A delightfully creepy mystery with a dash of fantasy set in the mountains of Asheville, NC, Serafina and the Black Cloak is a beautiful story of frienA delightfully creepy mystery with a dash of fantasy set in the mountains of Asheville, NC, Serafina and the Black Cloak is a beautiful story of friendship and choosing good and light. I have visited The Biltmore Estate before, and, now, real elements, such as the statue of Diana, have a new meaning for me since reading this middle grade book; I want to go again and see the historic site through the lens of Serafina! I recommend e this book to middle grade readers who like a good borderline scary mystery or even as a family read aloud before visiting Asheville! ...more
Simply, I enjoyed this book! If you are looking for a romantasy built around enemies-to-maybe-more and will-they-won't-they set in a world of pirates,Simply, I enjoyed this book! If you are looking for a romantasy built around enemies-to-maybe-more and will-they-won't-they set in a world of pirates, then consider picking this book up. Reader discretion is advised---I discuss content warnings below.
There are several elements that made me think of the anime One Piece (and its live-action remake) including a pirate king, coveted treasure, and the need to steal a map. However, this book is lacking the wholesomeness that One Piece possesses. With that being said, this book is a prime example of why I believe the YA category is much too broad in the industry. There is profanity throughout (they're pirates) as well as references to "bedding women," prostitution, sexual assault, and seduction. Further, there is an on-page sexual-assault attempt along with on-page murders (not overly graphic but still present). In the context, these elements are used to illustrate the dangers of this world of pirates and touches on the trauma created by such social "norms." The trauma itself is touched on lightly, and I suspect that it will be delved into in more depth in book two, and I hope both the female and male main characters are able to start healing and growing (this book is plot-driven with little character growth outside of the romance thread).
All of this [*steps on soapbox*], in how it's presented in the book, can be okay for UPPER YA readers. However, the YA category is wide, including 12-18. There is a huge difference between a 12/13 year old and a 17/18 year old! I myself would have not read this book as a pre-teen/early teen because certain elements would have made me uncomfortable---and for good reason. Children shouldn't be desensitized to such material. I think the female main character should be aged up a year, in this specific instance, making her 18 and the target audience for the book being NA/Adult rather than YA. It wouldn't detract from the narrative and would promote to the upper YA readers still without misleading parents/guardians of younger YA readers. ...more
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