Legacy By: Molly Cochran

Pages: 418        *****


As if being dumped by her widowed father wasn't hard enough. Katy Jessevar's life takes an unexpected turn for the worst when her father exiles her to a boarding school in Whitfield, Massachusetts. Katy must learn who her family really is, who she really is, and most importantly who she can trust, not that anyone talks to her much. Katy soon learns that her suicidal mother was a notorious witch and that Katy is a witch herself. The student body of Ainsworth Preparatory School is divided into two very different sections just like the town itself. Now Katy must face her biggest challenge yet or she might lose her life just like her mother. Katy is chasing more than her past, she is also trying to save her future, though it looks like a bleek one. Then there is Peter Shaw, he is a mystery all on his own, one that Katy is desperate to figure out. With The Darkness closing in on Katy's world, Katy must solve the secrets of  her families complex and mysterious past, save the boy she loves, and the town itself- from destruction.

"Good Luck to you, Miss Ainsworth, he said as he got back in behind the wheel. "I'm not-" i began, but he was already driving away. Oh, well. It didn't make any difference. Hell was hell. Whatever they called you there didn't matter much... I stood there for a moment, blinking away tears as I took in the depressing facade of that dreary brick building. At that moment I felt more cold, lost, and alone than I ever had in my life. Welcome home, I whispered before letting myself in. "
- Legacy

I loved reading Legacy and can't wait for the sequel Poisson to come out. Legacy had me on my toes most of the time. I loved the end and can't wait to see what happens next. The characters were well thought out, at first I thought that a few characters were stereotypical but the more they were expanded the less stereotypical they seemed. The ending of the novel was fantastic and the last few chapters cleared up some earlier questions and tied the whole book together very nicely. I'd give Legacy 5/5 stars.

Sovay By: Celia Rees

Pages: 404 (including afterword) *****

Sovay is a female Robin Hood. A girl that is willing to do anything to clear her father of the treason he has been accused of. The novel takes place in 1794 England, where sovay proves that things are not what they seem especially when it comes to appearances. Sovay is a highwayman, a robber, a thief, she knows that if she is ever caught the consequences will be deadly, but she is young and bored, so despite the danger, she robs from the rich for the fun of it. But when she robs one of England's most dangerous men Sovay is quickly caught in a web of lies and deception.

"She (sovay) did not keep the riches she gained. On her way home, she cast them away, dropping coin on the paths...A pretty girl. No, pretty did not do her justice. She was both less than that, and greater. Her good looks verged on beauty. She looked small as she stood on the steps waving goodbye to him. She was very young to be facing alone the forces that were gathering around her, ready to snuff out the flame of liberty that had burnt so bright"
 -Sovay

I enjoyed Sovay very much. The plot was rich and the characters well-rounded. The setting was very well described. The ending was unexpected, the last few chapters seemed to come from nowhere but they had me on the edge of my seat and the end of the book seemed to wrap everything together and tie up any lose ends. The male characters Virgil and Greenwood fit the antithesis archetype very nicely. While romance is not a major theme of Sovay it is present and well planned out. The main character Sovay is strong, brave, and has good intentions. She does not let the men single her out. She proves she is every bit a person as they are even though women of that time were seen as less. Overall Sovay is a great read.