Majix by Douglas Rees
Majix: Notes from a Serious Teen Witch is charming in both senses of the word. Told from the point-of-view of a fourteen-year-old Wiccan, Majix is a funny and heartwarming story about family, friends, and finding oneself. It isn’t quite a fantasy novel, though there’s arguably a little magical realism in it. For the most part, the “magic” is really psychology. I think believers and skeptics could enjoy this book equally.
It’s a little annoying at first. Kestrel “never call me Susan” Murphy comes off as something of a brat, and it takes a while to get used to her slangy narration. Meanwhile, her workaholic father and shopaholic mother are hardly candidates for Parents of the Year. When a row between Kestrel and her father results in dad having a heart attack, Kestrel is sent away to live in the town of Jurupa with her eccentric Aunt Ariel.
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More books by Douglas Rees
Vampire High — (2003-2010) Young adult. Publisher: Cody Elliot’s new school, Vlad Dracul, is a little weird. The principal is seven feet tall and has a pet wolf. The students are tall and silent and wear sunglasses in the winter. When he sees a kid’s fangs, the truth sinks in: Cody’s classmates are vampires. The vampires — or jenti, as they call themselves — have lived in New Sodom, Mass., for centuries. They are superstrong and supersmart, but water is dangerous for them. They need a few human kids for the water sports the state requires. Cody doesn’t have to do any homework or even go to class. If he just plays water polo, he’s guaranteed straight A’s. What a perfect high school! Or is it? No homework, no classes — nothing Cody does matters. Most of the jenti openly despise him — but so what? Why is it bugging him so much? Cody upsets the status quo when he befriends two jenti kids and starts trying to do the impossibly hard homework for real grades. When he gets slightly heroic and donates a little blood, he’s really in hot water! Cody is making waves that could change Vlad Dracul forever, in this sharply funny, sly satire about honor, friendship, love — and how to survive high school.
The Juliet Spell — (2011) Publisher: I wanted the role of Juliet more than anything. I studied hard. I gave a great reading for it — even with Bobby checking me out the whole time. I deserved the part. I didn’t get it. So I decided to level the playing field, though I actually might have leveled the whole play. You see, since there aren’t any Success in Getting to Be Juliet in Your High School Play spells, I thought I’d cast the next best — a Fame spell. Good idea, right? Yeah. Instead of bringing me a little fame, it brought me someone a little famous. Shakespeare. Well, Edmund Shakespeare. William’s younger brother. Good thing he’s sweet and enthusiastic about helping me with the play… and — ahem — maybe a little bit hot. But he’s from the past. Way past. Cars amaze him — cars! And cell phones? Ugh. Still, there’s something about him that’s making my eyes go star-crossed….
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(1947- )
