Old Magic
By (Author) Marianne Curley
Simon & Schuster
Margaret K McElderry Books
5th June 2024
Reissue
United States
Young Adult
Fiction
Childrens / Teenage fiction: Historical fiction
Childrens / Teenage fiction: Relationship stories
FIC
Paperback
384
Width 140mm, Height 210mm, Spine 25mm
299g
Outlander gets a witchy Meg Cabot twist in this captivating and romantic YA contemporary fantasy following two witches who must travel back in time to stop an ancient curse.
The moment new guy Jarrod Thornton walks into the room, Kate senses something strange and mesmerizing about him. Something supernatural. Her instincts are proven correct a few minutes later when, bullied by his classmates, Jarrod conjures up a freak thunderstorm inside the classroom.
Only, Jarrod doesnt believe in the paranormal and has no idea his magic is behind the strange incidents that plague him. He finds Kates convictions about magic especially frustrating because of the magnetic attraction between them. Why cant he fall for a normal girl
But, eventually, not even Jarrod can dismiss his giftor the mounting danger its causing. To save their future, Jarrod and Kate embark on an incredible journey to the past where they must foil the curse that has plagued Jarrods family for centuries. Can these fledgling witches summon the strength to emerge victorious
Having grown up with her grandmother Jillian, a practicing witch and healer, sixteen-year-old Kate recognizes power when she sees it. So when newly arrived Jarrod unleashes a windstorm in biology class, Kate steps in, calms him down, and gets him out of there before anyone else realizes what has happened. What surprises her, however, is how oblivious he is to his power and to the curse of disorder and diaster that has dogged his family for centuries. Not only that, but Jarrod is also angrily adamant that magic does not exist. As evidence to the contrary mounts, Jarrod decides to accept Jillian's help, and Kate and Jarrod travel back in time to 1252 to the English castle of Thorntyne and Jarrod's ancestors, Lord Richard and his estranged half-brother, the sorcerer Rhauk. There Jarrod must overcome his reluctance to claim his power, or Kate will die at Rhauk's hands and neither will see their present-day families again.
Alternating narration between Kate and Jarrod, this novel provides dual perspectivies on reality and relationships in a tale where the known competes with the unexpected and reason wars with emotion. With a solid story comprised of several age-old themes of fantasy and adventure as well as a savvy female nudging a clueless male protagonist into claiming his birthright, the book will appeal to young readers interested in magic, adventure and budding romance.
----VOYA April 2010
Marianne Curley lives in Australia with her family. She has experimented with different genres but finds writing for young adults to be the most challenging and satisfying. You can find her online at MarianneCurley7.com.