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The (Dis)Appearance of Nerissa MacKay
Nerissa MacKay isn’t just anybody. So she’s fairly positive that a major role in the school play will prove that point -- and maybe attract the hormones of some of the boys who have ignored her for far too long.
But Nerissa’s dressing with a different theme every day for one solid year hasn’t yet convinced the drama teacher of her creativity, and Nerissa gets desperate during the last week of tryouts. Then, when the local mean girls' clique starts bragging about being visited by a ghost, Nerissa has had all she can take of their upstaging her.
Determined to pull the town's attention toward her and to Aunt Jane's Haunted Zoo, Nerissa plans to find this "ghost" --- right after she does her biology homework.
But the research for biology class leads her to her great-great-great grandmother's commonplace book, which contains several uncommon recipes using local plants. In the name of research, Nerissa gives one of the concoctions a try.
Ghosts, witchcraft, cliques, boys, her mother, homework, and saving the Haunted Zoo -- Nerissa's in way over her head. Even when no one can see her....
But Nerissa’s dressing with a different theme every day for one solid year hasn’t yet convinced the drama teacher of her creativity, and Nerissa gets desperate during the last week of tryouts. Then, when the local mean girls' clique starts bragging about being visited by a ghost, Nerissa has had all she can take of their upstaging her.
Determined to pull the town's attention toward her and to Aunt Jane's Haunted Zoo, Nerissa plans to find this "ghost" --- right after she does her biology homework.
But the research for biology class leads her to her great-great-great grandmother's commonplace book, which contains several uncommon recipes using local plants. In the name of research, Nerissa gives one of the concoctions a try.
Ghosts, witchcraft, cliques, boys, her mother, homework, and saving the Haunted Zoo -- Nerissa's in way over her head. Even when no one can see her....
134 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2015
271 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Shafer
5 books51 followersLisa Shafer is a Utah native and a writer of young adult fiction. Her current novels and WsIP all contain elements of the paranormal or urban fantasy, but someday she hopes to branch out into steampunk as well. As she has spent so many years teaching puberty-ridden adolescents, she tends to prefer first person POV in order to use teens' perspectives on the world. Or, possibly, she never really grew up and tends to see the world that way naturally.
When she is not grading her students' papers, reading, or writing, Ms. Shafer enjoys traveling. Her bad habits include staying up way too late at night to read and eating way too much chocolate.
When she is not grading her students' papers, reading, or writing, Ms. Shafer enjoys traveling. Her bad habits include staying up way too late at night to read and eating way too much chocolate.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 18, 2015
Lisa Shafer’s newest is a delight. You’ll love Nerissa and want to cheer her through her daily challenges – it’s not fun being imperfect, especially when you’re in high school, even more especially when you’re younger than everyone else in your class. Hormones, jealousy, and competition are well portrayed in this delightful story that’s also spiced with magic spells from Nerissa’s ancestor’s Commonplace (Spell) Book. Lisa captures characters and their many layers. Not only do I want to know more of Nerissa’s story, but I’d love to hear more about her entire family and its multiple magical generations. I’m looking forward to the next book.
January 3, 2016
First off, I want to say that there will be spoilers in this review, so you have been warned.
1. The Writing
The writing was good, it had a nice flow to it.
2. The Playlists
I thought that the playlists at the beginning of each chapter was a unique thing. I liked it, especially when I recognized some of the songs lol.
And now, unfortunately, for the things that bothered me a bit:
3. The Characters
I felt that the characters seemed kind of 2 dimensional. You had the popular clique, and the outcast, and the caring, protective aunt.
But I felt that Nerissa was being portrayed more as a stereotypical 14 year old, than as an actual character.
She was obsessed with getting this one role in her school play, and she had been dressing up in different costumes every day for a year in the hopes that the drama teacher would recognize that she could stand out, later finding out that this backfired and had her assigned as the 'Costume Mistress', later deciding/realizing that the drama teacher would never have put her in the play because she wasn't 'pretty' like her nemesis, Gina, who, beyond the 'perfect, mean girl' personality, she had no real substance either, neither did her followers, who never really got much focus, aside from Cori, who was singled out from the beginning as being a former friend of Nerissa's who turned on her to impress Gina.
And while I did sympathize with Nerissa's problems, I just felt that she focused too much on comparing herself to others, dreaming about the 'hottest' guy in school (Also, whenever she mentioned his name, Braden, she would always add a 'sigh' near his name), and being the lead in the play, which she thought would finally get her noticed.
And while, it seems she does display several characteristics of your average teenager, I just felt that she didn't display anything beyond that, which was disappointing.
