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abooklikeyou's review
3.0
Enjoyable story but I didn't love it as much as the first one. This one also leaves on a cliff hanger with no sequel.
beastreader's review against another edition
4.0
Mr. Funaro is back with new characters and old friends in the second installment in this series, Watch Hollow: The Alchemist's Shadow. In this book, we meet Agatha and Algernon, the twins. In the beginning I was not a fan of them as they were there to challenge Lucy and Oliver for Blackford House. I loved the first book, so my allegiance was to Lucy and Oliver.
Although, Lucy and Oliver were not the only familiar faces that I was happy to see again. All of the animals from the clock. As if I could not love them any more, I did fall in love with them more. It was great to see them come to the rescue again.
Both young and adult readers will enjoy reading these books. Yet, these books will be enjoyed more by the younger readers for which they are more geared towards. So the audience is just right. Think of these books in the same category as the movie, The House with a Clock in Its Walls. I recommend reading these books.
Although, Lucy and Oliver were not the only familiar faces that I was happy to see again. All of the animals from the clock. As if I could not love them any more, I did fall in love with them more. It was great to see them come to the rescue again.
Both young and adult readers will enjoy reading these books. Yet, these books will be enjoyed more by the younger readers for which they are more geared towards. So the audience is just right. Think of these books in the same category as the movie, The House with a Clock in Its Walls. I recommend reading these books.
halcyon_rising's review against another edition
3.0
The Alchemist’s Shadow is the story that follows two months after the events of Watch Hollow. After the Tinkers defeated the evil that was lurking in and around Blackford House, they are now living on the magical property as its caretakers, assuming that there are no other relatives alive to claim the ownership. That is, until two children, Agatha and Algernon Kojima, arrive with their governess Ms. Graves from England to claim the house as their residence.
While Mr. Tinker and Ms. Graves try to work out their living situation, trouble is once more lurking at Blackford House, and it does not take long for it to rear its head again. Getting help from the animals in the clock, everyone must run for their lives in this exciting story that seems even more fast-paced than the previous one.
Read this book to find out exactly how the clock was made all those years ago, what made it tick and turn magical in the first place and to find out if the children and their magical friends will once more save the day, or is Blackford House lost for good this time?
While Mr. Tinker and Ms. Graves try to work out their living situation, trouble is once more lurking at Blackford House, and it does not take long for it to rear its head again. Getting help from the animals in the clock, everyone must run for their lives in this exciting story that seems even more fast-paced than the previous one.
Read this book to find out exactly how the clock was made all those years ago, what made it tick and turn magical in the first place and to find out if the children and their magical friends will once more save the day, or is Blackford House lost for good this time?
boose's review against another edition
3.0
Yeni karakterleri sevsem de ilk kitabın o karanlık atmosferini bunda bulamadım. Zaten okumam da üç hafta sürdü dkxke
phyrre's review against another edition
5.0
You can read my full review on my blog, The Writerly Way, here.
Many thanks to JeanBookNerd and Gregory Funaro for an eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
In a rare twist of fate, the sort that can only take place in a library … I learned about this series from a patron. When an elementary school kid comes in and recommends a book, you listen. Boy was I glad I did, because shortly after, this blog tour popped up, and I immediately jumped on it, since I loved the first one so much. And you know what? I’m pretty sure I liked the sequel even better.
Watch Hollow: The Alchemist’s Shadow is a pleasant combination of goosebump-inducing creepiness, fast-paced action, twists and turns, magic, and found family.
I rushed through this in one sitting, because I just didn’t want to put it down. It felt like there was something new on every page, and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. The book ends with a cliffhanger, setting up what I hope will be a third book in the series, and I couldn’t be more excited for it!
My Thoughts:
- Funaro has a writing style that’s easy to fall into, but also lovely to read. Combine that with Matt Griffin’s gorgeous illustrations, and this book was a pleasure to read from cover to cover. Or, in this case, I guess from 0% to 100%. The writing is something I really enjoyed from the first book, and it carried over into the second. It captures the horror element, while highlighting the mystery, yet still delivering some really lovely descriptions and some top-notch suspense.
