Magicalia by Jennifer Bell

What worked:

A Magicalia once belonged to Bitsy’s mother, but Bitsy doesn’t find out until after her father is kidnapped. The Magicalia reveals the world of magicores and offers brief bits of information about them. Bitsy’s copy of the book includes her mother’s notes, but they can only be read by three people. Bitsy and her best friend Kosh discover hidden portals to different areas of the world and follow clues to rescue her father. However, a ransom note warns them not to tell anyone else, so they’re left to fully discover the world on magicores mostly on their own. A new antagonist arises in the middle of the book, who will become the source of future problems in the series.

The various magicores are aligned with specific emotions, so conjurers must visualize past experiences that elicit those feelings. The creatures have different strengths that range from alpha to omega. Beginners like Bitsy and Kosh summon simple magicores, while it takes six conjurers working together to summon an omega. The characters can only conjure one magicore at a time, so they must think carefully about which one to choose. Sometimes, Bitsy and Kosh aren’t sure exactly what their magicores can do, so they offer surprises, too. It’s curious to witness Bitsy’s memories, as she tries to find the right emotion to conjure. Kosh’s motivations usually include a moment from watching his favorite soccer team.

The conjurers divide themselves into guilds that work together to form the Alliance. However, one guild called the Hunters wanted to use magicores to rule humans, so the Alliance banished them from the conservatoire. Now, these guilds still oppose each other, which has allowed a new group to grow in power. This small collection of conjurers is committed to creating chaos and dissension between the Alliance and the Hunters. One character can change appearances, so no one, including readers, knows when this person might pop up. Gilander Arkwright is the original conjurer, and the plot’s conflict centers on a search for his gyrowheel. The finder will hold a powerful artifact that will change the world as they know it.

What didn’t work as well:

It’s hard to believe Bitsy and Kosh can select memories with just the right emotions to conjure appropriate magicores. They’re often needed immediately, and they never make a mistake. That’s not to say their choices are always perfect, but it seems like they should have some kind of learning curve.

The final verdict:

The author creates a creative, exciting story with an abundance of unexpected turns. Summoning strange creatures using emotional memories is fascinating, and young readers will become engrossed in the search for the gyrowheel. Overall, I recommend you give this book a shot.