The Magic Thief: Home (Magic Thief, 4)

From School Library Journal Gr 4–6—In this installment, the young thief-turned-wizard Conn is not only back from exile but has also been appointed to the post of ducal magister by his friend (and Duchess of Wellmet) Rowan. Conn, hating the idea of living in a suite in the palace eating fancy food, goes undercover to discover who is stealing the magisters' powerful wizard stones—something that should be impossible. It turns out to be Conn's enemy Crowe, aided by treachery within Rowan's inner circle; his diabolical plot threatens to upset the delicate, uneasy balance between the two City "magics," which would lead to disaster. Fans of the series will relish Conn's return to his old gutterboy life, full of dirt and danger, though they might wish the plot had a bit more of Conn's friends Nevery, Benet, and Rowan in it. The protagonist's trademark uncommunicativeness with everyone around him is balanced by his voluble no-filters narration, and the back matter (including a hoity-toity palace menu scrawled with Conn's dismayed comments) adds to the charm.—Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library Never look back! Conn has come a long way since the days when he was a thief and a wizard's apprentice. He and the dragon Pip have saved the city of Wellmet from doom more than once, and now his best friend, Duchess Rowan, wants to make him the ducal magister, the city's most important wizard. But the older wizards don't trust Conn . . . especially now that their locus magicalicus stones are disappearing! Once a thief, always a thief, they think. To solve the mystery of the disappearing stones, Conn goes back to his beginnings—gutterboy, chimney sweep, mudlark, and, yes, thief. It's the only way he can clear his name and find the culprit. But turning back is not easy, and old enemies don't disappear. Can Conn pull himself out of the gutter one more time? Sarah Prineas magically transports you to an extraordinary world where cities run on living magic and a young thief can become a powerful wizard. Sarah Prineas lives in the midst of the corn in rural Iowa, where she wrangles dogs, cats, chickens, and goats, goes on lots of hikes, and finds time to write. She is also the author of Ash & Bramble, a retelling of Cinderella. She is married to a physics professor and has two kids. You can visit Sarah online at www.sarah-prineas.com. Read more