Author: Sarah Porter
Genre: Fantasy; Retelling
Synopsis: (from Goodreads) In Vassa’s neighborhood, where she lives with her stepmother and bickering stepsisters, one might stumble onto magic, but stumbling away again could become an issue. Babs Yagg, the owner of the local convenience store, has a policy of beheading shoplifters—and sometimes innocent shoppers as well. So when Vassa’s stepsister sends her out for light bulbs in the middle of night, she knows it could easily become a suicide mission. But Vassa has a bit of luck hidden in her pocket, a gift from her dead mother. Erg is a tough-talking wooden doll with sticky fingers, a bottomless stomach, and a ferocious cunning. With Erg’s help, Vassa just might be able to break the witch’s curse and free her Brooklyn neighborhood. But Babs won’t be playing fair…
Review: I read this book on the train to New York City last winter. It was totally engaging and I loved the lead's sidekick, Erg. A little bit of magic, a little bit of suspense, a little confusing, this story was beautifully written. Based on a Russian folktale, it's got a lot of lore and wonderful plot points.
Reading Level: I'm not gonna lie, this was SUPER confusing at times. I had to go back and forth a bit to make sure I remembered what I read, so I'd recommend this to strong readers. That said. I truly LOVED the book.