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WORK TITLE: The Best Kind of Magic
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.crystalcestari.com/
CITY: Chicago
STATE:
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Children: one daughter.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and novelist.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Chicago-based author Crystal Cestari is a novelist with a deep interest in characters who shoulder heavy responsibilities to serve the world around them while their efforts remain largely unrecognized and unappreciated. “My favorite show of all time is Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and one thing I always appreciated was how Buffy was handling such a powerful responsibility while the world around her had no idea,” Cestari told an interviewer on the website Adventures in YA Publishing.
With her love of Buffy as a foundation, Cestari asked herself the question that would lead to her debut novel, The Best Kind of Magic. “I wondered what it would be like if you could actually see true love, and your head was filled with nothing but romance and happy endings all day. Would it be amazing, or could there be a downside to a non-stop love fest?,” Cestari remarked to an interviewer on the Then There Were Books Blog.
Amber Sands, the protagonist of The Best Kind of Magic, lives that type of romantic existence every day. She has the magical ability to look into anyone’s eyes and see his or her romantic soul mate. It takes only five seconds of eye contact for the image to appear, and so far Amber has been right every time. Amber “does not save lives [like Buffy], but she shares that struggle in that her matchmaking ability is not something she can control or turn off; she’s fighting her own good fight everyday in the name of love,” Cestari told the Adventures in YA Publishing interviewer.
Although Amber’s abilities as a matchmaker are convenient for those seeking true love, they don’t have much use in the larger magical community. She is descended from a long line of strong witches, such as her own mother, but the truly powerful magic in her lineage seems to have skipped her. Instead, she must be content with a magical ability that ranks even lower than magicians who perform at birthday parties. As a high school senior, Amber works in her mother’s magic shop in the tourist area of Chicago’s Navy Pier. Her best friend, Amani, a precog who can see the future, has even stronger magical powers than she. To preserve their friendship (and maybe even their sanity), Amber and Amani have agreed to never reveal what they may discover about each other through their magic powers.
Amber’s life takes a romantic turn of its own when Charlie Blitzman, the son of the city’s mayor and the most handsome and eligible boy in school, asks her for help in tracking down his father’s missing girlfriend. She is happy to help, and as the two spend more time together, a romantic attraction sparks between them. To her dismay, however, Amber realizes that she is not the person she sees as Charlie’s true love. Miserable but happy at the same time, she wonders how much good it will do to pursue a relationship with Charlie when she’s clearly not the one for him. Could fate, and her matchmaking ability, be wrong just this once?
With this novel, “Cestari adds amusing magical underpinnings to familiar growing pains,” observed a Publishers Weekly writer. “The conclusion and the characters will leave readers wanting more,” noted Faythe Arredondo in a School Library Journal review. Voice of Youth Advocates contributor Debbie Wenk concluded, “This is an entertaining tale, and readers who like paranormal stories that are not dark will relish it.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, April 1, 2017, Maggie Reagan, review of The Best Kind of Magic, p. 66.
Kirkus Reviews, March 15, 2017, review of The Best Kind of Magic.
Publishers Weekly, April 3, 2017, review of The Best Kind of Magic, p. 77.
School Library Journal, April, 2017, Faythe Arredondo, review of The Best Kind of Magic, p. 146.
Voice of Youth Advocates, April, 2017, Debbie Wenk, review of The Best Kind of Magic, p. 69.
ONLINE
Adventures in YA Publishing, http://www.adventuresinyapublishing.com/ (May 20, 2017), “Crystal Cestari, Author of The Best Kind of Magic, on the Intimidating Blank Screen,” interview with Crystal Cestari.
Bibliobibuli YA, http://www.bibliobibuliya.com/ (May 23, 2017), “Curbing Curiosities with an Interview with Crystal Cestari, Author of the Best Kind of Magic.”
Crystal Cestari Website, http://www.crystalcestari.com (January 8, 2018).
Then There Were Books Blog, http://thentherewerebooksblog.wordpress.com/ (March 26, 2017), “The Best Kind of Magic Author Crystal Cestari Q&A.”
Hi!
With rainbows in my hair and stories in my head, I am a writer drawn to magic in the everyday world.
