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Twist My Charm: The Popularity Spell

(Twist My Charm #1)

Toni Gallagher (Goodreads Author)

4.07 · Rating details · 61 ratings · 16 reviews

*from Publisher's Weekly*

An 11-year-old girl receives a voodoo doll that’s meant to be used for good, but she figures out a loophole for making bad things happen to others in order to increase her popularity. ...more

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272 pages

Published 2015 by Random House

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Average rating 4.07 ·

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· 61 ratings · 16 reviews

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Start your review of Twist My Charm: The Popularity Spell (Twist My Charm, #1)

Apr 29, 2021 Carla Johnson-Hicks rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, middle-grades, feelings-emotions, friendship

Twist My Charm: The Popularity Spell was a fun story. Cleo and her dad are starting over in California. It has been ten years since her mom died and it seems dad has a new friend, that Cleo is not happy with. Not only is she dealing with the possibility of her father and a new girlfriend, but Cleo is having issues at school. She is relatively new to her school and has one good friend, Samantha. Unfortunately, she is the target of teasing and bullying from the most popular girl in her class, Madi ...more

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May 24, 2016 T.J. Burns rated it really liked it

Shelves: ng, middle-grade, preferred-publisher, 2016-08-august, random-house-childrens, netgalley-edelweiss-reviewed, with-jazz

Twist My Charm: The Popularity Spell was a fun read! I read this with my daughter and we had a lot to talk about while reading it. Topics that came up were: the true meaning of friendship, false first impressions, whether it’s important or even desirable to be “popular” and at what cost, and whether magic really exists.

The Popularity Spell includes a few plot directions that are easily foreseeable, but is mostly packed full of unexpected surprises.

The characters are interesting, distinct, and ...more

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Nov 17, 2015 Amanda Blanco rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Cute story about friendship and how people are often not what they appear to be. A great book for young girls.

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Jun 15, 2017 Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* rated it really liked it

Shelves: elementary, advisable, middle-school

Gallagher, Toni The Popularity Spell (Twist My Charm), 259 pgs. Random House Children’s Books, 2015. $16.99. Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

Eleven-year old Cleo Nelson is adjusting to life in Los Angeles, finding it very different from Ohio. School seems dismal until Cleo gets a late birthday present from Uncle Arnie, who has handcrafted a “positive happy” voodoo doll. Cleo and her friend, Samantha, anxiously try out the doll, wishing for simple things and as the voodoo seems to be ...more

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May 11, 2020 Yan rated it it was amazing

I LOVE this book! It's funny, hilarious... and I can relate to the characters a lot!!! ...more

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Mar 19, 2018 Skye rated it really liked it

Its good, it's about this girl around my age and gets a voodoo doll that only does good. ...more

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Sep 15, 2015 Meredith rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I don’t read much middle grade – Okay, I never read middle grade. But when this book was pitched to me, it sounded like a really fun, intriguing read. Plus, the author was a TV producer for Disney’s Bug Juice. So.. Umm.. I had no choice but to read it!!! And I ended up really enjoying it!

The characters in this book were extremely relatable and yet extremely hard to relate to. I know, those two statements are completely at odds. But let me explain – I’m used to reading books with older characters I don’t read much middle grade – Okay, I never read middle grade. But when this book was pitched to me, it sounded like a really fun, intriguing read. Plus, the author was a TV producer for Disney’s Bug Juice. So.. Umm.. I had no choice but to read it!!! And I ended up really enjoying it!

The characters in this book were extremely relatable and yet extremely hard to relate to. I know, those two statements are completely at odds. But let me explain – I’m used to reading books with older characters. And at times, it was really hard to remember that the characters in this book were only around eleven and twelve years old. Sometimes, I caught myself thinking, “Wow, that was REALLY childish and immature,” only to stop and remind myself that they ARE children, so of course they’re going to react and behave to certain things in certain ways.

That being said, Cleo was a fun, relatable character. She was the awkward new girl who didn’t have the right hair or clothes and who was bullied by the mean girl – things that anyone, at any age, can relate to. She’s dealing with living in a new place and going to a new school, along with the realization that her dad is starting to seriously date someone. That’s a lot for anyone to handle! I admired Cleo’s ability to realize she was in over her head and needed help a few times. She realized when things had gone too far and knew she had to put a stop to them. Overall, I loved her character and personality.

