Magica Riot

Maidensong Magica #1

by Kara Buchanan

The last night of Claire Ryland's old life in the closet was pretty normal, aside from the alley fight with interdimensional monsters. Fortunately, the drummer of her favorite local band transformed into a magical girl and saved her.

Then Claire became a magical girl as well. Things got a little complicated after that.

Now Claire is juggling two new living as a girl and as a member of Portland's super-secret supernatural defense squad, the hard-rocking magical girls known as ... Magica Riot!

The story of a young transgender woman who's discovering herself at the same time she's learning how to be a magical girl, Magica Riot is an action-filled musical adventure inspired by classic magical girl anime, tokusatsu shows, and the vibe of the American Pacific Northwest. Featuring a cast of LGBTQ+ magical girls, mysterious monsters, and villains that are more than they appear to be, Magica Riot shows that finding your true self is the first step toward saving the world.

The debut work in the Maidensong Magica universe of magical girl stories!

Genres: Fantasy, Queer, Transgender, LGBT, Fiction, Young Adult, Science Fiction

227 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2024

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really fun, positive fantasy-action story with likable characters and solid friendships.

Note that it is *very* influenced by a certain type of anime, including characters declaring their power moves before delivering blows, and antagonist waiting for what would in real life be a ridiculous amount of time for the hero to transform for the fight (I assume the audience is supposed to interpret these as poetic license?). How well this book works for you will probably depend on your feelings about this medium.

Were you a queer kid who longed for a Sailor Moon style transformation into beauty and power? This may well be a 5 star read for you.

If, on the other hand, you've never watched anime or anything with color-coded costumed teams, this might be more like 3 stars. Maybe check out Magical Girls on youtube before purchasing.

[Nicholas Perez]

There's a website with character profiles and directions on where to purchase. This looks fun and cute!

[Courtney Lanning · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so fun. If you grew up watching Sailor Moon like I did, and magical girls hold a special place in your heart, then this is the book for you.

Claire's journey was beautiful from start to finish as she overcame the obstacles, both emotional and magical that came her way.

Kara's worldbuilding for magical girls was a lot of fun to explore, and I can't wait to see book #2 materialize. Ugh, Nova really over here stealing my heart and being the favorite.

As someone who lived in Portland, Oregon, this story painted the city well.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Transgender lesbian punk rock magical girls! Transgender lesbian punk rock magical girls! If those four things don't get you excited for this book, then it's probably not for you. If it does? Boy, are you in for a treat. You've got twirly transformations! You've got extra-dimensional alien invaders! You've got kaiju! You've got a girl learning to love herself through the power of love, friendship, and magic! It doesn't really do anything to buck the genre but, honestly, that's okay. There's a reason why there's a billion seasons of Precure, and only one of Madoka. The formula simply *works.* It's fun, and entertaining, and a joy to read. I've been reading a few magical girl online fics this year, and they've all been pretty dark, so this was a breath of fresh air.

I think the transgender themes are particularly suited to the genre. Transforming into something powerful that suits your identity, which gives you the courage to come out and live your authentic self slots into the themes of magical girl shows almost perfectly. I'd love to see more of it, *especially* in anime, but the one I can think of is really only a technicality, and is kinda bad, so I don't count it. The rest of the cast is queer and diverse which is something you *definitely* don't see in anime, so I'm glad for it.

All in all, I highly recommend this book if you're into magical girls at all. Even if you're not, I'd say give it a try. It's a good entry point into the genre, and might get you interested in watching some of the shows this book is inspired by.

I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, especially with how Kara shook things up at the end. Four stars.

[Elena Abbott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A frantic, upbeat song

I bought this one on a whim. A trans character and magical girls? Be still my heart. I'm so glad I picked it up because the story was pretty amazing.

Very reminiscent of magical girl anime, Magica Riot definitely gave me Sailor Moon vibes that I absolutely loved.

