The Salem Witch Tryouts

by Kelly McClymer

The Salem Witch Tryouts

book data

56 ratings, 3.98 average rating, 21 reviews (more data...)

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published

August 22nd 2006 by Simon Pulse

binding

Paperback, 272 pages

isbn

141691644X (isbn13: 9781416916444)

description

Prudence Stewart had it all at Beverly Hills High: straight A's, the cutest crush, and a sweet gig as captain of the cheerleading squad. Then poof! Mo...more

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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 84)

All ratings | 5 stars (19) | 4 stars (20) | 3 stars (14) | 2 stars (3) | avg 3.98

all | this edition

Monica

Monica rated it:

10/16/08

Read in October, 2008

Prudence Stewart just received the worst news she’s ever heard. Just when she had it all: straight A's, a hot crush, and picked as captain of the cheerleading squad her parents announce they're moving from their posh Beverly Hills home to Salem, Massachusetts. Pru’s annoying little brother, otherwise known as Dorklock, is going through growing pains with a twist. He can’t control is magic around mortals so the family is forced to leave. Now Pru is miserable and if you can believe it she�...more

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Jennifer Wardrip

Jennifer rated it:

05/11/08

bookshelves: personal-read, trt-reviews

Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

For Prudence Stewart, sixteen, leaving behind her home and school in Beverly Hills to move to Salem, Massachusetts, is more than just an inconvenience. She's worked for years to get where she is--which is near the top of the Beverly Hills High School popularity list. Right before she was to be named the youngest head cheerleader ever, her parents announced the move to Salem. It seems that Pru's younger brother, Dorklock (or, if you prefer, Tobias), needs to...more Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

For Prudence Stewart, sixteen, leaving behind her home and school in Beverly Hills to move to Salem, Massachusetts, is more than just an inconvenience. She's worked for years to get where she is--which is near the top of the Beverly Hills High School popularity list. Right before she was to be named the youngest head cheerleader ever, her parents announced the move to Salem. It seems that Pru's younger brother, Dorklock (or, if you prefer, Tobias), needs to attend school in Salem, where he can get a handle on his powers. Yes, powers. Oh, did I forget to mention that Pru and Dorklock are the half-mortal, half-witch children of their four-hundred-year-old mother, Patience?

Yes, Patience Stewart is a witch. And although her husband is a mortal and still freaks at the thought of magic, he's realized that his children need to be in a place where they can attend schools that are specifically designed for witches. So off the family drives to Salem (much to Pru's disbelief; after all, her mom zapped their furniture to their new home, but they have to drive?), where Pru quickly realizes that her former popularity and academic excellence don't mean much at Agatha's Day School for Witches.

It's bad enough that for her sixteen years back in Beverly Hills her mother had discouraged her from using magic. Now she's changed her tune--use magic for this, practice your magic on that. But Pru is woefully lacking in the magic department. She's been put in remedial classes (remedial? the horror!), the students at Agatha's stare at her as if she's some type of mutant freak, she still hasn't manifested a Talent, and she has to actually try out for the cheerleading squad. Try out. Her, Miss Was-Going-To-Be-The-Youngest-Head-Cheerleader-In-History. Yes, Salem is turning out to be a real pain.

I loved THE SALEM WITCH TRYOUTS! A truly original twist on being the new kid in a brand new school, it's fun and interesting to watch Prudence develop her powers, interact with students who think mortals are a new type of abnormality, and learn what it means to be a cheerleader on a squad that uses magic in their routines. I really hope there are more books planned in this series--and if the pimple-inducing spell at the end of the book is any indication, there will be! ...less

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Alana

Alana rated it:

10/21/07

bookshelves: awful, chicklit, romance-paranormal, youngadult

Read in September, 2007

Prudence Stewart could not be more angry with her little brother. When he hit puberty, he lost control of his magic, so now Pru's parents are forcing her to leave all of her friends, her cheerleading squad, and her school to move to Salem, Massachusetts. All so 'Dorklock' can go to witching school.

But Prudence doesn't want to have anything to do with magic. She has always just wanted to have a normal life, and her parents have spent ages drumming into her head that she shouldn't, couldn't us...more Prudence Stewart could not be more angry with her little brother. When he hit puberty, he lost control of his magic, so now Pru's parents are forcing her to leave all of her friends, her cheerleading squad, and her school to move to Salem, Massachusetts. All so 'Dorklock' can go to witching school.

But Prudence doesn't want to have anything to do with magic. She has always just wanted to have a normal life, and her parents have spent ages drumming into her head that she shouldn't, couldn't use it. So when she suddenly is expected to learn magic, she is way out of her element. And it certainly doesn't make her feel any more at home when Pru, a straight A honors student, gets stuck in remedial classes. And now even the cheerleading involves more magic than she can handle.

