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Magic in Manhattan #1
Bras & Broomsticks
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Whatever After series, the first book in the hilariously bewitching Magic in Manhattan series!
What if all your wishes could come true? Blink your eyes, drink a fizzing pink potion, and poof! Life is perfect. That's Rachel's situation. Except she's not the one who suddenly has magical powers. Her younger sister is. And as Rachel would tell you, spellbooks are wasted on the young!
Yes, yes, of course world peace and cures for horrible diseases are important. But so is dancing without looking like she's being electrocuted, winning back her best friend, stopping her dad's wedding, and finding a date for Spring Fling.
Rachel's not bewitched. Yet. . . .
"Sabrina fans will get a witchy kick out of Bras & Broomsticks!"--Meg Cabot, New York Times bestselling author of The Princess Diaries
"Poof, instant bliss."--Lauren Myracle, New York Times bestselling author of TTYL and Rhymes with Witches
"One magical romp you won't want to miss."--Discovery Girls
Hilarious. --Teen People
What if all your wishes could come true? Blink your eyes, drink a fizzing pink potion, and poof! Life is perfect. That's Rachel's situation. Except she's not the one who suddenly has magical powers. Her younger sister is. And as Rachel would tell you, spellbooks are wasted on the young!
Yes, yes, of course world peace and cures for horrible diseases are important. But so is dancing without looking like she's being electrocuted, winning back her best friend, stopping her dad's wedding, and finding a date for Spring Fling.
Rachel's not bewitched. Yet. . . .
"Sabrina fans will get a witchy kick out of Bras & Broomsticks!"--Meg Cabot, New York Times bestselling author of The Princess Diaries
"Poof, instant bliss."--Lauren Myracle, New York Times bestselling author of TTYL and Rhymes with Witches
"One magical romp you won't want to miss."--Discovery Girls
Hilarious. --Teen People
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
114 people are currently reading
6817 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Mlynowski
160 books3,353 followersSarah was born in Montreal, Canada. After graduating with an honors degree in English literature from McGill University, she moved to Toronto to work for Harlequin Enterprises. While she never met Fabio, she used her romance publishing experiences to fuel her first novel Milkrun.
Since then, Sarah has written four additional novels for adults: Fishbowl, As Seen on TV, Monkey Business, and Me vs. Me; the New York Times bestselling middle grade series Whatever After; the middle grade series Upside-Down Magic (with Lauren Myracle and Emily Jenkins); and the teen novels Bras & Broomsticks, Frogs & French Kisses, Spells & Sleeping Bags, and Parties & Potions (all in the Magic in Manhattan series), as well as Gimme a Call, Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have), Don't Even Think About It, Think Twice, and I See London, I See France. Along with Lauren Myracle and E. Lockhart, Sarah also wrote How to Be Bad, and along with Farrin Jacobs, she wrote See Jane Write, a guide to writing. Sarah also co-edited two bestselling charity collections (Girls' Night In and Girls' Night Out), and has contributed to various anthologies (American Girls About Town, Sixteen: Stories About That Sweet and Bitter Birthday, 21 Proms, First Kiss (Then Tell), Fireworks, and Vacations from Hell).
Sarah is also a co-founder of OMG BookFest, a celebration of books aimed at the early to middle grade reader (ages 7-12) that brings together commercial and award-winning authors with underserved local communities for an exciting experience of books, games and activities.
Sarah's books have been translated into twenty-nine languages and optioned to Hollywood. She now lives in New York City with her husband and two daughters.
Since then, Sarah has written four additional novels for adults: Fishbowl, As Seen on TV, Monkey Business, and Me vs. Me; the New York Times bestselling middle grade series Whatever After; the middle grade series Upside-Down Magic (with Lauren Myracle and Emily Jenkins); and the teen novels Bras & Broomsticks, Frogs & French Kisses, Spells & Sleeping Bags, and Parties & Potions (all in the Magic in Manhattan series), as well as Gimme a Call, Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have), Don't Even Think About It, Think Twice, and I See London, I See France. Along with Lauren Myracle and E. Lockhart, Sarah also wrote How to Be Bad, and along with Farrin Jacobs, she wrote See Jane Write, a guide to writing. Sarah also co-edited two bestselling charity collections (Girls' Night In and Girls' Night Out), and has contributed to various anthologies (American Girls About Town, Sixteen: Stories About That Sweet and Bitter Birthday, 21 Proms, First Kiss (Then Tell), Fireworks, and Vacations from Hell).
Sarah is also a co-founder of OMG BookFest, a celebration of books aimed at the early to middle grade reader (ages 7-12) that brings together commercial and award-winning authors with underserved local communities for an exciting experience of books, games and activities.
