Jinx

By Sage Blackwood

The highly acclaimed first book of a fantasy adventure series set in a mysterious forest, starring a daring new hero.

"Readers will thrill to journey with Jinx" (SLJ, starred review), a wizard's apprentice, as he sets off on a quest through the dangerous Urwald, a magical forest full of wizards and were-creatures, and discovers that it is more complex than he could imagine, and that it needs him more than he could ever guess.

This humorous and smart tween fantasy adventure is perfect for fans of Septimus Heap, The Sisters Grimm, and Fablehaven.

Supports the Common Core State Standards

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Jan 8, 2013
• ISBN: 9780062129925

Sage Blackwood

Sage Blackwood was born in Chicago and grew up in New York State. She graduated from Antioch College and the University at Albany and taught ESL for many years. Her first fantasy novel, Jinx, was selected as a Best Book of the Year by Kirkus Reviews, ALA Booklist, School Library Journal, and Amazon.com, and was purchased by President Obama.

Book preview

1

Jinx

In the Urwald you grow up fast or not at all. By the time Jinx was six he had learned to live quietly and carefully, squeezed into the spaces left by other people, even though the hut he lived in with his stepparents actually belonged to him. He had inherited it after his father died of werewolves and his mother was carried off by elves.

But then a spark from a passing firebird ignited the hut, and within a few minutes it had gone. The people in the clearing built another to replace it, and this new hut was not his. His stepparents, Bergthold and Cottawilda, felt this keenly. Besides, the harvest had been bad that autumn, and the winter would be a hungry one.

This was the sort of situation that made people in the clearing cast a calculating eye upon their surplus children.

And Jinx was definitely surplus, especially since Bergthold and Cottawilda had a new baby girl of their own. He worked as hard as he could to make up for the crime of existing, and he tried not to eat too much. He only took a single bite of his toad porridge every night before offering the rest to the baby. Nevertheless, his stepparents agreed between them that Jinx was too much trouble and expense to raise.

So late one autumn afternoon Bergthold told Jinx to put on his coat, and together they left the clearing where they lived and plunged into the Urwald. They followed the path where it twisted between great trees as big around as cottages. Then Bergthold stepped off the path.

Jinx stopped.

What are you waiting for? Bergthold roared. Come on!

‘N-never stray from the path,’ said Jinx. This was a rule every child in the Urwald was taught as soon as it could walk.

We’re straying from it now! Bergthold grabbed Jinx by the front of his coat, cuffed both his ears, and hauled him from the path.

Jinx struggled in his stepfather’s grip. Leaving the path was wrong. The path and the clearings of the Urwald belonged, just barely, to people. Everything else belonged to the trees. Anyone who ventured off the path was doomed.

Bergthold hit Jinx again, gave him a hard shove, and marched him into the forest.

Jinx walked, his ears burning. He made his way through the deep twilight of the Urwald, and every now and then Bergthold gave him a little shove to the left or the right around a great glowering tree, and Jinx thought that Bergthold was making sure that Jinx wouldn’t be able to find the path again.

Stop here!

Jinx stopped instantly, not wanting to get hit again. He wondered if Bergthold was going to kill him.

Sit down, and stay right here, and don’t move until nightfall, or you’ll wish you had never been born.

Jinx already wished he had never been born. But he sat down in the moss, where his stepfather pointed. He could feel the Urwald’s disapproval seeping up through the ground.

Good. And good-bye. Bergthold turned to go. Then he stopped, looking around him. He started off in one direction, then stopped, came back, and started off in another direction. Then he came back again.

He gave Jinx a rather furtive look. Do you, er, happen to remember which way we came?

No, said Jinx.

Ah, said Bergthold. He nodded, as though he was just thinking about things.

He’s lost, Jinx thought. We’re both lost.

I think I know which way the path is, though, Jinx hazarded.

Ah! Well, don’t just sit there like a lump on the ground—lead on, boy!

Jinx scrambled to his feet and started walking. He really had no idea where the path was. But at least moving, with Bergthold behind him, felt safer than sitting still, alone, under the Urwald’s menacing shadows. And probably being watched by hungry creatures in the trees.

Rounding a great gnarled knot of a tree trunk, Jinx ran smack into a creature and yelped.

Calm down, boy, I won’t eat you, said the creature.

Since this was by no means a given in the Urwald, Jinx did calm down. The creature was a man, tall and thin, with twisty hair, yellow eyes, and a pointed beard. He was dressed in a long purple robe. His feet were bare and knotty, and he carried a basket—he had been harvesting mistletoe.

Jinx had never met a wizard. He had always heard they had long white beards, not short pointy brown ones. But magic poured off the man, ripples of magic as strong as the pulses of life that seeped from the trees all around them.

Just walking in the woods with my boy, sir, said Jinx’s stepfather, too hastily and without any greeting at all.

