Magickeepers #1: The Eternal Hourglass by Erica Kirov

My name is Nick, and my father is the worst magician in the world. I've learned that I come from a strong lineage of real magic, and I have the rare ability to see into the past. I've come to live with many of my mother's cousins, but the leader of the Shadowkeepers, Rasputin, is determined to get me. His minions have already infiltrated our compound! It must have something to do with an hourglass that can stop time, but I don't know how I fit in. My mother left me a key when she died, but I don't know what it opens or why it's burning my chest. Damian and Theo are the strongest magicians I know, but I've been told I'll be more powerful than them both. Maybe, someday, I can get back to my life of skateboards, cheeseburgers, and pizza.

While this book told another story of a boy discovering his new powers, the scenario was a little different. This type of character is often thrown together with strangers or new friends, but this time he was inserted him into a clan of cousins and other relatives. Isabella became his cohort in this book. I'm always amazed when characters like Nick disregard the orders and suggestions of more knowledgeable characters and put themselves and others in danger. In general, almost all of his talents centered around the family's Vegas magic act, although he later used them to help solve the mystery of the hourglass. The author included historical references to Houdini to describe the power of the timepiece and the coercion of Rasputin and his Shadowkeepers. There was another mini-mystery surrounding Theo. He was supposedly the most powerful magician in the family but allowed Damian to be in charge. It had something to do with the death of Nick's mother, but the truth didn't appear until the book's resolution. Overall, I enjoyed the story and recommend you try it too.