Caitlen Rubino-Bradway

"Ords. You only ever hear about them as kids. You only ever hear about them, in that whisper-down-the-lane way."

In a world full of magic, "ords" are the kids who are born without magic. They are immune to magic, and thus, they are considered less than human, but in high demand from unsavory characters who need them to cross magic barriers. In fact, most families are so disgusted when they find out their kid is an ord, they sell them so they can at least make a little something off of them. Thankfully, Abby comes from a very loving family who just want the best for her, and the school where her other daughter works (a school for ords) accepts her as a pupil. In addition to the regular classes all kids have to learn, these kids learn self defense so they can protect themselves from kidnappers, etc.

This is a very weighty subject, but I think the author handled it very well. There were parts that were downright scary, but there were many more that were heartwarming and fun.

The characters were all well developed, and I think they will be even more so in the next book. The pacing was good, so this was a quick read. I definitely plan on reading the next book so I can find out what happens next for Abby and her friends.

I can definitely recommend this book and give it 5/5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.… (meer)

One of the most appealing things about this book is that it portrays the power of the written word. A good portion of it is dedicated to letters sent back and forth between characters — an Austenian take on social networking before the advent of Twitter, Facebook, texting, cell phones, and e-mail.

The novel follows the adventures of Lady Vernon and her daughter, Frederica, after the death of Sir Frederick, which leaves them financially dependent on his spendthrift brother, Charles Vernon. The result is a lively romp through Regency England, replete with charming young men, rascally cousins, and plenty of gossip. It’s a fluffy spin-off of a Jane Austen novella, and more true to Austen’s ideology of women and society than other recent attempts at adapting her works for a modern audience.… (meer)