You didn’t tell people your business in the Urwald, and the wizard’s nose twitched at the bad smell of the lie. Pretty late for straying off the path, he said.

Gotta teach the boy to find his way in the woods.

The wizard’s nose twitched more. You didn’t learn to find your way in these woods—you stayed out of them. Some people abandon their children in the woods, said the wizard. If they find it too much trouble to feed them.

Not their own children! said Bergthold. Stepchildren, maybe, now I’ve heard of that.

The wizard looked at Bergthold through a dark cloud of disapproval. If you marry the mother, you accept the children.

"I didn’t marry the mother, said Bergthold, aggrieved. She died years ago. I married the woman who was married to the man who had married the mother. The boy’s got a curse on him—everyone who takes him dies."

Actually, that seems like a fairly normal death rate for the Urwald. The wizard looked at Jinx so hard that Jinx wanted to hide. I happen to have need of a boy. I’ll take him.

Buy him, you mean, said Bergthold.

Curse and all?

He’s worth more with the curse!

Everyone who takes him dies?

You could probably use that, said Bergthold. You know, against your enemies.

The wizard sighed. Very well. I will pay one silver penny.

A silver penny? A measly silver penny for a boy like this? Bergthold drew himself up. A boy with a valuable curse? You insult me, sir!

A dangerous glitter flickered across the wizard’s face, and Jinx shot his stepfather a nervous glance. Bergthold was frightened and angry, as he usually was, but the fear was ripply with greed.

A silver penny is a lot for a boy with a curse on him, said the wizard.

Somewhere behind them there was a crunching sound, as of a fallen stick breaking under a very large foot. Jinx peered anxiously into the terrifying gloom. His stepfather was too wrought up to notice.

A boy like this is worth three silver pennies at least! said Bergthold.

This was rather a surprise to Jinx, who was regularly told by both Bergthold and Cottawilda that he wasn’t worth a rotten cabbage leaf.

He’s a hard worker, too! Especially if you beat him, said Bergthold. And you hardly have to feed him at all.

Well, I can see you haven’t been, said the wizard. One penny’s my final offer.

There were more crunching sounds, sticks snapping, and the hollow scrabble of clawed feet on the forest earth. Jinx looked this way and that but couldn’t see anything moving. He looked back at the two men and wished he could trust either one of them.

Two silver pennies then, said Bergthold.

One silver penny, said the wizard, sounding suddenly indifferent to the whole thing. You had best take it quickly.

Never!

Come here, boy, the wizard commanded.

Several things happened at once. Jinx took a nervous step toward the wizard. From the forest behind him, heavy, ragged breathing joined the sound of clawed feet, and Jinx was overwhelmed by a smell like rotting meat. Jinx whirled around and saw trolls—they must be trolls, they were so big and tusky—crashing through the trees, bearing down on him and his stepfather. The wizard reached out and grabbed Jinx. A pale green cloud of calm surrounded the wizard all through what happened next, and it was because Jinx could see this cloud that he stood perfectly still, even though his legs wanted to run.

With a roar of triumph one of the trolls seized Bergthold around the waist and hoisted him to his shoulder. The other trolls howled with glee and danced about. A troll’s claw swung right past Jinx’s nose—he felt the breeze and smelled the rancid breath. Bergthold screamed and reached his arms toward Jinx, beseeching. Jinx shrank back against the wizard. The wizard didn’t move. Jinx expected to feel the trolls’ claws grabbing him at any second.

But the trolls didn’t seem to see Jinx.

The party of trolls thumped out of the clearing. Jinx had a last sight of his stepfather, head bumping down against a troll’s back, screaming and red faced—Bergthold’s hat fell off and rolled away. Jinx broke away from the wizard and ran to pick it up.

Jinx stood with the hat in his hand and looked at the claw marks in the moss at his feet. Then he looked between the trees where the trolls and his stepfather had disappeared. The Urwald had swallowed up Bergthold as if he were no more huge and terrifying than a rabbit. The smell of rotting meat still hung in the air.

And then Jinx had the thought that to the forest, Bergthold was nothing, or just a very small thing. He didn’t matter at all in the great green sea of life that was the Urwald.

It was as if the idea had come from the trees themselves. Well, maybe Bergthold was nothing to them. They’d never been hit by him.

What’s your name, boy? said the wizard gently.

Jinx.

And mine is Simon, said the wizard. So that was your stepfather, was it?

Jinx nodded.

Had he brought you into the woods to abandon you?

Yes, said Jinx. Our house was mine, but it burned down. And there’s a new baby.

Jinx didn’t expect sympathy, never having had any before. But he was a little surprised by Simon’s reaction—the news that Jinx was being abandoned made the wizard smile. There was a little blue glow of satisfaction with the smile.

Jinx was relieved that wizards’ feelings were as easy to see as other people’s. He had learned to watch people very closely, and to listen carefully. He assumed that everyone did this and that everyone could see what he saw.

