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Renegade Magic (Kat, Incorrigible #2)

by Stephanie Burgis (Goodreads Author)

4.05 of 5 stars 4.05 · rating details · 315 ratings · 89 reviews

The feisty Kat Stephenson is back in the second installment of the Regency era magical trilogy Kirkus Reviews calls “enjoyable mayhem.”

Nowhere in England is safe from the mischief and magic of Kat Stephenson: Her eldest sister has finally wed, but when a scandalous accusation threatens the marriage prospects of Kat’s second sister, Angeline, Stepmama swiftly whisks the fam...more

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published April 3rd 2012 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers (first published August 1st 2011)

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May 31, 2012 Amy (Turn the Page) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: brilliant-junior-fiction

A Tangle of Magicks, I’m happy to say, is even more enjoyable than, Kat, Incorrigible, the first book in this refreshing children’s series by Stephanie Burgis (my review of which, can be read here).

I was swept up in Kat’s latest adventure from beginning to end – in fact I finished it in one sitting. Best of all, the characters I grew to love from the first book are all back; we finally get to know a little more about Charles, Kat’s older brother; and see Kat and her father set out to rescue him...more A Tangle of Magicks, I’m happy to say, is even more enjoyable than, Kat, Incorrigible, the first book in this refreshing children’s series by Stephanie Burgis (my review of which, can be read here).

I was swept up in Kat’s latest adventure from beginning to end – in fact I finished it in one sitting. Best of all, the characters I grew to love from the first book are all back; we finally get to know a little more about Charles, Kat’s older brother; and see Kat and her father set out to rescue him when he gets in a spot of magical trouble of his own!

A Tangle of Magicks feels slightly more grown up than its predecessor (much as I enjoyed it) and those who loved Burgis’s first book will be more than delighted with book two! Whereas Kat, Incorrigible stuck to a simple, but fun, plot-line; A Tangle of Magicks has several story arcs going on, secretive new characters and a mystery to unravel.

The story starts with Elissa’s marriage to Mr Collingwood, but this being the Stephenson family, things almost immediately start to go awry and it’s not long before Kat is expelled from the Order for her own hot-headedness before she’s even begun her training! Cue a family trip to Bath in the hunt for a rich husband, flirtations with scandalous rakes, midnight sacrifices, fake elopements, and a determined Kat let loose in a new city, on a mission to set things right.

As always, Burgis seems to just channel everything I love about Jane Austen, and, fittingly, this time round, Kat’s (mis)adventures take place in Bath. This change of scenery, while being wonderfully apt, also helps prevent A Tangle of Magicks from being in any way similar to the first book. The famous Roman Baths form a very important part of the story, and I enjoyed the tidbits of real information that were worked in, adding a sense of realism that Kat, Incorrigble, at times, lacked.

Magic and spell-work featured a lot more in this book, and I was glad to see Kat beginning to explore and understand her own powers better. She really comes into her own in this book, and I can’t wait to see more of her and Mr Gregson working together in any future books. I loved his dry humour and world-weary exasperation over Kat’s antics and it was great to see him start to trust her more, and to see Kat learn to occasionally ask for help when she needed it. We also learn much more concerning the Guardians and the Order, and several important members make an appearance. I have a strange feeling the Order’s not going to know what hits them if Kat ever manages to become a Guardian and I can’t wait to watch her shake up this centuries old society, dragging them into the er… 18th Century!

Kat is just as willful, stubborn and interfering as ever, but she is also incredibly brave, loyal, funny and spirited. The girl just gets into one scrape after another and in A Tangle of Magicks predictably finds herself in several embarrssing situations (being trapped at night in the Roman Baths with a hoard of young men whose bathing suits leave little to the imagination was one such situation that had me chuckling – especially given Kat’s reaction to Lucy’s admiration for her older brother at the time). Angeline is still my favourite, I have to admit – and there are some rather delicious moments with Mr Carlyle and her scenes with Fredrick just sizzle on the page. I adore these two and very much enjoyed their own storyline that Burgis gives them in A Tangle of Magicks. I only wish I could tempt her to write a spin-off told from Angeline’s point of view so we can experience some of their flirting first hand! We are also introduced to several new characters, in particular a Miss Lucy, who I can’t help but think may be causing even more havoc than Kat in the future. Here’s hoping these two get together to cause more mischief in the next installment!

