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    The Princess Troll: Seattle Trolls, #2
    The Princess Troll: Seattle Trolls, #2
    The Princess Troll: Seattle Trolls, #2
    Ebook230 pages3 hours

    The Princess Troll: Seattle Trolls, #2

    By Leah Cutter

    3.5/5

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Most trolls have no natural magical ability. However, Christine does. Enchanted powders swirl up when she walks by. Charms glow.

    What happens when Christine tries to direct her magical powers?

    Nothing. Nada. Zip.

    Something blocks Christine from reaching her full magical potential.

    But what?

    "The Princess Troll"—the second novel in The Seattle Trolls trilogy and the delightful continuation "The Changeling Troll"—follows Christine on her journeys through a skewed Seattle and her encounters with outrageous and whimsical characters. A coming of age tale for all ages! 

    Be sure to read the other books in the Seattle Trolls trilogy, "The Changeling Troll" and "The Fairy Bridge Troll", as well as the continuing adventures of Christine in the Troll Wars trilogy.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLeah Cutter
    Release dateSep 5, 2019
    ISBN9781644700372
    The Princess Troll: Seattle Trolls, #2
    Author

    Leah Cutter

    Leah Cutter--a Crawford Award Finalist--writes page-turning fiction in exotic locations, such as New Orleans, ancient China, the Oregon coast, ancient Japan, rual Kentucky, Seattle, Minneapolis, Budapest, etc.  Find more fiction by Leah Cutter at www.KnottedRoadPress.com. Follow her blog at www.LeahCutter.com.

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    Reviews for The Princess Troll