I don’t expect you’ll miss him very much, said the wizard.

Jinx shook his head no. He wouldn’t. Bergthold was mostly a red cloud of anger that led to beatings. But now what?

Do you come from one of the clearings? Simon asked.

Didn’t everybody? Jinx nodded.

What’s it called?

Called?

Doesn’t your clearing have a name?

I don’t know. Other clearings had names. Jinx had never heard his own clearing called anything.

Could you find your clearing again?

Jinx shook his head no.

Excellent, said Simon.

He reached out a long, thin hand to Jinx. Jinx had never even seen a wizard before, and now a wizard was sticking a hand at him.

Do you want to come with me? said Simon.

It had started to snow. Night was drawing in, and Jinx heard stealthy rustlings like suppressed laughter in the forest all around him. The wizard had saved Jinx from the trolls. But had he also called the trolls?

Why didn’t the trolls take me? said Jinx.

They didn’t see you.

Was that magic?

Of course. Shall we go?

Jinx knew he couldn’t survive alone in the Urwald once night fell. But wizards—wizards were dangerous.

Are you the Bonemaster? Jinx asked. The Bonemaster was the only wizard Jinx had ever heard of by name. Everyone in Jinx’s clearing was terrified of the Bonemaster, though no one had ever seen him.

No. I am not the Bonemaster. I am just Simon Magus.

The Bonemaster sucks out people’s souls with a straw, said Jinx. Do you?

I have some bad habits, said Simon. But that is not one of them.

Do you eat people? said Jinx.

Certainly not.

Do you kill people?

Very seldom. And never small boys.

The wizard’s thoughts were green and blue, and they slid around each other, shifty and secretive. But they weren’t red and angry, and that was something. And the Urwald loomed, ready to swallow Jinx as easily as it had his stepfather.

It’s nearly dark. Are you coming? Simon held out his hand again.

Jinx made his choice and took it.

2

The Wizard’s House

And that was how Jinx came to live with a possibly evil wizard and twenty-seven cats in a huge stone house that stood alone in its own clearing, protected by invisible wards that kept monsters out but let some very strange visitors in.

Just how strange, Jinx found out that first night, after he and Simon had finished a very satisfactory dinner of bread, cheese, pickles, jam, apple cider, and pumpkin pie.

They were sitting at the kitchen table on top of the big stone stove, which filled half the kitchen and was just pleasantly warm underfoot. Onions, dried apples, and pumpkin hung from the rafters overhead. There were cats everywhere, lying on barrels and shelves—there was one curled around the water pump.

No more pie for now, boy—you’ll make yourself sick, said Simon.

What are you going to do with me? Jinx asked. He believed that the wizard probably didn’t eat people, since his house was full of much better things to eat. But he figured Simon must be planning to use him for something … probably something evil.

Right now? Send you to bed. Tomorrow, put you to work, said Simon.

But there was a part of Simon that seemed to hide from what he’d just said, as if it wasn’t the whole truth.

Are you going to send me to kill your enemies? said Jinx.

No, I think I’ll spare my enemies that terrible fate.

Jinx was annoyed at being laughed at. Anyone who takes me in dies.

I expect they do eventually, said Simon. But I doubt you hasten the process. You really think if I sent you to the Bonemaster, he’d drop dead?

The Bonemaster was a formidable enemy to have. Jinx was relieved to hear he wouldn’t be expected to deal with him. Still … I do have a curse on me, though.

You don’t have a curse on you. Put that nonsense out of your head.

Why aren’t you afraid of the Bonemaster? said Jinx.

How do you know I’m not?

I can see it, said Jinx, surprised at this question about something so obvious. Everyone’s thoughts glowed green fear whenever the Bonemaster’s name was mentioned. It was the same bottle-shaped blob of terror for everyone, as if the fear of the Bonemaster had come to all of them in exactly the same way, as exactly the same thought. Which was odd, because usually different people had different-colored thoughts.

"You should be afraid of the Bonemaster, said Simon. Whatever happens, don’t ever go near him."

There came a banging at the door.

Simon muttered a swear word and went to open it. Jinx trailed along behind him.

Outside, the night was purple. A tornado of snow blasted past and left behind a woman standing beside a butter churn, grinning.

Dame Glammer. Welcome, said Simon.

Dame was a title for a witch, just like Magus meant a wizard. Jinx stared. The witch stared back. Her small, sharp eyes seemed to be laughing at Jinx. Her face had a lot of nose to it. Her hair was a wild nest of gray pinned on top of her head anyhow with two long knitting needles. She unwrapped herself from several wet cloaks and piled them into Jinx’s arms.

This little chipmunk looks good enough to eat, Simon! Where’d you get him from? Is he your very own?

A wizard and now a witch—worse and worse. Jinx glanced at the door. Outside was the Urwald, the snow, and the trolls. Inside, two magicians.