The action scenes were frantic and filled with the perfect amount of tension that I didn't want to put the book down, and the plot itself is well thought out and surprisingly managed to avoid boringly long infodumps, which is a talent. The addition of a little romance was definitely welcome in my opinion, and the theme of found family accepting who you are without question is strong throughout, as it should be.

I can't wait to see more from Ms. Buchanan as she promises that Magica Riot will return.

[The Book Badger · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely fabulous book. I wish I'd had it a decade ago when I was coming out.

Really well written, the whole musical element is really well integrated and I absolutely love it.

Also chapter 9 is probably one of my favourite pieces of literature full stop.

[Kristin Melville · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flammin' good!

A joyful, exalted love letter to music and magical girls. The prose is snappy and clever with some really fun characters. I've been looking forward to reading this since I first heard Buchanan was working on this, so I'm definitely looking forward to more Magica Riot!!

[Aurora · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if, one day in your dull and boring life, amidst all the longing and yearning for something that feels so impossible, you went out to to see your favourite local band and then got turned into a magical girl, like from Sailor Moon? That’s the question Kara Buchanan’s debut novel asks. Magica Riot presents an extraordinarily bright, colourful, and loud journey of acceptance and self discovery.

Just like the magical girls the book depicts, Magica Riot is incredibly sweet, earnest, and passionate. It follows Claire, a twenty-something trans girl from Portland who becomes the latest member of the all-girl rock band and secret magical girl group, the titular Magica Riot. Claire starts the book an egg, or trans girl in denial about her identity, until the magic force that powers magical girls in this universe, the Maidensong, transes her gender after she’s attacked by generic magical girl anime monster number 214, and she becomes Riot Purple – the keytarist of Magica Riot.

What follows is Claire’s journey of discovery, learning herself, her powers, and her bandmates. The book’s supporting cast is phenomenal, and Buchanan sets up a delightful found family that made my queer little heart melt. Claire’s evolving romance with her long-time best friend, Hazel, was also incredibly cute.

However, when I say that this book is loud, I mean it. It really leans into its anime-inspired aesthetic, whilst also trying to tell what is at times a grim and adult story. Magica Riot, the band/magical girl group, are still feeling the loss of Iris, a band member and previous Riot Purple who was killed some time ago. The band are still working through their grief, and Claire has a front-row seat. However, for me, this made it feel like the book was fighting for a balance between what was at times a really grim and adult story, and the hyperactivity of its aesthetic.

All in all, Magica Riot achieves what it is trying to do, which is to be a magical girl anime in novel form. However, I must admit I found myself frustrated by the premise itself, and everything it entailed. Don’t get me wrong, watching Sailor Moon was a formative experience for me, and I really appreciated Buchanan’s ambition in trying to capture that. I just found that the repeated tropeyness inherent to the book’s premise got on my nerves. But, if you are someone who loves revelling in the cheesiness of stories like this, then Magica Riot is definitely for you.

That’s not to say that Magica Riot is bad. The story was compelling, the cast of characters are extremely lively and enjoyable, and the book had a surprising amount of tear-jerking moments. Magica Riot is a story crafted with an incredible amount of heart, which it shamelessly wears on its sleeve. It is an incredible debut from Kara Buchanan, and I’m excited to see what she does next.

[Jacek · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable urban fantasy featuring magical girls set in Portland, Oregon, which makes sound use of its setting to ground the narrative and also tells a compelling story.

[Artemis Crescent · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Maidensong harmony power…go live!'



'Magica Riot'

Being a queer-as-hell Magical GirlTM story doesn't negate it from being a fairly standard and simple Magical GirlTM story told in novel form, but its representation is still utterly important, and it is still cute, positive, uplifting, inspiring, and femme-as-hell, with a layer of creatively-written, twisty darkness and complexity underneath everything - just what I love about the genre.

It is a lot like reading an anime. I could tell Kara Buchanan loves 'Sailor Moon' and the like. 'Magica Riot' contains well written action, female friendships and romances, and creative magical girl weaponry and attacks. The way these magical girls are a band and use music, their microphones, and their musical instruments to fight monsters and other baddies, it reminds me of 'Mermaid Melody: Pichi Pichi Pitch'.

