Antonia, wizarding apprentice to Master Betrys, may not be the best at actual magic, but she tries her absolute best and hopes one day Betrys will recommend her for a magic school. Unfortunately for Antonia, the new scullery maid, Moppe, turns out to be a magical prodigy. Shortly after Betrys takes Moppe on a student as well, Betrys is accused of treason. Antonia and Moppe have no choice but to flee and attempt to clear their teacher’s name. Along the way, they might find that the best magic comes in the form of teamwork and friendship.

What I love most about RIVAL MAGIC are the themes. Antonia and Moppe demonstrate that every one has unique strengths and weaknesses. Someone being stronger than you in a specific realm doesn’t detract from your own strengths. It’s ok to feel jealous or uncertain as long as you can grow beyond that and not let it become toxic. Antonia struggles with this but comes to realize that teamwork will always be more powerful than individual effort when figuring out complex problems. No one person can do everything equally well.

Unfortunately, there were times I found the story to be a bit stale. It had so much potential to dive a little deeper in areas, especially in Moppe’s development.

Overall, RIVAL MAGIC was an enjoyable middle grade fantasy ideal for those who love a good witchy book with strong friendship themes.

This was an average middle grade for me, It was extremely short. I feel like it kinda missed the mark for me, I myself just felt no connection to the characters, the story or the writing, however I do recommend it for the age range it was intended for. I think kids would have a lot of fun reading this.

4.5 stars. I loved this fantasy novel - great world-building. I loved how the author dealt with the magic words. The friendship story at the core of this was terrific. The envy/jealousy was realistic without being too angsty or overplayed. The pacing was great. The cover art does an excellent job hinting at some of the events in the book. I hope this will become a series - I would definitely read more stories with these characters. Pair this with the Twinchantment series - I think these books will appeal to the same readers.

Not many adventures begin with dancing turnips. Then again, neither do many friendships.

Antonia so desperately wants to be a Master Wizard. However, she hardly has any power, though her memory is sharp and she reads through grimoires at an almost alarming pace. She desperately wants to keep her place as Master Betrys' apprentice... and make her intimidating mother proud. The last thing that she wants is to be upstaged by the new kitchen maid, Moppe, who is bursting with power and wields it effortlessly, but struggles with learning Magespeak. Rumors of war and acts of ongoing rebellion only raise the level of competition between Antonia and Moppe, and both want to find a lost crown that is the key to peace. But when Master Betrys is arrested for supposedly committing treason, both girls are suddenly on the run and finding the crown becomes a matter of urgency. Will they be able to work together? Or will their rivalry see the entire world ruined?

A fantastic middle-grade about finding and recognizing your own strengths, facing challenges, and forging friendships "Rival Magic" is sure to delight readers of all ages. Full of enchanted caves, shadowy forests, and incredible magic, "Rival Magic" is an incredible journey from beginning to end.

Apprentice wizard Antonia is great at memorizing spells but not so great at getting them to work, while her rival apprentice Moppe can make any spell work if only she can remember the words. The two girls must learn to work together if they're going to save their island home.

A fun mix of fantasy and adventure! The world-building is well-done, the plot has lots of twists and turns, and the two main characters are both well-drawn and relatable. Recommended for fans of middle-grade fantasy.

Seems like a fun book but I can't read a chapter book in PDF format regardless of it's it's Middle Grade or Adult. I was hoping this would be a Kindle edition.

This was a really cute middle grade fantasy. Fans of Fagan's other books will likely also enjoy this one. The magic is fun, but the rivalry that grows into friendship between Antonia and Moppe is the heart of the book and what really shines in this story.

Cute, quick paced novel about two young magical rivals who learn to work together to become heroes. I particularly liked the conclusion, which emphasized the importance of following your dreams rather than redesigning them to suit others. Strong messages of friendship and accepting others as they are (even loving them for it) are woven throughout.