Spotlight: Love Spells and Other Disasters by Angie Barrett
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Publication Date: February 1, 2021
Publisher: Entangled Teen
I didn’t know when I wrote the first love spell that it would actually make things happen. Like, actually make people fall in love with each other…
How could I have known something like that? I mean, magic isn’t real, right?
But here’s the thing—the spell does work and so does the next one and the next one...and suddenly I’m getting a whole lot of attention from everyone at my high school. Me, Blend-into-the-Walls, Please-Let-Me-Introvert-in-Peace Rowan Marshall. And not only that, but I’ve also caught the attention of Luca Russo, a godlike, football-playing hottie who claims he likes me just the way I am. Ummm...
But as I’m about to learn, playing around with things you don’t understand means when things go wrong—like really, very awfully wrong—you don’t know how to fix them.
Excerpt
“These spells are missing something.” I grab a pen and tap my bottom lip with the end. What would I want in a guy if I were going to summon one with a spell? I mean, if spells actually worked.
I’d want someone who was hot, of course, and fun. Into me in a caring, interested way, not a creepy, possessive way. He’d be down to earth and realistic. Open-minded, sure, but I have enough weirdness in my life as it is, so not a guy who’d be all into ghosts and stuff, or at least, not someone who would be enamored by my mom’s line of work. Someone I can laugh with, like I do with Ethan. The belly hurting kind of laughs that make everything seem like it’s going to be okay no matter what. I’d love someone who knows what I’m thinking and what I need without me saying a word.
Okay, that’s a long list.
I sigh inwardly. Let’s face it—even if a guy like that exists, someone like that would never go for a girl like me, no matter how awesome Ethan thinks I am.
Abby’s watching me daydream with a look of annoyance on her face. I put pen to paper and scribble a poem. “There is a love I desperately long for, so vibrant that it makes my heart soar. With a love at first sight, we’ll know it’s just right—” Her eyes go wide.
“Whoa there, Shakespeare. Maybe poetry isn’t your forte.” She taps the book. “Let’s stick to one of these but put a twist on it with names.”
I push my notebook away, closing it on the silly poem I just wrote. “I was joking.” Sort of.
“Well, I’m not.” She shoves the book toward me. “Seriously. Read this.”
I cock an eyebrow, and despite my better judgement, glance at the words on the page. “This says not to use names.”
“Mel, come here!” Abby shouts to one of her friends, completely ignoring me as she waves Mel over. “How much would you pay for a hookup with your crush?”
Mel is a tall, lithe, gorgeous girl who probably could get any guy she wants just with a flutter of her eyes. “Who’s that guy from St. Michael’s College we met the other weekend? Andrew?” She closes her eyes and sighs. “He won’t give me the time of day. Rich, hot, and very into older women.”
“Yes, but what would you pay for a chance?” Mel’s eyes pop open and she smiles like a cat with a mouse trapped under its paw. “Mmmm… A lot.”
“Hang on, genius.” I point to the book again. “First of all, this is not an actual thing. Magic doesn’t work. And second of all, what you’re proposing is a little skeevy, don’t you think?”
Abby contemplates me. “Okay, right, I got a little excited.” She looks over at Mel again. “For entertainment purposes, what would you pay for a crush spell—you know, a little poem that you could read for fun that would be about you and Andrew k-i-s-s-i-n-g-ing? Five bucks? Ten?”
Mel pops a hip out and puts a finger on her lips. “For fun? Maybe a dollar?”
Abby holds her hand out. “Okay, give us a dollar.” She looks at me. “Write her a spell.”
My mouth drops open.
“All you have to do is copy these.” She leans in close so Mel can’t hear and taps the book. “Come on, we’re doing this project together. I’m the brains and you’re the—” She gives me a judge-y once over. “Well, I don’t know what you are but your cursive is legible and I guess pretty, besides you’re stuck with me.” She narrows her eyes. “And I’m stuck with you.”
I scan the library and take note that every other person in our classes has been partnered up. There are no other options and I know, without even asking, that Mr. T will not agree to a switch.
“This is stupid.” I pick up the pen, though, because she has a point. We are stuck with each other.
Abby’s smile curls knowingly. “I knew you’d see it my way.” She shoves my notebook back toward me. “Write a crush spell for Mel.”
Mel fishes out a dollar and hands it to Abby. “Your first customer.”
Abby waves the bill at me. “No overhead. Pure profit.”
Okay…true. We’ve already aced this project if people fall for this nonsense, and if she needs to impress Mr. Tremmel, making a butt-load of money for his charity will have us both in his good books for a while. Abby’s social status alone will get us customers, and I do have nice cursive thanks to my mom’s calligraphy phase years ago. If I’m going to be copying the simple rhymes from this book, at least I can make it look pretty.
“Fine. What’s the guy’s name again?”
“Andrew.” Mel giggles. “He’s got the cutest dimples and these huge blue eyes. Mmmm, I just melt when I see him.”
“Okay. Andrew…” I glance at the spell book. Pretty straight forward. “A wish for love, she beckons for him. He’ll come when called, her heart he shall win. Forever in Mel’s arms, Andrew will agree. No other will do, so bound will they be.” I glance over at Abby. “It’s not exactly Pulitzer prize winning but…”
“Do I have to do anything with it?” Mel asks as she takes the sheet of paper, obviously not caring that it sounds ridiculous as hell.
“Uhhh…” Abby reads the book. “Yeah, you have to read it out loud when you’re alone tonight. Light two white candles before you do and then…” She continues reading. “And then burn the spell when you’re done.”
Mel laughs as she folds the paper. “Okay.” She winks. “Best dollar I’ve ever spent just for the fantasy of it all. Andrew is totally out of my league.”
Hard to imagine someone being out of Mel’s league, but okay.
She walks away and Abby grabs my arm, her long, manicured nails pinching into my skin. “We’re going to make a ton of money with this project. Mr. Tremmel will love us and then he’ll totally write me a glowing referral. Best plan ever!”
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About the Author
Author Angie Barrett lives in a small town in Ontario, Canada in an old century home that is also known as the “cat house” because, well, Angie likes cats. A lot. She also likes shopping for books, or for anything really, and spending time RVing in the summer with her family. She has worked for sixteen years as a high school English teacher and Librarian and is currently a Curriculum Consultant for new teachers. Angie has always dreamed of being a published author and strives to create worlds where there are strong, relatable characters who maybe are not always perfect but who understand the meaning of friendship and loyalty and who will use their collective strengths to overcome adversity.
