CHAI JINXED

A misfit in a magical world struggles to develop friendships and fulfill her goals.

Twelve-year-old tea witch Misha Dayaan longs be a chai brewer and take over her family’s business, Dayaan Tea Shop—after she saves it from their competition, Sunny’s Chai Shop. But even though she’s careful, her enchanted brews always lead to “chai-tastrophe.” She’s already been expelled from six tea schools—has she been jinxed? When Misha receives an unexpected invitation to join Margaret’s Academy of Tea and Brewing, which has a forbidding reputation for strictness, she runs away from home to attend. Unsurprisingly, once she arrives, her troubles continue, and she fails the placement exam. Undeterred, Misha steals a gold apron from the headmaster’s office, placing her in the school’s highest caste. But simply possessing the apron doesn’t shield her from mishaps and mysteries. She also faces competition at school from rival Emery Sunny, encounters creepy scarecrows, and deals with the alarming news that fellow tea witches are going missing. All the while, Misha desperately hopes to become the Wizard of Chai’s next apprentice. Pinto works delightful wordplay and original fantasy elements into her work that’s set in a South Asian–inspired world. Readers will enjoy Misha’s messes and appreciate her imperfections. Unfortunately, the middle of the story drags and feels repetitive, and the characters and their relationships feel flat.

Capers and calamities reign supreme in this fantasy that struggles with uneven execution.