The pacing of 'Magica Riot' isn't perfect, and some parts and characters are more underdeveloped and underutilised than others, but it tells its story well; hitting hard and true.

The modern Magical GirlTM book is all about women supporting women (and enbies), and how all queer lives matter - yes yes yes!

'Magica Riot' (aka 'Maidensong Magica', and was 'Magica', like 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica', used on purpose, for a purpose?) is set in Portland, Oregon, and it is about Claire Ryland, a closeted trans woman (sidenote: almost every main character is in their early twenties, and magical girls being adults is refreshing for the beloved genre), who one night goes to a concert of the pop rock girl band, Magica Riot. Closeted until, afterwards, she gets attacked by monsters, called Pandoras, and a Magica Riot member steps in to save her, revealing herself to be a magical girl!

Magica Riot are secretly a magical girl group!

And Claire discovers she is a magical girl, too! A maiden. A guardian of song and heart.

Fully embracing who she always knew she was meant to be, Claire, openly a woman, becomes a new member of Magica Riot, the band and the magical girl group (she plays the keyboard), as part of a secret supernatural worldwide organisation, called the Starlight Alliance.

She has awakened, into Maidensong harmony power!

She is Riot Purple!

The other members of Magica Riot are:

Sara Ward, aka Riot Red, the lead singer, a stoic princely type who is actually softhearted and mourning her lost love, another woman. She is like a cool lioness.

Nova (I don't think her last name is ever mentioned), aka Riot Blue, the drummer, the youngest and most cheerful and hyperactive of the group. She hates any swearing, and like Claire, she's trans, too! and sees Magica Riot as her found family.

Cass Coates, aka Riot Yellow, the lead guitarist, a Black magical girl who is relatively quiet, calm, thoughtful, and determined. She is an activist and mutual aid leader, and she is in a polygamous relationship with two women and a man.

Last but not least is Hana Hasegawa, aka Riot Green, the bassist, who is also quiet (an odd trait for a musician, now that I think about it), tranquil and positive, and is a mechanic and chef, atop of her many other talents.

Every one of these women is strong, capable, sensitive, empathetic, kind, and magical in their own way. Every one of them is queer. Nice touch that the magical women's colours each represent the pride flag.

In concurrent with the life-changing coming out, joining her favourite band, and turning into a magical girl who fights mysterious interdimensional, corrupted monsters alongside a supportive magical girl team - symbolic of said coming out - Claire has Hazel Hoffman, her awesome photographer best friend and crush.

Another character highlight is Hikari Tomori, a socially awkward, possibly autistic, nonbinary computer genius, who really needed more attention put on them.

Plus there are villain magical girls called the Menagerie. I won't go into anything else about them, because spoilers.

Magica Riot have a van called Vancent Price.

There are magical girl terms such as thaumatite, the crystals that channel magica, which is a magical girl's power, and the leylines that help the Alliance detect Pandoras. Transforming into magical girls, or maidens, or Starlight Alliance agents, is also called going into Riot mode. Magical girls possess the Maidensong - like a lifeforce and goddess, that's been around since ancient times - deep in their hearts.

It's a lot of fun!

'Magica Riot' is far from perfect. The beginning has a few noticeable typos, and the ending is rather rushed, crammed with barely-foreshadowed ideas at the forefront, and overcompensating for the sake of a sudden end of the world plot (a part of the book's pacing problem - a glitch, a mechanical spanner in the works, a thread knot).

There is the huge plot hole of how no civilian apparently ever sees or hears Magica Riot when they fight their magical girl battles, as they cause property damage and play their loud musical instruments and sing their hearts out as their attacks! How they've kept that kind of attention away from themselves is never clearly explained.

As mentioned before, not every character is well developed and defined, and I can hardly tell the personalities of Cass and Hana apart.

