Bras & Broomsticks
Harry Potter...meet your new and FABULOUS role model, Rachel Weinstein.
It's my understanding that this is Sarah Mlynowski's first foray into teen literature. I pray that this isn't her last. She's definitely something.
Sarah's debut teen novel takes us into the mind of Rachel Weinstein, one of the most refreshing narrators I've had the pleasure of spending a few hundred pages with.
As if the usual plagues of adolescence aren't enough, Rachel learns that her mother and younger sister are both witches! Totally unfair! And, as far as Rachel sees it, it's borderline criminal.
Rachel's life was going according to her own carefully scripted plan, that is, until the "witch thing" showed up. She was hoping to stop her father's wedding, she was going to try and get her crush to notice her, and if she was really lucky, she'd stop dancing like a freak and eventually learn how to really move. But now that her sister has magical powers, maybe Rachel can convince her to cast some spells to make he own life truly charmed!
The problem with that is that Rachel's sister is brand new to all this. So new, that their mother will not allow spells to be cast until the history of witchcraft is covered from beginning to end. How annoying! Who has the time to wait for a history lesson, especially when it could take weeks (or heaven forbid, months) to learn everything?
Well, Rachel being the saucy little sprite that she is, works to gain her sister's assistance. And, while Rachel would rather not suck up to her sister, she realizes she has no choice if she's going to accomplish all her goals.
So they agree to try a few spells in the meantime, but they have to do them in complete secrecy. From there, they run into a few obstacles, worries and a few triumphs. It all builds into a hysterical crescendo.
What was nice about this tome was its pulse; I loved being taken all over New York City and into the mind of a confident, realistic teenager. I wish I'd had 'Bras & Broomsticks' around when I was a teen!
The ending is magnetic; I am already craving the next installment!
