On Sept. 6, Weinstein Books released their new young adult novel The Hawkweed Prophecy by Irena Brignull. While parts of the book are fairly original, the love-triangle romance and magic aspects of the story make it blend in with the sea of other paranormal novels on the market.

Poppy and Ember are as different as night and day. Poppy is a troubled girl who floats from school to school. Ember is a beautiful witch without powers living in a commune. Neither girl feels that she belongs. When they meet, it sparks a friendship that will change everything. They discover they were switched as babies and must fight to take back the world in which they each belong. Along the way there are evil relatives, witch wars and a homeless boy that they both love. Will their friendship withstand the test of time? Will they each become who they’re meant to be?

This story had potential, but I feel like it didn’t really reach the heights that it could have. The witches’ community was interesting and Ember’s pure soul was beautiful, but the love trio and Poppy’s angst came off as a bit tedious. Maybe as a teen reader I would’ve felt more for her, but as an adult I found her temper tantrums tiresome. The triangle tried to work itself into the plot, but I felt like it didn’t truly need to be there. I was refreshed by the not-so-happy ending as it made the book stand out a bit, but overall I found this to be a mediocre read.

While not terrible, this book wasn’t spectacular either. I enjoy paranormal reads and despite its issues, I did like this book. I just didn’t love it. If you’re looking for a general young adult fantasy story without much care as to differentiation from other books on the market, you might enjoy this book. If you’re looking for brand new ideas, this isn’t it.