    3.5/5

    37 ratings15 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Yet another fantastic read from Leah R Cutter! Christine's story continues. From finding out she's a changeling in book 1 to discovering her royal heritage in this book. The story is absolutely enthralling.
    • 4/5
      I was intrigued by this book, having not read book one was a little unsure. i was not disappointed. This gave the reader enough of the story line to follow book 2.A princess who thought she was human and yet is a troll who looks like a troll and presumably acts like one too ( not sure how a troll should act)The princess has magical powers but require to be unleashed - thus this is essentially the story but hey it works and I enjoyed this style of writing too.
    • 3/5
      A new troll is trying to learn magic, but something is blocking her. This book is about her quest to release her magical powers. The book was okay, but the plot felt rushed. It is a quick read, and although the book is the second in a series, the previous plot is filled in so you know what happened. Overall, the book is good for teens/tweens.
    • 3/5
      A good book - I liked it better than her Cassie books, though it suffers from some of the same ideas. Interesting echoes of a series by a different author, The Free Court of Seattle by Angela Korra'ti - not the same story at all, but the setting is the same and they're both about a young woman learning about magic and her own powers and secrets of her past and family. I like Christine, but like Cassie she tends to choose selfishly - things work out better for her than for Cassie, though. Funny - I did enjoy the book, and was quite caught up in it (despite being mightily confused throughout because I haven't read the first book and I struggled to remember who her various families were), but thinking about it afterward I'm thinking more about how it relates to other books than about the story itself. Christine is a troll who was made into a changeling, an exact double of a human girl - that happened, and was undone, in the first book. In this book she's figuring out who she is, now that she's out from under the changeling spell. One major aspect is training her magic - she knows she has some, but the training isn't going well. Her teacher has never dealt with a magic-skilled troll before - they're variously described as rare, only the royal family, or so common (in troll communities) that being a troll _without_ magic made her boyfriend an outcast. She gets a helping hand from someone she considers an enemy, and learns that her magic has been removed from her and bound into various different places. The enemy gives her a few clues - he clearly considers that he's being highly obscure - but she finds both the one place he told her about and one of the three others without much difficulty. The last two places are found by her allies. There's a lot about demonic influence, but it seems to differ widely - sometimes the influence is so subtle that even Christine doesn't notice at all, just thinks her companion is acting a little oddly; sometimes it's utterly blatant, as in one of the demons is standing there whispering to her ally and making her attack Christine. And I have no idea why showing that he was a projection should break the influence. I'm not sure what part Ming was actually playing, either - why was her magic bound (troll politics, apparently?), and why was he the one to bind it? The story ends with a victory for her, and a whole bunch of new threads extending her questions about herself - not really a solid conclusion, it definitely leads on to the next story. I want to read the first one, and the third...but I'm not sure I'll want to reread any of them.
    • 2/5
      I won a free copy of this ebook via Library Thing in exchange for an unbiased review.Christine is a special kind of Troll - she has magical powers but seems unable to wield them. This story is of finding, and unbinding her powers and discovering her true nature along the way. This is the second of the series, but not having read the first caused no difficulty as there is sufficient background information to surmise previous events.The tale itself carries you along quite well - I certainly enjoyed finding out more about Christine and her plight. The situation with the parents confused me in parts and Christine's feelings towards Joe seemed to change from one chapter to the next. I was a surprised by the lack of involvement from Ty in the last few chapters too, he just seemed to disappear and I think he may have been my favourite character - he reminded me of a very tame version of Dyson from Lost Girl.I'm unsure as to the intending reading audience. I had understood this book had been filed under the latest category of New-Adult, a novel exploring themes including reflection of childhood past, once the protagonist reaches the age of maturity. The telling of this particular tale however feels over-simplified and has the feel that it is for a much younger audience. However there is the odd word thrown in that even a very well educated person needs to consider the meaning of and passing reference to bisexuality (and it is only a fleeting reference, perhaps to be taken up in the next of the trilogy) and these felt out of place. Overall it felt rather condescending to me as an adult, which is a shame because I enjoyed the story subject.
    • 4/5
      This was a pretty quirky book, but I really liked it. I felt that I could relate to the awkwardness of the main character, and felt that sometimes I was in the story. The ending was a little disappointing, I expected it to be more climatic, but I still really liked the book. I would recommend it to someone if they were looking for a light read.
    • 4/5
