A Tangle of Magicks - Book Review

A Tangle of Magicks

Stephanie Burgis

MG Historical Fantasy

(Book #2 in the Kat Series)

Synopsis:

After her antics in ‘A Most Improper Magick’ Kat Stephenson is back to cause more chaos! Stepmama drags the family to Bath to find Kat’s sister a new suitor. But, unknown to most of its gossipy visitors, Bath is full of wild magic. When Kat uncovers a plot to harness this magic in the Roman Baths, she finds her brother Charles is unwittingly involved. Kat must risk her newfound magical powers as she defies the order of the Guardians to foil the plot and clear her brother’s name…

Review:

‘A Tangle of Magicks’ is utterly fantastical. The second book in Stephanie Burgis’ Kat series, this story is just as spellbinding as the first, only with an even more captivating storyline. Full of amazing characters, magic and plot twists, I couldn’t help but fall in love with this book!

This second story picks up a few weeks later from the happy-ever-after ending in the book one, and begins with Kat’s quick recap of events. Both her older sisters are happy, what with Elissa literally about to be married and Angeline having finally found her true love. For once everything is right and happy in the Stevenson home - until inevitably, disaster strikes.

Now, with Kat banished from the magical order and Angeline accused of witchcraft, Step-Mama quickly relocates the Stevenson family to the famous city Bath, striving to avoid the gossip and scandal which is sure to follow.  Yet wherever Kat goes, trouble is never far behind. And it is there; in the ancient Roman-Bath houses that Kat discovers a deadly and sinister plot. One involving her gullible brother Charles and dangerous, wild magic…

I have to say – I just adore this series! Interesting and fun, Kat is probably one of the most unique and entertaining characters I have ever found in Middle Grade fiction. Wild and unstoppable, she is brave and hard headed, doing her best to stand-up against the injustices doled out to her family.

In this second book, not only has the author Stephanie Burgis shown her ability to write the most intriguing and imaginative of plots – but she has made this story much deeper and darker than its prequel. The storylines are more complex with higher stakes, the place setting is both historical and descriptive - and despite their constant fights and squabbles, the relationship between the members of the Stevenson family is always fun and moving to read. I especially liked the character of Kat’s father who, along with Kat’s brother Charles, played a bigger role in this story which made me feel that I got to know the Stevenson family better as whole.

So overall, an incredible sequel that I would highly recommend to all! Intriguing, fun and magically explosive, the Un-lady like adventures of Kat Stevenson is not a series to be missed! 5 stars!

Also if you haven’t all ready, you can check out my review of the first Kat book ‘A most improper magick’ HERE.