Old Magic by Marianne Curley

The moment the new guy walks into the room, Kate senses something strange and intense about him. Something supernatural. Her instincts are proven correct a few minutes later when, bullied by his classmates, Jarrod unknowingly conjures up a freak thunderstorm inside their classroom.

Jarrod doesn't believe in the paranormal. When Kate tries to convince him that he has extraordinary powers that need to be harnessed, he only puts up with her "hocus pocus" notions because he finds her captivating. However, the dangerous, uncontrolled strengthening of his gift finally convinces Jarrod that he must take Kate's theories seriously. Together, they embark on a remarkable journey—one which will unravel the mystery that has haunted Jarrod's family for generations and pit the teens against immense forces in a battle to undo the past and reshape the future.

This is probably the first YA book I've read which is written by an Australian author. Even though I'm Australian myself, when I hear 'Australian' I think of the stereotypical references such as the outback and the accent we are so well known for. To be honest I didn't even know this was written by an Aussie until it made mention of New South Wales! There was no mention of the above mentioned references and the setting didn't affect the plot much.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was the characters didn't seem consistent throughout the book. The characters felt totally different in Part 1 compared to Part 2 when they begin their journey. However from Part 2 onwards, it was great to see the development and change in the characters.
Old Magic is an Historical, Adventure, Thriller, Paranormal and Romantic book! It has something for everyone.
★★★★.5