This series just makes me smile. Stephanie is a strong children’s writer, and has created some lovely characters I never want to leave behind. As much as I enjoy Kat’s exploits and a Regency era where magic is common-place, more than that I love the Stephensons. This eccentric, bickering family (reminiscent of the famous Bennets) are fiercely loyal to one another. There are several great moments in A Tangle of Magicks where we see the Stephenson family band together, but the best and totally cheer-worthy scene has to go to Stepmama when she puts her snobbish family in their place .

The Kat series is a treat for adults and kids alike, and I would urge anyone looking for a fun, lighthearted read to pick up A Tangle of Magicks and be rewarded with a fast paced, amusing story, loveable characters and a young protagonist who is well on her way to becoming the most infuriating, difficult and stubborn student in Guardian history.

Poor Mr Gregson!(less)

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Aug 19, 2011 Bella (Cheezyfeet Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-releases

I read an e-galley of the first book, A Most Improper Magic, when it was being released in the US under the title Kat, Incorrigible. It was cute and funny, and I loved it. A Tangle of Magicks, the second book in the series, is just as cute and just as funny, and I loved it just as much.
Kat is of course, her usual outgoing, occasionally annoying but always amusing and lovable self. She does what she thinks is the right thing to do, but she often does it without thought and sh usually just gets h...more I read an e-galley of the first book, A Most Improper Magic, when it was being released in the US under the title Kat, Incorrigible. It was cute and funny, and I loved it. A Tangle of Magicks, the second book in the series, is just as cute and just as funny, and I loved it just as much.
Kat is of course, her usual outgoing, occasionally annoying but always amusing and lovable self. She does what she thinks is the right thing to do, but she often does it without thought and sh usually just gets herself into trouble. Her magic is progressing, but she doesn't know how to use it yet, so for a lot of the book I think she feels helpless and a little sorry for herself for messing up the only chance she has to make good use of her magic, even though she is very good at not showing what she is really thinking. Everything she does is full of mischief and fun, and every single page something new happened that had me smiling, or even laughing out loud.
Again, the plots were silly and completely unbelievable, which is of course what makes them so good. This book takes place in Bath, where Kat discovers that the Roman baths are full of wild magic. When she finds out that her brother is unknowingly involved in a crazy plot to harness this magic, she has to risk her newly discovered powers and try to save him. Of course, while doing this, she gets herself and others into trouble, and ruins her friends' reputation in Society, but she doesn't care because all she can think about doing is saving her brother. There's also a whole story about Angeline, Kat's sister, in which Kat also tries to save Angeline from the horrible player that is Viscount Scarwood.
There was nothing about this book that I didn't like. I cannot fault it. Just like with the first book, I can find nothing to complain about. The characters were amazing, the plot was fantastic, and I read the whole book in a matter of hours.
A Tangle of Magicks is definitely a worthy sequel to A Most Improper Magick. It perfectly carries on the story, and it's so easy to jump straight back into the world of Kat Stephenson, and not jump out until the end of the story. I cannot wait for the next instalment, if there is one, as again, I'm sure it will live up to the amazingness of the first two awesome books. (less)

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Apr 30, 2012 Jessica at Book Sake rated it 3 of 5 stars

The second book in the Kat, Incorrigible series still has the charm, the Jane Austen style, and scheming, but maybe not quite as grand as the first. Maybe it was intentional because the book itself felt simpler, possibly to be more accessible to a younger audience.

That’s not to say the book isn’t enjoyable. Kat is still gets into all kinds of problems and is entirely unapologetic about it in the most charming way. But the problems aren’t quite as messy, the scheming isn’t quite as tricky, and th...more

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Jan 26, 2012 Jana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Now that I knew what to really expect from Burgis’ novels, A Tangle of Magicks was a much more enjoyable reading experience than A Most Improper Magick. Things still happen too quickly and a number of issues are left unexplained, but it’s fun to see Kat save the day and (almost) every one of the novel’s characters. Again, the villain was rather visible from his very first appearance, but that’s the author’s style and intention – there’s nothing wrong with that. The real question and the heroine’...more

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Dec 12, 2011 Caroline rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy

A Tangle of Magicks is the second book in the Unladylike Adventures of Kat Stephenson. I might say a few spoilers about the first book in this so be warned!

