The Thirteen Curses by Michelle Harrison * * * *

The Thirteen Curses is a story of what happens when our world and fairy land come together. But this isn't the Fairyland of gossamer winged beings granting human wishes, rather one where the fairies are more like pixies or even goblins, teasing and tricking people, stealing human children and replacing them with their own. Rowan's brother has been taken by the fairies, to free him she must find the 13 missing charms of an enchanted bracelet, which were once treasures but have now become curses - the Dagger, which opens old wounds, the Key which opens the world of the dead, the Goblet of eternal life which can now trap someone forever in childhood, the ever-refilling Platter from which you could now eat yourself to death- and the longer they remain seperated from the bracelet, the stronger their powers become.As Rowan and her friends search for these charms, she also finds herself discovering the truth about her life, her parents and why her brother has been taken.
This is the sequel to the Thirteen Treasures and the beginning of the book is slightly hampered by trying to make sure that new readers are filled in on the plot so far but soon the reader is caught up in the story as unsuspecting people are caught up in the fairies dance and dragged away to their realm. It's a compelling, page-turning read of fairies meddling in humans' lives, a sister's desperate quest to be re-united with her brother and the discovery that things are not always as they seem. As it neared the end, I found I couldn't put the book down!