Bras and Broomsticks
by Sarah Mlynowski
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I was excited when I heard Sarah Mlynowski had written a teen chick lit/fantasy book - especially since she is one of my favorite chick lit authors!

Meet Rachel. She is 14, unpopular and and suffering from the usual teenage angst. That all changes one day when she discovers that her younger sister Miri is a witch. Yes, a witch. Apparently it was passed down from their mother. While Rachel wonders why she didn’t inherit her mother’s powers, she knows that she can convince Miri to help her cast spells to help her out. (Behind their mother’s back, of course). For instance, there is a freshman fashion show coming up. Rachel knew if she got chosen to be in it, she’d become popular and get invited to the A-list parties. Too bad that normally she couldn’t dance to save her own life.

Although the girls’ mother warns Miri not to use her powers until she is fully trained in them, under Rachel’s begging and pleading, Miri begins doing some small spells to help out. First it’s just to help Rachel become a dancer. Then there is the zit-away concoction. Then the girls decide to try and break up their father’s soon-to-be-wedding with a woman they feel is horrible and two-faced. Meanwhile Rachel is ecstatic with her newfound popularity - not only did she get chosen to be in the freshman fashion show as a dancer, but she suddenly is dating one of the most handsome boys in school, and the A-list is inviting her to parties.

But after a few disasters and spells-gone-wrong, the girls realize they might be in over their heads. Maybe their mother was right. Will Rachel end up losing her new popularity and best friend? Will she make a complete fool of herself in front of the school? Will the girls’ dad end up making the biggest mistake of his life? Find out this and more by reading this delightful novel.

This book was a wonderful read. It has all of the ingredients you could ever want in a teen fantasy chick lit novel: family angst, friendship and popularity dilemmas, crushes, parties, magic, and more. Mlynowski’s trademark wit, warmth, and addictive storytelling come through in this book stronger than ever. Reading her novels is usually like having your best friend confide juicy secrets to you, but even better - and Bras and Broomsticks is no exception! The characters and dialogue are realistic, and the plot is original and absorbing.

I highly recommend Bras and Broomsticks to all chick lit and fantasy fans of all ages. Adult readers will forget they are reading a teen novel as they get lost in the pages of this book, and teen readers will be delighted. Harry Potter, move over - there is a new preteen with superpowers in town!

Reviewed by Rian
5/5 Stars

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