Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven by Bella Forrest

Interest Level: YA

Lexile: NR
Reading Level: NR
Genre: Fantasy

Harley Merlin can sense people’s emotions, among other things. It’s how she snagged her first job pinpointing cheaters at a casino. But she has no clue where she got these freakish powers because she spent her childhood jumping from home to home in the foster system, and her father left her with nothing more than a cryptic note. Then she crosses paths with a terrifyingly real monster and a mysterious, annoyingly arrogant young warlock named Wade Crowley. Wade introduces her to a hidden world of beasts, magic, and covens riddled with secrets—as well as clues about her murky past. Whether she likes it or not, this new world is where she belongs. But after a disturbing twist of events, Harley quickly realizes that her past is darker than she could ever have imagined. And that someone in the coven is out for her blood. With the help of Wade and her new friends, she must figure out who the traitor is and why they’re targeting her... Before the human and magical worlds dangerously collide.

This book was recommended for the middle school library. I could not find any reviews that talked about age appropriateness so I read the book. The first scene in the book made me question the appropriateness but I thought that it could be alright for 8th graders. Then I was told by a friend that as the series gets more and more mature as it goes on. I decided to send the book to the high school librarian. I thought the book was interesting. I don't think the plot moved quickly enough to hold a middle school student's interest. I will not continue to read the series because I am just not invested in the characters.