Ellie is a wallflower, she’ll admit that to anyone, especially her best friend Leah. Hence why Leah and her have chosen to embark on a road trip and create a checklist to help E break out of her shell. The catch? Ellie has magic inside her bones that Leah absolutely cannot know about.

Jack is the boy next door middle school friend turned high school enemy. His dad owns a magical shop just down the street and is running for lead sorcerer versus Ellie’s mom. He abandoned Ellie in the middle school cafeteria and hasn’t given her kind looks for the last five years.

As luck would have it, Leah is unable to attend the road trip at the last minute and Ellie’s parents make the executive decision to have Jack go with her… or else she loses her magical powers. With the wallflower list in Ellie’s mind ( with items like fall in love, make her art Instagram public) these enemies hop in the car and make selling stops/ magical inn visits on the way to convention.

Will Ellie be able to come out of her shell with the charmed list in her back pocket? Or will the enemy tension between her and Jack halt any and all life choices?

The Charmed List was a fun friends to enemies to lovers read that had me wishing for magical lands. Julie Abe crafts tension in both main characters and lets it explode in the last fifteen percent of the novel. The side characters pop in for some fun throughout the journey and are like able enough. Although life is all about the journey, I do wish there was more about the list and how Ellie completes more of the given items.

Thank you Wednesday Books and Netgalley for my Earc in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

i wasn't obsessed with this book. i found it hard to get through because of the writing style (i understand it's ya but it still felt like it was talking down to me a little bit), and i didn't super buy into the romance. also maybe this is niche but i really care about how a system of magic is set up in books with a fantasy element and i didn't love this one so much. definitely nothing wrong with the book i just wasn't a fan for me sorry :(

A magical best friends to enemies to lovers YA novel?! Sign me up! The Charmed List was a sweet and funny book about a teenage girl finding love in an unexpected yet magical way. This story was a lot more complex and layered than expected but Julie Abe truly created a masterpiece with this story, wrapping up with a lovely HEA at the end. The growth that both Ellie and Jack go through individually and together through their reconciliation is so well done and age-appropriate which I also really appreciated. If you're looking a fun, magical, summer read about sweet teen romance, pick this up right away! Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

It’s books like this that make me wish magic really existed.

This was a really cute YA romcom about two childhood best friends, who after four years of being on the outs, are forced to endure a car trip together. This had a lot of “Awwww!” moments that will make any romance fan swoon. It was a quick and light read that can be easily finished in a day or two. The beginning was a bit slow but once the car trip started, I couldn’t put it down.

Ellie and Jack were friends growing up then something happened along the way and they no longer talked until now. I liked the characters in this book. I felt like some parts were a bit rushed or needed more details. Overall, though I liked this book. It had a magic aspect which I don’t typically read, but I did enjoy it in this book.

A fun and sweet YA escapist read sprinkled with magic, matcha and cupcakes.

Ellie is your typical self-doubting teenager who's craving to break out of her shell and stop being a wallflower, hence, her Anti-Wallflower List. She and Jack used to be joined at the hip when they're kids but somehow drifted apart, with Jack choosing to completely ignore her.

I loved the bits of their history when they're growing up and felt that their journey back to being friends and to eventual lovers was wanting. I also didn't buy Jack's reason for dropping Ellie like that and I wish she gave him a much harder time before forgiving him.

I will recommend this to anyone who's looking for a light and adorable read and wants to be comforted and charmed.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley and the author for my early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sweet & magical story about friendship, forgiveness, and learning to step out of your comfort zone ❤️
Ellie is a part of a family & community who have magical abilities- they are able to create little charms to give you confidence, find peace, break little broken things and much more!
This magical component was super unique & I so desperately want to try a cinnamon cupcake charmed with confidence 🥺
Ellie’s family owns a tea store and their teas are enchanted with little charms
This summer is supposed to be the best summer ever as Ellie will be road tripping with her best friend and has compiled an anti-wallflower list to help her venture out of her comfort zone & create new adventures/memories
However, after a prank towards her ex-best friend and now enemy Jack goes awry, Ellie and Jack are now forced to go on this road trip together
Ellie is distraught and frustrated as she wants nothing to do with Jack- her childhood best friend who completely cut her off without any explanation
But, as they begin their travels there may be an enchanting spark that grows along the way 🥰

This was a sweet story- the magical aspect of it was my favorite! I also really enjoy road trip stories and this wasn’t an exception
I will say, the internal narrative of Ellie is very immature & I struggled with it but it’s also very much 16-year old appropriate so I think I’m just personally not connecting with YA as I used to sadly
Overall, it was a sweet, fast-paced story that 16-year old me would’ve marked as a fave for sure

This was sweet, magical, cute, adorable and such a great time spent with my Kindle.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for this advance copy.

I received a digital ARC from St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books via NetGalley.

This was a fun story. After reading this, I now want to live in a magic cottage/village. Parts of the story did become repetitive.

Everything I wanted this to be and more! It was just magical! The chemistry was perfection. The magical realism was fantastically done (I had initially worried it was going to be overdone, but it ended up being just right!). I'm not even sure what else to say about this one except that it was super cute, and it left me wanting to recommend it to all of my friends. Well done!

