Morag Sims's deft narration skills shine in this inclusive YA fantasy, which includes LGBTQ+ characters. Fifteen-year-old Clara's unruly magic and wild emotions have accidentally caused flowers to bloom from her father's chest. Sims puts forth a leisurely but polished and formal tone as she switches between Clara and Xavier, Clara's handsome ex-best friend whom she is now partnering with to save her father. Clara's voice is honeyed and peppered with both zest and whining, while Xavier, who is struggling with his dark past, swings between bashfulness and worldliness. Minor characters have distinct and strong voices. Listeners will enjoy hearing Clara and Xavier's relationship evolve. E.P. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

★ 01/16/2023

Sixteen-year-old Clara Lucas’s innate magic has always been out of control, resulting in overgrown flora and damaged property, but it has never harmed anyone until she accidentally curses her father, whose chest suddenly blooms with poisonous flowers. The only way to cure him is to perform a blessing, a complex spell for which she’s never completed training. Desperate to prevent his seemingly inevitable death, she turns to Xavier Morwyn, 16, a childhood friend turned calculating government magician, asking him to help her tame her magic. Though countless mentors have failed to accomplish the task, he agrees—and also offers to remove her wild magic by absorbing it into himself, post-blessing, to give her a chance at a peaceful life. As the pair work together, Clara learns the reason why Xavier pulled away from her all those years ago and uncovers secrets surrounding a mysterious potion cursing the populace. Bakewell (We Are the Song) delivers a sensitively cultivated magic system that, as evidenced by the anxiety that makes it difficult for Clara to control her abilities, operates as a commentary on mental illness and its effects on one’s ability to move through the world. It’s an uplifting and meaningful tale bursting with floral imagery and cottagecore aesthetics. Main characters cue as white. Ages 13–up. Agent: Jordan Hamessley, New Leaf Literary and Media. (Mar.)

"An uplifting and meaningful tale bursting with floral imagery and cottagecore aesthetics." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A comfort read with the super cute slow-burn childhood friends-to-lovers trope and an enchanting, whimsical setting." — USA Today

"A gentle love story and a fantasy that faces the dark voices of anxiety and depression with mettle." — Kirkus Reviews

"Peppered with moving moments of comfort, self-reflection and joy, Flowerheart is an intimate, charming read." — BookPage

"An enchanting fantasy filled with lovely imagery and a sweet romance." — School Library Journal

"A mystical, cozy, and utterly spellbinding tale complete with whimsical world-building and characters you can’t help but love. It’s best read with a warm cup of tea." — barnesandnoble.com

"Perfect for those readers who found Bakewell’s middle-grade fantasy We Are the Song (2022) spellbinding." — Booklist Online

"Flowerheart is like a garden in full bloom: vibrant and sweet, whimsical and wondrous. With warm, lovely prose and a charming cast, Bakewell’s YA debut is guaranteed to be fantasy fans’ new comfort read." — Allison Saft, New York Times-bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic 

"Sparkly, charming, and swoony, Flowerheart is a warm cup of tea on a rainy afternoon. Bakewell's unique magical world, beautiful prose, and childhood friends-to-strangers-to-lovers romance cast an undeniable spell." — Sasha Peyton Smith, New York Times-bestselling author of The Witch Haven

"Wholesome, sweet, and warm—this book swept me into a magical, whimsical world with delightful characters and compelling stakes. Make a space for FLOWERHEART on your shelves." — Jodi Meadows, New York Times bestselling author

“A lovely tale full of magic and hope, Flowerheart tells a story of family, of love, and of finding the strength to be wholly ourselves. This is the kind of book that stays with you long after you turn the final page.” — Jessica S. Olson, author of A Forgery of Roses

"A beautiful flower garden of a book, Catherine Bakewell's YA debut is an ode to softness and inner strength. Readers will fall in love with Clara and her determination to protect those she loves." — Lyndall Clipstone, author of Lakesedge and Forestfall

"FLOWERHEART bursts with beauty, hope, and warmth. A rich, imaginative fantasy that I savored like wandering through a lush garden I never wanted to leave." — Emily Bain Murphy, author of Splinters of Scarlet

"A gorgeous debut—as fresh and beautiful as the flowers its protagonist grows with her magic." — Cyla Panin, author of Stalking Shadows and Beguiled

Flowerheart is like a garden in full bloom: vibrant and sweet, whimsical and wondrous.”

04/01/2023

Gr 8 Up—An enchanting fantasy filled with lovely imagery and a sweet romance. All her life, Clara's magic has been out of control. When her magic accidentally harms her father, she turns to her ex-friend Xavier for help. Clara is not sure why Xavier stopped talking to her all those years ago, but it seems that he is the only one willing to help her control her magic, for a price. Cottage core vibes abound in this book, with cozy cottages filled with dried herbs, simple healing potions, and benevolent magic. However, darkness is hinted at with Clara's magic, which is insidious and negative, and characters struggling with mental illness. It is an issue that Clara's magic has a literal mind of its own and it isn't really explored or even deemed unusual by the other characters. Another issue is that struggles with mental illness seem to be used as a plot point and have no real substance. Main characters are white, although there is some diversity in the secondary characters. There is LGBTQIA+ representation with trans and nonbinary characters as well as multiple same-sex couples. VERDICT Perfect for collections serving readers who love benevolent magic.—V. Lynn Christiansen

Morag Sims's deft narration skills shine in this inclusive YA fantasy, which includes LGBTQ+ characters. Fifteen-year-old Clara's unruly magic and wild emotions have accidentally caused flowers to bloom from her father's chest. Sims puts forth a leisurely but polished and formal tone as she switches between Clara and Xavier, Clara's handsome ex-best friend whom she is now partnering with to save her father. Clara's voice is honeyed and peppered with both zest and whining, while Xavier, who is struggling with his dark past, swings between bashfulness and worldliness. Minor characters have distinct and strong voices. Listeners will enjoy hearing Clara and Xavier's relationship evolve. E.P. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

2022-12-24
Sixteen-year-old Clara Lucas makes an unbearable bargain to control her wild magic so she can save Papa from her accidental curse.

All Clara and childhood best friend Xavier Morwyn ever wanted was to be healers like his parents. But while Xavier was certified as a wizard a year earlier than is usual, Clara was left behind. Her magic is wild and unpredictable, always taunting her and playing on her worst fears of failure. When the Council of Magicians declares Clara’s magic must either be neutralized or bound, making spellcasting painful, Clara chooses the latter—until the results poison Papa. Only she can counter her accidental curse with a healing blessing, but she must first have full control of her magic. She begs Xavier to teach her how; he agrees but on one condition: Once Papa is healed, Clara must give Xavier her magic. A slow-burn romance and a soft, sweet fantasy unfold. The portrayal of anxiety as Clara’s magic is not subtle, but many readers familiar with mental health struggles will recognize the voice that taunts and haunts Clara. At the same time, she overcomes her challenges more quickly than can be expected in real life; a subplot around a potion to cure melancholy includes subtle messaging that is ultimately more supportive of medical intervention than it may at first appear. Main characters are cued White.

A gentle love story and a fantasy that faces the dark voices of anxiety and depression with mettle. (Fantasy. 14-18)