After the events taking place in the first book, Kat's family has entirely changed. Well, not exactly, her father still doesn't say much, her brother still sleeps all the time and her step-mother is as ruthless as ever. But Kat is now a Guardian, after inheriting her mother's power, Angeline is a witch and getting better at it and Elissa is...more A Tangle of Magicks is the second book in the Unladylike Adventures of Kat Stephenson. I might say a few spoilers about the first book in this so be warned!

After the events taking place in the first book, Kat's family has entirely changed. Well, not exactly, her father still doesn't say much, her brother still sleeps all the time and her step-mother is as ruthless as ever. But Kat is now a Guardian, after inheriting her mother's power, Angeline is a witch and getting better at it and Elissa is getting married to the love of her life Mr Collingwood! The wedding is ready and all the guests are here when something gasp-worthy happens! Even if the marriage continues, Kat's family (minus Elissa who goes to live with Mr Collingwood) flees to Bath to one of Kat's step-mother "acquaintances". In Bath, Kat obviously can't prevent herself to stay out of trouble!

I absolutely adored A Most Improper Magick and loved this book even more! I think this is one of the most original, interesting and entertaining series out there. Kat is quite simply unique - her voice in the book is so clear that it is an absolute pleasure to read and the most extraordinary things happen to her so you're definitely in for a ride!

Angeline is full of dark thoughts and acts very recklessly in the book and I found it really touching how Kat doesn't let her do this even if Angeline is older and should know better. We get to see more of Kat's brother Charles (and a glimpse of his past) and I am starting to like him more and more. Kat's father also shows a bit more of himself and I will repeat what I said about the first book about how much I love how family-oriented this series is. Kat would do anything for her family and has even been known to help her step-mother *gasp*!
We get to see a few more characters in this and particularly Lucy. She is roughly Kat's age and is very nice (compared to her obnoxious mother and sister). Lucy is obsessed with witchcraft (she thinks it's the ultimate cool) and is ready to get in all sorts of trouble with Kat. their interactions made me laugh out loud several times!

This book is a bit more darker than the first one. When A Most Improper Magick looked at the widespread phenomenon of highwaymen in Regency England, the plot of A Tangle Of Magicks goes into 19th century Bath and explores the theme of old magic. I always have that feeling, when entering a very old place, that there are millenia of history present between those walls, and Stephanie Burgis brilliantly captured that feeling about the Roman baths in Bath. Through Kat's eyes, there is an old powerful magic lurking in the corners of the baths, and she feels that it might not be a magic for the best of the people. The book also shows how scary those times were for young girls and how they were preyed upon by rich men. The setting is fantastic in this book and I can't wait to read the next book in the series to see where Kat will take us!

I really loved this book and this is a fabulous series for people who like their historical fiction with a funny twist. I really cannot recommend these books enough so run like the wind and go buy them in your local bookshop!(less)

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Aug 04, 2011 Leanne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I will be as careful as I can with this post knowing that the book isn't actually out for a little while yet. Lucky for me I got to read this straight after the first book, so the story flowed really well. It would have flowed just as well with a 3 month break though.

There is some spectacular use of magic at the beginning of the book which I found fabulous! If I had magical powers I would want to be able to do what the girls are able too!

This book changes location to Bath (the location for some...more

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Jul 30, 2011 C D Meetens rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone who enjoys an adventure, the Regency period, and a dash of magic

Shelves: middle-grade, fantasy, magic

I think Kat Stephenson is the sort of friend I would have loved to have growing up. She gets into all sort of scrapes, but through a mixture of bravery, intelligence, talent, and sheer dumb luck, manages to find a way out. If that way out also happens to involve some hapless friends and acquaintances in a rollercoaster of an adventure, well, that's what comes from knowing Kat.

This book took a little while to get going. I thought it started at an odd place, but the setting made sense much later i...more

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Jul 11, 2011 Emily Tippetts rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade

Kat Stephenson is back, and this time she and her sisters and brother are in Bath, where Stepmama hopes to find a suitable match for Angeline. Never mind that Angeline has already found her true love; his mother has put paid to that union. Kat would love to have her sister's ear, but Angeline isn't speaking to her. For that matter, neither are the Guardians after Kat loses her temper in front of their leader.

