The Dark Lord Clementine

Clementine Morcerous is destined to take over as Evil Overlord from her father, and she's spent her life learning dark magic and dastardly deeds.  She is also accustomed to a father of few words, but when she notices something strange about her father one morning at breakfast, he's even more short-tempered than normal.  Is it possible his nose is...thinner...almost like it's been whittled down.  When she mentions this, he flies off to his tower in a temper and tells her he is not to be disturbed.

Well, this leaves Clementine in a bit of a pickle.  Normally, the farm would take care of itself, but the magical scarecrows seem to be breaking down.  Could this have something to do with her father's mysterious malady?  With the help of her magical library, she discovers her father may have been cursed by a witch, the natural enemies of Dark Overlords.  Even though her father has forbidden her for doing anything, Clementine can't just sit around.  

For the first time in her life, she ventures into the village to find help.  That's how she ends up with a gaggle of boys who want to be knights and who actually end up helping her on the farm.  Also for the first time in her life, she has actual friends.

When she realizes her father won't be able to save himself, she decides to go after the witch herself with the help of a new friend and a spellbook in the form of a chicken who lays spell eggs only when they are appropriate to the situation.  Will this be enough to save her father and protect the village from something far worse than her father?

Sarah Jean Horwitz's book is a tongue in cheek fantasy adventure perfect for readers who like their fantasy with a good dose of humor and a heroine who isn't quite sure which side she's on.