A light and fluffy read that I devoured in 2 hours, it's truly charming. We follow Ellie and Jack, ex-friends from rival families, forced together on a road trip after a prank gone wrong. I loved the casual integration of magic, especially in the form of stationery. Who wouldn't want a bullet journal that makes you more confident? The magic system meshed so well with the story, adding tiny elements of whimsy throughout. Despite all of the fluff, we also get a coming of age story mixed with ideas about coping with grief that will make you feel alllll the things. Overall, just adorable.

*Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Cute, but very YA. Enjoyed the surprise magical elements. MC is a book lover and mentions lots of AAPI books throughout. The book takes place over about a week, so I didn't feel the pacing of the story or romance really had enough time to blossom to the level it did. It went from hate to love rather quickly.

Thoughts

I was surprised (and delighted) that this book was actually magical. There is magic in this book. So many books have tricked me this year with their blurbs that I thought this one would, too. I love that this book has magic. I love the extra layer that adds to this sweet love story. That magical tint sets this one apart from its contemporary peers.

Pros
Lia: I loved the character of Lia. I loved that Ellie had a best friend who wasn't catty or mean toward her, who supported her goals and also supported who she is at her core. It might take Lia some time to process the situation as it evolves, but I liked that, too. Sometimes the silent treatment is beneficial to preserve a friendship. This friendship comes out on top, and that's great. I love seeing girls with friends, girls who support each other. We need more friends in our YA lit like Lia.

Nemesis Togetherness: This is a classic setup, but Julie Abe executes it so well. These nemeses are stuck together in a car on a roadtrip, all alone, thanks to parental pushing. It's awkward and uncomfortable from the first moment, and that tension only increases as they recognize the more attractive qualities in each other. If only they were stuck somewhere with only one bed... It might be classic and tropey, but it's still fun.

YA References: I love a book with a healthy sprinkling of literary references. I especially love that this contemporary romance isn't afraid to makes itself truly contemporary with its literary references--references to currently popular (or new) YA titles. Anyone who reads in or is familiar with the market will recognize these name drops--and might just pick up a book or two to add to their TBR. These name drops felt like an author supporting her favorites (or her friends) without being out of place or unnatural, and I love that, too.


Cons
Lia's Backstory: As much as I love Lia and what she does for this story, her own backstory feels a little... extreme. Okay, not a little extreme. Her backstory is very extreme. It is absolutely wild and hyperbolic in a way that the rest of the story is not. It didn't fit. It felt weird and off--like someone felt there needed to be a reason for Lia to have trust issues to the extent she did and then took that to the absolute extreme. It was off.

Low Stakes: It's a romance, so of course the stakes here aren't high. Even for a romance, however, the stakes here felt pretty low. It felt like these characters didn't have much to lose, so why shouldn't they go all in for this budding relationship? Lack of stakes is fine. This story is fun. But if you're a reader who wants a romance to tug on your heartstrings (or make you at least a little bit nervous for that sweet happily-ever-after), you won't find that depth here.

Nonsensical History: This couple goes from friends to enemies to lovers. But the history here (the initial separation) makes no sense. There's a reason given, of course, but it isn't a very good one. Ultimately, this doesn't keep Jack and Ellie apart. So why did it keep them apart for all those years? You might argue that the roadtrip forced them together--that's what changed!--but things change before these enemies are stuck in close proximity. They're open and willing to change beforehand, so why did it take them this long? It just doesn't make sense.


Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
7/10

Those who like a lightly magical contemporary romance like Susan Bishop Crispell's The Holloway Girls will like this new charmed couple. Fans of Ashley Schumacher's Amelia Unabridged might like this new take on a roadtrip with romance waiting at the end.

The Charmed List is a super cute and cheesy ya romance that follows former best friends Ellie and Jack as they go on a road trip to a magical convention.

Throughout the story, we get to see how Jack and Ellie became best friends and why they fell apart. I really enjoyed getting to see some of the backstory of both the characters and all adventures they had as kids.

The magic system in the story was super cool and very entertaining to read about. I loved the fact that the magic used was to help make peoples lives better. Julie Abe also focused a lot on the female friendship in this book and I really appreciated that aspect.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time reading this one. Its the perfect heartwarming, pick me up book and it has some amazing troupes. I highly recommend picking this one up when it’s released on July 5th!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the e-arc!

Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC! This is the cozy YA fantasy of my DREAMS. So cute!

Book: The Charmed List
Author: Julie Abe
Rating: 3 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with an ARC.

This book started great for me, but about halfway through, I found myself losing interest. It’s charming, but that was about it. We follow two former friends, Jack and Ellie, as they are forced together on a summer road trip. Neither of them can stand each other or so we’ve been told. Ellie was supposed to go on this trip with her best friend, Lia, but after something happens, Lia can no longer go. To me, this sounds like an amazing set-up. We have two people who cannot stand each other, and who have now been forced into this situation. We also need to add in the fact that they are part of the community that is magic aware and their parents own businesses in this magical aware world. We have just the right amount of charm and magic. So, why three stars?