There is strange magic around the baths that give the English west country town its name...more

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Aug 06, 2011 Lyrical rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Hoorah! Kat is back, perhaps not with a vengeance, but certainly to whoop some more bad guys into shape. I was hoping Kat would end up in Bath one day because of its popularity in the Regency period but actually, Stephanie Burgis has given a much better reason for the action to take place in Bath: it is full of wonderful myth and mystery that I didn’t know the half of before I read A Tangle of Magicks. I knew it went back to the Roman period but Steph takes us back long before that to the times...more Hoorah! Kat is back, perhaps not with a vengeance, but certainly to whoop some more bad guys into shape. I was hoping Kat would end up in Bath one day because of its popularity in the Regency period but actually, Stephanie Burgis has given a much better reason for the action to take place in Bath: it is full of wonderful myth and mystery that I didn’t know the half of before I read A Tangle of Magicks. I knew it went back to the Roman period but Steph takes us back long before that to the times of a much older magic and skilfully stitches together fact and fiction to create a setting that is so realistic that I am now convinced that Bath is actually brimming with magic.

My favourite characters are back – I’m a massive fan of Stepmama who I can always picture quivering with rage yet trying to maintain some dignity – and Papa and Charles have much bigger roles which I was glad to read, even if they are pretty ineffective and good at making a situation worse. Kat’s poor old sister, Angeline, who was pretty unstable in A Most Improper Magick seems to have become suicidally rebellious and Kat is back in her role as the family juggler, trying to keep everyone’s problems in the air. I think my favourite characters, however, have to be the baddies. Stephanie Burgis spins such a good baddy, she knows exactly which buttons to press to make me completely insane with rage. The extremely slappable Lady Fotherington is back with a new ally in Lord Ravenscroft whose ploy is to manipulate everyone into believing Kat is some kind of chronic liar. Cue my endless frustration as everyone dismisses Kat’s true accounts of what happens as falsehoods but their plan actually backfires as it inflames Kat’s heroism. This is what I love about Kat, she’s a real roll-up-your-sleeves-and-get-on-with-it sort of heroine who doesn’t need a man to rescue her every two paragraphs. The ignorance of the adults also leads Kat to find an unexpected ally in her step-cousin Lucy, who at first is rather annoying and girly but actually comes to find Kat’s brand of courage – it’s so refreshing for Kat to find someone who actually believes her for once and isn’t ashamed of her magical antics.

The best thing about Stephanie Burgis’ writing is the way she can mix humour with tension and frustration with warmth. She has a writing style that really zings and keeps you paying attention as one moment your heart is pumping and the next it’s melting. There’s plenty of the tongue-in-cheek shock and scandal humour that always has me giggling. The ending is pretty tense and dramatic but Kat’s courage takes the real victory and finally there is vindication when the bad guys are caught out – at last I was able to start breathing properly again as my frustration subsided. It’s a shame you can’t pull characters out of a book and give them a slap around the face from time to time.

Well, I’m now planning my trip to Bath so that I can go and embarrass myself in the Jane Austen Centre but really there ought to be a Stephanie Burgis Centre too! A tour of Kat Stephenson’s Bath anyone?

Lyrical Reviews (less)

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Aug 29, 2012 TheBookSmugglers rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: charming-mg, best-of-2012, notable-reads-of-2011

Originally Reviewed on The Book Smugglers

It was a truth universally acknowledged that my brother Charles was a hopeless gamester, a ridiculous over-sleeper and the one sibling too lazy to take part in any family arguments, no matter how exasperating our sisters might have been (and usually were).

Kat Stephenson, untrained Guardian and youngest member of the Stephenson family, has saved the day, and now must deal with the consequences. Thanks to her efforts, Kat's eldest sister Elissa is marrying...more

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Oct 13, 2012 Jess rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: juv, fantasy, historical-fiction, cybils-nominees-2012-2013

Most of what I wrote about the first book, Kat, Incorrigible, holds true for this sequel. It's still a fun mix of Regency manners and magic, and I'd recommend it to young fans of both genres. I enjoyed the characters - some get a bit more nuance as the story goes on, and it's an entertaining world to spend time in.

