How to Succeed in Witchcraft is a really well written young adult magical story !

I really enjoyed the characters and the story .

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

How to Succeed in Witchcraft follows Shay Johnson, a witch in her junior year of high school. She's been working her whole life trying to be top of the class so she can win the Brockton Scholarship - a scholarship that will give her a full ride to one of the top licensing colleges in the country, Unfortunately, Shay is sitting number two in the GPA rankings to Ana Alvarez, her sworn nemesis. When Mr. B, head of the scholarship committee and drama teacher, asks her to join this year's musical - she sees it as an opportunity to get the upper hand on Ana. Little does Shay know, Mr. B is not who everyone thinks he is, and Ana, really isn't all that bad....

This was a wonderful debut by Aislinn! This book reads like a dream - it honestly felt like I was talking to a friend as I was reading it. The lingo is 100% in tune with my generation, which is in part the reason it reads so smoothly for me. It tackles some horrific issues - systemic racism, bullying, grooming of students... it's pretty intense. It does it in a way that shows how prevalent these issues are in our society and how so many people get away with it. It hurt to read because I have seen these things happen with my own eyes, it's disgusting. The "Don't hate, educate" movement and the Brockton scholarship committee adding ~diversity~ as a pillar... it's just... so spot on. And the gaslighting Shay was doing to herself over how uncomfortable Mr. B was making her.... I cry for her. On the other hand, I LOVE how supportive her family is through the whole process though.

The little zest of magic made this all the more enjoyable to read, The SAT still existed, but there was also an MAT, Shay was taking AP Potions, there were Ford brand brooms - it had me cracking up!! My favorite little twist was there was a woman that always came to the pharmacy trying to get a stronger prescription than she was prescribed - as someone who has worked in a pharmacy, that interaction could not have been more on the nose.

(I would also like an alarm clock that forces me to get out of bed - please take my money!)

I would highly recommend this debut, but please check the trigger warnings!

4.5 stars rounded up!

This is a really fantastic coming of age story that combines magic and witches with the real life issues that young people face in high school such as pressure to succeed, predatory adults, and "casual" racism/discrimination.

This story follows Shay Johnson, who wants nothing more than to get the full-ride Brockton scholarship so she can attend any magical university. Shay has to beat out her main competition Ana Alvarez, which she has a chance at when the head of the scholarship committee convinces Shay to join his musical.

Honestly, Shay and Ana made this book. I loved their tension filled exchanges and their drive to make each other better witches by continually testing each other’s magic. There’s so much witty banter between them, and I’m always a sucker for academic rivals.

Now let’s talk Mr. B. He is literally the scum of the Earth, and I wanted to put him in a chokehold way too many times. He preys on young girls for his own needs. He also constantly makes racist comments and microaggressions yet thinks he’s “cool”. Barf.

This book truly was the perfect blend of fantasy and contemporary, and who doesn’t love a sapphic witchy romance?!

I wanted to love this one but I found myself over it after the first few chapters. I loved the premise about a world like our world where magic exists and is a part of every day life. I liked the idea of the main character Shay attending a prestigious magic school. However the magic was overshadowed by the constant need to remind us that Shay is Black and that racism exists within this world too. And Black kids just do not spend every waking moment hyper focused on racism even when they are in white environments. On top of that we have a pervert teacher pushing up on the main character and so the fantasy aspects get lost in the sauce.

High school witch Shayna Johnson aims to be this year's awardee of the prestigious Brockton scholarship, a sure ticket to a licensing college that will greatly help to achieve her dreams that is to work as a licensed witch and give the best life for her parents.

But there are people who block her path - one, Ana Suarez, her academic rival in T. S. school who is the only competitive witch that deserves the scholarship Apart from her; two, Mr. B, T. S. high's resident theater teacher who is only one of the judges for Brockton.

Shayna believes that by honing her potion making skills is the way to edge Ana Suarez who beats her in GPA but soon, Shay will realize that Ana is not the real enemy she needs to battle but powerful forces who are capable of pulling strings without facing consequences.

THOUGHTS
We finally have sapphic witches as academic rivals and Aislinn Brophy did not hesitate in giving us an amazing teen queer story that is steeped in relevant social issues.

