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Serwa Boateng #2
Rick Riordan Presents: Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem
"Rosie writes her characters with such lyrical power, wit, and empathy that you can't help falling in love with Serwa Boating, her family, and her friends."--Rick Riordan, New York Times best-selling author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series After a lifetime of fighting creatures of black magic, twelve-year-old Serwa Boateng has just learned a devastating she herself is half vampire! Now not only is she dealing with vampire puberty, she's on the run from the organization of Slayers she trained her whole life to join. Serwa's only ally is her aunt Boahinmaa, an obayifo who urges Serwa to embrace her vampire side. Boahinmaa and her underlings are on the hunt for the Midnight Drum, from which they hope to free Serwa's grandmother. When they learn that the Abomofuo have hidden the Midnight Drum deep within the Smithsonian Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C., what do they do? Stage a heist to steal it, of course! For their plan to succeed, Serwa will have to get close to her rival, a Slayer named Declan Amankwah, without revealing her true nature. Declan gets under her skin like no one else...and might just force Serwa to confront some truths she's tried hard to deny. With both sympathy and laugh-out-loud humor, Rosanne A. Brown captures all the discomfort of a girl stuck between two worlds in this second book in the unputdownable Serwa Boating saga.
301 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2023
29 people are currently reading
1035 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
September 14, 2023
This fast-paced novel was an excellent follow-up to the first book, and it focuses on Serwa coming to grips to the fact that she is part obosom and part obayifo, which means she needs to reconcile that she has spent her life learning to fight half of who she is. While the first story took place in Rocky Gorge, Maryland, this story takes place in DC, much of it in the Smithsonian. While the story incorporates some Ghanaian mythology and culture, there are many elements that the author made up, but she does an excellent job of worldbuilding. At one point, one of Serwa's friends refer to the organization of Ghanaian monster hunters as the Ghanaian Illuminati, which made me laugh.
But made up or no, what I love most is that the author uses this story to highlight the history of those in powers using the excuse of witchcraft as a way to wield violence and oppression on marginalized people, especially women. If you read the author's note, she recommends some books that discuss the shameful practice of witch prisoner camps in Ghana. Even as we read about Serwa coming to grips with who she is, we start questioning who the real monsters are.
Unfortunately, this story ends on a cliffhanger, but fortunately, this means there will be another book (but darn it, now I have to wait for the next one!). However, there are enough clues that you generally have a good idea what the next episode will be about.
I highly recommend this series, but if you're someone who hates waiting to find out the ending, you might want to wait for the third book before starting. Personally, I don't like waiting, but this just means that when the third book comes out, I will get to reread the first two books before reading the third. Win-win, right?
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publishers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
But made up or no, what I love most is that the author uses this story to highlight the history of those in powers using the excuse of witchcraft as a way to wield violence and oppression on marginalized people, especially women. If you read the author's note, she recommends some books that discuss the shameful practice of witch prisoner camps in Ghana. Even as we read about Serwa coming to grips with who she is, we start questioning who the real monsters are.
Unfortunately, this story ends on a cliffhanger, but fortunately, this means there will be another book (but darn it, now I have to wait for the next one!). However, there are enough clues that you generally have a good idea what the next episode will be about.
I highly recommend this series, but if you're someone who hates waiting to find out the ending, you might want to wait for the third book before starting. Personally, I don't like waiting, but this just means that when the third book comes out, I will get to reread the first two books before reading the third. Win-win, right?
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publishers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 22, 2024
Stuff gets real, real! I'm always side eying any organization that sees things as black and white. This one really holds that up to the light, and you can see the holes in the cloth! And I both feel bad for [redacted], and want to punch him so bad, the little lying weasel!
September 13, 2023
My full review/thoughts: https://youtu.be/fj7k4YAtMkM
Honestly, this world and the characters are the best! The things I loved about the first book was not in the forefront, but still cannot wait to see where the story will go.
Honestly, this world and the characters are the best! The things I loved about the first book was not in the forefront, but still cannot wait to see where the story will go.
March 20, 2024
"Nice going, you fool. You killed it!" moans Lefty. "Now we're going to be arrested and charged with child homicide!"
Takie sensacje tylko u Serwy Boateng!
Serwa podjęła decyzję. Zraniona kłamstwami rodziców, pozostawiła ich za sobą, przyjaciołom wymazała pamięć ostatnich wydarzeń i dołączyła do cioci Effi. U jej boku odkrywa swe nowe moce oraz od dawna skrywaną część tożsamości, i dołącza do misji odzyskania Midnight Drum.
In my experience, a mission isn't fully complete unless half a dozen things go wrong and at least one supernatural being threatens me with bodily harm.
Coś, co szczególnie doceniam w tej książce, to to, jak w bohaterach przeplatają się dziecięcość z dojrzałością. Nastoletnie postacie przyjmują na swe barki ciężkie wyzwania i obowiązki oraz spotykają ich dramaty, jak się zdaje, ponad ich siły. Dzielnie stają im naprzeciw, lecz odnoszą przy tym krzywdę. Główna bohaterka tak pragnie udowodnić, że istnieje dla niej miejsce, ponieważ cały czas znajduje się na granicy dwóch światów. Przyjmuje zatrważające misje, udaje się sama w nieznane i spotyka się z przemocą, mimo to nadal silnie trzyma się swojej moralności. Przyjmuje twardą i zdecydowaną postawę oraz podejmuje wręcz niemożliwe decyzje, pod tym wszystkim kryje się jednak ból i żal zagubionego dziecka oraz niezłomna wiara, że jej babcia, nie zważając na jej zbrodnie, nie zasłużyła sobie na swój los. Serwa jak najbardziej inspiruje swoją odwagą i siłą, lecz nie można zapomnieć, jak wątpliwe moralnie decyzje podjęła i do jakich wydarzeń doprowadza w swoim niepokoju i dziecięcej niepewności. Podoba mi się to, jak jej wątek nie jest oczywisty i czarno-biały, jak jej postać łączy w sobie to, kim pragnie być, oraz jej rzeczywiste ograniczenia i dziecięcą mentalność. Swoją drogą, to szalenie ciekawy zabieg, kiedy dziecięca protagonistka przechodzi na ciemną stronę mocy, a my podążamy razem z nią. To nie jest często spotykana historia. W tym kontekście podobał mi się też konflikt wewnętrzny przyjaciół Serwy, między lojalnością wobec niej a zranionym zaufaniem. Myślę, że ich decyzja na ostatnich stronach książki jest nieszablonowa.
"You're really something, Serwa Boateng. You know that?"
"Oh, so you do know my name! And here I was wondering if I should check my birth certificate to make sure rookie wasn't listed there."
Jednym z głównych motywów, które rozwija autorka w Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem, są historie rodzin rozbitych i zrekonstruowanych. Nieważne, czy rodzinne dramaty były skutkiem decyzji dorosłych czy też niezależnych czynników, powieść ta pokazuje, jak wielki wpływ mają one na mentalność dzieci, poczucie tożsamości i bezpieczeństwa. Rodzice Serwy podjęli trudny wybór bez jej wiedzy, lecz jedynie, by ją ochronić. Rodzina Declana nie zachowała się odpowiedzialnie, przyjmując i rezygnując z chłopca, bez wglądu w uczucia dziecka. Ojciec Roxie został deportowany; dziewczynka trzyma się silnie każdego skrawka przypominającego jej o tacie. Myślę, że podobne historie wcale nie zdarzają się tak rzadko w naszej rzeczywistości, a spotkanie z takimi postaciami może przynieść młodym czytelnikom poczucie zrozumienia, akceptacji i osłabić ich samotność.