Sarah's books have been translated into twenty-nine languages and optioned to Hollywood. She now lives in New York City with her husband and two daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 680 reviews
October 10, 2020
I finished this one yesterday at a sleepover so I apologize for the late review. And it is going to be super short.
AGE RECOMMENDATION: 5-6/10 Check my profile to find how I rate.
PARENT NOTE: Sweet Romance.
READER NOTE: Don't try this at home...
LANGUAGE WARNING: Some language. I don't remember how much but I feel like I remember some.
AGE RECOMMENDATION: 5-6/10 Check my profile to find how I rate.
PARENT NOTE: Sweet Romance.
READER NOTE: Don't try this at home...
LANGUAGE WARNING: Some language. I don't remember how much but I feel like I remember some.
January 12, 2011
Not bad.. just not for me...
Can't seem to connect with the MC and her narrative is not working for me. I loved Mlynowski's book Gimme a Call, but this one is just not my style.
Sorry....
(Note: Did not finish this book. Got to the point where Rachel is plotting to break up her dad's impending wedding with the STBSM by using her sister's new found powers as a witch, and she's also contemplating on how else she can benefit from this situation.)
Can't seem to connect with the MC and her narrative is not working for me. I loved Mlynowski's book Gimme a Call, but this one is just not my style.
Sorry....
(Note: Did not finish this book. Got to the point where Rachel is plotting to break up her dad's impending wedding with the STBSM by using her sister's new found powers as a witch, and she's also contemplating on how else she can benefit from this situation.)
December 5, 2019
Maybe 2.5
I read this in high school for the first time, and I'm still annoyed with Rachel. She is the most self-obsessed teenager I've ever come across, and it's just not cute. I remember being 14 and reading this, thinking that she needed to pull her head out of her ass and stop being so selfish. Girl needs a serious attitude adjustment, and it had better happen by the end of the series. Most of the other characters are horrible people, except for maybe one or two. We can keep those ones, the rest of these kids need to get slapped.
Personally, I'm just glad I haven't seen many characters this bad in more recent YA books. I always felt icky reading about people like Rachel, mostly because my mom would've slapped the shit out of me if I acted like her, and even the thought of the kind of behaviour made me afraid. Here's to hoping I can raise better kids than the ones in this book.
I read this in high school for the first time, and I'm still annoyed with Rachel. She is the most self-obsessed teenager I've ever come across, and it's just not cute. I remember being 14 and reading this, thinking that she needed to pull her head out of her ass and stop being so selfish. Girl needs a serious attitude adjustment, and it had better happen by the end of the series. Most of the other characters are horrible people, except for maybe one or two. We can keep those ones, the rest of these kids need to get slapped.
Personally, I'm just glad I haven't seen many characters this bad in more recent YA books. I always felt icky reading about people like Rachel, mostly because my mom would've slapped the shit out of me if I acted like her, and even the thought of the kind of behaviour made me afraid. Here's to hoping I can raise better kids than the ones in this book.
Read
May 4, 2017oh my god
I remember this fucking book
I read when I was like 10 or something
I remember this fucking book
I read when I was like 10 or something
March 9, 2014
The only thing that gets this book two stars is that, rather than sticking to the done-before theme of teenager-suddenly-finds-out-she's-a-witch, Mlynowski switches things up a bit and gives us teenager-suddenly-finds-out-that-her-younger-sister-(and her mother)-is-a-witch.
Why did the magical powers skip Rachel, and go straight to her younger sister, Miri? Her mother explains that it could be because Miri is more mature than her older sister. Rachel demonstrates her lack of maturity throughout the book, making us all glad that she did not, in fact, get magical powers. Not that, in the end, Miri does much better, repeatedly bending to Rachel's ideas of how to use the powers. Predictable catastrophe ensues, with only a hint that Rachel has learned any of the predictable lessons about true friendship or family or the like. Maybe that's what the sequels are for, but I don't think that I care enough to read them.
Why did the magical powers skip Rachel, and go straight to her younger sister, Miri? Her mother explains that it could be because Miri is more mature than her older sister. Rachel demonstrates her lack of maturity throughout the book, making us all glad that she did not, in fact, get magical powers. Not that, in the end, Miri does much better, repeatedly bending to Rachel's ideas of how to use the powers. Predictable catastrophe ensues, with only a hint that Rachel has learned any of the predictable lessons about true friendship or family or the like. Maybe that's what the sequels are for, but I don't think that I care enough to read them.
February 10, 2009
AWESOME!!!!! So interesting so AWESOME!!!!!!
u guys gotta read it! (NOW!!!)
u guys gotta read it! (NOW!!!)
June 6, 2010
You’ve heard this all before – self-absorbed teen girl wants desperately to be A-list, finds a way to get in with that group, starts treating her other friends and family like crap because she must maintain her status or die. Lots of conniving and manipulation and lies, then it all falls apart, girl left with only her wits and a lot of apologies to make all around. Ends abruptly.
