White is for Magic

The books pacing is really quick which I like and seems to be a common element of Young Adult literature. Each chapter is only about 6-10 pages long though the book itself is a little over 300 pages. The narrator's voice is easy to read, but her friends have an unrealistic way of speaking. Their voices are almost a little too forcefully teen-y. They use way too much quirky language and innuendos. Though seniors in high school may be cocky and think they sound cool, they certainly aren't that perky or creative. It's entertaining to read, but not realistic and takes away from my immersion. I also find that some of the spells Stacey is practicing are a little hokey. She uses rhymes when she speaks aloud. At one point she used a lemon to heal a wound and all I could think was OW but she never says that it stings her. I've had lemon juice in a cut before. It does not feel good and the pain would certainly be worth mentioning. These little things stand out to me.
There's also a lot of boy drama and friend drama which, although totally appropriate for the age, is out of MY age range. I understand completely and have been there myself when I was seventeen. Now I'm twenty one and I don't really want to read about that kind of thing. However, I can't act like I'm totally above it. Even in my twenties I have drama with friends and boyfriends. I'm sure when I'm an adult I'll still have petty drama. It's like it's totally relatable and yet not at the same time.
Overall, I'm picturing everything in my head very clearly. The smells, the sounds, the sights are all described in a way that allows me to put myself right there with the narrator. Stacey is a likable character, and despite their distracting language, her friends are too. I know where the story is going because this series has a formula: dreams start, threats come in, Stacey has to rush to solve the mystery, it gets solved at the last possible moment, despite a few downfalls everything is okay in the end. Yet I don't know who the threats are coming from or what danger lies ahead and that's what keeps me reading. Plus, like I said before, the characters are likable and I really find myself rooting for Stacey.
So far, it's a fast read with an enjoyable plot, likable characters, and detailed descriptions.

Final consensus:
Reading this book again kind of ruined it for me. The references are dated and the language is forced. Sometimes the writing is good, but it's very fast paced and doesn't really exercise your brain at all. It is similar to watching a cheesy teen drama on television. You know it's bad, but you still love it and you keep going. When I was doing the math I realized that I was about 11-12 when I first started reading this series. It makes sense now that it being a little too old for me, without being a difficult read was right up my alley. I was a pretty mature kid who knew way too much about the adult world at a young age, so none of the "adult content" (not that there was a lot) bothered me. Though every once in a while I came across words or references I know I wouldn't have known at the time. It's clearly a book written by an adult, trying to sound like a teenager. It's sad because I was so in love with this series and thought the author was a genius. Now I realize that it's nothing special.