This author was attending the Texas Book Festival when he stopped by my booth.  He was purchasing a book when he mentioned he and his wife had recently published their own book.  The illustration on the cover caught my interest.  This book is the start of a series for the 13 and up crowd.  Being over 13, I gave it a read and was well entertained.  The author has captured the teenage personality very well and I can see this easily being read by mature middle schoolers and high schoolers.

With gremlins, magic (or lack of magic – you’ll need to read the book to figure that out!) and high school drama, this is a good book for keeping the reader engaged and intrigued.  While there was a nice set up in this book for the rest of the series, the author gave the reader closure with the plot.  The well-done illustrations throughout the book add to the story in a positive way.

I plan on taking this copy to my niece and nephew!

SUMMARY

Alvaro Jameson is a brand new student to the Hughes High School district. On his first day of classes, he follows a young red-headed female student with a supernatural glow that no other student seems to notice. Tracking her to a secret location, he discovers that monsters, magic and witches are real. Because he witnessed young Mariko Takashi using her powers, she loses them until he can help her prove that she can be a great supernatural detective without her magic. Can he survive his first case by helping her to find the gremlins that he inadvertently let escape, before his school is overrun?