Shayna and Ana are perfect as academic rivals to lovers and the author wrote sweeping queer banter that is perfect for this swoony sapphic romance.

This book also gave another perspective about queer teens experiencing first love and we always want to see them feel and do things that they want.

Regarding the social issues discussed in this book (there are a lot but I won't elaborate on all because that would spoil,) there are times when it felt like there are a lot of things happening. But it's a good kind of problem because we have these things discuss for the readers to be aware of what's happening in the real world.

Here are the content warning as seen from the author's website: grooming, teacher-student relationships, homophobia, and racism

RATING: 4stars

Content warnings are up top this time, as How to Succeed in Witchcraft deals with issues of grooming in the education system. 


Uncomfortable truths

Aislinn Brophy's How to Succeed in Witchcraft is visceral in a hard-to-read way, but that's a good thing. This book is not subtle. A book about how awfully society treats kids, especially marginalized ones, shouldn't be. This novel blends metaphor and real life. Shay and her friends live in an alternate reality version of the US, but it's not that different from our society. Sure they have magic, but if anything, that's just highlighted IRL injustices. 


As an educator and former theatre kid, How to Succeed in Witchcraft made my blood boil. My best friend's mom was my drama teacher and is essentially my second mom. She is so beloved that her students call her "Mama." Like Mr. B, she often drove BIPOC kids who lived 30 minutes outside the district home after play rehearsal so they could participate without waiting for buses that might not come.

Unlike Mr. B, my theatre-mom teacher is not abusive. But because of that relationship and my subsequent work as an educator, I understand how easy it is for criminals like Mr. B to exist and find their victims. The amount of trust that students and parents place in educators is enormous. Sure, we're fingerprinted and get a background check, but ... dangerous monsters still pass the tests.

While I don't want to perpetuate a culture where we don't trust one another, we need to create a one aware of warning signs and how to stop abuse before it happens. 



OK, but how's the book?

I've been throwing out a lot of comments about the merits of How to Succeed in Witchcraft's ideas. But rest assured. It's a good read as well. Shay is a great character. I loved watching her grow: as a human, witch, a daughter, a friend -- everything. I particularly enjoyed her friendship with Lex, as Brophy avoided many typical YA friendship-drama pitfalls. The romance in the book was light and breezy, an excellent balance to the book's darker material. 

Shay's relationship with her parents is well-drawn as well; they want so much from her that she's nervous about going to them when things are tough. Similarly, the socio-economic realities of Shay's and Ana's lives were ever-present, and it's a nice, authentic touch. Their queerness feels less central to their identity, which is a critical and valid perspective to read. 


Should you read it?

Yup. Aislinn Brophy's How to Succeed in Witchcraft should be required reading for all kids and parents. It could probably save lives. Knowing how the signs and knowing it's not your fault are of the utmost importance. Besides that, Brophy's book is good. It's entertaining. It's not surprising to find out that Brophy themself is an actor. She's captured that world really well. I can't wait to read what they come up with next! 


How to Succeed in Witchcraft is out on September 27, 2022. Pick up a copy at your local indie bookstore or library. 📚🧪🔮



If you are experiencing abuse but cannot talk to an adult about it, please reach out to one of these crisis hotlines:

Childhelp USA
National Domestic Violence/Abuse Hotline (US)
Child Helpline International

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book! I found myself not wanting to put it down. It deals with serious topics that happen in the real world while also having a fantasy element with the magic which I liked. I felt for all the characters and was really rooting for all of them. I liked the progression of the main characters priorities and how her perspectives changed. The element of a cute “enemies” to lovers storyline was also nice and added a lighter touch to a story that felt more serious. Overall, a very good read.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! The magic system feels so organic, the romance is delightful, the coziness is radical AND it doesn't shy away from the hard topics it covers. This is the magical school novel everyone should be reading!

Check out the aesthetic video I made for this book on TikTok and Instagram @katherinebichler. Here are the links:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRaNcVyy/

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CinAb0...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4/5 STARS

This is a YA contemporary fantasy with a queer romance.

