The Divide

Gr 8 Up—In this installment, Clark picks up where the earlier volumes by L.J. Smith left off. Teen witches Cassie and Adam are together, and she is now a leader of the Circle, a secret coven. Evil Black John was defeated, so there is nothing to worry about, right? Wrong. Now witch hunters are in New Salem, and it is up to Cassie and the other good witches to find out who they are and stop them. Like Smith, Clark keeps readers guessing up to the last minute. Can Cassie trust Scarlett, the new girl who seems so upbeat and nice? Does Adam really love Cassie, or does he wish he were back with Diana? If Cassie presses her mother for information about her dad, will her mom sink into another depression? Cassie is believable. She makes mistakes, learns, and evolves as she tries to figure out her place in the world. Faye and Scarlett have distinctive personalities, but the others in the circle are interchangeable. Descriptions of frequent make-out sessions, shopping trips, and school politics plant the story in reality, while the occasional spell adds an element of the supernatural. Teens do not need to have read Smith's novels to understand this one. It is a quick read that concludes with the promise of another adventure. That being said, there is nothing groundbreaking or extraordinary about it. Purchase where the previous books are popular.—Jennifer Prince, Buncombe County Public Libraries, NC