The Mysterious Pseudonymous Bosch is Back with Bad Luck!

Secretive author Pseudonymous Bosch has returned with book two of The Bad Books series! Readers who loved the first book, Bad Magic, finally get the chance to return to enchanting Earth Ranch with the sequel, Bad Luck.
Although any camp for young magicians can’t be all bad, the strict life at Earth Ranch can be hard to cope with. Especially if you are Clay, a boy who appears to have no magical talents to speak of, unlike his fellow campers. Enduring the constant company of those with magic skills all around him is hard enough, but in Bad Luck Clay must also contend with creepy caves, erupting volcanoes, and mythical (or not quite so mythical) dragons. (Readers should note that most parents would do anything to get a nap that lasts as long as a dragon sleeps. How long is that, you ask? You’ll just have to read to the book to find out.)
This middle grade mystery follows Clay as he explores a rotten-egg sulphur stinking cave, and encounters a kid named Brett, a bow tie-loving castaway who is stranded on the island after washing ashore. Clay also discovers an ancient tome that contains the memoirs of a dragon tamer. Clay wants to help Brett, but he’s also not sure who he can trust these days. Hiding Brett in a cave and the book in his backpack, for everyone’s safety and for the protection of the truth behind Earth Ranch, Clay strives to keep all of his new and disquieting discoveries a secret…but he can’t do it for long. Although there are bee spies and sneaky snoops among him, Clay soon finds comrades in his fellow campers.

With new friends, magical skills, and some adept instincts, Clay and his friends discover myriad sleuthing opportunities, and race to discover, and then save, the island’s secrets. But dangerous explosives, hot steam, and fire are not their only foes. As the truth of Price Island, the volcanic home of Earth Ranch, is slowly revealed to them, Clay realizes that, “if there was one thing [he] had learned about Price Island, it was that there was always another surprise waiting around the corner.”
The author is adept at crafting a twisty and misty (there is vog, lots of vog) tale for middle graders. Just as magicians like to misdirect, Bosch skillfully uses sleight of hand to lead readers down rabbit holes, so paying close attention to detail is important. Snarky, hilarious asides and footnotes provide an additional level of suspense, satire, silliness, and even sincerity.

Bad Luck is a classic tale of good versus evil, mixed with a modern day fable—with luxuries like cruise ships, libraries, and cell phones, along with one amazing mythical creature. (And let’s not omit the important appearance of Jell-O, lots of Jell-O.) The story is a little reminiscent of Lost for kids, but with a more satisfying cliffhanger ending. It is a book with two hearts, one good and one bad, just like the dual hearts of a dragon. Kids will be asking if there is a third installment (I believe the answer is YES, the author gratefully hints at that for us)—and parents will be left wondering who exactly is this author Pseudonymous Bosch?!
Pseudonymous Bosch is the author of the bestselling Secret Series. Bad Luck is on shelves now!