4. The Plot
This is kind of two-sided, because I thought that having the mystery inter-woven and kind of seeping through Nerissa’s obsessive psyche was interesting and well done, but her motivation for wanting to figure out what’s been happening annoyed me. She only wanted to solve the mystery of who’s ‘haunting’ Gina and her groupies, as well as the other popular girls in her school, simply to expose Gina as the culprit and therefore get the lead in the school play.
However, I found this rationalization irritating, as it fed into her obsession with getting the lead and one-upping Gina.
Overall, it wasn't the best story I've ever read, but also not the worst.
The author has a clear voice, and it's possible that this just wasn't my cup of tea.
I won this book in a First Reads Giveaway.
1. The Writing
The writing was good, it had a nice flow to it.
2. The Playlists
I thought that the playlists at the beginning of each chapter was a unique thing. I liked it, especially when I recognized some of the songs lol.
And now, unfortunately, for the things that bothered me a bit:
3. The Characters
I felt that the characters seemed kind of 2 dimensional. You had the popular clique, and the outcast, and the caring, protective aunt.
But I felt that Nerissa was being portrayed more as a stereotypical 14 year old, than as an actual character.
She was obsessed with getting this one role in her school play, and she had been dressing up in different costumes every day for a year in the hopes that the drama teacher would recognize that she could stand out, later finding out that this backfired and had her assigned as the 'Costume Mistress', later deciding/realizing that the drama teacher would never have put her in the play because she wasn't 'pretty' like her nemesis, Gina, who, beyond the 'perfect, mean girl' personality, she had no real substance either, neither did her followers, who never really got much focus, aside from Cori, who was singled out from the beginning as being a former friend of Nerissa's who turned on her to impress Gina.
And while I did sympathize with Nerissa's problems, I just felt that she focused too much on comparing herself to others, dreaming about the 'hottest' guy in school (Also, whenever she mentioned his name, Braden, she would always add a 'sigh' near his name), and being the lead in the play, which she thought would finally get her noticed.
And while, it seems she does display several characteristics of your average teenager, I just felt that she didn't display anything beyond that, which was disappointing.
4. The Plot
This is kind of two-sided, because I thought that having the mystery inter-woven and kind of seeping through Nerissa’s obsessive psyche was interesting and well done, but her motivation for wanting to figure out what’s been happening annoyed me. She only wanted to solve the mystery of who’s ‘haunting’ Gina and her groupies, as well as the other popular girls in her school, simply to expose Gina as the culprit and therefore get the lead in the school play.
However, I found this rationalization irritating, as it fed into her obsession with getting the lead and one-upping Gina.
Overall, it wasn't the best story I've ever read, but also not the worst.
The author has a clear voice, and it's possible that this just wasn't my cup of tea.
I won this book in a First Reads Giveaway.
October 21, 2015
Another completely fun read from Lisa Shafer! I loved Nerissa's themed outfits and playlists for every occasion. I felt her thought processes were in line with how a 14-year-old girl thinks. I felt her pain in trying to get the boys to notice her but not getting the attention she wanted. Since Nerissa is really smart she is two grades ahead of where she should be so the boys just aren't looking her way...unless they need a tutor. While this naturally bothers her she doesn't get whiny, she does things in an effort to solve her problems.
This was the first book in a series and I will definitely be getting #2 when it comes out. I'm dying to know who the maxi-skirt lady is, who else was in Nerissa's room, and why are random articles of clothing being stolen from neighborhood clotheslines?
I recommend this book to all who like YA fiction. I know my daughter will love it as she is a fan of Shafer's work. I didn't tell her I'd bought the book because I wanted to read it first. Not because I was concerned about content, but because I didn't want to have to share. :)
This was the first book in a series and I will definitely be getting #2 when it comes out. I'm dying to know who the maxi-skirt lady is, who else was in Nerissa's room, and why are random articles of clothing being stolen from neighborhood clotheslines?
I recommend this book to all who like YA fiction. I know my daughter will love it as she is a fan of Shafer's work. I didn't tell her I'd bought the book because I wanted to read it first. Not because I was concerned about content, but because I didn't want to have to share. :)
November 15, 2015
This is a fun book! I feel like she could have gone to school with me and we could have been friends. I love how Nerissa works for the things she wants. The story is unique, especially the herbs. The only thing I didn't like it was too short!
October 10, 2015
It's fabulous. I ought to know; I wrote it. :)
Seriously, you should read it.
Seriously, you should read it.
November 20, 2022
I enjoyed this book so much. I read another of Lisa Schafer's books and it stuck in my head over the winter till I finally decided to buy the rest of her books. This is the first one I tackled and I’m so glad I did. She has a brightness and intelligence to her writing but also a real approachability. The protagonist is likeable, a bit too impulsive, creative as heck, and very far from the pretty girl that you find in so much fiction. I wish there were more books about her as I would happily read them all.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews