Julie Abe

In Julie Abe's The Charmed List, Sabrina the Teenage Witch meets Jenny Han in this magical romantic comedy about two former friends turned enemies forced together on a summer road trip...

The Charmed List

Jenna

A cozy YA read. Cringed quite a bit at how stubborn and hard-headed the main character was, but enjoyed the magical escape with lots of boba and matcha and the inspiration to come up with your own Charmed List.

Recommend if you enjoy reading painfully awkward teens stumble through their emotional constipation, the childhood friends to enemies to lovers trope, and cozy Asian-American elements weaved into a fantasy modern world.

Jana Jenkinns 

Relatively predictable little friends to enemies to friends to enemies to lovers. throw a hint of magick in, and I thought it was sweet. 3.5 rounded up.

Also, I really want to go to a magical cottage. 🤷🏻‍♀️

sydney

This book is so adorable. The way that all of the little magic parts along their journey reminded her of him, they are just perfect. Also at the end when he said that he always noticed her when she walked into a room, I love him.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Abby Frey

The charmed list was an amazing story of love, friendship, and finding yourself. The main character Ellie wants to take more control of her life which was so relatable. Loved the side characters and would love to know what happens with Remy and Jacks brother. Speaking of Jack he was a good character who was selfless and a great love interest. This book exploration of all types or relationships from romantic to platonic to familial this book showed everything. The magic aspects were charming (you see what I did there) and integrated perfectly with the setting.

This book was great and the perfect fun read

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

Beckah brooks

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Charmed List by Julie Abe in exchange for an honest review. 

Before I start, I want to point out that this book is about magic, charms, and spells. When I originally read the synopsis, I somehow missed this. I thought the words used were a play on words, but nope it's really about a realistic, magical world. If I had known that, I probably wouldn't have requested it, however, I'm glad I got the chance to read it. It was cute, funny, and interesting. 

I want to just completely commend Abe on her ability to create a world. She thought of every little thing. While reading, I always understood the ways magic worked in the book, what the limits were, and all the little phrases. Like Magizon, which is Amazon for the magic aware. There were little charmed touches all throughout, I completely felt immersed. 

The characters were also great. They had great depth, and reason for the way they acted. I loved Ellie. I completely understood why she made the choices she made. She was a sweet, wallflower who wanted to push the borders of her comfort zone. She also has to deal with the pain of an old friendship loss, as well as a new one. She grows so much on her trip, I loved it. There was one thing I didn't like though. I don't like when books set out with the main character wanting to no longer be a wallflower, and never talk about how it is totally okay to be a wallflower. They always point to needing to change, and how it is better that way. When in reality, her "wallflowerness" in the beginning is what made me like her. Jack was also a great character, very mysterious at first. As you read you get to unravel more and more of what makes him Jack. 

I decided to give it only 3 stars(more like 3.5) because while the magic system was great, and the characters were fun I do have to admit that it took a little bit to get through. There were a few times when I cringed of second hand embarrassment, when things just felt kitschy and juvenile, and moments when the story dragged on. I'm all for the slow burn, but I can only take so many interrupted almost kisses(there had to have been over four times when they almost kissed or said something when I phone rang or someone walked in). 

At the end of it all, I like how it ended. Definitively felt resolved, and content. I would recommend this to those who love books with realistic, modern magic.

Ashley Pennington

3.5-4 rating 
 
I didn't connect with the story, but this is a cute YA story. The story is well written, I liked the storyline and how the author pulled her culture into the story (along with a little bit of magic). The characters are likable and have good character development. The issues the characters face in the story are issues the target reader would face. As a reader I did feel the chemistry between the two main characters. 

I liked the choice of narrator. She brought the voice and emotion to the story. This is how I would imagine the story and the character to sound. 

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillion Audio/Young Listeners for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

thank you to st. martin's press, wednesday books, and netgalley for a copy in exhange for an honest review.

this was a sweet, slightly-witchy, romance that's perfect if you want a great palette cleanser after reading high fantasy. but, while i had fun with this one, it's unfortunately a book where i might forget about what even happened in a month or so.

additionally, what's stopping me from giving this book a four star review rather than a three star, is how heavily it leans against miscommunication between the main characters to further the plot. it's all a bit unfortunate, as it's one of my least favorite tropes/story devices. but ignoring that factor, i did generally enjoy the ex-friends/second chance story line.

thank you to st. martin's press, wednesday books, and netgalley for a copy in exhange for an honest review.

this was a sweet, slightly-witchy, romance that's perfect if you want a great palette cleanser after reading high fantasy. but, while i had fun with this one, it's unfortunately a book where i might forget about what even happened in a month or so.

additionally, what's stopping me from giving this book a four star review rather than a three star, is how heavily it leans against miscommunication between the main characters to further the plot. it's all a bit unfortunate, as it's one of my least favorite tropes/story devices. but ignoring that factor, i did generally enjoy the ex-friends/second chance story line.