That was the general plot line. Except that there's witchcraft. I can’t STAND to read things like this. I know that bad stuff is going to happen and the anticipation of the bad stuff actually acts as a force to keep me from reading because I don’t want to get dragged through the inevitable misery all over again. We know she is heading for bad things because we’ve seen it 1000 times before. Come on. Wise up.
Rachel is 14, petite, and flat-chested. She has no sense of rhythm, and can almost be called attractive when her unmanageable wavy hair behaves itself. She’s totally ordinary. This is her first hand account of what’s going on in her life. She’s way self-absorbed, to the point where she fails to see anyone else’s point of view. She’s supposed to be smart, at least mathematically, but mostly she’s flighty and flippity and annoying. She takes advantage of her younger sister’s newly discovered magical powers, by manipulating her into using them inappropriately and before she’s been properly trained. They meddle with her dancing ability, and they meddle in their dad’s upcoming wedding. It all ends disastrously (as you’ll be well-prepped to expect), and Rachel feels sorta bad about it all…except that she has plans for NEXT TIME. You really WANT her to learn something from all of her stupid mistakes – at least I did. And she seems to, but then immediately forgets. And I can’t STAND that. If she’s so smart, then some of these painful lessons should stick in her brain.
You can tell that there will be sequels. You can tell by the ending, and you can tell by the sentence that proclaims (just a few short spaces after the ending) – “The magic continues in Frogs & French Kisses, coming in 2006!” and you are supposed to leap with joy and mark your calendar and hold your breath (hopefully not until 2006) while you wait for the sure-to-be glorious sequel. Don’t waste your money or your breath. Yeah, I know, it’s not written yet, but you get to the end of this one and feel like, who cares? Not particularly inspired. May be a fun fluffy read for folks who haven’t heard this story a million times, or who aren’t feeling jaded (as I obviously am).
Excerpt “I’ve wished for lots of things in my fourteen years…a boyfriend, world peace, cleavage. But none of my wishes have come true.” (opening sentence)
Hmmm…lots of trying to be funny falling flat, or failing to feel in the least bit new. This is 311 pages of canned laughter.
That was the general plot line. Except that there's witchcraft. I can’t STAND to read things like this. I know that bad stuff is going to happen and the anticipation of the bad stuff actually acts as a force to keep me from reading because I don’t want to get dragged through the inevitable misery all over again. We know she is heading for bad things because we’ve seen it 1000 times before. Come on. Wise up.
Rachel is 14, petite, and flat-chested. She has no sense of rhythm, and can almost be called attractive when her unmanageable wavy hair behaves itself. She’s totally ordinary. This is her first hand account of what’s going on in her life. She’s way self-absorbed, to the point where she fails to see anyone else’s point of view. She’s supposed to be smart, at least mathematically, but mostly she’s flighty and flippity and annoying. She takes advantage of her younger sister’s newly discovered magical powers, by manipulating her into using them inappropriately and before she’s been properly trained. They meddle with her dancing ability, and they meddle in their dad’s upcoming wedding. It all ends disastrously (as you’ll be well-prepped to expect), and Rachel feels sorta bad about it all…except that she has plans for NEXT TIME. You really WANT her to learn something from all of her stupid mistakes – at least I did. And she seems to, but then immediately forgets. And I can’t STAND that. If she’s so smart, then some of these painful lessons should stick in her brain.
You can tell that there will be sequels. You can tell by the ending, and you can tell by the sentence that proclaims (just a few short spaces after the ending) – “The magic continues in Frogs & French Kisses, coming in 2006!” and you are supposed to leap with joy and mark your calendar and hold your breath (hopefully not until 2006) while you wait for the sure-to-be glorious sequel. Don’t waste your money or your breath. Yeah, I know, it’s not written yet, but you get to the end of this one and feel like, who cares? Not particularly inspired. May be a fun fluffy read for folks who haven’t heard this story a million times, or who aren’t feeling jaded (as I obviously am).
Excerpt “I’ve wished for lots of things in my fourteen years…a boyfriend, world peace, cleavage. But none of my wishes have come true.” (opening sentence)
Hmmm…lots of trying to be funny falling flat, or failing to feel in the least bit new. This is 311 pages of canned laughter.
December 16, 2018
This was an extremely fun and super funny read (or, listen, because I audiobook-ed it), and just an all around good time. Bras and Broomsticks is about Rachel, a freshman in high school, and her quest to become an A-lister in school with the help of her younger sister’s newly awakened witch powers. Because she comes from a family of witches. You get it.
