Following the events of Like a Charm, 13-year-old, dyspraxic witch, Ramya is still reeling from her last encounter with Portia, an evil siren. Throughout Scotland, Portia is kidnapping the Hidden Folk and now her eyes are set on the magical creature in the Loch Ness. It’s up to Ramya and her friends to stop her. Will they succeed?

The plot is engaging, well written, and magical. The prose is fast-paced and full of twists and turns. The world building is well done and draws the reader into Ramya’s world. The characters are believable, and readers will relate to Ramya’s struggles with self-identity and her dyspraxia. Readers who like fantasy, adventure, and magic will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collections. 4 stars, Gr 3 to 7.

Elle McNicoll’s Like a Curse delivers a compelling and fast-paced conclusion to the Like a Charm duology. Ramya’s struggles to control her newfound powers set the stage for an intense, emotional race against time, as she faces growing pressures from her family and the rising threat of the villainous siren, Portia. The setting of Loch Ness adds a mystical layer to the plot, creating vivid scenes that balance magic and danger.

Ramya's character development is a strong point, as her determination to protect both the human and magical worlds highlights her bravery and resilience. The tension builds effectively as she defies her family's warnings and pushes forward with a plan that feels both dangerous and necessary. The themes of self-discovery and empowerment resonate deeply, especially as Ramya learns to trust herself.

While the story keeps readers engaged, there are moments where the pacing feels rushed, particularly in the final confrontation with Portia. Some of the new friendships and plot developments could have been explored in more depth, allowing for a more satisfying resolution. However, the dynamic action scenes and emotional stakes carry the novel, making it an enjoyable and gripping read overall.

Fans of the first book will appreciate how McNicoll wraps up Ramya’s journey with heart and excitement, while also leaving room for imagination beyond the duology’s conclusion.

A sequel to Like a Charm, which was a great book. Like a Curse is a good follow up, particularly for middle grade readers. As an adult (or so they tell me), I found that it seemed to go over old ground a bit, and that some of the events and secrets of the book were very easy to figure out ahead of time.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Like a Curse is a charming sequel to Like a Charm, and while I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as its predecessor, I still found a lot to love here.
Once again, the book has a lot of whimsy in the world building, and I love how it lightly interweaves magic into Scotland, while building on its lore, especially with it set against the backdrop of the Loch Ness this time around.
Ramya is a believable protagonist, if rather flawed. Her neurodivergence and how she sees the world differently are centered in her experiences, and while she’s always well-intentioned and fairly easy to root for, she makes a lot of mistakes.
Plot wise, I found it a bit weaker than the prior book, and parts definitely dragged at times. But this was also countered by short, concise chapters that mostly kept me engaged in the story and aided in amping up the tension of the rising conflict.
Minor quibbles aside, this was an enjoyable follow-up, and I’d recommend both Like a Charm and Like a Curse (read in order) to readers seeking a fun, light middle grade witchy fantasy.

Like a Cuse is the sequel to Elle McNicoll's Like a Charm. This middle-grade fantasy set in Edinburgh is very well-written. I loved the characters, the world-building, and the sense of adventure. Highly recommended!

I recieved a free eARC of this book.

Ramya has discovered she's a witch, but it's not making her life easier. She's trying to learn to manage her powers, manage her neurodivergent self, and, oh, yes, work with her friends to save the world from a Siren trying to take it over.

This is the second book in a series, and I suspect I would have found it easier to follow all the characters had I read the prior book in the series. Still, as the story progressed, it was compelling and easy to relate to Ramya's struggles (and the loch Ness monster), even when I sometimes had to look back to keep up with which character was which.

I think that fantasy readers will enjoy this one, but maybe encourage them to read the books in order.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher, and Elle McNicoll.

Like a curse was a great continuation of the series. I didn't know it was a second book so had to read the first book before starting this one and they were both great.

Elle McNicoll writes engaging fiction for middle grades readers, although the other book I've read by her was realistic fiction and this was fantasy. I think that fans of fantasy will enjoy the book, but it was hard to distinguish from other fantasy books in which a child is born into a magical family and learns about their powers. This didn't stand out for me, unfortunately but I still will eagerly read anything she writes.

A magical chapter book for kids and their parents! This is a solid middle grade fantasy novel, and I can think of several of our patrons who would be so happy to get their hands on this one.

I appreciated the writing in this book. When reading, I wasn’t overly aware that it was a middle grade book—I didn’t find the writing to be simple or obnoxious. In that way, I was reminded of Harry Potter—this is a book that parents would gladly pick up with their kids.
The plot is well paced and interesting, and I enjoyed the themes throughout the book.
A good ending to a good duology.

Like a Curse is the follow up to Like a Charm. We follow Rayma as she is suppose to be learning Magic from her Aunt Opal but is preoccupied with trying to save the things she loves.

I love being able to read a good middle grade fantasy novel. This book is a really good mix of Magic and realism. Rayma is such a great character that brings great representation to the neurodivergent community. This is a really great novel for middle grade readers that help teach lessons of diversity and acceptance.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6464557454

The sequel wraps up the series in a satisfying way. Solid pacing - I read this one quickly and appreciated how the story clicked together. Readers will appreciate the neurodiverse representation in this exciting MG novel. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the e-arc,

I’ve rarely read an incredibly satisfying, self-contained book followed by an equally brilliant sequel. Like a Curse, though, is exactly that. I truly loved Like a Charm, blending fantasy and realism into something I couldn’t help but adore, and the sequel fully lived up to my expectations.

Once more, I unabashedly adore Ramya. Her determination, anxiety, and struggle to prove herself made it difficult to put down her story, and her relationships (especially with Opal) truly gave the book shine with new depth. Although I don’t want to spoil the book, I will say that I particularly loved the ending. McNicoll manages to bring together this duology’s many threads—friendship, magic, neurodiversity, forgiveness, understanding, secrets—and create an incredibly satisfying conclusion that put a spin on fantasy unlike anything I’ve ever read.

I highly recommend Like a Curse (and the Like a Charm duology) to readers who enjoy middle-grade fantasy and are looking for a book that puts a twist on the genre.

First-thank you so much to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Second-this was such a thrill to read! I have been wary of reading middle grade novels as they often underestimate their readers and end up frustrating me to no end. This, however, was the opposite. I found that both adults and the intended audience could fall in love with this magical world and heavily empathize with each character. Not only were the characters well developed, but they tackled important topics without it becoming the sole plot of the book. McNicoll does an excellent job of handling discrimination and recognizing that children and teenagers face/distribute strong opinions. I only wish to have seen more development between Ramya and her parents as that felt as though it would be a strong plot point. Overall, I found this book to be the perfect middle grade read!