Nikki

rtc

arc provided by st. martin's press and netgalley in exchange for a review

- best friends to enemies to lovers romance 

Julie Abe delivered a truly magical story of self discovery. Ellie, a self proclaimed wallflower, is determined to take some risk to make her summer before senior year of high school more magical. She creates an anti-wallflower list of 13 items, in hopes of new beginnings. But as soon as she begins to check things off of her list, it starts to seem more cursed than charmed. Forced alongside her ex-best friend Jack, she departs on a road trip where she soon realizes that her list might not be cursed, and she may still get to check some items off her list, including falling in love. 

I absolutely adored this book, I was so CHARMED by the story, I couldn’t put it down. The world Julie created was so fun and magical, it made me want to jump inside the book. Lia, Remy, and Cam were perfect additions to Ellie’s story. I know if I were in her shoes, I wouldn’t want anyone else in my corner, cheering me on. The romance between Jack and Ellie held the perfect amount of tension. I waited with bated breath as I read, learning their sweet childhood stories and where it all went wrong.

I think I was blown away by the raw emotions that this book held. Julie Abe’s writing gave you the ability to truly sympathize with Ellie’s character. Whether she was reflecting on a past memory or living through a present one, you felt everything Ellie felt and more. That’s the true magic of books, allowing yourself to walk in someone else’s shoes, to live through their experiences, and Julie Abe delivered! 

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Chrissie Smith

Read if you like…

-YA romance 

- best friends to enemies to lovers romance 

-forced proximity 

-magic

Julie Abe delivered a truly magical story of self discovery. Ellie, a self proclaimed wallflower, is determined to take some risk to make her summer before senior year of high school more magical. She creates an anti-wallflower list of 13 items, in hopes of new beginnings. But as soon as she begins to check things off of her list, it starts to seem more cursed than charmed. Forced alongside her ex-best friend Jack, she departs on a road trip where she soon realizes that her list might not be cursed, and she may still get to check some items off her list, including falling in love. 

I absolutely adored this book, I was so CHARMED by the story, I couldn’t put it down. The world Julie created was so fun and magical, it made me want to jump inside the book. Lia, Remy, and Cam were perfect additions to Ellie’s story. I know if I were in her shoes, I wouldn’t want anyone else in my corner, cheering me on. The romance between Jack and Ellie held the perfect amount of tension. I waited with bated breath as I read, learning their sweet childhood stories and where it all went wrong.

I think I was blown away by the raw emotions that this book held. Julie Abe’s writing gave you the ability to truly sympathize with Ellie’s character. Whether she was reflecting on a past memory or living through a present one, you felt everything Ellie felt and more. That’s the true magic of books, allowing yourself to walk in someone else’s shoes, to live through their experiences, and Julie Abe delivered! 

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Kathryn

“I’m hoping some of these bucket-list items that feel cursed will turn out to be more charmed. To change things for me, you know.”

This book is an adorably magical coming of age story. I love the details in the magical section of the characters world. I also love the culture that was infused so beautifully into the story. The details felt so rich that I wanted to try everything!!!

Sadly, I had some issues with the plot. The set up for the road trip didn’t make sense to me, so that took me away from the story itself. I also felt like we missed out on more organic growth from the two MC’s, both as individuals and together. 

Jack was an interesting character, a hustler for sure! He did so much that I didn’t know how he didn’t tap out from exhaustion. I can’t decide if that was too much to envision for a character of his age or not. Either way, kudos to him! That’s a hardworking lad right there. 

But overall this was cute as heck and I will continue to read this authors work! It’s so charming and light. 

3.5/5⭐️’s

Thank you so much Netgalley and Wednesday Books for my ARC, I truly appreciate it! 

"The best friends to enemies to lovers story I needed in my life! The Charmed List utterly enchants with its delightful characters and heartfelt themes of family, friendship, and first love. I adored this fun-filled and swoony road trip romance with a magical twist!" – Axie Oh, author of XOXO and The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea Sometimes you need a little magic to fall in love. Ellie Kobata has spent most of high school on the sidelines, keeping her art Instagram private and shying away from the world. She can’t even tell her only friend, Lia, who she really is: Ellie is part of a secret magical community, and no one outside of it can know it exists. The only person Ellie could fully relate to was Jack Yasuda – her childhood friend who mysteriously started to snub her a few years ago. But before senior year, Ellie 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. With this list, she hopes to finally come out of her shell; even though she can’t share her full self with the world. But when number four on Ellie’s list goes horribly wrong—revenge on Jack Yasuda—she’s certain her summer is cursed. Instead of spending her summer 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.

felicity

I thought this book was super cute since I love myself a romcom. The story line was fun and I think the magic aspect of it was also fun. I liked all the details added but I wish there was some more, I feel that some scenes were rushed to move onto the next part. (but maybe that's just me not wanting a book to end)

I enjoy an enemies to lovers trope, or in this case, best friends to enemies to lovers. I think Ellie and Jack were adorable, but also a little infuriating because of Ellie's strong emotions to hate on Jack. (i thought there was a little bit too much emphasis on how much she hated him in the beginning of the book)

The younger siblings, Remy and Cam were written in super cute and they definitely gave me younger sibling vibes. 

Thank you to Goodreads for hosting the giveaway for this ARC and Wednesday Book Publishers for mailing it to me :)

The Charmed List

Reviews