His name’s Jinx, said Simon.

How darling! It’s an awful night for traveling, Simon, even with the butter churn.

I suppose you’d better stay, then, said Simon, with a brown puff of annoyance that didn’t come into his voice. Sit down, have some cider. Jinx, come and help me make up the spare rooms.

Jinx followed Simon up the ladder to the loft to get blankets and sheets. Never go through that door, Jinx, said Simon, pointing to the far end of the loft. It’s a straight drop to the ground.

They made up a bed for Dame Glammer at the bottom of the north tower. Then they went up the spiral staircase, with cats weaving around between Jinx’s legs trying to trip him up. Simon dropped the armload of blankets on the bed.

I suggest you make that bed and get in it, said Simon. Good night, Jinx.

Jinx decided not to take Simon’s suggestion. He had to find out what these two magicians were up to. For all he knew, they were plotting to turn him into a toad and cook him up in a magic potion. He crept back downstairs, holding his breath for fear of being heard.

Simon and the witch were looking at a little pile of dried-up twigs on the table.

I thought wormwood was poisonous, said Simon.

Poison?

Oh, it is, said Dame Glammer. Her black eyes flashed up at Simon eagerly. But it makes you fly, this kind.

Simon made a doubting gesture with his lips. People can’t fly.

All right, makes you think you’re flying.

What use is that? said Simon.

Dame Glammer laughed, then leaned back in her chair, scattering cats, and swung her feet up onto the table. She wore a many-colored patchwork skirt that came down just over her knees and no further, so her legs in their thick woolen stockings showed to the world. Simon frowned at the feet, but the feet and Dame Glammer ignored this. She took a deep, satisfied swig of cider, and a mustache of foam stuck to her lip. She wiped it off with the back of her hand.

You take things too seriously, Simon. Sometimes magic is just for fun, you know.

No. Simon took a sip of cider and didn’t elaborate.

I don’t think even the Bonemaster can make flying potion, said Dame Glammer.

He can’t.

The witch didn’t have that green flash of fear at the Bonemaster’s name—she had nothing. With a start Jinx realized that he couldn’t see any clouds around her at all. He’d never met anyone with invisible feelings before. That made her even more dangerous.

It’s like history repeating itself, isn’t it? said Dame Glammer. "You’ve gone and found yourself a nice little chipmunk to gobble up, just like you were gobbled up by—"

Nonsense—gobbled up! I’m right here in front of you. But the words came with jagged orange consternation.

Where’d you get him from, anyway? said Dame Glammer, nodding at the doorway where Jinx was standing.

He came along, said Simon. Didn’t I tell you to go to bed, boy?

What’re you going to use him for? she asked. If you’re not going to—

He’ll work for me. He’ll keep the house clean, said Simon, with another pointed glance at Dame Glammer’s feet.

Good eating on children, said Dame Glammer. I had a boy and a girl just this past autumn. Parents left ’em in the woods … well, you can imagine. I bewitched the house to make it look like gingerbread—

So that was how they did it! Jinx had always wondered why witches didn’t have a problem with animals coming to eat their gingerbread houses. And what happened when it rained.

That’s not funny, said Simon. You’re scaring the boy.

Oh, I didn’t really eat them! Just made ’em think I was going to. She cackled.

Jinx thought probably she really had.

I’m not giving you dragon scales for that, said Simon, nodding at the wormwood. It’s not reasonable, Dame. You know I have to buy them direct from the dragon.

Dame Glammer grinned. Why not give me the boy?

Absolutely not.

Saving him for the Bonemaster?

Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous. He nodded at the wormwood again. Are we trading, or not?

What will you give me?

If you show me how to brew the wormwood, I may give you an ounce of cinnamon.

Very well. She swept the twigs into a red polka-dot kerchief.

Come into my workroom. You can show me now, said Simon.

There was a heavy oaken door in the wall opposite—Jinx supposed it must lead to the other tower. Simon went to it, then stopped and turned around.

Everything in the south wing is off limits, Jinx. My rooms are back here, and you are not allowed in them. Understand?

Jinx was immediately seized with a desire to see the off-limits rooms.

Why? he asked.

Because there are dangerous things in here, and because I said so. Now go to bed. And don’t lie awake worrying about the gingerbread house—it’s not true.

Simon went through the heavy oaken door, leaving it half open for Dame Glammer to follow. Jinx inched forward, eager to get a look at the forbidden rooms. He caught a glimpse of a cold stone hall, and dark shadows dancing in flickering torchlight. But before he could see any more, Dame Glammer darted forward and grabbed him by the chin.

You seem like such a sweet little chipmunk. Such a shame a wizard’s gone and gotten ahold of you.

Her hand squeezed his face. Jinx jerked his head away, freeing himself.

Don’t you wonder what he’s going to do with you?

