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A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd

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Brief synopsis (no spoilers):  Midnight Gulch used to be a magical place, a town where people could sing up thunderstorms and dance up sunflowers. But that was long ago, before a curse drove the magic away. Twelve-year-old Felicity knows all about things like that; her nomadic mother is cursed with a wandering heart.

But when she arrives in Midnight Gulch, Felicity thinks her luck's about to change. A "word collector," Felicity sees words everywhere---shining above strangers, tucked into church eves, and tangled up her dog's floppy ears---but Midnight Gulch is the first place she's ever seen the word "home." And then there's Jonah, a mysterious, spiky-haired do-gooder who shimmers with words Felicity's never seen before, words that make Felicity's heart beat a little faster.

Felicity wants to stay in Midnight Gulch more than anything, but first, she'll need to figure out how to bring back the magic, breaking the spell that's been cast over the town . . . and her mother's broken heart (Amazon)
Category: Juvenile
 
Why I chose this book: Was a contender for favorite juvenile book of the year on goodreads
 
My personal opinion (the review): This was a pretty cute book. It's definitely aimed at a younger audience. The concept of Felicity as a word catcher it was originally caught my attention about this book. It was interesting how she described Felicity's ability to see words in the air that described a person, their feelings, or the situation. The author also does a pretty good job at winding several different characters stories together into one overarching story, while still making you care about each individual character.
 
Warnings (language, violence, "adult" situations, death, etc.): None.

Movie rating equivalent: PG
 
Protagonist description: 12 year-old Felicity just wants a place to call home. She longs to make friends and have something permanent and stationary in her life. She has the special ability to see words all around her that help her see how others are feeling. Through her abilities, she is ultimately the one to solve the mystery and put all the pieces of the town's broken hearts back together.  

Point of view of story: First person

Book length: Short

Story flow: Fluid
 
Grammar and spelling issues: None
 
Character connection (no spoilers): The Beedle - I could see a spin off that follows him doing good deeds.
 

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