I would like to know more about what Claire's life was like before she moved to Portland. Why did she move to Portland in the first place? Is it something a queer person coming from certain areas in the US doesn't need to tell? Doesn't want to tell? Then that's alright, I respect the ambiguity. Possibly these mysteries and more will be revealed in a sequel.

The book is fairly corny, too, and its self-awareness and genre savvy factor are barely implemented.

But it is a passionately written, easy-to-read-and-get-into indie Magical GirlTM gem, for fans of the increasingly lauded genre, that's not exclusive to Japan, but the whole world, for everyone.

And 'Magica Riot' is for LBGTQ+ readers who wish to see themselves as the heroes that people need. For them to be seen, and loved and respected. No angst and hate, just fun and inspiration and empowerment, and normalised acceptance.

It belongs with other explicitly queer Magical GirlTM media and stories such as 'magnifiqueNOIR' and 'Magical Boy', likewise with a trans gay protagonist!

Now that I have been paying attention over the years, I think, yeah, magical girls are pretty queer and always have been. They are about girl power, and so much else, beyond the gender binary. They are about empowering people, to express themselves and be brave, and to put kindness and empathy above violent conflict. They are about the strong, unstoppable power in the feminine, but at the same time they show how gender concepts and stereotypes are socially constructed bullshit, and the whole idea of the gender binary is to deliberately restrict, limit, and therefore depower and control people. Magical girls teach us to not fall for any of that crap.

Be powerful in yourself, as you. Believe in you.

No wonder the genre has become more popular than ever.

I can tell 'Magica Riot' is a personal Pacific Northwest magical girl story for Kara Buchanan to write about. I'm happy she did, and I'm happy for her.


'Identity, self-image, living as yourself. Anytime the band's songwriting turned to those subjects, I felt tears well up in my eyes. Why shouldn't girls--of all kinds, however they got to be girls--get to be exactly who they wanted to be? Why shouldn't they live free and happy without society cutting them down? I believed that, as strongly as I ever believed anything. I wanted to fight for them.' - page 9


'"Where would queer people be without family trauma?"

"Happy, well adjusted," [...]

"Flourishing, even,"' - page 96


A not-so guilty pleasure, for this magical girl, and Magical GirlTM fan.

Final Score: 3.5/5

[Ally]

DNF @ p48 / 20%.

Cute, but somewhat clunky writing, characters defined entirely by their accent, no hook other than the magical transition fantasy yet. (And the MC's feelings and sensations around transition are vague - which may allow an easy self-insert for some readers, but that's not what I'm looking for in my reading these days.) I did love how easy it was to picture the animation of the action sequences!

[EEX · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this book.

As a non-binary person who hasn't had the strength to fully come out of the closet yet, I really, REALLY wanted to identify with Clair, but I just couldn't.

There are great parts of this book, like a definite through-story that relies on plotlines other than Clair's transition. I am so tired of queer books that focus solely on the character's coming out or their transition. These are stories that need to be told, but I've read so many already that I want stories where the trans character is just living and dealing with other stuff! We NEED more queer-centric stories like this, and I'm so glad to see this author willing to do what other authors--even other queer authors--won't do.

Which is why I wish there weren't so many problems with it.

First, if you are put off by anime terminology in writing, this book is extremely heavy with it in a very campy way. "Magical girl" has always seemed way too on the nose for me. Too specific. This, along with the hyper-specific attack names just gives me a lot of second-hand embarrassment. It felt to me like the author really wanted to write an anime or manga instead of a book, but this sort of language has never really worked with an english-speaking audience. It's all just a little too hokey.

It also leans a little too heavily on the main character's self-hate. While this is generally okay as a plot device, in this book it is extremely repetitive, hammering home over and over again that Clair is awkward, not doing well emotionally, and insecure. There are ways to show this rather than telling it, but the story tells, over and over.

This makes me think that the author doesn't trust the audience to remember a very important thing about her characters. And while I'm always a fan of "telling" in a story when something needs to be told, I felt like I couldn't be trusted to remember this particular trait. What's worse is that the author does SHOW Clair's discomfort in very effective ways, but then also explains it. It got frustrating.

