95th out of 1,030 books
—
1,899 voters
Bras & Broomsticks (Magic in Manhattan #1)
by
Sarah Mlynowski (Goodreads Author)
What if all your wishes could come true? Blink your eyes, drink a fizzing pink potion, and poof! Life is perfect. That’s Rachel’s situation. Except she’s not the one who suddenly has magical powers. Her younger sister is. And as Rachel would tell you, spellbooks are wasted on the young!
Yes, yes, of course world peace and cures for horrible diseases are important. But so is...more
Yes, yes, of course world peace and cures for horrible diseases are important. But so is...more
Paperback, 320 pages
Published
June 13th 2006
by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
(first published February 22nd 2005)
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Rachel is the main character in this book. it is told in a first person perspective. Miri, Rachel's sister just figured out that she is a witch. Rachel also figured out that her mom was a witch but never told anyone about it. Rachel and Miri tried to get STB(Soon-to-be-step-mother) to say that she hates them and her dad with the truth spell but it didn't work. All she said was how much she loved her dad and the sisters. I think that this book is similar to another book i read which is called Tr...more
First off I have to start by saying that Sarah Mlynowski is a genious. I have read many books of hers in the past, though most of them have been her women's fiction, this was my first YA novel of hers and even though I rated it at 3 stars, I still really enjoyed it, but I think it lacked in a few aspects.
I thought this book started off great. The characters in this story are awesome. I really liked Rachel as the main character and Miri is quite possibly the coolest young witch around. I even lov...more
I thought this book started off great. The characters in this story are awesome. I really liked Rachel as the main character and Miri is quite possibly the coolest young witch around. I even lov...more
Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com
Being fourteen is hard work--and nobody knows that better than Rache Weinstein. She's got a major crush on the two most popular guys in school, Raf and Mick; she's been dumped by her best friend since preschool, Jewel, and instead has hooked up with not-so-popular Tammy; she's got the rhythm of a baboon and so didn't get to audition for her school's all-important fashion show; she's a quasi B-lister instead of a coveted A-lister; her dad is getting ready to mar...more
Being fourteen is hard work--and nobody knows that better than Rache Weinstein. She's got a major crush on the two most popular guys in school, Raf and Mick; she's been dumped by her best friend since preschool, Jewel, and instead has hooked up with not-so-popular Tammy; she's got the rhythm of a baboon and so didn't get to audition for her school's all-important fashion show; she's a quasi B-lister instead of a coveted A-lister; her dad is getting ready to mar...more
The only thing that gets this book two stars that, rather than sticking to the done-before theme of teenager-suddenly-finds-out-she's-a-witch, Mlynowski switches things up a bit and gives us teenager-suddenly-finds-out-that-her-younger-sister-(and her mother)-is-a-witch.
Why did the magical powers skip Rachel, and go straight to her younger sister, Miri? Her mother explains that it could be because Miri is more mature than her older sister. Rachel demonstrates her lack of maturity throughout the...more
Why did the magical powers skip Rachel, and go straight to her younger sister, Miri? Her mother explains that it could be because Miri is more mature than her older sister. Rachel demonstrates her lack of maturity throughout the...more
I’ve read several of Ms. Mlynowski’s chick lit books and ran across this book at the library. Having enjoyed her adult fiction, I decided to give this one a try. Rachel is just like any teenage girl: worried about wearing the latest fashion, crushing on the cute, popular guy in school and trying to maintain her friendships. It’s not like she doesn’t have enough already on her plate when she discovers her younger sister and her mother are both witches.