I really wanted to like this book. It had such a fun-sounding premise and so much potential for random goofiness and identification with being the outsider - just by being normal. Unfortunately it fell completely flat.

Pru as a character is utterly unlikeable. She doesn't seem to care about her friends, just about losing her 'power base'. When she gets to the new school, the only thing on her mind is popularity, popularity, kewlness (yes with the atrocious spelling), and making her parents as miserable as possible. And because popularity is the most important thing ever, she ignores, dismisses and uses the only people who can be bothered to help her out and try to make her feel welcome. In short, the girl is your (stereo)typical high school bitch. And she's the protagonist...

Other than that, the plot was lame. The Great Betrayal was so obvious that I saw it coming from Chapter 2, and the book was clearly set up to be the first in a series because it ends on a cliff-hanger just as things turn to the magic cheerleading. I was indignant. I sat through all that IM-speak and vapid babbling about reputation and Dolce & Gabbana, and I didn't even get to see any real magic cheerleading?

Don't waste your time. Seriously....less

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Michelle

Michelle rated it:

12/30/07

bookshelves: reading-of-07--08-

Read in December, 2007

recommends it for: everybody

Prudence is a straight A student, captain of the cheerleading team, and "was" the girlfriend of the cutest guy at Beverly Hills HIgh. But one day her mom tells her that she's a witch and that she is moving to where she grew up. Prudence's mom is trying her best to get the good out of moving(with the indoor pool, letting her choose her room, and more). There was one time where she told her best friend that she was a witch and her mom had to brainwash her mind. Prudence grew up not being...more

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Sandy

Sandy rated it:

04/01/08

Pru is devasted when she learns that because her brother can't control his magic, they all have to move back to the Northeast and attend her mother's witch school. So she concocts a brilliant plan to become just as popular as she was at her old school by joining the cheerleading team here too, not realizing that her magic classes might be too much for her to keep up with.

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Book Review Team

Book Review Team rated it:

02/04/08

bookshelves: girly

The Salem Witch Tryouts by Kelly McClymer is a fantastic book that gives a great twist to normal stories about witches and wizards. Although the characters are made up the author did a wonderful job of making them come to life and jump right off of the page. The book is an amazing story and a fantastic way to spend a rainy day. -YSO

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Angela

Angela added it

01/01/08

bookshelves: young-adult

Read in December, 2007

recommends it for: Marci

Very fluffy and reminded me a lot of Sky High the movie, but great for the teen girls that would have been into Buffy or Charmed. The book leaves off feeling very unfinished but there is a sequel. Not sure it can really sustain a series... I have to get it ILL since WCPL wouldn't buy it!

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Reader17

Reader17 rated it:

09/28/08

bookshelves: others-read

Read in February, 2008

I enjoyed this book. It is cute. Prudence and her family is moving from away from California to Massachutes since her brother came into his power can not control them. Alot of this book made me laugh with Prudence and majic, and how her brother couldn't control his.

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Shannon

Shannon rated it:

10/09/07

bookshelves: justforfun

Read in October, 2007

recommends it for: adolescent-fiction lovers

A puff piece. Light, entertaining, no depth. It's like Harry Potter meets Bring it On. This was recommended to me in a "what's new in adolescent literature" class.

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Paige

Paige rated it:

07/03/07

This book was pretty good. I liked how even though it was a book about witches, it also focused on regular girly stuff like romance, clothes, and popularity.

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Krista

Krista rated it:

11/10/07

recommends it for: those that love magic

In this book the main character is forced to move form Beverly Hill to Salem,Mass. to attend a school for witches and wizards call St. Agathas.

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Christikc

Christikc rated it:

04/04/08

bookshelves: humorous, teen-fiction, witches-and-wizards

Read in January, 2007

Makes me think of what it might have been like if the Bewitched show was still on and Tabitha was going to highschool.

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Justine

Justine rated it:

10/27/07

Read in October, 2007

pru should be happy that she made it into the cheerleading squad. if you never try, then you never make S-U-C-C-E-S-S!!!

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Karen

Karen rated it:

10/13/08

Read in July, 2008

I was in the mood for something light and funny and that's exactly what I got. A fun little book!

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Nicole

Nicole rated it:

07/02/08

hehe i wish i knew what it felt like to be a witch and pop myself here ever i want she is lucky

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Tara

Tara rated it:

(review of isbn 184738059X)

10/14/08

Read in October, 2008

the book seems cute, fictional, and just my kind of theme.

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Samantha

Samantha rated it:

03/13/08

Read in January, 2008

This book is about a girl who moved to a new place.

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1 comment

Amy

Amy added it

09/12/08

all magycal, all high schooe, n all boye

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Dancing

Dancing rated it:

07/02/08

recommends it for: Everyone

Very good. I liked it very much

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Samantha

Samantha rated it:

05/13/08

I love this book it is real good

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