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The Charmed List
After spending most of high school as the quiet girl, Ellie Kobata 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. She’s looking forward to riding rollercoasters, making her art Instagram public (maybe), and going on an epic road-trip with her best friend Lia.
But when number four on Ellie’s list goes horribly wrong—revenge on Jack Yasuda—she’s certain her summer has gone from charmed to cursed. Instead of a road trip 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.
But when number four on Ellie’s list goes horribly wrong—revenge on Jack Yasuda—she’s certain her summer has gone from charmed to cursed. Instead of a road trip 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.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published July 5, 2022
About the author
Julie Abe
7 books556 followersJulie Abe is the author of the EVA EVERGREEN, SEMI-MAGICAL WITCH middle grade fantasy series; the middle grade fantasy ALLIANA, GIRL OF DRAGONS; and the young adult novel THE CHARMED LIST. She has lived in Silicon Valley, spent many humid summers in Japan, and currently basks in the sunshine of Southern California with never enough books or tea, where she creates stories about magical adventures.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 975 reviews
January 31, 2023
Sending my 5 billion magical stars to this extra cuteeeee story of extremely huggable, absolutely likable two main characters Ellie and Jack!
It was pleasure to walk in the memory lane of Jack and Ellie to understand how they become each other’s person, how they become best friends, what kind of adventures they had, how many secrets they shared and how they fell part!
Once upon a time they were best friends but now they’re enemies! After losing his mother Jack rejected to be around Ellie, humiliating her in front his new social circle. So Ellie becomes a wallflower, preferring to stay at the background like a wallflower. As Jack acts like she’s no one , she feels like she’s invisible. Thankfully she met with Lia who became her confidante even though she didn’t share the whole truth about her life like she and her family’s connection with true magic.
Now Ellie is excited for the road trip she’ll have with Lia and she’s adamant to check off each 13 items from her Anti- Wallflower list including falling in love, dancing under the stars, kissing a boy etc.
But one of the items of her list about avenging her ex friend and neighbor Jack Yesuda goes completely wrong. Now as a punishment, she’s stuck with him for a road trip to Magical Convention. She thinks she’s cursed but the list items she has to check off pushing her to remember her past with Jack, making her realize how much she missed him. Could they make things right and forgive each other for the mistakes they’ve made!
Such a heartfelt, energetic, inspirational, lovely friendship story with pure magical friends to lovers vibes ! I LOVED IT! One of the loveliest young adult romance reads I’ve lately read!
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
It was pleasure to walk in the memory lane of Jack and Ellie to understand how they become each other’s person, how they become best friends, what kind of adventures they had, how many secrets they shared and how they fell part!
Once upon a time they were best friends but now they’re enemies! After losing his mother Jack rejected to be around Ellie, humiliating her in front his new social circle. So Ellie becomes a wallflower, preferring to stay at the background like a wallflower. As Jack acts like she’s no one , she feels like she’s invisible. Thankfully she met with Lia who became her confidante even though she didn’t share the whole truth about her life like she and her family’s connection with true magic.
Now Ellie is excited for the road trip she’ll have with Lia and she’s adamant to check off each 13 items from her Anti- Wallflower list including falling in love, dancing under the stars, kissing a boy etc.
But one of the items of her list about avenging her ex friend and neighbor Jack Yesuda goes completely wrong. Now as a punishment, she’s stuck with him for a road trip to Magical Convention. She thinks she’s cursed but the list items she has to check off pushing her to remember her past with Jack, making her realize how much she missed him. Could they make things right and forgive each other for the mistakes they’ve made!
Such a heartfelt, energetic, inspirational, lovely friendship story with pure magical friends to lovers vibes ! I LOVED IT! One of the loveliest young adult romance reads I’ve lately read!
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
August 28, 2023
4.25⭐
Genre ~ YA
Publication date ~ July 5, 2022
Page Count ~ 297
Audio length ~ 7 hours and 32 minutes
Narrator ~ Natalie Naudus
POV ~ single
Featuring ~ teens, friends to enemies to lovers, road trip, magic, first love, cute
Ellie is shy and feels invisible, so she creates a summer bucket list before her planned road trip with her BFF, Lia. Something on the list goes wrong and now she's on a road trip with her former best friend and worse nightmare, Jack.
Ellie and Jack have known each other for years and each have magical abilities. They had a falling out after Jack's mom passed away and have avoided each other since.
Somewhere along the way to the Magical Convention they realize that maybe things were misconstrued. I liked seeing Ellie come out of her wallflowerness and grow into a young lady that takes chances on life and love.
