Spellbound Solstice

Starred review from September 1, 2024
A young teen's biggest problem was stage fright--until she learned of her family's curse. In the seaside town of Chanterbrooke, Maine, Alice Ambrose, a 13-year-old ballet dancer from a family of enchantresses, has one mission: to make her parents fall in love so their family will finally be whole. Her parents never married, and her father is constantly traveling for work. Ensorcelled Cottage, the inn her family runs, is the perfect location for Alice's plan: Every year, people who stay at the inn over the winter solstice fall in love. This year, her dad will be there for their Winter Solstice Festival for the first time. When Alice, who's cued white, discovers that the women in her family are cursed to never fall in love, she decides to break the curse with help from best friend Marcela, who's white and Mexican, and Chanterbrooke newcomer Ronan Knight, a 14-year-old French medium with secrets of his own. But trying to break the curse could have deadly consequences. Alice also needs to conquer her fear of performing in public, which could cost her a future as a professional dancer. The blurred lines between good and evil contribute to this thought-provoking novel, which is as much a study of its complex characters as it is a whimsical fantasy. The action-packed descriptions of perilous situations will keep thrill-seekers reading, while others will be charmed by the sentimental family connections and sweet romance. A wintry delight filled to the brim with magic, friendship, and unexpected twists.(Fantasy. 10-14)

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Starred review from October 18, 2024

Gr 6-10-In a wintery, wonderful magic-laced land, Alice Ambrose lives with her matriarchal family of enchantresses where she dreams of the day she'll fall in love. Ambrose's Ensorcelled Cottage is known for the phenomenon of its visitors finding true love there upon first glance, which is what Ronan is betting on to happen with his nomadic mother. Ronan and his mother also dabble in magic, but instead of spells and potions, he can see and interact with ghosts. Alice quickly learns the heartbreaking truth about why romantic love is lacking for the women in her family. Alice and Ronan join forces to figure out the truth of love for both of their mothers. Can true love settle the past? Roger's playful words sets the perfect stage of where early romantics imagine true love can bloom. The thrilling plot encompasses the joys, confusions, and risks taken among this lineage of magic makers. Knowing one's lineage and familial connections is the first important emphasized step in this adventure to break generational curses. New generations can be empowered to challenge these curses where harm has been done through advocacy, teamwork, and accountability. VERDICT This charming, whimsical read will engulf readers in their own spell of wondering at what cost will love prevail.-Kaitlin Srader

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