AUTHOR: Sarah Rees Brennan
PUBLISHER: Scholastic
PUBLISHING DATE: December 26, 2019
FROM GOODREADS: Sabrina Spellman has just made the hardest decision of her life: She's leaving behind her beloved friends at Baxter High. Now it's time for her to find her way among the witches and warlocks at the Academy of Unseen Arts.
Sabrina has always been good at the school thing, but now she has a whole new world to navigate. Her power is growing daily, but it comes with a high price... she must always remember her new allegiances and the cost they have on her friends... and on herself.
And then there's her new classmates. Prudence, Dorcas, and Agatha are friends, kind of, but can Sabrina trust them? And what about Nick Scratch? He's as charming as ever, but will his feelings for Sabrina last?
Based on the hit Netflix show, this original YA novel tells an all-new, original story about Sabrina.
Sabrina has always been good at the school thing, but now she has a whole new world to navigate. Her power is growing daily, but it comes with a high price... she must always remember her new allegiances and the cost they have on her friends... and on herself.
And then there's her new classmates. Prudence, Dorcas, and Agatha are friends, kind of, but can Sabrina trust them? And what about Nick Scratch? He's as charming as ever, but will his feelings for Sabrina last?
Based on the hit Netflix show, this original YA novel tells an all-new, original story about Sabrina.
MY THOUGHTS: So it's no real secret that I'm obsessed with Riverdale and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Are they great shows? Probably not. But they are sort of like a train wreck in that once they've got your attention, it's hard not to watch. And that element of fun with a side of what-the-heck-will-happen-next is also why I continue to read the books based on the TV shows.
In this installment, it's several days before New Year's Eve and once again Sabrina is in trouble. She has somehow summoned a bad-luck demon and it's wrecking havoc on her life and has dire consequences for both the mortals, witches and warlocks in Greendale. Sabrina doesn't want to clue her Aunties into what has happened so she enlists some help from her new friends and may just end up relying on some old ones along the way.
What I find interested about these books is that they take place in between the television seasons. This makes the story fresh and also serves to fill in some of the gaps. And what this book made me realize is that Sabrina is kind of annoying, but man I like a lot of the other characters. When the Aunties are present, they are always quite entertaining and Cousin Ambrose is such a great side character full of personality. I like Sabrina's friends and in this installment, I loved seeing what makes warlock Nick Scratch tick. But alas, a favorite has emerged in the form of Prudence.
Prudence is wickedly bad but somewhere in that dark soul is a likable villain. And deep down, I honestly believe her snarky wit and evilness is a mask for a lot of pain in her life. She is the silver lining in a dark Greendale and I can't wait to learn even more about her in the future. She is the morally grey (if someone who worships Satan can be considered morally grey) character I need. In addition, she has some of the best lines in the book. Here is a conversation she has with Sabrina. See how awesome she is?
"Did you hear what they called us?" I asked uneasily.
Prudence didn't turn a hair. "I hear what that word all the time."
"You sure it's that word you hear, and not, uh, a slightly different one?"
Prudence shrugged. "I hear that one too. I like hearing both. They're just words, and I'm a witch. I decide what they mean."
Prudence didn't turn a hair. "I hear what that word all the time."
"You sure it's that word you hear, and not, uh, a slightly different one?"
Prudence shrugged. "I hear that one too. I like hearing both. They're just words, and I'm a witch. I decide what they mean."
So once again I think Sarah Rees Brennan, a quite popular YA author, has knocked it out of the park in bringing further depth to the characters so many people already enjoy. Maybe that's why I already ordered the next installment, which was just released this week!
RATING: 4 PAWS
