The Problem with Black Magic by Karen MeadMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Fiercely independent Cassie Tremblay divides her time between working the cash register at her neighborhood coffee shop and studying to produce the grades to get into a top-tier university. Sam, a mysterious co-worker at The Daily Grind, seems to have taken an instant dislike to her, but for Cassie, the looming specter of the SAT Verbal section is a much bigger concern.
After a freak accident nearly leaves Cassie and her co-workers dead, a spell cast in desperation transforms her from a regular teen to a valuable familiar: a magical well a demon can tap. As if she didn't have enough problems, now every demon (and their monstrous minions) seems to be after Cassie's latent magic, and will stop at nothing to possess her.
Blending a hint of gothic romance with wry humor, The Problem With Black Magic is a tale of one young woman's struggle for independence in a brand new world of sorcery, intrigue, and wonder.
My Review:
This fast-paced young adult story is full of action, suspense and magic. I love a good story with magic! This one is filled with both black magic concerning demons and the white magic of witches. Add in a few vampires and its a great combination for a fun paranormal read. The characters really took on their personalities making them feel like real people. So much so that even as I was rooting for Cassie and Sam, I was also irritated with some of their decisions. But that only made me turn the pages faster to find out what happened to them next! I truly enjoyed reading this story, and I look forward to reading future books in this series. I would love to see the romance blossom between the main characters. Ms. Mead also has me intrigued with the secondary characters and how the future will play out for them. I only wish this story had been written in first person POV. For the most part this is Cassie's story, but I would have loved to see it completely through her eyes to add to the level of suspense.
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Definitely a sign of great writing when one becomes invested in the characters!
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