[Mindi Flyth]

SPOILERS:

That's very strange. You established a magic/herb shop that obviously has ingredients for spells some of the magic users need.

There are magic supply stores in the real world, places where you buy powdered wolfsbane. That's the kind of place Joe goes to, but few if any of the customers are doing real magic. The book establishes that there are plenty of people doing little made up spells, calling themselves witches. (Just like in our world.) But the real magic users keep it quiet, and don't want to be found. They don't want the wanna-be's getting access to real spells.

The whole narrative seemed to be about accepting the part of him that really liked being that, and then in the end he didn't move much further down that acceptance path.

He ends the book wearing makeup, fishnets and a lacy black dress with a low neckline, by choice. He gives his brother little kisses and freely says he loves him. He is excited about being a lesbian. Joe is happy to be a hybrid, embracing his new womanhood while not giving up the better parts of the man he used to be.

Why'd they turn away from just doing whatever?

When the book begins Joe is arrogant and only cares about power, but as it goes on he sees that black magic is dangerous and unpredictable. (It also requires consorting with the dark gods, who we can assume are not nice folks.) When he rejects the black magic spell that could change him back, he is rejecting the kind of magic he used to do. He also gives it up for Tammy's sake. Tammy has a dark side of her own and dabbles in black magic as she grows up, and Joe works to keep her from getting into that stuff. We don't get into what white witchcraft is, but obviously it's much more benign. Joe is determined to be a good person now.

I thought about them becoming models when they grew up, and that possibility exists if readers want to imagine it. (But for now they are busy going to school, going to parties and learning white magic. That's a pretty full plate for a growing girl!) I leave open what happens when they grow up. The reader knows where they are at age 15/16, but beyond that it's all left to your imagination.