Stolen Magic [Hardcover]

I was very sad to finish this novel, because it meant the end of the Unladylike Adventures of Kat Stephenson (though addicts should know, you can get links to a short story and other cool extra's on Burgis's site: [...]). Kat's sister, Angeline, is to marry the love of her life, Frederick Carlyle, but of course, things look unlikely to go as planned. There's a mysterious Marquise who seems to know Kat's father a touch too well, and who can cause unusual things to happen with a flick of the wrist and the scent of bluebells; an apparent plot to kill Angeline before her blessed day; and a young man who just might be a match for Kat. Of course, the Guardians must also get involved, and could this really be the end of the Order?

STOLEN MAGIC was a very satisfying conclusion to a very entertaining trilogy. This middle grade historical fantasy has it all--excitement, danger, exquisite manners, and a young heroine easy to fall in love with.

Miss Katherine Stevenson is the youngest of four children. In this episode, Kat is traveling with her father, stepmama, older brother and older sister to her sister's fiance's home for her wedding. Her fiance's mother is one of the most unpleasant characters in the story. Mrs. Carlyle is determined that her son Frederick is marrying beneath him and that Kat's sister Angeline is the worst possible daughter-in-law. She uses emotional blackmail on her son and is constantly looking for ways to discredit Angeline. She is also continually throwing her own candidate for bride at Frederick--Frederick's cousin Jane.

Kat also has to deal with some missing objects that were stolen from the Guardians, her own personal nemesis Lady Fotherington, and a mysterious character who is stalking her and who is blaming her for events that happened in book 2 of this series. Worst of all for Kat is that her usually negligent older brother Charles has turned over a new leaf and is determined to keep a careful watch on Kat. He is a bit side-tracked however by his sudden infatuation for Jane though.

I loved the dialog in this story. Kat is a very engaging character who is full of determination and who is really chafing under the handicaps of her age and the social requirements of her position in society. She is intrepid, adventurous, and ever-willing to rush headlong into dangerous situations.

I thought that the world building was well-done and the magic introduced in a realistic way. This book trilogy was similar to MJ Putney's Magic Mirror trilogy except this one is more suited to middle graders. I also saw some resemblance to Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series which is written for adults. If you liked either of those series, this series will be right up your alley. I heartily recommend this series to anyone who likes spunky main characters, humor, and magic.