I was told this book is geared towards young pre-teen or newly teen girls. And I think its brilliant at that. If you've ever walked by an aisle of toys and items for girls in the walmart or target and you are overwhelmed by the colors PINK and PURPLE and GLITTER and PINK (oh, did I say pink already? well then I'll add another PINK), then you get an idea of this book.

When reading it, I imagined it being read by those same young girls, with a flashlight, at a slumber party. It has that same sort of energy, with giggles and fast talking stream of thought. In fact, I think it should be marketed that way: as a slumber party book. If the girls would read a page, pass it to the next girl, I think they'd have a blast. There's so many wild and brightly colored characters and ideas in this book that I think it'd be perfect.

Add to that the main characters are likable: Austin Girl herself, a plucky newly teen who gets sucked into the story. Lucky is an amiable old coot. I think the girls reading it would connect to them right away.

The dialogue between characters is sarcastic and witty, and often the narrative picks up this breezy style of description of events as they unfold.

So all that's good, and is why I'm rating this as many stars as I am.

Why I'm deducting one star is that too many of the challenges or dangers in the book are too easily overcome. "I need to do x" "How about this magic y I just happen to have found?" "great! that solves it!". In the same vein, the logic or magic properties of items or people are not fully explained. Why a starfish? Why a sword? Why mention a police force that never appears? Why do people who donate items pivotal to the plot simply disappear? How did they get those items in the first place?

I absolutely don't think there would be a problem with these questions in a fast-paced slumber party setting, but if reading this alone, I think the reader might have enough time start to wonder about them.

A caveat is this does not seem really intended for boys, and grown up men will likely not find this their cup of tea.

HOWEVER, give the slumber party book idea some serious thought.

I was given a review copy of this book by the author.