3 S.R. Johannes: Bookanistas with a bit of "Majix"

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Bookanistas with a bit of "Majix"

Winner of the ebook lot is...Shalonda!

Congrads and email me for instructions.

Bookanista Book Review
Majix by Douglas Rees

What is it about?

Kestrel (don't call her Susan) Murphy is angry. Forced to leave her posh San Francisco Bay Area home by her father's illness, she's living in Jurupa (sounds like vomiting), Southern California. It's too hot. The people are stupid. And you have to chew the air to get the oxygen out of it. On the plus side, Kestrel is a witch. Well, a witch-in-training. And she's going acquire the magic she needs to get her life back to normal. At first, she barely notices the people around her-Aunt Ariel, who's taken her in and is herself a well-known white witch; Jose Iturrigaray, the quiet, talented young artist; Blake Cump, troublemaker extraordinaire; Laura Greenwood, who wants to be Kestrel's friend. But life has its own magic, and gradually Kestrel finds that much of one's success as a witch lies in being open to it.
What's a teen witch to do when she's stuck in the most unmagical high school in the universe? Create her own "majix." Take notes. And above all, avoid nasty classmates, heartless grown-ups and boys who may prove a little too distracting for a serious teen witch to handle….

Why I love this book?
It's nice to see a lighthearted paranormal - especially for younger teens/tweens- after all the dark books coming out. I love the snarky sense of humor and found myself rooting for Kestrel. I felt like I was reading a diary more than a book because she writes down her thoughts in what she calls a "grim-oire". :) Don't be fooled. Majix isn't just about magic. It touches on some real issues: a sick dad, a new school oddity, and the everyday teen struggles.

Cover Love
I love the pink and brown tones. I think the silhouette is a nice touch considering all the faces on most covers. It adds to the mystery a bit.

Here's a snippet (or read an excerpt)
My name is Kestrel Murphy.
Never call me Susan.
I mean, who ever heard of a witch named Susan?
Which is what I am. WITCH is what I am. I do magic, which is what a witch does. A year ago, I was on the white side.
Lately, I've been leaning toward the black...
I blame the universe. What's the point in being a nice little white witch in the universe I've got? If I could choose my own universe, I'd be a white witch in it. But black makes a lot more sense in this universe.
Not that I'm complaining. A witch never complains. But if I did, I'd have a lot to complain about. For instance: Richard Milhous Nixon High.


Harlequin Teen is getting out some great books in their first couple of years. Here are a few other HQ books you may want to check out:The Oracle of Dating
The Iron King
Inside and Out

Intertwined
Soul to Keep (series)

Also, if you missed it, you can also read a past interview with editor Natashya Wilson.

Other Bookanista Reviews!

What do you think would be the hardest thing about being a witch?

13 comments:

Dorothy Dreyer said...

Sounds like an interesting and fun read! Congrats to Shalonda!

~Jamie said...

okay, that's a FANTASTIC cover! I love lighthearted books... and I am so glad we're starting to see more of a market for them. Nice review!

Janet Johnson said...

Sounds fun. I like humorous books best. :)

Carolina M. Valdez Schneider said...

Oh my word, the voice in this just sucks you in, if the summary is anything to go by. The cover is pretty dang cool, too. Sounds like a fun read. Great review, Shelli!

Bethany Wiggins said...

Sounds awesome!!! HArdest part of being a witch? having witch kidlets.

Gail said...

I'm not a big paranormal reader BUT I love humorous books so I think I'll check this one out!

Toughest part of being a witch? Avoiding the "dark side" and wanting revenge when someone treats you or your family badly! :-)

Kirsten Hubbard said...

sounds like a lot of fun. also, my elementary school best friend was named Laura Greenwood. THAT tripped me out a bit!

Christine Fonseca said...

OOHH...LOVE IT!

Natalie Aguirre said...

I hadn't heard of this book. Thanks for sharing it. I agree Harlequin Teen is putting out some good books lately.

Tere Kirkland said...

LOVE witch books! Thanks for the review, Shelli.

Tara McClendon said...

The voice sounds so great for this book. Hardest thing about being a witch? Having the self-control not to use magic for every little thing.

Unknown said...

What do you think would be the hardest thing about being a witch?
hhuummm...I think hide my powers from friends and all...Imagine go through all your life if your friends doesn't know the real you?!


Awesome post =)

Leah (aka Mary_not_Martha) said...

Ohhhh, it would be so tempting to cast a spell on someone that pushed my buttons that day!