Told solely by Ellie ~ I do wish we had Jack's point of view to see if he was as mad at her and she was at him.
Narration notes:
I am happy with Natalie's narrating skills.
Overall, this was cute and I'd be happy to read this author again.
*Thanks to MacMillan Audio, Julie Abe and NetGalley for the advance audiobook. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ YA
Publication date ~ July 5, 2022
Page Count ~ 297
Audio length ~ 7 hours and 32 minutes
Narrator ~ Natalie Naudus
POV ~ single
Featuring ~ teens, friends to enemies to lovers, road trip, magic, first love, cute
Ellie is shy and feels invisible, so she creates a summer bucket list before her planned road trip with her BFF, Lia. Something on the list goes wrong and now she's on a road trip with her former best friend and worse nightmare, Jack.
Ellie and Jack have known each other for years and each have magical abilities. They had a falling out after Jack's mom passed away and have avoided each other since.
Somewhere along the way to the Magical Convention they realize that maybe things were misconstrued. I liked seeing Ellie come out of her wallflowerness and grow into a young lady that takes chances on life and love.
Told solely by Ellie ~ I do wish we had Jack's point of view to see if he was as mad at her and she was at him.
Narration notes:
I am happy with Natalie's narrating skills.
Overall, this was cute and I'd be happy to read this author again.
*Thanks to MacMillan Audio, Julie Abe and NetGalley for the advance audiobook. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
March 26, 2022
pre-read: i need a light and enjoyable read post-poppy-war so hopefully this will be it
-
read: 3.6 stars. thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC! in ARC review fashion, i’ll now be sharing my positives and negatives of this book:
(+) forced proximity trope was present, but (-) enemies to lovers was lacking. did ellie hate jack? mmm, sure. did jack hate ellie? hardly. there’s nothing more disappointing than a one-sided enemy via poor communication trope.
(-) “we used to be best buddies, and now we’re not” yes ellie, i know. I KNOW. the story had so many mmm-i’ll-never-be-best-friends-with-jack-again moments that (back to my enemies to lovers point) it was less hatred and more i-miss-my-bestie-who-i’ve-grown-away-from.
(+) urban fantasy element. the whole magic system is nothing too serious and more of a “it’s here in the background of this contemporary read, just happening in a disney channel sort of way” which i actually didn’t mind at all. i haven’t read from this genre in absolutely forever, so it was a nice change of pace!!
(+) the bucket list plot. it’s a bucket list plot, no need to be ashamed. corny? a bit. but i actually enjoy bucket list plots (something about that step by step itinerary that keeps a book booked and busy) so i appreciated it.
(-) such a minor thing, but when books mention other books the weird product placement of it all makes me want to cry. this book did that and it felt like a youtube “this video is sponsored by…” moment.
-
recommend: considering this actually wasn’t as corny as the last few YA chicklits i’ve read (even though this one has every trope under the sun), sure. the urban fantasy adds a little something new, and this would work well as a quick feel-good summer beach read. understand before reading that it is beyond cliche, though. and sometimes there’s nothing wrong with that if it’s what you’re looking for!
-
read: 3.6 stars. thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC! in ARC review fashion, i’ll now be sharing my positives and negatives of this book:
(+) forced proximity trope was present, but (-) enemies to lovers was lacking. did ellie hate jack? mmm, sure. did jack hate ellie? hardly. there’s nothing more disappointing than a one-sided enemy via poor communication trope.
(-) “we used to be best buddies, and now we’re not” yes ellie, i know. I KNOW. the story had so many mmm-i’ll-never-be-best-friends-with-jack-again moments that (back to my enemies to lovers point) it was less hatred and more i-miss-my-bestie-who-i’ve-grown-away-from.
(+) urban fantasy element. the whole magic system is nothing too serious and more of a “it’s here in the background of this contemporary read, just happening in a disney channel sort of way” which i actually didn’t mind at all. i haven’t read from this genre in absolutely forever, so it was a nice change of pace!!
(+) the bucket list plot. it’s a bucket list plot, no need to be ashamed. corny? a bit. but i actually enjoy bucket list plots (something about that step by step itinerary that keeps a book booked and busy) so i appreciated it.
(-) such a minor thing, but when books mention other books the weird product placement of it all makes me want to cry. this book did that and it felt like a youtube “this video is sponsored by…” moment.
-
recommend: considering this actually wasn’t as corny as the last few YA chicklits i’ve read (even though this one has every trope under the sun), sure. the urban fantasy adds a little something new, and this would work well as a quick feel-good summer beach read. understand before reading that it is beyond cliche, though. and sometimes there’s nothing wrong with that if it’s what you’re looking for!
