Lia ve Beckett'in Abrakadabrası

by Amy Noelle Parks, Damla Atamer (Translator)

Esprili ve romantik bir kitap olan Lia ve Beckett’ın Abrakadabrası, sihirli dokunuşa sahip bir genç yetişkin romantik komedisi!

On yedi yaşındaki Lia Sawyer, bir sihirbazlık yarışması için büyükannesinden gizemli bir davet alır. Anne ve babasının tüm itirazlarına rağmen yarışmaya katılmaya karar verir. Ne var ki jüride, Lia’nın sihirbazlık becerisinin -sırf kız olduğu için- ışıltılı elbiseler giymek, dikkat dağıtmak ve testereyle kesilmekten ibaret olduğunu zanneden eski kafalı sihirbazlar vardır.

Lia, yarışma için büyükannesinden yardım isteyemez çünkü kadın ortadan kaybolmuştur. Fakat torununa en iyi sihir numaraları ve birkaç belirsiz ipucuyla birlikte, sihirbazlık konusunda rakipleri olan Blackwell ailesinin genç erkeklerinden uzak durmasını söyleyen bir not bırakmıştır.

Lia, büyükannesinin koyduğu kurala uymayı planlar ama sahilde tanıştığı sevimli gencin adının “Beckett Blackwell” olduğunu öğrenince işler değişir.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Young Adult Romance, Fiction, Fantasy, Audiobook

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Amy Noelle Parks is a professor of elementary education at Michigan State University, where she helps future teachers recover from the trauma inflicted on them by years of school mathematics.

At night, she writes stories about smart girls falling for feminist boys in quirky midwestern settings and likes using One Direction lyrics as the inspiration for entire novels. Social media still scares her, but she’s working on it.

Reviews

[aly ☆彡 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book should be the impetus as to whether I'll read Amy Parks book in the future and it's too sad that it may not be the case :( and it's a crime that she always had those beautiful covers.

I was pretty excited for the book seeing that it will be centering around magic tricks but this book is quite humdrum. On a side note, I like Lia as our protagonist, but not much to be said about Beckett, so there's that.

This book wasn't bad but it's not the best either. My ungenerous ass really wanna rate this with two stars but I'll be nice for once :') (LIES, you'll see me change the rating in few days because I can't lie to myself as much as I wanted to)

Do I need to spell further? Full RTC

[☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

thank you to edelweiss+ and abrams for the eARC!!

giving this a 3.4 stars for the following:

(+) the concept. i’ve never read a book based on a magic (the houdini kind), so this was a refreshing turn! i loved learning about all the magic cons and ways the tricks were performed 😌

(-) this book is a victim to inaccurately guessing how teenagers speak/think at the beginning (ex: “#goals”)

(-) beckett and (-) grandma. beckett… was lacking. or at least the relationship between him and lia was. i was rooting for chase before i remembered that chase is not a part of the book title and beckett is (oops). as for grandma: for such a huge role that she played, it would have been nice to have some flashback scenes of lia’s relationship with her. she’s just very ominous throughout the story, and so i couldn’t care too much about the backstory of a hardly-present character (which could have been worked at through flashbacks).

(+) lia! i’ve read a million and one YA chick lits, and i feel like her character was refreshing from the typical prototype of “relatable messy bun” main characters (this isn’t the legal term, but you know exactly what i mean). 13(+?) boyfriends? good for her. wants to do magic? good for her. and i love that whenever beckett went out of line, it wasn’t glossed over, but instead lia called him out on his behavior. if only it was just lia’s abracadabra 💔

(+) this is minor, but i appreciate the thought that went into the title and how it was eventually explained. controversial to say, but i am a sucker for when the title of the story is mentioned within the story.

overall, a light read that could get somebody out of a reading slump!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abracadabra is one of my favorite words. I can’t say it aloud without a smile. Can you? Plus, the letters are a joy to form and string together on the page and in the air. It’s pure word magic! So, Let’s see what Lia and Beckett’s Abracadabra has up its sleeve. :)

