncontrollable, wild, unpredictable, these were only a few descriptions her past teachers had provided regarding Clara’s magic. But it had never been dangerous. Until she unintentionally curses her father, causing poisonous flowers to bloom in his chest that could be fatal. The only way to heal him is with the same magic that cursed him, but it requires extreme precision and control–both of which Clara does not have. The only person willing to help her is Xavier Morwyn, someone she had once laughed the days away with before they lost contact. Now, he’s back, but he’s no longer the shy boy she knew. He’s grown distant, secretive, and he offers a heavy price in exchange for his help. But Clara is desperate and as she spends more time with Xavier, she uncovers a truth–a darkness–that only her magic can stop.

Flowerheart is a mystical story filled with love, intrigue, and magic. Right from the start, Clara and Xavier’s characters are defined clearly for the reader to see. Clara is afraid, self-loathing, and sick of her magic. Xavier is formal, separate, nothing like Clara remembered him to be. But as the story progresses, we see how their characters shift as they spend more time with each other. It’s amazing to see how they develop emotionally and they complement each other wonderfully. I truly believe that, along with Clara’s own empowering character development, their romance was the best part of the book. Not only the romance though, but I feel that the concept made for magic is as remarkable as the characters themselves. I greatly enjoyed all the flower language throughout the book, as well as a peek into how potions and spells work in this world. There are many details put into potion-making that make the read all the more enjoyable. If I had to give a critique, it feels like there are still many questions even after the story is over. I am unaware if there is to be a sequel, but I think I would’ve liked for some of the more major plot points to be a bit more resolved at the end. Overall though, this is a great book if you want a bit of magic and romance in a nice, cozy read.

4 stars of 5 stars

Find this book in our catalog: Flowerheart

Catalog Number: YA SF BAKEWELL,C

345 pages