Tales of Mundane Magic: Volume One

Nothing too strange ever happens to Gertie and Bridget Mallon.

The sisters don’t have magical adventures fighting off dark lords or saving the world. Gertie spends her time learning the skill of enchantment, and Bridget has the ability to see things no one else can see with her left eye, which was bewitched in an accident many years ago.

Sure, they attend Flories Boarding School, where Gertie takes a potions class and Bridget plays basketball, and the occasional magical anomaly takes place, but who doesn’t deal with the occasional poltergeist or curse?

Life is relatively calm for the Mallon sisters, but things might not be quite as mundane as they appear.

Reviews

  • For me, it was a good read-while-drinking-your-morning-cuppa book – a light, fun read that evokes the sitcom, mystery, and school-story genres as well as fantasy (kind of like that fantastic book cover). Volume One is a loosely connected series of vignettes that reminded me a bit of the “Tales from Ba Sing Se” episode from Avatar: The Last Airbender. The passage of time is unclear and the stories range from wacky fun to real loss and the danger of unchecked power.

    Bean L.

  • Highly recommend purchasing a copy of this book, I loved and adored the stories and characters and had a wonderful time reading. I usually struggle with reading books because of attention issues and I lose focus very quickly but that wasn’t the case at all for Tales of Mundane Magic, I found myself immersed really quickly.

    Meg C.

  • The stories in this book are mainly marketed towards the young adult audience, but even as an older adult I really enjoyed reading about Gertie and Bridget. They brought me back to when I used to read Harry Potter, but I love how the author creates a world where magic and technology coexist and [work] together, rather than in opposition.

    Amazon Customer

Tales of Mundane Magic: Volume Two

Gertie and Bridget Mallon were able to survive their first semester at Flories Boarding School.

That, in and of itself, was quite an accomplishment. One would think they now have a handle on things, that life could be as normal as possible in a world of magic, ghosts and smartphones. Gertie can go back to practicing for her enchanting license, and Bridget for her driver’s license.

However, as much as the Mallon sisters would like things to be simple, with new students, new classes, and new adventures, maybe life isn’t quite as mundane as it seems.

Reviews

My favorite story in the entire Mundane Magic collection thus far, aptly titled Gertie gets her license, is in this book, and for this story alone, the book deserves 5 stars. The attention to detail in this particular story made me feel like I was in the room taking the exam with Gertie; the magic came alive, and I was sure for a few minutes that enchantment was real and very much possible. The blend of modern tech and magic is seamless, and this combination that comes across so effortlessly is responsible for building a world so close to our own reality that you will feel like you can reach out a touch a mermaid or cast a spell yourself.

Elena

These stories are addictive. I want to find out what the sisters are up to next. I smile as I read.

Catherine G.

My daughter really enjoyed this book! Here is what she said about it: This book is one of my favorites! It's funny and it turns normal things to magic! My favorite part is when Gertie is going to get her magical license, and at first you think she's not going to but she does! This series is definitely a must-read for any age!

D. Walker

Tales of Mundane Magic: Volume Three

Gertie and Bridget have a mission.

After sorting through the odds and ends they found at a yard sale, they’ve found a buyer for an unusual statue. The only problem is the buyer is on the other side of the country.

With no alternative methods available, Gertie, Bridget, and their friends hop in a purple minivan and set off across Crescyth. Of course, any road trip has it’s problems, but between a chaotic gas station stop, a dangerously malfunctioning zoo, and an enigmatic campsite encounter, Gertie and Bridget are starting to think they’ve bitten off more than they can chew.

And, of course, there’s the little matter of actually delivering the highly sought after package into the right hands. It’s just supposed to be a routine road trip, but of course, adventures are never as mundane as they first appear.

Reviews

I'm glad to see that Gertie and Bridget are back at it again with the rest of their teenage 'gang'. While I highly recommend volumes 1 and 2, they are not necessary to enjoy volume 3, as the author provides enough background to allow anyone to jump right in and join their adventures. I really enjoyed the overarching story and theme for this book, while still breaking it up into bite-sized chunks that are read as a series of short stories. This gives me the flexibility to binge half the book in one afternoon (it's hard to put this down once you get started) or squeeze in one more tale in between meetings or appointments.