May 20, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC!
Guys. Why am I getting into romcoms now. Who am I. What’s happening.
The Charmed List is a cutesy, contemporary romance brimming with hidden magic and spells. It’s a best-friends-to-enemies-to-lovers plus a road trip and some forced proximity, and some very sweet foods.
I didn’t think I would care about the plot very much, which was kind of true, since rom-com type books don’t generally hold a lot of substance for me. But it was very entertaining and quick-paced.
Ellie’s perspective was what really drew me in, because she was very relatable and conveyed her emotions very clearly in her narrative. I liked that she was such a direct protagonist who made it easy to understand her.
I liked how Ellie, being an artist, had such vivid descriptions, and I liked that her emotions came through strongly. She and her personality were pretty simple, not one of the complex characters that I usually read, but it was refreshing - I could read exactly what she thought and how she felt about things.
That was kind of what drove the plot - Ellie’s ambitions and feelings.
Ellie’s family run a magical store in what they referred to as Sorcerer’s Square. Their biggest rival in the area is CharmWorks, run by the Yasuda family. Naturally, Jack Yasuda happens to be Ellie’s oldest childhood friend, and current greatest enemy.
Ellie, being a shy, quiet girl, has made it her goal over the summer to grow out of being a wallflower. To achieve this, she makes a list of thirteen things she wants to do on a summer road trip with her best friend, Lia.
1. Conquer (aka survive) the Giant Dipper at the Santa Cruz boardwalk
2. Pierce my upper ear cartilage and (hopefully) don’t faint
3. Crash a wedding with a +1
4. Revenge on Jack Yasuda
5. Go on a picnic date
6. Win a contest, any contest
7. Dance under the stars with someone
8. Make my art Instagram account public. Maybe.
9. Have a fake model shoot to use as a senior yearbook photo
10. Sneak onto the beach for midnight s’mores
11. The perfect first kiss
12. A summer boyfriend (or maybe for more than just the summer?)
13. Fall in love
When the revenge on Jack Yasuda entry goes wrong, thanks to a failed magical prank, Ellie finds herself punished by having to go on the road trip not with Lia, but with…Jack.
The romance was very cutesy. I can’t say I really shipped it, because I try not to let myself ship too easily (yes, I do try to be a romance and book substance snob), but it was very definitely adorable.
I love the childhood-friends trope because it adds so much chemistry. And it did exactly that with Ellie and Jack. They had such strong memories of each other and understood each other so perfectly, even though neither of them wanted to at the beginning. It added another layer to their relationship.
The forced proximity was also perfect for these two, because they were forced to actually deal with their emotions and opinions. It tied together all the history that they had.
“When I walk into a room, I see you,” he says. “It’s always been that way, from when we were kids, to when we didn’t talk much, to now. I always see you first, and to me, you light up the room in color.”
I’m not going to lie, I didn’t actually like Jack that much. He just seemed like an asshole at first, and I know that was what his character was supposed to be in the beginning. But the way he acted around Ellie felt so condescending and I wasn’t a fan of how he dealt with things.
There was nothing really wrong with his character, I just personally didn’t care about him very much. Which was the main reason I didn’t really care for the romance as much as I could have.
The main thing that I loved was the setting, with the magic that was included. I loved the idea of raw magic stemming from emotions, and spells being used in foods or magical objects. The hidden magical community felt so pretty and sweet, and I was in love with how well it was written into the modern world.
I loved the way the magic literally infused everything. I would die for a tea shop that sells happiness-enchanted matcha or a bakery with courage baked into the cupcakes. I want to live in this version of the world, please.
“But these spells we can do - clean things up, give a hint of joy or courage to someone’s day - it’s never enough to save someone's life or truly change the world. That’s what’s so bittersweet about the powers that we have. It’s like the chance to get everything we ever hoped for is just within reach, but knowing that hope, sometimes, isn’t enough.”
Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book if you like cute bewitched themes, enchanted settings, sweet romances, and contemporary romcom-books. It was very cute, quick and fun, and I liked it way more than I thought I would.
July 4, 2022
Charming!
Ellie Kobata is part of a magical community that no knows exists. She must keep that part of herself secret, even from her best friend, Lia. The only person that she relates to is Jack Yasuda, her former childhood friend who snubbed her years ago.
Ellie is ready to make some changes. She no longer wants to be a wallflower; she wants some excitement in her life and develops her Anti-Wallflower List. The list contains 13 things she wants to check off. But when something goes wrong it is not her friend, Lia that she is on a road trip with. Nope, now she is in a car taking a road trip with none other than Jack himself.
