Title: The Charmed List
Author(s): Julie Abe
Release Date: July 5, 2022
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Genre(s): Romance, Young Adult, Fantasy
Synopsis:
After spending most of high school as the quiet girl, Ellie Kobata is ready to take some risks and have a life-changing summer, starting with her Anti-Wallflower List—thirteen items she’s going to check off one by one. She’s looking forward to riding rollercoasters, making her art Instagram public (maybe), and going on an epic road-trip with her best friend Lia.
But when number four on Ellie’s list goes horribly wrong—revenge on Jack Yasuda—she’s certain her summer has gone from charmed to cursed. Instead of a road trip with Lia, Ellie finds herself stuck in a car with Jack driving to a magical convention. But as Ellie and Jack travel down the coast of California, number thirteen on her list—fall in love—may be happening without her 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.
My Review:
The Charmed List is an enchanting YA read with a perfect mixture of romance, adventure, and magic. I absolutely loved this book from start to finish!!
Ellie is a quiet and shy girl who is eager to break out of her shell. She is tired of sitting on the sidelines and wants to challenge herself to show the world her true self. That gets her to make her Anti-Wallflower List that’s filled with thirteen items she wants to accomplish during the summer.
Jack is Ellie’s ex-best friend. They used to spend just about every moment together, especially since they are neighbors. But they haven’t spoken for some years now and that has complicated their interactions.
When Jack and Ellie are caught using magic in public, they are enlisted to take a road trip together to represent their family’s shops. At least it looks like Ellie will be able to mark off one thing on her list; get revenge on Jack.
I loved this relationship between Jack and Ellie!! They are both so relateable and remind me of my younger teenage years. Author Julie Abe’s writing was just perfect as she gives readers enough background on their friendship to allow readers to be charmed by their growth over the years. It’s just so beautiful. And when you read about the reasoning behind certain secrets you can’t help but feel vulnerable and empathetic for both Ellie and Jack.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I give The Charmed List all the stars! This has got to be one of my favorite reads of the year. It’s that type of book that you recommend to all of your friends and then create a chat group to talk about our favorite parts. I just loved the innocence and vulnerability of these characters. It reminded me of why I love reading not only YA but books in general.
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