On Oct. 4, G.P. Putnam’s Books for Young Readers released the first in Melissa de la Cruz’s teen continuation of the East End series in paperback. Triple Moon is unfortunately filled with unlikeable characters and adult situations, making it unsuitable for teenagers under the age of 17.

Mardi and Molly Overbrook are spoiled, selfish twin witches who are sent to live with their Aunt Ingrid Beauchamp after a serious screw-up at a party back home in New York. While the White Council decides their fate, their father is hoping Ingrid can teach them the meaning of love and family. What starts off as a boring summer in a quiet town unravels into a magical mystery. Will the girls be able to solve it and grow up a bit in the process?

Mardi and Molly start the story as completely unlikeable characters who are more concerned about their wardrobes than the people around them. Though they learn and grow a bit as the story moves on, they still finish the tale as selfish and whiny girls. Also, this book is supposedly written for teens, but the girls and their love interests have unlimited access to alcohol throughout the novel. They drink at parties, at home and in bars. I find it strange that their relatives know and encourage it as the girls are only 16.

The story is well written. The characters are not cardboard cutouts and the plot has substance. However, I cannot get past the personalities of the protagonists and the adult situations for young teen girls. I know teens drink, but the access these characters had to liquor bottles was unbelievable. What 16-year-old kid is knowingly served in a bar?

This was a 3-star book for me. It had a decent storyline; I just didn’t care for the Overbrooks or Beauchamps. I’ll probably try the next book in the series to see if the characters grow up at all, but I’m not expecting great things.