As you might have gathered from the nature of her quest, Rachel is super immature, since she’s, you know, 14 years old. So I didn’t mind her immaturity one bit! I actually really enjoyed it because it made her feel super realistic and natural, unlike a lot of other books *cough* John Green *cough* that have their teenagers talk and act like astrophysicists. It also wasn’t like the bulk of other other books that demean and treat their teenagers like idiots and have them do stupid things in order to further the plot, under the guise of, “Well they’re teenagers, and teenagers are dumb so what do you expect???”
Rachel is smart, and anything questionable that she did had very clear reasoning and intentions behind it so that I understood where she was coming from. I never facepalmed or got angry about anything because she was such a realistic character in that I could easily see any 14 year old acting in the same way. This does not mean I approved of or agreed with all her decisions, but they all made sense, and I liked that a lot.
This was a fantastically enjoyable book, I highly recommend it. If you’re not in the target demographic but are someone who can understand the characters and not come to it from a high-and-mighty perspective, or you ARE the target demographic (tweens), you’ll have a great time like I did. I tried to find something, anything, that I didn’t like about this book, and I couldn’t do it. So: 5 stars it is!
Some Backstory to this and Future Reviews
When I was a wee little girl (maybe around 9-10 years old) I was gifted the book Parties and Potions, and upon beginning to read it I quickly realized that it was actually the fourth book in a series (aka this series). Nonetheless, this knowledge didn’t stop me from reading it upwards of around 5 times over the coming years. You could say I enjoyed it quite a lot. Despite that, wee lady me never picked up the earlier books in this series because I was turned off by the crass words in their titles, such as “bras” *gasp* and “french kisses” *faint*. I was quite scandalized and wanted nothing to do with those titles.
Flash forward a lot of years to now. I was cleaning out my bookshelves and getting rid of all the books of my youth that, though they contained good memories, I knew I would never read again and were therefore only taking up room. Series such as Junie B. Jones, Dear Dumb Diary, Watchers, Groovy Girls Sleepover Club and other miscellaneous books had to go. But when I got to my dear old friend Parties and Potions, I knew I not only had a keeper, but an idea. And so now here I am, years later, finally starting this series from the top!
Since I read the last book in this series, I do know some spoilers, but honestly not much because I barely remember anything from all my re-reads those many years ago. For people who have finished this series, here’s what I remember: Yeah, not much. Though I won’t talk about what I know until it gets revealed in the story, to avoid saying spoilers.
Please consider giving this review a "Like" if you've made it this far, it helps me out a lot! And follow me if you want more!
As you might have gathered from the nature of her quest, Rachel is super immature, since she’s, you know, 14 years old. So I didn’t mind her immaturity one bit! I actually really enjoyed it because it made her feel super realistic and natural, unlike a lot of other books *cough* John Green *cough* that have their teenagers talk and act like astrophysicists. It also wasn’t like the bulk of other other books that demean and treat their teenagers like idiots and have them do stupid things in order to further the plot, under the guise of, “Well they’re teenagers, and teenagers are dumb so what do you expect???”
Rachel is smart, and anything questionable that she did had very clear reasoning and intentions behind it so that I understood where she was coming from. I never facepalmed or got angry about anything because she was such a realistic character in that I could easily see any 14 year old acting in the same way. This does not mean I approved of or agreed with all her decisions, but they all made sense, and I liked that a lot.
This was a fantastically enjoyable book, I highly recommend it. If you’re not in the target demographic but are someone who can understand the characters and not come to it from a high-and-mighty perspective, or you ARE the target demographic (tweens), you’ll have a great time like I did. I tried to find something, anything, that I didn’t like about this book, and I couldn’t do it. So: 5 stars it is!
Some Backstory to this and Future Reviews
When I was a wee little girl (maybe around 9-10 years old) I was gifted the book Parties and Potions, and upon beginning to read it I quickly realized that it was actually the fourth book in a series (aka this series). Nonetheless, this knowledge didn’t stop me from reading it upwards of around 5 times over the coming years. You could say I enjoyed it quite a lot. Despite that, wee lady me never picked up the earlier books in this series because I was turned off by the crass words in their titles, such as “bras” *gasp* and “french kisses” *faint*. I was quite scandalized and wanted nothing to do with those titles.
Flash forward a lot of years to now. I was cleaning out my bookshelves and getting rid of all the books of my youth that, though they contained good memories, I knew I would never read again and were therefore only taking up room. Series such as Junie B. Jones, Dear Dumb Diary, Watchers, Groovy Girls Sleepover Club and other miscellaneous books had to go. But when I got to my dear old friend Parties and Potions, I knew I not only had a keeper, but an idea. And so now here I am, years later, finally starting this series from the top!
Since I read the last book in this series, I do know some spoilers, but honestly not much because I barely remember anything from all my re-reads those many years ago. For people who have finished this series, here’s what I remember: Yeah, not much. Though I won’t talk about what I know until it gets revealed in the story, to avoid saying spoilers.
