A review by innowen
Celebromancy by Michael R. Underwood

4.0

Disclaimer: I received an eARC from netgalley.com. However, I had already purchased my copy of this book, so I'm basing my review off the purchased copy.

Underwood takes us 6 months into the future with the second installment of his Ree Reyes series. In Geekomancy, we're introduced to pop culture style magical system that works off all things geek. Our heroine Ree Reyes, a hopeful screen writer, gets clued into the fact she has talent. In Celebromancy, we catch up with Ree as she finally gets a break on her first manuscript for a series called Awakenings. When the lead actress is attacked by something invisible, we see just how powerful Celebromancy is. As a bonus, the starlet is infused with that sort of magic, and has taken a liking for Ree. So, it's up to her and her growing "scooby" gang of those in the know, to protect the star and solve the mystery.

What I liked: I liked the smart, snarky humor of the book. This series is definitely getting better as it progresses. Ree reminds me of myself and many other geek girls I know. She's smart, pretty, and seems real. I loved that we got to see more types of "-mancy" in this book besides just Ree's geeky style. I also liked that this book takes on a modern romance stance with Ree having feelings for both girls and boys. Oh and the geek references were toned down just a tad bit in this book, making it less like a NaNoWriMo geek reference and more like a well-rounded series that is coming into it's own.

What I didn't like: Hmm, Ree doesn't seem to have a better grip on her magical talent. This book is set 6 months after the events in the first and it doesn't seem fair that she's still a fledgling after all this time. We're introduced to the more movie-style magics but it doesn't seem like she's grown much in her own styles. I hope that she's given someone in the know to help her advance a bit more.

Bottom Line: If you likes your books filled to the brim with geeky and pop culture references and a heroine who has flaws and a kick ass attitude, then this book is for you.