Book Review: The Secret of the Magic Pearl
April 12, 2026
Beautiful pictures accompany a charming seaside story about family, adventure, and learning to treasure the little things.
Beautiful pictures accompany a charming seaside story about family, adventure, and learning to treasure the little things.
Though these stories aren’t linked by plot, setting or character, they nevertheless share strong recurrent themes.
A sweeping, intergenerational novel, that has the strength and complexity of women (and their relationships) at its core.
Read this if you enjoy the marriage of convenience trope, confident characters with larger than life careers, and light spice.
The art is full of charm, with a cartoony style and warm, vibrant colours that bring the shrouded cityscapes of Gotham to life.
This illustrated story captures the imaginative connection children share with toys – and household objects – with winning humour and energy.
Soaked in folklore references, this story is a captivating exploration of defying expectations and reconnecting with the natural world.
The slow, exploratory narrative follows a strange young woman who seeks freedom from her restrictive society, even if she must uncover fae secrets.
You might look sideways at this doorstopper and wonder if it’ll deliver, but Danielewski is a hell of a storyteller.
This uplifting story from an excellent Kiwi author shows readers that even life-changing challenges can lead to growth and new possibilities.
Groff’s writing is rich, without becoming floral. She cuts through layers of complexity with a brief sentence.
This book reads like a dark dystopian novel, filled with out-of-control egos & a manipulative self-serving leadership whose only goal is more.
An extremely smutty story, following the fun of youth, combined with the horrendous natures of addiction, ending on a redeeming note.
This book will leave you feeling empowered, with each twist offering a subtly layered critique on the hypocrisy of the world around us.
In Brontë’s world, unfiltered and extravagant behaviour fuelled by high emotions has brothers and sisters constantly crossing each other.
This perfect pairing of image and text hits the spot between comic and poignant, and contains insightful reflections on emotional qualities.
Tchaikovsky’s ability to humanize but still make completely alien these otherworldly spiders is a feat to behold.
Would recommend to anyone who feels lost financially and wants a road map – and a few laughs along the way.
It may give those who have never dealt with this kind of beast a glimmer of insight into what it’s like. Read this book, it’s good.
Hickman, a seasoned professional, is working at full capacity to breathe life into an exciting and fresh take on the heroes we know and love.
Glasgow Boys isn’t afraid to tackle tough topics head-on. It’s a heartfelt, honest and powerful debut that stays with you.
Heavy on the adjectives, amiable, exercising incredible patience with determined and dedicated scientists from around the world.
Witty and whacky, this early reader is illustrated by the author in a bold, graphic style that includes beautiful double-page spreads.
A sweet, slow, contemporary romance. A must read if you enjoy strong, sensitive MMCs and bubbly FMCs who struggle to open up.