      I’ve always enjoyed my visits to Seattle - good people, good food and drink, and plenty to do, no matter your particular mix of urban or natural interests. And it’s a great setting for my latest read - my introduction to a hidden side, a hidden depth of the Emerald City.Maybe I should have taken that “Underground Seattle” tour they offer. It might have prepared me for this read ... well ... maybe.I prefer to start most things - especially books and book or film series - from the beginning, and proceed upward and onward from there. But it doesn’t always work that way ... which was the case for me, when I received a review copy of “The Princess Troll,” the second installment of the “Seattle Trolls Trilogy” by Leah Cutter ... a writer who was unknown to me until I received a copy of this book from LibraryThing.“Princes Troll” is the second novel in “a new-adult, urban fantasy trilogy that turns the ugly duckling story on its head.” And while I did find myself starting in the middle, I did not find myself lost, constantly interrupting the narrative with “wait ... what?” moments. There was enough in this second installment to pique my interest, draw me into the story, and leave me looking ahead - and back! - for more.Even without any tedious prologues, or digressions to the first novel, it didn’t take me long to realize that Christine is NOT your average girl. The realization of just how ‘not average’ she is grows, page by page, chapter by chapter. And it’s not just Christine, but a cast of supporting characters that are colorful and crazy ... even by Seattle standards!There is magic, mystery and mayhem in this story. If it were simply a story of Christine dealing with the magic and mystery, the story would be alright. But then there’s that mayhem, and not just the stuff of fantasy. She has identity issues, family issues, relationship issues, and all that ... and so much more. Whatever Christine was and is, and whatever she may become, is not something I would call ‘average.’There is some resolution to some of these issues, and some progress in Christine’s life and development ... SOME, but nothing FINAL ... well, this IS a trilogy after all. And like all good episodic tales, you sense there are some added, unknown complications, unexpected challenges lurking somewhere in the shadows, ready to spring out at a most-inappropriate moment.Is Christine up to the challenge? I hope so ... but I’m not certain. Cutter has created a character and crafted a tale that leaves one hopeful but uncertain. I find myself rooting for that character, and wishing her success ... but I’m not sure. And if she does succeed, will it be in a way that she -and the rest of us - imagine? And what of those around her, sharing her life and her quest - or seeking to bring an end to both?I’m looking forward to answering these question when I read the third installment of Cutter’s “Seattle Trolls Trilogy.” In the meantime, I also plan to get/read the first installment of that trilogy, “The Changeling Troll.”Also in the meantime ... our ship docks in Seattle in a few days ... and I definitely plan to keep my eyes, my ears, and my imagination open when step ashore and enter the Emerald City.__________NOTE: I received a free e-copy of this work through LibraryThing, in exchange for a review.
    • 4/5
      Ever wonder what life would be like if everything you knew to be true... wasn't? Christine was raised human - now she has learned she is a troll. And, not just any troll, but a princess troll! This book follows Christine's adventures through an alternate Seattle as she tries to reinstate her natural magic - magic most trolls would not have.The writing is imaginative and entertaining which kept me reading. I had never heard of this series or the author prior to reading this book, but would highly recommend it to anyone looking for adventure, action, and humor. I found this to be a delightful coming-of-age story even my 13-year-old daughter would enjoy.**I received a complimentary copy of this book via LibraryThing's Early Reviewers.**
    • 4/5
      3 1/2 starsI received an early reviewer’s ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review. (Sorry it took so long for me to finish it.)This review contains spoilers.I had no idea this was a sequel. I probably would not have requested it had I realized. None the less, I enjoyed this story. I was not very impressed by the first third or so of the book. I was confused. I kept thinking that it must be a sequel, but there was no point in the first pages of the book that stated what the series was, nor did it say on Goodreads or the LibraryThing giveaway that it was a sequel. It wasn’t until the end papers (if they can be called that in an ebook) that I finally found where it said it was a sequel. The part that confused me most was Christine’s and Tina’s parents. I was so confused when I was told that Christine didn’t trust Tina’s parents, and then a few pages later, that she got along well with her parents. Because Christine was adopted by Tina’s biological parents, and I was told that Tina’s parents (without mention that they were her adopted parents) had switched Tina with Christine to distract the demons. I was honestly thinking that the author had carelessly left two different versions of Christine’s relationship with her parents in the book, and I didn’t understand why, since Christine and Tina had learned of their switching, Tina didn’t come to the family dinner. I didn’t realize that whenever Tina’s parents were mentioned it was referring to her adopted parents (or, the people who stole her from her biological parents since Christine’s parents didn’t willingly part with her) and whenever it mentioned Christine’s parents it was referring to Tina’s biological parents, Christine’s adopted parents. I still don’t know why Tina doesn’t hang out with Christine’s family since they are technically her family too, and her adopted family kidnapped her from her biological parents, and should be in jail for that. The other part that confused me was Patrick the Ogre. He’s mentioned several times, but we never are told who he is, other than that he’s an ogre.The book felt like a middle grade book at times. Not because it would be appropriate for middle grade (the content isn’t terrible, but there are references to sex and mild cussing,) but because the pacing was very fast. Almost too fast, which is how I often feel while reading middle-grade novels.I thought it was kind of weird that Christine’s water elemental was not sentient, the fire was like a wild animal that had to be tamed, the wind was sentient and had to be bargained with, and the earth was practically another being that could have lived on its own without Christine.I was convinced that the old troll was Christine’s grandfather. I was mildly disappointed that he was her uncle. I was also curious as to why Christine’s father was in jail because the king thought he’d kidnapped her, but the king has no heirs. I don’t remember the book saying this, but it seems as though Christine’s mother was the king’s sister? And so her father wouldn’t be an heir to the throne? I wasn’t sure.I liked Christine a lot. I really liked Christine’s brother. I wish we would have seen more of him. I didn’t really like Joe from the moment he was mentioned. I’m glad he and Christine broke up. Christine’s parents seemed nice, but we didn’t get to know