Kat, Incorrigible (edition 2011)

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I was pretty wary going into this because my experience with historical fiction is often a tortuous one. However, I enjoyed this book a lot. It’s not trying to be something other than a fun, sweet story, and the language was much evener than is often the case. Yay! [June 2011] ( )

Kat Stephenson is the youngest in her family, but she just might be the most opinionated. Stepmama is trying to improve the family's fortunes by marrying off the eldest daughter, Elissa, to a rich lord. Kat doesn't like it and she sets out to stop it. Little does she realize that she has inherited her mother's magical abilities. Strange things keep happening around her and she just can't stay out of trouble. But she's determined to have her way.

What a cute book! I loved it! Kat is (mostly) adorable. Even when she was irritating me with her absolute refusal to listen to anyone else, I had to admire her for being consistent and standing up for what she believed in.

The story itself took one unpredictable twist after another, and I found that I had finished it before I was ready to be done with it.

I loved the juxtaposition of Kat's incorrigible self and her magic against the backdrop of Regency England. Society has no idea what it's in for!

I'm still not entirely sure exactly what it is a mysterious group of magicians want Kat to do. I felt a little bad for them, but at the same time, they never explained themselves. Maybe Kat didn't give them the opportunity, but still. Who are they? I guess that's what sequels are for!

Kat is by far the star of the show, but I also liked her next oldest sister a lot. Just as feisty, but perhaps even more devious, Angeline is a force to be reckoned with. Elisa is a little bit too prim and proper, but her desire to be a Gothic heroine got a giggle or two out of me.

I'll be eagerly awaiting the sequel to this book, and I highly recommend it. It's a fun, magical romp through Regency England that I think most readers will enjoy. ( )

Twelve year old Kat chops off her hair, dresses up like a boy, and attempts to run away from home to London to try to save her eldest sister from a fate worse than death: an unhappy marriage. She doesn't even make it to the garden gate.

This was such a cute and fun book! I loved Kat's character, and her resourcefulness and her pluck. There are a ton of twists and turns in this story, but on nearly every page I found myself giggling. The story itself was fantastic and a little over the top, but it was unpredictable and outrageous and fun. I loved the family and social dynamic, and the little bits of social commentary from Kat's point of view.

I cannot wait for the next book in the series. If they are all as fun as this one, this will be an awesome series. ( )

I can see how this would appeal to some people, and I'm certainly not in its target audience, but I've read a fair number of YA novels recently. This one didn't do much for me. Oh well. ( )