Bernadette comes from a line of powerful witches who use blood magic to summon demons to help with tasks, from transportation to tidying. But Ber has an unusual issue: her recent diabetes diagnosis requires frequent testing, and even tiny blood drops are enough to conjure demons. As she struggles to keep her magical abilities under wraps at school, an attempt to create a magical monitoring system goes awry and a rogue rival clan endangers her family. Ber will have to overcome long-held prejudices to rally an unlikely magical group, save her loved ones, and restore balance to her life d to the rest of the world. The clever premise isn't just a one-note joke; it's the basis for a stellar story and a moving meditation on chronic illness. The brilliant Ber is given room to express frustration and fear while learning to navigate middle school and magic with her diagnosis, which she does with humor and heart. An enchanting and inventive adventure about the power in facing down your demons d sometimes befriending them.

A teen reckons with navigating family magic and disabilityBernadette Crowley's family are an esteemed Missoula, Montana, clan of Irish American witches led by powerful and spirited Grandma Orla. But their specialty-using blood for summoning demons-has become more complicated since 13-year-old Ber's diabetes diagnosis. Because she must prick her finger to check her glucose levels, she's begun summoning by accident. Big sister Maeve cooks up a plan to find a demon that can serve as a glucose monitor-but the girls get more than they bargained for in the form of Finley MacIntire, a Mystery demon whose growing entwinement with Ber isn't enough to stop a torrent of magical chaos in the wake of their arrival. Debut author Edge uses space that could have been spent building intriguing relationships among the characters or expanding on Ber's characterization to focus on details of the complex lore of witch culture that slow the story's momentum. Nevertheless, the ways in which Ber's diabetes interact with her powers are resonant, and her combative, prickly dynamics with Fin are enjoyable. Ber's world expands as she begins to come into her own in regard to being both fat and diabetic. She relishes new bonds with other magical kids, and through these interactions, Edge interrogates the prejudices inherent in a system of hereditary magic and explores how new generations can end them. The escalating adventure will leave readers curious about events to come in future series entries.Empowering encouragement about claiming what makes you distinct.(Fantasy. 8-12)