However, as with the first book, the rules and system of magic seemed arbitrary, developed to suit the plot. The story can get away with this, to a certain extent, because Kat is not...more

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Aug 09, 2011 Clover (Fluttering Butterflies) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sent-for-review, british-reading-challenge, books-read-in-2011

This review was originally posted on Fluttering Butterflies

Oh, I love Kat Stephenson. And this book. I read A Tangle of Magicks by Stephanie Burgis very shortly after reading A Most Improper Magick and while I did worry for a minute that I might not like the sequel as much, my worries were completely unfounded. A Tangle of Magicks is so exciting and I really need more Kat in my life.

I really just can't get enough of Kat's Unladylike Adventures. Kat is just so much fun. I really love how A Tangle...more This review was originally posted on Fluttering Butterflies

Oh, I love Kat Stephenson. And this book. I read A Tangle of Magicks by Stephanie Burgis very shortly after reading A Most Improper Magick and while I did worry for a minute that I might not like the sequel as much, my worries were completely unfounded. A Tangle of Magicks is so exciting and I really need more Kat in my life.

I really just can't get enough of Kat's Unladylike Adventures. Kat is just so much fun. I really love how A Tangle of Magicks contains everything that I really love about the series - the magic, the fun characters, the great relationships between characters, and seemingly huge, insurmountable problems - but also provides us with a fun new setting, new fun characters, more magic and even bigger problems for the Stephenson family.

As the story begins, Kat and her family are preparing on the morning of her sisters' wedding. Everything should be rosy and fairy tale-like in the Stephenson family, with Elissa getting married and with Angeline having found her true love. But of course things do not go to plan at all, and the Stephensons find themselves very quickly uprooted to Bath to stay with snooty relatives of Stepmama's in order to escape from the gossip and scandal that they've left behind at home.Having been banished from the Order of Guardians and with Elissa away on her honeymoon and Angeline not talking to her, Kat is left to her own devices for much of the book as she finds herself entangled in this mysterious and dangerous plot involving wild magic and the Roman baths.

While in A Most Improper Magick, I felt the story mostly revolved around the actions of the three sisters, but for A Tangle of Magicks, that family dynamic has shifted considerably. The presence of Kat's brother, Charles, and of Kat's father become more apparent as they play a bigger role in the chaos and mishaps that occur throughout the novel and I really enjoyed reading of their respective parts in the family. And though Kat and Angeline have their own problems in this story, it really is apparent how much they care for each other and towards the end I actually shed tears at the strength of their sisterly relationship. Sniff.

Kat is just as wild and unstoppable as before and I love that about her. She's very brave, standing up against the injustices that she and her family have suffered at the hands of Lady Fotherington. She's also loyal and stubborn and strong and really is a fantastic character. And the setting of Bath is really wonderful. I loved all the details of the Pump room and how Society would congregate there, drinking the water with its healing properties.

A Tangle of Magicks is an incredible sequel in a series not to miss. It's magical and adventurous and funny and utterly unladylike. And I really cannot recommend them enough! (less)

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Sep 30, 2011 Joanne Hall rated it 4 of 5 stars

“A Tangle of Magicks” is the middle book of a proposed trilogy starring the most unladylike Kat Stephenson, who the reader first met, age twelve, hacking off her hair and running away to be a highwayman, in “A Most Improper Magick” – the American title, “Kat, Incorrigible” sums up our heroine very well!

Some time has passed since the most improper magical events of the previous book, and “Tangle” opens with the dramatic wedding of Kat’s eldest sister Elissa, previously a calming force on wild lit...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: this-year

A great installment in the journey that is Kat! Couldn't put this one down. Charles is up and about, Papa is doing stuff and Angeline is plotting. It's all go!

Kat is booted out of the Order before she even gets in and Lady Fotherington is still the crazy old biddy... Oh! Sorry... Lady that she always is. This time we meet the Head of the Order and he seems less impressed with Kat than Lady F.

I like that stepmama seems to be becoming more accepting of what is going on in her family which is nic...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Jo rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, e, its-a-kind-of-magic, kiddlywinks, oh-how-we-laugh, soul-sister-heroine, ya, you-got-a-friend-in-me, when-can-i-move-in

I love this series so much but I have a sad feeling that it isn’t going to be as well-loved as it deserves to be. I’m not sure why, perhaps it’s probably because it’s more for younger young adults or because there’s no love story (unless you count Freddie, which you should. You should always count Freddie) and there’s no angst and the world isn’t complicated and edgy and it’s a magical-historical romp through Britain.

But… um… well, those are all the reasons why I adore Ms Burgis’ series. They’re...more

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Aug 30, 2011 Book Angel Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I actually liked this one a lot. Loved how Kat's character progressed. The beautiful descriptive writing and world building was all encompassing.
Looking forward to more Kat adventures :D

If A Most Improper Magick made me want to say things like 'spiffing' and 'jolly good show' let me tell you A Tangle of Magicks made Regency England come alive. I think because I have been to Bath it was so easy to picture the world Stephanie Burgis wove within my imagination. I could clearly picture the Pump Roo...more

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Jul 29, 2011 Steph rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, arc

‘A Tangle of Magicks’ is a truly magical read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Stephanie Burgis has a captivating way of writing that wraps you up in the storyline.

The settings that were described throughout the novel felt alive and very real, I could see myself in Yorkshire and Bath and The Baths. I enjoyed the fact that some of the places described were actually there in Bath – such as the Roman Baths, this added a mysterious fantasy element to the novel.

The characters all fitted well into t...more

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Aug 11, 2011 Elen Caldecott rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s

The second installment of Kath Stephenson's Unladylike Adventures is fantastic fun.
The setting is glamorous; taking place in the Pump Rooms and promenades of Regency Bath. So, the opportunities for social faux pas and misunderstandings is high. But there's also the Baths themselves; not fashionable enough for Kat's extended family, they are the centre of mysterious magical rites that call on a much earlier era of the city's history.
It is this entagling of Regency high society with the wilder pow...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Fade rated it 4 of 5 stars

As cute and entertaining as the first book, though I missed the three-way sister dynamic. And all the bits about the Roman history of the Baths was actually quite interesting! It was also nice to see the brother, whom I'd almost entirely forgotten, get to do some relevant things.

I did feel the plot hung a bit too much on people misunderstanding Kat and never letting her explain anything. Even for someone with a reputation as a bit of a liar and meddler, it felt contrived pretty fast. She wasn't...more

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Nov 05, 2012 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, historical-fiction, juvenile-lit

4.5 stars. I was going to do a CBR review for this one, but sat down to write it up tonight and realized I'd totally forgotten to take notes on one of the content sections. So, nevermind! ;) I didn't love this one QUITE as much as "Kat, Incorrigible", probably mostly because it didn't involve multiple hilarious highwaymen, but it was almost as good and just as delightful a reading experience as its predecessor. I can't wait to read the next installment in Kat's adventures - I definitely want to...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Emma Woodcock rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I didn't enjoy this nearly as much as the first Kat Stephenson adventure. It had much of the same mood and tone, but the plot seemed a bit forced. I found myself increasingly unconvinced by all the magical stuff, particularly all the different kinds of magic: witch magic, guardian magic, wild magic... I also found some of the surpporting characters so unbelievably, horrifically obnoxious that I couldn't understand why anyone put up with their shit for a moment!
Quibbles aside, I did enjoy it, and...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Stef rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, childrens, fantasy, fiction, historical-fiction, magic, romance

Kat, Incorrigible, the first book in this series was picked up because I loved the cover art work. After the first couple of pages I was totally enthralled in a whimsical, magical storyline. Kat is a fun, strong main character, that I think anyone with a little bit of a wild child inside of them can identify. I was super excited when I saw that Renegade Magic had come out, I couldn't wait to pick up with Kat and find out what other adventures she had in stock for me.

Although the first book star...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Jaime Leroy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kat Stephenson, is a twelve year old Guardian in training. Unfortunately, the head Guardian does not like her. But when magic goes awry and an ancient Roman Goddess is invoked, it is up to Kat to protect her family and the world. The tale has a romantic air to it, probably because of the time period (19th century), arranged marriages, and trips from Regency to Bath. My students will enjoy the book!

