Trouble's Brewing

"Juli Alexander is simply magic." -- Niki Burnham, author of Royally Jacked and Shot Through the Heart Fifteen-year-old Zoe has managed to turn her crush into a boyfriend without using any magic at all. But can it really work with Jake when Zoe's father is dating Jake's mother? Talk about a dysfunctional family. After the Frog Fiasco, the Council is watching Zoe's every move but studying under renowned Potions Master, Martin Finnegan, fulfills a lifelong dream of Zoe's, even if the ninety-five-year-old man looks like a teenager. Zoe can't juggle friends, school, potions, and dating without letting something slide, and Trouble's Brewing as her tutor is forced to reveal deeply hidden truths about her experiments and those of her ancestors. Excerpt: Jake stepped closer and put his hand on my waist. "Your tutor's on the phone." He leaned down and kissed my cheek. "We could spend a few minutes together." The thought of stealing a few minutes to kiss Jake appealed to me way more than it should have. If only I hadn't been all too aware that Finn was not on the phone. He was not otherwise occupied. The ninety-five-year-old man who I was eager to impress was waiting for me to resume my studies, and that same man from a previous century had nothing better to focus on than my whereabouts. No way was I going to make out with Jake right now. I held my hand against his chest to keep him at bay. "Not a good idea, Jake." "I think it's a great idea." He leaned in again, and gave me the lightest of kisses on the lips. "Can't," I said with a sigh. "I really can't."