Seventeen-year-old Lia Sawyer has some big decisions to make. Her mom wants her to start getting serious about her love for math, but Lia might want to get serious about her love for magic. She has been invited to compete in a once in a lifetime magic contest. Not only will she get bragging rights, if she wins, she’ll get recognition and her very own theatre to perform in! Lia and her fellow magicians have to dazzle a group of judges/professional magicians. Many of the magicians have known Lia her whole life. One was even married to her grandmother. You see, magic is in Lia’s blood. Her grandmother was a professional. Still is maybe, because Grandma Matilda is gone. Vanished! Is her disappearance part of the contest or something else? Whatever the truth or trick may be, Lia’s grandmother isn’t around to offer support. The one big piece of advice she passed along to her granddaughters remains truer than ever before though. Avoid Blackwell boys! *cough* Too late.

Before I introduce anyone though, we have to talk MAGIC! Picture me saying that with jazz hands and a big ta-da. The magic is everything here. Magic on the stage, in the past, and in the pitter-patter of my heart! Let’s start with the town of Mirror Lake. It’s a town with magic in every nook & cranny. From the stage to the streets! There are card tricks—pick a card, any card. Illusions, trap doors, floating orbs, donkeys, and clowns! Top to bottom, beginning to end! It’s all magic. I loved it. It’s a world I know very little about, so watching the tricks take shape with practice and preparation was fascinating. When the hard work, charisma, and confidence all sync up it’s...well...magic! :) You’ll feel it when it all clicks into place. It’s dazzling!

Now on to the catnip of our tale…Beckett Blackwell. There are two other Blackwell boys, but let’s stick to one for now. Beckett is charming, confident, and competition in the contest. He’s a magician. I lost my heart at first sight. Right along with Lia. These two are fun together. Their banter is immediate and charged. Their back and forth, push and pull is quick, witty, and fueled with the spark of competition. It’s hot! And sweet at times. I mean this boy can give a compliment. This is one of my favorites….”I could make a hobby out of watching you think.”

But Beckett is a bit broken. He got stomped on last summer and hasn’t been able to trust anyone with his heart since. Meaning, (to Lia’s horror!) he wants to go slow. So they talk, hold hands, flirt, and wait and wait. The anticipation is electric! And oh-so romantic. Will Lia and Beckett find a way into each other’s hearts? Or will the contest destroy any chance of them trusting each other?

Lia, Lia, Lia. This girl is a joy to see on the page. Her confidence is inspiring and very much needed in young adult fiction. I laughed and said “damn right” more than once around her. A big part of this book is about women learning to stand up for themselves. And Lia is learning how to do that here on all levels.

A woman's role in magic shouldn’t just be the pretty assistant in the low cut, sparkly dress. Women deserve the recognition and respect for their work. It’s a message that made me proud. But there are a lot of mixed signals here. For example, at one point Lia admits to thinking she could get through to the next stage of the competition with a “hair flip and a smile”. Or when Becket showed up at Lia’s door with her looking very early morning-ish. Her first thought was…”Looking like this, I’m not giving him a lot of reasons to say yes.” Like she had to look gorgeous for a boy to listen to her. I’m probably reading more into this than I should, but I had alarm bells dinging and ringing all the way through. Which….makes this book complicated, but I like complicated. It all made me stop and think.

This next part behind the spoiler tag is a bit ranty and for me. I want to see if the same things jump out at me later on after a re-read. Feel free to ignore it.

One of the big alarm bells was when Lia was trying to convince her sister, Emma, to help her with the show. Help her by getting a makeover. Emma would have to get her hair done and wear something very un-Emma like. A look that Lia thought would help Emma get the boy she’s been pining after. Lia sold the idea with this line…

“Maybe it will make certain people see you in a different way than they ever have before?”

What like a trick of the light? Make him see something that’s not her. Is Parks saying love is a trick or sleight of hand?

But what really bothered me about this part was just how much it sounded like the time Lia was trying to con Elliott, aka the big baddie in this story, into getting his hair colored and styled a certain way. It gave me the creeps that Lia was saying something very similar to her very own sister.

And then we have the whole Chase thing. Um…yeah. Sorry, Lia. I adore you, but if I was Beckett I wouldn’t have trusted you after that. Not only did you kiss a boy. It was his cousin—a cousin that he treated like a brother and best friend. And then you proceeded to call Beckett’s hesitations and hurt “flipping out”. I love Lia’s humor and wit, but at that moment, I think they should have talked for real. The fact that Lia and Beckett were still talking about the Chase thing at the end (and I mean with just a couple of pages left in the book) showed just how complicated and messy and unresolved the Chase/trust situation really was and still is. It stole some of the magic from their happy ending.

There are some serious fine lines in this plot. Parks plays with a lot of different topics. Like what’s the difference between a magician and a con artist? Is there a difference? Or confidence and arrogance? And can silly and serious co-exist? We can be more than one thing in life. More than one thing at the same time even. And this story shows that again & again in fun, romantic, magical ways.

Highly recommended. It will make you smile, think, and pick up a deck of cards.

Come see the magic!

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun enemies to lovers YA romance between two aspiring mentalists. I really enjoyed this unique book set in a world where real magic exists and two teens compete in a stage magic contest in order to gain the right to a magical building. I loved the banter and the way that Lia and Beckett are sent on a wild ghost chase trying to find Lia's grandmother, while also discovering just how pivotal a magician she was in her time. Good on audio and would definitely recommend!

[Samantha (WLABB) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 stars

I have read and enjoyed books by Parks, but I have to say, this is my favorite. I may have come for the romance, but there were several other things that really ended up being highlights for me.

The Setting

Mirror lake was a such a fantastic small town. It seemed so magical which makes sense with all the actual magic being performed in and about the town. The town had a rich history, and I loved that Lia, Beckett, and his cousin Chase were committed to preserving and reenergizing Mirror Lakes.

The Magic

Off the top of my head I can only think of one other book that had so much magic in it (The Lightness of Hands), and to be honest, it is a world I do not know a tremendous amount about. Therefore, I really enjoyed getting a peek behind the curtain. Parks took me on a deep dive into the tricks, performances, and the secrets magicians keep. I found myself engrossed with learning the ins and outs of it all. As with most industries, there seems to be quite a bit of sexism surrounding magicians, and I appreciated the way Parks incorporated this issue into the story.

Lia’s Personal Journey

Giving deeper meaning to this story was Lia’s personal journey. Lia struggled with trying to live up to what her family expected and wanted her to be. Often assumed to be “not serious”, she longed to be able to show all the parts of herself without judgement. This challenge from her grandmother resulted in Lia figuring out what she really wanted for her future and going after it which I was pretty excited about.

Overall, this book had me under its spell from beginning to end, and I loved sharing this magical summer with Lia and Beckett!

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an adorable teen romcom. I loved the Wisconsin "Mirror Lake" setting, the texture of the magic, and the backstory of Lia's grandmother.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this so much! This was a really fun book about magic (but not in the fantasy sense - just good old fashioned magicians doing their tricks) while also tackling some very real issues, such as sexism and misogyny. Lia's grandmother is currently off the grid, but Lia (and her sister and several other people) all receive invitations to participate in a contest, where the winner gets the theater in town where the big magic show is done weekly, and which her grandmother currently owns. Lia and Beckett (who don't trust each other because their grandparents warned their families of each other) end up working together to try to dismantle some of the fraud and other unethical practices that magicians in town, including Beckett's cousin and their fellow competitor in the contest, are doing.

I absolutely loved Lia's character. She was a cheerleader who loved math and magic and pop songs, and she just felt really relatable to me - she refused to let anyone put her in a box and let her be just one thing, and I admired that so much. I think a little of the drama between her and Beckett was a little over the top but in general, she was great.

I also liked the chemistry between Lia and Beckett- they were attracted to each other from the get go, but then they realized who the other is and there was tension, but the build up to trust was really well done, and I really enjoyed it.

Overall, definitely enjoyed and would recommend to YA contemporary readers.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy to review.

[Harper Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect Romance Novel to get me out of my reading slump. Beckett and Lia are charming from beginning to end, and I loved the slow pace their relationship took. The facts included throughout the book on women in magic were eye-opening. I couldn't believe the way that the men talked about women in their industry and the lack of respect given to the assistants. Overall, this book is the perfect romance to read in one sitting, and I will be recommending it to everyone I know. (Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book early!)

