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Review: Emma and the Love Spell

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By Meredith Ireland
New York: Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2024. Fiction. 251 pages.

Ever since she was small, Emma has had magic powers. Her adoptive parents always seem scared of them -- or of someone finding out -- and so she keeps them concealed and under control as best as she can. But still, whenever her emotions spiral out of control, she loses control of her powers and usually affects the weather and environment around her. Two years ago, when Emma, who is Korean American, and her parents moved into a small town, she struggled to fit in and make friends. So now, when her best (and only) friend Lina (who she also has a major crush on) is moving across the country because her parents are getting a divorce, Emma doesn't know what she'll do without her. Though she still doesn't feel in control of her powers, Emma is confident that now is the time to use her powers on purpose --to get Lina's parents back together. Of course, playing with people's emotions always has consequences, as Emma is about to find out.
This is a fun light fantasy for readers who want a little bit of romance in a grounded in reality story. There's a theme of trusting your own intuition throughout that works really nicely, especially when it comes to suspicious adults who want kids to keep secrets. Satisfying, but with an open ending for potential sequels.
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