Please consider giving this review a "Like" if you've made it this far, it helps me out a lot! And follow me if you want more!
Click to read my other Magic in Manhattan reviews:
Book 1* | Book 2 | Book 3 | Book 4
*Current review
July 26, 2012
First off I have to start by saying that Sarah Mlynowski is a genious. I have read many books of hers in the past, though most of them have been her women's fiction, this was my first YA novel of hers and even though I rated it at 3 stars, I still really enjoyed it, but I think it lacked in a few aspects.
I thought this book started off great. The characters in this story are awesome. I really liked Rachel as the main character and Miri is quite possibly the coolest young witch around. I even loved Mom, Dad, STB, Prissy and Rafe, he was very swoon-worthy. There were 2 major hang ups for me, I started to get really annoyed by how self-centered Rachel was, but I was really happy that she realized that after all the drama happened (which was also a little too much, because honestly how can someone come back from a humiliation as catastrophic as she went through).
The other thing that I was disappointed with was the ending. Nothing seemed to be concluded or answered really. All the drama occured and then they saved one aspect, but everything else was just left hanging. I do realize that there are like 3 other books to accompany this one, but I was hoping for some sort of closure.
Other than those 2 things that I just ranted on, I really did like this book. I think it is written for a much younger audience, maybe middle grade, but I'll be reading the rest of this series. Mainly because I love Sarah so much, but also because I really want to know if Rachel will come into some powers of her own.
So please don't be put off by this review, just know that if you are a fan of Mlynowshi's work that this is written for a younger audience and that there a couple short falls, but over all it is worth the time to read it.
I thought this book started off great. The characters in this story are awesome. I really liked Rachel as the main character and Miri is quite possibly the coolest young witch around. I even loved Mom, Dad, STB, Prissy and Rafe, he was very swoon-worthy. There were 2 major hang ups for me, I started to get really annoyed by how self-centered Rachel was, but I was really happy that she realized that after all the drama happened (which was also a little too much, because honestly how can someone come back from a humiliation as catastrophic as she went through).
The other thing that I was disappointed with was the ending. Nothing seemed to be concluded or answered really. All the drama occured and then they saved one aspect, but everything else was just left hanging. I do realize that there are like 3 other books to accompany this one, but I was hoping for some sort of closure.
Other than those 2 things that I just ranted on, I really did like this book. I think it is written for a much younger audience, maybe middle grade, but I'll be reading the rest of this series. Mainly because I love Sarah so much, but also because I really want to know if Rachel will come into some powers of her own.
So please don't be put off by this review, just know that if you are a fan of Mlynowshi's work that this is written for a younger audience and that there a couple short falls, but over all it is worth the time to read it.
January 27, 2010
Rachel is the main character in this book. it is told in a first person perspective. Miri, Rachel's sister just figured out that she is a witch. Rachel also figured out that her mom was a witch but never told anyone about it. Rachel and Miri tried to get STB(Soon-to-be-step-mother) to say that she hates them and her dad with the truth spell but it didn't work. All she said was how much she loved her dad and the sisters. I think that this book is similar to another book i read which is called Truth Cookies . The main character also wants to get rid of a STB and it works.
I think that Rachel is really selfish because she is using her sisters powers to make everything good for her. For example, she made Miri give her a dancing spell so she could get into the school fashion show. I think that Miri is a great sister, she really cares for her sister and would do anything to make her happy. I like how the author has Rachel constantly talking to you making it seem like you are in the story and experiencing the same thing she is. It makes the book seem funnier and a lot more easier to read without falling asleep.
I think that Rachel is really selfish because she is using her sisters powers to make everything good for her. For example, she made Miri give her a dancing spell so she could get into the school fashion show. I think that Miri is a great sister, she really cares for her sister and would do anything to make her happy. I like how the author has Rachel constantly talking to you making it seem like you are in the story and experiencing the same thing she is. It makes the book seem funnier and a lot more easier to read without falling asleep.
December 15, 2014
Pretty immature but I still kinda liked it.
October 27, 2025
This was a fun, humorous and lighthearted book - very relaxing to read. And even though the main character, Rachel, is very different than me somehow that didn't matter in here at all. I just got caught up in her wild schemes she kept thinking up. Because when your younger sister is a witch suddenly and can cast spells, well you decide to take advantage of that. Even though you've been told not to do that. Because Rachel doesn't know how to say "no" to stuff. She wants what she wants (to be in the popular group, to have expensive clothes, etc) - yeah she is kind of shallow. But this was very entertaining...
The book never actually made me laugh out loud but I sure kept reading. And I will see if I can read the other books in this series too. I may not be the target audience but I still enjoyed the craziness in here. I also want to see if Rachel has learned anything from her experiences in this story - but then she probably didn't.