[Hannah DCamp · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an E-ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Magic is an area I've never really delved into very deeply, so it was fun to see it portrayed with such seriousness. As a musician, I appreciate this; "what value does your degree actually have?" The person asking wouldn't be able to understand if you told them. The way that Lia and her friends talk about magic is the way that I used to talk to my friends about music, and the community they've built centered on it was similar to the we had. I loved that her sister was a musician, and they were able to connect in some ways because of that. The only thing I thought was weird was that her sister was supposed to be the golden child, but they were disdainful of Lia doing magic because it wasn't practical like math or science. It is rare that I meet hardcore STEM types like Lia's parents that think music has any value, so this didn't make sense to me.

The southern Wisconsin vibes were strong I guess? What I mean by this is that the lake-side life and custard are accurate and real, but the only places they mention are Madison and Milwaukee. There is so much more Wisconsin north of Lake Mendota and Whitefish Bay (and there's more to the southern part of the state than those places too), but it's rare that I find it portrayed anywhere. Oshkosh being in Loki was exciting but hardly counts because there was nothing about it that was necessarily Wisconsin, much less Oshkosh. That could've been anywhere; it was unrecognizable to me. I did scream a little ngl, but that's largely beside the point. ALSO Lia makes the decision to go to Madison instead of some "fancy private school" but like, Madison is still crazy expensive and pretty elite/prestigious, especially for some of us with peasant status? In my mind, deciding to go to Madison instead of a fancy private school is rarely going to look like a downgrade. It's not like your future employers will look at your resume and say "Oh my gosh you went to the UW? But Edgewood is right there, why did you make that decision? Welp, I don't think we can hire you."


I thought the author avoided instalove here nicely. Rational brains for the win! Lia and Beckett are aware of their attraction to each other and talk about that, but they also discuss how they are focused on different things right now (and their families' history is too complicated for a relationship to be an easy decision). There's some annoying "you're easily the most fascinating person I've ever met" and "a cheerleader who does math, wow," but for the most part they acknowledge that they just have a crush on each other and want to try being friends before doing anything physical. This means that the story is more about them finding out about each other as they do their magic things, and shenanigans as they try to take down the town full of annoying people. I was especially struck by this around 48% of the way through, when he says something that makes her feel as though he actually values her thoughts and opinions as a person. Incidentally this is when Lia realizes this too.

Out of the blue, I remember Dad reading me and Emma The Ant and the Grasshopper when we were little. He exchanged this look with Mom over our heads that said as clearly as words that he thought this was a parable about their kids - their hardworking daughter and their flighty one. Every single thing Emma and I have ever said or done has etched this more deeply.

Speaking of Emma, I enjoyed the sister's relationship here. At the start I put them in boxes and thought it was going to be contrived and silly, and that the characters would have no other depth to them than that. Around the same time as the quote above, she has a conversation with her sister related to Elliott and his stupid, gross choices, and it's candid and loving. They don't actually compete with each other, and that was really nice to see. The friendship with Chase was nice too; male/female relationships seem to be going extinct sometimes, and even though they had to test it out with a kiss because attraction is the most important thing and must be tested out (sarcasm sign) it was nice that for once there was no love triangle and minimal drama.

The drama we do get? When Beckett's parents come in to the brunch place with Chase and Beckett and they sit right next to Lia and Chase and Lia just kissed the night before and they're awkward and Beckett is awkward, and Beckett's mom is sweet and oblivious to all the awkward? It made me chuckle. Until it didn't. But again, the way the characters handled it was mature. Communication is so important.

We learn eventually that the Grandma's deal all along was helping Lia win because she wanted credit for all the tricks she invented and all the years when she was the magician and her husband was the assistant (instead of the other way around like everyone assumed). She wanted in to that Inner Circle, and she'd been excluded because she was a woman. I didn't think this was set up well at all. Lia kept jumping to conclusions about things, constantly mentioning how women were slighted in Mirror Lake, even though we didn't actually see it until the first checkpoint, when the judges straight up tell her she isn't cut out for magic work because she's a girl. That for real filled me with rage. Until that point the only thing I could guess was because she'd only met Inner Circle members who were men (they were supposed to be kind of secret, so how would she know that there were no female members?). The existence of men in a given situation does not equal sexism. I prefer to assume innocence until proven guilty. Just seemed like a heavy-handed way to set up that conflict, when it was plenty potent without it.