My debut novel, The Best Kind of Magic, arrives May 16, 2017 from Hyperion. Follow Amber Sand, a magical matchmaker who can actually see true love, as she takes off on a fun and romantic adventure toward happily ever after.
THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC AUTHOR CRYSTAL CESTARI Q&A
March 26, 2017
If you don’t know, I’ve recently been getting a few (very many) Advance Reader’s Copies and I love that, the first book I was granted to read was The Best Kind of Magic by Crystal Cestari.
From the get go that story captivated my attention and I was so glad I got to read it that even after a little over a month since I’ve read it I can’t stop thinking about it.
The author of this book sent me a physical book for you guys to win and she also agreed to do a little Questions and Answers about the book and her writing process so here it is:
Q: What was the inspiration behind creating a magical character that the only magic they had was to see other people’s soulmates?
A: I love love stories, and I’ve always been drawn to worlds with a hint of magic (my favorite show of all time is Buffy the Vampire Slayer). I wondered what it would be like if you could actually see true love, and your head was filled with nothing but romance and happy endings all day. Would it be amazing, or could there be a downside to a non-stop love fest? A lot of supernatural characters eventually struggle with their magical gift, and Amber is no different. She wholeheartedly believes in love, but fears she’ll never find it for herself: this was the catalyst for the story.
Q: What was your favorite part about writing The Best Kind of Magic?
A: Amber’s voice came to me fast and furious. When I first got the idea, I wrote the first three chapters in one sitting. Amber is so funny, confident, and strong; she gets all the sassy one-liners I could never say in real life! But I also loved playing with the struggle between fate and choice; Amber spent most of her life believing that life’s journey is written in the stars, only to find out that may or may not not be true.
Q: If Amber could have any other magical power what do you think she would choose?
A: Even though Amber’s a matchmaker, she doesn’t exactly have a heart of gold; I bet she’d choose invisibility to pull pranks on her enemies (of which she has quite a few!).
Q: If YOU could have any magical power what would it be?
A:Teleportation!
I love to travel and explore new places, but have been cursed with motion sickness, making the actual act of traveling tricky. If I could just grab a portkey or floo powder to get around, that’d be ideal.
Q: Is there a playlist for the Best Kind of Magic?
A: I don’t usually listen to music while writing, because I often get distracted and start singing along, but several scenes are heavily influenced by particular songs.
While writing the ’50s-inspired dance party scene at Navy Pier, I listened to “Dance With Me Tonight” by Olly Murs on repeat. Now I can’t listen to it without thinking about Amber and Charlie!
Q: And lastly, anything you want to say to the readers about the book that would get them excited to read it?
A: Someone once described this story as “Emma meets Harry Potter“, a combination that completely melts my fangirl heart. If you like light, funny adventures mixed with romance and a pinch of fairies, vampires, witches, and cupcakes, spend some time with Amber Sand: your friendly neighborhood matchmaker.
Saturday, May 20, 2017
0Crystal Cestari, author of THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC, on the intimidating blank screen
It is always a magical experience to talk to an author about their debut novel, and today Crystal Cestari shares details about THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC.
Crystal, what was your inspiration for writing THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC?
My favorite show of all time is Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and one thing I always appreciated was how Buffy was handling such a powerful responsibility while the world around her had no idea. My narrator, Amber, does not save lives, but she shares that struggle in that her matchmaking ability is not something she can control or turn off; she's fighting her own good fight everyday in the name of love. Stories with a hint of magic have always pulled me in, and I'll never turn away a good romance, so this book is a mashup of two favorite genres.
Was there an AHA! moment along your road to publication where something suddenly sank in and you felt you had the key to writing a novel? What was it?
I've been writing since I was very young, and have dreamt of being an author for just as long, but this story lit me up like no other. I wouldn't say writing it was easy by any means, but the words did come together at an unprecedented pace, and I felt so connected to my narrator and her journey. Something in me said I needed to try and share this story with the world, and I've never had that feeling before.
What's your writing ritual like? Do you listen to music? Work at home or at a coffee shop or the library, etc?
