Customer Reviews

The Salem Witch Tryouts

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For Prudence Stewart, sixteen, leaving behind her home and school in Beverly Hills to move to Salem, Massachusetts, is more than just an inconvenience. She's worked for years to get where she is--which is near the top of the Beverly Hills High School popularity list. Right before she was to be named the youngest head cheerleader ever, her parents announced the move to Salem. It seems that Pru's younger brother, Dorklock (or, if you prefer, Tobias), needs to attend school in Salem, where he can get a handle on his powers. Yes, powers. Oh, did I forget to mention that Pru and Dorklock are the half-mortal, half-witch children of their four-hundred-year-old mother, Patience?

Yes, Patience Stewart is a witch. And although her husband is a mortal and still freaks at the thought of magic, he's realized that his children need to be in a place where they can attend schools that are specifically designed for witches. So off the family drives to Salem (much to Pru's disbelief; after all, her mom zapped their furniture to their new home, but they have to drive?), where Pru quickly realizes that her former popularity and academic excellence don't mean much at Agatha's Day School for Witches.

It's bad enough that for her sixteen years back in Beverly Hills her mother had discouraged her from using magic. Now she's changed her tune--use magic for this, practice your magic on that. But Pru is woefully lacking in the magic department. She's been put in remedial classes (remedial? the horror!), the students at Agatha's stare at her as if she's some type of mutant freak, she still hasn't manifested a Talent, and she has to actually try out for the cheerleading squad. Try out. Her, Miss Was-Going-To-Be-The-Youngest-Head-Cheerleader-In-History. Yes, Salem is turning out to be a real pain.

I loved THE SALEM WITCH TRYOUTS! A truly original twist on being the new kid in a brand new school, it's fun and interesting to watch Prudence develop her powers, interact with students who think mortals are a new type of abnormality, and learn what it means to be a cheerleader on a squad that uses magic in their routines. I really hope there are more books planned in this series--and if the pimple-inducing spell at the end of the book is any indication, there will be!

Sixteen-year-old Prudence "Pru" Stewart knows Beverly Hills, California like the back of her hand. After all, she's lived there since birth, and, even though she's not allowed to practice the magic she was born with, she's always had everything. At least in the bubble of Beverly Hills High, where she was not only popular and smart, but about to be named the youngest captain of the varsity cheerleading squad in Beverly Hills High history. But all that changes when her pesky little brother, the Dorklock, begins having trouble containing his magic. Suddenly, Pru is uprooted from her privileged, posh life, and forced to grow accustomed to Salem, Massachusetts, where her and her little bro are forced to attend Agatha's Day School for Witches. The Dorklock doesn't mind, of course, considering he's been placed in the gifted and talented classes at school. But things are much different for Pru. The fact that she's hardly used magic in the last sixteen-years of her life has left her behind the curve, and suddenly she finds herself in a long list of remedial classes, struggling to keep up with witches half her age. As if that weren't bad enough, cheerleading is practically out of the question. Instead of doing routines on solid ground, the squad at Agatha's is completely magic-driven, leaving Pru on the outs, once again. But that doesn't stop her from heading off to tryouts, and attempting to compete against the best of the best. After all, Pru has been a cheerleader long enough to realize that practice makes perfect. And if she wants to make it at Agatha's, she's going to have to practice 'til smoke comes out of her ears.

The cover illustration of THE SALEM WITCH TRYOUTS is eye-catching enough to grab your attention, but it's Kelly McClymer's fabulous storyline that will keep you reading long into the night. Pru is the girl you'd love to hate, but her sweet personality makes that near-impossible; while her adjustments to leaving Beverly Hills and growing accustomed to Salem, Massachusetts keep you sympathizing with the peppy little witch. From spells gone awry, to in-the-air cheerleading, McClymer keeps the reader on the edge of their seat from beginning to end, leaving them with a cliff-hanger that will surely have them scrambling after the next book in the series. Mixing a touch of "Bewitched" and a dash of "Legally Blonde," McClymer has created a character who will touch your heart, and keep you rooting for her from beginning to end.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