Samantha’s a tough character to talk about because I really didn’t like her, but the reasons why I didn’t like her.. Well, again, some of the things she did were really childish and mean. But, like I said earlier, I have to remember that she IS a child. On the other hand, her age is no excuse for the way she treated Cleo. She was a bad friend, plain and simple. I understand why she was upset and I understand why she did a lot of what she did, but still. I’m happy with where her story ended, though, and excited to see what happens with her and Cleo in the second book.

Madison’s another tough character to talk about. I very strongly disliked her in the beginning. She reminded me of every mean girl I’ve ever encountered – and tried to forget – in my life. Couple that with the things she did to Cleo and Sam and you can see why she wasn’t likable. Once we got to know her better, though, I understand her actions and where she was coming from. Her personality did a major 180, roughly half-way through the book and I started to feel sorry for her and like her more. I REALLY like how her story ended and can’t wait to see more of her in book two!

I really liked Terri. She tried so hard to be kind to Cleo, to get on her good side without overstepping her boundaries. But Cleo was very stubborn and unkind to Terri. I understand why – to a certain extent – but it still made me sad. I loved Cleo’s dad and Terri together – they were such a fun, cute couple! I was shocked by the way Terri’s story ended and I’m crossing my fingers that something will change for her and her story in book two.

The middle/end of this book was pretty crazy and intense. I was shocked and saddened by some of the things that happened. But, overall, I really liked the way it ended and I’m very excited to get my hands on book two and see what happens next for Cleo, Sam and Maddy, as well as Cleo’s dad and Terri. If you’re a fan of middle grade and magic, then you’re going to love this one!

You can also find more from me on my blog: Pandora's Books ...more

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Sep 04, 2015 Aeicha rated it really liked it

Cleo and her single father have recently moved to Los Angeles, and so far Cleo has made only one friend, Samantha. She’s also made an enemy in popular girl Madison. Cleo and Samantha long to be popular and off the mean radar of Madison, and things get even worse when Cleo’s dad gets a girlfriend. But help arrives from Uncle Arnie in the form of a voodoo doll meant to make good things happen. Cleo and Samantha test the voodoo doll out and discover that it really works! Soon they make hexes for po ...more

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Sep 24, 2015 Suze Lavender rated it it was amazing

Cleo moved from Ohio to California and she's still adjusting to her new school. It's a small private one where she gets a lot of attention in the lessons. She has problems focusing on her school work and is easily distracted. She's happy at the school even though not everyone is nice to her, because she has a great best friend. Sam is smart and always knows what to say. Maddy, the most popular girl in the school, doesn't like Cleo very much and Sam is never afraid to stand up for her friend.

Whe ...more

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Sep 14, 2015 Barbara rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: character-building, community, compassion, conflict, death, families, friendship, humor, horror-suspense, jobs

Eleven-year-old Cleo Nelson isn't adjusting very well to her family's recent move from Ohio to California. For some reason, she draws the ire of Maddy Paddy, the school's Mean Queen, who delights in picking on her and calling her names. Luckily, Cleo finds solace in Sam, another classmate who doesn't fit in very well. When Cleo's strange Uncle Arnie sends her a voodoo doll, she and Sam decide to use it to get back at Maddy. When their plans succeed even more than they expected, they keep going, ...more

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Jun 28, 2016 Vanessa rated it really liked it

Cleo and her dad moved to California from Ohio a few months ago and it hasn't been great. Maddison Paddington - Maddy Paddy - has made it her job to make Cleo's life miserable. But then Cleo's Uncle Arnie sends her a voodoo doll and Cleo is determined to turn her luck around and become popular. But the voodoo doesn't work like Cleo thought it would and she finds she has a lot to learn about friendship and love. And magic. ...more

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Jan 04, 2017 Stefanie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: children-middle-grade

This took me longer to read than I expected, since it dragged around the middle. Really fun concept having a positive/ fun loving voodoo doll rather than the stereotypical ones that curse people. I'd rather be ok with some surprise pizza myself. ...more

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Nov 04, 2015 Bethe rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens-realistic

Basic tweens friendship story with awkward girls and mean girls and eventual changes for good, this time via a voodoo doll. Pleasant ending hints at next book. Like Uncle Arnie's sentiment: "friendship is the meaning of love and magic." pg 242
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Jan 02, 2017 Arunima rated it it was amazing

It was an amazing book. I absolutely loved it. It takes you through the ups and downs of life.

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Oct 14, 2014 Annie added it

Great fun for pre-adolescent kids. Toni has a way of keeping the story moving and bringing in some great perspectives on friendship and making things happen for yourself in the world!

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