Fledgling

Molly Harper

Jul 2019 · NYLA

About this ebook

“Molly Harper’s Changeling is masterful fantasy—a spunky Cinderella story with a heroine who’s equal parts compassion, determination, and pure magical delight.” —Rachel Vincent, author of the Soul Screamers series and The Stars Never Rise, on Changeling

Days away from 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?

“Witty and classic, Changeling had everything I wanted from a coming of age story: friendship, scandal, and a heroine learning to flex her magical muscles. If you liked Harry Potter, you will love CHANGELING!” —Kristen Simmons, critically acclaimed author of the Article 5 series, on Changeling

Ratings and reviews

Not having read the first book in this series, but being a serious fan of Harper’s writing and characters, I was excited to see where this story would lead. And I was not disappointed in the least. Sometime in an alternate universe – there was a schism between the magical and non-magical, and the magical are ‘in charge’ of it all. Which leads us to our character Sarah Smith, a changeling now going by the name of Cassandra, protected as a distant relation to the influential Winter family. Of course, the fact that the Mother Book can speak to Sarah gives her a certain cache that is beneficial to those who know her secret. Being without magical mentors, her first year at Miss Castwell’s Institute for the Magical Instruction of Young Ladies was not without difficulty, or trauma, but she also made two best friends that know of her actual secrets and accept and love her nonetheless. Year two for Cassandra is starting out fairly well, she’s got an ‘interest’ in her friend Alicia’s brother, and while Alicia’s health and derring do are gaining strength, her ‘cousin’ is showing interest in her friend Ivy – not that Ivy believes it in the least. Cassandra is, however, worried that her agreement with the Winters to find other changeling children is being ignored, and there is certainly something wrong . Oh what an adventure as Cassandra discovers that her maid is communicating with the book that has stopped speaking to her: one of the senators is pushing for some more ‘translations’ from the book that only Cassandra can provide, and there is definitely unease in the air regarding the political situation. Adventure, laughs, characters to enjoy and a solid story that has Cassandra leaving the school, finding some missing changelings, battling once again with a powerful witch determined to undermine society as they know it, and recognizing her own powers and strength that comes from within and with the solid support of her friends the story was easy to follow, engaging and clever – with more to come as Cassandra completely accepts and shows herself as Sarah, and helps to keep the bad guys from winning. I’m excited to see the next in the series – and need to dive into the first to get more from Sarah/Cassandra, a bit like a young Jane Jameson (for those who like Harper’s books) without the heavy literary / trivia knowledge. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

About the author

Molly Harper worked for six years as a reporter and humor columnist for The Paducah Sun. Her reporting duties included covering courts, school board meetings, quilt shows, and once, the arrest of a Florida man who faked his suicide by shark attack and spent the next few months tossing pies at a local pizzeria. She is the author of more than twenty paranormal and contemporary romance novels. She lives in Michigan with her husband and children. @mollyharperauth https://www.mollyharper.com/ https://www.misscastwells.com/