Spells and Sorcery (Lexie Carrigan Chronicles, #1)

by S. Usher Evans

[Leah]

I loved Spells & Sorcery – it’s my first foray into the books out S Usher Evans, but it won’t be my last (not least because there’s another #LexieSpells book coming in April next year). It’s one of those books that you just fall into right away, and it reminded me so, so much of my favourite TV show when I was younger, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, they’re very similar. Learning the have magic as a teenager (Lexie is 15, Sabrina 16), living with an Aunt (although in Sabrina’s case it’s 2 and in Lexie’s case it’s one and 2 annoying sisters), dealing with school and magic at the same time, all Lexie was missing was her very own Harvey Kinkle, but I hear that MAY be coming in book 2?!??!

Seeing Lexie come into her powers was both amazing and frustrating. Amazing because learning you’re a witch has been my dream for forever (I’m not kidding) and while Lexie struggled with it at first, it kinda came naturally to her but it was also frustrating because no one helps Lexie. Marie, Nicole, Jeanie, no one helped Lexie, or explained anything and while it does all eventually tumble out, a lot could have been explained before hand and they just irritated me, with their know-it-all looks and ability to yell for yelling’s sake. I did, however, like the introduction of Gavon, who seems to mentor Lexie, helping her the way her family should, and their interactions were so much fun.

I really enjoyed this, this really set the world going forwards with the series, and it was actually quite refreshing to have a YA book without a romance, there wasn’t even a sniff – it was all about Lexie learning about her magic, controlling it, and that was so much fun to read. All that was missing was a talking cat named Salem. This is the perfect read for Sabrina fans, I’m not even kidding. I lapped it up and I’m so, so excited for Magic & Mayhem and more from Lexie Carrigan!