There are also pacing issues, both too fast and, in other areas, too slow.

The overall arc moves EXTREMELY fast. Clair goes from not knowing she's a magical girl to being on the Magica Riot team, to knowing all their songs to the point where she can play a gig, to her first fight... And there's still two and a half hours left in the book. There is no internal conflict. The other members of Magica Riot immediately accept her without the awkward introduction phase that would come from entering any new group of people. And it's entirely possible that this group of girls is 100% accommodating, but "awkward" doesn't necessarily mean "mean" or "catty."

This could have been a phase where the reader could get to know the other members of Magica Riot, but it was glossed over so quickly that the story that followed felt hollow to me.

But then there's parts that take too long. In the action scene where Clair first changes, there is a lengthy back-and-forth between her and Nova that drags out to a comical degree. It feels like while all this was going on, the two monsters who'd shown up were just sort of casually waiting to attack until the two girls finished their conversation.

I usually don't notice stuff like this, because sometimes you really have to get conversation out to make things make sense. But this really seemed to drag.

I think the most major issue with the book, though, is the dialogue.

Overall, it's very unnatural and nothing ever flows like a real conversation. I am writing this review at 38% at a point where I'm considering DNF'ing, and up to this point I have not seen a conversation I feel would happen in real life. It almost gives Stepford Wives vibes, not in the sense that the girls are docile, but that they're all programmed to be happy all the time. It's a little unsettling.

While this is a trend among all the main characters, it is especially true with Nova, who speaks with an excess of exclamation points and always seems to be verbally excited to the point of shouting. Even the most upbeat people can have a normal conversation without this much excitement. It felt forced.

Nova also gives Clair language warnings for words I've been using since I was in grade school. A teen- or twenty-something shouldn't really be saying "language" to a friend who says "hell" and "ass." Since Magica Riot is meant for a young adult audience, this really comes across as unnecessarily infantile and puritanical, and really put me off from Nova's character. It's weird no one--not even Clair--questions her on this. I get the feeling there's a reason, but it needs to be addressed earlier in the book, if there is. Even someone saying "Nova's just like that," would help. As it is, I kinda feel like the other characters are on board with this... unique... trait?

And speaking of the other characters, at this point in the book, they feel like props. I don't feel a connection to any of them, and by this point in the book, I feel like I should have a good grasp of their individual voice, their goals, and shortcomings. I only barely know Clair and Nova, and I'm not sure Nova's perceived personality is necessarily what the author wanted me to take from the narrative.

Altogether, Magica Riot feels a lot like self-fulfillment. If you're okay with that, you might like this book. And even though I share some of the same heartaches as Clair, reading this gave me a lot of second-hand embarrassment, which is ultimately why I considered DNF'ing in the first place. Had this book been written for the 8-12 year old crowd, it might work a little better.

If I do go back and finish this book, I will update my review if there's anything to be updated. Right now, though, I'm just not having fun with it, and while I do feel it's very important for books like this to exist, I am sad this isn't written better. I recommend supporting the author anyway, because it's so, SO important for books like this to exist, and that's one of the reason I'm giving this book three stars instead of two.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a lot of fun. It's not the stereotypical magical girls novel because magical girls are hidden from view and pretty underfunded, which gave it a unique twist. I loved how much queer rep was present in the group too. Claire is an egg that gets cracked when she develops her magical girl powers. I wish transition was that fast and easy. It was really sweet to see her come out to herself and the people in her life. There is a bit of a romantic subplot, but it really isn't that much of a focus, which is ok...but I could always do with more sapphic romance plotlines. I'm looking forward to the follow up stories set to come. I can't wait to see how they handle the Bloom/Iris situation.

[Issy Waldrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and enjoyable magical girl story fill with plenty of action and trans joy. Feels very much like an origin story, and looking forward to seeing them all again.

