What do you think?
Rate this book
The Sisters of Luna Island
Little Women gets a Nevermoor twist in this “captivating…charming” (Kirkus Reviews) novel about a young girl tasked to break a centuries-old curse or risk losing her beloved sisters.
Twelve-year-old Marigold Lafleur is the last of a long line of aromages: witches who blend scents into practical charms using aromagic. But ever since a terrible accident injured her father and damaged Luna Island, Marigold and her sisters, Birdie and Lou, have vowed to abandon their family legacy and mama’s way of life. Shunned by their neighbors and overlooked by their parents, Marigold relies on her big sisters above all else.
But when Marigold discovers a secret curse that threatens her family, her sisters can’t stop the impending danger. It’s up to Marigold and her best friend, Sam, to uncover the origins of the curse and break the spell. To do so, she must learn to trust her instincts and believe in her own unique magic or risk losing her sisters forever.
Twelve-year-old Marigold Lafleur is the last of a long line of aromages: witches who blend scents into practical charms using aromagic. But ever since a terrible accident injured her father and damaged Luna Island, Marigold and her sisters, Birdie and Lou, have vowed to abandon their family legacy and mama’s way of life. Shunned by their neighbors and overlooked by their parents, Marigold relies on her big sisters above all else.
But when Marigold discovers a secret curse that threatens her family, her sisters can’t stop the impending danger. It’s up to Marigold and her best friend, Sam, to uncover the origins of the curse and break the spell. To do so, she must learn to trust her instincts and believe in her own unique magic or risk losing her sisters forever.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published April 12, 2022
5 people are currently reading
352 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 9, 2022
This was phenomenal! This is such a heartwarming, & at times heartbreaking, magical story of sisterhood. Once again, MG does a fantastic job of blending magic with real life issues mixed into the story. Marigold is dealing with her parents separation, & in turn her dad being gone, & her mom withdrawing from her & her sisters. Plus, the town being mean to her & her family, shunning them basically, & blaming them for pretty much any bad things that happen in the community. She desperately wants to be “normal”, & for the town to like her & her family again. Including her female friends who have also shunned her since the event her family’s blamed for(1 girl especially who made me soooo mad!lol). She puts all her hopes for this on getting the lead in the school play. So much on her shoulders. All she has is her sisters, & her best friend Sam who has stayed by her side no matter what. Sam is such an AMAZING friend, & kid period. I loved him so much, & their friendship dynamic. So many intriguing details make up this story. Like the towns backstory, & all the different magic that the founding families used to have-until only Marigold’s family/ancestors had magic. Also, loved how the magic each member of her family has is different in a way from the other. Then the charms, potions, curse, vex, diary, & more. This is the 2nd book I’ve read recently that mentioned maledictions. Never heard it before, & figured it was made up, but after hearing it a 2nd time I looked it up. Real word! Love! Marigold’s own aromagic is so fascinating itself. Just thinking about how different smells would be like having aromagic, & trying to match secrets to smells..Really loved the magic in this. The core of the story is the special bond sisters can share. Marigold loves her sisters more than anyone in the world, & she will do anything to keep them safe. She shows what real love is, & is capable of. The whole mystery aspect of the story was so good as well, as we try to figure this out along with Marigold & Sam. Quite an adventure too. Also, such an atmospheric read! From this island town, the community, Marigolds house, to even school play try outs/rehearsal lol. So good! Such vivid & amazing writing. Great messages on believing in yourself, & being yourself. As long as you’re not hurting yourself or others, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. Same goes for your family, & what others think. Be proud of who you & where you come from. Such a magical mystery full of adventure/suspense & sisterhood. I absolutely LOVED the twist at the end & how it all came together. Brilliant! Loved the ending period. Big book hug! Highly recommend! This comes out April 12th! STUNNING cover by the amazing Jennifer Bricking too!💜
July 27, 2022
Marigold is the youngest of three sisters in the magical Lafleur family. They are aromages, brewing up charms using aromas. But all magic has a price, and sometimes their magic has severe consequences if they try to change fate. Ever since a terrible accident, Marigold and her sisters have given up aromagic, and their family seems to be falling apart. Marigold discovers that all their bad luck could be because of an ancient curse, and she is determined to find a way to break the curse and save her sisters!
I loved this book so much! The plot is really interesting and has many twists and turns. Near the end, I began to see how all these little threads of foreshadowing were coming together and I got all excited! I was not disappointed either! Every element in the story pulled together for a satisfying ending. I really enjoyed the puzzle aspect of Marigold's investigation into the curse. She has to do some serious research to figure out what caused the curse and how to break it.
I loved the world-building of the little island town on Luna Island. Marigold has difficult relationships with her neighbors and classmates at school. She worries that the whole town hates her family because of their magic. We see the complexity of small town relationships where everyone knows everyone else's business. Such a brilliant setting! The descriptions of the town, the lighthouse, the ocean, and the ferry made me feel like I was really there, smelling the briny ocean salt in the breeze.
I love the magic system and all the rules about how to blend different scents for magical charms. There are dozens of charms for all kinds of things like protection, courage, love, and clarity. It was so interesting to see how a simple charm is harmless because it doesn't change anyone's fate, but the wrong charm for the wrong person could have horrible results. It's a balancing game. A little nudge to help someone feel more confident is okay, but not too much or you are cheating fate, and fate will exact a price.
There are so many deep themes in this book! Grief and loss, and love and sisterhood, and families, and loneliness, and friendship, and wanting to be popular. There are hateful people and good people that Marigold has to deal with. There are good people who are acting hateful because they are just having a hard time right now. Marigold has to choose to love people anyway, even when they are being difficult. And she has to have the wisdom to know what boundaries she needs to place in her relationship with some people so that she doesn't get sucked into their toxic chaos. Marigold must find balance in her relationships with family and friends, just as she must find balance in her aromagic. The way these themes are reflected in so many areas of the story is absolutely brilliant!
The writing style is complete magic! There are so many complex emotions and plot twists and heavy things happening, but it never feels like it's dragging or like it's too much. Every scene is balanced and the pacing is excellent, pulling you forward into the next chapter.
The best thing about this book is the constant descriptions of smells and aromas. Every smell takes on a deeper meaning. Marigold is always noticing the smells around her and connecting them with feelings. She smells peanut butter and pencil shavings at school, and it makes her feel safe because it is so familiar. She notices the wafting steam of mint tea, the scent of sage (for wisdom) that lingers around her grandmother, and the smell of oranges and fir that tells her that her father must be home. Every scent means something and is an additional clue to what is happening in the story.
Marigold is such a wonderful main character! I was right there with her, inside her head, feeling her heartache every step of the way through this story. She is a very deep and complex person, and it was so engaging to follow her character development through this story. She is terrified that she will lose her sisters, lose her father, and the whole family will scatter, leaving for college or moving away. She begins to realize that she can't hold on so tightly, and she has to show them true acceptance and love. As Marigold investigates the origins of her family curse, she begins to understand her heritage. She starts to know her mother and her sisters a little better, and she finds the wisdom to know herself better too.
I love stories about siblings! This book really tugged at my heartstrings, and gave me such a warm fuzzy feeling for my own siblings!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
I loved this book so much! The plot is really interesting and has many twists and turns. Near the end, I began to see how all these little threads of foreshadowing were coming together and I got all excited! I was not disappointed either! Every element in the story pulled together for a satisfying ending. I really enjoyed the puzzle aspect of Marigold's investigation into the curse. She has to do some serious research to figure out what caused the curse and how to break it.
I loved the world-building of the little island town on Luna Island. Marigold has difficult relationships with her neighbors and classmates at school. She worries that the whole town hates her family because of their magic. We see the complexity of small town relationships where everyone knows everyone else's business. Such a brilliant setting! The descriptions of the town, the lighthouse, the ocean, and the ferry made me feel like I was really there, smelling the briny ocean salt in the breeze.
I love the magic system and all the rules about how to blend different scents for magical charms. There are dozens of charms for all kinds of things like protection, courage, love, and clarity. It was so interesting to see how a simple charm is harmless because it doesn't change anyone's fate, but the wrong charm for the wrong person could have horrible results. It's a balancing game. A little nudge to help someone feel more confident is okay, but not too much or you are cheating fate, and fate will exact a price.
There are so many deep themes in this book! Grief and loss, and love and sisterhood, and families, and loneliness, and friendship, and wanting to be popular. There are hateful people and good people that Marigold has to deal with. There are good people who are acting hateful because they are just having a hard time right now. Marigold has to choose to love people anyway, even when they are being difficult. And she has to have the wisdom to know what boundaries she needs to place in her relationship with some people so that she doesn't get sucked into their toxic chaos. Marigold must find balance in her relationships with family and friends, just as she must find balance in her aromagic. The way these themes are reflected in so many areas of the story is absolutely brilliant!
The writing style is complete magic! There are so many complex emotions and plot twists and heavy things happening, but it never feels like it's dragging or like it's too much. Every scene is balanced and the pacing is excellent, pulling you forward into the next chapter.