Autorka snuje również ciekawe refleksje na temat tego, jak definiujemy zło. Serwa w drugiej części trylogii zmuszona jest spędzać dużo czasu z wszelkimi wampirami i czarownicami, istotami, które jeszcze niedawno postrzegała jednoznacznie jako istoty mroku i swych wrogów; ba, wręcz staje się częścią ich społeczności i odkrywa własną ciemną stronę. Byłam pewna, że jest to komentarz autorki co kwestii szarej moralności, stygmatyzacji i nabierającej na sile wrogości; okazuje się jednak, że wątek ten posiada również silne tło społeczne. Roseanne A. Brown informuje nas o tym, jak w niektórych krajach afrykańskich nadal aktualne jest zjawisko swego rodzaju polowania na czarownice oraz oddzielania jednostek od reszty społeczności, zamykania ich w obozach oraz ciężkich warunkach życiowych; większość z tego napędzana jest mizoginią. Autorka kolejny raz wykorzystuje swoją opowieść i platformę do rozprzestrzeniania świadomości na temat wyjątkowo ciężkich zjawisk na świecie; zachęca do sięgania po dalsze źródła. Nie wiem, jaki my, czytelnicy, mamy tu wpływ na sytuację tych osób niesłusznie odsuniętych od swoich rodzin i trzymanych w warunkach uwłaczających człowiekowi, lecz pobieram siłę z tych historię. Czyż wiedza nie jest właśnie największą bronią i, być może, formą obrony na świecie? Zostawiam was z tym wątkiem.
W Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem ciekawe były również dla mnie doświadczenia Serwy w odkrywaniu drugiej połowy swojej istoty. Podobała mi się również ilość i intensywność scen przemocy; jest to taka rzecz, która może umknąć czytelnikowi, ale warto nie zapominać, że jest to stała część życia łowców i naszych dziecięcych bohaterów. Roseanne A. Brown dołącza do zaszczytnego grona autorów literatury dziecięcej, którzy dotknęli wątku dekapitacji, ale zapewniam rodziców nastoletnich pociech, że powieść ta w żaden sposób nie jest brutalna i nie dostarczy traumy młodym czytelnikom. Trochę zasmuca mnie ograniczona ilość wątków pobocznych i mniej kreowania świata niż poprzednio, ale ostatnie rozdziały wyrównują tę stratę. Nasza główna antagonistka robi piorunujące wrażenie, a jej czyny trafiają w czuły punkt i wyjątkowo podłamują serce.
Seria o Serwie Boateng mówi o bólu doświadczanym przez dzieci. Wiemy dobrze, że w naszym prawdziwym świecie właśnie w tym momencie dzieci doświadczają terroru, cierpienia i śmiertelnego zagrożenia oraz właśnie śmierć ponoszą, mając zaledwie kilka lat, miesięcy, tygodni czy dni. Z całego serca proszę was o rozpowszechnianie informacji o ludobójstwie w Gazie. Nie dajcie się zastraszyć terrorystom.
Nie mogę się doczekać Serwa Boateng's Guide to Saving the World (ach, jak to optymistycznie brzmi)! Widzę ogromny potencjał w literaturze Roseanne A. Brown i mam nadzieję, że zdobędzie uznane miejsce wśród innych współczesnych pisarzy literatury dziecięcej. Głupstwem byłoby niezwrócenie uwagi na tę autorkę.
All we can do is cherish the time we had together and know that sometimes, when our friends make painful choices, it usually has more to do with what they're going through than any desire to hurt us.
Takie sensacje tylko u Serwy Boateng!
Serwa podjęła decyzję. Zraniona kłamstwami rodziców, pozostawiła ich za sobą, przyjaciołom wymazała pamięć ostatnich wydarzeń i dołączyła do cioci Effi. U jej boku odkrywa swe nowe moce oraz od dawna skrywaną część tożsamości, i dołącza do misji odzyskania Midnight Drum.
In my experience, a mission isn't fully complete unless half a dozen things go wrong and at least one supernatural being threatens me with bodily harm.
Coś, co szczególnie doceniam w tej książce, to to, jak w bohaterach przeplatają się dziecięcość z dojrzałością. Nastoletnie postacie przyjmują na swe barki ciężkie wyzwania i obowiązki oraz spotykają ich dramaty, jak się zdaje, ponad ich siły. Dzielnie stają im naprzeciw, lecz odnoszą przy tym krzywdę. Główna bohaterka tak pragnie udowodnić, że istnieje dla niej miejsce, ponieważ cały czas znajduje się na granicy dwóch światów. Przyjmuje zatrważające misje, udaje się sama w nieznane i spotyka się z przemocą, mimo to nadal silnie trzyma się swojej moralności. Przyjmuje twardą i zdecydowaną postawę oraz podejmuje wręcz niemożliwe decyzje, pod tym wszystkim kryje się jednak ból i żal zagubionego dziecka oraz niezłomna wiara, że jej babcia, nie zważając na jej zbrodnie, nie zasłużyła sobie na swój los. Serwa jak najbardziej inspiruje swoją odwagą i siłą, lecz nie można zapomnieć, jak wątpliwe moralnie decyzje podjęła i do jakich wydarzeń doprowadza w swoim niepokoju i dziecięcej niepewności. Podoba mi się to, jak jej wątek nie jest oczywisty i czarno-biały, jak jej postać łączy w sobie to, kim pragnie być, oraz jej rzeczywiste ograniczenia i dziecięcą mentalność. Swoją drogą, to szalenie ciekawy zabieg, kiedy dziecięca protagonistka przechodzi na ciemną stronę mocy, a my podążamy razem z nią. To nie jest często spotykana historia. W tym kontekście podobał mi się też konflikt wewnętrzny przyjaciół Serwy, między lojalnością wobec niej a zranionym zaufaniem. Myślę, że ich decyzja na ostatnich stronach książki jest nieszablonowa.
"You're really something, Serwa Boateng. You know that?"
"Oh, so you do know my name! And here I was wondering if I should check my birth certificate to make sure rookie wasn't listed there."
Jednym z głównych motywów, które rozwija autorka w Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem, są historie rodzin rozbitych i zrekonstruowanych. Nieważne, czy rodzinne dramaty były skutkiem decyzji dorosłych czy też niezależnych czynników, powieść ta pokazuje, jak wielki wpływ mają one na mentalność dzieci, poczucie tożsamości i bezpieczeństwa. Rodzice Serwy podjęli trudny wybór bez jej wiedzy, lecz jedynie, by ją ochronić. Rodzina Declana nie zachowała się odpowiedzialnie, przyjmując i rezygnując z chłopca, bez wglądu w uczucia dziecka. Ojciec Roxie został deportowany; dziewczynka trzyma się silnie każdego skrawka przypominającego jej o tacie. Myślę, że podobne historie wcale nie zdarzają się tak rzadko w naszej rzeczywistości, a spotkanie z takimi postaciami może przynieść młodym czytelnikom poczucie zrozumienia, akceptacji i osłabić ich samotność.
Autorka snuje również ciekawe refleksje na temat tego, jak definiujemy zło. Serwa w drugiej części trylogii zmuszona jest spędzać dużo czasu z wszelkimi wampirami i czarownicami, istotami, które jeszcze niedawno postrzegała jednoznacznie jako istoty mroku i swych wrogów; ba, wręcz staje się częścią ich społeczności i odkrywa własną ciemną stronę. Byłam pewna, że jest to komentarz autorki co kwestii szarej moralności, stygmatyzacji i nabierającej na sile wrogości; okazuje się jednak, że wątek ten posiada również silne tło społeczne. Roseanne A. Brown informuje nas o tym, jak w niektórych krajach afrykańskich nadal aktualne jest zjawisko swego rodzaju polowania na czarownice oraz oddzielania jednostek od reszty społeczności, zamykania ich w obozach oraz ciężkich warunkach życiowych; większość z tego napędzana jest mizoginią. Autorka kolejny raz wykorzystuje swoją opowieść i platformę do rozprzestrzeniania świadomości na temat wyjątkowo ciężkich zjawisk na świecie; zachęca do sięgania po dalsze źródła. Nie wiem, jaki my, czytelnicy, mamy tu wpływ na sytuację tych osób niesłusznie odsuniętych od swoich rodzin i trzymanych w warunkach uwłaczających człowiekowi, lecz pobieram siłę z tych historię. Czyż wiedza nie jest właśnie największą bronią i, być może, formą obrony na świecie? Zostawiam was z tym wątkiem.
W Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem ciekawe były również dla mnie doświadczenia Serwy w odkrywaniu drugiej połowy swojej istoty. Podobała mi się również ilość i intensywność scen przemocy; jest to taka rzecz, która może umknąć czytelnikowi, ale warto nie zapominać, że jest to stała część życia łowców i naszych dziecięcych bohaterów. Roseanne A. Brown dołącza do zaszczytnego grona autorów literatury dziecięcej, którzy dotknęli wątku dekapitacji, ale zapewniam rodziców nastoletnich pociech, że powieść ta w żaden sposób nie jest brutalna i nie dostarczy traumy młodym czytelnikom. Trochę zasmuca mnie ograniczona ilość wątków pobocznych i mniej kreowania świata niż poprzednio, ale ostatnie rozdziały wyrównują tę stratę. Nasza główna antagonistka robi piorunujące wrażenie, a jej czyny trafiają w czuły punkt i wyjątkowo podłamują serce.
Seria o Serwie Boateng mówi o bólu doświadczanym przez dzieci. Wiemy dobrze, że w naszym prawdziwym świecie właśnie w tym momencie dzieci doświadczają terroru, cierpienia i śmiertelnego zagrożenia oraz właśnie śmierć ponoszą, mając zaledwie kilka lat, miesięcy, tygodni czy dni. Z całego serca proszę was o rozpowszechnianie informacji o ludobójstwie w Gazie. Nie dajcie się zastraszyć terrorystom.
Nie mogę się doczekać Serwa Boateng's Guide to Saving the World (ach, jak to optymistycznie brzmi)! Widzę ogromny potencjał w literaturze Roseanne A. Brown i mam nadzieję, że zdobędzie uznane miejsce wśród innych współczesnych pisarzy literatury dziecięcej. Głupstwem byłoby niezwrócenie uwagi na tę autorkę.
All we can do is cherish the time we had together and know that sometimes, when our friends make painful choices, it usually has more to do with what they're going through than any desire to hurt us.
March 4, 2024
This ended short. Based on author's comments, I'm assuming this was a larger book that was split (so the next book finishes what starts here). Having the audio previously helped understand the pronunciations here.
All of the notes in the back are nice.
What happens next?
All of the notes in the back are nice.
What happens next?
November 28, 2024
I didn't read the first one, but I did not feel like I missed anything. The beginning had an excellent recap that I love seeing in YA/Middle Grade books. My middle schoolers would love this. Another in the Rick Riordan presents, this one focusing on Ghanaian folk tales.
4 stars
4 stars
September 1, 2025
One of my fav RRP series
April 11, 2024
So many plot twists!! I loved the sequel as much a book 1. So much to look forward to in the next book!
February 2, 2025
Probably the best book out of all of the Rick Riordan Presents books, and for me, better than all the ones he wrote! Culturally informative, plot twists that made me feel like I was reading a Lucy Foley book, and easy, easy reading. I cannot wait for the next to come out in May!!!!
January 1, 2024
Book two in a series. I am not sure how long the series is supposed to be, but this one definitely ends on a cliffhanger!! There is a nice exploration of the other side of Serwa's identity. The end shows her beginning to put the pieces together herself instead of relying on one indoctrination or the other. I hope the generational relationships among her female line are further explored as this wraps up!!
May 16, 2025
I need book three immediately, I will die if it is not in my hands soon
October 2, 2023
Star Rating: 5 stars
Date: 9/27/23 – 9/29/23
Note: This is the 2nd book in the Serwa Boateng’s series so this will not be an in-depth review.
After reading the first Serwa book, Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Vampire Hunting, when it came out last year, particularly because I wanted to learn about Ghanaian folklore and culture, and enjoying it, I decided that I wanted to pick up book 2, Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem when it was released in September. This series tells the story of Serwa Boateng, obviously, and her unique lifestyle. Serwa’s family is one of the founding families of the Abomofuo, an international Ghanaian organization dedicated to taking out the forces of dark magic, particularly obayifo and the aforementioned vampires. Serwa is in training to follow in her parent’s footsteps until an unexpected break-in upends her life and gets her sent to the middle of nowhere. Once there, she goes on a personal journey of epic proportions that she wasn’t expecting and learns more than she bargained about herself and her family.
Although this is a fun adventure series that will keep you turning the pages, it does have some deeper exploration of themes, which is what keeps me turning pages more. It delves into history and how it can be perceived in different ways but also why it is important to remember all the different aspects, both the good and the bad as well as listen to all sides as this is how we learn from our mistakes and move forward to a better future as well as family and how every family looks and functions differently and that’s okay as well as how to process when a family is going wrong and how to heal from that.
However, the biggest theme it explores is the concept of “monster” and “witch” and how it has been to marginalized social groups seen as “other,” particularly women, and how that continues to be the case in a lot of places around the world today, and how in this and other issues, we need to show compassion and accept that even though we didn’t do the crime ourselves, we should try to fix it and strive to be better. Two examples that Brown puts forth in this book and that I want to discuss to help explain myself better is the validity of museum collections and systematic racism and discrimination. Museums are a wonderful idea, they bring cultures and art to people who would never get to experience them otherwise, however, throughout history, a lot of artifacts and collections have been obtained through less ethical means, and there is a big movement these days to return artifacts to their rightful home, build museums in their country of origin, reimburse cultures for their stolen artifacts and the time they spent in the museum, and to go about collecting them in more ethical ways in the future. This aforementioned movement is the compassion that I was referring to. Museum staff, anthropologists, and archaeologists are showing compassion and trying to fix the issue even though they themselves are not the ones who did the crime.
The systematic racism and discrimination is one I have experienced in my lifetime. I grew up in a very small Southern town in the Bible belt and was taught a lot discriminatory beliefs by the people around me growing up. I didn’t even realize that they were wrong until I started attending college and experiencing the outside world, and I have been trying to fix my thinking ever since to the point that when I go to family events, those casual comments that I use to accept as normal like my gay friends are trying to turn me gay, interracial marriages are wrong, and all other religions are cults make me feel horrible and I make a point to correct them, although I understand why my family and others like them believe that; they, truly, don’t know any better until someone shows them better, and this is, again, compassion. These examples and themes would also be good educational opportunities for parents and educators as they could pave the way for discussions and critical thinking.
All in all, I think this was a wonderful book and one I would recommend to parents and educators who are trying to introduce their students to other cultures and issues in fun, approachable ways. I am looking forward to the next one and will be requesting it from my public library when it gets released. 5 stars!!!!!!!!!!!!
Date: 9/27/23 – 9/29/23
Note: This is the 2nd book in the Serwa Boateng’s series so this will not be an in-depth review.
After reading the first Serwa book, Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Vampire Hunting, when it came out last year, particularly because I wanted to learn about Ghanaian folklore and culture, and enjoying it, I decided that I wanted to pick up book 2, Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem when it was released in September. This series tells the story of Serwa Boateng, obviously, and her unique lifestyle. Serwa’s family is one of the founding families of the Abomofuo, an international Ghanaian organization dedicated to taking out the forces of dark magic, particularly obayifo and the aforementioned vampires. Serwa is in training to follow in her parent’s footsteps until an unexpected break-in upends her life and gets her sent to the middle of nowhere. Once there, she goes on a personal journey of epic proportions that she wasn’t expecting and learns more than she bargained about herself and her family.
Although this is a fun adventure series that will keep you turning the pages, it does have some deeper exploration of themes, which is what keeps me turning pages more. It delves into history and how it can be perceived in different ways but also why it is important to remember all the different aspects, both the good and the bad as well as listen to all sides as this is how we learn from our mistakes and move forward to a better future as well as family and how every family looks and functions differently and that’s okay as well as how to process when a family is going wrong and how to heal from that.
However, the biggest theme it explores is the concept of “monster” and “witch” and how it has been to marginalized social groups seen as “other,” particularly women, and how that continues to be the case in a lot of places around the world today, and how in this and other issues, we need to show compassion and accept that even though we didn’t do the crime ourselves, we should try to fix it and strive to be better. Two examples that Brown puts forth in this book and that I want to discuss to help explain myself better is the validity of museum collections and systematic racism and discrimination. Museums are a wonderful idea, they bring cultures and art to people who would never get to experience them otherwise, however, throughout history, a lot of artifacts and collections have been obtained through less ethical means, and there is a big movement these days to return artifacts to their rightful home, build museums in their country of origin, reimburse cultures for their stolen artifacts and the time they spent in the museum, and to go about collecting them in more ethical ways in the future. This aforementioned movement is the compassion that I was referring to. Museum staff, anthropologists, and archaeologists are showing compassion and trying to fix the issue even though they themselves are not the ones who did the crime.