Overall I thought the characters were refreshingly mature (even if they didn't always make mature decisions - what teen does?). They talked about their problems when they messed up, and that meant that the plot got to be fun and a little frivolous, and actually focus on things the characters' wanted besides each other. It was refreshing to read a book that wasn't so concerned with teenage sexual tension.



Tl;dr, this was overall well crafted and a super fun romance. I have trouble with contemporaries sometimes, but the magic elements here made it really enjoyable without bogging it down. Communication is the best way to have a good relationshiiiiip!

*Penn and Teller: Fool Us is a show that exists? They mention at some point that there aren't any mainstream shows about actual magic (versus mentalism), but I am confusion. Unless Penn and Teller are, like, too mainstream or something?

[maven calore’s venice b!tch · Rating 4 out of 5]

you best believe this book has me writing a gushing review at 4:40 am 🫶🥳
cutest book ever!!!! i really like this author; i’ve read one other work of hers and omg i am hyped!! the romances are clean and so sweet and so easy to root for.
i adored the characters and the plot and the writing. this isn’t a proper review so don’t expect academic and literary critiques.
the book didn’t read juvenile nor cringey nor cliche. i thought it was so fun and entertaining and awesome! it was fluffy but not wattpad fluffy-esque that makes me gag.
beckett (or whatever his name is. it’s stupid) was eh and i didn’t really like him THAT much but i still thought the romance was super cute. chase is more interesting and dynamic (not really character dynamic wise, but just vibes wise), but i’m rating this book for vibes and the vibes are definitely there. if you read this critically you will most likely find literary faults (dynamic? flat? etc) but i thought it was a super fun read to at kept me up till the morning.
i would definitely recommend. it’s almost a kicking my feet in the air cute.

i highly suggest you read this review that approached the book with a more critical lens. raise valid points!! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

spoilers onward!
the scene after lia’s first performance to the inner circle where the inner circle said a bunch of the sexist shit almost made me tear up. the injustice of the world makes me hate everything. i’m so so glad matilda got the recognition she deserved <333

[Alex Nonymous · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Lia and Beckett's Abracadabra in exchange for an honest review.

First off, I loved Lia. She was great to read. Quirky without being self-deprecating and genuinely seeming to know her worth? We love to see it in YA. I also loved the plot and subject matter because there's far too little magic tricks in YA for my liking.

Beckett though? Didn't deserve Lia. I kind of consistently disliked Beckett even though everything from the moment you read the title tries to trick you into thinking they should end up together. Maybe Lia being a protagonist who actually knew her worth contributed to me thinking that he was not it but I really wish they just became cool pals.

[Dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This adorable YA rom-com was lots of fun. The plot centers around a few families of stage magicians and we follow our main character and narrator, Lia, as she attempts to solve a mystery. Her relationship with star-crossed love interest, Beckett, starts off slowly, as there is great distrust between the ladies of her family and the men of his.

Come for the stage magic, stay for the witty banter and teenage summer shenanigans.

#LiaAndBeckett #NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. Read more reviews! http://dreamerjbookreviews.blogspot.com

[Jaymie · Rating 5 out of 5]

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

5 stars +++ = Best of the best

I absolutely adored this - a "perfect" book for me. The sort of book I want to hold and hug and tell everyone about. I loved the characters (the cousins reminded me of the brothers in INHERITANCE GAMES). The magic descriptions were just right for a non-visual medium - never too much or not enough. The deeper story was fantastic. I loved every bit of this - 100% delightful.

[Jenna (readinginjennaland) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book. I loved learning about the magic tricks and the different ways to fool the audience. My favorite character was Lia, she was strong and smart and knew what she wanted.

[Doreen Pacini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute book! Would definitely recommend. I never read a young adult about magic or even an adult book for that matter. I loved how this book didnt have the main focus on romance but had it in the background. I loved learning about magic and the tricks the magic world brings. The author must have done a lot of research to describe all the tricks and I applaud them. Great book! Hope she writes a sequel!

