Gwendolynne Chan just needs to get through her final year. At Seamere College of Magical Veterinary Sciences, she spends her days using her powers to heal companion animals while her nights are spent studying for exams.
Harrisford Briggs was born into privilege. His father, the Chief Financial Officer of Magecorp, a major global distributor of magic, expects him to come top of the year.
When magical surges begin to rock their way through London, causing chaos and explosions and familiars going feral, Gwen and Harrisford find themselves without a reliable source of magic, putting both of their academic careers at risk. To fix this, they must put aside their duelling feelings of lust and loathing, and – along with Gwen’s snarky cat familiar – team up to diagnose the problem. If they fail, not only is their education at stake, but also the fate of the magical world.
I have a wildly specific book for you! Looking for a book with magical creatures, academic rivals, and a high-intensity veterinary school? Strange Familiars by Keshe Chow has all of the above (and more, swipe to see)!
The book follows Gwendolynne Chan and Harrisford Briggs in their extremely tense senior year of magical vet school. Gwen got into the school with a scholarship, and has clawed her way up to the top of her class, determined to get the coveted Ministry job offered to the top graduate. Harrisford comes from a wealthy family, with a father high up in one of the magic supplier companies that control the supply of all magic. Harrisford’s only chance at building a life for himself outside his father’s control is the Ministry job.
Gwen and Harrisford’s banter, heated disagreements, and tense competition were exactly what I was looking for from academic rivals. However, instead of some slice-of-life magic vet school experiences, I was thrown into a world of corporate espionage and capitalistic greed. While I appreciated the few “day in the life of a magical vet” moments that I got, I was definitely craving even more. And while the corporate greed storyline was attention-grabbing, it wasn’t what I was expecting going into the book.
Overall, I enjoyed the character development, intense plot points, and quippy side conversations. Despite feeling a little bamboozled with the plot, I am anxiously awaiting the second book so I can get some answers!
If any of this book’s wildly specific traits caught your eye, you should definitely give it a shot! I’d also recommend it if you’ve always dreamed of having a familiar!
Thanks to Netgalley and Ace for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
Read with Fern 
Leave a comment