The systematic racism and discrimination is one I have experienced in my lifetime. I grew up in a very small Southern town in the Bible belt and was taught a lot discriminatory beliefs by the people around me growing up. I didn’t even realize that they were wrong until I started attending college and experiencing the outside world, and I have been trying to fix my thinking ever since to the point that when I go to family events, those casual comments that I use to accept as normal like my gay friends are trying to turn me gay, interracial marriages are wrong, and all other religions are cults make me feel horrible and I make a point to correct them, although I understand why my family and others like them believe that; they, truly, don’t know any better until someone shows them better, and this is, again, compassion. These examples and themes would also be good educational opportunities for parents and educators as they could pave the way for discussions and critical thinking.
All in all, I think this was a wonderful book and one I would recommend to parents and educators who are trying to introduce their students to other cultures and issues in fun, approachable ways. I am looking forward to the next one and will be requesting it from my public library when it gets released. 5 stars!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 9, 2023
Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem by Roseanne A. Brown.
Rating: 4.5
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis:
Serwa Boateng is back for another adventure, and this time, she fights on the opposite side of the slayer-vampire war. Having fully come into her obayifo powers, Serwa stays with her aunt Boahinmaa and learns to harness black magic, struggling with the fact that she is half-vampire, her mother didn’t tell her, and her parents abandoned her to figure this out all on her own. Now, Boahinmaa and the adze are searching for the Midnight Drum, the prison holding her grandmother, and Serwa must fight against the slayers she always wanted to join. Talk about a complete life upheaval.
When the vampires learn that the Midnight Drum is being kept at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art in Washington D.C., Serwa, Boahinmaa, and their allies stage a heist to steal the artifact. But to do so, Serwa must pretend to partner with her long-time rival Slayer, Declan Amankwah, to learn the hidden code. This proves difficult as Serwa cannot stand Declan’s competitive and smug nature, but also, hanging out with him unearths some complicated feelings that Serwa is not willing to confront. To top it off, her old friends - Roxy, Eunju, Mateo, and Gavin - make a sudden appearance, and asking them for help after erasing their memories seems impossible. With the Slayers making moves for a big attack, Serwa must balance her new life - both with her out-of-control vampire magic and nearly disappeared slayer magic - in order to save her new family from her old one. But is freeing her powerful grandmother the right step for her new life? Or will she create more danger for her family than ever before?
What did you like about the book?
Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem is the adventurous, funny, and heart-pounding sequel in the Serwa Boateng series. We pick up right where the first book ends and immediately jump into action, with Serwa fighting for the adze and obayifo. The story is full of rich Ghanaian mythology with a colorful cast of gods, beasts, and magic. It is interesting to see Serwa learn the “dark” side of magic and that it’s not as sinister as she thought. The plot is non-stop and hectic, with twists and turns that leave readers flipping pages for more. Declan and Serwa’s old friends provide a diverse and balanced cast of characters who support and confront our protagonist, making her realize her true feelings and flaws. The latter, especially with Roxy being level-headed, takes a different path than most fantasy-side characters do, leaving Serwa in unprecedented situations. In fact, the best part about the series is how it subverts expectations. I can’t give examples without spoilers, but the story does not follow the common tropes that many mythology-adventure books have. Overall, this sequel lives up to its fantastic predecessor, and the third volume can’t come soon enough.
Anything you didn’t like about it?
The cover is a spoiler for the latter third of the book. Also, I know Serwa is twelve so she doesn’t know any better, but [SPOILER] falling in love with your actual enemy is such an easy way to be betrayed.
To whom would you recommend this book?
Kids who love mythology adventures, but also vampires and African mythology. If you have read any of the Rick Riordan presents series, who should read Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Vampire Hunting and this sequel. Other read-alikes are Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms by Jamar J. Perry (African mythology), The Vanquishers by Kalynn Bayron (vampires), and Tessa Miyata is No Hero by Julie Abe (Japanese mythology).
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Laila Carter, Cheltenham Township Library System, Glenside, PA
Date of review: October 16, 2023
Rating: 4.5
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis:
Serwa Boateng is back for another adventure, and this time, she fights on the opposite side of the slayer-vampire war. Having fully come into her obayifo powers, Serwa stays with her aunt Boahinmaa and learns to harness black magic, struggling with the fact that she is half-vampire, her mother didn’t tell her, and her parents abandoned her to figure this out all on her own. Now, Boahinmaa and the adze are searching for the Midnight Drum, the prison holding her grandmother, and Serwa must fight against the slayers she always wanted to join. Talk about a complete life upheaval.
When the vampires learn that the Midnight Drum is being kept at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art in Washington D.C., Serwa, Boahinmaa, and their allies stage a heist to steal the artifact. But to do so, Serwa must pretend to partner with her long-time rival Slayer, Declan Amankwah, to learn the hidden code. This proves difficult as Serwa cannot stand Declan’s competitive and smug nature, but also, hanging out with him unearths some complicated feelings that Serwa is not willing to confront. To top it off, her old friends - Roxy, Eunju, Mateo, and Gavin - make a sudden appearance, and asking them for help after erasing their memories seems impossible. With the Slayers making moves for a big attack, Serwa must balance her new life - both with her out-of-control vampire magic and nearly disappeared slayer magic - in order to save her new family from her old one. But is freeing her powerful grandmother the right step for her new life? Or will she create more danger for her family than ever before?
What did you like about the book?
Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem is the adventurous, funny, and heart-pounding sequel in the Serwa Boateng series. We pick up right where the first book ends and immediately jump into action, with Serwa fighting for the adze and obayifo. The story is full of rich Ghanaian mythology with a colorful cast of gods, beasts, and magic. It is interesting to see Serwa learn the “dark” side of magic and that it’s not as sinister as she thought. The plot is non-stop and hectic, with twists and turns that leave readers flipping pages for more. Declan and Serwa’s old friends provide a diverse and balanced cast of characters who support and confront our protagonist, making her realize her true feelings and flaws. The latter, especially with Roxy being level-headed, takes a different path than most fantasy-side characters do, leaving Serwa in unprecedented situations. In fact, the best part about the series is how it subverts expectations. I can’t give examples without spoilers, but the story does not follow the common tropes that many mythology-adventure books have. Overall, this sequel lives up to its fantastic predecessor, and the third volume can’t come soon enough.
Anything you didn’t like about it?
The cover is a spoiler for the latter third of the book. Also, I know Serwa is twelve so she doesn’t know any better, but [SPOILER] falling in love with your actual enemy is such an easy way to be betrayed.
To whom would you recommend this book?
Kids who love mythology adventures, but also vampires and African mythology. If you have read any of the Rick Riordan presents series, who should read Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Vampire Hunting and this sequel. Other read-alikes are Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms by Jamar J. Perry (African mythology), The Vanquishers by Kalynn Bayron (vampires), and Tessa Miyata is No Hero by Julie Abe (Japanese mythology).
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Laila Carter, Cheltenham Township Library System, Glenside, PA
Date of review: October 16, 2023
October 11, 2023
Last year, I started Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting in September, and finished it in October. This year, I both started and finished Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem in October. Because it, like its' predecessor, deals with vampires and witches (Albeit, of the Ghanaian variety.), that makes it perfect reading as Halloween approaches it.
Serwa Boateng's guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem pick up right where Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting left off. Serwa is left reeling from the revelation that she is part vampire. Boahinmaa is her aunt. (Her real name is Effi, and she insists Serwa refer to her as "Aunt Effie.) And Nana Bekoe, who is still trapped in the Midnight Drum, is her grandmother. (This is all on her mother's side. Later on in the book, it's revealed that Nana Bekoe had a 3rd daughter who was killed back in Ghana for witchcraft-related reasons. Furthermore, Serwa's maternal grand father resides in a nursing home in Ghana after getting his memory erased by Nana Bekowe.)
