Reviews
Instagram Reads_Charlotte
I just finished "Molly Chatsworth and the Awakening" by S J James, and honestly, this book gave me such magical early
fantasy-adventure vibes ✨📖 It felt exciting, mysterious, and emotional all at once.Molly was such an easy character to connect with because she starts off feeling ordinary and suddenly gets thrown into this huge world of secrets, prophecies, and hidden powers 🥺 Watching her slowly realize that her life isn’t what she thought it was made the story really engaging.
"I especially loved the idea of the “Awakening” and how it symbolized growing up, change, and discovering who you truly are."
The world-building was imaginative without being overwhelming, and the Time Keeper and Sepricorn added such a mystical atmosphere to the story 🌙 The mystery surrounding Molly’s father also kept me hooked because every new reveal made the stakes feel bigger and more emotional.What I enjoyed most was the balance between adventure and heart. It has action and fantasy elements, but also moments about trust, courage, and identity 💫Overall, this felt like the start of a magical and heartfelt series I’d definitely continue reading 😭🖤
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Early Instagram ARC Reader
I didn't expect to lose my entire weekend to a talking raven and a hidden magical world beneath London, but here we are. I’ve been in a massive fantasy reading slump lately, so I picked up Molly Chatsworth and the Awakening by S.J. James, hoping for a fun, easy escape to get me out of it. It completely dragged me in.
The story follows Molly Chatsworth, who thinks she’s literally losing her mind with strange illnesses and visions, only to find out her dad faked his death and her grandmother is actually a Time Keeper in an ancient magical society called the Valdar. Honestly, Grand Sally is an absolute riot, but my favorite character has to be Balthazar. He’s a magical raven who claims to be a royal prince, and the dynamic where only Molly and her new street-smart friend Charlie can actually understand his sarcastic commentary had me laughing out loud.
S.J.James does a fantastic job building the creepy atmosphere, too. The scenes in Banshee Bog with the Hedrin hags, and those terrifying encounters with the Slas (these horrific, body-snatching wraith things) genuinely gave me the shivers. It’s got that classic "ordinary kid discovers a magical destiny" vibe, but the stakes feel incredibly real right from the jump.
I’m giving it 5 stars because man, that ending really sets up the sequel perfectly. If you grew up loving Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, or just love a good urban fantasy with rich lore and a great cast of misfits, you’ll tear right through this. Highly recommend grabbing a cup of tea (maybe not Mrs. Peabody's weak stuff, though) and diving in!