After getting over the shock (and the disapp...more
After getting over the shock (and the disapp...more
gua udah kelar baca buku yang satu ini and gua sukaaa :))
menakjubkan betapa buku setebal 300an halaman ini tuh sebenernya inti ceritanya simpel aja tapi kok ya bisaa dikembangkan sampai ratusan halaman yaa? ahahahahaha :p
adalah Rachel yang akhirnya tau bahwa ibunya adalah seorang penyihir! sayangnya ilmu sihirnya itu belon ada tanda2 pada dirinya, malah yang kedapatan memiliki ilmu sihir adalah Miri, adiknya! Rachel rada terhibur karena menurut ibunya, para penyihir mendapatkan kemampuannya pada...more
menakjubkan betapa buku setebal 300an halaman ini tuh sebenernya inti ceritanya simpel aja tapi kok ya bisaa dikembangkan sampai ratusan halaman yaa? ahahahahaha :p
adalah Rachel yang akhirnya tau bahwa ibunya adalah seorang penyihir! sayangnya ilmu sihirnya itu belon ada tanda2 pada dirinya, malah yang kedapatan memiliki ilmu sihir adalah Miri, adiknya! Rachel rada terhibur karena menurut ibunya, para penyihir mendapatkan kemampuannya pada...more
So now that I have a cd player in my car again I decided that it is time to listen to audiobooks to and from work again. I grabbed this at work last Wednesday and decided to give it a listen. I remember my sister reading this when she was in high school and I was curious about it.
Rachel's sister Miri develops magical powers. The girls use Miri's powers to try and break up their dad and his girlfriend, get their parents back together, and propel Rachel to the A-List. The beginning of the book str...more
Rachel's sister Miri develops magical powers. The girls use Miri's powers to try and break up their dad and his girlfriend, get their parents back together, and propel Rachel to the A-List. The beginning of the book str...more
In Bras And Broomsticks, author Sarah Mlynowski introduces her readers to Rachel, an average fourteen-year-old girl interested in all the average things: shoes, popularity, boys...Everything a teenage girl is expected to like.
One day, however, Rachel discovers that her family is anything but average. When her mom makes the announcement, what comes out Rachel's mouth is, "I think you should consider returning to therapy." She can't believe what her mom is telling her. She is, however, eventually...more
One day, however, Rachel discovers that her family is anything but average. When her mom makes the announcement, what comes out Rachel's mouth is, "I think you should consider returning to therapy." She can't believe what her mom is telling her. She is, however, eventually...more
Feb 12, 2011
Sally906
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
paranormal,
young-adult
There are quite a few books out that cover the story of a young girl suddenly learning she’s a witch and then coming to terms with the effect it has on her life. Basically learning how to control her powers, and sorting out right from wrong and who to trust. BRAS AND BROOMSTICKS takes a different viewpoint – what if you are the only female in your family who is NOT a witch?
Rachel is fourteen and like most teenagers her days are spent worrying about fitting in. These worries are mainly figuring o...more
Rachel is fourteen and like most teenagers her days are spent worrying about fitting in. These worries are mainly figuring o...more
You’ve heard this all before – self-absorbed teen girl wants desperately to be A-list, finds a way to get in with that group, starts treating her other friends and family like crap because she must maintain her status or die. Lots of conniving and manipulation and lies, then it all falls apart, girl left with only her wits and a lot of apologies to make all around. Ends abruptly.
That was the general plot line. Except that there's witchcraft. I can’t STAND to read things like this. I know that ba...more
That was the general plot line. Except that there's witchcraft. I can’t STAND to read things like this. I know that ba...more
Apr 22, 2010
Bethany Miller
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Shelves:
ms-miller-s-book-list,
summer-reads-for-teens
3.5 stars
Bras & Broomsticks by Sarah Mylnowski hilariously blends the supernatural with the realities of the popularity contest that is present in every high school. Rachel can't believe her luck when she finds out that her little sister Miri is a witch. Though she's miffed that her little sister inherited this power from their mother and she did not, she quickly thinks of ways that she can use her sister’s power to her own advantage. Primarily, she wants to become more popular and get Raf,...more
Bras & Broomsticks by Sarah Mylnowski hilariously blends the supernatural with the realities of the popularity contest that is present in every high school. Rachel can't believe her luck when she finds out that her little sister Miri is a witch. Though she's miffed that her little sister inherited this power from their mother and she did not, she quickly thinks of ways that she can use her sister’s power to her own advantage. Primarily, she wants to become more popular and get Raf,...more
Feb 09, 2009
Monica
added it
Rachel Weinstein has just learned that her little sister and her mother are both witches. She talks her little sister into casting a spell on her to turn her into a great dancer. This allows her to be selected for the end of year fashion show and makes her instantly popular. Her sister’s spells do not go as well at making her father realize that he should not get married to Jennifer, or as Rachel and her sister Miri call her, STB for Soon To Be Stepmonster. It becomes even more crucial that the...more
Okay, I can't deny it -- the cover scared me off of this one for a while. I mean, I have a secret, unexplained loathing for cartoons -- and this magical little cover certainly uncovered those hidden biases. On the flipside, though, I do adore Sarah Mlynowski's chick lit writings, so my curiosity beat my prejudices when it came to BRAS and BROOMSTICKS.