- We get to rejoin our old friends from the first book while also meeting new ones. I had no idea where book two would take us, and I’ll be honest that I was hesitant about the Kojima twins at first, but boy did I ever warm up to them. It was so nice to see Lucy and Oliver again, even if the circumstances weren’t exactly happy, considering the arrival of the Kojima twins threatens to see them thrown out of Blackford House. All these kids are facing some pretty big struggles, bigger than they should have to at their age, and my heart just went out to all of them. How could you not root for this eclectic lot? All of them had such lovely arcs and character growth. Even the adults! And let’s face it, after everything they’ve been through, they deserve a little bit of a break, too. Especially Mr. Tinker. It’s nice that even though this is the kids’ story, there’s a little something for the adults, too.
- There’s a mute character that signs! Oh, how I loved this. Signing characters are still so underrepresented in literature, and it was entirely unexpected, which means I was all the more thrilled to see it! Despite not being verbal, Algernon plays a significant role in the story and isn’t silenced just because he couldn’t talk, and it was so freaking refreshing. Whether it’s gestures and motions or Agatha translating for him, Algernon makes his meaning known, and he plays a critical role in the plot. It could’ve been so easy to sideline him, and I’m so glad that wasn’t the case.
- The plot of this book takes a wholly unexpected turn. Which is a horrible (and intentional) attempt at a pun, seeing as how Blackford House transforms into a labyrinth. Look, I never said it was a good joke. I’m ashamed of myself, too. The sinister atmosphere in this feels similar, and yet completely fresh and new, from the previous book. More than that, though, did I mention the labyrinth?! And do you knoooow what lives in a labyrinth, hmm? Nothing good, I can tell you that. As high as the stakes felt in the first book, they were ramped up even more here, and the pages were charged with tension. I could’ve powered my Kindle on all the static electricity flowing between the chapters.
- The resolution at the end felt a little too easy … but then it opened up a fresh new brand of trouble … so I guess that evens things out? I expected the type of ending, given that it’s a middle mid-grade book, but the resolution felt a little lacking for me, personally. I’m also not the target audience, so … that happens. What I did love, though, was how it left off. Because phew, the next book can’t come out soon enough now, with that sort of cliffhanger. It seems like what’s in store for us readers is something bigger, grander, and full of more spooks.
Many thanks to JeanBookNerd and Gregory Funaro for an eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
In a rare twist of fate, the sort that can only take place in a library … I learned about this series from a patron. When an elementary school kid comes in and recommends a book, you listen. Boy was I glad I did, because shortly after, this blog tour popped up, and I immediately jumped on it, since I loved the first one so much. And you know what? I’m pretty sure I liked the sequel even better.
Watch Hollow: The Alchemist’s Shadow is a pleasant combination of goosebump-inducing creepiness, fast-paced action, twists and turns, magic, and found family.
I rushed through this in one sitting, because I just didn’t want to put it down. It felt like there was something new on every page, and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. The book ends with a cliffhanger, setting up what I hope will be a third book in the series, and I couldn’t be more excited for it!
My Thoughts:
- Funaro has a writing style that’s easy to fall into, but also lovely to read. Combine that with Matt Griffin’s gorgeous illustrations, and this book was a pleasure to read from cover to cover. Or, in this case, I guess from 0% to 100%. The writing is something I really enjoyed from the first book, and it carried over into the second. It captures the horror element, while highlighting the mystery, yet still delivering some really lovely descriptions and some top-notch suspense.
- We get to rejoin our old friends from the first book while also meeting new ones. I had no idea where book two would take us, and I’ll be honest that I was hesitant about the Kojima twins at first, but boy did I ever warm up to them. It was so nice to see Lucy and Oliver again, even if the circumstances weren’t exactly happy, considering the arrival of the Kojima twins threatens to see them thrown out of Blackford House. All these kids are facing some pretty big struggles, bigger than they should have to at their age, and my heart just went out to all of them. How could you not root for this eclectic lot? All of them had such lovely arcs and character growth. Even the adults! And let’s face it, after everything they’ve been through, they deserve a little bit of a break, too. Especially Mr. Tinker. It’s nice that even though this is the kids’ story, there’s a little something for the adults, too.