If you want a lighthearted read for Halloween about a young witch and her greedy not-too-wise sister than try this. Rachel may be a genius at math but her people skills are not too good.
The book never actually made me laugh out loud but I sure kept reading. And I will see if I can read the other books in this series too. I may not be the target audience but I still enjoyed the craziness in here. I also want to see if Rachel has learned anything from her experiences in this story - but then she probably didn't.
If you want a lighthearted read for Halloween about a young witch and her greedy not-too-wise sister than try this. Rachel may be a genius at math but her people skills are not too good.
November 18, 2012
Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com
Being fourteen is hard work--and nobody knows that better than Rache Weinstein. She's got a major crush on the two most popular guys in school, Raf and Mick; she's been dumped by her best friend since preschool, Jewel, and instead has hooked up with not-so-popular Tammy; she's got the rhythm of a baboon and so didn't get to audition for her school's all-important fashion show; she's a quasi B-lister instead of a coveted A-lister; her dad is getting ready to marry the most annoying soon-to-be-stepmother in the world; and now, to top things off, she's found out that her younger sister, Miri, is a witch. Seems mom is a witch, too, her decided to live life without her powers, and Miri's inherited her mom's special gift.
Oh, the horror, the unfairness, the indignity! Not only did Miri get the boobs, but now she got the special super powers! Miri, who makes anal retentive, obsessive-compulsive list-makers look like chaos magnets, can now do just about anything she sets her mind to. Things which include, with a little bit of nudging from Rachel, giving her big sister a dancing-is-my-friend spell, getting their dad to break up with STBSM, and banishing pimples from their lives once and for all.
Things don't work out exactly as planned, though, the way things tend to do when you mess with the powers that be. Just when Rachel thinks she's finally got it all--smooth skin, a hunky maybe-boyfriend, a spot in the coolest gig in school, a dad and mom that could be getting back together--things come crashing down.
BRAS & BROOMSTICKS is an absolute riot! I loved this first book in a new series by Sarah Mlynowski. Rachel and Miri make great sisters, the situations Rachel gets herself into are hilarious, and the overall feeling is that life is hard, but sometimes you just have to deal with it.
Being fourteen is hard work--and nobody knows that better than Rache Weinstein. She's got a major crush on the two most popular guys in school, Raf and Mick; she's been dumped by her best friend since preschool, Jewel, and instead has hooked up with not-so-popular Tammy; she's got the rhythm of a baboon and so didn't get to audition for her school's all-important fashion show; she's a quasi B-lister instead of a coveted A-lister; her dad is getting ready to marry the most annoying soon-to-be-stepmother in the world; and now, to top things off, she's found out that her younger sister, Miri, is a witch. Seems mom is a witch, too, her decided to live life without her powers, and Miri's inherited her mom's special gift.
Oh, the horror, the unfairness, the indignity! Not only did Miri get the boobs, but now she got the special super powers! Miri, who makes anal retentive, obsessive-compulsive list-makers look like chaos magnets, can now do just about anything she sets her mind to. Things which include, with a little bit of nudging from Rachel, giving her big sister a dancing-is-my-friend spell, getting their dad to break up with STBSM, and banishing pimples from their lives once and for all.
Things don't work out exactly as planned, though, the way things tend to do when you mess with the powers that be. Just when Rachel thinks she's finally got it all--smooth skin, a hunky maybe-boyfriend, a spot in the coolest gig in school, a dad and mom that could be getting back together--things come crashing down.
BRAS & BROOMSTICKS is an absolute riot! I loved this first book in a new series by Sarah Mlynowski. Rachel and Miri make great sisters, the situations Rachel gets herself into are hilarious, and the overall feeling is that life is hard, but sometimes you just have to deal with it.
June 15, 2015
What a humorous book! I don't know if I was supposed to find this book as funny as I did, but I laughed so often, I'm sure my family thought I was crazy!
Rachel & Miri get into such trouble trying spells when they're not supposed to and the side effects they see are just hilarious. The fact that these girls are quite young and navigating this new world (although Rachel is doing it though Miri) made it even more funny because the problems they saw as so big were not nearly so big.
I did think that Rachel was quite immature because she was supposed to be the older one, but maybe I'm just a little jaded because I'm getting to be that much older and see not so mature students all day long.
I will read book 2 soon and see how many more antics Rachel & Miri have up their sleeves!
Rachel & Miri get into such trouble trying spells when they're not supposed to and the side effects they see are just hilarious. The fact that these girls are quite young and navigating this new world (although Rachel is doing it though Miri) made it even more funny because the problems they saw as so big were not nearly so big.
