The Geomagician by Jennifer Mandula Publishes 3/31/26
This book had me at baby pterodactyl! Seriously though, I loved the unique premise which was a blend of magic, historical fiction, female empowerment, fossil hunting, romance. and witches.
Mary Anning is an impressive paleontologist who has made more discoveries than any current Geomagician. Geomagicians use magic but also study fossils. The only problem is their society is made up of only men. Mary is struggling and has to resort to selling her magic to make ends meet when she isn't selling fossils. She dreams of becoming a Geogmagician so she can pursue what she loves and have a steady income as well. One day Mary is exploring when she finds a fossilized egg. Only the egg hatches and she ends up with a living baby pterodactyl. Two members of the society come to see her find. One is her longtime friend and mentor, and the other is a man she used to have a crush on. Mary ends up going to London with her friend Lucy and the promise of her potentially becoming a member of the Geomagicians. Only her trip to London will forever change what she knows, what she believes, and who she believes in.
There were so many layers to this book. It explored social conditions, females in a male dominated society, and a little bit on religion. It was interesting to read about an 1800s world where magic was a part of every day life. Mary was also an interesting character who I was rooting for but often frustrated with. She did grow as the novel went on but I didn't always like how selfish and self focused she was on her goal to the detriment of others. I did find the book fascinating especially learning about the fossils. Overall, this was a unique and different read. I enjoyed the world and would look forward to reading more.
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