[WarBlade · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this from The Transfeminine Review's Reader's Choice Awards Longlist, and ended up writing a Reddit review (https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comm...) on it, but the relevant section:

This book is really cheesy. The prose and plotting is frantic, echoing (for better or worse) the punk rock sound of their namesake band. But beyond those things, Magica Riot is a delight. Claire is a dorky, awkward protagonist who stumbles into the transition she'd never known she wanted... and, on top of that, the enormous shoes of the fifth member on a rock band and magical girl team. Given these opportunities, she takes the stage head-on. She kicks ass ("What the hell! Magical girls don't bite!" "[...] I'm the new girl!"), takes names ("Allow us to introduce a bug into things!" "Claire, you... you really don't have to—"); but sometimes she needs a little nudge (or a hard push) in the right direction, which is where her friends step in, between friend-turned-girlfriend Hazel (who takes a photoshoot of Claire in a rose garden!) and her magical girl friends (Nova, stop throwing your cymbals!). In terms of the characters and their relationships, Magica Riot is a very cosy, affirming story, with this group of friends fighting firmly side by side against the dangers that threaten Portland, the world, and their happiness.

This book really has everything you expect in a magical girl story. Transformation sequences and catchphrases ("Maidensong Harmony Power... go live!"), an alien invasion, strangely queer-coded villains, out-of-the-box thinking in fights (thank you for your service, Vancent), touching hearts with the power of friendship, the struggles of everyday life... and it even has some things you wouldn't expect. There's song lyrics in here! Initially, I thought they were an odd choice, but after a while, they started growing on me. I think I actually cried the second time "What's it like to be like you? What's it like to be beautiful and true?" showed up. Still have no idea what beat these lyrics are supposed to go with, but maybe if we throw enough money Kara Buchanan's way, she'll commission full songs for a few of these...

[Atlas Topone · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Magica Riot" by Kara Buchanan is a captivating blend of magical girl anime, music, and queer identity, set against the vibrant backdrop of Portland, Oregon. This novel is the first in the Maidensong Magica series and offers a refreshing take on the magical girl genre, combining action, adventure, and heartfelt storytelling. The story centres around Claire Ryland, a young transgender woman who becomes a magical girl. The novel beautifully explores themes of identity and self-discovery, making it a powerful representation of queer joy and empowerment.: Buchanan skillfully weaves together classic magical girl elements with modern themes, creating a narrative that is both nostalgic and innovative. The magical girl transformations are not just about fighting evil but also about embracing one's true self. The story is deeply intertwined with music, as Claire and her friends use their instruments to harness their magical powers. This unique blend of music and magic adds a lively and engaging layer to the narrative. Portland serves as a character itself, with the city's landmarks and culture woven into the story. The novel celebrates the city's vibrant queer community and the bonds of friendship and support that define it. "Magica Riot" is more than just a fun, flirty fantasy; it's a heartfelt exploration of what it means to be a girl, to be magical, and to find one's place in the world. Buchanan's personal experiences as a transgender woman shine through in the narrative, making it a deeply relatable and uplifting read for many in the LGBTQ+ community. If you're a fan of magical girls, music, and queer fiction, "Magica Riot" is an absolute must-read. It offers a perfect blend of action, adventure, and emotional depth, making it a compelling choice for anyone looking for a story that celebrates identity and community. I immediately started spamming everyone demanding that they read it, I loved it so much.

[Yvette · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT THE FLAMMING I JUST READ?! (no cursing, thanks Hanna)

This was a fun read but also there where so many problems with the writhing

Like, okay, you are suddenly being transformed into a girl, something you wanted for all your life. Amazing right? It is a dream come true after all! But where it kills the immersion for me is that suddenly everyone around you is like "ow yeah.. that's nice" and then goes on with their usual business totally glancing over the social aspects of such change.

Now I fully understand that this is a lighthearted book but to get Hazel suddenly so interested in you made her either feel really thin or let her turn out one of the baddies in the end in a mayor plottwist of events like "I knew you where magical all along muhahahahah!" instead of "you are next to suddenly a women also magical? Yes! *smooch!*"

It doesn't really help the writing and made me ship Bloom and Claire so much more since there was so much more growth between the characters.

