Days away from becoming completing her first year at Miss Castwell’s Institute for the Magical Instruction of Young Ladies, Changeling-born Sarah Smith might just get away with posing as an upper-class Guardian girl named Cassandra Reed.
But strange visions of a Lightbourne destroyed by Miss Morton’s revenant army keep Sarah from enjoying her achievement. Plus, the Mother Book, Sarah’s one secret advantage and the ultimate entrée in Guardian society, suddenly stops revealing itself to her…putting her in a precarious position with the Guild. On top of all that, her former lady’s maid left Miss Castwell’s, and the new hire is, well, taking some getting used to.
If it weren’t for her two best friends, Alicia McCray and Ivy Cowel, who will do anything to protect her secret, Sarah doesn’t know if she’ll make it another year. When the three girls take summer holiday with Alicia’s family (chaperoned by an exacting and very disapproving Mrs. McCray), a relaxing vacation in Scotland is the last thing they’ll find.
Mrs. Winter is thrilled that Sarah is spending time with the influential McCray family, but Sarah can’t help but feel that her real purpose is to find other Changeling children like her, and free them to realize their own magic. Can she find genuine satisfaction in her accomplishments when she knows there are others like her out there who need her help? Will the three girls uncover the deeply-held secrets they’re looking for in the mysterious mountains of Scotland? Will the Mother Book finally start talking to her again? And will Sarah come to understand the importance of her connection with Ivy and Alicia, and the true nature of her own power…before it’s too late?
Review
I recieved a free copy via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love the friendship between the three girls it’s so genuine. Sarah is a bit of a matyr and that does bug me a little, but it gives Ivy and Alicia a chance to prove their friendship.
Gavin, I would have liked a little more depth to his character, hopefully in the next book. I think he could be an amazing character and give Sarah the strength she will most likely need in the next book.
Mrs Winter keeps surprising me! She is a great character and I do hope she appears more in the next book. I would her to realise there that magic no matter where from is a good thing. I think she is really capable of this without it feeling jarring. I love how she is taking to Sarah, as Sarah and not just Cassandra.
The Mother book- Oh how? I hope this issure can be resolved in some way, no idea how, but that’s Molly Harper’s job.
I did guess the big reveal happen in some form, but I didn’t get it dead on. I do wish it was explained in a little more detail.
Overall it was a great read.
4 out of 5 stars
A World of Books 
Great review! Can’t wait for the third book to come out. Perhaps, the Mother book copied itself before the events? Agree with you about Gavin 🌞
I hadn’t thought of that. I thought maybe it was an illusion. Or the mother book has become part of her. We will see in the third book.