Gr 6 Up-Camellia just received a 61 percent on her algebra test and her teacher wants to have a parent-teacher conferencewhich is a problem because her mother is a witch bent on world domination. When Camellia's mother summons a demon, who accidentallys gets sucked into the cute new boy at school, the teen races to find a spell that will save him, finally admitting to herself that she might be a witch too. In Connolly's witty, effervescent novel, mother-daughter angst and high school drama is spiced with a 21st-century flavor. The author constructs a magical and whimsical world, where ancient spells echo math word problems and Witchipedia is just a cell phone click away. Readers, especially those who are fans of fantasy and YA romance will adore this clever genre mash-up. Connolly has a gift for creating characters that are familiar teen archetypes yet written with engaging depth: from quirky Jenah who wears fishnet tights and claims to read auras to former-best-friend-turned-enemy Sparkle, whose mean-girl tendencies hide a deeper secret. In a refreshing turn from the tokenism prevalent in some teen fiction, several of the major characters are people of color and play pivotal roles in the protagonist's life. Camellia herself is a heroine who grows in confidence as the pressure (and the plot) mounts and whose resourceful ingenuity (and knowledge of algebra and chemistry) will have female readers cheering. VERDICT This is the beginning of a fun yet sophisticated series that should win the author new fans. Evelyn Khoo Schwartz, Georgetown Day School, Washington, DC

Cam's adoptive mother is a power-hungry witch. Reallyshe is literally a power-hungry witch. Cam is (reluctantly) constantly helping her gather supplies for spells but is not interested in learning how to do magic. After all, the witch stole her from her real family, so it is not like she is a witch, too. The witch's latest spell revolves around her plans to take over the city. All she needs is a demon, some pixies, stolen hopes and dreams, and an about-to-explode phoenix. Things go awry when the demon gets loose and takes up residence in the body of Devon, the cute new boy in town. Now Cam has to work fast to try to save Devon from the demon. The only problem is that it looks like she will have to do some magic herself. What does it mean if she is able to pull off these spells?This lighthearted story is a great mix of fantasy and realism. Cam's exasperated and wry narrative voice conveys just how annoying it can be to live with a witch, especially for someone doing her best to come across as just another regular teenage girl. Cam navigates friendships, both old and new, and learns some surprising secrets while debating revealing her own. This quick, funny read will appeal to fans of light fantasy, and though Cam is in tenth grade, the story skews younger. Cam's determination to save the day and her innovative way of approaching problems will leave readers hoping to see more of her in the future.Amanda MacGregor.