Aunt Effie/Boahinmaa discovers that the Midnight Drum holding Nana Bekoe is being kept at the Smithsonian Nati0nal Museum of African Art. This is because it will be part of an exhibit called The Ghanaian Visionary Artists Collection, which is sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Ghanaian Preservation Society and Doctor Richard Amankwah. This man is the father of Declan Amankwah. If you've read the previous book, you'll remember that Declan is Serwa's Slayer rival who was only just mention in the 1srt book, but in this book he actually appears and plays a major role. Serwa needs to get close to Declan in order to find out the password for the exhibit. As the two kids bond, Serwa find out that Declan's life isn't as perfect as she always thought it was. And she develops a crush on him. But once Serwa's true heritage is revealed, Declan turns on her. She bites him, but this does not turn him into a vampire himself, because on the Adze can do that.
You might remember Serwa's cousin, Roxy, and their friends from Rocky Gorge Middle School's GCC (Good Citizen's Committee) Eunju, Mateo and Gavin. They all return in this book, because they've been invited to the opening of the art collection. Serwa runs into Mateo early on in the book, where it would appear that he doesn't remember her, because she erased his and the other kids' memories at the end of Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting. But we learn later on that Mateo, Gavin and Eunju do remember Serwa, because Roxy's own magic counteracted the memory wipe.
The Midnight Drum at the Smithsonian turns out to be a decoy. The real one is in Asamando, the Underworld that Serwa and her friends traveled to in the 1st book. She returns there and encounters Owou, the God of Death. In exchange for the Midnight Drum, Serwa makes a deal with Owou to bring him a companion. Nana Bekoe is released from the Midnight Drum. During her imprisonment, she has acquired the powers of an Adze, which allows her to turn people into vampires. She does this to Serwa's very own father. And in another familial twist, Serwa's mother is pregnant.The book ends with Serwa preparing to go to war against Nana Bekoe, with the goal of making here Owou's companion. Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem was just and incredible as Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting! I look forward to reading the 3rd book, Serwa Boateng's Guide to Saving the World.
Serwa Boateng's guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem pick up right where Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting left off. Serwa is left reeling from the revelation that she is part vampire. Boahinmaa is her aunt. (Her real name is Effi, and she insists Serwa refer to her as "Aunt Effie.) And Nana Bekoe, who is still trapped in the Midnight Drum, is her grandmother. (This is all on her mother's side. Later on in the book, it's revealed that Nana Bekoe had a 3rd daughter who was killed back in Ghana for witchcraft-related reasons. Furthermore, Serwa's maternal grand father resides in a nursing home in Ghana after getting his memory erased by Nana Bekowe.)
Aunt Effie/Boahinmaa discovers that the Midnight Drum holding Nana Bekoe is being kept at the Smithsonian Nati0nal Museum of African Art. This is because it will be part of an exhibit called The Ghanaian Visionary Artists Collection, which is sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Ghanaian Preservation Society and Doctor Richard Amankwah. This man is the father of Declan Amankwah. If you've read the previous book, you'll remember that Declan is Serwa's Slayer rival who was only just mention in the 1srt book, but in this book he actually appears and plays a major role. Serwa needs to get close to Declan in order to find out the password for the exhibit. As the two kids bond, Serwa find out that Declan's life isn't as perfect as she always thought it was. And she develops a crush on him. But once Serwa's true heritage is revealed, Declan turns on her. She bites him, but this does not turn him into a vampire himself, because on the Adze can do that.
You might remember Serwa's cousin, Roxy, and their friends from Rocky Gorge Middle School's GCC (Good Citizen's Committee) Eunju, Mateo and Gavin. They all return in this book, because they've been invited to the opening of the art collection. Serwa runs into Mateo early on in the book, where it would appear that he doesn't remember her, because she erased his and the other kids' memories at the end of Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting. But we learn later on that Mateo, Gavin and Eunju do remember Serwa, because Roxy's own magic counteracted the memory wipe.
The Midnight Drum at the Smithsonian turns out to be a decoy. The real one is in Asamando, the Underworld that Serwa and her friends traveled to in the 1st book. She returns there and encounters Owou, the God of Death. In exchange for the Midnight Drum, Serwa makes a deal with Owou to bring him a companion. Nana Bekoe is released from the Midnight Drum. During her imprisonment, she has acquired the powers of an Adze, which allows her to turn people into vampires. She does this to Serwa's very own father. And in another familial twist, Serwa's mother is pregnant.The book ends with Serwa preparing to go to war against Nana Bekoe, with the goal of making here Owou's companion. Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem was just and incredible as Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting! I look forward to reading the 3rd book, Serwa Boateng's Guide to Saving the World.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2023
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Having recently found out her big family secret in Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting , Serwa wakes up and finds herself under the care of her Auntie Effi, in a swanky building in D.C. that is home to many, many creatures with more in common with obayifo (vampires) than with the Abomofuo (vampire slayers) organization in which Serwa was raised. Unable to contact her parents, Serwa decides to stay with her aunt, and is willing to help her find the Midnight Drum, and bring back her grandmother, whom she has been raised to believe is evil. Aside from teaching her valuable skills (hotwiring a car, assembling a makeshift catapult, laundering money!), her parents lied to her about many things, and she doesn't know what to believe. Sneaking out of the Luciole Hotel to case the Smithsonian's Museum of African Art, she comes across her nemesis, Declan Amankwah. She finds that she now thinks he is... a little bit cute! When he invites her to hang out while she is in D.C. (she claims to be hiding after previous incidents), and she later runs into him when involved in some espionage, she pretends that she wanted to hang out as a cover story, and finds she enjoys being with him. She isn't as thrilled with him when she finds out he loaned her a jacket that had a tracking spell on it, which complicates getting the Midnight Drum, especially since its location was a trap. Her friends Roxy, Mateo, Gavin, and Eunju, whose memory she had to wipe in the first book, show up again, still in the know about her secret background as a half vampire/ half slayer! There's a huge Ghanian Gala at the art museum, and it seems like the best time to get the Midnight Drum back, but things get very complicated, especially after her father is turned into a vampire. Serwa goes head to head with Owuo, the god of death, and finds that she has nine weeks to find him a companion... or the job falls to her. Clearly, there is at least one more book of Serwa's adventures on the way.
Strengths: It makes perfect sense that this is published by the Rick Riordan Presents Imprint, because it has a lot of the same type of humor that Riordan's books have. There are even fun chapter titles. Brown's style is her own, of course, but it made me smile. Serwa recaps her previous adventures, referring to them as the flaming carousel of her life, and her reaction to having to deal with Owuo is the VERY middle grade "Cool. The sadistic god of death knows who I am. Cool. Cool, cool, cool". There is plenty of action (the statue of the two creatures that comes to life on the cover is just one pivotal scene!), a multitude of magical creatures, some of whom are deliciously evil, strong friendships, and even a little bit of romance. This was a fun read, and surprisingly quick for 400 pages!
Weaknesses: I am not a fan of the enemies-to-romantic-interests trope in books or in real life. No wonder Serwa is conflicted about Declan; how on earth would their relationship work?
What I really think: The first books has circulated well, due to the humor and the Ghanaian mythology and culture, so I'll be looking forward to having this book to hand to readers who liked the first title or vampire books with more action in them, like Henderson's Alex Van Helsing: Vampire Rising series.
Having recently found out her big family secret in Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting , Serwa wakes up and finds herself under the care of her Auntie Effi, in a swanky building in D.C. that is home to many, many creatures with more in common with obayifo (vampires) than with the Abomofuo (vampire slayers) organization in which Serwa was raised. Unable to contact her parents, Serwa decides to stay with her aunt, and is willing to help her find the Midnight Drum, and bring back her grandmother, whom she has been raised to believe is evil. Aside from teaching her valuable skills (hotwiring a car, assembling a makeshift catapult, laundering money!), her parents lied to her about many things, and she doesn't know what to believe. Sneaking out of the Luciole Hotel to case the Smithsonian's Museum of African Art, she comes across her nemesis, Declan Amankwah. She finds that she now thinks he is... a little bit cute! When he invites her to hang out while she is in D.C. (she claims to be hiding after previous incidents), and she later runs into him when involved in some espionage, she pretends that she wanted to hang out as a cover story, and finds she enjoys being with him. She isn't as thrilled with him when she finds out he loaned her a jacket that had a tracking spell on it, which complicates getting the Midnight Drum, especially since its location was a trap. Her friends Roxy, Mateo, Gavin, and Eunju, whose memory she had to wipe in the first book, show up again, still in the know about her secret background as a half vampire/ half slayer! There's a huge Ghanian Gala at the art museum, and it seems like the best time to get the Midnight Drum back, but things get very complicated, especially after her father is turned into a vampire. Serwa goes head to head with Owuo, the god of death, and finds that she has nine weeks to find him a companion... or the job falls to her. Clearly, there is at least one more book of Serwa's adventures on the way.
