Adam and Christy have been best friends since they started kindergarten. Neither of them really fit in, and are frequently called names, but it doesn’t really bother them, because the kids are right. Adam is gay and Christy is a witch. One night Christy decides to cast a love spell for Adam. She knows it’s against the rules to cast one for herself to make Ian, the hot jock at school finally notice her, but surely it would be okay to cast a spell for Adam to find love. Christy’s never done a spell of this magnitude before, and she hasn’t fully come into her powers yet, but she’s sure it will work. Adam, on the other hand, isn’t so sure.

But then tall, dark and handsome Mark Black comes to town and sweeps Adam off his feet. Things seem to be looking up for them, but then strange things begin to happen and Christy and Adam realize that something evil has come to town and it’s up to them to stop it before it destroys their town and those they love.

I totally “got” the setting of the book. Trinity Springs, TX is your run-of-the-mill small town, much like the town I grew up in. If you “blend in”, you’re fine, but if you’re even a little bit different, people will talk.

As is typical in any of Rhiannon’s books, the characters are very relateable and well-drawn. I loved the friendship between Adam and Christy. It seemed authentic and like several of my friendships in high school. I also really enjoyed their families. They had happy, typical home lives. Even though Christy’s parent’s were from a family of powerful witches, they still felt real. I also liked that even though Christy and Adam were the outcasts, they weren’t total loners. They still had a small group of friends (namely Olivia and Drifter) that added a nice touch to the mix.

The book flowed very well, though it did feel like it could have been tightened a bit in places. It didn’t detract from the story at all, though. There are quite a few surprises along the way, and several nods to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which I loved. That is one of my all-time favorite TV shows and I think that’s what pulled me into the book. I also liked that even though it was written by two authors, it never felt choppy. The voices complimented each other very well.

Fresh, clever and full of unforgettable characters and a few surprises, The Midnight Spell is a must for fans of paranormal YA. It’s familiar enough to please the die-hard fans, but different enough to please those who have grown weary of the cliché’s. ( )