The best thing about this book is the constant descriptions of smells and aromas. Every smell takes on a deeper meaning. Marigold is always noticing the smells around her and connecting them with feelings. She smells peanut butter and pencil shavings at school, and it makes her feel safe because it is so familiar. She notices the wafting steam of mint tea, the scent of sage (for wisdom) that lingers around her grandmother, and the smell of oranges and fir that tells her that her father must be home. Every scent means something and is an additional clue to what is happening in the story.
Marigold is such a wonderful main character! I was right there with her, inside her head, feeling her heartache every step of the way through this story. She is a very deep and complex person, and it was so engaging to follow her character development through this story. She is terrified that she will lose her sisters, lose her father, and the whole family will scatter, leaving for college or moving away. She begins to realize that she can't hold on so tightly, and she has to show them true acceptance and love. As Marigold investigates the origins of her family curse, she begins to understand her heritage. She starts to know her mother and her sisters a little better, and she finds the wisdom to know herself better too.
I love stories about siblings! This book really tugged at my heartstrings, and gave me such a warm fuzzy feeling for my own siblings!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
June 14, 2022
Afraid to use her aromagic, Marigold must learn to accept her gifts to break a 200-year-old curse that affects her beloved sisters.
October 28, 2022
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Marigold Lafleur lives on Luna Island, where her family has practiced aromagic for generations. Recently, however, the use of flowers and scents to prepare magical charms has caused Marigold, along with her mother and sisters Lou and Birdie, to come under suspicion. A spell that Marigold created went badly wrong and caused an earthquake in her town, and everyone at school blames her. She blames herself, as well, since her father was badly injured right before he was supposed to go away for an extended work trip, and he is now living on the mainland with his sister so he can be near therapy. Marigold misses him, and worries about how people will treat her when the new school year starts. Luckily, her best friend, Sam, still talks to her, but she's worried about her mother. She was reluctant to practice aromagic for a while after the earthquake, but has recently been creating charms for people who ask for them. She tells Marigold that she informs all purchasers of the charms "vexes", which are things that could go wrong. Marigold suspects that something is really wrong, since there is a rotten stench hanging around the town, which is stronger around her house. Her mother denies that anything is wrong, but when Marigold does some digging, she finds that there was a curse on her family. She hopes to be able to remove it herself, but manages to make things worse. She makes Sam angry, causes trouble for the school play in which she has a starring role, and causes her sisters to have bigger and bigger problems. All of the things she does to remove the curse seem to fail. After her father visits, she starts to realize that some of the bad circumstances in her life are not the fault of the curse and would have happened anyway, but she knows there is still some danger from it. Will she be able to figure out a way to remove it before further harm comes to her family?
Strengths: Marigold's love of her family is very evident, and she wants the best for her sisters and her mother. Like many tweens, she feels like everything is her fault, and if she could just do the right thing, circumstances would improve for everyone. In Marigold's case, this involves a lot of delving into family history, and some forays into questionable magic, which is always exciting. Luna Island is an interesting setting, and the brief inclusion of some mean girls to whom Marigold stands up adds just the right amount of friend drama to a magical story. I enjoyed how each chapter started with the magical properties of scents or flowers, and had charming line illustrations. I'd love to see more page decorations in middle grade novels!
Weaknesses: My students seem to prefer magical realism that is a bit happier; the aromagic Marigold experiences has rarely made her own life better. I'd like to see more books where magic isn't endangered or seen as a bad thing.
What I really think: This felt a bit life Harrison's A Pinch of Magic , Littlewood's Bliss Bakery books, or Nichol's The Apprentice Witch. It's clearly set in the US, but did have a bit of a British feel to it. A great choice for readers who like their magical realism on the bittersweet side. Hand to fans of Ingrid Law or Natalie Lloyd.
Marigold Lafleur lives on Luna Island, where her family has practiced aromagic for generations. Recently, however, the use of flowers and scents to prepare magical charms has caused Marigold, along with her mother and sisters Lou and Birdie, to come under suspicion. A spell that Marigold created went badly wrong and caused an earthquake in her town, and everyone at school blames her. She blames herself, as well, since her father was badly injured right before he was supposed to go away for an extended work trip, and he is now living on the mainland with his sister so he can be near therapy. Marigold misses him, and worries about how people will treat her when the new school year starts. Luckily, her best friend, Sam, still talks to her, but she's worried about her mother. She was reluctant to practice aromagic for a while after the earthquake, but has recently been creating charms for people who ask for them. She tells Marigold that she informs all purchasers of the charms "vexes", which are things that could go wrong. Marigold suspects that something is really wrong, since there is a rotten stench hanging around the town, which is stronger around her house. Her mother denies that anything is wrong, but when Marigold does some digging, she finds that there was a curse on her family. She hopes to be able to remove it herself, but manages to make things worse. She makes Sam angry, causes trouble for the school play in which she has a starring role, and causes her sisters to have bigger and bigger problems. All of the things she does to remove the curse seem to fail. After her father visits, she starts to realize that some of the bad circumstances in her life are not the fault of the curse and would have happened anyway, but she knows there is still some danger from it. Will she be able to figure out a way to remove it before further harm comes to her family?