While many would argue that books on magic and spells are for children, as an adult I thoroughly enjoyed reading through Gertie and Bridget's up-and-downs throughout this whole collection.

…I appreciate the refreshing twist on a genre that has been somewhat saturated over the past 20 years. And these stories are friendly enough that they can be shared with young children as bedtime stories, with no objectionable content. With the large cast of characters, each with their own specialty, we learn that everyone has something to contribute and that daunting tasks can be handled with teamwork and cooperation…

Disclosure: I was provided with an advance digital copy for review.

SMM

The third installment in the “Tales of Mundane Magic” series is a treat! Fans of RPGs such as Dungeons and Dragons will get a kick out of the storytelling style. I felt like I was part of a D&D campaign with my friends while reading! The RPG style gave the book a fresh perspective while still tying in beautifully with the other books in the series…Overall, this book was a wonderful addition to the series. I would recommend this book to kids and adults alike!

Natalie F.

I literally sat here and read Tales of Mundane Magic: Volume Three from cover to cover. I loved the adventure that Gertie & Bridget went on with all of their friends and all of the twists and turns in the story. These three books would make such a great movie or television series. I look forward to more volumes from this author. :)

Donna J.

Tales of Mundane Magic: Volume Four

Another year at Flories Boarding School, another year of bespelled bedlam.

At least, that's Bridget Mallon's point of view. No matter how she tries to stick to basketball and schoolwork, inevitably some new magical mayhem takes hold.

On the other hand, Gertie Mallon, Bridget's older sister, is thriving. She keeps up with friends over videogames, excels in her magical classes (and passes her required ones), and even has time to be an enchanter's apprentice in the flying city hidden among the clouds. And when she inevitably ends up fighting off zombies or possessed by a poltergeist, her friends are there to help out.

Football middle linebacker Darryl spends his free time programming magic apps, Vivien whips up delicious - or sometimes undead - treats, and Earnest's hypnotic music might just reach the masses.

Whether it's searching for a missing camera in a witch's collection of "lost" items, making friends with the local epicurean ooze creature, or being pulled into an alternate dimension via a giant flying mole, Gertie is ecstatically inching towards graduation, and Bridget is starting to fear that life is never going to be as mundane as she'd like...

Reviews

I LOVE the Mundane Magic Series, and because I've read all the books, I can say with certainty that this one had the most complete storyline.

In the first book of the Mundane Magic series, I felt that though it was a very cozy read, there wasn't a real storyline, just a bunch of short stories about Gertie and Bridget's time at Flories Boarding School. Don't get me wrong- I still completely enjoyed the book, it just left me wanting more. Book 2 introduced more characters and book 3 was a wonderful summer vacation read- again all the books just felt like short stories put together, until Book 4.

This Volume was a the most satisfying, but in no way an end to the Mallon sisters adventures, I can't wait to continue this series and I'm just so sad that the author hasn't written more!

Rosie

I really like this collection. Shaina did a fairly good job in the descriptions, though there were spots where I thought she could have done better. I'll be frank when I say that I got a little bored in the middle of the book, but as I went on, it picked up again.

Overall, it was a good experience and I highly recommend this book to any lovers of contemporary fantasy.

V. Ananya

Shaina sent me a copy of the latest book to review since I have been a fan since the beginning, and Volume 4 did not disappoint! The stories fit right into the world I remember from the previous volumes, but I like how there is an added level of maturity as the characters (and presumably audience) have aged. I think these stories are a little more mature than some of the ones in the past given the problems and depth of emotions the character struggle with, but I do not think these stories contain anything inappropriate for younger audiences. Slightly older audiences may just understand or relate to the characters more personally. As always, I love the odd problems the characters face and the creative ways they work together to solve them. Yet again I am impressed by Shaina's unique take on magic in the modern world and her ability to weave short stories that warm the heart despite their brevity…

Elena