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Garden of Mysteries (Misselthwaite College 2)
By Drake Lamarque
Published by Grey Kelpie, 2022
Four stars

In book two of this dual series, most of the secrets have been uncovered, but mysteries remain. Alistair Lennox knows who he is, what his magic is, and finally knows what it is to be loved. He invites his three best friend (and boyfriends) to his family’s country house, in the hopes of finding out more about his family’s history, and the hostility that history has brought his way.

The core of this second book is solving the various mysteries that remain at Misselthwaite College, not the least of which is why someone seems to have launched a smear campaign against him.

Through it all, even as he becomes more comfortable in his skin, happier with his botanically-driven magic, and adapted to the idea that he can be a social adult, Alistair is still beset with insecurities. At the core of this is his hard-to-suppress sense that he doesn’t deserve happiness. He can’t see his own intelligence and kindness as positives, in spite of the constant nurturing he gets from his trio of companions—the adorable shapeshifter Thomas, the healing angel Samal, and the cursed aristocrat William. When their loving foursome is put to the test, Alistair realizes that he must act to save what he now holds so precious.

The wonder of discovery that filled the first book is replaced by a sense of urgency, a sense of a quest that Alistair must achieve in order to deserve the happiness he’s found at Misselthwaite. For a twenty-year-old who was kept ignorant and innocent all of his life, Alistair has a lot of growing up to do in order to survive. It is fascinating to watch Alistair work through the tumult in his own mind to become the kind of man he never imagined he could be.

I felt sure there would be an ending that left a third book in the offing, but Drake Lamarque finishes things with surprising dexterity and emotional power. The thing is, I wish there could be a third book, because I’ve gotten to like this group of young men—as well as Alistair’s new friends—so much.