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How To Succeed in Witchcraft by Aislinn Brophy

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


There is a lot to like in this one. I picked it up based on title and cover and didn't realize it was going to be someone facing abuse of power issues which I wondered if it would be triggering for me (It wasn't).

Shay is desperate to get the Brockton scholarship so she can get into a magical licensing college which is about the only way to get a well paying job. She wants to make enough money to move herself and her parents to a better life. She's an incredibly talented witch with a lot of drive and a passion for potion work. There are obvious parallels here between ivy league schools and community colleges in the real world and which ones are more readily available to people of color, ditto job opportunities. In fact I really liked how the racism was handled in this, it was more subtle, the microaggressions and even things that a lot of white people wouldn't pick up on as them being racist, versus the White Sheet wearing over the top blatant racism that we see often.

Shay is a good singer and she is tapped to be in a school musical by Mr. B, the son of the man providing the Brockton Scholarship. He's the very popular drama teacher at this high school. She really doesn't want to be in the musical but doesn't feel like she can say no to the man who will be deciding her future. Also cast is Ana, Shay's 'nemesis.' Along with Ed and Mikey, they're about the only students of color in a musical that should be all Latinx and Black.

I wouldn't call this enemies to lovers since Ana doesn't even know Shay feels that way about her. She's also Shay's most direct competition for the scholarship. But of course we know where it's going and it gets there in a believable way with cute text interludes to Lex, Shay's bestie who is struggling to get into a licensing college and isn't sure she even wants to much to Shay's chagrin.

I was thrilled that this wasn't a straight up sexual assault story. This tackles an equally pervasive problem: someone in power holding it over you to get what they want. As an adult reader, I easily picked up on all the grooming behavior Mr. B has and I feel for her because she's afraid to say no to anything he wants because she knows he'll ensure she doesn't get the scholarship if she does. I have been here. Oddly enough the first time was my drama teacher in college (who thought I was a drama student and didn't realize he had nothing I wanted or needed) But yes, in medical school, trying to get a medical residency, even getting hired into a practice after that, I ran into this exact scenario time and again: a man who held my future in his hands and wanted to trade it for favors.

Shay is proud and independent a little too much. She doesn't want to burden her family/friends but carried a bit too much. (In fact my only quibble and why this is four stars and not five, is it felt a wee bit long/repetitive but other than that it's really good).

I love that her parents are involved in her life. Too many YAs get around a parent might interfere with this by either killing them off or having them criminally negligent. We don't have that here and I was grateful for it. Shay and Ana are both great characters with flaws. The ending was good, believable and messy. There are no easy answers and I liked that too. It's definitely worth a read.



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