This fabulous urban fantasy was hard to put down, and I am looking forward to its sequel. The review was originally published in the December 15, 2019 issue of Booklist. Online access to Booklist’s reviews is currently free; if you’re looking for ideas on what to read, that’s certainly the place to go.
In The New Improved Sorceress, the second book of the Wayward Mages series, Sara Hanover presents a realistic urban fantasy as college student Tessa Andrews adjusts to a maelstrom stone embedded in her left palm and all of her magical friends. This collection of supernatural friends includes her ghostly father, trapped in the basement; a centuries-old phoenix wizard sharing a young man’s body; and Hiram, an Iron Dwarf. Hiram requests Tessa’s help locating a magical gem, the Eye of Nimora, and the entire group chips in to help with her quest. In addition to her quest, agents from The Society (of wizards) attempt to recruit Tessa to a specialized college, she plays field hockey on her college team, and even attends classes. Further complicating her life, a book on Dark Arts imbues Tessa with magical powers of her own. Hanover references the previous book, The Late Great Wizard, enough that this sequel can be read on its own. Fans of Libriomancer and other urban fantasies will enjoy the gritty reality interspersed with magic. Any reader who has wondered what a normal person would do with magical powers will be delighted with this action-packed story.