“Autumn Falls” is U.S. teen icon Bella Thorne’s debut novel.

    Filled with personal elements from Bella’s own life, “Autumn Falls” is the first book in her new series. It has everything readers will love and relate to: a real girl trying to find her own inner strength and be the best she can be, with a hint of magic and mystery, and a steady stream of OMG-I-can’t-believe-that-just-happened fun.

    With her fiery red hair, new-girl outsider status, and tendency to be a total klutz*, teen girl Autumn Falls definitely isn’t flying below the radar at Aventura High. Luckily, she makes some genuine friends who take her under their wing. But she also manages to get on the wrong side of the school’s queen bee Reenzie, and then finds out the guy she’s started to like, funny and sweet Sean, hangs with the mean* crowd. Now her potential love life is at stake.

    When Falls vents* her feelings in a journal* that belonged to her late father, suddenly her wildest wishes start coming true. Is it coincidence? Or can writing in the journal solve all her problems? And if the journal doesn’t work that way, is there a bigger purpose for it — and for her?

    Thorne’s book has a fun premise*, some silly moments, and a few of the characters have inauthentic* affectations*, such as Fall’s grandmother’s belief that there are sleeping pills in the ice cream at her assisted living home. But as Falls begins to realize the problems with payback, her insights help compensate* for an over-the-top and oversweet final scene.

    (SD-Agencies)