Insufficiently chastened by spell casting gone seriously awry in The Demon Notebook (2012), five Irish witches-in-training opt for "practical" instruction from a glamorous new tutor in this increasingly dark sequel. Grace, along with her four private-school friends, is initially dazzled by the exciting spells that newly arrived teacher Meredith Gold teaches them in secret. Soon, though, strange behavioral changes are causing major cracks in the tightly knit young coven, and a picture in a 1977 school yearbook hints that Ms. Gold may not have the teens' best interests in mind. Tucking in a scary figure in a magic mirror, terrifying nightmares, ominous flashbacks, and tales of an old curse, the author presents a view of witchcraft as a potentially corruptive and dangerous pursuit to crank up the suspense, then builds the story to a pulse-pounding climax in which the girls' witchy prowess and their loyalties are equally put to the test. The ups and downs both of adolescent friendship and of magic working play significant thematic roles here.

Gr 5-8 Following their near-fatal experience with unchaperoned spell casting and spirit summoning in The Demon Notebook (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2014), Grace and her friends are now studying witchcraft in a more responsible mannerthat is, under the tutelage of two experienced witches. The problem with Mrs. Quinlan's and Mrs. Lemon's lessons, however, is that they are all about magical theory. Will there ever be an opportunity to practice spells? Just as the girls are starting to bemoan the drudgery of their magical education, a flashy and charismatic new geography teacher shows upand she conveniently happens to be a witch. Ms. Gold begins tutoring Grace and her friends in spell casting in secret, and they are quickly captivated by the feelings of freedom and power that come with doing real magic. Grace, though, feels guilty about keeping secrets. She thinks that Ms. Gold's lessons may not only be unsafe, but may actually be changing one of her friends for the worse. Readers will relate to Grace's internal conflict, and empathize with her fear of being left behind by her friends. Once again, the true magic in McGann's storytelling lies in her ability to craft well-developed characters and realistic conflicts. Horror fans won't be disappointed, either, as the opening pages contain some gruesome imagery, and there is a strong psychological spook factor throughout the rest of the novel. Readers should be aware that this installment has a slightly more serious tone than the first one. Liz Overberg, Darlington School, Rome, GA