Scumble - Ingrid Law

Summary:  Ledger Kale always dreamed of the awesome magical power he'd get when he turned thirteen--the day when folks in his family inherit an extraordinary talent called a savvy.  But Ledge's dreams are soon in pieces.  And so are the toaster, the television, and the wipers on the family minivan.

After the Kales decide it's safe to head to a family wedding in Wyoming, Ledge's savvy grows.  Worse, there's an outside witness to his monumental mess: thirteen-year-old Sarah Jane Cabot, eagle-eyed reporter and daughter of the local businessman.  Now Ledge has to stop Sarah Jane from turning savvies into headlines, stop her father from getting too close to Uncle Autry's astonishing ranch, and scumble his savvy into control before he causes everything to fall apart.

Starting nine years after his cousin Mib's Savvy journey, Ledge's story brings characters both fresh and familiar to the legendary Wild West for another rollicking, riveting, fantastical adventure.  (Summary from the book jacket and image from http://2jeremiahf.edu.glogster.com)

My Review:  I think Law really came into her writing with this book.  The descriptions and adjective use wasn't as distracting as it was in Savvy and the characters seemed more fleshed out.  This novel was longer and as such, it was more developed, but not to the point of being overdone. One of my favorite aspects to the Savvy books is the life lessons thrown into the crazy skills they acquire at the age of thirteen.  This book especially focused on overcoming fear and how fear can be debilitating.

I have to admit I didn't see the twist near the end. I probably should have picked up on it, but I didn't. And no, I won't tell you what it is. It's worth the read!

Law has a way of making something so unbelievable believable--having a savvy is unreal and although powerful and sometimes destructive, also very cool! She describes how the savvy starts and affects each character differently and to where it feels like you're experiencing the sensations along with the one overcome with a new ability. Wouldn't it be great if we all could have some fantastic ability, like being invisible, or moving the ground, or levitating? Actually, it probably wouldn't be a very good thing, but it's fun to contemplate!

I loved this book.  I do hope that Law doesn't stop with just these two books.  Because she's spaced out the stories between the cousins of a larger family, I believe she could go further and I'd definitely pick it up if she did.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Sum it up: A fantastic second installment in the Savvy family's exploration of their new-found skills and how they scumble (control) them.