Shay is a teenage witch who is at the top of her class. She is vying for a scholarship to a college for magical licensing. Her teacher convinces her to audition for the school musical to pad her resume, but his intentions are not what they seem.

This book touches on a lot of topics. F/F relationship, bi relationship, racism, & grooming. The plot was very predictable, but enjoyable. I wanted a little more magic and fantasy.

I felt like there was disconnect between the magic and the grooming plot. At times I would forget there was even magic involved in the story. I loved the concept, but wanted more consistent world building.

Overall, a nice autumn YA queer contemporary romance (with a little fantasy).

Thank you Penguin Teen for the advance reader copy! 🧙‍♀️🖤

How to Succeed in Witchcraft piqued my interest the minute I heard about it — I mean, witches, musicals, and what I believe is a How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying references? What more could a girl ask for?

When overachiever Shay Johnson is heavily encouraged to audition for the school musical by the drama teacher, Mr. B, she hesitantly agrees. While she’s in the school’s choir, Shay absolutely detests acting. It’s only because Mr. B is also on the scholarship committee for the full-ride Brockton Scholarship — the one thing that Shay has spent the last three years striving for. The school’s musical, Bronxtown Brooms, is essentially In the Heights meets Ibi Zoboi’s Pride — a musical “retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice set in a mostly Latinx neighborhood in New York City in the nineties”. The only thing is, is that T.K. Anderson Magical Magnet School is very much not Latinx, and is predominantly composed of White students. Not to mention, Shay’s nemesis and rival, Ana Alvarez, is also her biggest competition for the scholarship, and also her co-star in the musical — and someone that isn’t as awful as Shay once thought she was. Between trying to keep her head above water with all her commitments, sticking it out with the musical, trying to make sense of her conflicting feelings about Ana, and juggling inappropriate attention from Mr. B, Shay truly has a lot to handle.

As someone who loves musical theatre, I was so excited for this book. I found the premise of the musical to be really interesting — and it also reminded me that I’ve yet to watch the new In the Heights movie. More so, I appreciated the commentary it had on casting, and the trend of high schools putting on productions of shows where the student body doesn’t reflect the diversity of the characters. I’ve seen this particularly with In the Heights (my friends and I call it ‘In the Whites’, whenever we hear of productions like this), especially with the success of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton, but it happens constantly. That being said, I wish we’d gotten a bit more about Shay being cast as a Latina character, despite not being Latina. i also wish that we’d gotten more of a commentary on Magnet Schools.

I generally don’t place a lot of weight in comparative titles but I will say that this book is truly for anyone who loved the Ben & Devi rivals to lovers energy in Season 1 & 2 of Never Have I Ever (I haven’t seen the newest season yet). I found the romance plotline between Ana and Shay to be sweet, although predictable.

I personally felt that the storyline with Mr. B was handled with a lot of care, and really appreciated how Ana, as well as Shay’s best friend, Lex, rally around her and support Shay throughout the story. There were a lot of red flags throughout the book that prepared the reader for how events would turn out.

One of my favorite things about How to Succeed in Witchcraft was actually Lex’s storyline. Lex is taking a gap year to study for college entrance exams — similar to the SATs and ACTs. I appreciated how Lex tells Shay that everyone has different goals, and that their equivalent of community college is just as valid as a four year, traditional college.

I do feel like the book was oddly paced, and I still don’t completely understand the worldbuilding of this book. There’s some magic and potions, but I couldn’t really explain anything about the magic system. Overall, however, I did really enjoy this and breezed right through it.

Firstly, thank you so much penguin teen for providing me with the opportunity to read and review.

This story was arguably one of my favorite reads so far for 2022 and just in time for spooky season.

If you are looking for a Sapphic ya witch story that includes enemies to lovers, discussions of racism and racial stereotypes with magic weaved into the real world you will love this.

Also, whilr the story is not technically dark academia it has a wonderful academia setting. Where we have two witches "fighting" for the chance to attend a top college. Something I haven't read in quite sometime.

This story was a ride for sure and the characters were both easy to love and hate. The story invokes a wide variety of emotions which is just what I needed at the time. It was medium/fast paced and deeply character focused.

