REVIEW: Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage

Guys, the heavens have opened, the angel choirs are singing, and I'm basking in the glorious light of I FINALLY FINISHED THE SEPTIMUS HEAP SERIES AND I CANNOT EVEN BELIEVE IT HAPPENED!!! 

I started this series over 2 years ago (which is why none of you would have any clue as to why I'm so excited about this) on a whim. I was getting ready to head off on a long car trip with my boyfriend and his family and I wanted to bring a book... but hadn't brought my own. So I grabbed Magyk off his shelf and began this rough and tumble ride of 2 years. 
I feel like I want to breathe a sigh of relief big enough to bowl over a few small trees. Golly gosh I'm excited!
Bonus content for why I'm so pumped: it took me about 2 and a half weeks to read the seventh book, Fyre. I started it as an audiobook and hardly touched it for a week, then tried an e-book and read a little...then went on a week-long trip with no Wi-Fi... and finally, I've finished it. I feel so accomplished. Somebody bake me cookies. Please. :)
ANYWAYS, I really liked this series. And I'm going to tell you why. Which might maybe take a little while because this series is humongous and ridiculous. 

The Short Story:

This series has highly developed characters, complex and intense plot lines (yes, that is VERY plural), and a super fantastic and unique magic system. It is middle grade, and on the younger end of middle grade, but that does not discredit it as a series. It resembles a younger-reader Harry Potter to some degree and I would recommend it for HP fans. My only complaint, which is actually somewhat big, is that the series felt like it could have ended after every book. It is a good SERIES, but each book feels like a fine standalone. Still highly recommended, especially for a middle school reader.

The Long Story:

Septimus Heap has the most complicated life on the planet. In a world of Magyk, mistaken identities and long-lost Magykal artifacts seem commonplace! This series follows Septimus through his life, from about 10 years old until (I think) 17. Each book is a new adventure with some new characters and some stick-with-you-through-it-all best friends. The Heap family is wonderful and a little Weasley-ish. Marcia Overstrand must be the fiercest book woman ever in her purple python boots. Spit Fyre, the Drummins, and Marcellus are just a few more wacky characters you get to meet while living with Sep. This series is so all-encompassing and entertaining. It also has a Rick Riordan feel to it, with lots of humor and silliness. The plot is always thick and filled with details that you won't realize are important until they are and it blows your mind. You grow with the characters as they face each and every obstacle and DEAL WITH IT. 
Maybe this won't be such a long story after all. I honestly cannot give many details without spoiling important moments in any of the books. Trust me, it is okay to go in blind. I get nervous sometimes when people tell me to do so because I want to know what it is about, but for this series it really is the best choice. PLEASE give it a try. Like I said in the Short Story above, my only problem with this series is it seemed to go on for too long. But that doesn't totally diminish the last few books. If you read this and get to the middle books and want to give up, I really think the last book, Fyre, makes sticking it out worth it. It was an amazing conclusion to such an epic series. 

Series rating: 4.25/5 stars. 

Happy reading!