This is a fun light read that will appeal to girls. It follows Prudence Stewart and her family as they move from Beverly Hills to Salem, Massachusetts. They move because Prudence, her mother, and brother are all witches. While they lived in Beverly Hills, they did not practice magic and pretty much lived normal lives. When Pru's brother began to manifest his magic powers, their mother decided it was time for the kids to go to witch school in Salem. So off they went. While Prudence used to be one of the top students and cheerleaders at her old school, she suddenly finds herself struggling to learn magic and barely making the cheer squad in Salem. She meets a few people who help her along the way and also a couple who get her in trouble. This is the first book in a trilogy, so there were a lot of loose ends yet when the book ended, but it was a fast funny read and I recommend it to girls 12+

At Beverly Hills High, Prudence Stewart was a shoe-in for head cheerleader. She had the perfect grades and the perfect guy to drool over... until her mom and dad decided it was time for Pru and her brother to start learning to use the magic they've been denied for years. Which means not just leaving behind sunny California for dull Massachusetts but leaving behind the only lifestyle they've really known. While her little brother might be totally okay with the change, Pru is anything but happy!

If there's one thing that can save Pru from loserville at her new school it's joining the cheerleading squad. If only the girls at Agatha's Day School didn't do their routines in the air. Hopefully with a little tutoring and a lot of practice Pru can catch up in her magic studies and master the fine art of cheering with a witch squad. Maybe, just maybe if she does she'll get her cool factor back and fit in with her peers just magically.

If you're looking for something with a little more humor and a lot less angst, The Salem Witch Tryouts is a good place to start. The whole Beverly Hills cheerleader thing has been done in urban fantasy before but doesn't lose any of it's charm with this one. Pru isn't the snotty cheerleader one might expect though she does have some snobby moments and certainly thinks very highly of herself. Going from being Miss Popular to remedial magic student would certainly be tough on any young woman but she handles it with a decent dose of positivity and determination.

Overall this was definitely on the lighter side of urban fantasy but I personally love witch stories and thought this one was really cute and funny. The world of magic that McClymer has set up for this series is fairly unique and Agatha's Day School is definitely not Hogwarts but could appeal to that same audience if they were looking for an Americanized witch school. I really had a good time reading this book because of the lighter tone and my only real beef was the text-speak conversations tossed in between Pru and her friend back in Beverly Hills.

Prudence Stewart just received the worst news she's ever heard. Just when she had it all: straight A's, a hot crush, and picked as captain of the cheerleading squad her parents announce they're moving from their posh Beverly Hills home to Salem, Massachusetts. Pru's annoying little brother, otherwise known as Dorklock, is going through growing pains with a twist. He can't control is magic around mortals so the family is forced to leave. Now Pru is miserable and if you can believe it she's stuck in remedial magic classes since she was never allowed to practice her magic in Beverly Hills. Worst of all, even the cheerleaders bring a special "spirit" to their routine. As in, triple-back-somersault-with-a-twist kind of spirit. It's time for Pru to cast a spell and prove she's just as enchanting as the next girl.

I thought this book was great. It reminded me of my younger years glued to the screen watching Bewitched. Pru is portrayed as a typical teen with the requisite annoying little brother and the characters are very real. I also loved the storyline and how different it is from other teen reads. I've already started book two, Competition's a Witch and recommend this book to all teens and adults who love YA books.

This was very witch like. It's very different from other witch books. It's a likable read and I would really recommend it to people who really are interested in to these type of books.

I hate spoiler reviews so just know that if you buy this book, you will not be disappointed. It's adorable. I'm looking forward to the sequel! :)

I wont go into details about the story since others have already done this.
I think this is a great book for teens, whether you're a cheerleader or not. It has a mixture of everyday teen drama (making friends, being popular, boy trouble, and getting good grades) with the paranormal twist of being at a school for witches.

Also recommended:
Kieran Scott - I Was a Non-Blonde Cheerleader
Sarah Mlynowski - Bras & Broomsticks
Sarah Mlynowski - Frogs & French Kisses