Review: Jinx by Sage Blackwood

 In the Urwald you grow 

up fast or not at all...

In the Urwald, you don’t step off the path. Trolls, werewolves, and butter-churn riding witches lurk amid the clawing branches, eager to swoop up the unwary. Jinx has always feared leaving the path—then he meets the wizard Simon Magnus.

Jinx knows that wizards are evil. But Simon’s kitchen is cozy, and he seems cranky rather than wicked. Staying with him appears to be Jinx’s safest, and perhaps only, option. As Jinx’s curiosity about magic grows, he learns to listen to the trees as closely as he does to Simon’s unusual visitors. The more Jinx discovers, the more determined he becomes to explore beyond the security of well-trod paths. But in the Urwald, a little healthy fear is never out of place, for magic—and magicians—can be as dangerous as the forest, and soon Jinx must decide which is the greater threat.

Sage Blackwood introduces a daring new hero for an innovative new world as Jinx is joined by friends, battles enemies, and discovers life beyond—and even within—the forest is more complex than he can imagine, and that the Urwald itself needs him more than he could ever guess.
(Goodreads.com)
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Review
I've always loved this type of book and this one didn't disappoint. The cover said for fans of Septimus Heap, Fablehaven and the Sisters Grimm. I have enjoyed the Septimus Heap and Harry Potter series so I was drawn to this. Who doesn't love a wizard? It has a similar theme of a young boy who develops a connection to magic but it has it's own unique twists. The lines between good & evil are blurry as he discovers more about himself and where he truly belongs.

The writing is well done and the lore and mystery kept my attention. I was transported to another place and time. The characters are well developed and their back stories are suspenseful and gradually built upon with secrets revealed later. The forest itself is even an important character.

I hope there will be more to this story. I want to know what happens next and I would be happy to follow Jinx into more adventures.

Thank you to HarperCollins for an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Release date: 1/8/13
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 368 (hardcover)
Type: middle grade fantasy

Review: Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis

 

Take one part magic, two parts adventure, and a dash of cross-dressing, add two unwed sisters, a bumbling father, and a stepmother with her petticoats in a twist, and you're in for an unlikely adventure through nineteenth-century England like Jane Austen never dreamed it.

Katherine Ann Stephenson has just discovered that she's inherited her mother's magical talents, and despite Stepmama's stern objections, she's determined to learn how to use them. But with her eldest sister Elissa's intended fiancé, the sinister Sir Neville, showing a dangerous interest in Kat's magical potential; her other sister, Angeline, wreaking romantic havoc with her own witchcraft; and a highwayman lurking in the forest, even Kat's reckless heroism will be tested to the upmost. If she can learn to control her new powers, will Kat be able to rescue her family and win her sisters their true love?
(Goodreads.com) 
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Review
I haven't read a book like this in a long time. Jane Austen isn't quite my cup of tea so I wasn't sure if I would like it but I was hooked from the first page. It brought me back to my childhood with it's whimsical, magical story and adorable, colorful cover. The characters had interesting personalities rather you liked them or not. Some were extremely annoying but that provided contrast to how much I enjoyed Kat. She is the ultimate tomboy in a time where that is not tolerated. She longs for adventure and although she is usually in trouble for her unladylike behavior or disobeying the rules, she is extremely loyal to her family and very brave. Her older sisters have their own problems and are often frustrated with Kat but they know when to put family first as well. When Kat bumbles attempts at magic that is apparently inherited from her dead mother, a chain of events are put in motion and chaos ensues. What fun for the reader!

Although aimed at middle grade readers this is fun for all. Filled with action, adventure and romance, the story lagged a bit for me in the middle but picked up steam again. The ending provided a nice set up for the next book in the series. I look forward to reading more from the feisty, snarky Kat!


Renegade Magic (Kat Incorrigible #2)  4/3/12
 stephanieburgis.com





Thank you to Simon & Schuster for an ARC to review. (My apologies for the late date. I thought I had posted this already.)

Release date: 4/5/11
 Publisher: Antheneum (Simon & Schuster)
Pages: 304
Type: childrens fiction

Review: Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms by Lissa Evans

 Magic, mystery &  a

very strange adventure

The exciting launch title of Sterling's middle-grade fiction list:
HORTEN'S MIRACULOUS MECHANISMS Enter a wonderful world filled with real magic, mystery … and danger.
As if being small for his age and also having S. Horten as his name isn't bad enough, now 10-year-old Stuart is forced to move far away from all his friends. But on his very first day in his new home, Stuart's swept up in an extraordinary adventure: the quest to find his great-uncle Tony--a famous magician who literally disappeared off the face of the earth--and Tony's marvelous, long-lost workshop.  Along the way, Stuart reluctantly accepts help from the annoying triplets next door… and encounters trouble from another magician who's also desperate to get hold of Tony's treasures.
A quirky, smart, charming page-turner, Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms will enchant young readers--as well as teachers, librarians, and parents. 
(Goodreads.com)
~~~~~~~~~~~
Review
This was such a fun story! Stuart is a curious, intelligent but bored young boy who is alone in a new town. Since it's summer vacation he doesn't even have school to meet new friends. With nothing to do and no one to do it with anyway, he is thrilled when a small mystery turns into an amazing adventure. The blurb on the book describes it as "Willy Wonka-like" and I agree that it has the same delicious flavor but is it's own, more sinister, tale. 

The setting is a combination of modern England and fifty years prior during the highlight of great-uncle Tony's career. The Great Hortini (Uncle Tony) was famous for his clever gadgets and illusions but he disappeared without a trace. Now Stuart seems to be chosen to piece together the clues of this family mystery. As he becomes more involved, the adventure becomes dangerous and the pages fly by. This may be a children's book but I was caught up in it from the beginning and I enjoyed every minute. This is the kind of story I craved as a child. The characters are eccentric, humorous and  interesting with the perfect mix of heroes and villains. And the whimsical black and white drawings at the beginning of every chapter add the perfect touch. The ending is very satisfying and answers several questions while nicely setting up the next book.

Delightful, creative and magical - so cliche but so true! This is just the beginning of a new series that I can't wait to continue. The sequel is coming in the fall of 2012.

Thank you to Sterling Children's Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
 facebook.com/StuartHorten 

Release date: 4/3/12
Publisher: Sterling Children's Books
Pages: 272 (hardcover)
Type: middle grade fiction