Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson

This book is set in fictional India where two girls, stepsisters, are working hard to make up for their father's death. Both girls receive a blessing from a Goddess. Precious gems and flowers fall out of one's mouth while snakes and toads fall out of the other one's mouth. After being sent to far away lands and overcoming many ordeals, the sisters come to realize which has the gift and which has the curse.

I enjoyed this book a lot. The perspective switched between sisters from chapter to chapter. Besides the themes of the gifts, there are also ethical and religious problems that the girls deal with. Even though the book is fictional, including the religions, I thought it was a good representation of parts of our world.

Reviewed by Ashley.
Reviewed from an advanced reader copy.

Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill

The story basically follows the girls of Salem that are being afflicted by nonexistent witches. The girls accuse those in the town that have sinned. But as they continue innocent people are also accused, causing people to wonder how true these girls are. In the end the witch trials fade away as those accused are found either guilty and hung or not and let free.

It was an okay book but since each chapter is told by one of the girls it can sometimes become confusing.

Reviewed by Amelia.