“The Younglings: Fire and Magic” by Helena M. Craggs

“The Younglings: Fire and Magic” is the second instalment of the Younglings fantasy series penned by Helena M. Craggs.

This book is such a page-turner that I’ve read it in two days, grabbing every opportunity to read, even if I had only twenty free minutes.

Quinn Carter and his team are back, and we join the party when it’s in full swing. The young Keepers have their schedules packed with both supernatural and real-life issues, all of them challenging and leaving absolutely no space for boredom. When you are young, hot, and with superpowers – even if for some they don’t come from magic but from a uniquely high IQ – how can your life be anything but exciting? And thanks to Helena M. Craggs we readers get to enjoy the exhilarating ride together with her characters.

While reading, I smiled, giggled, and had my heart flutter with worry for the characters’ well-being that is being put at risk due to their noble mission to protect the innocent. I nodded somewhat condescendingly when the maximalism of the youth took an upper hand and forced the young people to take rushed – usually irrational! – decisions. Haven’t we all been there, vehemently believing that we and only we can take control of our lives, disregarding the opinions of people we love? I loved how masterfully the author managed to tread the thin line between showing her characters’ strength and dedication to the path chosen and their insecurity about how real-life relationships work. I found the vulnerability of characters endowed with powerful magical gifts extremely appealing.

Another thing that I love about this series is the depiction of friendship ties between the characters. The Quinn’s crew is of a sort we all wanted to be a part of when we were teenagers. Moreover, I think that those of us who don’t have a circle of friends from school/college/university years, still dream about “finding our own pack”. While those who are blessed to have saved friendships from their youth days realise how exclusively lucky they are.

Well, I could go on babbling about how much I loved the second book of the Younglings, but I think it would be better if you stopped reading my review and dived right into reading about Quinn’s team adventures. The story has it all! Mysterious billionaire, a secret council of the supernaturals, dangerous vampires, moody werewolves – ooops, only don’t call Miguel a werewolf, or you’ll be in big trouble! –, young love and all the delicious sufferings that come with it, bad guys who think they’ve perfected their skills of disguising their gruesome hobbies… and much more.

As you’ve probably guessed, I’m among those readers who eagerly await the next instalment of the Younglings series.