The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball

Author: Risa Green

Pages: 315

Published: Sourcebooks Fire, 9/16/10

Genre: Realistic fiction/Fantasy

Cover Score: A

Overall Grade: A

Erin Channing's life is completely, utterly boring. She has nothing to write about for her AP Art History application for a trip to Italy, her crazy aunt hasn't contacted her family in a year, and the only thing that Erin has going for her is her 4.0 GPA. That is, until her Aunt Kiki dies suddenly and leaves Erin with a pink, plastic crystal ball. Erin is just about to write it off as another one of Aunt "Kooky"'s oddities, but then she and her best friends decide that the crystal ball just might have the magic and power to see into the future. Is it the perfect way to get whatever Erin wants--including a date with the mysterious Jesse Cooper? Or is it just going to make a mess of everything? One thing's for sure...Erin's life sure won't be boring anymore.

My thoughts: The Secret Society was an entirely fun, sincere, and unique read. Fairly light and quick, this book is ideal for a teenage girl who wants a humorous, relatable story they can't put down.

I loved the characters in this book: Erin and her two best friends Lindsay and Samantha were lifelike, the sort of people I'd like to be friends with. Erin was a great narrator: I really felt for her, and she had tons of personality. I was rooting for her till the end of the book. I also loved the relationship between Erin and Kiki, and how close they were: it was refreshing to see an aunt-niece relationship.

The aspect of the all-seeing crystal ball also made the story interesting and kept me on my toes--I always wondered what Erin would ask for next, and how it would go crazily (and hilariously) wrong!

The book flowed smoothly, and although it started off a bit slow, the plot continued at a steady pace. The end left me satisfied, as Ms. Green tied up all loose ends and everything made sense. Ms. Green has a wonderful writing style that hooked me in. Her descriptions were rich and deeply written, and I feel like she put a lot of emotion and hard work into perfecting her storyline--you could really tell.

I can't wait to see what's next for Erin--hopefully a sequel can be predicted in the near future!