I chose this book because I really like the narrator, Shannon McManus, when she narrated Wings of Fire, and middle grade fantasy seems the most appealing to me during corona quarantine.

This was a good story, fun characters, though it did suffer a bit from the plot requiring characters not communicating with each other and children not reaching out to adults, but overall it was enjoyable and I will read or listen to the next book. :) ( )

Although the book took a little longer than I thought necessary to get going, the action did pick up enough to have me interested in what happens next. We've got four teens all with newly acquired bracelets and we really only know fully about the capabilities of one of them. I think my middle school students will enjoy this series once it's out. ( )

This novel is a science-fiction story.

Charlie is not happy. Her parents are moving the family from Chicago to Arizona. Seriously? Why would anyone want to live in Arizona? Her father has been a stay-at-home dad, which she and her brother Andy have appreciated and enjoyed. With the move, Charlie’s dad has decided to return to work as a professor at the local college. Her mom is in charge of the ER at the local hospital. Not only have they left their home and friends behind, but Charlie and Andy don’t see their parents much anymore. There’s some anger on Charlie’s part.

Charlie isn’t a coward. She attends school without her father walking her in and applies herself to getting busy. She wants to make the soccer team and joins the theatre to work backstage. Kelly is assigned as her first day escort, but Charlie quickly discovers that Kelly isn’t someone Charlie would ever be friends with. She does meet Kelly’s neighbor, Maria and Maria’s best friend Mac. This friendship becomes life-saving, both literally and figuratively. You see, Charlie found a bracelet in the move that seems addressed to her. When she put it on, it won’t come off. It also gives her powers. Mac is a computer genius, so Charlie hopes he can figure out how to get it off. Charlie will need courage to handle the powers and the responsibilities of such powers.

The novel sets of the story and introduces the “bad guy” early on. He doesn’t reappear much in the novel because he’ll be part of book two. Most of the novel is Charlie adjusting to life in Arizona and trying to figure out how to get the bracelet to work when she wants it to and how to get it off. Mac and Maria help her with the experiments. Basically, this novel just sets everything up. The danger and momentum occur at the end, to be continued in book two. You won’t be surprised as to where the bracelet originates or what happens at the end of the novel. ( )