[Catalina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy.

This was a cute summer contemporary story.
I loved the themes of family and responsibilities.

Unfortunately, I wasn't too big a fan of the romance and the story focused on that aspect a bit heavy for my liking so my enjoyment levels went down a bit but still an enjoyable family story.

[Melannie :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely and completely LOVED. Full review to come closer to pub date.


November 2025

I can’t believe I never posted my review 🤦🏻‍♀️
But I did gave it a 5 star rating *and* I have re-read it, which is extremely rare for someone with as little time as me, I adore this story.

[Shaena Peters · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reviewed for NetGalley.

I couldn’t get into this. I had to keep rereading to keep the characters straight, just didn’t work for me.

[Ashleah]

This book definitely leans on the younger side of YA, and it didn't hold my attention. It just wasn't the book for me.

[Westveil Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was granted complimentary eARC access to Lia and Beckett's Abracadabra by Amy Noelle Parks by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.

A blend of fantasy and romantic comedy for a young and young-at-heart audience, Lia and Beckett's Abracadabra is a will-they, won't-they story about rival teen magicians choosing between a family feud and the undeniable attraction between them. It's a little bit Romeo & Juliet (with less impulsive poison and dagger usage,) a little bit The Night Circus, a little bit The Magicians, and a little something all its own.

I can see this book appealing equally to readers who are all about romance and readers who are all about character-driven fantasy. I'm one of those readers who avoid most romance-first type stories unless it's a paranormal rom-com and this book kept me turning pages late into the night with glee!

Main character Lia really won me over from the very first page, and I love to see a determined character like this who's open to having her mind changed but also absolutely not simply accepting traditions because they're what has always been done. Beckett, her rival and love interest, was a little harder for me to connect with, and I think readers will find him to be more of a divisive character. People are either going to love him from the get-go or be warry of him throughout the entire book, but I can't quite put a finger on why.

Readers who criticize YA romance for being too fresh and loose with the instalove trope will be relieved to hear that this book avoids that pitfall. The slow dance between Lia and Beckett is exactly that, slow and drawn out, with ample opportunity to second guess whether or not you think they'll end up together, and whether or not you think they should (which were two different feelings for me at points!)

The author does lean hard into the identity the Wisconsin setting lends to all of the characters, so if you love Americana or grew up in a midwest-type culture, you're going to feel quite at home reading this book. If you don't or didn't, you'll have to decide whether or not you can look past it, because it is a little in-your-face at times.

In terms of the stage magic, the magic-related plot threads, and the settings for all of the magical performances, this book really scratched an itch I've been feeling for quite a while. I know the premise is quite different from Grossman's The Magicians, Lia and Beckett aren't whisked off to a secret, competitive school for magicians, but the competition and air of secrecy elements are there in a way that made me think this is the sort of story I was looking for when I first picked up The Magicians 12 years ago. I suppose that means if you're a fan of the Grossman books or TV series, or if you wanted to be but found yourself disappointed like I did, this might finally be the book you were looking for.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc of "Lia and Beckett's Abracadabra" by Amy Noelle Parks.

"Do Magic. Fight Crime. Fall in love. Not necessarily in that order."

Lia is the flighty one, the one that falls in and out of love at the blink of an eye, the one that loves sparkles and makeup and being a cheerleader. Basically Lia is everything her sister Emma is not and it's obvious to her what her parents want. However, when Lia receives a postcard from her grandmother, who had disappeared two weeks earlier, inviting her to Mirror Lake for the summer for a magic competition Lia cannot say no. Upon getting to Mirror Lake Lia meets a boy on the beach who breaks all the rules, most specifically that you don't interact with the Blackwell boys. The competition would help keep the Starlight theatre in the family name is Lia wins but can she do something so serious without losing who she really wants to be on the inside?

I thought this was a well written book. The overarching theme of competition kept the story interesting even as the romance and other plot lines ebbed and flowed. The romance and the competition kept me coming back to this book and kept me picking it up. This book really embraces the concept of slow burn with the relationship between Lia and Beckett not really getting anywhere until the very end of the book. I also appreciate how Parks kept Lia who she was through the story, it can be so easy to see the main character have to change who they are to make things work but Lia gets to have it all while still be able to love all the things that she does love, like makeup and sparkles and math.

