Little Willow ([info]slayground) wrote,
@ 2008-05-03 22:30:00
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Entry tags:books, reviews

Magic in Manhattan books by Sarah Mlynowski
In her Magic in Manhattan series, Sarah Mlynowski blends fantasy and comedy together to make one magical, funny smoothie. (Mmmm, strawberry-banana!) If you like Bewitched and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, then you'll definitely like these books.

Rachel thinks her life is pretty average - until she learns that her mother and her little sister Miri are witches and she is not. She's stuck being an ordinary high school girl while they're bonding over spells and potions. How unfair! Maybe, though, she can get some of Miri's talents to rub off on her - or on her crush, to make his head finally turn her way.

Bras & Broomsticks, Sarah Mlynowski's first book about Rachel and company, is a fun read. Rachel is a modern-day New York teen, and she's got the sassiness to prove it. The sprinkling of sibling rivalry betwixt and between the sisters is more about Sarah's envy of Miri's powers than either girl disliking the other. In fact, they get along quite well, and they're pretty close to their mom, with or without magic.

After Broomsticks came Frogs & French Kisses. Though Rachel has finally been permitted to hang out while Miri trains - as long as she wears a (very unfashionable helmet) when they go flying - she tends to be more of a hinderance than a help. It seems that wherever Rachel goes, trouble follows. Nevertheless, she sticks out her chin, grins, and tries again. And again. She might not be a witch, but she has a power all her own: determination.

At the very close of Frogs, Rachel finally gets magical abilities, making readers both excited and anxious for another book. Mlynowski then delivered Spells & Sleeping Bags, a story set at summer camp, complete with pranks and twists of relativity. Rachel knows she should learn more about her new magic and use it sparingly, but it's all so tempting. When something witchy this way comes in the form of another camper, all bets are off.

Read the books in order:
Bras & Broomsticks
Frogs & French Kisses
Spells & Sleeping Bags
Parties & Potions (December 2008)

Related booklist: Funny Fantasy Novels for Kids and Teens

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[info]kilmata
2008-05-04 06:35 am UTC (link)
Ahhh Sophie Mlynowski... One of my favorite authors *g*

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[info]slayground
2008-05-04 07:12 am UTC (link)
Her next book comes out this week: How to Be Bad, co-written with Lauren Myracle and E. Lockhart.

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[info]kilmata
2008-05-04 11:49 pm UTC (link)
Really? Is it going to be another Teen Book? or an Adult book....

I do love her teen books...but I miss the adult ones too *g*

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[info]slayground
2008-05-05 12:34 am UTC (link)
Teen. It's called How to Be Bad, and it has three narrators. Each author wrote for a different character.

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[info]kilmata
2008-05-05 05:46 am UTC (link)
Actually thats a very unique idea... (not that it wasnt before) but its definitly going on my list *g*

Now if only i could read the lottery because at this rate im going to buy out the bookstore!

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[info]slayground
2008-05-05 11:19 pm UTC (link)
Library!

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[info]billie0
2008-05-04 08:35 pm UTC (link)
My friend's teenaged daughter is a huge fan of the books. Actually, I read the first one and passed it onto her. Now I know what to get her this coming Christmas :)

My friend and I got to chat with the author at the Book Expo in Toronto last year. She was very nice and signed a couple of books to my friend's daughter. Who is also called Rachel :)

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[info]slayground
2008-05-04 08:48 pm UTC (link)
How sweet!

You probably already know this, then, but just in case: E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Myracle are going on tour to promote their book How to Be Bad. Here, let me dig up the link for you -

http://www.sarahmlynowski.com/YA%20Site/YA_sm5_events.htm

- Toronto is on the list of stops!

Also, if she likes this series, she'll like Tales of The Frog Princess by E. D. Baker (series) and
The Wizard, the Witch, and Two Girls from Jersey by Lisa Papademetriou (single book).

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