Review: The Charmed List by Julie Abe

 

The Charmed List

by Julie Abe

July 5, 2022

Goodreads Summary:

After spending most of high school as the quiet girl, Ellie Kobata is ready to take some risks and have a life-changing summer, starting with her Anti-Wallflower List—thirteen items she’s going to check off one by one. She’s looking forward to riding rollercoasters, making her art Instagram public (maybe), and going on an epic road-trip with her best friend Lia.

But when number four on Ellie’s list goes horribly wrong—revenge on Jack Yasuda—she’s certain her summer has gone from charmed to cursed. Instead of a road trip with Lia, Ellie finds herself stuck in a car with Jack driving to a magical convention. But as Ellie and Jack travel down the coast of California, number thirteen on her list—fall in love—may be happening without her realizing it.

In The Charmed List, Julie Abe sweeps readers away to a secret magical world, complete with cupcakes and tea with added sparks of joy, and an enchanted cottage where you can dance under the stars.

Review

The Charmed List is the definition of a quick fun time. The mix of road trip, relationships and magical realism delivered an honest and sweet story.

The magic in The Charmed List focused on emotions and feelings. I thought the charms were super creative. Simple yet effective, they blended into everyday life really well. I would love to try out a few of these creations myself!

It was rewarding to watch Ellie discover who she wanted to be. At first I wasn't a fan of her Anti-Wallflower List. But by the end of the book, I was impressed by her growth. Through the painful times and brave acts, Ellie's explorations led her to a great place. She did have a little help in the form of her best friend and her sister! Both contributed in cute ways~

The romance in The Charmed List was somewhat complicated. It's a friends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers relationship. Once childhood besties, Ellie and Jack had long become unfriendly (even a little hostile) when they get stuck on a road trip together. But best idea ever. I loved watching Ellie and Jack reconnect on the road. Their shared history and recent interactions made it obvious they belonged together.

With tons of heart and some humour, The Charmed List was like holding a warm cup of tea on a cold day. If you're looking for a cozy read that'll warm your heart, I definitely recommend picking this one up.

*I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the ARC I received.