Overall I thought this was a refreshing take on a YA romance and I loved the magic aspect of it. 4 stars.

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review an e-ARC. I was drawn to this title by some of the early comps, which I believe were some of my YA favorites like Love & Gelato and 13 Little Blue Envelopes. I ultimately did not feel like those comps were all that accurate, as I think readers would have different expectations going in, especially from the romance perspective. I struggled getting into this one and have found that on my last several reads, there seems to be a lot of books out there bringing us readers into the story with a very reality show introduction episode style beginning- I mean that as we meet a ton of characters immediately early on and we have to decide whose names and backstories will be important throughout and who we will leave at the door. It's hard for me to learn lots of character names straight away without confusion, and I feel like in this story there's a lot of family members and cousins and friend names dropped without dimension and it was a challenge to get invested in the story. Once it got going i found the magic element to be the star of the story, yet it was more tedious than entertaining at times. It's hard to describe a magic act unfolding in written word for readers like me who don't know anything about performing illusions or tricks. I don't think it was too much though, it just didn't leap off the page the way an act on stage would dazzle. The part of the story I liked most was definitely Lia's personal journey and the ending chapters did a better job at moving her along to show some growth and insight than the rest of the book.

[Lydia M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and ABRAMS publishing for the eARC!

“I've never given anyone or anything the power to break my heart...it's scary to decide something's important."

When a mysterious letter arrives from her flighty magician grandmother, Lia finds herself spending the summer in Mirror Lake, a town known for its magic. She finds herself in a stage magic competition up against the tempting (but dangerous) Blackwell boys, most of whom underestimate her because she's a girl. It is up to Lia to prove her worth in the world of magic, and to reveal some generations-old secrets.

This book was so fun. It was such a sweet rom-com that reminded me of the cotton candy sweetness of a summer beach town that you'd get from a Sarah Dessen book. Yeah, some of the rom-com plot points were a little cliched, but I felt like that didn't take away from the overall plot. The magic storyline was really fun and unique - not something commonly found in YA, and was well-done.

The main character of Lia was really strong as well. I loved how she was written - not as just one kind of girl. She was good at math, but she also loved makeup and dressing up and being a cheerleader and a magician. She never felt the need to apologize for being more than one type of girl, and I found that refreshing in a YA MC. I also was a fan of her strong bond with her older sister, it was a fresh take on a sibling relationship.

A magical rom-com that is perfect for fans of summer beach towns, a slow burn romance, strong characters, and smart teenagers - Lia and Beckett's Abracadabra does not disappoint.

[Jaime]

Oh, this book was fun. It’s the perfect fluffy contemporary romance to read during the summer. I love the focus on magic and Lia wanting to be a magician and to save her family’s legacy, and I love Beckett and all the drama of the Blackwell boys. (They're definitely swoonworthy.)

I appreciate how in-depth the magic side of things was. And I like how the between Lia and Beckett relationship played out. I don't see a lot of YA books with characters that decide to wait before diving head first into a relationship or kissing or more just because they like each other. It made for an interesting dynamic between the two and gave the book some great romantic tension.

I also love the sister relationship and all the shenanigans they get up to getting revenge on Elliott. It was so bad but so fun at the same time. Lia is a fun protagonist and I like that she continually surprises people by what she does and likes.

There is a lot of teen drama in this book. I expect that in most YA books, but some of it felt a little over the top in this one. Because the rest of the story was so darn cute and full of such fun magic, I could let it slide. Plus, with the way everything ends in the final show, it's perfect.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an early digital copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Tomas Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy the magic aspects of this book. It's a book called Abracadabra and you can obviously tell where the story is going because of the title.

It didn't really blow my mind in any way, and the romance was not the best. The plot for many romances is fall in love, have a huge falling out, then they fall in love again but this story just kept forcing arguments between the two "lovers" to drive them apart. I honestly enjoyed the scene with Emma tossing popcorn into Theo's mouth way more than any of Lia and Beckett's scenes.

