What the Spell: Life's a Witch

Gr 8 Up—Brooklyn Sparks is tired of being invisible to everyone in her high school except her guidance counselor. When she turns 16 and her parents finally permit her to begin using her witching powers, she goes all out, giving herself the physical features that she thinks will attract the attention of The Elite, the popular group ruling her high school. But as she tries to fit in with them, she finds that she's changing inside as well, doing things that she knows are wrong but that she rationalizes are worth the price of popularity. Even her new boyfriend, Asher, who also has magical powers, and her counselor are not enough to keep her grounded in her true values. Joy Osmanski skillfully varies the voices of the characters, convincingly transitioning from adults to students. She is especially adept at presenting the nuances of The Elite, catching their false sweetness and chilling ruthlessness. Listeners may grow impatient with Brooklyn's rationalizing as she spirals deeper into self deception, trying to convince herself that the ends justify the means. However, the picture of high school life is convincing and the loose ends at the conclusion of the book (S & S, 2013) will leave listeners eagerly awaiting the next title in the series.—Edie Ching, the University of Maryland, College Park