Book Review: Mixing Magics by Clare Edge

Official Synopsis: Bernadette Crowley feels like she’s finally getting a handle on her diabetes diagnosis. At least, she can finally manage to not summon a demon every time she checks her blood sugar. But without her Grandma Orla, who disappeared into the demon dimension while protecting their family’s coven, even big wins don’t seem to matter as much. 

Frustrated that no one is trying hard enough to rescue Grandma Orla, Ber takes matters into her own hands, using her growing powers to try to reach the demon dimension. But nothing can prepare her for the truth, a history that ties together her family and demons back generations and a betrayal that has haunted them for years. 

With her friends Cai and Phoebe and her alert dog Clio, Ber must venture into the unknown to save her grandma and the magical world as a whole. 

Mixing Magics is the second book in a middle grade series about a blood witch who has Type 1 Diabetes, which means she keeps accidentally summoning demons each time she tries to check her blood sugars. I absolutely adored the first book in this series, where we got to see how Bernadette (Ber) Crowley tried to figure out how to handle the new way of life she had been dealt while also trying to find a way to stop summoning demons each time she tests. Her method then? Summoning a demon that can tell her what her blood sugar i and make sure she stays in range, but also won't be seen by her classmates. Like a Diabetes dog, but actually a demon.

After the antics of the first book, we are left just a few weeks after the ending, where (spoiler) Fin the demon and Ber's grandmother have disappeared. Ber is determined to get her grandmother back, and fight to find a way to get an insulin pump and CGM, which will definitely help her in her day to day life as a Diabetic. She is also working through having her first major crush/boyfriend and an eventual visit from the 'blood fairy', which makes a whole mess of her Diabetes as well as her blood magic. Now, since I actually really want everyone to read both books in this series, I'm going to discuss more about how Diabetes is brought up in the book and how it is handled and try not to spoil too much of either book. (But please, go get these books, the magic system is fun, its an easy read for an adult and the main character is Diabetic and I just adore her.)

Ber is almost 13 in this book, and at times it feels like what she goes through is a lot. There is the magic, the pressure of trying to be good at all the Diabetes stuff and just general almost-13 year old things going on for her. As a person who was at one point a 13 year old Diabetic, there are moments where I felt Ber's breakdowns deep in my soul. This 32 year old Diabetic occasionally has breakdowns because everything feels like too much, especially when the people around you don't fully understand that you can be tired by simply existing. One of my favorite parts of the book is when Ber is getting used to her pump and CGM and how she is discussing feeling like a robot or not all human due to all the tubes and things, plus worrying about catching the tubing on doorknobs and things (same girl, same).

There is also a scene where her insulin site gets pulled out due to her friend's magic, and man, that truly does suck. Ber gets angry and the people around her don't seem to understand, it helps they are also only kids, but her anger feels so valid and I like that it was treated that way within the book. I also enjoy how Ber is open about her struggles with the people around her, how she tells them when she is struggling and why she is struggling. It might seem intense and mean at times, but I think showing young kids and teenagers that its okay to not feel 100% is really great. You don't have to feel great every day just because everyone else does, your body is literally attacking you at all times, you are allowed to get angry. Another scene that I really enjoyed is one where her sister, Mauve asks if she should be eating cereal in the morning, because most cereals have a lot of sugar. In response, Ber takes a big bite and explains that she does get a little more leeway due to having an insulin pump now, so her insulin is attached at all times. She also mentions later in the chapter that she probably shouldn't have had it, but she already has a lot to deal with and sometimes you just need the sugar (preach).

I think Ber's attitude towards Diabetes is really great in the book, and there are other scenes I would love to bring up but don't want to spoil the ending. Let's just say she ends up in a place where time sort of 'stops' meaning she doesn't have to worry about the insulin and her numbers and can just be. I am really jealous of the small break she got, but she gets to choose where she wants to stay and eventually chooses the real world, even with all the hardships and I believe that is a great way of showing how to push through and keep going, even when things are hard.

Overall, I really liked this book and the Diabetes part is excellent, it feels like it's definitely something the author is close with and I appreciate that. Happy World Diabetes Day Everyone, be sure to gift candy to any of us Diabetes Gremlins you see.

I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars!

Mixing Magics came out Tuesday, November 11,2025!

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