It's not the most efficient method in the world, but I write all my first drafts longhand. Something about connecting pen to paper works better for me than staring at an intimidating blank screen. Plus, I can draw little doodles in the margins and leave notes for future drafts. Where I write can vary, but I usually don't listen to music, since I have a tendency to get distracted and start singing along.
What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?
Don't be too hard on yourself during any step of the process! Nothing comes out perfect the first time, so just take it easy and enjoy the journey.
What do you hope readers will take away from THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC?
I hope readers will laugh, have fun, and celebrate the people they love after reading this story!
ABOUT THE BOOK
The Best Kind of Magic
by Crystal Cestari
Hardcover
Disney-Hyperion
Released 5/16/2017
Amber Sand is not a witch. The Sand family Wicca gene somehow leapfrogged over her. But she did get one highly specific magical talent: she can see true love. As a matchmaker, Amber's pretty far down the sorcery food chain (even birthday party magicians rank higher), but after five seconds of eye contact, she can envision anyone's soul mate.
Amber works at her mother's magic shop--Windy City Magic--in downtown Chicago, and she's confident she's seen every kind of happy ending there is: except for one--her own. (The Fates are tricky jerks that way.) So when Charlie Blitzman, the mayor's son and most-desired boy in school, comes to her for help finding his father's missing girlfriend, she's distressed to find herself falling for him. Because while she can't see her own match, she can see his--and it's not Amber. How can she, an honest peddler of true love, pursue a boy she knows full well isn't her match?
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Crystal Cestari"With rainbows in my hair and stories in my head, I am a writer drawn to magic in the everyday world." -Crystal Cestari
Crystal Cestari lives just outside Chicago with her daughter. Her likes include ice cream and bulldogs, and dislikes span from broccoli to wet sneakers on linoleum (the worst). She always carries around a notebook to scribble down ideas. Writing longhand works best for Crystal (even though it's the slowest method ever) because looking at a blank piece of paper is somehow less intimidating than a blank screen. Plus, there are so many pretty notebooks and pens to doodle with! Crystal has wanted to be an author since the fifth grade, and with her debut novel, THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC published, we are glad she stayed on track!
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Have you had a chance to read THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC yet? Have you been inspired by your favorite TV shows? Do you sometimes feel intimidated by the daunting blank screen? What has helped you get past the screen? Share your thoughts about the interview in the comments!
Happy reading,
Curbing curiosities with an interview with Crystal Cestari, author of The Best Kind of Magic (and a giveaway)
Posted on May 23, 2017Author BibliobibuliYACategories All The Bookish Nonsense, Blog Tour Posts, Curbing Your Curiosities, Giveaways
the best kind of magic
The Best Kind of Magic
By: Crystal Cestari
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: May 16th, 2017
synopsis
Amber Sand is not a witch. The Sand family Wicca gene somehow leapfrogged over her. But she did get one highly specific magical talent: she can see true love. As a matchmaker, Amber’s pretty far down the sorcery food chain (even birthday party magicians rank higher), but after five seconds of eye contact, she can envision anyone’s soul mate.
Amber works at her mother’s magic shop–Windy City Magic–in downtown Chicago, and she’s confident she’s seen every kind of happy ending there is: except for one–her own. (The Fates are tricky jerks that way.) So when Charlie Blitzman, the mayor’s son and most-desired boy in school, comes to her for help finding his father’s missing girlfriend, she’s distressed to find herself falling for him. Because while she can’t see her own match, she can see his–and it’s not Amber. How can she, an honest peddler of true love, pursue a boy she knows full well isn’t her match?
The Best Kind of Magic is set in urban Chicago and will appeal to readers who long for magic in the real world. With a sharp-witted and sassy heroine, a quirky cast of mystical beings, and a heady dose of adventure, this novel will have you laughing out loud and questioning your belief in happy endings.
goodreads 2
amazon feather 2
interview
1) Lets start off with a lightning round:
What is your writing process? Are you a plotter or a panster? I am somewhere in-between. I don’t outline, but I’ll occasionally jot down a note or two regarding what I’d like to write about next. I like to see where the story takes me, rather than planning it out beforehand, but sometimes I’ll get a good idea for what’s coming before I’m at that point, so I’ll stick a post-it to the wall so I don’t forget. (I can be very forgetful, just ask my daughter)
Which came first: the novel or the title? The novel! The title didn’t come until waaaaaay later. I just kept calling it my “matchmaker story”.
Which do you prefer: drafting or revising? Drafting, because I really enjoy the journey of seeing where the story will go. I do work in a round of revising early on though, since I write all my first drafts longhand, and then edit a little when I type things up.
Describe you book in 5 words or less
Lighthearted, whimsical, hopeful, funny, yummy (there are many descriptions of baked goods throughout)
2) A book goes through a lot of different versions and rounds of editing before it’s complete. What are some “fun facts” or behind the scenes info you can share about the characters from your book or the world you created for it that may or may not have made it to the final draft of the book?
When I first had the idea for this story, I sat down and wrote the first three chapters in one sitting. All of those original chapters are still in the book, though now in a different order. One of them—where Amber describes the first time her matchmaking skills surfaced—still makes me smile, since it features an indignant 7-year old preaching about love.
Although I usually write very chronologically and do not jump ahead to particular scenes, the final paragraph came to me early on, so I made sure to capture it. Even though the route to the end changed a few times, those original words remain.
3) Who was your favorite character to write and who gave you the most trouble? If you could ask a character of your choice from THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC one question what would it be?
My main character, Amber, was my favorite because her voice came to me so fast and furious. Fiercely independent and crazy confident, she also gets to say all the snarky one-liners I wish I could in real life!
If I could ask Amber one question it would be: what is the weirdest vision of future soul mates you ever witnessed? (I’m sure she’s seen a thing or two she wishes she could scrape from memory)
4) What are the top five things we should know as a reader before starting THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC? (about the main character, their love interest, the antagonist, their world/home town, their situation, etc)
Amber Sand is a magical matchmaker who can actually see true love. She comes from a long family line of witches, but she herself is not a witch.
She starts having feelings for a boy named Charlie, who is matched with someone else. Every time she’s with him, she sees visions of his future soul mate.
Amber’s best friend, Amani, can look into the future, but the two have made a pact to never reveal what they know about each other’s destiny.
The story takes place in Chicago, specifically at Navy Pier, where Amber works at her mother’s magic shop. There is a magical community that comes through the store, revealing many mystical creatures who hide in plain sight.
A major theme in the book is whether or not life is completely predestined, or if there’s room to follow your heart.
5) What scene from the book are you most proud of (because of how you handled the atmosphere, characters, dialogue, etc)?
One of my favorite scenes takes place at a dance party at Navy Pier. I love it because Amber is by nature a very guarded person, but when the music starts playing and a boy she enjoys asks her to dance, she lets down her guard for the first time and actually has fun. It was a nice moment for her, and she even shocks herself, asking, “what sorcery is this?”
6) Are there any hints that you can give for what is next for your characters? If you could give us five words that would give us a hint of what’s to come, what would they be?
In the upcoming sequel, there are new characters, new adventures, and further explorations on how fate plays into happily ever after. Also, mermaids!
Thank you, Emily, for featuring
THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC
! I truly appreciate it! – Crystal
The Best Kind of Magic
Publishers Weekly.
264.14 (Apr. 3, 2017): p77.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
The Best Kind of Magic
Crystal Cestari. Disney-Hyperion, $17.99 (336p) ISBN 978-1-4847-5272-2
A missing person leads the mayor of Chicago to call on the supernatural community for help in debut
author Cestari's enjoyable first book in the Windy City Magic series. High school senior Amber Sand is a
wannabe baker with a gift for matchmaking, but her powers pale in comparison to those of her mother, a
witch, and Amber's psychic best friend, Amani, a "precog." Even so, Amber and the mayor's son, Charlie,
are thrown together to help, leading to plenty of consternation when things start to take a romantic turn,
though Amber knows she's not his soul mate. Cestari adds amusing magical underpinnings to familiar
growing pains: feelings of inadequacy in school, trying (and failing) to meet parental expectations, and
botched romantic entanglements. (That girl who always seems to have Manchester Prep's students and
teachers falling all over her? A siren.) Amber's doubts about her abilities--both in the magical community
and in the kitchen--and her sharp wit make her an authentic and relatable narrator as she's forced to learn
how to see the magic in the everyday. Ages 12-up. Agent: Jess Regel, Foundry Literary + Media. (May)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"The Best Kind of Magic." Publishers Weekly, 3 Apr. 2017, p. 77. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A489813806/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=9f8e770e.
