Lia and Beckett's Abracadabra

Starred review from May 15, 2022
Two teens from rival families fall for each other during a stage-magic competition. Seventeen-year-old Lia Sawyer has just dumped her latest short-lived boyfriend when her eccentric Grandma Matilda, who has been missing, invites her and her older sister, Emma, to compete in a summerlong contest in Mirror Lake, Wisconsin, a lakefront resort town known for its magic shows and as the headquarters of the Society of American Conjurers. Her first day there, Lia has a meet-cute with Beckett Blackwell, the handsome, college-bound grandson of Henry Blackwell, a legendary local magician who's also Matilda's first husband and former stage partner. Despite their instant chemistry, the two must balance their attraction with their individual desires to win. The romance sizzles with slow-burn longing. The story also explores the sexist nature of the male-dominated magic industry that historically relegated women to being glamorously outfitted assistants in ways that will be interesting even to those unfamiliar with the culture of this community. Lia is a clever and delightful protagonist, and Beckett is a brooding and selfless love interest. The author crafts captivating descriptions of the various magic acts and ensures that even the supporting characters have fleshed-out storylines. Most characters are White; Beckett's mother is from India. An enchanting enemies-to-lovers romance. (Romance. 12-18)

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July 1, 2022

Gr 7 Up-A feminist rom-com that pulls back the curtain on the world of magicians. Lia Sawyer is a cheerleader who flies through relationships and wants to perform magic tricks; despite her prodigious mathematical abilities, few people take her seriously. When her eccentric grandmother organizes a summer magic competition, Lia jumps at the chance to participate. Perhaps this will help her convince her parents that magic is as serious for her as math. Things get complicated, however, when the cute guy Lia meets right before the competition turns out to be one of the infamous Blackwell boys, her family's sworn rivals. Plus, her grandmother, who seems to have disappeared, has sent Lia a few clues that don't make much sense. As Lia delves deeper into the competition and learns about the history of magic in her town, she's more determined than ever to prove that women can be magicians, and to have a successful romantic relationship with Beckett Blackwell. Lia is an intelligent main character with a strong voice. Feminism is a theme throughout, in everything from Lia's agency over her own choices to the exposure of the historical and present-day sexism in the field of magic. The romance between Lia and Beckett is full of excellent banter and slow-burn chemistry. Most characters are presumed white; Beckett is biracial, with an Indian mother. VERDICT An excellent addition to any teen romance collection. The behind-the-scenes peek into the world of illusions and stage magic will delight even readers without a strong interest in magic.-Alison Glass

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 11, 2022
When 17-year-old Lia Sawyer receives a letter from her grandmother Matilda—who has been missing for several years and was once a famous magician’s assistant—inviting her to spend the summer taking part in a stage magic competition in Mirror Lake, Wis., Lia simply sees it as an opportunity to have some fun. But Matilda’s invitation comes with a challenge to win, especially since the competition’s prize is control of the Starlight Theater, which has been in the Sawyer family for years. Her opposition most prominently includes the Blackwell boys—manipulative mentalist Elliot and his cousin, talented but disillusioned Beckett—who are grandsons of Matilda’s former husband and business partner turned rival. As Lia confronts the inherent sexism and underlying unscrupulousness of Mirror Lake’s magician community, she struggles to balance her own passion for magic with her growing attraction to Beckett. Lia and Beckett’s chemistry is no illusion; Parks (The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss) deftly merges their gentle blossoming romance with the mystique of conjuring, mind games, and card tricks to deliver an intriguing look into the behind-the-scenes world of stage magic, couched in a playful romantic comedy. Characters cue as white. Ages 12–up. Agent: Elizabeth Bennett, Transatlantic Literary.