Review by Booklist Review
Paloma Ferrer is a tween psychic who is eager to put her powers--powers that have been in her family forever--to use. Enamored with the idea of becoming famous for her gift, Paloma begins building her psychic "empire," after her family moves to L.A. from Miami, by using a different kind of medium: social media, of course. She spreads the word about her powers at school and builds a popular profile, hosting seances (virtual and in-person) and generally showing off her skills. Paloma is right on track to achieving her dream, but she soon discovers that her powers don't necessarily guarantee happy outcomes. When she predicts a friend's future through a reading, things go awry and make Paloma question her talents. Readers will love following Paloma's journey as she realizes it's OK not to have all the answers when it comes to the future and that there's value in taking things one day at a time. She also shows personal growth as she learns to be more humble and recognizes that love and trust must be earned.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A 12-year-old Cuban American medium dreams of becoming a world-renowned psychic just like her abuela in Martin's laugh-out-loud debut, a lighthearted lesson in the downsides of chasing Internet acclaim. Paloma Ferrer, who is part of a long line of psychics, loves the attention that comes from being the granddaughter of Gloria, medium to the rich and famous and host of the wildly popular show Miami Mystic. Paloma believes she's ready to follow in Abuela's footsteps by joining her on a tour across Latin America. When her parents announce they're moving the family from Miami to Los Angeles to escape Abuela's limelight, Paloma's determined not to let the setback curtail her ambition. She will just have to show her abuela what she can do by secretly livestreaming séances from her new school's greenhouse. But as requests for readings start piling up, ghosts begin to overstay their welcome, and her nosy younger sister becomes suspicious, Paloma must figure out a way to clean up her act. Through Paloma's unabashedly youthful voice, Martin crafts a predictable narrative that's satisfying in its meditations on tween friendship, balancing the responsibilities of newfound power and charting one's own path within family traditions. Ages 8--12. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary. (Aug.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Ghosts aren't all that haunt a young seer when her family abruptly relocates to Rancho Cucamonga. Unfazed by ectoplasmic encounters since "we always had more ghosts than pastelitos in our house," 12-year-old Cuban American Paloma Ferrer yearns to join her celebrity psychic abuela, former star of Miami Mystic, on her annual tour of Latin America. Alas, those hopes come crashing down when her parents transport her and pesky little sister Magdelena from Miami to California. Paloma is disappointed by the "boring beige rectangle" of her new home--"no beach in sight!" Her mom warns her to save her "enthusiasm for making new friends with real living people," so Paloma decides to make a good impression on her new schoolmates by conducting readings that inadvertently release hordes of specters to roam the halls and classrooms. Worse yet, a new friendship is shattered when, at the behest of an insistent ghost, she reveals to classmate Willow private, painful information. Martin casts the ghosts as largely harmless or even friendly and even summons spectral chickens and a cat to add to the fun. The pervasive rosy glow continues through to the happy ending, with most of the ghosts sent back to the spirit world and fences mended with Willow. A surprise Christmas reunion of the whole psychically gifted family, living and otherwise, sends the tale out on a buoyant rush of good feelings. A feel-good paranormal romp teeming with ghosts and happy outcomes. (Fantasy. 9-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
