Euphoria Kids
by
Alison Evans
Publisher: Echo Publishing
Publication date: 4th February 2020
Genre: Young Adult / LGBT / Fantasy
Pages: 247
RRP: $19.99 AUD
Format read: Paperback
Source: Courtesy of the publisher via B Fredericks PR
Ever since the witch cursed Babs, she turns invisible sometimes. She has her mum and her dog, but teachers and classmates barely notice her. Then, one day, Iris can see her. And Iris likes what they see. Babs is made of fire.
Iris grew from a seed in the ground. They have friends, but not human ones. Not until they meet Babs. The two of them have a lot in common: they speak to dryads and faeries, and they're connected to the magic that's all around them.
There's a new boy at school, a boy who's like them and who hasn't found his real name. Soon the three of them are hanging out and trying spellwork together. Magic can be dangerous, though. Witches and fae can be cruel. Something is happening in the other realm, and despite being warned to stay away, the three friends have to figure out how to deal with it on their own terms.
Although not the intended readership, I
absolutely loved this magical and tender story.
Alison Evans has a wonderful way of
expressing feelings and emotions.
Iris is a plant child. They grew from the
ground. The child of Clover and Moss. They know they are different. A
non-binary child that talks to the fairie, Saltkin, in the garden.
“I didn’t want to be a strange
baby made of plants, but it hasn’t caused any problems. I don’t
know if anyone else can tell.”
Babs is trans-gender, a witch left a
spell on her that makes her invisible. Life can be lonely when you
are cursed with bouts of invisibility but one day Iris sees her and a
friendship begins. Iris can see that Babs is made of fire.
I enjoyed watching the friendship between
Iris and Babs develop and also the introduction of the new boy, a
trans-gender who hadn’t yet discovered who he was.
“Here’s a boy, not sure of his
name or what he is made of. Iris grew from a seed under moss,
brimming with new magic. And me, a fiery mess of a girl, crackling
when I walk. I forged my own name. I’m invisible sometimes, but I
know who I am.
He just needs time. I hope he knows
that.” - Babs
Babs’ words are filled with such
confidence and compassion.
The characters grew and developed. There
was no mention of bullying and the teens were responsible, caring and
respectful of their parents. In turn the parents were supportive. It
was such a heart-warming thing to see these loving close-knit
families.
The magical element of the story is
captivating. The teens live on the edge of the National Park and
within the park is The Realm, a dark place they are warned to stay
away from.
As Babs is drawn to the forest the
tension mounts, making this a story that is hard to put down until
you know the final conclusion.
Euphoria Kids is a tender,
touching story seeped with magic bringing to life the earth, the
plants and all things magical.
I finished this book wanting more!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
My Rating 5/5
 |
| Photo credit: Goodreads |
This review is part of the Book Lover Book Review Aussie Author Challenge
#AussieAuthor20
No comments:
Post a Comment