Strengths: Marigold's love of her family is very evident, and she wants the best for her sisters and her mother. Like many tweens, she feels like everything is her fault, and if she could just do the right thing, circumstances would improve for everyone. In Marigold's case, this involves a lot of delving into family history, and some forays into questionable magic, which is always exciting. Luna Island is an interesting setting, and the brief inclusion of some mean girls to whom Marigold stands up adds just the right amount of friend drama to a magical story. I enjoyed how each chapter started with the magical properties of scents or flowers, and had charming line illustrations. I'd love to see more page decorations in middle grade novels!
Weaknesses: My students seem to prefer magical realism that is a bit happier; the aromagic Marigold experiences has rarely made her own life better. I'd like to see more books where magic isn't endangered or seen as a bad thing.
What I really think: This felt a bit life Harrison's A Pinch of Magic , Littlewood's Bliss Bakery books, or Nichol's The Apprentice Witch. It's clearly set in the US, but did have a bit of a British feel to it. A great choice for readers who like their magical realism on the bittersweet side. Hand to fans of Ingrid Law or Natalie Lloyd.
February 7, 2022
Thank you to the author for sharing an early copy with #bookexpedition to read and review.
Twelve year old Marigold and her two older sisters Lou and Birdie are aromages: witches who blend scents into practical charms. But after their father is injured in a terrible accident that damages Luna Island and the family is shunned by the community, the sisters vow to give up aromagic and their Mama’s family legacy.
When a sinister smell surrounds their home, Marigold uncovers a secret curse that threatens her family. As her older sisters begin to turn on one another, Marigold knows it’s up to her to break the curse and save her sisters. With the help of her best friend Sam, Marigold sacrifices it all to save the ones she loves.
Publishing in April 2022, this is a heartwarming middle grade story about love, family, friendship, acceptance, and most importantly, sisterhood.
Twelve year old Marigold and her two older sisters Lou and Birdie are aromages: witches who blend scents into practical charms. But after their father is injured in a terrible accident that damages Luna Island and the family is shunned by the community, the sisters vow to give up aromagic and their Mama’s family legacy.
When a sinister smell surrounds their home, Marigold uncovers a secret curse that threatens her family. As her older sisters begin to turn on one another, Marigold knows it’s up to her to break the curse and save her sisters. With the help of her best friend Sam, Marigold sacrifices it all to save the ones she loves.
Publishing in April 2022, this is a heartwarming middle grade story about love, family, friendship, acceptance, and most importantly, sisterhood.
January 28, 2023
🌃🌉🌘The Sisters of Luna Island🌖🌉🌃
3.5 Stars
Ever since the earthquake that hit Luna Island, everyone has been wary of the Lafleur family. Marigold's father was injured in the earthquake shortly after fighting with her mother. Marigold believes it's her fault because she still hasn't been able to control her aromagic. The Lafleur family are aromages, people who can use scents and make perfumes to cause certain things to happen. But messing with fate has consequences, and Marigold has been hesitant to accept her aromagic since the event that split her family and shunned her from society. Her family's relationship begins to deteriorate, and her sisters Birdie and Lou are plagued by bad luck. Marigold embarks on a journey with her best friend Sam to discover the source of the vex, uncovering a history of animosity between the Lafleur's and the people.
The Sisters of Luna Island was a atmospheric read introducing the concept of aromages and aromagic to me. I really loved the idea of aromages and aromagic, as well as the whole process of making each scent. It reminded me of perfume making, and I loved the details at the beginning of each chapter about what specific herb could cause what effect. Unlike most books, our protagonist is extremely wary, almost bitter, toward her magical abilities. She is shunned and bullied for her powers rather than praised.