Price: $14.49
Suitability: Grades 5-8
Illustrations: N/A
Genre: Fantasy
Possible Censorship Issues: N/A...more

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May 02, 2013 Tasha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens-books

Somehow I lost track of this wonderful magical series, so I’m a little late in reading the last two books. This is the second in the series, following Kat, Incorrigible. Kat’s oldest sister is wed at the beginning of this book, but not before her wedding is disrupted by the angry mother of another sister’s suitor. Once again Kat’s feud with Lady Fotherington has caused catastrophe. When Kat confronts Lady Fotherington about what she has done, she goes too far and loses her right to learn how to...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Kathy Martin rated it 4 of 5 stars

The second adventure of Kat Stephenson was a marvelous and magical as the first. The story begins at her oldest sister Elissa's wedding which is interrupted by Mrs. Carlyle, Frederick's mother, who is determined that her son not marry into the disreputable Stephenson family. Unfortunately, she is mistaken. The wedding she has interrupted is not her son's. Frederick is the true love of Kat's second sister Angeline. Mrs. Carlyle's loud proclamations of witchcraft force Stepmama to pack up the whol...more

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May 31, 2012 Mara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-owned, 2012-reads, comedy, historical-fantasy

I anxiously anticipated the release of "Renegade Magic" for a tremendous number of months, and I was not disappointed. Book Two of Katherine Stephenson's "scandelous" adventures is everything that fans will want - and more. As cliche as that sounds, it's entirely true. Renegade Magic takes off with a series of events that are disastrous, and launch this book in a set of exciting adventures in Bath that are very much reminiscent of Jane Austen's "Northanger Abbey" (good choice, Stephanie Burgis!)...more

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Apr 08, 2012 Sara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-s, favorites, 100-in-2012

What can I say about how much I love this series? It’s magically delicious! RENEGADE MAGIC is book 2, following KAT, INCORRIGIBLE, which will be out in paperback in April. It’s Jane Austen for the Harry Potter crowd. Kat is the youngest of three girls. Her father is an absent-minded vicar and her stepmother is a horror. She’s not evil, she just desperately wants the family to be respectable and fine. Kat is not respectable. Her mother, you see, was a witch and the witchcraft has passed to her da...more What can I say about how much I love this series? It’s magically delicious! RENEGADE MAGIC is book 2, following KAT, INCORRIGIBLE, which will be out in paperback in April. It’s Jane Austen for the Harry Potter crowd. Kat is the youngest of three girls. Her father is an absent-minded vicar and her stepmother is a horror. She’s not evil, she just desperately wants the family to be respectable and fine. Kat is not respectable. Her mother, you see, was a witch and the witchcraft has passed to her daughters. Kat however, has gotten a little more than her sisters. Their mother wasn’t just a witch. She was actually a Guardian, one of the people entrusted with special powers to defend the realm against the misuse of magic. Kat has inherited her powers, her responsibilities, and her enemies.

Kat’s oldest sister, Elissa, is terribly respectable. She would never dream of doing anything so outre as using magic. The middle sister, Angeline, is a little too interested in magic. In fact, in book 1 she accidentally ensnared a suitor using magic. Now his mama has burst into Elissa’s wedding shouting accusations and casting aspersions on the entire family. With Elissa gone on her honeymoon, Kat and Angeline are left to deal with Stepmama alone. She decides that the only thing to be done is to take the girls to Bath and try to get Angeline safely married off to someone who doesn’t know about the magical skeleton in the family closet.

Kat soon finds herself in a difficult position. Her brother is dodging in and out of the house, obviously up to no good. Her sister is taunting the most notorious rake in Bath in an attempt to drive Stepmama into apoplexy. The entire family is staying with relations who may be under the misapprehension that Lady Fotherington, Kat’s greatest opponent, is actually, her godmother. To make things worse, Lady Fotherington has had Kat banished from the hall of the Guardians. Kat is on probation, one step out of line and her powers will be bound. But there is more going on in Bath than family troubles. Someone is using the ancient Roman baths to draw power and Kat’s idiotic older brother is caught up in it. Soon, so is her hostess’s youngest daughter. And Kat’s Guardian mentor won’t believe a word she says about Lady Fotherington, the buildup of wild magics in Bath, or the danger to her family. Once again, it looks like the incorrigible Kat will have to save the day on her own.(less)

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Apr 01, 2012 Princess Debz rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: wishlist, for-review, historical-fiction, read-in-2012, middle-grade, for-review-netgalley, best-of-2012

Such a wonderful sequel to the fully original Kat, Incorrigible. After the fiasco that happens at sister Elissa’s wedding, Kat and her family take a trip to Bath. There Kat discovers that the Roman Baths are more than what they seem, with a magical and dangerous secret waiting to be uncovered.

