Review Detail

This is an interesting and entertaining debut by author Lea Nolan, who I had the pleasure of meeting at the Baltimore Book Festival. I'm not sure this was the book for me but there is definitely an audience for it.

What I liked: The friendship between Emma, Jack (her brother) and Cooper. The way Emma deals with her feelings is rare for someone so young but is also creative and productive. The world of "hoodoo" magic was mysterious and intriguing and I thought Lea did a good job of bringing it to life. The romance is sweet and "safe" for younger readers.

What I wasn't crazy about: Emma is only 14 and I thought that was a bit young for a YA novel. Jack grated on my nerves quite a bit and there were times I felt I wouldn't have missed him in the least if he'd succumbed to the Creep. (I know that's not the nicest thing to say, but still.) Cooper is certainly swoon worthy but he came across "soft" at times. I wanted him to have a little more "oomph" in his book boy appeal.

This series has a lot of potential and readers who enjoy sweet romance, mystery and magic will no doubt love this.