The Luck Uglies #3: Rise of the Ragged Clover by Paul Durham, Petur Antonsson (Illustrated by)

Rye and her mother are hiding in the woods and hunting for her father.  He's very sneaky in the woods but he shouldn't be hiding from her.  Unfortunately, there are other things in the woods...

HarperCollins and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published March 1st.  I've read this whole series and have enjoyed the other two books immensely.  This is last of the trilogy and it's also excellent.

Rye finds trouble.  She and her family are in danger but a Bog Noblin saves her.  It's the baby she saved in a previous book.  It even brings her the pendant that her father used to wear.  She knows he must be in trouble.  But even she can't imagine how much.  The Forked-Tongue Charmers have captured him and they are going to drown him in the bog!

All the characters you have grown to love show up in this story.  It's exciting, everybody has an important role, you meet more monsters (besides the human ones) and it's a grand adventure.  Not everyone makes it, which made me sad, but it turned out as well as it could.

This series holds your attention, makes your eyebrows rise when you meet a new monster, and even Lottie, her little sister, flirts with danger.  This is no ordinary family but it's one you'll love.  I highly recommend this series.  (And not just for young readers, either.)

The Luck Uglies #2: Fork-Tongue Charmers by Paul Durham, Petur Antonsson (Illustrated by)

I've been waiting a long time for this book to come out.  I loved the first book and couldn't wait to read more of this tale.  If anything, this one is even better than the first book.  Mr. Durham didn't disappoint me!

HarperCollins and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It's being published March 17th, so you can get a copy tomorrow.

Rye is the daughter of the High Chieftain of the Luck Uglies.  She doesn't share that knowledge with people because it's a dangerous secret.  Her father has forbidden the Earl to enter the part of town that Rye and her family and friends live in.  It's the poorest part of town anyway, so it just means the Earl won't be pestering folks and trying to run them out of town.

The new constable, though, is another type altogether.  He's not afraid of the Luck Uglies and he's sadistic and mean.  He's making up crimes to punish people and make them afraid of him.  When Rye gets mad at him for naming her mother a traitor, she throws a fish at him.  Now she's on his list, too.

The only safe place for them is back on Pest, an island in the sea.  It's where her father and mother grew up but they're not welcome there.  Grandpa is an angry old man who has given up on the citizens of the town.  

When they find the warships have followed them to Pest, they try to get him to talk to the townfolk about danger.  He refuses to, so Rye and her mother and friends try to convince them.  It takes a small distraction to get their attention.  And then the weapons they have really aren't enough.  But they manage to turn the boats away.  Rye thinks they're safe.  Wrong...

There's lots of action, secrets are revealed and Rye proves herself during this battle.  She's smart, determined and knows how to do the right thing.  I just gobbled this book up and am already waiting for the next one.  I don't where it's going to lead, but I do know it won't be boring!