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How To Succeed in Witchcraft

How To Succeed in Witchcraft

by Aislinn Brophy

A talented witch competes for a prestigious scholarship at her cutthroat high school in this contemporary YA fantasy for fans of Never Have I Ever and Sabrina the Teen Witch. Now in paperback!

Magically brilliant, academically perfect, chronically overcommitted—

Shay Johnson has all the makings of a successful witch. As a junior at T.K. Anderson Magical Magnet School, she’s determined to win the Brockton Scholarship—her ticket into the university of her dreams. Her competition? Ana freaking Álvarez. The key to victory? Impressing Mr. B, drama teacher and head of the scholarship committee.

When Mr. B asks Shay to star in this year’s aggressively inclusive musical, she warily agrees, even though she’ll have to put up with Ana playing the other lead. But in rehearsals, Shay realizes Ana is . . . not the despicable witch she’d thought. Perhaps she could be a friend—or more. And Shay could use someone in her corner once she becomes the target of Mr. B’s unwanted attention. When Shay learns she’s not the first witch to experience his inappropriate behavior, she must decide if she’ll come forward. But how can she speak out when her future's on the line?

Praise for How to Succeed in Witchcraft

"The perfect witchy read for fall, this debut is a wonderful contemporary fantasy." —BuzzFeed

"Aislinn Brophy adds another dynamite offering to the magical school canon." —Nerdist

★ "Brophy’s rapidly paced debut grounds its magical backdrop by exploring themes of capitalism, grooming, privilege, and racism, and Shay and Ana’s enemies-to-lovers romance offers a sweet reprieve from Mr. B’s ominous intentions." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"This book does the most, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love it." —The Book Riot Podcast 

"Delivers a killer plot packed with meaty metaphor and soul-warming sapphic romance. This book is captivating, romantic, and deeply powerful." —Aiden Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Cemetery Boys

"A delightful debut. . . . Come for the crackling queer banter, stay for the history of magic (steeped in shrewd social consciousness)." —Ryan Douglass, New York Times bestselling author of The Taking of Jake Livingston

"Sure to delight and burn with righteous rage." —Jessica Lewis, author of Bad Witch Burning

"The lightly magical world with two queer leads that debut author Brophy creates closely mirrors ours, from social issues regarding race and gender to the dilemmas teenagers face in planning their futures. . . . #MeToo with a magical twist." —Kirkus Reviews

"Despite the creative use of magic, the novel succeeds even beyond its fantasy components. . . . A welcome addition to the fantasy genre." —Booklist

"A well-developed modern world. . . . With cool magic in a deeply diverse world, this begs for a sequel." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Well written with well-developed characters . . . a good LGBTQIA+ addition to any collection." —School Library Journal

"Rest assured. It’s a good read. . . . How to Succeed in Witchcraft should be required reading." —Geek Girl Authority

  • Pages: 416 Pages
  • Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
  • Imprint: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
  • ISBN: 9780593354544
Penguin Teen