After Sophia Petheram's father dies, she receives a letter from her mysterious and wealthy godfather, Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, inviting her to stay with him in his lavish estate, Wyndriven Abbey, in Mississippi. Money is tight, so Sophie has no choice but to accept, leaving behind her sister and two brothers in their tiny home for a life of luxury with M. de Cressac. Sophie has always dreamed of a life where she could have anything she wanted, and as her dreams become her reality, she is entranced by M. de Cressac's charming yet cunning personality.
Plum Coyle is getting ready to shrug off her old skin and put on a new one, getting to change from a child to an adult. But change is not all that she expected, and Plum is not sure that she can handle it. She is unsatisfied with her body shape, and can't stand the kids at school, who use every waking moment to find something bad about her. Why can't Plum be perfect like her beautiful neighbor, Maureen? Maureen, however, wants to help Plum become more confident in herself and to believe that, with the self-esteem, Plum can do anything she sets her mind to.
Daire Santos has so much more to learn about her destiny -- to become a Soul Seeker and protect her small New Mexican town from the evil Richters. The Richters, a family that practices black magic, has now infiltrated the Lowerworld, and with an undead army on their side, they won't stop until they have complete control over the world.
Alban used to be a peaceful land where magic was a regular part of life; magically gifted people, called "canny," protected the villages and took care of Alban's citizens. Now, the evil King Keldec has abolished the use of magic and forced the people to forget everything about old Alban, with its fairies and happy songs. Everyone lives in fear of King Keldec and his horrible army of "canny," which he has convinced to do bad instead of good.