He said he wants me to work for him.

Shall I tell you what he really wants you for? The witch grinned, and Jinx couldn’t tell if she was teasing

Reviews for Jinx

[mrsdanaalbasha · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jean "Jinx" Honeychurch is a sixteen-year-old girl from Iowa. Believing she was born with bad luck, she goes to stay with her Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Ted in Manhattan, New York, to escape the most recent bout of it. However, the truth is that Jean had cast a love spell on her crush which turned out wrongly and caused him to become stalker-ish.

Her cousin, Tory, is convinced that Jean must join her coven of pretend "witches". Jean denies being a witch, and refuses to join. This angers Tory, causing her to seek revenge. Tory is also jealous of Jean's relationship with Zack, a good-looking boy who lives next door. However, it is revealed that Jean might actually be the witch with special powers. Things start to turn bad, with Tory and her coven kidnapping Jean for a ritual, but in the end, the real witch wins. Jean realises that maybe she isn't that unlucky after all, and the book ends with her starting a romance with Zack, who reveals he has always liked her back.

[rosa.mill · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Jinx has a problem back home in Iowa, so she is sent to NYC to live with her cousin Tory's family in NYC. This book pays serious homage to the movie the Craft(1999). It's about girls who practice magic and don't pay enough attention to the consequences; then one goes to far. There is romance and magic, and if you haven't watched the Craft, you might be surprised. Otherwise Jinx is just a little too good and Tory is a little bit too bad. *Spoiler alert* I do have a major problem with Jinx believing that she brought having stalker on herself. I understand that they are trying to send a message about using black magic, but I just don't feel like it's a good thing to say.

[mickyfine · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The only luck Jean has ever had in her life is bad luck, hence her nickname Jinx. Jean has been sent to her aunt and uncle's in New York to get away from the culmination of her bad luck back home in Iowa. But Jean's bad luck sticks with her bringing conflict with her cousin Tory who is convinced that one of them is to inherit the strong magical powers that run in their family line. Now Jean must decide whether to embrace her potential magic powers to keep Tory from harming others, particularly their adorable neighbour Zach, on whom Jean has a massive crush.I'm a long time Meg Cabot fan but this novel fell short for me. While Jean was perfectly adorable and her flirtation with Zach as full of charm as Cabot is always capable of, I felt like the constant hinting around the bad thing that happened back in Iowa was dragged out too long. Also, as naive as Jean is, I had serious doubts that she'd be quite so obtuse. A quick read but not up to the standard I expect from Cabot.

[scote23 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not as predictable as other Cabot novels. A quick enjoyable read.

[akmargie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked the mix of magic with Cabot's trademark Romance Lite. It's just fun to read.

[vykic37 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Find this review and more at On The Shelf!Tory’s secret wasn’t what I was expecting it to be, and neither was the book really, but not in a bad way. This story was a quick, enjoyable read; it would make a good book to sit and read in a day. Jean (or Jinx) is a nice character, but she was a bit too naive when it came to some things. Even if she was raised in a completely different state, she would have to be blind not to see some of the things going on. Zach was a really good character, very laid back, unlike uptight Jean, the preacher’s daughter. Tory was surprising. She would go to any length to get what she wanted and she was incredibly selfish and self-centered. Petra was one of my favorite characters. She was so nice and maternal; there for whatever you need. The narrator of the audiobook did pretty well. My favorite voice she did was Petra’s becuase of her accent and she made Tory sound like a malicious, immature child. The only voice she did that I didn’t care for much was Tory’s dad. I can’t really explain it, but it just sounded so…weird. This is the first Meg Cabot book I have read and I’m not yet sure how I feel about her writing based on this book alone. It was fast and clear, but also repetative. I still want to read her Abandon and Princess Diaries series, then I can decide what I think of her writing after reading more. Though I did enjoy the book, I wasn’t overly impressed with it. I look forward to reading more of her books. Quick, fun, good reader, a bit repetative.

