Seriously Wicked--A Novel

May 1, 2015

Gr 6 Up-Camellia just received a 61 percent on her algebra test and her teacher wants to have a parent-teacher conference-which is a problem because her mother is a witch bent on world domination. When Camellia's mother summons a demon, who accidentallys gets sucked into the cute new boy at school, the teen races to find a spell that will save him, finally admitting to herself that she might be a witch too. In Connolly's witty, effervescent novel, mother-daughter angst and high school drama is spiced with a 21st-century flavor. The author constructs a magical and whimsical world, where ancient spells echo math word problems and Witchipedia is just a cell phone click away. Readers, especially those who are fans of fantasy and YA romance will adore this clever genre mash-up. Connolly has a gift for creating characters that are familiar teen archetypes yet written with engaging depth: from quirky Jenah who wears fishnet tights and claims to read auras to former-best-friend-turned-enemy Sparkle, whose mean-girl tendencies hide a deeper secret. In a refreshing turn from the tokenism prevalent in some teen fiction, several of the major characters are people of color and play pivotal roles in the protagonist's life. Camellia herself is a heroine who grows in confidence as the pressure (and the plot) mounts and whose resourceful ingenuity (and knowledge of algebra and chemistry) will have female readers cheering. VERDICT This is the beginning of a fun yet sophisticated series that should win the author new fans.-Evelyn Khoo Schwartz, Georgetown Day School, Washington, DC

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