200-word review of The Society of Imaginary Friends by Kristen Pham

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads rating: 3.91 with 197 ratings (as of 10/25/18)

Series: The Conjurors #1

Belief is a powerful magic.

Valerie Diaz has a power that she can’t contain, and it’s killing her.

Bounced between foster homes and the streets, she only has time to concentrate on staying alive. But a visit from the imaginary friend of her childhood opens a world of possibilities, including a new life half a universe away on a planet that is bursting with magic.

The Society …more

200 Word Review

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The Society of Imaginary Friends (The Conjurors Series #1) by Kristen Pham is a Young Adult Fantasy novel. According to Goodreads, its original title was “Into the Dark” and published March 11, 2011.

Growing up, many children have imaginary friends. This story introduces Valerie, a girl bounced around foster homes. Helping her survive foster care is Cyrus, her imaginary friend. After Valerie’s “powers” become too much for her to handle on Earth she is transported to the Globe, a magical world. Here, Valerie realizes imaginary friends are real people with special powers which allow them to be seen by children on Earth and help them navigate their troubles. Of course, the Globe is not utopia and a fraction exists that wants to go back to Earth.

Most YA novels portray the heroine as perfect but Pham shows that Valerie is flawed. Doctors have diagnosed her as schizophrenic and, because of her “episodes” her life is not easy. It is because of her difficult life that she is able to survive and help others.

I would read the rest of the series and would recommend the series for tweens, for people who enjoy YA fantasy, and especially middle school aged girls.

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Print Length: 284 pages

ISBN: 1493547836 (ISBN13: 9781493547838)

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Publication Date: March 11, 2011