- There’s a mute character that signs! Oh, how I loved this. Signing characters are still so underrepresented in literature, and it was entirely unexpected, which means I was all the more thrilled to see it! Despite not being verbal, Algernon plays a significant role in the story and isn’t silenced just because he couldn’t talk, and it was so freaking refreshing. Whether it’s gestures and motions or Agatha translating for him, Algernon makes his meaning known, and he plays a critical role in the plot. It could’ve been so easy to sideline him, and I’m so glad that wasn’t the case.
- The plot of this book takes a wholly unexpected turn. Which is a horrible (and intentional) attempt at a pun, seeing as how Blackford House transforms into a labyrinth. Look, I never said it was a good joke. I’m ashamed of myself, too. The sinister atmosphere in this feels similar, and yet completely fresh and new, from the previous book. More than that, though, did I mention the labyrinth?! And do you knoooow what lives in a labyrinth, hmm? Nothing good, I can tell you that. As high as the stakes felt in the first book, they were ramped up even more here, and the pages were charged with tension. I could’ve powered my Kindle on all the static electricity flowing between the chapters.
- The resolution at the end felt a little too easy … but then it opened up a fresh new brand of trouble … so I guess that evens things out? I expected the type of ending, given that it’s a middle mid-grade book, but the resolution felt a little lacking for me, personally. I’m also not the target audience, so … that happens. What I did love, though, was how it left off. Because phew, the next book can’t come out soon enough now, with that sort of cliffhanger. It seems like what’s in store for us readers is something bigger, grander, and full of more spooks.
the_fabric_of_words's review against another edition
5.0
We loved the first book and enjoyed the slightly spine-tingling antics Lucy, Oliver and two new kids are up to inorder to protect Blackford House from a new evil.
Two new kids, Agatha and Algernon Fujima arrive with their nanny, Bedelia Graves, claiming to be long-lost heirs to Blackford House.
Algernon doesn't talk, not since his parents' deaths, and he carries around a creepy doll, Kenny, he insists saved him in the accident that killed his parents. Kenny is much more than he appears, of course. Agatha is super-bright and figures out what Lucy and Oliver are hiding -- the animals in the clock and the clock powering Blackford House's magic.
But no sooner does Bedelia go poking around in the clock's utility closet than she's zapped and a new evil appears -- a Minotaur, raging like a bull through the house's strangely elongating corridors. Soon the smudged portrait of Edgar Blackford peels itself off the canvass and comes after the kids in what is now a rapidly growing and evolving Labyrinth.
I won't spoil how it ends, but Lucy, Oliver, Agatha and Algernon have to work together to figure out how to save the house, with a guest appearance from a very special sparkly creature we've only heard rumors of before this, even if it means destroying the clock's magic and restoring balance to the woods.
Enjoy!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
Two new kids, Agatha and Algernon Fujima arrive with their nanny, Bedelia Graves, claiming to be long-lost heirs to Blackford House.
Algernon doesn't talk, not since his parents' deaths, and he carries around a creepy doll, Kenny, he insists saved him in the accident that killed his parents. Kenny is much more than he appears, of course. Agatha is super-bright and figures out what Lucy and Oliver are hiding -- the animals in the clock and the clock powering Blackford House's magic.
But no sooner does Bedelia go poking around in the clock's utility closet than she's zapped and a new evil appears -- a Minotaur, raging like a bull through the house's strangely elongating corridors. Soon the smudged portrait of Edgar Blackford peels itself off the canvass and comes after the kids in what is now a rapidly growing and evolving Labyrinth.
I won't spoil how it ends, but Lucy, Oliver, Agatha and Algernon have to work together to figure out how to save the house, with a guest appearance from a very special sparkly creature we've only heard rumors of before this, even if it means destroying the clock's magic and restoring balance to the woods.
Enjoy!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
bookiesncreme's review against another edition
2.0
2.5. Definitely a modern House with a Clock in Its Walls. Would have been happy if he ended it with this one, but he will clearly make more. This whole story felt weird and forced. He also really likes to repeat himself “gaping” and “wiped his wrist across his nose.”
TW for kids: talking doll & “I killed your parents.”
TW for kids: talking doll & “I killed your parents.”
lydiawoods's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5