"Readers who have followed the series will have a leg up, but other book lovers and fantasists will find some kindred souls here. (follow-up games and activities) (Fantasy. 8-10)"
When Frankie falls down a rabbit hole, Abby; her nemesis, Penny; and her good friend Robin all follow.
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"A fine escape for teens who like their Belgian waffles with ice cream and their chips with vinegar. (Fiction. 14-18)"
When two college-age best friends take a backpacking trip across Europe, their relationship with each other—and men both familiar and new—is put to the test.
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"Readers bewitched by this lively series will enjoy this adventurous sequel. (Fantasy. 9-12)"
Intrepid siblings Abby and Jonah continue their adventures through the realm of fairy tales in this comical story (Fairest of All, 2012).
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"While Snow's story is satisfactorily settled, the author leaves enough beguiling mysteries to keep readers eagerly anticipating the siblings' next adventure. (Fantasy. 9-12)"
A magic mirror, a slightly bossy sister and her inquisitive 7-year-old brother captivate in this rollicking remake of a classic fairy tale.
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In the waning weeks of her senior year of high school, Devi is wishing for a four-year do-over. Longtime love Bryan has broken up with her to attend college in Montreal, and because Devi's been so wrapped up in her relationship with Bryan, her relationships with her former BFFs and older sister Maya have evaporated and she's barely managed to be admitted to a very low-tier state university. An accidental dunk in the local mall's fountain transforms her cell phone into a time-traveling communications device, letting senior-year Devi talk to her freshman-year self. Older Devi, bent on righting the wrongs of the last four years, pressures younger Devi into abandoning Bryan and focusing on friends, grades and extracurricular activities. Every small change freshman Devi makes effects a dramatic change in senior Devi's reality—a query about starting a girl's golf team yields buff arms and acceptance to UCLA, for example—eventually leading the two Devis to embrace moderation in matters both academic and romantic. Fun and easy to relate to, but no great shakes. (Time-travel chick-lit. YA)Read full book review >
Teen witch Rachel and her sister Miri discover more about their magical roots in this fluffy, style-conscious fourth installment of the Magic in Manhattan series. Newly aware of the magical community that exists parallel to their everyday lives, Rachel and Miri spend much of the book preparing for their Samsorta, a sort of witchy coming-of-age ceremony (perhaps most closely resembling a bat mitzvah). Subplots involving Rachel's confusion over her feelings for two different boys and her fear of being outed as a witch to her father and nonmagical friends provide a bit of depth and will be relevant to teen girls. Details including a witch-specific social-networking site and popular teen text-speak may eventually date this title, but at the moment are right on the mark. Established fans of the series will find this a satisfying expansion of the story line, and it may well appeal to young teens looking for a fun, light read. However, the one-dimensional secondary characters and too-neat ending pull it down toward the mediocre. (Fantasy. 10-15)Read full book review >
This tale of three small-town high-school seniors traveling through Florida gives new meaning to the saying, "You don't really know someone until you travel with them." In the case of Mel, Jesse and Vicks, they also really don't know themselves. Mel, the insecure new girl, longs to go on a road trip with devout Christian Jesse and sassy, outspoken Vicks, who act like the friends she's always wanted. Despite their differences, Jesse and Vicks are loyal to each other, but the secrets they keep threaten their friendship. What starts as a trip to Miami to see Vicks's absent boyfriend becomes a drama fest of hook-ups, break-ups, dust-ups and make-ups. All three girls have distinct voices, and the ups and downs of their relationships will be familiar to any teenage girl with friends. The uneven pacing, however, gets very slow, and most of the peripheral characters are forgettable. This book will be an easy sell due to the authors' combined popularity, but readers expecting a book on par with their previous works will be disappointed. (Fiction. YA)Read full book review >
In this sequel to Mlynowski's Bras and Broomsticks (2005), 14-year old Rachel still laments that her mother and younger sister Miri are witches, but she has yet to discover any magical power. No matter, however, as Miri is more than willing to conjure up supposed solutions to all of Rachel's problems. Alas, each spell has consequences, and the girls can't anticipate all the difficulties they cause. As Miri constantly tries to solve global environmental problems, Rachel concentrates on trying to save her school prom, ruined by the first of Miri's spells. Meanwhile, their Mom begins to use her powers again to enjoy a non-stop whirlwind of dating. Less frantic and more mature than the first installment in the series, Mlynowski's prose style has improved without sacrificing any humor. While still reaching its target audience, this story may have wider appeal than the first. One wonders, however, where the frogs are. (Fiction. YA)Read full book review >
Fourteen-year old Rachel is a high-school freshman who yearns to get in with the A-List. She has crushes on two popular boys who barely notice her. When Rachel learns that both her younger sister Miri and her mother are witches, she grabs the opportunity to use magic to achieve her goals. Miri casts a spell that makes Rachel an exceptional dancer, and Rachel seems to be living her dreams as she's cast in the school fashion show, and gets a date with one of her heartthrobs. When Rachel and Miri try to interfere with their divorced father's upcoming wedding, however, disaster strikes. Written entirely for humor designed to appeal to its target audience, this may be too long to attract reluctant readers. Nevertheless, plenty of young readers will find it screamingly funny. (Fiction. 12-16)Read full book review >
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