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The Spellbinding Magic of You and Me
In a world where ancient magic is real and monsters roam, Santangelo Lo Geffo’s life is about to change forever.
After the mysterious death of his mother, Santangelo is thrust into a world of magic he never believed in. He struggles with his own powers, with a father who insists magic only brings destruction, and with the weight of the loss that haunts him.
When his former friend Neeky reappears, everything shifts. Neeky’s return ignites long-buried feelings, and together they discover they are connected by more than just magic. They’re caught in a destiny neither can escape.
But a deadly rivalry brews in the Gloom—a realm where monsters roam and enemies seek to tear their world apart. As secrets about Santangelo’s past are revealed, he is faced with a devastating choice: protect the people he loves or embrace a future of darkness.
Love, magic, and monsters collide in this thrilling adventure as Santangelo must face his greatest fears and unlock the mysteries of his bloodline. But time is running out, and if he can’t make the right choice, everything—and everyone—he holds dear could be lost forever.
After the mysterious death of his mother, Santangelo is thrust into a world of magic he never believed in. He struggles with his own powers, with a father who insists magic only brings destruction, and with the weight of the loss that haunts him.
When his former friend Neeky reappears, everything shifts. Neeky’s return ignites long-buried feelings, and together they discover they are connected by more than just magic. They’re caught in a destiny neither can escape.
But a deadly rivalry brews in the Gloom—a realm where monsters roam and enemies seek to tear their world apart. As secrets about Santangelo’s past are revealed, he is faced with a devastating choice: protect the people he loves or embrace a future of darkness.
Love, magic, and monsters collide in this thrilling adventure as Santangelo must face his greatest fears and unlock the mysteries of his bloodline. But time is running out, and if he can’t make the right choice, everything—and everyone—he holds dear could be lost forever.
ebook
Published September 16, 2025
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About the author
Timoteo Tong
3 books20 followersBorn and raised in Burbank, California. Living in SF currently. Timoteo was always fascinated by magic, the battle between good and evil, monsters, heroes and gods and goddesses. Timoteo loves Vans, Cheese Pizza, Pepsi, long naps, plants and reading LGBT YA books.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 1, 2025
The Spellbinding Magic of You and Me (The Magicals' Alliance Book 3)
By Timoteo Tong
NineStar Press, 2025
I loved this for the most part. It’s YA, and somehow manages to be very romantic with nothing more than a kiss between 16-year-old boys. I liked that part especially, because it’s a neat trick to imbue romance into a basically sexless story—and yet, that resonated with my memories of being 16 and realizing I was gay.
This is Los Angeles (actually, Burbank for the most part); but the city we know is resting atop a dark hellish place called the Gloom, in which all sorts of dark creatures vie for power. Because it’s the third book of a series, and I’ve not seen the previous ones, the introductory prologue was confusing—although essential—in setting the stage for the underworld denizens who will keep cropping up, particularly Mau Rebetica, the evil being (immortal, apparently) who embodies rage and vengeance and wants to rule the Gloom. This section was, for me, confusing, because I didn’t know the back story. It also introduces one of the most intriguing aspects of this created world: the old language which, I’m guessing is somewhat related to the Sicilian dialect that several of the main characters speak.
Knowing that there is a supernatural story here, the narrative settles down into the relatively quiet summer holiday of Santangelo Delomary Worthington LoGeffo. He is the main protagonist. Like so many teenaged boys in these stories, he has lost his mother. His mother was from a very rich, very Republican family; while his father is Sicilian born, is covered with tattoos, and runs a hugely popular pizza parlor in Burbank. His father grieves and spends a lot of time at the pizza parlor, while Santy hangs around the family’s somewhat shabby Victorian mansion in Burbank. His only real friends are his husky, Che Growlvara, and his cousins, Meena and Lil Shan (twin children of his father’s gay brother and his Chinese-American husband).
Oh, and they’re all magical. Santy thinks he has a lot of power, and there’s his imaginary golden sword that he sees in his dreams. Well, all that gets explained.
It all gets more complicated when Joshua Tang reappears, after years of absence, in the house across the street. Joshua, known as Neeky, was Santy’s best friend until Santy’s mother died and they had a falling out.
You can see where the emotional punch will come. You can also see that this is a book that is not based on a conventional, suburban white population. The author’s name alone should suggest that. Grandmother Worthington brings the haughty WASP ingredient to the mix, but even she turns out to be more nuanced than that.
The larger storyline revolves around Santy and Neeky discovering their magical powers, even as Santy’s father resists it and grieves angrily for his lost wife. The appearance of evil beings spices up the story, but it remains very specifically about Santy, his family, and his best friend Neeky.
It’s a story about love and loss and friendship and growing up and underworld magic trying to take over the earth. Oh.
I need to read book four.