This was a fine time. I appreciated that Shay's parents were as involved as they were. I thought that the academic rivals to lovers was played in a way that was cute to read about. Shay and Lex's friendship was cute on the side.

The book really is about this drama teacher trying to manipulate his students into inappropriate relationships due to his connection to a lucrative scholarship opportunity... And was that well handled? Yeah, I'd say that it was for the most part.

It's really just that the book was doing a lot. You had this very serious grooming plot happening, trying to immerse the reader in a world that was like our own but still had some differences, and give the reader this rivals to lovers moment. It was a lot to juggle, and really the grooming plot took over. I wouldn't even say that was a bad thing.

For me it was just a slight disconnect for me because it made the fantasy feel like we could have left it by the wayside. It's not a book that really feels the need to have a sequel, everything ties up rather nicely, I just feel like I want one so that we can further flush out the world that Brophy was able to craft.

I do think that for the target age demo this will be a bigger hit. I think for them it'll be more of an edge of your seat situation trying to figure out how this storyline is gonna play out, for me it just wasn't as immersive as I might have wanted.

3.5*

Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book to read and review. I liked this story and I thought it was a refreshing take on magic and witches. I loved the varied representation in terms of sexuality and race and I loved the smartest in the class competition/enemies to lovers vibes. It gave Never Have I Ever but with magic. This book also covered a lot of important topics and I thought they were handled well and maturely. I would definitely recommend this one, some parts were a bit slow for me and I wish some conversations would have happened earlier on.

How to Succeed in Witchcraft is a searing allegorical tale of the inequalities of higher education and how race factors into the equation. If you were looking for a fun, magic-riddled read, this is not that, but for what you do get, Brophy delivers.

Magical coming of age story. Explores amazing friendships, queer love interests, inappropriate adult behaviors, and all the pressures of high schools in a delightful magical world very similar to our own.

I was blown away by the ease with which I became engrossed in How to Succeed in Witchcraft. I will definitely be looking out for more work by Aislinn Brophy!

How to Succeed in Witchcraft covers so many topics, themes and important issues that it is difficult to know where to begin. From an effortless, and therefore realistic, magic system, to academic rivalry, themes of racism and homophobia, Brophy’s debut is destined to succeed.

The nature of some of these themes may be difficult for some readers. On her website, Aislinn Brophy provides a content warning for “grooming, teacher-student relationships, homophobia, and racism”. While these themes are not describe with vast amount of explicit detail, they are prevalent and central to the plot, so do take care when diving in.

This is an unbelievably successful novel. First and foremost, it’s an urban fantasy where magic is the norm. It is a part of everyday life, from simple things like turning on lights and ringing doorbells, to the wondrous (think invisible floating plants!). I really enjoyed how magic is made to seem mundane. Fun and exciting, yes, but not so revered and over-described as to make it out of the ordinary. It made the setting so realistic, and honestly had me believing all I need is an Awakening potion for me to start blending magic currents too.

On top of the fantastic world-building, Brophy gives us a main character to root for. Shay is an academic genius, a hugely powerful witch, and yet she is also just a teenage girl: prone to poor judgement, submission to pressure, and making mistakes in her relationships. I loved her from page one and desperately wanted to see her succeed. Yet watching her go through uncomfortable scenes with Mr. B and feeling pressured to do things she didn’t want to, all in the name of a scholarship, was heart breaking. Brophy is sympathetic with the way she writes Shay into these decisions and scenes — even if readers on the outside will be able to see the inappropriate motivations behind Mr. B, we can see why Shay takes the actions she does.

Similarly, the secondary characters in How to Succeed in Witchcraft are just as loveable. Best friend Lex is a powerhouse of a woman with her own issues going on. Ana is, of course, lovely — and I’m really pleased Brophy subverted the typical mean-girl-turned-cute-girlfriend trope. I was particularly delighted with the author’s choice not to translate the Spanish conversations Ana has with her family at home. It is such a simple touch but I found it incredibly effective.

The plot of the novel is well-paced and engaging throughout. There are scenes of comedic relief and romance to balance out the more uncomfortable and difficult elements Shay experiences — whether that be with Mr. B, the intense academic pressure she puts herself under, or the more difficult conversations she has with her friends. How to Succeed in Witchcraft deals sensitively with homophobia and racism, and although calls it out in a fantasy setting, does so in a way that is meaningful to the real world. There are easy parallels to be drawn between Shay’s world and our own that is likely to help readers who relate personally to Shay, Ana and Lex feel seen and heard.

