It was her shoe that ‘kicked’ it all off. It didn’t even hit her teacher, but apparently just throwing it was bad enough. Maeve is given detention like no other. She is left to clean and tidy a room in the basement of her private Catholic girls school.

It takes hours and hours, but as Maeve lugs boxes of junk out, sorts through piles of rubbish and tidies the entire room, she finds an old walkman with a mix tape inside. Surprisingly, it still works and the music isn’t so bad, even if it’s decades old. Maeve also finds a pack of Tarot cards. The cards intrigue while the walkman entertains as she sweeps and cleans and sorts.

Researching more about Tarot cards, Witchcraft and Wiccan lore when she gets home, Maeve soon finds she has an affinity for it all. Usually facts and figures, Maths and English, and Science too for that matter, just don’t stay in her brain. Tarot however seems almost effortless.

Maeve teams up with an unlikely ally. Fiona is popular, a budding actress and keen to make a buck. She organises the appointments and Maeve begins giving Tarot readings to others at school. Maeve enjoys the attention she gets from it after spending most of her time alone. It didn’t used to be like this, but since she fell out with her best friend Lily, life at school has been rubbish. What makes it worse is Maeve knows she was in the wrong, and Lily ignoring her is her own fault.

Forced into doing a reading for ex-best friend, harsh words are spoken, the unthinkable happens and Lily vanishes. Maeve knows she is responsible, along with a demoness called The Housekeeper. This card seems to appear or leave the deck at random.

The Housekeeper has visited Maeve’s town before and the result was devastating. Using research, the local Wiccan store owner’s advice, Fiona’s courage and her new relationship with Lily’s big brother – Maeve knows they are the only ones who can bring Lily back.

Don’t misjudge a book by its cover as I initially did with All Our Hidden Gifts. This struck me as a Middle Grade novel which it is anything but. This novel hooked me early and held me to the last page. My interest with Tarot grew along with the main character Maeve’s. These aren’t cards to muck about with, as dark magic abounds within.

Themes of popularity, peer pressure, new relationships and diversity weave throughout this novel, along with magic of course. The main character is full of guilt and shame from past events and this is finally hit head on when revealed. Finding her missing ex bestie is most important of all to Maeve, maybe even more than her own life. Will she have to make the ultimate sacrifice, and does Lily even want to be rescued? Intriguing.

Author – Caroline O’Donoghue

Age – 14+

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(Harper Collins, 2021, Occult, Tarot Cards, Witches, Wiccan, Power, Dark Magic, Witch Lore, Friendship, Peer Pressure, Popularity, School, Relationship, LGBTQ+, Diversity, Courage, Betrayal, Bullies, Bullying, Romance, Music)