Maybe I am taking this all a bit too seriously.. I mean, it is Kara's first book! Once again, it was a fun lighthearted read in the end and definitely will check out the sequel.

[Sophia Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: this is specifically for the Magica Riot audiobook.

Magica Riot is well-paced and well-executed from start to finish, but as I wrap up with this one I'm struck with two thoughts.

The first is that for all its bright lights and big sounds Magica Riot really shines the most in the moments in between. It's touching and human. It gives space to the feelings of loss without succumbing to them. It touches on insecurity and the swirl of fighting it with those around you. It doesn't try to be a book of answers or a how-to. Instead, it's a book that tries to entertain with heart as much as mind.

The second thought is of experiencing this story as an audiobook. Emma brings this thing to life. Multiple voices and tone changes help give characters memorable moments that are amplifications of how they happen in the book. Specifically characters like Hikari really pop as a result. If you haven't experienced the audiobook, it's certainly one I'd recommend.

It's a satisfying story, and one that opens up into a world of possibilities. I'm definitely looking forward to diving in more.

[Nicole Belcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Becoming a magical girl as trans affirmation? yes thank you I would like 15 more.

That said Magica Riot's execution of that concept leaves a lot to be desired. The author failed to adapt the visual and auditory elements of magical girl anime to the written word and the fight scenes in particular fell very flat as a result.

Also the book lacks any sort of inter/intrapersonal conflict leaving the story without any real tension in it.

Claire joins a pre-existing band and magical girl team replacing a DEAD member and everyone is immediately welcoming and understanding of her. That's just unrealistic and more importantly boring.

There's clearly some thematic stuff about being your true self here but the story doesn't carry that theme throughout the whole book so the morality stuff in the conclusion doesn't hit because our characters didn't have any character arcs where they learned the moral lesson.

The book is also mostly dialogue and that dialogue is corny, janky and awkward.

I still had a lot of fun reading this, but ultimately as a book it's not very good. if you really like magical girls you'll probably have fun too, but overall it was disappointing.

[Luna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn't my favourite book, but I think there's something really special here.

It's extremely silly, unbelievably corny, but it all works to give you that superhero, magical girl experience. If it weren't even a bit silly, childlike, corny and feel-good, I don't think it would be as magical. There is a strong element of childhood in this book because of it. A nostalgia, maybe, from watching morning cartoons.

The magical girl and superhero genres need a little whimsy to work. It needs to be candid and corny because it's all about choosing to do the right thing, putting yourself on the line for others and fighting injustice in the most nonsensical costumes. Once you let yourself get lost in this alternate reality, the story does what it needs to do.

I really liked the myth-making of it, the candidness of its storytelling, the narrative and its characters. It took a while to captivate me (in part, I started reading it with a very weird mindset, but it takes a while to get excited too), but it did. I appreciate what it did and what it made me feel.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm cheating a little bit here - I didn't get through the whole thing but I wanted to add my little bit to boost the stats of the book, so here we are.

Absolutely love the concept, but turns out the writing style wasn't my favourite. Since the magical girl genre is such a heavily visual medium I think there are a lot of things to convert once it's a written text instead - and I'm discovering that I'm very specific on what I think translates well and what doesn't. So, not the novel's fault, but this selection of magical girl tropes delivered in this specific style was not my preferred adaptation of the genre, and the narrative style didn't gel with me. Also in my location it's classified as Adult Fantasy, yet this reads so much more like a teen novel - and even skewing on the low end of that age range (the main characters gets reprimanded for saying "hell", at one point).

Still! Wonderful concept for a main character, and I'll be happy if other people end up loving this one.

[Daniel Fliederbaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Technically 3.5/5 but Goodreads doesn't let you do half-stars)

A fun novel whose mashup of anime tropes, the indie music scene, LGBTQ feels, and finding yourself as a new adult give an almost Scott Pilgrim vibe.

