Magic or Madness (Vol. 1)

Justine Larbalestier's acclaimed debut, Magic or Madness is the first book in a trilogy that will take readers through an original story that shows that magic is everywhere. Just open your eyes and your heart. For 15 years, Reason lived in the Australian outback with her mother, Sarafina. For as long as she can remember, the two have been on the run from their grandmother, Esmeralda—a witch who practices terrifying black magic rituals. But after Sarafina goes mad, Reason is sent to the place she fears most: her grandmother's house in Sydney. But the place is nothing like what Sarafina described, and Esmeralda doesn't appear to be evil. For the first time, Reason finds herself questioning her mother's teachings... But wait a minute! Even without seeing smoke signals and mirrors scattered around the house—highly dangerous, according to Sarafina—her grandmother keeps hidden people's teeth and keeps a mysterious key in the drawer. She can't be good, can she? While studying the house plans to escape, Reason walks through a door in Esmeralda's house in Sydney and finds herself in New York. She must admit the only truth: magic is real. But that's not all: it turns out that Reason is also a witch. Now there are many questions to answer, and the biggest one is who she is. Alongside unexpected friends, Reason will experience more than just a thrilling adventure: she will have to face her greatest fears and, most importantly, discover the price to pay for the magic that runs in her blood. Another Galera Record release and winner of the Norton Award, Magic or Madness is more than a thrilling story of magic and adventure. Reason takes the reader alongside her to face her greatest fears in order to survive. "A vivid and uncompromising portrait of magic and the consequences of power." — Holly Black, author of The Spiderwick Chronicles