Rose and the Magician's Mask by Holly Webb

The Magician's Mask has been stolen.  What makes it especially bad is that it's stolen by Rose's archenemy.  And he's certainly not planning on doing good with it...

Sourcebooks Jabberwocky and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published the second of September, so you can look forward to another in this fun series.  If you haven't read the earlier books, this is an opportunity to grab those first.

Rose is a servant girl who has a touch of magic.  It's enough of a touch, Mr. Fountain is training her as an apprentice.  Every character in this book is unique and interesting.  Rose has friends, and she treasures them after growing up in an orphanage.  Bill even lived in the same orphanage.  He's not magical, but he cares for Rose.

Mr. Fountain knows the mask has gone to Venice, so he takes his entourage with him and heads out to a friend's castle.  When they arrive, the children begin to question the friendship.  Why is the Doge so bland and almost programmed?  When they try to ask what Mr. Fountain found out, they find out he didn't and he doesn't even know he was hornswaggled.  Something odd is going on.

Rose and her friends begin their own search for the mask and find that someone knows they are in the city.  When they get beat up by street boys, they get more cautious about how they do things.  The danger increases, Mr. Fountain goes missing, and their old enemy is getting stronger.  He wants to keep the mask and assume its powers.  How are they going to stop him?

This is another adventure that awakens more of Rose's magical ability.  It's a good fantasy tale with lots of danger thrown in.  You watch Rose get older and more mature and hope that she will overcome her enemies.  She does, but it's hard and you'll find yourself reading the pages faster.

I liked it.  I liked it a lot.  I'm ready to read more about Rose and her friends.  I know they won't be boring...