[flashlight_reader · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Summary from inside flap of book: The only thing Jean Honeychurch hates more than her boring name (not Jean Marie, or Jeanette, just… jean) is her all-too-appropriate nickname, Jinx. Misfortune seems to follow her everywhere she goes—which is why she’s thrilled to be moving in with her aunt and uncle in New York City. Maybe when she’s halfway across the country, Jinx can finally outrun her bad luck. Or at least escape the havoc she’s caused back in her small hometown. But trouble has definitely followed Jinx to New York. And it’s causing big problems for her cousin Tory, who is not happy to have the family black sheep around. Beautiful, glamorous Tory is hiding a dangerous secret—one that she’s sure Jinx is going to reveal. Jinx is beginning to realize it isn’t just bad luck she’s been running from. It’s something far more sinister… and the curse Jinx has lived under since the day she was born might just be the only thing that can save her life.My review: I hate to admit it, but this is the first Meg Cabot book that I have read. I own many of her books, but I have never read them. I enjoyed Jinx. It’s not overly complicated or highly original, but I still liked it. The inside flap makes you think there will be something devious and “sinister” hidden in the plot, but really it’s nothing more than a jaded, spoiled, rich teenage girl pretending to play “witch-believe” with several equally snotty friends. The only thing sinister would be the personality of Tory, Jinx’s NY cousin. Talk about a character! If I had met this girl in high school, I could only imagine how awful my memories would be. Wow. Tory is by far the best description of a woman scorned I have read in YA fiction—witch craft aside, of course. On a human level, Tory is despicable. Back stabbing, deceitful, envious. The whole nine yards. She is pure evil in the disguise of outward beauty. Her friends were equally disgusting, although they weren’t mentioned much in the book. I got the impression they were meant to be more like groupies than supporting characters. For all of the negative vibes you got from Tory, Jinx gives you the exact opposite. She is the image of mid-west innocence; after all she is a preacher’s daughter. The quaintness of her character, combined with her gorgeous natural curly red hair make her an easy target for Tory’s wrath. Plus, it doesn’t help that Tory’s secret love is head-over-heels for Jinx. The characters were decent. You certainly felt sorry for Jinx during all of her mishaps, and you couldn’t help but dislike Tory. Unfortunately, that’s where the charm ends. The plot is pretty predictable. It’s a classic case, really: Pretty girl doesn’t realize she’s pretty. Pretty girl falls into the trap of equally pretty girl with disgusting personality. Pretty girl unknowingly wins heart of handsome boy. Love triangle ensues. Mean girl gets what she deserves while pretty girl realizes she has self worth and falls for handsome boy. The end. Yep, that’s pretty much it. Granted there were a few twists along the way, but nothing overly exciting. I did like that Zach (said handsome boy) seemed like a complete charmer. He had some personality traits that made him very likable. There were a few scenes in the book that had potential to be suspenseful, but it seemed like the majority of the story only skimmed the surface and never fully dove into a deeper plot. For a younger reader I’m sure it would be satisfying, but I like a little more depth in my reading material. Of course, I probably shouldn’t have expected anything more than what I got considering I bought this book for my classroom library. Overall, it was a fun, quick read. I enjoyed it. I’m sure if I was a middle school girl I would be enthralled with this novel. I would probably even imagine Zach Efron’s face for Zach in the book… if I were a middle school girl. But, alas, I’m not. (I really couldn’t imagine anyone that I felt would fit the characters when reading the book.) I gave the book 3 stars because it was decent. There were some funny parts that made me chuckle, and the descriptions were well written. My visualization abilities were working in overdrive throughout most of the book. However, it wasn’t exactly “mature” content like the jacket flap implied.

[hollyrae_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Just finished this book. I really enjoyed it. I liked the main character Jean and The whole concept of the book. A good read. : )

[rakr625 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jinx is hard to put down once started. It's very fun and entertaining, with action and a bit of romance.

[bookswarm · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I love Meg Cabot. I want to be Meg Cabot (or, at least, her BFF. We'd make awesome BFFs. We could go get slushie drinks and chat about books and writing. It'd be fabulous.). She's an incredibly prolific writer who knows her audience like the back of her hand. Her books are all enjoyable reads and JINX is no exception.I picked this book up from the bargain shelf at Books-A-Million (Boy-howdy I love this shelf. Pair it with my teacher discount and I can walk out of there with a huge pile of books for my classroom that my kids are interested in reading. Yahoo.) and decided to make sure I read it myself. It was a quick and easy read, with fun (and nasty) characters that were easy to get behind and root for--and against.Poor Jinx (Jean) is sure she's cursed: she's a terrible klutz, always crashing into things and breaking stuff. Her first day in NYC and her aunt and uncle have forgotten her at the airport, no one is home at their house to greet her except for the nanny, and, when her cousin finally gets home, Jinx is completely embarrassed in front of her cousin's friends AND a super-cute guy (how else would you feel if your cousin announced to everyone you had to leave home because you were being stalked?).Tory, Jinx's cousin, is a great bad girl. She's evilly snarky, mean, back-biting...I just wanted to smack the black eyeliner right off her face (exactly the way I think you should feel about a bad girl!).Zack is a really sweet guy--the perfect foil for Jinx. Too bad she thinks he's in love with Petra, the nanny. But he shows her the town and she's happy to just be friends with him. He's actually a bit too sweet for my tastes. I like a little more bad boy to temper that sweetness.There were parts of the book when I was worried Jinx wouldn't get a stronger backbone and stand up for herself. However, she performs admirably when she has to (though I was reminded a bit of that movie THE CRAFT. Remember that one? With the group of witches and the crazy chick? Yeah, that.). All in all, JINX is a fun read. Go Meg, my new BFF!