I did think that Rachel was quite immature because she was supposed to be the older one, but maybe I'm just a little jaded because I'm getting to be that much older and see not so mature students all day long.
I will read book 2 soon and see how many more antics Rachel & Miri have up their sleeves!
June 25, 2012
This book is an insult to every witch series involving teenagers that has ever existed.
Typical book involving teenagers being told not to do something, doing it anyway, and not caring about the consequences. Rachel is the most shallow, selfish character I've ever had the misfortune to read about. Her mind is nowhere I ever want to be again.
Such a waste of a potentially interesting idea.
Typical book involving teenagers being told not to do something, doing it anyway, and not caring about the consequences. Rachel is the most shallow, selfish character I've ever had the misfortune to read about. Her mind is nowhere I ever want to be again.
Such a waste of a potentially interesting idea.
July 14, 2014
Trite, predictable, and with a main character so shallow that if you filled her with water, you couldn't get a puddle out of the deal. Spilled milk has more depth. I weep for the state of teen fiction that this not only got published, it's the first of a multi-book series.
September 1, 2019
this book STANDS the test of time. literally what more could u want in a YA novel? there's magic. sisters. crushes. and a family navigating the aftermath of divorce ?? BIG win
May 31, 2018
Rachael was annoying as so many have already said. Otherwise, the book was ok and kind of funny at times.
June 11, 2023
did i devour this book in three hours? yes
did i still rate it two stars? maybe
i mean rachel is the most insufferable teen i’ve ever had the displeasure to read, but she’s so addicting. it’s too bad because this book had the potential to be better but it’s chick flick and my sister and i adored it when i was 10.
it’s just a nice dumb read, and i loved raf and love him still
did i still rate it two stars? maybe
i mean rachel is the most insufferable teen i’ve ever had the displeasure to read, but she’s so addicting. it’s too bad because this book had the potential to be better but it’s chick flick and my sister and i adored it when i was 10.
it’s just a nice dumb read, and i loved raf and love him still
July 19, 2019
Oh boy. I wasn't expecting this book to be a masterpiece, but this was also not even close to what I was expecting from this.
Rachel has a lot of things on her mind. She wants to be popular, is eager to gain a boy's affection, is desperate to figure out how to get rid of her soon to be step-mother, and is wondering what she needs to do to gain a couple more cup sizes. Then, she finds out her younger sister is a witch and she comes from a line of witches. Now Rachel is wondering why her sister got powers and she didn't, but also realizes that Miri can help her achieve everything she wants.
I quickly had flashbacks of The Princess Diaries while reading this. Rachel is very immature. She's focused on her popularity at school and the cute guy she wants to talk to and hopes will notice her while also being very concerned over the fact that her boobs just aren't big enough yet. For some reason, I handled it throughout a number of Princess Diaries books and this time I couldn't handle it.
Miri played the younger sister role in this. Despite being more mature and wanting to listen to her mother about not using her powers again until training was finished, Rachel had a way of getting her little sister to bend her will and use her powers for basically all of Rachel's will (there were some that could be considered for both, but...). But, Miri was cute and far more likable for me than Rachel.
The plot really wasn't bad overall. It was Rachel's immaturity that really brought the book down for me. It was a quick read that I feel like I could have enjoyed far more when I was younger or maybe if I had been prepared for how immature the MC was going to be.
Rachel has a lot of things on her mind. She wants to be popular, is eager to gain a boy's affection, is desperate to figure out how to get rid of her soon to be step-mother, and is wondering what she needs to do to gain a couple more cup sizes. Then, she finds out her younger sister is a witch and she comes from a line of witches. Now Rachel is wondering why her sister got powers and she didn't, but also realizes that Miri can help her achieve everything she wants.
I quickly had flashbacks of The Princess Diaries while reading this. Rachel is very immature. She's focused on her popularity at school and the cute guy she wants to talk to and hopes will notice her while also being very concerned over the fact that her boobs just aren't big enough yet. For some reason, I handled it throughout a number of Princess Diaries books and this time I couldn't handle it.
Miri played the younger sister role in this. Despite being more mature and wanting to listen to her mother about not using her powers again until training was finished, Rachel had a way of getting her little sister to bend her will and use her powers for basically all of Rachel's will (there were some that could be considered for both, but...). But, Miri was cute and far more likable for me than Rachel.
The plot really wasn't bad overall. It was Rachel's immaturity that really brought the book down for me. It was a quick read that I feel like I could have enjoyed far more when I was younger or maybe if I had been prepared for how immature the MC was going to be.
April 16, 2018
Interesting twist but this book wasn't for me.
January 11, 2022
Loved it voor het jeugdsentiment
January 22, 2025
Read these in high school. Kind of nostalgic. A bit predictable though.
