Your Spell Is Weak

Expected Publication:  April 1st, 2013
Spellbinding
By: Maya Gold
Scholastic Point
ISBN-13:  9780545433808

There's more than one way to be powerful . . .

It is during a routine school project that Abby Silva--sixteen and nearly friendless--makes a startling discovery: She is descended from women who were accused of witchcraft back in 1600s Salem. And when Abby visits nearby Salem, strange, inexplicable events start to unfold. Objects move when she wills them to. Candles burst into sudden flame. And an ancient spell book somehow winds up in her possession.

Trying to harness her newfound power, Abby concocts a love potion to win over her longtime crush--and exact revenge upon his cruel, bullying girlfriend. But old magic is not to be trifled with. Soon, Abby is thrust headlong into a world of hexes, secrets, and danger. And then there's Rem Anders, the beautiful, mysterious Salem boy who seems to know more about Abby than he first lets on.

A reckoning is coming, and Abby will have to make sense of her history--and her heart--before she can face the powerful truth.

Review

 

     Abby Silva thinks that she is the average, boring member of her family compared to her sports star younger brother and with a Father who treats her like she's invisible, there's not much to prove her wrong.  So when doing an extra credit project for history class on her ancestors, Abby is surprised to find out that she is descended from one of the women accused of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts in the 1600s.  Curious to learn more, Abby goes to the Salem archives and a mysterious spell book ends up going home with her.  Trying to get something good to happen to her for once, Abby enacts one of the spells in the book - and realizes that she really does have magic powers.  With the help of mysterious Rem Anders, who is definitely keeping secrets, and some beautifying charms can Abby get everything she's ever wanted?  When evil comes to town Abby finds out just how true it is that magic comes with a price.  Will that price be too high to pay?  This book reminded me A LOT of the movie Teen Witch from the 1980s, where the main character finds out she has powers and uses them for selfish, stupid reasons.  It's the tried and true, nerd becomes irresistible with the help of magic plot device and it wasn't even very well executed.  Abby's usage of the love spell against Travis, the very popular (and mean) Megan's boyfriend, who she has been crushing on forever.  I mean, why even bother if the feelings aren't going to be real?  What the eff is the POINT?  HUH???  I just don't get it...  Also, she meets Rem and feels an instant connection and is very attracted to him - but she still goes after Travis!  She also basically ditches her one friend, Rachel after she finds out about her magic.  Like, since she's cool now why bother with the geek who was nice to her when no one else was?  *GAG ME.*  The writing in this book wasn't that bad, but I honestly felt like I was watching a bad, made for T.V. movie with how awful the plot/execution happened to be.  The whole evil villain attacking Abby at the prom and trying to steal her power was laughable at best and cringeworthy at worst.  So played out.  I give it 2 stars for amusing me and for actually keeping me reading (even if just out of hilarity) - plus the writing was fairly good.  It just needed a major shot of originality.  Which with this plot, is practically impossible.  I was disappointed, because I have a major thing for Salem Witch books and have been jonesing something fierce from a lack of them.

 

VERDICT:  2/5  Stars

 

**I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie. No favors or money were exchanged for this review. It became available for purchase on April 1st, 2013.**