them very well. We heard a lot about Tina, but we barely saw her, so I’m still not sure how I feel about her. The wooden man (I forget his name) seemed interesting, but we didn’t get to know him very well. The demon seemed interesting. As a villain, he may have had some interesting motives, though we still don’t know what all of his motives were.I don’t like to read books with angels as characters. They always mess up their angelology. Why couldn’t the angels be fairies or elves? There were a few mild typos, but I assume that is because this was an early reviewer’s copy.Because I was having so much trouble understanding the world I really didn’t get into the book until I was about a third in, and then, middle-grade-type pacing or not, the story really got interesting. I wish that the story would have concluded in this book, but I’m sure the third book will be good as well. I am sure that if you have read the first book in the series, this book will be excellent. As someone who came in to the series with this book, it was enjoyable, but mildly confusing.
    • 4/5
      I was not familiar with Leah Cutter. Normally. I avoid starting a series anywhere other than the beginning. From the opening paragraph, The Princess Troll had me hooked though. Immediately, Christine is relatable. (Who of us hasn't heard, or perhaps emitted a 'trollish sigh'?}. She of course had a Quest. And I wanted to get to know her. All of Leah's major characters are well-formed. Even the minor ones were given substance by the circumstances in which we meet them (the Judge, for example.One of the most fun for me was Christine's demon protagonist, Lars. Years ago, Nickolodean ran 'The Secret world of Alex Mack'. about a girl who gained strange powers as the result of an industrial accident. During its final season, we met a balding, smarmy scientist, working for the bad guy. This scientist - Lars - was alwaystrying to ingratiate himself to the boss, while oozing snake oil charm to others when it suited him. Not really caring if others brought inot the act or not. Christine's Lars and Alex's Lars melded well for me, Lowlife with a capital L.Finally, I liked the underlying idea of the importance of words, and the power of a promise.Definitely looking for the first and third books'With a huge, trollish sigh, Christine focused on her hand again. It shouldn’t be so hard to create a flame in the palm of her hand. She was supposedly a magical creature, a troll capable of doing magic, one of the few. And possibly trollish royalty…though that wasn’t something she dwelt on'Leah Cutter. The Princess Troll (Kindle Locations 17-19). Book View Cafe. Kindle Edition.
    • 3/5
      Fast paced and interesting twist on the lost princess trope.> I received a free reviewer copy on Library Thing.First of all, this is the second book in a trilogy - I haven't read the first one, but the book did a good job of filling in the plot of the previous book, so I was able to follow along without any problems. It's entirely possible the amount of exposition would be tiresome for someone who had read the first book, but it worked for me.This is an interesting twist on the lost prince/princess trope. After living her life as a human, Christine discovers she is in fact a troll, and more than that, she was a changeling swapped for another girl to protect that girls destiny. After the events in the previous book, Christine is trying to live her life while attempting to discover her true self, now that the preferences and proclivities imposed by the changeling magic are wearing off. She's forcing herself to try new things, making friends among other magical kin, and attempting to learn magic. However, for some reason, Christine's magic is blocked.The pacing in this book is extremely quick, and if the first book was similar, I think it would work better as a single book than a trilogy, for this really does read as a second act of a larger story as opposed to being able to stand on its own. My recommendation is, if you're interested in reading this, to wait for the final book to be relased and read them all together.I really did like the main character in the book. She's pretty unique amongst young adult heroines. I do wish the pacing was a bit slower to allow more space for character development.In spite of that, and some editing problems - typos, slightly incorrect vocabulary (e.g. artesian/artisan), some awkward sentences - I enjoyed the book, and I'll read the next one when it comes out.
    • 4/5
      Even though I did not read the first book in the series, I would recommend this book. This and the other books in the series would be good for middle schools to have in their libraries,
    • 4/5
      Although I haven't yet read book one in this series, The Princess Troll gives enough backstory to understand what is going on. Although for most of her life Christine thought she was human, she has accepted her troll appearance and abilities. She is trying to discover and control her magical powers but can't get a handle on them. Then someone suggests that her powers have been bound. This book covers her quest to release her magic and discover who bound her powers...and why. I enjoyed this book enough that I plan to buy books one and three! I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      This is the second book in a series. Christine recently realized she is a troll And is coming to terms with it. She had previously thought she was human, as she was hidden by a spell placed upon her when young. She hides her appearance from humans with magic. Christine now wants to unlock her magical powers that have been locked away from her by someone unknown. With the help of her friends and family she sets out to regain her powers.I have not read the first book in the series and although the author does an acceptable job filling you in, I feel that I missed a full understanding of the recurring characters. The storyline was simple and sweet as were the characters. A easy read young adult fantasy.
    • 3/5
      I am new to Library Thing and received this, my first book free for a honest review. This is the second book in a three book series and I usually like to start at the beginning, book one. The author does a great job of going back and filling you in from the first book, so you don't feel as if you have missed anything. So this book can easily be read as a stand alone book. I found the book interesting and it kept my interest. I feel Leah Cutter did a great job describing her many different characters, which I find very helpful in this fantasy type book.