While I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as the first, I still found it utterly delightful and charming. The characters were lots of fun to read. The old and new ones alike were such fun to read about. F...more

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May 02, 2012 Patrick Samphire rated it 5 of 5 stars

The year is 1803, the place, the elegant city of Bath, and Kat Stephenson is back.

Those of you who read the first in this delightful middle-grade fantasy series will know exactly what to expect: mayhem, magic, and an utterly incorrigible heroine determined to upset just about any apple cart to protect her family and secure her older sisters the loves of their lives.

After Kat's sister, Angeline, is publicly exposed as a witch, Stepmama knows there's only one thing for it: to whisk the whole famil...more The year is 1803, the place, the elegant city of Bath, and Kat Stephenson is back.

Those of you who read the first in this delightful middle-grade fantasy series will know exactly what to expect: mayhem, magic, and an utterly incorrigible heroine determined to upset just about any apple cart to protect her family and secure her older sisters the loves of their lives.

After Kat's sister, Angeline, is publicly exposed as a witch, Stepmama knows there's only one thing for it: to whisk the whole family off to Bath and get Angeline a husband before everyone in society finds out. But Angeline has already found the love of her life, even though his mother has forbidden their marriage, and if she's going to be forced to search for a different husband, then she will choose the most inappropriate prospect she can.

And if Kat doesn't have enough to do protecting Angeline from the scandalous rake she has chosen and re-uniting her with her true love, her brother Charles has gotten himself far more serious trouble, and Kat herself has been expelled from the Order of the Guardians and forbidden from using her Guardian magic.

Meanwhile, in the Roman Baths, someone is summoning the wild magic from its source below, and no one will believe Kat. Once again, Kat is the one who is going to have to save the day.

I could probably going on forever about how great the Kat, Incorrigible books are. There's adventure, magic, humor, and a wonderfully realized and accurate historical setting (if you're ever in Bath, you could easily follow Kat's trail from the Royal Crescent to the Assembly Rooms and the Pump Room and Roman Baths). But what makes this book stand out from the crowd is the characters.

There's Charles, the older brother sent down from Oxford for gambling and drunkenness, Stepmama with her utter determination to present a respectable front to the world, Papa who retreats to his books at the slightest sign of conflict, Angeline who is stubborn to the point of self-destruction, and my new favorite character, Lucy, full of absurd romantic ideas and a surprising taste for adventure. And there's Kat herself, impetuous, loyal, and ready to leap into danger with scarcely a thought.

In another author's hands, these characters could be one-dimensional, but Stephanie Burgis handles them with love and gives them a complexity that makes them effortlessly likeable. Even Stepmama is sympathetic.

I won't claim to be unbiased in this review, but if you love fantasy and adventure, or a love for Jane Austen's novels, then you won't be disappointed by this wonderful series.(less)

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Mar 03, 2012 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-releases, books-from-library, books-i-adored

19th-century England's most feisty 12-year-old witch is back and up to her mischief once more! Once more, Kat is called upon to save the day. Renegade Magic is delightfully charming and Kat is just so full of life, being her usual outgoing, amusing and always lovable self. I do think she has grown up a little in the sequel, putting others before herself, even though she still gets into a lot of trouble.

It was super easy to fall back into the world Burgis created and I loved how storylines from...more

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About Stephanie Burgis

I grew up in America, but now I live in Wales with my husband, fellow writer Patrick Samphire, our son, "Mr Darcy", and our crazy-sweet border collie mix, Maya. My MG Regency fantasy trilogy is being published in the UK and North America, under different titles. My most recent book in the US & Canada is RENEGADE MAGIC (Kat Book 2) and my most recent book in the UK is A RECKLESS MAGICK (Kat Boo...more

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Books by Stephanie Burgis

Kat, Incorrigible (Kat Incorrigible, #1)

Dueling Magics (Kat, Incorrigible, #1.5)

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Renegade Magic (Kat, Incorrigible #2)

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