Magic is found through personal growth and accepting love in this enchanting tale.
The “least witchy person in Salem” finds herself in the unlikely position of joining a coven and pursuing a new romance.
Nearly a year ago, Eleanor lost Chloe, the girl she loved, and became a pariah. Now, she spends her time working at the Salem Gift Emporium and numbing her emotions by smoking pot. The day Eleanor meets a cute girl called Pixie, a unique package arrives at the shop with a handmade tarot guide. The Fool card, which opens the book, signifies a new beginning; Eleanor’s story continues along the path of the major arcana, with conversational explanations of the cards between chapters. The narrative smoothly shifts between Eleanor’s blossoming romance with Pix and, through flashbacks, a gradual reveal of Eleanor’s toxic relationship with Chloe. Pix is part of a coven, and together the witches participate in ceremonial activities and pagan celebrations (the story stays firmly rooted in realism). Scelsa’s sophomore novel excels at portraying realistic teens who have big emotions and sometimes make frustrating choices. It doesn’t shy away from the cruelty some are capable of, but the overall tone is hopeful. Supportive relationships are showcased, such as Eleanor’s with her mom, who has chronic pain from Lyme disease. The Salem setting is richly depicted, and the story thoughtfully grapples with consumer culture. Eleanor, Chloe, and Pix are White; secondary characters are racially diverse.
Magic is found through personal growth and accepting love in this enchanting tale. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 31, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-246503-0
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A worthy second-chance romance.
In this follow-up to 2021’s Better Than the Movies, a 20-year-old college freshman gets a second chance at his dreams.
After the death of his father and his mother’s subsequent physical and emotional disappearance, Wes Bennett left behind all of his plans and the girl he made them with to go home and take care of Sarah, his younger sister. But now, Sarah has graduated, his mom is back on her feet, and by some miracle, Wes has an offer to pitch for UCLA’s baseball team. Liz Buxbaum, the girl he’s always loved, works for the university’s athletic department, taking photos and video of the team for social media, which means that maybe he can have a second chance at love, too. But since Wes left, Liz has made every effort to protect herself from ever feeling that broken again; there’s no room for love, because she doesn’t believe in it anymore. Or she doesn’t want to. This second-chance sports romance includes fake dates, quippy and quirky best friends, real heartache, and the sweet ache of first love. The clever dialogue keeps readers from drowning in the main characters’ emotional push-and-pull. Reading the first novel isn’t necessary for appreciating this one, although knowing the full history between Wes and Liz will only add to the ache and longing readers feel from and for them. Main characters are cued white.
A worthy second-chance romance. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665947138
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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