    Book preview

    The Princess Troll - Leah Cutter

    Chapter 1

    T ry it again, Nikolai told Christine.

    With a huge, trollish sigh, Christine focused on her hand again. It shouldn’t be so hard to create a flame in the palm of her hand. She was supposedly a magical creature, a troll capable of doing magic, one of the few. And possibly trollish royalty…though that wasn’t something she dwelt on.

    It was easy enough for Christine to generate a constant illusion around herself so she appeared human, with dark, olive-toned skin, human hair and eyes. For her to camouflage her green troll skin (tough and strong), the large tusks growing up out of her lower jaw to just below her cheekbones (which she’d finally gotten used to eating with), and her claws, which always seemed to nick and tear anything she picked up if she wasn’t careful (as evidenced by her poor cell phone). To change her clothes with her appearance, so her blouse always went with whatever color her skin was (so even now she looked good in a cream-colored top), her pants showing off her curves (stretchy and black, currently), shoes appearing and disappearing (the claws on her feet couldn’t be contained).

    Magical powders and other charms reacted to her presence, boiling over or glowing, so she had no doubt that she was magical.

    However, in the past six months since learning she was a changeling, and was actually a troll and not a human, she hadn’t been able to consciously learn any magic.

    Christine focused all of her will on her trollish palm, the skin there surprisingly pink compared to the tough, green-colored hide that covered the rest of her. While the nail beds were still pinkish, the nails themselves were solid white, naturally pointed like claws, and sharp. She’d tried using an emery board on them. Once. Had shredded it to bits.

    I don’t know what’s wrong, Nikolai said. The wooden shopkeeper scowled at her hand, as if it had insulted him.

    Christine was always impressed with how expressive Nik’s wooden face was, despite how his black, round eyes were painted on. His lips had also merely been drawn on, going in a straight line, but he could make all the sounds she could without ever changing the shape of his mouth, just opening and closing it on hinges. It was like watching a live ventriloquist’s doll, except not as creepy.

    He wore his usual Seattle-chic red-and-white checked flannel shirt and jeans. Even in his black boots he only stood about three feet high. He barely reached Christine’s waist. In her human form, she was close to six feet. As a troll, she was only a touch taller.

    The pair of them stood in a supply room at the back of Nikolai’s Magical Emporium. The shop itself existed between worlds. The only way to get to it was through a magical portal. Christine traveled there using the portal located in Seattle’s International District. She often wondered if she could leave the shop through a different portal, ending up in one of the pocket worlds.

    Dark red-velvet curtains closed the supply room off from the rest of the shop. Tall metal shelves filled with plain brown cardboard boxes rose from floor to ceiling. It looked like an ordinary storeroom, except for the glowing, neon-blue stickers on the boxes of conductive powder, the way the crystals in their box rustled, and the slightly sweet scent of burnt sugar and marjoram and something else that was pure magic.

    The light in the back room was bright and cheery, like the lights in the rest of the store. Christine now knew that what looked like ordinary fluorescent lights hanging from the ceiling of the shop were actually enspelled: Each customer perceived the light in the manner they found most appealing, making the shop seem gloomy, or dappled in moonlight, or even daylight bright.

    Christine hadn’t realized she liked bright and cheery. That generally wasn’t her thing. Nikolai had assured her that it probably wasn’t the light she wanted to live by, just to shop by. And that made sense.

    Nikolai was all about being inclusive. He didn’t turn away any customers, not kith and kin—Christine’s people, the orcs, trolls, goblins, dwarves, brownies, and so on—nor the Host either. All of the ranks of demons and angels were welcome in his shop. He’d even serve the occasional human wizard, though rarely: Humans had their own stores that they preferred going to.

    However, Nikolai’s Magical Emporium was neutral territory, and Nik worked hard to keep it that way.

    Once Christine had realized that she was magical, the shopkeeper had offered to help her learn spells.

    Of course, he wouldn’t do it for free. He was too much of a businessman for that.

    Since Christine could barely afford the ingredients for spells, let alone the lessons, Nikolai had bartered for her skills instead. So now, every other weekend, Christine put in some hours at the shop. Not out front, working with customers. She was a troll, after all. Dealing with people wasn’t her forte.

    For her human day job she worked as an archivist in the main Seattle library. She was good with research papers and books. She paid for her magic lessons by going through the huge collection of boxes Nikolai had accumulated at estate sales over the years, finding the important documents, treaties, and books hidden away amidst all the junk and developing a filing system for them.