This is a YA romance that is charming and has a nice message about friendship, family, and love. It also has a magical theme which makes it unique and dare I say it again, charming!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Ellie Kobata is part of a magical community that no knows exists. She must keep that part of herself secret, even from her best friend, Lia. The only person that she relates to is Jack Yasuda, her former childhood friend who snubbed her years ago.
Ellie is ready to make some changes. She no longer wants to be a wallflower; she wants some excitement in her life and develops her Anti-Wallflower List. The list contains 13 things she wants to check off. But when something goes wrong it is not her friend, Lia that she is on a road trip with. Nope, now she is in a car taking a road trip with none other than Jack himself.
This is a YA romance that is charming and has a nice message about friendship, family, and love. It also has a magical theme which makes it unique and dare I say it again, charming!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
February 5, 2023
“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!!!
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!
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!!!
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!
March 5, 2022
i’d like to thank netgalley, wednesday books, and julie abe for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! this book is a cute and light-hearted read that i enjoyed a lot.
the charmed list follows ellie as she sets out to complete her summer “anti-wallflower” list. she ends up stuck with her old best friend, jack, on the way to a magical convention. i really enjoyed seeing ellie and jack interact while stuck together and watching their relationship unfold!
my favorite part of this story was definitely the magic. everything about it was super cute, from the magical village to the cottage, and it kept me intrigued. the descriptions were also really vivid and i enjoyed the writing style a lot.
this book is a fun and magical read that i recommend for when you need something light-hearted.
the charmed list follows ellie as she sets out to complete her summer “anti-wallflower” list. she ends up stuck with her old best friend, jack, on the way to a magical convention. i really enjoyed seeing ellie and jack interact while stuck together and watching their relationship unfold!
my favorite part of this story was definitely the magic. everything about it was super cute, from the magical village to the cottage, and it kept me intrigued. the descriptions were also really vivid and i enjoyed the writing style a lot.
this book is a fun and magical read that i recommend for when you need something light-hearted.
August 13, 2022
wow, this was a disaster.
Dnf- 30%
I don’t know if it gets any better. I don’t want to find out. I'm done torturing myself for the night. Thank you.
The plot? A summer list of being brave aka trying roller coaster, first kiss, falling in love bla bla bla.
This book also had one ofour my favourite trope aka the one and only BEST FRIENDS TO ENEMIES TO LOVERS trope.
Despite having so much potential this book failed to impress me. But this was good at one job specifically....making me yawn. Lol.
My main problem?
This was boring.
I really tried to like this but found myself skipping pages after the first couple of chapters.
Let's describe the protagonist, shall we?
She's one of those "Oh I'm nOt PrEtTy. I'm VeRy PlAiN"
You know what I'm talking about? Yes. EXACTLY THAT. What in the name of pick me is this girl? Whyyyyyyyyyyy?
There's a whole magical system going on in this book which could have been intriguing but somehow I ended up giving zero fucks about.
The plot, the protagonist, her love interest, the whole family bonding, that stupid list, the writing style EVERYTHING BORED ME TO DEATH. I'm just glad this is over and now I can go back and find a good fluffy book with couples that actually has chemistry and a plot that is not rushing like a bullet train.
The cover is very cute though. Only if the book was half as cute as the cover. But I guess you can't charm a book into being you know, interesting?
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for granting me with an arc copy.
Dnf- 30%
I don’t know if it gets any better. I don’t want to find out. I'm done torturing myself for the night. Thank you.
The plot? A summer list of being brave aka trying roller coaster, first kiss, falling in love bla bla bla.
This book also had one of
Despite having so much potential this book failed to impress me. But this was good at one job specifically....making me yawn. Lol.
My main problem?
This was boring.
I really tried to like this but found myself skipping pages after the first couple of chapters.
Let's describe the protagonist, shall we?
She's one of those "Oh I'm nOt PrEtTy. I'm VeRy PlAiN"
You know what I'm talking about? Yes. EXACTLY THAT. What in the name of pick me is this girl? Whyyyyyyyyyyy?
There's a whole magical system going on in this book which could have been intriguing but somehow I ended up giving zero fucks about.
The plot, the protagonist, her love interest, the whole family bonding, that stupid list, the writing style EVERYTHING BORED ME TO DEATH. I'm just glad this is over and now I can go back and find a good fluffy book with couples that actually has chemistry and a plot that is not rushing like a bullet train.
