Devil’s Playground

Elizabeth was born a witch, but has always been forbidden to use her powers to protect herself. She is untrained and unprepared when accusations of witchcraft are thrown around the village of Salem. Determined to use her powers to protect the innocent, she finds that her ignorance simply causes more problems for everyone when in a fit of anger she unleashes the ten plagues of Egypt. With both help and betrayal from those around her, Elizabeth is unsure who to trust or where to go, but she knows she must do something to stop the curse and the threats before the last plague hits and the village is destroyed for good.

"Devil's Playground" is a YA tale of witchcraft and young love. Elizabeth is everything one might expect from a magical teenager - crushing on her neighbor Sebastian, incensed by the false accusations of witchcraft, and frustrated with her own lack of knowledge, yet powerful. All this makes her easily recognizable and thus readers will find themselves sympathetic to her cause. Unfortunately, she lacks anything unique to make her stand out. Sebastian, the love interest, also lacks the strength to make him a hero, resulting in a lackluster romance. However, the pace is steady and there is plenty of alternating action and drama to keep the reader hooked despite the clichés. This is a cute coming-of-age drama with a paranormal spin which should delight Paranormal YA lovers. The sequel should be even more exciting.

Sarah E. Bradley