Let’s start with the enemies-to-lovers trope we have going on here. Jack and Ellie used to be childhood best friends. Now, they can’t stand each other. This much is clear from the beginning of the book. How do we know this? The author tells us. One thing that stood out to me as I was reading was the characters did not act like they could not stand each other. They didn’t act like people who hated each other. Sure, the author kept telling us this, but the characters’ actions did not match this. Let me take that back, it did on Ellie’s part. Now, Jack? No, he did not hate Ellie. He is always on the lookout for her and is concerned about her well-being. This does not sound like someone who doesn’t care about the other.

Now, what I did enjoy about the book was the idea of having this person who is magic l aware hidden in a regular world. I liked that they had this whole society that was hidden in plain sight. I love it whenever books do this. It adds a touch of magic to a normal world. However, those who are not magic aware cannot know about magic. Once they do, their life chances are forever. This is a very closed down and tight community with strict rules and guidelines. These rules must be followed no matter what. I would have liked to have some more information about magic and the community. I don’t know, but this part of the book was truly interesting to me. The idea of them having shops and businesses was also very interesting. It made everything seem normal and added a bit of the human element to it.

The characters were your typical YA characters. I would have liked to have seen them have just a little bit more depth to them. However, they did work for the story that the author was trying to tell. Had they been written any other way, the story would not have worked so well. I enjoyed the younger siblings the most. The way that they were plotting and popping in a just the right time sold the book for me. Plus, they were one of the few people who could see the potential for Jack and Ellie.
The writing, again, worked for the book. While it’s not anything groundbreaking, it has a certain charm to it. It adds to the overall feel of the story. The author did a great at making the story fit her writing style. She wanted to tell a cute and fluffy YA story with a touch of magic and that is what we got. She does manage to tackle some touch issues as well and changes the writing style to fit those tough issues. For example, there is a death of a parent. Whenever the characters are talking about this loss, the book takes on a more serious tone. Whenever our characters are talking about something serious, again, the tone is changed to match those feelings. What I am saying is that just because the book comes across as fluffy does not mean the entire book is like that.

Overall, this book was just an average read for me. I wouldn’t say I hated it, but I wouldn’t say it is going to be a new favourite.

This book comes out on July 5, 2022.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving an ARC in exchange for my honest reveiw!

This was such a fun read! I really enjoyed it and read it through in just two days. It has some of my favorite rom-com tropes ; one bed, childhood best friends and enemies to lovers <3 I really loved ithe banter and the dynamic between the characters. It has a perfect balance of magical elements in a contemporary setting. My only complaint is that the ending felt a bit rushed.

‘The Charmed List’ is an utterly delightful, magic-steeped story that takes two childhood friends turned enemies on a fateful road trip that just may change everything.

Ellie Kobata is the epitome of a wallflower. Especially after her former best friend, Jack Yasuda inexplicitly started ignoring her once they hit middle school. She decides that she is no longer happy to sit on the sidelines, and so she creates an Anti-Wallflower List, and one of those items involves seeking revenge on Jack. When that plan goes awry, Ellie and Jack are forced to work together, road tripping through California selling their parents’ wares. And, as they spend more and more time together, the explanation for what happened all of those years ago might finally spill out.

Oh my goodness, this novel was an absolute joy to read. And the title is apt, because this story is fully steeped in charm. I love the way that author, Julie Abe, is really able to portray the uncertainty and angst and embarrassment of the teenage years in a way that feels both timely and timeless.

There are so many nods to tropes in this book that I absolutely love: road trip, forced proximity, only one bed (a G-rated version) and friends to enemies to lovers. It is a veritable trope feast without any of the elements feeling forced or over-the-top.

The way in which Ellie and Jack interact, as well as the ways in which they interact with the other characters in the story, feels so perfectly representative of the adolescent experience. The magical world Abe creates is lovely and captivating, as well.

This is the type of book that will put a smile on your face and leave you wanting more stories from this universe.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for generously providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 ⭐️ What a cute and fun book. I loved the unique magic system. The friends to enemies to lovers was a fantastic troupe! The end had some perfectly swoony lines that I inhaled fully! Such a fun cute book!

<i> "Your list is full of dreams and hopes, and that's only full of charm-anything but curses." </i>

A magical roadtrip with two former friends turned 'enemies' is bound to have some sparks fly right?

<i> The Charmed List </i> follows Ellie Kobata and Jack Yasuda on their trip to a magical convention. A summer story of friendship, love, growing-up, and of course, magic!

At the beginning of the summer, Ellie creates her Anti-Wallflower List, full of thirteen things that will help her be not invisible. When her plan with her best friend Lia goes magically wrong, she becomes stuck with Jack-her neighbor who used to be her best friend. Emphasis on the <i>used</i>. Through this trip to magical cottages and towns filled with the most decadent desserts and tea, past memories begin to cloud the present like magic dust, and maybe Jack's past will finally come to light and their relationship will finally mend.

Julie Abe wonderfully creates a whole new magical world, full of all the good things that brighten up this world, that keeps readers hooked and wishing for their own pair of spectacles to see the beautiful raw magic dust floating through space.