Accessed 24 Dec. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A489813806
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The Best Kind of Magic
Maggie Reagan
Booklist.
113.15 (Apr. 1, 2017): p66.
COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
The Best Kind of Magic.
By Crystal Cestari.
May 2017. 336p. Disney/Hyperion, $17.99 (9781484752722). Gr. 7-10.
Amber Sand is definitely not a witch. Her mom is, though, and Amber has spent her entire life surrounded
by Chicago's secret magical underworld. Amber's just a matchmaker: she can see everyone's soul mate but
her own. She works in her mother's magic shop on tourist trap Navy Pier and hangs out with her best friend
Amani, a reluctant seer. When Charlie Blitzman, son of Chicago's mayor and the most eligible guy in
school, asks Amber for help tracking down his dad's missing girlfriend, she isn't sure how she can help, but
promises to do what she can. Problem is, the more time she spends with Charlie, the more she falls for him.
But she can see that she's not Charlie's true love, so what's the point? Supporting cast members are a little
one-sided, but this cute take on paranormal romance is stuffed full of entertaining supernatural creatures: a
nightclub-owning vampire, a high-school siren, a gold-digging leprechaun. Though this particular mystery
is neatly wrapped up, enough loose ends promise more adventures to come.--Maggie Reagan
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Reagan, Maggie. "The Best Kind of Magic." Booklist, 1 Apr. 2017, p. 66. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A491487974/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=64a53dbb.
Accessed 24 Dec. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A491487974
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Cestari, Crystal. The Best Kind of Magic:
Windy City Magic, Book 1
Debbie Wenk
Voice of Youth Advocates.
40.1 (Apr. 2017): p69.
COPYRIGHT 2017 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
3Q * 4P * M * J * S
Cestari, Crystal. The Best Kind of Magic: Windy City Magic, Book 1. Hyperion, 2017. 336p. $17.99. 978-
1-4847-5272-2.
Amber's magical talent is considered pretty low on the witchcraft scale and she feels pretty sure that she is a
disappointment to her mom. Amber lives in a world with witches, sorcerers, vampires, trolls, and other
assorted creatures, as well as average, regular humans. Her family's witchcraft can be traced all the way
back to Salem. Her mom--a bona fide witch--owns Windy City Magic where Amber works and practices
her particular magic: she can see a person's true love by looking into his/her eyes. Unfortunately, she cannot
see her own true love, and her best friend, Amani, who can see into the future, refuses to reveal anything
about Amber's future. Along comes adorable Charlie Blitzman begging for Amber's help with a missing
person. She falls for Charlie, but she sees that she is not his true love. What is a love-struck almost-witch
teen supposed to do?
In many ways, Amber is a typical teen protagonist--at odds with her parent and chafing at decisions that
seem totally unjust; befuddled when it comes to her own love life; and in possession of a truly wonderful
best friend (even if they do have the occasional disagreement). Amber spends a lot of time musing over the
validity of her talent and what it means for her own romantic future, so the mystery of the missing person
adds some needed energy to the story. This is an entertaining tale, and readers who like paranormal stories
that are not dark will relish it. Fortunately for those readers, there are more Amber stories on the horizon.--
Debbie Wenk.
QUALITY
5Q Hard to imagine it being better written.
4Q Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses.
3Q Readable, without serious defects.
2Q Better editing or work by the author might have warranted a 3Q.
1Q Hard to understand how it got published, except in relation to its P rating (and not even then
sometimes).
POPULARITY
5P Every YA (who reads) was dying to read it yesterday.
4P Broad general or genre YA appeal.
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3P Will appeal with pushing.
2P For the YA reader with a special interest in the subject.
1P No YA will read unless forced to for assignments.