This is the perfect novel for the autumnal, back-to-school season. Aislinn Brophy blew me away with this debut and I will be recommending How to Succeed in Witchcraft to anyone and everyone who will listen. It has everything a reader could possibly need and more.

Overall, this book is so important in the issues that it brings up whether they're briefly mentioned or a main plot of the book. This book follows a witch, Shay, who goes to a school that gives a huge scholarship to her dream university. Shay is an incredibly lovable main character who puts the weight of the world on her own shoulders while being put in horrible circumstances. Though it's put in the context of their world where there is magic, so many of the issues that Shay deals with and talks about are prevalent in our society. Readers should be aware of content warnings before reading this book since it may be triggering for some individuals. Though it may be hard to read for some, the social commentary is amazing and so worth the read. Besides that, the romance in it is incredible and so well done, and the friendships are just as lovable. I truly loved this book and would highly recommend to anyone who wants a fun, queer love story that delves into important issues within our society.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked this book. I read the first half of it in one sitting. The conflict was great and the characters were well-rounded. It also made it easy to see how someone could go potentially a long time without realizing that someone is being predatory towards them.
The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was how completely not-defined the magic system was. A lot of things were suddenly possible with the magic system at convenient times, even though other aspects of the story were much more well thought-out than that.

Completely obsessed with the entire vibe of this book! I loved how casual the witchcraft was, like if everything in Harry Potter were centered in the muggle realm. Shay and Ana's romance was spectacularly done, and I am such a sucker for an academic rivals to lovers story. However this also had a fantastic main concept, and I was horrified and heartbroken all while rooting for Shay and her coming of age story. This is definitely one of the most unique books I've ever read, and you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't read it.

How to Succeed in Witchcraft is a creative and moving story that brings readers to a world that functions very similarly to ours--except it's magic! Protagonist Shay Johnson faces the same pressures as many high schoolers, taking a full load of AP courses in subjects like Potions and Transfiguration and competing hard for a free-ride scholarship to a magical licensing college. Author Aislinn Brophy seamlessly blends her rich magical world building with these real world concerns, creating a story that is sure to stick in readers' minds after the last page is turned.

I do admit that, although I very much liked this book, it was at times difficult to read. While Shay's fixation on academic excellence and balancing too many activities she's trying to stuff onto her resume can be relatable, and her blossoming relationship with academic rival Ana is just as charming as the actual magic in the book, I hesitate to call the overall book "delightful" as some other reviewers have. At its heart, this book is still about a high school teacher being a predator and grooming underage students so . . . it was actually stressful for me to read at times. I cringed and gagged and really didn't want to watch this teacher being a creep. The book is very well done and shows how the teacher starts small and builds up, and how his behavior is excused by 99% of people by innocent, and how there are rumors about his hooking up with students but no one seems to care -- all the things that, unfortunately, happen in these situations in our own world. It's sensitive and moving and deeply realistic. But I hesitate to say it was "fun" to read!

So I can see why a lot of the other reviews I've seen have focused on the other aspects of the book. Aislinn's relationship with her best friend, who is bright and talented but can't seem to get accepted into a magical licensing college and (in Aislinn's eyes) might have to "settle" for a lesser school. Her relationship with Ana, the other top contender for the coveted college scholarship, whom Aislinn has hated since freshman year. Her time practicing for the high school musical, since the creepy teacher convinced her to join theatre after implying it would boost her scholarship application. All these things are well done, too, and I do think they help keep the book light. Aislinn gets to have fun with her friends, and flirt, and learn all about the highs and lows of theatre. She has such a great high school experience in many ways, and anyone who was in their own high school drama department, or who spent far too many late nights studying for AP courses, or who worried about how to pay for college, will doubtless see a bit of their own lives in hers.

How to Succeed at Witchcraft is an amazing blend of fantasy and contemporary that speaks on important issues while also incorporating a bit of whimsy. Brophy is an author to watch.