The Sisters of Luna Island balance real-life experiences such as friendship break-ups, peer pressure, and a changing family relationship. Marigold struggles a lot with the changes in their family's relationship as well as with the rest of their family. Marigold's father is moving on to live a new life, and her mother is mentally not present in their family. The sisters are forced to look out for themselves, and they all feel very neglected. This story focused a lot on the relationship between the sisters as well as their relationship with their parents. Their parents' new relationship is hard for the sisters to experience, and they rely on each other throughout the whole thing.
While the bad luck and conflict in their relationship are partially related to the curse, the story talks about how sometimes people drift apart as they grow older. Birdy dreams of a life outside the island and hopes to explore the world beyond Luna Island. I appreciated that the curse didn't immediately fix all the problems in their relationships. The vivid imagery in this book kept the story extremely atmospheric. The relationships between Marigold and the other characters are complex and complicated, something I enjoyed. The story stays grounded in its relatable and realistic aspects while feeling magical through the mystery and whimsical aspects.
Marigold goes through a journey of feeling confident about herself as well as leaving those in her life who do not treat her properly. I would definitely recommend this quick read!
✅PLOT
✅PLOT TWISTS
✅CHARACTERS
3.5 Stars
Ever since the earthquake that hit Luna Island, everyone has been wary of the Lafleur family. Marigold's father was injured in the earthquake shortly after fighting with her mother. Marigold believes it's her fault because she still hasn't been able to control her aromagic. The Lafleur family are aromages, people who can use scents and make perfumes to cause certain things to happen. But messing with fate has consequences, and Marigold has been hesitant to accept her aromagic since the event that split her family and shunned her from society. Her family's relationship begins to deteriorate, and her sisters Birdie and Lou are plagued by bad luck. Marigold embarks on a journey with her best friend Sam to discover the source of the vex, uncovering a history of animosity between the Lafleur's and the people.
The Sisters of Luna Island was a atmospheric read introducing the concept of aromages and aromagic to me. I really loved the idea of aromages and aromagic, as well as the whole process of making each scent. It reminded me of perfume making, and I loved the details at the beginning of each chapter about what specific herb could cause what effect. Unlike most books, our protagonist is extremely wary, almost bitter, toward her magical abilities. She is shunned and bullied for her powers rather than praised.
The Sisters of Luna Island balance real-life experiences such as friendship break-ups, peer pressure, and a changing family relationship. Marigold struggles a lot with the changes in their family's relationship as well as with the rest of their family. Marigold's father is moving on to live a new life, and her mother is mentally not present in their family. The sisters are forced to look out for themselves, and they all feel very neglected. This story focused a lot on the relationship between the sisters as well as their relationship with their parents. Their parents' new relationship is hard for the sisters to experience, and they rely on each other throughout the whole thing.
While the bad luck and conflict in their relationship are partially related to the curse, the story talks about how sometimes people drift apart as they grow older. Birdy dreams of a life outside the island and hopes to explore the world beyond Luna Island. I appreciated that the curse didn't immediately fix all the problems in their relationships. The vivid imagery in this book kept the story extremely atmospheric. The relationships between Marigold and the other characters are complex and complicated, something I enjoyed. The story stays grounded in its relatable and realistic aspects while feeling magical through the mystery and whimsical aspects.
Marigold goes through a journey of feeling confident about herself as well as leaving those in her life who do not treat her properly. I would definitely recommend this quick read!
✅PLOT
✅PLOT TWISTS
✅CHARACTERS
April 18, 2022
trigger warning
Ever since the earthquake, people on the island are mistrusting the LaFleur family, so when it seems all their troubles are down to an old curse, Marigold doesn't really know whom to turn to.
The families who first settled on the island - misleadingly called "founders of the island" as if they build the whole thing - are famous for having had magic, once. Today, only one family has managed to keep their abilities, and they're aromages.
No, they're not all aromantic and mages, they're able to brew charms, which really are potions, and the smell of the potion does wonders.
As you can probably guess, I had trouble with the terms chosen in this novel. I am sure that the target audience won't have such problems, but I don't think that's an excuse for sloppy writing.
I had great troubles in the beginning of the novel because it felt like book two in a series, which lead me to checking multiple times if this is indeed book two, but no, apparently it's a standalone.
I liked our protagonist's character developement. As it was going it felt heavy handedly, but today I was really in the mood for this kind of ending. Friends coming back together, very expectedly, but also deservedly.
Would not read more by the same author. Would recommend different witchy titles to readers on the search for one.
2,5 stars, uprounded to three.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
Ever since the earthquake, people on the island are mistrusting the LaFleur family, so when it seems all their troubles are down to an old curse, Marigold doesn't really know whom to turn to.
The families who first settled on the island - misleadingly called "founders of the island" as if they build the whole thing - are famous for having had magic, once. Today, only one family has managed to keep their abilities, and they're aromages.