Protagonist Claire and her team of fellow heroes/rocker chicks are all easy to root for, and the lean, intensely functional prose propels us quickly through the exciting plot. I only wish the story had slowed down and devoted more pages to fleshing out all the girls and their intra-group dynamics more between the fight scenes.

Still, as an unabashed Sailor Moon fan, I managed to have a good time. I'm sure the next book will be - as drummer Nova might say - even flammin' better.

[Phoebe S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flammin' awesome. Honestly, I feel like there could be more character development and I feel a few sweet moments are sacrificed a little, though it's mostly balanced. The second half is just pure adrenaline, though, and I'm a huge sucker for that, so it's perfect. Seeing characters (not just Claire!) come into their own was especially sweet. And just, what a homage! Hikari felt very Magilumiere-ish (if Magilumiere was more "stick it to the man"), and of course, definitely no shortage of Sailor Moon send-ups.

Also, a story that looks at trans joy more than trans suffering? Hey! (Not like it's the only one I've read recently, but tbh it's nice)

[Claire Louisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this fun, quirky, fantasy/action book about magical girls who come into their own saving the world. I've never watched anime but I've seen pictures and trailers and can see that they are some of the inspiration behind our magical girls transformation scenes. I really enjoyed the world this author created. If only it were as easy for regular people to be able to live in the body they fit as it was for Claire once she has her magical transformation. I'm looking forward to the sequel.

[Skyrific · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claire realizes she's a magical girl when she meets her idols Magica Riot. She joins the band in a quest to fend off the evil within Portland. Together with Sara, Cass, Hana & Nova they solve the mysteries of the maidensong and the impending threat.

This is so fun! Magical girls! Whimsy heartwarming found family dynamics magical girls! Colourful, songs, friendships, charming magical girls!! The only thing I wish i had more was more time with Cass and Hana, I wanna learn more about them!! But gosh this was just fun and lovely.

[Bunnytheo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m probably just too old and cranky for this; the whole thing felt like it was written for the Saturday-morning crowd, complete with glitter explosions and dialogue that made my teeth ache. The cast shouts their feelings in the most wince-inducing dialogue, the wish-fulfillment engine never idles, and any hint of an inner life gets steamrolled by the next Powerpuff Girls-esque performance. Lots of sugary glitter, lots of twee.

Perfectly nice for people who like after school specials, I'm sure. If you still keep your old Rainbow Brite lunchbox on display, you’ll have a blast.

[Dani Finn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book asks the important question: What if the Powerpuff Girls were a trans punk band with magical music powers who fight monsters and save the world?

The answer, it turns out, is a heck of a lot of fun. Don’t come here looking for deep worldbuilding or earth-shaking romance; come for the pure trans joy, light and airy as cotton candy. You’ll breeze through it in a day or two and finish with a smile on your face.

[Laura Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, exciting, and provides a sense of euphoria we could all use right now. Every member of the cast is incredibly charming (heroes and villains alike), and the fight scenes strike the perfect balance of imagery and exhilaration, while exploring each girl’s strengths to the fullest. I was glued to the page for every second; constantly gasping, giggling, or tearing up. Cannot wait to see what Kara brings to the Maidensong Magica universe next!

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ll probably write a longer review later, but here’s the short version: there’s a lot to like about this book and I’m very glad it exists, but there were also several aspects that didn’t work for me, and I think another round of editing could have really tightened things up. Still, I think this shows a lot of promise for a debut and I’ll definitely be picking up the sequel.

(Also, honestly, I’m shipping Claire with Bloom way more than with Hazel)

[Holly Beightol · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you were to ask me: “Holly, what book would you like to read about?” I likely would say “A book about a Trans Musician who is also a magical girl, probably.”

BAM! This is that book!

I tore through this book in a day, and I want more! And it’s set in one of my favorite cities in the country, Portland!

Can’t wait to read more about this awesome queer band and how they are going to save the world! 💖