Love Charms and Other Catastrophes

April 1, 2016

Gr 7 Up-This sequel to Love Fortunes and Other Disasters follows Hijiri Kitamura, an aspiring love-charm maker, as she competes to become the official love-charm maker for the city of Grimbaud. Hijiri feels that while she excels at making charms, her heart has no room for love. To prove her wrong, Love gifts her the perfect boy. Now in addition to preparing for the competition, Hijiri also struggles to figure out where Love's "charm boy" came from and whether her heart is large enough to accept him. Add in a love-charmed robot infecting the townspeople with lovesickness, and you have a recipe for catastrophe. Fans of romantic fantasy will enjoy watching Love personified meddle in people's lives and seeing the different charms that people possess. The neglectful behavior of Hijiri's parents also adds an element of realism that young adult readers can sympathize with. The lack of swearing and sexualized romance makes this an excellent choice for middle schoolers. Karalius provides a unique fantasy that combines elements of romance, mystery, and family drama. Reading the series in order is suggested due to frequent references to past events and characters that can be difficult to follow without reading the first book. VERDICT Recommended for collections where the first book is popular and for younger fans of the romance genre.-Ashley Leffel, Griffin Middle School, Frisco, TX

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