Uncommon Magic

Series · 2 books · 2015-2016

By R.J. Anderson

Books in series

A Pocket Full of Murder

2015

In the spell-powered city of Tarreton, the wealthy have all the magic they desire while the working class can barely afford a simple spell to heat their homes. Twelve-year-old Isaveth is poor, but she’s also brave, loyal, and zealous in the pursuit of justice—which is lucky, because her father has just been wrongfully arrested for murder. Isaveth is determined to prove her innocence. Quiz, the eccentric eyepatch-wearing street boy who befriends her, swears he can’t resist a good mystery. Together they set out to solve the magical murder of one of Tarreton’s most influential citizens and save Isaveth’s beloved Papa from execution. But each clue is more perplexing than the next. Was the victim truly killed by Common Magic—the kind of crude, cheap spell that only an unschooled magician would use—or was his death merely arranged to appear that way? And is Quiz truly helping her out of friendship, or does he have hidden motives of his own? Isaveth must figure out who she can trust if she’s to have any hope of proving her Papa’s innocence in time. . .

A Little Taste of Poison

2016

Twelve-year-old Isaveth tries to take down the man who framed her father for murder in this lively follow-up to A Pocket Full of Murder, which Kirkus Reviews called “thoroughly entertaining.” The city of Tarreton is powered by magic, from simple tablets that light lamps to advanced Sagery that can murder a man from afar. Isaveth has a talent for spell-making, but as a girl from a poor neighborhood she never dreamed she could study at the most exclusive magical school in the city. So when she’s offered a chance to attend, she eagerly accepts. The school is wonderful, but old and new enemies confront Isaveth at every turn, and she begins to suspect her scholarship might be more a trap than a gift. Even her secret meetings with Esmond, her best friend and partner in crime-solving, prove risky—especially once he hatches a plan to sneak her into the biggest society event of the season. It’s their last chance to catch the corrupt politician who once framed her father for murder. How can Isaveth refuse?

Author

R.J. Anderson

Author · 12 books

R.J. (Rebecca) Anderson was born in Uganda, raised in Ontario, and has spent much of her life dreaming of other worlds entirely. She is the author of ten traditionally published fantasy/SF books for children and teens, including the UK-bestselling faery romance KNIFE. Her latest published book is TORCH (Book 3 of the Flight and Flame trilogy, which began with SWIFT and NOMAD). * * * REVIEW POLICY * * * I review books that I enjoyed reading and think other readers may enjoy as well, but that doesn't mean I agree with or endorse those books in every respect. If you're concerned about content, please check out other reviewers or sites that provide detailed warnings. I'm no longer giving star ratings as I don't find them nuanced enough, but for books I've already rated, see below: 5 stars: I loved this book so much that I expect to read it again and again—I reserve this rating for beloved classics and books that knocked my socks off. 4 stars: I really enjoyed the book and/or thought it was excellently done—there is a good possibility that I'll re-read it. 3 stars: I enjoyed the book and thought it was well done. Should not be taken as belittling the book or its author—it really does mean "I liked it". 2 stars: I didn't connect to this book as I'd hoped. This category includes books by authors whose other works I truly love, so it's not a dealbreaker. Just found this particular book wasn't for me. 1 star/DNF: Definitely not for me. But I won't be reviewing it because I choose to focus on books I enjoy.