Strengths: It makes perfect sense that this is published by the Rick Riordan Presents Imprint, because it has a lot of the same type of humor that Riordan's books have. There are even fun chapter titles. Brown's style is her own, of course, but it made me smile. Serwa recaps her previous adventures, referring to them as the flaming carousel of her life, and her reaction to having to deal with Owuo is the VERY middle grade "Cool. The sadistic god of death knows who I am. Cool. Cool, cool, cool". There is plenty of action (the statue of the two creatures that comes to life on the cover is just one pivotal scene!), a multitude of magical creatures, some of whom are deliciously evil, strong friendships, and even a little bit of romance. This was a fun read, and surprisingly quick for 400 pages!
Weaknesses: I am not a fan of the enemies-to-romantic-interests trope in books or in real life. No wonder Serwa is conflicted about Declan; how on earth would their relationship work?
What I really think: The first books has circulated well, due to the humor and the Ghanaian mythology and culture, so I'll be looking forward to having this book to hand to readers who liked the first title or vampire books with more action in them, like Henderson's Alex Van Helsing: Vampire Rising series.
September 19, 2023
Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Vampire Hunting was one of my favorite Rick Riordan Presents books of last year, and so it was with bated breath that I waited for the sequel to hit shelves. With a title like Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem, plus the image of a two-headed crocodile on the cover, I knew this one was going to be just as fun and magical as the last.
Not only did this sequel continue Serwa’s story with the same humor and wit as the first book, it also exponentially raised the stakes. More than anything, Serwa grows up a lot in this book. Guide to Vampire Hunting laid the groundwork, introducing us to this world and a cast of memorable characters. Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem, on the other hand, digs deeper into what makes Serwa tick as a person, a Slayer, and an obayifo. Her entire world came crashing down around her at the end of the last book, and for the first time in her life, her parents aren’t there to help set her back on her feet. She must do that on her own.
It’s a difficult and lonely journey, to be sure, but my favorite part about this book is that we can see Serwa becoming her own person. Now that she knows the Slayers have fed her lies her whole life, she must analyze the data herself and come to her own conclusions. Who determines what is good and bad? Who gets to decide whether a creature will live or die, when their only crime is being born different? How far is Serwa willing to go to fight for her own freedom and the freedom of other people like her? And will anyone listen to what she has to say?
Not all sequels live up to the magic of the first book in a series, but this one certainly does. Not only did it build on what came before, but it dug deeper into the titular character in a way that was equal parts heart-wrenching and satisfying. Given how this book ends, I simply cannot wait to see what happens in the final installment, Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Saving the World.
Not only did this sequel continue Serwa’s story with the same humor and wit as the first book, it also exponentially raised the stakes. More than anything, Serwa grows up a lot in this book. Guide to Vampire Hunting laid the groundwork, introducing us to this world and a cast of memorable characters. Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem, on the other hand, digs deeper into what makes Serwa tick as a person, a Slayer, and an obayifo. Her entire world came crashing down around her at the end of the last book, and for the first time in her life, her parents aren’t there to help set her back on her feet. She must do that on her own.
It’s a difficult and lonely journey, to be sure, but my favorite part about this book is that we can see Serwa becoming her own person. Now that she knows the Slayers have fed her lies her whole life, she must analyze the data herself and come to her own conclusions. Who determines what is good and bad? Who gets to decide whether a creature will live or die, when their only crime is being born different? How far is Serwa willing to go to fight for her own freedom and the freedom of other people like her? And will anyone listen to what she has to say?
Not all sequels live up to the magic of the first book in a series, but this one certainly does. Not only did it build on what came before, but it dug deeper into the titular character in a way that was equal parts heart-wrenching and satisfying. Given how this book ends, I simply cannot wait to see what happens in the final installment, Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Saving the World.
September 25, 2023
I was excited to read this sequel to Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting. While you could enjoy this book without having read the first, I wouldn't recommend it! You would be really lost without knowing the background.
Serwa has left her parents and friends to live with her Auntie Effi in her vampire lair. Serwa just found out she is half vampire, half slayer, which is a really bizarre combination. Her parents and the organization they're a part of, the Obomofuo, put a Seal on her at birth to lock up her black magic, but now her aunt has freed her from the seal. She doesn't trust her, but she has nowhere to go.
Serwa and Effi are working together to find the Midnight Drum, which will free Effi's mother (and Serwa's grandmother), who was banished to the drum by the Obomofuo years ago. Effi is certain she was wrongly accused, even though she wasn't a great mom or person. Upon hearing her grandmother's story, Serwa agrees to help because she has seen how high-handed and officious the Obomofuo can be.
They find some clues to where the Midnight Drum might be, but the area of the Smithsonian Museum of African Art where it might be is guarded by a two-headed alligator, and has a password that only two people know. And one of them is her nemesis, Declan Amankwah. Hanging out with Declan will bring up some hard-buried truths in her life, and cause her to question things she has always believed.
This is the middle book of the series, which means it ends on a cliffhanger. I know some people don't like to read a series until it is completed. I know I will be eagerly waiting for book 3! I love how this series demonstrates that secrets within families can lead to major chaos (even if you aren't vampire slayers), and friends are worth their weight in gold. Serwa doesn't trust her friends nearly enough, and lives to regret it.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!
Serwa has left her parents and friends to live with her Auntie Effi in her vampire lair. Serwa just found out she is half vampire, half slayer, which is a really bizarre combination. Her parents and the organization they're a part of, the Obomofuo, put a Seal on her at birth to lock up her black magic, but now her aunt has freed her from the seal. She doesn't trust her, but she has nowhere to go.
Serwa and Effi are working together to find the Midnight Drum, which will free Effi's mother (and Serwa's grandmother), who was banished to the drum by the Obomofuo years ago. Effi is certain she was wrongly accused, even though she wasn't a great mom or person. Upon hearing her grandmother's story, Serwa agrees to help because she has seen how high-handed and officious the Obomofuo can be.
They find some clues to where the Midnight Drum might be, but the area of the Smithsonian Museum of African Art where it might be is guarded by a two-headed alligator, and has a password that only two people know. And one of them is her nemesis, Declan Amankwah. Hanging out with Declan will bring up some hard-buried truths in her life, and cause her to question things she has always believed.
This is the middle book of the series, which means it ends on a cliffhanger. I know some people don't like to read a series until it is completed. I know I will be eagerly waiting for book 3! I love how this series demonstrates that secrets within families can lead to major chaos (even if you aren't vampire slayers), and friends are worth their weight in gold. Serwa doesn't trust her friends nearly enough, and lives to regret it.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!
September 5, 2023
This is the sequel to Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting, and it is just as good as the first book. This volume picks up where the first volume left off, with Serwa having discovered the full extent and sources of her magic, and struggling to learn how to control both types of magic. Because she was so upset with her parents over the information about her magic that they kept from her, she is living with her Auntie Boahinmaa, an obayifo whose powers come from dark magic - and who wants to rescue her own mother, Nana Bekoe, who was imprisoned in the Midnight Drum for her actions.
In the beginning of the novel, Serwa is alone with her aunt, in the compound she maintains for herself and other obayifo and adze (vampires). Eventually, Serwa leaves the compound to follow her aunt - okay, to spy on her - and finds herself in the company of Declan Amankwah, the second-younger person ever to complete Slayer training, a goal Serwa had set for herself before discovering her other side. Declan is setting up security to ensure that no one at the upcoming gala to celebrate the new Ghanaian art exhibit can access the Midnight Drum - the very item that Serwa's aunt wants desperately to find, so she cand free Nana Bekoe. Caught in a web of conflicting loyalties, to the family and culture than raised her, and the aunt to is teaching her about her dark magic, Serwa is lost, confused, and alone, without her family or her friends. When they appear as well, her loyalties are called to the test.
