Fantastic YA Fantasy. A little bit like Little House on the Prairie, but not preachy and with magic. Interesting world-building (an alternate late 1800s America-ish place) with magic, mystical creatures and a girl finding her place. Only its a lot harder for Eff, the dreaded thirteenth child (superstition holds that she'll "go bad"). I felt so sorry for how she was treated by her extended family, but loved how she encountered people who made her look at the world in different ways (especially a very compelling teacher). The melding of different magical traditions mirrored the melding of different nationalities/ethnic groups, and fit with settlers on the frontier, trying to mold the land the way they wanted it to be. It will be interesting to see where the series goes from here (will Eff encounter native tribes, other kinds of magic and what kinds of questions will those raise for her). 
 Highly recommended for tweens and teens and adults who enjoy stories about magic.