No, they're not all aromantic and mages, they're able to brew charms, which really are potions, and the smell of the potion does wonders.
As you can probably guess, I had trouble with the terms chosen in this novel. I am sure that the target audience won't have such problems, but I don't think that's an excuse for sloppy writing.
I had great troubles in the beginning of the novel because it felt like book two in a series, which lead me to checking multiple times if this is indeed book two, but no, apparently it's a standalone.
I liked our protagonist's character developement. As it was going it felt heavy handedly, but today I was really in the mood for this kind of ending. Friends coming back together, very expectedly, but also deservedly.
Would not read more by the same author. Would recommend different witchy titles to readers on the search for one.
2,5 stars, uprounded to three.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
October 3, 2022
An especially good choice for those who enjoy atmospheric reads and sensory details, this is full of descriptives, including the scents and ingredients involved in this family’s use of aromagic charms, definitely the sort of book that paints a picture in your mind.
Friends, family, community, the secondary characters had well thought out and distinct personalities, the mom is more complicated than she initially seems to Marigold and the middle sister, Lou, stood out with her own sort of mini-arc. As for Marigold, she’s a great heroine, she cares deeply about family, she’s imperfect and eager to make things right after mistakes, and for those readers who are the youngest member of their families I think they’ll enjoy that the baby of the family is the one who steps up here.
I really liked how even though there’s fantastical elements like a curse and magic throughout this story, the stuff that fills Marigold with anxiety is all very real world, very much relatable to young readers, Marigold’s parents are not entirely reliable and going through a divorce that Marigold in part blames herself for, her sisters are feuding when they used to be close, she’s worried that her oldest sibling will leave home soon and Marigold’s putting too much stock in popularity. While magic does play a role in the resolutions to Marigold’s problems, so does communicating better with her family and learning lessons about how to treat friends, not cheating to get ahead, etc., so for a magic infused story, it’s admirably grounded.
Friends, family, community, the secondary characters had well thought out and distinct personalities, the mom is more complicated than she initially seems to Marigold and the middle sister, Lou, stood out with her own sort of mini-arc. As for Marigold, she’s a great heroine, she cares deeply about family, she’s imperfect and eager to make things right after mistakes, and for those readers who are the youngest member of their families I think they’ll enjoy that the baby of the family is the one who steps up here.
I really liked how even though there’s fantastical elements like a curse and magic throughout this story, the stuff that fills Marigold with anxiety is all very real world, very much relatable to young readers, Marigold’s parents are not entirely reliable and going through a divorce that Marigold in part blames herself for, her sisters are feuding when they used to be close, she’s worried that her oldest sibling will leave home soon and Marigold’s putting too much stock in popularity. While magic does play a role in the resolutions to Marigold’s problems, so does communicating better with her family and learning lessons about how to treat friends, not cheating to get ahead, etc., so for a magic infused story, it’s admirably grounded.
May 29, 2022
What I Liked:
The Sisters of Luna Island is a heartwarming and heartbreaking, magical story of sisterhood. A middle-grade novel that weaves magic, in this case, aroma magic, into a real-life family struggling with serious family issues. The Lafluer family is the last of a line of aromages who blend scents into practical charms using herbs but with magical intent. The family lives on what I picture as a small-town island, where everyone knows everyone. The girls even take a ferry to school, so superstitions and island history easily lend themselves to a witchhunt.
With three daughters in this family and a mom and dad whose marriage is on the rocks, the youngest takes on the responsibility of ridding her family of the curse.
Final Verdict:
The sisters of luna island have hints of nevermoor and little women, which drew me right into the tale; the strong bond of friendship from sam and the determination of Marigold to rid her family of the curse makes the story. Middle school is hard when you feel like you have to fit in and do anything to be part of the crowd. Having magic to help alone proves to be a challenge for the three sisters, almost destroying the whole family. A great book to share some important life lessons with middle-grade students. With themes of magic, scents, small-town life, and most importantly, the bonds of sisterhood.
The Sisters of Luna Island is a heartwarming and heartbreaking, magical story of sisterhood. A middle-grade novel that weaves magic, in this case, aroma magic, into a real-life family struggling with serious family issues. The Lafluer family is the last of a line of aromages who blend scents into practical charms using herbs but with magical intent. The family lives on what I picture as a small-town island, where everyone knows everyone. The girls even take a ferry to school, so superstitions and island history easily lend themselves to a witchhunt.
With three daughters in this family and a mom and dad whose marriage is on the rocks, the youngest takes on the responsibility of ridding her family of the curse.
