The Charmed List
A Novel
-
- £8.99
Publisher Description
A heartfelt and enchanting friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story about taking risks, falling in love, and finding magic in unexpected places.
Ellie Kobata has spent most of high school on the sidelines, keeping her art Instagram private and shying away from the world. She can't even tell her only friend, Lia, that she's part of a secret magical community. The one person Ellie could relate to was her childhood friend Jack Yasuda – until he mysteriously started snubbing her a few years ago.
Before senior year, Ellie is determined to take risks and have a life-changing summer, starting with her Anti-Wallflower List – thirteen items she's going to check off one by one. But when number four on Ellie's list goes horribly wrong—revenge on Jack—she finds herself stuck in a car with him, driving to a magical convention. As they travel down the coast of California, Ellie realizes that number thirteen on her list—fall in love—may be happening without her even realizing it.
In The Charmed List, Julie Abe sweeps readers away to a secret magical world, complete with cupcakes and tea with added sparks of joy, and an enchanted cottage where you can dance under the stars. This delightful YA romance combines the charm of a romantic comedy with a touch of magic, delivering a perfect summer read full of heart, humor, and enchantment.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Former best friends Ellie and Jack reluctantly road-trip to a magic convention in Abe's (Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch) lighthearted contemporary fantasy. Japanese American Ellie Kobata, a rising high school senior, has struggled to understand why her Japanese and Italian former best friend, Jack Yasuda, started pretending she didn't exist back in seventh grade, despite their connection as two of the few magic-aware individuals in Palo Alto, Calif. Tired of feeling invisible, Ellie develops the Anti-Wallflower List, comprising 13 goals, which include crashing a wedding and getting revenge on Jack; Ellie plans to complete the list before starting senior year. But when the revenge plot goes wrong, Ellie and Jack are forced to travel together to the California Magical Retailers' Convention to mind their families' respective enchanted establishments. Despite their constant bickering, Ellie is shocked to realize that Jack is inadvertently helping her cross things off the list—including falling in love. While the magical system is only perfunctorily explored, its fantastical elements, such as whimsical secret cottages and enchanted tea, add nuance to an otherwise straightforward courtship. Equal parts road-trip romp and endearing second-chance romance, Abe's rom-com is a sweet summer treat. Ages 13–up.