The cover is very cute though. Only if the book was half as cute as the cover. But I guess you can't charm a book into being you know, interesting?
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for granting me with an arc copy.
July 23, 2024
I spy with my little eye a cover deception.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘴𝘵 follows former bestfriends Ellie and Jack on a summer road trip to a convention and are tasked with delivering 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢��� goods to customers along the way. Easy enough right? Wrong because Ellie couldn't possibly hate Jack any more.
But the miles are long, there are overnight stays and a past to be uncovered, so who knows maybe there'll be more than just a reconnection?
- ~ -
Have you ever read a book then wondered whether we all read the same thing?
Because here I am doing the very same. Everyone seems to love this while I'm not entirely convinced that this isn't a charmed book itself and I've read something different because my only reaction seems to be "huh?".
To be clear, this isn't a bad book by any stretch of imagination. It just that the writing reminds me of one of those teen shows that used to air on Disney channel, wherein they'd focus on various heavy topics which were swiftly dealt away with magic or in some cases love.
But who am I kidding? This is a YA book so I guess it works for it, although not my preferred cup of tea.
- ~ -
To be fair this is the quintessential summer read. It did have the perfect beach vibes with magical realism and a ex-friends to lovers trope, so do with that what you will.
I can't quite pinpoint the exact issue I have with the story other than the writing which gave me a sugar rush with all its cuteness (wierd issue to have I know). So I'd recommend anyone wanting to give book a try to read other reviews and not let their mood be dampened by this one.
- ~ -
3.01 / 5✩
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘵. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯'𝘴 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 & 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘴𝘵 follows former bestfriends Ellie and Jack on a summer road trip to a convention and are tasked with delivering 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢��� goods to customers along the way. Easy enough right? Wrong because Ellie couldn't possibly hate Jack any more.
But the miles are long, there are overnight stays and a past to be uncovered, so who knows maybe there'll be more than just a reconnection?
- ~ -
Have you ever read a book then wondered whether we all read the same thing?
Because here I am doing the very same. Everyone seems to love this while I'm not entirely convinced that this isn't a charmed book itself and I've read something different because my only reaction seems to be "huh?".
To be clear, this isn't a bad book by any stretch of imagination. It just that the writing reminds me of one of those teen shows that used to air on Disney channel, wherein they'd focus on various heavy topics which were swiftly dealt away with magic or in some cases love.
But who am I kidding? This is a YA book so I guess it works for it, although not my preferred cup of tea.
- ~ -
To be fair this is the quintessential summer read. It did have the perfect beach vibes with magical realism and a ex-friends to lovers trope, so do with that what you will.
I can't quite pinpoint the exact issue I have with the story other than the writing which gave me a sugar rush with all its cuteness (wierd issue to have I know). So I'd recommend anyone wanting to give book a try to read other reviews and not let their mood be dampened by this one.
- ~ -
3.01 / 5✩
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘵. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯'𝘴 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 & 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.
July 9, 2022
i honestly don’t know how i managed to finish this.
rtc.
rtc.
December 1, 2021
3.5 stars
This was such a fun read! It contains some of my favorite rom-com tropes of all time, best friends to enemies to lovers with forced proximity.
I found the story heartwarming and I adored both characters!It has a little bit of everything, it's sweet,funny and cute.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a fun read! It contains some of my favorite rom-com tropes of all time, best friends to enemies to lovers with forced proximity.
I found the story heartwarming and I adored both characters!It has a little bit of everything, it's sweet,funny and cute.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 9, 2022
Julie Abe's books give me so many Ghibli vibes, I love it! This was the perfect book to read on a lazy Sunday morning. It has a perfect balance of magical elements in a contemporary setting, in a way that made it feel completely natural that the magic was there, because all of the contemporary stuff got a magical feel to it as well. And it was just such an adorable book!
August 8, 2022
Rating: 2.5-3ish stars
The idea was cute but I didn't really care about the characters so 🤷🏻♀️
The idea was cute but I didn't really care about the characters so 🤷🏻♀️
June 17, 2024
Przesłodka młodzieżówka z wieloma morałami!
