March 6, 2020
Gr 9 Up-Three popular senior girls think Eloise "Sideways" Pike is a "skulky, gap-toothed weirdo," but that doesn't prevent them from paying her to produce magic at an early Halloween party. The results pretty much freak them out, and birth a complicated friendship among Jing, Yates, Daisy and Sideways, who need to figure out why there are dead deer, what to do about the witch-hunting Chantrys, and how to control the magic it appears everyone in the foursome can tap into. Although Sideways now has friends who understand "the witch thing," life is still complicated. The multi-volume Vade Mecvm Magici, the escape of Mr. Scratch, and efforts to matchmake for Sideways and Madeline alternately strengthen their friendships and drive them apart. F-bombs abound, but the language comes across as real for these sometimes snarky, sometimes brave companions, who don't fit neatly into traditional roles. The ending is satisfying, and indicates this may be the first in a series. VERDICT Dark and brooding, with a literary style and a hearty dose of witchcraft. Suggest to fans of Maggie Stiefvater, Melina Marchetta, and Holly Black.-Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX
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Starred review from April 13, 2020
In this fierce debut, a trilogy opener, Clarke conjures up a powerful, passionate tale of female friendship and found family. Senior Sideways Pike, a witch, is used to being considered a social outcast, but when the three most popular girls at school pay her $40 to spice up a Halloween party with a little magic, she accepts. Her spell spirals out of control and leaves chalk sigils and runes all over the house, making an impression upon her fellow high schoolers. The clique adopts her as their own, and the four soon form a coven, exacting vengeance upon their enemies and exploring the depths of their new magical and emotional connections. As Sideways and her new friends—Yates, Jing, and Daisy—grow comfortable with their power, they’re hunted by a family dedicated to “purifying the world” by eradicating magic. Sideways’s lyrically defiant voice memorably conveys the group’s rough-edged intimacy, and messages about magic’s ambiguity and teenage girls’ power grants this story a complex edge. Unapologetically queer—many of the characters, including Sideways and her adoptive dads, fall under the LGBTQ umbrella—and seething with raw emotion, this fantasy opens strong while leaving much to be explored in future installments. Ages 14–up. Agent: Abby Schulman, Rebecca Friedman Literary.
Starred review from April 15, 2020
Since becoming an orphan at 7, it's mainly been Sideways Pike and her spell book--until a raucous Halloween party blasts her world open. In the West High social hierarchy, Jing, Daisy, and Yates are the queen bees who rule the roost. When they hire Sideways--offering her $40 in exchange for casting a spell to make their party the best of the season--the result isn't only memorably spooky, thanks to the unbelievable creep factor � la Sideways, but also a disturbing mystery that bonds all four girls. To Sideways' utter bewilderment, the triumvirate fiercely claims her, and she's now a member of the most badass girl clique. Their camaraderie strengthens with each narrow escape as they curse toxic males and witch hunters and build their collective power. Readers will love the spooky pop-culture easter eggs and appreciate a fresh spin on the mean girls theme: Readers won't despise, but will root for, this cunning, crass, and fiercely caring coven. Bitingly honest, fast-paced dialogue is a solid strength, as is the lyrical language, which is so intimate that readers will viscerally know how magic and emotions feel in Sideways' body. Jing is cued as Chinese American, Yates is black, and all other characters are presumed white, including Sideways, who is lesbian, and her two adoptive dads. Teenage girl magic is palpable, urgent, and simply marvelous in this must-have debut. (Paranormal. 15-18)
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