As with the first novel, this is a complete novel in itself, but one that leaves an opening for a third book in the series - one I hope will be quick in coming. Recommended for ages middle school to adult.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
In the beginning of the novel, Serwa is alone with her aunt, in the compound she maintains for herself and other obayifo and adze (vampires). Eventually, Serwa leaves the compound to follow her aunt - okay, to spy on her - and finds herself in the company of Declan Amankwah, the second-younger person ever to complete Slayer training, a goal Serwa had set for herself before discovering her other side. Declan is setting up security to ensure that no one at the upcoming gala to celebrate the new Ghanaian art exhibit can access the Midnight Drum - the very item that Serwa's aunt wants desperately to find, so she cand free Nana Bekoe. Caught in a web of conflicting loyalties, to the family and culture than raised her, and the aunt to is teaching her about her dark magic, Serwa is lost, confused, and alone, without her family or her friends. When they appear as well, her loyalties are called to the test.
As with the first novel, this is a complete novel in itself, but one that leaves an opening for a third book in the series - one I hope will be quick in coming. Recommended for ages middle school to adult.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 10, 2023
Serwa's first adventure left off on such a HUGE cliffhanger.. I knew I needed this book as soon as I saw its cover! Serwa had just discovered that her mom is an obayifo... a vampire. And her mom knowingly fell in love with, married and had a kid with a vampire slayer. Talk about complicated and confusing. When Serwa's dark magic is released, the only one around to help her and guide her through the confusion is her Auntie... an abayifo. Serwa is left questioning everything her slayer upbringing taught her. Can she navigate life trying to help both sides? Can harmony be achieved between two people who HATE each other and have done unspeakable things to each other?
Read on to find out! Fair warning: this novel leaves off on a HUGE cliffhanger too... ahhhh!!!
What I loved most: Who doesn't want to read about a two headed crocodile who shares a stomach? Funtunfunefu-Denkyemfunefu is a fun name to pronounce, but you don't want to get on this guardian's bad side. Without a password, they may decide to eat you! The misunderstanding between Serwa and Declan and their attempt to repair the damage. The honest feelings about friendship in Serwa's friend group, the complicated family allegiances.
Read on to find out! Fair warning: this novel leaves off on a HUGE cliffhanger too... ahhhh!!!
What I loved most: Who doesn't want to read about a two headed crocodile who shares a stomach? Funtunfunefu-Denkyemfunefu is a fun name to pronounce, but you don't want to get on this guardian's bad side. Without a password, they may decide to eat you! The misunderstanding between Serwa and Declan and their attempt to repair the damage. The honest feelings about friendship in Serwa's friend group, the complicated family allegiances.
August 5, 2024
Not as good as the first but still a great read. I'm only rating it lower because it didn't tug on my heartstrings to the same extent the first one did. I loved that Serwa's friends came to her aid in the finale even if they wanted out on the whole war against Nana Bekoe thing. Love it even more that they were able to beat the mind wipe just because of Roxxie's Keeper abilities. Nice try, Serwa.
Hated the Declan crush thing though. Felt very forced, especially when compared to her relationship with Mateo, who is a much better fit for her imo. (Why do so many books force a love triangle, especially where one of the options is a total dick?) Speaking of Declan, hoping Nana Bekoe can set the record straight in the next book about who really let her out because I want s0meone to smack Declan upside the head for how he acted in this book.
Honestly a bit surprised that Serwa herself didn't turn out to be the Midnight Drum given she had such a connection to it. Also originally thought that the voices she started hearing was her aunt using some kind of telepathy ability.
Regardless, hoping things have a happy end for Serwa, her friends, and her family. Not so much hoping for good things for the Slayers though. They can kick rocks and step on molten legos for all I care.
Hated the Declan crush thing though. Felt very forced, especially when compared to her relationship with Mateo, who is a much better fit for her imo. (Why do so many books force a love triangle, especially where one of the options is a total dick?) Speaking of Declan, hoping Nana Bekoe can set the record straight in the next book about who really let her out because I want s0meone to smack Declan upside the head for how he acted in this book.
Honestly a bit surprised that Serwa herself didn't turn out to be the Midnight Drum given she had such a connection to it. Also originally thought that the voices she started hearing was her aunt using some kind of telepathy ability.
Regardless, hoping things have a happy end for Serwa, her friends, and her family. Not so much hoping for good things for the Slayers though. They can kick rocks and step on molten legos for all I care.
August 24, 2024
No mames estuvo buenísimo.
Con el perdón de cualquier medio infante que lea esto pero que bruto, de verdad que la historia está buenísima y YO ESTOY CAYENDO EN LA DESESPERACIÓN porque si estuvo pasadisimo.
Hubo de todo en este libro. Drama familiar, acción y un poco de romance y de verdad, desde el inicio yo sabia que iban a ser sentimientos encontrados con este libro. El anterior había acabado de una forma brutal y este me enganchó desde el inicio.
La verdad si me sentí siempre protectora con Serwa y entendía su punto de vista totalmente y como siempre se dice, los buenos no son cien por ciento buenos ni los malos cien por ciento malos y este libro es un ejemplo de eso.
Siento que simpaticé con la tía de Serwa y no no es buena, pero lucha por su gente que es marginada e incluso repudiada por algo que no controla, que es ser ella misma y Serwa al ver que es igual, obviamente se siente dividida porque es una parte de ella que le hicieron creer que eran los malos y ella no se siente malvada.
Ha sido un libro extraordinario y lo he disfrutado un montón. Ya me muero por leer el siguiente.
Con el perdón de cualquier medio infante que lea esto pero que bruto, de verdad que la historia está buenísima y YO ESTOY CAYENDO EN LA DESESPERACIÓN porque si estuvo pasadisimo.
Hubo de todo en este libro. Drama familiar, acción y un poco de romance y de verdad, desde el inicio yo sabia que iban a ser sentimientos encontrados con este libro. El anterior había acabado de una forma brutal y este me enganchó desde el inicio.
La verdad si me sentí siempre protectora con Serwa y entendía su punto de vista totalmente y como siempre se dice, los buenos no son cien por ciento buenos ni los malos cien por ciento malos y este libro es un ejemplo de eso.
Siento que simpaticé con la tía de Serwa y no no es buena, pero lucha por su gente que es marginada e incluso repudiada por algo que no controla, que es ser ella misma y Serwa al ver que es igual, obviamente se siente dividida porque es una parte de ella que le hicieron creer que eran los malos y ella no se siente malvada.
Ha sido un libro extraordinario y lo he disfrutado un montón. Ya me muero por leer el siguiente.
September 4, 2023
Serwa is trapped between the world of slayers she has trained her whole life to become, and her newly found vampire side all while going through puberty. Serwa is with her aunt, her only ally and the one person who encourages her to try and use her vampire side. But she also has a job to do as the midnight drum that they need to get her grandmother back is hidden in the Smithsonian and a slayer she knows Declan is the one doing most of the guarding, Serwa must get the alarm code to get into the room so they can steal the drum, can she do it?
I don’t think I have read a Rick Riordan presents book I didn’t like and I still haven’t as I loved this one too. I like how the lore and heritage that each nationality is used and enlightening. There are parts of the book where you feel sorry for Serwa and times you will be laughing, but I think I felt more concern for this poor girl going through and caught in the middle of all this mess. This is still a very fun book and I can’t wait to see where Serwa goes from here.
I don’t think I have read a Rick Riordan presents book I didn’t like and I still haven’t as I loved this one too. I like how the lore and heritage that each nationality is used and enlightening. There are parts of the book where you feel sorry for Serwa and times you will be laughing, but I think I felt more concern for this poor girl going through and caught in the middle of all this mess. This is still a very fun book and I can’t wait to see where Serwa goes from here.
September 14, 2023
I read this in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down! Then Brown ends it on a cliffhanger! I HATE cliffhangers! Serwa doesn’t know how she feels now that she knows just who and what her Aunt is, and what Serwa herself is! But she does know her Aunt Effie isn’t the monster she was taught to believe and has high loyalty to her family. She tries to help find the Midnight Drum that her grandmother is imprisoned in but gets trapped by a leading family of her likely former organization. Can she find the Midnight Drum, save her friends and family and fix the two opposing parts of herself while coping with a deadline (word chosen intentionally) from the god of death? Find out in the next book! Grrrrr! I would love to know who came up with the title. “Mayhem” is a perfect description of this book!