And, I'm certainly glad I gave this little gem a chance, because it was absolutely, spectacularly ADORABLE! BRAS AND BROOMSTICKS tells the story of...more
And, I'm certainly glad I gave this little gem a chance, because it was absolutely, spectacularly ADORABLE! BRAS AND BROOMSTICKS tells the story of...more
It was, how do I say this, spellbinding.
The humor always makes me chuckle.
The plot always makes my tummy hurt.
And the ending made me crave for more!
Sarah Mlynowski really knows how to joke.
I didn't laugh like a maniac but I got to admit that it is funny.
The way she writes is consistent and doesn't show that she is lacking of ideas at all.
She really has it all to make this book.
Rachel's sister, Miri, got the powers and her mother told her and Rachel that the power comes after puberty and if that...more
The humor always makes me chuckle.
The plot always makes my tummy hurt.
And the ending made me crave for more!
Sarah Mlynowski really knows how to joke.
I didn't laugh like a maniac but I got to admit that it is funny.
The way she writes is consistent and doesn't show that she is lacking of ideas at all.
She really has it all to make this book.
Rachel's sister, Miri, got the powers and her mother told her and Rachel that the power comes after puberty and if that...more
Rachel is a Freshman in High School. She seems like a normal kid of divorced parents. She has a big secret, her little annoying sister is a witch! Not one of those sterotypes with the big wart and face. No, and the worst part is thats all Rachel has ben dreaming about to become a witch or anything with special powers. Rachel has a bigger problem. Her dad is getting remarried. To a horrible women who is acts sweet around her dad, but once he is put of sight the mean face comes on. What Rachel wan...more
I read this book back to back with the sequel. First, the magic in this book actually plays a much smaller role than I expected and seems less creatively handled than I would have liked. Nonetheless, I thought the trick of narrating the story from the sister of the witch rather than the one with powers was clever. Overall, a decent young adult novel, but not great and no especially interesting narrative voice or plot twists.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
High School gets crazy for Rachel when she discovers her mother and younger sister are witches. But just because Rachel didn't inherit the magic doesn't mean she's not going to take advantage. Goody-to-shoes Miri doesn't want to use her powers but when Rachel talks her into using magic to break up their dad and soon to be step mom all bets are off. Soon Miri is cooking up clear skin concoctions and potions to help Rachel dance so she can be in the schools Fashion Show. But soon the Fashion Show...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I have never disliked a narrator more than I disliked Rachel, the whiney, self-absorbed, superficial teenager who finds out that her sister Miri is a witch. Rachel convinces her sister to use magic to improve her own life, and surprise, surprise, everything gets messed up. Because of Rachel’s selfishness, she dumps her best friend and sabotages her dad’s wedding. Every time she hurts someone else, she has an excuse for why it’s okay. I found myself hoping for bad things to happen to Rachel, and...more
this book is a fairly funny and light book about Rachel who dreams of hanging out with the A-list and likes this cute guy from that group. She later realizes that her sister,Miri is a witch, and with her help, she can DANCE. She auditions for a school annual fashion show which requires dancing and she was GOOD. Immediately, she was chosen and hangs out with the A-list [populars]. But Later, her mom realizes that Miri has been misusing her powers and undid all the spells ever done. Including the...more
In one word, the plot was tired. This book has been done so many times, with so many variations of the one simple plot structure: Girl is a loser. Girl finds a way to make herself not a loser with careful scheming and manipulation. Girl drops her true friends for popularity. Everything fails miserably in the end. Girl's new life falls to pieces. Old friends are nice and come back to her in the end.