Final Verdict:
The sisters of luna island have hints of nevermoor and little women, which drew me right into the tale; the strong bond of friendship from sam and the determination of Marigold to rid her family of the curse makes the story. Middle school is hard when you feel like you have to fit in and do anything to be part of the crowd. Having magic to help alone proves to be a challenge for the three sisters, almost destroying the whole family. A great book to share some important life lessons with middle-grade students. With themes of magic, scents, small-town life, and most importantly, the bonds of sisterhood.
September 19, 2022
4.5 stars
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is being promoted as Practical Magic meets Little Women and I have to agree, in all the best ways. The MC, Marigold, is the youngest of three sisters, all aromages like their mother, but after their father is injured in an earthquake that Marigold and her mother may have caused, the sisters vow to never use their aromagic again. Dealing with ostracization from their island community, Marigold and her sisters, unfortunately, seem to always be around when something goes wrong. When Marigold learns that their family is cursed, she will do anything to end it and keep her sisters around.
Fantastic coming-of-age story with lots of magic, mayhem, and familial life lessons.
Full review coming soon!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is being promoted as Practical Magic meets Little Women and I have to agree, in all the best ways. The MC, Marigold, is the youngest of three sisters, all aromages like their mother, but after their father is injured in an earthquake that Marigold and her mother may have caused, the sisters vow to never use their aromagic again. Dealing with ostracization from their island community, Marigold and her sisters, unfortunately, seem to always be around when something goes wrong. When Marigold learns that their family is cursed, she will do anything to end it and keep her sisters around.
Fantastic coming-of-age story with lots of magic, mayhem, and familial life lessons.
Full review coming soon!
Read
June 8, 2023Honestly, this was a complete cover buy and it did not disappoint! This was such a sweet, adventure story about three sisters, their love for each other and one of them’s determination to keep them all together and break the curse that was placed on their family.
It takes place in the fall, but honestly it gave me major summery vibes with the island life and the role that nature played.
It was a feel good story that also kept me hooked because I wanted to know what was going to happen next.
Read
March 8, 2022I love this magical story of a family shunned because of their ways. 3 sisters, a mother, and a father no longer in the home. All aromages, witches that use aromagic to create charms to help people, but every charm demands it’s price. When 12 year old Marigold unearths a secret that can threaten her relationship with her sisters, she is determined to fix it no matter the cost. Wonderful read!
Thank you for sharing an early copy with #BookPosse!
Thank you for sharing an early copy with #BookPosse!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2022
This a cute read and one that combined sisterhood, maigic and curses. It also dealt with so many topics that middle grade students takcle like friendship and family drama. It also had curse element that was at the hear of the read. Being in the main character head was also hard cause she was dealing with alot. I also loved the theater connection as well!! I would def read more by this author in the future.
February 4, 2022
Loved this sweet story - sisters, magic, small towns, life on an island! This one will be a favorite with students!
#bookposse
#bookposse
June 23, 2022
I loved this book! There is so much love and magic throughout the story. I related to the love yet conflict between the sisters.
March 29, 2023
Cleverly crafted story of sisterhood, coming of age and dealing with "mean girls". The resolution stands up to logic and the book itself is beautifully written.
May 12, 2023
Really cute story. Enjoyed it.
June 23, 2023
Actual rating: 3.5
July 10, 2023
A beautiful book about magic, family, trust, friends, and fitting in. I really enjoyed reading and couldn’t stop
Read
September 2, 2023Fantasy book about magic, middle school friendships, breaking a curse, and family.
January 12, 2024
Perfect for fans of magical realism and stories about sisters!
Read
January 20, 2024Super whimsical and charming ✨
March 28, 2025
So friggin good
December 27, 2021
I loved reading about the sisterly bond and a centuries old curse which the youngest sister is determined to break. I definitely recommend this one. Thank you Edelweiss for an ARC.
March 22, 2023
4.1
----
This book is great. it has a unique magic system and great themes of family and trust. Marigold really acts her age but also is pretty mature in this book and you can really feel the genuine feeling in this book and how everyone acts and the reasons why.
A lot of things happen in this book, but it's all contained in a nice way. Almost nothing seemed simply coming down to luck and I was surprised by a lot of the creative ways the characters solved problems or discovered another path to go down. There weren't many twists in this book, but the most important one about the actual curse definitely came as a surprise and waited for the right moment to reveal itself without being just coincidental.