Be sure to read the author’s note to readers. She has more in mind than just a wonderful story: she is also trying to right real injustice in our world too.
Highly recommended but definitely read the first book first!
Be sure to read the author’s note to readers. She has more in mind than just a wonderful story: she is also trying to right real injustice in our world too.
Highly recommended but definitely read the first book first!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2023
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 4/5 stars.
I LOVED the first one in this series, so I was excited to read the sequel. The cliff hanger was...a LOT though, so I'm already waiting for the next one. I love Serwa's journey as she grows up, and I love how this one had so much of her learning about herself and her family, especially after the shocking revelations in the first novel. I also loved all the references to other Riordan books (like the pen sword LOL) and the pop culture references. The Rick Riordan present novels echo the humor of PJO, but there are still lines in it that make it seem like they know the OG PJO kids are reading these for nostalgia (and because they're good).
There were some parts I didn't like, especially with parts of the plot and the whole Declan situation (like...do we have to have a romance?) and some of the pacing seemed off at the end...but it was still an absolute delight to read.
I LOVED the first one in this series, so I was excited to read the sequel. The cliff hanger was...a LOT though, so I'm already waiting for the next one. I love Serwa's journey as she grows up, and I love how this one had so much of her learning about herself and her family, especially after the shocking revelations in the first novel. I also loved all the references to other Riordan books (like the pen sword LOL) and the pop culture references. The Rick Riordan present novels echo the humor of PJO, but there are still lines in it that make it seem like they know the OG PJO kids are reading these for nostalgia (and because they're good).
There were some parts I didn't like, especially with parts of the plot and the whole Declan situation (like...do we have to have a romance?) and some of the pacing seemed off at the end...but it was still an absolute delight to read.
February 22, 2025
5 ⭐ CW: fantasy violence
Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem by Roseanne A. Brown is book two in the Serwa Boateng series. Another great middle grade read! These books are fast paced, and have a distinct voice that makes you love Serwa.
We pick up with Serwa after the events of book one when she finds out a monumental secret her parents kept from her. Now she is dealing with having to figure out her new power and who she is. She feels stuck between the thing she's always been and the thing she's been taught is evil. Now she works to find the Midnight Drum to free her grandmother, but she realizes too late that might not be the best idea.
We learn more about Boahinmaa and abayifo in this book, and we see Serwa's growing relationship with her aunt. We also see her growing disillusionment toward the Okomofuo. We also get a heist! I just love how focused on friendship and family these books are. I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't say much else, but there is a giant two headed crocodile. One head is a happy enthusiastic puppy, and the other is an emo cynical puppy lol.
I'm looking forward to book three coming out later this year!
Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem by Roseanne A. Brown is book two in the Serwa Boateng series. Another great middle grade read! These books are fast paced, and have a distinct voice that makes you love Serwa.
We pick up with Serwa after the events of book one when she finds out a monumental secret her parents kept from her. Now she is dealing with having to figure out her new power and who she is. She feels stuck between the thing she's always been and the thing she's been taught is evil. Now she works to find the Midnight Drum to free her grandmother, but she realizes too late that might not be the best idea.
We learn more about Boahinmaa and abayifo in this book, and we see Serwa's growing relationship with her aunt. We also see her growing disillusionment toward the Okomofuo. We also get a heist! I just love how focused on friendship and family these books are. I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't say much else, but there is a giant two headed crocodile. One head is a happy enthusiastic puppy, and the other is an emo cynical puppy lol.
I'm looking forward to book three coming out later this year!
March 9, 2024
I really struggle with this series. It's well-written, exciting, and I still want to know how Serwa's story unwinds. Will she be able to right the wrongs that she unwittingly caused? But I struggle with a basic premise of the story: the idea that black magic is ever good, as Serwa suggests when she embraces her vampire bloodline. While I do appreciate what Brown brings to light regarding the awful way those labeled as witches are treated, I also believe in real evil and that is never something I want to celebrate. At the same time, I also appreciate many of the values of friendship and acceptance that Brown portrays. She does call out the real evil done by one character. In the end, this is not a book I can wholeheartedly recommend, but if the story appeals to you, read it with a questioning mind that d0es wrestle with good and evil.
June 18, 2025
Well, the questions raised in Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting get answered. Aside from what's addressed by this book, I feel like I could copy and paste most of my review of the first book here.
Except, and this is a spoiler if you're looking at this without having read the first book, we have a villain protagonist. Serwa is now an obayifo and finds herself in the care of her maternal aunt, in a hideout for all sorts of vampiric or black-magic creatures. This is quite the book for building sympathy for the devil, as it were.
Looking forward to an excellent redemption arc in the third book. And I hope it involves kicking Declan's butt.
Except, and this is a spoiler if you're looking at this without having read the first book, we have a villain protagonist. Serwa is now an obayifo and finds herself in the care of her maternal aunt, in a hideout for all sorts of vampiric or black-magic creatures. This is quite the book for building sympathy for the devil, as it were.
Looking forward to an excellent redemption arc in the third book. And I hope it involves kicking Declan's butt.
September 14, 2023
Serwa is back again in this sequel! Picking up where the last book left off, Serwa is now with her Aunt Effi after realizing she is half vampire. Effi tells her about her grandma who is trapped in the midnight drum. Serwa decides to help free her while she tries to figure out who she is.
The cliffhanger from book one does get resolved here but pretty late in the book! I missed all the characters we came to love from Book 1 for most of the book when they weren’t there. It leaves on another big cliffhanger. I didn’t love this one as much as Book 1, but I still was drawn in! Brown’s writing is really engaging and her incorporation of Ghanaian folklore is great.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The cliffhanger from book one does get resolved here but pretty late in the book! I missed all the characters we came to love from Book 1 for most of the book when they weren’t there. It leaves on another big cliffhanger. I didn’t love this one as much as Book 1, but I still was drawn in! Brown’s writing is really engaging and her incorporation of Ghanaian folklore is great.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 22, 2023
Thanks to @netgalley and @disneybooks for the advance Kindle copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. No sophomore slump for this series - Serwa is BACK. Having just learned that she is half vampire, Serwa is now with her Auntie Effi, aka Boahinmaa, who drive Serwa and her parents from their safe house in the first place. Now they are searching for the Midnight Drum, in which Serwa’s grandmother is trapped, and with this new conflict in her life she believes her aunt that this is a good thing, just a misunderstanding. Serwa grows a lot in this one, and it leaves us ready for an epic book 3. Highly recommend - it’s out 9/12!
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. No sophomore slump for this series - Serwa is BACK. Having just learned that she is half vampire, Serwa is now with her Auntie Effi, aka Boahinmaa, who drive Serwa and her parents from their safe house in the first place. Now they are searching for the Midnight Drum, in which Serwa’s grandmother is trapped, and with this new conflict in her life she believes her aunt that this is a good thing, just a misunderstanding. Serwa grows a lot in this one, and it leaves us ready for an epic book 3. Highly recommend - it’s out 9/12!
September 10, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing for this DRC.
Serwa is back and in deeper trouble than ever. She is trying to learn to with the distinct duality of who she is half vampire and half Slayer. Things are constantly blowing up around her, including her relationships, as she has to realize that everyone is just not one thing.
I enjoyed her relationship with Declan, her nemesis – who had no idea he was her nemesis! The book flung me from one exciting moment to the next with great pauses to build relationships. Can’t wait for book 3.
#RickRiordanPresentsSerwaBoatengsGuidetoWitchcraftandMayhem #NetGalley
Serwa is back and in deeper trouble than ever. She is trying to learn to with the distinct duality of who she is half vampire and half Slayer. Things are constantly blowing up around her, including her relationships, as she has to realize that everyone is just not one thing.
I enjoyed her relationship with Declan, her nemesis – who had no idea he was her nemesis! The book flung me from one exciting moment to the next with great pauses to build relationships. Can’t wait for book 3.
#RickRiordanPresentsSerwaBoatengsGuidetoWitchcraftandMayhem #NetGalley
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