Fortune Falls

October 1, 2015
Can bad luck ever be a good thing? You wouldn't think so if you lived in Fortune Falls]and were among its Unluckies. Technically Sadie is still an Undetermined, not yet having taken her Luck Test, required of kids when they turn 12. She knows she's doomed to fail, though. Rotten luck follows her like a sad puppy. When Sadie and best friend Cooper attempt to reverse her misfortunes, she ends up breaking a mirror. Somehow this lousiest of omens sparks something fierce deep in Sadie's soul, prompting her to try anything to overcome her seemingly hapless destiny. Will she or won't she succeed? A few harrowing episodes, including graveyard escapades, a lost dog, skeletal remains, and a near-calamity facing down an oncoming train, help Sadie and readers realize she's not all that unlucky. This girl's got gumption. An ironic twist with a touch of magical realism runs through the second half of the novel, involving a certain animal that turns out to be an agent for change. Readers will root for Sadie and wish her the best even if they don't buy into all the doom and gloom (there's a lot of discussion of death). It's a good premise, but a few disparate themes don't particularly jell, and Goebel's intentions aren't always clear. Still, it's not the worst luck to pick this up; there are some nice moments, humor, and a satisfying ending. (Fiction. 9-12)

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October 1, 2015

Gr 4-6-Fortune Falls is a special place where luck is serious business and superstitions are real. Those who have good luck enjoy life and success, but those who don't are sent away. Unfortunately for Sadie, she's an Unlucky. Born on Friday the 13th, the girl is seemingly followed by bad luck. Soon she'll have to take the Spring Luck Test, which will determine if she gets to stay with her family and the other Luckies or be sent away so she won't be a danger to everyone around her. Sadie tries everything to change her luck: searching for a lucky penny or a four leaf clover and even making a wish in the wishing well, but nothing seems to be able to turn her luck around. When Sadie and her best friend devise a desperate plan that goes terribly wrong-resulting in seven years bad luck!-all hope seems lost. But can an unlucky girl change her fortune through smarts and resolve? This novel is brimming with subtle lessons about family, hard work, and overcoming bullying. VERDICT Bad luck has never been so interesting; hand this to middle grade readers who enjoy tales with a touch of magic and a plucky underdog.-Ashley Prior, Lincoln Public Library, RI

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 1, 2015
Grades 4-7 *Starred Review* In Fortune Falls, luck matters. Step on a crack; your mom fractures vertebrae. Break a mirror; you may die within the hour. Sadie, born Unlucky, has one week to turn her terrible luck around before the Spring Luck Test. Failure means Bane's School for Luckless Adolescents, separated from her family, dog, and best friend Cooper. So far, though, the outlook isn't good: she's already lost her dog in the cemetery (he was chasing a black cat, of course). Should she use her birthday wish to get him back or save it for her Luck Test? What with a broken mirror, the black cat, and her Friday the Thirteenth birthday, it's clear that Sadie needs all the luck she can get just to survive until Monday's test. Filled with superstitions, both arcane and well known, and packed with clever details (Lucky Charmz black-market shop, haunted Rispin Field), this certainly captures the imagination. Tensions are high between Luckies and Unluckies as both the Friday the Thirteenth Dance (for Luckies only) and a major storm approach. Rich language, well-paced plotting, and rounded characters create an enchanting, hard-to-leave world. Sadie is a clever, resourceful, and brave hero who is unwilling to abandon her family and friends, even when facing insurmountable odds. Make space on your shelves for this one.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)