The only twist on this old story was the magical aspect, and even that didn't really make it all t...more
The only twist on this old story was the magical aspect, and even that didn't really make it all t...more
The narrator of this one did a pretty good job. Her adult voices were a little exaggerated, but they were tolerable. I enjoyed her voice overall.
I liked the feeling of this novel, and I was honestly a bit on edge the whole time, knowing that what they were doing would most definitely bite them in the butt. Rachel finds out that her sister and mother are witches. She's upset that she doesn't have the powers at first, but her sister quickly succumbs to the desire to use her new magic. They plot an...more
I liked the feeling of this novel, and I was honestly a bit on edge the whole time, knowing that what they were doing would most definitely bite them in the butt. Rachel finds out that her sister and mother are witches. She's upset that she doesn't have the powers at first, but her sister quickly succumbs to the desire to use her new magic. They plot an...more
I wasn't sure I'd like this as much as I did. It's very girly. The main character uses her younger sister's newfound witch powers to make herself popular. There's mean girls, there's boys, there's a dance, there's an evil stepmother, etc, etc. And the concept is stolen straight out of Bewitched or Sabrina.
But.. somehow, I didn't mind. The voice of the main character must've sold it. Even though she keeps denying she's a geek, she likes Star Wars (quite alot) and is really good at math. And while...more
But.. somehow, I didn't mind. The voice of the main character must've sold it. Even though she keeps denying she's a geek, she likes Star Wars (quite alot) and is really good at math. And while...more
High School gets crazy for Rachel when she discovers her mother and younger sister are witches. But just because Rachel didn't inherit the magic doesn't mean she's not going to take advantage. Goody-to-shoes Miri doesn't want to use her powers but when Rachel talks her into using magic to break up their dad and soon to be step mom all bets are off. Soon Miri is cooking up clear skin concoctions and potions to help Rachel dance so she can be in the schools Fashion Show. But soon the Fashion Show...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I didn't really like this book. I think I would have enjoyed it more if Rachel wasn't the name of the main character, because I didn't like the main character at all. She was shallow and annoying. I don't normally base my opinion of a book by the brightness of a character, but it is hard when the character is similar to me. She is in high school, about my age and she has my name. So when she makes certain choices, I wonder what would happen if I made those choices. This resulted in a continual g...more
Rachel deals with everything a regular teen girl has to face from her high school social status to her bra size. But when Rachel's sister finds out that she has magical powers, everything suddenly feels like it can easily be fixed with a quick spell or two.
The Magic in Manhattan series is a very quick and easy read, and I loved every second of it. I usually hate the whole "teen witch causes trouble with her spells" story, but I love Sarah Mlynowski's writing! I laughed out loud and enjoyed this...more
The Magic in Manhattan series is a very quick and easy read, and I loved every second of it. I usually hate the whole "teen witch causes trouble with her spells" story, but I love Sarah Mlynowski's writing! I laughed out loud and enjoyed this...more
Almost completely predictable story except that the suddenly-finding-out-you-are-a-witch part happens to the main character's sister. Ordinary girl wants to an A-lister. Convinces her little sister to use magic to help her become popular and get the guy. Makes tons of mistakes. Magic suddenly disappears at crucial moment. You think the girl learns her lesson but she immediately seeks out her sister for another magical solution. I'm interested enough in what happens between the girl and her almos...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q&A with Sara...: The Magic in Manhattan series | 8 | 37 | Jun 08, 2012 12:28pm |
Sarah is the author of BRAS & BROOMSTICKS, FROGS & FRENCH KISSES, SPELLS & SLEEPING BAGS and PARTIES & POTIONS—all in the YA ‘Magic in Manhattan’ series, as well as GIMME A CALL and the upcoming TEN THINGS WE DID (AND PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE). Along with Lauren Myracle and E. Lockhart, she also wrote HOW TO BE BAD.
Sarah’s five novels for adults, MILKRUN, FISHBOWL, AS SEEN ON TV, MO...more
More about Sarah Mlynowski...
Sarah’s five novels for adults, MILKRUN, FISHBOWL, AS SEEN ON TV, MO...more

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Oct 29, 2010 08:57am