GRADE LEVEL INTEREST
M Middle School (defined as grades 6-8).
J Junior High (defined as grades 7-9).
S Senior High (defined as grades 10-12).
A/YA Adult-marketed book recommended for YAs.
NA New Adult (defined as college-age).
R Reluctant readers (defined as particularly suited for reluctant readers).
(a) Highlighted Reviews Graphic Novel Format
(G) Graphic Novel Format
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Wenk, Debbie. "Cestari, Crystal. The Best Kind of Magic: Windy City Magic, Book 1." Voice of Youth
Advocates, Apr. 2017, p. 69. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A491949531/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=d79a7174. Accessed 24 Dec. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A491949531
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Cestari, Crystal: THE BEST KIND OF
MAGIC
Kirkus Reviews.
(Mar. 15, 2017):
COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Cestari, Crystal THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC Disney-Hyperion (Children's Fiction) $17.99 5, 16 ISBN:
978-1-4847-5272-2
A magical matchmaker searches for her own true love in this magic-infused Chicago.Amber Sand descends
from a long line of witches--her family goes all the way back to Salem--but all she can do is look into
someone's eyes and see their true love. Matchmaking is a far cry from being a witch like her mother or a
precog like her best friend, Amani Sharma--or a siren like Ivy Chamberlain, the villain in an underbaked
bullying plotline. Also poorly developed is Amber's relationship with her mother, summed up with her
frustration that "Mom always thinks like a witch first and a mother second." Then Charlie Blitzman, one of
Amber's classmates, asks for her help in finding his father's missing girlfriend. As they investigate, Amber
and Charlie draw closer, but Amber can't help feeling guilty. She's falling for Charlie--but she knows she's
not his true love. Or maybe her matchmaking isn't sure-fire, given how Amani reacts to her predicted true
love....Character development feels forced. Amber seems to act immaturely for a high school senior, and her
use of sign language with Amani comes across as obtrusively quirky. Despite the use of a Swahili first name
and Sanskrit surname to signal that Amani may be a person of color, there is no exploration of her identity.
The conclusion clumsily sets up a sequel, one bound to blow up Amber's sweet, engaging romance with
Charlie. Somewhat enjoyable provided it's not examined too closely. (Fantasy. 12-16)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Cestari, Crystal: THE BEST KIND OF MAGIC." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2017. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A485105111/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=87885550.
Accessed 24 Dec. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A485105111
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Cestari, Crystal. The Best Kind of Magic
Faythe Arredondo
School Library Journal.
63.4 (Apr. 2017): p146.
COPYRIGHT 2017 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No
redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
CESTARI, Crystal. The Best Kind of Magic. 336p. (Windy City Magic: Bk. 1). Disney-Hyperion. May
2017. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781484752722.
Gr 7-10--AiTiber Sand comes from a family of highly respectable and powerful witches. Except Amber
isn't a witch. She's a matchmaker, down on the lower end of the supernatural scale. Amber enjoys giving
people the news they want to hear--that they will not end up alone--and she works out of her mother's magic
shop. Unfortunately, she can't see her own perfect match. Not helping matters is her best friend Amani, who
can see into the future but won't give Amber any hints. The mayor's son, Charlie, asks for her help. His
dad's girlfriend has disappeared. While the mayor wants to find her, Charlie wants to break them up. Amber
agrees to help, and they are soon making their way through Chicago's supernatural world. The teens start to
develop feelings for each other, but Amber knows they're not meant to be. What good is it to date someone
when you know you won't end up together? Though initially this fun read seems to be another cutesy
supernatural tale, it also explores the question of fate. Amber is a strong heroine who refuses to back down
from bullies and struggles with her relationship with her mother. There is a bit of mystery with the missing
girlfriend, but it's solved well before the end. The conclusion and the characters will leave readers wanting
more. VERDICT This is a perfect light summer read and a good addition to most libraries.-Faythe
Arredondo, Tulare County Library, CA
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Arredondo, Faythe. "Cestari, Crystal. The Best Kind of Magic." School Library Journal, Apr. 2017, p. 146.
General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A488688250/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=50267794. Accessed 24 Dec. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A488688250