Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Jocelyn

In Bras And Broomsticks, author Sarah Mlynowski introduces her readers to Rachel, an average fourteen-year-old girl interested in all the average things: shoes, popularity, boys...Everything a teenage girl is expected to like.

One day, however, Rachel discovers that her family is anything but average. When her mom makes the announcement, what comes out Rachel's mouth is, "I think you should consider returning to therapy." She can't believe what her mom is telling her. She is, however, eventually forced to accept the truth: her younger sister is a witch. Miri, apparently inherited magical powers from their mother, while Rachel did not.

While Rachel feels these skills are wasted on her sister, she also knows she can figure something out to convince Miri to use the powers for her older sister's benefit. There's a lot going on in Rachel's life. She wants to learn to dance and break up her father and the STBSM (Soon To Be Step-Monster), also known as Jennifer. Of course, those aren't the only ideas Rachel has for her sister's new abilities...

Bras And Broomsticks is a new twist on an old story. We've all read books or seen television shows on which the main character discovers that she has magical powers. In Sarah Mlynowski's novel, however, it's not the main character, Rachel--it's her younger sister!

Teenagers are sure to love this book, full of laughter and craziness. The characters are interesting and very well-developed, and the plot is great, too. Every part of this novel will have readers anxious to pick up the second book about Rachel and Miri, Frogs And French Kisses. Readers will love the heroine, Rachel, just as much as they'll love laughing about the complicated situations she gets herself into. Even girls whose sisters aren't witches (which, let's face it, is most of us) will be able to relate to Rachel, especially if they have younger sisters. Bras And Broomsticks will certainly be a favorite of readers for a long time, and have them craving more from Sarah Mlynowski!