This week was my first official week back at school, going to trainings and setting up the new classroom. I’m already #teachertired, but you know I had to make some time for my version of therapy (big ol’ cup of coffee and a good book). My latest read is one I think I will be using for my student library! 1. Because its a YA #girlpower book. 2. Because it involves magic, witches and zombies. You just can’t go wrong.
Camila Flores is your typical, teenage Wiccan; rockin’ Doc Martens, black lipstick, and all kinds of anti-social vibes with her best friend and co-practitioner, Riley. Mila feels a sense of security with her BFF on the outskirts of social norms, and is content to remain there (even if it means pining for Riley’s hot, popular brother from afar)…that is until Riley dies from an apparent suicide and Mila is left reeling.
What makes her death even more unsettling is that Riley’s is the third teenage “suicide” in one week. Two of the town’s most popular girls (and mortal enemies of Mila and Riley), June and Dayton, were found hanging next to each other from a tree, leading to rumors of a suicide pact amongst the three girls.
Far from accepting that her best friend was part of a pact with the worst bullies of the school and desperately looking for the truth, Mila seeks out the help of an ancient grimoire containing dark magic to bring her best friend back…and to find out who really killed her.
But magic is a delicate, mysterious art and even the slightest variation of a spell can alter the outcome. So instead of just bringing back Riley, she raises June and Dayton from the dead as well, making the situation much more complicated. But also revealing that they died under mysterious circumstances too. Coincidence? Not likely.
Unfortunately, none of the dead girls can remember very much from the week of their deaths and they only have seven days to uncover their killer(s) before they must return back to their graves. The girls must find a way to come together to uncover the truth about their deaths and stop whoever’s responsible before they hurt someone else…
This book’s twist had me like…
And if you’ve never seen the original Teen Witch movie, get on it.
If there is one thing I love about YA novels, it’s when the underdog is hella cool. To me, Mila was definitely that; into Wicca magic, body positive, anti-establishment, and just an all-around bad ass. Basically, the polar opposite of everything I was in high school (a #totalsquare who didn’t party until college and did every extracurricular activity under the sun). But she’s also an extremely dedicated and loyal best friend, who feels wronged by her town’s reaction to Riley’s death, and isn’t willing to accept what she’s being told.
So she does some poorly thought out things to get answers, which end up revealing more than Mila bargained for. Not only does she help uncover the mysteries behind the girls’ deaths, but discovers things about Dayton and June that humanize them a little more for Mila and soften her hatred for them.
Not only was it a juicy mystery and a story about strong friendships, but it was also a good reminder that people aren’t all that they seem, whether they appear good or bad. Everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves. We shouldn’t wait until in’s too late to realize that.
I feel like this is a book that could easily be made into a series because of the power Mila harbors as a witch…and the ending kind of eludes to more coming. Definitely a book I would put in my student library. 🙂
If you check it out, let me know what you think!
Happy & healthy reading!
Alexis
If this sounds like your kind of read, check it out:
Great review….now I definitely want to read this. Just remember, that particular copy belongs to the Passage Library.
I’ll bring it to you on Monday! 🙂