When We Were Magic
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4.5 • 17 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
“Profoundly thoughtful…An intimate portrait of female friendship laced with literal and metaphorical magic.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A laugh-out-loud, exciting ride…a darkly comedic coming-of-age story.” —School Library Journal
A moving, darkly funny novel about six teens whose magic goes wildly awry from Magic for Liars author Sarah Gailey, who Chuck Wendig calls an “author to watch.”
Keeping your magic a secret is hard. Being in love with your best friend is harder.
Alexis has always been able to rely on two things: her best friends, and the magic powers they all share. Their secret is what brought them together, and their love for each other is unshakeable—even when that love is complicated. Complicated by problems like jealousy, or insecurity, or lust. Or love.
That unshakeable, complicated love is one of the only things that doesn’t change on prom night.
When accidental magic goes sideways and a boy winds up dead, Alexis and her friends come together to try to right a terrible wrong. Their first attempt fails—and their second attempt fails even harder. Left with the remains of their failed spells and more consequences than anyone could have predicted, each of them must find a way to live with their part of the story.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Hugo Award winner Gailey's darkly funny YA debut follows high school senior Alexis and her tightly knit friend group as they cover up an accidental magical murder. Alexis, Iris, Marcelina, Maryam, Paulie, and Roya have worked to gain control and understanding of their powers, which manifest differently for each. After Alexis decides to lose her virginity on prom night to classmate Josh Harper, an unfortunate magical mishap leaves Josh dead, Alexis at fault, and her loyal band of friends arranging a cover-up, keeping quiet as an investigation into his disappearance begins. Magic isn't Alexis's only secret she's also in love with her best friend, Roya. The drama surrounding the death and cover-up is entertainingly macabre, involving disseminating parts of the corpse. Overall, the story's magical elements signify the exploration of insecurity, uncertainty, and self-acceptance surrounding identity and significant life changes (e.g., graduation, redefining friendships, and coming out) for this deeply inclusive group, which spans gender identities, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. Alexis's hesitancy to admit her feelings for Roya is rooted in her self-doubt and the value she places on their friendship, a distinctive choice that feels modern and relatable. Ages 14 up.
