magic

Jennifer Strange is having a busy week. So far she has been threatened with jail, two people have tried to kill her, she has received 58 marriage proposals, she has been outlawed by the king and she has discovered that she is the Last Dragonslayer. The real problem is that she is not entirely sure the dragon should be slain and she only has a couple of days to figure it all out. Jasper Fforde has a dry sense of humor that can turn the most mundane situation on its ear. If you are a fan of Terry Prachett or Daniel Pinkwater you should give Fforde a try.

Faced with a full year stuck indoors with the windows covered in strict mourning for their mother Princess Azalea and her 11 younger sisters go exploring inside the castle only to discover that some old magic still lingers.  At first the hidden pavilion where they can dance all the old dances that their mother taught them feels like a wonderful gift but as time passes Mr. Keeper, the pavilion's gaurdian, becomes more sinister.  In the end the anniversary of their mother's death is a day these 12 dancing princesses will never forget.