Fun adventure, if maybe a bit too tidy

Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver is part fairy tale and part Harry Potter.  It is filed with horrible adults, resourceful children, and some help from The Other Side.  It was a compelling read that kept me interested all through.

Poor Liesl has been kept locked in the attic by her evil step-mother ever since her father took ill and died.  She has no contact with anyone until she is visited by young Po, a spirit from The Other Side, accompanied by Bundle, an animal spirit that may be a cat, or perhaps a dog.  She has also been watched by Will, a young orphan who sees her at the attic window as he is running errands for n abusive alchemist for whom he slaves away.  Their lives unexpectedly converge as Will makes a terrible mistake with the greatest magic ever created.  Magic that, in its creation has stolen the sun from the sky.  Will must run far away to escape the wrath of the alchemist, at the same time that Liesl escapes with the help of Po, and Bundle, and begins a quest of their own to bury the ashes of her father.

My only complaint is that it was a bit too coincidental; things came together too easily.  I while I enjoyed reading it, that made it a little too simple to rise above a story for young people.  Because of the implications of what happens to us when we die, I wonder if it may be a bit too much for the young?

A book in which not much seemed to happen

Magic Below Stairs by Caroline Stevermer had all the trappings of a book I would like: a hint of magic, clever children, a bit of mystery.  And yet....it fell short.  I learned more about how to be a top-notch servant than about any magic.

Frederick is a miserable orphan at the beginning of our story, who manages to escape a horrible punishment with the help of a mysterious creature by the name of Billy Bly.  He uses the advantage to become a sort of helper to the less-than-talented "cook."  He is, of course, clever, so he learns to sharpen knives properly and tie knots.  Frederick suddenly finds himself in the employment of a wizard, thanks to the fact that the livery suit mysteriously fits him.  And then....more about being an effective servant.  There IS a mysterious curse that surrounds the wizard family, and Frederick's knot-tying talents DO save the day, but, honestly, it's too little, too late.

If you like Downten Abby, minus the romance, and mostly about the work, this is the book for you.

My new favorite

I have found my new go-to recommendation in The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen.  It works for two reasons, first, it is a great read, but, more importantly, it seems an undiscovered read. It is categorizes as fantasy, but, that is more the midevil setting than the presence of magic or elves or any other element of high fantasy.  

The story begins in an orphanage where perpetual trouble-maker Sage is unwillingly tapped to leave with a gentleman with a mysterious plan.  Sage's only focus is planning his escape, and considering his lock-picking and general skills as a thief, he believes it won't be long until he is free.  But, like much of this story, nothing ever quite turns out as one would expect.  The seriousness of his predicament is shot home, literally, when another boy, also and orphan, is given his "freedom" in a brutal manner.  Sage realizes this isn't just an adventure, but a deadly plot.

No matter how much he tries to reject the premise of his captor's plans, Sage keeps getting sucked deeper into political maneuverings.  His very life depends on "winning" a competition in which he doesn't want to participate.  High treason, sword fights, mistreated servants, and unlikely alliances work together to a surprising conclusion.

One of my favorite features of this book lies in the fact that it surprised me.....more than once.  I read a lot of fantasy, so it is rare that a fantasy book completely surprises me, let alone more than once.  I can't wait to read the rest to discover the final conclusion.