[sammynop · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The book Jinx is about a girl whose real name is Jean. Her family calls her Jinx because if anything bad is going to happen, it will most definitely happen to Jinx. To get rid of her ex boyfriend, Jean moves to New York with her aunt and uncle. Jean was looking forward to spending time with her cousin Tori, until she sees how much Tori has changed. What Jean doesn't realize is that Tori hates Jean so much, she tries to take away her "witch" powers which could have killed her.I love Meg Cabot's books. This book was great to read. I love the suspense in it and the humor. What I do wish Meg Cabot would do is try to write in 3rd person. I would love to see how the book turns out.

[sarah1234_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A fantasy that includes suspense, mystery, humor, romance, etc. A very fun and interesting classic by Meg Cabot about a girl, a cousin, a stalker, a new life, and a witch.

[ewyatt_16 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jinx feels like she has had more than her share of bad luck all her life. When she goes to live with her aunt and uncle in New York City after an incident in her hometown in Iowa, Jinx's cousin is determined to have her join her witch coven believing deeply in a family legend that they are descended from a great witch. A blooming romance with the boy next door and cousin jealously help to move the action along in this fun romance.

[trishalynn0708 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Where has Meg Cabot been all of my reading years? This is my first book by her and I could not put it down. I did very little house work yesterday because I kept thinking about this book. It starts off with Jean (Jinx) moving in with her Aunt and Uncle because of something that happened back Iowa where she lives. Jean is happy to be moving in with her Aunt and Uncle for a while. She hasn't seen her cousin Tory in a long time, she was thinking things would pick up where they left them years ago. But when she gets to her Aunt and Uncle's house Tory, now known as Torrence, has changed. Gone is her blonde hair and pretty clothes, instead they are replaced by dark hair and black clothes. Jean soon finds out that Tory knows about her being a witch and Tory wants her to join her coven. But when Jean declines it makes Tory mad and sets her on a mission to destroy Jean. But it gets worse when Jean falls for Tory's secret crush, Zach. This book was an amazing read. I have always liked reading about the Salem Witch Trials. So this book had witches, romance, and teen fun. Highly recommend this book!

[onyx95_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Moving from a small town in Iowa to New York City was the best way Jean Honeychurch and her family could think of to handle the problem she was having with a boy. The problem wasn’t just the boy, Jean had been having bad luck all of her life starting with the day she was born. She even received the nickname of Jinx from her family at a young age, because of her constant string of mishaps. Meeting her cousins friends and finding out that some of them believed themselves to be witches and those witches, including her cousin Tory, believing that she was a witch and wanting her to join their coven, left Jinx scarred that the true reason for her troubles was about to come out. What a fun story. Quick and fast paced, although it was predictable. The characters were great - a bunch of high school students, their dates, crushes and worries, popularity contests and all. I really liked Zach and Petra (one of the boys and the families au pair) they seemed to be great supporting characters for Jean. There is a point in the story were Jean is described as a good influence against the drugs, alcohol, smoking and witch craft but as Jean thinks about it - “God, no wonder she hated me so much! I hated me, hearing myself described in such a way.” Fun for young teens up. After finally trying a Meg Cabot book, maybe I will give one of her series a try.

[tdickerson_12 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was a page turner seeing the life of Jean who's appropriately nicknamed "Jinx" because of her perpetual bad luck. Throughout the book, she starts to discover that her bad luck is caused by her fear and learns to overcome her fear and empower herself; making life better than it has ever been before.

[scoutlee_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Jean “Jinx” moves in with her aunt and uncle after an incident back home. Upon arrival, she learns her cousin Tory (now refers to be called Torrance) thinks she is a witch. Tory reminds Jean that their great-great-great-grandmother was also a practicing witch and stated that one of her descendants will also be a witch. Naturally Tory believes it’s her, until Jean saves Zach’s, Tory’s neighbor and crush, life.Having read most of Ms. Cabot’s young adult novels last year, I was looking forward to reading Jinx. Unfortunately, this book didn’t grab me as her previous novels did. The mystery behind Jean’s move to live with her aunt is obvious as is the reason her family calls her Jinx.What really stood out to me was how similar the characters are with the characters from The Princess Diaries series. For instance, Jean reminded me of Princess Mia; Zach was a good guy like Michael; Tory was mean like Lana. At one point, I actually started seeing the Princess Diaries characters instead of these main characters. From this, I thought the plot seemed “a bit familiar” and too formula-based.Jean, the protagonist, came across as boring and naive. I often found myself wanting to shake her and say “Can’t you see what’s going on here?” It was so frustrating to see Tory repeatedly take advantage of her and for Jean to remain passive so she wouldn’t hurt Tory’s feelings.Although Jinx is not a favorite of mine by Ms. Cabot, I still plan to read my way through her young adult collection.