    While Nikolai now had an impressive inventory for all his hidden treasures, the magic lessons hadn’t gone according to plan at all. Christine could still barely do any magic.

    Christine stared at her palm, willing a light to grow there, forcing her hand to stay steady and not shake in frustration. She took a deep breath, scenting the comforting smells of old papers and long forgotten books. She just needed to focus.

    Tina, Christine’s human doppelganger, was extremely talented magically. She’d also been trying to teach Christine some magic, with the same awful results as Nikolai had achieved.

    Tina glowed when she even thought about doing serious magic. She hadn’t left any scorch marks (yet) on Christine’s rug. But she sometimes grew so bright she hurt Christine’s eyes.

    Christine couldn’t even cheat and start with a match to get some magical light.

    I think, Nikolai said when Christine dropped her palm, frustrated as always at her lack of success, that something’s blocking you.

    What do you mean? Christine asked. She didn’t mean to bristle at him. It was just her trollish nature.

    You were hidden for years by the changeling spell, Nikolai said, reaching up to stroke his smooth wooden jaw as if it had suddenly sprouted a beard. You weren’t allowed to be yourself. Maybe that’s still affecting you.

    Christine nodded slowly. That almost made sense. The changeling spell had made Christine not only look like a human, but act like a human as well.

    The changeling spell had been broken when Christine and Tina had met for the first time. Irresistibly drawn to one another, they’d touched hands.

    Both of their worlds had imploded.

    However, it didn’t feel to Christine as though the changeling spell was still holding her back. She didn’t think there were any remnants of it remaining.

    Then again, what did she know about magic?

    I can ask Tina, Christine said.

    Nikolai made a sour face at that. Fascinating how his cheeks gave the impression of moving without actually moving, how his lips appeared to pucker. Never trust a human, he told her, as he frequently did.

    I know, Christine said, nodding. But I’m not sure who else to ask. While she could ask Joe, her on-again, off-again boyfriend and the only other troll she knew, he wouldn’t be able to tell her anything. He didn’t have any magic, and any talk of her magic always made him uncomfortable.

    Besides, they were on a break right now. Not seeing other people, but not seeing so much of each other either.

    Christine had been fascinated with how her body responded as a troll, but it had been…too much. Everything had been too new. She’d been overwhelmed quickly both by her feelings and her responses to him.

    She didn’t know any other trolls, either. There weren’t many in Seattle as far as she could tell. Trolls were solitary in nature, something she did know very well. They didn’t tend to get together for drinks or join the other kith and kin.

    Nikolai gave her a sharp nod. Then ask your Tina. But take anything she says with a mountain of salt.

    I will, Christine promised. She knew that Nikolai would never trust any human. Not even Christine’s human brother Dennis, though he was probably the human that Nikolai was nicest to.

    Christine always felt as if she could trust Tina. Her human doppelganger had tried to help Christine fit into the human world once she’d discovered she was a troll and her true nature had come to the forefront.

    However, Tina’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman, were another matter entirely.

    They’d officially adopted Christine from her bio-parents, through an agency that no longer existed. But they hadn’t kept her or raised her. Instead, they’d performed spells on Christine so that she’d look just like Tina. To be Tina’s identical twin.

    Then they’d exchanged Tina and Christine at birth.

    The switch had fooled the demons, so they’d kept an eye on Christine while Tina grew powerfully magical out of sight. So Tina could fulfill her Destiny.

    Christine didn’t trust Tina’s parents as far as she could throw them, and in her troll body, she could heave them quite a ways. Possibly halfway across Lake Union.

    Come by half an hour earlier tomorrow, Nikolai told Christine.

    Christine merely nodded. She could tell by Nikolai’s eyes—maybe it was the way they shone—that he had something up his red-and-white flannel sleeve. She also knew he wouldn’t say a thing until that time.

    She reached up to her neck with one hand and touched her illusion charm, a lovely dark blue stone encased in a swirling silver setting, then held out her other hand so she could watch herself change. Watch the pink skin roll up under the green (her human self was smaller and less muscular than her troll self). Watch the soft, downy, human hair sprout over her arms. Watch the change roll across her chest, her clothes changing with it, until she was wearing a tight peach blouse that contrasted beautifully with her olive skin, plain jeans, and white sneakers.