Lektura idealna dla młodszych czytelników. Podczas czytania uśmiech sam pojawia się na twarzy, a to wszystko w magicznej atmosferze, przeplatającej się z pysznie brzmiącym jedzeniem 💜🪄 (zgłodniałam minimum 5 razy)
Lektura idealna dla młodszych czytelników. Podczas czytania uśmiech sam pojawia się na twarzy, a to wszystko w magicznej atmosferze, przeplatającej się z pysznie brzmiącym jedzeniem 💜🪄 (zgłodniałam minimum 5 razy)
January 7, 2023
4.5✨
O sihirli kekler ve çayların kokusu burnumdayken bu kitabı sevmeseydim kendime ve tüm sihir alemine ayıp ederdim herhalde.. Kitabı çok sevdimmmm tam bir genç kurgu kitabıydı gerçekten ısırmak istedim her karakteri.. Evreni, dili, akıcılığıyla kalbimi çalsa da Ellie ve Jack'in ilişkisine içim gitti🥺 kıyamam Ellie'yi çok sevdim gerçekten keşke biraz daha okuyabilseydik ilişkilerini yetmedi banaaa
O sihirli kekler ve çayların kokusu burnumdayken bu kitabı sevmeseydim kendime ve tüm sihir alemine ayıp ederdim herhalde.. Kitabı çok sevdimmmm tam bir genç kurgu kitabıydı gerçekten ısırmak istedim her karakteri.. Evreni, dili, akıcılığıyla kalbimi çalsa da Ellie ve Jack'in ilişkisine içim gitti🥺 kıyamam Ellie'yi çok sevdim gerçekten keşke biraz daha okuyabilseydik ilişkilerini yetmedi banaaa
January 3, 2023
Kitabı bu kadar beğenmeyi asla beklemiyordum çünkü puanı ortada 🤦🏻♀️
Ama o kadar tatlı o kadar minnoş bir gençlik kitabıydı ki cidden Elli ve Jack’in o yolculuğu..
Bu tarz kitaplar çoğu zaman duygu açısından tatmin etmiyor veya olaylar geç açılıyor bunda cidden tam yerindeydi 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻
Ama o kadar tatlı o kadar minnoş bir gençlik kitabıydı ki cidden Elli ve Jack’in o yolculuğu..
Bu tarz kitaplar çoğu zaman duygu açısından tatmin etmiyor veya olaylar geç açılıyor bunda cidden tam yerindeydi 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻
April 26, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an arc of this book! This was really cute, the magic system was really cool, and just the overall vibe was good. Even with it being YA, it’s still not like I feel as if I can’t connect to the characters because I could with Ellie.
TW/ CW: death of a parent
TW/ CW: death of a parent
July 13, 2022
Friends to enemies evolves into enemies to lovers, with a road trip and magic?
Yup, I'm in!
I really enjoyed this one.
There is a lot of funny bits, and some wonderful magical stops on this road trip.
The characters are well developed and the slow(ish) reveal on the past they are avoiding is lovely.
Much love to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for my DRC.
Yup, I'm in!
I really enjoyed this one.
There is a lot of funny bits, and some wonderful magical stops on this road trip.
The characters are well developed and the slow(ish) reveal on the past they are avoiding is lovely.
Much love to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for my DRC.
July 3, 2022
The Charmed List
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance /Rom-Com
Format: Audible
Date Published: 7/5/22
Author: Julie Abe
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Narrator: Natalie Naudus
Goodreads Rating: The Audible is not listed on Goodreads, overall book is 3.95
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: After spending most of high school as the quiet girl, Ellie Kobata is ready to have a life-changing summer, starting with her Anti-Wallflower List—thirteen items she’s going to check off one by one. When number four on Ellie’s list goes horribly wrong—revenge on Jack Yasuda—she’s certain her summer has gone from charmed to cursed. Instead of a road trip 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.
My Thoughts: This was such a cute listen. The perfect summer read. The story is in the POV of Ellie, from her perspective. The narrator was amazing and was able to provide the different voices of the characters perfectly. The altitudes of the voice change really made this an enjoyable listen. The characters have depth, there is witty banter, there is chemistry between the two MCs, the supporting characters really take the story to the next level, and they were creative. The story had a magical side to it and I really loved that. Ellie really comes out of her shell throughout the story and her growth is just amazing, as well as the growth that we see Jack experience. The author’s writing style was complex, very creative, inventive, and kept me engaged the entire book. The author was brilliant in describing the California coast, you felt like you were right on the roadtrip with the characters, and felt the emotions they felt. This is a first time author for me, but not a last. I really enjoyed the audio version and highly recommend that you preorder right now for the release on Tuesday!!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance /Rom-Com
Format: Audible
Date Published: 7/5/22
Author: Julie Abe
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Narrator: Natalie Naudus
Goodreads Rating: The Audible is not listed on Goodreads, overall book is 3.95
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: After spending most of high school as the quiet girl, Ellie Kobata is ready to have a life-changing summer, starting with her Anti-Wallflower List—thirteen items she’s going to check off one by one. When number four on Ellie’s list goes horribly wrong—revenge on Jack Yasuda—she’s certain her summer has gone from charmed to cursed. Instead of a road trip 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.