By Timoteo Tong
NineStar Press, 2025
I loved this for the most part. It’s YA, and somehow manages to be very romantic with nothing more than a kiss between 16-year-old boys. I liked that part especially, because it’s a neat trick to imbue romance into a basically sexless story—and yet, that resonated with my memories of being 16 and realizing I was gay.
This is Los Angeles (actually, Burbank for the most part); but the city we know is resting atop a dark hellish place called the Gloom, in which all sorts of dark creatures vie for power. Because it’s the third book of a series, and I’ve not seen the previous ones, the introductory prologue was confusing—although essential—in setting the stage for the underworld denizens who will keep cropping up, particularly Mau Rebetica, the evil being (immortal, apparently) who embodies rage and vengeance and wants to rule the Gloom. This section was, for me, confusing, because I didn’t know the back story. It also introduces one of the most intriguing aspects of this created world: the old language which, I’m guessing is somewhat related to the Sicilian dialect that several of the main characters speak.
Knowing that there is a supernatural story here, the narrative settles down into the relatively quiet summer holiday of Santangelo Delomary Worthington LoGeffo. He is the main protagonist. Like so many teenaged boys in these stories, he has lost his mother. His mother was from a very rich, very Republican family; while his father is Sicilian born, is covered with tattoos, and runs a hugely popular pizza parlor in Burbank. His father grieves and spends a lot of time at the pizza parlor, while Santy hangs around the family’s somewhat shabby Victorian mansion in Burbank. His only real friends are his husky, Che Growlvara, and his cousins, Meena and Lil Shan (twin children of his father’s gay brother and his Chinese-American husband).
Oh, and they’re all magical. Santy thinks he has a lot of power, and there’s his imaginary golden sword that he sees in his dreams. Well, all that gets explained.
It all gets more complicated when Joshua Tang reappears, after years of absence, in the house across the street. Joshua, known as Neeky, was Santy’s best friend until Santy’s mother died and they had a falling out.
You can see where the emotional punch will come. You can also see that this is a book that is not based on a conventional, suburban white population. The author’s name alone should suggest that. Grandmother Worthington brings the haughty WASP ingredient to the mix, but even she turns out to be more nuanced than that.
The larger storyline revolves around Santy and Neeky discovering their magical powers, even as Santy’s father resists it and grieves angrily for his lost wife. The appearance of evil beings spices up the story, but it remains very specifically about Santy, his family, and his best friend Neeky.
It’s a story about love and loss and friendship and growing up and underworld magic trying to take over the earth. Oh.
I need to read book four.
September 19, 2025
Fight the monsters. Wield the golden sword. Find the magic within.
I lost my mom when I was young, and she told me something that has never left me: when you have a nightmare, imagine a golden sword and fight back. That became the heartbeat of this story—about grief, love, and finding courage when life feels impossible. I even shaped the book around the Kübler-Ross cycle of grief, because healing is messy, magical, and rarely straightforward.
In The Spellbinding Magic of You and Me, sixteen-year-old Santangelo Lo Geffo feels crushed under the weight of his mother’s death and his father’s silence. Just when the world feels empty, his childhood best friend Neeky bursts back into his life, sparking hope and feelings Santangelo thought he’d buried. Their bond is tested as they plunge into the Gloom, a place where chaos thrives and monsters stalk their every step.
But the shadows aren’t their only enemy. The ruthless Máu Rabetica is determined to reclaim her throne, and the legendary sword that could tip the balance of power has landed in Santangelo’s hands. With destiny calling, Santangelo must master the magic inside him, fight for the people he loves, and decide who he truly wants to become.
This book is my love letter to family, to chosen bonds, and to the magic hidden inside grief. If you’ve ever felt lost, I hope Santangelo’s journey reminds you that the sword you need has always been within you.
You
Stay Magical —Timoteo
I lost my mom when I was young, and she told me something that has never left me: when you have a nightmare, imagine a golden sword and fight back. That became the heartbeat of this story—about grief, love, and finding courage when life feels impossible. I even shaped the book around the Kübler-Ross cycle of grief, because healing is messy, magical, and rarely straightforward.
In The Spellbinding Magic of You and Me, sixteen-year-old Santangelo Lo Geffo feels crushed under the weight of his mother’s death and his father’s silence. Just when the world feels empty, his childhood best friend Neeky bursts back into his life, sparking hope and feelings Santangelo thought he’d buried. Their bond is tested as they plunge into the Gloom, a place where chaos thrives and monsters stalk their every step.
But the shadows aren’t their only enemy. The ruthless Máu Rabetica is determined to reclaim her throne, and the legendary sword that could tip the balance of power has landed in Santangelo’s hands. With destiny calling, Santangelo must master the magic inside him, fight for the people he loves, and decide who he truly wants to become.
This book is my love letter to family, to chosen bonds, and to the magic hidden inside grief. If you’ve ever felt lost, I hope Santangelo’s journey reminds you that the sword you need has always been within you.
You
Stay Magical —Timoteo
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews