The Horn Book Guide

OLDER FICTION

Keil, Melissa

The Secret Science of Magic

305 pp. | Peachtree | April, 2018 | Trade ISBN 978-1-68263-014-3 $17.95

(2) YA Chapters alternate between Aussie high schoolers Sophia (a math-and-science whiz preoccupied with finding a reclusive Russian mathematician and passing her hated drama class) and Joshua (an amateur magician whose longstanding love for Sophia is unrequited). Excellent character development of the protagonists, their diverse group of friends, and their families makes their budding romantic relationship just one among several satisfying plot lines; witty dialogue keeps pages turning.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2018