My Thoughts: This was such a cute listen. The perfect summer read. The story is in the POV of Ellie, from her perspective. The narrator was amazing and was able to provide the different voices of the characters perfectly. The altitudes of the voice change really made this an enjoyable listen. The characters have depth, there is witty banter, there is chemistry between the two MCs, the supporting characters really take the story to the next level, and they were creative. The story had a magical side to it and I really loved that. Ellie really comes out of her shell throughout the story and her growth is just amazing, as well as the growth that we see Jack experience. The author’s writing style was complex, very creative, inventive, and kept me engaged the entire book. The author was brilliant in describing the California coast, you felt like you were right on the roadtrip with the characters, and felt the emotions they felt. This is a first time author for me, but not a last. I really enjoyed the audio version and highly recommend that you preorder right now for the release on Tuesday!!!
April 17, 2022
Thank you netgalley for this ARC!
release date: july 5th 2022
this book was sooooo cute! childhood friends to enemies to lovers ?? forced proximity?? one bed trope?? AND MAGIC ?? the bucket list trope?? this book had it all! i loved the banter and the dynamic between these two characters. their development was amazing, i just wish the ending hadn’t been so rushed:/ but that being said, this was overall a very enjoyable read!
the relationship itself had so many adorable moments! their tension?? the JEALOUSY?? hello. loved it loved it. this is definitely a book i’ll think about picking up again during the summer!! it’s cute, it’s quick & will have you smiling AND laughing!
the plot was fun, nothing too complicated, nothing too basic! the magic definitely added some intrigue to it, for sure! the writing was also really entertaining, it really made me wanting to keep reading!
& characters? jack i am in love with you.
anyways, definitely check this out xxx
release date: july 5th 2022
this book was sooooo cute! childhood friends to enemies to lovers ?? forced proximity?? one bed trope?? AND MAGIC ?? the bucket list trope?? this book had it all! i loved the banter and the dynamic between these two characters. their development was amazing, i just wish the ending hadn’t been so rushed:/ but that being said, this was overall a very enjoyable read!
the relationship itself had so many adorable moments! their tension?? the JEALOUSY?? hello. loved it loved it. this is definitely a book i’ll think about picking up again during the summer!! it’s cute, it’s quick & will have you smiling AND laughing!
the plot was fun, nothing too complicated, nothing too basic! the magic definitely added some intrigue to it, for sure! the writing was also really entertaining, it really made me wanting to keep reading!
& characters? jack i am in love with you.
anyways, definitely check this out xxx
May 15, 2022
This was a really sweet and cute young adult romance. I'm always a sucker for the childhood best friends trope and having that friendship shift to enemies had me turning the pages to find out what went wrong in Ellie and Jack's relationship. The magical elements were a little confusing at first, but after I got used to the world, they were a fun and creative addition. I also really enjoyed the California setting and it was great to see cities and local establishments highlighted.
The premise of The Charmed List (ex-BFF's reconnecting/getting a second chance on a road trip) was great, but the pacing overall was on the slower side. Things went into overdrive at the end though, and it made the conclusion feel very rushed - especially after so much build up about why things between Ellie and Jack went south. The ending was very sweet though and left me smiling. A cute and quick read!
3.5 stars
CW: death of parents/loved one (past), grief, financial insecurity, classism
*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*
The premise of The Charmed List (ex-BFF's reconnecting/getting a second chance on a road trip) was great, but the pacing overall was on the slower side. Things went into overdrive at the end though, and it made the conclusion feel very rushed - especially after so much build up about why things between Ellie and Jack went south. The ending was very sweet though and left me smiling. A cute and quick read!
3.5 stars
CW: death of parents/loved one (past), grief, financial insecurity, classism
*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*
August 14, 2022
This was an okay story, but I did find the characters quite annoying and it really didn't find it's feet until the last 50 pages. The magical elements really started to work at the end, especially with the magical Escape Room Ellie and Jack found themselves in, but for most of the book the magic felt layered on top of a really generic rivals-to-lovers romance.
October 1, 2022
The Charmed list
Julie Abe
The charmed List was such a joyous and charming read, that my teenage heart fluttered and swooned.
This was super cute and I listened to this on audio as narrated by my fave Natalie Naudus and seriously I was magically lost in this world Julie Abe created.
This was such an enchanting story about first loves, childhood friendships and family.
Julie Abe
The charmed List was such a joyous and charming read, that my teenage heart fluttered and swooned.
