Review: The Potion Diaries by Amy Alward

I was a little surprised to receive this quirky novel in the mail, one which seemed to be more middle grade than YA, but it proved to be a great deal of fun and I am glad that I read it, as it proved to be a an excellent and light hearted distraction while I recovered from a serious injury that I sustained earlier this year. The first in a series, The Potion Diaries is set in a world that is almost like ours, but with a few key differences, most notably that the world has been heavily reliant on potions and the art of potion making, though that is slowly dying out due to the manufacture of synthetic potions. The synthetic potions is something of a problem for our protagonist Samantha Kemi, who is an apprentice potion maker and set to take over the running of her small, family owned business one day. Then there is the smaller matter of her feelings for Zain, a young man who just also happens to be the son of the biggest synthetic potion maker in the kingdom. Anyway, things all come to a head when the princess swallows a love potion ... and falls for none other than her own reflection! The king calls on all the potion makers in the land to compete to find the antidote and Samantha soon finds herself on an unpredictable and exciting journey.

I loved this book for it's quirkiness and slightly ridiculous (but ultimately fun,) plot that should be a real winner with its intended audience and has enough their to keep YA and adult readers entertained as well. 

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Australia for my reading copy.

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