Review Detail

Author Isobel Bird has been a practitioner of Wicca for quite a few years. This new series was developed, in part, to share her experiences with others.

When I first heard the basic premise of the story (girl finds book, girl learns how to become a magic user, girl finds friends who help her out), it immediately reminded me of Diane Duane's So, You Want to be a Wizard. While there are certain similarities, the focus of the books is completely different.

While teens and adults interested in Wicca will especially enjoy these books, any teen could get involved with the tight storylines and interesting characters. The three main characters make up a mini-microcosm of high school life that anyone will recognize and identify with.
Kate is the popular one, who falls for one of the jocks on the football team. That's really what gets her into all the 'trouble', but I'll go into that in a minute. Annie is a bit of an outsider and geek. She's the kind of girl that, if you took the time to get to know her, you'd discover she had a lot to offer. Cooper is a rebel and likes to shock people.

The way that these three characters wind up as friends and witches is an interesting journey. Kate picks up a copy of Spells and Charms for the Modern Witch while researching a term paper. Not really believing that a spell would work, she decides to try one anyway.

Her crush on Scott causes her to pick the Come to Me Love Spell. And that's when the fun begins.

Kate soon discovers that magic and spells do work...but they don't behave in exactly the manner she would have expected them too. She enlists the help of both Annie and Cooper after she discovers they also checked out the book.

I recommend these books for any teen reader interested in Wicca, but also for teen readers in general. While the stories are about the experiences three girls have while learning the craft, they are also about the life experiences of the girls as well.

Some parents may have an issue with the subject matter of these books (just like some do with the wizardry in Harry Potter) and teens may wish to discuss them with their parents before, during or after reading them.