I felt like the slow decline of the sisters' relationships was very satisfying to watch. How you could gradually see things going from normal to worse and realize it's the curses' doing and not a normal sister fight, and how the sisters still acted like themselves but weren't able to see what was wrong. (Also, I thought it was pretty clever that the 5 founding families' powers were based on the 5 senses, and I was excited when I realized I found that out, so that was cool.)
Just a few things: Even though the idea of aromagic is amazing and unique and inspired me a lot during this read, it seemed very unstable and unbalanced, despite the repeated explanations of how it worked throughout the book very heavily pressed in there. An example of this is the end. I for one think that Marigold should have lost her aromagic forever after the final spell. The book did an okay job of explaining why it would come back, but in my opinion, it's not fair for the entire curse and mistakes of the past to be lifted so suddenly without any lasting consequences, which is the entire concept of 'paying back fate'. Also, Marigold did the spell with the full intention of losing aromagic forever, and why did the original sister die instead of just temporarily falling ill if the magic was never going to be permanent? And plus the tipping of fate was apparantly so grand it triggered a century-old curse to come with it. It sounds like to reverse that you'll need to sacrifice more than just your aromagic for a few days.
In conclusion, this was a sweet book about sisters, family and the fate of the world in the hands of scent magic.
----
This book is great. it has a unique magic system and great themes of family and trust. Marigold really acts her age but also is pretty mature in this book and you can really feel the genuine feeling in this book and how everyone acts and the reasons why.
A lot of things happen in this book, but it's all contained in a nice way. Almost nothing seemed simply coming down to luck and I was surprised by a lot of the creative ways the characters solved problems or discovered another path to go down. There weren't many twists in this book, but the most important one about the actual curse definitely came as a surprise and waited for the right moment to reveal itself without being just coincidental.
I felt like the slow decline of the sisters' relationships was very satisfying to watch. How you could gradually see things going from normal to worse and realize it's the curses' doing and not a normal sister fight, and how the sisters still acted like themselves but weren't able to see what was wrong. (Also, I thought it was pretty clever that the 5 founding families' powers were based on the 5 senses, and I was excited when I realized I found that out, so that was cool.)
Just a few things: Even though the idea of aromagic is amazing and unique and inspired me a lot during this read, it seemed very unstable and unbalanced, despite the repeated explanations of how it worked throughout the book very heavily pressed in there. An example of this is the end. I for one think that Marigold should have lost her aromagic forever after the final spell. The book did an okay job of explaining why it would come back, but in my opinion, it's not fair for the entire curse and mistakes of the past to be lifted so suddenly without any lasting consequences, which is the entire concept of 'paying back fate'. Also, Marigold did the spell with the full intention of losing aromagic forever, and why did the original sister die instead of just temporarily falling ill if the magic was never going to be permanent? And plus the tipping of fate was apparantly so grand it triggered a century-old curse to come with it. It sounds like to reverse that you'll need to sacrifice more than just your aromagic for a few days.
In conclusion, this was a sweet book about sisters, family and the fate of the world in the hands of scent magic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2024
This was much better than expected. It had quite a few suspenseful moments. I enjoyed the small town atmosphere and the unusual locations. Marigold could be a little dramatic, even for a 12-year-old but then people probably said I was a little dramatic too.
August 7, 2022
I received a free complimentary review copy, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I really loved this story, which surprised me as I'm not into middle school grade fiction as much anymore. It was unique and I liked the idea of magic coming with a price. It's also different in that their magic comes from plants and flowers.
As someone who was not very close with her family growing up, I was worried I would not be able to relate to the sister love aspect of the novel, but I still enjoyed it. The book focuses on the younger sister who is trying to end a curse on her family to save the bond she has with her sisters. She is also struggling with wanting to be liked and popular at school. Very typical middle school drama, which made the characters seem even more real.
I also loved how the writer incorporated smells throughout the book as the characters use aromagic and have really good smelling abilities.
While it's recommended for middle school aged kids, I think adults can enjoy this book too.
I really loved this story, which surprised me as I'm not into middle school grade fiction as much anymore. It was unique and I liked the idea of magic coming with a price. It's also different in that their magic comes from plants and flowers.
As someone who was not very close with her family growing up, I was worried I would not be able to relate to the sister love aspect of the novel, but I still enjoyed it. The book focuses on the younger sister who is trying to end a curse on her family to save the bond she has with her sisters. She is also struggling with wanting to be liked and popular at school. Very typical middle school drama, which made the characters seem even more real.
I also loved how the writer incorporated smells throughout the book as the characters use aromagic and have really good smelling abilities.
While it's recommended for middle school aged kids, I think adults can enjoy this book too.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews