Natasha Lowe

I feel like I have a little Lucy Castor in me. I hate change. I like things to stay the way they are, because I feel like changes are little portals straight into Anxiety-Land.

This book would be perfect for children ages 8-12 because it involves a lot of things children of that age have to deal with. Drama between friends, things changing in your life, and possible new additions to the family.

It's a very cozy book, although we can all tell that Lucy has major anxiety. She is obsessed with magic and magical moments, which I think we all could learn a thing or two from her if I do say so myself.

Lucy is also very quirky and goes against the norms of what seems to be what everyone else is doing. She still believes in magic, she loves her neighbor's Chloe's outrageous outfits, and she collects nests. I like that Lowe wrote about a girl who isn't all about sparkles and other shiny things. It's showing children that it's okay to be themselves because your true friends eventually find you anyway.

A cute cast, a cute story, and an even cuter ending. Definitely a recommended read to Elementary/early middle-graders everywhere.… (plus d'informations)

The Marvelous Magic of Miss Mabel is the enchanting tale about being true to one’s self and celebrating all the wonderful things that make you unique. This is the story of Mabel, from being is unique. When Mabel is an infant her mother leaves her in a flowerpot at Nora’s front door. The kindhearted Nora always dreamed of one day having a child and just when she thought it would never happen Mabel appears.

One day Mabel’s toes start to tingle causing her to rise up and fly. This is when is becomes clear that Mabel is a witch. Nora is so proud of her daughter and immediately starts to look for the proper school to train Mabel. Ruthersfield Academy sounds like the perfect place for a witch in training. They both hope that things will be easier for Mabel in a new place where no one knows her exact origins.

However, the girls at the academy aren’t friendly. Mabel believes there is more to witchery than silly spells to look pretty or following the academy’s rules. Due to Mabel’s inquisitive spirit, she often experiments with her spells and potions. Mabel also creates her own inventions (though most turn out quite disastrous). Unfortunately, her teachers and classmates are not impressed by Mabel’s forward thinking and her out of control experiments.

Luckily for Mabel things are about to change. When she discovers the SOFTW (Society of Forward-Thinking Witches, Mabel thinks she finally has found where she belongs. Determined to prove herself once and for all, she enters their contest. Will Mabel be able to control her magic and show everyone there is more to being a witch than frivolous spells and following silly rules?

The Marvelous Magic of Miss Mabel is completely charming. It is a perfect read for the autumn season. I have previously read Natasha Lowe’s other books and loved them. Mabel is such a strong, and passionate character. I love her wit, courage, and her tenacity. There are many amazing lessons to learn from Mabel. Young readers will learn the importance of never giving up, independent thinking, self-confidence and always staying true to who you are. This book was a delight to read. Readers young and old will appreciate Mabel’s adventurous spirit and determination.

Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with the e-ARC of The Marvelous Magic of Miss Mabel in return for an honest review.… (plus d'informations)

Charming story of Poppy Pendle who is born with magical powers and whose parents excitedly enroll her in a witches' academy. Unfortunately for Poppy, she has no desire to be a witch; her passion, instead, lies in baking. And no wonder! Poppy was born in Marie Claire's patisserie, eating her first almond cake minutes after birth. Yet her parents are determined that Poppy follow in the footsteps of her famous great grandmother, despite Poppy's increasingly vocal pleas. When she finally decides to run away from home, Poppy escapes to Marie Claire's kitchen, turning out bakeshop goodies much to the delight of Marie Claire and her hungry customers. Yet this is an arrangement that cannot last, and Poppy is forced back home and back to her witchcraft school, where she does the unthinkable and turns her magic to the dark side.

A great story about following one's passion. The characters are well drawn, sympathetic and even the dim-witted parents finally come around. Poppy's turn to the dark side is heavily foreshadowed, doesn't take up as much of the storyline as expected, and is all happily smoothed over to everyone's satisfaction by the end. If the reader's interested in baking, there are recipes at the back of the book for some of the goodies mentioned in the story. The caramel cookies are delicious and the recipe was very easy to follow, even for this haphazard cook! So, tell readers to stop and bake the caramel cookies when they're first mentioned in the book. This way, readers can then savor the sweets they're reading about as the story concludes. What could be better than that?!… (plus d'informations)