Tris's Book by Tamora Pierce
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Circle of Magic quartet, each of which focuses on one of the four main characters. Tris is the surliest of the four kids, which makes her a little harder to connect with, but it's not like she doesn't have reasons for the chip on her shoulder. I liked that we got a better window into her backstory with the introduction of her cousin. I'm still not entirely sure why Tris's family didn't figure out that she had magic (it seems pretty obvious), but we can at least understand how they wouldn't want her around with all of the freakish weather she causes.

This book also features pirates! And who doesn't like a good pirate story? Not much time has passed since the end of the first book, so the four kids are still trying to get a handle on their new powers. To complicate matter, it seems that their magics are starting to bleed together. And to top it all off, the pirates of the Pebbled Sea are attacking Winding Circle! Each child, along with each of their teachers, must use their unique abilities to defend their home from the invaders.

While the first book distributed the narration and focus between each of the kids fairly evenly, this story really did feel like it was *Tris' Book*. She has the most growth, the biggest role, and the steepest consequences.

My daughter, with whom I'm reading these books, is totally in love with this series. So for sure 5-stars for the target audience. I also enjoyed this story. I liked it better than the first book because it felt like it had a more solid direction. We're both eager to read the rest.

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