Parties & Potions (Magic In Manhattan)

(Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Mlynowski’s fourth book featuring teenage witch sisters Miri and Rachel is just as funny and appealing as the first three. In this installment, Rachel is looking forward to sophomore year and her budding relationship with Raf. She definitely enjoys her new powers but is determined to keep her witchhood secret from her father, her friends, and especially from Raf. When Miri convinces her to undergo training for a Samsorta ceremony (a “débutante-slash-bat-mitzvah-slash-quinceañera witch party thing”), Rachel meets dozens of teenage witches and warlocks and gains a new perspective on witchery. Mlynowski balances Miri’s delight at finally having a social life with Rachel’s very real fears of what will happen if her friends and father find out that she is “different,” as, of course, they do. But the story is clever, Rachel is a hoot, the girls’ concerns are valid, and, best of all, Mlynowski leaves the sledgehammer in the closet and handles the “importance of being yourself” theme with a light touch. Grades 6-9. --Chris Sherman

Product Description

Perfect hair, cute clothes, healthy tans—life’s a breeze when you’re a witch! Even special witchcraft classes Rachel agrees to attend with Miri turn out to be fun. The sisters meet other teen witches just like them—who knew? Everyone’s preparing for a magical party called a Samsorta—a debutante ball for witches. And it wouldn’t be a ball without warlocks. Cute ones. Like Adam, who wants to slow dance with Rachel, and ski with her in the Rockies—on a school night! Of course, Rachel is madly in love with her boyfriend, Raf. So why can’t she bring herself to tell Adam—funny, charming Adam—that Raf exists?

Rachel knows Raf likes her. Maybe even, gulp, loves her. But Raf doesn’t know her secret. Unlike Adam, Raf doesn’t know who she really is. And she can never tell him. Or can she?

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (December 23, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385736452
• ISBN-13: 978-0385736459
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #99,146 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This item is part of The Magic in Manhattan Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars And Another Book Read Reviews, April 14, 2009

By	And Another Book Read - See all my reviews

Rachel's ready to start off her sophomore year of high school with a bang! Now that she's gotten her powers, and learned to semi control them, there's nothing holding her back from having the best year ever. Except there is one little hindrance, she has to keep her witch life and her "normal" life separated and the task is proving to be a lot harder then she thought.

First there is her Samsorta, which is pretty much a debutante ball for witches. Miri (her sister) and she have to take classes and learn that there are tons more teen witches out there. Rachel soon meets up with Adam, whose cute, funny, and a witch, but there's also Raf- adorable, sweet, and doesn't know Rachel's secret.

Then there is Wendalin - Miri's new witch friend who just started high school and doesn't understand why she can't let everyone know that she's a witch. Rachel kind of takes her under her wing and tries to change her into a more "normal" teenager.

And finally she has to deal with the fact that her dad still doesn't know that her and Miri are witches, and she's terrified to tell him.
Even though she's a witch and it takes nothing to hop on over to Paris or to change the color of her shirt, Rachel still has many issues that can't be solved with the snap of her fingers.

This whole series is seriously cute! The books always pick up right where the last left off with nothing missing. That said though, the story can definitely hold its own and it would be just as enjoyable read if no other book in the series had been read. Rachel kind of retells her past adventures throughout the story in a way that sparks your memory if it has been a while since you read the previous books, or will catch you up if you haven't read any of the other books.

One of the best parts of the book for me was the creativity of the plot. In all the types of fantasy realistic books I've read, I've never come across anything with a plot even remotely similar to this series and I feel that in Parties and Potions, Sarah Mlynowski's creativity is exemplified more then it ever has been before. Having a witch debutante ball and popping to Arizona to attend Samsorta classes at a witch community center! I felt like the book was something out of my wildest dreams! It was truly a blast to read this book.

The characters were fairly well developed. There were some times when I got frustrated because Rachel would act the same way in a multitude of different situations. When this happened the book dragged a little, but then it quickly picked up again and was great. I also really enjoyed the author's writing style. She made it really easy to see through Rachel's eyes and I felt like I was walking down the hallway with her or zapping off to Paris and standing on top of the Eifel tower.

Overall I really enjoyed the book and think it was a great addition to a fun series. It's a great book for all that provides a great adventure and some fun magic. I absolutely can't wait for more from Sarah Mlynowski and urge you all to pick up this book, or at least one of the books in the series!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enchanting Review: Parties & Potions, March 4, 2009

By	Enchanting Reviews "Lisa" - See all my reviews

PARTIES AND POTIONS
SARAH MLYNOWSKI
Paranormal YA
Delacorte

Rating: 5 Enchantments

PARTIES AND POTIONS is a really fun, paranormal read. Its definitely one of my top favorites of the year. When her younger sister Miri wants to delve deeper into the witch world, Rachel's resistant. Sure, its one thing to be a witch, but to be one openly is quite another. But when Miri gets them invited to dinner with one of her new witch friends, Wendaline, off of MyWitchBook, Rachel finds herself exposed to a whole new witchy world.

I really enjoyed PARTIES AND POTIONS. Ms. Mlynowski creates a wonderfully unique paranormal world that's easy to enjoy even if you haven't read the other books in the series. I was pulled into the story right from the start. Rachel is a great character, stuck having to deal with her younger sister Miri's obsession with having a Samsorta, a debutante-like debut for witches in Romania. Now Rachel's forced into Samsorta lessons, in Arizona no less, plus there's a cute warlock, Adam, who might just make things even more complicated. Things would be so much easier if she could tell her mortal boyfriend Raf that she's a witch, but she can't bring herself to do that. What if that breaks them up? Besides, she's just not as outgoing with her witchy ways as her new friend, Wendaline. And things get even more complicated when Miri suddenly decides they have to tell their father about their witchy ways.

I loved Rachel struggling to deal with her witchy ways in a mortal world and then in comes her new friend Wendaline, who keeps announcing to everyone she's a witch--she's definitely a scenestealer! One of my favorite scenes is when Rachel and Miri go to their first Simsorta, the warlock's version of a Samsorta. The mix of humor and paranormal really made this a great read.

This is the first of the series I've read and I absolutely enjoyed PARTIES AND POTIONS. Can't wait to pick up the other books and see how Rachel got to this point. If you're looking for a fun, guaranteed to make you smile paranormal, PARTIES AND POTIONS is definitely the one to pick up.

Sarah Mlynowski's novels include the first three books in the Magic in Manhattan series. Like Rachel, Sarah lives in Manhattan. Unlike Rachel, Sarah has no magical powers . . . yet. Visit her anyway at www.sarahm.com [...].

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
December 2008

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best one yet!, February 24, 2009

By	Little D (California) - See all my reviews

I really enjoyed this book in the series. I dont want to ruin the plot but I think it's even better than before with everything that happened. I hope there will be another book in the series to tie up everything together.