Hexed

Gr 9 Up—Sixteen-year-old Indigo Blackwood wants nothing more than to focus on her position on the cheerleading squad, her new boyfriend Devon, and patching things up with her jealous friend Bianca. Hoping to increase her popularity, Indigo is eager to avoid her nerdy former friend Paige. The teen is also embarrassed by her New Age hippie mother, who runs an occult shop in Los Angeles, and her party animal aunt Penny. After witnessing an apparent suicide, however, Indigo soon finds herself in the center of a top-secret bloody feud between dueling factions of wizards and sorcerers. Her family has been tasked with protecting a witchcraft Bible that holds the key to destroying witches everywhere. Villains Frederick and Leo's powers are truly far-reaching, as they wipe memories, use telepathy, and freeze the entire city for their epic showdown. With the aid of a hunky stranger, Indigo must quickly master her newly developed magical flying abilities in order to protect her friends and family. There is a hint of a love triangle and plenty of drama as the protagonist discovers who her true friends are. Krys's debut novel offers a fast-paced plot with plenty of shocking twists and turns and a cliff-hanger ending that will appeal to fans of paranormal romances.—Madigan McGillicuddy, Atlanta-Fulton Public Library, Atlanta, GA