    Christine didn’t need the charm she wore around her neck to change her appearance. It was one of the few magical spells that she could actually do, and do consistently. However, the charm was a good reminder to her that she needed to stay human, act human, and not troll out as her brother Dennis teased her.

    Why was changing herself so easy, while changing anything else so difficult? Dennis would say it was because she was inherently resistant to change. She hated change, actually. Had lived in the same apartment for years. Had the same job. The same routine.

    Magic was different, though. Magic was something she was supposed to be able to do, had always longed to do. Had read far too many books about, both before and after she’d found out about being a troll.

    It wasn’t all in her head, Christine knew. Something was blocking her.

    But what?

    Christine hadn’t bothered going to church with her parents for years, even though they still asked her to go with them every Sunday.

    She felt even more uncomfortable going now. It wasn’t like she was a demon or something, but churches were for humans.

    And Christine really was no longer human.

    She didn’t go to the services that the kith and kin held up in Fremont either, under the Aurora bridge, where the giant statue of a troll lay, holding an actual VW bug in one hand.

    She wasn’t sure what she believed, now that she knew that both demons and angels were real.

    Did that mean that God and Satan were real too? And how did she feel about that? Or was the Host actually made up of creatures like herself, magical, non-human beings who just claimed to be on one side or the other?

    She’d seen angels, though she’d never actually talked with one. She had met and talked with demons. She didn’t like them one bit, though the kith and kin were more often allied with demons than with humans.

    So while Mum and Dad were at church that Sunday morning, Christine went to her own place of worship: the huge used bookstore downtown. Here was where she communed with old friends, Jane Austin and Karen Joy Fowler, Judith Tarr and Walter Tervin. So many new friends to find among the towering shelves. The wonderful scent of paper and ink. The soft murmuring of the other worshipers also reverently perusing the stacks, bowing their heads to each other passing through the narrow aisles, like monks greeting each other.

    One of the reasons Christine loved this store was because they shelved the used books right next to the new ones. That way, she could often find the start of a series, the used books shelved alongside the latest volume.

    Though Christine was living a life of fantasy and knew that magic was real (even if she couldn’t do much of it herself) she still felt the need for a good escape now and again, worlds she could delve into and forget herself.

    While many people had abandoned paper books for ebooks, Christine still loved the feel of a book in her hands, the weight of it as she held it open, the slickness of the cover under her fingers. Was it because she was actually a troll? Her brother had always accused her of hording her books. Sure, there were only small aisles between the piles of books in her basement apartment.

    Okay, so the books might have covered all the available spaces in every room.

    There were worse habits she could have, worse things she could collect. But she couldn’t stand cats, or dogs, or most animals, really.

    So Christine spent the time before she had to go to her parents for Sunday dinner at the bookstore, perusing, reading a bit here and there, letting the words sing to her soul as she girded her loins.

    It wasn’t that her parents were bad people. They weren’t.

    There were days, though, when she’d rather fight an entire demon army than break bread with them.

    A ny news from Joe? Mum asked as she passed the garlic mashed potatoes to her right.

    They all sat around the dining room table, Mum, Dad, Dennis, and Christine.

    Christine sighed. She never should have mentioned him to her parents, her on-again, off-again, troll boyfriend. We’re on a break, she told Mum defensively.

    Sorry to hear that, Dennis said, interrupting any of Mum’s questions. He seemed like a good guy.

    He is, Christine said.

    But she wasn’t ready. Before, when she’d thought of herself as human, she’d thought she’d never be ready.

    Now, she knew that she would be. Eventually.

    Just not yet.

    Afternoon sunlight gleamed on Lake Washington. The tall glass doors leading to the porch were closed, unfortunately—it had been wickedly hot all summer, and that Sunday was no exception. Fortunately, Mum and Dad’s place had air conditioning, unlike most Seattle homes.

    Discreet artwork hung on the walls, tiny old-fashioned black-and-white photographs of Mum’s family in England, of Dad’s family here in Seattle. Though Dad had his own office, he’d also taken over a desk in the dining room, covering it with model airplanes he built out of balsa wood. Christine could still smell the acrid scent of the glue he’d used. A half-finished plane sat on the desk, bright red and blue paint across the bi-wings, while the fuselage was still plain wood.

    Thick brown rugs covered the golden hardwood floor. Mum couldn’t grow any plants and the tall sticks—the remains of what

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