The Problem with Prophecies (1) (The Celia Cleary Series)

The Problem with Prophecies (1) (The Celia Cleary Series)

“A sweet yet deeply moving portrait of the highs and lows involved in finding one’s place in a wildly unpredictable world.” —Nic Stone, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin A young seer’s first prophetic vision upends her life and sets her off on a desperate quest to change fate in this contemporary fantasy middle grade novel with “heart, humor, and a plot that keeps those pages flying” (Carlos Hernandez, award-winning author of the Sal and Gabi series). Most people inherit eye colors or heirlooms, but for Celia Cleary, the gift of prophecy has been passed down in her family for generations. And on the 4,444th day of her life, Celia will have her first vision. But nothing could have prepared her for what she sees—the quiet boy down the street, Jeffrey Johnson, is about to die. Determined to save him despite her grandmother’s warnings against it, Celia alters events to stop her vision from playing out. But for each prophecy she avoids, another one takes its place, putting Jeffrey in constant danger. Fate has made its choice, and it’s not giving up the hunt. Focusing on homework or friends isn’t easy when you’re going head-to-head with death—and keeping Jeffrey Johnson alive is throwing Celia’s seventh grade year into chaos. It doesn’t help that she’s getting to know Jeffrey more and more with each new rescue attempt. It really doesn’t help when she realizes she kind of likes him. Will Celia’s gifts be enough to thwart fate? Or are some things in life inevitable? "I've never read a book that so deftly combines an exploration of Tough Stuff—like the finality of death—with stepping into an understanding of one's own agency. Reintgen has painted a sweet, yet deeply moving portrait of the highs and lows involved in finding one's place in a wildly unpredictable world." -- Nic Stone ― New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin " The Problem with Prophecies has it all: a great protagonist; a magical system to ignite the imagination; heart, humor, and a plot that keeps those pages flying. This book is the best reminder imaginable of why we all should read more." -- Carlos Hernandez ― award-winning author of the Sal and Gabi series "A very promising kickoff" -- Kirkus Reviews ― 3/15/2022 Scott Reintgen is a former public school teacher from North Carolina. When he’s not writing, he uses his imagination to entertain his wife, Katie, and their three children. Scott is the New York Times bestselling author of the Waxways series, the Nyxia trilogy, the Dragonships series, and the Celia Cleary series for younger readers. You can find him on Instagram @Reintgen, on X @Scott_Thought, or on his website at ItsPronouncedRankin.com. Chapter One: The 4,444th Day CHAPTER ONE The 4,444th Day Most people expect seers to live somewhere weird . A creepy house on the corner with roses that never bloom. Some lonely farm with a hunched roof. Anything mysterious. Which is why people are always surprised by Grammy’s very suburban townhome. It’s just so plain. I like watching her customers park on the side of the road. They always check their phones to make sure they’ve got the right address. Could that really be it? It’s not painted midnight black. No cobwebs on the front porch. What kind of seer lives in a house like that? And how could they be any good? Eventually the customers climb out of their cars. They’ll look up and down the sidewalk before crossing our well-manicured lawn, starting up our well-swept steps, and knocking with a handle that’s disappointingly not in the shape of a gargoyle. Grammy takes great pleasure in making her first appearance. She’s in her seventies now, but walks every single day and has an eye for what’s fashionable. Most of her customers take a look at her and their doubts double in size. No crystal ball? No pointed hat? No cats slinking in the background? “Expectations are their own kind of magic,” Grammy always tells me. So the customer enters. Grammy allows the disappointment to grow. She sits them on a normal-looking couch, gives them a normal cup of coffee, and doesn’t ask them to pay in vials of blood or anything weird. A credit card will work just fine, thank you. And at the exact moment that the customer’s doubt has reached a peak, Grammy invites them into the world of magic. I like watching them leave as much as I like watching them arrive. Some walk out with a haunted expression. Others leave with a face-splitting grin. It’s a miracle any of them can drive away without crashing straight into the bushes, because every single one of them leaves with a little slice of the future in their pocket. For better or for worse. But today there are no customers scheduled. I sit by my window upstairs and watch as the other neighborhood kids head for the bus stop. Jordan Lyles comes up one side of the street. He’s wearing his chrome headphones and carefully avoiding puddles and fallen leaves so his new sneakers remain in pristine condition. Th