I could care less about the grandma. Why is this woman putting so much pressure on her 17 year old granddaughter when she's not even around and disappeared for months without telling anyone where she is. I get the whole mysterious magician grandma, but could she not have just indirectly tell Lia what was going on without doing all that extra stuff?

The final show with Beckett and Lia was really fun to read and that's when you can feel the chemistry. That's when I started rooting for them a bit more, but then they're back at the beach and suddenly I don't care. The writing was fine and Lia as the main character was pretty interesting.

[Etta (Chonky Books Review) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lia and Beckett’s Abracadabra: A Novel follows 17-year-old Lia Sawyer who receives a mysterious invitation to compete in a stage magic contest. She can’t ask Grandma Matilda for help even though she knows magic because she has vanished and left behind obscure clues. She also left behind a warning to stay away from the rival magic family, the Blackwells. Lia violates this warning by eventually meeting Beckett Blackwell and the two connect with each other. The two characters do have a great chemistry and they take their time getting to know each other.
The midwestern setting of Mirror Lake in Wisconsin is described in a lot of detail. There are a lot of mentions of this setting which can feel like it takes over the story at times rather than blend with the actual plot. Lia’s exploration of magic and attempt to win the competition was really enjoyable as I liked how magic was integrated into the story. It was nice to see the classic stage magic rather than paranormal magic in a story and used as the main focus of the story. The excitement the characters have for magic is apparent and it is easy to connect with them. Overall, this was a light fun story.

[Mel Fleischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

AHH!! This book was super cute. The perfect YA Rom-Com.

Do you like Juliet and Romeo type forbidden romance? Do you love a good slow burn? Do you love magic? Do you love women breaking gender stereotypes?

Well this is certainly the book for you.

Meet Lia. Math geek. Magician. Probably Studying for the SAT. Unsure of what she wants to do for college.

Meet Beckett. Handsome and charming. Supports your dreams. Waits two months to kiss you. A romantic. Heartbroken over the loss of his previous gal.

Combine The Summer I Turned Pretty, the tension from the Inheritance Games, and add a little bit of magic: you’ve got Lia and Beckett’s Abracadabra.

Please check this book out. 4.25 ⭐️‘s. Not a perfect 5 because the beginning was a bit too slow for my taste. It comes out this week!

[Sebastian · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC I received of this book!
I was really looking forward to this because the concept was so new, intriguing, and I loved that it took into account gender politics in the world of magic and performance. Unfortunately, the magic was often overshadowed by the lack of chemistry between Lia and Becket and the constant undercommunication between everyone. Unlike most YA where characters simply don’t communicate and have the most superficial problems, in these, they do talk, but do total 180s after and get into very forced and silly arguments constantly. It was even more frustrating than the usual tropes.
I think there’s definitely potential in the author to fine tune future characters and their relationships, especially while coming up with concepts like this, but for this one, it was sadly just disappointing.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

First, the one negative is that I genuinely feel like this cover art does NOT do the book justice. The art seems very juvenile and makes me think this is a young reader book, not young adult. The cover art should absolutely be changed.

Second, holy cow this novel was so stinking good! I love all the different things this novel touched on with super intelligent women, sexism in so many fields and just learning and growing. I love that this novel touched on Lia being so intelligent and so good at math and physics, but still a girly girl and cheerleader. The slow burning love story was fantastic and beautiful and makes for a lasting story. This was just all around entertaining, funny, sweet and heart-warming and totally a book I needed to read right now.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you loved the movie Now You See It... on Disney you'll love this one.

Lia's grandmother lives in a town that holds magic in high regard, so much so that the society of magic is there and many magicians formerly held shows there. But she's now put her granddaughter in charge of figuring out magic tricks on her own to win a competition amongst the other families of magic fame. The winner wins the theater and gets a chance to be inducted into the society. Her grandmother's only parting words: Watch out for the Blackwell boys.

This had the compete makings of cute Disneyesque novel. The magic was fun, but it also showed that when something is important to you, you fight for it you don't let others determine what is important to you. I loved seeing Lia stand up for herself and work with the other magicians to make sure that she won. Hands down cute read.