This was super cute and I listened to this on audio as narrated by my fave Natalie Naudus and seriously I was magically lost in this world Julie Abe created.
This was such an enchanting story about first loves, childhood friendships and family.
July 3, 2021
I loved this book! RTC <3
January 9, 2023
I’ve finally caught up on reading all of Julie Abe’s published novels after finishing The Charmed List! Abe’s YA debut is, as the title suggests, utterly charming. It captures the feel of a magical shojo anime with touches of whimsy (in the form of magic that I 100% existed in real life, please and thank you), and it also has a simple, heartwarming tale at its core that made a tear or two appear in my eye towards the end. That said, there does happen to be a touch too much teen angst (and repetitiveness) for my personal taste, so if you’re not into that, consider yourself forewarned. Still, I enjoyed the time I spent reading The Charmed List and will definitely read anything and everything Julie Abe writes!
October 2, 2024
I really wanted to enjoy this one.. it seemed like a cute and fun read at first.
The characters were very boring. The main character was annoying and immature. I finished this in hopes it would get better or pay off, but it didn't 😔
The characters were very boring. The main character was annoying and immature. I finished this in hopes it would get better or pay off, but it didn't 😔
Read
June 20, 2023i got about 40 pages into this book before dnfing it. i just was not invested in the characters and the whole magic part did not live up to the feeling. it felt very...childish.
Read
March 28, 2022Ellie used to be best friends with Jack--their families both are part of a secret magical community.
Then something happened, Jack became Ellie's worst enemy. And now the two have to take a road trip together.
We know the tropes, including the wacky bucket list of things Ellie "has" to do during the road trip. We know how it will end. The fun is in getting there. This was the perfect late night read after a way when the news just seemed impossibly grim. It was a light, lovely bit of magic.
Copy provided by NetGalley
Then something happened, Jack became Ellie's worst enemy. And now the two have to take a road trip together.
We know the tropes, including the wacky bucket list of things Ellie "has" to do during the road trip. We know how it will end. The fun is in getting there. This was the perfect late night read after a way when the news just seemed impossibly grim. It was a light, lovely bit of magic.
Copy provided by NetGalley
February 12, 2023
A cute, feel-good read with magical Studio Ghibli vibes! Endearing, fast-paced, and delightfully whimsical. This book is the perfect reading companion for a beach trip or any kind of traveling, to be honest.
Recommended!
🌻🍃 More bookish content on Shut up, Shealea 🍃🌻
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Recommended!
🌻🍃 More bookish content on Shut up, Shealea 🍃🌻
instagram • pinterest • twitter • ko-fi
November 24, 2021
This one was so adorable! I'm not normally a fan of urban fantasy type reads, but I think the magical aspects of this one are part of the reason I fell in love with this one. Everything about it was so charming and sweet, it was the perfect rainy day read
So many times, YA romances rely on a contemporary setting to carry them. This one was contemporary, but I absolutely loved the magic. From the magical village to the cottage, everything about it sounded so adorable. It stole my heart dragged it into a place of magic and possibility. Every description was so vivid, by the end, I could practically see the magic dust shimmering. I didn't know this one had magic when I picked it up, but I'm so happy it did.
I also really loved the relationship between Ellie and Jack. I tend to avoid friends to lovers stories, but I loved the extra bits of tension it added. They both knew each other so well, knew exactly how to hurt each other. This prior knowledge combined with their current hatred made such a cool dynamic. I loved watching them slowly reconnect again, especially because they did it in such adorable ways.
I picked this one up because of the cute cover, and ended up loving it because of the characters. So many times I've been disappointed by cover buys, but this wasn't one of them. I'd definitely recommend it!
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
So many times, YA romances rely on a contemporary setting to carry them. This one was contemporary, but I absolutely loved the magic. From the magical village to the cottage, everything about it sounded so adorable. It stole my heart dragged it into a place of magic and possibility. Every description was so vivid, by the end, I could practically see the magic dust shimmering. I didn't know this one had magic when I picked it up, but I'm so happy it did.
I also really loved the relationship between Ellie and Jack. I tend to avoid friends to lovers stories, but I loved the extra bits of tension it added. They both knew each other so well, knew exactly how to hurt each other. This prior knowledge combined with their current hatred made such a cool dynamic. I loved watching them slowly reconnect again, especially because they did it in such adorable ways.
I picked this one up because of the cute cover, and ended up loving it because of the characters. So many times I've been disappointed by cover buys, but this wasn't one of them. I'd definitely recommend it!
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
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