January 9, 2024
it’s really good for teen/preteen girls (or anyone but def (pre)teen girls). i loved it when i read it in middle school. it’s funny, aspects of it are relatable, and overall just a really good book in my opinion.
October 6, 2021
I swear to god this girl never learns
March 5, 2017
The book was sweet and nice, but it definitely made me never want to be on a stage again...
July 28, 2023
If i had to summarize Bras and Broomsticks into 3 words, they would be hilarious, relatable, nostalgic. I really enjoyed Rachel's character all around. She's funny in a teenage way that makes me feel old but also young at the same time. It makes me remember being in high school and how dramatic and world ending everything felt. Plus, the story covers her whole family's dynamic around her parents' divorce, which is also very typical for a lot of families. But the most fun part of the book and what sets it apart from others is her younger sister being a witch. The relationship with her sister and her and how that evoles through the story and how they both grow is beautiful. This was such an easy, light-hearted read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2010
3.5 stars
Bras & Broomsticks by Sarah Mylnowski hilariously blends the supernatural with the realities of the popularity contest that is present in every high school. Rachel can't believe her luck when she finds out that her little sister Miri is a witch. Though she's miffed that her little sister inherited this power from their mother and she did not, she quickly thinks of ways that she can use her sister’s power to her own advantage. Primarily, she wants to become more popular and get Raf, the guy of her dreams, to finally notice her. Though Miri is reluctant to use her powers because her mother has warned her against it, Rachel is eventually able to persuade her to cast a spell that will help her become more popular. Rachel and Miri also conspire to stop their father from remarrying. For a while things are going well, Rachel gains the popularity she desired and the girls have a plan in place to stop the dreaded wedding from happening; however, Rachel learns the hard way that Miri's magic is not a permanent solution to her problems and that they may have inadvertently done more damage than good.
I really enjoyed this book. I actually found myself laughing out loud as I was reading it. It is definitely a light read and somewhat predictable, but I thought it was well written and that Rachel, the main character, was likable and easy to relate to.
Bras & Broomsticks by Sarah Mylnowski hilariously blends the supernatural with the realities of the popularity contest that is present in every high school. Rachel can't believe her luck when she finds out that her little sister Miri is a witch. Though she's miffed that her little sister inherited this power from their mother and she did not, she quickly thinks of ways that she can use her sister’s power to her own advantage. Primarily, she wants to become more popular and get Raf, the guy of her dreams, to finally notice her. Though Miri is reluctant to use her powers because her mother has warned her against it, Rachel is eventually able to persuade her to cast a spell that will help her become more popular. Rachel and Miri also conspire to stop their father from remarrying. For a while things are going well, Rachel gains the popularity she desired and the girls have a plan in place to stop the dreaded wedding from happening; however, Rachel learns the hard way that Miri's magic is not a permanent solution to her problems and that they may have inadvertently done more damage than good.
I really enjoyed this book. I actually found myself laughing out loud as I was reading it. It is definitely a light read and somewhat predictable, but I thought it was well written and that Rachel, the main character, was likable and easy to relate to.
July 25, 2013
Sometimes I ask myself why I like Sarah mlynowskis books. Because I do. I like them A LOT. It's not as I can identify with the main character. She's often a girl who doesn't overthink like I tend to do, who's rather confident and very much of a teenage girl stereotype. She knows she looks good , she's incredibly selfish and she's ready for fun.
Which is not me at all. If anything I'm more like Miri.
But I do like them. Oh god do I like them. Maybe because they're different from me. Probably because they're hilarious. Her books are hilarious. Mlynowskis writing is so great. It's funny, it's light and realistic. Even though I don't have much in common with Rachel, I can still identify with her.
Sarah Mlynowski is a genius. I've read this series a dozen of times at least the first three ones. A friend of my parents picked the first two up for me for my birthday and I thought they sounded rubbish but they're not and I've reread them so many times and I eventually got spells and sleeping bags as well.
I don't know what to say about this book. I will make you laugh. It's written in present tense and you will experience all this stuff with Rachel. It's not a deep philosophic book but it's one you'll not regret reading.
Which is not me at all. If anything I'm more like Miri.
But I do like them. Oh god do I like them. Maybe because they're different from me. Probably because they're hilarious. Her books are hilarious. Mlynowskis writing is so great. It's funny, it's light and realistic. Even though I don't have much in common with Rachel, I can still identify with her.
Sarah Mlynowski is a genius. I've read this series a dozen of times at least the first three ones. A friend of my parents picked the first two up for me for my birthday and I thought they sounded rubbish but they're not and I've reread them so many times and I eventually got spells and sleeping bags as well.
I don't know what to say about this book. I will make you laugh. It's written in present tense and you will experience all this stuff with Rachel. It's not a deep philosophic book but it's one you'll not regret reading.
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