The Best Kind of Magic (Windy City Magic, 1) - Hardcover

Cestari, Crystal

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1484752724 ISBN 13: 9781484752722

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2017

Synopsis

Amber Sand is not a witch. The Sand family magical gene somehow leapfrogged over her. But she did get one highly specific bewitching talent: she can see true love. As a matchmaker, Amber's pretty far down the sorcery food chain (even birthday party magicians rank higher), but after five seconds of eye contact, she can envision anyone's soul mate.
Amber works at her mother's magic shop--Windy City Magic--in downtown Chicago, and she's confident she's seen every kind of happy ending there is: except for one--her own. (The Fates are tricky jerks that way.) So when Charlie Blitzman, the mayor's son and most-desired boy in school, comes to her for help finding his father's missing girlfriend, she's distressed to find herself falling for him. Because while she can't see her own match, she can see his--and it's not Amber. How can she, an honest peddler of true love, pursue a boy she knows full well isn't her match?
The Best Kind of Magic is set in urban Chicago and will appeal to readers who long for magic in the real world. With a sharp-witted and sassy heroine, a quirky cast of mystical beings, and a heady dose of adventure, this novel will have you laughing out loud and questioning your belief in happy endings.

About this title

About the Author

Crystal Cestari lives just outside Chicago with her daughter. Her hobbies include avoiding broccoli and wandering the aisles at Target. She holds a master's degree in mass communication, and writes all her stories longhand. Don't miss the second book in the Windy City Magic series, coming soon! Visit Crystal at www.crystalcestari.com and on Twitter @crystalcestari.

From School Library Journal

Gr 7–10—Amber Sand comes from a family of highly respectable and powerful witches. Except Amber isn't a witch. She's a matchmaker, down on the lower end of the supernatural scale. Amber enjoys giving people the news they want to hear—that they will not end up alone—and she works out of her mother's magic shop. Unfortunately, she can't see her own perfect match. Not helping matters is her best friend Amani, who can see into the future but won't give Amber any hints. The mayor's son, Charlie, asks for her help. His dad's girlfriend has disappeared. While the mayor wants to find her, Charlie wants to break them up. Amber agrees to help, and they are soon making their way through Chicago's supernatural world. The teens start to develop feelings for each other, but Amber knows they're not meant to be. What good is it to date someone when you know you won't end up together? Though initially this fun read seems to be another cutesy supernatural tale, it also explores the question of fate. Amber is a strong heroine who refuses to back down from bullies and struggles with her relationship with her mother. There is a bit of mystery with the missing girlfriend, but it's solved well before the end. The conclusion and the characters will leave readers wanting more. VERDICT This is a perfect light summer read and a good addition to most libraries.—Faythe Arredondo, Tulare County Library, CA

About this edition

• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1484752724
• ISBN 13: 9781484752722
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 336