[knielsen83 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Although the undertones of magic filled the story, it was your typical story of a girl who has everything she wants but doesn't know it. She thinks she's Jinxed, but her cousin knows better and tries to destroy her new life because of it. This book was one you could easily get wrapped up into - a good mixture of teenage drama, witchcraft, and blooming love.

[jenson_aka_dl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

First of all I have to note that this review is for the unabridged audio book and I really do think listening to books is a bit different than reading them. In this case it is even more important to note this as I think I might have enjoyed the story a little more had I read it.Jean Honeychurch has been known as "Jinx" for most all of her life. Even at the time of her birth lightning had struck the hospital causing a major evacuation of patients. Since that time her luck hasn't improved very much. Now Jean has moved from her native Iowa to her aunt and uncle's in NYC for reasons she'd rather not discuss. Reasons that unknown to anyone else, she feels completely responsible for. Despite her resolution to leave "Jinx" behind it seems like her luck isn't going to change just with her location and soon Jean is embroiled in even more trouble thanks to her cousin Torrance. This story was okay, but for some reason didn't seem to have the same appeal to me as some of Cabot's other work. It might have had to do with Jean, who I really did find kind of annoying, with her defeatist attitude and obtuseness when it came to witchy powers, relationships and her friendship with Zach. The words, "too stupid to live" actually entered my head more than once during the last few chapters. Or, my dissatisfaction could have been because of the reader. For whatever reason I seem to like male readers much more then female ones, but this one was even worse than most. When I started listening I actually cringed through the first chapter and thought about not finishing. I did finally adapt to the narrative, but I can't say that ever grew to really enjoy it. This is probably all personal preference and I wouldn't discourage anyone from listening to the audio book just because of my own reaction. Although I think this book could have been better all the way around, it is one that I had wanted to read for a while and I am glad I finally got the chance to, if not actually read, listen to the story.

[simplykatie_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

i was kind of "meh" about it. i saw the love interest coming a mile away. and to me, it was obvious what jean had done that required her to get away. but i'm not 13 anymore. still love meg cabot.

[4sarad_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The story was fine... cute, fun, etc. I liked the main male character and the au pair quite a lot... it's just that the main character was so dumb sometimes. She made a few really ridiculous mistakes that really made you want to smack her... and really made the story feel a little more unrealistic.

[chibimajo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Jinx has just moved in with her aunt, uncle and cousin because of an "incident" at her last school. She wants to avoid anything like that happening again, but her cousin is obsessed with being a witch and trying to get this one particular guy, who just so happens to like Jinx.

[ohioyalibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jinx always has bad luck and it doesn't stop when she goes to live with her Aunt and Uncle in order to escape the attentions of a stalker. Now she has to contend with a cousin who believes herself to be a witch and practices black magic to gain popularity and status. Jinx knows that's bad news and tries to stop her, which only makes her declare war on Jinx. This is a fun, can't put it down kind of book.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If it wasn't enough that Jean (aka Jinx) Honeychurch is an accident magnet, she was born in a thunderstorm, or that her mother is a pastor or that she's from Iowa, but she's had to leave home to go to New York because of a stalker. Her relatives are wealthy and live in a big house. They have a daughter about the same age as Jinx, Torrence (aka Tory, but she's trying to leave that nickname behind) who has fallen into some bad habits. Including black magic.Jinx has to try to make new friends, work out what the gorgeous Zack wants, and try to stop her cousin from harming her, and everyone around her, that and try to work out how to use her own powers of witchcraft.It's fun, light and a very quick read. Typical Meg Cabot fare.

[thelibraryhag · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jean has always been know as Jinx since they day she was born, when a lightening bolt hit the hospital. Now she has been sent from her middle class Iowa family to live with weathly relatives in Manhattan. The change is a culture shock, and problems immediately ensue when her cousin, Torrence becomes jealous of Jinx's "powers". See there is a family legend that one girl will inherit the powers of the family witch who had died at the stake centuries before. Torrence thought it was her legacy until Jinx appears and starts to demonstrate her abilities. Jinx and Torrence both believe in magic but while Jinx thinks it is a bad thing, Torrence is all about it, right down to the Goth dress.I am a bit perplexed by this book. Is there really magic going on, or is it all coincidence? I agree that the end is sort of odd. I hope there is a sequel because there was some nice character development and more questions raised than answered.

[librarygirl66 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sixteen-year-old Jean "Jinx" Honeychurch, the descendant of a witch, must leave Iowa to live with relatives in Manhattan after the first spell she casts goes awry, but she will have to improve her skills to stop her cousin from practicing black magic that endangers them and the boy they both like.

[eleanorr_34 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very interesting book about a girl with the worst luck in the world that lives in a small town in Iowa but she moves to her Aunts and Uncles house in New York City. Her cousin who has changed a lot is convinced that she is a witch. She casts spells and stuff like that. This book was alright but the ending was a way too unlikely and really weird for my taste